Dear Friends,
We are coming to the end of a special year in the life of the church, a Jubilee year, occurring every quarter century. The theme for the Jubilee year is “pilgrims of hope”. A pilgrimage is a journey to place of encounter with God. In this Advent season, one journey in particular journey is at the forefront of our minds: a heavily pregnant mother riding on a donkey, accompanied by her husband. The mother is, of course, Mary, and her companion is our own patron, St Joseph; the child she is carrying is Our Lord, who is both son of God and son of Mary.
They are journeying to Joseph’s ancestral village, Bethlehem, whose name means house of bread. The very village from which a shepherd boy, David, was chosen to become a great king. They will, as we know well, find no lodgings there, so the saviour will be born in a stable, placed in an animal’s feeding trough. In this humble place Heaven and earth truly meet. Nearby the sky will light up with a great host, literally an army of angels, giving glory to God.
There are other journeys in the Christmas story. Several months before this journey to Bethlehem, Our Lady goes on a journey of her own, to visit her cousin Elizabeth, in order to share in the joy of God’s plan of salvation unfolding through the miraculous babies growing in their wombs. On Christmas night, the journey of the shepherds, the first to pay homage to the newborn king. And at the end of the Christmas season, we celebrate Epiphany, the arrival of the wise men, who have journeyed from afar, representing the journey of all peoples, from the ends of the earth, to encounter God in human form, and worship him.
The season of advent is, like the whole of our lives, a symbolic journey, a pilgrimage. We are led forward, not by a star, but by God’s promise, the hope we have of new life in him. New life that begins here and now, because God has chosen to make his dwelling place among his people. A life which one day will be raised up to an entirely new plane of existence, when Our Lord comes again at the end of time, as he has promised, to inaugurate a new heaven and a new earth.
Let us prepare well to meet him, making the most of this season. Not simply decorating our homes, or making preparations for celebrations. But preparing our hearts, and getting ready for the most important celebration of all, the celebration of the mass, when once more, God is present among us. The child of Bethlehem comes to us in the form of bread, placed as food, in our hands and on our tongues.
At this time of year, it is almost customary for people to complain about the commercialisation of Christmas, and highlight the disappearance of the word Christmas. This year, “festive” trees seem to have been the main focus of such complaints, along with “countdown” calendars. But we know that these things are not what Christmas is ultimately about. It’s all about that scene depicted in churches and in homes around the globe. The crib – Mary, Joseph, and the newborn saviour of the world. Like the shepherds, like the magi, let us come and adore him. Let us remind the world to keep Christ in Christmas. And let us remember that, to do so, we must also keep “mass” in Christmas, not just for Christmas, but for the whole of our earthly lives, as we move forward as God’s pilgrim people to the eternal banquet that is prepared for us.
I wish you a joyful Christmas and blessings for the year ahead. May the infant Christ bring light, joy and peace to all, especially those find this time of year difficult.
God bless you all,
Fr Matthew
Fr Matthew’s video message
(THIS IS LAST YEARS VIDEO, COME BACK SOON)
Click here to watch in our Facebook feed instead.
Christmas Masses 2025
Christmas Eve – Wednesday 24th:
- 5pm (early vigil Mass aimed at families with younger children with carols and the blessing of the crib);
- 6.30pm* (vigil Mass suitable for all ages with carols and blessing of the crib);
- 11pm* (‘Midnight’ Mass with the choir; carols from 10.30pm).
Christmas Day – Thursday 25th:
- 8am (said Mass of the Dawn);
- 10am* (sung Mass of Christmas Day).
See our Newsletter for details of Mass times during the rest of the Christmas season.
If you are visiting Upminster over Christmas then you are most welcome to join us. There is no need to book in advance. The Christmas Eve Masses are likely to be the busiest, so you are advised to come in good time (though not too early for the 6.30pm as there is a Mass before).
*Live streamed at is.gd/sjuptv
The church is just off St Mary’s Lane, close to the centre of Upminster and about 5-10 minutes walk from Upminster station. There are very few parking spaces at the church, so those who come by car are encouraged to use nearby public parking facilities. There is some on-street parking but we ask those parking on the street to take car not to block access to residents’ driveways.
Finally, if you haven’t received a physical Christmas Card from the parish, here is a virtual one.
