Listening Faithfully - A periodical inspired reflection based on the words and promises of God.

The Love of God within the Nativity – A Christmas Message 2017

The Agape Love of God

Christ Is Here! Alleluia!

December 25, 2017 – The Birth of Christ

^{4 “}But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. ⁶This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” ~ Titus 3:4-7 (NRSVACE)

Merry Christmas my brothers and sister! May the love of our eternal father rest upon you today like no other day in our earthly calendar! For today we hold within our hearts the great hope for salvation made flesh, the great charity of forgiveness made into everlasting grace, and the agape love of God showered upon us cleansing our sinful hearts through the birth of Christ and the renewal of our faith through the Holy Spirit!

If you have followed me this year you will have read about an intricate plan skillfully crafted and executed by our eternal Father who out of unconditional love chose to forgive us, (all of humanity), our sins. You will have read about grace, charity, and mercy; a love story on an epic scale greater than anything we could have ever done on our own. The level of sacrifice and unconditional love exhibited by God can never be measured or outdone by man. For this plan of God’s cost Him much and is the eternal investment which speaks of an undeniable desire to have a relationship with all of us. At the heart of God’s plan was to bear the hardships personally, to walk in our shoes, emulate our sufferings, experience the daily grind of our life ultimately seeing the world through our eyes in order to suffer and to die for our sins which we could have never washed away on our own. A love story that all too often is more like a one-way street when we petty humans reject God, but this never deturs Him, no our Father’s desire is so lasered focused He keeps knocking at the doorway of our heart continually offering us His unshakable love. So my brothers and sisters, when I say Christmas is a love story on an epic scale, one which gives us the gift of salvation, a monumental gift of grace and mercy, and a gift which is its own economy greater in value than any monetary system we could ever invent – know that my words are sincere; for God did not have to do any of these things. Rather, He could have just started over casting us aside with as little effort as like squashing an ant underfoot. For I say unto you, my brothers and sisters, each day is not promised and each breathe is a precious gift from God. Therefore, for God to have sent His only son Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour was the greatest act of mercy and charity; the greatest gift our loving Father could have bestowed upon us.

The Birth of Our Saviour

^{15 “}When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” ~ Luke 2:15-20 (NRSVACE)

Over the last four weeks we prepared for this event, we made ready for the coming of Jesus, but in retrospect, very few people really knew what was going on at the time of Christ’s actual birth over two thousand years ago. Think about it, Mary and Joseph were made part of the plan at the enunciation then their collective families were told after the shocking news that Mary was pregnant. Then Mary’s cousin Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist knew when Mary visited her. The three wise men who watched the stars and read scripture put two and two together and began a long harsh journey following an astronomical event only to make King Herod aware by asking him if he knew anything about the coming Messiah. The shepherds became

aware only because they were told by angels from heaven. It’s ironic really when you look at it from this perspective because only a handful of people knew and out of these people how many really believed that indeed this was the coming of the Messiah? I mean everyone in Judea was waiting for a savior, but few knew and witnessed it in person and from this handful of people the word was spread. From this humble of beginnings, Jesus would grow up in a world who largely was unaware and in disbelief even though the Lord was standing right in front of them. So, my brothers and sisters, how lucky we are today too have the benefit of our faith without having seen the nativity first hand, how much more meaningful is it to know Jesus within our hearts first before knowing Him in Heaven? For truly I say to you that we know and love Jesus Christ through the experience and blessings poured out overuse through the works of the Holy Spirit which in and of itself is the true agape love of God at work as we celebrate this Holiest of Days.

Rejoice for the Lord is Here!

Let Us Pray

God, come to my assistance.

– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen Alleluia.

Canticle of Zachariah

Ant. Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth, alleluia.

Intercessions: The Word of God existed before the creation of the universe yet was born among us in time. We praise and worship him as we cry out in joy:

‘Let the earth ring out with joy for you have come.’

You are the eternal Word of God who flooded the world with joy at your birth,

– fill us with joy by the continuous gift of your life.

You saved us and by your birth revealed to us the covenant faithfulness of the Lord,

– help us to be faithful to the promises of our baptism.

You are the King of heaven and earth who sent messengers to announce peace to all,

– let our lives be filled with your peace.

You are the true vines that brings forth the fruit of life,

– make us branches of the vines, bearing much fruit.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

May your Christmas be filled with joy everlasting as you spend time with your family and friends on this most Holy of Days. Rejoice in this unfathomable gift from God we receive on this day of Christs Birth, for into the world did He come, on our behalf to give us the hope of life everlasting.

Amen, Alleluia!

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“Let’s grow together as children of God”

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

Roots of Jesse – Guest Edition

An Older Symbol of Advent

What is the Jesse Tree? ~ by Winter

December 23, 2017 – Third Saturday of Advent

^{11 “}A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” ~ Isaiah 11:1 (NRSVACE)

Jesse was the father of King David. The ornaments of the Jesse tree represent the prophecies, God’s people, and events that led up to the birth of Jesus.

When I was a child every December my dad would put up the Christmas Tree and we would decorate with very cute ornaments, I didn’t think much about the ornaments at the time. There were pretty little harps, an apple, ark, dove etc. As I grew older and attended bible class I made the connection that the ornaments we decorated our Christmas Tree with symbolized the stories and characters of the Old Testament. During the Advent season, we are called to wait and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. Like in everything in life we need to prepare. You might question yourself, ‘How can I prepare for this momentous event?’ or maybe, ‘What do I do first in order that I will be prepared adequately?’ As a child, my dad taught me our faith, what we needed to do to be prepared. In fact, from an early age, I remember thinking deeply about the events of the bible and how the Bible tells us the stories of preparation that the people of God underwent while waiting for His miracles to be fullfilled.

Other memories I have during Advent was going to church every Sunday and listening to the priest remind the whole community to pray, repent, forgive so we can receive Jesus Christ; receive His precious gifts of hope, peace, joy, and of love. As practicing Catholics and followers of Christ we are called to share those gifts with the rest of the world, so that way our world of jealousy and gossip can come to an end. God made a promise to Abraham’s family that He would bless his family and would always protect them. We follow God because He is the only one that will give us what we need when we feel alone, sad, depressed, hurt, or upset. God comforts us and He protects us just as He did Abraham’s many descendants. Advent is a time to really think about these things; to take the lessons of the Old Testament and apply them to our lives today. Each time I do this I can see how much in common we are with the characters found in the bible.

As a teacher myself I am always humbled and reminded how much my kids at school are like I was when I was their age, they ask the same questions such as, “but it is hard to follow Jesus’s steps” I always remind them that, “Yes, no one said it was easy and for Jesus himself it was not easy. But what we need to do is to be in constant prayer so we can always choose God.” After saying this another student said, “Advent is about change.” Smiling I encouraged that thought with, “Yes, during Advent we are called to change and renew our hearts just like God’s people from the Old Testament.”

When we decide to choose God we receive many blessings from Him. That is why the Jesse Tree is another important symbol for the Advent Season; so the kids can understand that each ornament is much more than just decoration, instead, it is the family tree of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Powerful Teaching Tool: You might want to go over your own chronological family tree with your kids at home. Using this model they will begin to relate it to the family of Jesus.

Jesse Tree symbols and passages in the Old Testament were designed to show how the coming of Jesus had been predicted hundreds of years before his birth fulfilling them within the New Testament. When decorating your tree beginning on the first day of Advent place the first ornament. Each day after that in order until Christmas Eve until each ornament is on the tree. Below are the symbols traditionally used to put on the Jesse Tree;

Adam and Eve – Ornament: Tree with Fruit or Apple
Noah – Ornament: Rainbow or Ark
Abraham – Ornament: Field of Stars
Isaac – Ornament: Ram
Jacob – Ornament: Ladder
Joseph – Ornament: Coat of Many Colors
Moses – Ornament: Burning Bush
The Israelites – Ornament: Lamb
Moses and Aaron – Ornament: Tablets of the Torah
Joshua – Ornament: Ram’s Horn Trumpet
Samuel – Ornament: Crown
David – Ornament: Shepherd’s Crook or Harp
Hezekiah – Ornament: An Empty Tent
Isaiah – Ornament: Fire Tongs with Hot Coal
Jeremiah – Ornament: Tears
Habakkuk – Ornament: Stone Watchtower
Nehemiah – Ornament: City Wall
John the Baptist – Ornament: Scallop Shell
Mary – Ornament: White Lily
Elizabeth – Ornament: Mother and Child
Zechariah – Ornament: Pencil and Tablet
Joseph – Ornament: Carpenter’s Square or Hammer
Jesus – Ornament: Manager
Christ – Ornament: Chi-Rho

Christmas Traditions of the Jesse Tree Click Here

The Jesse Tree – Loyola Press Click Here

Amen, Alleluia!

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Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

Symbol of Adventus

The Symbol of the Season

December 22, 2017 – Third Friday of Advent

^{18 “}But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” ~ Proverbs 4:18 (NRSVACE)

Short History

The Christian faith regardless of denomination is heavily influenced by a great many symbols. Though some of these symbols may not be directly related to the season they nevertheless ring of more modern origins helping to bring all of us closer to our singular Lord and Saviour. Such is the case for the Advent Wreath, for its humble beginnings is credited to ‘a German theologian and educator by the name of Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881)’ who introduced, ‘the idea of lighting an increasing number of candles as Christmas approached.’ ~ Das Rauhe Haus, “History, From 1832-1881.” This idea served as a marker for the coming of the Lord and in combination with the Christmas tree, lighting candles, and the overwhelming jolly atmosphere of the season this symbol of Advent survives to modern day.

Spiritual Relevance

Now with the history of the Wreath and Candles out of the way let’s focus on the more spiritual idea behind it. As stated above in Proverbs 4:18 Advent is the season of preparation, of hope, and joy in glee anticipation of the coming of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus professed to be the light, the way, the path to both righteousness and to the Kingdom of Heaven. When lighting the Advent Candle it becomes the most powerful of symbols of what Jesus professed to be and what He professed to have given to use. The candles colors’ too tell a deep rich story of faith and of forgiveness. Each week for six days the same candle is lite, the first one representing hope and the promises of a coming Savior. The second candle is lite with the first one on the Second Sunday of Advent and represents peace and the prophecies of a coming Savior. The season of Advent then builds in intensity with the lighting of the third candle with the first two on the Third Sunday of Advent. The third candle celebrates with joy that your hope in Christ is certain, hence last weeks post: “Gaudete!” Rejoice for the Lord is Near! This third candle, however, is pink; more about that in a minute. As for the first two purple candles, they are believed to represent both royalty and repentance. Each week’s scripture paints the picture of how God planned to save humanity through His only son. Scripture records many prophecies that Jesus within His coming fulfilled. Now the third week brings with it the third candle, pink in color for it, ‘is likened to a faded purple color as though the light is beginning to shine through it. It is “like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.’ ~ Tenny-Brittian, Bill. “Why Is There One Pink Advent Candle?” This belief supports Proverbs 4:18 most spectacularly!

The Order of Lighting

Week 1: Purple Candle – The Prophecy Candle or the Candle of Hope. Scripture associated with it is Luke 1:14. First Sunday of Advent Post

Week 2: Purple Candle – The Bethlehem Candle or the Candle of Preparation. Scripture associated with it is Luke 1:26-27 and Isaiah 40:3. Second Sunday Post

Week 3: Pink Candle – The Sheperd Candle or the Candle of Joy. Scripture associated with it is Romans 13:11-1. Third Sunday Post

Week 4: Purple Candle – The Angel Candle or the Candle of Love. Scripture associated with it is Romans 16:25-27. Fourth Sunday Post – Coming this Sunday!

Christmas Day: White Candle – Christ’s Candle – The Lord is Here! It is time to celebrate the birth of Christ, the “light of the world”! Scripture associated with it is Luke 2:15-20 Christ Is Here! Post – Coming this Monday!

Morning Reading

^{5 “}I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me, there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me, ⁶so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. ⁷I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things. ⁸Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also; I the Lord have created it.” ~ Isaiah 45:5-8

Ant. “The moment that your greeting reached my ears, the child within my womb leapt for joy.”

Amen, Alleluia!

Primary Goal: To Always Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

Finding Ways to Support Others:

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Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

"Gaudete!" Rejoice for the Lord is Near!

The Lord is Coming Without Delay

December 17, 2017 – Third Sunday of Advent

An Urgent Appeal!

^{11 “}Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; ¹²the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; ¹³let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” ~ Romans13:11-14 (NRSVACE)

“Gaudete” is Latin for rejoicing. The theme for this Sunday is to rejoice for the Lord is near! We are called to rejoice to make our final preparations by purifying our hearts, minds, and bodies to put on the armor of the Lord and put away petty or frivolous arguments. We are urgently called to live honorably day and night, stay away from any compromising sins such a frolicking around in drunkenness and putting away our sexual desires and lust and to walk away from all forms of jealousy! For it is these things which darken the soul and make us stumble in our obligations we have to our Lord, Jesus Christ. My brothers and sisters, I urgently call you to examine your heart and to cleanse yourselves, wash away your sinful nature and reflect mightly on your lives. Remembering always we are to image God, in mind, heart, body, and soul. Bow down and pray each night the blessings of the Lord for He is near! These things I say to you will give rise to a humble heart, meek and honorable desire, and prayerful attitude one worthy of the Lord.

Let all Creatures Praise the Lord!

Let us Pray Together

^{5 “}And from the throne came a voice saying, ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, and all who fear him, small and great.’” ~ Revelation 19:5 (NRSVACE)

Daniel 3:57-63

“Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.

Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.

You heavens, bless the Lord.

All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.

All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.

Sun and moon, bless the Lord.

Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Ant. 2 – Mountains and hills shall be level, crooked paths straight, rough ways smooth.

Come, Lord, do not delay.

~ Continue ~

Daniel 3:64-73

Repeat Ant.2

Daniel 3:74-81

Repeat Ant.2

Daniel 3:82-88

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen Alleluia.

Look for the Lord!

We are urgently called to praise the Lord and rejoice in his coming! This week I urgently call to you my brothers and sisters, to sings praises to our Lord Jesus Christ, to look at every major event you have gone through and look for the tiniest of miracles, Examine all your challenges and look for Gods divine plan within them. Each day there is so much to be thankful for, starting with first and foremost God is with you for He is not at some distant faraway place. No! My brothers and sisters, rather he is standing right beside you always supporting you, guiding you, loving you. Each day look for God, urgently examine everything in every possible hidden place within your heart and rejoice in the fact that God is calling you with both praises and blessings. He is showering you with acts of mercy! All you have to do is look; look mightly!

Acknowledge the Lord!

⁶ “All your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:6 (NRSVACE)

Rejoice for the Lord is near! The Lord has your name written down, your place at the banquet is set, your salvation is at hand! This week acknowledge Him in every aspect of your life for He acknowledges you. Each night this week I invite all of you my brothers’ and sisters, to sing His praises as He proclaims… “I shall enfold Zion with my salvation and shed my glory around Jerusalem, alleluia!”

Praise the Lord, the Creator

Psalm 148

¹Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
²Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!

³Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
⁴Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!

⁵Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created.
⁶He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

⁷Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters, and all deeps,
⁸fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!

⁹Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
¹⁰Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!

¹¹Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
¹²Young men and women alike,
old and young together!

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his glory is above earth and heaven.
¹⁴He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his faithful,
    for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!

Amen, Alleluia!

Primary Goal: To Always Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

Prepare the Way of the Lord

The Prophecy to Prepare

December 10, 2017 – Second Sunday of Advent

³ “A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'” ~ Isaiah 40:3 (NRSVACE)

In this season of preparation, self-reflection, and in accord with the theme of Advent we have now reached an important milestone of how we receive our savior. In that this preparation for a savior, the son of man, is an idea that spans time. It is an idea which was deeply ingrained in our human ‘higher cognitive process’ or in our way of thinking about God Himself. Prophet Isaiah taught that God is compassionate, loving, forgiving, and in those writings can be found the promise of salvation. This intangible, unattainable, most elusive promise of God called ‘salvation’ was also rooted deep within the people of Judah, for it was as much on their minds in the 8th century before Christ as it is ours today. Simply put my brothers and sisters, salvation takes center stage in the need for a savior, it demands there to be great preparations so that this singular event could come to fruition. In the first post of this Advent Season, “Adventus – Time of Preparation“, we can see God’s plan for a savior. In the second posting of this Advent Season, “The Christmas Angel – Gabriel“, we see and celebrate God’s plan now put into action. In this, the third posting of this Advent Season we focus on yet another player sent by God which helps us navigate His complex roadmap that is designed to produce a savior – enter Isaiah the Greatest of all the Prophets. For the preparation that he delivers to us is one of ‘hope’; the spreading of this central idea that our savior comes and that he fulfills the prophecies told to countless millions throughout the ages. This same ‘hope’ remains as meaningful for those who had first experienced it as it still has for us today. For the plan was to spread the word first, then act upon it, and now to receive all the blessings that come with this new covenant with God. This season of preparing for Christ makes us ready to renew our love, faith, understanding, grace, and humility that Jesus himself bestowed all of which was rooted within the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah. For God granted Isaiah a special relevance within history; one that rings the bells and foretells the blessings that God pours out from Heaven; the first draft of what was to come.

The Messenger

1 “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ²As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; ³the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”’ ~ Mark 1:1-3 (NRSVACE)

Isaiah foretell’s a forerunner to Christ, a person who would set the stage for salvation through repentance – enter John the Baptist. John serves as a messenger, as a baptiser filled with the holy spirit. He was first mentioned by the Angel Gabriel to our Mother Mary at her conception, then later Mary visits Elizabeth her cousin, the mother of John and he leaps in her womb. Nothing more is recorded until we get to the story of Jesus who stands before John in the river Jordan. John was a giant in his day, teaching about the coming of the Messiah, the savior and of the kingdom to come. The way to make your own personal path straight was through the act of baptizing, or submersion into water. Water universally had been the symbol of cleansing and was deeply rooted in the Jewish world with having to bathe before entering the temple. Jesus uses water to wash the feet of his disciples at the end of his ministry. But John takes this idea of salvation even higher through the process of baptizing as he states clearly;

“⁷‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’” ~ Mark 1:7-8 (NRSVACE)

Again, the hope for a far greater more powerful authority, one to which the heavens and earth belong, the promise of salvation within the coming savior, son of God; all of which is still within the realm of preparation. John was tellings us to get right with God! He was bringing people closer to our creator through the only method available at the time; baptize. But more to the point John was also not neglecting to support the mainstream school of thought established by the writings and teaching of Isaiah. In many ways, these two men help us to receive our Lord and Savior in the right way, in the most meaningful of ways. The very message of salvation starts with getting your life in line with God’s plan for you, getting ready for the conversion of mind, heart, body, and soul. To be prepared for the coming of Christ Jesus so that your heart is renewed and your faith restored. To receive Jesus as our savior in the hope of his triumphant return.

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Always Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

The Christmas Angel – Gabriel

A Message From God

December 4, 2017 – The First Monday of Advent.

Canticle of Mary – The Liturgy of the Hours, Advent – Proper of Seasons, pg.49.

Ant. The Angel of the Lord brought God’s message to Mary, and she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, alleluia.

^{26 “}In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” ~ Luke 1:26-27 (NRSVACE)

In this Season of Preparation and Hope when everyone is busy reflecting on the gospel and preparing for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, we find that Archangel Gabriel is very busy implementing God’s plan. (Read more about God’s plan – Click Here) In fact, we see that Gabriel visits Mary who was engaged to Joseph, born of the House of David. This visitation is the first real contact between our eternal Father and our earthy mother with Gabriel acting as the messenger. He explains everything in such a way that Mary cannot refuse and in a blink of an eye God’s will was done. Archangel Gabriel as described by author Doreen Virtue who wrote in her book, “Archangels 101: How to Connect Closely with Archangels Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Gabriel and Others for Healing, Protection, and Guidance’, she writes, “Gabriel, as the archangel of communication, often announces what’s on the horizon, and acts like a manager or agent in orchestrating new ventures related to one’s soul purpose.” Indeed we see this here as Gabriel foretells the plan of God, clues Mary in on the miracle pregnancy of her cousin Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist. In this, we can also see the detailed preparation of God who paved the way for his only son to come into this world. However, Gabriel still needed to confront Joseph to show him the importance of the future.

^{19 “}Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’” ~ Matthew 1:20 (NRSVACE)

With Joesph and Mary onboard Archangel Gabriel takes on a new name, that of ‘The Christmas Angel’, because without his efforts during this season of preparation and reflection these events may have turned out quite differently. Gabriel is also the Angel of Water, Inspiration, and Reconciliation. He is talked written about in every major religion on earth today, not to mention is he helps us solve problems while we sleep as this is how Gabriel came to Joseph.

In reflection, Archangel Gabriel played a huge part in the Annunciation and continues to play an important role in our lives today. He comes with the very words of God to inspire us and guide us helping us to lead a more pure life; one centered on the grace and love of Jesus.

Advent Activities

From ‘The Life of Winter’

“In this season of Advent, we are called to reflect and change our lives. For the ones who have read my blog I am a Catholic school teacher and I teach my students the importance of prayer. This year I decided to do things differently each day during the Advent season. Every day we are reflecting and thinking about how we can change. Today we focused on hope.” (Read More from this blogger CLICK HERE )

Let Us Pray

^{20 “}We eagerly await the coming of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will give a new form to this lowly body of ours and remake it according to the pattern of his glorified body, by his power to subject everything to himself.” ~ Philippians 3:20b-21

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Alway Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

Adventus – Time of Preperation

^{14 “}You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” ~ Luke 1:14 (NRSVACE)

The coming of Christ is indeed a joyous event. ‘Proclaim the good news among the nations: Our God will come to save us.’ ~ The Liturgy of the Hours, Advent – Proper of Seasons, pg.41. Here we have the seeds of our happiness, great joy, and a reason to rejoice not to mention the first season of the Catholic Liturgical Year. Here we see the event before it took place and the anticipation of this happening before it happened. There was no stopping the word of the impending savior, nothing would get in the way of worldwide redemption. This is the story of what would happen after Advent, let’s instead focus on what it took for the savior to come, which is the story of preparation and the true meaning of ‘Adventus’ Latin for ‘Advent’.

Preparation Equals A Mind Wide Open

Before our savior could come there had to be someone willing to give birth to him. This person would have to be female and married because an unmarried woman would most likely be stoned to death for having sex before marriage. This married women would have to be a virgin and for that to happen she would need to just be engaged and not yet married. This also causes a big problem because what would the soon to be husband think? Would he tolerate his soon to be wife having conceived by another man? Most men would not, and in this case, this goes against every Jewish law on the record books. How could he marry an unfaithful woman who was now no longer a virgin? In my mind, I often question what the Jews were really thinking: I mean how did they think all this was going to come about? See my brothers and sisters here we have a conundrum of the largest order! But God is all knowing and all powerful, He already had this part of the plan worked out because He had this planned since before the foundations of the world! That being said, God knew and was waiting for Mary and Joseph. God hand-picked both of them to be the earthly parents to His only son, our savior Jesus Christ. But this still did not by any means make everything ok by the larger population. Rather God needed Mary and Joseph to work with Him on this plan, they had to be willing participants or else this plan of a savior would not happen as we now know it. Both Mary and Joseph had to think outside of the box, they both had to let their love for each other rule the day, and they both had to prepare for Gods miracle together. In many ways, faith became their new reality. Preparation is just as important to those who lived two thousand years ago as it is for us today. It’s not enough to live day by day allowing each day to bring its fruits and or ills with little participation by the people who are living it. To just slide by and not be ready is really not living at all. I say this to you, my brothers and sister because to live means you prepare every day for the fruits of God no matter what they are. If Mary and Joseph had just simply been living in the haze of unpreparedness then Jesus could not have come through them. How might the world be different? No! I am glad they prepared for Jesus, and in the Season of Adventus that is what we do, prepare our hearts, minds, souls, and life for the coming goodness of the Lord.

Advent Family Activity

^{36 “}Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” ~Luke 21:36 (NRSVACE)

Because I am a teacher who maintains an active network made up of other teachers I wanted to give everyone an activity that can help teach children the Advent Season and in many ways help us grown-ups and parents learn a thing or two. I also want to thank the teacher who suggested this calendar so that I can share it with all my followers.

On this Advent Calendar, each day is a new way to prepare for Jesus while keeping you on track, which as I have stated above both Mary and Joseph also had to undergo preparations for the coming of the Lord. Because today is the First Sunday of Advent we read the scripture and reflect. Jesus tell’s us to be on guard and to watch, why would he say that? Perhaps, Jesus is telling us to look for the signs of the next coming so we are not fooled by those clever fakes who would try and trick us by mimicking some of the signs Jesus spoke about. Know the difference between what is fake and what is real is very much a part of being active in life as I had written above. It’s also linked to being prepared for Jesus when He comes on Christmas Day. I like to think how prepared were the three wise men who watched the stars and the movements of the heavenly bodies, keeping track of all the great signs in the night sky while using a specialized calendar to help them navigate to find Jesus on the very night he was born. This is being aware, being prepared, being active in life, and verifying their faith making it an undeniable fact! See, my brothers and sisters, hope is very much a part of this day as well for we wait in the hope of the return of Christ, we watch for the very signs he told us about while we prepare our hearts, minds, body, and soul for His triumphant return. Each day on the calendar is important to reflect upon and to research as well teach to our children so they may have the same hope as we who understand the task given us until the time of Christ.

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Alway Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

Week of Awareness for Persecuted Christians 2017

Solidarity in Suffering

¹⁰‘”Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:10 (NRSVACE)

On May 20, 2017, I wrote a post called ‘Hope for the Persecuted – China’s Christian Revival!’ where I wrote about how for centuries Christians have been persecuted for their faith. I introduced an author who had spent a lifetime writing about Christian persecution and the power of faith, prayer, and the overall price of discipleship. In that post and in all the research I conducted was introduced to the truth of ‘Cheap Grace’ as written by Bonhoeffer, Dietrich (1937) The Cost of Discipleship. I bring this topic back up because there are still modern day Christians being persecuted. Moreover, starting November 26, 2017 – December 2, 2017, many people from around the world are holding a ‘Week of Awareness for Persecuted Christians.’ Cheif among the organizations are the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Knights of Columbus (KofC) who are taking donations for Christians at Risk.

Corporal Works of Mercy

As Catholic Christians and as followers of Jesus Christ we the children of God are called to show mercy in various ways for those in need. Part of this is to help feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead, give alms to the poor, and I would add to this list we are also called to come together to support those who are suffering because of their faith. Our Christian brothers and sisters need you to take action and spread the word of the many thousands worldwide who are imprisoned, beaten, starved, tortured, and even put to death for their Christian beliefs. I call all of you my brothers and sisters to take action. There are a variety of ways to help those brothers and sister in Christ who are made to suffer for their – our beliefs!

Here are two links to get more information and to donate what you can to help stop the persecution.

Video: Click Here

Donate: Click Here

Action Center: Click Here

Donate: Click Here

I thank you all of you my brothers and sisters in advance for taking action in the above various ways.

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Alway Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

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Special Reflection – Thanksgiving 2017

Thanksgiving 2017

^{11 “}On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, ¹³they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ ¹⁴When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. ¹⁵Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. ¹⁶He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? ¹⁸Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ ¹⁹Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’” ~ Luke 17:11-19 (NRSVACE)

On Thanksgiving, we celebrate the historic event of two different cultures coming together and being thankful for each other and being thankful for the growing partnership that was forged which ended up as our traditional day of thanksgiving. But, brothers and sisters I have already written that posting many times over. I would rather reflect on something more outside the box and less traditional. For this past week, I have heard this passage from Luke now in two different settings in two different church ceremonies. The first time I heard it was in a school play just prior to ending the two day week of teaching. The second time I heard it was today in Mass. In both accounts, the two different priests said two completely different things but in my heart, God was showing me how similar these two messages are. So, my brothers and sisters, if you could indulge me I would like to add to what I had heard and hopefully do justice to what God showed me in this most unconventional Thanksgiving post.

Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one came back to thank him. His gratitude was deeply genuine and heartfelt. Jesus comments to what happened to the other nine, ‘where are they?’, he inquires. This line of questioning is critical and poignant to the core of our salvation for as Christians and believers we must ask ourselves how many times have we been the recipient of great gifts but never took time to came back to the source in sincere gratitude. Often I think God gives us gifts and our response is one of puzzlement just short of responding with, “And? Is this it? What am I supposed to do with that?” Or perhaps if it was something you had asked for and really wanted then when you get it your so excited the words ‘Thank You!’ never seem to be stated. Our culture is one of instant gratification, ‘I want what I want and I want it now!’ Please and thank you are missing. As a teacher I have this same thing happen to me with my kids I have taught, few come back and thank me for all the hard work I did for them to prepare them for the next more difficult level. To date, just a hand full ever really reach out in true thanksgiving. I could easily ask what happened to the other thousand plus. But even if I did ask that question in my heart I know what happened to all my other students just as Jesus knew what happened to the other nine. In this world, it’s far easier to receive than it is to give.

Now here is another thought, what if when we received those gifts from God that puzzled us or gifts we receive from people we do not particularly like and made a conscious effort to change our own mindset to one of instant thanksgiving and gratitude. What would our life be like? How would that simple act affect others? Instead of pointing fingers and looking for people to blame for our own inadequacies what would happen if we thanked God for the criticism? But this is small potatoes to what is really possible, no my brothers and sisters lets go one step further and examine all those deep dark happenings that we couldn’t find any way to be thankful for at the time it happened. In the heat of the moment of a firing, or a bashing from a boss or coworker, or maybe even that one comment which cut to the bone and crushed our heart. What if we look at those hurts again and look for the tiniest thing to be thankful for. A good example of this in my own life happened this past summer; on the record, I was not offered a contract to return to my elementary school after ten successful years because of a lack of money. But the real reason was other teachers playing politics thinking if I was not there then they could get away with destroying my lab, taking the laptops whenever they wanted, they would not have to worry about me observing them as I was trained to do to help them become better teachers. No, they wanted the easy way out even if it cost me my job and cut me from ever seeing my students who I deeply love and who needed a professional computer teacher such as myself.

Now watch Gods actions in this moment: In this scary painful loss I have found growth and was given a better opportunity elsewhere. In looking for that tiniest of miracle perhaps the last ten years God was developing me, molding me, preparing me for the responsibilities of today. Yes, it was painful but being a Christian means I listen and do the will of God, He alone directs my path into the future. He alone knows what I need to do next and how to get it done even if I don’t see it yet; especially if all I can see is the injustice of the act itself which caused the hurt. I tell you, my brothers and sisters, there is more to be thankful for in this life than all the wonderful gifts which we had asked for and then received. I humbly ask you my brothers and sisters what about those bag of hurts you locked away and tried to forget about? How thankful can you make your heart for those?

The other nine lepers Jesus had healed ran away in joyous thanksgiving never to be seen or heard from again. Rather it is that one leper who came back to the source and received the complete and total healing from Christ; that Samaritan, that foreigner is who we remember. I tell you my brothers and sisters lets mimic the one and be thankful for everything we are given in this life, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the expected and unexpected treating all of them in kind, with love and deep heartfelt gratitude. Keeping in your memory the blessing of leprosy is what led all ten to God, but it was God’s love and compassion which brought back the one.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Alway Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

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From Beatitudes to Attitudes: Part 2

Acknowledgement of Sin

^{4 “}Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” ~ Matthew 5:4 (NRSVACE)

Question: “What condition is our heart in if it is one that morns?”

The definition of the term ‘mourn’ means: ‘to feel or express grief or sorrow’ ~ “Mourn.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2017.

We mourn for those in our families who have died, we mourn for those who suffer great loss, and we mourn for our own emptiness in times of great turbulence. But to mourn as Jesus describes it in the second blessing in the Beatitudes is to truly be remorseful over sin as we recognize its deep impact on our lives as individuals, the stain and weight it has upon our hearts, and our inability to erase this sin on our own. To recognize our sin is but the first step in mourning for we also need to take responsibility; take ownership for that sin as well.

In truth, I tell you, my brothers and sisters, when we are in such communion with our creator that we are in agreeance over our own mortal sin it is a blessing from God worthy of great reward. It is an even greater blessing when we take responsibility for our sin and fall on our face before God in the deepest of sorrow. It should be an emotional response and therefore, a means test of our sincerity.

The Process of Mourning

^{18 “}The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” ~ Psalm 34:18 (NRSVACE)

In fact, where sin is concerned we as a race of sinners undergo definitive steps before we can ever get to the deepest level that of mourning as described by Christ.

Guilt – Sin makes us guilty before God, as such we can never obtain true forgiveness without the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. But in a deeper sense of the word, ‘guilt’, we feel the weight of this sin in our hearts, bearing the stain of it upon our immortal soul. In this way, we have been found guilty and full of blame separated forever from God branded forever as a sinner. The recognition of this state of being allows us to emotionally grapple with our sinful nature.
Sorrow – When we recognize our sin and the damage it has done in our life can we then feel the sorrow over our sin; broken before God and in God’s eyes ready to be molded and shaped through this emotional response of sorrow.
Remorse – Taking ownership of our sin and the damage it has done in our lives can we begin to feel remorse, falling deeper into the limous test of emotional and spiritual atonement.
Mourning – In this level of emotional and spiritual unity can our hearts now meaningfully cry out to God in true repentance of the sin which our human nature clings so readily to. It is here in this state of being can we come before God and truly confess our sins and for the first time in this process acknowledge Jesus as our savior, but more importantly willing confess our need for a savior.

Question: “Can there be true forgiveness without there first being a true sense of mourning?”

Consequence to Receiving a Blessing

^{28 “}Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” ~ Matthew 20:28 (NRSVACE)

In many ways, our sin which is part of our earthly condition forces us into a never-ending cycle of contrition. We who are born in sin can never truly walk away from it and become sinless, hence the need for salvation, the need for a savor, and the need for forgiveness. Therefore, I tell you, my brothers and sisters, that it is not enough to understand where we stand within sin as a sinner but to also comprehend the love it took to pardon all of us sinners from Jesus’s death on the cross to this very day. For it is Jesus who took on our sin so we might have hope for salvation and sit at the table with God everlasting. Each and every blessing found in the Beatitudes cost God His son’s life, the consequence far exceeds any amount we as sinful humans could ever pay on our own or together. In fact, every person on Earth could stack their wealth up in a huge pile and offer it to God and it would still pale in comparison to the cost of one sin, let alone the thousands each one of us does in the span of our lifetime. Therefore, it is a priceless blessing that God bestows upon those of us Christians who understand this dynamic and are obedient in the taking on of our sin; the understanding of the necessity of giving that sin to God on an hourly, daily, weekly, and even a yearly basis; never ceasing to understand how much God loves us and how much we need His divine love and forgiveness. The consequence for Jesus was to die and the consequence of his death for us was life everlasting so that we could be comforted while we live here on this earth.

Question: “In what way has this gift of being blessed impacted you the most?”

“For they will be comforted.”

It is truly a blessing I tell you, my brothers and sisters, when we are in such communion with God that we are in agreeance over our own mortal sin. It is truly a blessing when we take responsibility for our sin and fall on our face before God in deep sorrow confessing that sin to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The blessing of comfort can be found in all areas of our lives, from the hard decisions we face not knowing which way to go, or which path to take, to the last act we do before passing away. Comfort is found in a life well lived, in the knowledge your sins have been commuted and the Gates of Heaven have been opened to you, to even feeling Jesus’s hand in yours as he brings you into Him. Comfort is found in the understanding that our salvation extends to the healing of this despicable condition our hearts are in. Comfort is found within the relief of this never-ending cycle of sin which is our reality here on this earth. The human condition can never be understated but so too can the blessing of God never be lacking in its ability to free us from that condition.

The Relational God

²⁶But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’ ~ Matthew 19:26 (NRSVACE)

In my life when I am given a choice and I know that no matter what I do it will be a sin, thus being boxed into sin, I have always chosen to pray to God for His divine strength and understanding, I have asked Him to give me the knowledge and strength to do His will. I write this because we have a God who cares, a God who loves, and God who is relational. Our Lord so wants to be apart of everything we experience in our lives, to teach us His divine ways, to mold us into better human beings. God so wants to take on your worries, your problems, your roadblocks, and your sin. Because our God is relational He can relate to you in a way no one else here on earth can. God is forever, the master of the universe, and your personal savior. In God, there is nothing you cannot do or accomplish.

Amen!!! Alleluiah!

Primary Goal: To Alway Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

Ways to Communicate

As always, I humbly invite you to stay connected by sending me a message at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com, or by visiting Listening Faithfully Facebook page.

Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’