The Blessings of Our Stable Foundation

Jesus’ life, teachings, examples, suffering, death and resurrection are the basis for our Church.  He has given us a “stable” foundation.

That term has a two-fold blessing.  It is an unshakeable base for our faith & Church, and also one of simplicity.  The teachings of Jesus which have been handed down through our Church have stood firm over the last 2000 years.  It was also simple because He came without fanfare, and with little recognition as a mighty king and savior.

The strength in our foundation is with three simple parts – faith, love and hope.  Our faith is part of the foundation because we believe the testimonies of witnesses, relying on the accounts of others, and the mysterious ways God touches our lives.  We don’t have personal experience of Jesus’ time, so we must trust.

Love is also included because it is an integral part of each of our relationships – whether that is with family, friends, strangers we pass by, etc.  Jesus did tell us, “Love one another (everyone) as I have loved you.”  We must have caring compassionate attitudes in our actions.

The third one is hope.  We have this expectation because of Jesus’ teachings and His death and resurrection to reconnect us into the Kingdom of God.  It is with great wonder and awe that I consider what our Lord did, deeming us so precious and worth reclaiming in that way.

Those are the rock solid characteristics of our Church, our Christian community, our family, and ourselves when God is part of each relationship.  There can be no stronger foundation than one that includes God.

The simple way in which our Lord entered this world tells us something about how we should celebrate these seasons.  Our Advent and Christmas seasons should not be about extravagant celebrations, but rather they should be meaningful ones.  Our focus should be on Jesus – The Present and The Presence.

Would we have the same kind of celebration if Jesus was in the room with us?  Jesus came to give us something.  What do we offer Him in our celebration of His birth?  Keep a “stable’ mindset as your Advent-ure continues.

Merry CHRISTmas to all!

Signing Up For The Family Plan

          I’ve heard about a “Family Plan” in several places, including when companies talk about insurance and cell phone services.  But do we ever consider that in terms of Church?

That’s exactly what Jesus came to offer us — reconnection with the family of God.  We had got disconnected because of the sin of Adam and Eve — “Original Sin” which separated them, and us, from the Kingdom of God.  But God didn’t want anyone to be disconnected, so Jesus was born, lived, suffered, died and was resurrected (and continues to live) for our redemption and salvation.

Jesus wanted us back in the family of God, and also showed us the importance of family by being born into one. He also called a few disciples and built up their bonds to be like family.

Sure there will be strains as with any relationships, but when we hold together as family, we count each other as important, valued and worth holding onto.  As a family (including our family of faith), we are called to encourage and support each other, loving one another as Jesus loved us.

Jesus was all about building everyone up at every opportunity.  His teachings and examples are for us to follow in loving others, connecting in faith and living in hope.

“Family Plans” in Church, as in the business world, do have a cost.  But they are very different. The price is in terms of relationships, but the rewards can be huge too.  God thought the incredible cost for the divine family plan (Jesus’ sacrifice) wasn’t too much.  Max Lucado once wrote “Jesus thought your place in heaven is so important that He was willing to give up His so you could have yours.”  Choose the family plan, and don’t let go of that connection.  Remember too, that reconnection is possible.

I've heard that "The family that prays together, stays together."  That phrase is even more applicable for our family of faith -- Ch-U-R-ch.  Church is just not the same when you (U-R) are not part of it.

Any inn-terest in Jesus' birth?

Any inn-terest in Jesus' birth?

   Here we are amid Advent, the preparation time for Christmas.  I wonder what will it take for me to get into the Christmas spirit.  Will I make reoom in my preparations and celebrations for Jesus?
   Two thousand+ years ago there wasn't any room at the inn for Mary and Joseph to prepare for Jesus' coming.  Yet here I am, all these years have passed and the predicament is still the same.
   My wife and children try so hard to get me into the Christmas spirit.  In my attempt to avoid the materialistic mindset, I also make it hard to enjoy the fullness of the season.
   When I settle for celebrating Christmas on a single day, then the joy is minimized.  It is actually a two-part season -- Advent and Christmas.  What we remember is the coming of Jesus two-thousand+ years ago, but what we are celebrating is a continuous occurance, as long as we open the door.  Then it continues through the Baptism of The Lord Sunday (Jan. 9th, 2011).
   I should not wait until Christmas Day (or Eve) to bring Jesus into preparations and celebrations.  It must begin now if it is to have any significance.  I have to make the room in those preparations and celebrations, and in the rest of my life so there is a place for Jesus' presence.
   How much room do You need Lord?  Jesus will take as much room as I am willing to offer.  Even if the start is small like a few minutes of regular prayer, a daily ritual around the Advent wreath, extra Masses, or spending time in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, these are great foundations to build on.
   As in any relationship the closeness, communication and spending time with the other person(s) are key factors.  That is developing inn-timacy.  God wants so much to have a close, personal relationship with each of us.
   We could be very creative in our preparation, even on the verge of Advent-urous.  How do you make your celebration special?
   One of the ways that will be special for me is rediscovering Christmas through child-like viewpoints -- including those of my 8 and 15 year old boys.  The wonder and awe that can be part of the Christmas experience are great blessings.  I look forward to show and be shown the JOY TO THE WORLD that awaits us all.
   The gift of this Christmas should not be in the presents, rather make it in the Real Presence (of Jesus).  It is up to each of us to do our part to include Jesus in the fullness of the Advent and Christmas seasons.  Yes, we will be the ones who inn-vite our Lord to be part of the celebrations.  Are you inn-terested?

Getting presents? Get Real Presence

   Most of our Christmas celebrations will include giving and receiving gifts.  The reason gift giving has become part of the Season is because of the gift God gave us in Jesus, and those who came to visit Jesus brought gifts.
   Now we share gifts with loved ones and others too, which can be a way of being generous with our blessings from God.
   As we prepare for Christmas through the Advent season and in the 3+ weeks of the Christmas sesaon we need to include Jesus through all of it.  We will gather with family and friends for our celebrations.  It is also important to come together as an assembly with our Parish faith family, at Mass.
   Our presence and participation at Mass, in classes, in prayer, in Bible reading, in community building activities, in service opportunities, etc., strengthens our bodies and also the Body of Christ (the Church).  When we receive Jesus in Word and Eucharist, we are getting the gift that is everlasting.  But receiving Jesus is one of the steps.
   We must then consume the Word and Eucharist, that when we are open to God's Way, they become a part of us, change us and help us to live more faithful lives.  To do that we must stay connected and at times get reconnected.
   We support and encourage each other through our faith journey.  Sometimes that is as we assemble at Mass, other times it is as we meet in the community.  As we are fed through our connections at Church, and we keep those connections going as we live through the rest of the week, we can better handle the struggles that come our way.  When my connections have weakened the struggles are much harsher.  Keep connected, regularly!

How Will You $pend Christmas?

How Will You $pend Christmas?

   Christmas is a time when we have celebrations with family and friends, give gifts, and have special meals.  Will there be time for Jesus?  Will our time, energy and money be spent on the commercial aspect of the season, even to the point of exhaustion of one, two or all three?
   How do you make Christmas more alive for your family, your friends, and yourself?  The answer will be different for each of us.  I hope what we all have in common is that no matter where, with whom, and how we spend Christmas, we will include Jesus in all of it as well as save some for ourselves.  The spirit of Christmas should last well beyond December 25th.
   We have such a huge build-up to Christmas Day, that it is easy to lose sight of the fact that the Christmas season actually begins on Christmas Day (and the Eve vigil) and continues for a few weeks on our Church's calendar.  We celebrate the weeks prior to Dec. 25th as Advent, a preparation time that started this year on Nov. 28th.
   So let's make this Advent-urous journey to find the spirit of Christmas and keep the spirit in CHRISTmas.  Then when we enter into the Christmas season, let's share it with others that it hasn't all been spent.  We should be filled and renewed with JOY.
   Will we feel renewed and filled with JOY or will we be worn out by what it takes to get ready?  Are you in a hurry to get to your Christmas vacation that you rush through these precious days?
   Jesus' life on Earth was spent focused on us.  Will His Presence be in our preparation time and Christmas season?  We cannot bring Jesus into our lives for the occasion-al uplifting, then go on with the rest of our lives unaffected.  Jesus Christ is the beginning, center and all throughout Christmas (and beyond).  Where's your focus:  Getting presents?  Get the Real Presence!

Preparing Advent-ures

   What do you think of when you picture an adventure?  Do visions of high-energy activities, excitement and adrenaline rushes come to mind?
   We are in the Advent season, the beginning of a new liturgical year in Church.  So how do we prepare for remembering Jesus' birth 2000+ years ago, His continually coming into our lives, His final coming in glory, and still make it an enlivening experience for each family member?
   One way might be to use an Advent calendar or an Advent chain that helps us connect with God and each other.  The Advent calendar could be on a sheet of paper or a card with windows that have great Advent-urous ideas for each of the days from the beginning of Advent through Christmas.  The Advent chain would have similar ideas, but on pieces of paper that are looped to form links of a chain; Then each day your family could remove one link and do what is written on the piece of paper.  Each family member can share ideas to put on the chain links.
   Jesus gave us so much, as we remember in the Advent and Christmas seasons and at Mass each week through the year.  His examples help us to be more giving.  When my focus has been more on receiving, then I'm only fulfilled for a very short time, but being more giving makes it last so much longer.
   I hope you have a wonderful Advent-ure and may your Christmas be blessed and holy.  Remember Christmas Eve begins the season that continues through the Baptism of the Lord Sunday.  Keep the celebration going.  Our big build-up of preparations shouldn't end suddenly with Christmas Day, our focus just shifts -- not to the presents we receive, but to the Presence of Jesus.
   Jesus' Presence is the central part of our faith, His loving sacrifice we celebrate at Mass, and what gives us hope for eternal life.  So keep Jesus in your preparations and your celebrations for a well connected Advent-ure and Christmas.  Be Advent-urous for a Joy-filled experience.