Principal's Christmas Message
Final Assembly 2016
Our readings, reflections and music have focused on the season of Advent. It is a time of waiting in expectation for Christmas Day when we as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is Jesus who is central to our journey as fellow Christians. There is something very special about this event because many peoples across the world give importance to this day. It is a wonderful day for families as they gather for a meal and share their love. People travel to be with family on this day and often old hurts may be healed.
Today I want to give you a different way of looking at this Advent Season and Christmas story. We tend to limit or make this story small: the birth of a child, in a stable, in a small town of Bethlehem. We limit this event to our own family and friends. To our city and to our country. The difficulty with all of this, is that the God of the Christmas story cannot be limited. The God of our world is a God who has no limits. The God of our world has no boundaries. His love is boundless and breaks through all barriers of culture race and religion. His love goes beyond trade barriers, immigration barriers, skin color, whether I am rich or poor, whether I am bright or struggle with school work and so on. Our God breaks through all of these barriers which have been placed there by humans. This birth of a child called Jesus, breaks all the conventions and places in our world, a God who is both human and God. He lived as Jesus, amongst other humans and showed us how to love. His death, as Jesus, was a statement that love cannot be limited.
The Advent and Christmas story invites each of us here today to believe in a love that has no limits. The love of God is open to all and wants to touch each of us whoever we may be. The challenge for each of us is to believe in God’s love which reaches to each one of us. Often we say: Live Jesus in Our hearts, forever. This is not just a nice thought. It is saying that we accept Jesus each day into the very flesh of our heart. Such acceptance allows each one of us to reach out to all of our Brothers and Sisters across the world and not just our family. Such love allows each one of us to collect gifts for the Vinnies appeal, help the orphans in India and Thailand, help the elderly across the road, stay with the injured person on the side of the road, spend time talking to our grandparents, be a Lasallian Leader and help at the homework Centre and such like activities. Many of us here today show the vastness of God’s love by such generosity. Our Guiding Principle of being Brothers and Sisters to each other is a good example of God’s vast love in action. It is when we not do this, that we limit the vastness of our God. We all need hearts of flesh which are tender and reach out to others beyond our immediate family. The God of our universe has no limits or boundaries and challenges us to act likewise.
As we come to the end of the 2016 school year can I thank staff and students for your support, kindness and generosity. Much has been achieved in the academic, cultural and sporting areas. As a school we have looked beyond our own needs and have contributed to the local community in so many ways but also to India, Thailand and PNG. Your efforts this year in raising $95,000 for Mission Action Day allowed me to send $5,000 to the Bamboo School in Thailand which was running out of money to feed the students. Your generosity broke through the barriers and allowed a rich and vast love to be shown-Thanks.
Over these next weeks enjoy the holiday break, keep safe and come back refreshed for the new school year. To each of you I wish a blessed Christmas and New Year season.
Parents and Friends:
The 2017 Parents and Friends Committee: