This is interesting

and appropriate for Christmas...

Ancient document sheds new light on Magi story

It makes the line from the song that goes 'we three kings from orient are' more accurate.

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Thank you

Pope Benedict XVI attacks Christmas consumerism at Mass

People who see the Pope and the Papacy in black and white don't really see the good that is said and done that they actually agree with if they were to admit it. To liberal Catholics he's a conservative roadblock for the renewal of the Church, yet this sort of thing is just what they, and many others, are wanting to hear in our Church. There's much gray (or grey, depending where you live) in each person's beliefs and actions. The Vicar of Christ is no different...

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You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

Peace, Joy, Love, Happiness and every blessing
to anyone who reads my drivel, and to all your
families and friends. My prayer is for every
blessing and good thing for you, now and always.
May the promise of the Christ Child be a reality
in your lives. May you know all these things and
more, and finally, peace and joy forever.
God bless...

"Adoration of the Shepherds"
by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622

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'Twas the night before Christmas

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Christmastime

The Many Meanings of Christmas: Expert on St. Francis Considers the Crib and Other Elements of Jesus' Birthday

Did you know that St. Francis is supposed to have created the first crib or creche?

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Thank you

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Pope says focus on Jesus, not pre-Christmas distractions

Even though we, as Christians and Catholics, know what we should be focussing on, we need people like the Pope to remind us, I think...

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Oh those Canadian Mennonites

Buy Nothing Christmas

is a great way to respect God, ourselves, others and our planet by acknowledging our failures in living harmoniously with all creation, and our reduction of the the birth of Jesus to a sales opportunity. Do we need all this hoopla? What is the real reason for Christmas? Give that some thought instead. That's what Buy Nothing Christmas is all about...

Oh, those Mennonites!

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Yes!

Along with making life easier for those who just can't get their Christmas shopping done (a secondary effect) this would go so far in showing the world what a consumer culture we are, allow us to put the real meaning back into Christmas, and show how the consumer system of economy is so fragile...

Occupy Christmas: Adbusters, Instigator Of Protests, Urges Anti-Consumerist Holiday

So, I'm in favour...

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A professor

whose children won't believe in Santa because "a person shouldn't pander to a white man", and because she wants the credit for "income generation, shopping, and gift-wrapping" and not crediting it to "the magical work of a benevolent white man".

SANTA VS. GOD

But, thank goodness, the Easter Bunny is OK...

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Thank you.

We Need a Darker Christmas

I don't think it's an issue that we're celebrating Christmas at a particular time of year - the fact is that it is being celebrated at any time is the important thing, but I'm particularly grateful for two things in the article:

"But we’ve Thomas Kinkaided the beauty of that stark contrast to death. Now it’s all glowing cottage windows and twinkling trees, presents under the tree and luxury cars with bows atop in the driveway. We’ve wiped any trace of discomfort from the holiday, eradicated any hint of darkness, so that now even the light seems dim. The sorrow Simeon said would pierce Mary’s heart has become nothing more than a Precious Moments frowny face.
...
And that’s the second reason why modern Christmas is killing us. Linus knew it all along. All the toys we want to buy won’t give us Christmas—because it’s not Christmas. And the longer we pretend our tinsel and candy canes can make us happy, the more people we’ll lose along the way."

Thank you.

While 'Christ is the reason for the season', there's more to the season than our contemporary culture, and for some, our churches, would have us believe...

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Last post until Boxing Day...

Remember why you have the day off work... 


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great animation

from the folks at moveable and moveable online

Returns Policy

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I know where I won't be for Christmas!

Grapevine megachurch premieres 3-D Christmas services

"It's a little cheesy, but cheese works"

Uh-huh.

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After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea...

...during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
- Matthew 2:1

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For to us a child is born...

...to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 9:6

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From the Great Folks at Moveable type

Well it's SWIMBO here at work on Christmas Eve and I just got a card in the mail from one of the creative publishers - Here is the Link: Enjoy!

Card Angst (And if you follow it through all the links - you'll find some Franciscan content - all three co-workers burst out laughing when they saw that option.


Tau-q Moveable Type

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,

keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
- Luke 2:8-12

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The Incarnation


Cardinal Newman on the Incarnation

From Parochial and Plain Sermons: Sermons 16 and 13 - Houston Catholic Worker

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Sheer lunacy!

O' Unity Tree, O' Unity Tree

It's kind of like calling a Menorah a candelabra and and then making a public statement of it, or a law requiring it. What a bizarre world!

Be sure to continue reading the article after the ad for 'related titles' that occurs part-way down the page.

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The focus of a Nativity play

cannot be a sheep, or an angel...

Schools criticised for replacing baby Jesus with sheep in nativity plays

"School nativity plays that relegate baby Jesus to a supporting role, instead focusing on angels or even sheep, have been criticised by the church."

They deserve the criticism.

It seems that people today want to lose the real, traditional, meaning of Christmas, but keep the holiday because a) it's good for business (commerce and money being the god of this world, after all), b) people enjoy a holiday, and c) it's a tradition.

Tradition? What's more traditional than the real meaning of Christmas? They should really quit being hypocritical and either decide to retain the day as it is meant, or give up the holiday altogether...

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