There is a special hush about Christmas Eve. No matter how busy and rushed we have been preparing for Christmas, when late evening comes, we stop, catch our breath and ponder the miracle that God is about to bring into the world through His faithful handmaiden Mary. What a wondrous light shines in the sky; what a radiant birth will turn a rough stable into a palace of divine love.

It is almost unthinkable: by humbling Himself to be born in a stable among farm animals, Jesus demonstrated from birth that He had no use for the earthly riches of a king. While the three magi brought Him precious gifts, He did not seek them, but chose humility. Later, in that same humility, he gave his life to save us from our sins.

From the time He was an infant in the manger, Jesus’ way was to lead men and women to build up riches of the spirit and to help the poor and needy. The best gift we can give Jesus is to care deeply about what He cared about – and He dearly loved the poor. Thus our hearts are moved with compassion when we see a hungry person on the street in rags – a homeless member of our human family.

Jesus loves each of us - rich and poor alike. Though He said that we should watch out for how riches can corrupt the heart and soul. In the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21), Jesus tells the story of a man who had such plentiful yields from his fields that his barns could not hold his crops. So he tore down his barns to build bigger ones – intending to “eat, drink and be merry.” But we know what happened: God told the foolish man that he would die that night, and all his treasures would go to waste.

It is wonderful to see people being generous at Christmas. When we give generously, and when we feed the hungry or give shelter to our homeless brothers and sisters, we are proclaiming the love of Christ. Jesus, who comes to us tomorrow as a tiny, vulnerable infant – lying not in a crib with soft blankets, but in a manger lined with straw.

God bless you!

Peggy