Well just another week to the start of the Advent Season and we who are lucky enough to have a little money to spare or just a little more room on our credit cards are starting to make plans for what we will do to indulge ourselves, our friends and families over this coming Christmas.
The decorations, the tree, presents, food, booze and maybe a couple of nights out and let’s not forget the staff party or parties.
Do we really want to go to midnight Mass on a Wednesday, our last day at work?
Thursday is really an inconvenient day for Christmas Day.
Walking past the huge Christmas card (or should that be Xmas card) display at our local bookshop I was astounded to see that the huge range of individual cards which included 100s of Santas, reindeer, toys, humorous, and of course scenes from Dickens and those with thoughtful little verses that give us the warm fuzzies, only three that could be considered to have any Christian significance at all.
In addition there were also the packs of assorted cards which did include a few more cards that had nativity scenes and biblical quotations all in all not a very good indication of what Christmas is about.
Isn’t it about time we stopped being embarrassed about being Catholics, isn’t it about time we started to acknowledge that on a starry night 2000 years ago a Baby was born to a lovely young woman in a stable in Bethlehem, that the Christ Child was given to us by God to make our lives richer and more fulfilled?
Why not use the coming Advent, which is the beginning of the Christian year, to begin our lives again, to rethink our attitudes to the modern world, to give gifts which are thoughtful, giving gifts should not be a competition, and to remember and to show by the things we think and do that we really do believe.
If you don’t have the opportunity to buy your Christmas cards from the table at the back of the Church then make sure those that you buy and send to friends and loved ones including non-Catholics reflect the season.
Involve your children teaching them the meaning and let them help in selecting cards for particular people, make the experience a happy one, giving your children time in this way not only benefits your own relationship but also helps them to value friends and family.
Plan your time leading up to Christmas, writing a list is a great help and again involve your children in what should be included.
We must not forget that children expect Santa and presents and here would be a good time to remind them that there are families and children living nearby who will have a very lean Christmas.
For a list of families you might be able to buy for you could ask your local food bank or your Parish Priest.
Plan a special visit to your local Church to sit for a while with Our Lady and to contemplate the Nativity display and say the Rosary. Consider setting up a Nativity scene in your own home.
It should be as important as the Christmas tree, and when decorating the tree make sure that some at least of the tree’s ornaments reflect the real reason for the celebrations.
Remember friends and family who may be unwell with a visit taking a Christmas gift to give them a little cheer at what might otherwise be a sad time.
Include Christmas carols as your preferred music particularly before Midnight Mass.
May Jesus, who was born for us, console all those afflicted by illness and suffering; may he sustain those who devote themselves to serving our brothers and sisters who are most in need.
A Happy and Blessed Christmas to all!
Joe Hannah
Additional readingNews category: Analysis and Comment.
