Biscuits and Gravy

11 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization, Faith, Friendship

Tags

Biscuits and Gravy, Catholic, Evangelization, Faith, Friendship, Missionary Discipleship, The Rescue Project

My southern-raised grandmother had a saying when she received something good over and above what she expected: “Well, isn’t that just gravy on the biscuit!”. This Lent our parish offered a faith-filled “biscuit” and got a heaping ladle of “gravy” thrown in.

Approximately ninety parishioners and parishioners-to-be gathered to experience The Rescue Project, a faith-building/evangelization program. Participants sat at the same table of eight, and, over eight weeks, filled their bellies with good food and their minds and souls with delicious “biscuits” – an expected deeper understanding of our Catholic faith.

The “gravy” came in the form of evangelizing through developing friendships. Many at the tables were strangers to each other, so table leaders had to be intentional about creating an inviting atmosphere for everyone to comfortably share their personal insights and what they received from the presentations. This intentionality had to stem from a genuine interest in the other person and a desire to get to know their story. With each successive week, participants became more comfortable and trusting, laughed and cried together, and became close friends. Since the program ended, table members have arranged to meet for meals, for prayer, and have stayed in touch supporting each other in their daily walk with Christ.

Everyone who attended The Rescue Project came to be inspired in their faith, and they left with much more – new friends with whom they could share their love for Jesus. But, those ninety folks are not unique in the world. There are millions just like them eager for friendship and the chance to tell their story if only someone is interested enough to listen. They are in our parishes, our neighborhoods, and our workplaces. They are the people sitting next to you in the church pew, or the new parishioner who’s just moved to town and doesn’t know anyone. They could be someone who is lost and despairing, who is blindly looking for salvation. God put you in their path on purpose.

To be missionary disciples, we need to intentionally seek opportunities to be friends who can bring others to Christ. We need to be welcoming and hospitable, and help others find joy in the world by delighting in them and helping them feel relevant, that they are beloved sons and daughters of God. God made us for each other. He shows His love for us through other people. Your next best friend may just be the person you’re about to meet. Delight in them. Be the “gravy” on their “biscuit”.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of faith, for the gift of friendship, and the opportunity to bring the two together. Thank You for Fr. John Riccardo and his ACTS XXIX team for developing The Rescue Project. Thank you for putting it on the hearts of so many in our parish to participate and bring the love of Christ to others. Amen.”

(Biscuits and Gravy was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2024 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

From the Archives: Thoughts on the Total Solar Eclipse

08 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Faith, Scripture

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Catholic, Disordered attachments, Eclipse, Jgs 2:11-12, Lk23:44-45, Mt19:21-22, Ps 106:36-37, Solar Eclipse, Total Solar Eclipse, Worldly Attachments

People in the U.S. are going crazy today, taking off work, traveling for hours to get in position to view the total solar eclipse that is passing over North America. It truly will be a natural phenomenon to behold, and one more opportunity to marvel at the wonders displayed by the Creator of the universe. Ask yourself, “From our vantage point on earth, the moon is the same diameter as the sun. Is it simply a coincidence that the sun is 390 times the diameter of the moon AND 390 times the distance from the earth as is the moon?” I don’t think so.

I’m fortunate that I don’t have to travel to be in the path of the eclipse. It will be passing over my location in Lebanon, Ohio, between 1:53 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. with a maximum 99.8 percent coverage at 3:10 p.m.

The last total solar eclipse occurred on August 21, 2017. As I was thinking about today’s event, I remembered writing a post on that day almost seven years ago. Calling it up, I thought it was worth dusting off and posting again.

Thoughts on the Total Solar Eclipse

Today’s the day the scientific community and millions of regular folks across America have been waiting for: the total solar eclipse. The last one to occur was in 1979, and prior to that, the last to be visible from the contiguous 48 states was in 1918.

From my perch here in southwest Ohio, the eclipse is supposed to begin at 1:02 p.m., peak at 2:28:41 p.m., and end at 3:52 p.m., almost three hours. The sky is clear and we should see a 90% eclipse.

I don’t have any special dark glasses with which to look at the eclipse, nor did I make a pinhole viewer from a shoe box. I’m just sitting here on my front porch waiting to see it get dark in the middle of the day.

Waiting to see if anything special happens when the moon blocks out the sun.

I recall a story of an eclipse which happened about 2,000 years ago that also lasted about three hours.

“It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle” (Lk 23:44-45).

It occurred in Jerusalem as Jesus was dying on the cross – a death demanded by the self-righteous of the time, most notably the Jewish scholars and priests who were blinded by their man-made beliefs to which they were attached and who refused to accept that God had finally sent their Messiah, the Son of Man, as He promised.

Their beliefs blocked out the “Son”.

I recall this morning’s Scripture passages:

“The children of Israel offended the Lord by serving the Baals. Abandoning the Lord, the God of their fathers, who led them out of the land of Egypt, they follow the other gods of the various nations around them, and by their worship of these gods provoked the Lord.” (Judges 2:11-12)

“They served their idols, which became a snare for them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.” (Psalms 106: 36-37)

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” (Matthew19:21-22)

Each of these passages spoke to me about how our society often puts other things ahead of God and His Son, Jesus, making it easy to turn away from Them. These other things, our “possessions”, are our attachments, the habits and “important” stuff we can’t turn loose of. They’re those things that keep us from focusing on, and spending time with, our Lord.

They, too, block out the “Son”.

One has to wonder if the Church picked these passages specially for today. But, I know they didn’t. I also know it’s not just coincidence. This is the way God works.

Perhaps, then, today, the day the moon eclipsed the sun, would be a good day to think about what things we allow in our lives to eclipse the “Son”, and what it will take to turn loose of them.

“Heavenly Father, I give you thanks for Your great glory. Thank You for this world in which we live with all its wonders – Your Wonders. Thank You especially for the greatest Wonder of all, Your Son, Jesus. Holy Spirit, help me to turn loose of my unnecessary worldly attachments so that I may grow closer to Christ. Amen.”

(From the Archives: Thoughts on the Total Solar Eclipse was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Ephphatha!

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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Tags

Catholic, Curing of the Deaf/Mute, Ephphatha, Evangelization, Faith, Grace, Holy Saturday, Holy Spirit, Is 50:4-5, Mk 7:31-37, Prayer, RCIA

This Saturday morning, Easter Saturday, I will have the pleasure of leading eighteen adults and youths in the final rites before they are baptized and enter into full communion with the Church that evening at the Easter Vigil Mass. One of those rites is the Ephphatha Rite, the opening of the ears and mouth of the Elect to help them more clearly hear and proclaim the Word of God. The Rite is based on the curing of the deaf and mute man in Mark’s Gospel (Mk 7:31-37).

Saturday will be exactly eleven years to the day since I received this rite, the day I was baptized and became a Catholic Christian. A remembrance of this came back to me this morning as I read today’s first reading:

The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to answer the weary a word that will awaken them. Morning after morning he wakens my ear to hear as disciples do; the Lord God opened my ear, I did not refuse, did not turn away. – Is 50:4-5

More happened that day than my conversion becoming official. God truly opened my ears and my tongue as well as allowing the words to flow from my brain through my hand to pen or computer keys. I was never one to journal or record my thoughts on paper, in fact, I abhorred writing, was terrible with grammar and punctuation, and, most of all, didn’t dare say anything about a belief with which someone else might contend. Yet, within two weeks, I began writing articles on this blog as a means to evangelize and lead others to a better understanding of their faith in hopes that they would grow closer to Jesus. Now, eleven years and 300 blog posts later, I still feel the call.

On March 30, 2013, I would have said you were crazy if you’d prophesied the future and said I would retire, go back to school to become a certified Catholic Spiritual Mentor mentoring dozens of men, and eventually be re-employed as Director of Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation within our parish. Miracles happen, and, with God, all things are possible.

“Good and gracious God, by Your grace, You joined me with holy people who accompanied me on this journey ever since I chose to follow You. Through them, You taught me how to pray, how to converse with You, how to tell You what is on my heart, how to listen to Your promptings, and, especially, how to help others do the same so that their interior lives can flourish. You opened my ears and loosened my tongue so that others may hear Your Word. I give You thanks every day that when I heard Your calling, ‘I did not refuse, did not turn away.’ Amen.”

(Ephphatha! was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Faith is Personal…but Should Never Be Private

26 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Catholicism, Confirmation, Evangelization, Friendship, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Virtue

Jesus Sends the Apostles – Duccio di Buoninsegna, c.1300

We all know people who claim to believe in God but then won’t talk about it. They clam up and say their faith is personal…end of discussion. They are right, one’s faith is, and should be, personal. But Jesus never intended for it to be private. He tells us in the Gospels to go and be disciples. How can we evangelize if we keep our faith private?

The most common excuse for keeping one’s faith private may be that the basics were never learned well enough in the first place to share it with, or defend it before, others. One can easily deflect blame onto one’s teachers or parents, but to remain in this state is to succumb to the deadly vice of sloth, which is a laziness or a lack of love for the ways of God. The virtue opposing sloth is diligence, which may simply mean spending a little time each day learning more about one’s faith through daily prayer, reading scripture or other Catholic publications, or listening to Catholic television, radio, or podcasts, all of which can help us increase our understanding of our faith.

Another is our failure to fully understand and accept the graces we received at our Confirmation. The infusion of the Holy Spirit supernaturally strengthened the virtue of fortitude within us, enabling us to share in the mission of Jesus Christ to spread and defend our faith. Like a child who receives affirmation from a parent over a good behavior continues to improve in that behavior, we, too, simply have to believe we already possess what we need.

And, finally, the exigencies of modern life can make us forget that we need other people. Jesus didn’t live as a hermit. He gathered family and friends with whom He shared life. St. Paul urged the Corinthians to not live their faith privately but in community with one another. Like an ember that falls away from a fire and dies out, we can grow cold if we don’t stay close to others who are on fire with their faith, and others can grow cold if we don’t bring our fire to them.

To effectively evangelize, we can’t be passive. We have to actively learn, strengthen our relationship with Jesus through prayer and study, and build friendships with those whose fires need stoking.

“Lord Jesus, I pray for the grace to love You more dearly, and to exercise the grace which You’ve already bestowed on me in my Confirmation to bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Amen.”

(Faith is Personal…but Should Never be Private was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Road Trip Reflections: Once in a Lifetime Grace

19 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Grace

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Dad, Death, Faith, Family, Father, Grace, Grief, Hope, Love, Road Trips, Trust

I returned home Monday night from what seemed like a twelve day road trip. Actually, it was two 16 hour roundtrips nearly back to back. Neither was one I looked forward to taking. The first was to be with my mother and siblings at my father’s bedside as he lay dying, and the second was to return for his funeral.

Dad was 91 going on 19. His physical body was ravaged from too many years of dialysis after kidney failure, but his mind was still sharp as ever, and his sense of humor intact in spite of his suffering. After being in a coma for most of a week, he awoke long enough to respond to a nurse when asked how he was feeling that morning, “Okay, I guess, but I’m not ready to go dancing yet.” I think those were the last words he said before passing two days later.

I had an eight hour return trip home after he passed, and on the way it occurred to me that, amidst the sadness of dad passing, we also received many graces that come only once in a lifetime.

It’s a rare occurrence that my brother, two sisters and I get together. We were all able to make it there and hold vigil before dad died. We stayed with mom at the hospital, told stories and relived old memories of good times with dad. There was a love present in that room that we probably hadn’t experienced in quite some time.

I sensed an unsettling grace in my silent gratitude for all that dad did for his family, especially the sacrifices he made which were not always convenient or understood by us kids – gratitude that should have been expressed many times but never was.

Between us all, there were dozens and dozens of friends and a few remaining relatives praying for us and for dad. Speaking for myself, I felt the outpouring of overwhelming love from each of them.

There was grace in the realization that God is in control, not us, and that one day we, too, will pass away. This grace is a gift from God that gives me power and strengthens my desire to live a faith-filled virtuous life so that I will be ready for that day.

I found grace in knowing that my grieving was a result of the love I have for my dad, and that, with God, nothing is wasted – my grief, offered up with trust, is being put to good use.

And, there was comfort and grace in the hope that dad is now with the only One in the universe Who loves him more than we do.

Returning to my home town for the funeral also brought more graces. I saw a few relatives I hadn’t seen in decades who came to comfort mom, and old classmates of my sib’s and I, who stopped by to offer their condolences.

Dad was a U.S. Air Force veteran from the early fifties, and he chose to be buried in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery. He received an honor guard farewell complete with rifles fired, and taps played beautifully by a disabled vet. Two Air Force airmen removed the flag covering dad’s casket and, after folding it perfectly, presented it to my mother with the words, “On behalf of the President of the United States….”. There was a flash of humorous irony in this as dad was a life-long, die-hard Republican and was probably rolling over in his coffin at that moment thinking about the current President. But, in the next moment I found some grace in the thought that he might be, at that very moment, being saluted by President Dwight Eisenhower under whom he served as a United States Air Force Technical Sergeant.

Off you go into the wild blue yonder…Rest in peace, Dad. I will love you always. Save me a place up there!

“Good and gracious, God, thank You for the gift of a loving father and for the virtuous example he demonstrated to his family. Thank You for the graces that came from being with him in his final days, graces that came through family and friends, and from remembrances of loving moments shared together with him. Amen.”

(Road Trip Reflections: Once in a Lifetime Grace was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Relationship vs. Religion

09 Saturday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Catholicism, christianity, Evangelization, Evangelizing, Faith, Friendship, Jesus, Mental Prayer, Prayer, Relationships, Religion

In many previous posts I’ve mentioned the need to develop a close personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, especially mental prayer or mediation, in order to make our evangelizing authentic. In prayer, we spend time with Jesus, we converse, and we build a friendship with Him that becomes so exciting that we want to introduce Him and share Him with others!

As Catholics, we are fortunate to be able to claim two thousand years of tradition in our lineage. We are the original Church, instituted by Christ Himself, and built on the rock of Peter. We have thousands of saints to whom we can look as role models: men and women who performed incredible acts of charity, who evangelized savage cultures at the risk of losing their lives, and who staunchly defended their faith and were martyred. Our faith is deep, and we have a plethora of books, magazines, podcasts, television, videos, and speakers to help us learn and go deeper into the finer details of Catholicism. It’s all good and exciting stuff and we can easily get lost in it. So lost, in fact, that we can begin to think that our religion, our Catholicity, is first and foremost. And, when we do, Jesus gets relegated to the back seat. Our excitement about Catholicism becomes a hinderance to actually promoting Jesus.

If we read the Gospels closely, we see the popularity of Jesus. People heard of his miracles, and they flocked to Him. They were cured of sickness and demons, and, as they told more people about Him, more and more people followed Him everywhere He went. During Jesus’ public ministry, His disciples didn’t tell people to come join them in a new religion. The term Christianity was not coined until a few decades later. Rather, they simply invited them to encounter Jesus. People got excited about Jesus and not some new religion.

If we’re not careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking we are evangelizing when, instead, we are selling Catholicism rather than sharing our love for Jesus, and hoping that an interest in Him will ensue. We have it backwards. We ought to follow the example of the Apostles and invite people to meet Jesus. Once they find and get excited about Him, then we can introduce them to the beauty and truth of our Catholic faith.

How do I know this? Because it worked on me.

“Dear Jesus, thank You for Your love, for drawing me closer to You each day. I love You, and in our friendship, Your love overflows so that I may offer it to others who may not know You…yet. Amen.”

(Relationship vs. Religion was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Why You Should Evangelize

24 Saturday Feb 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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1 Tm 2:3-4, Catholic, CCC1, christian, christianity, Evangelization, Faith, Jn 6:38-40, Mt 28:19, Why You Should Evangelize

Jesus Preaching on the Mount, Gustave Dore, 1866

I’ve been in my position as Director of Evangelization for our parish family for about a year now. The role has turned out to be more than I originally imagined it would be. I wear several hats during the course of a day, and I often hear, “I saw your truck at the parish office late last night.” To them I respond, “Yep, I’m loving it! For the first time in twenty years I get up in the morning and look forward to going to work!”

Ministry work is as distinct as night and day to the corporate life I endured for thirty-six years before I retired. While I may have grown weary of the grind, I enjoyed the hundreds of people with whom I worked and led, especially helping them learn how to perform their jobs well and understand why it was necessary. Understanding the “why” behind a directive can inspire someone to move from poor or mediocre performance to high performance. I think this principle applies to evangelization, as well.

The directive to evangelize came from Jesus, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19-20). Jesus didn’t explicitly answer the “why” question in this order, but He did give us inferences in the Gospels and inspired letters of the New Testament as to why he commanded this of us:

“because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me…for this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life…” (Jn 6:38-40)

“This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tm 2:3-4)

Jesus laid out the conditions of discipleship when he said we must deny ourselves and follow Him, that is, to do as He does and as He commands. (Mt 16:24-26)

Just like an employee who wonders “why?” might ask the question, “What’s in it for me?”, before he does something, it’s easy for us Christians to ask the same, especially when it comes to the often difficult task of evangelizing. The real question should not be, “What’s in it for me?”, but “What’s in it for someone else?”. Jesus made this inference when he explained the second Great Commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself!” (Mt 22:39)

So, the answer to, “What’s in it for someone else?”, is that they will find a relationship with Jesus, the One Who redeems us and leads us to “God [who}, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life.” (CCC1).

And the answer to, “What’s in it for me?”, is the grace in knowing that correctly answering, “What’s in it for someone else?”, might simply be your salvation!

“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and presence in my life, for the desire to place myself in Your presence, and to bring others into Your presence, as well. Amen.”

(Why You Should Evangelize was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

From the Archives: What Shall I Do, Lord?

25 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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Acts 22:10, Catholic, christian, christianity, Conversion, Conversion of St. Paul, Evangelization, Faith, Meditation, Prayer, Resolution, St. Paul

(A reflection on Acts 22:10)

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. As I meditated on today’s Scripture, I had a deja vu feeling I had been there before. Looking back, I discovered I’d offered a reflection four years ago today, and decided it was worth sharing again.

We are all called to proclaim the Gospel. How we do that begins with each of us asking the question:

What Shall I Do, Lord?

On this Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul we hear St. Paul ask, “What shall I do, Lord?”, after he is blinded on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians. His question is proof of his instant conversion to follow Christ.

It’s a good question for each of us to ask every day, as well, if we desire to follow Christ and grow in holiness. There’s no better way to begin one’s day than through meditation asking the Lord to reveal His will for us. It’s our job, then, to listen and make a resolution to go do it.

“Heavenly Father, through St. Paul and the other Apostles, the faith was spread throughout the world. As I celebrate his conversion today, I pray that I may follow his witness in at least my little part of the world. Amen.”

(From the Archives: What Shall I Do, Lord?, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Fending Off the Peace Thieves

14 Sunday Jan 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Peace

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Adoration, Eucharist, Eucharistic Adoration, Five Minutes' Peace, Love, One Hours' Peace, Peace

I hope everyone had a beautiful and blessed Christmas! This was the year our daughters spent Christmas with their in-laws. Thus, on Wednesday after Christmas we hit the road for a week and traveled to see them, my parents, and my siblings in Southeast Missouri, and as far west as Olathe, Kansas where two of my daughters and five grandchildren live.

We stayed with Mary who has two sons, ages seven and four, both very busy and demanding boys. While staying with them, I came across a children’s book called Five Minutes’ Peace¹. When Mary and her sisters were toddlers in the late 1980s, I read this book to them frequently. It is a story about a mother elephant, Mrs. Large, and her three elephant children. Mrs. Large gets up one morning and finds her children eating breakfast in their trashed-out kitchen. She decides she needs five minutes’ peace so she prepares her breakfast, grabs the morning paper, and heads for the bath tub. Of course, the kids ask why she’s taking her breakfast to the bathroom and she replies, “Because I need five minutes’ peace from all of you!” Then, no sooner than she settles into her bubblebath, the kids begin coming in and disturbing her peace. The first comes in to play a tune on his recorder. The second to read a few pages of her book. And then, the baby with his toys, which he throws in the bathtub and jumps in after them. Soon, the four of them are in the tub together. Mrs. Large has enough, gets out of the tub, dries off and heads for the kitchen still saying, “I need five minutes’ peace from all of you!” In the kitchen, she receives exactly three minutes and forty-five seconds of peace before the kids come to join her.

The story ends before we learn whether or not she put each kid in separate corners with their trunks to the wall. I tried that once with Mary and she peeled the wallpaper off the wall.

We are all a Mrs. Large at various times in our lives. It’s often daily! Parents are harried by their children, employees by their bosses, teachers by their students. Circumstances out of our control cause us anxiety, plans get sidetracked, schedules get delayed. Things break down and bills pile up. There is no end to the plethora of things that can steal our peace.

You walk away like Mrs. Large and the peace thieves follow you. What can you do to keep your sanity?

Instead of looking for only five minutes’ peace, go big and shoot for 60 minutes instead – a full hour. Impossible you say? Not so. Every Catholic church, yours included, has a tabernacle in which the Body, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus resides in the consecrated Eucharist. Jesus is there waiting for you to come to Him, to spend an hour with Him in Adoration and lay all your worries, pain, frustration, and suffering before Him so He can exchange it with His peace and love.

One hour of Eucharistic Adoration where I sit before Jesus and pour out my heart with love for Him is the best way I know to retrieve that stolen peace. I turn away from my troubles and focus on loving Him. In return, He loves me…and I let Him. I feel it, and I soak it up. When that hour is up, I am refreshed far more than any bath or shower can provide.

Be like Mrs. Large. Walk away from the frustrations, but walk to Jesus. Spend an hour with Him. He’ll renew your soul and make all those troubles seem insignificant.

“Dear Jesus, thank You for being there for me, for waiting patiently for me to come to You so that I can adore you and receive Your love in return. You take away the sins of the world. You take away our troubles, too, and You replace them with a supernatural peace that can only come from You. Amen.”

¹Jill Murphy, Five Minutes’ Peace, New York, NY, Penguin Putnam Books, 1999

(Fending Off the Peace Thieves was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

O Holy Night

25 Monday Dec 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Christmas

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Adolphe Adam, Christmas, Fall on your knees, O Holy Night, O Night Divine, The soul felt its worth

It wasn’t too long after I became Catholic that my favorite Christmas song, White Christmas, by Bing Crosby, was replaced by the beautiful Christmas carol, O Holy Night. Accepting that I was a beloved son of God helped me understand the full meaning of the lyric, “’til He appears and the soul felt its worth.” I have often thought I should write about how this song touches my heart, and how I should frequently fall to my knees in praise. But, it seems the busyness of Christmas has always kept me from doing so.

Melinda and I went to Mass this morning for the fourth Sunday of Advent. As always, we picked up a bulletin and perused it once we got home. In today’s edition, our pastor, Fr. Craig Best, wrote a message to the parishioners, telling us that O Holy Night is his favorite Christmas carol, as well. After reading it, I thought how I could not express myself any better than he did. So, rather than creating my own Christmas message, I will simply share his. I don’t think he will mind.

Message from the Pastor

“Early in the lyrics of my favorite Christmas carol, O Holy Night, come the words:

‘Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Til He appears and the soul felt its worth.’

“I am deeply touched every time I hear this song and think of those lyrics, for what more could God have done to better demonstrate His love for us and our worth to Him than to enter our world the way He did, not to rule over us, but in order to serve, suffer, and die?

“I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have lived back in those times and to have come upon the scene at that first Christmas. What would have gone through my mind and heart upon seeing the humble, homeless Holy Family, or if the infant Jesus had met me in the eyes? No matter how often we come to church or pray, how can we not be touched to really meditate on the Nativity!

“A few lines later, as the music swells, we hear:

‘Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born.’

“If we had been there two thousand years ago, and truly knew Who it was Mary held in her arms, surely we would have fallen on our knees.

“But, here’s the thing: the very same Person who came to us in that stable in Bethlehem is born on our altar in every single Mass. To believe this is a gift, but it is a gift God wants you to have.

“We are so blessed to be Catholic. Please never take this for granted.

“Christmas blessings to you and your families.

“Fr. Craig.”

________________________

Merry Christmas, everyone! May your day be blessed, and may you rejoice in the birth of our Lord, Jesus. I pray your soul will always feel its worth.

(O Holy Night was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.