Peace...Joy...Love

As The Christmas-Epiphany Season, moment by moment, draws to a close, I take this opportunity to wish you the peace, joy, and love this time is designed to bring to you and all of creation. The peace, joy, and love of God is coming to you uniquely, in a one of a kind way.  So, we have to look closely at each moment, each person, each event as the vehicle of our God’s Epiphany. That is why each moment is so SACRED, as each person has the innate dignity of being the revelation of God, in other words, an epiphany.  We are in a time of looking and watching, with understandable concern, as change works its way slowly through our lives.  Changes over which we have so little control, which in turn leads to a deepening fear.  The opposite of fear is faith.  It is demanded of us to develop the lenses so, as to see this unchanging fact.  That is the uniqueness of each moment we are privileged to live, we are blessed with an ever new revelation of the unknown.  Each person we meet reveals to us some aspect of the reality of The Invisible God.  We really have to prepare ourselves for that unique encounter.  When we take people, places, and events for granted.  We deprive ourselves of an encounter with The God of Surprises.  At this stage in my life, I am becoming more reconciled with that description of God, The One WHO Surprises. Our God is The God of the unknown, the incomprehensible, the effable, in other words a God that cannot be boxed, and neatly packaged.  How our egos hate this reality. Thank God for Pope Francis, who is taking us, some kicking and screaming into the newness of understanding. This, as we sadly see, has led to angry opposition by those who want things to be left as they were. Not a chance. Where The Spirit is, there is life. Where there is life there is change and growth. A growing dynamic faith challenges to surrender to the gently prodding of the Spirit as we explore the unknown, the unfamiliar, and enter into Mystery.

            Oh !! how a part of us, the ego, aches for the certain, the familiar, the known, that which we can control.  All we get, on the spiritual journey is the very opposite. We are asked to slowly embrace a journey into uncertainty. We are stepping very gingerly along the path of dark faith.  A faith that is guided by The Inner light, that somehow brightens our paths, and guides us along a path that is right for us. We cannot, and must not, compare paths. Each one is unique. Given by our God, taking into account our own uniqueness. We, then have to reverence the uniqueness of who we are. We must also develop a reverence for the uniqueness of each, and every manifestation of our God, in creation. To deny the sacramentality of any person is to reject the plan of God for all creation. We are all part of an unique tapestry.  Each one of us, living our unique lives contribute our own preordained color and design. The Mystery of The Incarnation, is God entering into His own creation to be our teacher in the true ways of living an authentic human life. A life that is grounded with relationship with A Power that is greater than ourselves. May this coming year be an exciting one for you. There will be new challenges to face.  There will be challenges to our Gospel values, which can lead to us asking here to never asked questions. ”To question is to care." Listen with open hearts and minds to the question. Then in God’s time, you will be lead into the answer, into your truth.  This is where the rubber really hits the road.  May you be strengthened to follow your truth, and reveal your unique understanding of The Truth, which the world is aching to receive.

   

Please keep me in your prayers. I have some medical challenges to face.

May the gifts of peace, joy, and love be manifested in your daily living so, the Christmas-Epiphany season becomes a continuous DAILY reality.

Prayers and blessings,

Grandpa Joe.

P.S. I hope you are taking note I am stretching the season to the limit!!! Right up to the last day, The Baptism of The Lord. Super Seniors do NOT rush!!! You were all remembered at Mass on Christmas. GPJ.