Merry Christmas everyone! Fr. Ron and I used to have playful conversations about which was more important: Christmas or Easter. He would say that without Christmas there would have been no Easter. I would respond that if there were no Easter, the meaning of Christmas would have been very different and probably not even remembered. The truth is, both are essential to the story of salvation. God chose to become like one of his creations, humans, so that he could experience all of the things you and I do. Jesus experienced being a baby, a child, a youth, a young adult, and a grownup. He experienced love and strong relations. He also experienced rejection and death. In each event, he has given us an example of how we can do those same things and remain true to our faith. May your family have great memories of this Christmas, so that you can see Christ in new ways in the people who love you and whom you love.