Imagine that music was removed from Christmas…

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Music is like our breath

It permeates so many aspects of our lives

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Who would want

A movie without the dramatic, soothing or the silence of music?

A baseball game without “Take me out to the ballgame!”

A radio that only had talk?

Stories without soundtracks?

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In some ways, an absence of music would be like being deaf…and maybe worse

Without music,

Birds cannot communicate

The wind cannot whistle and whisper

Mother’s cannot soothe their children

Weddings would be mute endeavors

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So Christmas without music

would be a whole lot worse than Christmas without snow

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Every Christmas I usually find myself in a hospital or by the bedside of the homebound or dying. We pray, we touch the sacred bread…or it touches us. And then we erupt in a song like, “O come all Ye Faithful” or “O Holy Night”

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Tears, bowed heads, spiritual upheaval, Christ knocking…

Awe – Awesome – God… Healing.

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It was Christmas

Christ Mass

When Jesus hung by ropes and nails…

and hatred

on the bloodied Cross.

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It was Christmas when he sang His song

That brings us back to the time of his birth and near escapes…

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Joseph’s desire to divorce Mary

Herod’s resistance to a kingly challenge

The holy family’s rejection

“She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger

because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Needing to escape the cold in a cave and then to the desert and Egypt.

It was Christmas when Jesus cried out from the Cross,

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“My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”

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And so we sing the songs of Christmas:

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“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and Holy is God’s Name!”

“O Holy Night! The stars are shining brightly!”

“Blessed be the God of Abraham, for he has come to set His people free!”

“Ave Maria! Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you!”

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“Do not be afraid for I proclaim to you Good News of Great joy that will be for all peoples. For today, in the city of David, a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.” And this will be a sign for you. You will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

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And suddenly the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and singing,

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“Glory to God in the highest!

And peace to those on whom his favor rests”

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When Jesus was baptized he came up from the waters and the heavens split. The Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and a voice was heard from heaven:

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“This is my beloved son of whom I am well pleased!”

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When Jesus hung upon that cross, the swaddling clothes barely covered his loins. His mother wept below for now the manger that once held her baby and feed for the animals had swallowed up her son’s humanity. Jesus became the food and drink for all peoples and nations.

“And you yourself a sword shall pierce, so the hearts of many may be revealed.”

Mary kept all these thing in her heart.

I drew the picture on the left, but the picture on the art is a picture I took of a Christmas card sent to me by Bishop Jack Snyder. The art was done by David P. Hammer on Federal Death Row, Terre Haute, IN (www.deathrowspeaks.info) @ 2003 Sisters of Mercy – Proceeds to help children at risk.

I will conclude with a quote by Camille D’Arienzo, RSM on the inside of this Christmas Card:

May each tree

we see

remind us

God will find us

in the forests

of our lives

if we but leave

a little clearing

for the Christ Child’s

reappearing.

The miracle

survives.

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May the blessings of Christmas

be yours to cherish, celebrate and share.

Beloved, thanks for taking the journey with Catholic Stewards of Creation and me.

O Holy Night and Best Christmas Ever

Father Ron sings O Holy Night. Let us support our troops. The birth of Christ and the death of Christ are the true reason for celebrating CHRIST-MASS. The drawing of Mary and Jesus was is by Judy Green. Let us support our troops and strive for peace on earth.

Love, joy, peace,

Father Ron Moses +

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