Drop the Blanket

 

 

Linus loves his blanket, carries it everywhere, and is not embarrassed by it. He cannot survive without it and really suffers when it is being washed. However, in strips from the later years, Linus seems to want to get rid of it, even though he knows he is a mess without it.

 

In A Charlie Brown Christmas, there is one moment in this show that went seemingly unnoticed for 51 years.

 

When Linus is asked the meaning of Christmas, he memorized and recited Luke 2: 8-14.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.' I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

But while Linus is reciting these verses, there is one important thing we might not have notice then. Right in the middle of speaking, Linus drops the blanket.

I believe that this is intentional and more profound, the specific moment he drops it is when he utters the words, “fear not.”

 

Looking at that scene, it is pretty clear what Charles Schultz was saying, and it’s so simple it’s brilliant.

 

The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears.

The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.

The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Jesus instead.

 

The world of 2021 can be a scary place. And most of us find ourselves grasping to something temporal for security, whatever that thing may be. Essentially, 2021 is a world in which it is very difficult for us to “fear not.”

 

But in the midst of our fear and insecurity, this simple “drop the blanket” moment can be an inspiration for us to seek true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can always still be found, into the hands of Jesus.

 

However, after this blanket-dropping recitation of Scripture given by Linus in response to Charlie Brown’s quest for meaning, he picks the blanket back up.

 

Why would Linus pick that old security blanket up after so boldly proclaiming an end to fear? Why does he leave the stage with that security blanket still in his hand?

 

We first must admit that we all carry that same blanket.

Just like Linus, we may stand tall in a moment of faith, but out of habit, we reach down and pick that thing right back up. Faith, while powerful, is also delicate.

 

Linus clearly knows the truth, and clearly proclaims the truth. The knowledge is there and the wisdom is there and the passion is there. So why does he pick it back up?

 

It is because we all do the same thing. We gaze into our mirror in the morning to find that tattered old blanket draped over our shoulder yet again. And we realize that we have become so used to it being there that we hardly even noticed it.

 

But that is not where this blanket story ends.

 

The show ends with the Peanuts gang not just singing, but clearly and unquestionably singing in worship. The obvious song choice here could have been “O Christmas Tree,” the notes of which have already been playing gently in the background. But the focus is no longer the tree. The focus has become bigger than the tree. The focus is Jesus.

 

With this new focus, the kids sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the Newborn King,” and what we are now witnessing is essentially an impromptu worship service.

 

But before any of this happens, Linus parts with that blanket yet again, and lays it down for good at the base of that beautiful Christmas tree, just as we should strive to not just lay our blanket down just anywhere, but leave it forever behind us at the foot of that cross, for our own good and the good of others.

 

It is here at the end of the show that Linus lays that blanket down yet again, and this time? He doesn’t look back.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who carry our blankets of fear and insecurity, draped in pride and selfishness. Give us Your gift of humility to drop the negative attitudes and never look back.

 

 

Fourth Sunday Advent Reflection by Fr. Nadeem

 

Good Day! Let us behold Jesus, the Word incarnate revealing himself to us in the Sunday readings. Today is the Forth Sunday of advent, only few days away from Christmas. Hopefully we can pause and reflect amidst the holidays rush.

 

How is your spiritual preparation for Jesus’ coming? We can learn from the Gospel, Mary Visits her kinswoman Elizabeth so that she could assist her in the demands of child birth at her advanced age. This event follows the evangelical nuncio that Mary would bear God’s Son. Bearing Jesus and serving others, especially the needy, is a powerful spiritual preparation for Christmas.

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

 

Christmas a season of goings and comings. This is what we want to reflect on. Very often we look at the Christmas decorations or even contemplate on the nativity scene, we are transfixed on the beauty of the depiction, of the birth of Christ, but very often it lacks movement. They are permanently in place but the original Christmas or preparation for the Christmas is a very dynamic event.

 

A small town of Bethlehem which could not boost any greatness was chosen by God to be the birth place of someone from the line of David. From that small town according to Micah, will come forth, will go forth, a ruler for whole Israel. A ruler coming from small town but will not stray in the small town, from that small town He and his reign will go forth to the whole Israel. The whole of Israel will experience righteousness, justice, and peace. The greatness of this ruler shall reach to the ends of the earth. You cannot control and keep the dynamism of Incarnation and salvation. It must come forth, go forth until the ends of the earth. This ruler, whose greatness reaches to the ends of the earth, who comes from above, is Jesus Christ. Jesus Comes from God the Father. Jesus comes to world with the body, so that in his body he could do the Will of the God. It is come from the God, coming to the world as a human being for a specific purpose: to do the Will of the God. By this Will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. in

 

Today’s gospel we continue the same theme Christmas a season of goings and comings. Yes, it is going forth, actually coming to come someone. Here we have Mary who was visited by the angel and through her fiat, the Word of God, the Son of God came in the flesh and took flesh in her womb.

 

The second reading happen actually in Mary’s body. Mary welcomes the Son of God and go forth. Mary could have used an excuse to say I am pregnant and I am the mother of the Son of God and I will stay home in Nazareth, but no, the very dynamism of the coming forth of the Son of God and coming to her impelled her to go. She goes forth to a town in Juda and meets there her kinswoman Elizabeth who was also with child, her six months even. Mary goes out, she goes out not alone but with the Son of God who came to her. She does not go out aimlessly but she goes out so that her Son comes out to another family. through her, Jesus, her Son could start his mission: to bring good news and joy. Vow, and that happened, Elizabeth filled with Holy Spirit and said, who am I to be visited by the mother of my Lord. So Mary’s going out is coming to someone. Going and coming but for a purpose: solidarity, service, communion, bringing joy, bringing salvation.

 

My dear brothers are sisters, where are you going on this Christmas? Where are you impelled to go? Will you be coming to families, persons so that people may say who am I to be visited by the Lord? Christmas is not to move aimlessly. Christmas should impel us to go so that many more people would experience the joy that was promised from of old. May God bless you all!

 

 

Make a Little Joy This Week

 

Wouldn't it be great if the first thing that popped into people's minds about Catholics they thought was joy. "Those are some seriously joyful people. I don't know if I like them or agree with them, but you can't deny those people got some joy." 

 

Have you ever noticed that Christmas is bubbling over with joy? Well, evidently a lot of us have missed that news because Catholics are not always associated with joy. More often than not, people think of us with long faces, furrowed brows, somber looks. But everywhere you turn in scripture, Christmas is bubbling over with joy. Zechariah, fulfilling his task as a priest in in the temple, an angel appears, says, "You and Elizabeth are going to have a son, and you're going to name him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth." Elizabeth receives a visit from her cousin Mary, who has conceived Jesus. And when Mary arrives, the baby leaps in Elizabeth's womb for joy.

 

Angels have the wonderful task of sharing the good news of Jesus' birth. God arrives with the shepherds and says, "I bring you good news of a great joy for all people." And then best of all, with the Wise Men, they arrive on the scene, they discover Jesus, and when they see the star, they rejoice with exceeding great joy. That's a lot of joy. Joy is everywhere. Christmas is dripping with it. 

 

Today’s Sonshine is a simple reminder that Christmas - Jesus Christ - is all about joy. Despite the latest news that we all have to start wearing masks again. No big deal. Jesus brings great joy. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.” Shout it from the rooftop. Whisper it to a friend. Joy sustains you in the highest moments, perhaps at the birth of a new child or in your darkest moments of despair. We know the Lord, and nothing can change that or remove that. We have a joy that is contagious in a good way. Joy is at the center of God's heart. Joy makes us different because we have a joy that the world really doesn't understand.

 

A week ago I was asked to volunteer at the cathedral to help make pastries for a Christmas fund raiser. Imagine this, the bishop was mixing the dough, weighing it on a scale, proofing and I would take the round loaf and roll it into a 12 by 12 square, fill the pastry with cups of apple, apricote, or prune and carefully roll the pastry into a log, press the seams with a fork and hand it off to our bakers into the oven. 

 

Lots of fun and laughter as our the church ladies would asked me, where did you learn to roll out the dough so perfectly Fr. Matt? I shared with a grin that it is a dream of mind to open a pastry shoppe. By the way, I told them, don’t you remember every time I come to celebrate Mass and preach at your cathedral I always have some cookies to give away at the end of Mass. "Who made the snickerdoodles and peanut butter and chocolate chips cookies?" “Oh, yea,” they remembered. “But why did you do that?" My response, “to bring you joy.”

 

Christmas isn't so much about changing the world, changing other people. Christmas is really about God changing you. It's about Jesus. There is no greater joy than Jesus. If you want to raise your joy a little, here's two simple ways to grow in joy this week as you prepare for Christmas.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that they take the time to spread a little joy,

 

First, either you are cooking or attending a Christmas meal with family and friends, maybe you could offer the Christmas blessing and say thank you to your host for their generous hospitality, and you could bring a little bouquet of flowers for their table (that’s my gift to make a floral piece for the sideboard). 

 

Second, this retired old priest has been invited to return to his former parish and cathedral to concelebrate their Childrens Christmas Mass. While we have been collecting names of your pets, please forward names of family and friends and I will gladly offer my Christmas Masses for your intention.

Forward your intentions to: drmattkawiak@gmail.com

Joy to you! fr. matt

 

Miss My Joe

 

Joe is dead. This weekend, turned out to be tough. On Friday, helped roll out 500 nut rolls for the cathedral to raise funds for ministry. On Saturday, while working on farm chores dumping kitty litter, Susan found Joe, our outdoor kitty, lying in the grass next to the sheds. Poor Mittens, his furry friend who would walk side by side for years in the meadow and come and eat and sleep together in their insulated kitty huts would now be alone.

 

 

 

We have a kitty cemetery and I got to work digging the grave while Susan gently brought Joe up from the sheds to his final resting place. Joe was abandoned by his previous owner and found his way to our farm where he met Mittens. Over time, the two fur balls became best of friends as you would always seem them walk side by side together on the farm. They would groom one another and at a recent pet photo contest I entered today’s photo thinking it would win which it did not. Some dog image won and Joe and Mittens should have won.

 

 

 

I was never a cat person, to be honest. However, Susan grew up with kitties and serves as the local Volunteer for Animals coordinator taking hundreds of requests for kitties, matching them with folks who want to offer their hearts and homes to these abandoned creatures.

 

All creatures great and small can cure our fears, with their purring, or desire to be scratched under their chin, or cuddled next to your pillow, or combed.  I now have one special kitty, Arthur who jumps up on my chest at 6am in the morning and wants his chin to be scratched. And his purr machine turns on. This is how these little critters nudge their way into your heart.

 

It’s really not the size of the pet, or the type of animal that defines the degree of our loss. It’s the impact that the pet has made on your life, the space you’ve given over to it within your heart. Joe’s death has reminded me that all our pets are a gift and that over time they each make a deep impression on our life. We become less selfish, more generous and more compassionate.

 

When the pet of your life dies, you just miss them. We loved Joe, and now he’s gone. And getting over that is going to take some time. When you’ve invested time and energy into an animal, been their primary caregiver and the recipient of its affection for any length of time, it doesn’t matter how great or small that pet was, the loss is still profound.

 

Despite the grief we may feel, I know Joe was worth it.  Every second of it. And I know that I will always remember and forever miss this beautiful furry creature who humbled me at 5am in the morning when I would bring him warm water, kibble and his food next to his hut in the middle of winter.

 

When the death of our pet saddens us, it’s a good time to turn to God. Offering our sadness to God can in itself be a sincere prayer that reaches heaven.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends whose pets have died. With St. Francis, I pray:
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures. Every creature is the object of your tenderness, Father, and you give each being its place in the world. Even the fleeting life of the least of your beings is the object of your love, and in its brief time of existence, you enfold it with affection. Our affection for (pet’s name) reminds us of You.  Thank you for the time that we have had with them. Thank you for making us the steward of their existence. Thank you for the joy that they have brought us. May all of creation always lead us to peace.

 

 

To Miss the Mark

 

The spirit had come to John and said, "All right, John. You've being prepared. You've done your apprenticeship. We'll send you out." And he goes out. And he speaks to the people. And he baptized the people. He talks to them about repentance, which is what? 

 

To turn back to God. In what area of your life do you need to turn back to God? We all do. Maybe we just sort of turned our back a little bit on him. Maybe we walked away completely in some area of our lives. We have not been to Mass in awhile. Or, we continue to complain that the church is not perfect with all its imperfections. 

 

But this is an invitation for you to turn back to God. And then, John has another very unpopular phrase and idea in that relativistic culture. And that is, the forgiveness of sins. 

 

What is sin? The actual definition is to miss the mark. It's like the archer that misses the mark. We miss the mark all the time, right? We miss the mark every day in dozens of ways. What is it? It’s not having the patience to put up with a little annoyance of life. Holding a fussy kitty while my partner inserts pills to help them cope with their irritable bowel disease. Or, you may have to take your pre-school child to get tested for Covid for the fifth time this month because they were sent home from school with a cough. it's to be less than who you are. In one way, it's to abandon your deepest, truest best version of yourself.

 

That is to miss the mark. And we all do it every day, and you don't need me to give you a list of things. You could ask your partner for this list, but I assume you have a good idea what you need to work on. These are all the ways you can miss the mark, because you know them. You know them when you see them, you know them when you're participating in them, you don't need me to tell you, and I don't need you to tell me because I know them. 

 

What we do need is what John had. And it's that humility and submissiveness to the spirit of God. It's to allow the spirit of God to lead us. But in order to do that, we have to be aware of God's presence. We have to be aware of the spirit moving in our lives. We have to learn to listen to the spirit in our lives, which takes time. And like anything else, we get best at it, if we do it, if we practice it every single day with unerring and relentless consistency so that the spirit can lead us wherever the spirit wants to lead us. 

 

Because, what you really want deep down inside will only come from following the path, the call, the spirit, the destiny that God has created you for.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we take a moment to humbly listen to your spirit that simply wants us to be the best version of ourself.