My brother-in-law sent me this e-mail tonight. He said, “If this story is one you wish to share, feel free.” I do:

Greg, after reading your homily for tomorrow, I think back to my days living at Mom and Dad’s house going to St. Raphael’s during Advent. There was always this sign hung in the rafters talking about the root of Jesse. After my 16 years of Catholic education, the only place I ever saw that phrase was in church during Advent.

Then, as I was going through my divorce, Fr. Herb (the priest who presided over the practice marriage) in an attempt to console me told me this story. He said that if I could imagine my life as a beautiful tree in an open field. Then, for no particular reason, someone comes along and cuts down that tree. But the lesson to be learned is that from the remaining root, a new tree will grow. It will may not look anything like what you had once considered beautiful, but it will be more beautiful. At the time I heard that story I was about as low as I could go. All my dreams had, seemingly in an instant, been cut down. And yet, thanks to Fr. Herb, I had hope that I would be able to put my life back together and what would materialize is something far more beautiful than what I thought I had.

Well, look at me now. I have a loving wife. Three loving, funny, beautiful daughters. I was able to leave New Orleans before Katrina. I have tenure. I look back at what I had and it is nothing like the life I have now. By any measure, the tree that is now my life is far more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. And why? Because of my faith…at the time, it was all I had to cling to. I know so many people this Christmas season have seen their trees cut down and do not know what they will do. Let them know about the root of Jesse. It made a significant impact on me.