Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Serenity

Lord, make me an instrument of your Serenity

Where there is addiction, let me bring Recovery

Where there is shame, let me bring Healing

Where there is hatred, let me bring Love

Where there is hurt, let me bring Forgiveness

Where there is prejudice, let me bring acceptance

Where there is denial, let me bring Honesty

Where there is fear, let me bring Courage

Where there is doubt, let me bring Faith

Where there is despair, let me bring Hope

Where there is darkness, let me bring Light

Where there is sadness, let me bring Joy

Lord, grant that I may seek

Not so much to be comforted, but to Comfort others

Not so much to be understood, as to Understand others

Not so much to be loved, as to Love others

For it is in Giving that we receive

For it is by Forgiving, that we are Released from resentments

For it is by Living in God’s love, that we are granted a Daily Reprieve

And it is by Dying to our old life, that we Awaken to a New Life of Spirituality. 

Amen

Hope

 

Carry the Message

There's a story about a troubled mother who had a daughter who was addicted to sweets. One day she approached Gandhi, explained the problem to him and asked whether he might talk to the young girl. Gandhi replied: "Bring your daughter to me in three weeks time and I will speak to her." After three weeks, the mother brought her daughter to him. He took the young girl aside and spoke to her about the harmful effects of eating sweets excessively and urged her to abandon her bad habit. The mother thanked Gandhi for this advice and then asked him: "But why didn't you speak to her three weeks ago?" Gandhi replied: "Because three weeks ago, I was still addicted to sweets."

And there's the lesson: We must do more than just point out the right road to others, we must be on that road ourselves. For this reason, the integrity of our private lives and private morals, down to the smallest detail, is the real power behind our words.

Epiphany of the Lord

Many years ago, I decided that I wanted to become a serious stargazer. I mentioned my interest to a friend who presented me with a telescope. This was not a simple point at a star and look telescope. It was a real telescope that required some knowledge about astronomy or at least a sense of where to look to see what the night sky has to offer. I must admit I was a bit disappointed. All I wanted to do was take a close look at some stars and planets. I didn’t realize how complicated the sky is with thousands and thousands of stars, clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Serious stargazing takes work and I was not sure that I wanted to put much energy or effort into this project. So, my telescope sat in a corner, rarely used until I finally gave it to someone who was truly interested in learning about astronomy.

The Magi who followed the Star of Bethlehem were scholars. They were serious stargazers who, when they saw the “star at its rising,” dropped everything they were doing to follow it. They did not have telescopes. They had to rely on the low-tech science of the day. They studied the night sky watching for changes and movement. They knew this new star represented something extraordinary, the “newborn king of the Jews” and they were willing to make great sacrifices to find him. We don’t know exactly where they came from but St. Matthew implies that they traveled a great distance to get to Bethlehem. What is interesting to consider is that this star clearly was not invisible. Others must have seen it. The Scribes and Pharisees, the chief priests and scientists of Israel must have seen the star. But they did nothing to investigate. Pagan foreigners recognized the significance of the star and set out to find it.

All our readings today emphasize that Jesus was born for the people of all nations. The Magi were non-believers, pagans, gentiles, not worth any consideration in the eyes of the people of Israel, but they were the people who had the faith and humility to seek and welcome Jesus into our world. They did not know where the star would lead them. However, they pursued their journey of faith knowing that the end of their journey would reveal something spectacular, “the glory of the Lord.” On this Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, we should ask ourselves, what star do I follow? Will I recognize a God sent star? What will I sacrifice to follow that star?

Father,

you revealed your Son to the nations

by the guidance of a star.

Lead us to your glory in heaven

by the light of faith.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God forever and ever.

Amen

Clock and Calendar

 

Broken Resolutions

Most of us, I suspect, have our own long history of broken New Year's resolutions.

How many times have we begun a new year with the sincere intention of ending some bad habit and of finally setting ourselves to living life as we should have been living it all along and, after a very short time, have found ourselves again solidly embedded in our old habits and ruts?

Hence, most of us live lives not so much of quiet desperation as of quiet resignation: "This is the way I am! This is the way my life has always been! This is the way I will always be!"

The belief that things can be different, and for the better, is a crucial part of our Christian faith. To believe that there can be "a new heaven and a new earth" (and that we can be paragons of virtue and delight within it) is not something that takes its ground in natural optimism (for example, "I always see the positive in things.") but is something that is rooted in the belief that "nothing is impossible with God."

How to change? As Psalm 96 puts it, "sing a new song to the Lord."

Happy New Year 2024!

 Happy New Year to All of You! May You have a Blessed 2024!

May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastroenterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber, and the I.R.S.

May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs, and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count, and your mortgage interest not rise.

May next New Year's Eve find you seated around the table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends.

May you find the food better, the environment quieter, the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure much more fulfilling than anything else you might ordinarily do that night.

May what you see in the mirror delight you and what others see in you delight them.

May someone love you enough to forgive your faults, be blind to your blemishes, and tell the world about your virtues.

May the telemarketers lose your phone number, may the commercials on TV not be louder than the program you have been watching, and may your check book and your budget balance - and include generous amounts for charity.

May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your children, your parents, your siblings and your friends.

May The Promises in the Bible all be true for you.

And may we live in a world at peace and with the awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart.