Father Murray got it right

By Silvio Canto, Jr.

This is a message for all of you from Father Gerald E. Murray the pastor at Holy Family Church. It was published back in 2006 and I saved with my favorite files. It's a nice read between congested malls and "Little Saint Nick."

Father Murray was with St. Vincent de Paul in New York when he wrote this message for the National Review. I guess that some things get better with time. I think that you will agree:

A monsignor friend of mine is known to walk up the stairs of his rectory saying out loud, “Filled with joy, filled with joy.”

His reminder to himself and anyone in earshot is that joy is the central reality of Christian life.

Amidst the many problems and difficulties of everyday life in this world, faith teaches us to rejoice in God’s goodness.

At Christmas, God makes it easy to rejoice once again. Past and present seem to be one: the Virgin and Child at Bethlehem, the Christmas tree and crèche scene in our home growing up, our present-day preparations to celebrate another Christmas…

Gratitude indeed is the root of our joy:

We recognize God’s goodness, experienced in a small but very important way through giving and receiving Christmas gifts, and we rejoice.

Joy in the soul is a foretaste of Heavenly beatitude.

Joy at Christmas is the fruit of knowing deep down that the birth of the Child Jesus changes everything for all time.

We are all to some extent, in one way or another, at some point (or points) in our lives, on the wrong track going downhill.

What can get us out of this spiral of despair?

Joy. To know joy exists, and that it is within our reach, can be sufficient motivation to exit the fast lane and find that path that the Wise Men took to reach Bethlehem, and the Child.