“Sometimes we stop at 'pretty' when, if we push through a little deeper, we can get to 'beautiful.'"
A Short Christmas Story
December 23, 2020
By the time you read this, I’m gonna jump the gun (only about 30 hours or so) and wish you a Merry Christmas on behalf of me and the entire staff. Things are so different this year, and it really has me thinking about how much “wonderful” we have taken for granted over the years. Christmas Eve is my busiest day of the year (for both me and Santa - right?) and this year it will be much, much quieter. The very chaos for which I used to brace myself I would now gladly welcome.
Last week our school finished its first semester, and remarkably we remained up and running (for the most part) the entire time. Our middle school did have to go to an online format after Thanksgiving, but truly, we are so happy with how things went and are keeping fingers crossed as we look to January.
In an attempt to reach out while our 6th, 7th and 8th grades were learning from home, our principal read a favorite short story of hers and followed up with a couple quick reflective questions. She videoed it and asked me to do a little bit of editing so that we could put it out to the students who were going through the extra stress of trying to stay socially engaged in class while physically remaining at home.
I was unfamiliar with the short story and by the time I had finished the editing process it had become a new favorite. So although this was originally “aimed“ at our middle school I thought it would be a wonderful message for the entire parish this week as we head into the holiday. Our principal, Colleen McManamon, has not yet had the opportunity to do a Touchstone. It turns out that creating an online school while simultaneously running a modified in-person school, as well as designing and navigating “outbreak protocols” takes a minute!
So I was doubly happy to rework what we had just prepared to become this week’s Touchstone. I’m also particularly pleased that this truly becomes a Christmas message from our school to the rest of the parish.
Even though the story starts out very much like a children’s story, I really hope you’ll listen through to the end, as it has an intense, deep spiritual message for us, not just in this sacred season, but particularly in this year of loss, grief and, ultimately hope.
Have a wonderful Christmas. God bless. Be safe and be well.
~Fr. Pat
Have a wonderful Christmas. God bless. Be safe and be well.
Fr. Pat
.
In this same vein, as an accompanying song I went scavenging through my own archives to find a favorite piece that I used to sing fairly often. Not really a church composition, per se, it is a song by Stephen Schwartz about being open and prepared enough to recognize when something amazing comes along and being ready take a chance, make the change necessary and embrace the unimagined possibilities of a greater, joy-filled life.
I hope you are all continuing to be well and to actively and intentionally hunt the good moments and savor them when you can.
God Bless,
Fr. Pat
I’ve included a few more songs from the children’s choir album that I mentioned last week, “Voices Of Hope“ which I was privileged to music direct and help put together back in 2003. The offerings are:
- Hark, the Herald Angels Sing with the middle-school girl’s choir from St. Francis de Sales. The girls’ choir director was Sr. Eleanor O’Hearn, C.S.J. who was also their school principal at the time. Those of you who know her know she was a wonderful musician and her own skill certainly shone through. I remember thinking her choir was the most “adult” sounding children’s choir of the project!
- I created a medley of two favorites: I Saw Three Ships and Good Christians All, Rejoice for the students of St. Thomas More under the direction of Beth Brocker. At the time I had only been gone from that parish for about a year and a half so I was working with students I knew well and it was particularly fun to be with them in the sound studio.
- The song Silent Night was one of the pieces I decided to play with a little, trying to create something a little more upbeat and different. I ended up with a bit of a jazz waltz and, of course, the students knocked it out of the park. To this day I still don’t know which student soloed part of this, but she was really wonderful. The choir was from Our Lady of Fatima and was under the direction of Anna Phelan.
Faith Direct remains our approved partner so that parishioners can give electronically. You can securely register or update via this link. Thank you MPB for your continued generous support of the parish and our many ministries.
Please share with friends and family.
If you wish to subscribe for news and updates from Most Precious Blood, click here.