5 December 2024
Fr Gerry Devlin, Chaplain
On 2 and 3 December we were delighted to host the Wintershall Travelling Crib, featuring actors, three sheep and a donkey, which gave our Year 7 students and pupils from local primary schools the opportunity to reflect and pray on what the season of Advent and Christmas mean.
As we moved around the school grounds, we listened to Mary’s emotional journey as she prepared for the birth of her baby (Luke 1: 26-29). Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, reminded us of the message we receive from God in scripture and in our daily lives (Luke 1: 5-24). We visited a Wise Man, who talked about the gifts that were brought to Jesus and that the challenge for us today is to use our gifts during Advent (Matthew 2: 1-12). The traveller and the donkey reminded us of ordinary people travelling at the time of Jesus and the animal’s characteristics of peacefulness, calmness, humility and stubborn determination (Luke 2: 1-2). The shepherd and the sheep showed us that everyone is included in the story of the nativity (Luke 2: 8-20). Year 7 and the pupils received a small gift at each workshop as a reminder of the Christmas story, and our visiting schools received follow up materials, as we went forth to prepare for the feast of Christmas during this season of Advent, reminding everyone that God came among us in poverty and need to tell us that, “In serving the poor we will show our love for him.” (Pope Francis)
