Christmas

Merry Christmas Family & Friends of Epiphany of the Lord Parish 

It is precisely by virtue of his Incarnation that we now encounter the Lord in our brothers and sisters in need: As you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me (Mathew 25:40). The Nicene Creed does not depict a distant, inaccessible and immovable God who rests in himself, but a God who is close to us and accompanies us on our journey in the world, even in the darkest places on earth. His immensity is revealed when he makes himself small, laying aside his infinite majesty to become our neighbor in the little ones and in the poor. This revolutionizes pagan and philosophical conceptions of God. (Pope Leo XIV, Apostolic Letter: In Unitate Fidei [In the Unity of Faith], November 2025) 

As we gather once more around the mystery of Bethlehem, our hearts are drawn to the humility of the God who comes close. This year, I am especially moved by the words of Pope Leo XIV, who reminds us in his Apostolic Letter In Unitate Fidei that: the Nicene Creed does not depict a distant, inaccessible and immovable God who rests in himself, but a God who is close to us and accompanies us on our journey in the world, even in the darkest places on earth. His immensity is revealed when he makes himself small, laying aside his infinite majesty to become our neighbor in the little ones and in the poor. (In Unitate Fidei, no. 7). Christmas is the astonishing revelation that God chooses proximity over power, tenderness over transcendence, and love over distance. The Child wrapped in swaddling clothes is not only the fulfillment of ancient prophecy—He is the fulfillment of our deepest human longing: a God who sees us, knows us, and walks with us. Because of His Incarnation, we no longer have to look far to find the face of Christ. He is present in the hungry, the lonely, the sick, the forgotten, and all those who carry burdens quietly and bravely. The Gospel reminds us: as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me. (Mathew 25:40). God has made Himself so small that He now meets us in every person who longs for compassion. This is the revolution of Christmas. This is the tenderness that changes everything. This is the faith we profess—not in an unreachable deity, but in a God who takes a human heart so that we may never doubt His closeness again. 

The Mystery of God Draws Near-Philosophers often speak of the human longing for meaning, the restless search that drives us beyond what is immediate and visible. St. Augustine gave it voice with his timeless confession: Our hearts are restless until they rest in You, O Lord. Christmas is God’s answer to that restlessness. The Infinite enters our finite condition not as an idea or a concept, but as a Child—a gift we can see, touch, and hold. In the newborn Jesus, all the great questions of humanity find not abstract solutions, but a living presence. Theologically, the Incarnation tells us something astonishing: God does not remain distant, nor does He save us from afar. Instead, He enters our history, shares our vulnerability, and transforms it from within. The Creator of the stars humbles Himself to be laid in a manger. The Word through whom all things were made cannot yet speak. The one who sustains the cosmos depends upon the love of Mary and Joseph. Such humility is the very power of divine love. 

Living the Incarnation Today in Our Epiphany Community-Christmas is not only an event to be remembered but also a reality to be lived. To celebrate Christmas is to welcome Christ into the inn of our hearts. This requires more than decorations, carols, or even generous giving; it requires openness of heart, humility of spirit, and the willingness to be transformed by love. The Epiphany Community is a home of Love for everyone. 

The Incarnation also carries a moral summons. If God has united Himself so deeply with humanity, then every human person bears an inviolable dignity. To encounter Christ is also to be sent forth: to defend the vulnerable, to comfort the lonely, to reconcile the divided, and to bring hope to those in despair. In this sense, Christmas is not only God’s gift to us but also God’s mission through us. 

The German philosopher Martin Heidegger once said that we are beings toward the future. Christmas reveals what kind of future we are made for: a future of communion with God, a life suffused with divine love, a destiny in which every tear will be wiped away. By living in that hope now—by becoming instruments of peace, joy, and reconciliation—we begin already to taste eternity. This Christmas, we rejoice in the God who becomes small so that no one is overlooked. In the Child of Bethlehem, we discover God’s nearness in every person, especially the vulnerable. May our Epiphany community shine with the light of His compassion, mercy, and shred humanity. Christ is born among us—may we embody His love in all we do. Merry Christmas! 

Epiphany of the Lord Parish United in Faith Hope, and Charity 

My Dear Parish Family, as we gather in prayer, in liturgy, and in celebration this Christmas, I want to thank you for being signs of God’s presence to one another. In your generosity, your service, your forgiveness, and your love, the mystery of the Incarnation continues to be made flesh in our community. 

As Your Pastor, I pray that this holy season may be for each of you a time of renewal: renewal in faith, renewal in family bonds, renewal in the quiet trust that God is near. May your homes be filled not only with the sparkle of lights and the warmth of gatherings but above all, with the radiance of Christ’s peace. 

As we celebrate Christmas 2025, I invite you to look around our parish, our families, and our community with new eyes: – Who is the Christ-child in our midst? – Who is waiting for a kind word or a gentle gesture? – Where is God inviting us to embody the warmth of Bethlehem? 

Christmas-2025 assures us that history is not a cycle of struggles but a story touched by God. The Child of Bethlehem whispers to each of us: Do not be afraid, for I am with you. May His peace fill your homes and His light guide your steps into the new year. 

May this Holy Season renew in each of us the courage to love generously, the humility to serve quietly, and the joy to recognize God’s nearness in unexpected places. 

Thank you, dear parish family, for your faith, your kindness, and your continued witness to the living presence of Christ in our parish family. Your generosity, prayers, and simple daily acts of goodness make our community a place where the Incarnation becomes visible, especially, when we serve the Free Community Dinner to the needy of our Epiphany Parish and of our immediate neighborhood in our surroundings, an indelible sign of God’s majesty. 

From my Heart to Yours, I offer my prayers for you and your loved ones. May the Infant Jesus bless your homes with peace, may Mary wrap you in her maternal care, and may the light of the star guide you always toward hope. 

With Every Affection and Blessings in the Lord who is Emmanuel—God-with-us, and Wishing Each and Every one of the Epiphany Family, a grace-filled 2026! 

Fraternally, 
Fr. John Peter Lazaar SAC, Pastor 

PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TO ALL