Category: Christmas

Christmas Calendars

When I was a child, there were Advent calendars on which doors were opened at each date, to reveal different religious scenes in preparation for Christmas.  It was a simple way of teaching children the mystery of Jesus and the place of waiting for Christmas.  Well this year they have made a come-back but what a different form – chocolate under the dates I can understand, but Bathurst 1000 pictures!  Another strange one is at The Economist website (see http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/11/christmas-countdown).It gives graphs and data concerning different countries of the world.  Amongst the data were the following:  Australia has one of the highest rates of well-being and wealth and we have the highest rate of gambling loss in the world – by a long shot.  So how come so many people who are ‘healthy and wealthy’ throw away so much money. 

We don’t live on bread, or wealth or health alone.  Deep in our hearts is a deep passionate need for something more.  Quite simply we are made for God, and if we don’t seek God, we may try to fill that hunger with other needs.  Why don’t people see this readily?  Because love calls on us to transcend ourselves, to put others – whether it is God, a spouse or children – before ourselves and that is not easy.  God knows this and so sent his Son, Jesus to show us how it is done and to be with us on the journey.  As you seek to show love this Christmas, ask Jesus to be with you as companion and guide.  Let each situation be like a little door which you can open and recognise that “God is with us”.

Loving God, send us your Spirit over this coming Christmas so that we may allow Jesus to come into our lives with his love and his life.  We ask this in his name, confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

Why bother with Christmas?

I recently read through the latest edition of a popular women’s magazine which had lovely articles on how families throughout Australia would be celebrating Christmas and, I must admit, I felt uneasy.  Would that it were that simple!  No, it wasn’t the exquisite decorations or the wonderful menus that made me uneasy.  It was the image of happy families coming together with peace, harmony and joy.  I wish them well and sincerely hope and pray that their Christmas is as it is portrayed.  But for many families Christmas it is not like that.  Christmas is a minefield where we try to make peace and harmony through many and various challenges.  Estrangements, addictions, mental illness, grief from deaths through the past year are just some of the major hurdles that have to be faced.  Then add the ‘lesser challenges’ of over-excited children, too much food, too much alcohol (leading to free and frank discussion) and one sometimes wonders why we bother?

We bother because that is the meaning of Christmas.  When Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph did not provide the ideal conditions, – life was beyond their control – but they did the best they could.  Those who worshipped, shepherds and foreigners, were despised outsiders, and the threat of violence was in the air.  That is the world God chose to be born in – a world like ours with its mess, muddle and pain.  God is comfortable there; God knows how to handle it.  So when we feel overwhelmed, let us turn to God and pray: “Be born in us this day.”   And if everything isn’t ‘happy families’ we can still know that God is with us – Immanuel. Come Lord Jesus, be born in us this day.

Loving God, you sent your son Jesus into our midst, experiencing the pain and challenges that we have to face.  Knowing him to be our brother may we turn to him when our cares overwhelm us.  We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

So what sort of presents are you going to give?

Well, the wind-up to Christmas has begun with its attendant stress on present giving.  Why stress? Because giving to people who already have more than they need of material things is a challenge.  We want our gift to express something real, positive and meaningful yet we know that the thing we give is often superfluous.

May I suggest that a return to what we really are celebrating in Christmas could give us a way out of the dilemma?  We celebrate the coming of God in our flesh.  Jesus came to be with us, to experience the limitations and neediness of human life and transform them into a means of grace for ourselves and those whom we love. We each experience our neediness in different ways and we each need to turn to God and ask for the presence of Jesus to change our lives. Ask yourself what is it you would like to receive from the presence of God….then try to give that presence away?  Do you need ‘joy’ then give joy, a happy act of kindness, an upbeat answer even when you do not feel like it.  Do you need ‘peace’? Act in a peaceful manner even when you feel irritated.  We can only truly receive a gift from God when we give it away.  Only human channels that give freely can feel full.

Allow the presence of God to move through you giving ‘spiritual’ presence as you prepare for Christmas then when the time comes to decide on what presents to give, you will find it easier to choose something that will express your presence.    

Loving God, teach us how to give with joy and fullness of heart.  May your Spirit reveal the presence of Jesus in our lives that we may present him to all we meet.  We ask this in his name, confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

Christmas Presence

For most people, Christmas present buying is underway, so this is good time to reflect on what giving presents means, as most of us are not getting things we really need. I was told recently about a family that has a wonderful ritual for opening their Christmas presents.  When all are present, each present is opened, one by one. First, the card with its message of love is read, then each gift is unwrapped and admired by all. It takes hours to get through all the presents, but each one knows what everyone got, from whom, and especially the message of love that came with each gift.

We are now in the middle of the Church’s season of Advent and this is our religious way of taking time to enjoy the presence of Jesus in our midst.  Over four weeks, we pray over the different longings and needs that Jesus will fulfil. Then we have Christmastide when we slowly unwrap what Jesus’ presence means.  Our hearts are made for deep love: what we all really need is loving presence. This has been and is given to us in the person of Jesus…and we give it to and from each other.  May your presents this year convey this presence!

Loving Father, you have given us the present of your love in the person of Jesus.  Send us your Spirit to awaken our hearts to his love deep within our being and may we show his love to all.  We ask this in Jesus’ name confident that your will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris, osb

Why bother with Christmas?

In the coming weeks we will be inundated with many stories and images of families celebrating a glorious, joyful Christmas with amazing food and beautiful houses. I feel uneasy.  No, it isn’t the exquisite decorations or the wonderful menus that made me uneasy.  It was the image of happy families coming together with peace, harmony and joy.  I wish all people well for whom this reflects their experience of Christmas.  But for many families Christmas it is not like that.  Christmas is a minefield where they try to make peace and harmony through many and various challenges.  Estrangements, addictions, mental illness, grief from deaths through the past year are just some of the major hurdles that have to be faced.  Then add the ‘lesser challenges’ of over-excited children, too much food, too much alcohol (leading to free and frank discussion) and one sometimes wonders why we bother?

We bother because that is the meaning of Christmas.  When Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph did not provide the ideal conditions, – life was beyond their control – but they did the best they could.  Those who worshipped, shepherds and foreigners, were despised outsiders, and the threat of violence was in the air.  That is the world God chose to be born in – a world like ours with its mess, muddle and pain.  God is comfortable there; God knows how to handle it.  So when we feel overwhelmed, let us turn to God and pray: ‘Be born in us this day.’ Be born in our mess muddle and pain.  Be born in our challenging relationships.   And if everything isn’t ‘happy families’ we can still know that God is with us – Immanuel. Come Lord Jesus, be born in us this day.

Loving God, you sent your son Jesus into our midst, experiencing the pain and challenges that we have to face.  Knowing him to be our brother may we turn to him this Christmas when our cares overwhelm us.  We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

A time to give…a time to receive.

In Japan, the custom when receiving another person’s business card is to take it in both hands and bow to the person giving.  It is almost a religious act.  There is a lesson here for us in how to receive the gifts we shall receive in the coming weeks.  We put plenty of thought, energy, expense and even time in getting and sending our gifts.  How much effort do we put into receiving them?  Gifts are symbols of our relationship.  Gifts received graciously are gifts given more than twice over.  And sometimes it takes some effort and ingenuity to receive well.  It is possible the gift we receive is not something we want.  It is possible that we have doubts about the person’s motive.  But that doesn’t mean we don’t have the opportunity to make something rich and precious out of the situation.  This takes thoughtfulness, sensitivity and a buoyancy of spirit on our part. 

And so it is with God.  God is giving to us all the time.  If we feel God is remote from our lives, perhaps it is because we haven’t been truly receiving the gifts we are being given. Oh, we get them alright but we have to receive them into our lives into our hearts.  If we just turn to God when we are in ‘need’, our relationship with God will be pretty unsatisfactory, as are all relationships just based on need.  Actively receiving and being grateful for what we receive both from God and from family and friends can enrich and deepen our relationships and our lives.  May this Christmas be glorious for you in giving and receiving and may the presents you give and receive be signs of deep and bonding love. 

Loving God, may we find joy giving and receiving gifts this Christmas.  As we celebrate the gift of your Son, Jesus, may we become present to each other as we give and receive.  We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb

Compassion for Christmas.

Christmas is coming and the pressure is on…for us to come up with the perfect gift, meal, gesture and yes indeed, the perfect family.  That’s what the ads are telling us…in your dreams, or rather your delusions.  Let’s be honest, Christmas is a minefield that challenges us in so many different ways: money (or lack of), cooking skills (ditto) and let’s not get started on the difficult family members. Maybe we are even that person!  So let’s step away from the false ideals and delusions and consider what Jesus came to offer us and what we and others really need: compassion.  Jesus came to give us the compassion of God and as we receive it, so we are to share. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society has launched their Christmas appeal, which you will hear about from your child/ren and from the school.  Here we are called to help those who are obviously less well of than ourselves.    This is a good place to begin, and what we give will make a difference in ways we may never know.

But we don’t stop there.  Give compassion to your family and friends.  Nobody ‘needs’ fancy gifts or expensive food, but we all hunger for a thoughtful gesture and to be served with love.    If we start our Christmas preparations with compassion, with feeling for others, we begin a revolution in how we celebrate.  Out go the unreal expectations that make us feel inadequate and depressed.  In comes tenderness.  If God loved the world, in all its weakness and failure, so much that he gave us Jesus, maybe this Christmas we can cut ourselves a little slack and be compassionate to all…ourselves included. 

Loving Father, you sent Jesus to show your compassion to all.  May I know his love with me, and as I begin my Christmas preparations, may compassion be the guiding light in all that I do for my family and friends.  I ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear me. 

Sr Kym Harris osb