Our virtual Camino has joined us together over these past four weeks and we are closer than ever today. May you have a truly blessed and wonderful Christmas.

Our Camino is nearly at an end! There is something so special about this Christmas Eve, 2023—we have the shortest fourth week of Advent possible! It will last only a few hours before we are back to celebrate our Christmas Mass—lovingly called ‘Midnight Mass’.

Lord, thank you for the goodness in my life and for giving me my name. When I wake each morning, I praise Your name! You have given me life that is filled with beauty, and the breath in my lungs is a gift from You. I pray that You will fill my day with love and sustenance. And may I remember at the end of each of my days, to thank you for all that has been placed in my life.

Today we pray with Mary and offer our full praise and thanks to God; concentrate on the good that you have received and offer those bad memories and experiences to a God who is walking with you today.

Mary and Elizabeth are those faithful disciples who hear and keep God’s word; not only do they ‘talk the talk’, which is relatively easy to do, they ‘walk the walk’-much harder to achieve but the sign of a true disciple.

In the Annunciation dialogue, we see the reality of the situation: fear, concern, doubt and, eventually, trust with Mary’s beautiful words, ‘I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled (Lk 1:38).

Today: in this busy week leading up to Christmas Day, allow yourself the gift of silence

Christmas is not something that happened to other people many, many centuries ago. Christmas can happen every day when we bring our faith together and say to God, “Take my life. Be it done to you and be it done to me according to Your word.”

We are now well over halfway through our Camino, and the danger is that we can get so caught up with 25th December that we could miss out on the beauty that these next couple of weeks will bring us. Yes, there is shopping to be done, cards to be sent and gifts to be wrapped, but our Advent Camino is that chance to give something back to the Lord and to each other.

In today’s discussion with the disciples, Jesus sees the need to recognise the strength of prophetic witness; the prophets like John the Baptist and Elijah are faithful witnesses to God, often in the face of extreme opposition and death.

We need to ensure that we all have a proper work-life balance and that the rest times, that Jesus called for, are put into our busy schedules:

Today: if you know of a family member or friend experiencing problems and going through a ‘dark night’ reach out to them in friendship and warmth.

Lord, Jesus we thank you for your gift of rest and support.

May we take advantage of quality time spent with you

May we offer that support and care to those who are struggling today

May we be gentle and humble of heart. AMEN

In so many way, Jesus’ parable of ‘The Lost Sheep’ makes no economic sense: why would the shepherd risk the safety of the ninety-nine in favour of the lost one? It makes no sense at all unless YOU are that lost one. Jesus shows us where his pastoral priorities lie; as a Church Pope Francis constantly reminds us that our care if for everyone, not just the ones who happen to come to the church building. We are a Church of inclusivity, joy, and welcome.

Today: thank God for those friends who do anything to support us; those friends we can ring at 2.00am and not get shouted out; those friends who tell us the truth, especially when we do not want to hear it; those friends who will walk a Camino with us come rain, hail, snow, or sunshine. Thank God for real friends!

As you light that second candle and bask in the gift of peace you have been given, you can take stock of your life and point to the areas that bring you happiness-name those areas and show your gratitude.

In our gospel today, Jesus pleads for ‘good shepherds’: we see Jesus sharing his gifts with those chosen ones, the Apostles. They are called to the healing and saving message of God. In these difficult times, we need Religious Sisters. Brothers, as well as Diocesan and Religious Priests who will really care for those in parishes, schools, and streets across our land.

Far too many of our children and young people have had pressure put on them in these days; through the intercession of Mary of Nazareth, let us ask God’s blessing on these wonderful young people.

Within a week, St Ambrose was baptised, ordained a priest, and installed as Bishop of Milan on 7th December 374. There is no problem that cannot be faced once we have that love of God.

St Nicholas shared the compassion and care of Jesus in reaching out and sharing what he had with others. It is crucial that, as a Christian family, we continue to reach out and feed those in need.