God has a plan for your life. He also had a plan for your salvation, which He accomplished through Jesus. See, God doesn’t leave anything to chance. All we have to do is surrender and trust.
The Third Sunday of Advent is always “Gaudete Sunday” – meaning rejoice. Are you rejoicing that God is coming? Or does God’s way mean the end of your way?
Nicholas was known for his generosity. As tradition goes, he was so selfless that (although he, too, was poor) he helped his likewise poor neighbor support and pay for his daughters’ weddings. Nicholas snuck up to his neighbor’s house at night and dropped a handful of gold coins through the open window so that the eldest daughter could afford to get married. He would later repeat the generous act two more times. From there, the Santa legend grew into what we now know today – stockings, chimneys, a belly like jelly and all that good stuff.
What good are all of our exterior preparations if our interior heart is not ready for Christmas? Don’t forget what this season of Advent is all about, getting ready for Christ’s coming. Not Santa’s.
The themes of preparation during Advent say to us that we have to actively seek God in order to be ready for His coming. We have to take the things that we’re hiding in the dark and bring them to the light.
The reality is that if you live out your faith there will probably be some conflict and moments of very awkward silence. Like that moment when your aunt tells you all the things “wrong” with your Church . . . or your condescending cousin drills you on Catholic Church teaching and asks why you so “mindlessly” follow it? Or when your Mom pulls you aside in the kitchen before family dinner and encourages you to avoid talking about certain topics like abortion or politics?
The question isn’t about whether or not Jesus is King, but about whether or not we recognize and accept Him as King during our lifetime.
Jesus is saying to you every day: “I’m going to ask you for everything . . . and then some.” That’s the way of the cross and the way of the gospel.
Are you just going through the motions of prayer, or are you entering in with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength? Love God intentionally today.
Still, there are countless people who try to say that the Bible is “unreliable” or “outdated.” Many people – some of whom are well-read and quite intellectual – do everything they can to debunk the validity of Scripture, thinking that if they can exploit seeming “inconsistencies” or supposed “errors” they can somehow do away with Christianity and even God. That’s the first mistake . . .
One of the most amazing gifts God has given us is our Catholic faith. Have you ever thought about that? Without the gift of faith, we wouldn’t have access to God.
What does it mean to be a hero? Would you think it’s heroic to embrace suffering? A lot of people run away from suffering but Christ showed us that if we want heaven, we have to be willing to suffer here on earth. Our crosses aren’t meaningless when we unite them to the cross of Christ.
The theme of this week’s readings is: wisdom is where it’s at. Wisdom is so important because it’s the virtue by which we see things through God’s perspective, not through an earthly perspective. It means looking forward to heaven instead of living just for earth.
