Beneath the glowing Gasson Hall tower on Tuesday, December 8, Karen Kiefer delivered this year’s Christmas Agape Latte.
Kiefer is the director of Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century (C21) Center, which hosts Agape Latte, the faith-sharing series that usually draws a large crowd of students in the Hillside Cafe. This semester, students have been able to enter a lottery for tickets to attend the events in person in Gasson 100, or otherwise attended virtually via Zoom.
Kiefer began by summarizing the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. She spoke in depth about the forlorn character of George Bailey: “He’s down on his luck, he’s down on himself, he’s absolutely, positively convinced that he’s worth more dead than alive.” Thankfully, his guardian angel, Clarence, intervenes, and George “sees firsthand how much he’s touched people, how much people have touched him, how much he’s helped people, and he realizes his worth.” Kiefer affirms that this sort of transformation is just what a Clarence in our life can do. “These guiding angels … touch our hearts so that we can touch other people’s hearts.”
Kiefer then spoke of two people in her own life who remind her of Clarence and the lessons she learned from them. First, she told of her deep connection with her sister Maureen, who faced medical, emotional, and mental struggles her entire life but always kept her focus on loving those around her.
“No matter what her challenges were, it was always about us, protecting us and making sure we were okay, even if she suffered,” Kiefer said. “She kept us so young, and she kept us so grounded.”
Kiefer’s second “guiding angel” was the famed BC Jesuit Fr. Bill Neenan, whom Kiefer described as “Jesus in the midst.” Though Fr. Neenan passed away in 2014, Kiefer related one of his points of wisdom to the COVID-19 pandemic: “We all need to go through our Good Fridays to realize the glory of Easter.”
Kiefer also recalled Fr. Neenan’s advice to her during her own difficulties, comparing them to a broad and bustling Paris street. “[T]he people that stepped off the curb and … just kept walking straight, walking strong, walking confidently, they made it across just fine,” said Kiefer in Fr. Neenan’s words. In essence, “don’t get caught up in all the things that pull you away from what God wants for you, don’t get caught up in all that oncoming traffic. God wants the best for you… He’s right there beside you… keep walking straight.”
In closing, Kiefer mentioned another guiding light in her life, a man of Christmas magic who helped teach her to see others before herself. “Santa Claus,” Kiefer said, represents “the coming of our Christ Child, the hope that lives on Christmas Day when Jesus is born.” Kiefer encouraged all to continue to believe in Santa because though saying no to him is easy, living by your beliefs and what is behind them is truly the best way to live.
Keifer’s message rang loud and true as she held the word “believe,” urging those present to believe that God’s guiding hand works though guardian angels in our lives, believe that Santa and the magic of selflessness is real, and believe “that it’s a wonderful life because you are in it.”
Kiefer’s talk is now also available in podcast form as Episode 14 of Agape Latte: The Podcast.
Thomas is a student in BC’s Carroll School of Management, who fittingly serves as the current Business Manager of The Torch in addition to his position as Campus News Editor. Thomas can be found around campus singing at Masses with the Liturgy Arts Group, tabling for the BC Pro-Life Club, deep in conversation while enjoying BC Dining cuisine, or gazing in awe at Gasson Hall and its Collegiate Gothic style architectural neighbors.
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