Yesterday my computer decided to go on strike. It turned itself off - and on again - 6 times before it decided that it wanted to work properly, at which point i had gone down to use Chris' computer, which she kindly let me borrow for a while.
At church on Christmas morning - when it was still empty - i took some photos, hoping to put them on the blog but my sister's computer refused to accept them/their format and decided to give me a further fright by indicating that my sd card was corrupted ...noooo i had my last photos from Egypt in there!!! :-(
My external drive, attached to Chris' computer for that short while, stopped working too and at this point i was CONVINCED that "technology" was trying to drive me crazy - that thing has a whole lot of photos videos, ppts, documents and what not in there!
I decided to try my computer again and THANK GOD - after another few times of turning itself off and on again - it stayed ON. I tried the drive and the sd card and both were working HAMDU LILL-E!
I emptied the sd card onto the drive and decided i would not blog until today.
...but today there was no time so only now i'm blogging a bit ...or a lot...
Without Christ, there is no Christmas ...no REAL Christmas anyway. Yeah there's commerce and feasts and gifts and lights and christmas trees, wine perhaps and lots of laughing (i don't drink - the wine's not for me) but it would be empty, literally X-mas.
In our family, as with many families in Malta and round the world, thank God, we celebrate the birth of Christ - the child God who left heaven to dwell among us.
The photo at the top of the page is that of the baby Jesus in our home - very much like what many Maltese families would have - and below are some more photos of the real Christmas - that at the centre of which is Christ :-)
The heart of the "Presepju" (crib)
which dad makes in our home each year
which dad makes in our home each year
In church:
The church during midnight Mass
The altar
The Presepju (crib)
The Baby Jesus in the crib
- it appears all white in the other photos!
"The Nativity"
Children's drawings in church for everyone to see
The Christmas Tree decorated with angels,
below it are the cribs which the children made this year
And as each year, we had the "Priedka tat-Tifel" (The Boy's Sermon). This year, the "sermon" was given by 7-year old Luca - with a little introduction by his "guardian angel" played by his sister. They were both extremely well prepared, speaking clearly and making it one great homily which all of us enjoyed :-) Below are two pictures of both children during the "Priedka".
And if you'd like to listen to it, CLICK HERE.
Although this has been a LOOOONG post, i am posting one last thing for today. Whilst grateful to God for His blessings, I ask that He continues to bless all those i know, love or care about and to bless especially those who feel alone, are in hospitals and in prisons, and those persecuted because of the Gospel. I pray especially for a friend that God may strengthen and give peace, hope and joy - especially in times of trials.
This is what i wanted to post - it is what God desires of us:
This below is a translation of the words:
Look at him waiting in the terrible cold of night
Everywhere he knocks he finds full houses (and no place for him)
It is as though the heart of man no longer knows how to show mercy!
Look at him passing through streets all lit up
Each house has a crib and statues
From the inside comes hymns and cheerful songs
But this music and these hymns have no meaning:
He does not want to hear the nice music of the angels
Nor see a bright shining star
He wants to live among people who live in harmony
He wants to find your heart capable of loving!
He wants to find your heart capable of loving!
The cold he feels is not the cold of winter
The darkness around him is not that of night
The cold comes from hearts as cold as marble
The darkness is the lack of light caused by sin.
He does not want to hear the nice music of the angels
Nor see a bright shining star
He wants to live among people who live in harmony
He wants to find your heart capable of loving!
He wants to find your heart capable of loving!
Do not fear! Let him find shelter in your heart!
Make a fire in your heart that he may be warm
Let him shine as the stars shine
Sing with your brothers: PEACE ON EARTH!
He does not want to hear the nice music of the angels
Nor see a bright shining star
He wants to live among people who live in harmony
He wants to find your heart capable of loving!
He wants to find your heart capable of loving! (x2)
Words and Music Fr.Karm Debattista MSSP, Malta.
A blessed New Year
to you and your loved ones :-)
