A...New...Year...

We are bringing another Christmas-Epiphany to a close. We have spent these many weeks in the preparation for, and the celebration of The Mystery of The Incarnation. Once again we, as individuals and communities have set aside time, so we could be led ever deeper into profound Mystery. We are again challenged to let the past be the past, so as to be drawn ever new in today’s meaning of, The Word has been made flesh.  In this flesh making, God has become a human being, so the human beings can forever, and ever know the closeness of their God. We human beings can now be blessed with the confidence that there is God.  There is a God, a Holy Other, Who is not only in heaven, but is right here with us.  Emmanuel!!! Not only is He with us, He makes His dwelling within each soul. Each soul IS the dwelling place of God.  A place chosen from all eternity to be the dwelling place of The Presence, which the whole universe cannot contain.  Such is your dignity, and the dignity of each human person.  We can only stand in awe-full-wonder of such a reality.

This reality is too great to be understood in any one minute.  We are given a lifetime to reflect on The Mystery of The Incarnation.  With each encounter may you be brought into ever deeper reverence for the dignity of the human person, and the life that person is living.  We must allow ourselves to be drawn, sometimes kicking and screaming, into a new vision of the essentiality that God has become a human being.  That human being is right here, right now. O come, let us adore.
When God became a human, in the person of Jesus, He was not given a warm welcome. When we respond to our vocation to the contemporary Christ, we, too are not going to be greeted with bells and whistles. As Jesus, Who became the Christ, through His Paschal Mystery had to suffer, we, too will follow in His footsteps.  Footsteps that ALWAYS leads to Calvary.  There is no side trail to be taken.  Jerusalem is our destiny. May we embrace our many crosses, seeing in them our unique way, to unity with all human beings and ultimately with our Creator God.

These are tough times.  For us to be the incarnation of the good news we must of necessity, be prepared to suffer.  In that suffering there will be a death.  Death to the old way of seeing and believing.  We must be the ‘new wine’ for a jaded world.  We must bring intoxication to a lifeless world.  We must bring a new hope, because without which what is there? May you be enlightened, so that your light may shine. May your light be a beacon of hope to those who suffer from hopelessness. May you be today’s shepherds, who were the first bearers of Good News. For this reason each of you has been chosen, from eternity.  You have been uniquely blessed.  Each of us has suffered brokenness. Now, through grace, let us be the bread of life for lives starving for some source of life giving nourishment.  Be whom you always have been.

Life is a journey into uncertainty. It is the journey of dark faith. Please keep me in your prayers. I have a few challenges to face. Not the least of which is dealing with Joe, on a daily basis. Talk about welcoming the stranger?? Summer was quiet. Went to Durango, and promptly got lost on my first hike, at 10,500 feet.  Thank God for, "search and rescue.” Not going back that way again.
To all who have been so faithful over the years thank you.  You have been, and are my bread of life, for this life. May you constantly be enlightened into the mystery of who you are. You are the continuation of The Incarnation. You are an epiphany that is celebrated every moment of every day. Blessings to and on all.

Grandpa Joe