Some thoughts on this Christmas Eve

Here we are, on a cold and snowy Christmas Eve in Niagara.  Last year if I recall correctly, it was more green than white out there, at least in the early evening.  But this year, we do have that much-coveted "White Christmas".  Let's enjoy it and all this time of year brings with it.  But also, a few other things we should keep in mind, too.

This year, I find a lot of friends and acquaintances have been dealing with loss of some kind.  At least three in recent weeks I know personally have suffered the loss of a family member; several more have lost a beloved pet, which for most of us is every bit as difficult to deal with, especially over the holidays.

Some may say they are just pets, but to pet owners, they are part of the family, and we should never forget that when someone you know loses a pet for whatever reason, especially at this time of year.  Certainly we all grieve in different ways, but we grieve nevertheless.

In spite of the economic improvement we are reminded about by our elected officials at this time of year, the fact remains many people are in a very bad financial situation, often through no fault of their own.  Job loss at any time is a terrible blow to deal with, but at this time of year it can be especially difficult.  Not everyone is gainfully employed and as such, have limited resources at their disposal to celebrate the holidays.

The mounting client list at such agencies such as The Salvation Army or Community Care of St. Catharines & Thorold tell the tale:  more and more people find it difficult to make ends meet on their own, and they reach out in desperation for a helping hand from the community at large.  It is not only our preference to help out; indeed it is the duty of each and every one of us to help out.

Let's not forget those displaced individuals hit hard by the ice-storm of the past weekend, especially in cities such as Toronto, where at last word over 200,000 people were still without power and could be until the end of the week.  These people need help, as well as being kept in our thoughts and prayers at this time of year.

Right now at this very moment, hospitals throughout the area are not empty.  Patients often don't get to go home for Christmas, so they should be remembered as well as the many shut-ins unable to travel easily for whatever reason at Christmastime or any time.

There is much to love about this season, and much for each and every one of us to celebrate.  But let's not forget the less fortunate amongst us as we go about our holiday celebrating with friends and family.  It is the Canadian thing to do, certainly, and the right thing to do.

We all have much to be thankful for and with which to count our respective blessings.  We live in the greatest country in the world, and we are - or at least should be - very proud of that fact.  Canada is just not another country to the rest of the world, it is Canada, a place people often risk their lives for in order to come here.  We have so much to offer the world, and we have to remember that.

For myself on a personal level, yes, this season has brought with it a set of hardships I have not experienced before, having lost my full-time job earlier this year, and finding it difficult to keep my own spirits up at Christmas.  But I am hopeful the new year will bring with it a new job, new optimism, and the return of our beloved Shalom, a little black cat who went missing two weeks ago this evening.

I am especially thankful this evening for my sister and her family being down in Niagara from their home in Kenora for a few days, and we will celebrate a family Christmas for the first time in many years together.  This celebration could not have come at a better time for me.

I am also very thankful my previous employer, CKTB RADIO, has agreed to allow me to host the annual Midnight Mass radio broadcast this evening beginning at 11:30 pm.  This is something very near and dear to my heart, as this will be the 81st consecutive broadcast live from the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria in downtown St. Catharines.  There have only been three hosts for these radio broadcasts since the first one in 1932:  Edward T. Boyne began the tradition, followed by Johnny Morrison, and he passed the reigns to me for my first broadcast on Christmas Eve in 1989.  So this will be number 24 for me, and I hope to at least make it to my 25th next year if not more.

So yes, we all have plenty to be thankful for, and we should remember that the rest of the year when the holiday spirit might not seem quite so evident.

However you celebrate, whatever you celebrate, and whomever you celebrate with at this time of year, I wish you good health, happiness and the richness that comes from friends and family near and dear to you gathering together for another Christmas.

From my house to your house, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December 24th, 2013.