Jesus taught that our life's journey is rooted in the present, where we gradually discover what it means to be created in God's image and move towards our future of returning "home" to our Creator. God intended that we travel this journey in one another's company. "The Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him' " (Genesis 2:18).

In what has become known as Jesus' "Beatitudes," St. Matthew has him telling the crowds, "Happy are those who work for peace; they will be called God's children!" (Matthew 5:9) Jesus repeatedly in teachings and healings highlighted the importance of returning individuals to wholeness, either within themselves or with their communities of origin. Likewise, he was always mindful that his ministry in this world was to ultimately bring about peace and reconciliation between us and God. Jesus was a peacemaker and reconciler and calls us to be the same. 

As this year comes to an end, we celebrate in this issue the conclusion of our Maryknoll Sisters' Centennial Year and highlight God's mission unfolding here in the United States through the prism of Christmas. In foreshadowing the birth of Jesus, the First Reading for Christmas Day from the prophet Isaiah announces joyfully, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news" (Isaiah 52:7).

Throughout the world it's obvious that we're a people on the move for various reasons. We get from one place to another on foot as well as via space travel. As Catholics, we believe that all peoples have been created in God's image and that on our earthly journey we gradually discover what that means as we return "home" to our God, who alone fulfills our deepest longings for completeness.

At the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers' last General Chapter in the fall of 2008, one of the directions we embraced was concern for the environment and making ourselves more conversant with issues of ecology and the integrity of creation.