BEST CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS & A GIFT FROM YOUR PARISH FAMILY
Dear Parishioners, at our 9:30am and 7pm Masses preparing for Christmas we have reflected on how Jesus has come to free us from the life patterns and attitudes that lead us to darkness and emptiness.
These life patterns and attitudes we call the 7 Capital Sins. They are the road blocks that hinder our faith journey with God. They are: Pride, Anger, Jealousy, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony and Lust. With His grace, Jesus gives us the ability to replace these 7 self-centred attitudes with the 7 selfless virtues.
These 7 Virtues include: Humility, Gratitude, Forgiveness, Persistence, Temperance, Charity and Chastity. We can remember them, reflect on them and apply them to our daily living if we connect them and with the central figures of the Christmas Nativity. Jesus, the Son of God, born in a poor manger shows us the first virtue, Humility. Mary is an example of Gratitude through the Magnificat prayer.
Joseph is a symbol of Chastity and Purity with Christ as the centre of his life. The shepherd is symbolic of persistence in getting up in the middle of the night to go to Bethlehem. The three kings reflect the virtues of Charity (Giving), Temperance and Forgiveness—each with their different gifts. We can ask our children to write out the words, discuss them and get them to place them on the Christmas tree or around the nativity.
Christmas gift from your Parish Family
In following the example of the three kings, I ask each family to accept a Christmas gift from our Parish Family, a Catholic songs CD for the young children & for the youth and adults a CD on “the true meaning of Christmas” by Bishop Fulton Sheen.
I really encourage the youth and parents to take an hour over this feast and holiday time to listen to the CD and reflect on and share with each other and to pass the CD on to others who aren't regular Church attendees.
