Chaplains Corner

December 2025

As we move through the final months of the year, our hospital community is surrounded by a rich tapestry of holy days and cultural celebrations that hold deep meaning for many of our patients, families, colleagues, and volunteers.

In November, we honored observances such as Samhain, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, and Diwali, along with Guru Nanak Ji’s Birthday, Birth of Baha'u'llah, The Day of the Covenant, Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha and the Jain New Year. We also gathered with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving, a time of gratitude and togetherness.

As December unfolds, we recognize a season filled with light, reflection, and renewal. This month, many in our community will observe Hanukkah, Advent, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Yule and the Winter Solstice, Bodhi Day, Las Posadas, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Birthday, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the Feast of St. Stephen. Though these traditions differ in practice and symbolism, they each carry themes of hope, compassion, remembrance, and the enduring power of community.

The year’s end truly offers an abundance—a feast of days that invite us to pause, to give thanks, and to reconnect with what is most meaningful in our lives.

However you and yours celebrate, may this season be filled with love, joy, peace, and moments of deep connection. May you find rest where you are weary, hope where you feel uncertain, and companionship where you feel alone. And may your celebrations—quiet or festive—be touched with blessing.

I would like to close with a meaningful blessing for this season, offered by Rev. Keith A. Menhinick and published in Prayers and Blessings for Healthcare Workers, edited by Mandy Mizelle. It is a simple reminder of grounding and grace amid the hustle and bustle that often accompanies this time of year.

"Reminders", by Rev. Keith A. Menhinick

The weight of the world is not my burden to carry
My self-care is not selfish or indulgent
My joy is also what the world needs
I have everything I need to love myself
My body is worthy of some extra attention and gentleness
I can do hard things and feel hard feelings
My body is beautiful, capable, and resilient – even when it hurts
I can always pause for a moment of stillness and silence
Rest – deep, restorative rest – is sacred work
Beauty is everywhere if we have eyes soft enough to see it
The space between two people is holy
The peace I create in the world will come back to me
I am not alone; I belong to the great family of all things
The world is more lovely and whole with me in it

May peace accompany you in every step of your service,

may compassion guide your hands and heart,

and may you find in one another the strength that sustains us all.

I consider it a privilege to serve the patients, families and staff at San Antonio Regional Hospital. We are here to provide a supportive presence during what can often be the darkest hour of their lives. We encourage anyone, irrespective of their spiritual or religious affiliation, or lack thereof, who needs additional support while in our hospital to reach out to the Spiritual Care Department. You can contact the Spiritual Care Department by dialing “26326” from any hospital phone or by making a request through your nurse.

We look forward to serving you!

Blessings,

Rev. Alexander J. Aaron, M.Div, BCC
Staff Chaplain
Phone: 909.920.6326