“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him,
and without Him nothing was made that was made.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of menAnd the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
John 1.1-4, 14
and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
What a good night’s sleep.
The bed was lovely and warm and cosy. I could have stayed there all day. I was told I couldn’t though.
It was Aderyn’s Christmas play this morning. I saw the future being set out in front of me. They were telling the story of the birth of my Son.
I though we could have a quiet afternoon as there were no other activities planned. I needed a rest after such a busy time before continuing our journey tomorrow.
No such luck.
Even a quiet afternoon at home is exhausting at the Baulch house. Llywelyn is a very lively chap with so much energy and full of mischief. I wonder if Jesus is going to be such hard work at 2 years old.
La Posada is a South American Advent custom which we have brought to our Parish this year!
‘Posada’ means a roadside ‘inn’ and refers to the various places in which Mary and Joseph stayed on their way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, while awaiting the birth of Jesus.
The Posada (the image of The Holy Family prior to the Birth of Jesus) travels around our. homes during Advent, spending a night here and there (as did Our Lady and S Joseph), sharing in the lives of those who offer them ‘shelter’. The final hosts bring the Posada to the Crib Service in Church on Christmas Eve, representing the arrival of the Holy Family in Bethlehem.
The en route ‘hosts’ keep a ‘diary’ of what happens (from the point of view of the Holy Family as it were) and have an opportunity to reflect on what it means to have Jesus ‘hidden’ yet Present at the heart of our circumstances (with all our joys and challenges), just as did Mary and Joseph as they journeyed towards Bethlehem that first Christmas, many years ago. Keep checking this site and Facebook as we will be sharing the diary entries and pictures as La Posada makes its special journey this Advent.
Whether or not we host the Posada, that message is for each one of us as we approach Christmas 2016 – and every year.
Happy New Year to all! Pictures from our celebration of the Epiphany with the Blessing of Chalk ceremonies.
Photos from our 2013 Christmas Eve Crib Service
