God's Vocabulary

~~~ 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.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

God communicated with us through his Word.

He brought to life his Word.

His words are Life itself.

 

People say a picture is worth a thousand words,

God chose to communicate with us

by taking his words and turning them into

more than just a picture...

 

Think for a moment the power of our human words.

We can make or break another person with or own words.

A parent or teacher can inspire a child to be a wonderful person.

Or the negative words a child hears can keep them trapped in a world of fear.

 

A single word of praise or criticism can influence your whole day.

Words can illicit a wide range of emotions

from laughter to sadness.

Our words can hurt or heal.

Our words can express love or hatred.

So often we do not think about the impact of our words.

 

Parents eagerly wait for their child's first word...

will it be dada or momma?

Words can set you free.

 

Words tumble from our mouths as if we have no control.

Too many times we do not think about what we are saying.

 

We have the ability to use our words for good.

Do you?

The power of words has been used by many through the practice

of positive affirmations.

Visualizing our words can improve the chances of

their coming into reality in our life.

God has given us a tiny little piece of his magnificent power.

 

'...And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us...'

 

God speaks all things into being.

His words give us light and life.

His word became one of us in flesh and blood.

His word made flesh came to save us.

 

I have loved words for many years...

as this year comes to a close

I invite you to consider how you have used the power

of your words the past twelve months.

 

If we pay attention to the impact of our words we may

never feel the need to take them back.

The challenge is to speak words from God's vocabulary...

LOVE.

 

 

Today marks a goal that I set for myself...

to write each day about the scripture readings.

Some days it was more challenging than others but always

it led me to a deeper understanding

and appreciation for the inspired

Words of God.

 

I truly appreciate everyone who has followed this blog during 2012.

I appreciate those also who accidently stumbled upon my writings.

 

The question I am now asking is

should I continue this daily writing project?

If you have any thoughts I would love to hear from you.

 

May God Bless you as another year comes to an end.

The Obedient Child

~~~ Feast of the Holy Family ~~~

 

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

 

 

Jesus stays behind in the temple without telling Mary and Joseph.

Jesus is acting like a typical child.

He knew he was okay so why would his parents need to be worried.

Obviously at age twelve Mary and Joseph trusted him to be more responsible.

They were actually shocked that he had not told them.

They did not have cell phones or 'gps' to track him.

 

'...After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers...'

 

It is common in large families to think your child is safely

with another family member when in fact they are not.

This is exactly what happens to the Holy Family.

Today the authorities can issue as amber alert, but in the time of Jesus

the parents had to retrace their steps looking for their child.

 

Family dynamics have not changed much in all of history.

Parents still have expectations of their responsiblity for their children.

Children still want to test their independence.

 

Jesus accepted Mary and Joseph's concern for him.

He did not argue even though he did give them a reason for his behavior.

He left the temple and returned home with them.

 

"Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

 

 

Saint Paul gives us the best qualities for every family to strive toward...

Brothers and sisters:
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.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.

 

If we can treat all members of our family with compassion, kindness,

forgiveness, and love we would all have better

a relationship with one another.

 

Jesus was obedient to Mary and Joseph just as he was

obedient to the Father who sent him to be one of us.

 

Mary and Joseph did not yell and scream at Jesus;

they did ask him for an explanation for his behavior after finding

that he was safe.

 

During the holidays families can become very stressed.

Before you over react take a deep breath and recall

the Holy Family.

Above all else love your family.

Remain in the Light

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

 

...The Fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

five golden rings....

 

The prophecy of Simeon in the temple was hardly a golden ring.

Simeon was aging; he felt the presence of the Lord

when the Child Jesus was brought

into the sacred space.

 

Simeon was open to the promises of the spirit of the Lord

 just as Mary was when the annunciation was made to her.

 

Mary and Joseph had no premonition of what they

would hear that day in the temple.

They were following the prescribed rituals

 for presenting their son to God.

 

'...Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord...'

 

Just yesterday we read of the slaughter of the male infants

today we see Jesus being presented publicly in the temple.

One might think the temple represented a place of safety

since it was the house of God.

Would that be true today?

I cannot say 'yes' for sure.

 

Mary and Joseph enter the temple in joy and leave the temple

with heavy hearts. Simeon had revealed troubling news to them...

 

"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."

 

Mary had to muster her courage carry her child out of the temple

and live a life of love.

She could not live in constant fear and apprehension

as to how Simeon's words would come to be.

 

We cannot live in an environment of apprehension.

It is not how we live a life of trusting in the Lord's

Divine providence.

 

'...Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall...'

 

 

 

The light has been given to us.

If we believe then we must embrace the light.

We must walk in the light...

Face the light so as not

to be in your own shadow.

 

The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.

Innocent Little Ones

~~~ Feast of the Holy Innocents ~~~

 

~~~ 1John 1:5-2:2 ~~~ Psalm 124 ~~~ Matthew 2:13-18 ~~~

 

In Herod's twisted possessed mind he orders

the slaughter of young males under two years of age.

He was so focused on ridding the world of light

that he was driven to kill innocent children.

He was willing to deprive them of life

in an attempt to save his place of power.

 

These little children died in place of Jesus.

 

This month we have seen innocent little children

die at the hands of a single evil person.

This person was not trying to protect his place of power

for the only power he had was to choose good over evil...

and he failed the test.

 

Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

 

How could little children pose a threat to anyone then or now?

 

The wise men listened to what they had heard in a dream.

They were participants in protecting the Christ child while

unknowingly participating in the death of the innocent boys.

 

Today is a gloomy wintry day where I am.

Thick clouds obscure what should be the bright sunlight.

The cloudy skies could drop down rain at any moment,

but the tree outside my window is adorned with tiny little buds.

New growth is waiting to burst forth.

So it is so often in life.

 

Amidst the terrible deaths of so many baby boys one

life was spared. This one young life would go on to save

the lives of humanity.

 

 

 

Today we remember the many whose blood was shed for one;

the one whose blood would be shed for many. 

 

Jesus says unless we become like little children

we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Little children carry with them the light of God.

They are free from living in darkness.

They are free from the darkness of sin.

They quickly feel at home in the presence of God.

Their little souls rejoice in the Lord.

Heaven is where their hearts belong.

 

There are some things that we cannot escape; today we are faced with

one...sometimes innocent children are killed.

The children are joyful in heaven as the parents

are left to mourn burdened with the weight of unanswered questions.

 

I am reminded of Psalm 30:6

All night there are tears,

but joy comes with the dawn.

 

I pray especially today for those parents who have lost

a child. I pray that their joy will someday be restored.

The Beloved Speaks

~~~ 1 John 1:1-4 ~~~ Psalm 97 ~~~ John 20:1a, 2-8 ~~~

 

John is almost giddy with eagerness to share

what he has seen with his own eyes

and heard with his own ears.

 

'...for the life was made visible;
we have seen it and testify to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life...'

 

Just two days after celebrating the Nativity we are at the empty tomb

with those who loved Jesus the most.

The reality that life and death are connected is here before our eyes.

 

Why are we at the empty tomb?

Because our faith is based on the Resurrection of Jesus.

His birth was necessary for him to complete the Father's will...

to be raised from the dead.

 

The birth of Jesus set into motion the breaking of the chains of death.

Without the birth the Resurrection could not have taken place.

 

It is beautiful that we have the writings of John this week;

he was Jesus' beloved friend.

He loved Jesus very much but when he reached the tomb

that morning he could not make himself go inside.

For a moment the reality of the death of his friend paralyzed him.

 

It took fearless Peter to actually enter into the tomb.

It was Peter who saw the burial cloths folded neatly

inside the tomb.

More importantly it was the cloth placed upon the face of Jesus

that they discovered neatly folded.

 

A grave robber would not have taken the time

to tidy the burial cloths.

 

The folded napkin is very significant in the Hebrew culture.

Having been raised as a faithful Jew, Jesus would have known

the meaning of the folded napkin.

Using this tradition Jesus symbolically represents his completion

of the Father's will by folding this cloth that had covered his face.

His true Divine identity was now being revealed.

 

Traditionally the folded napkin signaled to the servant

that the master was not finished

and planned to return to the table.

The servant would not begin to clear the table

as long as the napkin was left folded.

 

Jesus, by folding this cloth, was indicating to his friends that he was

coming back. This is what his Resurrection was about...his return.

The folded cloth signified that Jesus was in control

of death giving us the gift of eternal life.

 

Jesus allowed himself to be born tiny and fragile....helpless.

He allowed himself to be nailed to the cross...helpless.

Now the emptiness of the tomb and the folded facial cloth,

declares that he will no longer be

under the control of others.

 

 

Jesus is the Victor over Death.

 

John was filled with such immense joy.

He had to write down all that he had witnessed;

thus preserving these great events for future generations of believers.

For when we read these glorious accounts

we are encouraged in our beliefs...

our faith is reinforced.

Our Redemption Journey has begun!

The Crib: Peace and Love

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 6:8-10, 7:54-59 ~~~Psalm 31~~~Matthew 10:17-22~~~

 

Today we commemorate the feast of Stephen, the first martyr.

We are reminded, while kneeling at the side of the crib,

of the cross.

We can fool ourselves into thinking only of this gift

of the Word becoming flesh.

 

The Word became flesh to accomplish one thing...

to save us from ourselves.

In just a few years the crib morphs into the cross.

The crib cradles the tiny body of our God made flesh.

The infant Jesus allows himself to be placed into the crib.

The crib represents peace and love.

For God so loved the world.

The cross ironically also represents peace and love

in the middle of the brutality of the crucifixion.

 

The body of Jesus is violently held onto the cross.

Nails held the crib together.

Nails held Jesus to the cross.

 

 

Saint Stephen drew his strength from the crib and the cross.

Without the crib we would not have the cross.

God wanted us to love him from the very beginning...

thus he took on the form of a baby.

 

Come Let us Adore him.

Today I am inspired by the faith of Saint Stephen.

 

When faced with his imminent death by stoning...

When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

 

The Crib prepares us for the Cross.

 

Good News of Great Joy

~~~ Isaiah 9:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Timothy 2: 11-14 ~~~ Luke 2: 1-14 ~~~

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Out of the darkness was born the Light of the World.

The Silent Night was illuminated by the Joy of the World.

 

Come All You Faithful, Come adore the Lord with your whole being.

 

For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.

 

 

Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

 

The shepherds, the wise men the stars were all caught up in the

event. The world was forever changed!

 

"...the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
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."

 

Spread the good news

...to us our Savior has been born...

the Prince of Peace...

Christmas reminds us to hold onto our Hope

for eternal life.

 

Have a Blessed Day filled with Great Joy.

Lift Your Voices to the Lord

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

 

For ever I will sing

the goodness of the Lord.

 

 

When Zechariah finally got his voice back he was a changed man.

 

He was filled with the Holy Spirit as he witnessed

the power of God right in his own home.

He had been given an 'energy drink' from God

 and his faith was on fire.

 

He was already an elder in the synagogue but now

he was blessed with new eyes.

 

The gospel today gives us the Canticle of Zechariah...

his personal song.

 

 

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

 

His canticle tells of the greatness of God.

He sings from his heart as he holds his son in his arms.

This is the best lullaby he has to sing.

 

"You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins."

 

Everyone who comes in close contact with the holiness of

the birth of our Lord is filled with joy.

This intense joy causes some to break forth in song.

When love and joy come together

the best way to express it is through song.

 

Let us join our voices with those who sang of their

joy so long ago.

Sing a new song to the Lord.

For today a child is given to us...

he is Holy...

He comes to save us.

Come, O Come, Emmanuel!

My Soul in Stillness Waits!

Come, O Wisdom, Come

~~~ Fourth Sunday of Advent ~~~

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

Greatness will come forth from the small and lowly.

One too small to have its own clan will be the birthing place

of one who's origin is ancient.

 

I have visited the giant ancient redwoods of the West coast and they are very impressive. The tower so high into the sky that you cannot see the tops.

Their trunks are so massive that a road can be carved out of the middle.

 

Ancient has to do with the passage of time, but in this scenario

ancient is referring to an infant.

 

"...his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace..."

 

The infant Christ child.

The Ancient One embodies the wisdom of the ages.

Even as a child Jesus carried with him great wisdom.

Wisdom brought with him from the Father.

 

 

Jesus came first to do the will of the Father.

 

"...And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

 

Let this question echo in our hearts

as the words were spoken by Elizabeth.

 

Mary not only brought forth Love and Mercy into our world

she also brought the ancient Wisdom of God.

Jesus is the complete gift.

He satisfies every need.

He, Jesus, should be all we want for Christmas...

a greater intimacy with the Ancient One

born into this world as an infant...

The Word made flesh.

 

Blessed is She among women...

filled with Grace...

She gave birth to a Son.

Come, O Wisdom, Come!

Dwell among us.

Live with us!

Dedicated to the Lord

~~ 1Samuel 1:24-28 ~~~ 1Samuel 2 ~~~ Luke 1:46-56 ~~~

 

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.

 

A faithful mother gives her child back to God.

Hannah returns the gift of her son Samuel dedicating him to the Lord.

Samuel did indeed grow up to serve the well.

It is interesting that this story of Samuel is paired with

Luke's gospel of Mary's proclamation...

"...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 was herself dedicated to the Lord.

The Holy Spirit overshadowed her with the

greatest blessing of all.

 

Mary was not only dedicated herself to the Lord;

she carried and subsequently birthed the Lord himself.

 

Mary did much more than Hannah;

Mary gave her only son to all of us.

Mary gave her son back to the Father.

Mary was instrumental in developing Jesus into

 the person who wanted only to do the will of the Father.

 

Mary cooperated with the will of God every day of her life.

Mary never again doubted after the angel's visit.

Mary knew in her heart that she could not keep her son

for herself.

 

Mary made a sacrifice by allowing Jesus to go out

'on the road' to do the will of his heavenly Father.

She would have been quite happy to have him stay

around the house a few more years.

 

Mary knew he had to be about his Father's business

as early as possible.

Mary mastered loving Jesus from a distance.

She supported him with her pure love.

 

Now is a good time to consider how you have dedicated

yourself to the Lord.

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily

~~~Song of Songs 2:8-14 or Zephaniah 3:14-18a~~~ Psalm 33~~~Luke 1:39-45~~~

 

Mary was so filled with excitement, after her personal angel visit,

 that she rushed as fast as she could to be with Elizabeth.

She and Elizabeth had so much to share;

so much to be overjoyed by. They both had conceived in

uncommon circumstances.

 

I can just envision how the eyes of Mary must have been sparkling

with the joy she felt inside.

Her smile must have warmed the heart of anyone

she met on her journey.

Perhaps she was even singing her favorite hymns as she

merrily skipped along the roadside.

 

The birds may have taken their place by her side

circling high up with their wings of joy.

The sun shone down brightly warming the ground below her feet.

When you are filled with joy you seem to float slightly above the ground.

Your whole perception of reality is more detailed when you are joyful.

 

This type of scene is often depicted in fairy tale movies.

But this was not a fairy tale this was our tale of salvation.

 

The joy in the heart of Mary made her even more lovely to God.

Although this is not recorded in the scriptures I can almost

hear God saying, 'This is my beloved daughter,

in whom I am well pleased.'

You know God was well pleased with Mary.

She was prepared and chosen by him to give Jesus

his human flesh and blood.

She kept him safe, warm and nurtured within her little body.

 

When Gabriel returned to heaven with Mary's answer

all of heaven broke into joyous song.

The angels played their harps long into the night.

 

 

The heavens rejoiced just as vibrantly as the child leaped

with joy in Elizabeth's womb.

The news of Mary's yes is what continues to

stir joy within our own hearts today.

Be Joyful!

God is in our midst...

 

"...He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals."

Don't Miss the Chance

~~~ Isaiah 7: 10-14 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ Luke 1: 26-38 ~~~

 

"...for nothing will be impossible for God."

 

These were the final words spoken to Mary

by the angel Gabriel sent from God.

Whenever we are tempted to fall into the trap of thinking all is lost;

that there is no hope...these words should bring us

the hope we so desperately need.

Nothing is impossible for God, but at the same time

he does not do all the things we want him to do.

Furthermore he rarely acts within our timetable for results.

 

Mary, while prepared spiritually for this angelic encounter

feared that physically it was not possible.

The angel quickly gave her an explanation...

 

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you..."

 

Most people today would not find that a plausible explanation.,

but Mary was satisfied...she believed

that what the angel of God said was possible.

 

The angel goes on to reveal more seemingly

impossible news about her relative, Elizabeth, being with child too.

 

God had carefully laid out his plan for salvation.

And if he needed some impossible events to occur for this plan to work

he set them into motion.

 

We may be confined within the boundaries of nature, but

for God no such boundaries exist.

 

Mary had the child like qualities that we all admire...

She had big dreams for her future and

her heart remained open to all things being possible.

 

By contrast Ahaz had withdrawn into his small world;

even when urged to ask for a sign from God he shrank from

the possibility of God granting such a request.

 

Before giving God a chance to answer him Ahaz.

Ahaz missed the chance to have the impossible experience with God.

He made God too small.

 We too are sometimes guilty of doing the same...

making God too small.

 

 

If we believe that nothing is impossible for God

 we must break down all barriers...

especially the barriers of our heart.

We must open ourselves, as Mary did,

to the unfathomable.

 

What is it that you think God cannot accomplish?

Is it health, relationship, monetary, spiritual?

 

Mary said okay God if you say this is possible that I should be with child

without having relations with a man then

let it be done unto me.

 

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

 

The Holy Spirit bursts forth the impossible bringing it into the present.

Are you ready to have an impossible experience with God?

Don't miss the chance!

Speechless in Wonder

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

 

...Speechless...

 

Elizabeth accepted God's timing.

It certainly was not of her choosing to conceive a child

so late in life when her

 youthful energy was dwindling.

 

"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others."

 

God brings grace into our lives when we least expect it.

We are loved by a God of surprises.

A God wants us to keep our sense of wonder and awe.

We have a God who wants us to be speechless in the midst

of his powerful deeds.

 

The conception gifts of both Sampson and John the Baptist

came right out of 'left field' one might say.

 

These two sets of parents had resigned themselves

to the reality of their age...

Their time for childbearing had passed them by;

or so they thought.

Mary and Joseph also resigned themselves to the reality

of being the parents of the Messiah.

All things truly are possible with God.

 

God enters into our lives when he sees fit

for some sooner than for others.

 

 

Be mindful today that there is nothing that can

prevent the Lord from entering into your life.

Even if we are not in the state of grace

God has the power to bring forth goodness;

when we least expect it.

 

The wonders of God should leave us speechless.

If the mighty works of the Lord do not leave us speechless

what in this world can...

While we are all still reeling from the horrific resent school violence

God is there offering comfort

to all those who are grieving.

 

May we continue to recognize the wonder of God

as the birth of Jesus draws ever closer.

Let the wonder of God render you

speechless,

and allow your eyes to remain fixed on him.

Emmanuel, God is with us!

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

 

Emmanuel, God is with us!

 

Upon waking from his dream, Joseph had no choice but to trust and believe that following God's plan was in the best interest for everyone.

Not knowing at the time that God's plan would reach much farther than

the birth of the child growing inside of Mary, his betrothed.

 

"Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory."

 

Most would not have believed that a mere carpenter's son

would be a king in the making.

God had many from whom he could have chosen to be

the earthly parents of Jesus,

but he chose two quiet humble faith filled humans.

He chose one woman and one man, placing upon their hearts

a trust that could have only come from him.

 

Jesus began his life isolated from wealth and commerce.

Joseph took Mary away and she gave birth in an obsecure stable.

 

God, from the beginning, places Jesus among the poor and lowly.

While his genealogy is from the line of David,

Jesus was not born in a luxurious palace with slaves

scurrying around to tend to his needs.

 

God chose to birth Jesus into a humble setting rather than one of wealth.

If Jesus had come from wealth he might not have ever

walked along the river banks.

If Jesus had been born into wealth he might not have ever

chosen fishermen to follow him.

If Jesus had been born into wealth his compassionate

heart may have never been revealed to us

through his healings.

 

Every year we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Every year we can gain new insight to the wonder

of what God has done for us.

 

Jesus came for all of us.

He came embracing humility with only the bare necessities...

namely one woman and one man who loved

him without knowing who he actually was...

God the Son.

 

 

The Word became flesh and lived among us.

He physically lived among us then,

but now his spirit lives among us...

 

Emmanuel, God is with us!

The Lineage of Wholeness

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

 

Today in the gospel from Matthew we are given seventeen verses

listing the genealogy of Jesus.

The older I get the more my ancestral history has come to be valued.

When you are young you don't think too much farther back

 than your grandparents.

It is difficult for children to grasp the concept

that their parents were once little children just like them.

 

In an effort to teach the value of ancestors teachers often

give the family tree assignment.

I remember one of my younger sisters getting in trouble

with her teacher for not placing

any aunts and uncles on her family tree illustration.

When in reality my sister was correct.

Our parents are both only children

so we do not have any aunts and uncles.

An entire section of our family tree has no branches.

Really strange when you think about it...

are the branches bare or do they just not exist at all?

 

Establishing the lineage of Jesus fulfills the prophecies,

but it gives us a human connection to him.

We can identify with and understand the importance

of family connections.

Listing, as in a litany, the lineage of Jesus

gives it a formality worthy

of who he is...the Son of God.

 

Life has a rhythm and reciting the ancestors of Jesus

also sustains a rhythm

all of its own.

 

This passage proclaims Jesus as one of us even before the

angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.

The lineage of Jesus was evolving with the passage of time.

 

I do not believe in numerology, but I think you would agree

that some numbers have

specific meaning in the Bible.

That is another whole blog post for the future.

 

I began to explore the number fourteen in the Bible.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

 

We know that the number seven implies perfection or completeness.

To the Jews the number seven or its multiples was significant.

The seventh day was the Sabbath.

The seventh month was holy and had three feast days.

At Passover fourteen lambs were offered.

 

Thus the lineage of Jesus is connected

for us to perfection and completeness.

When Jesus was born the Old Testament prophecies were finally complete.

From Abraham to the Nativity many generations passed,

 before the coming of the Christ child.

 

 

If one looks closely at this lineage of Jesus you see that there are several

individuals that you would not care to have in your family tree.

 

But here they are in the family tree of Jesus.

Jesus comes into our midst no matter what.

We cannot make the excuse of not being worthy.

We cannot be boastful about being worthy either.

 

Jesus enters into the good times of our life,

as well as the bad times.

 

So I guess one could say that there is some darkness

even in the lineage of the Christ.

What matters the most is that when was born all darkness was dispelled.

His light broke into the darkness making it possible for us

to inherit the grace to live a holy life.

 

This Christmas as your family comes together remember that you

have the light of Christ;

it is up to you to let it shine out to your family.

 

As part of the Body of Christ we are continuing the lineage of

the baby in the manger lying in the hay.

Shout for Joy

~~~Third Sunday of Advent~~~

~~~ Zephaniah 3:14-18a~~~Psalm(Is12)~~~Philippians 4:4-7~~~Luke 3:10-18~~~

 

As the coming of the Lord draws near excitement builds.

"Shout for joy...Sing joyfully...Be glad and exult with all your heart...

fear not...the Lord, is in your midst..."

 

When you are filled with joy and excitement for something to occur

that you have long awaited it is a glorious feeling.

The coming birth of the Lord is such a cause for extreme joy.

 

Today in our feeble attempt to relive the true joy of the Nativity

we have festive parties...

we decorate our homes with twinkling lights...

we give generously to family, friends, and strangers...

we sing Silent Night.

 

The excitement and joy of the little children dreaming about Santa

makes us wish it was contagious.

We encourage the kids to write their letters to Santa.

You can now even track Santa's travels across

 the nighttime skies on the computer.

 

It is so easy to forget the real reason we are celebrating.

The birth of the baby Jesus was such a profound event

that it has been preserved for some two thousand years.

 

The whole story surrounding His birth fascinates both young and old.

 

 

What I heard in the Gospel today was not to hoard.

"Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise."

We should be generous with what we have.

We should not hold on to more than we need.

 

To the local tax collectors John the Baptist advised...

"Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."

Do not be greedy and selfish...avoid corruption...

avoid taking advantage of the less fortunate.

 

While John had been given the wisdom to preach the word of the Lord;

in his humility he accepts the fact that the one coming...Jesus...

is so much more than he.

 

John did baptize in the name of God the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit,

but he used water.

He foretells that the one who is to come

will baptize with fire..

tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit.

 

We have the blessing to experience both in our lives today.

Baptism of water and Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

Live your life listening to what your heart tells you

and you will live a life of generous love.

May the Joy of the season

illuminate your heart.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

~~~ Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~~ Matthew 17: 9a, 10-13 ~~~

One of the oldest children's games is Rock Paper Scissors.

It is popular because it requires nothing but a friend and yourself.

Here are the rules:

Rock...make a fist with your hand

Paper....lay your hand out flat

Scissors...make a cutting motion

by opening your pointer and middle fingers

Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock...

The objective is to select a gesture which defeats that of the opponent.

It is a fun game to select a 'winner'.

 

In the scriptures today we have Elijah, John the Baptist, and Jesus.

"In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace..."

 

Elijah came before John the Baptist.

John the Baptist came before Jesus.

The coming of Jesus brings more than any of the prophets

or even John the Baptist could offer.

 

John the Baptist confirms what the prophets had been proclaiming

 for many previous years including Elijah.

 

Elijah could call down fire from the sky.

John the Baptist scooped up water from the Jordan River,

poured it over the head of Jesus parting the sky for

the voice of God to proclaim...

this is my beloved Son...

Jesus broke the chains of sin and opened the gates of heaven

so that we may enter into eternal life with him in heaven.

 

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

 

 

We do not need the play the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

to see the face of God.

The birth of Jesus in a humble stable 'beats' everything else.

We can see the face of God in the face of the child Jesus.

 

None of the prophets; not Moses or Elijah not even John the Baptist

can compare to what this child Jesus does for us.

He comes with the power given to him from the Father.

He has power over earth, wind, fire, and water.

 

We are in the middle of Advent

the birth of our salvation draws nearer with each passing day.

It is good for us to reflect now on how much

we appreciate what has been done for us.

God sent his only beloved son to live among us.

The Word becomes flesh...

and he lives among us.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

What is For Your Good

~~~ Isaiah 48: 17-19 ~~~ Psalm 1 ~~~ Matthew 11:16-19 ~~~

I remember hearing my grandmother use the phrase, 'it's good for you'

usually when I had to eat something I did not like.

And guess what, I would find myself telling my own

children the same thing.

Is it only those things that we do not like

or do not want to do that are good for us?

Today God is saying something similar...
 

"I, the LORD, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go."

He continues speaking about the commandments.

Sometimes we cannot convince ourselves that keeping

the commandments is actually good for us.

We try so hard to ignore what is 'good for us' and instead

do what feels good.

We think keeping the commandments is pretty easy,

when in reality they are a real challenge.

God never told Moses that the people would feel good

if they kept the commandments.

But so often when we are caught up in sin

that is a huge factor.

Let's call it the feel good factor...FGF.

Children are often motivated by instant gratification,
but for some it continues into their adult life.

Those who keep the commandments and follow the Lord
will have 'the light of life'.
The light of life is certainly 'good for us'.
Not only will it be good for us to have the light of life,
but we can use this light to help others.
We can be a light in this world of doom and gloom.
We can be the light of hope.
We can be the light of faith.
We can be the light of love...forgiveness...compassion...
you decide what kind of light is good for you.

When you find yourself staring at the beautiful colored Christmas lights
today think of the light that you are for others.
Lights are either on or off,
but when you have the Light of the Lord
it can burn brightly day and night. It can be seen from near and far.
The Light of the Lord never burns out...
The Light of the Lord never grows dim.
The Light of the Lord is good for you...

When you have the Light of the Lord you can see clearly...
you can see that it matters not what you eat and drink 
as long as you are carrying him with you.

Jesus came for all people,
not just those who ate the proper foods, lived in a certain place,
or dressed in royal robes.
His Light does not discriminate.

Fountains in the Desert

~~~ Memorial of Saint Lucy ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 41:13-20 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Matthew 11:11-15 ~~~

 

God will answer the needy. He will hear all who call on him.

 

I, the LORD, will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

 

The Lord God promises to bring forth springs of fresh water.

He will bring forth water in the most unlikely places...

bare heights and deserts.

Not only will streams of flowing water but fountains of water as well.

There is the possibility of abundant life in moving water.

God does not provide us with stagnant water,

but rather water that is life giving from himself.

He is the source of this water.

 

Isaiah specifically writes of the trees which will be planted in the desert land...

there will be all sorts of trees growing here.

The trees will emerge here even though this is not there normal habitat.

 

Trees have a meaningful place in the scriptures...

from the crib to the cross; trees have been put to use.

In the Garden of Eden we find the great tree of good and evil.

Many psalms make reference to trees as an example of God's care.

Trees have been used in the parables Jesus told.

Jesus called down one of his followers down from a tree top.

 

It is wonderful that trees are such a central part of our Christmas season.

We see them decorated everywhere we go...

in our homes, in our retail stores, outside in yards...

trees stand adorned with whatever is placed upon their branches.

 

 

Those who have ears ought to hear...

God brings life to the barren dry desolate wasteland.

He adorns the banks of the living water with trees of every sort.

 

John the Baptist was the link between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

He foretold the coming of the Lord and when the appointed time came he took Jesus into the Jordan river, submerged him, and proclaimed him to be the Son of God.

The heavens opened and God exclaimed joy for his Beloved Son.

 

The trees and all that is living flourish in the presence of the Lord.

 

As you decorate your Christmas tree this year let it be a reminder of how God

is there for you in his roll as shepherd and as the one who brings forth

the living water in joyful fountains, perhaps even dancing fountains.

 

Saint Lucy knew what it meant to listen for the voice of the Lord.

She models for us what it means to be joyful in the Lord,

even in the face of death.

 

St. Lucy, Pray for us!

Blessed Above All Women

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

~~~ Revelation 12:1-6a, 10a,b ~~~ Psalm: Judith 13-18 ~~~ Luke 1:26-38 ~~~

 

The completion of Mary's conception with Jesus brought together

the power of God and the salvation of all of mankind.

If for some reason Mary would have been too frightened to hear

all that the angel said to her salvation history might

look very different.

 

I do believe that God would have found another way to accomplish

his salvation plan, just maybe not in the same manner.

 

Over time Mary is so loved that she has appeared in many different

types of clothing. Who would have thought Mary to be such a typical woman.

I am smiling as I write this because Mary truly was a typical woman.

All kidding aside...

She was a typical woman chosen and blessed by God.

 

He chooses each of us to carry on the work he started here on earth.

He has chosen us to carry on the work that Mary so courageously

continued after he was crucified.

 

We do not have any writings that I know of of Mary going out and teaching.

But we could certainly expect that she told his stories

of love, care, compassion, and healing to anyone who would listen.

 

 

Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and earth.

 

It is so fitting that during the Advent season we would be blessed with

two occasions to honor Mary just a few days apart.

 

Mary is a key figure in our salvation.

She was a willing participant in the loss of her son

so that we could be saved...

so that we could enter into eternal life with Jesus and herself.

 

The Holy Spirit was at work making things perfect in the heart

of Mary at the Annunciation.

And I know from experience when the Holy Spirit wants you

 to do something it eventually comes to be realized.

 

Not only was Mary overshadowed by the Holy Spirit,

but her cousin Elizabeth was also filled with

that same spirit.

It does not matter if you are young or old

the Holy Spirit

finds a way for you to be useful.

When the Holy Spirit pours on the grace

like gravy on mashed potatoes

it is hard to refuse his or her request.

(I added 'her' just to see if you were paying attention)

 

Mary is a model person for all of us, men and women alike.

 

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

 

She never let her 'special' motherhood

go to her head.

She remained convicted by what God had done in her.

She was the vessel now; the new ark of the covenant.

 

Surely Mary had many opportunities to embrace the child Jesus

during his formative years.

Today she is opening her arms to receive all who come to her.

No other human being was ever as physically close to Jesus as Mary.

She loves us first and foremost because Jesus loves us.

His Breath of Comfort

~~~ Isaiah 40:1-11~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Matthew 18:12-14 ~~~

 

 

At the beginning of chapter 40 in the book of Isaiah

the people of Judah were in exile.

They had failed to listen to the word of God.

They just could not get their act together.

So what was their future?

Would God move on to another group of people and leave these

people to suffer their own consequences?

 

The first few verses we have today is God's response.

"Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated..."

 

God is speaking words of forgiveness for their past offenses.

Just as he speaks words of forgiveness to us for our offenses today.

God will never abandon his chosen ones.

 

The wonderful thing about God is that he grants pardon

and forgiveness whether or not you may deserve it.

The question of deserving is not part of the relationship where

God is concerned. Here again we are reminded that

the ways of God are not like our ways.

 

Children often feel their punishment

is out of proportion for their offenses;

so it is not surprising that this community

felt God had punished them long enough.

"...Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins."

 

Repenting for our past offenses may mean retreating to the desert for a time.

Alone in the desert one can better focus on the hear God's voice.

 

"...In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!"

 

The verses go on to provide proof that with God

nothing is viewed as an obstacle.
Whether it is mountains or valleys, rugged or flat plains

the glory of the Lord will be revealed.

 

 

God, like a good shepherd, nurtures and cares for his sheep.

A good shepherd counts his sheep and knows if even one is missing.

He goes out in search of the solitary lost sheep;

he gives him comfort upon finding him.

 

This is a comforting image of God as the good shepherd

rather than unapproachable royalty,

such as a king or queen.

As we have seen in the media royalty

rarely interacts with the general public.

When the royal family ventures out among the common people

they are surrounded by security.

Jesus moved freely mingling with the 'common' people of the area.

Jesus felt most comfortable among the poor and the lowly.

He sought out the lost lonely sheep.

He reached out to them drawing them into his loving care...

just as good shepherd.

 

Is there an area of your heart that would benefit

from the comfort of the good shepherd?

Be patient he will come with his breath of comfort,

as he gathers you to his 'bosom'.

 

We wait on the Lord with anticipation.

Comfort, give comfort to my people...

how sweet the sound of these words of the Lord.