Merry Christmas to all of you -

I also feel humbuggy throughout the Christmas shopping season, but when the day itself comes, it's hard not to be a little mollified.

I have probably mentioned before that my son sings in the Petits chanteurs de Mont-Royal choir. He is 13 and in the voice changing phase of choir life. This means he is not involved in most of the concerts and things. As a result, my wife and I have been less involved and not buying tickets to such events.

On Christmas there is a midnight mass, which is probably one of the biggest annual attractions. The voice-changing boys also participate, but are split between the 9 o'clock mass and the one at midnight, whereas all the sopranos, altos and older boys have to sing both.

Anyway, since we didn't have tickets, I dropped Pavel off at the Oratory and went to the temple where I had a very nice time for a couple of hours. Then I came back to the Oratory, found I did not need a ticket to get in, and caught the last half hour of the mass, hearing the boys sing carols and hymns. It was probably not as edifying as Audarya Lila's food distribution work, but I felt edified.

If Christmas just came one day a year, I could hack it. It's seeing Christmas decorations go up after Halloween and stay up (around here anyway) until spring that sets my neck hairs bristling. There are some places, like my in-laws village in the Laurentians, that seem to have decided to just leave the Christmas lights up all year round.

Shona Nollaig fain tir na tur !

Thank you Bangli.

Here is my favorite image of Jesus, Christ Pantocrator of St. Catherine, Sinai:

http://www.worldzone.net/music/singingvoic...ud/sinsavlg.jpg

My parents had a beautiful close-up in a book of early Christian art and as a child I used to gaze at his face and wonder who he was and why everyone believe in him.

Best wishes to everyone.

I asked God-- A BEAUTIFUL PRAYER

I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it is n't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own! ,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.

God said...finally you have the idea.

May God Bless You,
"To the world you might be one person, but to one
person you just might be the world"

Radhe Radhe!

I got this in my email, thought I would share it.. it is called "The CORRECT Christmas Greeting (can't go wrong with this one)..."

From me ("the wishor") to you ("the wishee") please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2005, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or sects, and having regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:-

This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal.

This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wishor are acknowledged.

This greeting implies no promise by the wishor to actually implement any of the wishes.

This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishees in certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wishor.

This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.

The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishor. Any references in this greeting to "The Lord", "Father Christmas", "Our Saviour", "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer" or any other festive figures, whether actual or fictitious, dead or alive, shall not imply any endorsement by or from them in respect of this greeting, and all proprietary rights in any referenced third party names and images are hereby acknowledged.

This greeting is made under English Law.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!