Thursday, December 31, 2009

BEGIN AGAIN!


This is the eve of New Year 2010, and so I prepare myself to begin again. So many resolutions have been made over the years. This can be discouraging OR encouraging. The positive minded person can see that even failure is a success because efforts are made.

So easy to never fail because one might not risk making new efforts - reaching out to try new ways / new ideas.

Our faith teaches us to make progress at all times, regardless of how we feel. After all, feelings can be deceiving. The person who is willing to try, is the person who will make progress.

God could so easily have made each one of us perfect. However, we would be very foolish to think that we are a perfect being. In fact we are, you could say, only half-created.

God has done His part. Now it's up to us to do our part by responding to the graces that come our way, each day.

This is the beauty and challenge of becoming a whole person. We respond to love and so we become LOVE!

Each new day we have a chance to begin again.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

START FRESH!


Today is a fresh start. Celebrating the first martyr, St. Stephen is a wonderful reminder for us to know what the Christmas season is all about, welcoming Christ into our hearts and willing to live our lives according to Christian morals and standards.

St. Stephen gave his life for the love of God. We are asked to live for Christ, and follow the banner of Love.

No need for great acts; simply an open heart to all the little opportunities that come to us today, where we are invited to put Love first.

Our past no longer exists. The future is yet to come.

Today invites us to make a fresh start, in following our desire to show our love for God.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!


As I walked up town this afternoon, I was greeted by many... 'Happy Christmas'. My reply was an echo of this positive greeting, to wish each and all a very Happy Christmas.

I look forward to the Carol singing in the Church this evening, followed by evening Mass to welcome the baby Jesus into our hearts / into our lives
Now, as I ponder on the reality of the birth of Christ I begin to realise the GIFT we are receiving, to become an heir to the kingdom of God.
So, what is my gift for the little Child of God? What can I offer?
Perhaps the best gift that we can offer, is the gift of love, to give our hearts to God, easily and innocently, now and forever more.

Thank You God, and so it is.



Sunday, December 20, 2009

Christmas fare

I was in Dublin yesterday and had opportunity to see the throngs of people as they made their way, in and out of shops etc. I walked down Grafton street and admired the Samaritan people as they braved the cold, in support of the homeless.
Crossing O'Connell bridge I met the genuine homeless, sitting on the pavement, begging. I donated to some and passed by others. All I could do, without taking on the cares of the world, was to send each one a blessing.

Christ said, "The poor we will have with us, always."

He wasn't saying we shouldn't care, yet simply giving us a reminder of peoples' needs. Food and warmth is the basic need, and yet there is such a need for encouragement for all of us.

Christmas can be a time of loneliness for some, and hunger of body and of soul.

We can all give a little. If we don't have money we can give our time, to listen and care.

We can share a prayer. Whatever need we can meet, will mean so much to the receiver and the giver.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

LEAN ON ME!


There are times when we are weak, either in mind, body or spirit. For some reason, we find ourselves without reason. Our simple approach to life is gone!

What has happened? What have we done wrong?

There are so many questions we can ask, and yet the answer is more simple than we can realise. We are simply weak.

The solution? Love to be weak, whatever form it takes. This is an ideal opportunity on our part to use our faith, to trust that God knows His job and is looking after each one of us, personally.

How can we be anxious or worry when we are so spoiled by love, by He who is Love!

Relax! Let this state of weakness do its work. After all, we are like a child in the arms of our Parent. We have nothing to fear.

When we listen to our hearts, the words we will hear are... "Lean on Me!"

This state of weakness is presented to us by God Himself, in becoming a vulnerable baby, totally dependent on Mary, His mother.

Let us do the same. Mary is there for us too.

Friday, December 11, 2009

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

The spirit of Christmas is sometimes hard to pin-point. We all have agendas / work to be done etc. It can happen then that Christmas comes upon us like a surprise!

Only two weeks to go, and preparations and good resolutions still to be followed through... help!
The simple answer of course is to live in the present moment. Today is special with opportunities to work / to love / to enjoy. What a pity if we found ourselves always preparing for tomorrow, with no time for today.

Therefore, the spirit of Christmas is built on a relationship with God, our Creator. And, to remember the whole meaning of Christmas, where God becomes like a little baby and shares His presence with us.

We can look at the Crib in Church and see how simple and vulnerable Christ became, lying there in a manger, with his mother Mary, and St.Joseph.

This is the image of family-life and so it's good that Christmas is looked upon as a family get-together where people share gifts and good tidings with one another, and celebrate the birth of Christ.

Happy Christmas!


Monday, December 7, 2009

CREATIVITY


To be creative means an openness to beauty and originality. I became aware of this over the last few days as I participated in the Crafts Fair in the RDS in Dublin.

Arts and Crafts from all over Ireland were displayed. Some were quirky / some exceedingly artistic / all were originals of the creative minds of the exhibitors.

I was impressed at how creative people can be. Many expressed their creativity in their paintings ( so many individual artists on display). Wood designers from all parts of the country vied in displaying their original furniture, while dress designers drew the admiration of all by their innovative creations.

In the Food Fair participants expressed creative genius in chocolate-making, while the Christmas pudding and cake bakers, cheese makers and tea blenders attracted droves of happy shoppers.

There would appear to be no end to the creative mind in coming up with innovative ideas. If you can think it up, it can be done.

Let loose your creative imagination!