(A Christmas message from my friend, Gabriel. -Emerald)

THOUGHTS ON THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

We’ve all seen the slogan, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” This is good, yet it misses an important point. That point is the connection between Christ and Mass in the word “Christmas.” Christmas = Christ + Mass: the Christ Mass or Mass of Christ’s Birth.

Do you intend Christmas to be more than just gatherings of family and friends, festive meals, decorations and presents? If you wish to keep Christ in Christmas, keep the Mass in Christmas!

Only by means of the Mass is Christ really present on earth in his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Only in the Mass is his one perfect sacrifice made present for us, offered mystically by the hands of a Priest. Only in the Mass is Christ truly born in us as we receive Him in Holy Communion. Only in the Holy Communion of the Mass do we actually become the flesh and blood children of Mary, and thereby brethren of Jesus and children of God. And only in unity with the Successor of Peter is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass worthily offered, and is Holy Communion blessedly received.

Have a blessed Christ Mass in the unity of the one true Church, outside which no one is saved.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), December 17, 2002

Answers

bump

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), December 17, 2002.

Emerald, I certainly don't want to deflect attention from the truths and excellent ideas contained in your message.
However, it does contain one mistake that I feel it necessary to correct, out of respect for a certain group of our non-Catholic Christian brethren.
The message states: "And only in unity with the Successor of Peter is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass worthily offered, and is Holy Communion blessedly received."
Actually, "Holy Communion [is] blessedly received" in the Divine Liturgies of the Eastern Orthodox churches and other ancient apostolic churches. Despite their schism, these are true churches [i.e., dioceses headed by real bishops], and their sacraments are all valid.
(The pope would probably also say that, in these churches, the Divine Liturgy [equivalent of Mass] is "worthily offered," but I hesitate to claim that on my own.)
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 18, 2002.

thanks Emerald, that's beautiful. You did a pretty good job of putting into words what is so hard to describe. When I think of what we behold at Mass! If our spiritual eyes were open we'd see the Christ Himself, the Lamb that was slain for us, and the myriads of angels present at the altar crying Holy Holy Holy! We would be on our faces. God come down from Heaven and crossing the veil, we meet Him right there, and He becomes so vulnerable out of love for us.

He is doing something new in me lately, in that, on the days I miss Mass, I go to work, on the high school campus, and really feel empty without Him physically present in me. I know He is spiritually there, but it seems I have to try so much harder to remain in His presence. When HE's physically present, He's just there. It seems as if others can see Him right there in me.

Can this be! What a gift, how much we must pray that God raise up good holy priests for us. Lord, send out Your Spirit!

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), December 19, 2002.

Hey Theresa, thanks! But the thanks goes to my bud Gabriel who wrote it up last week, I think it was. He has come a long way from Zen Budhism to the Church, no?

You women, you intuit the Eucharist so well. Merry Christmas to you and Jake.

La Sante Fe!

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), December 19, 2002.

uh... oops.

Should be "La Santa Fe".

(Let's put the "Santa" back in Christmas? lol!)

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), December 19, 2002.

Whenever someone wishes be a Happy Holiday, I always respond with "Merry Christmas" - of course, if I know they are Catholic or Christian. I have had enough of this "happy holiday" - after all, Jesus is the 'reason for the season' and I want to go back to celebrating His birth.

As Catholics, we must not concern ourselves with being politically correct - let us be 'Jesus correct.'

BLESSED CHRISTMAS

It should be noted that our customary greeting "Merry Christmas" comes from the Middle Ages, and did not have the meaning, "Jolly, hilarious, gay" as it does today.

In the old days it meant "blessed, peaceful, and joyful". It expressed spiritual joys rather than earthly happiness. It was only in the seventeenth century, when the popular Christians celebration in the world had lost its spiritual character and degenerated feast of mere reveling, that the word "merry" assumed its present worldly meaning.

Perhaps parents could explain this to their children and use the beautiful greeting again in the original sense of wishing a Blessed Christmas!

(Fr.Francis X.Weiser)

May you all have a Blessed Christmas! ML

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), December 19, 2002.

Thanks, MaryLu.

I wish you the same.

(And I agree with you about "Happy Holidays.")

John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 20, 2002.