Christmas Message
December 9, 2010
Dear Friends,
Grace, light and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
During Advent, we celebrate with joyful expectation the return of the Lord at the end of time. We also focus upon His coming more than two thousand years ago. It is fitting that the weeks leading to the Christmas Feast are called “The Season of Giving” and “The Season of Hope.” The birth of the Messiah, the Promised One and Prince of Peace, give believers a model and pattern for our existence. We become part of the mystery of God’s self-giving; we become signs of hope for others.
The stories of the season retell the story of love: “God so loved the world” that Christ was born of Mary, the Virgin; he was cared for by Joseph and shown to the peoples of all the world as their Savior.
This love fills us with hope as we see in the life of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph our way of accepting and caring for each other. This love is retraced in our lives, even as families and friends band together in difficult times, faced by hardships, sickness and suffering. This love inspires us to selfless giving of ourselves, not counting the cost.
The days of December are cold, the nights long. As darkness covers our world, we look to Christ, the Light, to lead and guide us and, yes, to give us hope. This hope, born of love, sustains us. May we learn from him and become, more and more, his living presence in our world.
And may you, your families and loved ones enjoy the blessings of Advent and Christmas. As we and countless others join together to celebrate the Church’s liturgies this season may the abiding presence of God, given to us in the Eucharist, sustain us until the Lord comes again.
With every best wish and kind regard, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Patrick J. McGrath
Bishop of San Jose
Recent Bishop's Statements
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