CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of people singing the joyful strains of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" helped ring in Christmas during midnight Mass Dec. 25 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
The cathedral was filled with parishioners of all ages for the midnight liturgy, which was celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis.
In his homily, Bishop Jugis reminded those gathered that God "wants to draw us into the circle of His salvation and His love," and he encouraged them to draw close to God through the infant Jesus this Christmas.
"Throughout all of salvation history, He has been reaching out to us trying to draw us closer to Himself, and in Bethlehem He accomplished that in a most powerful way," Bishop Jugis said.
God, who created us and knows our weaknesses and our deepest longings of the heart, came to us in the form of an infant so that we would be able to love Him more easily, he said.
"Just think of the genius of this! What do human beings really love?" Bishop Jugis continued. "He knows that we love babies. How can you not love a baby?"
Just then – as if on cue – a baby in the congregation began to laugh and coo, to everyone's delight.
"In order to draw us to Himself, and to draw us more closely to His love, He comes as an infant child. The Son of God comes as a little child – and we are naturally drawn to Him."
"How can you resist loving Him? How can you resist loving a baby, when the baby is God?
"The tenderness, the love and the affection that we have for the infant in the manger is ultimately tenderness, love and affection (we have) for the Son of God, Jesus."
Throughout His public ministry, Jesus continues to encourage us to draw near to God, reminding us of His love for us and calling us to repent of our sins. Jesus gives us His own Body and Blood in the Eucharist, He sends us the Holy Spirit, and He reminds us that He is with us until the end of time.
"How can we run away from that love, first demonstrated to us in the Child at Bethlehem?"
"Christmas is the feast of God's love – God coming to live with us, to save us, God coming towards us. And at Christmas, we are drawn to love God in return," he said.
God's love should transform us and move us to reconcile with others and let go of past grievances, Bishop Jugis said.
"God is calling you close to Himself again this Christmas through the love you have now for the infant Jesus. So spend some time looking into the eyes of that infant Child in the crib, and love Him. Because that is God's design for bringing you to experience His love," he said.
"May God bless all of you and your families this Christmas and keep all of you in His tender loving care," he prayed.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor. Photos by John Cosmas, correspondent.
BELMONT — Deacon John “Zeke” Panzica has been assigned to Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont by Bishop Peter J. Jugis, effective Nov. 28.
Deacon Panzica and his wife recently located to the Charlotte area from the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York. He was ordained May 18, 2013.