Imperfections

Fear of the unknown. What if I'm exposed, wrong, embarrassed, humiliated, or powerless? What if I have to admit I'm not perfect not only to others, but to myself? I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but admitting your imperfection makes you . . . human. Welcome to Christianity! There was only ONE perfect Person who walked the face of this earth, and He was murdered for our sins. Be flawed, but always striving for perfection in His Eyes, not the world's. He is so much easier to please!

A leader without humility can do much damage as todays Gospel (Matthew 2:13-18) demonstrates:

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.

In the Monthly Message of December 2011, Jesus assures us our imperfections will not damage His Plan:

"Do I require that you be powerful? Important? Do I need you to be people of great wealth or great influence in the eyes of the world? Will My plan be threatened by your imperfection or your difficulty maintaining holiness in every moment? Do I need only angels? Or do I need apostles of good will serving exactly where I have placed them? You were created to persevere and even flourish with limited understanding of all that is happening around you and through you. Yes, dear apostles, I am filled with hope. I am hoping that you accept My love. I am hoping that you allow Me to bring you healing, daily. I am hoping that through you I can love and heal others whom you will encounter in your daily experience. I bring you so many gifts of knowing Me, both directly and indirectly."

Lay apostles, let go of the pressure to be perfect. And, stop pressuring others to be perfect. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Acknowledge this and focus on your strengths and the strengths of others. Jesus knows our imperfections and if we follow Him, allows those imperfections for the good of His Kingdom. 

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to accept my imperfections. Continue to show me how to use them to benefit Your Kingdom.

God bless,

Bonnie

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I can't believe 10 days have elapsed since my last blog post!  The Christmas season is busy around my house. With work, watching my grandson and writing, life rushes by very quickly. But it is all good! Christmas day was peaceful and low key. And, one of the best Christmases I have ever had. Adding Jay and his daughter to the mix was seamless. No drama or chaos. Just love and laughter and joy. 

So, I pray all of you had a blessed day celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Here is the Gospel reading from Christmas day (Luke 2:15-20):

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

And from the Monthly Message of July 2012, Jesus:

"My dear apostles, it is time for Me to announce Myself as King. I am truly the King of heaven and I am the King of all God’s children on earth. I am the King of all that is good and I am the King of love. Most of all, and most importantly for you, I am your King."

May all of you share in the joy and love Jesus brings not only at Christmas, but every day of our lives. Rejoice in Him. Give thanks to Him. He is our King!

God bless,

Bonnie

A Father To Emulate

Jay and I send emails to each other every morning . . . love letters. Yesterday, unbeknownst to either of us, our daily emails contained the same subject, St. Joseph. I have watched Jay parent his 20 year old daughter so beautifully since she moved back to Florida last month. He is loving, kind, respectful and has set clear boundaries with her while they live together. As a bystander, their relationship has blossomed into a magnificent father/daughter bond. In my email to Jay, I told him he was emulating what St. Joseph speaks of in Volume Six. He had just finished the Volume and said he loved the part about fathers emulating St. Joseph. We sent the emails simultaneously. Think St. Joseph was interceding for both of us? I have no doubt he wanted Jay and I to receive the same message. 

Todays Gospel (Matthew 1:18-25) shows the integrity of St. Joseph and the love he had for Mary:

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

In Volume Six, St. Joseph spells out how important a father's role is:

"Dear fathers of the world, you must heed my voice. I am speaking to you from kindness and concern. We in heaven watch the events in the world because we are eager to assist you. We hear your prayers and immediately begin interceding for you so that any graces available will be utilized. Allow us to help you to examine your role as father so you can be certain you are fulfilling this role as God has willed. You must examine your role in comparison to me, Joseph, the head of the Holy Family. Do not examine your role in comparison to a soul who is not following God. You must take this opportunity to also look at your companions. Are they true followers? Do they encourage you to be a good father and husband? Are they themselves good fathers and husbands? Dear man, if they are not fulfilling their role as father and husband, it will be difficult for you to resist their influence. Many in this time will encourage you to put yourself first, but I tell you in all seriousness that you should not do this. Your wife and children must come first. You are to lead your family to heaven. In heaven, the first will be last. Consider yourself a servant to your family. In this way you will not spend too much time meditating on how you would like to follow the world. You live in a world of great darkness. I must speak the truth so that you know that it is critical that your family be steered safely through these times. With the help of heaven, you will do this successfully. But in order to obtain this help, you must ask for it. In order to ask for it, you must be prayerful. If you are not prayerful, you will not see the need to pray because you will be too busy scurrying from one day to the next and telling yourself that all is well because this is what everyone else is doing."

Lay apostles, especially fathers, are you surrounding yourselves with people living a good Christian life? Are they devoted mothers and fathers or are they more interested in hitting the bar after a long day with friends or coworkers while their family waits at home? As harsh as this may sound, eliminate toxic people from your life. I know it's a difficult task, I've had to do it. But ultimately, it was good for my soul and good for my children. Take a look at who you spend time with. If it isn't building the Kingdom, pray about it. Remember, your family always comes first.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me the kind of man Jay is not only as a partner, but as a father. Thank you St. Joseph for your intercession yesterday!  Perfect timing for todays Gospel!

God bless,

Bonnie

Where I Came From

Last year I began converting my mother's old 8mm films into DVDs. I had no idea what they contained, but I knew they embodied memories of her past . . . my past. Excited to see some old movies, the first one I popped in stunned me. I sat there staring at a loving, happy family. A mom, dad, four girls and a white French poodle danced and played around a Christmas tree. No traces of Mom's mental illness or her frequent hospitalizations for "nervous breakdowns." Mom and Dad appeared in love . . . a memory so distant to me I almost forgot it existed. 

Dad, me and Pepe, Mom and Sheryl

 Sisters!

This is how the movie ended . . .

After this final kiss, the film jumped to another 8mm movie combined with the first. It was my paternal grandparents playing with my older sisters before I was born. I replayed this DVD over and over, thankful for a glimpse of a time where all seemed peaceful.  I am forever grateful Mom and Dad gave me life. More importantly, they gave me faith. I was chosen by God to be born to these two people and live the life I did for a reason. This is where I came from. I had to experience what I did to discover His love and mercy.  Every one of us is on a journey called life. What brought you to Him?

Todays Gospel (Matthew 1:1-17) shows we all come from somewhere and eventually it leads to Christ:

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she stresses the importance of leading our children to Christ and to truly know their Catholic faith:

"Giving children a Catholic identity is important. Both adults and children must know who they are and where they come from. Parents, it is true that we want our children taking their identity as Catholics out into the world and influencing others. The opposite of this would be our children lacking Catholic identity and going out into the world only to be influenced by others who lack a Catholic identity. We, parents in the home, are primary formatters of our children."

Lay apostles, are you living your Catholic faith by example to your children or grandchildren?  Are you teaching them about where you came from and how it lead you to Christ? Teach them that no matter what happens in life, Jesus will always be there with the graces to heal and the joy to celebrate every second of every day. All we have to do is pray . . . and patiently await His answer.

Thank you, Lord, for my family and all the crazy things which had to occur in my life to lead me to You. Thank you for choosing Anne to be your messenger to give Your Words true meaning in my life. I am forever grateful.

God bless,

Bonnie

Humility and Wisdom, The Final Frontier

Note: HAPPY 24th BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY GIRL TAYLOR!  LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL!!!

Learning lessons the hard way. Yep, that was me the first half of my life.  When I was younger, everything seemed so complicated. Poor choices were brushed off with the next difficulty. Only by the grace of God I raised three daughters, all of whom I cherish. Since the girls were teens, I have tried to teach them the consequences of my mistakes at their age, and encourage them to be better . . . to be wiser. With age does come wisdom. All the pain, all the mistakes, all the poor choices, all the judgements made, and all the secret embarrassment did amount to something . . . humility and wisdom.  So take heart lay apostles still in the learning phase, it will all begin to make sense one day.  And when it all becomes clear . . . you will be thankful for every single blooper, blunder, aberration or whatever you want to call your misfires.  Accept this as part of your journey . . . the lessons and the gifts. Once again, He proves just how much He loves us. 


In todays Gospel (Matthew 11:16-19), Jesus speaks of wisdom prevailing:

Jesus said to the crowds: "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works."

I love the following quote from Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity.  She gets right to the heart of it all: 

"Which one of us would deny that our past pain from our sins has given us wisdom and compassion? Do not judge others. Bring others God’s love and God’s truth."

Lay apostles, what lessons have you learned along the way? How can you take those lessons and apply them to your life now? Discard the negative thoughts and replace them  knowing the wisdom you have gained will lead you closer to Christ and His mission.  Pass on the lessons learned to your children or grandchildren; to close friends or family. Be gentle when they have made the same choices . . . 

Thank you, Lord, for the humility and wisdom I have gained so far in my life. Thank you for showing me my "poor choices" have turned me into the person I am now . . . Your devoted follower!

God bless,
Bonnie

Hear With Your Heart

In nursing school, I could sit in lectures all day learning how to do a physical exam, insert a foley catheter, and start an IV. I could watch videos and demonstrations on correct procedure until I was blue in the face.  But the moment I walked into a patient's room and had to perform, everything heard with my ears seemed to have evaporated from my mind. Then a mentor would step in and assist until I achieved the task at hand.  It took a lot of practice, but eventually I evolved into a skilled nurse. It became a part of me . . . who I am. In my heart, I will always be a caregiver.

Think about being a Christian. We can read everything we get our hands on from the Bible to the Volumes to the Catechism on a daily basis. We can attend renewals and Mass on Sunday.  We can hear with our ears and see with our eyes,  but struggle sometimes to hear with our heart. Maybe the crabby waitress upset with a small tip was counting on making enough money to pay the bills, or buy diapers for her child. Maybe the rude cashier at the supermarket is going through a painful divorce. Practice what you read in the Volumes. Soon, you will begin to hear with your heart.

In todays Gospel (Matthew 11:11-15), Jesus asks us to sharpen our listening skills:

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."

In Volume Ten, Jesus requests we answer His Call.  He will concern Himself with the strength we need to do it:

"Dear souls of the Kingdom, you are called to service. You know this. You have heard My call and rested in My anguish. I want to talk to you about your duty. Perhaps you hear My call and feel resistance at what it is I am asking from you. Let me promise you that you will

be given exactly what you need to embrace your portion of this mission. Do not be afraid to stand beside Me as I move into the world through each one of you. Souls will see you with their physical eyes, but they will experience Me. Your fears, your hesitance, have no bearing on how you will perform for Me. Do not worry about your ability when it comes to completing your duty. Do not worry about your lack of strength. It will come from Me. It will flow deeply and completely from Me. Your willingness to serve is all that is required."

Lay apostles, in this Advent season, begin to contemplate your reactions to unhappy or rude people. Try to turn the situation around with a kind word. Was the salesperson at Macy's short with you? Tell her she has beautiful eyes at checkout. Find something positive to say.  You never know when one kind word will change a life.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to hear with my heart. It is so important I take the focus away from myself and look upon others with my heart first. You are the Mentor of mentors!

God bless,

Bonnie

What Child Is This?

Note: One day behind! This is from 12Dec2012

Today we honor our Blessed Mother Mary on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In a recent Advent letter from Anne a lay apostle, she says, "Mary was the first Tabernacle and Jesus was happy to be nestled safely in His mother's body." I have never thought of Our Lady as the first Tabernacle! But truly she is! Her love and sacrifice were not only for God, but for all of us, even 2,012 years later. So thank Mary today for her "yes" to birth Our Savior. She deserves it. Think about giving birth in a stable, in Bethlehem, in the middle of winter.  I checked online to see what the temperature is this time of year there. High in the 30's. Unthinkable enduring labor in 30 degree weather! Think about the sterile environment babies are born into today. A stable is full of manure, dirt and mud. Not so sterile for Our King, right? Yet Mary didn't complain. Yes, thank Mary. She is our direct connection to her Son. She is ready and waiting to hear our cries and intercede for us. After all, as my mother always said, what Son doesn't listen to His Mother? 

What Child is This? is a beautiful song reminding us of the love of our heavenly Mother:

What child is this, who, laid to rest 
On Mary's lap, is sleeping? 
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, 
While shepherds watch are keeping? 
This, this is Christ the King, 
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing: 
Haste, haste to bring him laud, 
The Babe, the Son of Mary! 

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, 
Come peasant king to own Him, 
The King of kings, salvation brings, 
Let loving hearts enthrone Him. 
Raise, raise the song on high, 
The Virgin sings her lullaby: 
Joy, joy, for Christ is born, 
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

The Gospel (Luke 1:39-47) below shows the humility of Our Lady:

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

In Volume Seven, St. Thomas Aquinas describes the priceless love and intercession Our Lady provides her children on earth:

"Dearest brothers and sisters, never underestimate what Jesus can do with a soul who decides for Him. To underestimate what He can do is to limit Him. A soul deciding for Jesus can change the world and that is our goal. We must help Him to change this world. You have been given some ideas of the weapons you have at your disposal. You have Jesus, of course. You have Mary. Many also underestimate the power of our heavenly mother. Be assured that the enemy knows her power. Do not let your heavenly mother be attacked without response. If you witness this, you must speak out for her. This pleases everyone in heaven, but this pleases Jesus in a special way. She is a loyal friend to you and a powerful intercessor. There are many mercies and graces given to your world today which would be absent but for Mary. We love her immeasurably. You will not err if you follow her. She leads to Jesus."

Lay apostles, do you honor Mary, our Blessed Mother? Do you ask for her intercession? She is the direct path to her Son. Honor her. Love her. Pray the Rosary. She is always watching over us as a good mother does her children. 

Thank you, Lord, for my heavenly Mother Mary. I know how powerful her intercession is and thankful You allow her to appear to so many visionaries over the centuries. I promise to honor her every chance I get. 

God bless,

Bonnie

Home For The Holidays

Christmas is the time of year when the world just seems more joyful. The celebration of the birth of Our Savior. Families reunited after long absences. Love filling the air. Little girls and boys excitedly waiting in line to see Santa. 

Ok, maybe my grandson wasn't so excited!  But once he was in the arms of his mother after pictures were taken, the world was safe and happy once again. (Absolutely LOVE these pics Mal and Kev!). Reminds me of the song Home For The Holidays and this verse in particular:

Oh there's no place like home
For the holidays, 'cause no matter 
How far away you roam
If you want to be happy in a million ways
For the holidays, you can't beat
Home, sweet home.

For some, the holidays aren't so warm and fuzzy. Memories of loved ones no longer on this earth are more distinct. Depression is heightened when loneliness sets in. But if we look at the verse from the song above, replace the word "home" with "Christ," there is no other place I would rather be. He is Home. He is safe. And, He wants us to be joyful no matter our circumstances. Cherish all He has given us. Don't take one moment for granted. 

In todays Gospel (Matthew 18:12-14), Jesus affirms every single soul on this earth is worth saving:

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."

In Volume Four, Jesus speaks to His lost sheep:

"My little soul, so destined to be loved by Me, allow your soul to lead you for a moment and believe that I want you back in My heart. There is a place here for you and without you, I am alone. I love you as though you were My only child. There is just you and I at this moment. I do not want you to be lost. There is work in My kingdom for you and this work can only be done by you. Please serve, dearest, so that we can begin travelling together. I am waiting for you. I forgive you everything. Come back to Me and you will understand freedom and joy."

Lay apostles, how can you draw closer to Christ this Christmas? Mend a relationship with a distant loved one? Volunteer at a nursing home? Create a safe and loving home for your children and grandchildren to gather? Whatever you do, do it for Christ, sweet Christ!

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of my first Christmas with Jay, two very special little boys -  my grandsons, my girls, my sons-in-law and Christine. I will not take one second for granted and love with all my heart.

God bless,

Bonnie

If You Just Believe

There is a Christmas song from Polar Express called "Believe" sung by a young girl named Jackie Evancho. Her voice is angelic. I love the following words from this song: 

We were dreamers not so long ago.
But one by one we all had to grow up.

When it seems the magic slipped away,
We find it all again on Christmas day...

Believe in what your heart is saying,
Hear the melody that's playing.
There's no time to waste,
There's so much to celebrate.

Believe in what you feel inside,
And give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need,
If you just believe.

We all do grow up eventually. But that doesn't mean we stop believing. We have been given so much to celebrate, why do we waste so much time being angry, depressed or anxious? Life continues on, day after day, until we are summoned to our heavenly home. Every day you wake up is one more day to build the Kingdom. How can you build it today? God has provided everything we need. Do you believe?  

Todays Gospel (Luke 5:17-26) shows true faith and belief in Christ can move mountains:

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "As for you, your sins are forgiven."

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins?" he said to the one who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."

He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, "We have seen incredible things today."

In Volume Four, Jesus assures us if we have any doubts, all we have to do is pray:

"On this day I want you to tell Me all day long that you believe in Me. You may not feel this. You may have a difficult time even forming the words. But in your heart, all of this day, tell Me this. I can then give you graces that will help your disbelief. We will begin to shift the stubborn doubts sowed by the father of lies. You have nothing to lose. You have tried many other remedies for your discontent. Some of you have abused your bodies in an attempt to quiet the cries of your soul. I want you to think of Me as another remedy for any difficult symptoms you are experiencing. If I do not keep My promise, to grant you peace and joy, then you may continue your search. But you must give Me a chance and to do that you must spend time in silence with Me. Come to a church that houses a tabernacle. Sit before Me in silence. Allow Me to speak to you and I will speak to you. Be brave, little soul."

Lay apostles, if you struggle with doubt, try believing for a day.  Do as Jesus asks in the quote from Volume Four above. Nothing else seems to work, why not try believing? Christmas is the perfect time of year to begin.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of believing. Every day, through Your Graces, I am strengthened and more in love with You.

God bless,
Bonnie

An Advent Talk from Anne a lay apostle

"We are in Advent. Jesus is coming. As a mother, I remember when a new baby was placed in my arms. When I looked down at this infant, she looked at me so seriously and deeply that I was startled. I thought, 'This baby knows everything!' The wisdom that came through the eyes of the little girl amazed me and it was clear that this child had come from heaven. She knew God. It was there in the dignity of her gaze.

We think of Jesus in the manger, a new born baby, destined to be King. He is born helpless, willing to share the intense and aching vulnerability of our humanity. Indeed, he was born to be vulnerable, to submit himself fully to the hatred of those suffering separation from the Father's will. Why do I say that the Lord's executioners and persecutors were suffering? Because, where there is no union with the divine will, there will be no peace. When looking on the scene of the Passion, it would be clear in our humanity that the person we would least like to change places with would be Jesus Christ. But in looking on the scene of the Passion in our spiritual selves, the person we would be most willing to change places with is Jesus Christ. We do not want to be the bad guys in the lives of others. We want to love like Jesus.

Yes, the Lord, Jesus Christ, comes as an infant in a manger and we, His people, wait for Christmas. As I prayed about this, with the expectation and wonder that comes in the mystical contemplation of Christmas, I saw something more. I saw again that, truly, as an apostolate, we are an Advent people. Our whole reason for being mystically assembled around the world is to prepare for Jesus to come again as King. Blessed John Paul II said that we were in the Advent period of the Second Coming. This is simple, but big, like the Great Wall of China. Sometimes, when looking at something big, it is hard to take in and we have to consider it. So let us think. What does it look like to be an Advent people?




Well, I suppose that in order to know what an Advent person looks like, we will each have to look in the mirror, meaning, we will have to study Christ in us, personally. We are THE Advent people. This is THE Advent time. Christ is returning, not just 2000 years ago, but today, at this moment, through each of us. This is the plan. Mary, our mother, received Jesus into her body not only for the people alive at the first Christmas but also for every person, for all time. Mary received Jesus into her body and delivered him for each one of us. Mary, right now, this Advent, desires to deliver Jesus to us personally. Mary was the first Tabernacle and Jesus was happy to be nestled safely in His mother's body. In the same way, Jesus is happy to be nestled safely in each one of our souls. We, like Mary, are called to deliver Christ to others. We, like Mary, will have to be generou s in our hearts to do that. We, like Mary, will have to surrender our plan for our life in order to give birth, through our life, to God's plan for us and for humanity. What we do counts! Our answer, like Mary's, is important.

Did God ask Mary to give one day a week, so that He could be born into the world? Did God say, Mary, have the baby and that will be you finished. Once you deliver the plan, you're done. No. Mary not only delivered the Saviour, Gods' plan for the Redemption of mankind, Mary was called to protect the Saviour, in an on-going way. My friends, we are the same. When we accept Christ, it is not an answer for a moment, but an answer for a lifetime, or, at least, hopefully, from now on. When we say our Allegiance Prayer, we are not giving the ONLY yes of the day, just the first yes of the day. We are called to give a series of yes answers so that the hope that God has brought to us can be delivered to others. God needed Mary to give Him her whole heart and God needs us to give him our whole hearts. In our Catholic faith, we do this by living our vocations fully, completely, in unity with the Magisterium of the Church, as servants to God and to each other , committed witnesses. What are we witnessing to? We are witnessing to Jesus as the baby in the manger, to Jesus as the rejected Victim, lifted high up onto his earthly throne, the cross, and to Jesus as He sits calmly on His heavenly throne as King of all that belongs to His Father.

We are an Advent people. We are called to proclaim the healing message of goodness, of joy that people yearn for, especially at Christmas. As apostles of this Returning King, we are called to live one big Advent season so that others can have hope. My friends, do you remember a time when you had lost hope? And what that felt like? Never forget how that felt because others are suffering that right now.This is why Jesus continually brings us hope.

This is why Jesus urges us again and again to accept hope and why indeed hope is such an important thing. Pope Benedict said, "It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope."

So we ask again, what does an Advent people look like? I'll tell you a story. One day, at a morning Mass, the people saw a different priest come in. He was very old. He was filling in for the parish priest and he made his way slowly and painfully to the altar, using a walker. When it was time for the homily, one would have thought he would skip it. But this priest gave a serious homily, ten minutes, but with the attitude that he had to give everything he had, because he was so old it could be the last time he preached. He urged the people to say the morning offering and he said, "Every day I do the morning offering. I do it fast, before I get out of bed, because getting out of bed is so darn painful I want to make sure I get credit for it." My friends, that elderly American priest is an Advent person.

Next I'll tell you about a young married couple. They had a habit of saying the Rosary each day and tried to do it before they went to bed. One day, the man came home very late and as he got into bed his wife said, "Did you get your Rosary said?" He said, "No. I didn't have time." She said, "Come on. I'll say it with you." So in bed, together, they prayed the Rosary. And the man never woke up. He died in his sleep. My friends, they were an Advent people.

There was a young woman. She lived a life that included a lot of attention and she was in a position of some power and esteem. She had a well developed faith life and a simple relationship with Christ. She said about herself, "Some people say I'm the greatest thing ever. Some people say I'm the worst person in the world. It was confusing for a while. But then I realised, I'm just me in the middle, and God loves me." This young woman, through the simplicity of her relationship with God, neither swelled up in pride nor descended into shame. She is an Advent person.

Yet another young woman, deeply frustrated, late and stressed, struggled to find the way to open the gas cap of a borrowed car. As she anxiously searched for the button, her frustration and aggravation bubbled over and she tearfully began to kick the car. A gas station attendant, a young man, ran out with his hands out saying, 'Whoa Lady, let me help you'. The woman, deeply grateful sat back in relief while the young man found the lever, opened the flap and filled her tank for her. She, with the greatest humility and gratitude, thanked God for the young man and allowed his kindness to act as a benediction, calming and soothing her. Both of them are Advent people.

What do they all have in common? They are all connected to God, doing His will as best they can and living their commitments with fidelity and dignity. They have hope. They recognise God and they try to live their faith. And that is what God is asking of us. In the Gospel Jesus says, "It is not those who say to me, Lord, Lord, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father."

The question for each one of us is this: What is God's will for me. What is my commitment to God and what does remaining faithful for me, today, at this moment, look like?

We will only find those answers within. Nobody can do this hard work for us. If we do not focus on and live from the Vertical Relationship with Christ, then the plan of Christ, for us and for the world, is at risk. If we drop out of service, the world will feel it. The world will feel our absence from service in many ways, because of the ripple effect of goodness. When one action of kindness is offered, it spreads. When one person is healed, that person goes on to heal others and this is how each of us affects the whole universe when we choose love.

My friends, remember that our Catechism talks about our conscience. People make the mistake of thinking of their conscience as the place where they go to accuse themselves, where they go to be whipped by their failures. People get uncomfortable, afraid. But Christ is not the accuser. He is the consoler. When your conscience is bothering you it is really Jesus saying, 'You need help, Advent person. Come to me so that I can restore your hope, bring you into recovery and replace your wonder'. Our catechism teaches: 'Conscience is mans most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.' (CCC 1795) A sanctuary is a safe place, the safest place. Compare your conscience to the Manger, where the innocent but all powerful infant King is waiting to comfort and protect you. My friends, having experienced purgatory with all of its truth and dignity, I am telling you today that your conscience might just be the o nly safe place for you while you remain alive.In this month's message, (December 2011), Jesus says, your Infant King comes to you with heavenly hope. He says, I instruct you to bring this hope to others, regardless of the circumstances around you.

So, this Advent, let us flee to the manger. The eyes of the Christ child will be looking for us, with the wisdom of all the ages. And He will give us hope."