About Prayer: A Video Christmas Gift
Here is a Christmas gift for you! My nephew Andy videotaped my presentation on prayer that I gave at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst library on December 1. If you have time, you might enjoy watching it. Before I began, I asked the audience to state their name and their favorite prayer or favorite way of praying. They had the option of saying, “I pass,” but no one did. What is your favorite prayer or favorite way of praying? Merry Christmas!
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Protector of the Unborn
In honor of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I’m reprising a post about her story. This should be of interest to all because under this title, the Blessed Mother is the patroness of the Americas, both North and South. In addition, she is relevant today when abortion is an acceptable practice, for Mary appeared to Juan Diego as a pregnant Aztec woman. Her Aztec dress was tied with a black belt, which signified that she was pregnant. First a summary of her appearance 500 years ago, then an explanation of the photos here: (more…)
For Christmas: Heart to Heart with Mary
Do you like the popular book “Jesus Calling” in which Jesus speaks to you every day? My newest book, “Heart to Heart with Mary,” contains Mary’s words for each day of the year. She speaks as our mother who loves and cares for us. Each entry ends with a suggestion for continuing the conversation with Mary. My copies are due to arrive on December 13, just in time to give as Christmas gifts. By then, the book should appear on Amazon for $14.00. I will be selling them for $12.00 and free shipping. If you would like one or more copies, email me ([email protected]) or just send a check (4237 Bluestone Rd, South Euclid, OH 44121). In this week’s blog, I give you a little taste of this book, which was a joy to write—all 386 pages!
Feast of Christ the King, an Unusual King
This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King, the climax and end of the church year. In my province of Christ the King, we used to celebrate this day in grand style, complete with the majestic song “Christus Vincit” in four-part harmony. In those days the feast occurred in October when the surrounding countryside was ablaze with autumn leaves. To decide on our religious name, we submitted three choices, usually in honor of a saint. The general superior selected one, and you celebrated your name day on the saint’s feast day. Because I had my heart set on the Feast of Christ the King as my name day, I came up with thirty-two names that stood for him. Some were unique, such as Inri (the sign on the crucifix, the acronym for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews). Rana, which is “king” in modern Indian, made my list, until I discovered it meant “frog” in Latin!
In the end, I became Kirene, a name I derived from the Chi-rho, the Greek symbol for Christ created from the first three letters of Christ. When most Sisters returned to their baptismal names because our vows are rooted in that sacrament, I retained the Feast of Christ the King as my name day. My favorite antiphon was “My heart sings with joy when I tell the good new. My life belongs to the king. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Today, kings have gone out of style and mainly exist only in history books and fairy tales. Mostly we use the term king for a man who excels at something, for example, King James (LaBron) is a great basketball player and a prom king is the most popular boy in high school. Kings administered their realm, enacted laws, and protected and judged their people. Christ is the supreme ruler. In the book of Revelation, he is “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords.” Christ is king of the entire universe. Not only did he create it, but he wrested it from Satan by dying and rising. Jesus was crucified because he claimed to be King of the Jews.
Some kings were ruthless, power-hungry, arrogant, and domineering. Jesus is the exact opposite. He is the Prince of Peace and the Good Shepherd. He could instruct us: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29). Those who belong to his kingdom promote his values: peace, justice, mercy, and love.
Subjects owed their king loyalty, obedience, and taxes. Christ the King desires nothing less than our lives and our love. According to a parable he told, when our King comes as judge at the end of time, he will separate people into two groups. Those who performed acts of mercy, such as feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, will be welcomed into his kingdom of heaven. As St. John of the Cross said, “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.”
Our community meal prayers include this one: “King and center of all hearts, rule thou supreme in our community and in every heart. Thine we are, O Lord, and thine we will be.” You might adopt an adapted version.
Christ is an unusual king. People gave their lives for their king, but our King died for us. Kings live in luxury, but when Jesus walked the earth, he opted to be a poor, itinerant preacher. Kings lord it over their people, but Jesus served others and taught his followers to humbly do so too. Kings wear crowns, but Jesus had only a crown of thorns. Kings have queens at their side, and while Jesus has no female divine partner, his mother Mary is granted the title Queen of Heaven and Earth.
Like other kings, though, Jesus expects loyalty. Members of his kingdom abide by his law of love. They work to spread his kingdom by attracting others to him. By our baptism we share in the kingly, priestly, and prophetic roles of Christ. That means we are royalty too!
Jesus is king because he truly is the best and the greatest. No wonder people live and die for him.
What is your favorite name or title for Jesus?
I actually found one copy of our “Christus Vincit” on YouTube!
Preparing to Give Thanks with Pennies
As we approach the heartwarming feast of Thanksgiving, you might visit the two sites given here. The first one offers a clever way of brightening your days by using pennies, and the second one is a visual that explains how to write a good thank-you note. By the way, on December 1 at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch library (1876 South Green Rd., South Euclid, OH) I will be speaking about prayer and my book Praying on Empty from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Along with the sale of this book and others, there will be handouts and door prizes. If you are in the area, you are welcome to come. Now I must go and prepare my talk!
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2017/11/14/the-power-of-giving-thanks
https://cardology.co.uk/8-quick-tips-writing-best-thank-messages
How do you express thanks to God?
BOOK REVIEW The Peace of Christmas: Quiet Reflections from Pope Francis
By Diane M. Houdek Franciscan Media 144 pages, $12.95
The flurry of activity during Advent can be overwhelming. There are gifts to buy and wrap, cards to send, special meals to prepare, cookies to bake, homes to decorate, and a tree to put up. The meaning of the season can easily be lost. The Peace of Christmas is the perfect antidote to stress and busy-ness. This book of daily reflections helps the reader to focus on God’s greatest gift: the coming of his Son into the world as a human being.
Each entry opens with a good-sized quotation from an address or homily of Pope Francis that is related to an Advent or Christmas theme. Coincidentally, Pope Francis is named for St. Francis of Assisi, who began the custom of displaying a Nativity scene. The Holy Father dwells often on the simplicity and poverty of the child of Bethlehem and the great love God has for us and our response.
The author then elaborates on the simple yet profound thoughts of the Holy Father in a section entitled “A Christmas Reality.” Weaving her personal memories and experiences with information about the Christmas story, she offers much food for thought. Her observations are down to earth and reflect the world as we know it. She refers to the violence and poverty in countries, and she acknowledges that there are dysfunctional families. In fact, one entry is “When Our Families Don’t Seem So Holy.”
The entries conclude with a section called “Your Christmas Gift Today.” In it the reader is presented with a practical suggestion for action that flows from the theme of the entry. In the entry on gift-giving, for example, the author advises resisting the temptation to use Santa as a threat against misbehavior but instead encourage children to imitate his generosity. Another suggestion is crossing off an item on your to-do list in order to spend an hour with God.
The entries lead from Thanksgiving through Christmas and end with Epiphany. The daily reflections can be read in sequence, but Houdek advises browsing through it when you have (or need!) a few minutes of quiet. Either way you make use of this book, you will find it a calming influence that sets your sights on the real meaning of Christmas. You will enjoy a respite of heavenly peace.
