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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