Trying to understand the true significance of an event like Christmas can not be done in a single day. Much like the epic natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, or the Baroque majesty and splendour of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, we need multiple visits to take the whole thing in. So it is with the mystery of the Nativity. For Catholics, Christmas is not just over and done with on December 25th. It’s only just begun! At a time when many are taking down their decorations and throwing their Christmas Trees to the kerbside, Catholics should still be celebrating. Christmastide is the name given to the Christmas season in the liturgical calendar. This begins with the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and ends on the Sunday celebrating the Baptism of the Lord (11th January). This usually results in a Christmas season of around twenty days or so. Of special note is that the Christmas season licks off with a gift - seven special days other than December 25th, designed to extend our focus on the mystery of Christ’s birth. During these days, we’re to take in all the joys and graces associated with such a momentous event. These days are called the ‘Octave of Christmas,’ and you can remember their timing because the Octave starts and ends with a solemnity - the Nativity of the Lord on December 25th, and Mary, Mother of God on January 1st . At one time there were actually fifteen feast days in the Church that included Octaves, but since 1969, only Christmas and Easter are extended by these special days of celebration.  Ultimately, while all these details of the season can get a little confusing at times, the major conclusion to draw is this: our Christmas celebrations are often way too short, and end far too early! So do not miss out on the opportunity to stay in a holy, holiday spirit, by celebrating for the entire Christmas season this year

Epiphany means manifestation. so, as we honour this moment in time when the Christ Child was made manifest to the world, we should look into our own hearts. It is there, we discover Christ’s ongoing manifestation to us so that we can worship the One who has also chosen to be born within our hearts. We ought to diligently seek out this manifestation of God within us and respond to it in the same ways that the Magi responded. Firstly, the Magi determined when they saw a sign from the heavens that pointed to a new King, they stopped everything and departed in haste to find Him. When God speaks to you and manifests Himself to you in some way, nothing could be more important than to be attentive to His voice. The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. God was honoured and glorified by the giving of these gifts. God created gold to manifest His beauty and dignity. It was a gift that symbolised kingship. When we ponder the natural gift of gold given to the Christ Child, we are inspired to give Him our own gift of symbolic gold, prayerfully acknowledging Him as our own King to whom we pledge our complete submission.  Made from the sap of trees frankincense and myrrh are also fruits of God’s creation. Used in worship to symbolise prayers rising to heaven, frankincense symbolises the Christ Child’s divinity. We offer frankincense to Christ when we acknowledge His divine nature, since He is God in the flesh. Often used in burial, myrrh honours the Christ Child Who came to give His life as a sacrifice for many. We offer myrrh to profess our belief in the saving power of Christ’s death on the Cross and our need for that gift of salvation.

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Hopefully everyone has enjoyed a wonderful Christmas amongst their friends, family, and loved ones. This year, due to the timing of Christmas Day, we have a Second Sunday of the Christmas season before we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany on Tuesday (Masses at the Sacred Heart 09.30 and 19.30). It may surprise some people to discover that we are still celebrating Christmas. Although some are still conscious of the tradition of taking down decorations on ‘Twelfth Night,’ for so many others Christmas more or less ends on Boxing Day, and in the shops Christmas decorations disappear rapidly after the 25th to make way for the sales posters. It can seem strange that the nativity scene is such a relatively small element of such displays, but in fact it illustrates an important point: ‘The Word became flesh and lived among us.’ The term translated in most bibles as ‘lived’ – or ‘dwelt’ in some older versions – has the literal meaning ‘pitched tent,’ or perhaps ‘encamped.’ ‘The Word became flesh and encamped among us!’ This reminds us of the tent which the Israelites carried with them in the wilderness, the tent in which the Lord dwelt; but there is a difference too. When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, the tent was at the centre of the community. It was also quite a ‘dangerous’ place, which only the ritually pure could enter. However, in our Christmas story the place where the Word chooses to enter and live among us is almost inconsequential; an animal shelter in a small town. One where lowly shepherds are welcome to enter, indeed are the first to witness this event. Yet though it may seem inconsequential, without it no crib scene would have any significance. The Holy Family in the stable may appear to be a small element, but in fact it is the reason for all the rest of the scene. The image of the tent also suggests the image of a journey. We’ve already mentioned the echoes of the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness, but we might also think of the travels of the Holy Family from Nazareth to Bethlehem, then to Egypt, and then back again to Nazareth. Journeys marked by worry and danger. Saint Luke’s account of the journey to Bethlehem places the Holy Family in a land controlled by an oppressive occupying force. Saint Matthew’s account of the flight into Egypt reminds us perhaps of the plight of contemporary refugees fleeing persecution.  The Word became flesh and encamped among us . . . . .

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (S.P.U.C.) will be holding its annual appeal next weekend . SPUC fights for a world in which abortion is something unthinkable, and raises awareness of the widespread problem of abortion. According to an independent poll, 87% of GP’s are concerned that the government’s continued ‘pills by post’ scheme leaves women vulnerable to coerced abortion. SPUC calls upon the Prime Minister to condemn this abhorrent tragedy. Please be as generous as you can to help SPUC to defend unborn children and their mothers through highlighting this urgent crisis. Every year hundreds of churches across Britain take part in the SPUC ‘White Flower Appeal,’ making it one of our largest and most important educational and fundraising events of the year.  SPUC supporters come from many backgrounds and walks of life. The success of the ‘White Flower Appeal’ is founded upon the compassion and generosity of faithful churchgoers in parishes across the United Kingdom. SPUC is most grateful for the unapologetic defence of unborn children and vulnerable mothers that the teaching of the Catholic Church provides.

The Christmas Season began with the Christmas Vigil Mass (24 th Dec. 18.00) and lasts until the 11.00 Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (11th Jan.). Between these two dates it is customary for parishioners (particularly families) to pay visits to the Crib to pray for their own families and also for those throughout the world who do not have the advantages of a family life like our own

Many, many thanks for all the Christmas wishes, thoughts, and cards received over the past couple of weeks - they are very much appreciated. Every good gift comes from the Father of light. May he grant you all his grace and every blessing, and keep you safe throughout the coming year. May he grant you all unwavering faith, constant hope, and love that endures to the end. May he order your days and works in his peace, hear your every prayer, and lead you to everlasting life and joy. Fr Daryl

Mary’s motherhood broadens our Christmas spotlight. Mary has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. She consents to the invitation conveyed by the angel. Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Mary’s role as mother of God places her in a unique position in God’s redemptive plan. Without naming Mary, St Paul asserts that “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” Paul further states that “God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out ‘Abba, Father!’” helps us realise that Mary is mother to all the brothers and sisters of Jesus. Some theologians also insist that her motherhood of Jesus is an important element in God’s creative plan. God’s “first” thought in creating was Jesus. Jesus, the incarnate Word, is the one who could give God perfect love and worship on behalf of creation. As Jesus was “first” in God’s mind, Our Lady was “second” insofar as she was chosen from all eternity to be his mother.  The Council of Ephesus in 431 insisted that the holy Fathers were right in calling the holy virgin Theotokos. In its chapter on Mary’s role in the Church, Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church calls her “Mother of God” twelve times.

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A hectic week, given all the preparations for and celebration of the Nativity of the Lord . . . . . Sunday afternoon and evening was quite full-on: our last Advent Evening Prayer and Benediction, the annual Parish Advent Carol Service, followed by a Parish Social with mince pies and mulled wine. The Carol Service was really very, very good (Fr D met people from outside the Parish who come along because they find it so good!). Afterwards at the Parish Social there were a lot of people who stayed around enjoying the event and chatting with others for some while. This was a great start to our immediate Christmas celebrations. On Monday morning Fr D finalised the Vigil and Midnight Mass homilies and prepared the Intercessions for the Christmas Season. He was also able to get to the supermarket to get the fresh veg for the next few days (though he was less enthused about the numbers of people who obviously thought that the shops were not going to be open again for the next six months!). In the evening he went out to supper with the new Parish Priest of Weybridge - a very enjoyable evening, and very restful. The Christmas tree was erected and decorated in the church in the evening and the basic crib structure put in place (it was due to be decorated with the various statues during the Children’s Crib Service on Wednesday afternoon). Tuesday morning after Mass Fr D was pleased that the heating engineer for the church boiler came to find out why it had been working well throughout November and up to Sunday midday before it cut out before Evening Prayer & Benediction? In the event it appears that something was not reset at the service in October and the system thought that it had done it’s allotted hours! In the afternoon Fr D was trying to finish the newsletter for next week (so that Sarah didn’t feel that she had to find time to come in and print it before starting again next week). He also got started on looking at his diary to see what dates he could put aside in the new year to look at Confirmation with our four younger parishioners who have expressed an interest in exploring being confirmed in May. In the early afternoon the ladies came and prepared the flowers used to decorate the church over Christmas - wonderful!!! Having celebrated the last Mass before the Christmas season began in the morning. Fr D got the statues out and hid them behind the altar ready for the Children’s Crib Service in the afternoon. He then had time to say some prayers . . .

On Christmas Eve (Wednesday) there will be a special short service for our younger parishioners (0 > 8 years) in which we will sing three children’s carols as we talk about and prepare the Crib for our Christmas Season. This is not a Mass but is perhaps a chance to ‘calm things down’ before tea time.