Waiting Paitiently?

There are only a few more days until Christmas and of course the excitement is growing in anticipation of this wonderful Holy Day.

Many people are planning to get together with family and friends and are traveling several miles to renew their relationships and to continue family traditions or even beginning new ones.  Yes this is an exciting time of the year.  A time of Hope and Joy and above all, Love.

The gospel message today is a good example of what it means to travel and to be greeted with so much joy when Mary and her cousin Elizabeth recognize the presence of in each other.  Even Elizabeth's baby greets his cousin Jesus with an excited movement, a leap for joy!!



I have a difficulty with people saying, "We only get together at wakes and wedding."  It seems like we forget about the other opportunities we have to celebrate and getting re-acquainted. for instance, New Years, or the 4th of July, birthdays and anniversaries to name a few.

Christmas is, I think, the most important birthday for all humanity.  God becomes one of us and through  Him, gives us a most precious gift.  Actually two gifts,  He teaches us how to be human by giving us the gift of Himself in the Eucharist.  A gift we need to receive and think about as God's way of giving  us an active role in the Incarnation Mystery.

Just like Mary, we hold Jesus within us.  Can you see the relationship?  God becomes human, human becomes Jesus.  We are initiated into a love relationship with all humanity.  What a wonderful gift!!
Are we aware that we have it?  How do we use it? It is said that Love isn't love until you give it away.
So how do we live up to the standard or the job description God wants us to live up to? He wants us to love as he loves us.   St. Paul defines the ideal we must try to live up to.

Corinthians 12:
Love is patient, Love is kind, it is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests,m it is not quick tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.  LOVE NEVER FAILS.

We cannot affect the whole world but we can certainly affect out relationships within our own families. LOVE IS THE GIFT CHRIST GIVES US AND HE IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING Be patient, and grow in His Love, Peace and Joy      

Deacon R.D. Lemay