Pastor's Reflection - December 21, 2025

"Hymns of Hope: Embracing the Spirit of Christmas"

One of my favorite things about Advent and Christmas is the traditional hymns that we sing and hear.

My favorite Christmas song is “O Holy Night,” and I actually composed a homily entirely based on and inspired by this song. It is so packed with theology and meaning.

Recently, I was scrolling through YouTube and found a performance of “In the Bleak Midwinter.” I looked up the lyrics and found them to be incredibly powerful. The hymn reflects themes of poverty, humility, and divinity. It contrasts the harshness of winter with the warmth of Christ's love and suggests that the most profound offerings to God come from the heart rather than material wealth.

As I researched the history and composition of the hymn, I suddenly had a flashback to a pilgrimage I made to Rome and the General Audience I attended with Pope Benedict XVI on August 25, 2010. I was right below the balcony when he stepped out to deliver his message.

His message was about how everyone should have a special saint whom they love and feel close to in this life. Here is an excerpt from his address:

"Everyone must have some saint with whom he or she is on familiar terms, to feel close to with prayer and intercession, but also to emulate. I would therefore like to ask you to become better acquainted with the saints, starting with those you are named after, by reading their lives and writings. You may rest assured that they will become good guides to help you love the Lord even more and will contribute effective assistance for your human and Christian development.”

He then gave a beautiful testimony of how St. Augustine had inspired him with his zealous search for the truth and how his writings had helped Benedict XVI in his own spiritual journey.

At the end of the speech, he offered a beautiful invitation for people experiencing difficulties or hardships.

"Dear brothers and sisters, I would like to say to all of you, especially to those who are passing through a difficult moment in their journey of faith, to those who take little part in the life of the Church or who live 'as though God did not exist,' not to be afraid of the truth. Never interrupt your journey towards it and never stop searching for the profound truth about yourselves and other things with the inner eye of the heart. God will not fail to provide the light to see by and the warmth to make the heart feel that he loves us and wants to be loved.”

In the bleak midwinter, God came down to provide the warmth we need to know that he loves us and wants to be loved.

As you and your family prepare for the celebration of Christmas, my prayer is that you will know and experience this reality and share it with others.

In Christ,

Fr. James Northrop, Pastor