t t t t SAINTS MARY & JOSEPH CHRISTMAS LITURGICAL SEASON
Welcome to the Cathedral Parish of
SAINTS MARY & JOSEPH 132 DANGAR St (PO Box 2025) ARMIDALE 2350 PH 6772 2218
Christmas Message 2015
[email protected] www.smjcathedral.org.au
For many weeks now our shopping centres and televisions have been focussing our attention on just a small part of Christmas: the presents and the parties. These are a part of Christmas which we all love and which give us joy, but they are only a part of Christmas, and a small part at that. They are merely the externals or the wrapping of Christmas. We need to peel back and open all this wrapping to see what’s inside, to see the true treasure, to find the true joy of Christmas.
Faithful to the Teaching of the Apostles Faithful to Prayer Faithful to the Breaking of the Bread Alive in the Community of the Spirit Sharing what we have with those in need Acts 2:42-46
Making Church Matter…….
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ; we celebrate God’s love and mercy reaching out to each one of us individually and to all of us together as humanity. God reaches out to us in love and mercy so that we may have true peace and joy in our lives.
CHRISTMAS LITURGICAL SEASON Next to the yearly celebration of the paschal mystery (Easter), the Church holds most sacred the memorial of Christ's birth and early manifestations. This is the purpose of the CHRISTMAS SEASON. GNLYC 32-33
As Pope Francis says in the opening of his letter for the Year of Mercy “In the fullness of time when everything had been arranged according to his plan of salvation, God sent his only son into the world, born of the Virgin Mary, to reveal his love for us in a definitive way. Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father. Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions, and his entire person reveals the mercy of God.”(Misericordiae Vultus 1) May you and your family and friends enjoy a blessed Christmas season in which you experience the joy of knowing and experiencing God’s love and mercy for you.
Most Rev Michael Kennedy Bishop of Armidale
t t t t
THU:
(C/2) Friday 25th December 2015 GOSPEL REFLECTIONS FOR MARRIED COUPLES IN THE JUBILEE OF MERCY…..CHRISTMAS At Christmas, we are called to reflect on the great love of a God who humbled himself to become a person like us. On Christmas Day, we celebrate Jesus coming into the world to teach us how to love. He does so in the most humble and simple way, as an infant. Through the Sacrament of Marriage God is also teaching us, through our spouse, how to love and be loved. Do you bring the same humility and simplicity that Christ has in your love for your spouse? (A Reflection by Karen and Derek Boylen)
CHRISTMAS EVE 6.30PM YOUNG FAMILIES CHRISTMAS VIGIL 10PM SOLEMN LITURGY CHRISTMAS NIGHT MASS FRI: CHRISTMAS DAY 8AM CHRISTMAS MORNING MASS 10AM CHRISTMAS DAY MASS SAT: ST STEPHEN'S DAY 12.30PM (No Confessions) 6PM Vigil Mass of HOLY FAMILY SUN: The HOLY FAMILY of JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH 8AM; 10AM; 5.30PM SUPPORT YOUR PRIESTS AND YOUR PARISH: 1ST COLLECTION (supports the clergy): BSB: 082-105 Acc. No: 001023527 2ND COLLECTION (supports the Cathedral and parish): BSB: 082-105 Acc. No: 001006225 (Reference with your Planned Giving Number and your name)
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM’S CHRISTMAS HOMILY…4th century (in part) BEHOLD a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised. Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb. Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither does His coming amongst us in these days permit of too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who works. What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend. Nature here rested, while the Will of God laboured. O ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is simple, without body, has now put on my body, that is visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see, and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily presence, that He may remove all doubt……
SAINTS MARY & JOSEPH 132 DANGAR St (PO Box 2025) ARMIDALE 2350 PH 6772 2218
Christmas Message 2015
[email protected] www.smjcathedral.org.au
For many weeks now our shopping centres and televisions have been focussing our attention on just a small part of Christmas: the presents and the parties. These are a part of Christmas which we all love and which give us joy, but they are only a part of Christmas, and a small part at that. They are merely the externals or the wrapping of Christmas. We need to peel back and open all this wrapping to see what’s inside, to see the true treasure, to find the true joy of Christmas.
Faithful to the Teaching of the Apostles Faithful to Prayer Faithful to the Breaking of the Bread Alive in the Community of the Spirit Sharing what we have with those in need Acts 2:42-46
Making Church Matter…….
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ; we celebrate God’s love and mercy reaching out to each one of us individually and to all of us together as humanity. God reaches out to us in love and mercy so that we may have true peace and joy in our lives.
CHRISTMAS LITURGICAL SEASON Next to the yearly celebration of the paschal mystery (Easter), the Church holds most sacred the memorial of Christ's birth and early manifestations. This is the purpose of the CHRISTMAS SEASON. GNLYC 32-33
As Pope Francis says in the opening of his letter for the Year of Mercy “In the fullness of time when everything had been arranged according to his plan of salvation, God sent his only son into the world, born of the Virgin Mary, to reveal his love for us in a definitive way. Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father. Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions, and his entire person reveals the mercy of God.”(Misericordiae Vultus 1) May you and your family and friends enjoy a blessed Christmas season in which you experience the joy of knowing and experiencing God’s love and mercy for you.
Most Rev Michael Kennedy Bishop of Armidale
t t t t
THU:
(C/2) Friday 25th December 2015 GOSPEL REFLECTIONS FOR MARRIED COUPLES IN THE JUBILEE OF MERCY…..CHRISTMAS At Christmas, we are called to reflect on the great love of a God who humbled himself to become a person like us. On Christmas Day, we celebrate Jesus coming into the world to teach us how to love. He does so in the most humble and simple way, as an infant. Through the Sacrament of Marriage God is also teaching us, through our spouse, how to love and be loved. Do you bring the same humility and simplicity that Christ has in your love for your spouse? (A Reflection by Karen and Derek Boylen)
CHRISTMAS EVE 6.30PM YOUNG FAMILIES CHRISTMAS VIGIL 10PM SOLEMN LITURGY CHRISTMAS NIGHT MASS FRI: CHRISTMAS DAY 8AM CHRISTMAS MORNING MASS 10AM CHRISTMAS DAY MASS SAT: ST STEPHEN'S DAY 12.30PM (No Confessions) 6PM Vigil Mass of HOLY FAMILY SUN: The HOLY FAMILY of JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH 8AM; 10AM; 5.30PM SUPPORT YOUR PRIESTS AND YOUR PARISH: 1ST COLLECTION (supports the clergy): BSB: 082-105 Acc. No: 001023527 2ND COLLECTION (supports the Cathedral and parish): BSB: 082-105 Acc. No: 001006225 (Reference with your Planned Giving Number and your name)
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM’S CHRISTMAS HOMILY…4th century (in part) BEHOLD a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised. Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb. Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither does His coming amongst us in these days permit of too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who works. What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend. Nature here rested, while the Will of God laboured. O ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is simple, without body, has now put on my body, that is visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see, and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily presence, that He may remove all doubt……
