God can change things around!: Merry Christmas!

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Merry Christmas!

It is such a blessed time to be together in God’s house and with God’s family

·     With your families, our families, families in our community, families around our country, around the world, and with our families connected to our loved ones in heaven, saints and angels

This season, I’m guessing that many of you went to see a concert or a pageant

·      I did as well, and I went to watch our students pageant with a quip title: “The Case of the Reluctant Innkeeper”

·     They acted in the Bethlehem Court system which was quite funny, sang together and even offered a short concert

·     Now as I was proud of our students, our teachers, our employees and our volunteers I remember one song: “Change things Around”

·     Their voices were beautiful and the lyrics inspired me for goosebumps!

o  “Are you up against a wall and feeling mighty small? There’s no one in the inn, and you need someone to call.  Don’t call information, ‘cause God has got the plan.  We don’t have to worry.  Just pray and know He can change things around, change things around!  God sent His Son, the Holy One, to change things around. Jesus is love.  He’s come from heav’n above.  When down is up and up is down our God can change things around.

God did change things around, quite literally 

·      I hope there is no spoiler alert here

·     Jesus Christ was born!

·     And, he eventually was killed on the cross, died and rose again to save everyone of us

One other thought for Christmas this season as Mary had a baby, and who doesn’t love to see a baby?

·     Well, these newborns grow up to be infants, then toddlers, children, then the odd years of pre-adolescences, adolescences, adulthood, middle age and the senior years

·     And who did Jesus speak the most about our human lives?

o  Children!

·     “Let the children come to me…”

·     “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3)

First, I praise God for you parents

·     You gave life, you protect them, feed them, teach them, and walk with them in their lives

·     Thank you!

·     And I bet that your mission is not easy, and your kids may seem angelic at school or church while you know who they really are!

·      I mean, Santa, is making a list and checking it twice, He's gonna find out who's naughty and nice, Santa Claus is comin' to town

o  (And if you are at Mass, I bet he’ll be putting on the nice side)

But why did Jesus show several examples of being like children when we are adults?

·     Well, they believe in Jesus Christ

·     They know that they are vulnerable

·     They need everything from their parents

·     But isn’t this the same for us adults?  Often we think we are control of everything in our lives…we’ll in charge

·     But don’t we need help?  Don’t we need belief beyond ourselves?  Or realize that there is someone beyond ourselves, especially being focused with a secular world without God?

God does change things around!  And the more your lives change in the better life you want, I hope and pray that you connect closer to this baby, who became our savior, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!