Twelve years ago, I joined the LACW as a summer intern. On the first day of our internship, veteran Catholic Worker and then-editor of the Agitator Jeff Dietrich reviewed the weekly schedule with us. It included days for the Hippie Kitchen, other days for the street corner oatmeal breakfast, and still other days and times for the death penalty vigil, the anti-war vigil, culture critique, Eucharist, and happy hour. As he finished showing us the calendar he remarked, “This is our liturgy of hope.”

Amidst all that is good about this season – family, community, joy – and all that is difficult – loneliness, consumerism, family dysfunction – it is helpful for me to recall the radical message of the Christmas story.

Both Christmas stories from the Bible tell of forced migrations as a result of imperial policy.

We have a house! It’s small, but on a big lot, and when we arrived for the Open House the yard and the path leading up to it was filled with dandelions.