A Christmas message from our Provincial Director Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S.

The nativity sets we have in our home mostly depict a glowing and picturesque scene, probably not at all like the humble setting that would have been the reality. Sometimes Mary and Joseph are even wearing gold-trimmed robes and I can say in all confidence that would not have been the case. There would have been darkness, certainly, and dirt, and blood. Maybe some tears and sweat, worry and weariness. Then came the presence of the Son of God, and suddenly all would have been bathed in light and peace. The glow coming from that manger was enough to draw people in, then as now.

That is a good lesson for us this year, when things did not go as planned and it sometimes felt as if the world was a train that had jumped the tracks, gone into a ravine and burst into flames. While this year was particularly challenging, there are always times when, either as a society or a Church or a family, we feel as if we are surrounded by darkness, dirt and blood.

In those times, we can rely on Jesus to bring us the gift of peace. We look for the ways in which he brings life to our world. We look for the light. And if we look, we can always find it.

That is what we are celebrating at Christmas. The message that our Savior is with us: an eternal message that is ever-new. He is with us in small, humble places and in grand cathedrals. He is outside of us, in all creation, and in our hearts and minds. Like Mary and Joseph, shepherds and kings, we stand by the crib and marvel at the miracle.

V. Rev. Jeffrey S. Kirch, C.PP.S.
Provincial Director

Missionaries of the Precious Blood