Jesus is the Light

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

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.

In Genesis 1:3 God created light. 

The light separated itself from the prevailing darkness.

God brought about order with the creation of his light.

Now God once again sends us his light in the form of his son, Jesus.

Jesus himself is the light that shines in the darkness of our lives.

His light cannot be overcome by the darkness.

God himself was the light source.

Jesus came to be the visible source of light for us.

It is Jesus who lights our way.

It is Jesus who wants us to remain in his light.

When we walk in the way of the Lord 

we are walking in his light.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life...

without his light we have no truth...

no life...we would be lost in the abyss of darkness.

Darkness hides the way, obscures the truth, 

and most life ceases to exist.

Jesus has given us the power

 to also testify to the light along with John.

We are children of the light...we live in the light.

We are from the source of the light;

yet many today choose the darkness instead.

We are given the opportunity 

to embrace the light 

once again as we begin this new year.

New beginnings are chock full of hope and renewed commitment. 

The true light, which enlightens everyone, 

was coming into the world.

It is commonly held that things of God are coupled

 with varying forms of light.

We give thanks to God for his indescribable gift!
(2 Cor 9:15)
The gift of his only begotten son...
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
As another year comes to a close,
let us be mindful of the good things
he has made visible to us in the year 2013.

Without the light of his love
we would still be walking in darkness.
Those who walk in darkness
do not see the goodness they have been given. 

For those who are still searching
for what they already have been given,
we pray to the Lord.

I invite you to take a moment today to stop
and give thanks to the Lord.

The end of another year is a somber time for many,
but it is also a time to look forward to new beginnings.
Every year holds within the seeds of blessings
ready to unfold before our eyes.

Children it is the last hour...
We look forward to the new year...2014.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Cheers!

Wisdom...Age and Grace

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

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

The joy of the Lord can surprise you at any age.

Whether you are young or old like Anna you can experience joy.

Perhaps when one has wrinkles and grey hair 

the joy is appreciated to a greater degree.

When we get older we may not expect

 there to be anything left in the joyful column.

Too many times I have seen older people

 become bitter and cantankerous rather than joyful.

Today we meet Anna, advanced in age.

She was a eighty four and had been a widow for several years.

It was not easy for a woman to survive without her husband.

After the death of a woman's husband 

she was left at the mercy of others to help her.

Anna is the only female prophetess mentioned in the New Testament.

Anna turned to God in complete devotion in her later years.

She was the one who foretold of the pain that would pierce the heart of Mary.

The Presentation in the temple was the joining together 

of the old and the new.

Wisdom of age and the hope of youth 

come together in support of one another.

Anna, with her acquired wisdom and grace, meets Mary.

Mary with her youth and new life brings hope for the future. 

One nearing the final days of her life

 the other at the beginning of her life.

Anna was given the insight to recognize this baby as the Messiah.

Elizabeth recognized Jesus as her Lord when Mary greets her.

Anna recognizes Jesus as the Messiah as she looks upon his precious face.

The meeting of these two women validate the old and the new.

The Messiah brings new life while allowing the old to remain as well.

Jesus did not come to abolish the old, 

but rather to fulfill and make perfect the old.

Today we live in a world self absorbed with all that glitters.

May we be blessed with the grace to recognize our Lord.

Whether we are of advanced age like Anna

or young like Mary there is more 

than enough joy for all of us to experience.

Keep watch for every bit of Joy.

May it be scattered over your life like the morning dew.

Seek Peace

~~~ Feast of the Holy Family ~~~

~~Sir 3:2-6, 12-14~~Psalm 128~~Col 3:12-21~~Mt 2:13-15, 19-23~~

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus did not have the Christmas card perfect beginning.

They had many trials and heartaches to face.
Joseph was chosen to be the head of the household
 because he was obedient to God,
but let us also remember that he loved Mary.
Joseph loved Mary before he had one visit from the angel
or a single dream from God.

We are given the blueprint for a strong family...
The man is the head of the house...he is the protector...
he is the one who leads the family in the way of the Lord.

This is often not the way in our society today;
too many times the fathers are absent.
Even worse they may disappear completely.

Joseph had learned by now not to question the angel of his dreams.
And it was his role to care for his family...
to keep them out of harms way.

Just imagine for a moment what it would be like to know
someone in authority was looking to kill your child.
How frightening that must have been for these new parents.

Paul gives us the complete formula
for having a peaceful, loving family unit.
In fact this is everything we need to know to live in peace
and harmony with everyone in our life, but especially
with our family members.

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.

Somehow as Mary and Joseph fled with their tiny baby
 they were given the peace of God.
They were reassured that this was exactly
 what they needed to do for their son's safety.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

The Holy Family shows us how to walk with the Lord
when facing great fear...
fear for the life of their son.

The way of the Lord is ultimately the way of peace.
Your world may be crumbling down around you,
but the Lord promises you his peace.

Ask for an increase in his gift of Peace...
you will be blessed.
Let the peace of the Lord filter into your heart now.

The Innocent Blood

The Holy Innocents

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

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.

The young innocent toddlers were slain

 in spite of the birth of the Light of the World.

They became the first martyrs to die on behalf of Jesus.

They did not choose to be martyrs, a wicked king decided for them.

The evilness of Herod, the king, failed to stop Jesus 

from accomplishing his mission to save us. 

Herod was crazed by the fear of a tiny baby. Why?

What did he have to fear from a helpless baby?

He could think of nothing except protecting 

his position at any cost;

even that of innocent baby boys' lives

...if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

Amidst the angels singing, vivid dreams, and the visit of the magi

we have the blood of innocent children.
Nothing is insignificant to God; even the smallest matter.

What a tragic contrast of realities.

The magi were somehow transformed 

just by being in the presence of this baby.

No words were spoken to them from the lips of baby Jesus.

Somehow they knew in their hearts 

that they were in the presence of goodness.

God blesses us with his presence every day.

How are we moved to be better today

 than we were yesterday?

Surpassing Time

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

What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and touched with our hands
concerns the Word of life —
for the life was made visible...

Not only did Jesus humble himself to become one of us;

he also submitted himself to the constraints of time.

The Word was from the beginning of time

 though not confined by the restraints of time.

The Word became flesh embracing our measurements of time.

The Word was from the beginning 

although it had no physical form.

The birth of Jesus gave new meaning to the Word of God.

With his birth nothing would remain the same.

The way we define time became forever connected to his birth.

We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

I am sure you have heard the saying 'hind sight is 20/20'.

In John's Gospel today we have his 

hind sight of the birth of Jesus.

John writes as one who already knows

 what the birth of Jesus ultimately means...

Today we too know

 that without the birth of Jesus 

there would have been no salvation for us.

Jesus was born for one purpose;

he was born so that he could die for us 

and be raised to remain for all eternity with the Father.

John reminds us today

 that we have so much to be joyful for 

during this season of the Nativity.

Be glad in the Lord, you just,

and give thanks to his holy name.

The Blessings of this birth are too numerous to record.

John was overflowing with gladness and joy 

at the wondrous love of God.

Our joy over the birth of Jesus must continue 

all the way to his resurrection into heaven. 

Beneath the Hay

~~~ Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr ~~~

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

Amid the joy of the birth of Jesus; 

we are reminded that we must die to ourselves 

if we are to serve the Lord.

Beneath the hay upon which the infant Jesus 

rests is his crucifixion.

Our joy of new life is quickly tempered with the

reality of martyrdom. Stephen is the first

of many who would follow their hearts to their death.

Stephen was filled with grace and strength from the Lord.

He was given a vision of the glory of God.

He was blessed with the grace to face stoning.

He was stoned to death by the very people he was preaching before.

They could have just turned and walked away

leaving him standing there alone.

If we are to align ourselves with following Christ;

then we must also be willing to die for him...

knowing that he will be with us.

When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.

The light of Christ lights our way.

May we be inspired by Saint Stephen 

to speak the words of the Lord...

 living words, more numerous than the strands of hay

nestled in the crib upon which he lay.

May you be blessed in the joy 

and peace of the Nativity.

May you be strengthened in your 

commitment to the Lord, 

modeled perfectly for us by Stephen.

The Peace of Christ,

be with you.

We have been given a great light!

Come, Let Us Adore Him

~~~Midnight Mass Christmas Day~~~

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

For unto us a child has been born. Let us rejoice and be glad.

Sing Gloria in Excelsis Deo...Glory to God in the Highest!

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing...

Let us rejoice and b glad for God has done great things for us.

He has given us his only son to be the Light of the World.

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.

How can we keep from singing?

Let all of creation give him praise and sing with joy.

The grace of God has appeared and chose to live among us...

as one of us...giving us unconditional love.

Shepherds and angels tell of the glory of God.

Sing, dance, be giddy for we have been given the

greatest gift of all...Jesus Christ.

May this day especially be filled with all the joy and the 

blessings you desire in the depths of your heart.

Come, let us adore him.

Merry Christmas!

'Tis the Season

~~~ 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.

How can we sing of anything other that the goodness of God.

We are in the happiest season of the year.

The season when a child is born to us.

The season when the mighty one came to live among...

a time when the word becomes man.

A time of celebrating the generosity of the Lord.

A time when we see the glory in all of life.

The season of caroling and good will towards others.

A time of giving and receiving from one another.

A time to make note of even the smallest gesture of love.

A time for twinkling lights and angels wings.

...In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The birth of our Lord the everlasting light.

The light that dispels all darkness is soon to be given to us.

The promises of the Lord will all be fulfilled through 

the birth of this tiny baby.

The Lord has done mighty things for us.

Why would we dare to think that he is finished?

His hand continues to command mighty deeds for us.

He gives us the light of his grace to show us the way 

on which we should go...the path to holiness.

The Lord is near; come let us adore him.

Receive his light and his Blessings.

Enter the Prince of Peace

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

Zachariah's speech was restored as soon as he fully accepted God's will.

His eyes and ears were opened to the reality

 that his new born son was to serve the Lord.

In order for this child to serve the Lord

 he would be called John.

John was set apart by God from his conception.

He was chosen to be the one who prepared the way for the Jesus.

Imagine little John hearing his mother retell the story

 of his miraculous conception.

Imagine his hearing of how his father would be struck dumb 

until his name was given.

Imagine how humble he must have felt

 at being chosen for something 

he could not even understand.

From a very early age John learned to rely on his gift of faith.

This is a wonderful example for us.

As we come ever closer to the Nativity of our Lord we are given 

these vivid examples.

Examples of the magnificence of doing the will of God.

The will which brings about the greatest peace.

When we cooperate with God's Divine plan we find peace.

When we wrestle with God's will for our life 

we experience inner turmoil and unrest.

In a world today where so much war and hatred occurring

we turn to the birth of the Prince of Peace.

We affirm our belief that he alone can bring peace to our own heart.

We affirm that he alone can bring peace to all peoples.

It is his peace that we long to experience.

It is his peace that we hope for the world to realize.

John was sent ahead of Jesus to be his PR person.

John prepared the way for the one he knew to be his cousin.

They played together and shared family gatherings together.

John and Jesus knew each other as innocent children.

John knew Jesus was sent by God as the Messiah for all of mankind.

I guess we will never know if Jesus needed a personal relations person,

but John was commissioned to do just that.

John gladly spread the news of Jesus.

John shared the news of his remarkable cousin

the Prince of Peace.

May we experience the true peace of Christ this Christmas.

May we be like John ready and willing to carry this message of his peace

forward to others; in this we are abundantly Blessed.

May the Peace of Christ be with you.

Come, let us adore him.

The Spirit of Holiness

Fourth Sunday of Advent

~~Isaiah 7:10-14~~Psalm 24~~Romans 1:1-7~~Matthew 1:18-24~~

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith...

 Everything that makes the birth of Jesus a reality
is covered with the spirit of holiness.

 Heavenly angels and earthly people unite in holiness
 to carry out the will of the Father.
I guess when God's sends an angel to you
you would pay attention.
At least I hope that I would give the angel undivided attention.

The best family stories are shared every time the family gets together.

 Eventually even the youngest children know the stories

well enough to retell them.

Every year during the Advent season we gather together to hear the story

 of how Mary and Joseph came together

with the guidance of the angelic appearances

following the will of the Father.

Eventually we learn this story so well that we are eager

 to hear it one more time.

We can picture each of the characters.

We know the sequence of events.

We have internalized the dialogues.

We never grow tired of hearing this story over and over again.

The story of how God loves us so much that he humbles

himself to become one of us.

Not just one of us, but he came into this world as a helpless infant.

Jesus comes to us as a little child.

He did not come as the one the people had expected.

They expected a king and God sent a baby.

What a shock that must have been.

When we retell the story we too become participants

in the spirit of holiness.

Once we are inside of this holiness we realize

just how Blessed we are each day of our lives.

Retell the story...participate in the holiness...be filled with joy.

Tell yourself...God is with you...every day.

Shout for Joy

 

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

 

The excitement begins to increase

the closer we get to the birth of our Lord.

The readings reflect this joyful intensity

beginning with the Song of Songs.

Looking closely at the joy of lovers is exactly

 a reflection of how God loves us.

 

“Arise, my beloved,

my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!...

...Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely.”
 

If you read chapter three of Zephaniah

you will find incredible words of joy.

Shout for joy...sing joyfully...nothing to fear...

 

The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
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.

 As an expectant mother becomes increasingly eager

to see her unborn child;

 so it should be with the birth of Jesus.

We are given these readings so that we can step aside

from the busyness

and materialism of the season and focus

on the joy of the coming birth.

 

All of our joy and happiness

comes from what God has done for us...

all that he has given to us. 

 

 

There is no happier event than reflecting on Mary's visit to Elizabeth.

Many times I have pictured Mary skipping joyfully...

I imagine her singing happy uplifting songs in a voice like an angel...

 With a spring in her step and a twinkle in her eyes

she rushes to the home of Elizabeth. 

 

Surely the joy of these two women is multiplied

as they give and receive warm embraces from each another. 

 

We are blessed today by the 'design of his heart'. 

He has chosen you to be his own.

Handmaid of the Lord

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

 

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

 

 As troubled, surprised, and fearful Mary may have been the day the angel appeared
 to her, she accepted God's invitation.
Mary was filled with unimaginable grace, courage and strength that day.
She graciously released her whole being into the hands of God.

The thought of that much surrender to the will of God
is almost overwhelming to me.
How does one freely give so much?

Mary was overshadowed not overpowered by the Holy Spirit.
She entered into this gift of love in spite of the questions
 she mulled over inside her heart.
Mary had a great deal of dedication to believing in the coming of the Messiah.
She was convicted in her faith until Jesus took his last breath.
She believed even in her sorrow until the day
she was rejoined with him in heaven.
 

 

Mary models for us that nothing is impossible for God.
Mary teaches us that we can do all things in him who strengths us.

It was only by his grace that she becomes the mother of Jesus. 

 She humbly acknowledges that God has done great things for her.

Mary gave her life back to God so that he could send his Son, Jesus, for us.

Mary proclaims... 

 ...I am the handmaid of the Lord.

 

No matter how many times we may say 'yes' to the Lord
 it pales in comparison to the 'yes' Mary speaks to the angel. 

The essential function of a handmaid is to serve or assist. 

Mary said 'yes' to a pregnancy,
but what matters the most is she said 'yes'.
God may not ask of us something as important
as being the mother of Jesus,
but we do have many occasions in our life when we can say 'yes'.
We have many opportunities every day to allow God to lead us in his way.
Nothing is too great or too small to be in line with God's will.

Mary may have looked like any other young girl her age,
but her body was completely filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  

God works his wonders inside in the shelter and protection
of the hearts of those who love him.
We too can be the handmaid of the Lord.

May the Blessings and Grace of God
overshadow us during this season of waiting.
May our willingness to serve him become stronger.

The Message of Peace

 

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

 

Mary, Joseph, and Zachariah all received the same message from God...

 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.

 

Mary was given these very words when the angel spoke

to her about becoming the mother of Jesus.

Joseph heard the same words as he struggled

with his dilemma; after learning of his betroths conception.

 

God does not want us to be afraid.

When we are afraid we cannot think clearly.

We make more mistakes.

We cannot remember things as well.

 

Fear releases negative and destructive hormones into our blood stream;

 which subsequently affect the entire body.

 

God wanted these three key figures to find peace in how

he was shaping their lives.

The peace they needed could only come from him.

They were each facing unusual circumstances...

circumstances that would forever change their perception

of who God really was.

 

 

The only peace that is lasting is the peace which God alone can give to us.

It is a peace, when spoken to us by God,

 brings a deep sense of calm.

 

These three, and many others from the scriptures,

 find their peace through conforming to God's plan.

The plan God has for our life will ultimately lead us to his perfect peace.

The peace that can only come from his heart to our heart.

 

Fear not, the Prince of Peace

is coming to be with us.

He is coming to shower us with

his peaceful Blessings.

Emmanuel...How Beautiful

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

 

God's promise of deliverance was seen by Matthew
as fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.

The birth of Jesus was literally 'God with us'...with his people.

God is with us, because we are his people in this present time.

 

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,which means “God is with us.”  

I cannot think of anything more beautiful than having God with me.

 

 

God is with us in everything we do.
God is with us in everything we say.
God is with us in every breath we take.
God is with us from the beginning to the end.
God is with us in the darkness.
God is with us in the light of our joy.
God is with us in our suffering and pain.
God is with us in our struggles with temptations.
God is with us as we kneel before him.
God is with us as we pray for each other.
God is with us as we share his unconditional love.
God is with us always...forever.

Blessings in keeping him close as Christmas day is approaches. 

Royal Lineage

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

 

It is official Jesus has the correct lineage...

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

If you have ever delved into your family genealogy you know

how fascinating and frustrating it can be.

A few years ago I spent several hours of many days

 researching my family's relatives.

The most frustrating discovering was how often

 my grandmother's name was misspelled.

Years ago the census takers came door to door and wrote down the information

given to them by the person who answered the door.

My grandmother had an unusual name, Lygia,

and too many times it was recorded as Lydia.

I also found that once the woman was married

her maiden name was sometimes omitted,

which makes it even more difficult to trace.

 

 

 Tracing the blood line for persons of the royal family is very important.
Keeping the blood line pure is of utter importance.
So it is not surprising that the blood line for the house of David
would need to be preserved and recorded.
 

 We have been Blessed to be a part of this blood line
 because we have been redeemed by this royal blood.

The prophecies have been fulfilled.
The royalty that has been passed on to us is not one of power and gold crowns.
Our king was not an earthly ruler.
Our king came as baby born in a manger.
Our king rules with the power of unconditional love.
Prepare for the Blessings from our King.

Convenient Ignorance

~~~ Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~ Matthew 21:23-27

 

“We do not know.”

 

In order to  Jesus and to save face at the same time the elders pleaded ignorance.

Jesus is responding to their inquiry to where he had been given his authority.

Jesus simply says I will ask you one question and if you answer it

then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 

 

This exchange reminds me of a part in the Hobbit movie.

Bilbo finds himself in an awkward position as he plays

The Riddle Game with Gollum.

The two are struggling for power; Jesus finds himself in a similar struggle.

Jesus does not set out to be at odds with the elders though not surprising.

Bilbo does not set out to be trapped in fear of his life with Gollum.

 

 

In desperation Bilbo asks the question...What is in my pocket?

Gollum thinks this is part of the game and becomes very

distraught because he does not know the answer.

 

The elders may think Jesus is playing a game with them

so they decide to pretend ignorance.

The elders discuss their possible answers to the question.

They decide not to pick either answer.

They are not happy with either possible answer;

so they play dumb.

 

It is God alone who inspires and gives us the right words to say.

The elders did not want to acknowledge even the possibility

 that Jesus received his authority from God.

Thus they give their answer of contrived ignorance.

...The ignorance of convenience...

Jesus does not need to answer the elders' question;

they already know the answer.

They know the answer, but they do not like admitting it to Jesus.

 

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.

The birth of Jesus draws nearer with each passing day.

We cannot pretend that this birth is not significant.

 

The Word is made flesh...

it took on the human form bringing the light to us.

The Light of the World is coming once again to dwell among us.

Wait for the Lord...make room in your heart for his coming...

welcome him into your heart with open arms.

 

The riddle games are over;

the answer will soon be with us once more.

Prepare a special place in your heart for Our Lord.

 

Blessings come in preparing the space for the Lord.

Although not a riddle or a game;

The reality of our salvation lies in the crib on a bed of straw.

The Christian 'Riddle Game' is that

Christmas is the beginning of the Resurrection. 

Be Patient...Do Not Complain

~~~Third Sunday of Advent~~~

 ~~Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 ~~Psalm 146~~ James 5:7-10~~Matthew 11:2-11~~

Be patient...
Do not complain...

 Be patient and do not complain...a farmer may
understand patience better than any of us.
The plow, plant, and wait.
They eagerly wait for the first tiny sprig of green to erupt from the dirt.
When the tiny sprig brings forth the first two
 green leaves they do not complain.
Instead they are even more joyful because they know
a new crop has taken root.

Waiting is hard but the results can be so rewarding in the end.
Complaining is sometime productive and even necessary,
but for the most part complaining just causes ill feelings.

When people do not live up to our expectations
it is far better to be patient with them
 than to harp on them and batter them with fiery complaints.
Complaints and criticisms are like little darts flying all around you.
Complaining just puts the other person on the defensive
and neither party can move forward.

 

 

What did you go out to the desert to see?

When we set our own expectations we set ourselves p to be disappointed.

In the desert God has the chance to surprise us.
God can show us things about ourselves that we never dreamed possible.
The desert is desolate and barren, but God
works wonders in the most austere environment. 

God does not rely on beautiful lush surroundings;
they are mostly for appearances. 

In the desert whatever happens is awesome because it is not expected.

This is the day of joy because
one came from the desert proclaiming the Messiah.
Out of the dry parched desert setting
came the most important message of our salvation. 

 

Be patient because the unexpected is filled with blessings for you.

We Long to See Your Face

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
 ~~~ Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~ Matthew 17:9a, 10-13 ~~~

Lord, make us turn to you...what I have found to be true in my life
is that the Lord rarely makes
us do anything.
Pray that God places into your heart the desire
to do his will in all things.
If we agree to let God lead our life he will lead us toward his face.

You cannot actually make out the details of a human face
until you get closer.
If we can see the features of the face of Jesus surely we will be saved.

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

If we are walking in the shadow of sin we will not see the face of God.
If we cannot see the face of God it will make it near impossible to be saved.
 

 

Every year during Advent we are waiting to see the face of God.
Seeing the face of Jesus, even as an infant, brings us
 the joy of our coming salvation.

Although Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot
 the resurrection of Jesus will be more glorious. 

Let us never tire of seeing his beautiful face.
I pray that when I do see the face of God
 his smile will be all that I have hoped for if not more.

 If all I can see from his face is his smile I will be filled with joy.

The Blessings of Advent
draw us ever closer to Jesus and his mother, Mary.

Dancing into the Light...

 ~~~Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr~~~

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

 

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

God does not want us to be worried about where we should go
or what we should say.
It is challenging to trust that God really will teach us and lead us.
Oftentimes we forget that God does give direction;
it may be in subtle ways, but he does show the way.

When we follow the way of the Lord he does give us joy and peace.
What sometimes surprises me is that things happen
when I follow the Lord that brings me happiness
that I never could have anticipated.

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

The light of life...without light there would be no life.
All living life forms need a light source.
This is also true of our spiritual life...
we need the light which emanates from the Lord himself.
The light of life streams forth from his eyes, his words,
his hands, his feet, and his pierced side.
 

 

...To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another...

We are too caught up by external things.
This causes us to become distracted from what is really important...
our interior relationship with God.

We surround ourselves with noise makers and we dance with utter abandonment.
We eat and drink in excess until we become satiated, but not satisfied.
The things of the flesh and the senses can never fully satisfy our longings.

Do not let dancing and music making keep you from seeing the light.
 

 

Blessings come to us through the Advent festivities.
Keep focused on who you are really waiting to see.

Juan's Visitation

  ~~~ Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe ~~~

~~~ Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab~~~(Psalm) Judith 13:18 ~~~ Luke 1:26-38 ~~~

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

In 1531 Juan Diego was visited by a beautiful young woman, Mary, the Mother of God. She spoke to him requesting that a chapel be built in her honor. In order to for the local bishop to believe Juan Mary provided him with a cloak of beautiful roses. The image of the roses remained on his tilma or cloak and are still visible today at the shrine in Mexico.

Mary, once again was the conduit through which God was able to communicate with his people. The Blessed Mother bore our salvation and delivered it into the world as her son, Jesus. Mary carried new life fulfilling the prophecies of new life.

The Ark of the covenant walked among us as a woman.
God was no longer kept just in the temple area.
Mary brought the one life that would save all other lives.

Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth. 

 

 

 Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to a poor young man;
encouraging us to believe that it is possible for God to communicate with any of us.

The Blessed Mother, Mary, visits the poor.

Advent Blessings as we wait for her arrival with the child Jesus.

Tried and Weary? Come to Him

 ~~~ Isaiah 40:25-31 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Mathew 11:28-30 ~~~

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

There is only one who has the power
 to do everything that has been witnessed and the that is God.
There is no other like him. 

 He is the creator of the ends of the earth.
He never grows weary.
He has all knowledge...all strength...

They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.
We can always go to the Lord and draw from his strength.
We can always go to the Lord for renewed hope.

 

 

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.... 

 

Who else in your life can compare to with resting in the Lord?
The Lord pardons, heals, redeems, is merciful, gracious,
and slow to anger. 

No matter what happens to us he is there
 to scoop us up into his arms and carry us home to him. 

 

There is no one else we can rely on in the end.
When we are weary and tired of our daily ordeals he is inviting us to come to him.
Release all of our cares and rest awhile with him.
If you cannot get into his arms curl up at his feet and rest.
Close your eyes and let his peaceful sleep comfort you.

  Blessings come in letting your heart rest in the Lord.

The Petals of Love

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

 

 The joyful anticipation builds as we
get closer to the birth of the Messiah.
The whole earth will break forth in jubilation.
There will be rejoicing from all the ends of the earth.

There will be comfort...tenderness...
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together...

The 'Word' was made flesh and all things will be new.
The old will fade away and the doors of heaven will be opened wide.

...the word of our God stands forever.
Go up to the mountain top...cry out with joy...
Fear not...
Here is your God!

Let the excitement within ring out as loud as you can.
Tell everyone the Lord of heaven and earth is coming to save us all.

 

 

This is the time of the year when your sense of hospitality
goes farther than serving a warm meal. 

 Christmas is the time of the year when your joy is contagious.
Leave traces of this joy everywhere you walk.
Be patient, be courteous, be kind...be generous...
leave behind the petals of love.

One small petal of love can be what brings another person back to God.

 We may not be physically passing out flower petals
but we can leave his love.

Sing to the LORD; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.

I pray Lord, allow me to bring just a single person
back to you this Christmas season.

I do not need confirmation, I just want to make this commitment today.
Allow me to be the voice of your Blessing
for someone today. 

Blessed Among Women

 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Patronal Feast day of the United States of America

 ~~Genesis 3:9-15, 20~~Psalm 98~~Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12~~Luke 1:26-38~~

We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing,
Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians,
but his message is also to us.
God chose us and he destined us...

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
If we all have been chosen, imagine how wonderful it was for Mary
 to be chosen to be the Mother of Jesus.
When the angel appeared before her she was startled and humbly filled with joy.
How amazing was the day when Mary was gifted with the child Jesus in her womb.
The greatest love to ever become a living person
was carried by this young innocent daughter of God, Mary.

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

 

 

 “Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus...

As we come closer to the celebration of the birth
of our salvation it is fitting that we set aside this day
dedicated to the Blessed Mother, Mary.

God found her worthy to be the mother of Jesus.
God destined her to bring forth the Savior of the World.
She gave him nourishment with her very body.
He was born of her flesh and blood.
 

Mary is the most beautiful example of surrendering to God's will.
May she cover the United States of America with her loving grace.
Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

The Town Crier Arrives

 ~~~Second Sunday of Advent~~~

~~~ Isaiah 11:1-10 ~~~Psalm 72 ~~~ Romans 15:4-9~~~ Matthew 3:1-12 ~~~

 

John the Baptist came before Jesus to 'prime the pump'
one might say. He was sent to prepare the way.
He was God's town crier...
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  

The kingdom of heaven was at hand because Jesus was coming to town.
John spoke with a certain urgency in his message.
Of course the Pharisees and the Sadducees were very curious.
They were quite content with their long held beliefs.
After all the Pharisees were experts in the law.
The proud Sadducees were the priestly aristocratic party.

How could anyone else know more than either of these two groups?
They sought out John to question his authority.

 

 

Imagine what they must have thought when John tells them...
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

 

 John is expressing his humility as he makes reference to the coming of Jesus.
The arrogant elders present would never bow so low
as to carry someone else's dirty sandals.
That would be beneath their position in society.

 

 We are presented with baptism in two forms...
the first being the baptism of water, the second
the baptism of the Holy Spirit, fire.
 

The baptism of water cleanses.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit comes after our salvation has been secured.
The baptism of fire is what leads us on our way.
The baptism of fire is the light for the path.
The baptism of fire is what keeps us moving forward.
The baptism of fire is that burning desire to be with Jesus in heaven.

Anticipating the coming of the kingdom of God is filled with blessings.

Bless the 'Field Technicians'

 ~~~ Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 ~~~ Psalm 147 ~~~ Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8 ~~~

 

No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or to the left.
 

 Many times in my life I have longed to hear those actual words...
"This is the way; walk in it..."
but this did not happen.
In some circles if you were to actually hear such words
you might be considered mentally ill.
God communicates with us in many different ways.
He has a way of letting us know this is the path I mean for you to take.
He has  a way of giving us his peace when we are walking
the way he has chosen for our life.
Trust in the Lord that you are exactly where he wants you to be right now.
He can make all things for good if we but let him.
He will never try to shield his presence from our eyes
or muffle his voice from our ears.

 

 

Jesus sent his disciples out into the community.
They were sent with his blessing.
They were sent to represent him.
They were sent to be instruments of his good works.
 

As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’  

 

 Jesus intended to spread the good news as quickly
as possible to as many people as possible.
He filled those he sent out as his field technicians with the necessary tools.
 

 This continues today, we are all called to spread the message of salvation.
Our clergy are called in a special way to also minister to our
spiritual well being through the sacraments.

Throughout the centuries we have been given a handful of men and women who
have been given the grace to share God's love in a very personal way;
we call these saints.
Today the church gives us Saint Ambrose.
Ambrose was baptized, ordained and installed as bishop
within a week, on this day in 374.

Being well educated and even knowing Greek he studied intensely.
He was a true shepherd and teacher of the people.
He left us musical hymn compositions and influenced Saint Augustine.
St. Ambrose, pray for us.
 

We are blessed to have great teachers led to us by God.

Spoken Confirmation

 ~~~ Isaiah 29:17-24 ~~~ Psalm 27 ~~~ Matthew 9:27-31 ~~~

 

 The Lord is my light and my salvation. 

Two blind men came behind Jesus together.
Being blind they followed from behind so they could
hear where he was walking.
He was leading them while trapped in their darkness,
but they wanted to see the light of day.

These two men even followed Jesus into the house.
They were determined to be heard by Jesus.

“Do you believe that I can do this?”

Jesus questioned their faith before he considered restoring their sight.
He made them proclaim their belief in him.
Their own spoken 'yes' claimed the healing Jesus was about to grant them.
The heard their own words confirming what was in their hearts.

 

 

 Jesus gives these two men their sight, but he also
solidifies their faith in him.

Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for these two men?
They were able to see the world for the first time and had to keep it quiet. 

Once you can see how could you pretend nothing had happened?
It is true for us as well, once we have been given
the insight from God we are forever changed.

Blessings come with sight from within...
in-sight.
Jesus gives us in-sight to see more clearly
which in turn shows us how merciful
 and compassionate he is toward us.

Sturdy as a Rock

 ~~~ Isaiah 26:1-6  ~~~ Psalm 118 ~~~ Matthew 7:21, 24-27 ~~~

 

Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.

What do you think you know about rocks?
Yesterday Jesus is the shepherd caring for his sheep
today we have the Lord as an eternal rock.
Rocks...you may recall from science class that there are three different
kinds of rocks...igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.

It takes time for a rock to be formed...
no matter how long time will never be an issue for God.
There is no need to wait for him to become...he is.
Rocks are formed as they are subjected to intense heat and pressure.
God can be our rock when we are the ones
experiencing intense heat and pressure.

Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.

Perhaps as a child you may even have had a rock collection.
Some rocks are just prettier than others.
Some rocks are pressed together by the forces of water.
Rocks can be found everywhere you go...look for them...
let them be a reminder that God is everywhere too. 

 

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
 

Not only can Jesus be compared to a rock so too are his words.
The words of Jesus can bring us comfort, forgiveness,
healing, joy, and so much more.
Taking these timeless words of his and using them to guide our actions will
give us the support we need to withstand any calamity.
  When the storms come and the rains drench the ground around us
we will trust in the Lord and his promise.
He promises to be with us until the end of the age.

We are Blessed to have a God whom
we can count on in times of uncertainty.

In Care of the Shepherd

 ~~~~ Isaiah 25:6-10a ~~~ Psalm 23 ~~~ Matthew 15:29-37 ~~~

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm twenty-three is often heard during each liturgical year,
because we need to be reminded that God is really caring for us.
A shepherd would never let anything bad happen to one of his sheep.
A shepherd truly loves his sheep; in much the same
way we may love our dog or cat.
 This in no way makes we a humans the same as an animal,
but rather to show something more.
If we are capable of loving an animal as if it were
a member of our own family;
how much more does God love us.

We provide a certain amount of security for our pets.
They usually do not have to hunt for their own food...
we give it to them.
We make sure their water bowl is clean and full of fresh water.
We carry them to the vet when they are sick.
We make the time to exercise them and play with them.

In general we take care of all their needs.
We give them our loving attention.

 

 

“Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place
to satisfy such a crowd?”

 Jesus feeds the crowd and proves to the disciples
that he can create abundance from scarcity.
With only a few loaves of bread and fish he feeds
thousands and still has a surplus.

I wonder how many people left the crowd that day because
they had not brought their own food along.
Little did they know that Jesus
would be healing and speaking for hours and hours.

Psalm twenty-three gives us a simple message.
If we abide in the house of the Lord
he will lay a banquet before us.
 

 I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

 Living in the house of the Lord
we are definitely going to receive Blessings.

I want to be in the care of the Shepherd.
Do you?

How Does One See Clearly?

 ~~~ Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier~~~

~~~ Isaiah 11:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 72 ~~~ Luke 10:21-24 ~~ 

 

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see...

Being a disciple of Jesus does have its privileges.
It also comes with responsibilities.
Jesus wants to make sure that the disciples
understand how lucky they are to be among his followers.
He reminds them that they are Blessed.

We too are blessed through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The wonders of the Son will spring forth from the stump of Jesse.

A tree stump appears to be dead...all traces of life gone.
This is where hope springs forth, from what appears to be dead.
When this stump shows signs of life there is rejoicing throughout the land.
Jesus is this new life...the perfect life,
filled with the abundant blessings of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him...

Today we reference this passage for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
These gifts are recognized at the time of our Confirmation.
They grow and continue to develop throughout our life.
 

 

I have the desire to see what is being made visible to me.

Some days I need the assistance of my corrective lens.

Some days it seems as if I have cataracts covering my eyes.

Some days my vision is blurry, cloudy;

things just seem out of focus.

It is those days in particular that I must remember

 to pray for more grace from the Holy Spirit.

  

 Today let us pray for those who have closed their eyes,
refusing to see what is being revealed to them.

Whenever I am able 'to see' something clearly for the first time;
that is when I know I am blessed.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
I want to love like you.