Sunday morning, Christmas Eve, a reader told me he’d been listening to Krista Tippet’s “On Being”, and the guest for this particular program was David Steindl-Rast, the old man in the Gratitude video from Dec. 22. The interview is a lengthy one, and well worth your time.

This morning, Christmas Day, Fr. Harry Tasto, a retired Priest and gifted homilist, gave his Christmas message at Basilica of St. Mary.

He spoke, briefly, to seven specific constituencies within this “family” called Church:
1. The Children
2. Those who are Young, previously below 21, now defined by some as Young into their 30s
3. Those in Middle Age
4. Finally, those who are Old

His brief remarks encouraged personal reflection back to myself in those ages – how did the world look to me, in those ages? What was my place in that world of others? What is it now?

He then talked to specific audiences he knew were in the Church this day, since they are of this Church always, not always satisfied parts of this large very old, not always comfortable, sometimes messy and even offensive “family”.

5. The Regulars
6. Those who come once in awhile
7. Those who rarely darken the doors, maybe never, even, but know the family is gathering there, much like Christmas dinners this weekend.

We’re all in families like described above, this day, and all days.

Fr. Tasto caused me to think back to two other “homilies”, one at a workshop in suburban Houston TX in 1998; the other at the Cathedral in San Antonio TX in 2000. Both came at an important time in my life. My story of them was my 2000 Christmas card, three very brief panels which you can read here: Homilies001

Today begins the next 365 days for all of us. Where were we a year ago? Where will we be a year from now?