Cheer Up, Christmas is Here!

It’s already December and we are in the last month of the year 2021. For the past months we continue to be hopeful that this pandemic will end and that we will return to our normal lives. But sad to say, it seems Covid is here to stay as new strains of variants were detected. What is good on one hand is that more and more people are being vaccinated. It shows that people want to be protected and are concerned not only for their own good but for others as well. More so, the economy’s situation looks promising as businesses are opening up from a slump during the first year of the pandemic. So, there is so much to be thankful and hopeful for amidst what is happening around us.

On another note, there is something to be cheerful most especially for us Catholics as we celebrate the advent season. It’s our way of preparing for Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, Jesus’ birth brings hope to us and to the whole world. Let us eradicate fear, fear brought about by this pandemic rather replace it with hope and gratefulness that we are still here and would be celebrating Christmas once again. Let there be joy and peace not only during this season with our family and friends but throughout the coming new year.

Below is a prayer am sharing with you for this Christmas Season by Caryl Micklem, Contemporary Prayers for Public Worship that was posted at xavier.edu:

We Greet Your Coming

We greet your coming, God, with wonder:
You come to be with us; yet you remain far greater than we can imagine.
You are near; yet your wisdom sets you apart from us.
You appear among us; yet we cannot describe your glory.

We greet your coming, God, with repentance:
We are more or less satisfied with ourselves; but your presence exposes our sin and failure.
We are self-confident; but you challenge our confidence in ourselves.
We are proud of our understanding; but you show us that we do not know everything.

We greet your coming, God, with joy:
We had no true idea of what you are like; but you have shown us yourself in Jesus Christ.
We felt our human life could be of no importance to you; but you have shown its value by appearing among us as a man.
We are aware of the gulf between us and you; but you have bridged it with love.

God, we greet your coming in Jesus Christ our Lord!

“Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.” — Helen Steiner Rice