The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

On this Sunday past I wrote of the Feast of the Holy Family and quoted a little know author, Sirach, of the Old Testament.  It was a guiding passage for fathers, mothers, and children.  Today's first reading John is reminding us all to listen to God.  He is talking to you, to all of us, all we have to do is listen.  You oh Lord are my center of my life.  All I do should be for you.  I, though a sinner, open my heart to my God so I may hear him with my mind, my ears, and my soul.

1 Jn 2:12-17

I am writing to you, children,
because your sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake. 

I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know Him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the Evil One.

I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young people,
because you are strong and the word of God abides in you,
and you have over come the Evil One.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.
The love of the Father is not in those who love the world. 

For all that is in the world,
the desire of flesh, desire of the eyes, the pride in riches,
comes not from the Father but from the world.

Yet the world and its desire are passing away.

But whoever does the will of God live forever.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Feast of Holy Family - Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Today is the first Sunday after Christmas, which is a time for families throughout the world to celebrate.  In today's first reading there are parts which make the modern world uncomfortable, but the basis for the writing is justice.  For if you have justice, you will know peace.  If you know peace, you will find love.  Love comes from knowing the truth, and in truth you will find God.

God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her children.
Whoever honors their father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My child, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.

 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Merry Christmas

Peace and Merry Christmas to all!

We have had a lot to rejoice about in 2009. I pray that your journey toward preparing a way for the Christmas this year has been fruitful. The journey of the Quads has been going well. At times we have made tremendous strides forward toward opening our hearts and ears to the word of God in our words and deeds. At other times our having hearts of stone and ears covered by earmuffs, but we are on a journey towards God. In the broader journey of 2009 we have truly journeyed.

We started out 2009 in Florida. What an experience to sit outside watching New Years fireworks at midnight wearing just a fleece with 1,000s of other revelers. It was the first time for us to celebrate for New Years in just a large celebration. Coming home from the Florida sun to the winter wonderland was a shock to our senses. Warmth is something we longed for after a long winter.

The warmth is what we experienced on our next journey. We traveled to the Atlantic coast of North Carolina during early August. Talk about warmth, nah heat is the better word. Staying on the coast it was beautiful, but if you go inland any distance you really feel the heat of summer. What a beautiful summer vacation spending good time with family in Marv’s home state. It would be pretty hard to beat the good memories of that summer vacation. That was not the extent of our journeys.

Little did we know in January we would be journeying to Oklahoma in November. Our son found a good opportunity in the U. S. Army to serve our country. So the family and my dad went off to Fort Sill, OK in November for his graduation from basic combat training (BCT). As parents were very fortunate to be able to promote him to Private First Class (PFC). In addition to being promoted he graduated from BCT in the top 10% of his class. Nothing is like Oklahoma in mid-November.

Our son graduated High School Engineering Academy in the spring, was a County Lifeguard during the summer, and went into the U.S. Army Reserves Corps of Engineers. His Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is Plumber, or as he calls it 21kilo. He will have to learn to how to put up with poop literally and figuratively. He plans on attending university in the spring semester.

The girls journeyed from frosh to sophomores. They went from girls to ladies in their level of maturity. They are doing well in all aspects. They got their drivers license this fall, much to OUR surprise. Drivers licenses gives them level of freedom, this is yet another milestone on their way to adulthood. They is still very active in volleyball, basketball, track, cross country, dance, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), the Waukesha Health Academy, school with choir, Students Opposed to Drugs and Alcohol (SODA), Peer Power, AP coursework and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) which is a college-readiness program.

We, as parents are so proud of all four of our children.

Peace and Merry Christmas to all of you!

Oh Lord, how may I serve you?

Oh Lord, my heart is not proud. May I put aside for a moment my pride, and sense of self-importance I may have and place myself humbly in the hands of my God who knows all my faults and failings and loves me still.

If we look at some of the challenges of integral human development – the word development sometimes conjures up the idea of self-fulfillment – doing my own thing, not being bothered about others, let alone God. God’s plan for his people includes not only material prosperity but also certain spiritual goals.

Imagine our globalized world if all the world’s people served God with one accord, if all pride and haughtiness vanished, and everyone was humble and lowly, if dishonesty was no more, and fear was unheard of.

What does this vision say to you?

This vision may sound unrealistic and impossible to realize, and for human beings on their own it is. What is significant about the Christian Social vision is it incorporates the spiritual life. You can’t just treat people as though they were a bag of chemicals. The question of development is closely bound up with our understanding of the human soul in so far as we often reduce the self to the psyche and confuse the soul’s health with emotional well-being. These over simplifications stem from a profound failure to understand the spiritual life, the human person, the unity of body and soul, born of God’s creative love and destined for eternal life. The human being develops when he grows in the spirit. When his soul comes to know itself and the truths that God has implanted deep within.

When you enter into dialogue between yourself and your creator, how important is it to you to foster a healthy spiritual life?