The Christmas Conversion of St. Thérèse

"If God was working out his purpose in the midst of an ordinary girl’s family life and growth, then God’s work was just as constant and ubiquitous in the lives of all those who simply trusted him and obeyed the promptings of his love.
That Thérèse’s conversion was a “Christmas conversion” is not simply a sentimental touch weaving in Christmas and presents and children. That it was a “Christmas conversion” has a deeper meaning, for Thérèse’s lesson that the grace of God is constantly at work within the nitty gritty of everyday life is the lesson at the heart of Christmas itself. "

"As a young priest, one Saturday in December in the early ‘70s, I was in the sacristy at St. Matthew’s Cathedral waiting for a wedding. My weddings were always notoriously late. Suddenly, the young bride appeared in the doorway, looking lovely in her white gown and her veil. But I could see that she had been crying. I asked, “What’s the matter?” She said, “Father, there’s not going to be any wedding. My fiancee is in Buffalo, N.Y., and there’s six feet of snow there. Father, please inform the people in church that there will be no wedding.” So I went to the pulpit and I announced that there was not going to be a wedding. There was an audible gasp from the congregation. But then I told them that they were to go to the restaurant for the reception. That the band and the food were waiting. They all trotted off and had a grand time.Later that day, I was reflecting on the strange turn of events. And because it was Advent, I thought, “Christmas has become like that wedding.” We have the lights and the music and the food and the parties and the gifts and the Bridegroom is in Buffalo. Advent needs to be about bringing the Bridegroom back to the party at Christmastime. By making this time of spiritual preparation a time of more intense prayer, a time for confession, a time for works of mercy, reconciliation in our families and communities. A time to listen to the Bridegrooms’ call to be vigilant and awake. Yes, Jesus is the Bridegroom, he is never the widower. He does not exist separate from the bride, his Church. He loves us so much that he became a part of our human family and he laid down his life for our salvation. And yes, he calls us to journey together with him.
For the Irish, the most powerful Christmas symbol has been the candle, placed in the window. It was lit by the youngest member of the family and could be extinguished only by someone named Mary. I don’t have to tell you that there’s no shortage of Irish girls named Mary. The candle in the window in an Irish home had two meanings. It was a sign of welcome to the Holy Family, of Mary and Joseph looking for a place in the Inn. It was also an invitation during the times of persecution, to a priest to come and celebrate a clandestine Christmas Mass for the family. It was worth risking everything to be able to have the Eucharist ...... Yes, the candle is in the window. As our ancestors who refused to take the soup, and who risked their lives and fortunes to go to Mass, we profess and believe that God’s love for us is so great he has made a gift of himself to us in the Eucharist. Yes, the candle is in the window, because Christmas is Christ’s Mass. .... The Eucharist gathers us, as Christ’s family, to be united in the teachings of the Apostles, in fellowship and in prayer, and in the breaking of the bread, sharing what we have so that no one will be hungry. Not materially hungry, not spiritually hungry. The urgency of the Gospel today bids us, “Gather faithfully each week, as a worshiping community.”
The stakes are high; it is a matter of life and death. The branches need the vine. We need to be nourished by Christ’s words and by his sacrament. And we need to be nourished by the presence of the brothers and sisters of the household of the faith, the body of Christ, the Church. My brothers and sisters, as we journey together in Christ, let us put a candle in the window. A candle that says, “Welcome, welcome, welcome.” A candle that says, “The Eucharist is to die for.”"

~ Cardinal Sean of Boston

I was reading Cardinal Sean's blog and i came across a beautiful homily that he gave during the week and i have taken a few excerpts from the Homily, however, i believe that it is worth reading it all. You can click here (audio version)

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Mary to Juan Diego: “My dearest son, I am the eternal Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God, Author of Life, Creator of all and Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth…and it is my desire that a church be built here in this place for me, where, as your most merciful Mother and that of all your people, I may show my loving clemency and the compassion that I bear to the Indians, and to those who love and seek me…” (from an ancient chronicle).

A beautiful homily on http://www.1monk.blogspot.com/ about Our Lady of Guadalupe

Forgiveness

" Take heed to yourselves if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."
~ Luke 17:3-4

To forgive offenses willingly is to have the attitude of desiring to forgive before it ever occurs to the other person to say "I'm sorry." It is to will the best for the other more than the other wills it for himself. Some people have the notion that forgiveness is to be extended only to those who say "I'm sorry." The idea is if they don't keep their side of the bargain, then we whew! don't have to extend them forgiveness. But this is false. Forgiveness is to be extended always and at all times. Sure, it's true that forgiveness can't be received till the person who needs it says "I'm sorry" and asks for forgiveness. But that doesn't make any difference to the one called to forgive. The injured person must will to forgive now, before the offender has ever asked and despite the fact that he may never ask. Why? Because we are called to be like Christ. "While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man-- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" Rom 5:6-8.

(Just a Word of Encouragement from Mark Shea and Jeff Cavins www.catholicexchange.com)