Prepare ye for the coming of the King

Among the hustle and bustle of the CHRISTtmas season how are we keeping Christ present?    We are busy shopping and wrapping gifts... however, are we making sure to keep our sights on the true presence of Christmas.. our Lord Jesus Christ.  

In this final week of advent I hope we can all do things that keep CHRIST in Christmas.  Keep in mind all those that will be separated from their loved ones, especially all those in Connecticut.  May God grant us the peace that passes all understanding this season.  

I pray that we all enjoy this holiday season remembering the REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Advent, a time for preparation

Matthew 18:3

      And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will       never enter the kingdom of heaven.

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Today in our youth group we reflected on these two scriptures.  How as children we trust completely, however as we grow older we learn to do away with our childish ways. This does not mean that we never have fun or joy in our lives again, rather it means we learn to reason as adults and follow God with our whole heart and whole soul.   I myself will never loose that childlike wonder and awe when I see Christmas lights, or give someone I love a gift that brings them much happiness.  I do however find myself taking more time for Jesus every day and talking with Him about what he wants from me.  I want to serve Him in the way He desires.  So while I will still have fun and do silly things, I am also sure to include Him in all I say and do.  I will make every effort to live my life as he wishes. This advent season I challenge all of us to remember the true reason for the season. Let us find some way to serve Jesus this month.  Do something for someone else, pray, write a letter, go to PADS or feed my starving children, help out a friend in need ..just do something.   It is fun to shop and bake cookies and go to parties, but we must also leave room each day for Him.  The tiny baby born in a stable.  The light that shines for all of us.  Let us all prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ child. May your advent season be blessed with much happiness and service done for others.

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FE1E0JNU#  

Take a moment to watch this darling video.  A kindergarten class shares the nativity story.  

Mark 10:46-52

There were hundreds in the crowd that day at Jericho. I am sure many of those people had needs and wanted healing.   This Sunday the gospel (Mark 10:46-52)will tell us that apparently only one of them had the courage and determination to speak up and ask for help from Jesus, whom everyone had come to see.

Bartimaeus, a blind man, not someone that many thought deserved the Lord's recognition.  I can only imagine how people in the crowd may have tried to push him away from our Lord.  A blind man among them asking for the Messiah's help.  This did not deter Bartimaeus, in fact it made him more determined.  He actually shouted out for the Lord.  This act of faith stopped our Lord in His tracks. Bartimaeus was a beggar and seen as someone not worthy to speak to the Lord.  He most likely wore a cloak to protect himself from the heat and cold and to hide his shame.   He removed his cloak and this left him open and vulnerable.  I guess we could say he was willing to let go of things that held him back.  He shed his past so to speak and stopped at nothing to let the Lord know he trusted that He could heal him.  Do we have that kind of faith with our Lord?

They say often the blind  see more than people who have physical sight. one reason being is  they have to rely more  on their other senses; hearing, smell and touch. The faith Bartimaeus demonstrated did lead him to the Lord and eventually to his healing.  

Last night, I spoke with my Confirmation students asking them how determined they are when it comes to asking for God's help.  Are they ever blind to the world and needs around them?  Often it is not physical blindness that hinders us, but the blindness in our heart and faith life.  Are we blind to those around us, because we are thinking or only ourselves?  Do we try every day to look for ways that we can SEE what others need?  To put our needs aside and trust that God will show us ways to help others.  

Challenge for today:  Let us all SEE with our hearts this week.  Finding ways to help those around us.  Demonstrating our faith through our actions.  Shouting out to the Lord... Show me what I must SEE.

Blessings to all for a glorious week.  Enjoy seeing all that God has planned for you.

Time For Change

I love fall.  The changing leaves, the beautiful sunsets.  Such a wonderful season.  As the song says; to everything turn, turn, turn, there is a time for every purpose under heaven.  

Ecclesiates 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  

Is our time now?

Autumn is a season of change.  Perhaps we can take some time to turn over a new leaf.   Maybe it is time to change our attitude, or change how we look at life.  Maybe it is just about changing the amount of time we spend in prayer.  We all have things we are working on,  ways we continue to try and change our lives so we are more like Christ.  

Take some time to enjoy the changing colors.  Notice the beauty that exists in our world.  But most importantly, take time to recognize the change that we can bring.  The things that we can do that will bring the beauty of autumn into our lives and the lives of those around us.  

Where are you and who are you???

This is one of my many favorite quotes.  Sometimes we are so wrapped up in where we are going we miss the journey.  We completely miss being in the present moment.  We tell ourselves that once we get there we will take some time.  We will play or relax, whatever it is we are not doing right now.  

What if we always looked at our lives as though we are there?  That right now in this very moment I am where I am meant to be.   I can be happy right now.  I can work hard, and study hard, and play hard, but I can be happy right now.  

No matter where I go, there I am.  I might as well be happy where ever I go.  Look at the glass half full, and try my very best to bring joy and happiness to the lives of others.  

Go where you must, but go knowing you have a choice to be your very best every day.  Today I choose to take a deep breath, relax and just be... be happy, be thankful, be grateful.  

Blessings for a wonderful week!

Feast of the Assumption Aug 15th

The Feast of the Assumption is one of the most important feast days of the year and a Holy Day of Obligation on the official Roman Catholic Church calendar.  By tradition, the holy day is observed every August 15. This year, the Feast of the Assumption occurs on Wednesday, August 15, 2012.  According to Roman Catholic theology, Mary was "assumed body and soul into heavenly glory" several years after her son, Jesus, ascended into heaven.

Bishop Ricken Issues Formal Decree. Marian Apparitions at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help are first and only in the U.S. to be approved by the Church!  

http://www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/index.html

If you are ever in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area I encourage you to go to the shrine.  It is a peaceful and holy place.  You can walk the grounds, sit in the church, or spend time in the chapel.  However you choose to spend your time there it will be a blessing.  

Let us always be mindful of the love our Mother Mary had for her son Jesus and the love she has for each of us.   

Blessings for a wonderful week.  

Who are you BEING?

                                         

Ephesians 4:22-24 ²² So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires.²³ Your hearts and minds must be made completely new,²⁴ and you must put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.

For me, it is important every moment of every day to look at who I am being.  Am I being kind, considerate, compassionate, loving, caring and on and on.  It is so easy to be swept away by worldly things and worldly ways.  Too often our sites are set on what we want rather than what we need.  I have to ask myself every day if I am being who God wants me to be.  I must be very honest about who I am being.  Is what I do all for the grace of God?  Being human,  every day I need to ask God to lead me so I might do things in a way that is pleasing to Him.  


We are called human beings not human doings.  It is about who we are being when we are doing.  Are we being Christ for others or are we more concerned about how we look and what we have?  This is an ongoing learning process for me.   I ask myself, am I being the same person in all areas of my life?  Being the same person at work, as I am at home, as I am at church, and in line at the grocery store.  That I may be as much like Christ as I can "be".  When I find myself being consumed with what I want and feel, rather than what God wants.. I stop and ask Him to help me to be the human "being" He wants me to be.  


I pray that we all enjoy "be"coming who God wants us to "be".  Blessings for a wonderful and peaceful week.