With Advent starting next Sunday (in preparation for Christmas 2012) – this is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Calendar year! That’s the reason our Church around the world celebrates “Christ the King” this weekend. At the time the Liturgical Calendar was put together, all those years ago, the highest title, or the most respectful and respected position that society had to admire or confer on anyone was that of “KING”.
Societies and titles may have changed greatly since then, but the truth of the respect in which we as Christians hold ‘The Christ’ of God hasn’t changed one whit. Christians the world over continue to try to stand for the practice and the principles of Love that are found in His Gospel. It’s worth reminding ourselves of that old adage “if you doesn’t stand for something, you’ll probably fall for anything”.
No better way for us here in St Brigid’s to kick-off another Liturgical year and to begin Advent 2012, than by standing for our mutual endebtedness for all that is good about living in this parish. On Saturday 1st December between 7.30 and 9.30pm we’re hosting an ‘open-house’ – ‘pop-along’ evening (in the Pastoral Centre) to meet and greet one another, to say thank-you to one another for the time, and the support that makes this the great parish that it is.
Consider this notice your personal invitation!
Even if you have something else on for that night, why not ‘pop-along’ anyway, just for a short while and add to the atmosphere we’re trying to create on the evening. That’s why we’re calling it a ‘pop-along’ night. There are one or two ‘declarations’ we want to make on the occasion, (including maybe a winner for the Lotto prize of €12,875! – who can say?), then a little tipple and a mince pie or two and home to bed after that. It’ll be a kinda family affair – and we’re all ‘family’ here!
The Christmas atmosphere of hope and good cheer is something we could all do with a little more of – this year especially. There has been no let-up with the doom and gloom that has been swirling round us these last twelve months again – and that’s even before any mention of this year’s Budget!! When a former parishioner asked if he could use our ’patch’ here in the heart of the village to further his income by trying to sell a few Christmas trees, it seemed like a good idea to heighten even our physical surroundings with seasonal smells, bells, trees and baubles!!
Oh dear! I see I’ve fallen off the 1st column already! Better start to wind up! But before I do, just a quick observation, on a weekend when we reflect on Leadership (kingship). In terms of having confidence in any authority structure, can you think of any other country in the western world, other than our own, where the public face of supposed leadership, on practically every level, presents as being so uninspiring! Thank Christ (literally) for the Truth of His Gospel message which offers so much more than many in so-called ‘leadership’ in our society at this time, would like to pretend they can improve upon! See you Sat 1st Dec.
A.O’N