With the Holy time of the birth of Our Saviour, Lord and Master, with us again I would like to thank you all for your support and your prayers which I always need in doing God’s Holy will.

As all who follow the Lord know it is a difficult time to live the faith as the world tries to lead people away from God and into self. Even in this Holy time people are encouraged by the world to think more about their enjoyment, shopping and what they will receive instead of focusing on the true message of Christmas.

As Catholics, which is the fullness of Christianity, we are called in this time to think about why God came to earth. What He offered and continues to offer to mankind. How much He loves mankind and how His life showed His love. How as Catholics we are called to a full imitation of Him in offering ourselves in love to all so that His love can be seen in our lives.

In this Holy time it is good to reflect on how God came to those of whom many would reject Him, seek to harm Him and finally take His life. Through this reflection it should then be apparent that if we are to live as He calls us to, at all times not just in this time, we too have to be prepared to go out to those who reject The Lord and in our lives for Him show them the truth of His love.

Just as the Lord came into the world as a sweet innocent child, we too should go out to the world with a sweet innocent child-like love of God and others.

Just as the Lord was not afraid to show His love neither should we be.

Just as the Lord prayed for the people of the world to accept His Divine truth so should we by making our lives prayers of love unafraid of the consequences of doing so.

Today so many Catholics are afraid to spread their faith, afraid to speak of Jesus, The Lord, and afraid to truly follow in the footsteps of The Son of God.

Let our gift to The Lord on this celebration of His birthday be our commitment to do His Holy will, taking His love out to all in actions, in prayers and in a total devotion to Him.

Let us pray for all to be converted be they Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Protestants, Atheists, Agnostics and yes even those who follow the Evil one. Let us pray for everyone.

Let us show in our actions to all people we are totally committed to The Lord and in love of Him that we are unafraid of the world and those who would seek to stop us.

Let us show how devoted to Him we are by devoting our lives to serving Him and serving others so as to bring them to the fullness of God’s love.

This Christmas we should now seek to give ourselves as gifts to God and to others instead of expecting gifts from Him and from others. It is when we truly do this then we can be confident that God will, by the power of His Holy Spirit, give us all the gifts and graces we need to live as He asks.

My hope this Christmas is that I, like all of you, can do this and in doing so can be a true follower of The Lord Jesus, God’s only Son, who with the Father and The Holy Spirit is truly one.

God love you,

Alan Ames