A Baby Changes Everything!

This final Advent blog was going to be about looking at doubt, the doubts we face and how maybe we could connect that to Mary’s experience. Although there will be brief mention about it in this reflection, my thoughts changed because of the line of a song. I guess my thoughts on doubt were put into perspective.


A baby changes everything! These words from the song of the same title on Faith Hill’s Christmas Album: Joy to the World  (video above) have been echoing through my mind over the past few days. I imagine a baby does change everything, well I in fact I know it does but from a different perspective. Being a male religious I will never know the gift of having my own child, but through the experiences of my siblings and dear friends I have seen how a baby does indeed change everything.


Pondering this change made me think of Mary and Joseph, this young couple, with their lives before them, preparing for marriage. I’m sure like young couples today, dreaming and hoping for a future that would be uniquely their own. So I’m sure when an angel appears to them (separately) they are a bit caught off guard, talk about change! Talk about a major change!


I also wonder if this change caused them to worry, to doubt, to ponder the “who, what, when, where and why’s” of their lives. I’m sure it did, it would have had too.

Who are we?   What about our lives?   When will this be?  

Where are we to raise him?   Why us?

Ordinary lives about to be transformed. Ordinary lives on the verge of uncertainty now faced with even more uncertainty. Ordinary lives trying to trust in God and being open to God at work in their lives. That is why I get Mary and Joseph. That is why I feel close to them and not just at this time of year, but all year. Their ordinary lives God sees and embraces and says I need you and your ordinary lives to do something great.


The amazing thing is that God sees that in each of us and calls us to the same, in our everyday ordinary lives. Greatness is not about being the best athlete, the top boss, the richest, the smartest, or the most powerful. Greatness comes in saying yes to our God, trusting in our God and allowing our ordinary lives to be transformed into the fullness that God sees in them. Greatness comes in raising families, in praying, in serving the community, in listening to a fellow sojourner, in celebrating moments, in acknowledging the greatness in neighbour, friend and stranger, in encouraging a child, in holding the hands of the elderly, in being open to the adventure of the day and giving thanks at the end of it. Greatness doesn’t matter where you live or your situation, it doesn’t matter if you are happy, depressed, mourning, or on top of the world, greatness comes in ordinary things. Think about it… Bethlehem, a manger stall, a simple couple from the poor working class… all ordinary, all transformed into greatness.


Christmas seems to be about that, being transformed, not just for a day or season, but continually, each day. Each day we are called to carry the Christ Child into our daily living, for this baby does indeed change everything. We encounter this baby being carried in the people of our day, in the relationship we have with him. I know how much he is changed my life and for that I am thankful.

So as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let us remember…

A baby does indeed change everything, no matter who we are.

A baby named Jesus – Emmanuel – God with us – Prince of Peace.

A little child,

A shining star,

A stable rude,

the door ajar.

Yet in that place

so crude, forlorn,

the Hope of all

the world was born.

-Anonymous

May this last week of Advent be filled with hope and promise, may the Season of Christmas fill us all with the promise that our ordinary lives are great. May the gift of the Baby born that holy night to Mary and Joseph, for them, for you, for me, for everyone continue to inspire us in our journeys.

God gives us breath that we may sing.

God gives us all the earth that we may plant faithful gardens.

God gives us promise of His second coming that we may dance in the rain.

 -Anonymous



Over this week ahead and through the Christmas Season as we gather with family and friends please take the time to pray for those who don’t feel their life is great, those struggling with addictions, loneliness, heartbreak, for those family mourning the loss of loved ones (especially those killed recently in senseless acts), for those separated from family and friends and for our neighbors and communities. This is one small act in this Year of Mercy that is ordinary but transforms to greatness and change everything.

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

Advent Messengers: Be On the Look Out!

Here we are at the midway point of Advent.

The journeys of this season are full of twists and turns, of highlights and dimly light moments, but through it all we are reminded that God is with us – Emmanuel. The hope of Advent is that we know that God is with us and that we are called again and again to celebrate that gift. The hope of Advent is also that we come to the great feast of Christmas and are filled with light and life no matter our situations.

The journey of Advent and the hope of Advent remind us of God’s messengers. God is constantly sharing a message of love. Are we open to that message?

Some of God’s messengers have said the following…

John the Baptist says: “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do the likewise.” (Luke 3) This is an Advent message indeed and also a good challenge for the Year of Mercy.

The prophet Zephaniah declares: “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, he will renew you in his love.” (3.14-18a) A message of love to encourage us in this Week of Advent Joy.

Saint Paul in his letter to Philippians proclaims: “Do not worry about anything… let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God…will guard your hearts.” (Philippians 4.4-7) Again this is an excellent reminder for us in this Advent journey. I know this one that speaks to me and offers some words of comfort and strength.

Catherine Doherty, foundress of Madonna House, once prayed: “Give me a heart of a Child. Give me the awesome courage to live what it demands.” She reminds us that this is being “utterly trusting, totally open, uninhibited, simple, direct and unafraid.” (Dearly Beloved Vol. II) Wow, huh? That is indeed a good reminder and challenge for the remaining Advent days. It speaks of love, it speaks of hope, and it indeed is a message for our hearts and daily living. It challenges me to be the true Child of God that I am.

So as we enter this third week of Advent, let us be open to God’s message, we just never know who the messenger may be.  It may be a neighbour, a stranger, a Christmas card, a phone call, a hug, a verse of scripture proclaimed, a text message, a listening ear, a song, a child, an adult, a sibling, a parent, a friend, or a brother. God indeed works through messengers. Just ask Mary and Joseph, they had to be open to the message of angel!

Ever Present God,

You are always by my side.

When I forget,

You send a messenger.

When I get to busy,

You send a messenger.

When I am blinded,

You send a messenger.

Thank you for your holy messengers

that move in and out of my life,

that show me your signs and guide my path.

My destination is You, O God,

my destination is You.

Amen.

The Peaceful Kingdom

As we journey a bit deeper into this Advent journey, we realize that we are on a journey of hope. A journey that challenges us to live differently, a journey that calls our preparations and anticipation to transform us, set us free, lead us to peace-filled hearts and lives of peace.

One of my most favorite pieces of scripture is from Isaiah 11.1-10, it is called The Peaceful Kingdom. I see it as a challenge for us on how to live, on how to work towards right relationships, on how to seek forgiveness, how to let go of hurts, and how to prepare not only for the gift of Christmas but also for the gift of what heaven will be.

I have included the full passage here, I was going to highlight the lines that stand out for me, but that would seem to be more of the verse than not. There is so much in these beautiful ten verses of scripture.

The Peaceful Kingdom

11A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse,
   and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
² The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
   the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   the spirit of counsel and might,
   the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
³ His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
   or decide by what his ears hear;
⁴ but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
   and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
   and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
⁵ Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
   and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

⁶ The wolf shall live with the lamb,
   the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
   and a little child shall lead them.
⁷ The cow and the bear shall graze,
   their young shall lie down together;
   and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
⁸ The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
   and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
⁹ They will not hurt or destroy
   on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
   as the waters cover the sea.

10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Reading this piece of scripture has lead me to offer these reflections…

The first part reminds us that we are equipped with tools to build this kingdom. Wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and awe of God. All free gifts of the Holy Spirit. All tools that we are equipped with, tools that begin in Advent hope and lead us into a full year of mercy. Tools that we need to claim and use, for just knowing about them is not enough.

The second part reminds us of how our actions should be. They are to be based on the Lord. Not to judge a book by its cover, not to base our decisions on gossip or hearsay, but to be filled with honesty, justice, concern and faithfulness.

The third part is so beautiful, the images of creation living in harmony instead of living off each other, and the image of the child leading them. There are so many pictures of Jesus as a child with all these animals around him, and I love many of them, but is more than that for us this Advent and always. These verses remind us of right relationship. How do we live with our families, friends, neighbors, and strangers? How do we build up communities, parishes, neighbourhoods? How do we forgive, let go, be people of hope? Is it only when it works for us? Is it only when our resume will be beefed up? Is it only when our world around us in crisis?

We are all part of the peaceful kingdom, yet we seem to forget that. We seem to read this passage and say ‘isn’t that nice’ and move on. Advent calls us to bring this passage to life, here and now in the small gestures and every day ways of life. Big grandiose projects are noteworthy and can help build the bridge, but that has to begin in our hearts and in our lives.

It says right in the passage, “they will not hurt or destroy”. Yet we continue to hurt each other over power, over greed, over forgetting that we are created in God’s image, no matter who we are and how we worship God. These past few weeks our attention has been heightened by the sad stories of innocent lives be taken, of racial tensions, of greed ruling, of our hurting earth suffering, and of unemployment. Instead of dwelling on these tragedies, how can we offer hope? How can be agents of peace? How can we build the peaceful kingdom? It begins with me, it begins with you, and it begins with willing to be transformed this day, this Advent and in the Year of Mercy.

The Peaceful Kingdom

Honesty, compassion and justice shall be the robe wrapped around them,

the Christian shall live with the Muslim.

the Jew shall live with the Arab.

the Catholic and the Protestant together,

and a little child shall lead them.

The Black shall live with the White,

the First Nations shall live with the Caucasian,

the Refugee with the Resident,

and a little child will lead them.

The Disabled shall live as the Non-disabled,

the Sick shall live as the Healthy,

the Lonely shall be as the Included,

and a little child will lead them.

The Man and the Woman together as equals,

the Children together with their dreams,

the Earth healed and all filled with hope,

for a little child shall lead them.

Advent = hope = peaceful potential!

Advent = Emmanuel = God With Us!

Let us not forget that our Emmanuel is with us in all of this, and desires for us to be filled with God’s graces, love and mercy.

This Year of Mercy (December 8 – November 20) is a personal invite to each of us, to be a part of the peaceful kingdom. Can we each do our part?

“In mercy, we find proof how God loves. He gives his entire self, always, freely, asking noting n return. He comes to our aid whenever we call upon him.” (MV 14)

“Everyone, in fact, without exception, is called to embrace the call to mercy.” (MV 18)

“May no one be indifferent to the call to experience mercy. This is the opportune moment to change our lives! This is the time to allow our hearts to be touched!” (MV 19)

- Pope Francis

Blessings on this 2^nd Week of Advent.

Blessings of Peace, Mercy and Hope.