Ijournal entry 122214 # 51 Season of Advent, week IV. GO SAINTS. Quotes from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Kevin Tierney, St. Juliana of Norwich, and St. Claude de la Colombiere. Cartoons by Adam Crawford and Mark Shea. "A Message from Father Francis Maple", by Fr. Francis Maple. The Art Of Waiting: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", The Conference By Fr. John Bartunek
Advent, week IV
"The Las Posadas is a wonderful way to deepen a devotion to the Holy Family and to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation of our Savior Jesus Christ, who was born to the holiest of of families in the most poor of material circumstances.
This Catholic Christmas tradition was brought to Mexico in the 16th century by Spanish Augustinian friars as they evangelized the New World. For 9 days, from December 16th-24th, the faithful prepare for Christmas by acting out and reliving the days Mary & Joseph experienced as they journeyed to Bethlehem. They traveled from place to place seeking rest, only to be rejected, causing the Baby Jesus to be born in a manger.
The celebration begins with a nighttime procession. Participants hold candles, sing Christmas carols, and play the parts of Mary and Joseph. The procession makes its way to a particular home (a different one each night), where they sing a traditional song (La Cancion Para Pedir Posada), recite Scripture readings and prayers, and conclude with a festive meal. And piñatas for the kids! The nine nights of posadas leading up to Christmas are said to represent the nine months that Jesus spent in Mary’s womb, or, to represent nine days journey to Bethlehem. The nine days also fits nicely in with the concept of a traditional nine-day novena prayer"
Info from this site: http://www.catholiccompany.com/blog/las-posadas-catholic-christmas-tradition
SAINTS 14 FALCONS 30
You start out with such a bang
Then dat's da way U Treat da Who Dat gang?
The Cheese & Crackers = Quotes from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Kevin Tierney, St. Juliana of Norwich, and St. Claude de la Colombiere
The Veggies=
The Potatoes = Cartoons by Adam Crawford and Mark Shea
The Meat = "A Message from Father Francis Maple", by FR. FRANCIS MAPLE
The Dessert = THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", The Conference By Fr. John Bartunek
The Meat = "A Message from Father Francis Maple", by FR. FRANCIS MAPLE
The Dessert = THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", The Conference By Fr. John Bartunek
Cheese & Crackers
🔴 "Keep yourself in the meaning of these Advent days and, above all, pay heed to Him who is approaching; think from where He comes and to where it is He advances; consider His purpose in coming, the ripeness of the times, the route He may choose for His approach" By Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
⚪️ If Gaudete Sunday wanted us to meditate on the nature of joy in encountering Christ, the Fourth Sunday of Advent (also known as Rorate Sunday) offers us a meditation on evangelization and discipleship. The Introit begins with what could be called a prophetic utterance. We join Isaiah in beseeching God that the “dew from the heavens” fall upon us". By Kevin Tierney
Isaiah 45:8 " Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a saviour: and let justice spring up together: I the Lord have created him"
🔵 "And I saw that truly nothing happens by accident or luck, but everything by God's wise providence . . . for matters that have been in God's foreseeing wisdom since before time began befall us suddenly, all unawares; and so in our blindness and ignorance we say that this is accident or luck, but to our Lord God it is not so." By St. Juliana of Norwich
⚫️ "How I fear for my salvation when I see how inconstant I am. I am now gay, now sad: today I am friendly with everyone, tomorrow, I am like a hedgehog that no one can touch without being pricked. This is a sign that nature stills reigns within us, that our passions are still unmortified and that we have very little virtue. A man who leans on God is immovable and cannot be overthrown. Whatever happens that is annoying, he is pleased because he has no other will than that of God. O Happy peaceful state! but we must fight to obtain it". By St. Claude de la Colombiere
The Veggies
Habakkuk 2:3 "For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay"
Very glad about being led to Victor Moubarak's site: "Time for Reflection. An article by Father Francis Maple, kind of confirmed and complemented a few of my Advent contemplations. The Holy Spirit inspired me to spend a little bit of time each day this Advent Season on the Father's lap, listening to His heartbeat. Last year it was to spend each day with Blessed Immaculata, Mary Most Holy.
🎄 On 12-16, time with the Father on the throne alone. Gladly and joyfully coming to visit with the intention of trying to show the Father the impact of Jesus in my life. It's the bearing of good fruit will be a comfort to Him as He experience the pain from the lost of things as they were in the beginning, the reign of a Jesus ever by a His side. My fruits may not be completely ripe and small, but asking for grace to be able to fulfill my potential in Christ.
🎄 On 12-17, The Father is expressing sentiments regarding the shortness of days now left before His beloved Son will be leaving Him for the first time as has existed before the foundations of the world. There is something that can be done to appease Him a little, it's for me to resemble His Son more and more, and help others do so. That will bring sweet memories to Our Loving Father.
🎄 On 12-18, this day of the Advent Season is spent with the Father explaining that a simple act of thanksgiving, should be a common on our lips to Him, as is the word "hi" falling from the lips upon encountering someone. Every time we're entering into the Fathers presence, our greeting should be first and foremost one of thanks. He really woukd appreciate and is expecting many daily visits in His long stretch of missing His Divine Son from reigning by His side. Our coming often and saying thanks consoles. It's is truly consoling when unexpected visits brings us into His presence with true thanksgiving extended for the sending a His Son to redeem us by innocently suffering and shedding His precious blood in death for us sinners.
🎀Christmas Wish List Addition🎀
❄️With The Oh So Right Petition❄️
Coming not with the intention to in any way to intrude
Please pardon the interruption, don't want in the least to be rude
Cause it's not in my nature to be crude
A few minutes of your time will suffice
Just coming to encourage and entice
In the spirit of The Lord, trying to do this in a way that's ever so nice
Not like am in your face fist
But coming humbly, lovingly, but nevertheless to dramatically insist
That this one more thing, be an addition to your Christmas wish list
It is something that you really,really, can't do without, and do need
Something very vital,super important to your spiritual health indeed
Hoping and praying you are one that hear, prosper and succeed
Initially you might not think it's so
But in the end it will be a no brainer, it'll be an emphatic "it's a go"
Get a taste and you'll no doubt want a bit mo
It's for your welfare & surely not for woe
Easily attainable by all, even for one considered the common "Joe"
Something to raise you high up, and not to pull you down low
My advice, I think you would do well to heed
That is to plead, plead, plead
To be listed as one of the ones the Holy Spirit will take time to feed
Ask not for just a dose, nor a double dose, but for a triple dose
Of the Holy Ghost, sweeter smelling than the finest rose
He'll come to open, contrite hearts, not forgetting any one of those
Since this is the time of receiving & of great gift giving
What can be better than power capable of changing your futile way of living
That's one plea you'll surely live to see
No doubt Heaven won't have a problem letting it be
Abundant graces poured out upon you and me
Filling us with so much anticipation
Because of Jesus who forever lives & continues to be the reason
And the wonder of what's to cone this wonderful gift giving season
To really get into it, to see it, feel it, & hear it
your heart will have to be immersed in the right spirit
Then grace moments will come & grow stronger stronger, bit by bit
That will require a great big dose of The Holy Ghost
& "Keepin Christ in Christmas" will be a reality of which U can boast
While joyfully praising The Newborn King with every heavenly host
tmm/TruGIG
™
Have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
All you Jesus Lovers
The Potatoes
1. "All of us as Christians, whether Catholic or Protestant, follow a “pope”. The pope you follow may be a TV evangelist, a theologian, a Christian author, a particular denomination, or pastor, but make no mistake we all have someone who fills the role of the ultimate spiritual authority in our lives – even if it is just ourself". By Adam Crawford
2.
Matthew 19:21 "Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
3
By Mark Shea
4. By Mark Shea
The Meat
"A Message from Father Francis Maple", by FR. FRANCIS MAPLE"This Christmas we need to focus on the greatest reality there is - that God loves us so much that He gave us His only Son to free us from our sins! We need to be grateful for His love and respond to His love; and the best way to do that is by surrendering our life completely to Him, as He has surrendered Himself completely to us. How do we do this - by putting Him first in our daily lives? This means that we build our day around Him. We need to give Him quality time in our prayer life. As we meditate on His birth and see Mary holding her divine Child in her arms we can think of her saying, "Would you like to hold Him?" Then she hands Jesus to you and you get to hold the God of the universe in your arms. But we do not just stop there – we realise EVERY DAY we can hold Jesus in our arms when we receive Him in the Eucharist! To believe that Jesus, who is God, and who the Universe cannot even begin to contain, became a little baby for us and continues this humility in the Eucharist is amazing - What a gift He has given to us! How very blessed we are!
I also realize and appreciate that there are some who think Christmas is a hard time. You may be experiencing loneliness or illness, or you may be in sorrow because you have lost someone dear. You need to know that you are never alone! Jesus became one of us so that He could be near us! There is never a time when you need to feel that no one cares or that you have to go through your struggles alone - YOU ARE LOVED! This is what Christmas is about, and this needs to be our hope that brings us through the darkness.
Remember that no matter how dark the darkness is - it can never conquer the Light! Try this - go into a dark room and light a match or candle and watch just how the darkness flees from the power of the light. Jesus is that Light and He is inside of YOU! That is so true. Cling to this Truth, and know His power!
This Christmas let us pray for each other and accept the love of the Christ Child, and of Our Father who gave Him to us, our best Christmas present. Mary and Joseph, we thank you for the part you played in bringing Jesus to our world"
The Dessert
THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", The Conference: The Fourth Phase of Christian Growth, By Fr. John Bartunek
Link to the conference:
http://rcspirituality.org/the-art-of-waitinga-retreat-guide-for-advent-guide/?submissionGuid=0b83d29e-84e8-4ad2-86b3-417b3ca091fd
Thanks 4 taking a little time out to feed you soul
Trying to provide quality nourishment is my number one goal
To prevent a lack of spiritual knowledge from taking it's toll
✞ⓂⓂ℘✞L̶o̶r̶d̶ \o/
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