Tag Archive for ‘Christmas’
Crib Origins
Growing up in the Duffy household, one of the signs of Christmas being imminent was the appearance of the crib atop the Conroy electric heater. (That was a clear, flat space off the floor and the heater was not turned on in summer.) My mother would arrange the small collection of figures with care. Baby […]
Joy to the World
Joy is a gift from God which comes to us when we least expect it. It is a touch of God that through the power of God’s Holy Spirit completely captures a person in a timeless moment. It penetrates our outer being, the being we think of as ‘me’, and grabs a part of our […]
Sunday 15 November
Ps16; Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-14,18; Mark 13:24-32 Be Watchful Jesus reminds the four apostles about the signs of coming of the Son of man and the need for watchfulness. Beware of false prophets. The signs – no sun, no moon, stars falling from the sky. Jesus uses a simple analogy that we identify a season […]
Christmas Cookies
“Christmas cookies and happy hearts, This is how the holiday starts.” – American proverb The Christmas season is rapidly approaching. Christmas decorations are already in the stores and at the malls. The Christmas sales have started. In addition to the seasonal onslaught of ads and sales promotions, the Christmas cookie recipes are now appearing in […]
Friday 26 December
SAINT STEPHEN Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59, Psalm 31, Matt. 10:17-22 Martyrdom From the joys of Christmas to the first martyr. Stephen probably imagined himself preaching into old age. But his work over in a short time. As Jesus had prophesied, there were those who were challenged by Jesus’ message. Their hatred impelled them to kill the […]
Tuesday 23 December
SAINT JOHN OF KANTY Malachi 3:1-4,23-24, Psalm 25, Luke 1:57-66 Preparations John is born, several months before Jesus. He must prepare the way of the Lord. Zachary, obedient to God, orders the baby be named John. So Zachary received back his speech. Frequently, God’s gifts are of this world. So just as John prepared for […]
Saturday 20 December
Isaiah 7:10-14, Psalm 24, Luke 1:26-38 The old/new story We’ve heard it many times. Mary’s visit from the angel. The birth in Bethlehem. Still we meditate on it. Ponder the various meanings and the enjoyable event. The rest of the world flies by. Gifts, buying, holidays, work parties, shop parties, company parties. These can irritate […]
An Angel at Advent
by Philippa Winch As a child, Christmas was a big occasion involving family, food and lots of festivities. However, as an adult with a family of my own neither my husband nor I had any close relatives living near. It was up to us to create our own family Christmas traditions. To make Christmas just […]
Perfectly Less Than Ideal
Sometimes mothers give birth in less than ideal conditions, such as in a car on the side of the road, unable to reach the hospital in time. I don’t think Mary planned on giving birth in a stable at Bethlehem either. But these things happen. Still, what was God thinking? He organised visitors, a star […]
The Commonly Good Family
The cultural catch-cry, “put Christ back into Christmas” is a request that falls on the deaf ears of popular culture. People in this hedonistic, media driven culture have long since forsaken the true meaning of Christmas. However it remains a day which is celebrated in the manner of a feast day. Lurking deep within the […]
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