At Christmas we celebrate of one of our faith’s core beliefs - the Incarnation. God has intimately shared life with us in Christ by taking on the fullness of our humanity. Mary, Mother of Christ, witnesses to the fullest expression of Christian discipleship with her welcoming of Christ in her person and her heart.

Because we are human, our belief is nurtured by the stories that have been so much a part of our Christmas imagination since our earliest days. The infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke’s are portraits of beauty, strength and faith.

Matthew’s account of Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus in flight from violence comes to mind as I recall the images of this year – images of mothers accompanying their children out of their hometowns in the Ukraine to refuge in Poland or beyond. Their plight is not unique - situations of violent conflict in various parts of the world precipitate displacement for so many of all ages.

Christmas commits us to peace - to pray for peace, to act peacefully and to do our small part in working for peace.

On behalf of the CRA Council I wish each of you, and all those for whom you care, a blessed, peaceful and joyful celebration of Christmas.