A Christmas Message

Proclaiming the Messiah’s birth and all that this means to and for a broken world desperately in need of redemption. Share on X

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Every year these beautiful words herald the beginning of one of the most cherished and most sacred times of the year.  These words and the haunting melody which accompanies them remind us that, as faithful children of the Church, we live our lives in constant longing for the coming of our God.

These words point us to the promises of old that God made to His chosen people, and to the fulfillment of those promises in the mystery of the Incarnation and Nativity which we joyfully celebrate each Christmas.

These words also point us to the Messiah’s return in glory when He will come again as judge of the living and the dead.

These words, then, sum up for us the true meaning of Christmas.  For this time of the year is not primarily a season of festivity and mirth—although we all anticipate the enjoyment of family and friends gathered around hearth and table; much more importantly, this time of year and this season of grace call us to a renewed faith in the message and the mission of the Messiah.

Christmas is our time to join with ages past in worshiping the promised King and in renewing our commitment to serve Him until he comes again.

Christmas is our time to once again pray that Emmanuel come and ransom us from the captivity of our times, the captivity of error, of indifference, of hypocrisy, and of deceit.

Christmas is our time to welcome into the folly of our age Wisdom from on High and pray that He order all things mightily.

Christmas is our time to courageously bear witness to the Lord of Might whose Law, given on Sinai’s height, continues to reveal its majesty and awe.

At Sycamore Trust we join the faithful throughout the world, and in a very special way the faithful of the Notre Dame family, in embracing the true meaning of Christmas and in committing ourselves to joyfully proclaiming the Messiah’s birth and all that this means to and for a broken world desperately in need of redemption.

We take this time to thank each of you who have joined with us in our mission and support us in our tasks.  May this Christmas be for you a time of joyful and serene encounter with Emmanuel, and with the first to long for His coming, Notre Dame, Our Mother.

Rev. John Raphael. ’89
Sycamore Trust Board Member


O Come,  O Come, Emmanuel

The Choir of Men and Boys of Winchester Cathedral