A Christmas Carol has several characters that stand out: 

Fan (Scrooge's sister) - full of love for her older brother

Fred (Scrooge's nephew) - full of Christmas cheer

Fezziwig (Scrooge's old boss) - knows how to celebrate Christmas

Bob Cratchit (Scrooge's clerk) - loves his family deeply

Tiny Tim (Bob's weakly son) - strives to live thoughtfully with goodness/kindness

Note: They are all filled with hope, even as they face the difficulties of life: Fan will die young; Fred grew up without a mom; Fezziwig knew the challenges of running a business; Bob knew about poverty and making tough sacrifices; and Tiny Tim knew firsthand the hard realities of illness.

It invites us to ponder - how do we prepare our hearts with Advent hope?  Are we receiving hope, and are we passing it on to one another?

December 7, 2014 - Cathedral of Christ the King - Superior, WI

Fr. Andrew Ricci

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