Our Parents Showed Us The Way At Christmas And Always – By Lawrence Machado
All our lives there is someone telling us what to do, some for our own good, while others can lead us on the wrong path. Fortunately, in the lives of my six siblings – Axie, Rienzie, Sally, Veronica, Belinda, Fortuna – and I, we had amazing parents and grandparents to guide us on the correct path and instill in us lifelong lessons which hold true to this day.
It’s particularly nostalgic to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us during Christmas. My happy Christmas memories in Sri Lanka were all thanks to our parents, Rosario and Margaret Machado, who always made sure the birth of Christ was a special and life-changing moment for all of us.
I remember fondly Dad and Mum closing their room door to pack our gifts while there was always a mad dash to get a Christmas tree from Upcountry, usually a day or two before Christmas. There was floor polishing, housing painting, cleaning, rearranging of furniture, growing the paddy for the crib, etc. Yes, to this day, whenever I smell fresh paint, I think of our Christmas at Pereira Lane home.
Yes, we all attended the traditional midnight mass, followed by prayers, carols, Santa with his gifts, and a lavish spread, including string hoppers, accompanied by Mum’s special roast chicken and mulligatawny. But for my parents, it was first to honour the birth of Jesus, with prayers, singing, and a beautiful crib.
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I must confess, when I was young, I initially rebelled against the daily rosary and mass which we had to attend. It was very much a part of our lives until we left home because my Dad very cleverly chose to purchase a house right next to St Lawrence’s Church, Colombo 6. So, when the church bells chimed at 5.30am each day, our house awoke, starting with our parents, Rosario and Margaret. All of us usually attended mass specially the boys as we were altar servers. After mass, we prepared to attend school or work.
Dad also loved to say the Angelus, to the faithful chimes of the church bells at noon, and we had a beautiful painting of a farmer stopping in the fields to recite the Angelus with his hat in his hand. That image still remains with me whenever I say the Angelus. The evening church bells also signalled it was time to get home and say the rosary, which was Dad’s golden rule.
Our whole lives revolved around the church and this was indeed a huge blessing as we had a really caring, secure childhood with parishioners becoming friends even to this day. There are many former parishioners from St Lawrence’s Church who attended the funerals of both Dad and Mum in Melbourne, nearly 20 years apart. Small world indeed.
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At the end of every month, Dadda and Mummy devoted special times for the Holy Hour when our home was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. God was thanked for His Blessings that month, and the intentions of our loved ones were remembered. There were Bible readings, hymns, and the offering of incense at the altar, where an oil lamp was always lit.
It was only when I left home to work overseas, that I truly understood how much Dad and Mum had sacrificed for us, as I had taken them and the bountiful benefits for granted. Dad’s parents had passed away before we entered this world and it was Mum’s doting parents, Pagnani and Annie Roche, who spoiled us and cemented our Christian foundation.
Our parents and grandparents made sure we all learned our prayers and to share whatever we had as there are others in greater need. We had an open house for visitors from all walks of life. My maternal grandpa, Pagnani Roche, came from a family of priests, with one rising to the rank of Bishop. It became perhaps inevitable that one of his children would also devote their life to Christ. That was his youngest daughter, Sr Fortunata AC, who visited Australia several times to visit Mum.
Our Beloved Stars, Dad, and Mum always showed us the right way. That’s because without their unlimited love, unwavering faith even in the midst of tragedy and danger, sacrifices, cooking, discipline, career advice, support, caring for their loved ones, in-laws, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, (the list goes on), all of us would not be living the lives we have today. The home that Dad and Mum built for us, along with the strong bonds to St Lawrence’s Church, is my refuge whenever the world is overwhelming me. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving us parents, and grandparents who went above and beyond their responsibility to care for us.
Here’s wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
