A letter from the donkey to Mary

Dear Mary, so beautiful and so tired, you surely deserve to rest on this hay and straw, because it’s been two full days since you last slept, and this past week was a very hectic day for you and Joseph. Of course it was toughest on me as I carried you from Nazareth to this stable. I was so honored to be here to witness the birth of you Son, now lying on your lap. I’ve heard that you’ve been waiting for him for 9 months. I heard people say that He is the Son of God. What a privilege and an honor! I am very proud of myself too Mary, and am honored that I was the animal chosen to carry you safely for 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. I’m sorry there wasn’t enough space for Joseph also on my back. And I feel bad that there was no room in any of the local hotels. But now I can’t wait for the baby to grow so that I can take him wherever He wants to go. Even though it was  a long journey, I am grateful that you treated me with so much kindness. Not everyone is like you. Some people kick me to move faster, and others leave me thirsty because they’re in a hurry. Yet, I’m always patient and never complain. Still there are many others who treat me kindly as you did. You know, beautiful lady, I do get upset when people make fun of me, and criticize my long ears, or tease me because I don’t run as fast as the horse. But I’m happy the way I am, because that’s the way God created me. May I ask you a small favor, please. Whenever you are close to God and the Father of that baby, please remind Him to let people know how to treat all animals with kindness, gentleness and respect. We all have feelings too. And by the way, when you wake up and search for a place to put the baby, you can place Him in my manger. There’s plenty of hay in it, and it’s pretty soft too.

Signed – The Donkey

Malta Christmas decorations

To conclude this trio of features on outside decorations, I share with you how Malta is celebrating the Christmas season with plenty of lights displayed in various towns and villages. These were in Valletta, the capital city, where for the last three years, they’ve set up a village for children and adults to enjoy, complete with a ferris-wheel, a carousel and other huts selling all kinds of food, and many Christmas items, similar to what one might find in a typical European Christmas market, which are becoming so popular in the big foreign cities. I will go inside some of our churches next week and show you how devoted sacristans decorate their sanctuaries for the Christmas season.

Oregon Christmas decorations

Just like New York, the Oregonians loved to decorate with lights all over the place. Since they have a larger property around their house, they would string lights over fences, houses, stables, barns and every possible tree that is visible from the street. Over the past 10 years the addition of music created an added feature and the lights would be synchronized with Christmas music played loud all night long, to the never-ending annoyance of neighbors, although the Oregonians were more tolerant than the New Yorkers. 

Music by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra were especially popular with the owners of these homes creating computerized fascinating displays of blinking lights according to the beat and harmonies playing over large speakers. I invite you enjoy this one video of a house during Christmas with the music called 'Wizards of Winter,' by the TSO involving lots of planning and coordination. 

New York Christmas decorations

Over the next three days, I will share with you how I’ve seen decorations change, improve and sparkle in the places where I served. Today I focus on my years on Long Island in New York, where people literally went overboard with lights on their front lawns. Some households would compete against each other in adding more and more symbols with lights, Santa Claus, reindeers, snowmen, angels, cartoon characters, elves, and always the Nativity in a stable. Some of the neighbors would object as they would have a whole month of people stopping by, parking in front of their houses, and a continuous flow of people stopping by, especially from 5 PM when it got dark till the early hours of the morning. This would go on from Thanksgiving Day, in late November until at least January 6. 

The Candy Cane

In about 1670 a choirmaster in the Cologne Cathedral had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies. This became a popular tradition, and eventually the practice of passing out the sugar canes at living nativities ceremonies spread throughout Europe.
The use of candy canes on Christmas trees made its way to America by the 1800’s, however during this time they were still pure white. A Candymaker in Indiana developed a variation of the candy cane and wanted to make a candy that would be a Christian witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God. The Candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the Candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross. The peppermint flavor of modern candy canes is said to be similar to hyssop. In Old Testament times, hyssop was associated with purification and sacrifice.
I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness to the Wonder of Jesus and His Great love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominate force in the universe today.

Argentina World Champions

For the third time, Argentina lifted the World Cup trophy in soccer as they beat France yesterday in a thrilling, scintillating final match held in a Qatar stadium packed with fans. The match ended 2-2 and went into extra time, when both teams scored again, ending with a 3-3 final score. This led to the nerve-ending penalty kicks, which Argentina won 4-2. It was in a way a battle between Lionel Messi of Argentina and Kyrien Mbappe of France who scored a hat-trick in a losing effort. The game was dominated by Argentina, who were leading 2-0 until the 80th minute, when suddenly Mbappe scored twice to tie the game up. The extra-time provided some added excitement as first Messi scored and then Mbappe tied it up again. It was a tit-for-tat in a way between these two stars who actually play on the same team in France with Paris St-Germain. Mbappe had won the trophy 4 years ago with France when he was only 19 years old, and this was the last opportunity for Messi to win the trophy at the age of 36. And thanks Qatar for organizing a sensational World Cup tournament that was one of the best ever, topped by the heart-pounding final match. Among the surprises during this World Cup was the success of Morocco reaching the semi-finals, and other African and Arab countries doing so well. Who can forget teams like Senegal, Iran, Tunisia, and even Saudi Arabia who beat Argentina in the preliminary round? And no doubt about it, Pope Francis’s support and prayers must have helped his native country triumph. Congratulations to Argentina!

Christmas Cards

Some of my Christmas Cards from the 1990s

Billions of Christmas cards are exchanged every December. I am grateful that I used to receive close to 60 cards, most of them from former parishioners with a religious theme. When I used to send cards myself, I had the custom of making my own cards with a different photo every year. Above you will see a collection of various cards I used over the years. In this digital age, people are sending less Christmas cards, but opt for the electronic cards, which are cleverly done, and creative nonetheless. Nowadays I send a meaningful email letter to my friends with some photos from the past year, especially those related to my work and recent Christmas photos.

First Christmas card ever designed by John Callcott Horsley in 1843

The first Christmas card was sent in 1843 from England, and I share it here with readers and visitors of this blog. Over 2050 copies were printed that first year, for the cost of a shilling each, maybe valued at 25 cents. Original cards were designed and sent as postcards, but by 1920, most cards were sent in an envelope. A United Kingdom auction in 2001 fetched a record breaking £22,250 for this first original card!

The Pope on Christmas

                  

Today Pope Francis turns 86. Happy Birthday Your Holiness. Or to say it in Latin ‘Felix sit natalis dies! Just 2 days ago, the Pope met young children and urged them to look away from their cell phone screens and make eye contact with the people around them. Speaking to youth groups affiliated with Catholic Action, the Pope warned that “a great risk for a boy and a girl today is to spend our days keeping a cell phone screen in front of our eyes. Our eyes are meant to look into the eyes of others. They were not made to look down at a virtual world that we hold in our hands, but to look up to heaven, to God, and to look into the eyes of those who live next to us.” He said that the Lord is particularly concerned not with “the rich and powerful” or “those who are on the covers of glossy magazines or on television, but the smallest, the poor, the forgotten, the rejected, those no one cares about. In a world that tends to isolate us, divide us, and that pits us against each other … the secret is precisely to take care of others,” the Pope said. “Our eyes are made to convey the joy experienced from having met Jesus, that friendship that makes us embrace life and enables us to discover its beauty. Because, boys and girls, it is beautiful to follow Jesus: it is beautiful to discover the great love he has for each one of us; it is beautiful to venture into the plan of happiness he has thought up for me, for you, for everyone; it is beautiful to discover the gifts he gives us with great generosity, the surprises that fill our lives with wonder and hope, that make us grow up free and happy.”

Maltese nativities

Hand-made presepio from Malta (click to enlarge)

Many young crafty enthusiasts display their presepios and nativities in private homes, churches and parish halls. They are becoming more popular in Malta, as people and families visit them during the Christmas season. Similar to what’s happening in the construction sector, with small skyscrapers appearing on every skyline in our small island, space is always limited and so many craftsmen are building their nativities on a vertical format. Therefore they create an entire village over a limited space with houses, shops, hangout places and the cave where baby Jesus is born usually prominently placed in the center, surrounded by his parents and the three Kings. 

One can see in this nativity all of this, all crammed in a limited space, but strategically placed for everyone to enjoy the interaction between townspeople and various characters selling their goods, or just mingling around. Plenty of domestic and farm animals are seen in every empty space. The buildings are typical of an Italian country village, which often include the remains of a Roman building with columns, a common feature in Neapolitan presepios.

A Christmas Poem

'Nativity' by Giuseppe Cali at Luqa parish church, Malta.

St. John of the Cross has been nicknamed “the most mystical of all poets, and the most poetic of all mystics.” His poetry is recognized as one of the greatest pieces of Spanish literature and is appreciated by a variety of people. Among his works is a rare poem about the Nativity of Jesus. In the poem he presents a symphony of spiritual truths, focused in particular on the spousal nature of the Incarnation and the love God has for humanity. As you meditate on the beauty of Christmas, consider this poem by St. John of the Cross and let him bring light to your darkness.

Now at last the destined ages

Their appointed course had run,

When rejoicing from His chamber

Issued forth the Bridegroom Son.

He embraced His bride, and held her

Lovingly upon His breast,

And the gracious Mother laid Him

In the manger down to rest.

There He lay, the dumb beasts by Him,

They were fitly stabled there,

While the shepherds and the angels

Filled with melody the air.

So the feast of their espousals

With solemnity was kept;

But Almighty God, an Infant,

In the manger moaned and wept.

So the bride at her betrothal

Did the bridal gifts arrange ;

But the Mother looked in wonder

At the marvellous exchange.

Man gave forth a song of gladness,

God Himself a plaintive moan ;

Both possessing that which never

Had been hitherto their own. 

A tribute to a mother’s sacrifice

Achraf Hakimi, the Morocco star

In the Qatar World Cup an unlikely hero was born. No his name is not Ronaldo or Kane or Messi. It was Achraf Hakimi, the Moroccan defender whose decisive penalty saw his team overcome Spain in the round of 16 at the World Cup, and then led his team into the semi-finals. His is a truly inspirational rags-to-riches story. This is a player who came from nowhere to rise to the top of the sport; a man whose humble background is living proof that you can achieve anything if you have the right support, drive and determination. He had the humblest of upbringings in Madrid, with his mother a cleaner, his father a street vendor, and the family constantly living on the breadline. Yet, despite their hardships, his parents did everything they could to make their son’s football dream come true. And the dream has certainly come true with Hakimi now regarded as one of the best right-backs in world football, a regular with star-studded Paris Saint-Germain and a national hero in Morocco. He once said of his parents: “They sacrificed everything for me. Today I fight every day for them.” Interestingly, Hakimi could have been playing for Spain, the country of his birth, but instead, he chose to represent Morocco, a considerably less glamourous option, as a tribute to his parents, who immigrated to the African country in search of a better life. And how did Hakimi celebrate his historic goal? Not by milking the moment or trying to bask in the glory. No, he ran over to the side of the pitch and into the stands to hug his mother. I don’t think there was a nicer, more heart-warming story than the tale of Achraf Hakimi. I hope he inspires many other young lads to follow their dreams. And for parents to give them their support to do so. Morocco plays France in the second semi-final today, with the winner meeting Argentina on Sunday in the final.

Saint Lucy

We celebrate today the feast of Saint Lucy, one of the early young martyrs of the Catholic Church. Lucy's name means "light", with the same root as "lucid" which means "clear and radiant." This brave woman who lived in Syracuse lost her life in the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century. Her veneration spread to Rome so that by the sixth century the whole Church recognized her courage in defense of the faith. Because people wanted to shed light on Lucy's bravery, legends grew up. The one that is passed down to us tells the story of a young Christian woman who had vowed her life to the service of Christ. Her mother tried to arrange a marriage for her with a pagan. Lucy apparently knew that her mother would not be convinced by a young girl's vow so she devised a plan to convince her mother that Christ was a much more powerful partner for life. Eventually her mother listened to Lucy's desire and she committed her life to God. Unfortunately, her bridegroom did not see the same light and he betrayed Lucy to the governor as a Christian. This governor tried to send her into prostitution but the guards who came to take her away found her stiff and heavy as a mountain. Finally she was killed. Lucy's name is probably also connected to statues of Lucy holding a dish with two eyes on it. This refers to another legend in which Lucy's eyes were gouged out by Diocletian as part of his torture, just because she had the most beautiful eyes. The legend concludes with God restoring Lucy's eyes. Lucy's name also played a large part in naming Lucy as a patron saint of the blind and those with eye-trouble. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most treasured among Mexicans and Catholics alike. It all started in 1531 when an Aztec Indian named Juan Diego was walking through the Tepayac hill country in central Mexico. Near Tepayac Hill he encountered a beautiful woman surrounded by a ball of light as bright as the sun. Speaking in his native tongue, the beautiful lady identified herself: "My dear little son, I love you. I am the ever-virgin Mary, Mother of the true God who gives life and maintains its existence. I desire a church in this place where your people may experience my compassion.  Juan, age 57, and who had never been to Tenochtitlan, nonetheless immediately responded to Mary's request. He went to the palace of the Bishop-elect Fray Juan de Zumarraga and requested to meet immediately with the bishop, who asked him to ask the Lady to provide a sign as a proof of who she was. Juan dutifully returned to the hill and told Mary, who was again waiting for him there, of the bishop's request. Mary responded: "My little son, am I not your Mother? Do not fear. The Bishop shall have his sign. Come back to this place tomorrow. Only peace, my little son." Unfortunately, Juan was not able to return to the hill the next day. His uncle had become mortally ill and Juan stayed with him to care for him. After two days, with his uncle near death, Juan left his side to find a priest. Juan had to pass Tepayac Hill to get to the priest. As he was passing, he found Mary waiting for him. She spoke: "Do not be distressed, my littlest son. Your uncle will not die at this time. There is no reason for you to engage a priest, for his health is restored at this moment. He is quite well. Go to the top of the hill and cut the flowers that are growing there. Bring them then to me."

The original painting at the Guadalupe Cathedral

While it was freezing on the hillside, Juan obeyed Mary's instructions and went to the top of the hill where he found a full bloom of Castilian roses. Removing his tilma, a poncho-like cape made of cactus fiber, he cut the roses and carried them back to Mary. She rearranged the roses and told him:"My little son, this is the sign I am sending to the Bishop. Tell him that with this sign I request his greatest efforts to complete the church I desire in this place. Show these flowers to no one else but the Bishop." Juan told the bishop his story and opened the tilma letting the flowers fall out. But it wasn't the beautiful roses that caused the bishop and his advisors to fall to their knees; for there, on the tilma, was a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary precisely as Juan had described her. The next day, after showing the Tilma at the Cathedral, Juan took the bishop to the spot where he first met Mary. He then returned to his village where he met his uncle who was completely cured. His uncle told him he had met a young woman, surrounded by a soft light, who told him: "Call me and call my image Santa Maria de Guadalupe". In 1977, the tilma was examined using infrared photography and digital enhancement techniques. Unlike any painting, the tilma shows no sketching or any sign of outline drawn to permit an artist to produce a painting. Further, the very method used to create the image is still unknown. The image is inexplicable in its longevity and method of production. It can be seen today in a large cathedral built to house up to ten thousand worshipers. It is, by far, the most popular religious pilgrimage site in the Western Hemisphere.

Exhibition of Baby Jesus

I share with you a stunning display of images of Baby Jesus, set up as a permanent exhibition in a private house in Birkirkara, Malta. I first was introduced to this exhibition in 2002, and visited it with my father, incidentally just 3 days before he died. A few years later, the exhibition was set up as a permanent display with over 1500 different images of Baby Jesus in various postures as you can see from these few photos. 

Two images of baby Jesus made from wax

Some of them are made from clay, plastic, ceramic, chalk or gesso, and some even from wax. Most of them represent the infant Jesus as he lies in his manger, but others represent the Infant of Prague and others showing Jesus as a toddler or as a black baby. 

Tolkien’s faith

When people mention John Ronald Tolkien (1892-1973) the majority of the people think of him simply as the author of The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. Few people know how much devoted he was to the Catholic faith, which has helped him in the many trials throughout his life. He lost his parents at a very young age, and many of his close friends were killed during World War I. He saw one war after another leaving thousands of victims. He also noticed the faith of many nations go down the drains, even though compared to today, it was still fairly healthy. His faith was the light that guided him. He was very devoted to the Eucharist where he found solace and comfort. He encouraged his son Michael to be close to the Blessed Sacrament, as he told him ‘that’s where you find love, glory, fidelity, the true road to your happiness.’ Tolkien was a close friend of C. S. Lewis, and was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth in March 1972.

The necklace

One day a jeweller was watching people peeking into his shop-window to look at the jewellery displayed. A young girl was among them and had her eyes on a blue necklace, as she checked it out for a long time. After a while, she entered the shop and told the jeweller that she wanted that blue necklace and asked him to wrap it in a golden paper, as this was a gift.

‘How much money you’ve got?’ asked curiously the jeweller. The girls placed a small metal box on the counter and opened it up. ‘I’ll give you everything I have, even the box, if you want,’ the girl replied. The jeweller noticed a few coins in the box, besides a few pebbles and beads. ‘Do you think I have enough?’ said sheepishly the little girl. ‘I want to give it as a present to my sister. Today is her birthday. When our mother died, she took care of me and made sure we had everything we needed. The color of this necklace are the colors of her eyes, and I’m sure she’ll be delighted to have them and wear them.’ The jeweller quickly packed the necklace in its box and wrapped it in a golden paper with a silver ribbon, and gave it to her.

An hour later, an older girl appeared at the shop with the box in golden paper. ‘Please, could you tell me if this necklace was bought from here?’ ‘Yes it was,’ the jeweller replied.

‘How much did it cost?’ ‘I’m sorry young lady but the prices in my shop are all confidential.’

‘But sir, my sister certainly did not have enough money to buy such an expensive necklace.’

‘But she did pay for it. She paid the highest price she could afford. She gave everything she had!’ 

Immaculate Conception

Esteban Murillo - Imaculata Conception

Just imagine the millions of Christmas cards being exchanged right now, going across the globe, many of which are images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, frequently with baby Jesus and St Joseph. Just imagine the thousands upon thousands of nativities being set up and displayed around the world with the Holy Family taking center stage for the Advent and Christmas season.
The 255 million links and articles to the word ‘Our Lady’ produced by Google, besides millions of images produced, are proof of how dominant she still is in the Catholic church and in Christian culture around the world. And when I think that more than half of the parishes in my home country of Malta are dedicated to the Blessed Mother, it shows the devotion people still have towards her. Many were also the classical works written in sacred music, starting with various Gregorian chants melodies and continuing with the Magnificat, Salve Regina, Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and so much more by many great composers. They all get their inspiration from the image of Mary, conceived without sin, a privilege that was only granted to her and no one else. Just as Jesus was considered the new Adam, so Mary is considered the new Eve.
In 1760, Pope Clement XIII authorized the celebration of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic church. But it was only in 1854 that Pope Pius IX, after consulting with all the bishops of the world, pronounced and proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. This was a rare event, and it took another 96 years to have another Dogma proclaimed, this time the Assumption of Mary in 1950. Then another event happened that affirmed the Immaculate Conception of Mary, only 4 years later, when in 1858, the apparition at Lourdes took place, Mary revealing herself to Bernadette Soubirous as the Immaculate Conception. The Encyclical Ineffabilis Deus that proclaimed the Dogma proclaims that the Blessed Virgin Mary, “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.”

Speak Boldly and Listen Humbly

The upcoming Synod is causing quite a stir all around the world. There are those who are in favor of it, and others who are very sceptical of its outcome. In the middle of all this there is a Maltese Cardinal, Mario Grech, who is the Secretary of the Synod. He’s been criticized and called negative adjectives which should never be used in church circles. But he keeps going and working, with Pope Francis at his side. The synodal process invites people to speak freely. In fact, no synodal process can really work without candor. Pope Francis recognized this back in 2014 when he opened the first synod of his pontificate, which focused on the family. Back then, he used an expression which struck me as very precise in its description of how we should act as Catholics in this day and age. He told the gathered synod fathers to "speak boldly and without fear and listen with humility." Yes, that is the way to minister today, speak courageously and without any fear of negative comments coming from all directions, as Cardinal Grech has experienced over the past year. And then it is our duty also to listen with humility, knowing that there are people who will not always be happy with we have to say. And it’s OK if we make mistakes, as no one is perfect. Although, it does hurt when you do so much good and never get any credit, while the moment you utter a phrase that may not be precise, you get a lot of criticism. As we say, ‘when you’re right, no one remembers, and when you’re wrong, nobody forgets!’ But please, never give up – speak boldly and listen humbly.

Saint Nicholas

St. Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man and became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors.

Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man’s window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint’s feast. And so, in the English-speaking countries, St. Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus. He died December 6, 343 in Myra and was buried in his Cathedral church.  In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari, afraid of the Muslim invasion, succeeded in spiriting away the relics from that Cathedral, bringing them to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy. An impressive church was built over St. Nicholas' crypt. To this day pilgrims and tourists visit Bari's great Basilica di San Nicola. Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is claimed that, after the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by Christian artists. 

The Happy Ending

Caroline and Julian in the middle, with Maria and Marcel,

(Julian's parents) on the left, and Peter (Julian's brother) with his 

girlfriend Anastasia on the right, after the wedding at Lija church.

So yesterday saw the marriage of my nephew Julian and his wife Caroline. In a beautiful Nuptial Mass held at noon at the Lija parish church, all our family and plenty of friends were present to witness this happy moment. The reception was held later on at the Phoenicia Ballroom in Floriana, a celebration which went on until late into the evening hours. In a brief reflection towards the end of the Mass, I shared with them the three values they should focus on for a strong happy vocation which they embarked on yesterday – a reciprocal sense of communication, an element of sacrifice, which make us appreciate what we have, and a place for God in their relationship. Julian and Caroline have been dating for over 8 years now and have belonged to a Youth Fellowship group. Since Julian is a doctor and Caroline a dietician, at one time they also did some voluntary work in Cambodia, helping poor children.

While over there, Caroline also met some new friends, as you can see from the second photo, and so she had a choice to make: choosing a monkey or her sweetheart Julian. It was a tough decision she had to make, but she prayed over it, and 5 years later she made up her mind.

.....and Caroline chose Julian!

And as you can see from the first photo, we’re all glad and delighted that she chose Julian! Within a month, they will be heading to England where Julian will be specializing in Respiratory medicine, while Caroline will be working as a dietician for people with diabetes and cardiac issues. Congratulations Caroline and Julian.

Preparing the Way

                               
As we head John the Baptist's advice today to prepare for the coming of Jesus in our homes, heart, lives and parish communities, I share with you a recent reflection I wrote for one of my homilies:

Stay with us Jesus, because when it gets dark, You’re the only source of Light in our lives.
When we get lonely, You’re the perfect companion.
When we are afraid, You can surely encourage us.
When we fear the unknown future, You affirm our past and present.
When we experience weakness, You are there to strengthen us.
When we lose our way to You, Your spiritual compass is our one and only hope.
When we lose heart, You always comfort us an show us compassion.
When we don’t know what to say or how to pray, You always have the right suggestion.

When we cannot see clearly, You always help us focus our perspective of life.
When we want to hurt others and say that nasty word, You always correct our speech and manner of behavior.
When we act stubborn, You tolerate us.
When we act selfish, You show us a kind caring way to do things.
And when we falter as humans, You grant us Your mercy and Forgiveness. Not only that, but You forgive and forget.

Oplatek from Poland

In many Polish homes throughout the world, a most beloved family tradition is the breaking of the oplatek on Christmas Eve. The oplatek (oplatki is the plural form) is a thin wafer similar in consistency to a communion host that is often stamped with an elaborate Christmas scene. Historically these would be distributed by religious to parishioners’ homes during the Advent season. This bread is not consecrated but blessed by the priest as a way to extend the fruits of the Mass into the home. The oplatek is meant to remind families of the Eucharistic bread at Mass and makes a further connection between Christmas and the gift of the Eucharist, the presence of God among us.  The father (or eldest member of the family) begins the ceremony by taking the oplatek and breaking a piece off of it, giving it to his wife. When he does so, he may say what he is thankful for, wish her good health, or ask for forgiveness. A Polish native describes what happened at her home. “My father used to say, ‘OK, I’m not the best, but I’ll try harder’… My mother would always say, ‘You work so hard, and I appreciate you for that’ …" The sharing of this unleavened bread with another person is sharing all that is good with life. The tradition has survived the test of time and is still celebrated in many parts of the world by various families, including many who come from a Slavic ancestry. It is a beautiful tradition, one that keeps the true “spirit of Christmas,” and unites a family to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christmas in New York

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, NYC.

I share with you today some scenes from New York City, specifically the area around Rockefeller Center, which is illuminated with angels, plenty of lights and a huge Christmas Tree with thousands of lights, lit up right after Thanksgiving until January 6th. I have some great memories of New York as I spent 22 years there.  Just below the Tree, there is a skating rink where thousands of visitors try their skates on it, while millions of photos are taken in this area alone during this season of joy.

Reredos of St. Thomas Episcopalian church, NYC.

One of my highlights was a trip to the city during Christmas week, to walk through 5th Avenue, visit St Patrick's Cathedral, of course Rockefeller Center, and the one of the 7 unknown wonders of New York, the reredos of St Thomas Episcopalian church on 5th Avenue. The statues in this huge reredos are of various Christian saints, prophets, reformers, and Christian dignitaries, including President George Washington. It is 80 feet (24 m) high and consists of more than 60 stone figures. It was designed by architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue (1869–1924) and sculptor Lee Lawrie (1877–1963.) (Click to enlarge and see the incredible detail.)

‘The Incarnation’ by Willie Apap

'The Incarnation' by Willie Apap

Continuing my review of various paintings related to the Nativity, I share with you a recently discovered painting by Maltese artist Willie Apap, kept in a private collection and recently exhibited at the museum ‘Il-Ħaġar’ in Rabat, Gozo, Malta. It is very evocative of maternity as the Blessed Mother is seen surrounded by several angels behind her and holding baby Jesus on her lap. Its title is ‘The Incarnation’ and was done in 1966, oil on canvas. Born in 1918 in Malta, Willie Apap studied at the Malta Government School of Art and at the Regia Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome. He painted prolifically mostly spending his working years in Rome, producing a large collection of oil paintings, some of which with a religious theme. He also produced some scenic works as well as pen-and-ink paintings. He exhibited frequently both in Rome as well as Malta, earning him a place as one of Malta’s leading exponents of twentieth-century art, although his early death in February 1970, cut short the best that was probably still to come. 

The painting exhibited in a Gozo Museum

This painting was described thus by Maria Cassar, my sister-in-law who curated the exhibition: “Previously known only from a black and white photograph taken in a Milan gallery, ‘The ‘Incarnation’ can now be admired as one of Apap’s masterpieces. Columns of light fall on the Virgin and the Child with a double-entendre around the Son of God who is shown in the womb of his Mother while also incarnate, as she presents him to the world while a choir of angels watches in awe.” The Mother and Child theme also features in a number of outstanding works from the artist’s late mature period, from oils to ink.