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Something a little different today, a beautiful Christmas poster offered in text, image and video.

God loves first, from the very beginning! In his mercy, God has always desired to draw all people to himself. It is his life, bestowed upon us in Christ, that makes us one, uniting us with one another.    Pope Leo XIV

We know how much people of our time are searching, even unawares, for a place where they can rest and live their relationships in peace, where they are redeemed from the lie, the violence, the nothingness in which everything otherwise would tend to end up. Christmas is the good news that this place exists, and not in the heaven of some dream but on the earth of a bodily reality.   Luigi Giussani

click the image below to see the image and text as a two-minute video

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Here’s an inclusive grace you might like to use at your Christmas meal this year.

A Grace before Christmas Dinner

One of the more senior people
at the dinner begins saying:

Before we share this Christmas meal together,
Let us take a moment of silent prayer
to give God thanks
for all the blessings we have received this year
and for the burdens we bear, shared and personal.

A moment of silent reflection follows
Then the leader continues

Let us remember those
we have shared Christmas with in past years,
those who have died,
and also those who are not able to be with us today.
Let us now share aloud
the names of those we especially wish to remember.

Those at table take a moment
to share the names of those
they wish to remember.

When the names have been shared
a candle is lit in the centre of the table
(perhaps by one of the children).
Then the leader prays

May the light of this candle
lead us to the One
who overcomes every darkness.

And for what we receive in this meal,
the food, drink, and family and friendship,
let us be deeply grateful.

Amen