O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free, Lord our God.
A 'mighty wind', the breath or Spirit of God swept over the waters
at the creation of the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Women are coached in their breathing as they labor to give birth.
You may be feeling out of breath from the last minute baking, housecleaning and gift-wrapping that leads up to the Christmas celebration... if so, please take a minute, and just breathe.
at the creation of the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Women are coached in their breathing as they labor to give birth.
You may be feeling out of breath from the last minute baking, housecleaning and gift-wrapping that leads up to the Christmas celebration... if so, please take a minute, and just breathe.
That breath is a gift to you from God. So is the next one. And so on... you are being re-created throughout your life by every breath that God gives you. There's a certain freedom in knowing that at each moment, we can make a choice to break old patterns, establish new ones, repair a relationship, or nurture a new one. Our past may form us, but it does not bind us.
You as parent are the most important influence in your child's faith. Children learn through stories and songs, and by example. So, what better way to celebrate Christmas than to tell your child the story of Jesus' birth (Luke 2: 1-20), sing a few Christmas carols (e.g. Silent Night and Joy to the World, not Frosty the Snowman or Santa Claus is Coming to Town), and emphasize the great gift of love over the quantity of presents? And don't forget to bring your family to celebrate with your family of faith: here again is the link to the mass times at St. Andrew (and a reminder to arrive early for the Christmas eve services).
May you know the breathless joy of Christmas-
the reality of Emmanuel, "God With Us"!
No comments:
Post a Comment