As a child I often heard my parents and teachers say, “Walk, don’t run” and then later as a parent and teacher, I would often hear myself saying, “Walk, don’t run!”

Today as a senior citizen no one has to tell me not to run because physically I move rather slowly; however, mentally and emotionally I find myself racing through life especially during this time of year.  We all know God does not want any of us to live our lives rushing from one thing to another when at times there was actually no need to even be hurrying in the first place.  But we do it anyway.

A great time to re-evaluate the pace and real meaning of our lives is the season of Advent which started last Sunday.  An excellent guideline to achieve a new sense of sanity and well-being especially during the holidays is a program at St. Mary, “Walk With Us in the Christmas Spirit.” Christmas spirit means sharing, kindness, peace, joy, encouragement, faith, forgiveness and hospitality; virtues that can be and should be practiced all year long.

One of many seasonal community activities that will help insure a sense of peace, joy and faith is our annual multi-parish, “Lessons and Carols” at 3 p.m. Sunday at St. Mary Basilica at the corner of  South Union and Main streets. Members of Assumption, Holy Family, St. Anne and St. Mary parishes join together to share this age-old worship service. Readings from the Old Testament and the New Testament reinforced by traditional hymns and favorite Christmas carols help celebrate “the birth of a child and birth of hope.”

This year St. Mary is pleased to have Lynn Beach-Smith serving as interim choir director and co-chairman of “Lessons and Carols” and Sharon Rouse serving as interim organist. Together they have prepared musical selections such as “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Low How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “Silent Night” and “O’ Little Town of Bethlehem.”

Soloists will include Acquanetta Miller singing “OHoly Night,” Leanne Bertelsen singing “Mary, Did You Know,” Tremaine Ford singing “Joseph’s Song” and Lynn Beach-Smith singing “Breath of Heaven.” Rita Tebbetts and Suellen Barnett will also sing “Angels, from the Realms of Glory” accompanied by Tyler Gregg on the guitar.  Gregg will also play a guitar solo of “Carol of the Bells.”

This event will be followed by a reception in the Father David O’Connor Family Life Center across the street from the Basilica and is free to the public. An elevator is located on the Main Street side of the church for easy accessibility. Everyone is cordially invited and encouraged to attend. Just remember, “Walk, don’t run!”
Gwen S. McCalip Member of St. Mary Basilica and Co-chairman for “Lessons and Carols”