Christmas Eve Homily, December 24, 2013, Midnight

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," say Sydney & Hugh.

 

 

Readings: 

Isaiah 43, 16-21,  See, I am doing something new.

Psalm 126,  The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy.

Philippians 3, 8-14, I consider everything as a loss.

John 8, 1-11,   Let the one who among you is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.

 

 

And likewise from Jackie, "Welcome in, Folks, we have a reconciliation service this morning before the Our Father."

 

 Isaiah Observations:

The scene: the Jewish people are captives in Babylon ca. 555 years before Christ.  Isaiah No.1  had warned the people that their bad ways were going to lead to this.   

In this chapter 43, which is Isaiah No. 2, Isaiah has Yahweh reminding them of how much he has done for them in the past and lets them know that they are still his people.  Their lives will get better.  

 

 

Candle service with Tori lighting and her brother, Buddy,  reading The Blessing of the Candles.

 

 

The first 5 verses of this chapter are some of my favorites in the whole Bible.  Isaiah No.2 is telling the people to not be afraid because he is with them. It goes— 

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.  I have called you by your name.  You are mine.  When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you…  When you pass through fire, you will not suffer.   I regard you as precious, honored, and I love you.  

I will give up whole nations to save your life, because you are precious to me & because I love you and give you honor.  Do not be afraid, I am with you.

 

Bernadette says, "Hey, those are my grandkids.

 

Philippians Observations:

Philippi was a town in Macedonia, now called Greece.  Philippi was the first church Paul set up on European soil.  He is in prison.  He is basically saying that for him nothing has any importance beyond his relationship with Jesus.

Psalm 126 ( a good one), 

The Lord has done great things for us.  We are filled with joy.

 

 

Spring Fever: Juliets out on the town.

 

Punishment or Compassion

I would like to talk this morning about the woman in the gospel, the one about to be stoned to death for being caught in adultery.   An example of punishment vs compassion.   The Law vs Jesus.  The brutality and the injustice of it smacks me in the face.  It is, also, so contemporary.

It reminds me of a very uncomfortable situation I found myself in when I was learning Swahili in Tanzania.   This would have been about ’77 or ’78, when I was just getting into the language. 

 

 

The Best with Shonda & Ben.

 

I was at an outstation church from an outstation church maintained by our Jesuit parish in a town called Tabora, smack in the middle of Tanzania, on the east-west train track.   This is the place where I later fell into the grave of a little lady I was burying and the place where I spent Advent and Christmas one year with two young Jesuit interns from the Island of Malta just off the Mediterranean tip of Italy.

On this occasion I was being shown around by the 4-5 men of this tiny village with a small, mud walled church.  I could not have been saying much because the language was still quite difficult for me.

 

 

The Minor Elevation.

 

It was afternoon of a pleasant day.  We are way out in the bush and I remember the land was fairly green.  It was probably the period of the small rains, meaning, say, February or March.   The long rains come in our summer.  This is south of the equator.

At one point the men and I are wandering up a slope on top of which was a fairly large corrugated metal building, probably built by the government to help the villagers store their produce.

 

 

Communion Service table with John and Alison.

 

As we get closer I can hear voices from inside the building and a thud or two.  Maybe the guys escorting me had explained what was going on and I did not understand.

Whatever the case, we are maybe twenty yards from a door at the corner of the building when, all of a sudden, the door opens and a few guys come out and with them staggers a man who has been beaten.  He is dressed in nothing more than something like a towel or a skirt.  He has bruises on his shoulders and legs.  Because he is black I can’t see discoloring, but I see wounds. 

 

 

Offertory team with Lynda & Tom, Teresa & Tom.

 

He has been caught cattle rustling.  He took one cow that he found out in the countryside near the village and attempted to get away.  He is a skinny older guy and probably not too smart.  They caught him easily. 

After teaching him a lesson, they are planning to walk him to the police station about 40 miles away in Tabora, the larger town I came from.  Along the way they will pass a few small villages where the inhabitants will also beat him.  If he makes it, jail will look pretty good.  And he does make it, I heard later.

 

 

Reconciliation service, "Please forgive me," "I forgive you."

 

When this old guy sees me, he sees a savior and comes toward me with a begging gesture. 

I am ready to throw up and I want to tell the people to stop beating the man.   But I don’t know the language and I feel very awkward because these people are hosting me.  I feel paralyzed.

What do I do?   I did nothing.  And I was haunted by my doing nothing for years.  I had to forgive myself somewhere along the years.

 

 

 

Everyone is offered the opportunity to ask for and to give forgiveness, plus a peace hug.  Most moving.

 

 

 

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Readings:  Isaiah 45, 1-6, Who is Cyrus?; Psalm 96, Give the Lord glory and honor; 1 Thessalonians 1, 1-5; Matthew 22, 15-21, Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.

Isaiah observations: This selection comes from what is considered Isaiah 2, the author of the Book of Consolations, written after the first 39 chapters and during the Babylonian captivity.    Isaiah speaks from Yahweh's perspective and He is calling someone by name.

So, who is Cyrus?   Cyrus the Great of Persia, modern Iran, built the first great empire, which extended as far as Athens in Greece.   He was a benevolent emperor of his people and the people he conquered, for instance, the Israelites.

Isaiah 2 is championing Cyrus because he hears of Cyrus coming and hopes Cyrus will defeat the Babylonians and set the Israelites free to return to Jerusalem.  This is exactly what Cyrus does.  Where is Babylon?  Try 50 miles south of Baghdad on the Euphrates River.  What is left?  Rubble. 

Thessalonians:

• Time written: ca. 50 A.D.   Considered Paul's first letter, and, in fact, the earliest written document in the N.T.
• Place: Paul was writing in Corinth, Greece to the town in northern Greece, Thessalonica, at the northern corner of the Aegean Sea.  He had founded a community there.
• Purpose of writing: to comfort and encourage the new Christians of Thessalonica, most of whom were Gentiles.    He sent Timothy to see how things were going.   The report Timothy brought back was largely favorable—hence the warm tone of the opening thanksgiving, which forms the main part of today’s reading. But there were also a few problems in Thessalonica; we will meet them on the thirty-second and thirty-third Sundays.

Resources: The New Interpreters Study Bible; St. Louis U. Liturgical @ Liturgical.slu.edu

 

Matthew observation: Render to Caesar

Matthew lifts this story right out of Mark.  The story is a game that was popular among the intellectuals in Jesus time, like a game of verbal chess.  The object was to confound your opponent so that choosing either one of two answers springs a trap. 

Watch the smarmy language of the Pharisees and you can almost see them salivating at the impending kill.  

The trap: do you think it lawful to pay the tax to Caesar or not?  Jesus confounds them by choosing both.  Jesus wins the game. 

Why do Mark & Matthew use this story?  To show how Jesus is superior.  He is worthy of being followed and listened to.

 

 

Me, a Light in the World? 

I want to talk about the alleluia verse, “Shine like lights in the world.” 

After getting ordained at old St. Rita’s in June of 1971, I was sent to Miami to work as a chaplain in the big medical complex known as Jackson Memorial.  It was like Parkland and Southwestern Medical.  

The Jesuits of my southern province had a big parish right in the middle of downtown Miami, and part of the team worked the hospitals.  I was a summer helper and loved it. 

One day after I had been there about a week, a little blond  girl of 10 or 11 was brought into the burn ward.  Ever been in a burn ward, a children’s burn ward?  Tough places.  I spent a lot of time in these wards.

The girl, Anna, had been with her family on a sail boat.  Somewhere along their trip the boat had passed under a bridge.  Anna was standing on the edge of the boat with her back leaning against one of the guy wires.  

As the boat went under the bridge, the mast touched an electrical line.  The electricity went down the mast and the guy wire.  Anna was electrocuted and burned.  Fortunately, she was hurled into the cool water which helped to stop her burns.  

However, her back and the insides of her thighs and legs were seriously burned.  She would stay in Jackson for 2 to 3 months, even after I had to move on.  

I got really close to Anna & her family.  I visited her first & last every day and I was privileged to be allowed by the doctors to hold her hand when her bandages had to be changed.  Her parents had to leave the room.  You know how this is such a high tension time.  It used to leave me shaken.  

I talk about this because the alleluia verse tells us to be lights in the world.  I think this is what it means.  I was privileged to be with that little girl & her family in such a horrible experience.  It is reciprocal: she was a light in my world.

The good news is that Anna finally did leave the hospital all healed up.  I never had the opportunity  to see the family again, but I corresponded for years with the mom.  Somewhere during my time in Africa, the connection got broken.  I know that maybe 15 years later her mom wrote me that Anna had married and had a little kid.

In whose world are you a light today?  

Picture 1:    Mass Begins

Picture 2:    Bethany       

Picture 3:    Miguel

Picture 4:    Delgado Corner with Fred

Picture 5:    Justin

Picture 6:    Emma  

 

 

 

Readings:

Acts 2, 14, 22-33,  Peter stood up and proclaimed.

Psalm 16,  Lord, you will show us the path of life.

1 Peter  1, 17-21,  Conduct yourselves with reverence..

Luke  24, 13-35,  The disciples were going to a village called Emmaus.

 

Mike's Homily

There was a short story written by Steve Blow in the Dallas Morning News on Easter morning.  It was about a young man who belonged to one of the United Methodist churches, here in Plano.   He was out walking some time before Easter on the east side of the church property when he found an old wooden cross in some deep brush leaning against a tree.  It had become badly weathered, but he recognized it as the one the youth group used in its sunrise Easter services. Now, a decade or so later, after he had repaired, sanded and varnished the cross, it stood that Easter morning at the entrance of the church; later to be surrounded by a group of faith filled friends.

In the beginning of the reading from the John gospel of last Sunday, the eleven disciples had hidden together in an upper room; they had no faith in Christ.  The crucifixion and death of Jesus had filled them with fear.   

It is terribly important for us to be reminded of two things.  The first is that the gospel stories are written as parables; the second is that after Christ returned to the Father in glory, the Church was given the Holy Spirit and the responsibility to be Christ in the world.  Empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit, it was the Church who extended to the disciples in the upper room Christ’s words, ‘Peace be with you;’ as the Father sent me, now I send you;’ ‘receive the Holy Spirit.’

In faith, they believed!  When Thomas returned he did not believe that Christ had come to them. He wanted proof! ‘Unless I place my hand into his side I will not believe.’  A week later, what the Church offered Thomas was not proof, but the opportunity to have faith. ‘Place your hand into my side to receive the treasure of the good news’. 

In the Mark and Matthew gospels the disciples are told in like manner by the Church to follow Christ in faith by going after him to Galilee; for the beginning of the Mark Gospel, occurs in Galilee with the words, ‘The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God.’   

The end of today’s parable from the Luke gospel complements last weeks reading from the John gospel, by also addressing the eleven in the upper room.  It begins with two men who are being led by the Church as they attempt to come to understand God’s plan of salvation.  Christ, through the Church, tells them that he is truly present to them in the liturgy of the Word and Eucharist. 

Visualize the likes of Clare, Barb, Maureen, Mary Ellen, Bernadette, Dee and Marilyn, for example, at the tomb when the sun rises on that first Easter morning, only to find the tomb empty.  ‘Didn’t he say that he would rise?’ ‘Don’t you feel his Spirit welling up within you?  It would have been a faith experience for them, too. 

Together they would have been the vision of angels rejoicing as messengers and teachers of the Word. If they had actually seen a bunch of angels singing and praising God, there would have been no faith. Their freedom to have faith would have been taken from them.  It is faith that enables us to become Christ in the world.

So, we have gathered here today in faith, believing that it is by the power of the Spirit that the bread blessed and broken has become for us Christ; that the good news becomes for us Christ; that gathered in his name Christ is present in us, so that we can be Christ in the world.  

Genesis 22, 1-2, 9-13, 15-18, Take your son Isaac.  You shall offer him up as a holocaust; Psalm 116, I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living; Romans 8, 31-34; Mark 9, 2-10, He was transfigured before them.

Introduction to Genesis 22

 The concept of a covenant between God and His people is one of the central themes of the Bible. The First Reading last week was the covenant God made with Noah. This week it is the covenant God made with Abraham, and next week it is the covenant God made with Moses.  Of course, as Christians, our belief is that we have a covenant with God through Jesus Christ. 

God, with infinite love for us brings salvation to the Table in the covenant won for us by Christ.  What are we to bring?  We are to live the spoken Word in our lives with gratitude!

 Before Bill Poncik gives the first reading, I want to share a story he emailed me a couple of weeks ago.  The mother of a young boy knowing that he had a terminal disease and only a few weeks to live asked him what he wanted to do that day. He replied that he would like to go to the Fire station for maybe he would have been a fireman.  She called the neighborhood fire station in Phoenix where they lived, told the chief there the situation and asked if her son could come for a visit. The chief asked for his height and weight and told her to bring him at 9:00 AM and plan to stay awhile. They were greeted by the morning shift of 16 men who made him a fellow fireman for a day, gave him a fitting safety helmet, yellow protective coat and boots. He and his mother began a wonderful tour; but he was told that if he heard the bell ringing that one of the 16 firemen would escort him to one of the trucks. Three times that day the young boy lived his dream.  A few weeks later his mother called the station once again to tell them that the angels would be coming for her son, that he was still awake but not for long. She was told to open the window of his bedroom when she heard the siren. That day 16 firemen climbed the ladder and entered his window fully dressed in their yellow and red. They were there, when the boy left them, dressed like the angels who had come to carry him to paradise.  16 men were living Christ’s words with gratitude in answer to God’s gift of salvation.

 

Homily from Mark 9:2-10

 

 Again, to better understand a reading, one must consider the context in which it has been placed.  So, in the teaching that precedes this transfiguration event, a man is seeking to be in a covenant relationship with God through Christ.  In this process of coming to faith he observes those around Jesus to be ‘like trees that are walking.’ 

What does this mean?  Christ’s disciples have to commit themselves to Christ’s words. The seed has been planted; but they have no roots, no foundation. They have failed to understand that he is the Messiah. That teaching does end with Peter coming to the realization that the Messiah has come to them; however, he misunderstands Christ’s mission and the disciples’ responsibility in response to God’s plan of salvation.

 

 Secondly, let’s look at the purpose of Christ’s mission in the very first verses of this Mark gospel realizing that since they are in the summary of the gospel we will find them somewhere in the later text of the Mark gospel.  When the Mark gospel begins we find that when Jesus comes forth from the waters where John was baptizing, the Holy Spirit comes upon him with the voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my son the beloved.’  These words are present twice in the Mark gospel. Here in the beginning of the summary of the Mark gospel—the second time, of course, is in today’s gospel. 

 Thirdly, we need to look at the very beginning of the Bible in the covenant God made with Abraham in the Book of the Law.  When Moses came up from the waters of the Red Sea leading the Israelites to freedom the Spirit came upon him.  Later, when Moses went up the mountain, by himself, the second time to receive the 10 commandments, Moses face continued to give off some light for he had been close to the radiance of God when the covenant had been made with him.

 

  In today’s reading, Jesus takes his inner circle of Peter, James and John up the mountain where Christ’s divinity is revealed to them. Streams of light come forth Him, for he was dazzling bright. When Moses and Elijah appear Peter is still in the dark, for he wants Jesus to abide in the presence of Moses and Elijah.  It is then we hear, with Peter, the voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, Listen to Him!’ (Exclamation point) No one is there but Jesus. The words of Moses and Elijah are to be understood as an expectation of the Law and the Prophets for the coming of the Messiah. When one listens to, and puts into practice, the words of Christ with all their mind and heart and soul, they enter into the new covenant with God through Christ through grace.  The words of Christ fulfill the covenants that required circumcision and obedience to the Mosaic Law.

 

 Some might be saying, ‘Well, yes, I understand; but be more specific about that to which we are to listen.”  Well, now we know why the inspired writers of the Matthew Gospel have a Sermon on the Mount! That sermon is to enlighten us. Not only is it a summary of how we are to live our lives; but it informs us that it is how we are to illuminate others to come to glorify God. During Lent I would recommend that we all reread it. It begins at Matthew’s Chapter 5.  How are you going to remember where it is in the Matthew gospel? Just look at one of your hands—five fingers—Chapter five.

 If you read the Letter of James written to the Jewish Christians its inspired writers tell us that in the New Covenant there is one perfect law.  Since in that letter there are many references to the John gospel, it’s not hard to realize what those inspired writers meant.  In the John gospel Jesus presents his disciples with one commandment.   We are to love one another as Christ loves us!  When we do that we are truly living the entirety of Christ’s words—the perfect response to the covenant God has made with us in Christ Jesus.

 

 Reflect for a moment on something you plan to do this coming week. How will you illuminate those moments to those who around you by your words and actions?  Remember, we show our gratitude to God only to the degree we show our love toward others!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Readings: Daniel 7, 13-14; Psalm 93, The Lord is King, He is robed in Majesty; Revelation 1, 5-8; John 18, 33-27

History of the Christ the King Feast: date, author, reason it was declared

Date: Not during the early church, not during the time when Constantine made Christianity the religion of the Empire, not during the time of Luther & the Reformation, not during the time of Pius IX with the Italian Resorgiamento & his Infallibility statement (1870), but in 1925.  Fairly Recently.

Author: Pius XI, pope 1922-39

Reason(s): at least 2 factors–The Times and Modernism/Secularism

1.  The Times:

a) End of WW I and build up to WW II   

b) Mussolini & Hitler: the same year Pius XI became pope, Mussolini became prime minister.  By 1925 he had become a dictator.  The feast was to counter the dictatorship.

2.  Modernism & Secularism:

a) Modernism.  Despite being scholarly and pro-scientific methods, Pius XI was suspicious of biblical scholarship which questioned, for example, biblical inerrancy, the nature of bible miracles, the virgin birth, the resurrection, the atonement theory that God demanded his son suffer & die for a single sin by a human.

b) Secularism coming out of the Enlightenment said that all people were equal, people should have a say in government as in democracy, and backed the separation of church/state, like proposed by Jefferson. 

Sources: Living with Christ, Nov., 2009; Wikipedia

Requiem for a Chevy Pickup

When I first returned to Dallas after my time in East Africa, I determined that I would like to stay here and I would help to make Dallas a prettier place to live in by planting a few trees.  I started the fall of 1987 by planting on the Jesuit campus 88 trees plus.  The next year, with no more room on the campus, we went down Inwood Road and Willow.  I watered the trees out of buckets in the back of a Chevy Celebrity sedan.

A year or so later I was using the school pick up.  I remember it conking out on us the Sunday we planted Royal Lane.  The red trailer was tearing up the transmission. 

So I said to my Jesuit community brothers, "Hey, I am needing a new truck."  And they said, "Sure.  But you got to get the money yourself."  "Thanks, guys."  This was early in 94.

I'm thinking to myself, 'where can I get all this money?'  I called Claude Smyth.  The former pastor of St. Mark's, Monsignor Claude Smyth.

I ask him, since this is my community, may I contact some of the parish people whom I know?  He says yes, but then gives me a long list of things I cannot do under any circumstances, like no appeal at Mass, no public announcements on Sundays, and so forth.  "No problem," I say.  Then I proceed to contact maybe a dozen families I think can help me personally or who can spread the word quietly that I need help. 

The following Sunday, after saying the Mass in the main church at 9:00, I am walking the breezeway over to the cafetorium for the 10:30.  I run into Marcia Kolar and some other women passing out pages saying John Stack needs help to buy a new truck.  I walk into the cafetorium and there are plastic containers saying the same thing.  A few minutes later, Jim Herman, the lector is announcing the message from the podium.

At that instance, guess who walked in.  'Walked in' is an understatement.  'Stormed in' is more like it.  He was taking the pages out of people's hands, running back & forth.  Anyway, after screaming at me for a while, I walk up the aisle and start the Mass. 

The couple responsible for that event is here today.  Fred & Maureen.  I will always be grateful to you two.  In fact, just before Christmas, that year, 1994, I went over to the old Doran Chev. and paid $15,000 for that white truck I've used all these years to drag the red trailer around watering hundreds of trees.

Today I hand over to Janette Monear and the TX Trees Foundation the keys to the truck & trailer, so the rig can continue to maintain baby trees around Dallas.  The truck was given to me for that project and now that I am semi-retiring, I hand over the truck to Janette. 

Picture 1:  Tree people: Rosemary, The old Geezer, Gayle, Janette, Hugh, Sandra & Chuck

Picture 2:  The transfer of the keys to the truck

Picture 3:  Janette Monear of the TX Trees Foundation receiving the keys to the pickup and giving everyone a baby live oak tree

Picture 4:  Julie reading (Emily's mom)

 

 

Readings:  Isaiah 63, 16-19, 64, 2-7, We are the clay, you the potter; Psalm 80, Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved; 1 Corinthians 1, 3-9, I give thanks to my God always on your account; Mark 13, 33-37, Be alert, you do not know when the time will come.

Isaiah: One of the big 3 Prophets, mostly because of the size of the book.  At least 3 writers put this book together and this is number 3.

 

Thanksgiving History: Everyone knows about the first Thanksgiving in 1602 with the Pilgrims and the Indians eating together, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock.   Here are 5 facts that people do not hear about usually.

1.  When did Thanksgiving begin?  Our ancestors have celebrated end of harvest feasts of gratitude for centuries.  Lincoln first focused on a national feast; FDR established the national holiday in 1941.

2.  The pilgrims did not know they were pilgrims.  They called themselves saints, and strangers were called non-saints.  The word pilgrim came along in the 18 hundreds, 2 centuries later.  They were not even Puritans, but separatists.  They split off from the Church of England, old Henry VIII's church, and the Puritans did not split off.

3.  The Separatists did not come to establish religious freedom.  They came for religious freedom for their religion and only their religion. 

                                                                                   

4.  The Mayflower returned to England, was torn apart, and its beams were used to build a barn in Buckinghamshire (just north of London & east of Oxford).

5.  How did the Indians & Separatists communicate?   The Indians were Algonquians & one of them, Squanto had actually lived in England some years.  He returned to his tribe and taught his friend, Samoset English.  It was Samoset who communicated with the Separatists, & the Indians taught them to raise corn, to fish, and to hunt.  In the first winter half of the 100 Separatists died before the Indians taught them how to survive. 

 

How Prepare for a Marvelous Christmas

    When I returned to the States in the late 80's and began to work full time as a spiritual director & psychotherapist, I was struck every fall by a tension that I found in some people.  They were nervous about the coming Christmas season. 

    I remember people bringing this up as early as the beginning of the school year in September.  Certainly by October and most certainly by Halloween.  People were tense and anxious because of memories of bad Christmas seasons. 

    Because of this and because we are just beginning the season of Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, I would like to review some ways to prepare ourselves for a marvelous Christmas.  I have 5 observations.

    1.  First, beware of fear and depression.  I read Mark's story about the man traveling abroad and I can  get spooked into thinking God is going to grab me when I'm not looking.  Nonsense.

    Depression seems to surface more during the Christmas season, because of at least one reason.  Expectations.  We expect more out of the Christmas season, peace, love, warm relationships, gifts.  When the reality comes in below the expectation I have, I get disappointed and maybe depressed.  Memories of disappointing Christmases can also depress me. 

    2.  Unlike Mark's warning about sleeping, I would propose that we need more rest at this darker time of the year.  Our ancestors used to sleep when it went dark.  Today we force ourselves to stay awake and lights keep us awake.  Doctors are saying we need more sleep in the dark days of winter and are recommending, get this, 9 hours.  Maybe try an extra hour.  Try a siesta.

    3.  Along with more sleep, try a little more exercise.  My internist tells me that he wants me to exercise every day.  I do.  Walk through the neighborhood.  Ride a bike.  Along the way look at the colors of the red oaks and Bradford Pear trees. 

    4.  Have you got anything special you do every year for Christmas, during Advent?  Something to get you into a Christmas spirit?  If not, what about finding something?  Two things I have got to do every year: take in a performance of Handel's Messiah and take in the Dallas Symphony Christmas concert.  I may get in an extra one or two of these, but I find this so touches my spirit.

    I know a few families who tour Christmas lights.  Here in Plano is Deer Park.  One of the best is Highland Park, Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway, both east and west of Preston.   In Deer Park, you may walk around.  In Highland Park there are horse drawn carriages. 

    5.  Finally, in line with Mark's gospel, watch, watch for the daily miracles and blessings.  Review your year for the biggest blessings, like I mentioned before Thanksgiving.  

    I hope you are not anxious about or nervous about the coming of Christmas.  If you are, even more relevent is my question, 'What are you doing to make  Christmas this year a beauty?'

Picture 1:    1st Sunday of Advent begins

Picture 2:    Mary & Nikki

Picture 3:    Advent candle lighting

Picture 4:    Barb & Ron after their 40th

Picture 5:    Norm

Picture 6:    Leo on the move