St
Luke wrote “As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered
them in her heart” (Lk 2: 19). It is an image of Mary in the midst of
all the excitement and the danger, quietly recognising that something
special was happening to her and to her son. We often reflect on what we
treasure: our spouses, our children, our parents and those who are very
close to us, they are our treasures and they impact on our hearts.
Sometimes our treasure is gone: bereavement can leave us feeling empty.
The absence of family members who are abroad can leave our Christmas
celebration incomplete. Many people think about Jesus in Bethlehem and
wonder what this tells us about God and about being human? It has to do
with the treasure that God is to us, the treasure that we are to God and
the treasure that we can be to each other. I hope that the message of
Christmas will bring us peace and joy and help us treasure what is
important. Happy Christmas to all.
Francis Duffy, Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois
