December 2005

It was my intention to use this opportunity to review the visitations, meetings and trips I have made in the last four months.  Even though these are extremely interesting and are numerous, something has caused me to change the message of these few lines.

Many of you may know, Ria and I have taken advantage of the Christmas holiday break out of the office to visit our family and the marvellous gift our son, Peter, and daughter by marriage, Nicole sent us.  We spent Christmas in Australia visiting the children and our two beautiful granddaughters, Ella, age two, and the latest addition to the family Georgia.  When we arrived in Sydney, Georgia was barely a month old.  The coincidence of meeting my new granddaughter for the first time and celebrating the birth of our Saviour inspired me to reflect.

As we commemorate the Nativity of Jesus, how many of us truly consider that our Creator God allowed Himself to be dependant on His creatures?  In a small corner of the world, Judea, in a small village, Bethlehem, Christ Jesus was cradled, fed and had His diapers changed by His creatures.  Few people even noticed His coming into the world; Mary, Joseph, some angels, shepherds, magi and animals worshiped their source the Creator God.  Yet, He came into His world to bring it salvation and His Light.  This small child, the pre-eternal God, assumed our humanity to identify completely with His children.  As I hold my tiny grandchild, it truly evokes thoughts of the humility of God to enter into His world in such a simple and quiet way.

As we enter this New Year, let us the children of God, be accepting and give Christ a place to be born anew, in the world, within us.  Our fellow man needs the warm embrace of Christ.  Whether they are evacuees from storms, or evacuees from love, they need Christ's touch.  Only we can provide that touch. Only we can provide that gentle love that is so much needed everywhere we look.  Is it possible for us to provide that love from a secret Bethlehem deep within our being, quietly, hidden and without fanfare?  The comfort that our brothers and sisters in Christ yearn for is the reassurance of the affection which our Lord has for each of His Children.  The New Year brings a fresh slate, a fresh page to begin one more time as Christ's image to become His likeness in the world.

 Happy New Year!

The Bithos Family:
Fr. George, Ria, Peter, Nicole, Ella, Georgia, Katina and Vastan

The Office Angels:
Teresa Nira, Maria Ramirez, & David Theophan Walker