A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who helped make the Christmas festivities go so well. The Church looks beautiful and we certainly celebrated the birth of the Lord with gusto. We are in the twilight zone now between Christmas and New Year, BUT please note various smaller feasts, St. Stephen the first Martyr, St. John the Evangelist, Holy Family, Holy Innocents, Mary, Mother of God, Epiphany… For the Christian Christmas starts on the 24/25th and is a twelve day festival.
Secular society or more really the commercialism of Christmas starts in September and ends on 24/25th!! So please continue the party, be counter cultural, why not come to a weekday Mass? We must however always remember the heart of the festival season…the giftedness of God in the presence of Christ on earth. In this year of Mercy we recognize the Child as the Merciful Word of God made Flesh. The Christmas season can be a little testing time when everyone piles on top of each other in family gatherings and noses get put out of joint when people ask if there is a receipt to go with the un-wanted jumper! So keep the mercy theme strong at this time.
A January 1st hint, if you make a New Year’s resolution make one that is realistic and not going to dent your ego because it is too ambitious and is broken within a week. Think smaller in order, after success, to grow taller! One extra prayer a day will be a good start.
God bless you and your families for 2016.
May God bless you, your families, and the week ahead,
Fr Aidan Peter