Well, here we are on Christmas Eve. It's the thirty-eighth of my pilgrimage in this world, the eighteenth of my baptism, the tenth of my religious life, and the third of my priesthood. I have the Vigil Mass tonight for the first time, which means my first chance to preach on St. Matthew's genealogy! So a merry Christmas to you, Abraham and David, Amminadab and Zerubbabel. Watch out Tamar and Bathsheba; this homily will be your time to shine.
Later on I will concelebrate at our missa in nocte with the pastor. It will be at ten p.m., following the current Roman custom (how deeply we are invested in a Franciscan liturgical praxis!) I intend to offer the Mass for all of you and your intentions, the regular readers of a minor friar and for all the friends that I have met through blogging. It has been a genuinely providential experience for me to have this means of expressing myself and exploring ideas, to meet so many devout souls and to have a chance to reflect together.
It's the best way I can thank you. Form your intentions if you wish; the Mass tonight is for them.
Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
15 comments:
thank you so much...God bless you & i will remember you tonight during Mass too. Merry Christmas!
Thank you, Father and Merry Christmas! :-)
Thank you, Father, and Merry Christmas prayers to you too!
I will treasure this in my heart.
My sincere thanks for you and your blog. It has been enlightening on many occasions and your homilies have offered me many opportunities for reflection. Merry Christmas to you and may you be abundantly blessed!!! Cathy
Merry Christmas Father.
It is also the 38th Christmas in my pilgrimage in this world! What a wonderful thing to share with you. It is the 12th since my profession of faith. I have some "conditional" sacraments, so only Heaven knows for sure my other numbers.
Working in the financial world for years, like St. Matthew, has given me a greater appreciation for his "accounting" of the Birth of the Lord.
Venite adoramus!
If you could include the conversion of my parents (Ron and Jane) in your intentions I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you.
Thank you so much... you are in my daily prayers... the reconversion of my sons and a return to health for 2 of them would be my intentions...
Your blog has become a "must read" for me... God's blessings be with you today and always...
Merry Christmas to you Father!
When I take my family to St. Francis of Assisi Church here in Cordova, Tn., for our Christmas mass tonight, I will pray for you and your intentions as well.
God Bless you always,
CordovaJim
Please pray that my family will receive the grace of sobriety, and that their hearts undergo a conversion.
Please pray for me, so I will have the strength to assist them when needed.
Thank you very much.
Yes, prayers, please, for conversion, or reversion of children and conversion of spouses.
Bless you!
Thank you, Father!
My intention is formed.
Thank you, Father.
I feel compelled to tell you that my intention is for my continued discernment with your Franciscan sisters, the Poor Clares.
I hope you have a prayerful and joyous Christmas. I am offering Mass tomorrow for priests, and I will remember you and your intentions in particular.
How kind! May you have a blessed Christmas!
thank you, Fr. C, for your prayers for us and merry Christmas to you! prayers for you, too! the vigil Mass was so beautiful and i was happy to be a part of it. PEACE! ~tara t~
Father Charles, I hope you enjoy all the blessings of the Christmas octave and have peace and every blessing in 2010. Thanks for your online ministry, which means so much to those of us who visit your site regularly.
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