Catholic Community of Jeffersonville St. Augustine
Parish Website

Catholic Community of Jeffersonville St. Augustine & Sacred Heart

Homily
by
Father Thomas E. Clegg

Christmas 2009                                St. Augustine and Sacred Heart

A few years ago a Midwestern newspaper published a request to readers

   to submit photos of their child’s first visit with Santa Claus.

They thought it would be a great photo display:

   little children looking wide-eyed at the jolly old man.

When they received the pictures, however,

    many of them were pictures of children scared to death.

Picture after picture showed youngsters crying and bawling,

   shrieking and howling, struggling to get away from the man in the red suit.

I would imagine these same youngsters will get over their fear of Santa,

   And when they are older, I imagine they will hear the story we just heard.

They will hear of shepherds who have a frightening experience themselves.

   Luke tells us that they come face to face with an angel of the Lord—

       The glory of the Lord is shining around them.

           AND THEY WERE STRUCK WITH GREAT FEAR.

Now I don’t know about you, but there have certainly been times in my life

   that I have been afraid.

I would imagine that the same is true for most if not all of you.

I received a letter the other day from a friend of mine in Indianapolis.

   I witnessed their marriage in my first year as a priest.

She writes, “Fr. Tom, I’m not sure our marriage can survive.

     I’m just afraid this might be the end.”

We all have our fears.

    How will I get through the death of my spouse of more than 50 years?

       What will I do now that my son or daughter is in trouble?

           How long will the money last now that I’m out of work?

I would imagine the parents of those little kids in the pictures

      pulled them off of Santa’s lap

           and told them the same thing the angels told the shepherds:

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid.”

Do not be afraid. In our Gospel today we are less than two chapters into

   Luke’s Gospel and this is now the fourth time we have heard this phrase.

An angel said it to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

     An angel said it to Joseph, the husband of Mary.

         An angel says it to Mary as well.

And now an angel says it to the shepherds.     

It is the most dominate phrase in the New Testament.

  The words “Do not be afraid” or some variation there of is heard

      over 25 times in the gospels alone.

The first four words that the angel speaks to the shepherds and to Zechariah

     and to Joseph and to Mary are words that each of us should relish and

        remember for the rest of this year and throughout the New Year.

Tonight (This morning), on this Christmas day,

     we are reminded that God is with us and we have nothing to fear.

And so I say to all of you today.

If there is anyone here who is afraid that life is going to be too hard

   for them, hear the words of the angel Gabriel, “Do not be afraid.”

If there is anyone today who is worried that following God’s will is going to

   be too much for them, listen to the words of the angels, “Do not be afraid.”

If there is anyone here tonight who worries that God has left them

   for any reason, listen to the words of Jesus, “Do not be afraid.”

Worried about family: Do not be afraid.

    Worried about money: Do not be afraid.

        Worried about your health: Do not be afraid.

Do not be afraid.

Those four words sum up the message of Christmas.

   These are the words that make this night radiant with the love of Jesus.

     Christ is our light and our life.

He is the way the truth and the life.

   He is the wonder counselor, the God hero, the prince of peace.

And he is the one who reminds us on this holy night:

   I am with you always. Do not be afraid. 

[ Home ]  [ Welcome ]  [ Parish News ]  [ Parish History ]  [ Parish Life ]  [ Faith Formation ]
[ Youth Ministry ]  [ School ]  [ Sister Parish ]  [Prayer Requests ]  [ Contact ]

Catholic Community of Sacred Heart | 1840 East Eighth Street, Jeffersonville, Indiana | 47130
812-282-0423 (Church) | 812-283-3123 (School) | Map & Directions to Sacred Heart Church

Copyright © 2002 - 2010 www.SacredHeart-Church.com. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use