Dear Parishners 

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON to all of you. I write this to wish you and your entire family the peace, love, happiness and joy of CHRISTMAS  and a grace filled NEW YEAR 2015. May the birth of Jesus be an experience of unity, fraternity, sharing and fulfillment for you and your family.

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?

CHRISTMAS is a feast of SHARING – “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” (Luke 3:11)

CHRISTMAS is a feast of LOVE – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3 :16)

CHRISTMAS is a feast of ONENESS – “So that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me”. (John 17:21)

CHRISTMAS is a feast of JOY – “I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people.” (Luke 2:8)

CHRISTMAS is a feast of PEACE– “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

CHRISTMAS is a feast DWELLING – “In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the word was God…And the word became flesh and dwelt among us….”(John 1.1)

WHAT IS TRUE CHRISTMAS?

True Christmas is not celebration of one day. Jesus is Born and dwells among us, within us –

When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star of the sky is gone,

When the Kings and Princes are home, And the shepherds are back with their flocks,

Jesus still dwells among you, within you, in your families, in the malls, in the play grounds, in the streets, in the working place, in the church and etc –

To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among brothers and sisters, To make music in the heart.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

FR. V. I. PAUL RAJ SAC, PASTOR, ST. CECILIA’S PARISH – vipaulraj45@gmail.com