Vol. 2/No.

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Divya Kripa Church
Kasturi Villa, Plot No. 44A, Sector 20, Kharghar,
Navi Mumbai 410210

C is for Christmas, but more importantly, it is for CHRIST. The festivity, the
good cheer, the moment and bonhomie that surrounds Christmas would
sound hollow without Him. The real spirit of joy of this season is because

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of Christ. Someone has rightly said, “ PUT CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS”.
What is X’mas, as this season is synonymously called, without Christ in it?
Since when has Chrismast been abbreviated (X’mas)? So, how do we attempt to
put Christ back into Christmas? The simplest way to find out anything is to
go back and trace its source or root. Scripture tells us that God loved the world
so much that He sent His Son, Christ (John 3:16) . He came to show us God’s love.
He came to show us how to live. The purpose of His coming was to give us
fullness of life. He lived among us and identified Himself with us. God with
us; what greater assurance do we need when He is with us? We celebrate
Christmas with explosive joy to recall this unbelievable and incredible truth.
So, what happens to the enduring symbols surrounding — Christmas Santa Claus,
mistletoe, Christmas tree, hollies, buntings, tinsel, jingle bells? These are
accessories, something added to give lustre, hardly connected with
Christmas. Putting Christ back into Christmas is putting love back into our
loveless lives. — Fr. Gerald Fernandes, Priest-in-charge

Jesus is the Reason for this Season

Wishing you, dear Parishoners, a very happy Christmas and a faith-filled New Year.
— The Editorial Board
 Christmas Holly

The Holly has been traditionally connected to Christmas and festivals associated

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with it for centuries. Its origins can be traced back to Northern Europe. It
was celebrated as a plant of great importance by the pagans. The
vibrant colours of the plant, the green of the leaves and the red of the berries
stand out against the starkness of winter making the plant a symbol of hope.

At some point, the holly became significant to Christians. At first, it was placed
within decorations that adorned doors as a method of preventing persecution.
It was considered that the holly could prevent unforeseeable troubles
caused not only by earthly creatures but those also caused by demonic
forces. It was believed that hanging the holly on the door of any home would
prevent the entry of terrifying spectres that were more likely to attack during
the holy days. Soon it started getting more mainstream acceptance as an
essential symbol of Christmas festivals. Another part of its symbolic significance
is related to the crucifixion of Christ. Holly is known as christdorn in German,
meaning ‘Christ thorn’. The look of the hollies is similar to the look of Christ's
make-shift crown, and the red berries symbolise the blood that gushed forth
from Christ during His darkest hours. Various stories about the significance of
the holly to Christ also exist. One such story claims that the cross on which Jesus
was crucified was constructed of holly. Another says that holly sprang up from
His footsteps. Less common symbolism includes the holly’s white blossoms
representing purity, and the idea that if the holly used to decorate a home for
Christmas is prickly, the man will rule the house for the coming year; but if the
holly used is smooth, the woman will rule. But the essence of the symbolism of
holly still lies in its representation of hope even in the bleakest moments. It is a
steadfast reminder of the mission of our Messiah, our refuge and hope, our
Salvation. — Freda Fernandes, Infant Jesus Community
 Real meaning of Christmas
Christmas is a feast that must be celebrated by the whole family together at home
and in the parish, where we belong, where we all know and greet each other.
There was a time when the whole clan would get together at one member’s house,
attend midnight Mass and celebrate together. But times have changed. Even prior to the
imposition of the 10.00 p.m. embargo on sound, attendance at Christmas Eve Mass
had been witnessing a reduction. Many Christians were drawn towards the glitter
of Christmas Eve parties, and when you went to greet them on Christmas day, they
would be fast asleep. Today, it is good to see those you did not see through the year

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or maybe on last Good Friday or Easter attending Christmas Mass. Let us hope and
pray that the spirit continue every Sunday. Recently a Hindu friend who earlier lived
in a Catholic locality said that he did not understand why some of the Christians
had stopped going to church even on Christmas day. Do we have an answer? Today,
Christmas is celebrated by many non-Christian communities. When I visited a cake
shop in Kharghar, I was pleasantly surprised to find people of other faiths buying
Christmas cakes to celebrate Christmas. Will it not be good for us to tell them about
the real meaning of Christmas, of what Christmas truly means to us?

Over the years, Christmas has become so commercialised that it has lost its real mean-
ing completely. Santa Claus has become so popularised that children don’t even know
what he actually symbolises. It is time for us all to put some symbolism and meaning
into the decorations we put up during Christmas in our homes.
The Crib: Symbolises the Holy Family in which God Almighty was born a human
being, Jesus Christ, who came to live among us and redeem us from sin.
Christmas Tree: The real Christmas tree is the Fir tree. The millions of fine needle-
like leaves on it represent the whole mankind. It remains green throughout the year
symbolising the unending hope given by Jesus Christ. Does its whisper, when the
wind blows, tell us all to take good care of the creation that God has given to us?
Star: Sign of the Heavenly promise given by God Almighty through Jesus Christ.
Lighted Candle: Its light symbolises Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
Advent Wreath: Its circle shows us that true love is unending like the love of God
for mankind, and it also symbolises the true meaning of family love.
Candy Cane: The shepherd’s Crock, the sign of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who
brings back into His care and protection all His lost sheep who have gone astray.
Angels: Sign of peace and goodwill, heralding the birth of Christ our Saviour and Lord.
Bells: Sign of guidance and return of the lost sheep. It is also sounding a warning
to us all about the damage we have already wrought and are still doing to the environment.
Santa Claus: Symbolises generosity and love. The legendary St. Nicholas, the
humble servant of God, who helped poor children and gave them presents at Christmas.

Christmas means the Mass of Christ in which we join together as a family

and as a community to celebrate on Christmas day.
— Clifford D’souza, Christ the King Community
 What does the “I” in Christmas symbolise?
Initiative with which the Lord Jesus responded to the Father, “Behold I come to do Thy
Will” (The Word made flesh).
Imaginative in being the King from the Manger and again from the Cross.
Innovative when He said, “The last shall be first and the first last”, thus overthrowing
the worldly order.
Important fact is that He became one like us in all things except sin. — Hilda Lobo,

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St. Francis Xavier Community
 Star of Wonder
Is there hope for the future? The horrible events on our planet deepen our awareness
of evil. We have a wonderful planet. But hate, fear, greed, lust and war continue to
cast a dark spell of dismay. Christmas brings in its wake the message and promise

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of the dawn of light—the Star of Bethlehem—who dispels the gloominess and spreads
warm feelings of cheer and goodwill. During the season of Advent, we find people
more friendly and cheerful. Many radio and television programmes feature beautiful
Christmas carols. The record of history clearly shows that the power of compassion,
justice and freedom in the last 2000 years was most inspired by the amazing story of
Jesus—who He was, and what He said and did. I have found in Jesus my very own
guiding star. In my case, the words and deeds of Jesus inspired Earth Day and my
Earth Trustee efforts to provide a better future for the human family. Differences
and difficulties abound. The darker the night, the brighter the star.

Star of wonder, star of light,

Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Remember
This December,
love weighs more than gold!

— Venniza Glades, Divine Mercy Youth

 The Three Kings of the East
As we approach the season of Christmas, one of the many stories that comes to
mind is the story of the Three Kings. The Gospel according to St. Matthew narrates
the story of wise men from the east who came to visit Jesus, bearing gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh. The Bible does not refer to them as kings and does not even
give the number of men that visited. The reason for the reference to these men as kings

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may be because of the type of gifts that they brought for Jesus, which would have
been too expensive for ordinary people. Marco Polo, famous traveller in the 12th
century, also recorded a story of three kings from Persio who visited a new born king
with same gifts. This story was supposedly told to him by the locals during his travels
through Persia. Irrespective of the reason for them being referred to as kings, what
stands out are the gifts that they brought. What do the gifts symbolise? Gold
symbolises the kingship of Jesus. Frankincense symbolises God since it is offered
to God during worship. Myrrh is the symbol of a healer. It has been used by medicine
men to reduce pain as well as for embalming the dead. It symbolises that Jesus was
born to die for us. But did the wise men from the East know all this or was the selection
of the gifts just a coincidence? Were there only three men or were there actually many
more who brought only three gifts? Were they the only ones who saw the star? The
Bible is not clear on these, but what is important for us as we approach Christmas
is the astounding faith of these wise men who traversed the unknown to seek a King.

The astrologers of the East believed that a star was born for every new king that was
born on earth. And so, upon the sight of a bright new star, the three wise men decided
to look for the new born king and worship Him. These men were not Jews. They had no
knowledge of the scriptures or the prophetic declaration of the coming of the Messiah.
But they came to Jerusalem, entered the palace of King Herod and asked to be led to
the “baby, born to be the king of the Jews”. Herod, a Jew, called a meeting of all the
teachers of the law and realised that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. However, neither
he nor any of the Jewish teachers whom he consulted had any intention of worshiping
the new-born King. When Herod later set out to search the King, it was with the intention
of killing him for his own personal gain. Thus it was the non-Jewish wise men from the
East, with no understanding of the scriptures, who were able to see the Lord, worship
Him and go back full of joy. However, Herod, who was probably tutored in the
scriptures and also had a number of teachers to guide him regarding the same, was
unable to find the Messiah. Similarly, in our own experiences, we may find that we,
who consider ourselves to be truly the followers of Christ, may fail to find Him unless
we seek Him with unselfish hearts. — Vinod Jose, Our Lady of the Mount Community
 Mistletoe

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Not many generations ago, before the advent of television and entertainment
centres, neighbours and relatives frequently visited each other for fellowship,
and did so especially during the holidays. A common custom at Christmas-time
was for the homemaker to place a sprig of mistletoe above a door frame or hang
it from the ceiling of the dwelling. During the frequent get-togethers, any lady
who lingered there was fair game for a harmless kiss from nearby men. Mistletoe
has long been a symbol of love, peace and goodwill. Two hundred years before
the birth of Christ, the Druids used mistletoe to celebrate the coming of winter.
Even the warring clans would stop their battles and claim a temporary truce when
they would chance upon a mistletoe. They believed the plant had special healing
powers. From the earliest times, mistletoe has been one of the most magical,
mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore. It was considered to bestow
life and fertility, a protection against poison and an aphrodisiac. It was gathered
at both mid-summer and winter solstices, and the custom of using mistletoe to
decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian
traditions. What does the mistletoe mean to me as a Catholic?
People love to create talismans of good luck and predictors of the future. We like
to be in control. That’s the danger of superstition; when we look to an object to
ensure or predict our future, we are forgetting something. We have a Creator who
controls the future and holds our lives in His capable and loving hands. Jesus tells
us to seek the Kingdom of God and not to worry about our future because our
Father knows what we need and can provide for us (Matthew 6:25-34). His plans
are far better than anything we can imagine. — Bryna D'cunha, Infant Jesus
Community

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 Advent Wreath
The Advent wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition. Although the
actual origins are uncertain, the symbolism of the Advent wreath, made of

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beautiful evergreens and adorned with four candles, is significant. The
evergreens signify continuous life; the laurel signifies victory over persecution
and suffering: the pines, the holly and the yew signify immortality; and cedar
symbolises strength and healing. The circle of the wreath, which has no
beginning or end, symbolises the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul,
and the everlasting life found in Christ. Any pine cones, nuts, or seedpods used
to decorate the wreath also symbolise life and resurrection. The wreath of
evergreens gives a wholesome depiction of the immortality of our soul and the
new everlasting life promised to us through Christ, who entered our world
becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death.

The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. Three candles are purple
and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolise the prayer, penance,
and preparatory sacrifices and good works undertaken at this time. The rose
candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears
rose vestments at Mass. Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because
the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is
now half over and they are close to Christmas. The progressive lighting of the
candles symbolise the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming
into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living
and the dead. Since Advent is a time to stir up our faith in the Lord, the Advent
wreath and its prayers provide us a way to augment this special preparation for
Christmas. Moreover, this good tradition helps us to remain vigilant in our
homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. — Bonnie D’silva,
Our Lady of the Mount Community
 Saviour — Our Christmas Gift

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in a
land of deep darkness, on them light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2b

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Let us focus on the dark areas of our life. This will make us aware of what has gone
wrong in our past life. Let us pray to God Almighty that light may shine on all our
darkness and turn it into bright daylight. During this season of Christmas we
exchange gifts with friends, relatives and our near and dear ones. So let us visit our
Lord to exchange Christmas gifts. While we present our darkness, imperfections
and sins as gifts to God, we receive a precious gift. He gives us a Saviour, His only
begotten son, Jesus Christ, a source of eternal life. We earthly fathers try to give
the best to our children but fall short of giving eternal life. The return Christmas gift
of God surpasses all known earthly gifts we exchange with our friends.

“For a child has been born to us, a son given to us; authority rests upon His
shoulders: and He is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be
endless peace for the throne of David and His kingdom. He will establish and
uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and
forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:6–7
— Neeru Dhiman, St. Faustina’s Community
 Community Happenings
Celebration of the Feast of Christ the King

Divya Kripa Parish celebrated the feast of Christ the King on Sunday, 21
November 2010, with great devotion at Prem Dan. The devotion commenced at
3.45 p.m. with a two hour adoration of the Blessed Sacrament conducted by the
Sisters of the RJM at Prem Dan and led by Fr. Gerry through a powerpoint
presentation. It was a spiritual journey undertaken in a pious and prayerful
atmosphere. Readings from the Scriptures were carefully chosen on the them
‘Care for Creation’. Appropriate prayers were scripted, painstakingly prepared
and recited by the Sisters as the powerpoint presentation progressed through the
hours of reflection. In spite of the heavy downpour in the afternoon, the
Adoration was attended by parishioners in large numbers. After the adoration,
Christ the King in the Blessed Sacrament was taken in procession around the
block in front of Prem Dan. The Divine Mercy Youth and community members
had prepared placards conveying appropriate messages in English, Hindi, Marathi
and other vernacular languages on the theme of ‘Care for Creation’. These placards
were carried during the procession. The procession was held with piety and
solemnity to the accompaniment of hymns and prayers. The enthusiastic little
girls, coached by their Catechism teachers, showered flowers along the route
during the procession of Christ the King. The procession concluded with a solemn
Eucharistic celebration. — Freddy D’souza, Blessed Mother Teresa Community

Legion of Mary
Another day dawned in the lives of the members of the 'Legion of Mary' and
the brothers of ‘Jeevan Jyoti’ which left a lasting impression on our hearts. Our
visit to the Sandhurst Road Remand Home on 8 December 2010 was as cold as
the December day because what we saw there was very depressing. We met the
Superintendent, Mr. Jadhav, who took us to meet the children. Children of all ages
were present with expectant looks on their faces. These children, as Mr. Jadhav
told us, were either runaways from home or lost. Some were brought there
because they had been accused of petty crimes such as stealing. There were
children who were mentally challenged too. The boys were kept separately from
the girls. I went with Br. Emmanuel to see the boys and the ladies went to see the
girls. We distributed biscuits and chocolates to them. We spent about two hours
at the home visiting the children interacting with them. We realised that these
children look forward to visits such as ours. Mr. Jadhav gave us mithai to end our
bitter visit. But what we need to learn from these children is that though they hail
 from different backgrounds they live together as a close-knit family abounding
in fellowship and brotherhood. — Bento Fernandes, St. Claudine’s Community

St. Francis Xavier Cluster Celebration

The St. Francis Xavier Cluster of the Divya Kripa Parish, Kharghar, comprises of
ten families residing in Sector 20 in the vicinity of Shilp Chowk. This cluster is
under the guidance of their animator, Mrs. Hilda Lobo. On 3 Dec we celebrated
the feast of our patron saint, St. Francis Xavier. We began the celebration with
Eucharistic Adoration at 6.30 p.m. followed by Mass made meaningful with
offerings of books, flowers, fruits and agarbatti. Fr. Gerry, in his sermon, explained
to us the life and mission of St. Francis Xavier. The Latin inscriptions that lie at
the four sides of the casket of the Saint who now lies at Bom Jesus Church in Goa
represents the life of this Jesuit who was devoted to the mission of spreading
the Gospel of Christ to an area where Eastern religions were well entrenched.
At the end of the Mas,s cake was distributed to the congregation. The Fellowship
Gathering of all the cluster members was held at the residence of Mr. & Mrs. Lobo
on Sunday, 5 December 2010. It was a good opportunity for all the cluster
members to meet each other, especially for those who do not get the opportunity
to interact at the regular meetings due to work obligations. The games helped
both the elders as well the children to mingle and have fun. Fr. Gerry graced the
gathering with his presence at meal-time and prayed for the gathering. The meal
was prepared by the cluster members and was thoroughly enjoyed by one and all.
The Cluster is determined to strengthen its bonds among its members and
activities are planned for this Advent Season. — Garry Miranda and Shizan
Anthony, St. Francis Xavier Community
 DIVYA KRIPA CHURCH, KHARGHAR
CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DATE DAY TIME PROGRAMME VENUE

After 9.30 a.m.
Christmas party for children Prem Dan
Mass
19-12-2010 Sun
After 8.30 a.m.
Sale of Christmas sweets Prem Dan
Mass
6.30 p.m. — 8.00
20-12-2010 Mon Prem Dan
p.m.
6.30 p.m. — 8.00 Sacrament of Reconciliation
21-12-2010 Tues Prem Dan
p.m. (Individual)
6.00 p.m. — 8.00 Jeevan Jyoti
22-12-2010 Wed
p.m. Ashram
8.30 p.m. Christmas Vigil: Carol Singing
Christmas Eve Mass
24-12-2010 Fri Prem Dan
9.30 p.m. [Cake and coffee will be served after
Mass]
25-12-2010 Sat 8.30 a.m. Christmas Dawn Mass Prem Dan
8.30 a.m.
26-12-2010 Sun Feast of the Holy Family Prem Dan
9.30 a.m.
7.00 a.m. Feast of the Holy Innocents [special Jeevan Jyoti
28-12-2010 Tues
7.00 p.m. blessings for children] Ashram
8.30 p.m. Holy Hour — Thanksgiving service
New Year Eve Mass — Feast of the
31-12-2010 Fri Mother of God Prem Dan
9.30 p.m.
[Cake and coffee will be served after
Mass]
7.00 a.m. Feast of the Mother of God Jeevan Jyoti
01-01-2011 Sat
7.30 p.m. Mass of the Feast of Epiphany Ashram
8.30 a.m.
Feast of Epiphany Prem Dan
9.30 a.m.
02-01-2011 Sun
Day for inmates of JJA with offering of Jeevan Jyoti
meal by community Ashram
Programme on Health organised by
16-01-2011 Sun
Women’s Cell
After 9.30 a.m. Animator’s get-together with interaction
23-01-2011 Sun
Mass and sponsored lunch
Mass at Day for the home-bound with special
29-01-2011 Sat
5.00 p.m. Mass
14-02-2011 Mon Couples’ Mass
Feb 2011 Picnic to Rasyani

For private circulation only. Published by Divya Kripa Church, Kharghar.