Category Archives: Christmas

January 3, 2015 · 10:10 am

Jesus is in the Room

The baby born in Bethlehem came to die. His miraculous birth and his miraculous death and resurrection were eternally linked. The crucifixion was shattering to his disciples. They were lost without the Master and confused about the validity of their faith and the future of the Kingdom they had just begun to envision. Nothing made sense anymore, and they were consumed by loss. The desperation in the room had taken on a life of its own. So, the disciples sat huddled in darkness and fear.

Suddenly, Jesus was in the room! In that one miraculous moment, with His resurrected presence, everything changed. Prophecies fulfilled. Parables lived. Mysteries cleared. Fear melted away. Hope soared. Peace settled. Courage took hold.

Over the years of my life, I have known the presence of Jesus. I have known, without one shadow of doubt, when He was in the room. He has calmed my fears in anxious moments. He has given me hope in times of my deepest despair. He has provided for me a peace that defies understanding in the midst of great turmoil. He has shown me grace in my most unworthy actions. He has blessed me with healing in devastating brokenness.

So many things happen to us in life. We must handle both joy and sorrow on this journey. Broken family relationships, sickness, death, financial crises thrust us into situations where we, much like those early disciples, seem paralyzed and huddled in darkness and fear. The great thing one must remember and acknowledge is that His presence will be ever with us to heal and comfort and bless us with His grace and peace. His resurrected Presence gives meaning to the journey – Jesus is in the room.

Reflection – When have you known that Jesus was in the room?

Journey to the Manger: Donkey (myeverydaygod.com)
Bethlehem of Galilee (davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com)

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Filed under ch, Christian Journey, Christmas

Tagged as Bethlehem, Christian, Christmas, Christmas and holiday season, Jerusalem, Jesus, Manger Square, New Testament, Star of Bethlehem

December 5, 2014 · 3:16 pm

The Story of St. Nicholas

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned.

The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals,murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6.

Holland’s St. Nicholas Center helping to tell the true story of Santa Claus (hollandsentinel.com)
A SAINT OF ALL CHRISTIANS: St. Nicolas of Myra (Sfantul Nicolae) Saint of the day December 6, 2014 |Troparion to St. Nicolas Правило веры (rule of faith) composed by Nikolay Golovanov (euzicasa.wordpress.com)

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Tagged as Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Christmas, First Council of Nicaea, Freedom From Religion Foundation, God the Father, Growing Pains (TV series), Jesus, Nicene Creed, Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus

December 24, 2013 · 6:31 am

O Come All Ye Faithful

The narratives of the birth of Jesus recorded in the Scriptures are told through the adoration of the baby by ordinary individuals like the shepherds, the magi, and Simeon and Anna. They all recognized the baby as the Messiah, the Savior of the World. They worshiped Him acknowledging that He was the one present at creation, foretold by the prophets, the long awaited Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. He was God come down from heaven where He was worshiped and adored by angels for eternity – to be a man. He would walk the earth, give himself up to die, and provide the grace to save the whole world. He would rise from the dead; ascend back to heaven from whence He came to be eternally adored by the angels and the saints of all time.

My grandfather and I sat on his front porch one mild December afternoon. My Grandfather was a man of simple but great faith. I asked him what his favorite Christmas carol was. He rubbed his chin, as was his habit and said, “Oh, that’s easy. I love the one that tells us to come and adore Him.”

My grandfather with his beautiful tenor voice and I sang “O, Come All Ye Faithful” together that afternoon. It is one of my most treasured memories of him.

During Advent, the faithful Church is invited back to Bethlehem to revisit Christ’s first coming to the world. We are invited to listen to the choir of angels that sang to the shepherds. We are invited to travel with the Magi and follow the star. We are invited into the stable to behold the King of Angels and simply adore Him.

Needless to say, my favorite Christmas carol is “O, Come All Ye Faithful.” I love to think of my grandfather in heaven adoring Christ face to face and singing with the voices of all of heaven’s hosts in that beautiful hymn of praise. And every year during the Christmas season, I still sing it with him as surely as I did that day on the porch.

Reflection – Spend some time in simple adoration of Christ.

Monica Boudreaux

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful (simplequietmodern.wordpress.com)

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Tagged as Adeste Fideles, Bethlehem, Christ, Christmas, Christmas carol, Lamb of God, Magi, Messiah, Nativity of Jesus

December 19, 2013 · 6:22 am

Juan’s Story

Juan was a tiny eight-year-old boy in a little Mexican town quite untouched by any other influences. In its simpleness and poverty, time had stood still for 100 years. Juan was one of the town’s orphans. He had lived on the streets as long as he could remember and had no memory of how he came to be there. The church with the convent next door was where he could be found more often than not. The nuns saw to his basic needs as best they could. They shared meager rations of food with him and left the door of the church unlocked on cold nights.

The season of Advent was Juan’s favorite time of year, because the church was so magnificent with its candles and crèche on the altar. Inside those four walls, he felt embraced by light and warmth and security, but he also felt the mystery of God’s presence, which gave him a sense of the only love and peace he knew.

On Christmas Eve, one of the sisters invited

him to join the other children of the town in the traditional processional as they brought gifts to the Christ Child. Juan’s joy at being included was soon replaced by sadness at the realization that he had nothing to bring as a traditional gift to present the baby. All day he thought and prayed and not long before the service was to begin, he found a piece of paper and made his gift.

The processional began. The infant Jesus was laid in the manger on the altar and the children presented their gifts of fruit, flowers, and sweets. Last of all Juan walked up to the Nativity and laid in the manger the piece of paper he had found and fashioned into a paper doll.

The next day a kindly nun asked Juan about his gift. This was his story: “Sister there are many nights that I am cold and alone. I had no gift to bring to Christ, so I made myself from a piece of paper and thought I would just lie next to the Baby to keep Him warm.”

The old nun with tears in her eyes said, “Juan, you truly gave to Christ the best of all gifts. You gave him yourself, all that you are. You gave Him your heart.”

Christmas is a time for gifts. I do not believe that God who created all things is impressed with any grand gift we could give Him, but I know God is overjoyed when we offer Him our hearts.

Reflection – What must I do to truly give God my heart, all of who I am?

Monica Boudreaux

Christmas Greetings! (centralumchurch.wordpress.com)

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Tagged as Advent, Child Jesus, Christ, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Gift, Jesus, Nativity

December 16, 2013 · 10:09 am

Christmas Hope

There is a wondrous poem found in many places on the Internet. Maybe you have seen it. It does a wondrous job of reminding us of that truth. It is titled, “Do You Still Have Hope?” I’m going to shorten it just a little bit, but hear its message:

If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope . . . If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower . . . If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly . . . If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, then you still have hope . . .

If you can see the good in other people . . . If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep, If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder . . . If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope . . .

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism . . . If you give people the benefit of a doubt . . . If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope . . .

If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise . . . If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration . . . If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope . . .

If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection . . .

If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree or cook the turkey . . .

If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope . . .

If you can look to the past and smile . . . If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase . . . “yeah . . . BUT . . .” then you still have hope . . .

Hope is such a marvelous thing. It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break . . . It sustains us when nothing else can . . . It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we’d rather give in . . . Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage . . . Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it . . . Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the direction . . .

Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return . . . And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places . . . Never lose hope . . .