Bishop Schlert's Christmas Message
“When the Angels greet the shepherds, their angelic messenger announces that "a Savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.” (Lk 2:11) This angelic announcement begins a time of great joy for the shepherds. A joy that is so great that they go in haste to see this newborn Infant King. They rejoice, for today God becomes man and blesses our fallen humanity. Today Christ comes among us — He leaps down from Heaven!
“This beautiful reality isn't just for the shepherds, it is for all of us today as well. God became flesh to come into the world to bless our fallen humanity with his glorious divinity.
“When this reality is brought to mind, we begin to think about all the discord in the world. There is war, political division, and persecution. There is heartbreak, alienation, pain, and depression. There is illness and disease. There is death. There are all these things that have the appearance that our humanity is far from blessed.
“However, our faith tells us that is not the case. A Savior has been given to us. Our Savior isn't a king who breaks into our world and changes it by force, he is a gentle Infant King that is knocking at our hearts to convert our broken humanity, deep within the recesses of our hearts. Let us open the door for our Infant King. When we do that, we will be amazed at what can happen – to us and to the world.
“Please know of my prayers for you and your families during my Masses this Christmas! In a special way, I will be offering my Christmas Masses for alienated or disaffected Catholics, that the power of the Holy Eucharist will call them back home to their family of faith.”
Have a Blessed Christmas!
+Bishop Schlert
