“Mankind has seen the centuries pass
Since this Savior who was born at last!
And each year we prepare, and we recall
The gift of grace, God sent to save us all!
This miracle of God on earth,
Christmas dawns His holy birth.”
These lines from Sacred Heart Villa’s Christmas Pageant sum up what we have been experiencing here at The Villa for the past three weeks. With eager expectation and excitement, the children have been preparing for Christmas. We have tried to keep a spirit of the Advent season in the school while still working on Christmas gifts for our families and decorations for the classroom. However, this year's preparations were particularly unique for the entire school.
Since each class had the opportunity to prepare a song or a portion of the Christmas pageant, the children had a focus. The focus has always been on sharing the Good News of Jesus’ birth and God's love for us, but the children had a great desire to perform their part especially well so their family members could enjoy the performance and be proud of them. This year we included all the classes in the Christmas show and the teachers have been trying to help the children comprehend the depth of the remarkable story of Christ’s birth. We encourage our parents to take time during these holy days to reflect on and share the story of Christ’s birth.
When did you first comprehend the Christmas story? Who told it to you and what impact did it have on your life? Have you shared the Christmas Nativity story with your child and what was their reaction? Perhaps the best gift we can give our children this Christmas is to share the good news of God’s grace and love, so we too become agents of God’s love, compassion, and forgiveness. May we have fresh eyes and open hearts to ponder anew a story heard so often, full of the marvels of God’s infinite love for all humankind.
The children are very excited these days and you can hear their voices ringing in the halls. We wish you and your loved ones a blessed, joy-filled holiday!