‘May Christmas joy fill your heart’
CHARLOTTE — After weeks of preparing for Christmas, make this year’s celebration – which continues until Epiphany on Jan. 7 – a time of joy and gladness, Bishop Peter Jugis urged the faithful during midnight Mass Dec. 25 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
More than a year after work began to renovate and repair the 84-year-old cathedral, its new look was on full display for Christmas – freshly painted red, blue and gold artwork in the sanctuary and nave sparkling in the candlelight.
Christmas carols sung by the cathedral’s choir and accompanied by a trumpet and cello, lots of candles and flowers, brightly-lit Christmas trees, poinsettias and wreaths, and special prayers enhanced the festive occasion for a near-capacity crowd of 275 worshipers.
Midnight Mass began with the traditional Christmas Proclamation, followed by Bishop Jugis processing in with a statue of the baby Jesus that he placed in the manger of the cathedral’s Nativity display. He incensed the display, then knelt and led the congregation in silent prayer for several minutes.
During his homily, Bishop Jugis encouraged people to make room in their hearts for the joy that the birth of Jesus brings.
The angel’s message to the shepherds in Bethlehem, recounted in the Gospel of Luke (2:1-14), tells of the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” These words, Bishop Jugis said, are still meaningful for us today – on this “glorious day of Christmas.”
The past four weeks of Advent have been a time of waiting and hectically preparing for the arrival of the Savior, he said. In the ancient world, the word “advent” also described the visit of a king to his people.
“Well, Christmas is here! The King has come, He has arrived! He is at Bethlehem in Judea. He is visiting His kingdom, and He is here to stay with us,” the bishop said enthusiastically.
“Let us enjoy the celebration of Christ’s birth,” he said. “That word – enjoy – is key to the celebration of Christmas.”
Christmas “is a season of gladness, a season of happiness, a season of joy as we celebrate Jesus Our Savior and the gift of salvation He brings. The Lord fills our hearts with joy and He lifts our spirits as we celebrate Christmas.”
“Let us enter into the joy of Christmas with all our heart,” Bishop Jugis continued. “May Christmas joy fill your heart. May Christmas gladness fill your heart. May Christmas happiness fill your heart.
“Let us welcome Jesus our King into our hearts and into our lives once again. Let us make room for Him. In fact, let us make a lot of room for Him in our hearts and in our lives.”
He concluded with a blessing to the faithful: “May Christ Jesus bless your family and your home with His Christmas joy.”
— Patricia Guilfoyle. Photos by Troy Hull and Patricia Guilfoyle.
Comfort and solace on the ‘Longest Night’
A man lights candles on the Advent wreath during the “Mass of the Longest Night,” held Dec. 21 at St. Peter Church in downtown Charlotte, in order to give those experiencing grief, loneliness and other difficult times during the holidays a chance to find spiritual comfort. (Christina Lee Knauss | Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — The days before Christmas can be a joyful whirlwind of events and preparations for many people, but for people who are going through difficult times, it may be more difficult to see the joys. St. Peter Church in downtown Charlotte offered a special Mass Dec. 21 meant just for these people.
Called the “Mass of the Longest Night,” the evening featured reflective hymns, prayers and readings selected to offer comfort and solace to those experiencing grief, illness, loneliness or other painful events during the Christmas season.
The Mass was offered on the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. “Longest Night” services have been a tradition on the solstice for a while in Protestant churches and are just now starting to catch on among Catholics.
“For those grieving, lonely or longing for something during this season, this is an avenue to make space for care and compassion for those emotionally having a difficult time this holiday,” said Jesuit Father Tim Stephens, St. Peter's pastor and celebrant for the Mass. “Making room for sadness around Christmas is not new. We’re in the season of Advent, which is the season of waiting for a Savior. Although in this season of light our hearts may be veiled in sadness and shadow, the light will shine in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.”
The Mass was attended by couples, groups of friends, and people on their own. Elements throughout the service offered perspective on dealing with difficult times, including special reflections as each candle of the Advent wreath was lit.
Instead of a monetary offertory, people were invited to write their cares, burdens, concerns and other prayer requests on sheets of paper and place them in a basket. The basket was brought up with the bread and wine and placed near the altar before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. After Communion, the church lights were dimmed and people prayed silently and sang “Silent Night.”
Deacon Jim Bozik, who was one of the organizers of the event, reflected on the evening’s theme in his homily. He encouraged attendees to rely on their faith and realize God’s presence even in bleak times.
“We can live with our sorrows and joys as long as we have faith that Jesus will never abandon us,” Deacon Bozik said. “No matter what challenges come our way, we can stand on the Word of God and the love of Jesus to see us through. God brings us these winters of the spirit as a necessary step to the next spring. While we are in them, it can feel like God is absent, but wait for God and He will come. That is the message of Advent – there is One who is waiting to be with us.”
One woman who did not want to give her name said the Mass was a gift for her spirit after she experienced a difficult year with many life-altering events.
“This meant so much to me because it helped me to remember to just have faith,” she said. “We’re all going to experience loss and illness in our lives, and it’s important to remember to stop and think and be intentional about how we live our lives as a result.”
— Christina Lee Knauss