Tag Archive for ‘Christmas’
Christmas – A Broken world – A Ray of Hope
For once the weather of the Southern hemisphere matches the mood of the Church. The birth of Jesus tells us of a new hope. With Spring and early Summer come newly turned furrows and planting of crops. A fresh shade of green sweeps the countryside. The familiar list of woes of a broken world is […]
The Liturgy of Christmas
The Liturgy of Christmas In the year of Our Lord 2014 on 25 December at Midnight Mass we will celebrate the birth of Jesus. How historical is the liturgy in its counting of the years, its choice of day, and the hour? What has shaped our Christmas liturgies? The calendar in common use throughout the […]
The Lost Sheep
I like to think I’m a hard bitten journalist after a lifetime in the profession, covering the best and worst of the human condition on three continents. So why should I be upset about the death of an old sheep? Almost 20 years ago I decided to return to my roots, the bush. I grew […]
Thursday 02 January
memorial of Sts Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Retain good fortune Better than any Christmas gift or New Year wish come true, I actually live in God and so must do all I can to stay there [1 Jn 2:22-28]. I’ve got the saving power of God in and around me [Ps 97]. I […]
Can You Bear It?
An angry customer called the newspaper office, asking loudly to know where her Sunday paper was. “Madam”, said the newspaper employee, “today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until tomorrow.” There was quite a long pause followed by dawning recognition … “Well, that explains why no one was at church!” More gems […]
The Gift – No Strings Attached
Barry was already in trouble when, at breakfast, he asked his Mum. “Mum, can I buy a pie at school for lunch. It’s nearly Christmas, please Mum.” “Your lunch’s on the counter. It’s already made.” “But Mum you can have my lunch and I can have a pie. Please Mum.” Barry’s Mum was adamant he […]
Some thoughts on the significance of Christmas
Cover Picture: from ‘Journey to Bethlehem’, by Joseph F Brickey www.josephbrickey.com (Used with permission) It often seems that the main emphasis in relation to Christ’s earthly life is on Easter and the crucifixion, Christ dying for our sins to redeem us. But with the celebration of Christmas just ahead, we might try to get a […]
G K Chesterton’s reflection on Santa Claus and Christmas stockings
What has happened to me has been the very reverse of what appears to be the experience of most of my friends. Instead of dwindling to a point, Santa Claus has grown larger and larger in my mind and fills almost the whole of it. It happened in this way. As a child I was […]
Readers’ Responses
Mike Baird to the the Focus Editorial on Christmas: I agree whole-heartedly that Advent is the great antidote to “Xmas”. Over the past couple of years I have tried disciplining myself to wring out out all the juice that Advent provides. It’s a marvellous period of preparing, waiting, expectancy. It’s probably the one period of […]
Saturday 29 December
St Thomas Becket, Bishop, Martyr 1 John 2:3-11, Ps 96, Luke 2:22-35 Presentation The Gospel readings during the Christmas season speak of the manifestation of Christ. Today Jesus is taken to be presented to the Lord. We can just imagine the delight in Simeon’s eyes and heart as he carefully took the child Jesus in […]
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