Please scroll down for pictures of our beautiful Crib!

(taken after the Midnight Mass)

December 25, 2004 WHEN GIFT AND GIVER ARE ONE   In a well-known short story, the American writer O. Henry describes a couple of young newly-weds experiencing their first Christmas. They live in dire poverty. His only possession is a gold pocket watch and her most prized asset is her luxuriant hair. On Christmas day they exchange gifts only to discover that he has sold his watch to buy her a silver comb and she has sold her hair to buy him a watch-chain. They laugh and cry together.

This story of young love and muddled sacrifice is truly a Christmas story because at its centre is an exchange of gifts. Whatever else the modern age may have forgotten about Christmas, the significance of gift-giving has not been lost. The most vulgar consumerism cannot entirely eradicate its inherent nobility. We accomplish something sacramental when we bestow upon another a symbol of our love or esteem and when we receive such a symbol in return. However prosaic the gift itself may be, it expresses something real beyond words if the intention is sincere. The gift is the outward and visible sign of an inner invisible grace.

It is too easy to overlook this spiritual dimension when Christmas giving becomes merely a form of amusement or a burden that we discharge begrudgingly. St Ignatius in the Contemplation for Obtaining Divine Love speaks of this continual interchange of gifts between the lover and the beloved as the essence of their relationship since what they are giving is ultimately themselves. Gift and giver are one. So it is that at Christmas we celebrate God's total gift of himself to us – the very purpose for which our world was made – in the Incarnation. The totality of this gift inspires us to a corresponding generosity - and of course to a profound gratitude. We cannot match such a gift or such a love but we are not asked to. It is enough to be aware of it and to desire to do our best. However well we may succeed during our life, it is certain that at the end everything will be handed back to God.

I was once challenged by a kindly woman after Mass who took strong exception to the frequent use of the word “sacrifice” in the liturgy and indeed in Christian theology. “I am a wife and mother – everything I have done for my family I did because I love them. That's not sacrifice – it's giving .” Perhaps it is so with God. From the coming of Christ into the world at Bethlehem to the cross itself and to the Resurrection, it is all giving . God is love. Love seeks the highest good of the beloved and to share everything one has with the beloved. God can do this for all eternity. Can we offer him something now – this day – this night – in return?

    Fr William Pearsall SJ

PARISH INFORMATION

HOLIDAY The Farm Street Choir will be on a Christmas break this Sunday and the next. We wish them all a happy holiday! There will be hymns and carols at the 9.30 and 11am Masses. There will be no coffee in the Hall on these two Sundays. This is to give our hard-working coffee team a rest and we take this opportunity to thank them all!

CHRISTMASTIDE There is a sheet with Mass times for the Christmas period available at the church doors. This will be your guide into the New Year so please take one.

CRIB We thank Paula Gayle for her help in creating a Nativity display for the church. Offerings at the crib go to the Catholic Children's Society, which finds families for orphaned children.

HELP NEEDED We are looking for Greeters (Ushers) and Collectors for Sundays. Especially needed are volunteers for the 8am , 12.30, 4.15 and 6.15 Masses. The organisers can be contacted on hanels@MSN.com or philipobrien@usa.net.

READERS Your rotas for the next six month period are available in the sacristy. A big thank you to all the volunteers and for the hard work in organising the list and arranging the rota.

CHARITY Through your generosity over the past year we have managed to contribute very considerable sums to worthy causes. We will be looking at potential recipients of donations at the start of 2005. If you have any suggestions they would be welcomed.

CRIB PHOTOS

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