Advent
God’s Christmas ornament
If you saw a red globe in the night sky earlier this week, don’t panic! You didn’t drink too much egg nog, and the end of the world is not at hand. What you witnessed was a lunar eclipse, an uncommon event in which the moon passes through Earth’s shadow. A lot of people are … Continue reading
Snowflakes: Reminders of the Perfect Gift
At this time of year, we receive Christmas cards from our mission partners in the field. We are continually blessed by these handmade cards and personal notes from orphans we support in Haiti, students in the Philippines, and the Catholic missionaries we support in Latin America and Africa. We received an especially poignant card this … Continue reading
The Most Precious Gift
Every year the U.S. Census Bureau collects data on the nation’s Christmas spending habits. A few of this year’s stats: 16.6 billion Number of cards, letters, and packages the U.S. Postal Service will deliver between Dec. 1 and Christmas this year. $4.3 billion The value of U.S. toy imports from China between January and August … Continue reading
Remember “Today’s Tiny Tims”
Disney’s 3D adaptation of A Christmas Carol is introducing a new generation to Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale of greed, poverty, and repentance. This is good news for parents concerned by the avalanche of materialistic messages that too often overwhelm the humble story of Jesus’ birth and the value of giving. Even if the latest … Continue reading
Confronting the Christmas Quandary
You want to acknowledge those you love, but not encourage materialism; to give meaningful gifts without imposing an obligation to reciprocate; to rise above the canned opulence of the holidays and focus on the “reason for the season.” You want to slam the brakes on that barreling train of twisted tradition that makes you either … Continue reading
Advent: the Forgotten Season
Sunday, Nov. 29, marked the advent of Advent – a traditional Catholic observance that often gets upstaged by Thanksgiving on one end and Christmas on the other, especially now that the Christmas season seems to begin on Black Friday or even earlier! But Advent is important. For one thing, it’s the liturgical version of New … Continue reading
