Watch!

Advent starts us off with Jesus telling us to “watch!”

I don’t know about you, but I am not a patient watcher.  It drives me crazy when I know someone is coming, but they don’t tell me when exactly  they would arrive, it makes me so restless (think the cable service person - you are told they will arrive anytime from noon-4.) I feel like I need to sit and wait for them, for I just know as soon as I run down stairs to put a load in the washer, they will show up and I will not hear them, they will leave and then I would have to reschedule and start all over.

 But, I believe Jesus is telling us not to only wait on his arrival, but also to “watch” for him in everyone we meet.  To open our eyes!  Christ resides in each one of us - even in that “mean girl” we may have experienced in our childhood.

So, how do we “watch?”  To start, we need to put our phones down, and actually talk with people - mind blowing concept, huh?  Smile at the people you meet as you walk through the parking lot at the grocery store, hold a door open for someone entering right behind you, send a handwritten thank you note to someone who has done something special.  I know these sound pretty basic - but you do not know what is happening in that person’s life on that particular day.  Your small but important jester may make a change in their life - and in yours too!  Jesus doesn’t ask us to be successful in all we do, but to be watchful and faithful.  You may hold a door for someone who walks right through and don’t acknowledge  your effort — that is simply ok, for you are being faithful. 

In your efforts you may find that you see Christ in people who don’t even know he is in their hearts - when it happens to me, I like to pray for them.

Make it your mission this Advent season to “watch” for Jesus in everyone you meet.

By your perseverance you will secure your lives!

We need to remember - this life is a journey - not a sprint.  There will be many things, and people, who will try to knock us off our path.  But in spite of these - we must persevere and stay true to our beliefs --- God is Love, God Created us from Love, and His Mercy know no boundaries!

You may ask "but, what if I fail - is all lost?"  No - not all is lost, but unfortunately, yes, we will fall from time to time - but that should not change our core beliefs - if anything it should strengthen them.  For in our failings we experience the true love and mercy of the Lord.  It is in those moments when you are horrified at our behavior and feel the weight of our sin that God's mercy lifts us up, brushes off our knees and places us back upon the path that leads us to Him.

Time of Preparation

Last year as we approached Advent, my Spiritual Director asked me what I was planning for Advent.  My first thoughts were, well....buying gifts, cooking, and decorating.  But of course she did not mean what my preparations were for Christmas - but for the time of waiting - for Advent.  I thought a couple of minutes and decided I would renew my Marion Consecration.  I like Fr. Gaitley's "33 Days to Morning Glory" and so I counted the days out and started it to end on Christmas Day.  After Midnight Mass, I kneeled and renewed my Consecration.  I have to say, it made my Advent so much more.  I felt a connection with Mary, joining in her waiting for the birth of her Son that I had not experienced before.

We do so much spiritual renewal during Lent as we prepare for the Risen Christ - but we miss our preparation to welcome the Christ Child within our lives.  This year I am working through another of Fr. Gaitley's books "33 Days to Merciful Love" again, I've timed it to end on Christmas Day.  It talks about how great God's love and mercy is for us.  Something we all need to be reminded of from time to time.

There are many things you can do during this time of waiting and anticipation outside of Santa Claus.  Advent Wreaths are wonderful devotions for families and I've found several Advent Calendars which are dedicated to doing service each day (just google "Advent calendar service ideas") are just a couple of ideas.  Make it a new custom in your life.

Making Peace

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a day to be grateful for all the blessings in our lives — I know we’ve heard this since we were small children.  I do believe it is a day to be grateful for all God has given us, but also to make peace - peace with those around us, peace with God and peace in our hearts.  Ok....what? Peace with in our hearts?

There is a struggle within all of us when we want to completely and totally give our hearts to the Lord.  We want it, we desire it, but there is something that whispers in our ears to hold back. Part of it is today’s world, part is human nature — to give up total control to God is just “crazy talk.”  It’s ok to go to church once a week, say prayers at meal time (but please, not in public), and to teach our children to pray at bed time; but anything more than that — well, then you are becoming a holy roller, a Bible thumper; you are acting “ holier that thou.”

We teach our children that they should be happy within their skin, not to worry about what others will think or say about their physical appearance.  I also believe we need to teach our children to be happy within their hearts — to love and worship God without concern of how others may judge them.  That it is ok to attend Mass every day if they want (you know it’s not just for old people) and it is ok to consider a vocation in the Church.

Tuning the world out and making peace within our hearts is needed before we can completely give our lives to the Lord.  This year, I am grateful for my God, for his love and his mercy.  Truly, I ask, what more could we want?

Lord, please let me see.

On Saturday I attended the Beatification of Fr. Solanus Casey.  He was a Capuchin in the Detroit Michigan area.  I have no words to describe the beauty of the Mass.  Joining over 60,000 other Catholics in prayers, song and celebration of the Holy Eucharist was inspiring.  And the opportunity to lift our prayers for Fr. Casey's sainthood was something I will never forget.

Today's Gospel (Luke 18:35-43) where the beggar asked Jesus to cure his blindness so that he could see, made me think of Fr. (now Blessed) Casey.  For Fr Casey did see the needs of those around him, he embraced the love of the poor in a humble and quiet way.  He saw each person for who they were, a person loved by God, even if that person did not accept it.  His faith was steadfast and his love for his brothers and sisters was an example for us all.

We can at times turn a blind eye to the suffering of those around us arguing "we just don't want to get involved;" leaving them to fend for themselves - both physically and spiritually.  But we are called to open our eyes and our hearts to all the needs of those around us - Catholic and non-catholic alike.  We are charged with providing care for their wounds and share with them the love God has for each of us.

Fr. Casey was a living example that holiness is attainable to all of us.

"Blessed Solanus Casey please pray for us."

Beatification of Fr. Casey

Just a quick note --

I will be attending the Beatification of Fr. Casey tomorrow in Detroit, MI.  Getting really excited -   I have said recently that I would like to visit his tomb, so when I was offered tickets I jumped at it.  I cannot imagine celebrating with 66,000 other Catholics - it will definitely be a first for me and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I am planning on "going live" on Facebook and wanted to share the link     Today's Catholic Woman

EWTN will also be airing it live starting at 4:00 PM EST.

I will post next week about the event!

Please keep all attending in prayer!
Theresa

Understanding the Gospel

A while ago, my Spiritual Director asked me to read the daily Gospel, pull a line or phrase from it and journal my thoughts.  There are some days when I am not sure exactly what I should use, so I like to take a step back and ask the Lord to open my eyes to the line or words he wants me to think and pray about on that day.  It's amazing how it works!

This is what happen with today's Gospel (Luke 17:7-10), so I prayed and re-read the Gospel again and the last line jumped off the page.  "We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do."

Being obliged means we are morally committed to an action.  This made me start thinking.  At our Baptism our parents and God-parents obligated us to live a life of Christ.  And we renew that obligation each time we pray the Nicene Creed or the Apostle Creed.  We profess our recognition that Jesus is God from God.

So, the million dollar question is then - just what are we obligated to do?  As those who are claimed for Christ in our Baptism - we are obligated to live a life of Christ which is to Love God above all others and love our neighbor as ourselves.  We are to serve those around us with a loving heart, for Christ resides in all of us.  At times this can be a challenge - you might not even like the person, but that does not matter - we are to serve.

I know in today's world fulfilling an obligation is not something that necessarily is a value - but in the end, we will not be standing before the world.