Saturday, December 23, 2006

Merry Christmas

Finals are over (Thank God), and we can now settle down and enjoy this wonderful season. I just wish that we had snow on the ground. Coming from the South, I'm used to having a brown, or green, Christmas, but living now in Wisconsin, one would think that we would have at least some snow on Christmas day.

I always have mixed feelings about Christmas. On the one hand, it is wonderful to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Fully man and fully God, Christ came among us, from humble beginnings to reunite all of creation with the One True God. This is what this time is all about: Celebrating Christ's birth and preparing ourselves as we look forward to that glorious time when Christ will return in power and great Glory.

On the other hand, the triteness and selfishness of our modern observance of Christmas leaves me cold. The department stores have had Christmas decorations up since before Halloween and it seems that everyone is focused on the countdown to present opening time. People will start taking down their decorations, which have been up since Thanksgiving, on the day after Christmas, apparently completely forgetting that the Christmas Season actually doesn't start until Christmas Eve and lasts until Epiphany, the 12 days of Christmas.

Let us celebrate the Birth of Christ.
Let us celebrate God's Grace and Love.
Let us celebrate our families and spend time with them sharing God's Word.
Let us look to those who are in need or who have no one with which to share Christ's Love.
Take this opportunity to tell someone why this holiday is so very special.
Take a friend to Midnight Mass.
Better yet, take their whole family.
Thank God for His Gift.
Take His Gift, keep Him in your heart, and share Him with the world.

Gloria in excelsis.

Your brother in Christ,
Michael

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