What I'd Like to Say

...my goddaughter, Miss Rose, very articulately expressed a lot of what I'd like to say on the whole "Happy-Holidays-versus-Merry-Christmas" thing, as well as the "get-it-over-with-Christmas-starting-in-October-and-ending-Dec-26-rush". How's that for a lot of hyphens? :)

Anyway, take a trip over for some good thoughts.

Blessed Advent Week of Peace!

The Gospel of Life

"The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus' message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as 'good news' to the people of every age and culture.

At the dawn of salvation, it is the Birth of a Child which is proclaimed as joyful news: 'I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord' (Lk 2:10-11). The source of this 'great joy'" is the Birth of the Saviour; but Christmas also reveals the full meaning of every human birth, and the joy which accompanies the Birth of the Messiah is thus seen to be the foundation and fulfilment of joy at every child born into the world (cf. Jn 16:21)."

-Pope John Paul II
Evangelium Vitae

Silent Night

I know that I've been quiet here since Christmas. Sometimes it seems that when the Lord is working most strongly in my soul, He moves me to silence. I've always been a naturally conversational person (I love words...particularly adjectives!), but in recent months He has been gently prompting me to value silence more. Words can be beautiful, but many of life's most beautiful moments occur in the quiet. So, too, does He choose to come to us most intimately in the quiet...in the tiny, whispering wind (1 Kings 19).

How often do we really notice the words we sing in that beloved carol Silent Night? That's right: the King of the Universe chose to arrive to the world in silence, in stillness. This thought was echoed in a poem I wrote several Christmases ago:

In a hushed and waiting world
Darkness reigns with night
Sin and blackness are unfurled
All wait for the Light

Souls are blinded, no one sees
All search for the One
When blackness splits…darkness flees…

Christ, our Light, has come!

I can honestly say that this Christmas season has been one of, if not the most beautiful I have ever known. Moments of adoration, of wonder, came at unexpected times, as the eternal mystery was continuously within my mind and heart. In the midst of action, hustle, and even talkative parties, I was often blessed to have an "interior gaze"...a warm ongoing exchange between the Christ Child and my heart, like a romance in which the lover and the beloved can be as though the only ones present. No matter what the outside clamor, their glances are full of meaning for them alone, and there is a secret joy.

The Christ Child is waiting to catch you in His gaze, also. Have you acknowledged His eyes of love today?

“We need to find God,
and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness.
God is the friend of silence.
See how nature — trees, flowers, grass —

grows in silence; see the stars,

the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...

We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

(Mother Teresa)

Let us allow Him to touch our souls...in the silence.

For Unto Us, a Child Is Born

A priest recently said to me: "Our Lord comes as a baby at Christmas so that we might find it easier to love him". One has but to watch the enchanting effect that a tiny baby has on everyone within reach to know how true this is. A few times recently when I've had the opportunity to hold a near-newborn while in a group of people, I've noticed anew how magnetic and powerful that tiny person is. Children approach and gaze wide-eyed, young girls and ladies caress and marvel, and even grown men step near to look and smile. A baby — in all his fragile, helpless beauty — has the power to reach even the most distant and hardened of hearts. Facades come down, and an indescribable tenderness overcomes us as we behold this tiny miracle of creation.

A Christmas message sent us from an area pregnancy care center held a quote (credited to this newsletter) which I found stirringly beautiful, summing wondrously this mysterious power of each new life...

"When God wants an important thing done in this world or a wrong righted, He goes about it in a very singular way. He doesn't release thunderbolts or stir up earthquakes. God simply has a tiny baby born, perhaps of a very humble home, perhaps of a very humble mother. And God puts the idea or purpose into the mother's heart. And she puts it in the baby's mind, and then...God waits.

The great events of this world are not battles and elections and earthquakes and thunderbolts. The great events are babies, for each child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged with humanity, but is still expecting goodwill to become incarnate in each human life."

Among the great events of babies, and the accompanying divine message of hope, the Birth which the whole world now celebrates shines as the greatest of all. In the supreme act of goodwill incarnated, the Father sends His own Son in the flesh: not as an imposing warrior in armor or a commanding king seated on a thone, but as a baby. As one of us. Regardless of the chaos, brokenness, or corruption that may be raging around the world, each Christmas reminds us that the Father is not finished with humanity. He reaches down, and places Eternal Light into a darkened world. Let heaven and nature sing!

"For unto us, a child is born;
unto us, a son is given.
And the government
shall be upon his shoulders,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

-Isaiah 9:6

Powerful

From AdventConspiracy.org:

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Today begins Advent. Enter the conspiracy!

HT: Homeschooling with Joy

Awake!

"Awake, mankind!
For your sake God has become man.
Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead,
and Christ will enlighten you.
I tell you again: for your sake, God became man.
You would have suffered eternal death,
had He not been born in time.
Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh,
had He not taken on Himself the likeness of sinful flesh.
You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness,
had it not been for this mercy.
You would never have returned to life,
had he not shared your death.
You would have been lost
if He had not hastened to your aid.
You would have perished, had He not come.
Let us then joyfully celebrate the coming
of our salvation and redemption.
Let us celebrate the festive day
on which He who is the great and eternal day came
from the great and endless day of eternity
into our own short day of time."

- St. Augustine

from a Sermon in the Office of Readings

~ ~ ~

To better celebrate these holy days with contemplation, work on some of the many things I need to gain hold of, and adore my newborn Savior, I will be on sabbatical from all things internet for the duration of the twelve days of Christmas.

May the infinite light of the Holy Child penetrate your heart and soul!

Venite adoremus...

So True...

How many observe Christ's birthday!
How few, His precepts!

(Benjamin Franklin)

HT: Bethany