Today is the official conclusion of the Christmas season For many it may be a rather sad time Gone are the brilliant lights that added warmth and lightheartedness to our lives gone the pleasant aromas of holly and pine gone the greetings of love peace and joy It is time to go back to ordinary

There are various ways of playing follow-the-leader In this simple child rsquo s game the challenge is Can you do what I do Since leaders seldom give up being leader this can become the game You rsquo re not as good as I am At other times follow-the-leader is more serious than childish compe

The very first reading for the First Sunday of Advent included a promise that all nations would stream toward the mountain of the Lord rsquo s house Is 2 2 Today we see this promise fulfilled Magi from the East arrive to pay homage to the newborn king Though the Gospel does not say much about t

Family-oriented sitcoms may produce a good laugh but they do not always model healthy relationships They often feature children who regularly outsmart their parents or parents who are preoccupied with their own interests and neglect their children The media even grant awards to programs that hig

During Christmas time we have been attentive to the child born to fulfill the promises made long ago Today we focus on Mary the one from whose flesh the child was fashioned In all the Christmas stories she is silent explaining nothing when visitors come to see the marvels that have taken place

At Christmastide we hear sounds and voices that seem to be silent the rest of the year We hear lighthearted jingling bells that delight us We sing beloved carols that express messages simple enough for children to understand yet profound enough to challenge us for the rest of our lives We exchan