We celebrate not just on Christmas Day, but we spread the joy out over a season.  Joy to the world!  We cannot confine that joy to one day!  God bless you.  He loves you, you know.

Pope Sylvester I was associated with the Emperor Constantine.  This is the last day of 2009... a great time to reflect on events of this past year and to evaluate where you are in your walk with Christ.  Prepare yourself to continue your journey of faith and to continue to grow in faith in the coming year.  God bless you.  He loves you, you know.

The differences between Church and State or Church and the popular culture can have severe consequences.  But as we see with other great saints, we must stand on the side of faith.  After all, we know which side wins.  Also on this day reflect of the Presentation of Christ in the temple and the statements of Simeon and Anna.

To paraphrase a verse from Away in a Manger   “Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and take them to heaven to live with Thee there.”

May we use this day to focus on the importance of family and the duties of parents to children and children to parents.  We are all members of God’s family and He is our heavenly Father.

When Stephen was accused before the council those in the council saw that his face “was like that of an angel”.  Faced with death, he never wavered from his faith and while dying  cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”  Lord, may we have even a fraction of Stephen’s faith and forgiveness when faced with adversity .

“And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” Luke 2:7   Merry Christmas!

He is coming!  He is almost here!  Tonight we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord!

“Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness and love.  Harshness will damage your own soul & spoil the best cause”

The song verses are a memory devise for some basics of faith.   My True Love is God the Father and His gifts are

1 A partridge in a pear tree: Christ on the cross
2 Turtle doves: Old and New Testaments
3 French hens: faith, hope and love
4 Calling birds: four Gospels
5 Golden rings: first 5 books of the Bible
6 Geese a-laying: 6 days of creation
7 Swans a-swimming: 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit
8 Maids a-milking: 8 Beatitudes
9 Ladies dancing: 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords a-leaping: 10 Commandments
11 Pipers piping: 11 faithful apostles
12 Drummers drumming: 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed.

Known as the patron saint of getting things done, he used to say, “If you have too much to do, with God’s help you will find time to do it all”

Ou time of preparation is coming to an end.  Let your heart be filled with joyful anticipation, not with stress.  Let your focus be on the coming of our Lord, not on secular mayhem.  Let the peace that passes all understanding fill you and sustain you.  Be joyful.  Christ the King is on His way.

The book of Job talks about snow in chapter 6 referring to Job's unfaithful friends being as treacherous of riverbeds that are "dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself".  Makes you shiver!
Who needs "friends" like that!
Lord, we ask your travel mercies on those who are traveling this season.  Keep them safe from the dark ice and the snow and wind.  Thank you. Amen

Servants of Mary is located in the snowbelt of Northeast Ohio and it is that time of year!  Although we usually don't connect the Holy Land with snow, it is mentioned in a few places in the Bible.  In Palestine: "And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada...also went down and slew a lion in a pit on a day when SNOW had fallen"  IISam. 23:20RSV  Note: We don't have much snow yet so still come and visit!

Today marks the beginning of Las Posadas, Spanish for "inn" or "shelter", which is a nine day observance representing the difficulty Mary and Joseph had in finding a place to stay in Bethlehem.  Remember this is a time to prepare a place for the Christ Child to stay in your heart.

When our youngest was in grade school, he and I  were having a "deep' conversation and I made the observation that many great men had spent years pondering what was the purpose of life.  My son looked at me and said, "That's simple, Mom.  The purpose of life is to love and serve God."  Well said, son.

St. John of the Cross wrote, "Put love where there is no love, and you will find love."  This comes from a man who was abused and imprisoned and knew about the "dark night of the soul".

The liturgical color for today is rose/pink.  Why is that when the rest of Advent is purple or violet?  The purple represents a call for preparation, repentance and penance.  The pink is a hint at the joy that is to come on Christmas and to encourage us to prepare for our Savior.

"A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the  moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." Revelation 12:1

Pope Damasus I was Pope from 366-84 and some of his work  was not truly appreciated in his time.  Now known as the patron saint of archeologists, he worked to preserve church archives, buildings and the Roman catacombs.  So when you feel whatever you are doing is not appreciated remember Damasus I. and his role in preserving Christian history.  Sometimes it takes a while to be appreciated.  Things go in God's time, not our time.

On Dec. 9, 1531, a native Mexican while walking 15 miles to attend Mass heard singing and encountered the Virgin Mary clothed as an Aztec princess.  He was a model of humility, as he said, "I am a nobody, I am a small rope, a tiny ladder, the tail end, a leaf."  We have encountered high born whom the Lord called and here we see a simple farmer, weaver and laborer called upon to do His will.  God choses as He will those he calls to do His will.  Juan Diego was canonized July 31, 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.  And the angel came in unto her, and said, 'Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women'...And the angel said unto her, :Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.'" Luke 1:26-28, 30-31KJV

Today is the feast day of St. Ambrose of Milan.  Considered one of the four Doctors of the Western Church, his life certainly took an interesting twist.  Although born to a Christian family in the 300's AD, he did not initially seek a career in the Church.  His father was Roman Prefect of Gaul and Ambrose followed in his father's political footsteps becoming Imperial Governor of Northern Italy.  When he was asked to intervene in unrest due to the question of succession of a bishop, the people shouted that he become bishop.  In the course of one week he was baptised, named deacon, then priest and ordained Bishop on 12/7/374!  He has been considered the perfect model of a bishop with his generosity and his adherence to his faith.  He was key in combating the Arian heresy (that Christ is not truly divine but created), an advocate for Mary and her role, and author of many writings.  He influenced St. Augustine who also became a Doctor of the Church.  Look him up, he is fascinating!

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it...
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!" Isaiah 40:3-5, 9 KJV

It's beinning to look a lot like Christmas...  That's a popular secular song about toys in every store etc.  But what does Christmas look like?  Christmas represents Pure Love coming to earth.  Do we reflect that pure love in the hustle and bustle of the Season?  Do we take time to think about Pure Love coming to us, Peace Incarnate?  Let the peace of the true season fill you with love and the knowledge that God loves each of you so much that He sent His only begotten Son.  Happy, peaceful thoughts to you, friend in Christ. 

Today is the feast day of St. John of Damascus.  Born in Syria around 676 St. John was the son of a high official to the caliph.  His father, seeking a tutor for him, came across a highly educated Sicilian monk who had been captured by Saracen pirates.  Eager to learn St. John became proficient in a variety of subjects.  He followed in his father's footsteps as a high official to the caliph.  He was eventually ordained a priest and is recognized as being a Doctor of the Church.  Isn't it interesting how God places people in the right place to do His will. Were it not for Saracen pirates...   We should never forget that He is in charge.

Today is the feast day of St. Francis Xavier, Patron of Foreign Missions.  Born to nobility in 1506, he was educated in Paris where he met St Ignatius Loyola.  They became part of a group of seven who fouonded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  Eschewing the riches he was born to and taking a vow of poverty he was ordained a priest and became one of the greatest missionaries since the apostles.  He helped spread Christianity through India and the Far East.  May his zeal and service serve as an inspiration to all of us to live Christ and let our lives be a testimony to those around us.

Its December 1st already and there is so much to do.  Presents to be bought and wrappped, cards to be sent, decorations to be set up.  So much busyness to do dealing with customs and traditions including family traditions.  Advent is a time of preparation, but it is to be a time of spiritual preparation.  I pray that I do not become so overwhelmed with the busyness of the season that I neglect the spiritual business of the season.  Preparing my heart for the coming of the Lord.