Jesus is the reason for the season.

So I look at the Navitiy my mom painted when I was in my womb.  As I gaze in wonder of something so beautiful while moving past the Nativity itself into the bliss my mothers fingers must have felt as she built her first family Tradition.  She must have felt as the Apostles had after Pentecost.  The beauty that must have rained down on her hands as the love from I Am into flesh of our world.  The Word made into Flesh.  I can't even imagine the love of the Trinity which is the beauty of life, God.

This Christmas, I pray for the longing of our Savior.  And to be satisfied, while realizing, that the birth of the Son of Man may bring peace, love and shed Light in our darkness.

May God Bless us, everyone.

RJ Salewicz II

O' Christmas Tree 2010

iPhone Pic HDR on

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner.

 

Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ του Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλόν.

 

In the past, these words would be hard for me to say, but I find the need to say them daily while I was going through trials and tribulation. Once things started going in a direction I liked, I found myself wandering from this daily practice and my daily rosary.

Now, I find myself at a cross road again in my life and shamefully I am crawling back to the daily exercises that delivered me into the feeling of Grace. I say shamefully because I stopped this daily practice. I know God knows that I would wander from his flock from time to time, but my heart does not want to. I can't help to think that the cross roads I face would be easier as well the decisions I have to make would be simpler to make, if I would stay within his flock.

What makes us wander? This is the question I think we have to add to our daily devotion. Its not enough to just realize where I have failed or fallen short and ask for forgiveness. The last part of the Act of Contrition says we will amend our life and avoid the near occasion of sin. But is avoiding enough? I feel that we as human suffering from the human condition of selfishness, desires and wants should as, what made me wonder from His flock and expose ourselves to the wolves of the human condition.

Today, I ask this of myself and ask for our Lords forgiveness in straying:

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner.