Keeping the hope of love alive within our hearts is a vision of our destiny. During this Christmas season, we stop and wonder about the saving power of God’s great love for us. Everyone is intertwined together in woven swaddling clothes as God’s children. The depth and breadth of our Father’s tender loving care for us is truly unfathomable. We see glimpses of this love while holding a newborn baby in our arms or view the intricate patterns of a Christmas snowflake. God’s love and righteousness welcomes us to his table every Sunday, a table that is one of inclusion and forgiveness through the saving power of Our Lord. For we are equal light within God’s abiding love and compassion every day of our lives. Someday we shall see God as he is, for this is man’s greatest unknown miracle. The beatific vision guides us back to our real home and into the loving arms of Our Savior Jesus Christ. (c) Mary Anne Abdo

As I look back on the year 2022, it has been full of many wonderful and new opportunities for me. I wrote the above reflection for our church’s annual Christmas prayer book. I believe that we all emanate light in this world, in big ways and in small ways. But it is how we choose to forward that light on to others. That makes the biggest difference because in the end light is love.

May everyone have a wonderful 2023. Happy New Year!!