Photo was taken in the Prayer Room in Col√°iste Choilm, Ballincollig, Co.Cork (Irl)

Some 3rd Year students relax during a Christmas Meditation. When it is there turn for time out they bring along a pillow, duvet or sleeping bag. The enthusiasm has to be seen! They lie around the room wherever they want and always look forward to this time out. The hardest job is trying to get them to move out of the Prayer Room at the end, with appeals of “Can we have some more time out!”

Thought on Wednesday – December – 18/12/2013

‘Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.’ ~former Pope Benedict

Our happiest memories of Christmas will often take us right back to our childhood. These happy memories are deeply ingrained in our memories and will never be erased. It might be the excitement of writing a letter to Santa, the excitement of finding out what Santa brought, visiting the crib in our local church, friends and relations calling over Christmas and beautiful food that simply tasted wonderful. These happy memories are sacred and precious. Most important they open doors of hope and remind us that there are some things in life that are still precious and special.

There is no perfect Christmas and all we can do with Christmas of 2013 is to do our best with it and we hope and pray that it will go well. Special and happy memories from a Christmas in the past can and are still made today. Some memories made this Christmas can often be unexpected and come unannounced. We welcome them in whatever way they come. I hope and pray that your Christmas this year will include some of these hope filled memories.