MARY, OUR MOTHER: Christmas is a time of hope

Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas is a time of hope

Tribulation Times

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101

December 18, 2009

THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).

(Luk 2:10-14) And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people: For, this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.

ARCHBISHOP VINCENT NICHOLS: Christmas is a time of hope

RELATED: Nativity scene: A reminder of the true meaning of Christmas

EDITORIAL: Life gets more meaningful with love

We celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, the outpouring of God's love in great abundance into each of our hearts.

It is God's love for you and me: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. (John 3:16).

Christmas is therefore a reminder of God's love for us.

What does God's Love mean to us? In today's context, it is time for self-introspection in the light of this Love.

Poor self-esteem is a common problem affecting many individuals in every strata of every society. The hurt and bruises inflicted on hearts and minds lead many to believe that they are worthless and are of no value to anyone.

As members of a wider community, we need to reflect on this issue.

What can we do to bring God's Love into hearts and minds of our brothers and sisters who feel unloved and worthless?

St Francis de Sales a very wise, loving and spiritual guide (and a 16th Century Roman Catholic Saint and Bishop of Geneva) said, "You learn to Love by loving,"

Hence, the journey of Love begins with each one of us loving one another.

Many people radiate Love through their speech, action and even appearance.

God's Love is constantly pouring abundantly into our hearts and we in turn need to pass this love on to others.

The journey of Love continues when we accept it is God who provides us with blessings more than what we deserve.

When we accept that every blessing comes from God, then we have the inner desire to share and give freely to those who are in need.

Jesus Christ himself said: "You received freely; give freely." (Mt. 10:8)

When we start loving and sharing the blessings, we create an environment in which Love abounds and life thrives. That is what Christmas should mean to each of us.

Whoever we are, whatever we do, and wherever we live, all of us need to realise that all of us are precious in the eyes of God.

We are unique.

God proclaims His great love for us, saying, "You are precious in my eyes, and honoured and I love you". (Isaiah 43:4).

Once we believe we are a precious child of God and we are unique, we will not feel inferior, insecure or jealous when we come across another who is more able, more good looking or more talented.

Rather our identity in God will help us to acknowledge and appreciate the other as a precious work of God's creation.

As a child of God, we establish our self-worth and self-esteem, making life as the greatest treasure and gift to us.

Jesus taught us to pray: "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Jesus wants each one of us to build heaven on earth in our journey here.

Finally, the mystery of Christmas: God Almighty comes down to earth to save humans.

God has given the human nature a divine dignity.

Therefore, let us celebrate Christmas by loving, sharing the blessings we have received, and promoting and defending our human dignity irrespective of whom we are and where we come from.

I wish you God's Love and Blessings for Christmas and throughout 2010.

POPE PAUL VI: "We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and humanity... [so] let us rejoice."

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 25- "On the destroyer of the passions, most sublime humility"

18. It is one thing to exalt oneself, another not to exalt oneself, and another to humble oneself. One person may be judging others all the day long; another does not judge others, but he does not condemn himself; a third, although he is innocent, is always passing judgment on himself.

Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com

This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

Posted via email from deaconjohn's posterous

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Quotes from 'The Glories of Mary':

‘I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head.’

(Gen. 3:15)

“Since the devil is the head of original sin, this head it was that Mary crushed: for sin never had any entry into the soul of this Blessed Virgin, which was consequently free from all stain.”

Saint Augustine

Journeys of Faith

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PSALM 71 SPEAKS TO MY HEART

Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!

Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

I have been as a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with your praise,
and with your glory all the day.
Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
forsake me not when my strength is spent.

For my enemies speak concerning me;
those who watch for my life consult together
and say, “God has forsaken him;
pursue and seize him,
for there is none to deliver him.”

O God, be not far from me;
O my God, make haste to help me!
May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
who seek my hurt.

But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.

With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
Your righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?

You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again.

I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.

And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas is a time of hope

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