Prayer Requests and Gratitudes

Thursday, December 31, 2015

The Last Hour

~~~ 1 John 2:18-21 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ John 1:1-18 ~~~

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. 
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.

As we come to the end of this calendar year
 we read these words about the beginning.

Without him nothing came to be...
Jesus is the Word.
Jesus is God.
Jesus was one with God
 from the beginning of time.

Jesus is both Son and God.
Jesus is the Word come down from heaven.
Jesus is the Word made flesh.
Jesus is our salvation.
Jesus is love in human form.

All that is good comes to be through him.


And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.

Jesus made his dwelling among us.
He shows us how to live in love.
He shows us the meaning of peace.
He shows us what it means to forgive.

He bestows his mercy and grace upon us 
as the Father's only-begotten Son.

Children, it is the last hour...

So many times what appears to be an end 
is actually a new beginning.
As the final hours of this year come to an end
 may you look back with love and kindness
at what the year had to teach you.

We look forward to a new year filled 
with hope and the promise of the Word alive among us.

We give thanks for you, our readers.
Blessings of Peace, Love, Mercy, and Hope.

JOY
to the World!

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Contagious Joy

~~~1 John 2:12-17 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Luke 2:36-40 ~~~

There was a prophetess, Anna...

...She was advanced in years...

...She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

Anna dedicated her life first to her spouse in marriage.
After losing her husband in death, she consecrated
 herself to a life in the temple.

Being advanced in age she was also advanced in wisdom.
She had learned how to be still and listen to the voice of God.

Anna focused her life on prayer and fasting.
She fed her soul with the holiness of God
 and her body came to need little food.


In the early days of her pregnancy Mary
visited her older cousin, Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth saw Mary 
she felt the child in her womb leap for joy.
She herself recognized Mary was carrying the Messiah. 

Now another senior woman comes forward
to recognize the infant Jesus
as the Messiah.

Anna lived as a cloistered religious woman.
It was her vocation to always pray.
Anna lived a modest simple life in the temple.

Anna saw that the favor of God was on Jesus.

Even as a widow of advanced years,
Anna experienced great joy.
It bloomed in her soul and spread out on her face.

She was infected with the joy from this swaddled babe.

Her joy was a true reflection of the joy emanating 
from this 'holy' family.

I pray that you too are Blessed
with the gift of Joy.

You are never too old
to be filled with the joy of the Lord.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World!

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Unexpected Message

~~~ 1 John 2:3-11 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Luke 2:22-35 ~~~

Purification...Presentation...Consecration

...the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord...

After the required days for purification
Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple.

They presented him as the Jewish law prescribed
and there they met the prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna.

Joseph provided the gift of a pair turtle doves.
It was in a way buying back your son from God.

The message in the temple was not at all
what these new parents were expecting to hear.


There joy in the birth of their son Jesus
was muffled by the news...

“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Simeon reveals to Mary and Joseph
that his eyes have seen the light of salvation.
The birth of the child Jesus banishes the darkness.
Jesus is the true light of true light.

Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. 
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Jesus brought love into the world...
a world blanketed in darkness.

A great light has come
to inspire and to lead  us to eternity.

Glory to God in the highest.

Blessed into the light of Christ.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World!

Monday, December 28, 2015

The Holy Family

~~~ The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph ~~~

~~~ Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 ~~~ Psalm 128 ~~~ Colossians 3:12-21 ~~~
~~~ Luke 2:41-52 ~~~

God chose to send Jesus into a family.
Mary, Joseph, and Jesus give us a beautiful family model.
Mary was young, vibrant, healthy and eager
 to do the will of God.
She was a woman of prayer.

Joseph was already in love with Mary
so he was able to find within himself
the strength to take his part in God's plan.

Together they created the perfect environment
for God's plan to be revealed.
God sent the life of Jesus to flourish
until birth within Mary.

...kindness to a father will not be forgotten...


Mary was certainly the birth mother of Jesus,
but Joseph was not his birth father.

Joseph was equivalent to the adoptive father of Jesus.
Legally Joseph was the father of Jesus.
The angel, sent by God, prepared the mind
and heart for Joseph to be a willing participant in this plan.

This unique family arrangement has far reaching
meaning even for today's families.

Jesus was obedient to both Mary and Joseph.
Jesus honored his parents.
At the same time Jesus acted like a typical young boy.
He left his parents without telling them he was off to the temple.

The holy family unit is a beautiful model for our world today.
What makes a family holy?
Is it because Jesus was their son?
Perhaps this title was bestowed upon them
 because of their son, Jesus.

But any family can be a 'holy' family.

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, 
gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, 
if one has a grievance against another; 
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love, 
that is, the bond of perfection.

Recently Pope Francis gave us three vital components
for a 'holy' family ...Prayer, faith, and joy.

Families should pray together.
We have many opportunities to pray in a family.
It is important that we pray for one another.
It is important that we acknowledge that we need God in our family.

Keeping the faith alive in our family;
it part of how we interact with those outside of our family.
How we treat others is a reflection of our faith.
We should practice and foster our faith within the family unit.

Is there joy in your family?
If you do not have joy then it is difficult
to recognize the joy within your family.
The joy of a holy family is deeply connected to God.

In joy we can put on holiness, compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
In joy we can find ways to forgive one another...
to extend unconditional love to one another.

May you find peace and blessings
as you strive to create a greater sense
of holiness in your family.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
pray for us!
Help us to be more loving and our families will be 'holy'.

~~~Peace~~~
Joy
to the World!

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Christmas Blessings

~~~The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)~~~
Mass at Midnight
~~~Isaiah 9:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Timothy 2:11-14 ~~~
~~~ Luke 2:1-14 ~~~

For unto us a Child is born.
The gift of this child is no ordinary birth.
The birth of Jesus is the most important historical event.

The world was not aware of the darkness
 that had settled all around.

How many people are still choosing to remain in darkness?
You have seen the great light?

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.

Would you follow a star that led to a dirty smelly stable?

Would that be your primary path to achieving your dream?

Those who came to this stable were forever changed.

You are invited to be changed by this sleeping child.


The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy 
that will be for all the people.

Joy that will be for all people.
Do you believe this verse?
Do your have an appetite for Joy?
Is it something that your crave?
Is it something that you protect in your heart?

“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The grace of God has appeared...
to cleanse for himself a people as his own, 
eager to do what is good.

The grace and blessings of the crib
inspire us to see the world through the eyes of love.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

He Stirs Our Heart

~~~ 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16 ~~~ 
~~~ Psalm 89 ~~~ Luke 1:67-79 ~~~

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Christmas is the season for joy and happiness,
even when you are carrying the sad loss of a loved one.
It is a time for remembering all the good things 
God has brought into your life.

Zechariah was quick to praise God 
with his prophecy as soon as his voice was restored.
This canticle is recited as part of morning prayer each day.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free...



God comes to us a tiny baby.
He stirs our hearts with his quiet cooing.
He melts our hearts with his surprising smile.
He gives us hope as he grabs hold of our finger.

God comes to us as a tiny baby;
inviting us to a closer look...
inviting us to his caress his soft delicate cheek.

God sends his mercy to us in the pure
heart of the infant Jesus.

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The manger calls us to kneel in wonder and awe...
our salvation is revealed within the crib.

Silent Night, Holy Night,
All is calm, all is bright...

Sing carols today with all your heart.
It is love, grace, beauty, and mercy
of which we sing.

O Little Town of Bethlehem
how still we see thee lie!

O come let us adore him.
O come let us adore him.
O comes let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

May the Glory of his Light shine on us forever.

~~~Peace~~~
Joy
to the World!

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Veni, Veni Emmanuel

~~~ Malachi  3:1-4, 23-24 ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~ Luke 1:57-66 ~~~

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

Emmanuel...
God with us.

God has always been with us.
He took on our humanity to become one of us.
This act of becoming human brought God 
completely with his people.

The friends of John's family wondered at what marvels 
were in store for this child.
Not even his parents understood
 the future role he would play in God's plan.

Mary might have asked herself 
what her child would be...for she knew the hand of the Lord
was at work within her heart and body.


Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

The scene is set...
Mary and Joseph have nearly reached Bethlehem.
They have one more day to travel.
There will be no fresh, clean room 
for this young mother.

She will deliver in a stable filled with hay for the animals.
Nothing can take away her joy...
Nothing can dim her anticipation
 for the birth of Jesus.

Mary rests her weary body upon the back of the donkey.
She rides upon a donkey just as her son will do 
on Palm Sunday; before he is crucified.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel!
Free us from the fires of hell...save us...
teach us to love like you love.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
be with us in times of joy and sorrow...
be with us in life and in death...
be with us when we are lost and confused...
be with us when our physical pain intensifies...
be with us in the depths of our heart.

Turn our hearts and the hearts
 of the whole world toward you, Lord.

Your birth brings new life...new hope...
new beginnings for our eternity.

You come to ransom Israel...
you come to save us.

Go out and tell the goods news
the Lord is near to all who call upon him.

For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, 
and holy is His Name.

These words of Mary 
shed his grace upon us this day.

The Lord has done great things for you too.
Rejoice and be Glad.

Jesus comes to be with you.

Blessings as we eagerly wait for the coming of the Lord.
May the joy of his anticipated birth 
move you to a greater expression of love.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

O Rex Gentium~King of the Nations

~~~ 1 Samuel 1:24-28 ~~~
~~~ (Psalm) 1 SAMUEL 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8ABCD ~~~
~~~ Luke 1:46-56 ~~~

 O Rex Gentium 
(O King of the nations)

O King of all the nations, 
the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:
Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

Hannah prays from the life of joy. 
She has given birth to a son, Samuel. 
She is obedient to God's plan.
Just as Elizabeth and Mary give birth to sons
according to the God's plan.

All three women filled with life 
sustaining fulfilling joy.

For us too; when we comply to the will of God
there is joy in our heart.
To allow God to form us into his design
means that we accept him as the King of our heart.

The O Antiphon reminds us that we were created from dust.
Jesus comes to save us; we will return to dust.


Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

Mary's prayer, that we know as the Magnificat,
echoes the joyful prayer of Hannah.
Mary knew the scriptures she was familiar
 with the story of Hannah and Samuel.

I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD. 
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. 
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
She left Samuel there.

The scriptures tell us to make our requests known to the Lord;
just be sure you are ready to accept his answer.
The Lord answers all of our prayers.
Be vigilant. Wait patiently.
The answers come in God's time.

May the Blessings of the Lord
cause your heart to leap for joy.

The Lord is very near to us.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World!

Monday, December 21, 2015

O Oriens, O Morning Star

~~~ Song of Songs 2:8-14 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ 
~~~ Luke 1:39-45 ~~~

My lover speaks; he says to me,
“Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!

The beauty of being in love is the brightness of the your life.
Nothing is dull or ordinary, everything is more than it was before.
Love makes all things new.
The morning star breaks the darkness.
The morning star brings joy ever closer
 to all who would open their eyes.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
 those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined." Isaiah 9:2

The Morning Star brought great joy to Mary and Elizabeth.
They each carried within the wonder of new life.
The joy these two women carried within
exuded from every pore of the body.

I can just picture them singing and dancing together.

Our soul waits for the LORD...
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust. 


What causes you to want to sing and dance?
What brings bright light into your heart?

It does not matter if you are young or old
something does bring you joy.

Make it a habit to record what brings joy into your heart.
Later this can serve as a reminder that you are Blessed.

The Morning Star rises first bringing light to the night sky...
eventually it out shines all of the other heavenly bodies.
Jesus, the Morning Star, possesses the
greatest of all brilliance.

Pray for God to shine forth his bright light on the darkness...
the darkness in our heart....
the darkness in our families...
the darkness in our communities...
the darkness in our country...
the darkness in our world. 

Come, O Morning Star,
shine your bright light into our darkest spaces.

Blessing of Joy
and Brightness from the Morning Star.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World!

O Clavis, O Key of David

~~~ Fourth Sunday of Advent ~~~

~~~ Micah 5:1-4A ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~~ 
~~~ Hebrews 10:5-10 ~~~ Luke 1:39-45 ~~~ 

O Key of David
"I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; 
he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, 
and no one shall open." Isaiah 22:22

After the angels visit both Elizabeth and Mary,
both women come to embrace their role in God's plan.

Blessed are you among women, 
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me, 
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

This is a beautiful picture because
Elizabeth represents those who are not in their prime of life.
She represents those who appear to have little to offer.

Then we see the young vibrant woman, Mary.
She represents all that youth has to offer.
She is enthusiastic, eager, energetic,
full of life.

God worked both of these chosen women into his salvation plan.
Their is a place for you in God's plan too.

No matter our age or gender we have a part in God's plan.

Elizabeth and Mary both had many reasons to doubt
 what the angels were saying to them.
Nevertheless they were willing to believe
 in the miracle of possibilities.


Are you willing to believe in the possibility 
of miracles in your life?

We each have a unique place in God's plan for our life.
No one else could have taken the place of Elizabeth or Mary.
God chose them to be vital participants in our salvation.

Young or old;
you are a vital part of the living Body of Christ.

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.

May the Lord Bless you
through the miracles in your life.

We eagerly wait for the coming of the 
Key of David.

~~~Peace~~~
JOY
to the World!

Saturday, December 19, 2015

O Radix Jesse

~~~ Judges 13:2-7, 24-25A ~~~ Psalm 71 ~~~ Luke 1:5-25 ~~~ 

O Radix Jesse!
O Root of Jesse!

"A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, 
and a branch shall grow out of his roots." Isaiah 11:1

Jesse was the father of King David.
He prophesied that the Messiah would come from
 the house of David and would be born in Bethlehem.

Though you are barren and have had no children,
yet you will conceive and bear a son. 
...the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,
until the day of his death.

Samson was blessed by the Lord from his conception.
His parents had been unable to conceive.
God chose the moment in time for Samson to be born.

...this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. 


The salvation plans of God were evident even in the Old Testament.

As we get closer to the birth of Jesus
 we hear about the unexpected 
conception of John the Baptist.

His birth was announced to Elizabeth by an angel.
Just as the birth of Samson was announced to his mother.

Jesus is our tree of life.
In the Garden of Eden God placed the tree of good and evil.
Eating the fruit of the tree marred us with original sin.

Jesus was born of a woman who
 was protected from this blemish of original sin.

Goodness comes forth from this shoot of Jesse...Jesus.
It is through Jesus that we live and breathe and have our being.

Come, O Root of Jesse!
Come to save us without delay.

We wait for his salvation Blessings.

Peace
~~~JOY~~~
to the World!

Friday, December 18, 2015

O Adonai! O Lord!

~~~ Jeremiah 23:5-8 ~~~ Psalm 72 ~~~ Matthew 1:18-25 ~~~

O Adonai!
O Lord!

 I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
As king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

We pray for the coming of the the who is justice.
We long for the one who holds the final judgment.


Come Lord Jesus, Come
teach us to follow your leadership.
You alone know the path of salvation.

...the angel of the Lord appeared to him
 in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David...

God chose Joseph to be the head, the leader, of the family of Jesus.
Joseph was of the house of David...thus fulfilling
the prophecies of Isaiah.
Joseph was the legal guardian of Jesus.
Joseph was the human father of the human Jesus.

Together Mary and Joseph would
come to know Jesus as their Messiah too. 
Their role as parents would give way to
 the leadership of their Son, Jesus.

Come, O Come,
O Adonai.

You are the One who comes,
the Leader of the House of Israel.

Dear Lord,
bless us with your Divine Leadership
as we struggle with our human frailties.

Peace
~~~JOY~~~
to the World!

Thursday, December 17, 2015

O Sapientia, O Wisdom

~~~ Genesis 49:2, 8-10 ~~~ Psalm 72 ~~~ Matthew 1:1-17 ~~~

O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

The last seven days of Advent the church meditates on 
seven short verses called the O Antiphons.

In the first, O Sapientia, we are taken into the recesses
 of eternity to address Wisdom, the Word of God.
We hear the proclamation of the genealogy of Jesus.
Wisdom comes down to us from the time of creation.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.


In effect we see that Jesus has the required credentials
 to be the Messiah.
He is born into the lineage
 spoken by the prophets.

O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!

Part of the Vesper Prayers, evening prayer,
is the beautiful words of the Magnificat.
Beginning this evening the antiphons
will be the the O Antiphons.
These antiphons surround Mary's words
of accepting her roll in God's salvation plan.

Each O Antiphon heralds
  the coming of the Messiah with increasing urgency.

We longingly await the coming of the Lord.

In the Gospel of Matthew we are reminded
today of the humanity of Jesus.
His ancestry can be traced back for fourteen generations
just as the prophets proclaimed.

Each of theses antiphons links back
to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

Can you trace your genealogy
back for that many generations? 
We have come to value our own family tree.

In the time of Jesus your lineage
 was very important for many reasons.

Jesus took on humanity while retaining his divinity.
Jesus is the second person of the
Most Holy Trinity.

Come, O Wisdom,
teach us your ways...
Bless us with your understanding.

Peace
JOY
to the World!

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Share the Good News

~~~ Isaiah 45:6C-8, 18, 21C-25 ~~~ Psalm 85 ~~~ Luke 7:18B-23 ~~~

Go and tell John what you have seen and heard...

I sometimes wonder why the people of Biblical times 
could not agree that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus was speaking and healing in plain sight for all to see.

When you are a witness to something out of the ordinary
do you keep it to yourself or do you tell others?

So often we are quick to repeat gossip...
Jesus is instructing the two disciples sent by John
to share all that they had seen and heard.


I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD –for he proclaims peace to his people.

All that can be reported about Jesus is good.
He comes bring love, peace, and forgiveness.

Raise your voice and tell the Good News

We too are being invited to tell the Good News.
The Good News of our salvation.
The Good News from a God who loves us.

...the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. 

It is our vocation to proclaim the Good News.
Do not keep quiet.
Do not be shy.
Share what you know to be true
 about our loving God.

Share the message with your words and your actions.
We are responsible for continuing the spread
of the Good News.

Are you up to the challenge?
Tell at least one person every day...
'Jesus loves you'.

Say it until it feels comfortable.
Soon it will become a wonderful habit.

May you be Blessed with Peace.

JOY
to the World!

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Cries of the Poor

~~~ Zephaniah  3:1-2, 9-13 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Matthew 21:28-32 ~~~

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

The other day as we were sitting in the doctor's waiting room
a woman came in being pushed in a wheelchair by her husband.
The woman appeared to be in good health, but
she was quietly moaning as if in pain.

We hear small children crying when they are hungry or tired.
We cry over losses in our own lives.
We even shed tears from being filled with joy.
Sometimes we cry for no apparent reason.

Today the psalmist writes of the Lord hearing the cry of the poor.


There are many ways we can be 'poor'.

So many times the cry of the poor goes unnoticed.
So many times their cry is so small we cannot hear it.
So many times their cry is a silent cry...
a cry from their heart.

The cry of the poor is always heard by the Lord.
He gives their cry a voice.
It is the Lord that makes their cry
touch the hearts of others.

It is the Lord that tugs at our heart strings
causing us to also hear the cry.
We have the choice to ignore the cry.
We have the choice to turn and walk away.
We have the choice to judge the one who cries.
We have the choice to hear the cry.

The Lord responds to the cry of the poor.
He responds with love and compassion.
The Lord responds with his grace...
he gives them hope.

When we respond to the cry of the poor
we are responding in communion with the Lord.

We must respond with our actions not just our voices.

During this season of love remember to hear the cry of the poor...
remember to take action and respond.

Blessed..
 Remembering to hear the cry of the poor.

~~~Peace~~~
Joy
to the World!

Monday, December 14, 2015

Heavenly Origin

~~~ Saint John of the Cross ~~~
~~ Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17A ~~~ Psalm 25:4-5AB, 6 AND 7BC, 8-9 ~~
~~~ Matthew 21:23-27 ~~~

Was it of heavenly or of human origin?

Whenever we draw near to God 
we experience his peace and joy...
we experience the goodness of the Lord.
When we are near to the Lord we recognize 
that our experience is not of human origin.

It is a true blessing when we encounter one
 who is strengthened from heavenly origins. 
For this person knows what it means to be near God.

I see him, though not now;
I behold him, though not near:
A star shall advance from Jacob,
and a staff shall rise from Israel.

Through out the ages the saints
 have shared this connection with heaven.
They knew the faith that sustained them came from above.

The saints see God with heavenly eyes 
not with their human eyes.


The prophets expressed to the people
what God had revealed to them.
They opened themselves to a heavenly connection.
They opened themselves to this connection with God
 in spite of their desire for human connection.

All that is good originates in heaven.
All good that we do as humans comes to us from above.
The more goodness we spread the closer 
we are to the heavenly source.

The prophets proclaimed the heavenly birth of Jesus.
The angels came from heaven announcing to the Blessed Mother 
that she was to be the mother of the Messiah.

The stars in the heavens led the way to the manger.
The light of the birth of Jesus
brought the heavenly joy down to Earth for all of us.

Blessings as we wait for the Heavenly Birth of Jesus.

~~~Peace~~~

JOY 
to the World!