I’ve been writing Liberating Word for 10 years, and every year on Christmas Eve I struggle with what to say. Mostly I want to say, “THANK YOU” for taking this journey together this year. I will be taking a break until after the first of the year because, like many of you, I’m off to spend time with family.

On this Christmas Eve, I’d like to ask you for a gift: your prayers. My partner Bill is experiencing some health issues. Beyond that, we do not have a lot of information, but if you have an extra moment during the holidays to whisper a prayer I will be grateful. He has been my partner in ministry for 35 years and the reason I’ve been able to accomplish any good I’ve managed to do. He takes care of my life and lets me do “ministry,” but he is the real minister.

This has been a very difficult year for many of us. Many of you have lost loved ones. I know of some of your health struggles. Some of us have been profoundly betrayed by people we trusted, and they have walked away feeling self-righteous. I know some of you have seen dreams falter and fail. There have been some great joys, too. Some of us found loves, and even got married. We had some births. We had four people in our little church cured of cancer in just the past three months. There is much for which to be grateful.

Who knows what the year ahead will hold? I suspect there will be sunshine and rain, and, through it all, there will be God. Emmanuel, God with us.

So, on this eve of that great gift, this is my wish for you: May every moment of the year ahead be filled with a sacred awareness that God is with you, and that it is enough.

Although is it a bit premature: Merry Christmas, my friends. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Love,

Rev. Michael Piazza