THE CHRISTMAS EVE CRUSH OF SHOPPING, SOCIALIZING, SPIRITUALIZING, THE SEASON OF WHICH JESUS IS THE REASON..........

I am up extra early on this Christmas Eve morning to watch my News 10 friend and Good Morning anchor, Dan Elliott and his colleagues with the day's first news.  Dan and company have just reported Santa has been making his rounds since about 3 am our time, and has just left New Guinea, on the way to Australia.  On the sadder side they are also reporting a five employee theft at an Auburn UPS Store, of a customer's Christmas package, containing a laptop.  All five employees were fired for their conspiracy of stealing the package !!!!!  Final hours of Shopping comprise much of today for many people, including me; let me explain.  Christmas shopping in my family only began on Christmas Eve afternoon, when my father was paid at the Campbell Soup Company for Christmas.  Thus I have maintained as an adult and a priest, the tradition of doing some of my Christmas shopping today, as I will this morning, in memory of my mother and father, and our family Christmases.  As I am a vehement advocate of not frontloading the holidays artificially, I also shop  for the nominal gifts of the season I share with loved ones, during the coming sixteen days of the Christmas Season, as well, and not because I'm cheap !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Ha, Ha, He, He, !!!!!  I will also put up my Nativity Scene in the rectory this afternoon, as the 4 pm hour comes, and then preside at the 5 pm Christmas Vigil Mass, which as it is in most parishes - is a Children's Liturgy; including their participation in telling the Christmas Story, at the Gospel Proclamation.  Whatever your Christmas Eve day holds, may it be filled with the spirit of the season, whether it be shopping, socializing, spiritualizing, or working - and bring you and your family, friends, and fellow believers, closer to the heart of the, "Reason for the Season" : JESUS THE CHRIST.  Time to pray and get ready for the 8 am Mass..........Happy Christmas Eve To You,   Fr.  Troy