There's room in our Inn

There was no room in the Inn. Jesus was born in a manger, because there was no room for him. Let us make room for Jesus. Let us make room for Jesus in our homes, in our lives and in our hearts. Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus is probably the one that we are most familiar with. It is the one that is pictured in the nativity scene here in our Church. In those beautiful creches that most of us have in our homes. CHRISTMAS EVE 2020 LUKE 2, 1-14

This beautiful picture of Christmas. Mary and Joseph in a humble stable surrounded by the cows and chickens and donkeys. The star announcing the good news to the humble shepherds who quickly made their way to Bethlehem to adore the Christ Child. Such a beautiful image of Christmas. It makes such a nice decoration in our homes, and is so beautiful even here outside in the cold of southern California. I remember as a child sitting in front of the beautiful manger scene drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies. Such warm memories. A beautiful scene, but don’t forget that Joseph took his young poor family to a barn not because it would make a great decoration for our homes but because there was no room in the Inn. Let us make room for Jesus in our lives this year. 2020 has been a year for the history books. We will not long forget this year. In 60 years when most of us are gone your grandchildren here will tell their grandchildren about the Christmas of 2020. In 100 years when we are all gone, they will study this year and it will be mentioned in the history books. It is easy to focus upon what we have lost, because we have all lost so much, but let us focus on what we have. This year we have made room for Jesus in our lives. This year Jesus hasn’t had to stay out in the barn with the cows and sheep. No, this year we have welcomed Jesus into our lives and our hearts. A lot of people have gotten sick this year, many have died. We have welcomed Jesus every time we went shopping for an elderly neighbor or dropped food off at someone’s door. We have welcomed Jesus in our care for the sick and our compassion for those who have lost a loved ones. We have loudly proclaimed that there is room in our Inn. Every time you put on a mask it has been a sign of love, it has been a welcome sign for Jesus. It has been a tough year but we have welcomed Jesus in one another. We certainly have all spent more time with one another this past year and it has not always been easy, but when we welcomed kids back from college, when we have taken time with kids who are learning through zoom, we have welcomed Jesus. Kids when you have been a bit more patient with your mom and dad when they’ve been upset or angry you have welcomed Jesus. You have said there is room in your Inn. In our parish we have lost a great deal. 300 of our parishioners have died this past year. Members of your family. In the comfort that we have offered to one another. We have told Jesus that there is room at our Inn. Pray is what we are all about as a parish community and we have learned how to pray in a new way this year. Live-streamed masses, drive thru communion, zoom bible study, facebook faith formation. All these things have shown that as a parish community we have gone out of our way to find Jesus, to welcome him in. We haven’t left Jesus out in the cold, no we’ve found new ways to welcome him in. The shepherds were the first ones to come to Bethlehem to adore the Christ child. Not because they were wise or rich, no the opposite is true, because they were poor and excluded. The message of Jesus was proclaimed first to the least. As a parish community we have made room for Jesus in a big way in our food bank: 387 families served last weekend over 800 the weekend before thanksgiving. We didn’t think that we could do it, but we have welcomed Jesus over 800 times. We have told him that there is room in our Inn. Christmas comes at the end of the year. It just one week 2020 will be gone, Thank God! We look forward to 2021 and we make a commitment that this new year will be an opportunity for us to build on what we have done. In our foodbank, visits to the sick, care for the grieving, our bible studies and masses we make room for Jesus. Jesus doesn’t have to stay out in the barn any longer. We will welcome him in to our homes, our lives and our hearts. Merry Christmas! May God Bless us! May we always find room for Jesus in our lives.