At Christmas there is much intermingled – children – innocence, expectancy; love ones – homecoming, happiness and mellow moods; for many people it would mean loneliness – serious concerns; of course there are ‘SOME’ generosity in some areas, it makes me wonder though why we couldn‘t do it everyday. This is the time when we find some emerging of our ‘Better Selves’ – and so much else besides – all intermixed with a measure of ‘Forgiving’ and ‘Forgetting’ – and with memories from all past years that merge and mixed with the present moment.

For those of you who are parents, I would plead; give good and happy memories to your children – not pampering or overindulging, not by giving everything they want – but memories of LOVE, ENCOURAGEMENT, of PEACE and HARMONY and HAPPINESS – memories that will bless and lift their lives wherever they are, always and forever.

The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much you spend during Christmas. Let us get out of the mind-set that money makes or unmakes Christmas. Christmas is not in the pocket. Christmas is in the heart!

Well, swiftly the NOW or PRESENT will surely comes and goes, and so does life. Let us live it with REPENTANCE and IMPROVEMENT, with HONESTY and HONOR, and with a balance of mind and heart and spirit – along with all the tangibles that are so much in evidence.

If there is something you didn’t use for one year, you don’t need it. SHARE, GIVE, and UNLOAD, especially this Christmas. There are so many people in dire need of things you don’t even use or need. Whether you share your millions or your scrap, make sure you give with your heart, for that is all that matters. If God has been generous to you, then be generous to others. In spite of the hard times we are in, remember, it is still better to give than to receive.

Human as we are, we need to express our faith in things concrete and beautiful. And all the creativity and imagination involved – Christmas can only speak of the vitality of one’s faith. Christmas spirit truly engenders and strengthens the faith of people, especially of the children and of those who still are simple in heart.

Who are the poor at Christmas?

• Poor are the people who have all the trimmings of Christmas, but do not know or appreciate the Celebrant of Christmas.
• Poor are they who have become exhausted with all their pre-Christmas activities, and do not have peace in their hearts at Christmas.
• Poor are they who made a living, but do not have life at all this Christmas.
• We already know that Christmas is about the birth of Christ, and that it is a time for conversion and renewal, to find Christ in everything and value in suffering and poverty.

And we could not of course, conceive of Christmas without Him whose coming it commemorates: The Prince of Peace, The Son of God, Our Saviour and Redeemer, concerning whom we witness that He lives, from deep within the certainty of our souls.

Oh, may we not forget at any time what God has given, or overemphasize the troubles of our time, but go with PATIENCE, GRATITUDE and FAITH into the future, remembering that “God is not dead, or does He sleep; The wrong will fail the right ones will prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.” Remember that the best ways to worship God is simply to be happy!

Wishing you all a peaceful, love-filled, happy and worshipful Christmas!