Healing for the hurting

Mt 2:13-18

When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

I have such a hard time reading this part of the gospel. I am also the type of person that has to turn off the news because I can't stand all the evil I see. With the recent elementary school shooting coverage there was definitely a moment when I had to just sit and sob that there could be such evil in our world. I have that same feeling when I read this verse. To even start to think about an entire city of babies murdered...my mind can't even comprehend that. Times like this when our whole country cries and people question "how can someone do something like that" or find somewhere to place the blame and most of all we know in our hearts it goes against everything we are. We know we were NOT made for such evil, but we were made for good, for greatness. I encourage you when people get discouraged, when those evil acts bring fear and unrest and heartbreak and anger, to point them to the one who came to save us from all of it. Today is a day where I find myself getting sucked into the negativity,  and I have to remind myself that the King of Peace wants to share that peace with me. When Jesus came it didn't mean evil left the world, but it did mean healing entered. So that's what I'm celebrating this Christmas season, that there is healing for our hurting world.

"Come, Lord Jesus, Come. Come and fill our hearts with your love. Hold me close, Lord, hold me tight. and Come Lord Jesus Come."

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

Lk 1:46-56

Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."

Today is the birthday of my first child. Jaden was the first of four children that we lost to recurrent pregnancy loss. The day we lost Jaden I can remember crying more than I ever had in my life. I had thought I had experienced painful and difficult things up until that point, and then I realized those things were just scratches, and this was my heart being ripped out of my body.

And then I held Peyton in the palm of my hand, counting her tiny fingers and toes and I was sure my heart would stop beating because I couldn't possibly imagine living through that pain.

When they told us Mason had no heartbeat I couldn't feel anything anymore. I couldn't even yell at God, I shut Him out completely. It was a long road and many prayers to get from that dark place to the day when I was able to say "OK God, my life is yours, if you don't want me to have children, I'm OK with that, I trust you." I know so many other amazing women who are struggling with infertility and pregnancy loss. I know so many people battling cancer and disease. I've seen the heartbreak of divorce on the faces of parents and children, and every day we see a new struggle. Everyone has some battle they are fighting right? That's why I love Christmas. Because Jesus came to be rest for the weary and love for the broken heart. He didn't cause my pain, but He came to heal me anyway. I love this prayer of Mary, whose beautiful faith never faulters. Although she's being asked to walk a difficult road, she still "proclaims the greatness of the Lord!"

When I looked up this verse this morning, I was so excited because it was so fitting for today. Today is a difficult day for me. I want nothing more than to be getting ready for a birthday party, and all the memories of that day 5 years ago come flooding back. But I am so glad that even though its a difficult day, I can honestly say "my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!" He has kept his promises to me, He has given me what I need and so much more. "The almighty has done great things for me."

 

Jesus, thank you for your greatness, thank you for your healing, thank you for keeping your promises. Give me faith like Mary to continue to praise your name, no matter the circumstance. I love you. Amen.

 

There are so many songs that have gotten me through difficult times, I was having a hard time chosing just one for this post, so here are a few to pray you through something difficult:

 

 

 

Perfect Timing

Lk 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest
in his division's turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord."

Then Zechariah said to the angel,
"How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
And the angel said to him in reply,
"I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time."
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others."

 

I know this is a long verse but its such a beautiful story I couldn't take only a part of it. And yet, the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah is only a part of an even more beautiful story, the story of Jesus. I can relate to this verse so much, because like Elizabeth, I am unable to have children. Although, in her time, I think it was a much more difficult thing because it "disgraced" a woman. I can imagine that they spent years praying and wishing and hoping for a child, and to them, their prayers went unanswered for all those years. And I imagine that after so many years had passed they grieved and accepted it and learned to move on. So we can understand the shock for Zechariah when the angel came in, in my words it would have gone something like "um...well, i wasn't even praying for that. I mean, it's a nice gesture but that was like 200 prayers ago, maybe could I get something more suited to my age...maybe a nice lake home?" Ok, we shouldn't make fun of Zechariah, but haven't we all found ourselves in his position at some point? I find so often its easy to want God's blessings but ONLY on our time or our schedule. When the blessings come differently than we had planned or pictured, we have a hard time seeing them as blessings. But His timing is always going to be better than ours. Zechariah and Elizabeth could have been blessed with a baby way back when they were praying for one, and it would have been just fine, just like the life they planned. But they would have missed out on being a part of history - giving birth to one of the most amazing men to walk the planet! I'm sure it wasn't the nice quiet retirement they were planning on, and I'm sure it took a lot of sacrifice from both of them, but I'm also quite sure they would both say it was worth it.
What blessings have you received lately that were "out of place" or the "timing wasn't right?"
Our perfect God doesn't do anything randomly and He doesn't make mistakes. His timing is always perfect.

Father, please give me faith and open my eyes to see the blessings you've given me, whatever shapes and sizes and whenever they come along. Help me to see the difficult things you're asking me to do as blessings that will bring a greater joy and a greater good. Amen. 

The World in Christmas Lights

Mt 11:11-15

Jesus said to the crowds:
"Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force.
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.

 

John the Baptist was sent to "prepare the way of the Lord" or get us ready for Jesus! He was a radical, but so was Jesus! I was driving through town thinking how beautiful all the Christmas lights are and how, if every house was lit up to give glory to God, what a beautiful thing that would be. I just think about outdoor lights as more "stuff" that probably gets in the way of the true meaning of Christmas. But what if those lights on houses and trees are preparing the way of the Lord? What a great statement, as we drive through town, that each house with lights is making a statement: "Jesus is the light of our lives!" How beautiful to see an entire cities FAITH in lights! In our politically correct world, we often keep our faith to ourselves, not wanting to impose it on anyone, but our Christmas lights are our public statement to the world that this is a CHRISTIAN home and we are ready for Jesus to come! And maybe one person on the block wouldn't have lights and would wonder what the lights were all about. Then, in true John the Baptist fashion, we could help get them ready for Jesus to come into their lives. This Advent Season as I drive through town and see the lights, it brings me more joy than ever before. I'm just beaming thinking: "Look at all these Christians! Jesus must be so proud!"

 

Jesus, thank you for being the light in our lives. Thank you for the way you love us and bless us. Help me to let your light shine to others, so that I may lead others to you like John the Baptist. May my daily actions and conversations all shine the light of your presence and prepare others to meet you. Amen.

I'm Being Chased!

Mt 18:12-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
"What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost."

 

When I read this, I always have a tendency to think I'm one of the 99, and Jesus left to go find the atheists, thief's, and murderers. Just like the parable of the prodigal son, I always feel like I'm the "good son" in that story too. But what struck me today is that I'm NOT the 99, I'm the ONE! I'm the one who strayed from the path time and time again, I'm the one who denied him, who made mistakes. I'm the one who sinned. And it made me feel so much more loved and special than these verses ever have, because he came chasing after me! It's what Christmas is all about, he left the 99 in heaven and came down to earth looking for me. It's so hard to understand sometimes why he loves us that much, we probably never will fully grasp it, but today I am thankful for it. Thankful for a God who loves me enough to come after me. 

 

Father, your words in this parable are so comforting but also so hard to understand. I can't wrap my head around the love you have for me. Thank you for the way you love me. Please continue to guide me, so you don't have to chase after me anymore and, if I may be so blessed to be in your service, that I may lead others to you. Thank you for your greatness. I love you. Amen. 

Baby Steps in the Snow

Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her."

 

We got our first real snow of the winter in Minnesota last night. I LOVE snow and was so excited to be able to take my 1 1/2 year old sledding, make snowmen and just run around in it. Just one problem...he's afraid of it! He was all excited to go outside this morning so my husband got him all dressed up and opened the door but instead of running out like he usually does, he just stood there in the doorway looking out onto the deck which was covered with a couple inches of white fluff. No amount of coaxing from Dad could get him to even try to step a foot out onto that unknown surface. I guess I don't blame him, it has to be pretty scary and seem pretty strange. It wouldn't be much different than if we woke up tomorrow and the whole yard was covered with purple fluff, we probably wouldn't just step right out into it either. Mary did though. Mary had such a beautiful faith and trust in her God. She had to take a huge step. What she was asked was something no one had ever been asked to do before and hers was even more extreme that just "not knowing". Mary knew when she said 'yes' that she was putting herself in danger. In her time, women were often stoned to death for committing adultery, which is what would be assumed when she was found to be pregnant and unmarried. When we step out into the purple fluff, we just aren't sure what we're getting into, it could be dangerous, maybe not.  Mary knew the ridicule she would face, the shame she would bring on her family, and the danger her life was in, but she trusted in the Lord, and just said 'yes'.  And because of her faith, she became the most blessed human being in history, second only to Christ. Can you imagine her relationship with God, to have him actually live inside her for 9 months? To watch him grow up, to be the one that got all of his little hugs and kisses, and to spend every day with him? Kind of makes you wonder what Mary's plan for her life was before this. I suppose she thought she would marry and become a mother just like all the other young women. But maybe there was always a little whisper that she was made for more than 'normal', that she was more than 'ordinary', that she was destined to do something great. 

It's scary, taking that step into the unknown, especially if we are almost certain that it will be difficult or painful, but if our God is telling us it's going to be ok, if he's trying to coax us out, we have to trust him. What fun or awesomeness is waiting for us to say "yes"! Even if we don't have the strength to jump in completely, even a baby step is a step in the right direction. So, quit standing in the doorway and take that first step!

 

Mary, please pray for us, that we can have faith like yours, to say yes to the things that we are being called to do that are scary or unknown.

Rocks, Stockings & Reconcilation

Mt 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

 

OK, I don't know how relevant this is going to be, but I just have to share; tonight we had communal reconciliation at St. Leo's. For anyone not familiar, it's a prayer service with music, scripture and a reflection and then people are given the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation by confessing their sins to a priest, praying the act of contrition, and receiving forgiveness and grace. It's a beautiful sacrament. I've been to communal reconciliation at a lot of retreats, but I've never been to it at St. Leo's and I was in for a surprise!  Father got done with his part and sent the 5 priests off to their "places" to begin meeting with people individually, they didn't so much as get seated in their chairs when all the sudden almost the entire congregation was on their feet swarming to the priests. In just a matter of minutes the lines were 20 or 30 people long waiting to meet with Jesus in the sacrament. Once those left in the pews realized what was happening, they hurried to jump in line too!
Now, I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle as I was watching all this happen, and I thought, "I am either witnessing something very beautiful or very sad." Because I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, we're going to say I witnessed something very beautiful tonight. That the people in that church were so moved by the scripture, so moved by the love of their Father and so eager to be reuinted with Him that they couldn't wait even one more second and they had to get up and run to Him. I think what happened in that church tonight is exactly what would happen if Jesus physically walked into the church. I think we would jump up, swarm to him, wanting nothing more than to embrace Him, and feel his healing touch. I doubt anybody would be thinking, hurry up and get to him first so we can go home first. I guess this does go right back to building our houses on rock or sand. Do we see our encounters with Jesus as tasks to check off our list, or as important as the air we breathe? The things I place importance in tells me where I'm building my house. Where I spend my time is where I choose to build my house. The words I use, the way I prioritze my life, the way I treat my family, the way I treat strangers, the way I celebrate Christmas....they are all decisions that set me either on the sand or the rock of Christ.

I have heard His words, there are no excuses there, how am I going to act on them? I'm starting with Christmas Stockings. Following the footsteps of St. Nicholas, filling our stockings with good deeds. Filling our own stockings with slips of paper with all the good deeds we did for others that day. Filling each others stockings with prayers we are offering for them, kind words, encouragement, and treats. Hopefully they are STUFFED by the time Christmas is here!

Jesus, thank you for the blessings you give us in the sacraments, most of all the opportunity to meet with you in an amazing way. Help me to remember each sacrament, each prayer, each moment of the day that you are present with me. It is so easy to let other less-important things get in the way and seem more important. When that happens, remind me, and re-focus my heart. Amen.

What's hidden in the Christmas Tree?

Lk 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

 

Looking at my beautiful, bare christmas tree was a good reminder again of how we can lose sight of the beauty that is "hidden" underneath. I saw a devotion once that talked about the true meaning of Christmas hidden in the Christmas tree, if you took away all the lights, all the decorations and even the green needles, you'd be left with a simple cross (the trunk and the branches). God's ultimate "I love you" symbol. We are SLOWLY decorating our house for Christmas this year, trying to follow the Catholic tradition of the time before christmas as the season of Advent that is waiting for Christ and preparing our hearts, and then really celebrating at Christmas. So, the bare christmas tree is a reminder that Christmas is coming, but it's not here yet. We'll be adding lights and decorations as Christmas gets closer, each with a purpose. Just another attempt to re-focus our hearts! It's also a lot of fun with a toddler in the house, since each decorating addition is very exciting to him and he gets a few days to be amazed by it before we add something else. God really does reveal things to us so simply, I don't think he's hiding things from us, it's just we have complicated things so much we can't see what's underneath anymore. A child, on the other hand, just sees the simple and appreciates it's beauty. Today, I feel that Jesus also says to us "blessed are the eyes that see what you see". I have always felt very blessed that I sometimes see the world differently than many, and today is no exception. I am so blessed because millions of people will look at a Christmas tree and just see another Christmas decoration, but now whenever I see a Christmas tree, I see the cross of Christ and I am reminded of His unimaginable love for me.

 

Father, thank you for the beauty that you have hidden right in the open for us to discover. Thank you for always reminding me what is important and what life is really about. Please help me to see underneath the clutter in life to the true message and blessings you have set out for me. And thank you for allowing me to be blessed enough to "see what others did not". Amen.

Immediately

Mt 4:18-22

"As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him"

Do you remember in elementary school how the firemen would come and visit? It was always a fun day, and I didn't realize until I was older they weren't just coming to entertain us. They would always put their full suits on, face masks and all, and tell us "not to be scared if we are caught in a fire and we see a firemen". Apparently they have had problems in the past with kids actually hiding from the firemen trying to save them because they were scared of them. So their solution to this is to have the kids get to know the firemen in advance so if they are put in that situation they will go to them.
It's an interesting concept, the fact that someone's house can be up in flames, crashing all around them, and they would choose to hide there instead of follow the one who's trying to save them from it. Except we all do it all the time. Jesus called the fisherman to leave everything behind, fishing was all they knew, it was their security. And he calls us to do the same. He calls us to come from the houses that are crashing all around us, and let him lead us to something so much better. But how often do we miss out because we are clinging to what is familiar. To those little kids, their bedrooms, no matter how terrible things are getting, are what they know. They don't know the firemen, so it's hard to leave the familiar and follow someone you don't know when you have no idea where they're taking you. 
I love this verse about Jesus calling his disciples because I love their faith. It says "he called them and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him."  It doesn't say, they thought about it for a while, or they made plans to get things in order, or they said the timing just wasn't right, or even just let me sell these fish I caught today first. It just says "immediately". What was it about the way Jesus said those words that made them trust him with their whole lives? They must have seen his goodness and his love and heard of his good works. I've got to continue getting to know Jesus on an even deeper level, so that when things are crashing all around me and he wants to save me I will let him. And so when he calls me to leave behind everything, even my security, I can trust him enough to "immediately" follow because I know he's leading me to something so much better.   

Jesus, I want to know you even more than I do now. Be present with me today, remind me you are here, and give me the faith I need to follow where you are leading me. Especially the thing I am struggling with leaving behind most _______________, give me the trust to leave it for the better life you are offering. Amen.

Worth the wait

Luke 21:25-28
"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand."

Last night I read this verse and I actually "looked ahead" to see if there were any "good" verses coming up because all this talk about the end of the world is exhausting! (Don't worry, tomorrow is fisherman :) ) But it was a good reminder to me that the end of the world shouldn't scare me. Reading about the end of the world should be an exciting thing because it's the final episode where good conquers evil! Jesus says people will "die of fright in anticipation of what is coming" but then the next sentence says "they will see the Son of Man coming". How dissappointing! The whole worlds been waiting for the coming of Jesus for thousands of years, they were about to witness it, and they died because they got too scared of what MIGHT happen!
I like to run, and something I discovered about running is that there comes a point in the run where you are out of breath, your muscles are hurting and it's getting very difficult to keep going, but if you can allow your brain to control your body and make it keep running, you find within a few minutes you actually reach the best part of the run, your body settles in to it, you're not laboring quite so hard, and you're feeling really great because you challenged yourself. I think a lot of times in life, just when things start to get really hard for us, we have a tendancy to quit, or walk away. Maybe its a friendship, maybe its a marriage, a job, or a volunteer position. But if we give in just when it gets difficult, we miss out on the really great part of it that was just around the corner. 

Father, please give me the strength to face the challenge you've placed before me, run beside me, and remind me that you're about to make it all worth it. Please be with anyone reading this blog who is struggling with something so difficult they feel like they can't keep going.  Help them to know you are with them and the best is yet to come! Amen.

I Shall Give You a Wisdom in Speaking

Luke 21:12-19

“Jesus said to the crowd:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."

Ok, I have to be honest: the first time reading through this my first thought was “I really hope the gospels for advent are a little more positive, I’m getting tired of all the negativity! I’d like to order some “Jesus loves you” verses please...But I remembered a quote by Mark Hart who said “I’m tired of the Jesus many moderns try to peddle – the “nice”, politically correct, inoffensive Jesus. We’re obviously not reading the same Gospels.” I am an optimist and one thing I know about myself is that there is fine line between optimism and unrealistic expectations. I always want things to be fun and happy, and while Jesus speaks of the joy waiting for us in heaven, he doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. He’s right. Being a Christian is hard! And we’re not even facing death penalties for it like the disciples and so many others who followed were.  As my faith has grown, I have had to leave some relationships behind, others have changed, and some have grown with me, but the truth is that we can’t live out the gospel and stay the same! And that’s a good thing!  But it’s still difficult for the people that we love who don’t understand. I love the advice “not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking”. Just like the Mondays gospel, Jesus is realistic with us that this is going to be difficult ...BUT...He will give us what we need to make it through.

Father, as we start to gather with family and friends for the holidays, give me wisdom in speaking and in all my interactions. Let me be only an example of your love and peace, and not disheartened if I am not shown the same. I would like to take this time to pray for ______________, someone who challenges my Christian lifestyle or misunderstands my heart. Help me to continue to remember to lift that person up in prayer during advent. Amen

I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end.

Luke 21:5-11

"While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here?
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."

Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky."

I love how Jesus tells us about these terrible things that are going to happen and then says “don’t be scared though...” Ok I’m paraphrasing a little but part of me is saying “what do you mean, don’t be terrified! Of course I’m going to be terrified!” If you are like me, you’re probably just holding out hope that you don’t have to live through the end of the world, it doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.  Even though I joke about it, I can always take comfort in the words of our Father who has told us many times “Do not be afraid”.  Even though we may be struggling with something as difficult as war or famine, (or maybe present day its a bad breakup, loss of a loved one or a fight with a family member) Jesus says "for such things must happen first." I know he doesn’t want us to have to experience those things, but he says “do not be terrified” because he knows he will be with us through it all, and he knows “it will not immediately be the end.” The road to the end can be difficult, but Christmas is all about celebrating that “Emmanuel” (which means ‘God with us’ by the way) is with us! He came Christmas morning and He’s been with us in the form of the Holy Spirit ever since. He’s here with us through all of the difficult stuff that we’re facing now, and will be there until the end, and that’s why he can say  “do not be terrified” and we can believe him.

I’m going to finish my prayer this morning by listening to the song “Be Born in Me” by Francesca Battistelli. It’s been my “theme song” for getting ready for Christmas this year. Specifically I think the line “I will hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end.” is perfect for today’s gospel.

My "Two Cents" About Two Cents

Luke 21:1-4

“When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, "I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."

I’ll never forget the first time my baby “shared” his food with me. I think at some point we’ve all been offered a slobbery cracker or two and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. I don’t need his cracker, but the fact that he cares enough to share with me the only cracker he has is priceless. It’s kind of like the baby way of saying “I love you.” In the same way, God doesn’t need us to give or do anything for Him. He’s God, if He wants a cracker he’ll get it for himself J, but He gets so much joy from our offering which is our human way of saying “I love you.” I wish I could say there haven’t been many times I have failed to share my talents or my treasure because I have judged them to be inadequate, but  I can’t. This morning we went to Mass in my husbands hometown and it’s the second time we’ve been there in the last month that they haven’t had a piano player. A very talented cantor has done it alone, but I couldn’t help but think while I was there that surely there was someone in that parish that could play the piano!  But I bet, just like me, they have a voice whispering “but I’m not very good” or “I could only help so little it wouldn’t be worth it”. That voice that whispers those things is not the voice of truth, but rather the opposite. The voice of truth so clearly tells us in the gospel of Luke that the one who gives what they have, no matter how small, pleases her King.

Father, you know my heart and you know my love for you. Help me to give what I have, no matter how small it feels to me. Help me use the gifts I’ve been given to give you glory and let the love in my heart show in my offerings. Give me the faith of the widow, so I can give ALL that I have. Amen.

Re-focusing my heart this Christmas

Thanksgiving is over and we're in the mad-rush to Christmas. We've got to get our decorations up, gifts purchased, baking done and pictures of our perfect families out to everyone we love. I love Christmas, but each year I find myself dreading it more and more. There's so much to do, and each year it seems our culture is making Christmas more and more about consumerism and less and less about Christ. As I drove home from Thanksgiving, worrying about already being behind on my shopping list, I decided I was going to do everything I could to re-focus my Christmas to Jesus; to celebrating that God doesn't break His promises to us, even if it means the most ultimate sacrifice; and to answering His annual call to remind myself that I am a child of God, and just how loved I am. What a beautiful holiday we have covered up with glitter and wrapping paper! I can't change the fact that in the name of Christmas people will trample each other to acquire material possessions, but I can change my own heart, and make sure it's focused where it belongs this Christmas.

So, one of the ways I'm accomplishing this goal is to spend time each day in prayer.  Join me each day for a scripture, reflection, prayer and challenge. I've always been a private writer, but I knew in order to stick to my goal of doing this daily I'd need people to hold me accountable, and so, this blog was born! I'm hoping it will be somewhat of an online bible study, and welcome your posts as we share our struggles, joys and moments and ask that all posts are kept positive - this isn't a debate, just prayer! :)



The gospel for this Sunday couldn't be more perfect to start this blog - isn't our God amazing?
John 18:33-37
Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."


The Catholic Church celebrates Christ the King Sunday this weekend. There's not a better time of year for us to remind ourselves that Jesus is our King, and his kingdom does not belong to this world. Jesus was only here for a short time, here for a purpose, but not here to make himself at home. There are times when it's so obvious to us that this isn't our home, when our hearts so clearly long for the heaven we were born to inhabit, like when we turn on the evening news to stories of war and murder, when we're feeling alone and not fitting in, or watching a loved one pass away. But other times we can settle in to really making ourselves comfortable here. I remember going on a 3 day retreat with some high school sophomores, we told the kids to take their stuff to their rooms and meet back up-stairs in a few minutes. After a while, a few of the girls hadn't returned so we popped into their room to speed them up. We were astonished to see they had been decorating! They had blankets folded neatly on the beds, all the shoes lined up along the wall, it looked, well, like a teenagers room! The girls had literally settled in, and they were so proud of their decorations. It seemed silly to us, of course you know the first words out of my mouth were "you know we're only staying for 3 days right?" I wonder if God has the same thoughts sometimes about us: "you know you're only staying for a little while right?" Our 80 years here must be even less than those 3 days on the retreat compared to eternity.  There was nothing wrong with the girls' decorating their room on that retreat because it only took them a matter of minutes, but what if they had missed the entire purpose of the retreat because they were so concerned with decorating their room? And then once it was so nicely decorated they couldn't possibly leave it?

I'm really going to challenge myself this Advent season to look at where I spend my time. Am I so focused on settling in here and making myself comfortable that I'm missing out on what I'm really here for? I'm sad to say I have to answer "yes" to that to some degree.

Father, thank you for your reminder that You are my King. I have nothing to worry about because I am the beloved daughter of the greatest King there is. Please help me to re-focus my life to you. I can get distracted so easily, when I do, please remind me again. Help me to see the purpose you have sent me here for, and keep my heart aligned with yours that I can live the life of joy and peace you have set out for me. Amen.


I'm going to pick one thing to give up that distracts me from my greater purpose and steals my time and I pick....using the internet on my phone. OUCH it hurts just to say that! This is going to be brutal, but I also know its going to be so good for so many of my relationships.

I'd love to hear your comments on the scripture or your challenges for yourself or others!