During the Christmas season of 2019, my Mom made a lifelong dream a reality. Mom and I were able to accompany my daughter Brooke on a school trip to Italy. I had heard stories over the years of the beautiful country most of my ancestors immigrated from. The
trip did not disappoint! One of my favorite memories was visiting Assisi and seeing the many nativity scenes throughout Assisi all humbly representing the birth of our Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ. Earlier this month the Vatican celebrated this beloved tradition that St. Francis created 800 years ago. St. Francis is known for his life of poverty, his love for creation, and his efforts to bring peace to the world. One of the things that struck me as we toured the city was the nativity scenes were simple and were often set up in the cracks and holes in otherwise abandoned buildings. Reflecting on these memories a few years later, I am reminded about how we need to look to find the “nativity scenes” in our lives.
My prayer for the new year includes looking toward the example of St. Francis to see into the eyes of other people and find Christ, to listen to the daily news and pray for peace in this troubled world and find ways to cultivate a culture that shows love for God’s gift of creation and values life at every stage. It is important to acknowledge that the Christmas season is a difficult one for many of us. Memories of those who have gone home to the Lord, the tough economy we are living in, struggles in our physical and mental
health are all challenges that may steal some of the joy from our daily lives. Let us all be sure to add these intentions to our daily prayers.
I would like to say thank you to all of you, who allow me to serve as Pastoral Minister at St. Mark. I am blessed by my parish family daily in so many ways. I am incredibly grateful to all who have led or worked in our many groups and ministries, organized coffee hours & the garage sale, helped with programming for children and youth, added beautiful music to Masses, or any of the many other tasks that keep our community growing and thriving. I look forward to seeing you each weekend as we gather as a parish family for Mass. May your homes and hearts be filled with Peace, Joy, and Love!
--Kris Burgio