The Nativity of the Lord

As most of you know, I experienced a stroke the end of October and have been in recovery mode on an in-patient and out-patient basis since that time. This has included considerable amounts of physical therapy as well as other changes in my life such as new medications and dietary restrictions. Recovery has been slow but steady. I have recovered from orthopedic surgeries in the past with much success, but recovery from brain injury is a completely different matter and far more challenging. Thank you very much for your prayers and expressions of support. As I write this “Notes From the Pastor” on December 15th, I am very much looking forward to celebrating one of the Christmas Masses since I have not celebrated a public Mass in over six weeks. Many thanks to Fr. Edward and Fr. John for filling in for me during my convalescence and to Veronica, Natasha, and Ryn for maintaining the Parish Office and keeping up with our normal Advent activities. With the New Year, it is my intention to return to celebrating daily Mass at the church on a regular basis and gradually be present in the Parish Office more regularly as in the past. I am still in “recovery mode” and likely will be so for some time yet to come but look forward to gradually returning to active ministry here at Our Lady of Fatima Parish.

As we celebrate this blessed Christmas Day and the birth of our Savior, I invite you to take a few quiet moments to think a little more about how God works in our lives. God, and God alone, fulfills every authentic yearning of the human heart. He provides life and peace, wholeness and love, contentment and joy. Think of each person on your gift list and hold them up in prayer before God. Pray that they, like the Blessed Virgin Mary and the shepherds may joyfully recognize the presence of God in their midst. We can include ourselves in the prayer, so that we, too, might more fully recognize God’s presence in our lives.

May the stars which shone so brightly on that first Christmas Eve bring the light of hope to our families; may the voices of the angels fill us with joy; and may the Holy Family fill our hearts with the love that only the Christ child can bring. ¡Feliz Navidad!