Posts from December 2023

January is here again, and for many people, it’s time to make our annual New Year’s resolutions. So often these resolutions are made on the spare of the moment: need to lose weight; stop smoking; cut back on this or that. In today’s Gospel from St. Luke, maybe there is some inspirational words to help us. In the Gospel, it says: “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) In the spirit of Mary’s…

Christmas has become for us a time to exchange gifts with family and loved ones. It’s a beautiful tradition that keeps us close as family and friends. It warms our hearts that someone is thinking about us. And it truly brings joy to many. This Christmas let us remember the gifts we have received and share them always. Merry Christmas! Jesus gave us the gift of Himself. Let us give the gift of our presence to those who seek our…

One of the saddest comments I hear during this time of year is someone saying, I can’t wait for Christmas to be over! It’s sad because their missing out on the joyful presence of Jesus in our preparations. Consider the story of one young man. He was often sick as a baby. He was always small, puny some would say. As a youth he was always frail and delicate. He was not able to play sports with the other boys…

Family members were on edge. A beloved aunt had died, and all her grown nieces and nephews were gathered in her home to figure out how to dispose of her lifetime of belongings. You could feel the tension. Old hurts were close to the surface. Fear reigned in everyone’s heart as they worried that they would not get their due. Though they didn’t realize it at the time, fueling all the fear and tension was the pain of having lost…

Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for the coming of the Lord. We spend a lot of time preparing in our lives. Getting dressed: what to wear? is it appropriate? is it in style? Going to dinner: where to go? what am I going to eat? do I get dessert? Going shopping: what do I need? what store is best? how much can I spend? And I could go on. But what about preparing for the coming of…