Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas! I hope you’ve had a happy start to this holy season!

Among my many reflections this year has been the fact that God got his hands dirty when he became a man. He walked right into our mess, and he took it on himself – he made it his own.

I don’t know about you, but when I reflect on this reality I can feel God’s generosity. How shocking a move
for him to make, how totally unexpected, how thoroughly gratuitous!

The only thing that can come close to explaining God’s becoming man is love. Not just love, but crazy love. This kind of love only cares – totally cares – about the beloved, and doesn’t count the cost.

And this love comes to meet me today, 2,000 years on from its Incarnation. Just like he got his hands dirty
that first Christmas, so he comes to me today, unafraid of the messiness of my heart and undeterred by the chaos of my life.

He makes himself, again and again, God-with-us. What more do we want from Christmas than that?

In the Peace of Christ,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ

Just a note that, following our tradition, we will have only one Mass for the January 1st Holy Day. I look forward to seeing you here at noon!