THE P RTAL
January 2015
Australia Pages - page 8
Packing up after Christmas
J T Stockman contemplates the aftermath of Christmas
Recently, like
Australia
Pages
many a grandparent, I attended the Nativity play presented by the local
Catholic school. It was a happy occasion, Mums and Dads (with a strong representation of the ‘oldies’)
accompanied their children, of varying ages, to witness their youngsters and siblings ‘strut the boards’ to
convey the time honoured details surrounding the birth of our Saviour.
In the lead up to the play, excitement manifested
itself in the children’s homes as they learned their lines,
practised the movements and anticipated the cues in
order to give their personal witness to this important
event in the Christian calendar.
Unquestionably, mercantile influences of Christmas
would be apparent in many of these children’s homes.
Christmas trees would adorn living rooms, festoons and
bun ting would decorate the walls and contemporary
‘Santa Sacks’ would, in time, be presented to the grand
children who would receive the much anticipated
presents.
responded to a call of nature at a most inopportune
moment; the sentiments and pleasure of the occasion
were appreciated by all, evidenced by the cheerful buzz
and camaraderie at the post play sausage sizzle.
It was a great involvement, a happy gathering, as
the school prepared to break for the year and families
cheerfully departed for their respective homes to
celebrate, in a few days’ time, the traditional meaning
of Christmas at their festive table.
authenticity of the Christmas message
Now as the season draws to a close, as we prepare to
take down the tree, the festoons, the lights and pack
presented in loving simplicity
them away for another year; let us not pack up the
But here, we were able to dismiss the authenticity of the Christmas message, the wonderful
commercialisation of the outside world and avoid gift God has presented to us in the Christ Child. Let us
the aggravating politically correct substitute cry of allow His presence to remain in our hearts throughout
“Happy Holidays”. Here the ever relevant meaning the year and strive to epitomise the love he has shown.
of Christmas was presented in loving simplicity. On
this early evening, we were able to peek through the
Christmas is not just another holiday; it is a
curtains and see the children’s interpretation of that momentous occasion, so beautifully prophesied in the
wonderful story when God became man to experience book of Isaiah, where it is recorded:
our human condition.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son
A wonderfully joyful experience was shared by
is given: and the government shall be upon
all. It didn’t matter that wise-man ‘Casper’ stumbled
his shoulder: and his name shall be called
and ‘presented’ his gift of gold to the floor some
Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the
metres distant from the Holy Family, nor that a
everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”
sheep, borrowed for the occasion from a local farm,
[Isaiah 9:6]
Mr Packer: you were wrong!
Fr Ramsay Williams OLSC answers a comment made by Kerry Packer
According to
Fr Ramsay Williams OLSC, Australia’s richest man, multi-billionaire Kerry
Packer, famously mocked God [and by implication all believers] following a near death experience in
1990. He declared: “I’ve been to the other side and let me tell you son … there’s !!!!!! nothing there ... there’s
no one waiting there for you, there’s no one to judge you, so you can do what you !!!!!! well like.
Packer suffered a critical heart attack playing Hospital, Sydney, where he underwent bypass surgery
polo at Warwick Farm, Sydney. He was revived by from pioneer cardiac surgeon Victor Chang. Packer
paramedics and was airlifted to St Vincent’s Private survived another fifteen years.
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