Christmas Day in Luxemburg

It's Christmas Day and, even though I wrote yesterday that I probably wouldn't write for a week while I'm visiting friends, I'm going to write today. I had an incredible experience of worship at the small, rural community of Luxemburg, Iowa. Christmas Eve masses are just hectic. Everyone comes with the "have to" attitude and just sit like a log throughout the ceremony. Last night in Sherrill, for instance, church was packed when we started but, by the time that I finished distributing communion and sat down, the balcony was nearly empty. But, in the incredibly beautiful church in Luxemburg, I looked out at a bunch of people smiling. At one point, a baby got loose from his father and crawled under a pew to rescue his pacifier that had got loose. Then, when he shoved it in his mouth, he turned around and went under the pew back to his father. Mother and Father were mortified. I just smiled at them. I thought to myself, I wonder if Mary and Joseph chased Jesus when he chased after his pacifier.