Be Not Afraid...

St. Thomas Becket, Dec. 29:  Made Chancellor of England in 1155, he was a close friend of King Henry II and reportedly fond of luxury and the privileges of nobility. However, when Henry influenced a cardinal to appoint him Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas resigned as chancellor and began fasting, keeping vigils, and even wearing a hair shirt. Despite his reform, he nearly compromised with the king’s efforts to seize some Church rights. Soon after returning from exile in France, Thomas was martyred in Canterbury Cathedral for opposing the king. St. Thomas, pray for us that we may never compromise with evil.

Dutch Secret Agent

St. Peter Canisius, Dec. 21:  “Secret agent” for the Vatican! (Yes, cue the music, but not the lyrics, from the old TV show.) After the Council of Trent, the pope needed to deliver its decrees to bishops throughout Europe. His first envoy was robbed of the documents while traveling through hostile Protestant lands. So, Peter was chosen. He was a Jesuit, well-known and respected even by Protestants for the colleges that he had founded. He successfully carried the papers among his many books. However, decades before his dangerous mission, he had won the love of the German people by caring for victims of a plague. Although his feast is “an optional memorial,” he is also a Doctor of the Church.  St. Peter Canisius, pray for us that we may win hearts for Jesus by the way that we love.

Doctor of the Church, Patron of Spanish Poets

St. John of the Cross, Dec. 14:  “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone” (quote taken from Our Lady of Mercy Lay Carmelite Community #565). St. John, pray for us that we may love others AS Jesus has loved us.

Grateful for the Gift of Life

She also points to the sacredness of life...

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12:

Mary assured Juan Diego that she was mother to everyone who called upon her. Through her miraculous image, showing her as a mestiza, one of the few people (at the time) of both Aztec and Spanish parentage, she peacefully united two cultures. This image also confirms her queenship and virginal motherhood: Our Lady wears the black belt of pregnant Aztec noblewomen, but wears her hair down in the way of Aztec maidens (virgins).[1] Holy Mary of Guadalupe, our Mother and Queen, help us to respect and protect all human life from conception to natural death.

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[1] http://www.virginmotherofguadalupe.com/our-lady-of-guadalupe-image/message-symbols

The Advent Adventure?

It's the second Sunday of Advent, and normally our house would be completely decorated for Christmas by now, but things are moving ahead much more slowly than usual this year. It's okay, though. We will keep doing what we can when we can, and all those decorations that mean so much to us, that brighten our nights and bring joy to our days will no doubt be in place soon.

Our adorning process will still lead up to the high point in our traditions: decorating the tree as a family while carols play in the background.

The situation reminds me of how God's plans unfold over time, how "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son" (from Galatians 4:4). It took thousands of years for that fullness to finally arrive. Just so, Christmas is destined to arrive, in its good time, at our home.

May God bless you, dear reader.

Vigil

Feast of the Immaculate Conception,

Dec. 8:  Uncatechized as she was, Bernadette could not have known and didn’t understand Mary’s answer to “Who are you?” Bernadette said, “…her face became very serious and she seemed to bow down in an attitude of humility. Then she joined her hands and raised them to her breast . . . She looked up to heaven . . . then slowly opening her hands and leaning forward towards me, she said to me in a voice vibrating with emotion, 'I Am The Immaculate Conception….'".[1]  O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.

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[1] http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/lourbern.htm

I'm Amazed

I'm not sure, but I may have just met some future theologians. After they heard me read "A Christmas Story with St. Joseph, one child asked, "Why did [Joseph and Mary] get married?" Another asked, "Why did God become a baby?" And still another asked, "Why did God send Jesus?"

Hope you're sitting down: these were PRESCHOOLERS!!!

Of course, the true future theologian was probably the kid who raised his hand and said, "I like bananas."

To Plan Ahead So We Can Give

Dear Friends,

Advent starts tomorrow, our time of planning for Christmas and especially the coming of Christ into our hearts.  While we "rejoice in the Lord always," it's also a time of penance, the fast before the feast.  I plan on fasting from one of my favorite holiday beverages:  eggnog.  To offer it up with joy will be challenging sometimes...

There are also things that we can do to give joy to others.  The feast of St. Nicholas is coming up on December 6th.  Someone shared with me that because her father was of Slavic descent, one of their family traditions was polishing up their shoes and leaving them lined up for St. Nicholas' visit.  In the morning, she and her siblings would find treats inside their shoes.

While there are many legends about the saint, the Church knows that after being orphaned at a young age, he dedicated his life to God and used his inheritance to help the poor, sick and suffering.  While bishop of Myra, he earned a reputation for his generosity, love for children and concern for sailors.

A good way to honor or celebrate his feast day (Dec 6) might be making an anonymous donation or secretly giving a small gift to someone in need.

St. Nicholas, pray that we love all of God's children generously.