Family

CELERY

The celebration of Christmas has become too commercialized for me.  Unfortunately, I am one who has succumbed to the necessities of shopping.  My list gets longer every year.  Each time December approaches, I feel this joyful expectation but dread that I may have purchased a gift for the wrong person.  On top of this, the usual heavy holiday traffic, crowded streets, and long lines in the shops contribute to the overall stressful scenario.

In contrast, I will make a serious effort this year at using my time purposely.  I will go back to basics and celebrate Christmas with my family, mindful of the Holy Family in Nazareth, for there is an even more excellent and more significant gift to consider. It builds better and stronger relationships with my family, friends, and others, God may send me this time.

My Jesuit brother often told me that God could have chosen to send his Son, Jesus, on earth without a family. But God did not.  Jesus was born into a family with Joseph and Mary as his parents.  This sacred family lived simple, humble, and exemplary lives.  They serve as the ideal and excellent model for my family and other Christian families to follow.