A Blessed and Peaceful Christmas To All....

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I write to extend every best wish for a happy, joyful and holy Christmas.

Recently I came across an article by Richard Rohr OFM, who wrote:

“The season invites us to an adult spirituality. Though we anticipate the coming of a babe, Advent is also about a trans-historic and Cosmic Christ. Advent holds the paradox of One coming—not yet fully here—and yet with us from the beginning of time as we know it. Advent calls us to both follow the star the long way to God's manger and recognise that the journey is a short one, a simple turn toward neighbour, world, and self.”

At this time we call to mind the reason for our Christian hope. Our hope is in Emmanuel – God with us; God with us and for us in both our joys and sorrows. Christ rejects no one, because Jesus the Christ chose to be born in the midst of our human confusion, blessing us, renewing us, affirming us, transforming us.

“It is by grace that you are saved through faith, not by anything of your own, but by pure gift from God, and not by anything you have achieved. Nobody can claim credit. You are God’s work of art.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

I am reminded of the words of Saint Teresa of Calcutta:

“What have we to learn? To be meek and humble (Mt 11, 29); if we are meek and humble, we will learn to pray. If we learn to pray, we will belong to Jesus. If we belong to Jesus, we will learn to believe, and if we believe we will learn to love, and if we love we will learn to serve”.

When we care for our young men, it is God loving them through us – what a powerful vocation all teachers and parents have been called to, in Jesus’ name.

Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Christmas and my heartfelt thanks to all who have offered me inspiration and encouragement during 2023.

Have a safe, holy and happy summer. If you need a good Mass for Christmas, come to my parish... Mass times are here... https://www.christchurchwest.org.nz/masstimes

Kia whakapaingia koe e te Karaiti.