This is the movement of the Holy Family.

Merry Christmas and welcome to our Rosary.

Let us call to mind that we are ever in the presence of Almighty God

in whom we live and move and have our being.

We call upon him in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

We offer up this rosary tonight for the Clay family

for Amanda's aunt, who's very sick in the hospital with COVID and for my

grand baby number two for my daughter-in-law Francine who hopefully by the time you

all hear this will have successfully delivered my

grandson. Today's a feast of St. Thomas Beckett and so this is what our

rosary is entitled Thomas Beckett. St Thomas Beckett is a wonderful saint whose celebration falls within the

octave of Christmas, which means we are still celebrating Christmas. A saint of the 12th century, he proves the maxim that great men aren't

born great, they grow great. In St. Thomas Beckett's case, it was a combination of choice and

circumstance that led him to greatness. A party friend of King Henry II of England, he warned the King

who wanted to promote him to Primate of all England by saying,

should God permit me to be the Archbishop of Canterbury?

I would soon lose your majesty's favor and the affection with which you honor me

would be changed into hatred. Indeed, this is what happened. For when Henry elevated his friend Thomas to become Archbishop of Canterbury,

Thomas Beckett became a staunch defender of the authority and autonomy of the church from the state, and this eventually cost him his life.

Four on this day in 1170, four of the King's Knights forced their way into his cathedral, accosted

him on the altar, and insisted he backed down from his ecclesial demands.

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