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Show 1 T CHRISTMAS GREETINGS. The joys of Christmas, following the silent longings and ardent anticipation of Advent, are commemorated on Christmas Day. This day means peace, joy and happiness to the young and old. The Catholic church celebrates the event commemorated with all the pomp and dignity of her Ritual. On that day she permits her ministers to celebrate three Masses, to symbolize the threefold birth of Christ, namely, his temporal, spiritual and eternal birth. For twenty centuries she has been repeating- the angels' message to the whole world: "Let all give i glory to God in the hignest, and let universal peace j reign supreme in the hearts of all men." His mission mis-sion was to establish peace: "A child is born to us a- jj-0 prjucc 0f Peace." Is. ix, (3. It cannot can-not be denied that his example and teaching produced pro-duced a marvelous change in the hearts of the human hu-man race. The new order of civilization, which he introduced, brought the hearts of humanity in closer touch with each other, awakened a sympathetic chord in the soul for the needy, and opened up a feeling of charity and love for the unfortunate and suffering members of the human family. All this is evident from the prevailing custom of bestowing gifts at Christmas. Trace its origin back through the centuries, and man,, no matter what his creed may be, finds himself standing in. spirit beside the crib of Bethlehem. Here began the first happy greetings, sung by a celestial choir: ''Peace on earth; to men good will.' As the years rolled b3r, that sweet music was heard, outside of Palestine. Its power and influence developed the better side of humanity, and the result, when peace and good will reigned in the soul, was the bestowal of favors and gifts on friends, feeding the hungry and clothing, the naked. These happy memories fctill exist. Hence the joy and consolation felt at Christmas. That all may share in these precious gifts of peace and happiness are the Christmas greeting of The Intcnnountain Catholic to all its readers. |
