A Merry and Blessed Christmas

December 13, 2010

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The civil year of 2010 is fast drawing to a close in just under three weeks, and in approximately the same number of weeks our new Liturgical Year has just begun. As the birth of our Blessed Savior approaches, we have been preparing our hearts and our souls to receive Him and to make a fit dwelling place within ourselves for Him to take up His rest and abide within us. We have observed the customs and traditions of our Faith in fasting and abstaining from various foods, increasing our reading of the Sacred Scriptures, intensifying the fervor of our prayers, confessing our sins, lighting the Advent Wreath and perhaps opening the various doors and window of our Advent Calendar. The underlying question however in all of these laudable acts is this: Have we in fact made an interior conversion of our lives and not just an exterior change in our actions?

Our Lord came from Heaven to Earth not simply for an outward appearance of religiosity but for an inner conversion of our nature and our hearts. He came to forgive us our sins and to offer us Eternal Life… but to effect this we must turn away from sin and receive His Grace…we must CONVERT our hearts, minds and souls and make them fit vessels for Him to come and dwell within us. If we do, then with St Paul we can truly say: “It is no longer I who live; but Christ who liveth within me.”

This Christmas season, I want to take a moment to urge you to take a few minutes and to examine your motivation for the observances of this sacred time. If your motivation is truly a desire for inner conversion then pursue your Advent preparations with zeal and vigor; if on the other hand your motivation has lacked anything necessary, resolve to make the most of the remaining days to replace your motivation with a firm resolution to make that inner conversion and prepare yourself to become that resting place for the King of Kings.

May the Christ Child enter into your hearts and into your homes and find a welcome place prepared for Him. May He bless you and your families, your parishioners and your friends and loved ones with an everlasting peace and joy to fill your lives throughout the coming year. May you enjoy the blessings and the love and happiness of this Blessed season. Be assured of a remembrance in my Christmas Masses for each and every one of you

Archbishop Edward J. Ford, T.O.R.

Primate, NAORCC