William (Bill) Graham from Peel-North Toronto Ontario Regional Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers his reflections on The Joy of Christmas:

As Vincentians we commit and look forward to serving our neighbor in need in the best possible way. Each year we try to improve on the past year. How can we do it better this year? We ask. All we have to do is ask ourselves what we would do if it was our children or parents we were serving. Ask ourselves what our benefactors would want. It’s up to us to make that magic. And it is magic for ourselves and those we are fortunate enough to serve. As Vincentians we can only grow in spirituality by service, by returning God’s love through our neighbors in need. We are so fortunate for this opportunity.

As Vincentians we have the privilege, opportunity and obligation to make each Christmas the best ever. This is our goal and we are not alone. Christmas is the time of year that many of us find the Lord walking beside us helping make things happen. We willingly took on this obligation when we committed to the vocation of being a Vincentian. And, yes, it is an obligation and we owe it to ourselves, our conferences and our neighbors in need to fulfill this obligation to the best of our ability.

Will we inconvenience ourselves in the service of those in need? Most certainly we will. We understood this when we committed to the vocation of being a Vincentian. While we are volunteers we still must make and fulfill our commitments. We ask ourselves if we have the time for this but our faith tells us that the Lord will give us all the time we need.

Mr. Graham continues, writing about the many different ways to make a great Christmas for those we serve. “No one way is more correct than the other as long as we achieve the objective of serving those neighbors in need with Love, Respect, Justice and Joy.” His continued reflection about the many different ways to make a great Christmas for those we serve can be read by clicking the photo below.

I had breakfast a few mornings at the Tim Hortons in Whitehorse a few years ago with this gentleman with the bike holding everything he owns. I enjoyed his company. But, I wonder where he spends the nights. I wonder if he is hungry. I wonder if he is still alive. I wonder if her is somewhere warm for Christmas where he will be treated like a human being with Love, Respect, Justice and Joy. These are the forgotten people. We can and we must not forget them.

Can we not pass the word that there is help. We do not want to go to bed Christmas Eve knowing that an individual or family didn’t have Christmas and we were aware of it. If you get a call Christmas Eve, please go to them. You will sleep more peacefully if you do.

Have enough faith to believe that if you commit to do this the Lord will help as He always does.

For us, our reward, I can assure you, is going to bed Christmas Eve tired but also very happy knowing that we made a difference and served everyone as well as we possibly could. That is what will give us a happy and Holy Christmas.