Hello & blessings on this first day of winter, last days of Advent & the week of Christmas,

Tonight there is a beautiful opportunity to enjoy an evening of music and reflection. Join us for Christmas Reflections: An Evening of Lessons and Carols

TONIGHT, Tuesday, December 22nd at 7:00pm in the Church. Voices for Christ invites you, your family and your friends to an inspiring evening of Nine Lessons and Carols through Scripture and song. You will listen to lessons from the book of Genesis to the Gospel of John and the birth of our Savior. Please join us for a special evening of music and prayer to reflect on Advent and Christmas.

Christmas Mass Schedule: Mass on Christmas Eve: 4:00pm, 6:00pm and midnight. Christmas Day: 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am and 6:45pm Spanish. All are welcome. Come join us!

Reminder: NO CLASSES December 23/24, December 30/31 and January 6/7.  Classes will resume January 13/14.

Christmas Rest (from Our Daily Bread, Bill Crowder):

As a boy I delivered newspapers in order to earn money. Since it was a morning newspaper, I was required to get up at 3:00am every morning, 7 days a week, in order to have all 140 of my papers delivered to their appropriate homes by 6:00am.

But one day each year was different. We would deliver the Christmas morning newspaper on Christmas Eve, meaning that Christmas was the only morning of the year I could sleep in and rest like a normal person.

Over the years, I came to appreciate Christmas for many reasons, but one that was special in those days was that, unlike any other day of the year, it was a day of rest. At that time, I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the true rest that Christmas brings. Christ came so that all who labor under the weight of a law that can never be fulfilled might find rest through the forgiveness Christ offers. Jesus said, “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

In a world that is too much for us to bear alone, Christ has come to bring us into a relationship with Him and give us rest.

Thought for the week: “Our soul finds rest when it rests in God”.

Grateful for each of you and your children.

Many Christmas blessings,

Kelly

Kelly McLoughlin

Director of Religious Education

Junior High Ministry

St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church

Proud member of NACYML www.nacyml.org

And NCCL www.nccl.org