A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A TALE OF CONVERSION OR PERHAPS OF RETURN

I’ve loved this story for 65 years. I was in grade 5 at Blessed Sacrament School in London Ontario. My teacher for grades 5 to 8 was Sister Alice Marie. Each day right after lunch, she would read to us from a book that we would come to love like “Outlaws of Gravenhurst” or the Enid Blyton Mysteries. She didn’t care that we were far too old to be read to and we didn’t care either. In fact, it was my favourite time in the school day. And perhaps, hers, too.

As Christmas approached, she would read A Christmas Carol (Scrooge) to us and we were all wrapped in the spell she wove. Ever since, the Christmas Season has not really arrived until I’ve watched “A Christmas Carol” at least once. Last year, Sister Alice Marie died and I decided to honour her by going to the Grand Theatre to watch their production of this great classic. It was fabulous! I loved every minute of it. This year I just had to attend again and it was superb! And I had a new thought about it.

“Is this kind of profound conversion possible?” I thought about the human species and the profound damage we are doing to our home Planet and wondered if we could change. I believe we are a species in our teenage years, we have power but not enough wisdom. 

Then I thought, in the story, Ebenezer, was not always mean and miserly. He had the love of his sister Fan and he loved his apprentice days with old Fezziwig where he fell in love with a co-worker, Belle(Alice). But then Fan died in childbirth. He began a different love affair with wealth and power and he lost Belle as she recognized she had been replaced.

We too, as a young species had profound connections with our earthly home. Some of that energy is still with us in the spirituality of Indigenous peoples as they try to uncover the relationships that the colonizers tried to extinguish. Yes I need to have hope. I have to have hope. I will live my life as if I have hope until it becomes a reality in me. Otherwise I will just become numb with a giant TV soother in my mouth. I will cease to live my one precious life.

I won't let the profound hopelessness of our times seep any deeper into the marrow of my being. I will believe that the human species can evolve to maturity and wisdom. I will invite the dreams of the earth, past, present and future to teach me. I will listen to the earth. I will align myself with the children who need a future full of hope, who need to see elders who believe in their possibilities. 

I will start now as I take my morning walk into our glorious home.

Thanks Sister Alice Marie.

- Mary Margaret Howard (Gaiamma)

Fourth Sunday of Advent leaping into Christmas

Well here it is and there it goes!

This year the calendar permits one day only, of what is usually a week, and then a quick turn around into the festivities of Christmas. The fourth week of Advent begins and ends on Sunday, well with a few hours in the heart of Monday, but then . . .

In the Sunday gospel Elizabeth questions: “Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” We would like to linger and ponder that great visit of Mary to her cousin, both with child, both awaiting a miraculous birth. Both an expression of God’s largesse of love for - yes the individual mothers, - and ah yes for the entirety of all creation.

Well, this year the rhythm of the liturgical year is imitating the rhythm of giving birth. The signs come quickly and the process begins, and then the wondrous mystery shines forth in glorious light.

In the beginning was Divine Love

            Through a simple breath Love birthed creation

                        Then at the appointed time

Love burst into humanity

                                                And Love became flesh

                                                Dwelling with us . . among us . . .around us . . .

                 May you and yours be God’s Word of Love shining forth in glorious light

                                                Proclaiming Christ’s Peace and Hope to our world.

- Sr. Loretta Manzara, csj

Sharing the KAIROS Christmas video

The Sisters of St. Joseph wish to share this Christmas video and letter from our partner, Kairos Canada:

“This Christmas, let’s settle only for great joy—not for the few, the powerful, the privileged—but for all. Peace and goodwill for   all     peoples.”

Dear Friends,

With Christmas approaching, I would like to share with you a short video message and invite you to take a moment to watch it and share it with your family, friends and community. 

In the last few weeks I have been honoured to be with people who know all too well that peace and goodwill don’t arrive in tidy packages.  Our global partners have heard the message and choose to believe peace is possible. They dedicate their lives to the journey. We stand with them, as well as many partners in Canada who seek justice, and hope you do too.

We are always deeply grateful for your support—in your action and with your    donations.

On behalf of the KAIROS community, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, peace and goodwill to all peoples.       

Jennifer Henry, Executive Director

View the Christmas video from Kairos by clicking here

REFLECTIONS FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

“Joy is the echo of God’s life within us.”

How wonderful to hear those Advent refrains of “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.”  This third Sunday of Advent the whole chorus of readings seems to awaken in us the spirit of exultant joy. The prophet Zephaniah proclaims God singing loudly, dancing and exulting over his beloved ones, promising them renewal and restoration, embraced in God’s great love. “Rejoice and exult with all your heart.”

The apostle Paul reminds the Philippian community to relax, rejoice inwardly, for you do not need to worry about anything. Trust the nearness of God. Let the peace of God be ever present, guarding your minds and hearts from darkness, discouragement, anxiety and worldly concerns. “Shout aloud and sing for joy; great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Even John the Baptist steadies questioning hearts with his simple exhortation to just do your life with honesty and integrity and be filled with holy expectation for God is very near to you. John proclaims that the One who is coming is greater than he and will guide all believers by the fire of the Spirit into a brand new way of seeing and being. John proclaimed that a way of justice, peace and love was coming upon the earth. The new Way was going to be given in the person of Jesus, the Christ. The One coming was God incarnate in human flesh. Such a miracle of love! Truly, this is joy to our world.

These Scripture readings got me pondering about JOY as it manifests in our spiritual lives. Deeper than emotions, beyond pleasant outer circumstances, transcending knowledge and insight, there arises this quiet, profound sense of joy. It is pure gift. As one’s contemplative spirit grows, so does the awareness that our joy proceeds from the inner realization of one’s union with God. As Jesus promised, God who is overflowing in abundant joy, longs to share that joy with us: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

As we walk our faith journey, this deepening of freedom, peace and joy become more and more participative and transformative, so much so that the indwelling Treasure within our soul overflows into loving service and compassionate presence. Amazingly so, this union endures even in the midst of struggles and sufferings for “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39).

Over the years, we just seem to grow into this way of ‘knowing things’. Experience has taught us this wisdom. Faithful listening and receptivity to grace have guided us gently and steadily into becoming generous partakers in God’s very own life. Our spiritual father, Jean-Pierre Medaille SJ, understood that it was in self-emptying that we most truly found God indwelling us and sharing that fullness with us. “Be loving Love and let God’s love love through you” (M.P., Part 2).

As I understand it now, God’s true nature is joyful, expansive, inclusive, love. God is overflowing with abundant joy. So, our whole spiritual life, founded on Jesus’ invitation, is to “enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matt. 25:21). Humbly trust that your joy is the echo of God’s life in you. In the midst of a world weighed down by troubles, we Christians, possessed by this divine joy, can be contagious, attractive and shining examples of the Joy of the Gospel that Pope Francis exhorts us to be. “Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls, for the one filled with joy, preaches without preaching” (St. Teresa of Calcutta).

                                                                                                                                                            - Rosemary O’Toole, CSJ

A REFLECTION ON THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Last August while in Ireland, I met for the first time the granddaughter of one of my cousins. Eve is her name. When I asked her how old she was, she said in her Irish brogue and without hesitation while throwing her arms up over her head so spontaneously and joyfully, “I’m ‘tree’ and I’m going to be four in December!” I am still enjoying that delightful encounter with Eve and SHE is my way into Advent this year.

Advent is all about the already and not yet. Just like Eve, we are already something and not yet something else. We are already in God through the great gift of the Incarnation and yet we are not yet filled as fully as we can be with all that this great mystery of Christ’s birth has in store for us. At one and the same time, we carry with us both joy and longing, both rootedness in God and a certain yearning for more to bloom in us.

Advent calls us into gratitude for what we already are and have and at the same time these weeks also invite us to open up even more. “Rejoice!” this Sunday’s entrance antiphon proclaims to us! Throw your arms up over your head and enjoy the presence of our loving God who is always with us! At the same time, though, “do not let your hands grow weak” (Zephaniah) or your hearts be satisfied. Make your needs known to God (Philippians) and be generous with your food and your clothing (Luke) for that is the way we show who God is.

We know well all in our world today who need our food and our clothing and so many other gifts that we have been given so that they too can “throw their arms up over their heads” in joy. Maybe they need our food of kindness and acceptance, and just as they are. Maybe they need our coats of care and compassion to warm their spirits into hope again. “Out of the mouth of babes,” as Psalm 8 says. Indeed! I thank you Eve for your gift to me last August and now too in Advent! I yearn too for even more joy and wisdom this year from the Babe of Bethlehem.

by   Mary Ellen Sheehan, IHM, Monroe, MI