Today's Thought. By: C.C.

"Jesus has a way of getting through, and whatever we are engaged with-whatever nets we are mending, or fish we are catching-somehow we will be sufficiently aware of his presence and call to know what it is we're being asked to do." (Tom Wright)

Perhaps one of the hardest things through our journey of faith is figuring out what the Lord is calling us to do. How often we struggle with our own feelings, goals, plans, designs, and our very own will in order to chart out our lives. We may find ourselves seeking God, waiting for Him to show up and send down a flash of lightening so that we can be secure of His will. Unfortunately this is not the case. However, it is by keeping fervent in our prayers and our openness to Him that we will surely be able to know what it is we're being asked to do. When we are open and approach the Lord with a faithful heart it will seem that His will indeed comes to us like a flash of lightening. "Whatever you are engaged with-whatever nets you are mending, or fish you are catching" be prayerful, be patient, and be faithful so that you may be aware of His presence and call to know what you're being asked to do. Lord today I pray that You allow us to keep you at the centre of all of our duties, labours, and leisure. May You continue to be the light of our path. Provide us with peace so that we will be secure in Your will for us. Give us patience with ourselves, our surroundings, and most importantly with You. Enable us to understand and realize that when we are focused on the Eternal Glory our worldly roles will fall into place. Thank You Lord for allowing us to know You and trust in You. May we always be committed to waiting upon You with prayer, faith, and love. Amen (C.C.)

Let Us Remember The Manger. By: C.C.

"When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their tresure chest, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:10-11)

Tonight we will gather at Mass and honor the birth of Jesus. I anticipate the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve with great joy. I look forward to finally placing my little baby Jesus figurine inside of the manger. There is no doubt a great joy surrounding the season when we set our sights on eternal things. When we truly keep our eyes on Christ and seek to get beyond the disruptions, anxieties, and tribulations that are also present amidst this Christmas joy around us. It is a time to focus on the blessings and the goodness. Today is also a time for reflecting upon the Advent journey. I spent sometime in prayer and reflection today looking back upon on how I used this time of preparation. As we continue to prepare ourselves for the Christmas celebrations, Let us not forget to continue to prepare our hearts for Christ. Let us approach him at the altar tonight as the wise men did long ago in the manger. Though we do not bring Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh..let us bring him our open hearts, our devotion, and our love. As we give gifts outwardly to those in our lives may we recognize the importance of the interior giving to Christ. Let us refrain from giving into our flesh and free ourselves from expectations. May we find joy in the spirit of giving, and approach the altar with a spirit of homage. Lord today I pray that every person be surrounded by your love, warmth, and joy during these days of celebration. May there be healing among families, comfort for the suffering, and food for the poor. Lord provide us with charitable hearts so that we can continue to share Your Joy throughout this season.Be present at every table, in every home, and everywhere that Your children are. Lord I recognize that everyone is celebrating Christmas differently, and that some may find it difficult to focus on the joy of the season when surrounded by hardship. Lord comfort those who gather around a sick relative tonight opposed to a dinner table. Provide them and those who are suffering in mind, body, and spirit with the strength, courage, soothing comfort, and peace. Lord comfort those who remember relatives and loved ones who are now home with You. Provide the lonely with your love and lead us to do Your will so that we can provide company when needed. Thank You Lord for my blessings, for the gift of friends, family, health, and food to eat. Let us remember the Manger tonight and feel You again born into our hearts. Amen. (C.C)

"Stay very close to the crib of this most beautiful child....Have great love for this heavenly child, respectful in the familiarity you will gain with him through prayer, and totally delighted in the joy of feeling the holy aspirations and effects of belonging totally to him." (Padre Pio)

"Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day, even every moment in the interior temple of your spirit, remaining like a baby in the bosom of the heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ."

(St. Paul of the Cross)

Mart Hart: Straight to The Heart! By : C.C.

It is time to fill the pews, and not just at Christmas!

I have been fortunate enough to come across the book entitled "Blessed are the bored in spirit" written by Mark Hart. From the moment I opened the front page, I was unable to put it down. Mark shares many wonderful things within this book that each of us can benefit from. However, one part in particular caught my attention, and it is the chapter he dedicated to explaining the Catholic mass. Hart shares the importance, and the ways in which one can find deeper meaning in their attendance at Mass. I feel that it is an appropriate message to share this time of year. I say this because the reality is that many people have fallen away from taking the time amidst their schedules to attend Mass and participate in the celebration of the Blessed Eucharist. Yet, during the holiday season parish parking lots and pews are filled with people. I bring this issue up not to cause offense but in order to bring awareness, comfort, and maybe even some motivation towards getting back to Church on a more regular basis. There seems to be a part of everyone that recognizes the need to honor our Lord during the holiday season, but we must remember that He is present in our lives every day. We must truly come to recognize our Church as a place where healing can happen, and not a place that judges or claims to be without blemish. Let us remember that “A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” (Abigail Van Buren) We come to Church to be filled and to become more like the Saints. It is rather disturbing to see that one negative encounter with a person of faith who attends "Church" can be swayed away from attending weekly/daily mass. Let us not look to one another to determine our motives for attending church, but rather, be motivated by the desire to establish a better relationship with our Lord. The need to have a strong Catholic community in Christ. There are potentially many reasons why one may fall away from attending Mass, but it is never too late to return and experience It's beauty. For those of us who actively attend Mass we must recognize our responsibility of demonstrating our faith in every aspect of our lives. We are called to not only participate in the Mass but to truly acknowledge the depth and wonderful mystery presented to us through the Blessed Eucharist. We are expected to pray from our hearts and not let our prayers become mundane and solely rhythmical during the Mass. Though perfection is unattainable we must strive to become the most perfect version of ourselves while we are here on Earth. It is not enough to simply fill a pew, but it is definitely a step toward creating a deeper relationship with the Lord.

I find it rather fitting that this year's Christmas celebration falls on a Sunday (The Sabbath), a day which sadly seems to be just another working day and not a day for God and rest. Mark Hart does a wonderful job in explaining the importance of the Sabbath day, and how it has been lost amidst our schedules....I have decided to share it below.

" Sunday has become, not a day of rest, reflection and relaxation, but another day of hard work. It is not a day that we relish but a day that we catch up. Cutting the grass instead of cutting out distractions, laundering our clothes instead of laundering out souls, working on ignored homework rather than ignoring work and enjoying our homes. "Honoring the Sabbath" has become a sixteen-hour waking period into which we cram as much stuff as humanly possible in order not to have to do it on top of our incredibly busy weekday schedules. Sunday has less to do with the Son and more to do with the day. You know how busy you are. Write out a list of all the things you do on the average Sunday. How many of them draw you closer to God? How much more could your activities turn you toward God? God established this day of Sabbath rest not because He needs it-He's God, and He's tireless- but because we need it. It is the Sabbath that invites us to the family dinner, beckoning us back to the dining room table, calling us in from the fields of work and helping us to love and enjoy one another's presence. At Mass we become members of the family again; that is how we "re-member" him, as we were encouraged and commanded to do in that Upper Room so many centuries ago. Unfortunately, we miss the point. Often, we do not see the Mass as a family get together of the body of Christ. Uninterested worshipers become spectators. The modern liturgy is not as much experienced as it is observed. We are like a family that no longer sits around the dinner table sharing reality but instead sits behind TV trays watching "reality". It's simpler that way, less dangerous. It is disheartening to realize that the word obligation-as in, it is our obligation to go to Mass-has taken on such a negative connotation. But the truth is, when it comes to Sunday or a holy day of obligation; many of God's children would choose to be anywhere but church. Some of us live not as Roman Catholics but "roamin' Catholics" searching for the quickest Mass, the least challenging homily or the lowest expectation of actual participation. But, if we would enter into Mass as children coming to the Father's dinner table, we would be enlightened by His Word and fed by His Body and Blood." (Mark Hart: Blessed are the bored in spirit. pg 40-42)

How wonderful that our Christmas celebration falls on "The Sabbath" this year. Let us look to recreate the importance and significance of this day to our faith, and our lives. As we come to the table to be fed let us draw nearer to the Mass experience. Lord I pray today that each of us come to Your table this holiday season with a longing to become more united with You. I pray for the building of a stronger Catholic family amidst our parish communities. Lord give us patience in the parking lots and crowded pews surrounding us this holiday season. Help us to recognize our roles as Catholic brothers and sisters. May we be stewards of faith and always reflect Your light during Mass and into our days. Lord let us leave Your table on Christmas day and carry out the Sabbath day as You intended. May our time with family and friends reflect our love for You. Amen. (C.C)

He Works With Us. By: C.C.

"Sincere devotion-true love of God-leads us to work hard, to fulfill the duty of each day, even though it is far from easy." (St. Josemaria Escriva)
Amidst the chaos and busy schedules of our days, we can be comforted by the fact that we do not work alone. No matter how heavy or impossible the tasks before us may seem if we are truly united with the Lord we can accomplish anything! "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) It is easy to get lost in our work, in our daily duties, and in the layers upon layers of tasks that build up before us. We must make an honest effort to take a moment to acknowledge and recognize our Lord amidst the working hours of our day. I have heard many people say that they have "No time for even God" this is often said as a result of the various demands placed on them. We must realize that it is in giving our time, ourselves, and our glory to the Lord that we will truly be able to accomplish our tasks no matter how impossible or overwhelming they seem. If we continue to work void of God and separate from Him, our labours will be all the more stressful. St. Josemaria Escriva reminds us today that having a true love and devotion to God leads us to work hard and fulfill our daily duties no matter how difficult they seem. Let us remember today that we do not work alone. Take time within your thoughts to invite the Lord into your work day and into your daily chores. Lord today I pray that you stand beside us throughout our daily tasks. Help us to keep our hearts and minds rested in You so that we can fulfill what is asked of us. Allow everything we do in our day to glorify You. Lord, help those who feel overwhelmed and stressed...give them what they need to get through their days. Provide them with the clarity to find You amidst their schedules and to recognize that there is always time for You. (C.C.)

Today's Christmas Thought. By: C.C.

"This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ. " (Frank McKibben)

Lord I pray today that you help us keep our real Christmas perspective. Give us the humility of heart to experience the holiness of this season that we are called to. Help us acknowledge the different ways that Christmas will be celebrated throughout our world. Allow us to pause and recognize the various trials that may plague other people during this time. May we give You thanks for our blessings, and praise even amidst our misfortunes. Make us sensitive and charitable in our dealings with our other brothers and sisters. I ask Lord that you continue to guide us to do Your will this holiday season. May we see in each day an opportunity to share the true wondrous gift of Jesus and look beyond the superficial representations of Christmas. (C.C.)

More Imitation & Less Veneration. By: C.C.

"Often we are led to believe that sainthood is reserved to a few chosen ones... saintliness, the fullness of Christian life, does not consist in the achievement of extraordinary feats, but in uniting oneself with Christ... in making His disposition ... His behavior ... our own." (Pope Benedict XVI)

"The goal of the Christian life is holiness. Those who have attained this goal we call saints. They have found their essential purpose, they have celebrated their essential purpose. They have quietly chiseled away at the defects and weaknesses in their characters, they have become the best version of themselves. They have truly applied themselves to the Christian life. They have brought the Gospel to life, and they have lived authentic lives. I ask you, Who has lived more fully than the saints?"( Matthew Kelly: Rediscovering Catholicism)

Our Saints are more than the statues, murals, paintings, and names on our parish walls. They are more than a piece of jewellery worn as a fashion statement upon the wrists of our youth. Sadly many remain in ignorance about what these men and women truly represent and why they should be imitated today. These holy men and women of our faith gave their lives to living out the Gospel. They strove to love the Lord above all things and looked to do His will. I was blessed to be given the book entitled "Rediscovering Catholicism" by a dear friend of mine. She read me a quote the other night speaking to the issue of saintly veneration opposed to imitation. I have been reflecting on this throughout the day and feel that it is an issue to bring to light. Matthew Kelly writes, "If we, as Catholics were genuinely striving to become holy, the saints and our devotion to the saints would never suffer the criticisms and blows that are endlessly hurled at them today. When veneration replaces imitation, the saints lose their genuine role in Christian spirituality." One may ask..what is the role of the saints? Our saints serve as reminders to us of our own call to holiness. They also show us the power of God through human flesh when one is open and responsive to His call. It is through learning about the lives that these men and women lived that we are able to see ourselves, our own journeys, and the power of our Lord. When we fail to relate to their lives and acknowledge the many ways that should be imitated, it is then we do a disservice to ourselves, God, and our faith. Growing up in the Italian culture I was often surrounded by pictures and statues of St Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio, St. Anthony of Padua, and many others. These were most commonly on display at my grandmother's house (Nonna's house). Through childish and ignorant eyes these photographs and statues lacked significance to me, but somehow I knew to respect them. I made attempts in my poor Italian vernacular (at the time) to ask my nonna about these "people" I saw displayed before me. Nonna in her broken English attempted to share stories about the saints with me. When I was nine years of age she gave me a book entitled "lives of the saints", it is a hard cover book all written in English and I am convinced that this book at that time was already years older than my grandmother. At nine years old I ignorantly glanced through the pictures of the book.....it would sadly be years before these saints became such an important part of my life. Today I value this book immensely and consider each life explained as something to be adored and praised but also imitated. I take comfort in reading of the struggles, successes , virtues, and graces that the saints experienced. We must look toward our saints and their lives to find comfort. We must seek out their stories to properly understand why their names are written upon parish walls. There is a lesson to be learned through each of them. There is something we must take and apply to our own lives. We can pray for their intercession through our struggles, through our joys, and through every day that we live. I encourage you to start by simply reading about the daily saint, or finding out which saint is celebrated on your birthday. May we seek to not only venerate our saints but imitate them through our daily commitment to God and His will. May we recognize that in becoming like the saints we will share in a deeper union with Jesus Christ (C.C.)