Never
say “Happy Holidays.” The secular term means nothing and only serves
to erase the memory of Christ from Christmas and the Holy Season we
celebrate.
Avoid “X-Mas” too. Wherever you go, wish
others Merry Christmas: at the supermarket, on the phone, in emails.
You’ll be surprised. Many will appreciate your conviction.
Warning: A few may not appreciate it. Don’t let it bother you. Say a prayer for them.
Hang beautiful Christmas ornaments from
your doors and windows. Pick up some large poster board and markers at
the bookstore and make signs that read, for example, “Just Say Merry
Christmas!” Write with big clear letters. Tape one sign to your window
facing out for everyone to see. Place another on your door. Encourage
your friends to do the same.
Send a Christmas card with a religious
message to your friends. Mention that you will pray for them. You can
also send a card to your town mayor or elected representative. Also,
look for an opportunity to write a letter to the editor of your local
newspaper about Christmas. Letters receive avid and wide readership. Try
it.
The message is ready to go. Just download and print this inspiring reflection (To download, you need Adobe Reader, available for free here.)
Give the flyer to your friends and
family. Include it in your Christmas cards. Post it on bulletin boards
or wherever people will read it. Share it far and wide.
Set
up a Nativity scene in your town square or in a visible public place.
Invite your friends to help. Be creative. Sing traditional Christmas
carols like Silent Night. Pray the Joyful mysteries of the
Rosary as a group. Meet for refreshments afterwards. Talk about the
meaning of Christmas. Keep it simple.
Or do a Public Rosary Rally for Christmas - Click here to find out more!
For legal help in case you face opposition, please contact the Alliance Defending Freedom. They are quick and effective free help. Phone: 1-800-TELL-ADF. Fax: 480-444-0025. Website: www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org
Find an Adoration Chapel near
you, ask your friends to join you for a holy hour before Our Lord in
the Blessed Sacrament in honor of Christmas. Mark your calendar for a
convenient time. Evenings are best. After your holy hour, go out for
dinner, or get a good cup of coffee or hot cider and have a discussion
about the significance of Christmas.
Those suffering in hospitals and nursing
homes faintly remember the joy of Christmas. Illness, pain and
loneliness overwhelm them. It is a work of mercy to visit the sick.
You can bring them Christmas cheer. Your local nursing home likely
welcomes visitors. Take something to give away; for example, Miraculous
Medals. Everyone likes them. To order Miraculous Medals, call 1-888-317-5571.
Advent prepares us to celebrate the Birth
of Our Lord worthily. We should erect a throne in our souls to receive
the King of kings. For that reason, it is an excellent time to make a
good Confession before Christmas and make sacrifices. For example, give
up watching TV or surfing the Internet.
Thank them for their sacrifice and
service. Show them your support. Wish the troops a blessed Christmas
and tell them you will remember them in your prayers or thoughts during
Midnight Mass. Remind them people back home appreciate the military. Click here to send your Christmas cards to the troops.
Christmas
is vehemently opposed by secularist groups such as the ACLU, Freedom
From Religion, and Americans United For Separation of Church and State.
If these pressure groups had their way, nativity scenes, Christian
Christmas carols, and religious symbols would be swept from the public
square.
So we Catholics should take the
initiative and set up Nativity Scenes on public property all across
America. The Supreme Court has decided that we have this right.
Matt Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, explains:
“In contrast to a publicly sponsored
nativity scene on public property, a privately sponsored nativity scene
on public property does not need a secular symbol to be constitutional.
For example, some towns allow private citizens to put up signs or
displays on public property. In that case, if a church sponsors a
nativity scene on public property, there is no requirement that a
secular symbol be placed within the context. The requirement of the
secular symbol only arises when a nativity scene is sponsored by the
government. To avoid any confusion, the privately sponsored nativity
scene should probably have a sign acknowledging the private
sponsorship.”
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