The Gift of the Magi for Christmas

O. Henry’s short story, “The Gift of the Magi,” is one of my favorites, any time of year. A few years ago I recorded a version, which I share again here in honor of the Christmas season.

And yes, that is a reminder, that although Christmas was yesterday - December 25 - it actually lasts much longer than that! And, thankfully, we are still in the Christmas season. Let it last as long as God wills! Which will be January 5, if you want to get technical about it. So, I hope your Christmas is off to a joyous start.

Another thing: I look at the visitors to my website. I can see country, and in the case of the US, state, where everyone comes from.

For many years I have had many Nigerian visitors. I attribute this to the abundance of Legion of Mary-related articles from the early years of this blog. The Legion is highly active in Nigeria. I see people searching for information on certain chapters of the handbook, and finding my allocutios. So, first, welcome Nigerian visitors, fellow Legionaries.

And for everyone else: if you have not been following it, Nigeria is in rough shape these days, and especially the Church. The Pillar has been providing excellent analysis about the martyrs and persecution of Christians happening there at the hand of the state. Read it. And, my request this Christmas season: please pray for Nigeria, Nigerians, Christians in Nigeria, and the Church in Nigeria. Chances are pretty good anyway that, as the west loses vocations and Africa abounds in vocations, you will soon, if not already, have yourself a Nigerian priest. That is not the only reason, of course, but if that is helpful to drive the point home: fellow Catholics are in crisis there, who are one or two administrative decisions away from being your own leaders. But the Church there is the Church here, not just because of administrative decisions, but because the Church is one body. Pray for the brave Christian Nigerians facing very real persecution. Pray for the intercession of the baby Jesus and the Holy Family.

And, on this December 26: pray for us, St. Stephen, the very first martyr of the Church! As Bishop Barron wrote in today’s Gospel reflection:

“Indeed, the martyrs have come from all corners of the world, and they have spoken Greek, Latin, French, German, English, Japanese, Polish, and many other languages besides. Friends, this, strangely, is the army that undermines the foundations of the fallen world through the centuries. This is the great fighting force that Jesus has unleashed and continues to unleash.”

Odd to discuss death at Christmas? Well, just wait until this Wednesday and the feast of the Holy Innocents! All the children King Herod put to death at the announement of Christ’s birth.

And that is how it is, isn’t it? Birth and death together, one and the same. Accept the light with the darkness, that is how it must be. God himself was put to death. But, he rose again. That is how it is.

Anyway - sincerely, Merry Christmas! May yours be less weird than perhaps it was the last two years; perhaps there was room for new traditions or a simpler celebration learned during the pandemic. Whatever the case, know I am praying for you, and please pray for me.

Latest radio + wishing you a very Merry Christmas

I had one of my most interesting conversations with John Morales last week on the Morning Air Show. You can listen to the conversation here.

We were discussing my latest article, Evangelizing in a Post-Christian World. There is so, so much to be said on the topic, and the main point is that you cannot take for granted that the people you meet, and who you are inviting into the Christian life, have any idea what you’re talking about. For many, they are coming into the conversation without a basic understanding of a lot of things, especially historical, because the Church is no longer the dominant cultural force in the western world. There’s no common ground on stories, values, morality, and the purpose and meaning of life. What you do have in common, though, is the human experience - and the longing in every heart for something more and to be loved. Listen to the conversation and you’ll learn more. And I’ll be continuing to think about this, and how we can meet in charity those who are, essentially, speaking another language.

Wishing you the merriest, most splendid Christmas!

Discussing charity + newest article: Evangelizing in a Post-Christian World

Yesterday I had a nice long chat with the Morning Air team about the importance of charity. Items discussed: how even giving $5 is great, the ways to determine what charities to support, and how giving of your own money supports growing in humility and material detachment. I believe strongly about all these things. Have a listen here, starting at the 23:48

Also, my latest article is up at Catholic Stand, Evangelizing a Post-Christian World.

The thing about this article is that there is much, much more that can be said about the topic. Particularly, the section of questions about being human that the Church answers. You also have to think of this from the perspective of taking things for granted, overall - an older generation takes for granted that people understand the role of institutions and voluntary civic organizations, for example. It’s already been stated, starting with “Bowling Alone,” that the decline of voluntary organizations, once known to be a stabilizing force in society and culture, has been going on for decades. Church is one of those voluntary organizations. This also contributes to people’s not knowing themselves or their place in the world. The even better example of this is families. If you come from an unstable, uncertain family and childhood, everything in your life becomes much more difficult. So, the Church’s mission now extends to re-explaining to the world why whole, stable families are important, and why marriage and children are something to be striven for, not avoided or replaced with solely self-satisfying pursuits (or the myth of overpopulation). And, why these things don’t happen in a vacuum; a generation of stable families has far-reaching (positive) societal impacts - minimizing drug use, maximizing education, staying out of prison, avoiding addictions, homelessness, etc. The public often pays the price for anti-human policies pushed by a secularized world.

Anyway, so here is the article. How to evangelize in a post-Christian, or de-Christianized, society, is the biggest question now. Don’t take anything you know about people and institutions for granted. We have to start from the beginning. But, imagine the hope that offers people, when they learn they are not alone and that life has meaning!