Kaleidoscope of Love

Dear Friends,

Greetings and Merry Christmas! Well, we are not quite there yet, but it's just around the corner. And by the time I write again, it will be the Feast of the Holy Family. I want to make sure that you know that we all wish you a beautiful Christmas! May it be full of love as we welcome the One who is Love Himself into our midst as a beautiful little baby. Jesus is truly God-with-us (Emmanuel) right in our midst. 

This weekend, as we enter into the final days of Advent, Luke recounts for us a beautiful and intimate moment between Mary and Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-45). We can surmise that this account comes from Mother Mary herself, looking back at all that happened to her and recounting her visit with Zechariah and Elizabeth. And in this moment, see all the love languages present from their moment of greeting and embrace to the encouraging words shared with each other. There were many acts of service in preparation for the arrival of John the Baptist, countless hours spent together, and over all that, the gift of the presence of the Spirit.

Luke describes the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary (Lk 1:35) and now he notes how Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:41). The Holy Spirit is often described as the Gift of the Father and the Son. On these occasions and at Pentecost (Acts 2), we note how the Spirit is given over, especially for a special mission. The Presence of the Spirit brings peace and heightened purpose, a willingness to be aligned with God’s will.

During these weeks of Advent, we have grounded our discussion of the Love Languages in the verse, “God is Love” (1 Jn 4:16), but the larger scope of John’s letter regards how since God is love, we ought to in turn show our love, be a people dedicated to loving God and neighbor in imitation of the One who first loved us. It is a worthy read during this season of witnessing love. This season is so full of love, especially the presence of the One who above all, shows us what love is, Jesus.

I would like to offer a very special thanks to everyone who made our Comfort and Joy Concert such a beautiful evening of song and praise! It truly was a moment of love witnessed and shared. A beautiful expression of love in our parish and for anyone we may have invited to share those moments with us. So many people made the evening a success but allow me to highlight and thank in particular, Joanne, who championed the event with diligence and aplomb. 

My hope for you this season is that you truly come to know and express love in a new and more profound way. Especially, I encourage you to set aside time to rest and be renewed by the presence of Emmanuel. In other words, to really feel the love of the season, by being in each other’s company, exchanging gifts and hugs, as well as kindnesses in words and deeds, and above all by worshipping God together. These are the ways, really a multitude of expressions, that make up the five love languages, a kaleidoscope of love. Practice makes perfect, so be sure to practice communicating in all the languages of words, time, acts, gifts and touch. 

Building on our Advent series, Love Languages, next week we will be moving to a new series. We will honor the Holy Family by kicking off: “The Secrets of Every Happy Family.” We hope you will join us for it!

We would encourage you to share with someone you love. Tell them about how much you liked Love Languages and how much you are looking forward to what is coming up. Sharing is caring, so show your love by being a little light to your neighbor’s feet, as we journey into 2025 together, worshipping God and learning to walk in His ways.

May the Prince of Peace fill you with the Gift of His Spirit this season!

With much love,
Fr. Joel