Christmas Blessings

Rejoicing in the

joy of Christmas

with St. Francis of Assisi,

may hope 

guide your steps,

may peace 

fill your home,

may joy meet 

you on the journey,

may love

fill your heart.

Merry Christmas!

Original Artwork: 

By Ceci used with permission 

What Are We To Do?

When Advent days 

have slipped away

and the Great Feast 

is on the horizon

and there is still 

more prayers to pray,

more waiting to do,

more words to ponder,

what are we to do O Lord?

When Advent days 

have become chaotic

and there is still a longing

to be patient,

to simply be,

to fast from the indulging,

what are we to do O Lord?

When Advent days

have not been filled with

as much giving from the heart,

depth of prayer,

and generosity of spirit,

what are we to do O Lord?

O Lord, you invite us to remember

in this season 

you have been whispering to us

peace and hope,

a deeper joy, 

and now your assuring love.

O Lord, you invite us to remember

your light still comes

among it all, 

both done and undone,

and increases the light

of our daily living.

Still, what are we to do O Lord?

You invite us, O Lord, to trust

and with the choirs of angels

to raise our voices

with confidence to declare:

O Come, Emmanuel

dwell in our hearts!

And our hearts can whisper: 

Rejoice! Rejoice for the time is near!

Photo Credit: Ricky LK

Advent a Time to Hear and See

What do you hear and see?

In this Advent Season our senses are often overwhelmed with much goodness. In this goodness what do we hear and see? Do we see the blind receiving site? Do we see the lame walking? Do we see lepers cleansed? Do we hear the deaf speaking? Do we see the dead regaining life? Do we see the poor receiving good news? 

It is in our “actions and words” these truths come to light. However, this common phrase of “actions and words” is now stack up with other common phrase “love it” and we lose sight of everyday miracles. Yet the truth is it is in our actions and words which transform and bring hope and joy. Everyday miracles which are the base of common joy.  

What have I heard and seen to prove this?

I have seen a heart blinded by hurt seek healing. 

I have seen the burden of uncertainty lifted from someone who now is no longer lamed. 

I have seen how forgiveness and reconciliation have cleansed the leprosy of my own life. 

I have heard the laughter of a brother and the giggle of a child deafness vanished.

I have seen the death of addictions dissolved from lives and new life gained. 

I have heard the gratitude of the poor who have received hope and dignity. 

Where you may ask? 

In individuals, in families, in communities, in neighbours, in parishes, in our country. 

As our common humanity continues to be torn apart by hour increasing greed, false fears, and gullible lies how are we being heralds of hope and bearers of joy? What do we hear and see? Do you hear what I hear? Do you see what I see?

Each new day is the chance to live the gospel and see the power of its goodness, hope and joy take root. We are messengers sent. Advent is the start of the living out the gospel for the whole year. 

Let us go forth boldly.

This reflection is inspired by: Matthew 11.2-11

Photo Credit: Edi Libedinsky

 

Prepare

A voice cries out:

Prepare!

And we say:

There is another party to attend!

A voice cries out:

Prepare!

And we say:

There are more cookies to bake!

A voice cries out:

Prepare!

And we say:

There is more shopping to do!

A voice cries out:

Prepare!

And we say:

For what?

A voice cries out:

Prepare the way of the Lord.

And we say?

 

Let us be brave in this Second Week of Advent 

to prepare our hearts matching the preparations 

of our homes and celebrations.

Come, O Come Emmanuel, 

let us not lose sight of you!

Photo Credit: Markus Spiske

In the Season of Advent

In unexpected turns and unnecessary twists,

In darkest nights and dullest moments,

In waiting patiently and struggling to listen,

In longing hearts and wondering minds,

Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

In the year ending already,

In the new beginnings,

In the regular of routines,

In the endless invitations,

Come, O Come, Emmanuel. 

In hopeful journeys,

In painful goodbyes,

In longed-for changes,

In welcoming words,

Come, O Come, Emmanuel. 

In these few short weeks,

In moments brief,

In the here and now,

In Advent days,

Come, O Come, Emmanuel. 

Photo Credit: Waldemar Brandt

Servant of the Gospel – St. Didacus Feast Day

 

The first lay brother of the order to canonized, the city of San Diego named after him, miracles accredited to him, today the church remembers St. Didacus of Alcala. We remember him not because of these things but because he was a witness to the gospel and lived his life with a constant desire to serve Christ in all he met.

It is not easy to give witness to the gospel. It is not easy to serve Christ in everyone we meet. We can all share stories about this in our life. We fall short, we let our will take over, we boast about the work done and great feats accomplished, we, like the disciples at the last supper, debate who is the greatest. How easily we lose sight of Jesus among us and the call of the kingdom. 

St. Didacus reminds to reorder our perspective. When we begin to count the works, we have done, he reminds us to serve with a humble heart. When we fail to love well, he reminds us to not become trapped by false hopes. As a simple brother he does this because his heart was always focused on Christ. He went about his living with Christ before him. He served the people of God with a heart fixed on Christ. Do we? 

I know I struggle to keep my life centered on this core value and essential foundation to being a Franciscan brother. And yet in each Eucharist Christ meets me, meets us and strengthens us. He gives us his heart, his very self and reorientates our vision. May we be brave enough to allow our hearts to be reorientated. May we be brave enough to be humble in all we do. May we be brave enough to know we can begin again each day to give witness to the gospel and serve Christ in all we meet, knowing we have St. Didacus as a brother and Christ with us. 

St. Didacus, pray for us. 

                                                                    Art by Francisco de Zurbarán - Own work, Public Domain

Gratitude Is Uniting - Thanksgiving 2025

 

            A day set aside to give thanks on purpose. On this Thanksgiving I wonder if we have considered how our heart is? Is it full of gratitude? Is it aware of blessings? Is it just considering it to be just another day with the bonus of a bigger meal?

    Philemon of Gaza, a monk from the sixth century wrote: “Ingratitude is a serious spiritual malady that affects the heart and soul. Ingratitude is a kind of interior leprosy” (Meditations on Luke’s Gospel). To be truly thankful, means we know all we have comes from God. Taking note of what we are thankful moves us from ingratitude to gratefulness. Gratitude heals the leprosy of our hearts and interior scars and aligns us again with God; being clothed in God’s goodness (Colossians 3.12-17).

        As St. John Chrysostom reminds us, “Our acts of thanksgiving add nothing to God’s happiness, but they unite us more closely to God” (Homilies on Saint Matthew). This being closely united to God is at the heart of letter to the Colossians. To take note of being God’s chosen ones, of our holiness, our belovedness and the call to action declares we are rooted in thankfulness. Not as means of pleasing God, rather united with God and God’s actions of love, mercy and goodness. 

        On this Thanksgiving Day, as we celebrate the harvest and our many blessings may we carry gratitude into the places we are called to carry the gospel. May we have a heart filled with gratitude, not perfection, rather gratitude returning all praise and glory to God. May we live as God’s chosen ones, not boastful and prideful, rather with open hands to receive Christ who poured himself out for us. Let us give thanks to God from the rising of the sun to its setting (Psalm 113) for all our blessings, now and forever. Amen.  

Photo Credit: Priscilla Du Preez