Last Sunday in church, leaflets with the following ‘Christmas Ten Commandments’ were handed out and the parish priest Fr. Joe Andrews discussed them with the congregation.
- You shall not leave ‘Christ’ out of Christmas, making it ‘Xmas’. Christ is the reason for the season.
- You shall prepare your soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that your soul is forgotten (a good confession is a nice way to prepare your hear for Christmas)
- You shall not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality. (Prepare yourself with prayer and the Word of God.)
- You shall not neglect your church. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.
- You shall not neglect the needy. Share they blessings with the many who will go hungry and cold unless you are generous.
- You shall not neglect thy family during this season. You shall not forget the elderly and those who are lonely at Christmas time.
- You shall not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold. You shall give yourself with your gift. This will increase its value a hundred fold, and he who receives it shall treasure it forever.
- You shall prepare your home with Christmas symbols (the crib, Christmas carols, the Advent wreath, the star, the angels, the Christmas tree, etc.)
- You shall be as a little child. Not until you have become in spirit as a little one are you ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
- You shall give your heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of your Christmas list.
This is exactly how Christmas should be, the real meaning of Christmas can be found in traditional carols, where you hear of herald angels proclaiming the good news, the three wise men travelling from afar guided by a star, and the shepherds walking to see the King of Creation who was born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. I love these soul stirring carols… they resound with peace, joy, hope and triumph. This carol by Scotty McCreery is one such song and he performs it beautifully.
do you know who xtina is . if you don't still then read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas :p
Karen:
That was spot-on. Thanks for the remainder.
Joy always,
Susan
Thanks for sharing this! A bit early may be but wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas in advance 🙂
I have never heard these commandments, but thank you for posting them. They do go straight to the heart.