“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.” (Matthew 2:9)

Christmastide is still in full swing at the monastery. We follow the liturgical seasons closely. Right up to Christmas, we observe Advent and then we celebrate until the Baptism of the Lord, which will fall on January 9. There are some wonderful feasts to observe during this period, including the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1 and the Epiphany on January 2 (transferred from January 6). In a sense, we are spending these days making a journey like that of the Wise Men and following the star which will lead us to a deeper communion with the Christ Child.

Of course, we also know that it's New Year. The sisters traditionally spend the last day of the year in silent recollection and this, together with the fact that December 31 is a public holiday, made us decide it would be best to send out Monastery Musings a little early this month. It's also an opportunity to remind you that, if you still wish to mail a gift to the sisters in 2021, it must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2021. Legally, we are required to enter gifts according to the date of the postmark, not the date on the check.

I want to end on a note of gratitude. We sisters are so thankful to you for your friendship and support throughout this past year. You are lights in a dark world.

May the peace of the Christ Child be yours throughout the year!