Auld Lang Syne

"Auld Lang Syne" is a song that is traditional to the New Year and has been sung and toasted at midnight on New Year's Eve for generations. The song began as a poem written in 1778 by Robert Burns, which he set to folk melody.

The message of "Auld Lang Syne" is that we should not forget our friends from times past, and the song sings of two old friends who haven't seen each other for a while, meet and share a reminiscing of past memories. To me, the song signifies letting go of the last year and what it represented. Often, good friends or family move away, which leaves us with a sense of a loss and void that is not easy to fill. Out with the old and in with the new can sometimes be tough. New situations are sometimes faced with ambiguous feelings, with more than a little anxiety lagging behind. Healing is not easy. The truth is that healing is a powerful choice, and the commitment to heal is the first step in recovery and wellness. As the year 2020 ends and the New Year 2021 begins, let us hope all our endings lead us to a healthier, happier, and a blessed future.

Praying to See God's Glory

Familiarity breeds contempt. It also blocks the mystery of Christmas by breeding a view of the life that cannot see divinity within humanity. 

All of us are hopelessly prone to see most everything in an over-familiar way, namely, in a way that sees little or nothing of the deep richness and divinity that is shimmering everywhere under the surface. G.K. Chesterton, reflecting on this, once declared that one of the deep secrets of life is to learn to look at things familiar until they look unfamiliar again. 

We are all challenged to learn the secret of seeing the extraordinary inside of the ordinary, of seeing divinity shimmering inside of humanity, and of seeing haloes around familiar faces. 

Thomas Merton shares how he once had a quasi-mystical experience of this in the most ordinary of circumstances. He had been living in a Trappist monastery outside of Louisville, Kentucky, for nearly 20 years and one day needed to go into Louisville for a medical appointment. He was standing at the intersection of Fourth and Walnut, when suddenly the ordinary changed into the extraordinary. 

Everyone around him began to shimmer with a deep, divine radiance. They were all walking around, he wrote, “shining like the sun.” And he adds: “Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor self-knowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s eyes. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed…I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other.” 

This kind of vision, seeing the world as transfigured with haloes around familiar faces, is ultimately the meaning of Christmas, the meaning of the incarnation, and the mystery of God walking around in human flesh. Christmas is not so much a celebration of Jesus’ birthday as it is a celebration of the continued birth of God into human flesh, the continuation of the divine making itself manifest in the ordinary; God, a helpless baby in a barn​.

(Ron Rolheiser)

Dear Heavenly Father

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Creator of the heavens and the earth,

the skies and the seas, and everything in them,

You are worthy of all glory, honor, dominion, and strength.

You have every right to call the shots

in my life, and in the world.

I thank You for the peace that comes with accepting

that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of humanity.

I know unequivocally that I can trust Your infinite

goodness, wisdom, and holiness.

Please help me to hold my blessings with open hands,

not hoarding them for myself,

but willing to give them back, to share them,

and to use them on behalf of Your glory, as You so lead.

It’s in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that I pray.

Amen

Change Your Perspective

“Every time I get worried about something I say my prayers more.” ~ Jim Burns

Whether we grew up in religious families or not, most of us seek help from some Greater Power when we're faced with terrifying situations. Often it's at an unconscious level that we ask for extra help. But the fact that we do elicit strength from some source comforts us, and this enables us to walk through the experience that appears so daunting.

We never outgrow the need for strength and comfort. That's good news. It's too awesome to think that we need to know all now, to understand how every detail of living should unfold. It's quite enough to limit our focus on the details of the next twenty-four hours.

Let's be vigilant about our search for guidance and comfort. And let's not forget that we have to listen for the response. If our minds are filled with worrying, there will be no space for the answers to enter.

Praying for solutions or comfort or just a moment of peace will change my perspective today. When my perspective changes, so do my experiences.

Your Mirror

The good you find in others, is in you too. 

The faults you find in others, are your faults as well.

After all, to recognize something you must know it.

The possibilities you see in others, are possible for you as well.

The beauty you see around you, is your beauty.

The world around you is a reflection, a mirror showing you the person you are.

To change your world, you must change yourself.

To blame and complain will only make matters worse.

Whatever you care about, is your responsibility.

What you see in others, shows you yourself.

See the best in others, and you will be your best.

Give to others, and you give to yourself.

Appreciate beauty, and you will be beautiful.

Admire creativity, and you will be creative.

Love, and you will be loved.

Seek to understand, and you will be understood.

Listen, and your voice will be heard.

Teach, and you will learn.

Show your best face to the mirror,

   and you'll be happy with the face

   looking back at you.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family; established by Pope Leo XIII in 1892 to promote the sacredness of family life and to present the Holy Family as the model for all Christian Families. It seems to me that this Feast is always a bit of a letdown coming right after Christmas. Although the Feast of the Holy Family is not accompanied with great anticipation, bright lights and gifts, it should not be a letdown because this is where the events of Christmas become real. It is in the midst of our families that our personalities, values, cultural mores and faith develop. Our families form us. And Jesus’ family helped to form him and his ministry. 

We really don’t know much about the life of the Holy Family. Scripture jumps from the birth and infancy narratives of Jesus to one incident in his adolescence and then to his adult ministry. What we do know is that they suffered hardship. We know they had to flee their country in fear for their lives, becoming refugees in Egypt. We know they lived under a cruel and oppressive military and political occupation. We know that Joseph “was a righteous man” (Matt. 1:18) and Mary had “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). We know that they were devout because they “fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord” (Luke 2:39). We know that Mary and Joseph did not always understand Jesus and that he caused them some anxiety (Luke 3: 41 – 52). And we know that despite all the hardship Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him” (Luke 2: 40). 

When I reflect on the Holy Family as a model for all Christian families I am astounded by their closeness to and faith in God who was the center of their lives. God directed the lives of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. They listened to God. They were obedient to his word and they observed God’s commandments and laws. God centered families can withstand all the challenges, hardships and sorrow thrown in their path. On this Feast of the Holy Family, we should thank God for our families and pray that all families have God at their center. With God in charge all families can be Holy Families. 

Mother Teresa's Prayer for Families 

(From the National Association of Catholic Families) 

Heavenly Father, 

you have given us a model of life in the Holy Family of Nazareth. 

 Help us, O loving Father,

 to make our family another Nazareth where love, peace, and joy reign. 

May it be deeply contemplative, intensely Eucharistic, and vibrant with joy. 

 Help us to stay together in joy and sorrow through family prayer. 

Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our family, 

especially in their distressing disguises. 

May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus make our hearts meek and humble like his, 

and help us to carry out our family duties in a holy way. 

May we love one another as God loves each one of us, 

more and more each day, and forgive each other's faults as you forgive our sins. 

Help us, O loving Father, to take whatever you give 

and to give whatever you take with a big smile. 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us. 

 St Joseph, pray for us. Holy Guardian Angels, 

be always with us, guide and protect us. 

Amen

Awakening the Christ Child

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son, from the Father, full of grace and truth. ~ John 1:14

The power of Christmas is not automatic. It can't be taken for granted. It has to be given birth, nursed, coaxed, and lovingly cajoled into effectiveness. The baby Jesus doesn't save the world, the adult Christ does and our task is to turn the baby Jesus into the adult Christ. We need to do that in our own bodies and with our own lives.

As Annie Dillard once put it, the Christ we find in our lives is always found as he was found at the first Christmas, a helpless infant, lying in the straw, someone who needs to be picked up and coaxed into adulthood. To make Christ effective, we need, ourselves, to become "the body of Christ".

To put it metaphorically, the Christ-child has to be awakened by us. We need to go to the manger and awaken the child.

We awaken the child by inducing it to smile. How's that done? Where is the Christ-child? In terms of an icon, the Christ-child is in the crib, but, in terms of spirituality, the Christ-child appears in our lives in a different way.

When Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit - defined as charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, longsuffering, fidelity, gentleness, and chastity - then obviously the child she gestated will radiate those qualities. We awaken the Christ-child when we smile at charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, longsuffering, fidelity, gentleness, and chastity until they begin to smile back. What comes back is the power of Christmas, a baby's power to transform a heart, divine power hidden in human weakness.

We have to help make Christmas happen.

If You Look for Me at Christmas

If you look for me at Christmas,
you won't need a special star -
I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,
I'm right there where you are.

You may not be aware of Me
Amid the celebrations -
You'll have to look beyond the stores
and all the decorations.

But if you take a moment
from your list of things to do
And listen to your heart, you'll find
I'm waiting there for you.

You're the one I want to be with,
you're the reason that I came,
And you'll find Me in the stillness
as I'm whispering your name,

Love,

Jesus 

Christmas List

This Christmas 

• Mend a quarrel
• Seek out a forgotten friend
• Share some treasure
• Give a soft answer
• Encourage youth Keep a promise
• Find the time
• Listen
• Apologize if you were wrong
• Be gentle
• Laugh a little
• Laugh a little more
• Express your gratitude
• Welcome a stranger
• Gladden the heart of a child
• Take pleasure in the beauty
• and wonder of the earth
• Speak your love
• Speak it again
• Speak it still once again

Peace – Hope – Joy – Love to You

​

A Soldier's Poem

Twas the night before Christmas,
He lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of
Plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney
With presents to give,
And to see just who
In this home did live.

I looked all about,
A strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents,
Not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle,
Just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures
Of far distant lands.

With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought
Came through my mind.

For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,
Once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor
In this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured
A United States soldier.

Was this the hero
Of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho,
The floor for a bed?

I realized the families
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers
Who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world,
The children would play,
And grownups would celebrate
A bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom
Each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas eve
In a land far from home.

The very thought
Brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees
And started to cry.

The soldier awakened
and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry,
This life is my choice;

I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
My life is my god,
My country, my corps."

The soldier rolled over
And drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours,
So silent and still
And we both shivered
From the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave
On that cold, dark, night,
This guardian of honor
So willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over,
With a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, "carry on Santa,
It's Christmas day, all is secure."

One look at my watch,
And I knew he was right.
"Merry Christmas my friend,
And to all a good night."

I Felt it Melt My Heart

Snowflakes softly falling,
Upon your window they play.
Your blankets snug around you,
Into sleep you drift away.

I bend to gently kiss you,
when I see that on the floor.
there's a letter, neatly written.
I wonder who it's for.

I quietly unfold it,
making sure you're still asleep.
It's a Christmas list for Santa
one my heart will always keep.

It started just as always,
with the toys seen on TV.
A new watch for your father
and a winter coat for me.

But as my eyes read on,
I could see that deep inside.
There were many things you wished for,
that your loving heart would hide.

You asked if your friend Molly,
could have another Dad;
It seems her father hits her,
and it makes you very sad.

Then you asked dear Santa,
if the neighbors down the street
Could find a job, that he might have
some food, and clothes, and heat.

You saw a family on the news
whose house had blown away,
"Dear Santa, send them just one thing,
a place where they can stay."

"And Santa, those four cookies that,
I left you for a treat.
Could you take them to the children
who have nothing else to eat?"

"Do you know that little bear I have,
the one I love so dear?
I'm leaving it for you to take,
to Africa this year".

"And as you fly your reindeer,
on this night of Jesus' birth.
Could your magic bring to everyone,
goodwill and peace on earth".

"There's one last thing before you go,
so grateful I would be.
If you'd smile at Baby Jesus,
in the manger by our tree."

I pulled the letter close to me,
I felt it melt my heart.
Those tiny hands had written,
what no other could impart.

"And a little child shall lead them,"
was whispered in my ear.
As I watched you sleep on Christmas Eve
while Santa Claus was here.

Jesus and His Disciples

Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain and gathered them around him. And he taught them, saying “Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who are persecuted. Blessed are those who suffer. When these things happen, rejoice, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

And Simon Peter said, “Do we have to write this down?”
And Phillip said “Is this going to be on the test?”
And John said, “Would you repeat that, slower?” ...
And Andrew said, “John the Baptist’s disciples don’t have to learn this stuff.”
And Matthew said, “Huh?”
And Judas said, “What’s this got to do with real life?”

And then one of the Pharisees said, an expert in law, said, “I don’t see any of this in your syllabus. Do you have a lesson plan? Where’s the student guide? Will there be a follow-up assignment?”

And Thomas, who had missed the sermon, came to Jesus privately and said, “Did we do anything important today?”

And Jesus wept.

Who Started Christmas

This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way in and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff.

When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up, and shot."

From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don't worry we already crucified him."

For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.

4th Sunday of Advent

There is an adage that says: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” Or, as God, speaking through the Prophet Isaiah tells us: “my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts” (IS 55:8-9). 

In today’s first reading King David had big plans for God. He was going to build God a house as spectacular as the new palace he built for himself. God's response to David's plan was “No.” God would not be a part of David's plan. However, David could be a part of God's plan. David would not build God a house. Rather God would create from David a dynasty through which salvation would come to all people. What made David a great king was his willingness to listen to God, to let God be God, to surrender his own plans and walk into the future God had prepared for him. 

Almost 1,000 years later, Mary was in a similar, if much less prestigious and public situation. Her hopes and plans probably included a quiet life, children, good health, some economic security and a little comfort. The story of the Annunciation is, among other things, God saying “No” to Mary's plans. God had plans for Mary, and those plans changed everything. Through her, the dynasty that began with David reached its fruition, and salvation was offered to all people. The key to Mary's greatness was her ability to listen, to hear the voice of God, and to say, “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Through Mary we received the gift of Emmanuel, God with us. 

The mystery of the Incarnation does not end on Christmas Day only to be revived next year when the Advent season begins again. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation when we come to Mass and participate in the Sacraments. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation when we, like Mary, open our hearts in humility and love and invite Jesus into our lives. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation every time we say YES to God. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation when we respond to God’s call and we live the Good News of the Gospel here in Peachtree City. Emanuel, God with us, is here now. Emanuel, God with us was here yesterday and will be here tomorrow. God is present in the world working through each of us. 

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ. And every day of the year we should celebrate the birth of Christ in us. Angelus Silesius, a 17th Century Catholic monk and mystic wrote: “Christ could be born a thousand times in Galilee – but all in vain until He is born in me. Do not seek God somewhere outside of yourselves. Your heart is the only place in which to meet God face to face.” 

May the peace of Christ be with you this Holy Season and throughout the year! 

Here in our midst, O God of mystery,

you disclose the secret that was hidden for countless ages.

For you we wait; 

for you we listen.

Upon hearing your voice

may we, like Mary, embrace your will

and become a dwelling fit for your Word.

Grant this through him whose coming is certain,

whose day draws near:

your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

Amen.

Christmas Trees and Strawberry Summers

What I'd really like is a life of 

Christmas trees and strawberry summers,
A walk through the zoo with a pocketful of bubble gum
and a string of balloons.

I'd say "yes" to blueberry mornings
and carefree days with rainbow endings.
I'd keep the world in springtime
and the morning glories blooming.

But life is more than birthday parties;
life is more than candied apples.

I'd rather hear the singing than the weeping.
I'd rather see the healing than the violence.
I'd rather feel the pleasure than the pain.
I'd rather know security than fear.

I'd like to keep the cotton candy coming.
But life is more than fingers crossed;
life is more than wishing.

Christ said, "Follow me."
And of course I'd rather not.
I'd rather pretend that doesn't include me.
I'd rather sit by the fire and make my excuses.
I'd rather look the other way,
not answer the phone,
and be much too busy to read the paper.

But I said, yes and
that means risk-
it means, Here I am, ready or not!
O Christmas tree and strawberry summers,
you're what I like and you are real.

But so are hunger
and misery
and hate-filled red faces.
So is confrontation.
So is injustice.

Discipleship means sometimes it's going to rain on my face.
But when you've been blind and now you see,
when you've been deaf and now you hear,
when you've never understood and now you know,
once you know who God calls you to be,
you're not content with sitting in corners.

There's got to be some alleluia shouting,
some speaking out
some standing up
some caring
some sharing
some community
some risk.

Discipleship means living what you know.
Discipleship means "Thank you, Lord"
for Christmas trees and strawberry summers
and even for rain in my face.

The author is Ann Weems and the poem can be found in her anthology, "Kneeling in Bethlehem" (Westminster Press: 1980).

 

Incredible Feeling

Newscaster Paul Harvey once told about a woman who called the Butterball Turkey Company and said that she had a turkey that had been in her freezer for 23 years. She asked if it was still any good. She was told that if her freezer was at least zero degrees Fahrenheit, then the turkey was probably safe enough to eat. But they wouldn’t recommend that she eat it. The flavor would have deteriorated considerably. She said, “That’s what we thought. I guess we’ll just give it to the church.”

I suppose there are many reasons we choose to give. But people who enjoy sharing with others the most do not share simply because they have a need to get rid of something. Those who find the greatest joy from giving have learned to give from a deeper place; they give from their hearts.

Santa Claus is becoming a universal symbol of giving. Millions of children write letters to Santa each year in hopes that they won’t be forgotten during his annual giving spree. Did you know that the US Post Office actually found ways to answer those letters to Santa Claus? They used to just stick them in the so-called dead letter box. But now some cities have programs that allow people to sort through these hand-written pleas, hopes and wishes and become “Santas” to others in need. They choose a letter and respond however they can. Most anyone can play Santa.

One letter that might have been discarded a few years ago, but was picked up by a volunteer Santa Claus, came from a boy named Donny. He wrote that he wanted a bike for Christmas and “some food and what I really need is love.”

Another volunteer Santa latched onto a letter from a young mother who wrote, “I lost my job and I cannot afford to give my two children the things they need for the winter months.” That generous spirit helped with some necessities for the children.

“I like to go to their home on Christmas Eve,” one joyful Santa said. One year he bought presents for four children and a ham for their mother. Then he added this poignant observation: “The feeling you get is just incredible.”

I admit it – I don't always get that feeling when I give. But then I don't always give out of untainted motivations. Sometimes I give from other places. Sometimes I give out of social obligation or out of guilt. Or I give with an expectation for receiving back. But I give best when I give from that deeper place; when I give simply, freely and generously, and sometimes for no particular reason. I give best when I give from my heart.

And isn't it true? Opportunities to give from the heart are not limited to a particular holiday season or cultural tradition. Whether we give food, money, an hour of time or a hug, we can give it sincerely and joyously.

But let me offer a word of caution. If you choose to give from your heart, be careful. The most incredible feeling might just overwhelm you. And if you continue in this behavior, that feeling may become permanent.

A cop pulls over a carload of nuns. The cop says, “Sister, this is a 55 MPH highway. Why are you going so slow?” 

The Sister replies, “Sir, I saw a lot of signs that said 25, not 55.” 

The cop answers, “Oh, Sister, that's not the speed limit, that's the name of the highway you are on!” 

The Sister says, “Oh! Silly me! Thanks for letting me know. I'll be more careful.” 

At this point, the cop looks in the backseat where the other nuns are shaking and trembling. 

The cop asks, “Excuse me, Sister, what's wrong with your friends back there? They are shaking something terrible.” 

The Sister answers, “Oh, we just got off Highway 101.” 

Three Important Things in Life

You've heard it said, “Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home.” Well, there may be other and more important reasons for being careful how we treat one another.

I think that U.S. industrialist Charles M. Schwab may have gotten it right. At age 72, Schwab was sued for a large sum of money. Many high-profile persons would have settled out of court, but Schwab went through with it and eventually won the suit.

Before he left the witness stand, he asked permission of the court to make a statement of a personal nature. 

This is what he said: "I am an old man, and I want to say that ninety percent of my troubles have been due to my being good to other people. If you younger folk want to avoid trouble, be hard-boiled and say no to everybody. You will then walk through life unmolested, but…” and here a broad smile lit up his face, “you will have to do without friends, and you won't have much fun.”

Maybe that's why Henry James said, “Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” It's a vital part of a whole and happy life.

The Gifts I'd Leave

 

Gaudete Sunday

As I reflected on the readings for today, it occurred to me that I do not usually associate St John the Baptist with the attribute of joy, one of the fruits of the Spirit. I do believe he checks all of the boxes for gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. So why, I asked myself, is he our scriptural focus on Gaudete Sunday (Rejoice Sunday)? I actually brooded on this question while I struggled to put it into context. 

When John came roaring out of the desert with his message of repentance for forgiveness of sins sometime between A.D. 27 – A.D. 29, life for the ordinary people of Judea and Jerusalem was brutal. According to the Biblical scholar, William Barclay, they suffered under tyrannical leadership, they were mired in poverty, they lived in “the shadow of despair” and they were terrified by the “darkness of death.” Life did not offer much to celebrate. 

While John’s message wasn’t exactly joyful, he offered the people of Judea and Jerusalem something extraordinary, he offered them hope. In a Christian context, hope means more than the desire for a fantastic Christmas present. According to Fr John McKenzie, S.J., hope is believing that, “God can accomplish the impossible. Hope is of the unseen both as to its object and its motive. It is the hope of the Glory of God.” So, according to McKenzie, the “Christian is saved through hope, which is [his/her] joy.” 

And so, today’s message from John the Baptist is a joyful message, “Make straight the way of the Lord,” because He is coming. For those of us who may be feeling fear or despair, John guides us to the light. 

Father in heaven, 

Our hearts desire the warmth of your love 

And our minds are searching for the light of your Word. 

Increase our longing for Christ our Savior 

And give us the strength to grow in love, 

That the dawn of his coming may find us rejoicing in his presence 

And welcoming the light of his truth. 

We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. 

Amen

 Dear God, 

I know that the first step in all spiritual healing is to believe. I believe! I open my mind and heart believing in your infinite power and possibility. I believe that healing is a dynamic and reachable experience, a reality that can be experienced right now. I maintain a patient and loving attitude, for I believe that your healing activity is now at work in my mind and body. I look forward, with joyful expectation, to the perfect wholeness that you are now bringing into manifestation through me. I believe in your constant expression of perfect good in and through me. I rest in the certainty of your healing power. I know that with you all things are possible. 

In Your Holy Name, 

Amen

 

Life Lessons Learned from Noah's Ark

1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don't listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety's sake travel in pairs.
8. Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth.
9. If you have to start over, have a friend by your side.
10. No matter the storm, when you are with God there's always a rainbow waiting.

Mortal: What is a million years like to you?
God: Like one second.

Mortal: What is a million dollars like to you?
God: Like one penny.

Mortal: Can I have a penny?
God: Just a second...​

The Real Meaning of Christmas

To catch the real meaning of the "Spirit of Christmas," we need only to drop the last syllable of the word, and it becomes the "Spirit of Christ." It beckons us to follow him, and become worthy of the blessedness which he promised to the most unlikely people-the poor in spirit, the sorrowful, the meek, the seekers after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and even the persecuted and the oppressed.

Christmas Commandments

1. You shall not leave ‘Christ’ out of Christmas, making it ‘Xmas.’ To some, ‘X’ is unknown.
2. You shall prepare your soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that your soul is forgotten.
3. You shall not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality.
4. You shall not burden the shop girl, the mailman, and the merchant with complaints and demands.
5. You shall give yourself with your gift. This will increase its value a hundred fold, and the one who receives it shall treasure it forever.
6. You shall not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.
7. You shall not neglect the needy. Share your blessings with many who will go hungry and cold if you are generous.
8. You shall not neglect your church. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.
9. You shall be as a little child. Not until you become in spirit as a little one are you ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
10. You shall give your heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of your Christmas list.

Anyone keeping these commandments is sure to have a blessed Christmas.

2nd Sunday of Advent

On this Second Sunday of Advent 2020 we hear from the Great Prophet Isaiah again.  Last Sunday we heard Isaiah’s anguished plea for God to return for the sake of his servants, slashing open the heavens and making the mountains quake.  In today’s message we hear the prophetic voice of Isaiah reminding the Jews held in captivity in Babylon that God has not forsaken them. In fact, God is spurring his people to action.  This is the message in all three of our readings today.  God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah calls his people to “Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news!” Proclaim “Here is your God!  Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm” (Is 40:9–10). St Peter in the second reading encourages us to hasten “the coming of the day of God” (2 Pt 3:12). And in today’s Gospel John the Baptist proclaims “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). Advent is not a passive season. 

Yes, we are called to be watchful and alert. But we also are called to prepare ourselves for something BIG!  Isaiah reminded the Jews in exile and he reminds us that God has a plan.  The plan is for the glory of the LORD to be revealed, “and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Is 40:5). The question we must ask ourselves is, am I ready for the revelation of the glory of the Lord? We may be physically and materially prepared for the celebration of Christmas but are our hearts ready to receive the glory of the Lord that God revealed to us in the birth of Jesus Christ? 

St. Peter gives us some directions on how to prepare for the coming of Jesus in our second reading. He reminds us that the world as we know it will disappear. The “heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out” (2 Pt 3:10) When the end of the world happens, the Lord expects us to conduct ourselves “in holiness and devotion…” (2 Pt 3:11). He tells us that what we are waiting for are “new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pt 3:13). And, finally, he tells us that while we are waiting, we must do our “best to live blameless and unsullied lives so that he will find [us] at peace” (2 Pt 3:14). 

And so, on this Second Sunday of Advent our goal is to look into our hearts to make sure we are prepared for the coming of the Lord and to examine our lives to determine if we are, through our actions “hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pt 3:12). 

O God of all consolation, 

to us who journey as pilgrims through time

you have promised new heavens and a new earth.

Open our eyes to the One who comes into our midst, 

so that by living lives of holiness and service

we may hasten the coming of that day

and be found at peace when at last it dawns.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, 

who was, who is and who is to come, 

your Son who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

God for ever and ever. 

Amen.

As Advent Unfolds

One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: To dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life.

(Psalm 27:4)

As Advent unfolds, we long for the Savior who will bring forth a new creation and present a kingdom of justice, mercy, and peace to the eternal Father. The Lord revealed His coming presence over time. When on earth, He revealed himself in various ways. Some, like these blind men, called out to Him as Messiah, the Son of David; others, like the woman who touched His cloak, had their quietly-held belief; Nicodemus came at night and the Centurion professed his faith at the foot of the cross.

Advent is about waiting, longing, searching for the Lord of my life, to have Him come anew, to grant me healing mercy and deeper faith. It is about needing a savior, my life's refuge, and the need of all people for a Savior: “Prepare ye, the way of the Lord.” The Lord reveals Himself in various ways, as presently now in the Eucharist, the Word, in prayer and in the communion of believers.

Cultivate patient waiting. What are the Lord's ways in your life? What message should we take to others?

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 

(Psalm 27:13)

Christmas Suggestions

God's Holding Patterns

Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful circumstance in our life to "swallow us up." This season in our spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us.

God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no interference's, and no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit, think, meditate, and pray. When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.

Few Of God's Holding Patterns:

1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed, but God has not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern.
2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a holding pattern.
3. When you have been praying for a loved one and they have not responded yet, you are in a holding pattern.
4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.
5. When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in a holding pattern.
6. When the stack of bills are higher than the dollars to pay them and you don’t know where it’s coming from, you are in a holding pattern.
7. When you are praying for an answer and it’s just not coming as quickly as you like it to, you are in a holding pattern.

When we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit, think, meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no mountains that are high enough, valleys that are low enough, rivers that are wide enough, rooms that are dark enough, or places that are hidden enough from Him.

We must remember to praise Him while we're waiting and remember three things:
1. The pattern has a purpose.
2. The pattern has a plan.
3. The pattern has a process.

So stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I love you." The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Be Blessed!

Prayer:
"Father, forgive my unbelief. I know you love me and will turn anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but victories and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult the path. Amen."