Christmas can be a glorious time, filled with the wonder of children, religious devotion, and abundance. Christmas can also be a time of let downs, a time of dryness in our spiritual life, and loneliness or want. Christmas is always Good News, but our experience of the season may differ year to year, or person to person.

So it would do us good to remember the grace of the first Christmas and how that continues to today. Jesus, the Son of God, could have been born to a royal home. He could have been a great leader. He could have had influence beyond measure. As God, He could have chosen any path to impact the world. But he chose to be born as a peasant, to a poor family. He chose a normal, ordinary family. He chose to be born to this family under difficult circumstances (who wants to give birth to the Messiah in a barn?).

His trajectory did not change. To be his followers, he chose ordinary people. He made these ordinary and broken people the Apostles of his church. This is how he was going to change the world?! Yep.

And his trajectory still has not changed. For he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He still chooses to be born in the hearts of ordinary people, a Light kindled in one heart at a time. It is not an efficient way to change the world (by our standards at least), but it is His way. This is how he wants to bring about his kingdom of justice and peace and love?! Yep. One heart at a time.

And to each heart that welcomes him, he gives the gift of making that person a son or daughter or child of God. Yes, a child of the Most High.

So wherever you are and however you are this Christmas, let us not forget the humble way of God. Maybe we can take a little courage and joy from it, and make the world around us a little better.

​Merry Christmas!

There's an old adage Episcopalians use when it comes to Confession (The Rite of Reconciliation): "All may, none must, some should." This is generally the stance The Episcopal Church takes towards Confession. It is not a prerequisite for Holy Communion, so no one has to go. It is available to everyone, all year long, and also during special times set aside in Advent and Lent. And finally, for those whose hearts are burdened heavily by sin or guilt, it is recommended to go to Confession.

It has been my experience that while I know God loves me and forgives me, the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) has been the thing God has used to help me overcome sin and experience God's love time and again. It's a great gift to know that Confession is a Sacrament, in which Christ is truly present, offering forgiveness through the words and presence of the priest.

So as you prepare for Christmas, seek God in your heart and see whether you might not benefit from meeting Christ in a unique way in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

​-Fr Alex 

Each Advent our parish encourages charitable giving by selecting one or two organizations to support. This year our Vestry has chosen Episcopal Relief & Development and Puesta Del Sol Elementary School. What is the purpose of charitable giving, and how does it fit into a Christian's life?

It is important to remember that human needs are met in two ways: justice and charity. The normal way should be through justice, in which each person gets fair payment for their good work. When a society is healthy, every person has a job to do that benefits the community, and money is passed from person to person in gratitude and appreciation for the work they contribute. Everyone's needs are met. Justice encompasses much more than money, but let's stick with the money aspect for now.

The other way human needs are met is through charity. Charity is needed when a society is unhealthy, or when because of unfortunate events, a person/family is unable to obtain what they need for dignified human life. It is the duty of every Christian, as they are able, to contribute to charity.

This was the message of John the Baptizer, who was getting people ready for the coming of Jesus. It was also the message of Jesus and of the early Church as they awaited Jesus's return. Our own Episcopal Catechism says,

We know that our parish's charitable support this Advent doesn't take the place of justice. But we hope that (1) it helps meet real human needs, and (2) raises awareness about needs and ways to meet them that can be continued beyond Advent.

So what does this have to do with our Christian life?
We should always remember to be fair and just in our dealings, because each person is created in God's images and has the right to a productive, healthy life. We work for justice in society as far as we are able, and certainly model it in our own business and personal interactions.

As for charity, we give according to our means. It is not good to meet the needs of others but not meet the needs of one's family. But to meet all the wants of one's family without meeting the needs of others is also not good. For how we treat others is how we treat Christ (Matthew 25). If one does not have money to give, they might give time and effort instead, to help their neighbor.

What I found as helpful financial advice from another pastor is to take the amount you can give away, and give half to the church and half to other charitable causes. Of course, the Spirit may lead you to give all to the Church or most to a charitable need (especially if that charitable need is in your own family). But I found that pastor's advice helpful.

May God help us to foster a more just and charitable society this Advent as we prepare for the coming of His Son, Jesus.
​-Fr Alex