It was Brian, (Scolaire Bocht) from the forum. He drove two hours to get here. I admire his commitment and energy. He makes other very good videos. I have a sneaky feeling there will be other people wanting to make videos before I leave for Spain. I also expect a lot of kick back from bad people. But hopefully I will be gone before they can get me.
There are loads and loads of good things that are about to happen and that are happening in the World and in the Church as well. Great Signs and Wonders, huge Miracles, great saints. Its not all doom and gloom.
Thank God it turned out alright. There is nothing worse than watching and listening to yourself on video. It makes me cringe. But I could watch that one fine so I knew it was alright, thank God. Good tech helps.
It was lovely. And I understood every word! ( not easy for me when listening to Sr Clare Crockett's family from Derry)
Padraig it was a great job. Everyone I met Padraig today. I'm from Belfast. Padraig an absolute gent and we did a few laps of the local waterworks. Never met him before. It was like a duck in the water. The dog is awesome and not to be messed with
I enjoyed it thoroughly, Padraig! I'm glad I took the time now before the time crunch around Christmas takes control!
You see things from the other side of the altar Terry, it must be so different! I resolved a long time ago not to take the secular side of Christmas too seriously. So no Christmas Cards or presents. No going visiting other people. Just more prayer. I have never really regretted opting out of all the frenzy. Although of course I understand for family people it is just about impossible. I did always love putting up the Christmas trees and decorations but this year because I am moving I threw out all my Christmas stuff weeks ago so my home remains dull and dark. Our Pastor went home to Canada on a visit early were he celebrated his grand mother 96th birthday. It must be lovely there in the snow. Christmas is in the heart. It is all about making a little bed there for the baby Jesus. I hope He can find a place to cuddle up and sleep. My favourite meditation on Christmas was always Padre Pio's. It is a Great Sign of how often he said the rosary and meditated on the Feast. https://bigccatholics.blogspot.com/2015/12/padre-pios-christmas-meditation.html Padre Pio's Christmas Meditation Far into the night, at the coldest time of the year, in a chilly grotto, more suitable for a flock of beasts than for humans, the promised Messiah – Jesus – the savior of mankind, comes into the world in the fullness of time. There are none who clamor around him: only an ox and an ass lending their warmth to the newborn infant; with a humble woman, and a poor and tired man, in adoration beside him. Nothing can be heard except the sobs and whimpers of the infant God. And by means of his crying and weeping he offers to the Divine justice the first ransom for our redemption. He had been expected for forty centuries; with longing sighs the ancient Fathers had implored his arrival. The sacred scriptures clearly prophesy the time and the place of his birth, and yet the world is silent and no one seems aware of the great event. Only some shepherds, who had been busy watching over their sheep in the meadows, come to visit him. Heavenly visitors had alerted them to the wondrous event, inviting them to approach his cave. So plentiful, O Christians, are the lessons that shine forth from the grotto of Bethlehem! Oh how our hearts should be on fire with love for the one who with such tenderness was made flesh for our sakes! Oh how we should burn with desire to lead the whole world to this lowly cave, refuge of the King of kings, greater than any worldly palace, because it is the throne and dwelling place of God! Let us ask this Divine child to clothe us with humility, because only by means of this virtue can we taste the fullness of this mystery of Divine tenderness. Glittering were the palaces of the proud Hebrews. Yet, the light of the world did not appear in one of them. Ostentatious with worldly grandeur, swimming in gold and in delights, were the great ones of the Hebrew nation; filled with vain knowledge and pride were the priests of the sanctuary. In opposition to the true meaning of Divine revelation, they awaited an officious savoir, who would come into the world with human renown and power. But God, always ready to confound the wisdom of the world, shatters their plans. Contrary to the expectations of those lacking in Divine wisdom, he appears among us in the greatest abjection, renouncing even birth in St. Joseph’s humble home, denying himself a modest abode among relatives and friends in a city of Palestine. Refused lodging among men, he seeks refuge and comfort among mere animals, choosing their habitation as the place of his birth, allowing their breath to give warmth to his tender body. He permits simple and rustic shepherds to be the first to pay their respects to him, after he himself informed them, by means of his angels, of the wonderful mystery. Oh wisdom and power of God, we are constrained to exclaim – enraptured along with your Apostle – how incomprehensible are your judgments and unsearchable your ways! Poverty, humility, abjection, contempt, all surround the Word made flesh. But we, out of the darkness that envelops the incarnate Word, understand one thing, hear one voice, perceive one sublime truth: you have done everything out of love, you invite us to nothing else but love, speak of nothing except love, give us naught except proofs of love. The heavenly babe suffers and cries in the crib so that for us suffering would be sweet, meritorious and accepted. He deprives himself of everything, in order that we may learn from him the renunciation of worldly goods and comforts. He is satisfied with humble and poor adorers, to encourage us to love poverty, and to prefer the company of the little and simple rather than the great ones of the world. This celestial child, all meekness and sweetness, wishes to impress in our hearts by his example these sublime virtues, so that from a world that is torn and devastated an era of peace and love may spring forth. Even from the moment of his birth he reveals to us our mission, which is to scorn that which the world loves and seeks. Oh let us prostrate ourselves before the manger, and along with the great St. Jerome, who was enflamed with the love of the infant Jesus, let us offer him all our hearts without reserve. Let us promise to follow the precepts which come to us from the grotto of Bethlehem, which teach us that everything here below is vanity of vanities, nothing but vanity.
I'm from Derry But I do know what you mean... We talk exceptionally fast they say. Its because of our quick wit and higher intelligence ye see
