May the Peace of Christ Reign in our Hearts
As we get closer to Christmas there is so much to do…
If you are organized you've probably gotten a lot of it done
But then there are the rest of us.
I’m sure I’m forgetting something but here goes..
Christmas lists
Christmas baking
Christmas cards
Christmas trees
buying or climbing into the attic to get is.
One Friary keeps all of their trees in the bell tower with a big bag over it.
Christmas decorating no offence but I think we have the best looking house on the block… oops were the only house on the block (Fr. Michael’s Handiwork)
Wrapping and delivering Christmas present
Christmas shopping
Christmas meal planning
Christmas food runs to Stop and Shop or Stews
If you need to work on patience in your life… go and try to keep from screaming when the lady in front of you picked a ham with no price label at Stews ?
Getting your hair done Christmas
Christmas packing (if you are traveling)
Christmas house cleaning
I’m sure there’s more
Preparation Preparation Preparation
There is so much to do
Sad to say I have one more thing to add to our list.
When Fr. Raymond and I came here the Attic in the friary was filled stuff there was so much stuff up there.
There was even stuff up there from friars long gone home to God and other places…
I got a good pair of shoes from the attic who know who they belonged to.
I even found Fr. Herbert’s High School Yearbook.
Finally one day with the help of our volunteers we got a construction dumpster and loaded it up with junk...
It had to be done.
The stuff would not go away by itself.
Just like we cleaned the attic
Before Christmas each of us has to clean out the stable of our heart hence the signs on the doors.
We have to remove any trace of anger or resentment especially towards family member that we will see over the break.
We have to forgive them that’s what God does for us.
We have to remove our gossip and our laziness
We have to get rid of our greed and our lack of fidelity.
We have to remove from our hearts the selfishness that keeps us from giving God His rightful place in our lives.
We have to get rid of all of the lies and exaggerations we have told.
We have to remove everything which keeps us from being the Men and Women that God would have us be.
And it's not enough for us to say
I'm gonna do better....
we’ve all done that before… I know I do that everyday
Part of the healing process is to force ourselves to say I'm sorry.
Saying I'm sorry if very very important indeed.
So important that God even gives us
A special sacrament where we can express our sorrow and know that we are forgiven.
Yep there’s one more thing to do before Christmas
One more thing to add to the list.
Our Parish Christmas Confessions will be held on Tuesday starting at 7:00 PM.
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