MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A Christmas Day Podcast.

Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks for joining us on such a special day. We have really enjoyed putting together this Christmas podcast series. There have been so many lessons shared with refrences made to modern poems as well as scripture. It has been a joy learning about the meaning of Christmas stories, symbols and hymns.

From a contemporary viewpoint, it's interesting that we have had our government and our Pope, both ask us to go easy on spending this Christmas. This sits comfortably, as we ask you to share your time, company and skills with loved ones. Such moments are precious and any time we can afford from our busy schedules can be gladly appreciated and well received.

If you are looking for some good reads over summer, we have two suggestions:

The Grizzled Grist Does Not Exist!

Author: Juliette MacIver

A New Zealand picture book for children

https://www.thechildrensbookshop.co.nz/p/the-grizzled-grist-does-not-exist

Fen Bog and Swamp

Annie Proulx

A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis

https://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Fen-Bog-and-Swamp-Annie-Proulx/9780008534400

Have a great day. Thank you for supporting our Christmas podcast series. If you are taking time off during this period, do enjoy your summer break.

One thing we can always trust at this time of year is the wonderful sound of Carols. Like them or not, they play an essential function and carry inspiring meaning. Listen as we explore different hymns, their story and provide context on why they are important.

From a faith point of view, what should Christmas mean?

There's more to life than fate. Through our own efforts we can make our lives richer and more meaningful. As Christians, we believe God is in our world and that he has love for us all.

God is not an idea or philosophy. He came onto this world in human form through his son, Jesus. Who was born, not as a king or someone rich and powerful, but born and raised in humble settings. Someone who would grow up like other children, learning life lessons along the way.

Christmas sees God enter human history. It can also be the beginning of our exploring or revisiting faith.

Catholicism is a sacramental religion. God's presence is confirmed by tangible items for example bread becoming the body of Christ in the Eucharist. Christmas has many of its own symbols. Some of which have been adapted from different cultures like the Christmas tree which has a Nordic bacckground.

In this podcast, we explore a number of Christmas icons and provide some context around their meaning and origins.

"Twas the night before Christmas,

when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there"

In this week's podcast we explore the importance of "the small" and what sometimes is miscontrued as "the insignificant'. We introduce the story of St Nicholas and share Clement Clarke Moore's wonderful Christmas poem.

The small and insignicant picks up on earlier themes of our applying thought to gift selection and thinking beyond just buying big consumer items. In a time when we are being asked to curb our spending so as to help our economy, have you thought of different type gifts like sharing your time and skills instead of giving vouchers or cash.

Travel is a cornerstone of the Christmas story.

Due to an imperial decree, Joseph and Mary had to travel to their ancestral home to accomodate Jesus' birth. Then there's also the obvious story of the three Magi. Famous for following yonder star and the gifts they gave.

In our podcast, Father Neil discusses TS Eliot's epic poem: The Jouney of the Magi (written in 1927). Eliot adds new dimensions to this story by exploring different facets of the journey. His perspective was that it was an arduos trip and that the Magi were vastly affected by the experience. Eliot provides an unique account on what it would have been like for the Magi as they returned to their homes and faced their people.

Eliot outlines a "death" that followed a "birth" as the Magi looked upon their "kingdoms" and "an alien people clutching their gods."

We often look at Christmas as being part of the end of the year. However it should be a season for new beginnings.

The Christmas story, with the birth of Jesus and the changes this brought for Mary and Joseph, centres around newness. Afterall, Christmas Day marks the start of Christianity. The creation of a faith that has guided billions of people over hundreds of years.

Give some thought to how you can use Christmas, to bring fresh perspectives and new things to your life and to how you can share changes with the people around you.

Gifts have become an important aspect of Christmas. In this episode we discsuss the tradition of gift-giving. We ask if we should be giving something different this year? Special things like lending our time to different causes, providing company to the lonely, writing a heartfelt letter or sharing skills with loved ones. You could even do something as kind as helping people get to Christmas mass? Let us support those around us, this Christmas, so that they too can enjoy the festive season.

We look forward to celebrating, what should be, a post-Covid Christmas. An opportunity not only for familes and friends to come together but also for parishes and communities. This podcast provides an introduction to our Christmas series as we explore the different things we can look forward to this year.

As we celebrate Easter we encourage you to talk about Jesus, especially with our rangatahi. One important question is how do we explain the injustice of Jesus being killed? At heart, Jesus was a good man and yet he suffered such a barbaric death.