Lights Please:

And Joseph went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,

and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling

clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.

The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news

of great joy that will be for all the people.

For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.

And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

and suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying

"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."

So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.

All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had hear and seen,

just as it had been told to them.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Mystic Monday: Don't Just Read the Word; Let it Consume You

Today's quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer on scripture.

The Word of Scripture should never stop sounding in your ears and working in you all day long, just like the words of someone you love. And just as you do not analyze the words of someone you love, but accept them as they are said to you, accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart, as Mary did. That is all . That is medidation . . . Do not ask "How shall I pass it on?" but "What does it say to me?" Then ponder this Word long in your heart until it has gone right into you and taken possession of you.

Pax

When It All Feels Like Too Much . . .

I am sitting here at my computer trying to begin one of my essays, but I am completely devoid of anything pertinent to say on the subject of Heresies in the ancient church. I am also waiting for return calls from my mother's lawyer and nursing home. I am also waiting for the delivery of a mower that mrangelmeg sent out to be fixed, which is supposed to be delivered this morning.

My suitcase is on the floor beside my chair, still half-packed from the two day car ride with-funeral that I just returned from Tuesday. That might be a good thing because most of the clothes that are still in the suitcase are clean: I will just tell mrangelmeg that I am getting a head start on my packing for the weekend. I am taking a short trip to visit friends and spend Saturday researching for my papers in my Gradual School Library (an award winning piece of architectural beauty I might add). Yeah, I am just starting to pack early.

Mrangelmeg informed me last night that he will be gone part of the next two weeks, and I should get used to this pattern because for the foreseeable future this is his life; he will be home long enough each week to pay bills and exchange his clothes for clean ones and hopefully attend Mass as a family before he will be off again. The bright side is that he will be racking up tons of frequent flyer miles I suppose.

I know that we are told that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but I have often said (and really feel this way at this moment) that my shoulders must look a lot more broad and strong from his perspective in heaven than they actually are. I am feeling slightly overwhelmed at this moment.

And yet, the Office of readings this morning was again from the book of Wisdom:

For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.

For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself perduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.

For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.
-Wisdom 7:15-30

I suppose that the Wisdom I received this morning is that when it all seems like too much, stop trying to do it all by yourself. I will rely upon Wisdom (a woman you will note from the text) and leave my cares in God's capable hands. I am sure She can handle them much better than I can.

Maybe what I need right now is a nice cup of tea.

Pax