institutional christmas party 2011

8/3/2019 Institutional Christmas Party 2011

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The mystery of the incarnation is at theheart of the celebration of Christmas.

Jesus the Prince of peace, Emmanuel,God is with us was born to redeem usand to reconcile humanity to God.

Christmas marks the birth of ourredemption and the fulfillment of thepromised of salvation made by God to thepeople of Israel.


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Pope Benedicts Message for Christmas in

2005At Christmas, the Almighty becomes a child

and asks for our help and protection. His way ofshowing that he is God challenges our way of

being human. By knocking at our door, hechallenges us and our freedom; he calls us toexamine how we understand and live our lives.

The modern age is often seen as an awakening ofreason from its slumbers, humanitysenlightenment after an age of darkness.


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Yet without the light of Christ, the light ofreason is not sufficient to enlightenhumanity and the world. For this reason, thewords of the Christmas Gospel: "the trueLight that enlightens every man was cominginto this world" (Jn 1:9) resound now morethan ever as a proclamation of salvation. "It

is only in the mystery of the Word madeflesh that the mystery of humanity trulybecomes clear" .


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OPENING PRAYER

Father in Heaven, this joyful evening isradiant with the brilliance of your one truelight. May that light illuminate our hearts

and shine in our words and deeds. May thehope, the peace, the joy, and the loverepresented by the birth in Bethlehem fill ourlives and become part of all that we say and

do. May we share the divine life of your sonJesus Christ, even as he humbled himselfto share our humanity.


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Jesus, the Light of the World, as we celebrate yourbirth may we begin to see the world in the light

of the understanding you give us. As you chose thelowly, the outcasts, and the poor to receive thegreatest news the world had ever known, so may we

worship you in meekness of heart. May we also

remember our brothers and sisters less fortunatethan ourselves in this season of giving.

Almighty Father, bless us and the feast that Youhave provided for us, let us be thankful for the truegift of Christmas, your Son. Amen.


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OPENING SONG

READING: Luke 2:1-7 (The Birth of Jesus)

In those days a decree went out from CaesarAugustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This wasthe first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Josephtoo went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea,to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he wasof the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary,his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there,

the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth toher firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes andlaid him in a manger, because there was no room for them inthe inn.


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The people walking indarkness

have seen a great light;on those living in the land of

the shadow of deatha light has dawned


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Guide Questions:


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a) What do you think

the best (lasting)

Christmas presentyour self needs this

Christmas?


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b) What do you think you

can offer to help yourbuddy attain his/her

best (lasting)Christmas present this

Christmas?


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TALK OF S. PRECY

GIVING OF GIFTS


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CLOSING PRAYER

Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that

we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness ofthe shepherds, and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over

the world. Let kindness come with every gift and gooddesires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by theblessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry

with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be yourchildren, and Christmas evening bring us to our bedswith grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus'

sake. Amen.

institutional christmas party 2011

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