Comfort, Give Comfort

Today's reflection is about mending any brokenness you may have with another. Whether it is a little thing, or a huge thing. Easier said than done, right? While that is a really good thing, I like better the ending of the reflection when it says to find someone to be extra gracious to today. I did that a few times today and it feels good too, as the reflections says: "Stand back and watch the kingdom break forth."

The One Who Comes

Today's reflection is a poem and instead of me giving my confusing two-cents about it, I'll just share the poem. Happy Monday!

The One Who Comes

You are the Other for whom we wait,
Jesus, Word and response,

you are our only song,

Emmanuel in our silences.

Are you the one who is to come

to make our deserts bloom,

to free our hearts,

to bring our seeds to life

by the waters of the Jordan?

You are the Other for whom we wait,

Jesus, Source of living water,

you are the springtime for the grain,

Emmanuel in our deserts.

Are you the one who is to come

and who comes each day

to free our lives,

to stir up breath

by the movement of your own?

You are the Other for whom we wait,

Jesus, the world's strength,

you are the Living One who returns,

Emmanuel, God-with-us.

20 Days Until Christmas!

Prepare the Way of the Lord!

"Where there is a loss of the sense of sin, the work of Christ in taking away the sins of the world becomes meaningless."
- Fr. Michael Casey

 As we are quickly plowing our way through the Advent Season, how are we doing in our sense of 'Preparing the Way of the Lord?' What have we improved on during the 1st week of Advent? Has our prayer life gotten stronger? Have we given anything extra to those who are in need? Have we looked at our lives and where there is a need for change? To confess a sin we may never have considered a sin before? The above quote is so true, I have found myself in the last few years realizing that I've been doing things that are sinful and through God's grace, especially in the confessional, I've been able to realize that they are sins and start to slowly overcome them. No one said it was going to happen overnight. Sometimes it takes years.

"In our own lives...if we are to prepare a way for the Lord we need to rediscover our own need for redemption, as individuals, as communities and nations, and as the church."

We may think we are doing good, but there are so many things that need healing, change and restoration by the saving blood of the Lamb. We all want a pure heart, whether we are to admit it or not. A goal this next week in advent could be to strive for that purer heart.

Generous Compassion

This reflection talks about a conflict between two tendencies: One is the tendency to pursue our own interests at the expense of those of other people. The other is to spend ourselves in the service of others even at great cost.  Basically: Selfishness vs. Generosity. The reflection leans toward the later and says that compassion is key to acquiring the tendency to be generous. I kinda struggle with this in my job. As a nurse aide, I give care to elderly people out of compassion. Not everyone can do this. I mean there are a lot of queasy things to deal with such as smells and body fluids, and aggression when they become combative (I have the bruises to prove it). Verbal abuse when you are called a 'bitch' 'dumb-dumb' 'the devil' just to name a few. I have to basically through all of this keep my composure and be nice to them. I try to keep myself thinking that I'm doing this out of compassion, but then again I get a pay check, which can be seen as selfish. I guess though, when you give out of generosity you then also receive. It's not selfish to receive if we are giving in return. This is a great paradox! I give a lot of myself in my job, even at the hardest times, in the end it's still rewarding. Whether I receive a 'thank-you' or a hug, (or a kiss cuz these old ladies love to give you a kiss on the cheek!) I guess it's going to be enough. My reward in Heaven will be the greatest. I don't make very much money doing this but I think it helps make me feel less selfish.

To See The Light

This reflection talks about spiritual blindness and the complacency that effects it. The first question asks: How on earth are we to break out of this vicious circle? I have an answer that's a little too easy. Well there is the new translation of the English Roman Missal. Mass is no longer something we go to blindly saying the lines. Now we are a little more aware of what we are saying. Sometimes the things we are saying are a little weird or awkward. We become curious as to why we are now saying those things. This can (I say can, cuz many won't) look into what those answers are by educating ourselves. Through this we come into a better understanding of the Mass and we are no longer complacent with it but are finding out new and exciting things about it everyday!
Question #2 (which is really a series of 3 questions): Let us ask if we are wholly and unreservedly living for God? Or do we allow ourselves to listen to the first whisperings of evil, of resentment, of anger against another? Do we give way to curious, interfering reflections on our neighbors, to doubt, anxiety, depression, scruples and so forth? We probably could say yes, (I envy those who truly can) but that is a very hard thing to do. If we are spiritually blind then we aren't seeing what we need to fix in our lives. Like the verse that says something like don't point out the splinter in another's eye until you see the plank in your own. Everyday we are faced with things that we need to say "Will going this way make me live for or against God?" It's an ongoing battle.

The Language of Justice

Wow, I've been majorly slacking!!! I blame it on the ridiculously intense work weekend:  Long hours, under-staffing and the fact that the Assisted Living I work at has pretty much in the last 3 weeks become a full-blown Nursing Home. I'm just physically and mentally drained and love that I get to sleep in tomorrow! I also get to work Noc Shift which will be a welcome change cuz I love to stay up all night!!

Now on to my reflection for the day (or for a few days ago)
In this reflection there are no questions so I basically get to ponder what I like about it! The Gospel from today is what I refer to as the "Three Little Pigs" Gospel. Except instead of Straw, Sticks and Bricks we have Sand and a Rock. If we are like the first and second pig, who built their houses out of Straw and Sticks we are like the fool who built his home on the Sand. However, if we are like the third pig and build our house out of Bricks, we are like the wise man who built his house on a Rock. The reflection tells us that: "Today's texts are utterly realistic; they force us to look at the world we have made." As I look at the world I have made I can see that in places I have been wise and my foundation is strong. As I said earlier my weekend was pretty intense and the only opportunity I had of going to Mass was last night at the UWSP Newman 6:00pm (sinner's) Mass. Even though that is always my last resort mass (for reasons I won't get into now) I still went because it was my only option.
After I had gotten done with work I went to my grandma's house since I had 3 hours to kill. She lives a mile away from my work and where Mass was. When I got to her house she asked why I was there, cuz I needed to go to Mass and I didn't want to drive 20 minutes home to turn around and come right back into town. She told me that I could've just went home and not gone to Mass. It doesn't matter if you miss one. She has lost her faith long ago so for her it's not important. What kind of foundation did my faith have that day? That of a rock. I was able to tell her that, no I have to go. I chose to go out of town Saturday evening and made the decision to go to the sinner's Mass. It would've been easy to say to her, you know what? You are right! I've been up since 4:30am and worked my butt off for 9 hours! I should just go home and sit and relax! That would be the answer, had I built my faith on Sand. This reflection states that: "Jesus is asking us to listen, to truly hear God's word so deeply that there is no question about what we are to do...But we are to act for justice, trusting in what God has told us through the words of His prophets and His Son." There is no question. I not only have to go to Mass but it's a need! If I would've skipped out, this week would've been empty, and weird. One of the hardest people in my life right now to defend my faith to is my grandma. I am glad that my foundation is getting stronger and that I can stick to my beliefs and tell her that it is important that I go to Mass because it's not always about my comforts but what I need to do for the sake of my salvation. I have to obey what God wants even though I am ready to pass out from exhaustion. I have now been spiritually fed and am glad I am because this week has only gotten more the crazy and I need the Eucharist to keep my going. So far it's working!

Let Us Imitate What We Venerate

Random Fact: I get the titles of my posts from the reflection title. I get the reflections from a book called "Give Us The Day" Which is basically like a Magnificat. It has morning and evening prayer and the Mass readings. Then it has two reflections. I have been commenting on the ones before evening prayer.

Today's Questions are as follows:

1. How many of His miracles do we see?
2. How much suffering do we endure?
3. How many harsh warnings threaten us?

 Well today is the feast of St. Andrew and the Gospel is about when Jesus called him to be a "Fisher of Men." Before the questions are posed to the reader, it tells us that Andrew left his nets and followed Jesus. He had seen Christ perform no miracles, and had heard nothing about Him. However, a single command was given and he said YES! I have seen countless miracles from Jesus all the time. They may not be these huge, walk-on-water type of miracles, but they are small ones that occur on an everyday basis. Ones that mean nothing to any one else but me! Those are the best ones I think! As far as suffering, we are in for a lot of it, especially if we are going to follow Jesus. He never said it was gonna be easy, He only said it would be worth it! Now how many harsh warnings threaten us? Countless! If we are truly going to imitate what we venerate (i.e. Mary and the Saints) we have to try to live like they live. This reflection was written by Gregory the Great. He said "Let us despise what is earthly; let us leave behind what is temporal and purchase what is eternal." Those are some hard commands, kinda like when Andrew left it all behind and followed Christ. The closest I ever came to leaving it all behind was when I lived in Europe. I left all behind except 2 suitcases and a backpack. For what I am accustomed to it was like leaving everything behind. To leave everything behind would be difficult, but not impossible. And now I will stop my ramblings :)