Can I be honest? Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year for me. No matter what the song says.

Am I denying the gift of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Absolutely not.

But, the stress and pressure of the time of the year. The shopping. The lists. The expectations. And on top of all of that, for me, it’s the grief.

“Grief that is not transformed is transmitted.” – Father Bill Harkins at the Blue Mass.

I’m so glad I went to the Blue Mass. The contemplative liturgy and carols in St. Mary Chapel was just what I needed to get some perspective about my pain and grief in this holy season.

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The Right Rev. Dr. Jon I “Jack” Lumanog is an Anglican Bishop in good standing with the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches and the leader of The Anglican Diocese of St. Ignatius Loyola. A pastor and evangelist at heart, Dr. Jack Lumanog has planted, revitalized and pastored churches, traveled internationally to teach pastors and church planters and was a denominational leader for 7 years with executive level oversight for over 1,000 congregations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Additionally, Bishop Lumanog is an Associate Member of The Anglican Union for the Propagation of the Gospel, an international confraternity of oratories, which is under the patronage of seven bishops from the worldwide Anglican Communion.