I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Philippians 1:3

I wrote this blog entry last year, and unfortunately, the COVID issue is still with us in the form of the Omicron variant. I was just planning to write a piece titled “Take Up Your Cross”. The content would have been similar to the entry below. Then I stumbled onto this one. Just change the dates to 2022, change the months we have been battling COVID to 21, and we are at the same place practically. Yet this year, we have another tool in the fight- the powerful weapons of vaccination and boosters in the fight against COVID. My sincere prayer is that we all continue our part in the COVID fight. We need to get vaccinated and boosted to help ourselves and our communities. We need to help our frontline workers too, – they are dying themselves…

Lots of people who are “in the trenches” every day serving others in a selfless manner, do not see themselves as heroes. Those doctors, nurses, police officers, paramedics, emergency room staff, and other first responders (and many others) will tell you that they are simply doing their jobs. And they are. The thing is, they have chosen heroic careers, even if they do not see themselves as heroes.

As this COVID-19 pandemic reaches into 2021, we are looking at over 9 months of battle with an invisible enemy. Yes, we all fight the fight. Most of us are defensive fighters- we mask up, social distance, sacrifice gathering with friends and family, etc. We are trying to cut down the overrunning of hospital capacity by our prudent behavior.

Others are on the offensive, running toward the battle. They see people falling and they run to help. Yes, that is their chosen profession. I contend that those people on the front lines are heroes, no matter whether they agree with that assessment or not.

I could not be prouder of my own children in this battle. My daughter, a physician who encounters patients at their most vulnerable times, has had to spend time away from her own family, at times, when she thought that she might be exposing them to a possible virus danger. My son, a police officer, typically makes the first contact with dangerous situations, no matter whether he knows if there is COVID-19 present or not. He does not have the luxury to ask.

Many, many front-line workers do the same, and they have done so for nearly a year without much respite. This story is repeated daily throughout this country, and indeed the whole world. I simply ask that we pray for these heroes, and thank them whenever we can.

OK, we will not call you heroes. We will just say, “Thanks for your service, and we love you”

Prayer: Lord, please protect those who protect us, Amen.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

I want to wish my readers a very warm and Merry Christmas. Thank you for your faithful following and support. I am including that wish to readers who have followed this blog from other countries. My apologies if the translation is not perfect. The sentiment is!

Frohe Weihnachten

“Feliz Navidad”

Geseënde Kersfees

God Jul

Kala Christouyenna

Geseënde kersfees

Merry Christmas to all!

 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it                                                                                                                                                   John 1:4-5

As Christmas approaches in the harshness of winter (here in the Northern Hemisphere), we become obsessed with the little light that is available this time of year. The light of the Christmas Star is seen as a beacon of hope in a dreary time. Artificial lights abound this time of year on homes, trees, buildings, etc. We take heart from seeing the beauty of lights this time of year. We yearn for light.

I was struck the other night as I was walking into my dark living room from my bedroom, which had a sliver of light shining through the slightly ajar door. I had some trouble seeing my way through the living room since I was walking away from the light source.

However, my return trip to the bedroom was nicely illuminated because I was walking toward the light. The metaphor struck me at once. As we move toward the light, our path is illuminated. As we walk away from the light source, our vision is altered- dimmed and dangerous.

So, dear reader, I pray that as we approach another Christmas under the shadow of COVID-19, you may walk in the light that God sent forth for us in his son’s birth.

Prayer: Lord, light dispels darkness. Help us to clearly see the light this Christmas season, Amen.

John Lewis

“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven…                                      Matthew 6:7-9 (The Message)

Praying for other people is a right and proper thing to do, but often, the prayer is not complete without an action. There are several old proverbs about the idea of prayer and behavior. One of them, “You can’t pray without moving your feet” is a variation of an old West African proverb, “When you pray, move your feet”. That saying was used by civil rights icon John Lewis, who passed just last year.

What do these sayings mean? Surely one can pray effectively without moving one’s feet. Indeed, that is true in the technical sense. In the practical sense however, perhaps prayer is not really complete without an accompanying action.  For example, when we pray for health, we better be practicing some good habits of eating, exercise and sleep. When we pray for a good grade on that exam, we better have studied hard for it. When we pray for the job we applied for, we better be prepared for the interview and have practiced the skills needed for it.

In other words, prayer is not a magic incantation to make things just appear without us doing our part. When we pray for that person who is sick, we may need to complete that prayer with a note, a call, or bringing them a meal. When we pray for our elected leaders, we should also participate in good government by voting and contacting those legislators.

No, we cannot accompany every prayer with an action. It is also true that there are many things that we cannot do a thing about. We just rely upon God who will move in his own way and in his own timing. Sometimes we just acknowledge that we are helpless in a situation. Prayer is the recognition that God is in control of the things we are not. But let us not take the easy way and just say “I’ll pray about that”.  

We need to do what we can do to accompany the prayers.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us the power and privilege of prayer. Help us to understand it and honor you with complete prayers, Amen

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.                                                                                                                                                                    Luke 1:38

In yesterday’s blog, I talked about the unique use of the word “grace” (charitoo) used only twice in the Bible. Once it was used as the word to describe the grace given to Mary when she assented to accepting the role of “God carrier” from the angel who declared her to be the vessel to carry Jesus into the world. The other instance is when Paul told the Ephesian believers that they had that same grace to carry the message of healing to a broken world. So, I think we have established that this seems to be a unique calling that we have, akin to Mary’s role as giving birth to the Savior.

It also struck me that Mary had a say in this. This was not some edict that God enforced on Mary. While she had been set apart for this important mission, she did have a decision to make. She did not need to sign up for this assignment that was fraught with pain, anxiety and uncertainty. She could have said “No”.

But Mary did not say no. Because of that, we have a wonderful plan, an unsurpassed story that we celebrate every year. Mary agreed to be the human host of the “Lamb of God”.

So too do we have a say in our part of the plan of being “God carriers”. We can agree to it and bear the costs attendant with it, as well as the rewards of it. Mary’s agreement was the start of God’s plan of redeeming his lost sheep. Our agreement keeps that legacy going forward.

Prayer: Every day we have the opportunity to say “Yes” to your plan. Give us continued grace to do so, Amen.

And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”                       Luke 1:28

to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

I do so love the Christmas season! The story of Christmas is so rich and so deep that it cannot really be understood unless one understands the nature of God- as the one who loves us and wants to give his very best to us. That is why he sent his son, Jesus into the world.

We start with a miracle. The miracle of incarnation. Literally, we understand incarnation as  –“a central Christian doctrine that God became flesh, that God assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. … (Oxford Dictionary)

That, of course, is a miracle of the highest order, and it is central to Christian belief. The announcement of the angel to young Mary, a virgin, is found in Luke chapter 1, staring at verse 26. He went on to tell her that she was highly favored, and that she would be giving birth to the Savior, son of the Most-High God. She was literally to be a “God-carrier”.

In the next few blogs, I want to discuss her role as God-carrier. More importantly, I want to discuss our role as “God-carriers”. You see, the very same word that the angel used to describe Mary to tell her of her mission to carry Jesus into a broken world, is used by Paul in Ephesians as he speaks to young believers in that city. That Greek word for grace, (pronounced “charitoo”), is used only one other time in the Bible, and it is used to describe those who accept the mission of spreading grace to a broken world in Ephesians 1:6. So, we have the same role as being carriers of grace to a broken world.

 I will be talking more about this in coming days. Stay tuned.

Prayer: Father, you have chosen us for a mission that we are unable to do without your incredible gift to us, Amen.

To trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future  

-Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”                                                               Isaiah 40:31

 There are multiple ways to look at the concept of hope. The definition above conveys several of those aspects of hope. It is one thing to “wait for” an event with anticipation. It is quite another to trust in that event happening. Then there is the concept of expecting something beneficial, as opposed to wishing that something bad does NOT happen.

All these concepts seem to be embodied in the word “hope”. All of them are true depending on how we use the word.

I like to think that hope is more about a mindset than just a fleeting variable of the moment.

A mindset of hope is based upon our belief in God’s provision and love for us. In that sense, hope is more like the “trust in” part of the definition above.

Isaiah wrote that those who hope in the Lord will” renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”

So, we see that hope is not just a desire, but it is our source of energy, no matter the circumstances we face.

As we grow closer to Christmas, hope lies in our language and our hearts. We have a hope that the Spirit of Christmas can transform a culture increasingly rife with hostility and conflict.

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. ( O Little Town of Bethlehem)

Prayer: Father, you have given us hope, no matter the circumstances. Thank you for this lifeline of how to look at the world, Amen.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.                                                                                                                                                            Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

We are in the “home stretch” of the Christmas buying season. Days are slipping by as we count down to Christmas. Most people, often women, take great care in trying to get good things for their loved ones, spending hours, even days, searching out just the right gifts.  Some men I have known have spent up to 20 minutes trying to find the right gift before resorting to the tried-and-true gift certificate.  Hey, people appreciate them!

If buying gifts were all that Christmas was about, we would indeed be the most miserable of people.  I truly enjoy giving gifts to people, but that, of course, is not the essence of Christmas.  Christmas is truly an invasion of the heart with a renewed spirit.  The first Christmas was an invasion of earth by the visitation of Jesus born in the flesh.  This invasion was little noted at the time, being witnessed only by a select few people who scarcely knew what to make of the occasion. From that humble invasion came a spirit that we now know as God’s idea of how to show real love.  Christmas giving is meant to be an expression of love to one another, shown that day some 2000 years ago. 

So the expression of love, which is the real idea here, can be done in many ways, only one of which is physical gift giving. We can give the gift of life by listening closely and intently to others, especially in their time of need.  We can give the gift of life by a word of encouragement to others when they look a little defeated by the day’s worries.  We can give the gift of life to people without a word, but through a glance and a smile, or maybe a nod of approval.

In the next few days before Christmas, try a little experiment.  When you are sitting in a meeting, a group setting, church, or some other gathering where someone is a speaker, look directly at the speaker, give a little smile, and nod approval.  You will have just given to that speaker a little gift of life.

Most people reading this column have already sent their Christmas cards for the year.  However, I encourage another experiment. During the rest of the year, send a card of encouragement periodically to people, for no apparent reason other than to affirm them. You will be sending life to them.

So as we settle into the commemoration of the gift of life that God has given to the world, let us give the gift of life to others.  Have a merry and blessed Christmas! 

Prayer: Lord, help us to spread the giving spirit of Christmas all year, Amen

Here is another of those Christmas essays I wrote, this one at Christmas, 1996. It remains perhaps my favorite reflection about family at Christmas. I was struck by the fact that my “Christmas Future” at the time of that writing is remarkably similar now to my current “Christmas Present”.

Thank you for indulging me with this trip down my memory lane of Christmas celebrations…

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas this year, I decided to look at those celebrations as Charles Dickens did in his classic, A Christmas Carol. We’ll look at past, present, and future celebrations with the idea that Christmas celebration involves tradition as well as change. We rejoice that Christmas will always be celebrated, because the news is so good it must be told over and over again, always the same story, understood better year after year. The things that surround Christmas do not overshadow it, they merely reflect our growing understanding of the treasures in our midst, and that Jesus came to earth to be a part of human life and understanding.

Christmas Past– Christmas eve excitement that could hardly be contained; singing in the choir at Midnight Mass at our church, with all the carols in the most traditional arrangements; relatives streaming into our house on Christmas Day; the thrill of two weeks off school; early experiences with Christmas shopping (“I’ve got exactly one dollar for each person on the list- I bet mom would like this pen!”); putting up the tree and placing the tinsel on the branches just right; watching mom delicately set up our ancient manger scene which my grandpa had handmade- “Did on of the wise men have an arm broken off dad?); growing to understand that giving was really more rewarding that getting; in later years, playing Christmas songs in the Xavier band at basketball games during halftime; the wonderful warmth of friends and family coming to our house on Christmas Day after all those years;

Christmas Present (1996)– Jennie is coming home from college soon, and I can hardly wait; now it’s my son who is thrilled with the two weeks off school (I’m so happy for him, his joy is contagious); Christmas Eve services are just a bit more meaningful each year; giving is now a lot better than receiving; the manger scene has been passed on to my nephew, as ancient and fragile as ever, but alive to another generation; Christmas carols seem so much sweeter, but somehow sadder (“Doesn’t anybody under 30 know the words to these songs?”); aging parents have precious few Christmases left; now the Christmas Day gathering takes place at my sister’s house, still as warm and reassuring as ever;

Christmas Future– Grandchildren coming to our house now, still warm and inviting; that manger scene goes to another generation, still fragile, but somehow stronger than ever; I can’t even remember when getting gifts really mattered that much since the real gifts are those family members and friends who keep coming through that front door; those Christmas Eve services are more meaningful than ever now, because we are the aging parents who have precious few Christmases left, and we know that we are nearer to meeting the Son whose birth we celebrated for all those years.

I am the least important of all God’s people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured                                                                              Ephesians 3:8 (Contemporary English Version)

Albert Einstein. Tom Hanks. Simone Biles. John Steinbeck. Michelle Obama. Abraham Lincoln. The apostle Paul.

Do you have anything in common with these people? If you said “self-doubt”, you would be correct. Along with many, many more people, the individuals named above are all self-confessed self-doubters.

Interestingly enough, often people who doubt themselves are highly accomplished people who are introspective and self-aware. Perhaps the very ability to question their own ability is what helps to make them successful. At times, self-doubt can be crippling, and it takes courage to overcome some of the negative self-talk that accompanies such thinking.

I recall plenty of times in my own life where I doubted myself and my ability to handle certain situations. One situation that I used to relate to my supervisees was that when I made the move from working at a chronic care in-patient mental health hospital to community mental health, I felt lost. I was sure that at some point the agency director would find out how incapable I really was and he would invite me to leave!

This story often was helpful to my supervisees, because they usually felt the same way early in the internship. It is part of the process of learning and growing. In fact, I think it might be an essential part of growing. Healthy questioning of self is good and it spurs us to work at learning. We just need to remember that our inner thinking is not the only voice that counts. We need to rely upon others who know us well to get valid input that can balance a sometimes-unbalanced equation.

So, if you have self-doubt at times, I think that by looking at the list at the top of this blog, maybe you can get some reassurance…

Prayer: Lord, you have made us unique and in your image. Help us to remember that such craftmanship is worthy, Amen