Prepare the Way of the Lord – Blessed are the Meek – Light My Fire

Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast – Tuesday December 2, 2014

Dear Vincentian brothers and sisters:

In the Gospel reading we are reminded of the need to prepare, to actually do something to make a difference, for the coming of Christ. This not only refers to His Second Coming; it is also about the day when He comes for us as we breathe our last earthly breaths. And it’s about the way He wants to come to you this Christmas. And it’s about the way He is coming to you now, today and every day. Use your Spiritual gifts. Re-read the Gospel and reflect. Be alert and do His bidding. Are you ready to do His bidding? Advent is the time to make a difference. What gift can you give to Jesus? Embrace it! Pray always and especially in thanksgiving for your gifts. You are all in my prayers. I pray with you as we pray for each other.
Blessings,
Lynn

Prepare the Way of the Lord – This is the time to do something to really make a difference. We truly are bombarded with ads, store displays and every imaginable decoration. Of course we want to do and have things ready for the children and our friends. The best thing to remember is it is okay as long as you keep Christ in the event. He is the reason for the holiday. There are so many things and traditions that have Jesus or our faith in them. Look for the story of the candy cane, the 12 days of Christmas and of course the story of the birth of Jesus. The first decoration should be the Advent wreath and an advent calendar which gives you holy tasks to do. You can make your own and it will be very personal. We decorate our tree with decorations given or made over the years and I even have one from when I was a little girl. As we decorate the tree, we talk of the shape, a triangle with represents the Trinity. The tree is evergreen, just like God’s love is forever. The branches are reaching out as we should reach out to help others. Use your own customs or try new ones, but keep it focused on the holiness of the season. We do have Santa come on Christmas Eve. He came when my children were small and my 40 year old was just a baby. He came in and looked at the advent calendar and gave thanks to the children for their goodness. He did then and now questions the children on what is the most important thing of Christmas. They get the right answer and they sing a song, tell a Christmas story and get a gift. Before opening the gifts we all sing “happy birthday to Jesus”. Christmas day is with family and Church. Make your Christmas glorious, no stress and pure pleasure of preparing the way of the Lord.

Blessed are the Meek – who assert healthy boundaries, even when they stir up trouble. Being m eek does not mean being wimpy. Jesus was “meek and humble of heart” the scriptures tell us. Was Jesus wimpy? Was he meek when He stood up to the Pharisees and corrected them? Christ-like meekness means taking a firm approach in doing God’s will. It means standing strong in the face of opposition but without belittling others, without casting stones at them, and without wishing for their demise. Where should we draw the line between clever deviousness and sinful dishonesty? Love is the answer and the boundary. We can speak up for what is right with compassion, speaking with love, without condemnation or superiority. At all times love must come through. You care enough and it is right. Speak out. In our service we must make tough decisions sometimes. Tough love can be a positive way to lift someone from their poverty. Be strong, be Jesus and blessed are you for serving all He places before us with and discerning heart and the ultimate healing of those in need. Be assertive and serve with love. Blessed are the meek who assert healthy boundaries, even when they stir up trouble. Trusting Jesus – Like Peter, we are being called out of the security of our worldly boats into the waters of Jesus’s life. As we grow in discipleship, the Lord will repeatedly call us to trust in His ability to handle every part of our lives. God is all-loving and all-forgiving. There are no qualifications to this and no exceptions. God is love, and sin is a turning away, a running from God’s life-giving love. Having a clear understanding of sin is essential to encountering God and His mercy. God’s forgiveness is another marvelous expression of His great love for us.

Light My Fire – Jesus, light my fire! – Luke 12: 49-53 “I want to light a fire; how I wish it were already blazing!” If your fire is not blazing, remind yourself of how much God loves you. When we are unhappy and discouraged, lift up your face to God and say “Hear I am Lord”, light my fire. Bring the fire of your love to those we share. The fire within us will burn our sins and allow our hearts to sing with energy. The light of Christ will shine for others and there is no monthly bill for the electricity you will generate. God’s love is the power; just ask Him at your morning prayer to light the fire. Your day will be alive. When I see the two priests in my parish and our deacon, I see their flame burning bright. It does not take long before I am burning with desire to serve after seeing them. My goal is for others to see Christ’s fire in me. Spreading the fire of Jesus within us to those we serve, who are suffering, is the best part of helping them. Ephesians 4:11 But grace was given to each of us. An encounter with God opens a whole world for us. It is a world of hope in the midst of chaos, a universe in which the power of mercy overwhelms guilt and despair. It is an existence in which God is fully alive, and so are we. Such is the grace of an encounter with the living God. Such is the blazing fire given to us by the grace of God. Psalm 47:6 – God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. This is who is with us in our service. Alleluia!!!!

Blessings,
Lynn

Lynn  L’Heureux is Special needs co-coordinator & Advisor of the Society of St Vincent de Paul Calgary Alberta Canada. 

Her newsletter is translated into 3 languages, hopefully soon to be 4.  They have a group which brings the prayer into China and it is translated into Mandarin and other Chinese dialects.