December, best known for Advent preparation and the joy of celebrating Christmas, is also a month filled with feast days for us to reflect upon and use to celebrate our faith.
In December we celebrate St. Nicholas of Myra, the person who in many ways inspired the whole idea of gift-giving at Christmas when he provided, according to tradition, the dowries for poor girls who otherwise could not be married. His example perhaps could be perceived as an antiquated one in this modern world, but the spirit of it is certainly beautiful and St. Nicholas has been honored ever since.
It is an example for us to celebrate the season not out of duty or pressure by others, but to share with others our kindness and generosity void of any expectation that it be requited.
The Feast of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception is not only for its own sake but also because the Blessed Mother is the patron of our country under her title of the Immaculate Conception. She was born without original sin in order that Jesus, born of a woman, born under the law, would not suffer the consequences of original sin. By her own unforeseen merits she gained an everlasting place in the catalog of saints and we honor her with that feast day as we do of her particular significance as the patroness of the Americas as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Not only are these feast days important in our understanding of our faith and our Catholic tradition, but in some sense, feast days, traditions of devotion and preparation and holy days of obligation, provide for Catholics a sense of unity.
As we approach the end of the year 2012 I fear we are, as a country, a divided people. Certainly there are many who tell us that rising debt is not a sign of economic well-being, but the same group cannot be unaware of the millions of people who at least have a claim to some assistance from the federal government. These two things are seen to be mutually exclusive, hence the division among the people of our country. We know, through our tradition and history that our country is healthiest when the clear majority of people pursue a single goal or common group of goals. We would not have achieved what we have as a nation had we not been able in past times to pull together in times of wars fought, disasters survived or economic struggles from which we have repeatedly emerged.
For the new year we should all strive to some sort of agreed-upon national unity so that we can solve these problems rather than just push them down the road for other people, perhaps even generations yet unborn, to take up and solve. We have to acknowledge that these times are very difficult for many people, including those of the households of faith. Even if we concede that they may be improving the financial outlook for the country as far as recouping what we have lost in the last several years, it will take a long time.
Perhaps the examples of the saints that fill our calendar during these days of Advent and Christmas can help us try to figure out a way to do our part, and even though on some issues we may be politically alienated from the current administration. Perhaps the good and generous examples of those saints can assist us in doing our part for the common good at the end of this year and into the next.
And as you continue your prayerful traditions and preparations, please remember in a reverent and thankful way, Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. O’Neill as he celebrates 95 years of God’s gift of life. May his example of faith and leadership continue to inspire the history of our diocese yet unwritten.