Inviting Christ into the Reality of Our Christmas

Charisse Tierney offers ways to find peace when the holidays seem to magnify our crosses. 

The flurry of preparation, the anticipation of what is to come, and the joy of what already is often mingles with magnified overwhelm, regret, and sadness during the holiday season. 

Magical childhood memories may have faded into the reality of the work it takes to create some Christmas magic for our own children. Traditions like gathering around a familiar table in the warmth of a childhood home may have evolved into a meal brought in to an assisted living center and a permanent passing of the Christmas dinner-making baton. Or maybe you are reading this from a hospital room with your child lying nearby, connected to a myriad of tubes and machines. 

Whether it’s something seemingly small, or something of a much more distressing magnitude, the merriment of the season dances with our struggles, reminding us that it was the manger that led to the Cross. 

In the Midst of our Crosses, Peace Always Awaits Us 

This could steal our peace. Christmas Day could come and go with the weight of disillusionment automating our actions. 

Or we can invite Christ to walk alongside us, talk to us, be with us, and show us the joy where we only see sorrow. 

Sometimes we have to accept our own circumstances, whatever they may be, as gifts from God. And sometimes we have to accept our loved ones’ circumstances, however difficult they are to watch, as gifts from God. 

We have to accept our oceans, and we have to let others walk through theirs. 

Our Trials Can Be a Part of our Journey to Joy 

My good friend, Jaylen, passed away from cancer just over a year ago at the age of 36. Her youth was filled with crosses, but by the time she passed away, she had embraced every single one as a part of her journey to Jesus. She trusted God with her whole being, she loved Him with her whole heart, and she accepted all of her trials and suffering, no questions asked. 

Many have said that she became the person she did because of all of the hardships she experienced during her life. Taking God’s hand as she walked through her oceans transformed her in a way that running from them never would have. 

Jaylen once said, “You can’t take away another person’s suffering.” We do what we can to alleviate pain. But ultimately, all we can do is imitate Christ and walk alongside someone as they walk through their oceans. All we can do is trust that He is walking beside each of us, leading us down the path that will make us run to Him. 

During this season of joy, there will be many moments of happiness. But there may also be moments of sadness. Thankfully, sadness and peace can coexist. The Incarnation teaches us that the human can mix with the divine. When our humanity threatens to overshadow the divine light, the sacraments, Adoration, and a few moments of prayer will chase the shadows away. And we will see that the wood of the cross and the wood of the manger are cut from the same tree — the tree of growth, of life, and of hope. 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Charisse Tierney
Images: Canva