catholicsphere

My wife and I (sometimes it seems her more than I) help out quite a bit at church, in various ways.

And, during the holidays (or “high times”) things usually move at a hectic pace. Advent and Christmas always seems the busiest.

Despite our best intentions to slow down and allow ourselves some rest and reflection on the meaning of the Season, it never seems to happen. We usually find ourselves sitting down on Christmas night and saying “Well, another Christmas come and gone”. It just flies right on by; a Season filled more with “chores”, than with traditions, giving and blessings. (And all this despite the fact that we have gift shopping all but done by Thanksgiving.)

This year has really been no different so far. It seems that every day has been filled with some task or another, and we find ourselves exasperatedly saying “Ugh!”

But, we’re trying to plan this year in a different way from year’s past. We have a goal to finish up all “work” of the Season by Saturday the 20th. From that point on, we intend it to be “family only” for the week leading up to Christmas Day.

It may sound opposite of what the Season is about, but we simply intend to say “no” to requests and invitations; to push aside the “chores”, to make time to enjoy the Peace and Joy of Christmas.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!