Love thy neighbour

“Jesus answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ”

Father Ignatius stopped reading from the Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 22 and looked up at the congregation sitting there.

“And that’s where the problem lies,” he said, “love your neighbor as you love yourself.

“It’s almost too difficult for some people; and do you know why?"


PLEASE CONTINUE READING HERE

In the Midst of a Storm

Life is never without challenges.  It’s easy to be good and choose God when life is calm, and there are no storms to navigate.  Life is much easier if we are not being pelted by rain and dodging the fearful lightning strikes as we walk.  Our fears and anxieties  rage against us, unleashed by the storm.  Where is the peace God promised us?  How can we survive this onslaught of rage and violence?  What can we do?

We can pray.  Prayer is the primary and most effective weapon we have been given to battle any evil, any storm. 

Read More at:  His Unending Love. 

Homily from Father Francis Maple

FATHER FRANCIS MAPLE

"DON'T TALK OF LOVE, SHOW ME!"

                

 JOHN 14:15-21

In my spiritual reading I remember Jesus telling one saint, "Many  receive Me in Holy Communion and very few say to Me the three little  words I love to hear, 'I love you.'"  So to please Jesus it would be  good to remind ourselves to say those three little words to Our Lord every time we receive Him in Holy Communion.

May I suggest that those words should often be on the lips of husbands and wives, parents and children to each other.  Those three little words, when spoken with sincerity, can change the colour of an entire day.  When we do say them they should be backed up with actions, for actions speak louder than words.  It is an insult to tell someone we  love them unless we show that love in the things we do.  This is especially true in matters of religion.  It means absolutely nothing for you and me to speak of our love for the Lord unless we translate those words into deeds.

A husband can show his love for his wife by sending her flowers or giving her a box of chocolates or taking her out for a meal or decorating the kitchen or a number of other thoughtful ways.  Parents can show their love for their children by spending time with them. Children can show their love for their parents by getting along with their brothers and sisters, helping with household chores and keeping their bedrooms tidy.

How can we show our love for the Lord?  Jesus Himself tells us how we can when He says, "Keep my commandments."  We can start with the Ten Commandments, but we mustn't stop there.  The Pharisees took great pride in obeying those ancient laws, yet they made no pretence of loving Jesus.

They, in fact, hated Him and did everything they could to discredit  Him.  So if we show our love for the Lord by obeying His commandments, we must go beyond the moral laws of the Old Testament.

Just as children by loving their brothers and sisters can show their love for their parents we can show our love for Our Lord by loving one another.

What else can we do?  If we had lived in the time of Jesus there were several things we could have done to Him personally to show our love.  If we had been the innkeeper in Bethlehem, we could have made room for His mother and given Him a decent place in which to be born.  If we had been the Samaritan woman by Jacob's well, we could have given Him a drink of water. If we had been the boy with the barley loaves and fish, we could have  given Him the family's lunch so that He could use it to feed the  hungry crowd.  If we had been that landlord in Jerusalem, we could have loaned Him that upper room that He might eat the Passover with His disciples.  If we had been Simon of Cyrene, we could have carried His cross.  If we had been Joseph of Arimathea, we could have given Him our tomb.  These were the things Jesus needed and some of these needs were met by some thoughtful people.

Jesus is no longer with us in His bodily presence.  He needs none of those things now.  So what can we do for Him?  We can give Him our heart by spending quality time with Him in prayer.  This may involve reorganising our lives, getting to bed a little bit earlier so that in the morning we can find time to say morning prayers or attending daily Mass.

We can show our love for Jesus by loving our neighbour and there are many opportunities for doing this.  Jesus said we will always have the poor with us.  We can send money to organisations that feed the hungry.  We can find people who are lonely and befriend them.  It may be an elderly person who can no longer get out and about.  We may come across people in sorrow and let them know that we care.  We may find people who are discouraged, and share with them a little of our courage.

That's what it means to love Jesus, being prayerful, caring and thoughtful people.  Unless we translate our love for Him in down-to-earth, practical things like we have just mentioned, we can be certain that we don't love the Lord.  In the musical 'My Fair Lady' Eliza Dolittle sang, "Words, words, words, I'm just sick of words.  If you're in love, show me."  Perhaps that song can help our protestations of love be backed up with actions of love.

The Joy Thief

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

"We would like to get back to our innocence and joy, but they are cold and sepulchered."          
                                                                             Archbishop Fulton Sheen


The Seven Deadly Sins steal your joy. But perhaps none so much as the deadly sin of sloth, also known as acedia. If you lack joy in your life this may be the deadly sin to look at first, so great are its detrimental effects on the soul. Sloth is the head "joy thief" because, well...that happens to be its job description. It is sadness in the face of joy, sorrow for the things of God. Or as Peter Kreeft, in his book Back to Virtue, so bluntly describes it:

"Sloth is the most depressing thing in the world. It is hell on earth. It finds our very highest joy - God himself - joyless. If Joy himself is joyless, where can we find joy? If salt has lost its saltiness, how can it be restored? If the very light in us is darkness, how great is that darkness?"

This is the best explanation of sloth that I have ever seen. Sloth finds Joy himself...joyless.

Scary, huh? Sloth is like walking around in the bright sunshine with a huge black cloud hanging over your head. You can't see the light for the darkness that surround you.

St. Thomas Aquinas says that sloth is a "sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good...its evil is in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away from good deeds". So, sloth is not only joyless, it is neglectful as well.

Those who are encumbered by this deadly sin walk this world in a half-hearted fashion and I believe it is one of the biggest problems that this century is faced with. Those who are lukewarm almost always have a problem with sloth. Sloth is a spiritual torpor, a listlessness of the spirit that leads most often to sins of omission rather than sins of commission. Rather than confronting this joyless spirit head-on, many try to escape it by frantically rushing around in an attempt to outrun the heaviness in their hearts and the sword of sorrow hanging over their heads. This is where sloth gets ugly, for in trying to escape it we make matters worse. Sloth doesn't like to confront, it likes to avoid. It is a spiritual languor that says, "I still have time...I'll take care of spiritual matters tomorrow. Today I just have too many things to do - I have to get this shopping done, the game is on, these e-mails have to go out, my blog is waiting (hmmm), etc...

Here are a few of the signs (or symptoms, one could say) of sloth:
~ An aversion to prayer - this can be mild or great depending on how deeply rooted this vice is
~ Aridity
~ Lack of zeal
~ Disorganization
~ Confusion (spiritual)
~ Apathy or discouragement
~ Boredom
~ Putting off tasks or leaving them undone without good reason
~ A lack of awe
~ Ingratitude
~ Sadness (melancholy)
~ Excessive activity that hides a spiritual languor - too busy for God

The seven deadly sins tend to be "intertwined" with each other like interlocking pieces of a hellish puzzle. For most of us there tends to be one particular deadly sin that takes precedence over the others. In other words, it is the "kingpin" and hitting the kingpin helps take down the other deadly "pins" that have attached themselves to our souls.

Sloth is sneaky, irresponsible, and apathetic when it comes to God but there are remedies for this vice and one of the ways we tackle it is by practicing the opposing virtue. In the case of sloth/acedia the opposing virtue is diligence. Exercising virtues builds your spiritual muscles. Another virtue which opposes sloth is charity.

It's important to remember that joy isn't a "thing" to be grasped. Joy is alive. Joy is a person.
Set your heart on God and there you will find your Joy.

An Everlasting Love

"I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3b)

Saw this quote Sunday night, and it stopped me in my mental tracts.  It was in fine print, in italics on the back of a little business card stuck in a book given and written by a priest friend of mine.  

I've been dwelling on it ever since, and at the same time noticed that I've been especially happy the past few days.  Living in Chicago we have had snow and cold and I find myself delighting in the snow, and even finding the cold, clear days beautiful.  When I go to work in the morning it is now right around sunrise and I find that I do love sunrises.  When I leave after work I am grateful that it is still light at 5 PM when not just a few weeks ago it was dark.  Even when I am walking through the slush in the non-snowremoved streets and sidewalks I am thankful for my new waterproof boots with Vibram soles and new wool socks.  

I know it is not a permanent state, this happiness, easily thrilled state of being where moments and the beauty of nature and the gifts of my family, children and friends are cherished.  I had been reading Discernment of Spirits and learned more about the states of consolation and desolation and the working of the good and evil spirits on one's thoughts and feelings during each.  But for now all I can do is enjoy being happy, and offer my love, thanks and praise to God for where he has me right now.

That brings me to a great mini-meditation that can be done at any time of the day.  I got it from a "Daily Disconnect" from Carmelites.net  It goes like this:

• Visualize yourself in God's presence . . . in other words recollect yourself . . . become tuned in to God's presence in and around you, and his love for you.
• Using these words of praise, pray slowly

My God, I love you with all my heart, I praise and thank you . . .

• Repeat several times
• Just be with God

At Heaven's Doorstep

I stood at the doorsteps of Heaven in full anticipation. It was not a large Pearly Gate shining brightly as we’ve often been told and is depicted in some pictures; no … this was just a small wooden door. A humble ordinary wooden door with no sign or any distinguishing features foretelling where it led to.

I remembered the quote from the Bible: “Knock and it shall be opened to you …”

 

Continue reading HERE

Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee

Prepared this for my 1st and 2nd graders' religion school class at my Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic parish (full communion with the Roman Pontiff).  Not sure it was at their grade level, so thought I should share it here too!  Have a great week!

2 Timothy 3:10-15

10 Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,¹¹my persecutions, and my suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.¹²Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.¹³But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived.¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it,¹⁵and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
The above scripture teaches how valuable it is to learn the sacred writings (Scripture=the Bible=Sacred Writings) from your childhood that instruct you for your salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Luke 18:10-14 - Today's Gospel in the Eastern Rite

¹⁰‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector.¹¹The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector.¹²I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.”¹³But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.

Found this on the back of our church bulletin (not what I included in the teaching to the 1st and 2nd graders) St. Basil the Great wrote:

The stern Pharisee, who in his self pride not only boasted of himself but also discredited the tax collector in the presence of God, made his justice void by being guilty of pride.  Instead of the Pharisee, the tax collector went down justified, because he had given glory to God, the Holy One.  He did not dare lift his eyes but sought only to plead for mercy.  He accused himself by his posture, by striking his breast, and by entertaining no other motive except propitiation.  Be on your guard, therefore, and bear in mind this example of severe loss sustained through arrogance.  The one guilty of insolent behavior suffered the loss of his justice and forfeited his reward by his bold self-reliance.  He was judged inferior to a humble man and a sinner because in his self-exaltation he did not wait the judgment of God but pronounced it himself.  Never place yourself above anyone, not even great sinners.  Humility often saves a sinner who has committed many terrible transgressions.

This reminds me of a quote from St. John Climacus:

Pride is a denial of God, an invention of the devil, contempt for men. It is the mother of condemnation, the offspring of praise, a sign of barrenness. It is a flight from God’s help, the harbinger of madness, the author of downfall. It is the cause of diabolical possession, the source of anger, the gateway of hypocrisy. It is the fortress of demons, the custodian of sins, the source of hardheartedness. It is the denial of compassion, a bitter pharisee, a cruel judge. It is the foe of God. It is the root of blasphemy.

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The Jesus Prayer is modeled after the prayer of the Publican.

Lord Jesus Christ, (3 words)

Son of God, (3 words)

Have mercy on (3 words)

me, a sinner. (3 words)

(12 words total)

"I am convinced that our kids and teens need to hear this prayer more than any other. It's called the Jesus Prayer and whenever we use it, we call upon Christ as the Holy Scripture says, keeping Him on our minds, in our hearts, and on our lips with every minute of the day. This short but powerful prayer sanctifies whatever task we are doing!

Fold the laundry ... and say this prayer

Drive to school ... and say this prayer

Say it in any language, say it in short or long form...

When else can you say this prayer?

Pray for others using the Jesus prayer:Take turns offering the first name of someone you'd like to sing the Jesus Prayer for, then complete the song on their behalf.

We say, 'Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on ______, your servant (or a sinner).'

Sometimes we include all the poor, the hungry, the orphaned, the priests, all monks and nuns, those with a handicap, etc.

Indeed, our true task is always the same and is always accomplished in the same way: to call upon our Lord Jesus Christ with a burning heart so that His holy name intercedes for us."

-Hesychios the Priest: On Personal Holiness

The Scripture of the Publican and the Pharisee also reminds us that the Lord our God looks at our hearts and not the outward appearance in physical traits, or the appearance of good works done to impress others or to help us feel good about ourselves.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, but read within context of 1 Samuel 16:1-13)

 The Lord wants to be merciful to us and to bless us, but we need to get our hearts right.  We need to realize our place before God, we are fully needing his loving mercy and forgiveness, and we fully need the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to remain in Jesus to accomplish anything good for him.  Hear the words of Jesus: 

⁴³ ‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; ⁴⁴for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43-45)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)

The gift of the Holy Spirit comes to us in Baptism and Chrismation (Confirmation).  The gifts of the Holy Spirit come from asking! 

⁹ ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? ¹²Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? ¹³If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ (Luke 11:9-13)

Here’s an example of someone asking:

⁹Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’
¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹²I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. ¹³I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour all your life; no other king shall compare with you. ¹⁴If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’(1 Kings 3:9-14)

God is happy to give the gifts of the Holy Spirit to those who ask.  He said this to Jeremiah, a great prophet in the Old Testament times to the people of Israel who had forsaken God to worship false gods, breaking the 1^st Commandment.

²³ Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; ²⁴but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

This is why it is so important for your parents to teach you the faith, and to bring you to Divine Liturgy (Mass) and Religion School and for them to study their Bibles as well.  God delights that you learn about him, that you know him, and understand that he acts with steadfast love.

If you want to remain in Jesus, you need to learn to pray – unceasingly. 

St. Paul told us this:  “Pray constantly.” 1 THESSALONIANS 5: 17

The Jesus prayer is the most common way of doing this in our Eastern tradition.

Another way of praying unceasingly is to memorize scriptures and to pray them when you need to have your heart and mind refocused on the God who is always with you, always loving you, and who is all powerful to defend you in times of temptation and hardship.

Here is an example of such a scripture: 

"Come to my help, O God. Lord, hurry to my rescue" (see Ps 70:1).

Last week Sunday of Zaccheaus:                            Next week Sunday of the Prodigal Son: 

                              

Quick Bytes #76: Yourself

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If you believe what you like in the Gospels,
and reject what you don't like,
it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.
                          - St. Augustine
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30 Words - I am the Light of the World

Then Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

John 8:12

See more at His Unending Love.  Click HERE.

Quick Bytes #75: Hate/Love

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Jesus hated sin while on the cross.

But He loved the sinner.
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Can we really trust God?

Is it REALLY possible to trust God totally, without a hint of hesitation or doubt? Even when things go wrong in our lives? Really wrong ...

Continue reading HERE

Morning Prayer

Good Morning, Lord!

Thank You for the good sleep I had last night.  I feel refreshed this morning.  Thank You for that.  I just wanted to tell You that I love You, and I'm looking forward to this day.   I trust that You will be with me all day.  Thank You for that gift, too.  You do send some interesting challenges to me.  I know that without You I could not get through my day.  There was a time when I wasn't sure that You even cared about me.  My days were so challenging then!  Thank You for the peace I have received. 

Father, Jesus my Brother, Holy Spirit, I thank You for the gift of You.  You are our triune God!  We praise and bless You!  I thank You for the way You have worked in my life.  I thank You for the way You continue to work in my life.  I thank You for the way You work in my children's lives.  I thank You for the blessings You have given me through my children.  Father, we are all Your children.  We praise You and bless You for this gift.  Jesus, my brother, thank You for all that You have done for us!  You suffered and died that we might have eternal life.  Thank You.  Holy Spirit, we need You.  Pour out your blessings and graces on our very troubled world.  Thank You, our Triune God!

Father, I need to ask You for some things.  Please hear my prayer.
Bless our troubled world and send Your Holy Spirit to rekindle the flames of Your love and peace. 
Bless my children.  Manifest Your love in their lives and let them recognize this gift from You.
In the greatness of Your love for us, send the graces of salvation to those who are living lives outside of Your graces.  Grant them peace and love and the gift of a beautiful death, especially if they are going to see You face to face today.
Bless the Souls in Purgatory.  Bring them some relief from their sufferings and release souls to be with You.
Bless my family and all of our friends.  Let them be blessed with the gifts of the Spirit that they might become Your Apostles.
Bless all of Your priests.  Embrace them with Your love.
Bless all of those people who are suffering.  Relieve their sufferings and strengthen them.  Give them hope.
Bless all of those people who are grieving.  Relieve their sense of loss and strengthen them.  Remind them that with each new dawn their loved ones are enjoying the vision of You and that they are happy.
Bless all of the homeless and hungry of our world.  Bless all those kind and loving people who minister to them. 
 Bless all of those people, both living and dead, who have no one to pray for them.  May their prayers be heard by You, and may they be blessed.

Thank You, Father.  Thank You, my brother, Jesus.  Thank You, Holy Spirit.

We praise and honor You.  Help me to walk in Your path today and everyday.  Help me to see the face of Jesus in all that I meet and realize that these people are a blessing of love to me.  Praise to You!  Thank You!  I love You! 

If I only had time

And Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.' Mark 16:15

How often we fail to do God's work here on earth because we're just too busy.

If I only had time ...

What do the words mean to you?

What do the prayers mean to you?


This is an exercise to help you think about the words you are saying when you pray.  Awareness.  This is also an excellent exercise for your prayer journal.

1) Begin with your favorite prayer to invoke the Holy Spirit.
2) Break your prayer down into phrases and leave a couple of spaces between each prayer.
3) Listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit in your heart as you begin to fill in the blanks of your prayers.
4) Consider doing this exercise every couple of months.  Meanings often change and when you listen to the Holy Spirit, you are called deeper and deeper into prayer.

Here are 3 of our basic prayers and how I interpret the words in each prayer.  Awareness.  Your words will probably  be different from mine.  Let the words from the Holy Spirit flow through you from your heart to your paper. 


Our Father
The prayer taught to us by Jesus as the perfect prayer.

Our Father,
Papa, Dad, Daddy, Beloved Creator, Name above all names, Creator of the Universe,

Who art in Heaven,
You are where we want to be when we die.  We want to be with you in heaven.  Heaven is Your creation, too.  You made this home for us.  Where ever you are is heaven.

Hallowed be Thy Name,
All holy are You.  Your name is Holy.  Your name is love.

Thy kingdom come,
May Your Kingdom come to earth.  May Your peace and love spread through out the world.

Thy Will be done,
May all that You wish be done here on earth.  May we, as your beloved children, live as You would like for us to live.  May we, as Your beloved children, do that which You ask of us as did the Patriarchs old to whom You promised the Messiah.

On earth, as it is in Heaven,
May our earth be filled with peace as peace fills Your heaven.  May we bring this about by doing Your will on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread,
Give us the food we need to eat, the homes in which we need to live, the clothes we need to live,

Forgive us our trespasses,
Forgive us our sins,

As we forgive those who trespass against us,
Forgive us in the  way we forgive others who have sinned against us.  Forgive us so that we might forgive them.

Lead us not into temptation,
Lord, even though you test us, give us the strength and courage to resist sin and abandon our earthly attachments which will lead us into sin.

Deliver us from evil,
Do not let us fall into the pit.  Give us the courage and strength to pick ourselves up when we fall and return to Your paths.

Amen.
So be it.

Read more at "His Unending Love."  Click HERE.

Quick Bytes #74: The Worst Evil

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"The worst evil is not the crime committed,
but the failure to do the good one might have done."
                                                  - Leon Bloy


P.S.  Want to see another thought-provoking quote
from Leon Bloy?  See my post at Reach Paradise.
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Prayers to St. Peregrine

Prayers to St. Peregrine

If you are afflicted with cancer:

St. Peregrine, whom Holy Mother Church has declared Patron of those suffering from Cancer, I confidently turn to you for help in my present sickness. I beg your kind intercession. Ask God to relieve me of this sickness, if it be his Holy Will. Plead with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, whom you loved so tenderly and in union with whom you have suffered the pains of Cancer, that she may help me with her powerful prayers and loving consolation.
But if it should be God’s Holy Will that I bear this sickness, obtain for me courage and strength to accept these trails from the loving hand of God with patience and resignation, because he knows what is best for the salvation of my soul. St. Peregrine, be my friend and patron. Help me to imitate you in accepting suffering, and to unite myself with Jesus Crucified and the Mother of Sorrows, as you did. I offer my pains to God with all the love of my heart, for his glory and the salvation of souls, especially my own. Amen.


For another prayer to St. Peregrine go to "His Unending Love."

You're the best friend ...

Have you heard the joke about ...

The comedian stood on the stage and shouted "12".

And the audience laughed in unison.

He then said "15" and they laughed even louder.

He cried out "23" and they stamped their feet with delight as they laughed and applauded.

He continued with his repertoire "24 ... 33 ... 39 ..." and the audience were in tears with laughter as he kept calling out various numbers.

After about fifteen minutes or so on stage I asked him afterwards in his room what all that was about.

He explained, "This is a very loyal audience who follow me everywhere wherever I do a show. Over the years they got to know all my jokes and they enjoy hearing them over and again. In order to make the show go faster, and so that I can pack in more jokes, I have printed them all out and numbered them. The audience have memorised all the jokes. Now all I have to do is call out the number, they remember the joke, and laugh at it!"

I was amazed at what he had just said. "Why ..." I asked hesitantly, "why did they not laugh when you said 42?"

"They had not heard that joke before!" he answered.

Over the passed few days we have heard the story of Christmas read out in church several times.

A pregnant Virgin and her husband go to Bethlehem on a donkey. There is no room in the inn. They go to the stable where a baby is born and placed in a manger. An Angel appears to shepherds and announces the Birth; and a star guides three Kings from the East to the stable.

We've all heard the story many times before and no doubt we will hear it again next Christmas and beyond.

Is it yet another old story from folklore which tradition repeats every twelve months and, like that comedian's audience, we remember once again and smile silently as we celebrate with family and friends?

Or is it perhaps something more important than that? In fact, the most important event that has ever happened in the history of the world.

God, the Creator of the whole Universe and what is in it and beyond it, loved us so much that He decided to make Himself flesh and visit us on earth as a human being.

I wonder how many people, as they celebrate the "12" days of Christmas from the 25th to the 6th, stop for a moment and really and seriously think about the awesomeness that this event really means?  

1? ... 3? ... 7? ... 100? ... More?

Quick Bytes #73: Even the Holy Family

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I complain all the time about this thing or that thing.

How small all those problem felt as I thought about the Holy Family this Christmas.

Are any of my decisions as difficult as Joseph's decision to stay with Mary after she inexplicably became pregnant?

Is any of my pain as bad as what Jesus felt when nails were being driven through his body?

Is any of my suffering even close to what Our Blessed Mother had to endure watching her Son die for us?

Of course not.

So if the Holiest of Families had to go through all that, how can I possibly complain about any of my little crosses?
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Looking Forward to 2014

Lord, 
Knowing that nothing good is accomplished without Your Love and Your Help, I ask You to bless us, to bless me, as we look forward to the year 2014.  Father, You are the God of all creation.  It was a gift of Your Love, that Jesus came to earth as a tiny babe.  As a Man, Jesus would come to save our world from sin.  Holy Spirit, You were sent to us by  the Father and Jesus to guide us in our earthly sojourn.  You fill us with Your gifts and graces that will lead us to the Father, the Son, and to You, Mighty Spirit of God who live and reign forever and ever.  Amen.

Praise be to You, Mighty God and Father.
Praise be to You, Jesus, the Son of God and our brother.
Praise be to You, Holy Spirit, giver of gifts and graces, Counselor.

In 2014, I ask for these graces.
Read More HERE at "His Unending Love."

A message from Father Francis Maple

FATHER FRANCIS MAPLE

This Christmas we need to focus on the greatest reality there is - that God loves us so much that He gave us His only Son to free us from our sins! We need to be grateful for His love and respond to His love; and the best way to do that is by surrendering our life completely to Him, as He has surrendered Himself completely to us. How do we do this - by putting Him first in our daily lives? This means that we build our day around Him. We need to give Him quality time in our prayer life. As we meditate on His birth and see Mary holding her divine Child in her arms we can think of her saying, "Would you like to hold Him?" Then she hands Jesus to you and you get to hold the God of the universe in your arms. But we do not just stop there – we realise EVERY DAY we can hold Jesus in our arms when we receive Him in the Eucharist! To believe that Jesus, who is God, and who the Universe cannot even begin to contain, became a little baby for us and continues this humility in the Eucharist is amazing - What a gift He has given to us! How very blessed we are!

I also realize and appreciate that there are some who think Christmas is a hard time. You may be experiencing loneliness or illness, or you may be in sorrow because you have lost someone dear. You need to know that you are never alone! Jesus became one of us so that He could be near us! There is never a time when you need to feel that no one cares or that you have to go through your struggles alone - YOU ARE LOVED! This is what Christmas is about, and this needs to be our hope that brings us through the darkness.

Remember that no matter how dark the darkness is - it can never conquer the Light! Try this - go into a dark room and light a match or candle and watch just how the darkness flees from the power of the light. Jesus is that Light and He is inside of YOU! That is so true. Cling to this Truth, and know His power!

This Christmas let us pray for each other and accept the love of the Christ Child, and of Our Father who gave Him to us, our best Christmas present. Mary and Joseph, we thank you for the part you played in bringing Jesus to our world.

  

Be Joyful! God is....

Great
Love
Goodness
Kindness
Healing
Above all else
King of Kings
Everlasting
Unchanging
Encompassing

Read More Here at His Unending Love

Add to the list!

GAUDETE

MAY YOU HAVE

 A VERY BLESSED CHRISTMAS

 AND A 

PEACEFUL AND JOYFUL 

NEW YEAR

Quick Bytes #72: Come to Think of It

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My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, 
is very simple: loving others. 

Come to think of it, 
why do we have to wait until Christmas to do that?
                                                
 - Bob Hope

Something for me to eat

It was five days before Christmas, Father Ignatius drove into the car park and was about to enter the Parish house when he noticed a man standing by the Church door. He walked up to him and the man asked: “Have you got something for me to eat?”

He was in his fifties perhaps, although he looked much older. Unshaven, wearing dirty clothes with tears down the pockets, an open shirt revealing skin that had not been washed since who knows when, and shoes with no socks.
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