To watch Fr. Joe’s homily for Christmas: CLICK HERE!
Have you ever wondered what the most popular verse in the Bible is? (Hint: you’ve seen the biblical verse at times at professional sporting events!)
If you thought it’s John 3:16 you are correct my friend. John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that we might have eternal life.”
Today on this Christmas 2018, we celebrate the love of God, we celebrate the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ, we celebrate the birth of our friend – Jesus Christ.
To use the title of a current TV show, God Friended Me, not just us, but each one of us, each one of you…
Ratings for God Friended Me are not the best, seems not many people are watching. This seemingly speaks to the culture of today that seems to see God as not really relevant to the lives we live, most of the time… How unfortunate…
The premise of God Friended Me is pretty good. Miles, who is an Atheist, is at odds with his father who is a Minister. Then one day, Miles’ life is turned upside down when he receives a friend request on social media from a user named “God.” Eventually, he accepts and starts digging into his new friend’s account, convinced it is a hoax. With some friends and partners, Miles devotes himself to uncovering the truth by playing along with the new found social media friend, “God,” but in the process, Miles begins to see his life changed forever.
I would like to suggest this Christmas 2018, we are being reminded that God has friended us, not only 2000 years ago, not only at our Baptisms… but every day and forever more.
And like all those people we have accepted as friends throughout the years and even on social media, friendship is a two way street. We all need to keep our friendships current, growing and alive.
We all are aware of how life sometimes gets in the way of our friendships and other relationships at times, or more times than we would like to admit.
Just maybe this Christmas is requesting from us that we make an effort to give some time and effort to the relationships and friendships of life that we have with family and friends and with God, not now and then, but on a regular and consistent basis!
God and many people have “friended” us… May our friendships with God and others continue to change all our lives for the better and forever and ever AMEN.