Hanukkah Day 2

Advent Day 20 ~ In the Midst of the Mist of our Lives (and Hanukkah day 2)

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Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Misty mornings can be cool, Lord.

They can teach us about You, about us.

There’s lots of misty-ness in our lives, Lord.

We often don’t see anything very clearly.

But You are still there, our sun, the Son,
somehow, some way, penetrating  the fog, the mist.

Help us realize that mist is OK, Lord.
Misty-ness has its own beauty.

Thank You, Lord, for what it teaches us about You, about us.

Teach us to be patient, Lord, to wait.
To wait for the light, our light, Your light.
Come Lord, Jesus this Christmas
in our hearts, our homes, our workplaces and in our world.

O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel;                                     who open and none can shut and none can open;                                   come and lead to freedom the prisoner who sits in darkness                      and the shadow of death.   (O-Antiphon for today)

 And now before you go, here is more from Handel’s Messiah. Click on this link >>> Rejoice Greatly O Daughter Zion!  ‘Tis Awesome! Be sure to enter full screen. 

And here are today’s Mass readings, if you’d like to reflect on them.  click here.

photo bob traupman 2007.]

With love,

Bob Traupman

contemplative writer

 

The history of Christmas ~ How much do you know?

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  Advent Day 23 ~ A special Christmas blog

Dear Friends, have you ever wondered about what how the celebration of Christmas came about?

Well, thanks to a fellow blogger, I have a little video to share with you that you might find quite interesting.  Just Click here.

And be sure to enter full screen so that your not distracted by the the the other stoff on the side bar.

And then for your listening pleasure, here’s Tiny Tim’s “God Bless us, everyone, like you’ve never heard it before. Click here  Prepare to be Goosebumbed!

And here’s a reprise of  my Christmas blog . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

Read more of this post at this link > > > https://wp.me/pnZLb-1ux 

And there’s a music video with a thousand voices that’s had over 24 million views.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

St. Stephen’s Day ~ Heroic Love

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IMG_0884The Feast of St. Stephen, December 26, 2016

Today, December 26, is the second day of Christmas, the second day of Hanukkah and the first day of Kwanzaa (African-American).  May we learn about our own and each other’s celebrations.  It’s easy, just Google the word Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.

For us Christians the mystery of Incarnation (God-becoming-human in the person of Jesus Christ) needs more than one day to celebrate.  Here is Day Two:  The Catholic liturgy centuries ago placed the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, the day after Jesus’ glorious feast to show that our faith is not sentimental but requires of us heroic, sacrificial love.  Stephen fearlessly witnessed in court (the word martyr means witness) his conviction that Jesus is  the Messiah, knowing that his testimony was his death sentence.

Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.       (Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59)

How heroic is our love, Lord?

Do we abandon people — our friends, our lovers, our spouses, our children when the going gets rough?

And I ask you please to be with those who have been abandoned by loved ones, Lord, such as children of alcoholic parents or kids who have gone through the foster care system and may never feel Your Love because of it, or those who have to prostitute themselves in order to survive.

Are we only concerned about our own survival?  What’s best for Number One — Me?

Are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of a friend in need — for You, Lord?  

Are you, elected officials willing to show any kind of heroic love for the sake of  our American people ~ black or white, rich or poor, Muslim, Christian or Jew, North, South, East or West, Wall Street or no street?

Allow me the grace to witness to your love for me, Lord, to share it when I can.

My life has meaning only when I share the love and kindness you have shown to me.  Allow me the grace to do that this day, St. Stephen’s Day and every day. Stephen, a young man,  has always been one of my heroes, Lord.

We need such heroic love in our time, Lord, such heroic young people.

Inspire young women and men to break through the wall of their isolation and be there for their friends in the hard times ahead.

Teach us to never abandon a friend, Lord.

And let my readers know that you love them, Lord,  and You will never abandon them either ~ no matter what.

Now, before you go, here is Joan Baez singing Bob Dylan’s song Forever Young, that I referred to a young man whom I wished to aspire to heroic love.   Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.

And here are all of today’s Mass readings, if you’d like to reflect on them. Click here.

With love,

Bob Traupman

contemplative writer