Dear Philothea!

Christmas is a time when we greet everyone who is close to us: our colleagues, friends, relatives, siblings, parents, spouses, children. Certainly we must do that. We must be polite and kind to all our friends, but much more with those whom we live: our parents, spouse, children. This is what Saint Francis de Sales teaches us:

“Recall to mind that the Spouse of the Song of Songs has honey not only on her lips and at the tip of the tongue but has it also under the tongue, that is to say in her breast; not only honey is there but also milk (4:11). For we should have not only kind words for our neighbour but also the whole heart, that is, the whole interior of our soul. We should not only have the sweetness of honey which is aromatic and fragrant, in other words, the sweetness of polite conversation with strangers but also the sweetness of milk among the members of our family and close neighbours”  (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 8).

Wish you all a very grace-filled Christmas. May, through us, our dear ones experience the “sweetness of the milk” along with the “sweetness of the honey”.

Peace!

Fr. George

Spiritual Director