Dear Friend,
What is it about Christmas that moves the whole world to pause each year in wonder? Is there any other date so universally celebrated—or that ever could be?
The birth of Christ was the greatest event since the creation of the world. For four thousand years, prophets and peoples longed for a Savior. Scripture—our most accurate record of human history—calls Him the Expectation of the Nations (Genesis 49:10). And now, two thousand years later, we still rejoice in His coming.
Christmas is a story that never grows old. After twenty centuries, it continues to shine with the same power to change hearts. Handed down from generation to generation, it fills both young and old with joy, hope, and peace.
Why does it captivate us so profoundly? Because on a cold and hidden night, God transformed a lowly stable into a new Paradise by sending His Only Begotten Son, born of a humble and heavenly maiden. At Christmas, we taste something of Heaven.
But to reach the eternal joys of Heaven, we must be more than “Christmas Catholics.” Like the Magi, we must be willing to leave behind anything that hinders us from following Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. For, as Our Lord reminds us, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father.” (Matt: 7:31)
Saint Benedict Center continues to echo the conviction of Saint Peter: “There is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Each year, God renews His invitation to every soul to come again to the stable—to kneel, adore, and follow His Divine Son.
There is one Savior, one Faith, and one True Church. This belief is the heart of our mission and our apostolate. On behalf of our religious community, I thank you sincerely for your support. I hope you have seen some of the fruits of our work in the newsletters and magazines we’ve sent throughout the year. Please consider making a generous contribution this Christmas to help us spread the good news of salvation in Christ and His Church.
Gratefully yours in the Christ Child,
Br. Thomas Augustine, M.I.C.M., Superior