2021 Christmas
THE Christmas Story continues throughout Christmas 2021/2022
What’s your favorite part. What account, what Christmas carols provide the vision of your favorite image.
The scriptures, events, characters, facts, symbols, mystery and history.
The core of our Christian spiritual life: The mystery and history of the incarnation.
Think, reflect, pray and seek the deeper meaning behind scripture and the Christmas events.
When we approach the Christmas story with open hearts and attentive minds it will become deeper, stronger, lovelier than ever.
Somehow at Christmas it’s all right for us all to be children again…
Kneeling in wonder before the mystery of the manger.
It’s all right to be amazed at the indescribable star, at angels in the sky, at exotic magi worshipping a new born baby. It’s strangely comforting to imagine ourselves in the darkness of a stable marveling at the light of the birth of this child. Surrounded by animals, shepherds and hay. At the crib we can forget for a moment the complexities and anxieties of our lives and our world.
The Christmas story touches a simpler place within us.
The lyrics of O HOLY Night, originally Cantique de Noel, were written by Placide Cappeau in 1847. The Carol reflects on the birth of Jesus as humanity’s redemption.
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand
So led by the light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in a lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
O Holy Night
Truly he taught us to love one another
His law is love and his gospel is peace
Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother
And in his name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise his holy name
The hymns and carols, the scriptures and prayers give us hope. Despite the fact that we might not understand all things, we know that God has a plan. We live into God’s plan. Our lives develop in mysterious ways - blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape!
Let’s journey this season with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Let’s cast aside our hopes and expectations and seek to live God’s will and remain open. As God’s people we celebrate a hope that is rooted in the truth of who we are. Our Scriptures give us a framework in which we can celebrate who we truly are because of the birth of Jesus. With the birth of Jesus, God blesses us with a relationship: a union with God through his Only begotten Son.
Indeed wise ones still seek him. In fact Jesus seeks our hearts, desiring to fill us and to transform us with the light and life that only his love can give. With this we can shine the light in our world as a people of peace and healing, a people of justice, compassion, and understanding, a people who reach out to others in need.
Thank you Saint Joseph’s Parish and parishioners for your generosity enabling us to be the gift of Christ’s light and life to those in need. Our homage at the manger is found in receiving and in turn sharing this gift for the benefit of others in need.
Once again the Christmas Story is brought to life in our church, Parish and community.
Once again the light of Christ conquers the darkness.
Thank you each, thank you all
Gigaiag
Fr Joe White