Well, it is here...our celebration of the birth of Jesus....did you sing "Happy Birthday"?
I went to our "midnight" Mass at 10:30 (St. James, Menomonee Falls). WONDERFUL celebration of the birth of the Son of God. We had good participation. Great music. Before Mass we had two people dressed in black PROCLAIM by heart readings from Isaiah...touching. We also had been encouraged to bring bells to participate in ringing at different times. Great!
I left feeling I had really celebrated.
I have some reflections on my facebook page...so I will refrain from repeating myself.
I pray you had a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS DAY. I pray that this holy season will bring you many blessings....and that they spill over into 2014.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
We trust....with faith
Am I on a roll or what? I actually have TIME....it is snowing, dangerous driving, so I cannot go to Mass til later. GIFT! Time...
When I think of Joseph, I am blown away, as they say. I just have to admire his faith, his trust, his acceptance....even when he did not understand....the special young girl...pregnant! It could not be...and it was not he....but he accepted it....was compassionate...and took her in.
Is it not like that in our lives sometimes...for me it was when I was asked to leave my loved ministry at Sacred Heart School of Theology to go to the Dominican Republic.
WE trust the divine presence. We respond with faith....and it turns out to be gift.
When I think of Joseph, I am blown away, as they say. I just have to admire his faith, his trust, his acceptance....even when he did not understand....the special young girl...pregnant! It could not be...and it was not he....but he accepted it....was compassionate...and took her in.
Is it not like that in our lives sometimes...for me it was when I was asked to leave my loved ministry at Sacred Heart School of Theology to go to the Dominican Republic.
WE trust the divine presence. We respond with faith....and it turns out to be gift.
Mother Teresa
From her book "A Simple Path": It is not how much you do but how much love you put into the doing and the sharing with others that is important."
ADVENT BLESSINGS......
ADVENT BLESSINGS......
"Echo the Yes"
I must be "up-front". The title and what I will share is from Dec 20, "Give Us This Day". It is just what the dr. ordered....at least it was for me when I read and reflected on it. Then I decided I MUST share it.
Caryll Houselander says that Mary said her YES for the human race...and so we each are to echo that YES in our own lives.
"The surrender that is asked of us includes complete and absolute trust...like Our Lady's surrender, without condition and without reservation...we shall not be asked to become extraordinary or set apart...we shall be asked to give our flesh and blood, our daily life--our thoughts, our service to one another, our affections and loves, our words, our intellect, our waking, working and sleeping, our ordinary human joys and sorrows--to God.
To surrender all that we are, as we are, to the Spirit of Love in order that our lives may bear Christ into the world--that is what we shall be asked."
What a challenge! But how exciting! We, like Mary, are called to be pregnant with the Savior and bear him, birth him, bring him, make him present in my home, my community, my place of work....wherever I am.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's do it!
Caryll Houselander says that Mary said her YES for the human race...and so we each are to echo that YES in our own lives.
"The surrender that is asked of us includes complete and absolute trust...like Our Lady's surrender, without condition and without reservation...we shall not be asked to become extraordinary or set apart...we shall be asked to give our flesh and blood, our daily life--our thoughts, our service to one another, our affections and loves, our words, our intellect, our waking, working and sleeping, our ordinary human joys and sorrows--to God.
To surrender all that we are, as we are, to the Spirit of Love in order that our lives may bear Christ into the world--that is what we shall be asked."
What a challenge! But how exciting! We, like Mary, are called to be pregnant with the Savior and bear him, birth him, bring him, make him present in my home, my community, my place of work....wherever I am.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's do it!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Family Tree
Today we had the reading from Matthew of the geneology of Jesus. You remember so and so "begot" so and so....and on to name 42, I believe.
If we want to feel ok and be at peace with our mixed-up, dysfunctional family, just review or study Jesus' dysfunctional family tree.
Is it not consoling that Jesus would choose real "human" fallible and quite the characters-some of them? He does not come from a "perfect" background.
James Wallace, CSsR, in his reflection in "Give Us This Day" writes "Matthew's listing links Jesus with the world of Chosen People Israel and the world of the Gentiles, reminding us he came for all. His family, like most families, was a mess, a mix of saints and sinners, brokenness and fidelity, shame and glory. Into this clan came the savior, as he continues to come, yesterday, today, and always."
Are you keeping alert these Advent days to this coming?
If we want to feel ok and be at peace with our mixed-up, dysfunctional family, just review or study Jesus' dysfunctional family tree.
Is it not consoling that Jesus would choose real "human" fallible and quite the characters-some of them? He does not come from a "perfect" background.
James Wallace, CSsR, in his reflection in "Give Us This Day" writes "Matthew's listing links Jesus with the world of Chosen People Israel and the world of the Gentiles, reminding us he came for all. His family, like most families, was a mess, a mix of saints and sinners, brokenness and fidelity, shame and glory. Into this clan came the savior, as he continues to come, yesterday, today, and always."
Are you keeping alert these Advent days to this coming?
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Longing...........
Truly, I have been longing to come to my blog...but TIME has been really problematic for me. And now I had a cancellation and zoom....I came to chat...even if it is one-sided!
I hope your Advent has been truly one of quiet, reflection and giving. In the two parishes I frequent, they have the giving tree. The people have been most giving. Today at St. James, where I am the coordinator of Adult Ministry, the needy from all around the area stood in line...and it WAS a looonnngg line to "shop" for toys and clothes for their children. All donated by the "haves"---which is WONDERFUL. Sharing of their "riches".
We have a pre-school just up the street from St. James. All the tots, trotted over yesterday holding in front of them a plastic bag with a toy they were giving for the children who would not have had one. It was a most touching sight....I got lump in my throat....then they sang carosl for us! They were darling!
How have you shared the Christmas spirit of love, joy, peace, hope? You have two Advent weeks.....and then LET"S KEEP SHARING. It need not be costly. We CAN do it. I dare you!
And....are you being counter-culture? No "happy holidays" PLEASE! What is Christmas about? We would have none of this if it had not been for the birth of Jesus....the coming of our Savior. PLEASE! PLEASE! Show your "smarts" by wishing everyone you meet....familiar or stranger...a MERRYCHRISTMAS!
I pray that this coming Advent week is a week of tranquility and hope for you.
I hope your Advent has been truly one of quiet, reflection and giving. In the two parishes I frequent, they have the giving tree. The people have been most giving. Today at St. James, where I am the coordinator of Adult Ministry, the needy from all around the area stood in line...and it WAS a looonnngg line to "shop" for toys and clothes for their children. All donated by the "haves"---which is WONDERFUL. Sharing of their "riches".
We have a pre-school just up the street from St. James. All the tots, trotted over yesterday holding in front of them a plastic bag with a toy they were giving for the children who would not have had one. It was a most touching sight....I got lump in my throat....then they sang carosl for us! They were darling!
How have you shared the Christmas spirit of love, joy, peace, hope? You have two Advent weeks.....and then LET"S KEEP SHARING. It need not be costly. We CAN do it. I dare you!
And....are you being counter-culture? No "happy holidays" PLEASE! What is Christmas about? We would have none of this if it had not been for the birth of Jesus....the coming of our Savior. PLEASE! PLEASE! Show your "smarts" by wishing everyone you meet....familiar or stranger...a MERRYCHRISTMAS!
I pray that this coming Advent week is a week of tranquility and hope for you.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Is 25:6-7
Today's reading is from Isaiah. The title of the reflection from "Daybreaks "is "On this mountain".
I'd like to share with you the part that I thought was quite meaningful .....
"Though we might profess that we believe God is in our midst, too often we fail to be comforted by this thought or enriched by it. Why is that? Could it be that we really do not recognize God's presence? Are we expecting something as monumental as a mountain? Do we fail to realize that God often comforts us through the goodness of others, that God enriches us through the generosity of the people in our lives? If they comfort and enrich us, might it be that God works through us to comfort and enrich them? We can all certainly work for peace in this way."
This challenges me to continue to find God in the many that pass through my day....and also challenges me to be a "comforter" and an "enricher"....and thus a "peace-bringer".
Perhaps this beautiful season of Advent is just the right time to.....
ADVENT BLESSINGS.......
I'd like to share with you the part that I thought was quite meaningful .....
"Though we might profess that we believe God is in our midst, too often we fail to be comforted by this thought or enriched by it. Why is that? Could it be that we really do not recognize God's presence? Are we expecting something as monumental as a mountain? Do we fail to realize that God often comforts us through the goodness of others, that God enriches us through the generosity of the people in our lives? If they comfort and enrich us, might it be that God works through us to comfort and enrich them? We can all certainly work for peace in this way."
This challenges me to continue to find God in the many that pass through my day....and also challenges me to be a "comforter" and an "enricher"....and thus a "peace-bringer".
Perhaps this beautiful season of Advent is just the right time to.....
ADVENT BLESSINGS.......
Monday, December 2, 2013
Advent....my favorite liturgical season!
I love Advent...maybe because it's short! I like the quiet, the reflective, the slowing down that is part of Advent.
I just read that: although we continue to celebrate Advent as a season, it is more than that. Advent is a way of life, lived in watchfulness for the God who comes...not just at Christmas, as we all know, but EVERY DAY in myriad ways, sometimes wonderful, sometimes in painful disguises. So we wait, not passively, but ACTIVELY! What a wonderful truth!
I wish this reflective quiet. I encourage you to take time each day to find a quiet place, light a candle and just sit. Close your eyes. Quiet yourself, relax your body. And just "be still and know that I am God."
I just read that: although we continue to celebrate Advent as a season, it is more than that. Advent is a way of life, lived in watchfulness for the God who comes...not just at Christmas, as we all know, but EVERY DAY in myriad ways, sometimes wonderful, sometimes in painful disguises. So we wait, not passively, but ACTIVELY! What a wonderful truth!
I wish this reflective quiet. I encourage you to take time each day to find a quiet place, light a candle and just sit. Close your eyes. Quiet yourself, relax your body. And just "be still and know that I am God."
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