Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

 “Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!”  


     The longing in our hearts and souls for Jesus to come and be one with us can, at times, be overwhelming! Like the psalmist, we cry: “O God, You are my God, for You I long; for You my soul is thirsting. My body pines for You, like a dry, weary land without water” (psalm 63:2). 

     As I was busy cleaning my upstairs, I felt a sadness in my heart. I could not put my finger on its source or origin.

     Sure, we were into the busy season of “doing,” with Christmas just weeks away, but I was in really good shape! My house was decorated, my shopping almost accomplished, and my cards mailed.

     I was delighted that I was ahead of the game for a change. This allowed me the freedom to focus on Christ, the true meaning of Christmas – so why did I feel so sad?

     That was just it! My focus was on Jesus. I had already mounted the donkey with Mary, who was heavy with Child, as St. Joseph held the reigns of my Advent journey. 

     I was journeying with them. Although I felt the love of Mary and Joseph for our blessed Lord, I also felt the pain and rejection that they and He experienced and still experience.

     It is a pain similar to what a parent feels, when their child is left out; when their child is not chosen for the team; when a friend betrays them; when a friend rejects or does not believe in them. It is a pain like no other: the feeling of not being loved. Jesus is rejected and not loved by so many! 
     “He came unto His own and His own received Him not” (Jn 1:11).

     As I recognized the source of my pain, I thanked God for the insight. I also thanked Him for the privilege of sharing in His pain. I asked that He unite my pain with His to make it efficacious, most especially for those who do not think about Him or have rejected Him. I told Jesus that I hoped that my sharing in His pain would lessen His suffering. Although it did not go away, it now made sense. It was not useless or fruitless. It was full of meaning and could help console the heart of Jesus.

     When we love someone, we long to be with them. When they suffer, we do as well. When that Person is God, the feelings are so much deeper – there is an infinity to them. The truth is that our longing in itself causes a suffering within our hearts and souls, but when we suffer with Them, our pain is greatly increased.

     Our yearning and longing for God is truly a gift! But it is one that we don’t always recognize and mistake it for something else. When those deep feelings of longing, those intense feelings of yearning come into your heart, see it for what it truly is – God seeking your love! Jesus, thirsting for your love! 

     This Advent season, climb upon the donkey with Our Lady, pregnant with Jesus. Allow St. Joseph to lead you on your journey. Spend time with them. Converse with them. Give them your love and your heart. Feel baby Jesus as He moves within His Mother. Rejoice that He is coming! Share His joy – share His sorrow and disappointments. Make up with love for all who have forgotten Him. Gather gifts of selfless acts to offer to Him throughout this time of preparation. Rejoice that you are aware of His coming. Ready your heart to welcome Him on Christmas morning.

Stay awake! Keep alert! Jesus is coming! Don’t allow your feelings or duties to distract you from the true Reason for the Season – the birth of Christ!
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    

Our Deepest Yearning

     “Wait a little while, my soul, await the promise of God, and you will have the fullness of all that is good in heaven. If you yearn inordinately for the good things of this life, you will lose those things that are heavenly and eternal. Use temporal things properly, but always desire what is eternal. Temporal things can never fully satisfy you, for you were not created to enjoy them alone . . . for your blessedness and happiness lie only in God, who has made all things from nothing.”            Thomas a’ Kempis



     We all have a yearning; a longing to be filled; a deep thirst which we are unable to satisfy on our own. We flit from this to that, hoping to quench our desire, but often come up empty. If we are able to find satisfaction, it is doesn't last long. It is fleeting and we are back to our quest!

Finding peace for our restless hearts.

     We are all longing for peace…that feeling of contentment…a sense of well-being…an inner stillness--and our society, well aware of our yearning, tries to sell us the ultimate vacation…that brand new car…that piece of jewelry…that one possession that will achieve the feeling for which we are searching.

     And it seems for a time to bring us contentment until the feeling begins to fade and we are off searching for the next thing to fill our void.

     Nothing of this world will bring us lasting peace. At times we often forget that we are wayfarers and sojourners, with a destination engraved on our hearts for Someone who is not of this world.  

The Holy Spirit - He's Sasha to me

     As a child, and even for much of my adult life, my relationship with the Holy Spirit has not been what I would necessarily call personal. I received the Sacrament of Confirmation in third grade, and although I was catechized very well - I was a Baltimore Catechism student - I didn't really feel close to the Holy Spirit. Sure I prayed to Him at what I saw as the appropriate times; like to help me remember the answers to a test for which I had studied, or for the right words to say in a difficult situation. I also asked Him for specific gifts, fruits and graces, since I figured that was His territory. But it wasn't really much of a relationship.