Room For Christ at Christmas

 

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Richard Rohr O.F.M. gives us this quote from Dorothy Day, Servant of God.

It is no use saying that we are born two thousand years too late to give room to Christ. Nor will those who live at the end of the world have been born too late. Christ is always with us, always asking for room in our hearts.

But now it is with the voice of our contemporaries that He speaks, with the eyes of store clerks, factory workers, and children that he gazes; with the hands of office workers, slum dwellers, and suburban housewives that He gives. It is with the feet of soldiers and tramps that He walks, and with the heart of anyone in need that He longs for shelter. And giving shelter or food to anyone who asks for it, or needs it, is giving it to Christ….

It would be foolish to pretend that it is always easy to remember this. If everyone were holy and handsome, with “alter Christus” [“another Christ”] shining in neon lighting from them, it would be easy to see Christ in everyone. If Mary had appeared in Bethlehem clothed, as St. John says, with the sun, a crown of twelve stars on her head, and the moon under her feet [see Revelation 12:1], then people would have fought to make room for her. But that was not God’s way for her, nor is it Christ’s way for Himself.

...

In Christ’s human life, there were always a few who made up for the neglect of the crowd. The shepherds did it; their hurrying to the crib atoned for the people who would flee from Christ. The wise men did it; their journey across the world made up for those who refused to stir one hand’s breadth from the routine of their lives to go to Christ. Even the gifts the wise men brought have in themselves an obscure recompense and atonement for what would follow later in this Child’s life. For they brought gold, the king’s emblem, to make up for the crown of thorns that He would wear; they offered incense, the symbol of praise, to make up for the mockery and the spitting; they gave Him myrrh, to heal and soothe, and He was wounded from head to foot….

We can do it too, exactly as they did. We are not born too late. We do it by seeing Christ and serving Christ in friends and strangers, in everyone we come in contact with…. For a total Christian, the goad of duty is not needed … to perform this or that good deed. It is not a duty to help Christ, it is a privilege. 

Dorothy Day, Selected Writings: By Little and By Little, ed. Robert Ellsberg (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1983, 1992), 94, 96, 97.

Advent Reflection: Two gifts that are needed

 After telling us how King Ahaz, St. Paul. and St. Joseph received the gift of divine grace which they in turn passed on to bless and strengthen others, Claretian Fr. Ferdinand Okorie CMF, writing for the Catholic Theological Union, concludes a reflection for the 4th Sunday of Advent as follows:

"Next Sunday, we celebrate and renew our faith in the gift of God’s presence in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and in doing so, we share in the spirit of the season by giving and receiving gifts with our loved ones, and with one another. But I invite you to think beyond the traditional routine of wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree, but rather to discern the impactful gift that your loved ones and the world are in dire need from you today. For our loved ones, trust is ebbing dangerous in our homes and society, affecting our respect and dignity for one another. Rebuilding a culture of trust can go a long way to repair fragile and damaged relationships. For our world, let us remember that every region has experienced a record climate disaster or the other. Time has come to give our world the gift of doing whatever we can to contribute to cutting down our carbon footprints. During this season of giving and receiving gifts, give the gift that is impactful and transformational to one another and to the world." https://learn.ctu.edu/fourth-sunday-of-advent-3/

Rebuilding a culture of trust: Instead of being negative and critical, can I be more positive, affirming and upbuilding? Pray the Prayer of Saint Francis

Cutting down our carbon footprints: Food waste? Plastic? Recycling? Unnecessary travel? Explore Laudato Si' - the encyclical by Pope Francis on the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor

Resources:
Laudato Si' Movement - https://laudatosimovement.org/
Laudato Si' - News and Resources - https://www.laudatosi.org/
Laudato Si' Action Platform - https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/

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Reflection: The Manger of Our Hearts

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Conference Reflection by Catherine Doherty, selected by Deacon Steve.

Christ desires to be born in the manger of our hearts. Are the doors of our hearts wide open to receive the shepherds, the Magi, the stray visitors – in a word, humanity? Are they open to receive every person as Christ would receive each one of us? Are they open to receive those around us in our daily life?

Or do we think it enough to make a manger of our hearts so that we might hold Christ unto ourselves exclusively? If so, that was not what He was born for, and He might bypass the manger of our hearts.

Christ told us that, unless we become like a child, we would not enter the kingdom of heaven. We tend to associate children and Christmas in a very sentimental fashion: a newborn baby is “cute”; children are “lovable” creatures. So they are, but that is not what Christ meant. I think he wanted us to have the heart of a child.

What does it mean to have the heart of a child? A child is utterly trusting. A child is totally open, uninhibited, simple, direct, and unafraid. A child believes without reservation.

I pray that this coming New Year will be a year in which we will empty our inner “self” so as to carry the Christ Child comfortably and warmly in our heart. You know, the Child will be comfortable and warm only if we love and trust one another.

Catherine Doherty, “Donkey Bells: Advent and Christmas” p 42 – 43, Madonna House Publications, Combermere, 2000

Feast of the Holy Family: A Different Take on "Family"

 

by Fr. Cas Paulsen CMM

I have a different take on the meaning of "family". Here in South Africa, 60% of the families are single parent households. Children, more and more, find little or no love at home and run away. I think a new way of defining family is "where one is loved and accepted unconditionally, whether it is with fellow run-aways or druggies, under the bridge or around a fire in the field, or in a shared doorway. No questions asked, just, yes, come on in and join us. Here, we can share my blanket."

What do you think? Very few families today have the same experience as many of us have had. We pray for all of them and pray that they grow up learning how to transfer that unconditional love and acceptance to their new relationships as they grow older. And we pray God to bless those who try to bring some love into their lives.   What do you think?

- Fr. Cas Paulsen CMM.

Fr. Cas, born and ordained in the USA, has been a Marianhill missionary in South Africa since the late 1960s. 

Christmas Sounds and Smells

 

Things that have long stuck in my mind about the Christmas manger scene are the sounds and smells. Our mangers are dusted and clean when we put them out, but any place that has animals will have the sounds and, especially, the strong smells that go with God's creatures such as cows, donkeys and chickens: urine and, of course, poop patties and droppings. One chicken produces approximately 8–11 pounds of manure monthly!

An enjoyable Christmas carol that our family has enjoyed since the kids were in kindergarten was each person choosing the sound of an animal and then all of us making our animal noise at the same time. The delightful cacophony would go on for as long as everyone was smiling and laughing. In my opinion, I make a particularly good turkey gobbling sound! Yes, I believe this is a Christmas carol that gives glory to the Saviour whose birth we celebrate each Christmas.

O Radiant Dawn,

splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the

shadow of death.

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:

come and save humanity, whom you formed from the dust!

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:

come to save us, Lord our God!

Conference Spiritual Reflection - September 13/21 - by Deacon Steve

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The following reflection is taken from  “The Lessons of St. Francis: How to bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life” by John Michael Talbot.

Francis (of Assisi) found his inspiration in the life of Jesus, whose love for us led him to become one of us by being born into the human race instead of remaining in heaven, aloof from us and all our problems.

Most Christians celebrate the Incarnation of Christ as human, around Christmas time and ignore it for the rest of the year. But for Francis, the Incarnation served as a minute by minute reminder to be deeply involved in the world, loving people at close range instead of from inside the strong, stony walls of a monastery.

Francis understood that the dichotomy between solitude and service is a false one, because everyone needs both. If we don’t spend time alone with God, we become spiritually weak, and our work in the world carries little of lasting value. On the other hand, if we spend all of our time with God and never venture out into the world, we may become spiritually isolated and self-contained. We may be full of wonderful wisdom and divine power, but if we don’t share it with others, who benefits? Certainly not other people, and often, not even ourselves.

Here’s how saints down through the ages have explained it: Contemplation and prayer are like an oasis in a dry desert. Through prayer we store up a huge reservoir of water. Our service is the conduit for delivering the water. But once our reservoir is depleted, we need to return to our oasis so we don’t wind up stranded in the desert without water. This is a picture of the life-giving balance between prayer and service.

Talbot, John Michael, “The Lessons of St. Francis: How to bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life”, p. 188 – 189, New York, Penguin Group, 1997.

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Conference Spiritual Reading - December 14, 2020

 

Image credit: Melani Pyke - https://www.melpyke.com/

“O’ Adonai, God of the Covenant, and King of Israel, You appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and you gave the sacred law on Mount Sinai. Come now! With an outstretched arm, redeem us! - O Antiphon from Vespers, 18 December

Christ, the Lord, who is God Most High and Son of God, was at work with the Father during the early days of Israel, in the time of the first Covenant. He comes to us now, establishing a New Covenant in our hearts, with the task of delivering us from the power of Satan and bringing us into His kingdom.  

To Moses, God appeared in a flaming bush in the desert and as thunder and lightning on the mountain. To us, He appears in a humble piece of bread – the Eucharist. Do we realize the fire and flame that comes to us?

We are called to accept this fire and flame into our being, so that we can go forth and, in every step of ours, shed this flame, this fire of love, upon all the earth so that it may be renewed. For that is the desire of Christ the Lord!”

Catherine Doherty, “Donkey Bells: Advent and Christmas,” Madonna House Publications, Combermere, Ontario

The 2020 Christmas Program

Due to the pandemic you will see some changes in how we are able to run our programs this year.  We want to continue to bring joy and ease to the many in our community who struggle throughout the year and especially at Christmas, but we must do so with the pandemic restrictions in mind. 

For the Christmas Program that serves our families, your donation will continue to go towards the purchase of grocery gift cards for parents and gift cards from a local store so that parents can purchase a gift for the children in their family.

For the Giving Tree Program we will not be able to distribute stars and accept gifts to be given to the various homes and residences due to the restrictions of the pandemic.  Instead, we will be accepting monetary donations that we will use to purchase gift cards for those living in group homes and to purchase select gifts that will be delivered to the assisted-living homes for them to wrap and distribute. This is both to keep our volunteers safe and especially those more vulnerable people living in the homes. 

You can donate via Canada Helps at www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42029.

Even under the current pandemic situation, your gift will still make a difference in the lives of those often left out at this special time of year.  A donation of $20.00 might purchase a pair of warm pajamas or some slippers for a senior in need. A $40.00 donation might purchase a special toy for a child that hasn’t had a new toy since last Christmas.   A donation of $60.00 may go towards food in the fridge for a single mother trying to make ends meet. 

Any amount helps spread the joy and magic of Christmas to those in our community who need our help. We thank you for your continued support and prayers.

If you wish to make an online donation towards our Christmas and Giving Tree programs please click the DONATE button below.