This week I encouraged each of the priests to spend 48 hours with their families, just hanging out with them and taking a ‘staycation.’ It really helps to put all of life and the holiday stresses in perspective, being able to get away and be with the people you love and who love you. Dad, a brother, and I watched ‘stupid guy movies’ like Armageddon, and I even let my sisters put on a Hallmark Christmas movie and “White Christmas.” As I put my stuff back in my car to return to the parish, I thought “this is time well spent!”

I pray that during the holidays you get some time to do nothing. And by “do nothing” I mean spend time with loved ones without some great master plan of all the things you will accomplish. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do for someone is to just be with them. Then maybe you will hear what they want to do, or better yet that they will just want to be with you.

In the words of as 8th century monk: “He who neglects contemplation is deprived of the vision of the light of God; he who is carried away with worry and allows his thoughts to be crushed by the tumult of the things of the world is condemned to the absolute impossibility of penetrating the secrets of the invisible God.”

Maybe that is my New Year’s resolution…. more quality time with family.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!