Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Everyone

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE. Christmas is my favorite day of the year. Many theologians tell us that without Good Friday and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, there would be no salvation. But, I am -- as you all must know by now -- an optimist. So, for me, Christmas is the key event. God had promised us another chance at salvation -- it is well-documented in the Old Testament -- and when He permitted His Son to be born and take on our human-ness, the rest, not to be trite, was history, because God never lies to us or makes false representations or promsies. He is for real. • So, tonight and tomorrow, whether you are Chirstian or Jewish or Moslem or Buddhist or Hindu or a non-believer -- there is one thing you should celebrate and be grateful for -- Christmas. It is your ticket out of evil and depravity into the loving and brotherly embrace of God and Our Lord. • As President Trump put it so eloquently in his short remarks after lighting the National Christmas Tree, no one has had as great an impact on the world and everyone in it -- not in the past 2,000 years, not ever. You can access the President's truly beautiful remarks at < https://youtu.be/yLSquKCgPRM >. • To put it another way, in Philippians 4:7-9 (KJV), Saint Paul wrote to some of the early Christians, saying : "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Saint Paul's words so fully express the promise of Christmas -- all that is good and peaceful will come to us humans through the love of God and His Son; • And so, as always, I offer you the story of the Nativity found in St. Luke 2 : "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." • Wherever you may be, whatever you may be doing, pause to consider that there is a loving God who, if only we will listen, is prepared to lead us to peace and brotherhood. • I wish all my brothers and sisters a truly Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season. (Casey Pops will return on December 27.)