Christmas Priorities

Once again it is the Advent season and, as it does every year, life gets more hectic. One's job demands increase as work needs to be completed before the end of the year. The children all need to be brought to their various Christmas events. The shopping, of course, has to get done before the big day. All the decorations have to go up and the tree prepared. It just becomes so overwhelming. Yet we do seem to get through it every year…or do we?

For Americans, President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared December 25^th a national holiday after World War II in thanksgiving for the triumph over the evil fought against during the war. For those of us who are Christian, of course, the day is the celebration of the birth of our Savior. It is a time to remember the love shown to us by God incarnate that day some 2000 years ago as he humbled himself to be born as we are born.

The message of Christmas is not something that should be lost in the preparation for the day. Rather the preparation should be the prayer that leads up the celebration of the wondrous day when the Blessed Virgin gave birth to our God. Our minds and hearts should be on Jesus' love for us as we prepare for the day of celebration.

What a wonderful gift we have all been given. We have the opportunity to make our own choices; to be part of a country where the laws are derived from the word of God. When God made man, he made him free. When Jesus came, He freed man from sin. A wonderful gift to give this year is the gift of freedom to your fellow Americans.

I wish you a Blessed Christmas and many years of freedom to come.

Joseph L. Conigliaro

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