Baptism and New Beginnings

The Baptism of Our Lord

Gospel of Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

This past week flew by so fast that I did not get a chance to write blog posts.   I still made time for daily prayer.  That resolution is still going along well....

My mind is so focused on change.  As an acquaintance texted me this week: "This new year will be one of joy."  Just what I need to hear as I have experienced so much turnover.  However, I see the light peeking through the clouds as my heart is beginning to lift from mourning and depression.  A new beginning is in progress and I am actually excited about it!

What does God have in store for me?  I feel as if a gate has been set ajar, the lock removed, so I can freely enter.  Things of my past have been taken from me, some by own hand and others through God's hand.  I cannot form words to describe this Change that has overwhelmed me since the beginning of the New Year.  My intuitive sense suggests that circumstances will finally move along in a peaceful and positive way.  I think God is pleased with my growth and maturity, and he is ready to bless me even more.  But, again that aged old question lingers:  How will all this change work out in the end?

Since I have moved to the other side of town, I have visited a few parishes trying to figure out where I feel most comfortable.  On New Year's Day I received a random email from a parish I used to attend over 10 years ago.  It invited those who have fallen away to return and "Rediscover Jesus."  In fact, the entire parish community is reading Matthew Kelly's Rediscover Jesus with videos posted by parishioners themselves telling their stories how Jesus has impacted their lives.  I was intrigued, so I attended Sunday liturgy at St. Ann Parish in Coppell, TX this morning....

I felt like I found my new parish home.  I noticed a few familiar faces in the pews even though I am sure they do not remember me, a decade later!  The bulletin is thick with various ministries and activities.  I plan to slowly enter back into volunteering because the parish is so large.  (The size is something to get used to.)  I will wait for the Lord to gently nudge me into the ministry where I am most needed..

Maybe a few people reading this blog attend St. Ann Coppell.  I would love to hear from you and gather suggestions where I can serve the most, of course within my God-given talents.  (See Contact Me form.)

Sitting in a sanctuary pew, admiring the beautifully painted stucco wall with my Spanish mantilla draped over my head, I imagined Jesus' baptism in the Jordan river.  John the Baptist gently leading Jesus into the warm Jordan waters.  John says a prayer before he sprinkles Jesus with baptismal water. Our Blessed Mother is at the river's edge smiling at her son as other relatives look on.  The bystanders may even clap as Jesus walks out of the water....

Jesus is the Son of God.  He doesn't need baptism!  However, his own baptism launched a new beginning in his life - one devoted to ministry and the service of others.  He will teach, preach, and heal.  He will forgive easily and mercifully.  He will invite others to a life of faith, trust and hope with the ultimate goal of inheriting the Kingdom of God.

Are you ready for a new beginning?

-J.

A Star So Bright

The Epiphany of the Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance.

A star twinkles in the sky, pulsating as if alive.  The star is brighter than usual with asterisks of light shooting from spasmic particles, so illusive and mysterious yet brilliant beyond comprehension.  Astrologists of centuries past, like the noble Magi, knew exactly what such a radiant star represented.  Astronomers of today study such phenomenon theorizing origin and purpose.  Do they really know the answers?  God certainly knows since he created the universe: the stars and the heavens within. Overall, stars come and go - implode and explode - leaving only traces of existence in the cosmos.  What can one spectacular star mean for the world?  Someone incredible has been born - a child of such incredible promise that an entire universe will consider him King.

When I was a child, I enjoyed peering at the moon and stars through a telescope my mom gave me.  Every now and then I'd see of a shooting star! Around Christmas time I always thought about the star the Three Wise Men followed as they traveled such a long way to visit the Christ child.  Was it really as bright and large as depicted in artwork?  What would have it been like to see Jesus as a newborn, swaddled in clothes lying in a manger?

We all experience epiphanies every so often when we think of an answer to a question or a solution to a problem.  We experience an epiphany when the "Ah ha!" strikes us when least expected.  We take our new found knowledge and make the best use of it.  The ultimate epiphany occurred when the Magi followed that bright shining star knowing the end would result in seeing the Messiah and prophet; a tiny little boy who would grow up to be the most important religious figure in Christianity.

Do we notice the Jesus star in our own lives?  Do we follow the light and away from the darkness?  How can we better follow the Lord if we  find ourselves drifting away?  The Star is too bright for us to ignore!  Let us choose to follow Christ because so many rewards await us in the glory of heaven.

-J.

Make Straight the Way

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

Gospel of John 1:19-28

Dallas Arboretum - 1/2/2016

“Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said.”

One of my goals in 2016 is to visit some of the DFW area museums and attractions.  I want to "get out and about", see the new and interesting instead of isolating myself in my apartment stuck in front of the tv or passing boredom with endless naps.  My new mantra is this: Life is too great to waste!

This weekend's excursions included the Dallas Arboretum on Saturday and the Kimbell Art Museum on Sunday.   I have not visited the Kimbell in over 10 years.  Looking at the prized paintings of French artist Gustave Caillebotte transported me back to the late 1800's in Paris.  The long dresses, the top hats, the horse and buggies.  Wow, what if our lives never evolved?  What if we never became an industrialized, technology advanced society?  I cannot imagine still wearing petticoats or considered a man's property!

Make straight the way....Isaiah and John the Baptist knew someone incredibly special was about to arrive on earth.  They spoke out about this miracle to a people who just did not quite understand what to look out for.  Just like a painter's canvas, the medium is blank until dabs of color are applied. The work of art is not yet finished.  The shadows, transitions and details look visually hazy.  Maybe the figure is a man, a woman, or an animal.  Maybe the sky is a starry night or a sunlit day.  The artist swirls the colors in effervescent display.  It is hard to figure out the meaning.  What is in the artist's mind?  What type of story does he tell?

The prophet is just that.  A man who's voice speaks on behalf of God.  Everyone thinks John the Baptist is the One True Prophet.  Yet, he is only the Messenger.  The path to salvation is still crooked and wide.  The Jews still have a lot of work to do in order to make sure they live good, faithful lives.  Obey the Commandments and honor God.  Keep the path free of debris and open, accepting the Holy One to come.

How can we make straight the Lord in modern day? Attend mass every Sunday.  Pray and meditate.  Say the rosary.  Perform acts of charity.  Be kind and loving toward others.  Make God #1!  Suddenly, the blurry canvas becomes sharp and clear as the colors blend together.  Yes, there it is.  That's what the Lord wants from me.  This is how I should live my life:  Mindful of God, others and then myself.  

-J.

Mary and New Year's Resolutions

The Octave Day of Christmas
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God
New Year's Day 2016



Gospel of Luke 2:16-21


The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message  that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

 I can't remember the last time I went to  New Year's Eve party or even stayed up past midnight.  Usually I spend the night alone curled up in front of the television set or in my nice cozy bed.  I rather be safe inside the house than around drunk drivers.

At 3 am this morning, my neighbor's yappy dog howled up a storm.  It kept me up, so I loaded up laundry in the washing machine and turned on the dishwasher.  Might as well make use of the early hours of the New Year instead of beating my head against my pillow wishing the dog would shut up!  Obviously the dog was in distress. Maybe the neighbor passed out drunk and the dog needed to go outside...Who knows. Sadly, my neighbor isn't a very friendly person.  I feel sorry for the dog because I think he is starving for attention, something the owner rarely gives him.  Of course, I couldn't help but think of my own dog who always slept in the bed next to me.  She rarely barked at night.  If she did, she obeyed her mommy when I'd gently tell her, "Shh! No barking, sweet precious!"

This time of the year the word "resolution" becomes a focus. Lose weight.  Quit smoking or drinking.  Spend more time with the kids.  Go to church every Sunday....The litany of resolutions can be pages long.  But, do we actually make an attempt to fulfill them?  Or do we just say we are going to do XYZ because everybody else talks about it?  I know every time I try to make a resolution I give up within the first three months of the year.  I think most people give up by the end of January!

We read in scripture how Our Blessed Mother ponder things, reflecting on them in her heart.  Do we spend fruitful time in prayer?  Do we seek out "hints" of how we should act as better Christians? Circumstances were definitely not easy for Mary.  She was a very young mother with the awesome responsibility of raising the Son of God!  I am sure she had support from relatives and neighbors, but she was still confused about how everything would work out.

Despite the attention, confusion and uneasiness of first time motherhood, Our Blessed Mother remained humble and obedient.  She prayed for guidance and used resources handed to her.  One thing so beautiful about Mary is how she didn't complain.  She didn't rage at Joseph when Jesus wailed all night with a tummy ache.  She didn't curse the Lord when the family had to suddenly travel to Egypt in order to escape death.  She did whatever it took to please God.

What would Mary's resolutions be at the start of a New Year?  Maybe pray more, take better care of herself, spend more time with friends, or be a better wife.  Whatever her "resolutions" may have been, I am sure she stuck to them however challenging.

Today on this first day of the year, let us pray for peace in a world that is undergoing so much suffering.  Let us pray for the sanctity of all human life.  Let us pray for cures to so many diseases that plague people throughout the world.

 Let us resolve to live lives that our holy with Mary, the Mother of God, as our shining example of faith, hope and love.

Happy New Year!!!

-J.