Christmas inspiration.....

I wanted to share this beautiful reflection as we are now just a few days away from Christmas. I thought sister provided some great thoughts .....

http://aleteia.org/2015/12/22/have-...=mail&utm_content=NL_en-Dec 22, 2015 06:00 am

It reminded me of this song

 

I looked up at a bright star in the sky this morning and felt so warmed...

 

Even if there is a "commercial" aspect to it, I thought the message behind this is really awesome.

 

I had been contemplating how quickly Advent went by and I allowed myself to fret about not doing the best job in spiritually preparing for Christmas. I allowed tge "world" to pull at me this year perhaps more than ever. I was kind of getting down about it and then the HS moved me to read the following

http://aleteia.org/2015/12/23/teami...=mail&utm_content=NL_en-Dec 23, 2015 06:00 am

What a beautiful thought of St. Joseph perhaps also feeling a bit unprepared that first Christmas. But, yet, he moved forward and what he offered was made perfect by the new born King! As Christmas Eve quickly comes, I will reflect upon this and as a Dad who tries his best but screws it up from time to time, will ask St. Joseph to intercede. Peace

 

Padre Pio carrying Bambino Gesu to Nativity scene before Midnight Mass

 

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Padre Pio's Christmas Meditation

Appearing in volume four of the Italian-language edition of Padre Pio's letters, this essay was taken from Padre Pio's hand-written notebooks.

Translated by Frank M. Rega, December 2005.

"Padre Pio da Pietrelcina: Epistolario IV," Edizioni Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo, 2002, pages 1007-1009.

Far into the night, at the coldest time of the year, in a chilly grotto, more suitable for a flock of beasts than for humans, the promised Messiah – Jesus – the savior of mankind, comes into the world in the fullness of time.
There are none who clamor around him: only an ox and an ass lending their warmth to the newborn infant; with a humble woman, and a poor and tired man, in adoration beside him.

Nothing can be heard except the sobs and whimpers of the infant God. And by means of his crying and weeping he offers to the Divine justice the first ransom for our redemption.

He had been expected for forty centuries; with longing sighs the ancient Fathers had implored his arrival. The sacred scriptures clearly prophesy the time and the place of his birth, and yet the world is silent and no one seems aware of the great event. Only some shepherds, who had been busy watching over their sheep in the meadows, come to visit him. Heavenly visitors had alerted them to the wondrous event, inviting them to approach his cave.



So plentiful, O Christians, are the lessons that shine forth from the grotto of Bethlehem! Oh how our hearts should be on fire with love for the one who with such tenderness was made flesh for our sakes! Oh how we should burn with desire to lead the whole world to this lowly cave, refuge of the King of kings, greater than any worldly palace, because it is the throne and dwelling place of God! Let us ask this Divine child to clothe us with humility, because only by means of this virtue can we taste the fullness of this mystery of Divine tenderness.

Glittering were the palaces of the proud Hebrews. Yet, the light of the world did not appear in one of them. Ostentatious with worldly grandeur, swimming in gold and in delights, were the great ones of the Hebrew nation; filled with vain knowledge and pride were the priests of the sanctuary. In opposition to the true meaning of Divine revelation, they awaited an officious savoir, who would come into the world with human renown and power.

But God, always ready to confound the wisdom of the world, shatters their plans. Contrary to the expectations of those lacking in Divine wisdom, he appears among us in the greatest abjection, renouncing even birth in St. Joseph’s humble home, denying himself a modest abode among relatives and friends in a city of Palestine. Refused lodging among men, he seeks refuge and comfort among mere animals, choosing their habitation as the place of his birth, allowing their breath to give warmth to his tender body. He permits simple and rustic shepherds to be the first to pay their respects to him, after he himself informed them, by means of his angels, of the wonderful mystery.

Oh wisdom and power of God, we are constrained to exclaim – enraptured along with your Apostle – how incomprehensible are your judgments and unsearchable your ways! Poverty, humility, abjection, contempt, all surround the Word made flesh. But we, out of the darkness that envelops the incarnate Word, understand one thing, hear one voice, perceive one sublime truth: you have done everything out of love, you invite us to nothing else but love, speak of nothing except love, give us naught except proofs of love.



The heavenly babe suffers and cries in the crib so that for us suffering would be sweet, meritorious and accepted. He deprives himself of everything, in order that we may learn from him the renunciation of worldly goods and comforts. He is satisfied with humble and poor adorers, to encourage us to love poverty, and to prefer the company of the little and simple rather than the great ones of the world.

This celestial child, all meekness and sweetness, wishes to impress in our hearts by his example these sublime virtues, so that from a world that is torn and devastated an era of peace and love may spring forth. Even from the moment of his birth he reveals to us our mission, which is to scorn that which the world loves and seeks.

Oh let us prostrate ourselves before the manger, and along with the great St. Jerome, who was enflamed with the love of the infant Jesus, let us offer him all our hearts without reserve. Let us promise to follow the precepts which come to us from the grotto of Bethlehem, which teach us that everything here below is vanity of vanities, nothing but vanity.

http://www.sanpadrepio.com/PadrePioChristmas.htm

 

I can't remember where I heard it read, but it's at Christmas when the most souls are released from Purgatory. So in the midst of your celebrations tonight/tomorrow, pray for souls that this Christmas they will enjoy the communion and enjoy the full beatific vision.

 

I know we will all be busy today, tonight and tomorrow but if you get the chance take an hour to listen to this Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah. It's really a prayer since the lyrics are all scriptural. It's like a little gift to yourself in the sometimes hectic time of Christmas. My favorite time to do this is after my house gets silent tonight usually around midnight. It's my way of welcoming Jesus into our world. Peace.

 

Last night I was returning home in the dark with the dogs. It was very cold indeed with a constant drizzle and even though I was very warmly dressed with my magical rabbit skin hat, lambs wool lined parka and modern snoord I had felt the cold seep in. Then I saw a lady walk along on the other side of the road. She wore silk pyjamas and had bare feet , although she had thrown an overcoat on against the night. She did not appear to be drunk, or on drugs or distressed, her make up was on her hair perfect and if anything she seemed thoughtful, peacful and deeep in thought. My guess is she was walking down to the main road to get a food carry out from one of the many foreign places down there. My main concern was for her feet as party goers tend to drop glasses and bottles on the ground at this time of year. As I looked at her and prayed in some concern it occured to me what a mystery we are to each other ..how little we know and have to guess...

Then at mass this morning on Christmas Eve, I watched a lady come down from communion. She had lovely long dark black hair, a light blue fleece and a long to her feet dress, also in light blue. . She reminded me of the statues and pictures of the Blessed Virgin. I guessed she was a very Traditionalist Catholic.

My thoughts went at once to the bare footed lady in the silk pyjamas..and again another story.

We are all such mysteries to each other. Each of us Christ. Little lanterns carrying His Glory.

2 Corinthians 3:18

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

I just did my very first Holy Door of Mercy pilgrimage this evening, Christmas Eve. How wonderful!! May grant me to do many more.

What a grace! Thanks Pope Francis for this.

 

This was the very first time in about six or seven years I have not been working in the hopsital over Christmas. It reminded me that you have to take time fro the great CHristmas graces to channel through.

I went up to my sister Grainnie's for dinner and there met her four sons David, John, Christopher and Stephen, all grown up now.

Only last night in prayer as I was going to sleep I realsied all four of their names are related to Christmas.

David. The House of David from which Jesus was Born.

John. The Baptist the forerunner of Jesus who made stright the Path.

Stephen the protomartyr whose Feast is today.

Chrisopher, the CHrist bearer in tribute to the Blessed Virgin, the Theotokos.

...and four sons in tribute to the four Gospel accounts of the Birth of Jesus!!

 

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I couldn#t help noticing that the viewing figures over Christmas are down to about a third their usual level. As you would expect of course. But the quality of the posts is higher than ever and there is more of a family spirit, so that is all cool.

 

Padraig, Hope you had a nice Christmas. Mine was busy with family but this year I too was conscious of the shortness of life and thanked God that my family were with me to celebrate the day. God has been so good to us.
I hope to do my first Pilgrimage of Mercy over the Christmas to the Cathedral. Our priests in our parish were very happy as the church was packed to the rafters for every Mass and lots and lots of young people. Hopefully this Year of Mercy will bring many back home.

 

I don't know how people survive without Faith Mary, especially in todays world that young people are facing walking out into . People are so much more selfish and insular.

But I am full of Christmas hope! The Mercy Year has started me off in good form..a Pleanary Indulgence every week! Wow!

Prayers for you and yours!!

 

I bought this book for the New Year...

http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2015-Fiction

 

My sister in law has spent the past two Thanksgivings and Christmases in bed bawling her eyes out for missing her parents who died two years ago.
She is an atheist. In her mind they are gone and she will never see them again. So very foreign to me as I talk to my relatives upstairs all the time. I feel for her, I really do.
In my best Yogi Berra impression I would say,
"a life without faith wouldn't be"
pcj