Growing up in the American South, I struggled to see my experience of Christmas reflected in the movies, TV specials, and other signs of the Season. The White Christmases of popular culture inspired me to dream of blankets of snow, cozy nights around the fire, and riding on a one-horse open sleigh through lamplit towns filled with carolers.

My first actual encounter with Christmastime snow happened after I entered Redemptorist formation in the Bronx, New York. Already in my 30s, I bounded toward the rectory doors, eager to try my hand at snow angels. Waiting at the foot of the stairs, however, stood Father Frank Skelly with a snow shovel in each hand. “We have to clear the entire block by noon,” he drily reported. Five minutes into the arduous work, my dreams quickly returned to the shorts and flip-flops of my Carolina Christmases.

At times, our Christmas celebrations fall short of our vision and expectations for the season. However, with eyes of faith, we may discover that the Spirit is helping us unwrap an unexpected gift of grace from the infant Christ. Perhaps this is our first Christmas after the loss of a loved one, or we feel sadness as we struggle to afford the gifts and treats we cherish giving to others. When we draw close to the Holy Family, we quickly recognize that the first Christmas morning burst with joy even in the direst of circumstances.

St. Alphonsus reminds us that “all the clues that the angels gave the shepherds to help them find the Savior, who had just been born, were marks of humility.” If we open our hearts to the infant Redeemer, the same signs of humility will guide us to where we will receive the sublime grace and joy of the season. By joining Christ at the side of the poor, the abandoned, the lonely, and the oppressed, we will witness the redeeming and liberating power of the Incarnation today.

In places as diverse as Kansas City and New Orleans, our Redemptorist communities host Catholic service centers in urban settings, providing a safe haven for those without homes, as well as support for families struggling with food insecurity. Our ability to partner with these agencies is possible because of your financial support for our mission. With your help, we will continue to provide our neighbors with places where they can experience the joy of Christmas with the same empowered humility as those who first rushed to Jesus’s manger. As we gather again to celebrate the birth of our Redeemer, I thank you for your generosity and prayers throughout the Jubilee of Hope.

Please remember to include your prayer intentions with your Christmas donations so we can join your family in giving thanks, asking for healing, or remembering a loved one during this season of hope. Through the intercession of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, may you and yours have a Blessed Christmas and abundant grace in the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

Very Rev. Kevin Zubel, C.Ss.R.
Provincial Superior