A Happy & Holy Christmas

The great miracle that has been revealed to us is what we celebrate today. God who has created all things and has created us in His own image and likeness, has chosen to take up our own human nature and dwell bodily with us. So even before we start thinking about God’s redeeming love, the story has begun. The birth of Jesus transforms who we are. All of our nature, body and soul, begins so intimately to belong to God.

Intuitively, we connect with this. We love the manger scenes, the warmth of the celebratory meals and even the snoozes that follow. Even for those of us who are far away from family, connect with those we love. Even if we struggle a little bit this time of year, the goodness of God’s love for us flows in.

The radio has been full of Christmas songs, while in church we have kept ourselves in Advent, and when the radio stops playing the Christmas music tomorrow, the Church will march through the twelve days of Christmas that lead to Epiphany. In Canada, we cheat a little and transfer Epiphany, the coming of the wise men, to the nearest Sunday.

These days ahead of us are the traditional days of Christmas. In many countries the exchange of gifts has historically been on Epiphany. That word, “Epiphany literally means, “showing”. The real identity of Jesus is shown to us. While our eyes see the manger, the deeper reality is reflected in the star and in the gifts of the wise men.

Perhaps sometime over these coming days there will be a cold crisp night when the sky is clearly visible. Step outside and look up. That sight can help us to transport ourselves through time. I remember as a child lying on the ground looking up to the sky and thinking that I could be anywhere in the world or even almost anywhere in time. When Jesus looked up at the sky it was not that much different.

And these are our perspectives on the feast, the view of the manger and the view of the sky, the concrete here and now with its messiness and detail and the vantage point of a whole universe created, sustained and ultimately united to God.

With Fr. Jose and Fr. Steve, I wish to all of you a holy and joyful celebration of Christmas.

In Christ. Fr. Bob

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Being Welcoming

Very soon we will be celebrating Christmas, and the church will be even busier than usual. Mary and Joseph came to Bethelehem at a very busy time too. A census was being carried out, so people like Joseph who had moved away were crowding the city. Arriving late, they found no room. Yes, the circumstances of Jesus’ birth were extremely humble but as we also hear in the account in Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels Jesus was not without hospitality. The shepherds came in from the fields and the wise men from the East came to give Him homage.

As God’s holy people we are His. This time of year is an opportunity to be aware again of the sacred gift we have of belonging to Him. It is easy for us to wander and begin to question what our relationship with God is and what our membership in the Church is actually all about. Christ was born in a manger, but He was surrounded with love. The Lord invites us to come under His roof. At first we may not feel so very comfortable. “My life is mixed up,” “My life has too many loose ends.” There is a quiet still voice within us, however, that beckons us on and gives us the courage to approach God. Whether this is where we are at right now or not – it could be.

Many people come to the church at Christmas looking for that quiet voice to beckon them more deeply into Christ’s home. Each of us can be a sign of the hospitality that is at the very heart of Christmas.

In Christ. Fr. Bob

Reconciliation: The Sacrament of Peace

You will see in the “Looking Ahead” a list of Reconciliation services in different parishes in the area. I thought it might be appropriate to make a few observations about the sacrament that could be helpful in anyone’s understanding. The key to the sacrament is sorrow for sin and a turning toward God. Christ responds to this, through the words of absolution spoken by the priest by forgiving sin. This removes any division between us and the love of God.

As I stated recently in a homily, sin is literally, “missing the mark”, whereas a habit of virtue helps us to aim our lives in the right direction. For this we need God’s grace and we need the help of others. Just as our sins affect others, so our striving for virtue also affects others. So the Sacrament of Reconciliation is also a strengthening of the bonds we enjoy in the Church, as members of Christ’s body.

After a person makes a confession of their sins the priest is asked to provide “salutary”, or “health-giving” advice. Especially at this time of year when so many come this does not mean a counselling session, but it is a response that is meant to be helpful to the penitent in their effort to follow the Lord more closely. In part, this is why reconciliation is a moment of intense activity. The penitent exerts energy to express their neediness in the sight of God, and the confessor exerts energy listening carefully and then responding meaningfully to what has been revealed by the penitent.

Then, making a prayer of sorrow or Act of Contrition, the penitent asks the Lord for forgiveness and the priest prays the prayer of absolution: God, the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The priest may also add at the end: "May the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints and whatever good you do or evil you endure merit for you the remission of your sins, the increase of grace and the reward of everlasting life. Amen." Consoling words.

In Christ. Fr. Bob

Christmas Season Mass Schedule

Christmas Season Mass Schedule
Advent Weekday	Thursday, 24 Dec.	8am (No Noon Mass)
Christmas Eve	Thursday, 24 Dec.	6pm, 8pm, 10pm & Midnight
Christmas Day	Friday, 25 Dec.	9am, 10:30am, Noon & 1:30pm (No 8am and 7pm Masses)
St. Stephen	Saturday, 26 Dec.	9am
Holy Family	Saturday, 26 Dec.	5pm
	Sunday, 27 Dec.	8am, 9am, 10:30am, Noon, 1:30pm & 7pm
Holy Innocents	Monday, 28 Dec.	9am (No 7pm Mass)
Octave of Christmas	Tuesday, 29 Dec.	Noon & 7pm (No 8am Mass)
	Wednesday, 30 Dec.	7pm (No 8am Mass)
	Thursday, 31 Dec.	8am (No Noon Mass)
New Year’s Eve Vigil of Mary the Mother of God	Thursday, 31 Dec.	5pm & 7pm
New Year’s Day Mary, the Mother of God	Friday, 1 Jan.	9am, 10:30am, Noon & 1:30pm (No 8am and 7pm Masses)
St. Basil the Great	Saturday, 2 Jan.	9am & 5pm
Epiphany of Our Lord	Sunday, 3 Jan.	8am, 9am, 10:30am, Noon, 1:30pm & 7pm

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