Joy

+JMJ+

We are almost in another new year...and what will this one offer we who seek, we who search and try to hear that voice, stirring inside, beckoning us to Magis: more.

I beleive the key is joy...and always has been. I read from St. Maria Faustian, Bl. Mother Therese and Papa John Paul today...and what did they reecho? A call to live a lifestyle of joy.

What is joy? It is not a momentary delight, the smile that comes after you win 5 bucks off a scratch ticket. No, joy is much deeper and abiding. It walks hand in hand with suffering. But you ask, how can that be?

Think of Mary. A dear friend reminded me today how even in the moment of greatest suffering, as she watched her beloved Son die on the Cross, she experienced JOY, because her will is totally aligned with the will of God.

Joy is seeing someone say Yes to God. Joy is feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. It is making a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament on a lunch hour, or getting up early to go to daily Mass before the 9-5 rush. Joy is closing your eyes and making a Spiritual Communion. It is remembering how much you are loved, how much you matter. It is a mother holding her newborn infant...and a little child kissing the Christ Child's feet in the Nativity Scene after Mass.

Joy is simple, it is humble. It is a lifestyle of trusting and delighting in everything God gives, even the Cross. It is being complete in God, and allowing that completion to shine through. It is being the face of Christ to those suffering for Love, and not needing to say a word, because your eyes shine forth God's grace.

I pray that in this New Year, you may make a commitment, or renew a commitment to live a lifestyle of Joy...that Christ's Joy may be in you, and your Joy may be complete.

God bless you!
Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Pray to Jesus for us!

A Christmas Story

+JMJ+

I am currently on the East Coast visiting Family...and would like to share "Glad tidings of Great Joy" and a Christmas Story with you.

I arrived at O'Hare Airport about 1.5 hours before my flight was scheduled to depart on Tuesday, 12/23. As my friend Michael was driving me to the airport, I had a sneaky suspicion I would not be taking off at 1:25 p.m. Check in complete, I made my way to terminal B9, I believe. To be expected, the crowd destined for Manchester, NH made me feel like I was already back in New England.

Less than 30 minutes later, our United representative informed us that our flight, indeed, was delayed. My anticipation confirmed, I decided to make good on the resolution I had made that morning while packing for the trip: I'd do my best to bring Christmas cheer to my fellow travelers. 

I found an appropriate spot, not too close but not to far...unpacked my flute, and began to play Christmas carols. I'm not a professional musician, but I've always loved music, and I received so much joy by sharing this simple gift with my fellow (frustrated) travelers. When they announced our gate change to C21, I packed up and found another spot in that terminal, and continued to play. Much to my delight, a gentleman who was cleaning the windows at the airport began to whistle along, and a little girl kept dragging her father back and forth to watch "the lady playing the Christmas music." People even said Merry Christmas :)

It was a little moment in the grand scheme of life, but I keep looking back upon our five hour delay as a miracle of grace for me. The gift of joy can never be overrated. As Pope John Paul the Great said so perfectly during his Theology of the Body messages, "Man cannot know himself except through a sincere gift of self." I pray that every day you may continue to have opportunities to give such sincere gifts of self!

Thank you for your presence in my life, for your friendship and prayers. I prayed for each of you at a little Polish Church in Hartford on Christmas eve, as well as during Midnight Mass. My prayer is that you may continue to grow in Christ's Love, and continue to be witnesses of His Mercy and Grace in our world that is suffering for want of Love! May Mother Mary hold you in her Mantel!

Update

+JMJ+

I have been unable to post for weeks--partly because of extreme busyness, and in extension, because of the busyness, not having read much!

Reading is my favorite 'leisure' activity, although I am not sure I actually beleive in 'leisure'. I actually am beginning to disdain opening my Mac--not because I don't regard the gift that this device is, or the wonderful projects I am able to do with the Mac...but because it is a constant reminder of the brokenness of our society.

I am not going to go into a diatribe on modernity (as I have not the time at this moment), but it is worth considering--how advanced are we, really? Have we truly come to a better point in the history of the human race?? Or...are freely choosing death by fattening ourselves with the sins of choice?

Ahh...enough. If only I could be a Philosopher. I think I would have liked that! Blessed Feast of St. John of the Cross!

Thought

+JMJ+

Talent in cooperation with grace is excellence. Talent in opposition to grace is destruction.

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This is my attempt at micro-blogging! More soon...Blessed Advent!