Thank goodness for my other son, who very deftly explained, “He didn’t take your spot. He took mine and I took his.” Pew Tetris isn’t for the faint of heart. The dynamics of place settings rival a state dinner or an analytic question on the GRE.  She then asked in a loud voice, “Am I being good enough to get donuts?”

Again, I felt as if I was taking a standardized test.  If I said yes, she would view every subsequent action she took as mitigated by that admission against interest. If I said no, I would  hear heart wrenching caterwauls from the same person for the rest of mass. “We’ll see.” was the weak response I mumbled to put her off for a while.  D: None of the above.

Midway through the liturgy, I got an urgent memo: “I’m tired.” from one who should know better. Another daughter whispered “When is this over?” during the song for the offeratory. Fortunately, the primary clock watcher couldn’t actually tell time so I said, we’re more than half way through the mass and that satisfied.

I don’t know if other parents use the responses of the laity in the mass as editorial comments but it seems God understood we would need to occasionally talk in code to our children, to mentally cuff their noses while everything appears perfectly orderly.

“LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION.” “PEACE be with you.” and “Lord have MERCY.” often get special emphasis in our family, such that some of our kids think you are supposed to raise your volume at that point in the prayer. I do not know the lady behind me, but she was overcome with a fit of giggles because of all the double meanings being conveyed through everyday responses.

Still, it’s hard to get too frustrated with these people who don’t quite know how to be present at mass because I too sit there distracted as I try to direct one to wait until after to go to the bathroom, another not to play with the kneelers and a third that he has no excuse for me not hearing his voice when 1) he can read 2) he has the loudest voice at home and anywhere else and 3)I can see his lips moving but no sound is issuing forth.  I too was not fully present, trying to remember our envelope number and scribble a check during the song, making sure we have all 22 gloves and 11 coats and my purse. We came back from communion and I kept searching the aisles, looking at all the faces, wanting to see in them what I knew they could not find when they saw me.  The distraction from the moment was not limited to my family.

Here we were, two days from Christmas. We had just received communion. We ought to be lighter, brighter for the gift of the Eucharist. We ought to not be bothered by the coughing in the front or the music coming in late or the occasional opening of the Church doors in the back. We ought to be mirrors of the star that lit that night so long ago. We ought to be awash in light for others. Yet everyone looked worn and tired.

So when my four year old clapped her hands loudly for the priest who finished the announcements, I felt grateful for the reminder via my daughter of how we are to regard this gift of the liturgy, of celebrating the mass and having it mean what it means. For a moment, she revealed how all of this was to be understood and was in rapt attention in a way most of us would have to work to find within ourselves. We want to be in awe of God.  We need the star and the Angels and the bells and the color and the light and the word and the food and the weekly reminders to cut through our distractedness.  We cannot as creatures, bear in our hearts and minds the reality of God well or long because of our weakness.  Our original sin and all our foibles have the near endless capacity to divert us from what is truely important.  We lapse easily into sleep like the apostles when God is closest.  We have to deliberately chose to hold onto that intimate moment with Christ, like Mary holding her baby.  For a moment, I could feel that singular closeness and the world fell away.

Then we went back to, “That’s my spot.” and I was reminded of why we say, “Lord, we are not worthy to receive you.” Thankfully, He says the word and all is healed.

Merry Christmas!

Copyright 2009 Sherry Antonetti

When Therese was fourteen years old, something miraculous happened to her during the wee hours of Christmas morning. She had just returned from Midnight Mass with her father and her older sister Celine. In France on Christmas Eve, the tradition holds that children leave their shoes out and their parents put little gifts inside. At fourteen, Therese was a bit old for this, since most children had outgrown the custom by that age. But Therese was babied by her family, being the youngest.

As happy little Therese hurried upstairs to take off her hat in anticipation of searching her shoes, she overheard her tired father say quietly to himself, “Thank goodness that’s the last time we shall have this kind of thing!” Therese stopped what she was doing and did not say anything, but Celine knew her little sister’s feelings had been hurt and she was fully expecting Therese to burst into tears over what their father had said.

But surprisingly, the tears did not come. She later wrote in her autobiography that, in that moment, Jesus came into her heart and did for her what she could not have done on her own: He had made her think of her father’s feelings over her own. So, forcing back tears, she went into the parlor and pretended she hadn’t heard a thing, and acted excited over the gifts in her shoes. She would later write that this Christmas was her “conversion.” The oversensitive Therese existed no more; she was given by Jesus the miraculous opportunity and grace to think of her father’s feelings. She didn’t want him to know she had overheard him, because he was such a loving father that he would never have hurt her feelings on purpose. God’s grace at that moment gave her the maturity to swallow the hurt and try to please her father.

Copyright 2009 Nancy Carabio Belanger

Worst of all, though, was the Mystery Cry.  This was when Isaac would cry, sometimes very insistently, and we would have no idea what to do about it.  Was he hungry? No, not eating. Wet? Nope.  Want to be held? Well, he prefers that to being put down, but it’s not helping. Gas? Maybe, but how do you fix it?  Ugh. A frustrating fact for both parent and baby is that you can only really be certain of what was wrong the instant after the need is met.

As we continue in the Christmas season, it does us well to reflect on Jesus the Baby.  Although I am pretty sure all the things I listed above are results of the Fall and so perhaps not applicable to the Holy Family (for instance, the Church holds that Mary was a virgin during childbirth, which means Jesus was delivered miraculously and therefore without pain and hours of pushing).  However, Jesus was a Divine person who took on a completely human nature.  He was a real crying, pooping, nursing baby.

Think about it for a moment.  The God who existed from all eternity, the One who created the universe from nothing with just a word, took on human flesh in the womb of one of his own creatures.  Is there a creature more vulnerable on this planet than a fetus? Than a newborn? Abortion was not as medically sophisticated in Jesus’ day as it is now, but it was attempted.  And in Roman society, at a father’s whim, a newborn could be left out in the wilderness to die of exposure or taken by animals.

God chose to come to us in a completely helpless state.  Just like my infant son, he could not communicate even his most basic needs at first.  He was totally dependent on Mary and Joseph to care for him and protect him.  Wow.  And do we dare go a step further? He still comes to us this way.  Jesus could have made a sacrament out of anything he wanted, but he chose bread and wine.  Once the priest speaks those words of consecration, we believe that the bread and wine are substantially changed into Jesus’  Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  Although it still looks and tastes like bread, it’s really the Baby of Bethlehem.  And just like the baby, it is vulnerable.  We can choose to receive the Eucharist reverently, or we can choose to nail it to a wall and post pictures on the internet.  He leaves that up to us.

Why would the Ruler of the Cosmos allow himself to be in such a state, where at best he is sometimes allowed to go stale, and at worst is subjected to humiliating desecration? Because that is the kind of God we have.  He is crazy about us and knows that we are so wounded by sin that we have trouble with authority. He knows that if he appeared before us as he really was that it would literally scare us to death.  But who could be afraid of a baby? Of a piece of bread?  Under these two forms, God is saying to us, “do not be afraid to approach me.” He is also in the same position as he is on the cross, shouting with his actions, “There is nothing in this for me.  This is 100% for you. Do you believe now that I love you??”

Finally, Jesus becomes vulnerable for us because he respects our dignity.  If he appeared in all his glory, we would be shocked into worship.  He wants us to choose him.  Our capacity to choose love is the key to having been made in his image, and that capacity is crippled if we are not free to also deny him.  And how much joy does it give him when we, like Mary and Joseph, tenderly hold him close, sit before him in awe and worship, receive him into our hearts and homes and protect him from danger.  Respectively, these are things we do when we pray, receive the Eucharist in the right state of soul, go to Adoration, make him Lord of our families, defend his honor against those who would blaspheme him and fight for the rights of all other vulnerable human lives.

So the next time you have the honor of holding a brand new baby, it could do you well to remember that this was the form in which your God first came to you.  In fact, it is in that form that he comes to you every week at Mass.  This baby, however makes no secret about what he wants from you: some measure of love for love.



Copyright 2009 Libby DuPont

As we prepare to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends, I hope you’ll remember those in your life who may find this holiday particularly difficult or depressing.  Our recent podcast conversation with Jerry Weber reminded me that for those struggling with clinical depression or anxiety disorders, my happiest time of the year can be their most painful moment of the year.  For single friends, this time of the year often brings loneliness and isolation.  If you have a single family member or friend this year, you may want to read the following article from CatholicMatch.com and look for special ways to include them in your family celebration this year.

Christmas, New Year’s hardest times to be single, poll reveals

Catholics vote and vent about the woes of holiday singledom

PITTSBURGH – The most wonderful time of year is the loneliest time for singles, a telling new CatholicMatch poll reveals.

Nearly 3,000 members answered the question: “Which holiday do you find most difficult to be single?” Forty percent chose Christmas, while 32 percent said New Year’s Eve, 26 percent said Valentine’s Day and 2 percent said Thanksgiving.

The romantic scenes that play out in Christmas movies, commercials and songs – kissing couples, sparkling diamonds, happy endings – can painfully underscore the absence of a significant other, respondents said. “Is anyone familiar with that jewelry store Jared?” asked Monica-390419. “Their commercials are enough to make you gag. I recluse from Nov. 1 until Jan. 1, and then it’s safe to come out.”

Julio-512347 admitted, “In the past there have been occasions where I’ve just slept through it all and was glad it was over.”

A fire is less delightful with no one to hold tight or kiss goodnight, singles lamented. Even a beautiful Christmas Mass can be difficult, Katherine-489999 noted. “People kind of look at you as if to say, ‘So where is your guy or hubby?’ It makes me feel rotten.”

Attending holiday parties without a date is hard for many CatholicMatch members. “It’s like being alone in a crowd,” Donna-462418 explained. Others dread family gatherings, where uncles tease, aunts quiz and grandparents examine left hands. “You go to your families and see all your cousins and everyone engaged or newly married with newborns,” Daniel-228472 wrote. “It gets depressing year after year.”

But if Christmas induces the most pointed, prolonged sense of loneliness among singles, New Year’s Eve takes a close second. Respondents vented about the awkward midnight kiss and the lack of partnership entering into a new year. “Everyone is paired off and dressed up,” Denise-464246 wrote. “Sitting at home with my bottle of sparkling cider is boring – even if I put on my nice PJs.”

With more 22 million single Catholics in the country – a record number – it’s important for married friends and relatives to be sensitive during Christmas, CatholicMatch co-founder Brian Barcaro said. “It’s easy to breeze through the holidays and forget how something small – a certain song, the sight of mistletoe, a photo card – can nudge someone into a lonely bout.”

CatholicMatch polls like this one reflect the dynamic online community that sets the site apart. While members seek out their spouses, they also share trials and triumphs, insights and prayers. The site supports instant messaging and hosts three chat rooms and 38 forums, including St. Isidore’s Room (for techies), St. Joseph’s Room (for job hunters) and St. Vitus’ Room (for jokesters).

To view the full poll results: http://www.catholicmatch.com/polls/details.html?poll_id=2618

Maria’s book is the gift every Catholic Mom should give herself this Christmas – warm, reflective and a resource you’ll want to revisit time and again every Advent and Christmas season.  Check out this great book and Maria’s other work at her website.

Maria, thank you for writing such a wonderful and greatly needed book!  Please introduce yourself and your family to our readers.

Hello, Lisa!  Thanks for your kind words.  By way of introduction, I have been married for 17 years and have two daughters, age 16 and 9.  In my professional life, I am a speaker, author and teacher.  I have served in church ministry for over 20 years in communications, adult spirituality, family life and retreat direction.  I love to find the hidden meaning in life and help others to see it, too!

Please share with our readers a bit about your book Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas – what makes this book different from other Christmas books?

Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas is a one-of-a-kind book because it combines timely, scripture-based reflections with journal pages to write a gratitude list, the day’s intention, and your to-do list.  I’ve found daily reflection books, and Christmas planning books, but this is the only one I’ve seen that combines the two.  I think this is important because God is at work in the details of our lives, so this format brings our prayer and practical lives together.  I wrote it for busy women, like me, who want to enjoy the Advent and Christmas seasons in the spiritual sense of it.  It’s so easy for us to get caught up in all the tasks of holiday preparations that we lose sight of the wonderful opportunities to grow closer to God that Advent and Christmas give us.  By taking quiet prayer time everyday, we’re tending to our most important relationship–with God–and bringing that peace and love into the tasks of our day.

I love the fact that you encourage readers to pause and reflect each day during this hectic season.  What are some practical pointers for prioritizing this daily quiet time when things feel so very busy?

This is a great question, because daily prayer can, unfortunately, become “one more thing to do.”  That’s one reason why the book’s reflections and journal pages are brief.  The reader need not feel that it’s a burden to do the daily prayer.  So, I invite readers to put prayer at the top of the day’s agenda.  In my experience, my days go so much more smoothly when I’ve taken time to pray in the morning.  Not that the circumstances are different, but my response to them is.  Seen through the eyes of faith, the events of the day are easier to manage and place in God’s hands.  On the other hand, some women prefer to use the book in the evening, or at bedtime as a way to reflect on the day and make plans for the next.  Either way, I think its the mindfulness of the prayertime that’s important.  Tend to that, and see what miracles unfold.

How can we, as families, reclaim some of the original intentions of the Advent and Christmas season?  What are some of your family’s favorite Advent and Christmas traditions?

To answer your second question first, we love to set up the creche and tell the Christmas story together as we place each figure in the manger.  Also, we light Advent candles each Sunday during the season, and our daughters get a special ornament each year.  We have a daily Advent calendar that creates the nativity scene with a new character added each day.  And, music, music, music!  We all have our favorite Christmas CDs, and my husband plays piano by ear, so he takes requests anytime.

In response to your first question, I encourage families to make the Advent and Christmas traditions a priority and not just add them to an already busy schedule.  For example, if decorating the tree is a family project, schedule the time to do it, don’t just try to squeeze it in and end up doing it at a time went people are tired or distracted.  The most important thing we can do to reclaim some of the original intentions of Advent and Christmas is to set our priorities and stick to them.  Most people I talk with value time with family during the holidays over anything else.  So, cut back on some of the activities and build in lots of time to hang out with your children.  The spontaneous moments often become the beloved memories.  And, get the kids involved as much as possible.  They love to make a contribution to the celebration. I know it can be hard for some moms to give up some control of the outcomes, but there will be some wonderful surprises and blessings when the energy and creativity of the children is brought to the task!

I know that you do quite a bit of speaking to groups and organizations.  What are some of your favorite speaking topics to share with others during Advent and Christmas?

My favorite topics are:  Advent—Wait, Watch, and Wonder; Mary—the First to Say “Yes!”, and: Finding Ourselves in the Christmas Story.  This year, I’ll also speak on Loving, Laughing and Longing: the Gifts of Christmas.

Taking a page from your wonderful book, how would you answer the question, “Today I am thankful for…”

The warm sunshine, even in the chilly air
Hot tea
My daughter’s silly sense of humor
Our home and food
The post office
The chance to connect with CatholicMom.com!

Thank you so much for your time and for this great book Maria!  Are there any additional thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?

I pray all your readers will find peace in their hearts this Advent, and celebrate a wonderful Christmas with those they love.  Thank you, Lisa!

Order Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase.

Christmas 2009 can be the year your family restocks Christ’s manager… literally.  Sheep, cows, and other animals were good enough to surround our Lord on his birth; today, they can be the best gifts we give to others.  This year let your family give Christ a birthday present reminiscent of His birthplace.

All children look forward to writing their annual Christmas list, both the gifts they want, and the ones they need to buy. Hopefully, they have learned the value and joy of giving presents to loved ones.  Being realists though we know Christmas, in today’s society, has gotten out of hand; it has become all about wants.  Do children truly understand the concept of need anymore?

As parents we are all concerned about children not understanding the true meaning of Christmas and we are weary of trying to recreate a picture perfect, made for T.V. Christmas season.  The endless commercial hype for Christmas begins earlier each year in the hopes of “getting people in the mood”.     Our Lord’s birthday celebration has been trivialized, marginalized, and exploited under the auspices of love, family, and tradition.

Holiday traditions such as gift giving are fun and therefore hard to change; but it is possible to restore the real meaning of Christmas while still exchanging presents. This December, implement something new in your home…Nativity Gifts instead of Christmas Gifts.  Explain how Our Lord’s Nativity had only the bare necessities, and then show your children how to give these to others.

Last January, after adding up the total cost spent on holiday gift giving, my brothers and sisters decided to look for alternatives. After all, Christ was born in a simple manger with few material possessions.  Mary and Joseph did not spend the days leading up to Jesus’ birth shopping.  We wanted to find ways our children could celebrate Christmas in a way more evocative of that First Christmas.

We started to research organizations offering opportunities to buy the simple necessities for people truly in need.  The gifts had to be easy to purchase and at the same time highlight the differences between wants and needs.

The Christian Children’s Fund Organization Gift Catalog (www.christianchildrensfund.org) will let you purchase a pair of goats for a family in Ethiopia, or some pigs for three families in Uganda. Both of these gifts give families food and a chance for real income. In Brazil $36.00 will purchase one family an orchard, and $31.00 will buy a water analysis kit so children don’t get sick from drinking dirty water.

Another organization, World Vision, (www.worldvision.org) offers four chickens to a family for only 50.00; $30.00 will buy them five ducks. $40.00 will purchase a fishing set so families in places like the Philippines and Angola can put food on the table. They also can provide safe drinking water through treatment tablets.  One year of these treatments only cost $50.00 and will benefit 250 children.

Heifer Internationals’ catalog (www.heifer.org) sells small animals like bees, geese, ducks, chickens, and llamas for gift giving; many cost as little as $20.00. In addition to livestock they offer farming implements, wells, and other gift baskets of love. Barbara Bush, our former First Lady, is quoted on their website as saying,

“For sixty years Heifer International has  brought dignity and self-reliance to families in need all over the world with its brilliantly simple solution — livestock and training for food and income.”

Your family can buy a piece of the manger this year. These three organization’s catalogs alone illustrate the enormous call for just the basic necessities in many parts of the world today.   Teach them how easily they can make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season.

Go online and view the gift catalogs from these organizations, or find an organization of your choice.  Use the catalogs as a starting point for discussing the differences between wants and needs. Our family may want to have a new game table, but do we really need it? Can we get by with only three new gifts instead of seven? Maybe the monies spent on other gifts for our family would be better spent fulfilling the needs of others. Then choose a country or a group and decide which gift to give them…which Nativity Gift you want someone to have.

Just as Our Savior’s birth gave hope to us, May this Christmas season bring hope to others.   As it is written in Matthew 25,

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and

You gave Me drink …whatever you did for one of these

least brothers of Mine, you did for Me.”

Teach your family how to best say “Happy Birthday Lord”.

Copyright 2009 Carol S. Bannon

Deacon Tom focuses on love and shares an excerpt from his beautiful December column at CatholicMom.com.

Mary smiles at us from the mess of the manger in this week’s Mary Moment, shared by Sarah Reinhard.

Please consider joining us in support of the SQPN.com Giving Campaign.  Your donations will help us to continue in this important evangelization work.

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community.  Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

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A Christmas Letter from God to a Mother of a Special Child

My beloved child,

I have heard you question my gift of a special needs child.

I love you deeply, and I know you intimately, better than you know yourself.  My love for you is infinite; however, desire is to make you holier and more loving, to bring you closer to me.  This can only be done by purifying you.  As I did with the children of Israel, I accomplish purification through fire.  Fire purifies gold by burning off the impurities.  Having your desires for a healthy baby ‘ignored’ by me is my way of helping you let go and trust me to re-shape your idea of happiness.  Happiness in the world’s eyes is prosperity and health, peace and smooth sailing. As you have read in my Word, my ways are not your ways.

If you read the lives of my closest friends, the saints, you will see how often I told them “no” to their perfectly reasonable desires for their lives.  They suffered disease, poverty, persecutions, and this left them feeling abandoned by me.  Yet I loved them very much.  So much that I wanted to kiss them from the Cross, allowing them to share my suffering, saving souls.  Mother Teresa knew this, and she once said, “Tell Jesus He can stop kissing me so much!”

You have been called by me to a unique and noble vocation; to raise a special needs child requires that you put your entire trust in me, inn order to overcome your fear of having a child whom the world deems incomplete.  To go against the current of popular opinion in which a disabled baby is the worst thing that can happen to a family, in fact, did you know that 90% of mothers who received news like your child’s diagnosis aborted their children?  You have already proven that you are one of the elite 10% who said “yes” to life. I am so proud of you!

Now I want you to learn a higher level of trust, by going against your natural reaction to infirmity, and your maternal fears for your child’s future.  You will struggle with this, for example, when you see your daughter’s development lagging behind her typical classmates in first grade, or when you worry about what she will do as an adult.  Learning to trust me is a lifelong process, and it usually hurts.

Soon you will notice that you have an increased capacity to love; as you learn to love me for who I Am, not for what I do for you.  Even if you do it while gritting your teeth.  When you can act in loving ways even you don’t feel like it; caring for your child when you are upset or feel like you have no time for yourself or your other children, you are growing in love.  That is the goal of your walk with me.

This gift can seem very strange indeed, but you must remember that this increased capacity for love will surpass your expectations.  Perhaps you did not think you could cope with a special needs child.  However, as each challenge appears, you will find that I will not abandon you in this very special mission.  I want you to accept this child as a gift from my Hand.  Mary accepted the gift of my Son trusting the future to me.

Are you worried about your child’s future?  I hold it in my hands too.  This is a fear you overcome, little by little, as you see every stage of development happen, like watching a slow motion film of a rose unfolding.  And each accomplishment will mean so much more to you.  Someday soon, I promise you will look back on these dark days as Mary did, you will ponder the mystery of your special child in your heart with deep gratitude.

You will have peace again.  More than you have ever experienced before.  Peace that can never be shattered by circumstances. Peace deep in your soul, peace in knowing I love you and ultimately work all things for good for those who love me.  Peace that I hold a wonderful future for you and your child in my hands and it is eternal union with me.

However, I cannot complete this work in you without frequent communication with you, and your receiving my grace through the sacraments.  You also need support from family and friends.  Pray as a couple.  Have your children pray for their new brother or sister. This is a good time to start attending a prayer group. I will send you new friends who love me and who understand your unique new vocation.

Wisdom and peace are the fruits of carrying the cross; raising a child like yours is your way of carrying the cross.  Try to offer it up for those mothers who are considering aborting a child like yours.  It will make the suffering more meaningful. And remember to enjoy the unique gifts your special child offers to your family.  Her capacity for laughter, his ready smile, and frequent bear hugs.

Remember that I give the very best to those who leave the choice to me.  My blessings on the feast of the Nativity of my Son.

I love you,

God

Copyright 2009 Leticia Velasquez

Today, we are very happy to welcome our latest CatholicMom.com contributor Maureen O’Shea, who will share her columns with us monthly.  I love this wonderful inaugural column of Maureen’s for both its subject (the fabulous Archbishop Timothy Dolan) and the voice with which Maureen shares this special experience.  Welcome, Maureen, to our CatholicMom.com family!

The calendar says two weeks before Christmas, so last night we set out to see a big, jolly man with a smiling face, pink cheeks and a colorful outfit.  No, I’m not talking about Santa.  My husband and I were privileged to attend a church service to welcome the new Archbishop of New York, Timothy Michael Dolan.  He’s been visiting the entire vicariate and last night arrived in the Northern Westchester/Putnam Diocese, where I live.  What a beautiful, happy man.  He is truly the epitome of joy.  On a bitter cold, winter night St. Patrick’s church in Yorktown Heights, NY was packed to the gills.  I was told there were 800 people there last night and so many smiling faces.  It is a tough time for people here now, as it is for those across the entire country and we all need some good news and in he came with all the pomp and circumstance, we as Catholics so seldom get to see.  The Knights of Columbus were there with their swords and big feathery hats, as was just about every priest in the diocese.  We were running a bit late and as we came into the vestibule of the church, there he was in all his glory dressed in the purple Advent colors with the large miter sitting atop his head, waiting for all the priests to enter the church.  Like a child trying to catch a glimpse of Santa, I craned my neck and twisted to get a better view.  He was smiling from ear to ear and really enjoying himself.  When my daughter was two years old, I once described her as a little ball of love, well this man is a giant ball of love.  After some beautiful hymns that we all sang together along with the choir and a few readings, he stepped to the altar.  The mood was festive and this lovely man got up and as he took the microphone, he thanked us for coming out on such a cold night, then he began to sing, “Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but St. Patrick’s is so delightful.”  He related how he entered the church, having never met 99% of the people there, but he felt “he belonged, because as Catholics, we’re all family.”  Then he said something most men would never say on a first date, “I love you”.  How beautiful and heartwarming, how courageous. This man emanates love and joy and he sparked that joy in the entire crowd.

The service was short and we all went downstairs to greet him and have refreshments.  One would have thought we were waiting for a ride at Disney World with the ropes and people standing in line, but while at Disney World you often see impatience and tears, here there were only smiles.  The mood was infectious, everyone we spoke to was smiling and saying how wonderful it was, how wonderful he was.  Now you should know, I live in Westchester County, NY, one of the wealthiest areas in the country.  Many in this area are very well off and tend to be a bit jaded.  It takes a lot to impress us here, we are New Yorkers through and through.  Yet here comes this striking, merry man of God. A religious shepherd no less, complete with gold staff. There were a lot of us who came out last night to feel the warmth and love that this man came to offer.  He greeted us with open arms and a genuine delight, as if he’d been waiting for us.  The fact that he has a terrific sense of humor only adds to his charm.  At a time when we’re all wondering about our futures, our 401K’s, what’s happening in the world and how we’ll survive.  Worries about money, job security, our children, keeping our homes, ad nauseum, here is a man that is the personification of Christ.  He speaks of love, he uses his eyes, his words, his whole body to give a giant virtual hug, yet he’s not afraid to take on the tough jobs either.  Recently he directly addressed the New York Times in an Op Ed piece with regard to abortion.  Here is a man of truth and honesty, passionate about his beliefs.  A down to earth guy who says he’d love to have a beer and a sandwich with each of his 2.5 million parishioners.  He has assumed the mantle of New York, a cold and often scary place that has little time for God and yet is already making a huge impact.  His first visit as Archbishop in the Diocese was to the Bedford Women’s Correctional Facility where he said Mass and met with the inmates.  His very opening act was to reach out to the downtrodden, the forgotten and he touched them, hugged them and spent a few moments.  Even last night as we lined up to greet him, this very busy man made it clear that he was not in a hurry, that he had all night and he wasn’t going anywhere until all of us had gotten to shake his hand and say a few words.  He appeared especially gentle and loving to the nuns, particularly the older ones.  He is in a very real way a shepherd to each one of us.  He spoke last night about how the baby Jesus comes at Christmas every year just as he did over 2000 years ago and that each of us are living in our very own Bethlehem.  This giant of a man points the way to a people in desperate need of direction and reminds us what is truly most important, our Savoir, Jesus Christ.  We would do well to listen.  He appears childlike in the sense that he is sure in the knowledge that God loves him and he is exactly where he is supposed to be.   I think that is why he is so happy. If only we could remember that every day of our lives.

Archbishop Dolan is reaching out and doing his part with the confidence that Almighty God has everything else in hand.  As his flock, that’s all we need to do:  reach out to others with love, show up every day to do our best and trust that God is taking care of the rest.  This man’s treasures seem much greater and more durable than any presents Santa could put under my tree.  In New York this year, this teddy bear of a man from Missouri may just give Santa a run for his money.

Copyright 2009 Maureen O’Shea

Gifts are what they are and we then have the choice to open the gift, to decline the gift or ignore the gift.  How often in our lives we fall in love and the love ends.  After the hurt has subsided we then can look at that gift and ask ourselves – if given the opportunity would I have opened that ‘gift’ or declined or ignored it.

I always believe that every person, every situation, – life – and all that is brings to our journey is a gift – no matter how long it lasts.  For to me the saddest people in the world are not the ones who open the gift of love and for whatever reason lose that love.  No to me the saddest people in the world are those who do not take the chance to open that gift of love for fear of losing it.

As mothers we have been given the most precious gift of all – our children.  And when those days happen in which our hearts get broken, or we face tremendous struggles and frustration or even suffer with our children’s pain – I doubt any of us if given the opportunity of opening the gift of having our children would have declined or ignored it.  For the greatest sadness for all of us would have been never to opened our arms to the gift of our child snuggled within our arms.

As I look at my Christmas tree with the gifts wrapped with colorful paper and bows I smile because the real gifts that are most precious to me are not there – but will be walking in my front door on Christmas Eve.

Have a very Merry Christmas – and cherish the memories – always.

The Greatest Gift

It comes wrapped in various coverings.

It holds within it
happiness and sadness
joys and sorrows
laughter and tears

Sometimes it rests quietly in the background
Sometimes it bursts into the foreground.

The receiver has no idea what the gift contains
but surely within the gift lies a treasure
to share
happiness and sadness
joys and sorrows
laughter and tears

The greatest loss is never to have opened the gift.

By Susan Handle Terbay

Away in a Manger

Jesus Christ was born in solitude, away from the crowds, just as He sought time alone during his public ministry as an adult.  Granted, He was always found, whether by shepherds and kings or a crowd hungry for more miracles, but Jesus certainly showed us the value of time away.

Let us take time alone this day, or this week, to find a place to be away.  Away from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas to-do lists, away from the stress of navigating human relationships, away from the temptations of the world.  Most importantly, find a time to be away with Jesus.  Find Him alone as the shepherds did and honor Him, show Him the clean place you have created in your heart where you want Him to reside forevermore.  Nestle together in the stable, warm with the satisfaction that your God will always be with you, no matter how far away you may feel.

No Crib for a Bed

One of the first things that new parents worry about is where the baby will sleep (and how the baby will sleep).  How many books are there on the market about babies’ sleep habits and parents’ struggles with them?  It is compelling that the Son of God was born with no crib, no proper nursery room, no white noise machine…

God could have sent His Son in any way one could imagine:  in a blaze of fire, attended by legions of angels, simultaneously in all times in all homes throughout history, if He chose.  How incredible it is and worthy of meditation that He chose to come to us not only as a human, but as a helpless, infant human, and on top of all that, a poor, homeless one.

God may have had the striking simplicity of the manger scene in mind, whether Precious Moments or Fontanini, but I doubt it.  We can be fairly certain He was telling us something about the nature of God and the nature of humanity in His not-so-grand entrance.

The lesson for us from Jesus’ entrance into the cold world is humility.  Christ allowed Himself to be cared for by Mary as we must learn to allow Him to care for us.  We are called to be little children, trusting, obedient, and relying not on our own lofty knowledge but on the faith that God will always take care of us.  Let us pray today for an increase in humility, both in our own lives and in our culture, for politicians, entertainers, students.  Let us pray that we may appreciate the simplicity of a baby without a crib, who must be carried or cuddled, who relies completely on His parents, even though He created them in the first place. May we be content with what we have.

The Little Lord Jesus Laid Down His Sweet Head

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, a saint of just over 100 years ago, wrote often of her “Little Way”.  She believed that doing simple, everyday tasks for love of Christ and love of souls is the way for most of us to worship Jesus, the King.  She had a special heart for the Infant Jesus, who came to us so little, yet is such a BIG God.

When we sing of the Infant Jesus laying down His sweet head, I can’t help but think of another time His head was laid low, when the crown of thorns was placed upon it as punishment for the sins of us all.  He redeemed the sinfulness of our minds, where so much evil takes place, by allowing his head to be pierced.  The sweet Blood of Jesus ran down His face, pouring out salvation for the world.  Do you think Mary, His Mother, pictured His head surrounded by manger hay when she saw it encircled by thorns?

Let us today pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, the head of the Church instituted by the hands of Christ, whose sweet head we honor at Christmastime and always.

The Stars in the Heavens Look Down Where He Lay

We’re rather used to reading personification in our fiction, where animals and objects take on human qualities like talking, seeing, and even feeling emotions.  It probably doesn’t give you pause to read about the stars “seeing” the Christ Child laying in a manger filled with hay.  If you take a moment to ponder what looking stars might mean, what do you think?

I think of the Community of Saints, which includes the faithful here on Earth, the faithful who have passed into Eternal Life and those who are on their way.  They are called the Church Militant, for those fighting the good fight in the world, the Church Suffering for those being purified in Purgatory, and the Church Triumphant, for those who have realized the Joy of Heaven and eternity with God.

Imagine the hope and delight of those “stars” waiting for the doors of Heaven to be opened again, those saints looking down to see the Savior of the world born in a manger.

We are blessed to be able to ask for the prayers of the saints while we pray for those in Purgatory to be able to complete their journey.  Just as we pray for friends around us, we can count on our friends in Heaven to look down where we play and bring our intentions to the Lord.

All you holy saints and angels, pray for us!

The Little Lord Jesus, Asleep on the Hay

I’ve been teaching my four-year-old son this Advent about sacrifice and acts of kindness, and he’s been laying hay in a manger as a birthday gift for Baby Jesus.  Every time he does something out of love for God, he signifies it by building a soft bed for the Baby to be born on.

Any time is a good time to be reminded of the value of sacrifice and recommit to making little acts of sacrifice, kindness and generosity each day of Advent, or the Christmas season, or ordinary time.  I want to become better at giving gifts to the Infant Jesus out of pure love for Him and His Children (three of which live in my home and deserve my utmost every day).  Let us concentrate on the sweet face of the Infant Jesus, sleeping contentendly with the knowledge of our love for Him.



Copyright 2009 Katie Kimball

I’ve been rolling out this dough long enough to know that to proceed with high expectations will cause my cinnamon bread to flop. Keep things simple. It makes life a whole lot easier and less disappointing. Yes, even when it comes to receiving Christ within our homes. Select the recipes, buy the ingredients, and leave the rest to serendipity. A prayer to St. Pascual wouldn’t hurt. Like this morning. Lucky for me, the girls had already picked out their cookie and candy recipes. This past week I shopped and made sure I had all the needed ingredients which were set on the countertop as an enticement, a promise, a gift. The only thing missing was a date. Christmas baking wasn’t stuck to my calendar or my planner in peppermint pieces or syrup toffee. I’ve ended up with too many sticky fingers that way. Whichever day presented itself in the dusty haze of activity would be a gift.

At first I didn’t realize the opportunity. I’m a bit slow that way. And I’m a bit lazy some days. The opportunity arrived this morning when my youngest came to me with a lumpy cellophane wrap of sugar cookie dough and the request to bake. After a brief jolt to my tired- recovering-from-a-cold-relaxing-in-a-recliner body, I realized the moment being presented and I seized the gift offered in that cellophane lump of dough. All three daughters were home. The kitchen was ready and waiting. There was a bountiful pantry. It was a chilly December day. It was the perfect moment! It was a blessing. It was a gift. I seized it.

The rolling pins came out. The sugar was measured. Eggs beaten. The dough was unwrapped and, as I shook the flour for each girl to roll out her dough with, that’s when things started to go sour. And we hadn’t even begun the first batch of cookies!

One of the girls said something to the other. The other one misunderstood it and immediately noticed her favorite cookie cutters were at her sister’s elbow rather than her own. She had a tart remark to toss across the table and the war of words was on. And we hadn’t even started!

I could have sat down and lumped my discouragement inside that cookie dough. I could have thanked the girls for throwing this gift back in my face and left the room, but I’ve used cookie cutters far too long. I know that if the first batch is rolled out too thin you gather it up and redo it until it’s just right. If it’s too thick, you keep that rolling pin going until it yields to your touch. I mildly corrected the two feuding sisters and let it go. I let it go and allowed God’s plan to take over.

The dough rolled smoothly and the cookies popped out of the cutters perfectly after that. Right? Wrong!

My oldest daughter decided to bring her laptop to the table and check to see if her biology teacher had posted her final grade. The computer became the fourth sister at our festive table. Behind a screen of hardware and software, she began clicking and muttering under her breath while her sisters rolled and powdered and cut. I helped slide the spatula underneath the cookie dough and transferred it onto the cookie sheets. Does anyone else see something wrong with this Norman Rockwell picture?

I could have told her to take that modern day appliance out of my cozy kitchen and come back when she was in the mood to bake, but that wouldn’t have frosted any cookies. So I let it go. I let it go and allowed God’s plan to take over.

I talked with her about her grade and her teacher and her new schedule. We talked as she clicked, her sisters stamped with their cookie cutters, and I embraced the moment. We were all together in the here and now…whatever that was. I had to remember that my ideal and my reality weren’t necessarily their ideal and their reality. Somehow we had to meet in the middle and accept our reality. That would make it ideal.

Did things get better? Not really. One of the boys joined us in the kitchen. Ipod plugs danced out of his ears. He sat next to his sister and, despite the screen and the plugs, they communicated. There were a couple of giggles, elbow bumps, and plenty of balled pieces of cookie dough snatched from the younger sisters.

Annie and I proceeded to crack peppermint candies in a sandwich bag, chop walnuts, and beat egg whites into frothy peaks. When I turned around, the older two had left their work stations and my most energetic baker of all was already getting tired of kitchen duty. The middle daughter had disappeared entirely and I found her on the computer in the next room. So much for my precious gift of time and family.

Now, trust me, it isn’t beyond me to escape into a corner with my laptop as well. Some days it’s the soul of my existence. Some days it’s easier for me to simply face a receptive computer screen than the faces of my family who expect so much and give so little. But today I realized that Christmas isn’t just about cookie baking or candy making. It’s about much more. It’s about Christ being present in my home. It’s about Christ-like attitudes and serving as He served. It’s about choosing Christ and being happy in the moment. It’s about enjoying the gifts He has given me and not looking for others to give me anything in return. It’s about finding joy within myself and passing it to others rather than expecting to find it in those around me. Again, it’s the little things…always the little things. I wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass me by.

So I pulled out hot cookie trays and popped fresh ones into the oven. I dropped peppermint drops on waxed paper and I rolled chocolate drop cookies in powdered sugar. I snuck licks and drops of sugary medley all by myself. And I hummed Christmas carols. I spoke sweetly to delinquent elves and arranged cookies on holiday plates. It became my own little wonderland and my soul was happy.

Then I began to notice something. As the drifts of peppermint, vanilla, lemon, and chocolate snowed throughout my house, the sounds coming from my living room were happy and cheerful. Gleeful even. The high-pitched voice of my daughter met the lower-pitched one of my son and then a burst of laughter followed. A boyfriend showed up. More laughter. Annie skipped through the house, checking the plates, sniffing the bowls, and examining the bakeries. At one point I saw my older and younger daughters in an Eskimo hug and nose-kiss. My other daughter, in the moody throngs of adolescence, was quieter but obligingly took up the newly delivered box of Christmas cards, cozied herself a spot on the living room floor, and began to stuff and seal the envelopes.

Lunch was brought out and everyone began to gather at the table. Talking mixed as easily as cookie sprinkles. Jokes rolled across the table like peppermint drops. I noticed a steady stream of children rising to the countertop, sampling the holiday trays of goodies, and sitting back down at the flour-anointed table.

After the oven was emptied, the trays washed, and the countertops cleaned; calm descended over the house. Oldest daughter left for work. Boyfriend left. Son went to finish a paper. Middle daughter went back on computer. Youngest daughter drew me a picture.

As I wiped the table again, I realized what a blessed and wonderful a day it had been. I also realized how easily I could have missed the graces of this day. Children at home. Laughter. Smiles. Giggles. Jokes. Cookie dough. Sugar. Peppermint smiles. Those are the things that proclaimed Christ’s presence in my home today. Those were my gifts today. Again, it’s the little things…always the little things. Did I receive them graciously, knowing that they are not promised to me tomorrow?

It doesn’t have to be the way we’ve been plumed into thinking it has to be. Had I planned it down to the last walnut and set my expectations too high, I could have missed the smiles and laughter that came of their own free will…without me having to wave a wooden spoon or anything. There were no sour teenaged moments today, no sad little one, no chagrined mother, no ransomed and captive siblings. There was just a weak, lazy, self-centered mother…with the children God has blessed her with to make her stronger, less lazy, and—certainly—less self-centered.

It is up to each one of us to bring Christ to others. It is up to each one of us to ask Christ what His plan is for our day. He has the best-laid plans. Ours dull in comparison. Our plans are nothing when compared to His presence. Each one of us must ask what we are doing this very day to bring Christ to our children. By our very example, we draw them to Christ. Do our actions draw our children to us and to our family table? Or do they push them away?

We don’t have to all be in the same room doing the same thing to make it blessed. Hallmark makes us believe that’s the only way. Norman Rockwell (as much as I love his art, God rest his soul) engrained that into our brains. Thomas Kinkade carries on the myth. But this is not the reality. The reality is allowing our children to be thankful they are home, to know they can walk into our kitchen without fear of failure and retribution. The reality is what takes place within our homes and our hearts. The reality is the love we have for our families and the love we wish to impart to them.

Remember this season that Christmas is not about cookie baking or candy making. It’s about a baby…and how we receive Him into our homes and hearts. Again, it’s the little things…always the little things.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

* 2 cans crescent rolls
* 3 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese
* 2 cups sugar, divided, 1 ½ cups and ½ cup
* 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
* 1 stick butter, melted
* 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Spread one can of rolls into a 13×9 pan. This is the bottom crust.

Mix together: cream cheese, 1 ½ cups sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread over bottom crust.

Now spread one can of rolls on top of filling as top crust. Pour melted butter over top; mix remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.



Copyright 2009 Cay Gibson

So I’d like to share thoughts from two different sources and I hope they can be tied together into a cohesive Christmas sharing for any who might read these words. My intention and my prayer is that we first see Christ in this message. And after Christ that we see our relationship with our spouses and our children. And then after them, that we continue to see our call to relationship with our communities of faith, country and ultimately all mankind.

Jesuit Father Pedro Arrupe wrote these words about FALLING IN LOVE (in a quite absolute and final way!): “What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, what you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”

I have probably said that I love Lisa Hendey several dozen times. But that love doesn’t seize my imagination nor does it have anything to do with how I spend most evenings or weekends. So it must be another kind of love that we humans can experience for people we care about.

But this Christmas — this New Year — my prayerful hope is that you and I will be open to and then decide to fall in love with Jesus in a way that completely surrenders every waking moment of life. It’s sort of like the love I believe I experienced when I fell for my wife Dee. She was (is) so beautiful, so special, so awesome that I thought about her all the time. Time and life experiences have dulled that although we certainly have had a rebirth in our love affair in recent years.

And what this holiday column is about is a prayer that we have a rebirth in our relationship with Jesus. To have Jesus be the focus of most all of our thoughts and desires — that’s what this is about. Not just seeing the Babe in the stable manger — but recognizing that He is — He completely is the reason for not just the season, but the reason for every breath we take and every step we take towards permanent union with Him.

Emmanuel came out of love for us: unmerited, unfathomable love. And that love is the example we are called to. The late Jean Fox of Madonna House was a great lover. In a column she wrote in 2003 not too long before her death, she wanted to know how we can love more… love better.

Jean picked up the great spiritual classic book POUSTINIA and she found these words:
“To reach the beatific vision, you must reach union with each other. In forming a family, a community of love, you have to accept the cross — embrace it gloriously and willingly….. You must develop the ability to see the positive in each other…. to see each other’s beauty, to see each other’s talents and to rejoice in them and be glad about them…. This is how the Lord has treated you.”

So there it is. The message of the angels: Peace (love) on earth to men and women of good will. It’s what we take into our bodies (our hearts) as we unwrap the love of God found in our Christmas Eucharist.

If there is any flawed or broken relationship in your heart — perhaps starting with prayer at Christmas Mass or the New Year’s Mass — and continuing on into 2010, place it in the manger and ask the great love of our lives to teach us to love more. To care more. To do more. To give up more. To share more.

Falling in love and staying in love is the present of the Christ-child. But it’s the only present we have to decide to accept. And want. And it’s the same present that we then give to others.

Love to your and yours. Blessings.

deacon tom



Copyright 2009 Deacon Tom Fox

How many of the above sentiments fill your heart as you:

Race around town for the best deals, park miles from stores then walk, only to wait in long lines to pay?

Search for the perfect tree, secure said tree to car, drag tree inside home, straighten tree in stand, decorate and faithfully water tree?

Buy cookie makings, mix ingredients, bake, cool, decorate and store for each and every type of cookie?

Risk life and limb on ladders attaching sparkly Christmas lights to the house?

Buy, address, stamp and send Christmas cards?

Decorate every square inch of your house down to the ceramic stocking Q-tips holder?

Cut, tape and wrap your way through your new credit card balance?

Every year is going to be THE year when I do things differently to enjoy the season’s blessings. Every year I do everything pretty much the exact same way as always and end up feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and not too Christ-like.

If you ladies have somehow managed the time to read this column (which I highly doubt), forget the “to do” list. Concentrate on the above “to feel” list. Salvage the remaining time and enjoy the life that God gave you, and bring some joy to others this week.

Merry Christmas, moms!



Copyright 2009 Maureen Locher

One day, strangers came into the forest. “Who are they?” the young tree queried an elder fir standing nearby.

“They are a family. They come here each year in the midst of winter to choose one of us.”

“Choose one of us? For what?” The tree was puzzled.

“It is Christmas, my child.”

“Christmas?”

“I will tell you the story, the same way I heard it when I was only a sapling.”

The petite tree could hardly imagine the giant fir being little like itself! It listened intently.

“Many, many years ago, a small child was born in a stable in Bethlehem. It was an amazing night. The angels sang and there was the brightest star ever seen in the night sky. The animals were there and they shared the story with all the other wildlife. This was no ordinary child. This was the Son of God, the God that made us all and this wonderful world we live in. God sent his Son to bring salvation to the world. Each year, the humans commemorate His birthday, the day that tiny baby came into the world. One way they celebrate is by decorating an evergreen tree.”

At that moment, the sound of an ax striking wood resounded through the forest.

“What is that?” the small tree asked, frightened.

“Ahh. The tree has been chosen.”

“Chosen! But they are hurting it! They are killing it!”

“Yes, but it is a great honor to be chosen! To give one’s life to celebrate the One who gave us all life – what could be greater than that? I would have gladly given my life.” The elder tree sighed. “Unfortunately, I am now too old and much too big. It is the younger ones that are chosen – the ones in the prime of their lives.”

The young tree shuddered as the family dragged the chosen one away. “I don’t want to be chosen! I like it here. I don’t want to die!”

“You don’t need to worry about it now! You are still very young.”

The years went by and the small tree had grown into a beautiful fir. Each year, it filled with fear as the family would come. “Please don’t pick me,” it would whisper. Each year, it filled with relief as another was chosen and dragged away.

Another winter came to the forest. This time when the family came, there was a small girl with them. She saw the tree and fell in love. “This one, Daddy!” she cried with enthusiasm as she threw her arms around it. The tree was so scared as the father came over. It could see the gleaming metal of the blade carried over his shoulder.

“Not me. Please, not me,” the tree begged. “Choose another. There are others more beautiful than I. There are others more worthy! There are others who want the job!” But then the tree saw the small girl’s eyes which were so full of excitement and love, and it remembered the words of the wise old tree – to give one’s life for the One who made us all is an honor. The tree took a deep breath. “I can do it,” it thought. “I can be brave.” It felt a sharp pain as the metal crashed powerfully against its trunk. The next thing it heard was the appreciative murmurs of the other trees as it was pulled across the snow. Yes, this year, it was the chosen one.

It was brought to the family’s home. The smiling faces hung ornaments and lights on its boughs. The family sang songs and put wrapped packages underneath its branches. The little girl was lifted up in her father’s strong arms and placed a star on its top. A star – like the one the ancient tree had told him about! The tree had never imagined anything as wonderful as this! It never dreamed it would give such joy! Then, they told the story – the same story of the child’s birth it had been told so many years before.

The tree was filled with warmth and love. Yes, this was an honor. This was its crowning moment. Like all those who give all for the One who made them, the tree was rewarded beyond measure.

Copyright 2009 Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Can you imagine being pregnant knowing you were going to have that baby soon and traveling for days and weeks by foot and donkey?  Arriving and being told you could sleep in a barn.  Can you imagine having the baby, no doctors, not heart monitor machines, just you and your husband delivering a baby in an unsanitary barn with animals?  Can you imagine laying your precious baby in a wooden box that the animals eat from?  Can you imagine people you have never meet or seen before coming to see you in a barn right after you gave birth and they all want to see your baby and touch him?  Can you imagine Kings bowing before your baby and leaving you treasures in your poor life you have never witnessed?

Can you imagine being the mother of God?  Can you imagine saying yes to God for a path that would endanger your life; that would lead you in unknown directions?  Can you imagine listening to God so intently that He would choose YOU to do His work?

You don’t have to imagine you just have to listen.  Because although God is not asking you to be a parent to the Christ child He is asking you to do His will!

Will YOU listen?

All YOU have to do is listen!



Copyright 2009 Lori Hadorn-Disselkamp

The prayers of the Liturgy chant: “O marvelous exchange! Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin. We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity.”

It is almost beyond human comprehension. And yet, some of the wisest men through the ages have beckoned us to believe it.

St Athanasius, a feisty 4^th century bishop of Alexandria, spent his whole life in and out of exile defending the Incarnation of Christ. He wrote passionately about this marvelous exchange: “For the Son of God became Man so that we might become God.”

St Thomas Aquinas, the prolific 13^th century “Angelic” doctor of the church, repeated it: “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”

What does this mean for us?

It means that we have grace to become children of God.

How?  St. Paul tells us it is by adoption that we become children of God, thanks to the Incarnation: “When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption… God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ “ (Gal 4: 4-6.)

Jesus taught that this is exactly the condition we need to enter his Kingdom: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 18:3-4.)

Look at the Magi – wise men of esteem coming before the little infant Jesus born into poverty. The Magi, men of power and influence knelt (knelt!) before him.

During his public ministry, Jesus preached: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Jn 3:3.)

This was the mystery before Nicodemus, another wise man, and a devout Pharisee in search of the truth about the Savior.  Hearing Jesus’ words, Nicodemus asked an intelligent question: if I’ve already been born, how can I be born again?

Today we know what Nick was wrestling with – but now we know the gift of our baptism makes us Children of God. We become sons and daughters of God by grace, not by nature… not by natural birth, but by a spiritual rebirth.

Our life is meant to echo this spiritual childhood We’ve got to let ourselves become little in the way that Jesus did. If He entered into humility by becoming a child, so can we by the power of his grace.

The first thing I learn from this is that childhood is good… and that God is approachable.

Once upon a time, we were children who innocently went about our days without any worries… often living in the bliss of the moment. It was a very Eden-like existence up to a point. Eventually we learned that we had to grow up – to be responsible and mature and productive. There is nothing really wrong with that, except that as adults we often forget our original childhood.

Even worse, some people’s memories of childhood – their holy innocence – are marred beyond recognition – stolen from by violence or inhumanity.

Either way, the beauty and bliss of that child-identity – our original core connection – that of being a Child of God can be disjointed, disconnected, or dismembered.

Enter the Christ Child… and the dawn of something mysteriously new.

Enter the Child who stepped into Time to promise eternity.

That same Child has the power to make children of us all.

Jesus restores what was lost to us in the Garden of Eden: a life with God. Being baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit calls us to the live this day as if One Day we will live with the Blessed Trinity.

If God became a little child, slipping into the bliss of being held in the arms of his loving parents – just what does that tell us?  There is something holy – and necessary – about being a child. We learn to whom we belong and we begin to know peace.

I weep at the miracle and majesty of Christmas captured in the Holy Babe.  I long to let go of my adultish cares and slip into the bliss of being held in the folds of Jesus’ robe.

When I enter that mystery, when I rejoin, reconnect, and remember that Truth, I re-learn to whom I belong and the peace it brings. I sleep in heavenly peace.

Remembering overcomes The Split: remembering overcomes sin – turning “no” into “YES!” – turning separation into connection, communion.

And there is holy fallout from this marvelous exchange: not only do I have the chance to live one day in heaven but I exchange the lie that I must somehow become my own god. For the truth is I am still a Child of God regardless of my age or circumstance.

This Child lies at my deepest core; my being is yoked to eternity.

And this I know this when I kneel before the Crèche. I experience the marvelous exchange that comes from that Baby gazing up at me.

©2009 Patricia W. Gohn