Preparing to Receive Him in our Hearts

 Advent is a season of preparation and waiting. Waiting for the birth of Jesus. As we prepare to receive Him, we must let go of some things.

If one’s hands are too full, we are unable receive anything more - we can’t hold anything else.  Just the same, if we want to receive Him, we need to make room for Him in our lives and our hearts. If our hearts and minds are full and focused on worldly things, there is no room for Him in our “inn”. Have you made room for Him in your inn? 

In the same way that we make space in our schedules to go to the doctor and spend time with friends, we need to make room for the Healer, our  Lord, shepherd, and friend. 

How can you begin to prepare your heart to receive Him? 

Praise Him In All You Do!

 God taught me a lesson in Church today and it wasn’t just in the homily. We drove to Church, about ten minutes later than I was comfortable being - I am really picky about not being late and would so much rather be early. Thus, I internally grumbled about it. I tried reading the Sunday readings to prepare for Holy Mass, but the grumbling continued. We walked in and as one can guess, most seats were full. Thus we had to sit all the way on the left. 

Let me explain. Our parish church is laid out in a semicircle with the altar at the center of the half circle. So sitting by the wall on the left was not my usual or favorite seat. Really it is no one’s favorite for this is why they are usually open in an otherwise packed Church. The other reason they are not the “chosen” seats is that is where families with little children often sit - close to the door and the parking lot in case of a teary meltdown. 

So, I was sitting next to a very active toddler who was not interested in sitting still, but much more concerned about wandering and eating his Cheerios. I internally grumbled. (Can you tell I sometimes do a lot of that?) I started complaining to my brain about how there should not be food in Churches and their wandering behavior needed to end and how he was being so distracting and yes, on and on my brain went. (I know… I needed to stop the judgment a long time ago.)  So for a bit I felt so mad because if we had not been late we would not have had to sit over in Distraction Territory. 

So I told God, “You sat me here for a reason. Please show me why.” And He did. I remembered Jesus saying, “Let the little children come to me.” His care and tenderness towards them was clear. Jesus knew how rambunctious kids can be for He was a kid once! Seeing one child curled up in a pew sleeping next to his mama, I thought about how comfortable such kids are in God’s presence. They eat, sleep, read and play with trucks all in His presence. Yes, not always as reverent as we think they should be, but there is a lesson. Even at home, sleeping, at the office or beach ...we are still in His presence. Jesus calls us to be like the little children. Work, and play in His presence Live in His presence. Rest and know you are in His presence - no need for worrying. He's there. 

 

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And  whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me." (MT 18: 2-6)

 

So next time you see a child acting up or eating at Church, do not feel like they need to behave better, although they will learn exactly that as they grow. Let them instead be a reminder to you that all you do is in God's presence. All you do is a gift to God. Praise Him with your life. 

Accepting Grace with grace

 “For I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” 

 

This verse is one of those that gets printed on cups and notecards. If you’ve ever heard a bible verse, chances are, it’s this one. But there are such rich truths embedded in it. Many of us are in the all too common ‘corporate struggle’ to always one up something or someone. Either in our jobs, our school, or just in our life. But that race is also so very, very tiring. Why not give that struggle over to Him? 

Often, we think that our plans are the best. We’re planning on getting married , then the promotion, then buying a new house in December and having kids next year…etc. But God has a plan. It is often even more beautiful and amazing than the plans that you have. Give God the room and permission to work in your life. He only has good in mind for you, even when things may be looking down. He can turn what looks like a hopeless situation into good. For example. I had a brain tumor and numerous surgeries beginning in my junior year of high school. Yes, it was cruddy and awful, but some of the people I met and the way in which I was able to witness to others was a true blessing. Ultimately, the whole experience changed my life. I started writing and began a blog. Made friendships with some amazing people. And, best of all, it caused me to grow closer to God. To survive the trauma going on around me, I really had to allow Him to give me the grace to endure my current situation and to give the comfort that can only be from Him. So with grace, will you accept His Grace?  

The tables He flipped

 “Stop trying to sit at the tables Jesus flipped.”

 

I saw this saying on a friend’s social media page, and it really spoke to me. Here is what I saw once I unpacked this phrase. 

 

¹² And Jesus entered the temple of God^[a] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. ¹³ He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you make it a den of robbers.”

-Matthew 21:12-13

 

Do you not know that your body is a temple^* of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 

In the first verse, Jesus cleansed the temple of the money changers and other merchants. (Perhaps symbolizing greed and all things unholy) This sets somewhat of a precedent for what activities and behaviors should be allowed to exist in God’s temple. 

            Then, in 1 Corinthians, Paul writes about how the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. So. If our body is also God’s temple, what does this say about how we should act in regard to our bodies? 

            This hearkens to the Theology of the Body, a series of Sunday audiences written by St. Pope John Paul II. In it he presents an ‘integrate vision of th4 human person.’ “The human body has a specific meaning making visible an invisible reality and is capable of revealing answers regarding fundamental questions about us and our lives.” ¹  

            Another thing I saw, is that once Jesus flipped the tables, people were unable to sit there anymore. When Jesus flips tables in your life, quit trying to go back and sit where there isn’t a seat. He has His reasons for flipping the table, closing the door, creating new opportunities. Instead of trying to sit at a flipped over table, let Him lead you to the seat where he wants you to sit! 

 ¹ http://www.theologyofthebody.net

 

 

 

Psalm 139:13

“You formed my inmost being;

you knit me in my mother’s womb.”

Inmost being. Anyone can see our outside, but he knows 

us intimately, to the core of us, at the deepest level. 

Nothing about us or done by us is hidden from Him. Neither 

past, present, nor future. 

Knitting - not just assembling - takes a lot of skill, 

and fore knowledge. You can’t just knit a shirt without a pattern 

or prior planning etc. 

In my mother’s womb - 

When there is a baby, there isn’t room for much else in the 

womb. Yet He is still there. In the smallest, biggest,

 farthest places. 

He is our Hope in Sorrow

  

My mom’s mother, my grandmother, was welcomed home in heaven Sunday morning. What a reunion it must have been, with all her deceased siblings, parents, and friends! I am very sad at her passing, but I rejoice that she is no longer suffering, but is in her eternal body that knows no pain. As we said our final goodbyes, there was prayer, worship, and hugs.

As we said goodbye, I was filled with wonderful memories of my grandma. Of the dresses and Halloween costumes she sewed for me. Of the dinners shared. Of birthdays celebrated. And mostly of the love shared.

Her death has made me question the legacy I want to leave one day. Is it a legacy of love? What sort of memories? Going even further into my questioning, What lessons to I want to teach others with my life? What kind of example do I want to be? Heavy questions, but God can handle heavy questions. He’s one big God.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn^* the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17

Through Jesus, we find our hope, so that when a loved one dies, ne needn’t despair. As she passed, the tears came. And as the tears came, hope in Christ dried them up.

I challenge you, dear reader, to live your life with this hope. Make your decisions with this in mind, that your hope is in Christ, your life, breath, and being. All you have and all you are is in Him. Act as such and place your trust in Him.

Then the LORD will guide you always

and satisfy your thirst in parched places,

will give strength to your bones

And you shall be like a watered garden,

like a flowing spring whose waters never fail

-Isaiah 58:11

I don't know if any of you know (and I hope you don't), but usually when you prepare for having surgery, there is a certain amount of time that you are required to be NPO, without food/liquid, since you'll be intubated while the surgery proceeds. Since I've been through four surgeries in recent years, I'm all too familiar with the NPO requirements. Trust me, its no fun. 

However, also, many times as I prepared for surgery, there was fear too. These are two elements that are addressed in this verse. The Lord promises to guide us (we can trust him!) and in the parched places He is always there. Even in the spiritually dry places when it feels that He has abandoned us-He really hasn't. He's there. 

I wish I had had this insight on His promise going into surgery, but I had one other thing. I printed out every verse that reads"do not fear" and took them into surgery with me. I read them as I was falling asleep. They brought me so much peace. 

S, this week, let God guide you and satisfy the areas in your life that are parched and need his touch and his water. 

God Bless you!