Meaning of Christmas

 

The Meaning of Christmas - By Sonal Lobo


The word Christmas itself carries so much meaning in it. Each letter carries with itself a lesson to the mankind along with the birth of Jesus.

Here is a slightly different meaning of the word Christmas which surely suits us a lot in this present scenario…

C - Carry a smile everywhere you go. In today’s world each one of us is so busy in our own affairs that we are not only hesitant to smile at others but we ourselves have forgotten to smile. This Christmas let us make a sincere attempt to smile more and be cheerful.

H - Hold on to our morals. Today all of us are so busy chasing the ladder of glory and fame, that we are ready to compromise on our ethics. This Christmas let us make an attempt to stick on to our morals and values, whatsoever the situation may arise.

R - Receive others the way they are. Most of the times we fail to realize that all are not alike and perfect and tend to blame and condemn people who do not fit into our framework. This Christmas let us learn to accept others and acknowledge our differences.

I - Inspect one self. We fail to retrospect ourselves and our drawbacks and thereby cause trouble to others. This Christmas let us make an attempt to peep into ourselves and make good those little negativities we carry.

S - Share with those in need. Let us make an effort to share with not only people who have lots and can repay us, but with those who cannot repay us.

T - Trust in the Almighty. All of us have become so self sufficient that we fail to seek the assistance of God. And when things crumble in life we lose hope. In this Christmas let us learn to trust in God at all times, good or bad.

M - Make genuine relationships. Today all our relationships have become a means to achieve something, the purity and innocence is lost. This Christmas let us learn to value and build true and lasting relationships.

A - Add a dash of love in everything you do. This Christmas let us make a strong resolution to carry the essence of love wherever we go and in whatever we do.

S - Shine as people of God. In this Christmas let us learn to follow Christ not only in words but also through our deeds and uphold the values of Christ through our life.

Have a Meaningful Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...

God Bless.....
S

7 secret of success

 

Beautiful Sacrament......

The first time for anything always brings on the nervousness and jitters. So it was no exception when it came time for my first confession, the Catholic way! The Sacrament of Penance, as it is also called , can be done as often as you like but most importantly, it has to be done at least twice a year ( during Lent and Advent). Having been baptised in Easter I was washed clean of all sins but now that Advent is here, I have to face the priest and confess my sins!!!
So 2 days ago Diane and I went for the Penitential Service. I started out pretty confident but i had my little worries and doubts so i called my dad as well as my god mum. They reassured me that its not as terrifying as i think! So we set out and arrived there. As people started to fill the church and everyone took their selected spots, we decided to go to our parish priest for confession. There were 20 priests scheduled to arrive that night and they slowly filled different parts of the church.
When it looked like the priest we had chosen was the favourite of everyone as well , we decided to change spots and go for a shorter line. Making our way upstairs we were told that that particular priest has to leave early rather unexpectedly. So we were ushered to another one on the right. As we waited, 3 more came in and again we were all asked if we wanted to go to anyone of them.

Diane and I picked the one who looked the kindest  (LOL) and made our way to the next pew. We were the 3rd and 4th in line. I started to dwell more seriously on what sins i had committed and how to phrase them when Diane made a startling discovery that the priest we were going to confess to is none other than the Archbishop of Malaysia!!!!! At that point she was like Oh dear, Mum, shall we shift to the next priest!??? I have to admit that for a second i too panicked! But then i pulled all my guts together (LOL) and decided that this is the 3rd time we had made a choice and 3 times is always a charm. I also thought it was definitely God's intention to put us here :) so we stayed on and hoped for the best !!
My turn came and like my god mum had taught me i went thru the steps 1,2 and 3, followed by my sins ( not that many ...phew!) and since the priest knew that it was my 1st time he led me thru the confession so beautifully. he gave me a little talk about how our Loving God is always merciful and will always pick us up and forgive us and he said it so remarkably well with so much passion that tears welled up in my eyes with emotion. After i was given my penance, the archbishop made me repeat the Act Of Contrition with him cuz i was not familiar with it yet! Like a child i repeated after him and then came the best part.... the Absolution, where Christ thru His priest, forgives you for all your sins. With a final blessing from the priest , i thanked him and went to the back of the church, knelt down and carried out my penance.
It was indeed a wonderful experience and with tears still in my eyes, my heart overcame with joy and I truly felt the love that Christ brings. It was a warm and peaceful moment I personally shared with God.
The Sacrament of penance , an outward sign on an inward grace, ..... truly beautiful!