Fourth Sunday in Advent

Salesian Sunday Reflection

Fourth Sunday of Advent
Today’s Gospel reminds us that like St. Joseph, we must have confidence in God’s plan for us. God has a plan for us that is greater than our own. St. Francis de Sales notes:

In today’s Gospel, Joseph sees that Mary is with child. Knowing that it was not his child, he was ready to divorce her. But the angel revealed to Joseph that the Holy Child was to be Our Savior. With great peace and serenity of mind, Joseph accepted the unexpected event that befell him. Our confidence in God ought to be like St. Joseph’s.

The foundation of our trust is not in our own self, but in God. While we may change, God remains always gentle and merciful when we are weak and imperfect, as well as when we are strong and perfect. When we have absolute trust in Our Lord, we are like an infant on the breast of its mother. The child just lets itself be carried and led wherever the mother wants to take it. Similarly, we ought to have such confidence in letting ourselves be carried when we love God’s will in all that happens to us.

Holy confidence in the goodness of God is the life of the human spirit. As we grow in love with God, we may experience the contractions and pangs of spiritual childbirth. Yet, in the midst of our troubles, Our Savior will guide us on our way no matter how difficult it may be. Let us think of the words of our gentle Savior: “When a woman gives birth she is in great distress, but after the birth she forgets the suffering of the past because a child is born to her.” Our souls ought to give birth to the dearest Child that one could wish for. It is Jesus whom we must form and bring to birth in ourselves. The Child is well worth whatever we endure. How happy we would be if we devoted all our efforts to accomplishing God’s will for us. We would obtain from God’s goodness all that we could possibly desire and need, a new invigorating life. A holy rebirth in Christ!

(Adapted from the writings of
St. Francis de Sales)

This letting go and submission to God's Will is the hardest part of the Christian project for many since it seems to imply passivity, as in the image of the infant being carried by its mother. Yet the true life of the Christian, and more broadly of the Progressive, is active cooperation with and participation in the Will of God, that is to say Good, Peace, etc. As the saying is, we are - or must be - the good and peace we seek.

So as we prepare in this last week of Advent to welcome the Christ Child, let us reflect on what He brings and what He demands of us. We need not be Christians to find these things in our hearts or to see the desperate need for them in our world.

Saint Lucy's Day

Saint Lucy's Prayer:
Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation -- every corner of our day. Amen

Tradition tells us that St. Lucy often wore a crown of candles in order to have her hands free as she worked to succor and assist Christians in the Catacombs. As she carried her light with love, balance and grace dispelling the darkness of oppression and despair, let us as Progressives bring our light into the coming year with love and nonviolence but also with rock-solid conviction and set it against the gathering darkness of bigotry, hatred and self-serving greed.

Third Sunday in Advent

Second Sunday in Advent

As we begin the second week of Advent, the light of our anticipation, love and hope grows stronger. We are called to repent and make straight the way of the Lord. In other words, we must make a genuine effort to overcome our self-absorbtion and live the Gospel message to do unto others as you would have them do unto you and that what you do to the least, you do to Christ.

These are not only Catholic or Christian values, they stand at the heart of the Progressive project as I understand it. Our Lord commands us to love one another, an instruction which we, as Progressives of whatever faith or of none, strive to follow at all times. It is especially important now, because of what lies ahead starting in the New Year, that we reaffirm our commitment to our principles, that we shine our lights, however small they may be individually, and show that light does overcome darkness.

Link

Second Sunday of Advent (The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales)

The National Christmas Tree Has Been Lit

"This is the 94th time Americans have gathered to light our national tree. It’s the eighth and final time for our family. Before we leave tonight, I’d just like to express what an incredible honor it has been for us to serve this nation. And to feel its warmth and to feel its generosity and how our family has been awed by America’s goodness. And most of all, it has been so special to share these eight years with all of you. So on behalf of Michelle, Malia, Sasha, Grandma, Bo and Sunny—Merry Christmas, everybody. Happy holidays."

—President Obama speaking at his final
National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony
December First, 2016

They start early in Las Vegas

A festive evening lighting the Christmas tree at The Linq Las Vegas.

Donny Osmond posted this photo to his Facebook page on Saturday. And I thought Sis and I were jumping the gun, beginning to watch Hallmark Christmas movies the middle of last week! Sheesh!