A Christmas Message

It's Christmas Eve and I can recall last year's. Every year I watch the Pope's Mass at Midnight in Rome on TV. It's so special to watch from the other side of the world and reflect upon the Christmas message. One year even my dear sister was present there while she was living in Rome during Christmas time and I remember we were trying to see if we could find her in the vast crowd.

Last year, the Pope's message was about accepting the stranger, the immigrant. With our refugee crisis in our world Pope Francis related it back to how there was no room for Jesus to come into the world, only a small and lonely stable that was hidden and left over. The Pope's inspiring message was related to welcoming others, welcoming the stranger.

I was inspired to hear this message, and have it be related back to our current day. I was thinking of ways to help those in need and welcome the stranger, the refugee. I did some research and found an organization that welcomes those who are fleeing persecution and seeking asylum. In the beginning of the year, I wrote some cards to refugees writing them that they are welcome here and to know of my support, thoughts and prayers for them.

Last year on Christmas Eve, I made a video of how to say Merry Christmas in Arabic. I was inspired to learn and teach this phrase as the birthplace of Jesus was in Bethlehem or somewhere nearby where Arabic is also a spoken and known language. Tomorrow, I will be making an appetizer that is from my Jerusalem cookbook. It's a mackerel dish with orange and sweet salsa flavors to go over the salty fish. I've made it a couple times before and thought it would be appropriate and nice to make it for a pre-Christmas meal.

I just finished watching 'It's a Wonderful Life'. The movie never gets old as it's relevant, meaningful and special each year. Life and the beauty and sacredness of it is the main message. This is also the message of Christmas, Jesus' life is given to us and received into the world.  His beauty and sacredness as a baby makes us draw closer to him, and our hearts fond over him. I am still growing and learning every Christmas of how to grow closer to Christ and revel over his gentleness, his humility and his love.