Dear Friends in christ

This year, Advent is just three weeks long and so we begin this weekend the last days before the festival. There is always a sense of excitement, especially in families, as we prepare for the Birth of our Saviour. Advent is meant to provide us with that space and time in which we can make room in our lives for the Christ Child. As I said in my Homily last Sunday: if we arrive at 25th December tired of Christmas, then we have not done Advent properly!

Part of our preparations for Christmas include all of the normal things we like to do, such as: the sending of greetings cards to our distant family and friends, the selection of (modest) gifts for our loved-ones and all those elements that will enable us to celebrate well the greatest moment in history. It is this event that gives meaning to our lives, and so we should ensure that we make appropriate preparation and spend money wisely, and not extravagantly, on those items that are not simply superfluous to the celebration of Christmas. Indeed, we might consider some of those deserving Charities that seek our help at this time of year, especially for those who have much less than we have. Above all, part of our preparation for Christmas must be the reception of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation: this is the definite way that we prepare ourselves to receive Jesus well. During this coming week our Parishes will provide good opportunities for this Sacrament.

The Novena for Christmas begins this weekend; a good spiritual prelude to the Nativity would be a prayer each day asking for the grace to open our lives to receive the Saviour.

God bless you!

Msgr Kevin Hale

Priest@LourdesLeigh.org ✚ 01702 478078
Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org