27 Years of Togetherness

Our yearly prayer to the infant Jesus began on Friday! Our friends and family have been praying this novena for the last 27 years. I can't believe it's been that long. One night a week, for 9 days, each family in our group have hosted a night of celebration and prayer for Santo Nino (the infant Jesus). Each of praying for something our heart desired--and no new cars and jewelry are not at the top of the list--we usually pray for peace or for other families who are in need.

I think this yearly prayer has been one of the driving forces behind mine and my cousins view of Christmas. Because of this gathering, I've realized that Christmas is about our family's gathering together, looking forward to these few weeks of story-telling and overeating. One of my medical school friends gave me a bookmarker that said something like Christmas was special because of the guy in the picture (and on the bookmark was an artist rendition of Jesus). And yes, beyond the shiny wrapping and blinking lights, CHRISTmas is all about the Christ child! It's a celebration of faith, hope and charity. Something that our Lord has always tried to instill in us.