Wishing you a blessed Christmas

Today is unique in the Catholic Calendar, in that wherever you are, people's thoughts are on celebration. I suspect it is much the same everywhere in Europe, America etc. Indeed wherever Christianity has ingrained its identity on the culture and national identity. Whereas many Christians may despair on this day, that it has become secularised, materialistic and lost it's true meaning, I am seeing it differently.

I rejoice that people want to be with their families, perhaps avoid work, buy gifts for each other and display a general sense of good will. After all, everyone knows the origin of Christmas, which makes it all the more special that our country still observes it. It is but a small leap of Faith to put the 'Mass' back into 'Christmas'.

Today in Britain we are covered in snow. A rarity, to be sure. It's amazing the way it causes such disruption for us. But it doesn't come as loud or sudden or powerfully destructive; it falls gently, settled gradually and leaves such a beautiful sight that it almost comes as a surprise when it feels so icy cold! In that sense it stands as a memorable metaphor for the Word of God: speaking softly, falling where it will and settling amongst us in varying degrees despite the contradictory way it is born in a cold stable in seeming vulnerability and poverty.

I'm sorry not to have written more on my Blog recently. It is enough to say that today is a very happy time and all feels well.




Let us pray:
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that this new light of Your Incarnate Word which shines upon our minds by faith, may be reflected in our deeds.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen.

St Thomas

Tuesday, Dec 21, 2010
St. Thomas, Apostle:
So often we doubt, though Our Lord gives us so many graces. St Thomas- pray for us, that we may always say with true devotion "My Lord and my God!"







Gospel: John 20:19-29
20:19 Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you.
20:19 Cum ergo sero esset die illo, una sabbatorum, et fores essent clausæ, ubi erant discipuli congregati propter metum Judæorum: venit Jesus, et stetit in medio, et dixit eis: Pax vobis.
20:20 And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.
20:20 Et cum hoc dixisset, ostendit eis manus et latus. Gavisi sunt ergo discipuli, viso Domino.
20:21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.
20:21 Dixit ergo eis iterum: Pax vobis. Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos.
20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
20:22 Hæc cum dixisset, insufflavit, et dixit eis: Accipite Spiritum Sanctum:
20:23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
20:23 quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis: et quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt.
20:24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
20:24 Thomas autem unus ex duodecim, qui dicitur Didymus, non erat cum eis quando venit Jesus.
20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.
20:25 Dixerunt ergo ei alii discipuli: Vidimus Dominum. Ille autem dixit eis: Nisi videro in manibus ejus fixuram clavorum, et mittam digitum meum in locum clavorum, et mittam manum meam in latus ejus, non credam.
20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you.
20:26 Et post dies octo, iterum erant discipuli ejus intus, et Thomas cum eis. Venit Jesus januis clausis, et stetit in medio, et dixit: Pax vobis.
20:27 Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.
20:27 Deinde dicit Thomæ: Infer digitum tuum huc, et vide manus meas, et affer manum tuam, et mitte in latus meum: et noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis.
20:28 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God.
20:28 Respondit Thomas, et dixit ei: Dominus meus et Deus meus.
20:29 Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.
20:29 Dixit ei Jesus: Quia vidisti me, Thoma, credidisti: beati qui non viderunt, et crediderunt.


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