Twilight Twitches

Dear Family,
Like so many things in our lives, the last week of Advent disappeared as though it wasn’t important. It got crowded out of the calendar. Even the Leaflet Missalette company must have been having a bad corporate hair day, because they left the Fourth Sunday of Advent out of their booklets, too. That’s why we printed today’s Scriptures for you.

Whether we had a printed version or not, we did hear the words Luke’s gospel proclaimed: “Be it done to me according to your word.” 1:38

I was sitting here before the computer screen, messing around with the various colors and fighting with the margins in the title, really important stuff. Then...

I looked at the readings I was referring to above and really saw the words, “Be it done to me...” Never mind the colors and the margins.

Dear Family,
“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.” So says St. Paul as he finishes his first letter to the Thessalonians. We heard it today. Earlier in chapter 3;12-13, he offers the reason for their rejoicing. He says,  “...  may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.”

The huge love for which Paul prayed in verses 12 and 13 is seen on a practical level by living out the norms of conduct that he gave them. The principles of Christian living, of acting morally, come right out of how we see ourselves relating to God. Knowing His love for me points me in the direction of a moral conduct that is the practical, personal expression of one’s Christian faith, love, and hope.

Dear Family,
So, I picked up Annie at the airport after her aunt and our friend, Sister Mary Richard Rowley, S.C. had died in New York. Annie had spent the previous four days at Sister Mary’s bedside, watching and waiting as Sister Mary went through the last throes of pneumonia.

As we drove home, a very tired Annie said in passing, “Can you just imagine people going through things like this without any faith?”

It’s a question I have posed at funerals. Maybe some of you have even heard me ask the same thing. What a difference there is between a congregation sitting in front of you that has been shaped by faith, and one that simply has no idea what you’re doing or what the prayers are saying. They watch and wonder... what is this all about?

Dear Family,
Happy Advent! Why do we use purple during Advent? It’s a color calling us into a reflective attitude. Purple, or violet, can also bring us a penitential outlook. Think of Lent. So, what is the color doing for me right now?

“Dear Jesus, I’m thinking about celebrating your birthday coming up. I’m really sorry that I haven’t been more grateful for the gift of yourself that you gave us, and keep giving us. And Lord, if actions speak louder than words, I’m really sorry that what I say and do doesn’t reflect you very well all the time either.”

“Lord, when I think about it, it seems like you’re calling me to ‘give birth’ to you.” A guy giving birth sounds a little weird. “Lord, help me recreate you. When you call us to be your followers, what else could you mean except, ‘Make Me Present!’”