Christmas

"What gift do you give a God who has everything? No doubt about it, God is hard to shop for at Christmas time. Maybe that’s why he gets overlooked on many a list.  First of all, God doesn’t need anything. There isn’t anything he’s run out of, or hasn’t seen in the stores, or would be surprised by. And if God has a wish list, you and I haven’t seen it.   Or have we? Sometimes the gifts people give provide a clue to what they would like to receive. After all, it was God who gave the first Christmas gift, two thousand years ago. He wrapped his divine son in flesh and blood like ours and gave him to all of us. […] Surely, God’s gift to us at Christmas provides the best hint about what to give him in return. In giving Jesus God gave us himself, and that is what God wants us to give him – ourselves. Your self is the only gift God will not have if you do not give it to him." -Archbishop George Niederauer (San Francisco)


Dear All,

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated.
During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer.
It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me.
As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago.
At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration.
Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don’t know the meaning of the celebration. I remember that last
year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and
chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts.
But, do you want to know something? I wasn’t invited.
I was the guest of honor and they didn’t remember to send me an invitation.
The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face and I wanted to be
with them and share their table.
In truth, that didn’t surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me. Since I wasn’t invited, I decided to
enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner.
They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a grand time.
To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying: ”Santa Claus, Santa Claus” as if the party were in his honor!
At midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and do you know no-one hugged me.
Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one?
I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left.
Every year it gets worse. People only remember the gifts, the parties, to eat and drink, and nobody remembers me.
I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life.
I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the
cross, to save you.
Today, I only want that you believe this with all your heart.
I want to share something with you. As many didn’t invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party
that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I’m still making the final arrangements.
Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book.
Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party.
Those who don’t answer the invite, will be left outside. Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great
party.
See you soon.
Love,
Jesus Christ
-via KnowGodKnowLove

The Eight Beatitudes of Jesus Christ

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3-10

"Did you know that blessed is another word for happy? For these are the BE-atitudes, the attitudes to be! Jesus said that it doesn't matter what you go through, but to have the attitude to CHOOSE to be happy." -Father Dave

And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

"It’s hard to show my faith in front of people.
I’m guilty of trying to hide when I pray, especially before I eat, and even not praying at all…

Fear is what keeps us from God, fear of what others might think of us. But do their thoughts really matter? We shouldn’t be afraid of them, “But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.” (Luke 12:5) - BUT! “We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,” (Luke 1:74). It’s hard sometimes when we’re around people who don’t share the same faith, who plainly don’t pray but are religious, or who are losing faith, but of course not nearly as difficult as what God had to sacrifice for us. Never forget that God sacrificed His only son for us. The very least we all can do is pray and show our faith. It will make God very happy :) In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are taught to pray without ceasing, continually, throughout our day. Praying is not just a way of telling God our wants and dreams or what our problems are, because He knows us more than we do, but simply showing God that we need Him and it deepens our relationship with Him. We shouldn’t feel awkward praying in front of our friends and family because they love us, therefore respecting our beliefs… or else they wouldn’t really be our friends. If anything, pray together because, “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there shall I be.” (Matthew 18:20)… We shouldn’t feel awkward praying in public because they don’t matter in our lives. John tells us that “all that is in this world, is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.” So, as long as we are in this world, we will be tempted and judged by things and people. No one is perfect, however, we must not fall into sin as a result of these temptations. God is the only Judge, who also saves and forgives. Praying is a way of praising God, so, “get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:46) and
1Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
5praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord. (Psalms 150:1-6)

In Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible…
We are here stirred up to praise God. Praise God for his sanctuary, and the privileges we enjoy by having it among us; praise him because of his power and glory in the firmament. Those who praise the Lord in heaven, behold displays of his power and glory which we cannot now conceive. But the greatest of all his mighty acts is known in his earthly sanctuary. The holiness and the love of our God are more displayed in man’s redemption, than in all his other works. Let us praise our God and Saviour for it. We need not care to know what instruments of music are mentioned. Hereby is meant that in serving God we should spare no cost or pains. Praise God with strong faith; praise him with holy love and delight; praise him with entire confidence in Christ; praise him with believing triumph over the powers of darkness; praise him by universal respect to all his commands; praise him by cheerful submission to all his disposals; praise him by rejoicing in his love, and comforting ourselves in his goodness; praise him by promoting the interests of the kingdom of his grace; praise him by lively hope and expectation of the kingdom of his glory. Since we must shortly breathe our last, while we have breath let us praise the Lord; then we shall breathe our last with comfort. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Such is the very suitable end of a book inspired by the Spirit of God, written for the work of praise; a book which has supplied the songs of the church for more than three thousand years; a book which is quoted more frequently than any other by Christ and his apostles; a book which presents the loftiest ideas of God and his government, which is fitted to every state of human life, which sets forth every state of religious experience, and which bears simple and clear marks of its Divine origin."

-Victoria Truong (ilikesmalleyes)

Potential

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -Nelson Mandela 1994

Jealousy

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

²⁸"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

³¹" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " -Luke15:25-32

"The opposite of Jealousy is when we believe in someone. Don’t let Jealousy steal our breakthrough." -KnowGodKnowLove

"I'm letting go of you. This relationship that I have with you isn't healthy. You're a distraction, not an inspiration. When I'm with you, I don't feel like myself. I'm doing everything you want, not what I want, and not what I need. You keep finding ways to keep me coming back to you, and it's because you've manipulated me into being afraid of my insecurities. Being with you keeps me away from loving other people properly, and it makes me scared to love. You make it hard for me to look at myself the way God asks me to. You make me look at everything that I don't have, and being with you makes me feel like a failure. You make me feel ugly. I've been with you for too long, but it's about time that I found my own path. Don't try and find me."

Goodbye, Envy." -Abby Zaporteza

"Envy is an insult to oneself." -Yevgeny Yevtushenko

"Compare and despair." -James Martin, Becoming Who You Are

"Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit." -Proverbs 12:12

Impossible

“Jesus looked at them and said, 'with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” -Matthew 19:26

"Nothing is impossble, even the word isn't: IM POSSIBLE" -RevRunWisdom

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there injury... pardon.
Where there is discord... union.
Where there is doubt... faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness... light.
Where there is sadness... joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled, as to console...
To be understood, as to understand...
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born into eternal life.

Bridges

“It’s one thing to know the answer, but it’s also another to act it out.”

Today I learned it’s also another thing to realize it in your heart. I had a problem earlier, and I knew the answers but just couldn’t bring myself to do anything. But I learned soon enough that sometimes it takes a little compassion to see your exact problem in the soul of another person and see how they deal with it.

My friend opened up and called to his friends. They connected and helped him through and we all prayed together for his confidence and realization of his potential. They didn’t know but they had just hit 2 birds with 1 stone.

Today I learned about the 3rd and most important part. The transition between the mind, the body and the soul is the heart. It’s like the moles in chemistry: everything revolves around the moles and to get from one thing to another, you need to go through the moles.

Like in life, everything revolves around the heart and to get from the mind to the body, or from the soul to the mind, or wherever, you need to go through the heart.

I think this is why Jesus really wants us to guard and preserve our hearts. He really means it when he says that they are the source of life and through them, they are the only way to transition from us to the heavenly Father.

So next time we’re stuck in insecurity when we know the correct answer but cannot pull ourselves to take action, remember that we need to realize it in our hearts first if we really want to move. And if that’s still a bit too hard, then maybe we should consider connecting with other hearts. :)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” -Proverbs 4:23

Basis

It’s the greatest mystery of the entire universe yet the simplest statement; the answer that every soul, past, present and to come, searches for yet already has; the most blunt and factual fact that its difficult to believe.

It’s a small amount of words yet it’s able to support over 6 billion individual stories, and millions of other books that have come and are to come.

These four words summarize the fruits and sacraments of the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice, fierce love, and sufferings of the Son, the true, magnificent and glorious power of the Father, the day of our creation and the hour of our judgment.

The amount of love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, faith, hope, righteousness, truth, wisdom and holiness contained in these is beyond the borders of human imagination, past the neighbouring nebulae and galaxies and just above the lands that flow with milk and honey.

The meanings and thoughts that caress and waltz with these words are above the languages and the arts of any race and surpass the wonders of nature and the keepers of time.

These words created us, sculpted us, guided us, consoled us, fed us and most importantly, they already knew us.

They knew us so well that although they knew we would stumble and weep on our journey in a torn valley of tears, they knew that some day we would come across them in our hearts.

Like the climax of a story or the rebirth of a soul, we would discover this God-given charity of the most sweet and nectarous gift. It would lay nestled on an elegant throne that was the anima of irony in our tired and deceived hearts behind dusty, forgotten doors we had just rediscovered and opened for the first time in our life. The holy and tranquil light would shine in symbolism to who the throne is rightfully fitted for: a man of great honour and adoration, excellence, royalty, and one who demanded great reparation.

The gift would act like a taster of some sort, of something that wasn’t too hot nor too cold, but just perfect. And upon our arrival it would burst open by itself in shocking readiness as sheets of white and scents of purity engulf and consume us. Then, as delicate as the flap of an angel’s wing but as passionate as the virtues of the seraphim, the gift would whisper these four words in our hearts:

“God’s love is unconditional.”

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Origin of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.

What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans and especially the partridge that won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

Today, I found out, thanks to the Internet.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

• One true love refers to God.

• A partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)
  

• Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.

• Three French hens stood for Faith, Hope and Love, the Theological Virtues. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
  

• The four calling birds were the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.

• The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which give the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.

• The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world. (Genesis 1)

• Seven swans a-swimming represented the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments: Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership and Mercy/Compassion. (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

• The eight maids a-milking were the eight Beatitudes:1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)

• Nine ladies dancing were the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22)

• The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17)

• The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful apostles.

• The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed.

-Dennis Bratcher

Peace

"Jesus said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.'" -Luke 7:50


"You are not at peace with others because you are not at peace with yourself, and you are not at peace with yourself because you are not at peace with God." -Anonymous

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." -John 16:33

"All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone." -Blaise Pascal

"Peace on the outside comes from knowing God on the inside." -man-of-god

"Peace is not the absence of affliction, but the presence of God." -Unknown

"As I inhale a large gasp of the warm air of my bedroom, and release a heavy breath,
There is nothing even mildly comparable to the tranquility I feel now.

My fingers run across the tiny beads of truth,
Of compassion, of suffering.
My voice reciting the words of the Virgin,
The expression of her utmost affection for her Son.

Each repetition is an adventure;
A deeper insight into the comprehension of His mystery,
Witnessing to her prevailing love and dedication to the Father.

Every decade amounts to ten years worth of knowledge,
Consequently growing in abiding faith.
The serenity is overwhelming, but I am blissful as I become consumed by the perfect stillness.

I release the miniscule ivory pearls that are so flawlessly intertwined within my fingers,
Lingering on the shape of His crucifix.
I have completed the journey of the rosary, and I am completely at peace." -Alyssa Belle Zaporteza

Healing

“There are so many different ways of being healed. The best way, and by far the commonest, is to be loved. To be loved by God, and to know it and live it, is to be healed indeed. The Good News first of all is that you and I are accepted and loved by God. From all eternity you and I have been in the mind of God. God’s love for us is utterly reliable and has no conditions whatsoever.” -Anonymous

"God specializes in new beginnings." -Rick Warren

"I know how passionate you are about helping others, but don’t forget about yourself and your heart. You can only heal others hearts if your heart is healed first." -Proverbs 27:17 (The Message)

"He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'" -Mark 5:34

Days

"Without God, our week would be... Sinday, Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday and Shatterday." -Anonymous

Answers

“God gives you answers in three ways: He says yes and gives you what you want, He says no and gives you something better, or He says wait and gives you the best.” -via timirose

"I have faith that God will show you the answer. But you have to understand that sometimes it takes a while to be able to recognize what God wants you to do. That’s how it often is. God’s voice is usually nothing more than a whisper, and you have to listen very carefully to hear it. But other times, in those rarest of moments, the answer is obvious and rings as loud as a church bell." -Anonymous

"Answers will not come to those who don’t listen." -Kevin Villanueva

"Sometimes, it can be painful when God comes in and rearranges our life. Have faith! God’s answers are wiser than our prayers." -via Marhielle Gelera

"Don't think of the few things you didn't get after praying. Think of the countless beautiful things God gave you without asking." -iwontbetrayyou

Friendship

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." -1 John 3:16

"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." -Hebrews 3:13

"You are called to belong, not just believe." -Rick Warren

"Even in the perfect, sinless environment of Eden, God said "It is not good for man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18) We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God's purposes by ourselves." -Rick Warren

"Friends are God's way of taking care of us! enjoy!" -RevRunWisdom

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: ¹⁰If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" -Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, ²⁵or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared." -Proverbs 22:24-25

"We value our friendship more than we do the friends’ souls and won’t confront on necessary issues." -Dr. Mark Rutland

"And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will." -2 Corinthians 8:5

"Community is built not on convenience ("we'll get together when I feel like it") but on the conviction that I need it for spiritual health. If you want to cultivate real fellowship, it will mean meeting together even when you don't feel like it, because you believe it is important." -Rick Warren

"Whenever we become careless about fellowship, everything else begins to slide, too." -Rick Warren

"God wants you to love real people, not ideal people." -Rick Warren

"Real friends are those that pull you closer to God." -Anonymous

"Friendship doubles your joys and divides your sorrows." -Anonymous

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." -Proverbs 17:17

"A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship, as experience shows that the callosity formed around a broken bone makes it stronger than before." -St. Francis de Sales

"The most memorable people in life will be the friends who loved you when you weren't very lovable." -Adrian Chambers

"There is no such thing as a ‘bad friend'; for the word 'friend' means good. There are just those friends who do bad things and friends who do good things." -Chris Aguilar

"The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." -Proverbs 12:26

"Hello Anon,

That’s a tough situation. Relationships are never just simple, are they? But they are every important.
Be careful your friends aren’t bringing you down. Some people are set against God, and they will only be a negative influence in your life. Others say they belong to God, but then show Him no love with their lives - which is almost more toxic. In either of these situations, it’s usually best to just cut ties - hard as it is.
But then there are other friends. Some don’t know God, but are soft-hearted. And and some do know God, but are struggling. I think in both these cases, it’s OK to make some allowances in order to be there for them. After all, those who don’t know God need those of us who do.
But even then, your friends will have to respond to God’s call genuinely and in their own time. However much we may wish our friends to know God, we can’t make them give their lives to Him.
We share the gospel with them. Then we share God’s love with them. The rest is between them and God.
I hope this is helpful, but I’m afraid it might not be. I’ll pray that God gives you the discernment to know when to let someone go and when to stick it through.
Peace, love and Jesus,
-Jim" -Skripture Sketches


"I love that kind of relationship where you just feel good being around a friend. It doesn’t even have to be a romantic relationship, even just a normal friendship. I love it when my friends can bring out the best in me. It’s even better when they bring out the best of my faith. Throughout the past few years I’ve encountered relationships with some people who didn’t bring out the best in me. If anything, they’ve brought out the worst. They’ve brought out my sins, my flaws, my imperfections, and have driven me closer to bad temptations. I’ve learned it’s best to get away from those types of friends. The friendships that I find most worth fighting for are the friendships that bring out nothing but pure happiness and love." -Kim Nguyen

"For the friendship of two, the patience of one is required." -Indian Proverb