Receiving Advent

 

One year during Advent, a parish priest invited his parishioners to write down on a slip of paper a word that named something that is keeping them from getting closer to God. He suggested it might be a fear, a resentment, or an attitude that shuts us off from the love God so wants to give. They were to fold the paper over a few times, grasp it tightly in one hand, and make a fist around it while he began to preach on the Scripture readings.

 

After a minute, a parishioner's hand began to ache. At two minutes, his hand grew numb. At three minutes, the hand started shaking uncontrollably. The priest told us to open our hands. He found how hard it was to do that. After grasping the piece of paper so tightly, his hand had stiffened and seemed to have a mind of its own.

 

He could not remember what else the priest said that day, but he never forgot that lesson. Hold on to a resentment, fear, or bad attitude long enough and you will become paralyzed.

 

As we begin Advent every year now, we start with the realization that we need to let go of any and all spiritual impediments we are hanging onto. Advent is a time of receiving. It’s hard to receive if your hands are clasped shut. So let us begin Advent once again with this prayer: Holy Spirit of God, open our hands, our eyes, our ears, all our senses, and all of our heart so we will be ready to receive your Advent blessings.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who need to let go of the past hurts and allow Our Lord's grace to heal the wounds of your past.

 

Thanksgiving during a Pandemic-Are You Serious?

 

Somewhere in the Bible, it is commanded, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

 

Does that include the pandemic that pins this planet and nation down this Thanksgiving?

As far as I can tell, the command does not indicate an exclusion clause. Though let's be quick to recognize this is not a command to “give thanks for all circumstances”—it is a command to “give thanks in all circumstances.”

 

After all, how could we possibly thank God for the disease that has taken away our loved ones (1.34 million deaths globally—248,707 deaths across this nation as of three hours ago)?

 

No, the command is specific—“give thanks in [not for] all circumstances.” After all, how could we possibly thank God for the disease that has stripped away our personal economic security? 

 

“A new Pew Research Center survey finds that, overall, one-in-four adults have had trouble paying their bills since the coronavirus outbreak started, a third have dipped into savings or retirement accounts to make ends meet, and about one-in-six have borrowed money from friends or family or gotten food from a food bank. As was the case earlier this year, these types of experiences continue to be more common among adults with lower incomes, those without a college degree and Black and Hispanic Americans”

 

The apostle Paul, himself no stranger to economic deprivation and intense personal suffering, is clear in his apostolic command: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

But really—we’re supposed to find a reason for thanksgiving in the midst of this Covid-19 onslaught—are you serious?

May I make a humble effort to suggest a small list of possible gratitudes this Thanksgiving? Perhaps your own list will look quite different:

• I am grateful for the technology that enables me to worship remotely with people I can’t see—somehow knowing, in a divine sort of way, we are actually connected to one another, though very much physically distanced.
• I’m also thankful for the people who put up with the bother of wearing a face mask when they’re around me—what an “I care about you” kind of gift!
• I’m grateful for the cell phone that lets me reach out to people I otherwise wouldn't have been able to reach during this pandemic.
• I realize more and more the simple truth embedded in that old saw, “I complained to God about having no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”
• I’m grateful for the lesson this pandemic is trying to teach me—that what really matters most in life—more than professional success, more than economic comfort, more than even religious or theological correctness—what really matters most of all is relationships—and I want to treasure the ones I have all the more—especially the one with God.
• I’m thankful that as a result of this I will start online cooking classes to become a first-class, homemade-bread specialist.
• I’m also grateful that my Covid-19 test a couple of weeks ago came back negative.

Perhaps there is more truth than poetry to an “attitude of gratitude.” Consider these three one-liners I found in the chapter “Mind Cure” in Ministry of Healing:

• “Nothing tends more to promote health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise” (251).
• “When you open your eyes in the morning, thank God that He has kept you through the night. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon, and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven” (253).
• “This command [1 Thessalonians 5:18—see above] is an assurance that even the things which appear to be against us will work for our good” (255).

Did you catch that? What appears to be against us “will work for our own good.” That’s what God did at the cross—took the enemy’s absolute worst and transformed it into salvation’s absolute best—as only Jesus can do. Gratitude? Are you kidding? A blessed Thanksgiving, indeed!

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that on Thanksgiving Day we offer our prayer of gratitude for all our relationships that have brought us closer together and to your love.

 

Prayer Group for Holy Family Parish

 

 

Welcome to the Holy Family prayer group. We will be praying the Rosary tonight for each other’s intentions. It is my intention for this prayer group to have a “Holy Pause” during our busy week. Our “Holy Pause” will allow us the space to encounter God. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “Be still and know that I am God”. Please invite your family and friends to join us for a “Holy Pause” on Wednesday nights at 8:00pm each week. I look forward to seeing how the Holy Spirit continues to inspire each one of us. 

 Introduction to a “Holy Pause.”

Pray the Rosary including: The Apostles Creed

Announcing each Glorious Mystery Fatima Prayer after each decade Hail Holy Queen

Blessing:

May the Lord bless you and keep you;

May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;

May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Please encourage your family and friends to join us next Wednesday at 8:00pm for our “Holy Pause” the space to encounter God.

Good night.

 

God is Our Great Hope

 

Having faith and hope seems almost absurd in times like these. The brokenness, darkness, and suffering of our world are in plain sight. Uncertainty looms and lurks around us. Fear rears its head way too easily.

 

I hear the cries of despair in my daily comings and goings. I see the pain as I listen to people, helping them hold it all as we seek to find God in all things, even in these times.

I am not naïve to what is happening. Yet, I am full of hope.

 

I witness the way hope appears in the darkest of times, the way mercy slides into the tiniest crack and softens hearts, and the way love makes its presence known in places I thought it never could. I watch God labor to help people reimagine their ability to forgive and receive forgiveness. I see God inspiring new and creative ideas in people to work for justice and to care for all humankind. If there is one thing I know for sure, God does not give up on us. Ever.

 

God is our great hope.

 

Our human history is a long story of God laboring to reimagine our lives: Birthing new life into unthinkable places. Freeing slaves. Changing human hearts. Reinvigorating relationships. Healing the brokenhearted. Inspiring scientists to develop a vaccine, new inventions and medical advances. Helping people hope in times of despair.

 

God brings hope to our lives. God invites us to see new horizons we never dreamed possible. The photo you see in this meditation was my last Autumn walk in the woods. The leaves have fallen, but to my delight, the sun rays were sparkling through the trees and I was able to capture this magical moment. I know I am not the only one looking at the world. God sees what I see, what we see, and so much more. God is laboring to bring new life and reimagine our lives.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, help them never to despair As it says in Isaiah, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (43:19)

 

You’re invited to follow the link below to enjoy the beauty reflected in images captured in the photography of Father Matt.  Today’s Sonshine image is a new 2020 image that can be found in the Autumn Gallery. Proceeds will support the ministries of our parish and comfort home: www.frmatt.com