In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary. “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” Since the very beginning, angels have been associated with Christmas and the birth of Our Savior. Many people believe there are angels watching over us from the moment we are born, as we go about the everyday business of life; angels that protect us when we are in danger and hold our hands as we leave this world for the next.
In one of my favorite scenes in, It’s a Wonderful Life, a little girl says, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” In this Christmas classic, Clarence is an elderly apprentice angel, who certainly doesn’t look the part, but he watches over the desperate hero and manages to convey an important message: that every person’s life has value, and every action we take affects others in ways we can’t begin to imagine.
We can all serve as God’s angels on earth. We can “earn our wings” by sharing God’s message and protecting the weak and vulnerable – angels, like our neighbors in need. At St. Vincent de Paul, you can see angels helping angels every day. Just visit our Dining Room and look at the elderly grandmother as she feeds her young grandchild; or the expression on the face of a shelter guest as he thanks a volunteer for the home cooked meal she prepared. Watch as a patient at our pharmacy jumps up to hold the door for a guest in a wheelchair. You can almost see the light that surrounds them.
Like Clarence, we are all apprentice angels here on earth, and whether we realize it or not, everything we do affects others. The smallest gesture of kindness can lift someone’s spirits. The way we live clearly demonstrates what we value most, and our actions can be a testament of our faith in Christ’s love and our belief in His truth. Every one of us has the ability to change the world we live in.
On behalf of St. Vincent de Paul, thank you for being an angel and helping us to bring hope to those in need. May you and your family have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of Christ’s love throughout the Christmas Season and the new year.
--Merry Christmas, Michael J. Acaldo, President & CEO