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各位教友： 聖誕又快將臨近﹐下星期四已是聖誕前夕了。請大家謹記聖誕的彌撒時間﹕聖誕前夕下午六時（英文），九時（中文）﹔子夜彌撒在聖誕零時（即午夜十二時）﹔聖誕當天如主日一般在早上九時（英文），十一時半（中文），切記沒有黃昏彌撒。假如聖誕日早上未能出席彌撒，可改到St. Patrick’s主教座堂參與黃昏六時的彌撒。 在過去數週，各處商場､街道和公共場所都瀰漫著聖誕氣氛。當我仔細觀察聖誕裝飾時，我不期然對所謂「聖誕氣氛」產生了疑問。當我們都在營營役役準備聖誕禮品時，我們卻忘卻了為何要慶祝聖誕的重要意義。當我為堂區搜購聖誕樹裝飾品時，其種類的繁多，真叫人目不暇給。但教我驚訝之處，是竟然偌大的商店，連一件紀念耶穌降生的裝飾品都沒有（也許﹐我到錯了地方）。晚上，我路過很多房屋都掛上五光十色的聖誕燈飾，奈何聖家的裝飾卻寥寥可數。偶爾能見到為三賢士引路的星，又或在白冷向牧羊人報喜的天使，已讓我欣喜萬分。 我剛抵達澳洲時，一個貼紙的語句在此時節常充盈腦際﹕「耶穌是慶節之源」，相信沒有比這更真確的了﹗當然，對於沒有信奉基督的兄弟姊妹來說，聖誕極其量是一個同求歡樂､同求平安的日子。但是，作為基督的義兄弟､義姐妹的我們，耶穌本身便是我們的喜樂､我們的平安。 我誠意邀請各位活出聖誕的真正意義，無時無刻提醒自己耶穌才是聖誕慶典的主角。當然，我們亦樂於欣賞創意無窮的聖誕卡､趣味勃然的紅色派對帽子和充滿澳洲地道色彩的聖誕老人，竟然穿上配套的紅背心､紅短褲和紅拖鞋。作為基督徒的我們，喜樂應該來得更濃烈，因為我們知道這慶典引領我們到永生父之子，即耶穌跟前，脫掉罪惡，邁向天國之路。 祝大家聖誕快樂﹗ 主佑 莫靖龍神父 （此乃莫神父致教友書信之意譯，書信內容以英文為準） |
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Dear Parishioners: Christmas is almost here! Next Thursday will be the 24th of December. Please remember the times for masses in the Parish: We will have a Christmas Eve mass at 6:00pm and then the Mass at midnight （12:00 am） on Christmas Day, later on we will have the mass of the day at 9:00am as usual on Sundays, the Evening mass will be cancelled but in case that is the only time you can make it to church on Christmas Day, there will be a Mass at 6:00pm at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In the last few weeks we have seen shopping centres, streets and public building being transformed with the Christmas Spirit. However, as I walk around seeing the decorations I cannot help myself but wonder about this Christmas Spirit. Seems to me that with the endless things we need to get ready for Christmas we are forgetting about what is the main event we celebrate in this important holiday. Recently I went to a Christmas store to find some decorations for our Church and the Christmas tree, I was surprised at the different things you can get to celebrate Christmas, however, I could not find one single Nativity scene in the whole store! （Maybe I got into the wrong one）. As I drive at night I can see that some people have decorated their houses with hundreds of lights but not many houses have scenes of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. I am happy to see that some people at least have a star, reminder of the Star that guided the three wise men to Jesus or Angels, like the Angels at Bethlehem who announced to the shepherds the birth of Christ. When I recently moved to Australia, I saw a sticker that always comes to my mind in this time the year. JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON the sticker read, and how much of truth that is. Of course that with our brothers and sisters who do not profess the faith in Christ, Christmas is more a time of Joy and Peace and in a way that is true. However we need to remind ourselves that for us, who believe in Christ, He himself is our Joy, He himself is our Peace. I will invite you to keep the real spirit of Christmas alive, to remind ourselves that Jesus is the main reason why the whole festive season is here. Of course we enjoy and have a good time seeing how creative people are when it comes to Christmas with all the Christmas cards we get, people wearing red hats to their Christmas parties and even I saw a very Aussie Santa, wearing a red singlet and matching boardies and thongs, I thought that was funny! That happiness should be stronger in those who know why we have this joyful season and bring us always to remember that Jesus, the Son of the living God came to us to be one like us, but sin, and guide is in the way to the Father in Heaven. I wish you all a very happy Christmas. Peace in Jesus Fernando Montano MG |