Little Christmas: Prepare the Way

Preparing the way. Are we not always preparing the way for something or someone? I think it is in our DNA!

June 24 is the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist. The herald of the good news, the forerunner of Christ, who called not only the people awaiting the Messiah some 2000 years ago but also us today as we continue to make known the gift of the Messiah. It’s not an easy thing to do to prepare the way. When we consider preparing for anything from summer vacation to a wedding to hosting guests to homework to Christmas; it takes time, effort, energy and desire.

The Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist is known as Little Christmas. That got me thinking about Christmas – not the gift lists, or plans or decorations, rather it got me thinking about the gifts we have received. There are so many… have we been thankful, even in the times when gratitude seems like a hard word? Can we today pause and give thanks for one, two, ten, twenty or more gifts we have received since last Christmas?

I also began to ponder the hopes we hold on to or realize at Christmas. Maybe promises we make, resolutions we aim for, moments we want to capture, dreams we speak aloud. Have we revisited these since they came to light amid the glow of the Christmas tree? Which ones have we had to let go of? Which ones have become reality? Which ones do we need to embrace more for they call to us again and again?

I also ponder how we live out being Children of Light. How do we live out the blessings of Christmas? Peace, joy, hope, community, generosity and comfort all seem to be blessings we hold dear at Christmas time. How do we continue to share them throughout the year? Little Christmas is our halfway reminder that these blessings are still ours and we are called to share them with others.

As we move into summer time (and summer vacation for some) let us consider how we can share these blessings?

This summer:

Peace – can we offer a prayer for peace in our homes, community and world every day? Who do we need to forgive so peace can flourish? Is it ourselves?

Joy – can we bring joy to someone who is hurting or suffering? Can we brighten someone’s day with a note left for a neighbor, a hug shared with someone? A game played with children? A patio party with friends we don’t see often?

Hope – can we spend time looking at what hope is to us and where we find it in the journey? How does it empower us? Who can we bring hope to? How?

Community – can we give back to our community? In what concrete ways? From picking up litter, to helping with an event, to welcoming new neighbors, to greeting each other at Mass we are called to build up the kingdom. Can we make our communities stronger and more welcoming?

Generosity – seems to abound in December. Can we recharge those generosity skills? Food banks struggle the most during summer time to provide food, can be generous here? What about that elderly neighbour whose grass just never seems to get cut? What about the young mom who would appreciate a coffee date or maybe even just someone to visit her as she takes her child to the park? What about that charity that we never got in December? There are so many options… and we so often let false fears hold us back… let generosity abound.

Comfort – can we offer this gift of being present to someone in a world that is instant everything? Can we take the time to bear the burden for someone and help raise them up? Can we assist in some way someone who is mourning?

 

I like this idea of Little Christmas… it is a good reminder that like the John the Baptist we are always called to prepare the way of the Lord for you just never know where or when Jesus will appear. Let us bravely and enthusiastically walk with our God as we give thanks for our gifts, water the roots of our hopes that we planted and live out the blessings which our God so generously shares with us.

May the sun shine bright on the path ahead and God Bless Us… Everyone!

 

 

 

JOY

While I was working in Youth Ministry I came across an activity called JOY. It was a reflective activity calling us to prayer. Each letter calling us to focus on the priority of relationships and the prayers that arise. J = Jesus, O = Others, Y = You (self). I was reminded of this activity over this past weekend as great joy filled my last few days all because of relationship with Jesus and others in my life.

I was blessed to travel this weekend and attend the Permanent Diaconate Ordination of 9 men for the Archdiocese of Regina. It was a historical event for the diocese and one of great joy drawing together people from all corners of the diocese. I was overwhelmed by the simple fact that because of a relationship with Jesus these nine men have been ordained. Because of a relationship with Jesus the diocese was present to support and encourage them. Because of a relationship with Jesus each of us were challenged to look at our vocation and how we live it out. Because of a relationship with Jesus I was reminded again that when we anchor ourselves in Him then our relationships our nurtured and we serve others so to build the kingdom. 

With Jesus as our prime source and strength we step forward called into relationship with others, called to build the kingdom. This was brought to my attention in witnessing the interaction of people at the ordination, attending Mass at the parish where I used to ministry, spending time with children, family and friends and hearing two of the newly ordain preach. The relationships we enter into shape us, they call us beyond ourselves, they make us ask “what am I doing with my life?” and “how am I building the kingdom?”  As I listened to these two newly ordained deacons passionately preach, sharing their from personal stories of life changing moments in their own lives to the challenge to be community, to seeing where Christ is present in our every day, to embracing the gift of baptism they reminded us that relationship is key. It awakened in me a very grateful heart for the many good people in my life and how from both small to great, from lifetime to momentary, relationships call us beyond ourselves and deeper into the heart of Jesus.

When our lives our rooted in Jesus, when we value the relationships that are our lives and work at them, as we give from the gift of ourselves and not make ourselves the center of the universe then and only then are our priorities in the right order and we are filled with JOY radiating it into our world.

Jesus you are life and goodness richly blessing us with the gift of

Others who journey with us and call forth our gifts so that the

You that is me will not eclipse the You that is true Joy. Amen.

 

In the Ordinary...

Ordinary Time in the church year simply means regular or routine. No major feast days upon feasts days, no specific season to work within or keep our focus moving towards a celebration. As we settle into Ordinary Time more summer is upon us and routines begin to loosen a bit (for a lot of us) and our regular routines of life look a little different. Although vacations, different schedules and travel may be part of our summer time the gift of Ordinary Time keeps us grounded. It draws us back to our Source and provides for the routine we need to keep our faith life nourished and nurtured. I’ve been thinking about Ordinary Time over the past few days as I was simply more aware of ordinary things (and because of a list a wise woman recorded and shared with me). It got me thinking about those ordinary things in our lives and made me ask do we appreciate them?

Ordinary things like:

Music, a walk, a cup of tea, ice cream, our senses, a meal shared, gratitude expressed, flowers budding, a rain fall, a warm sweater, the phone, a listening ear, sleep, a glass of water, a chat with a neighbour or friend, the BBQ, a calendar, sunshine, a lamp, shoes and so on…

As we journey into summer time and as the church year continues in this Ordinary Time can we be more aware of these ordinary things? Can we add a prayer of gratitude for them in our day? Think about it, Jesus used ordinary bread and wine and transformed them into the great gift of himself. What a gift it is and oh how we benefit from this gift! May this inspire us to be aware of the ordinary in our lives. What are we called to transform in this season of Ordinary Time?

Fr. James M. Fitzpatrick, O.M.I. reminds us of the gift of the ordinary with this prayer:

Whenever I’m touched by the sun’s warm ray,

Whenever I wake to another day,

Whenever I feel the cool breeze blow,

Whenever I marvel at stars aglow,

Whenever I smell the rain soaked earth,

Whenever I see a child at birth,

Whenever I stand with my heart upraised –

May you, my God, be always praised. Amen.

 
Ordinary things in our ordinary days.

What ordinary things do you appreciate?

Blessings on your week.

 

 

Hunger

I hunger for you Bread of Life

for I know you are strength

and I know you are nourishment.

 

I hunger for you Cup of Salvation

for I know you are sustenance

and I know you are courage.

 

I hunger for you Body of Christ

for I know you are life

and I know you are the way and the truth.

 

I hunger for you Holy Communion

for I know you are my daily bread

and I know you fill me with thanksgiving.

 

I crave for you Lord Jesus.

I thirst for you Lord Jesus. 

I hunger for you Lord Jesus.

Lord Jesus,

for the gift of your body and blood

you freely gave as a lasting memorial,

as an encounter of you,

and the gift of your Risen Life,

I say thank you.

I look forward to meeting you in the Eucharist

again and again.

Amen.