Yes, Christ Child Come Into Our Hearts!

At the beginning of Advent our community went on a Day of Recollection (a mini retreat day). It was a quiet day for reflection and rest and prayer. It was near the end of the semester so I tried to put school work aside and enter into the gift of a retreat day.

On these days I often grab something to read to help me step away from the regular routine. I had nothing with me that day but once we were at the retreat center I found a magazine. I picked up the Catholic Missions in Canada Winter 2016 Magazine (Praise God for the good people who minister in the North) and leafed through it, the first page caught my attention as I found this beautiful reflection. I love when I read someone else’s reflection and it speaks to my heart and speaks to my journey. Sr. Fay’s reflection below did that for me. I have been holding on to it for these Advent weeks to share it with you at Christmas time.

We stand in a long line of disciples.

Each of us has heard the words to
teach the Good News of a Saviour,
of hope, of the joy of the Gospel.
But how did all this happen? 

Long before there were twelve apostles,

God’s Spirit stirred in the heart of a young woman called Mary.
The broad strokes are simple, clear and heartening.
“God sent an angel… He had a message for a young woman…
Mary said: ‘I am the Lord’s servant.
May it happen to me as you have said.’”
Thus begins the story of Emmanuel, God With Us.

It only remains for me to say:

“May it happen as You will.”
God does not spell out the details
of what this will entail in our daily living.
This is why we read that Mary pondered
these things in her heart, listening, learning, and responding.
We do these things, too. And fear not, for the Lord is with us.

- Sr. Fay Trombley, S.C.I.C.

(Pastoral Administrator of Our Lady of Grace Mission in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT.)

Catholic Missions in Canada Winter 2016 Magazine

The words/lines I have italicized just jump of the page for me and reminded me that the gift of Christmas truly is a gift and the perfect something for each of us.

We stand in a long line of disciples… each of us, we are part of the story, we have a part to play, we have a role in announcing the message of Christmas. This is such good news indeed and so amazing that our God sees us and needs us part of the story. How awesome is that?!

 

Of hope, of the joy of Gospel… these two gifts seem to surface continually in my own journey and for that I am grateful. Hope is the beautiful gift that Emmanuel has planted in my heart and has been fostered by some key people in my life. Joy I continue to discover in new and profound ways. May these two gifts continue to touch all our lives in deep ways.

God’s Spirit stirred… Yes!... it stirred in creation, in stirred in Mary, it stirs in each of us. This stirring has been a beautiful gift I have discovered more fully this autumn and I’m actually excited (maybe for the first time) for where it will lead me and what it is stirring in me to do, to embrace, to be open to. Come Holy Spirit and dwell in me, I am your vessel.

 

Emmanuel – God with Us… Nothing brings greater peace to my heart than the word Emmanuel. In my worries, in my anxiety, in my fears, in my troubles, in my hurts, in my let downs – Emmanuel. God with me, God with us always. If we receive nothing else at Christmas but the gift of recognizing that God is with us that would be more than enough, I continue to see that is truth for me and hear Emmanuel spoken in so many different voices through the journey.

Pondered, listening, learning, responding… So much to ponder… Mary’s yes, Joseph’s trust, hope, joy, God present, deep love, new life, newness, journeys and so on. In all of this we must make time to listen, to learn and to respond. Like Mary our response is key, we must respond to God with us, we must respond to the hope and joy we discover; this is us in the long line of witnesses and this is us awakened to the gift of the Spirit stirring in us.

 

Yes, Christ Child come into my heart,

open me up to see you in the manger

and see that simplicity,

and your gift of trust,

your gift of abandonment,

your gift of hope and joy.

 

Yes, Christ Child come into my heart,

again this Christmas,

so that with Mary & Joseph

I may prepare you room no matter the size,

and ponder all you fill my life with

and embrace you.

 

Yes, Christ Child come into my heart,

so I may be filled with wonder and awe

like the shepherds and magi,

so I may give praise to you for all your goodness,

so I may be strengthened to build the kingdom,

and proclaim: God is With Us Always until the End of Time!

 

Yes, Christ Child come into my heart,

Oh Christ Child you have come again… Thank You!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Christmas Blessings of hope, peace, joy and love

as we gather in the light of the crib,

the light of the world:

Christ Jesus - Emmanuel!

Many Blessings to fill your Christmas Season and all of 2017!

 

 

Please continue to offer your prayers for our world as you gaze upon your Christmas Tree this Christmas Season. Each twinkling light for those mentioned in my last post and let us also pray for the people of Bethlehem, those abandoned, children in broken homes, those held in captivity, places where violence has erupted, those caught in human trafficking, hurting families, the children of the world, and so on...