Dear friends,
Merry Christmas! Doubtless the supermarket shelves are now laden with Easter eggs – but for us as Christians, the celebration of our Saviour’s Birth is just beginning! Although these days immediately after Christmas represent for many people the welcome chance to slow down, and to recover following the festivities, nevertheless this is also a rich and holy time in the calendar of the Church. It was our friend and brother the late Peter Coe who suggested I might write to you to say more about the Feasts of the Christmas Octave.
Today at 6pm we will celebrate the Mass of St Stephen, the first martyr (or “protomartyr”): a deacon, he prayed for his persecutors as he was stoned to death – amongst them the Pharisee Saul of Tarsus, who was converted to Christianity and became the great missionary apostle, St Paul. There is an image of St Stephen on the stairs to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
Friday’s 9.30am Mass commemorates St John, apostle and evangelist – and the author of the fourth Gospel, as well as the three letters in the New Testament which bear his name, and the final book of the New Testament. He was present at the Transfiguration, the Crucifixion and the discovery of the Resurrection. His Gospel identifies him as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved‘, and to whom he confided the care of his mother Mary, Our Lady. His symbol is an eagle, and is present in one of our stained glass windows: can you find it?
On Saturday morning at 9.30am we will celebrate Mass of the Holy Innocents, those poor children slain by King Herod in Bethlehem as he sought the infant Christ – later made the subject of the beautiful “Coventry Carol”. As we think of them, so we think of the countless nameless, innocent children and others slain in the name of hatred – recognising that, though unknown to the world, yet each of them is known and precious to God. We appreciate likewise that our small, unnoticed sacrifices have value in God’s eyes. To hide him from Herod, the bambino in our Crib scene will be covered with a cloth throughout this Mass.
Fr Mike, Ryan and I are hugely grateful for your best wishes, kind cards and Christmas gifts; a massive thank you likewise to all whose hard work has made our celebration of Christmas this year so special – including our musicians, sidesmen and servers, as well as those who delivered Christmas invitations to the parish, arranged flowers and cleaned and decorated the church. Very hearteningly, Christmas attendance continued to increase on previous years, both specifically at Midnight Mass, and overall across all services – despite this year foregoing a separate children’s service, in favour of a focus on our ministry to schools and uniformed organisations. We give God thanks and pray for the 142 people who came to Midnight Mass and on Christmas morning.
This coming Sunday will be the final opportunity to contribute to this months’s collection in aid of the work of Crisis UK. Next week on New Year’s Day, Wednesday 1 January 2025, Mass will be celebrated at 12 noon (no public Morning Prayer) – and followed by a bring-and-share lunch in the Hall: please confirm your contribution to Pat this weekend.
Please find attached two Epiphanytide invitations – to St Andrew, Holborn with Bishop Jonathan on Wednesday, 8 January; and to St Cuthbert, Philbeach Gardens for Carols and Benediction, on Sunday 12.
May the joy of Mary and Joseph, and the peace of the Christ Child, be always yours,
Fr Richard