Photo was taken yesterday at Col’iste Choilm, Ballincollig, Co.Cork (Irl)

This Christmas display was added to the main social area of the school yesterday. On a day when it poured rain all day (at least in Cork anyway) it was nice to see a team of TY students put some lovely festive colour together. Another team is working on the crib which will go up today.

Thought on Tuesday – December – 13/12/2011

‘We need to show that the message of Jesus is indeed good news, not boring or suffocating or restrictive but extraordinary, life-enhancing and life changing good news.’ ~Gerard Moloney

There is little point complaining about the commercial side of Christmas. Nothing can stop this momentum but at least today so many are being careful in spending wisely and carefully. The Credit Union Movement have an appropriate catchphrase this year: “Let the only person in red this Christmas be Santa”. Likewise it’s futile in giving out about things we cannot change. Much more important is to nurture and encourage what is glaringly obvious. This is the good news that makes up every single one of us. No one is perfect, no one has everything straight forward or easy. But our good news is ours. It is healthy, important and life giving. Equally the good news of Jesus in our Gospel stories is extraordinary, life-enhancing and life changing. But it often gets lost in a lot of unnecessary complaining, wishful thinking and idle projects that go on around us. The challenge is to bring this good news alive and to believe that it does make a difference. This is at the heart of the Christmas message. The birth of Jesus is a reminder of God with us and among us. It’s not just about some event in the past but all about the difference it can make in our lives right now.