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PAGE 4—The Southern Cross, December 20, 1973
planet, and than
was born in
1,900 years ago.
first appeared on the
when Jesus Christ
Bethlehem more than
At least since 1965 it has been
difficult for editorial writers to relate the
Christmas message of “Peace on earth,
good will to men” to the world of
modern man.
One has only to recall that at the time
of Jesus’ birth, the entire civilized world
lived in the peace of subjugation, ground
under the heels of Roman legions.
Justice and right were determined
largely, if not solely, by the might,
power, wealth and position of a tiny
handful of men. The life of the average
man and woman was marked by
oppression, dire poverty, the barbarism
of overbearing rulers and armies.
Compassion and love of one’s fellows
because of the love of God was a
concept shared by relatively few people
- Jews and later Christians. But with
God’s strength and grace it outlived the
Romans and countless conquerors like
them. While they went into decline and
decay, a Judaeo-Christian belief
concerning the sacredness of each and
every human being spawned a
civilization in which society began to
provide for its sick through the
ministrations of men and women who
shared that belief. Orphans were
sheltered, those in prison had the solace
of knowing someone cared about their
plight. The hungry were fed and the
naked were clothed.
1965 marked the expansion of the
war in Vietnam from a relatively small
brushfire war into a major armed
conflict. From then until 1971 it
continued to expand and even though
U.S. military participation ended early
this year Southeast Asia is still the scene
of widespread warfare.
Since the six-day war of 1967,
tensions in the Mideast have mounted
and finally erupted into open warfare
this Autumn.
Northern Ireland has been torn by
bloody strife which shows no signs of
abating in the near future. Revolution
and repression stalk the lives of millions
in Latin America.
Our own nation has been deeply
wounded by revelations of illegality and
corruption in the highest government
circles and we face a future beclouded
by uncertainty over the sufficiency of
our energy and fuel sources.
It’s easy to wonder whether or not
people have become cynical in the face
of what appears to be the failure of
Christians after almost 2,000 years to
translate the hope expressed in the
angels’ song of that first Christmas night
into reality among men and nations.
Freedom came to be seen as the
natural condition of humankind.
It is true, of course, that a great deal
of oppression, injustice, barbarism and
selfishness abound in the world until this
very day. But the very fact that more
and more people are becoming
concerned about that fact argues to the
belief that the world is better off this
year than it was last year.
Hopefully, they have not become so
cynical as to reject the message as
something impossible of achievement.
God’s plan from all eternity has been
for the happiness and salvation of
creatures made in His own image and
likeness - a little less than the angels.
And the testimony of history is that,
inexhorably, that plan is still unfolding.
If only people do not lose hope - if
only they continue to believe that God
will do what he has promised if they will
only be faithful to Him - then it is a
certainty that the day will come when
the angels’ song of “Peace on Earth” will
no longer be an unfulfilled hope, but a
wonderful reality.
For, contrary to the claims of cynics
and unbelievers, the world is infinitely
better off today than it was when man
For a Quiet Moment
During Christmas Season
Reverend John Reedy C.S.C.
It’s that season again - and I’m sure we’re all
experiencing the familiar jumble of emotions:
exhaustion and frustration at all the pressures
of last-minute shopping, mailing, preparing . . .
excitement in the anticipation of joy we hope
to give to those we love .. . and a sense of guilt
that we are not responding more completely to
the religious significance of the Lord’s coming.
I’d like to reflect a bit on that last point.
If we take our religion seriously, we know
down deep that all the human warmth and
thoughtfulness of this season should be an
overflow of the joy and gratitude we experience
in the knowledge of God’s love.
We know that if that sensitivity is absent, the
celebration of Christmas becomes a hypocrisy.
The warmth and love are good in themselves,
but without that religious sensitivity we would
do better to move the dinners, gifts and
decorations to Groundhog Day or to Andrew
Carnegie’s birthday.
Most of us, I believe, really want to retain
the awareness of God’s love and Christ’s
presence as the underlying reality of our
Christmas celebration. Yet, year after year, we
finish the season with a pleasant exhaustion -
and the realization that once again, the
busyness, the details, the material things
dominated most of our time and thoughts.
We are left with that feeling of ingratitude to
God, insensitivity to the reality we celebrate,
with the feeling that something was missing.
The senses of regret, of failure, are not bad,
though. They can be a reminder of our
customary lack of attention to God’s presence
in our lives, an inadvertence that rarely rises to
the surface of our attention.
It can be a reminder that Christ proclaimed
not only joy and liberation, but also, “Do
penance, for the Kingdom is at hand.”
The Christian needs both these perspectives
in his life. We need to see ourselves as we are --
with all our superficiality, insensitivity,
posturing and self-delusion. If we see ourselves
standing before God as righteous, virtuous men
and women, we aren’t taking a very deep look
at ourselves.
Yet, in spite of all our shallowness,
selfishness, inertia - in spite of our sense of
guilt and regret -- the fundamental message of
Christmas still rings clear: Seeing us as we are,
not as we pretend to be, God still loves, still
overlooks, still invites us to unite ourselves to
him through Jesus.
With these thoughts, Christ’s use of the word
“Father” for Almighty God, seems very
revealing.
The only way I can reconcile our repeated
failure with God’s persistant love is by
comparison with a wise, loving parent. All of us
have seen mothers and fathers like this, people
who are clear-eyed enough to recognize the
weaknesses and failures of their children, who
regret profoundly that their sons and daughters
are not living up to their abilities and
opportunities, parents who wish that their
children could be more aware of how much
love surrounds them.
Yet, with all their disappointment and regret,
these parents are able to persist in that love. No
matter what happens, they remain open.
Do I realize that God loves me and wants me
to live a full and happy life? Do I realize that
God wants me to know him, and to experience
his love, and to live together in a community of
love with all men? Do I realize that Jesus, the
Son of our loving Father, is the only one who
can give me the power to live this new life? Do
I realize that only through Jesus can I know
God’s love and share in God’s life with others?
Do I realize that Jesus has bridged the gap
between God and man by his birth, life, death
and resurrection? Do I have a deep personal
relationship with Jesus? Is Jesus the Lord of
every detail in my life?
— God does love us and does want to make
contact with us in accord with the personality
he gave us. He does want to have a personal
relationship with us, and to give us a new and
better life. For this reason He sent His only
Son, Jesus, to be born on this earth. This is the
true meaning of Christmas, that Jesus came into
the world as a bridge between his Father and
his brothers to bring us forgiveness, life and
love.
We can now experience a better life, with
such benefits as:
Realizing that they can’t force their love on
anyone, they watch and wait for the
opportunity to express their support and help
whenever it is needed.
A couple of years ago, I watched in awe as
this drama was played out by a friend of mine.
A warm, loving child had suddenly turned into
a teen-aged stranger. Sociologists and
psychologists might have understood him. His
father could not.
In his frustration and disappointment, he
tried to establish a “policy” for their
relationship - one that sounded very reasonable
and which would certainly be rejected by the
son.
When the breaking point came, the father
could not stick to his ultimatum. With tears in
his eyes, he told me, “I can’t help it. He’s my
son!”
Not long afterwards, the son returned to the
human race, enriched and enobled, I believe, by
his realization of his father’s lasting love.
This, I believe, is the effect our experience of
Christmas should have on us -- no matter how
busy and preoccupied it is.
Rev. Joseph Dean
1. The knowledge of the Father and the
power to live the Christian life.
2. Christian happiness, peace and joy.
3. Better personal relationships, and the
healing of our personal hurts, emotional and
physical, and spiritual.
4. Genuine community.
Finally, we can experience more and more of
this better life Jesus gives, by growing in our
relationship with him. We can begin right now
to turn to the Lord. He will reach out to us, but
we must reach out to him as well. Pray every
day to the Lord, meditate on his words and
works in Sacred Scripture, and ask for even
more of his light, his love, his life.
SCRIPTURE: “God so loved the world that
he gave his only Son that whoever believes in
him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3,16. “When you call to me and come to
me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you
shall find me.” Jer. 29,12.
The Southern Cross
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Most Rev. Raymond W. Lessard, O.D., President
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The Meaning of Christmas
Peace
Of Mind
Rev. James Wilmes
Turn away from pettiness always, to
magnanimity. Be large-minded in thought and
word, generous in deed. Where both the higher
and the lower way lie open, choose the higher.
Have done with fault finding. Look for merit
and speak in praise of it. Where you find it not,
be sparing of blame.
Rid yourself of pretense. Meet others as you
are and as they are. Live amicably with your
fellowman. Remember that everyone is
Someone.
Be slow to pass judgment. Where you must
judge, temper judgement with mercy. If you
could know the secret history of others, you
would find sorrow and suffering enough to
disarm hostility.
Follow the promptings of your heart for
there is none more faithful to you than it. Act
upon every noble impulse. Take time for all
things worthy of your attention. Stay your
haste; make delays. Cultivate serenity.
Above all, be mindful that every human
heart is human. Even as you, everyone craves
love; fears rejection; hungers for understanding;
and longs for a place in the ongoing life of the
community. So be kind. Where you cannot be
kind, be fair. For every man bears his own
burden and the road is often uphill.
SCRIPTURE: For if you love those who love
you, what reward shall you have? Do not even
the heathen do this? And if you salute your
brethren only, what are you doing more than
others? You are to be perfect even as your
heavenly Father is perfect. Matt. 5,46
A Reflection
A Projection
Mary Carson
Every holiday season we reminisce ...
“the good old days”
how Christmas used to be, was meant to be.
The memories are warm, loving.
But we often hear that Christmas, today,
isn’t the way it should be.
So then, THIS CHRISTMAS, let us do
something about it.
For, THIS CHRISTMAS, a few years from now,
will be “the good old days.”
Memories will be woven on the loom
of our attitude today . . .
THIS CHRISTMAS.
Recollections will be painted
with the lights and shadows we offer . ..
THIS CHRISTMAS.
Attitudes will be cast
from the molds we shape and form . . .
THIS CHRISTMAS.
Then ... let us make THIS CHRISTMAS
as we would like it to be remembered.
Let us open our hearts and find the deep Spirit
of Christmas.
Let us share in the love
of a Mother for her new-born Son.
Let us show the devotion
of a Father for his family.
Let us visit with friends
with the companionship and compassion of
the shepherds.
Let us give gifts with the spirit of affection
and intent of generosity of the Magi.
Let us rejoice
with the lightness of heart and peace of mind
of the angels.
Let us open our hearts and minds
to be touched
by the hand of the Infant. . .
... to be touched by the
Spirit of Christmas . . .
And then, THIS CHRISTMAS,
let us share this true Spirit of Christmas
So that some day, our children, our friends, our
neighbors,
all who have known us,
will know ... will remember .. .
The way Christmas was meant to be.