Be A Gift to the Baby Jesus!

The Magi Brought Gifts and Received the Greatest Gift!

Gifts are important items during Christmastide, but the gift that we receive needs to last us for the rest of our lives, Jesus! The Spirit of Christmas can be life changing if we allow the Meaning of Christmas to take us over.

The Magi travelled to find the source of light and was transformed by it. We read in St. Matthew’s Gospel:

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His Mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:10-11

We join these Magi every day of our lives. May we bring whatever gift we have today to the Lord! May we be open to receive the gift that only this encounter can bring, the light of Christ!

May we carry Christmas with us all of our days!

Epiphany Blessings!

Pax. Hermit of Peace.

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Say Yes to God!

We have a choice to make as we live our lives. That choice can change the course of our lives and the lives of others. As we close the Advent 2023, we see one choice recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke that changed the course of the world. It happened in an exchange between Mary and the Archangel Gabriel over 2000 years ago, and result of which we celebrate tonight as we begin Christmastide with the Vigil and the Vespers of Christmas.  We hear Mary here:

 

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her.

St. Luke 1:38

 

This one yes brought God into the World in the person of Jesus! The Incarnation began with the Annunciation and Mary’s Yes!

 

This one Yes becomes one of the biggest celebrations in the world, knowing what it signifies or not knowing it!

 

However, Mary’s Yes reminds us to say Yes to God Too! Our “Love Yes” makes Jesus present in our lives and in the lives of others. And as the song says:

 

“I say yes Lord yes, to your will and to your way! I say yes Lord yes, I will trust You and obey!”

 

Fourth Sunday of Advent Blessings!

Christmas Eve Blessings!

 

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.  

 

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Jesus Rules!

When We Allow Jesus to Rule, Peace Reigns!

We are again at this special time of the year! We close our spiritual journey 2023 and next Sunday we will begin again. Each year’s Scriptures speak to us differently; the Scriptures remain but our lives changes and they speak to us where we are.

Today we look at the Final Judgment and we can look at our lives and see what side we are on. There are somethings that we cannot compromise on, if we are truly following Jesus, if Jesus is truly our King! We read from Matthew’s Gospel:

“Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to me.’”
Matthew 25: 34-35.

Jesus is very clear; the God of Mercy will be the God of the Final Judgement and the Judgement will be based on the mercy that we share with one another.

This challenge goes against what the world sees as important, and we are so affected by the world! We are called to rise above the world and its non-Christlike behaviors.

We can be Christlike and thank God we have this day to evaluate ourselves and become more Christlike; it will have eternal rewards!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace

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