God’s will

Something more than feelings

How are you feeling today? Happy, sad, angry, frustrated, holy, scared, lonely, peaceful, or mischievous? Perhaps it’s a mixture of several of those. Our culture today puts a lot of emphasis on feelings, but is there another perspective we should consider?

How many times have you heard someone say they “just want to be happy” either about themselves or someone they are close to? One can look at the term happy and say it’s impossible for anyone to just be happy. Life will always throw challenges our way. But what if you considered happiness and being happy as a state of being, rather than just an emotional response in the moment? Lasting happiness would then be possible. 

Perhaps happiness is an attitude that you cultivate. Instead of constantly chasing things that may make you happy, or give you happy feelings, maybe it’s having an appreciation for the world around you and finding delight in the details. If we appreciate the warmth of the sun and refreshment of rain, then no matter what the weather, you can be happy. If life throws the challenge of burned brownies your way, then maybe you appreciate that dessert is not a necessity after every meal, and that will make the next dessert more special when you do have it. 

If you are in a state of happiness, can you have other feelings? Of course! Your emotions are going to change from one minute to the next. Emotions are a response to the environment around you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pursue a state of being happy. You can cry and be happy at the same time. You can be angry and still be in a state of happiness. It’s what you do with your emotions that identify if you are pursuing happiness or some other state of being. Some may look at the world and only see the problems and they live in a troublesome state of being — anger, frustration, anxiety, etc. When you hyperfocus on the evils of the world, it makes it hard to see the light of Christ and the salvation that He brings to the world, even now. 

Being happy doesn’t mean that you don’t recognize the issues in your community, from local and national to global troubles. Happiness looks for a small way to ease the burdens of another, not to solve all the problems all at once. Just as you find joy in small ways, so too can issues be addressed a little at a time. Look at the work of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, she looked to make a difference as she helped one person at a time. Before social media was invented, the world knew who she was, even though she did not seek publicity in the care she was providing to the poorest of the poor. She saw the reflection of Jesus in each person she cared for, and in turn, cared for each person as if they were Jesus. 

You don’t need to feel happy to be happy. Actually, you are not called to be happy, you are called to be holy. When you pursue a life state of holiness, then joy, peace, and happiness flow through the grace of God into all aspects of life. God gifted you with feelings and emotions so that you can appreciate the blessings He provides and recognize when you fall short of His will and follow your own instead. While you can use your emotional responses as cautionary signals, you should not wallow in them, lest they become like quicksand and make you sink into one feeling that lasts a lifetime. Your feelings are just one part of the masterpiece that God has created you to be; reflect the Master’s work in all the abilities with which He has blessed you.   

Weapon of change

October is the month dedicated to the rosary. A whole month? Yes! The rosary has been touted as the most powerful prayer, especially when prayed daily. How can this prayer, that features the Blessed Virgin Mary, be so effective in our spiritual battles?

Living in a physical world, we often forget that there is also a spiritual realm active and all around us. Thankfully we each have a guardian angel to accompany us through life and assist us in our spiritual battles. The battles are not for the angel to take care of however, but rather they are ours to confront. This fight is ours alone, though we can seek our angel’s assistance. Sometimes, this means taking action to perform a corporal or spiritual work of mercy; other times, it means avoiding sinful actions.

A quick Google search on “who said the rosary is a weapon” provided quite a number of responses. The most prominent was from St. Padre Pio. “Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother,” is attributed to him. However, others who have proclaimed the power of the rosary include: Blessed Pope Pius IX, St. Josemaria Escriva, Pope Pius XI, and Pope Leo XIII.

In any war, soldiers are trained and practice handling their weapons until they are practically an extension of themselves. In our war against temptations, we train by praying the rosary, pondering deeply the mysteries within it, so that we can be strengthened for the fight. While the rosary seems to focus on the Blessed Mother because the majority of the prayers are the Hail Mary, the mysteries are about the life of Jesus. They focus on both the happy moments as well as the sad ones, allowing us to accompany Jesus throughout His whole human life. With each Hail Mary, we ponder the words of scripture. From Gabriel’s salutation at the Annunciation to Elizabeth’s greeting, when John the Baptist leapt in her womb, we are reminded that God has a plan for each of us. And by praying Mary’s prayer, we ask her to help us say yes to God like she did. 

The rosary is a vehicle for God’s graces to flow into the world. It most likely will not happen very fast, but the change is real. It starts with us, who are praying the rosary. Our attitudes, our decisions, and the way we conduct ourselves reflect the light of Christ. The effects ripple outward towards others, softly encouraging them to change their ways as well, learning to start saying no to sin and temptations. While we will continue to fall, the rosary will help lift us up to seek God’s mercy and guidance, returning us to the path that leads us to heaven. And when we’re disappointed that the intention we’ve prayed for does not come to fruition, we will be reminded that the rosary is not for our will to be done, but for God’s will to succeed, as He knows what is truly best for every one of us. 

Ultimately the spiritual warfare we are battling is for souls to get to heaven. The more we pray the rosary for our world, the more lives we can save from eternal damnation, including ourselves. That’s a powerful weapon, indeed!  

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Beautiful bad day

Everyone suffers from a bad day occasionally, though the definition of such a day can vary greatly from person to person. While it may seem contradictory,  positive words can describe a bad day allowing us to find beauty in them much like we do a good day.

I often think days we would describe as being bad simply illustrate that we are not in control. Recently I had a day that I would at least describe as a challenging, if not completely a bad day. I had in mind how certain events would go and they didn’t happen that way at all. Some circumstances I was confident wouldn’t be an issue ended up surprising me by being problematic. When confronted with events unfolding other than what was expected, it really throws off your whole outlook and you begin to question everything. When you add onto that the normal difficulties any day can serve up — dropping items, cleaning up spills, and so on — you can feel the weight of uncertainty and trouble practically anchoring you in place. Yes, I did call out to God and the saints for help and I know they were there with me all day even though my prayers weren’t answered in the way I wanted them to be. I know God answers all prayers, and it’s difficult when the answer is either “No,” or “Not right now.”

I firmly believe in God’s plan for me, even if I can’t always discern it. While I strive to be open and do His will, challenging days leave me bewildered. I reflect on the lives of saints, a number of whom had a sickly constitution and were rejected by multiple religious orders until they found an order that would accept their situation. They are usually described as being gentle and demonstrating great patience. Yet anyone who’s ever been ill knows how difficult it is to be nice to people when you’re not feeling well. They go on to do so many great and wonderful things, it’s no wonder that they are named a saint! But part of me wonders if they ever had a bad day, despite their condition. Yet, when you distill the whole of a person’s life down to just a few paragraphs, you’re going to highlight the best in a person. The bad days the saints experienced did not define their life, even if those days did shape and adjust the trajectory of their lives. 

As I was going through my bad day, I started to wonder if I was allowing God to be God? What can I learn by letting things unfold, even if it seems to be more work for me? Is this an opportunity to practice humility? I have a list of chores that need to get done and I expect to do them a certain way, but when a bad day interrupts my plans, how gracious am I to allow it? If this bad day was a test, then I failed miserably. I don’t like using bad language, but a bad day seems to rewire my brain so that at every challenge some ugly word is spoken aloud. I feel totally frustrated and like I have absolutely no patience left. Yet I know, despite not feeling one sentiment of peace, God is with me through it all. 

Looking back at what happened and how I reacted, I do feel guilty for not handling it better and definitely felt unworthy to pray to God. But that is exactly what Satan wants us to believe. He possesses the remarkable ability to discern our difficult days, and he intensifies them with his own distinctive, unconventional perspective. Perhaps this is really the true test of a bad day, not so much how we handled the events themselves, but the perspective afterwards. Do we continue to turn to God? Do we allow the remorse of our actions and responses lead us to Jesus for mercy, forgiveness, and peace? Or do we cling to how bad of a day the events were and how miserable they make us feel? 

Bad days are an inevitable part of the human experience. They also provide valuable opportunities for self-reflection and strengthening one’s faith and reliance on God.

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Don’t tell God

Prayer is conversing with God. How many times, however, do we make a request of God, not a petition, but more of a command when we pray? Telling God what He must do is not prayer but arrogance. It illustrates the grasp for control that humans wrestle with since the serpent told Eve and Adam that they would be like gods if they only ate the forbidden fruit.

In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus encourages us to pray to God and to ask, seek, and knock for what we need. He tells us to be persistent, not to give up, but to continually petition God. (Lk 11:1-13) God the Father is the giver of all good gifts and we will be blessed in everything God gives to us. Yet in next Sunday’s Gospel, it appears to be almost the opposite. While the main theme is about greed, the passage starts with, “Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” (Lk 12:13) That reminds me of when Martha instructed Jesus to tell her sister Mary to help her. Telling, requesting, or instructing God as to how something should be done will not achieve the results you want. 

While prayer is a conversation with God and we should feel comfortable to describe how we are feeling and what we need, it’s also an opportunity for us to be open to what God wants from us. Asking, seeking, and knocking are all attitudes of being humble and understanding that we can’t do everything ourselves. We must also listen, accept, and be open to answers and the real need for God’s assistance. If we are telling God what to do, then we are in a moment of anger and frustration, and we are venting, not having a conversation. While those are valid feelings to bring to God, He doesn’t want us to stay there, but wants to help us work through the feelings. Using the example of the brother wanting his sibling to share the inheritance, perhaps the initial prayer is for helping his sibling to see his need. Maybe the reason for the sibling’s stubbornness is due to an argument between the brothers and the prayer should be about making peace between them. And maybe it’s the requestor himself who is the one holding the grudge and needs God’s help to forgive his sibling.

When we petition God for help, we’re asking Him to mold us into the best version of ourselves. We are called to be holy and become saints who will live in God’s presence for all eternity. Sainthood is not just for those called to religious life, but rather every individual God creates, especially those who are baptized members of the Church. But God will not make us a saint because we tell Him to do so. Rather, we become saints because we seek God first, ask for God’s assistance, and continually knock on the doors of opportunity God provides to us. We pray “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Not our will to be in heaven, but God’s will that we reflect His image and likeness so that we can enter into heaven after the completion of our time on earth.

God wants to give us so many blessings. But if we do not have the maturity to recognize, appreciate, and share the gifts He gives us because we are focused on ourselves, then giving us more will not be in our best interest. Telling God what He needs to do only underscores that we are unprepared to receive all the blessings He wants to give us. We need to be persistent in seeking His help to become more like Him and to become as holy and blessed as He desires us to be.  

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The struggle to change

Change happens every minute of every day. Sometimes it can be impactful, sometimes it can leave a mark, and sometimes we don’t even realize it. Change can happen to us in our circumstances, or it can be something we initiate. Any change, however, requires us to make choices of how we will adapt. With intentions of changing ourselves, we may have grand aspirations of what we can accomplish, but do we remember that we need to put in the hard work to achieve those expectations? Or is our initial reaction to the struggle a signal to change our minds or give up? Maybe we blame others when our expectations fall short. While the results of our choices may have been reasonable, the road to them may be very long and with lots of detours, so how can we give up when we’ve only gotten started?

The old adage, “you made your bed, now you need to lie in it” is all about accepting consequences for our actions. But when the results don’t measure up to what we expected, it is an uncomfortable experience. Life is not a simple mathematical calculation where you plug in two numbers and achieve a sum that can only be only one answer. When we respond to change, our choices can initiate the need for more change. It’s not the result we expect, but we need to be willing to be open to the opportunities when they present themselves. 

While I know I’ve made changes in the past that I’ve stuck with, there are probably more that fell to the wayside. Sometimes change is more than just altering a routine, it’s about adjusting our perspective and our response. A familiar routine is a comfort in times of change, but so is the attitude we use to approach our life. When we always think of things one way, it can be hard to get out of that mindset to think of other possibilities, even when we want to change ourselves! We can get caught in a stagnant loop in our mindset. Yet it is in these moments when, instead of digging deeper into ourselves, we need to seek God’s assistance. Perhaps we do need to make other changes that we may not recognize. Maybe the struggle is the opportunity to truly learn about ourselves. Our expectations are really our will. In praying to God, we need to trust in His guidance and accept the unexpected. We may eventually realize that what He desires for us is so much better than our initial expectations. 

Daily I pray, “Oh sweet Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything.” Yet as much as I trust in Christ to see me through, times of struggle are just that: a struggle. I don’t expect life to be all sunshine and roses, as we need some rain to make the sun seem that much brighter and to water the plants to make them bloom. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he says, “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:10)

God gives us a lifetime to grow closer to Him. In our fallen world, that means that we need to change and become more like Him. The goal for our life is to build a solid relationship with God so that we can spend eternity with Him. We hope all the struggles, choices, and changes in this life will produce the fruit of heaven-ready souls. 

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God’s peace

While our world today is in great need of peace, it’s more than just our politics and nations that need it. Each of us requires peace as well. God’s peace is available to us all. The question becomes, will we accept it? 

Sometimes at the end of Mass during the final blessing, there is a reference to God’s peace surpassing understanding. It’s one of those phrases that I know it when I hear it, but I can’t recall it exactly. In Googling the prayer, one of the first items in the search results was Paul’s letter to the Philippians from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website, specifically the books of the Bible section. And there it was, “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7) When I pause to take it in, peace seems like a shield. How can peace protect us? Perhaps the key is what it is protecting or guarding: our hearts and our minds. Shouldn’t peace protect our bodies as well? Maybe not. Maybe what gets us in trouble in the first place is our hearts that desire worldly things and our minds that scheme up ways to get what our hearts desire. If our hearts and minds are firmly centered and guarded in Jesus Christ, we may still stumble but we will remain much closer to God than if we chose to follow our own desires. 

When carefully reading that passage, I realized that it begins with the word, Then. That word indicates cause and effect. So, if we want God’s peace, then we need to see what comes immediately previous to that passage. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” (Phil 4:4-6) God’s peace will come to those who fully rely on God and show it in their actions. While this passage does not say we shouldn’t be sorrowful in times of sadness, what it does indicate is that we should also find a way to rejoice in the midst of our sorrow. It does not mean we put on a smiling face because we “have” to do so. It’s about allowing God to fill us when we don’t have enough for a genuine smile. 

Paul’s reminder is simple and straightforward, but how often are we aware that God is always with us, no matter the circumstances?  Regardless of when we are in a moment of consolation or desolation, God does not leave us, even if we don’t feel His presence. If we lean on our faith to believe God is always with us, then we can rejoice in all moments. We also can dwell in His peace because it is always available to us. And when we believe and trust that God accompanies us through our life’s journey, we can then achieve the ability to live without anxiety. When we know that God is with us, we are in regular conversation with Him, which is what prayer is. We converse about our day, our needs, the needs of others, as well as appreciating all He does for us. How often do we, instead of turning to God, fret about the daily circumstances we encounter? We are anxious about the cost of living rising, and about the potential worldly events. We forget we are not destined for this world, but life everlasting with God after this world.

God’s peace is not conditional. He doesn’t withhold it because of our faults. Rather God’s peace is the fruit — the result — of when we put our total trust in Him. God’s peace is meant not for us to hold onto it, but to share it with others. In reflecting the love of God to others, we can also reflect His peace as well. Like the well-known hymn states, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

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Safe in God’s hands

Mass can be routine. While the readings and songs change, everything else stays mostly the same. Until it isn’t. No matter what, Mass is still the Mass, regardless of the circumstances.

It started out as a normal Sunday Mass. I was appreciating the use of the organ in the opening song, the Gloria, and the responsorial psalm, when the accompanist would usually switch to piano. But all that changed at the end of the Gospel when everyone’s cell phones all sounded the alert. As we sat down for the homily, someone called out to Father that it was a tornado warning, in case he wanted to address it. As a retired priest who was filling in, his first comment was, “What do you want me to do about it?” I totally understand that train of thought. From my perspective, if it was my time to go, what better way than to be during Mass? However, our deacon, who also teaches at the school, used the school’s protocol and advised that we proceed down to the social hall, which was a floor below the church. 

Our social hall was split into two sections that day. One side was conducting the monthly blood drive. The other was set up in the normal meeting fashion of chairs around long tables. As the congregation took seats or stood around the perimeter, there was a lot of chatter amongst the people. Yet the deacon was able to capture everyone’s attention quickly and announced that rather than waiting until the warning subsided, we would continue with Mass, but that everyone would remain where they were and communion would be brought to us. Father did shorten his homily, and proceeded with the liturgy of the Eurcharist. Two candles were lit and everything that was needed was placed on the makeshift altar. Despite the unusual circumstances, there was still a reverence observed by both the clergy and the congregation present. While there was a child or two that could be heard, most others were silent. For me, I closed my eyes and let my focus be on the words instead of on the surroundings.

What struck me the most, however, was receiving Holy Communion. Usually we stand in line and proceed up to the minister, and when receiving in the hand we make a throne, so that the Precious Body can be safely placed on the palm. Normally, I don’t see the person’s hands in front of me, however, this time, I could see the whole row of open hands, indicating the person’s desire to receive. It reminded me of the pictures that one sees of those in poverty who are lining up with open hands to beg for a scrap of food. And that is what we truly are: beggars in this world, seeking the daily substance through the grace and blessings we receive from God. Everything that we have is a gift from God, one that He renews each and every day. As the ministers walked down each isle, they retained a solemness for what they carried, stopping for each person. One of the musicians softly played the piano on the stage, allowing those who received sacred background music to aid their meditation. While our surroundings were different, receiving Jesus was still the same holy and sacred moment.

Even with the disruption, since there was no singing and the homily was shortened, Mass was completed quite quickly. To all our relief, the tornado warning had expired and we were safely sent on our way. Yet, we are always safe when we place ourselves in God’s hands. Regardless of what happens, when we know God is with us, obstacles have a way of being addressed, even in a most unexpected way.

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Got problems?

In our fallen human condition, we face problems daily, perhaps even multiple times throughout the day. They can range from the truly basic needs of where a person’s next meal will come from to if it’s time to start looking for a new job; from which medical treatment will address the health crisis to which school a child will attend. How often do we lift up our problems to God to solve?

Early on in my working career I was advised that if I was going to bring an issue or concern to my superior, I should also bring at least one solution, if not multiple options with my reasoning of which was best. That makes sense in a working world, but sometimes it feels like I apply that to my relationship with God. While I’m sure God does appreciate me using the brain He gave me to analyze the situation and the possible outcomes, He may be frustrated in my lack of trusting Him to make the best decision for not only my immediate need, but for my lifetime. As a human, my perspective is very limited, as is my knowledge of the problem at hand. I’m not privy to the effect the problem or its resolution may have on others. God sees all. God knows all. Yet, here I am not asking for help, but instructing specifically what God needs to do. I don’t consider myself a Martha, but in retrospect, I’m a bit like her, telling God how He needs to address my problem.

For every problem there is an answer. We humans have problems. God is the solution. When we try to provide solutions ourselves, we are trying to be God. This was what made the forbidden fruit so attractive to Adam and Eve, that they can be like God. Most times God does want us to participate in solving our problems, but that we do so by following His will for us. Relying on our own initiative, we shut God out of an opportunity that could grow our faith and relationship with Him. It may also prevent God from working through another person who could provide us the aid that we need. God also understands how different solutions will affect us and those involved both immediately as well in the long term. In our finite understanding, we tend to think that once a problem is solved, that is the end. Sometimes it is, but sometimes the results can affect us way longer than we can even imagine. Our short-sightedness leaves us blind to the consequences we will face if God answered our demanding prayers exactly the way we ask of Him.

Supplication, or petition, is one of the types of prayer that is a constant for every Catholic, including every time we attend Mass. Asking God for help is a good thing! Asking God that He helps us in a very specific way is where our prayer can go awry. Let us examine how we petition God for assistance, taking Jesus’ example from the agony in the garden, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42)

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Opportunities for practice

Hope and trust in God are two hallmarks of our Christian faith. Yet these virtues are not something that we always “have” but rather are virtues that need to be practiced. And for most of the residents of the United States, we are in the midst of multiple opportunities to practice them.

Last week started for me with a winter storm that left me without power for most of the afternoon. While I did my best to grin and bear it, using the opportunity to say a rosary and do a little bit of weaving, as what little daylight faded, I started to get anxious about when power would be restored. With temperatures much below normal, in the 20’s, my home was getting considerably chillier. I was relieved when it finally came back on and I could heat up leftovers for a late dinner. Unbeknownst to me, other areas of my region were suffering from a lack of water when the water treatment plant lost power that morning. It took about a week to get everyone restored back to normal. This is just one little incident that was affected by the cold weather and frozen precipitation from a storm that went through numerous southern states, from Texas and Arkansas all the way through to Georgia and up through my state of Virginia. 

If vicious cold and wintery weather did not affect folks, then it was the strong winds in California that spread the flames burning whole neighborhoods to ashes. Each hour that goes by seems to have another movie or TV actor announcing that their home has been destroyed. While it can be helpful to have familiar names and faces associated with the tragedy, it can be very easy for us to shrug off the impact since they have the money to rebuild. What about for all those who support the entertainment industry and the people who work within it? It’s also the non-famous people who are part of the community that have been affected. It’s the local business owners who not only lost their home but also their livelihood. Natural questions that arise in this devastation include: why did this happen, how will I recover, and what happens next? Not all of these questions come with satisfying answers.

One might turn to the book of Job for comfort. Job lost everything and though he complained to God and asked for why he was being thus punished, he never cursed God. There will always be periods of suffering in our lives and when we are in the depth of misery during these times, it can be hard to see that brighter days will come. Like the three friends of Job who try to comfort him, many will try to speak words of comfort, yet the pain of suffering continues. However, we are all called not to focus on our earthly lives, but in all our actions to desire the kingdom of heaven and what will lead us there. When we are struggling, we both seek the assistance of God as well as offer the fruit of the struggle for His will to be done. “Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the Our Father, the summary of everything that hope leads us to desire.” (CCC 1820)

When life seems to be favourable to us, it is easy to say that our hope and trust is in God and His will for us. Yet in the face of hardship and suffering, it is then that we illustrate our hope and trust in God. It doesn’t mean we face it all with radiant joy, it means that we ask for His help. It doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing, but that we pray for guidance and take action. It doesn’t mean that we focus only on our needs, but look around to those going through the same suffering and ask how we can help others and to share the burden of the ordeal. 

January certainly seems to be giving us many opportunities to practice hope and trust in God. Let us pray for all those who continue to suffer the consequences of the various weather events and seek ways to help them recover. 

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Prepare for joy

As we approach the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, we are reminded that we are to rejoice, the translation of gaudete. How can we prepare to be full of joy?

There can be many reasons why it can be hard to be joyful, even during the Christmas season. Perhaps it’s the recent loss of a loved one or the anniversary of their passing. Perhaps it’s physical ailment that’s hampering your preparation. Sometimes it’s circumstances that we find ourselves in that make stress and worry seem to be more plentiful than joy. God knows all that we are going through, but He does not want us dwelling in what is holding us back from experiencing His love, peace, and joy. He knows that we each need a little joy in our life, not just at Christmas, but every day. At Christmas, however, we are called to be joyful through the hope-filled faith in the Baby Jesus. 

One breath. One heartbeat. Sometimes in order to find joy, we need to look at the smallest things. As overwhelming as life can get, we can find joy in the moment when we take in a deep breath, or listen to our heart beating. I may not be able to thank God for the struggle, but I can thank God for allowing me another second, another minute, another hour, or another day. Perhaps joy can be found in the presence of a loved one, in a smile on a child’s face, or just the beauty of nature in your community. If we look for things to rejoice about, we will find them. Instead of focusing our attention on what ails us, this season we are called to focus on the joy God has given us in this world. We can choose to be joyful, even if it is for a fleeting moment of the day. 

The Gospel reading for the third Sunday of Advent gives insight to ways that can lead us to be joyful (Lk 3:10-18). John the Baptist counsels the people to share the food and clothing they have, thinking of others’ needs rather than themselves. If we are having trouble finding joy in our lives, sometimes helping others, donating our time or money, can give us a boost to find joy this season. While John the Baptist tells the tax collectors not to take more than prescribed and the soldiers to be satisfied with their wages, we can interpret that for our age of being satisfied with what we have, rather than being jealous of others. This is a great reminder that when we receive a gift this season, that we appreciate whatever the giver has gifted us, rather than complaining or rejecting the gift. When we rejoice over what we have, and share with others who are in need — and share the joy of our plenty — we will find the peace of the Spirit in ourselves.

If we want to rejoice this Christmas season, we do need to prepare ourselves to receive the gift of joy that God wants to bestow on us. We need to be open to whatever manner that joy will come into our lives. Let us use this third week of Advent to pray each day to be a willing recipient to the joy of Christmas.