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Strange that so much suffering is caused because of the misunderstandings of God's true nature. God's heart is more gentle than the Virgin's first kiss upon the Christ. And God's forgiveness to all, to any thought or act, is more certain than our own being.
- St. Catherine of Siena
(How does your own image of God compare to that of this Doctor of the Church? Be open to this gentle, loving God this day.)
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Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25; Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
Lk 7:18b-23
At that time,
John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask,
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
When the men came to the Lord, they said,
“John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask,
‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”
At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits;
he also granted sight to many who were blind.
And Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“Only in the Lord are just deeds and power.” —Isaiah 45:24
Some people try to make Christmas like they try to “make love.” A human being can make neither a true Christmas nor true love. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing, including Christmas (Jn 15:5). As we approach Christmas, we don’t need to do more or “do it ourselves.” Rather, we must “let it be done” to us according to God’s Word (Lk 1:38).
We must be at the feet of Jesus, like Mary of Bethany (Lk 10:39, 42), to have a “Mary” Christmas. At Christmas, we don’t need working hands as much as praying hands. We must learn to receive before we give, to wait before we run. Christmas is first a gift from Christ to you before you make it a gift to Christ from you. Remember, Jesus loved us first (1 Jn 4:19).
Prayer: Jesus, may I immerse myself so deeply in You that I have no room for the attractions of this world.
Promise: “Blest is the one who finds no stumbling block in Me.” —Lk 7:23
Presentation Ministries
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Growing in Inner Freedom: A Guide for Today
- by Philip St. Romain. Liguori Publ., 1986.
19. Try a Little Madness
Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel;
Carrying your festive tambourines,
you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers (Jeremiah 31:4)
There is a wonderful scene at the end of the movie, Zorba the Greek, when, after experiencing financial ruin, Zorba and his boss sit down to lament together. After a while, there is nothing to do about it but laugh. Zorba then tells his rational, straight-laced, overly self-conscious friend, “Boss, I love you too much not to say this: you are a very good man, but you are not wild
enough.” The boss asks Zorba to teach him to dance and the movie ends with them dancing next to their ruined project.
It is ironic that so many people are bored in this day and age that provides so many opportunities for fun. Many have lost the madness that Zorba recommends, waiting instead for some latest novelty to catch their fancy. But if we spend our time “waiting for something interesting to happen,” we will be too dependent on external circumstances to make us happy. If we are bored with our lives, we have only ourselves to blame.
Try a little madness. Eat breakfast by candlelight on the best dinnerware. Get up early and watch a sunrise. Call your husband or wife and say, “I love you.” Book a hotel room and invite him or her to sneak away for a second honeymoon. Bring home presents “out of season.” Enroll in a square dance class. Cook a gourmet dinner. Go bird watching. Play hide-and-seek with the kids. Have a blast!
What nonsense are those few Christian traditions that paint a picture of God as dour and rigid. Our God is a playful God who rejoices when we have fun. We are never more like him than when we become like little children and play merrily in his garden.
Suggested Practices
- That money you’ve been saving for a rainy day—spend some of it now on something you enjoy.
- Do something new and unpredictable each day.
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