A Christmas Meditation (2) Once again, let our thoughts return back to the scene inside the Cave. Joseph already prepared it as comfortably as he can for Mary. As Jesus' Birth soon approached, Mary begged Joseph to do all he can to receive the Child with honour, and invited Joseph to unite his prayer with hers for all those who didn't give Him a place to stay. They bore no hate, no grudges towards others who did not accept them nor complained about the situation they were in. But to prepare with all their hearts and mind for the soon coming of Our Saviour into the world. On that Holy night, Mary was deep in her prayers, supernatural light streamed out from her and filled the cave, her body raised above the ground...then Mary gave birth to the Holy Child. There was no pain, no distress, no tainting of Mary's Virginity. What a lovely sight to see Angels prostrated around Mary who was holding Baby Jesus. And Joseph was so happy yet so humble and full of devotion that it was until Mary urged him again then he embraced the Sacred Infant. Beholding this Baby sweetly lying in the Crib, Mary and Joseph sang praises to God and shed tears of joy... Quite some distance away from the Crib, this silent night became an unforgettable night to some shepherds, as they saw magnificent light shining on the Crib, Angels appeared and spoke to them, and heard the Angels singing the Gloria. Note that the first group of people who received the news of this great Mystery is not the powerful, rich or intelligent ones, but the simple and poor ones, as God Loves the humble and lowly. How blessed are the shepherds who has the privilege to listen to the sweet and beautiful voices of the Angels singing! Yet they are even more blessed that they believed and went to the Crib Cave, and became one of the first people to adore Baby Jesus with their very own eyes! They offered Him gifts of little animals, food etc. What would you like to offer Him this Christmas? May be as Christina Rossetti wrote in her poem: "what I can I give Him, — Give my heart." Dear all, He was born because His Love for you, love Him back is the most pleasing gift you can give Him. May you be united in love with Him this Christmas, have a very Merry Christmas! (Reference: • Luke 2:8-16 • The life of Jesus Christ and biblical revelations, Volume I, Ven Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books & Publishers, 1986 • The Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Advent & Christmas, "The coming of the Divine Infant", 24 December 1613 • A Christmas Carol, Christina Georgina Rossetti (1872))
The third Sunday of Advent is also called ‘Gaudete Sunday’. ‘Gaudete’ means ‘Rejoice’ in Latin. We rejoice because during the Advent season, as our hearts are in the middle of this longing, waiting and penitential period; Our Saviour who we are expecting is fast approaching. As today’s Reading said: “The Lord is at hand”. Therefore, the third candle we light up this weekend, as well as the Priest’s and Deacon’s vestments change from purple to rose colour, to reflect the rejoicing spirit in our hearts. Today is Bambinelli Sunday too. It is a tradition initiated by Pope St John Paul II. On this day in Rome, many people bring in their Baby Jesus figures (Bambinelli) to St Peter’s Square to be blessed by the Pope. In our Parish, you are all invited to bring your Baby Jesus figures from home or from your Nativity Crib to the Church this weekend to be blessed by the Priest during Mass, and take this Christmas Blessing back to your home and family.
The Rosminian Fathers would like to invite you to join their Chr istmas Masses:
At Christmas, the SVP has increasing demands and if parishioners wish to make a Christmas offering to support its work there is a second collection next weekend ( 21/22 Dec ). Many thanks to those parishioners who have already made a donation. Christmas Food Donations Please consider donating Christmas food donation of biscuits, chocolates, mince pie, etc. to the SVP store at the back of Church. Thank you
St David’s Cathedral, Cardiff 28th December at 11am Celebrate by Archbishop Mark The Jubilee Hymn can be found at: www.cbcew.org.uk/hymn-for-the-2025-jubilee/
A Christmas Meditation (1) Let's take our thoughts back to 2024 years ago, to a place called Bethlehem. After a very long journey from Nazareth, Mary and Joseph did what need to be done in the custom house in Bethlehem, then they tried to look for an inn to stay. Bethlehem was a place where Joseph used to live, but his friends did not want to recognise him, he got dismissed everywhere, he went from door to door, and if he told them his wife is going to give birth soon, they sent him away even more quickly. Ah, how many tears has Joseph shed because of all these rejection! And poor Mary, so hopeful and patiently waiting for Joseph from day till night...We might feel indignant about this, but if we ask ourselves: how have I been preparing for this Christmas? Did I include Jesus within my life, have I ignore Him or closed my door on His request to follow Him? Finally they found a shelter outside Bethlehem - a cave used by the shepherds as a storing place. Can you imagine, the Son of God, the Word Incarnated, the King of Kings, could not be found in an inn, let alone in a palace, but in a remote, dark, lowly cave that lack necessities and was used for animals. “...the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matt 8:20) Yet, this was the first example He showed us: living in humility, obedience and poverty; be in this world but not of it. He asked us to follow Him, not only just simply saying it, or demand from Heaven and ask us to do it, but took our human nature to do it once and for all by Himself as a perfect example for all of us - this reality is so surreal yet so real, unbelievable yet undeniable. Another touching meaning of this is, no matter how dark or sinful our hearts have been, if we are willing to let Mary and Joseph to open that door in our hearts, we will find Jesus to dwell within us. (Reference: The life of Jesus Christ and biblical revelations, Volume I, Ven Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books & Publishers, 1986)
“I baptise you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming… He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16) O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
If you wish to donate a poinsettia for decorating the Church during Christmas in memory of a loved one or you have a special prayer intention. Please bring poinsettias from Thursday 19 December until Sunday 22 December . Either leave them at the back of Church (under the table) or at the Presbytery.
Opening Times Saturday : Before and after 5.30pm Mass Sunday : Before and after 9.30am Mass until 11.30am Mass begins We have a large selection of Christmas cards and gifts available
The Incarnation (2) In the Incarnation, Our Lord's Divine nature joined together with our human nature, became true God and true man in one Person. God entirely a man and a man entirely God, there is no half and half. St Francis de Sales used iron and fire as an analogy to made us understand better: when you withdraws a hot iron plate after placing it into the furnace, one cannot say if the inflamed iron is fire or iron since they both so mixed together. It turned into a condition that can be described as iron is on fire and an iron fire, yet iron is still an iron in the fire and fire is still fire in the iron. In this Mystery, God made us physically see something that is beyond our human imagination and understanding - one who never dies can die, one who cannot feel sufferings can suffer, one who is Invisible and Almighty born into the world in a form of a babe that needs to be look after by human. Such sacrifice. Why does God spend such effort to do so? Why did Incarnation happen? You may say in order to die on the Cross for our salvation. It is true, but St Francis de Sales also said just a sigh or even a drop of tears from Our Lord would have unlimited price and merit, sufficient to redeem us all. Yet He did not wish to do so, rather our dear Jesus willed to go through countless pains and sufferings, from the moment of Incarnation, through His examples and later through His Words, to show and teach us how to live with reason and not our flesh's desires. Some may say, so to establish the Eucharist and dwell amongst us until the end of time. Also St Peter has said, through Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, caused us to be born again to a living hope to an unfading reserved inheritance in Heaven for us. All these are so true. But ultimately, don't all these reasons point towards one thing: God's Love, for us. These were all done for our sake. You are being loved. This Christmas, let us put aside all those thoughts of busy shopping, visiting, dinner planning...for a while, and think about this true meaning of Christmas. Love Him back in this Christmas. (References: • 1 Peter 1:3-4 • The Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Advent & Christmas, "The union of the Divine and human natures in Our Lord", 24 December 1620)