Tree of Life

*Please celebrate wisely and don’t drink and drive or allow anyone who’s been drinking to drive home. Uber and AAA have resources for free and safe trips home.* January 1st marks the beginning of New Year in the West but all through the year many religions and cultures celebrate their New Year at different times. Chinese New Year varies year to year as it follows the lunar cycle as opposed to the solar cycle like the West.  Celebrating the New Year in America and Worldwide New Year’s Day is a time to ask God for blessings on the year that is newly born and we make resolutions for the year to come. The Church exhorts us to pray the Veni Creator Spiritus to gain an indulgence * for the opening of the New Year. January 1st also marks the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and World Peace Day!  New Year falls when it does due to the implementation of the Gregorian Calendar. The colors for New Year are often gold for luck and white for peace. The inclusion of black I believe is t...

CHRISTUS NATUS EST !   CHRIST IS BORN! Today we celebrate the festival of our salvation. The Word is made Flesh and dwells among us! At Midnight in a stable at Bethlehem as the world holds its breath in hope filled longing the Immaculate Virgin Mary gives birth to the Son of God! Christmas gets its name from the translation of  “Christ’s Mass” because of the Mass offered to celebrate Christ at His birth. In fact the different Masses offered for Christmas have different devotional titles:  The "Angels' Mass", held at midnight as Christmas Eve turns to Christmas Day. The "Shepherds' Mass", held on Christmas morning. The "Mass of the Divine World", also known as the "Kings' Mass", held during the day on Christmas.* Christmas in Bethlehem  (At approx 2:10:00 the procession to the Cave of the Nativity begins.) Christmas Mass with St. Gertrude (p 295)  At Midnight on Christmas Eve, the hour when Jesus was born in accord with the time of...