Two Things I Learned This Week

Two little things I learned this week:

1)  The Presentation of the Gifts during mass is more than just bringing up the bread, wine and collection.  

Those members of the congregation are not just bringing up our monetary offering.  They are symbolically bringing up our spiritual offerings and requests as well. Which makes it a good time to silently let God know our prayers and requests, and give him our thanks.  (Instead of sitting there aimlessly tapping your feet to the hymn like I have been guilty of doing...)

2)  During the Liturgy of the Eucharist we are, of course, celebrating the sacrifice Jesus made for our sins.  But in early Biblical times, Jews would grab hold of a goat, "transfer" their sins onto it, and then sacrifice the animal by slaughtering it.
  
That part I knew, from both Leviticus and a scene in the Nativity Story.

What I didn't know, is that that is where get the term scapegoat from.
  
Luckily for me, that ritual longer exists.

I don't think they could find a big enough goat to hold all my sins!

God Bless.

If you could ask God one question ...

... what would it be?

(Rule: No asking a question about yourself  "what do I need to do?", "what is your plan for me?", etc) 

God Bless.

Snowy Perspective

For those of you, like me, who are tired of the snow and cold this winter ... I offer you this thought (courtesy of our brilliant pastor):

"What do you think those Christians in Pakistan, India and Africa ... who are persecuted and killed for attending Mass ... would think of us complaining about the ice, the cold, and the reduced number of parking spaces due to the piles of snow?"

I wonder what they think of most of our "problems", for that matter?

God, I thank you for all you have given me - especially for those things that I take for granted every day.

God Bless.

The Three Way Bulb

You are the light of the world.  (Mt 5:14)

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I have one of those three-way bulbs in one of my lights at home.

With a few turns, it goes from 100 watts, to 200 watts, to 300 watts.

I never use the 300-watt setting.  Heck, even the 200-watt setting feels like a small step from the sun.

As such, I often feel as though I'm wasting the power of that bulb.  After all, it was made to shine.  Brightly.  

It was built to illuminate.  To guide.  To take that powerful core and extend its radiant light to everything within its reach.

And instead, it is only being used to a mere third of its potential. 

I hope that's not what God feels like when he looks down on us ...

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Jesus, please help us to not just be lights, but extra-bright lights in this world full of darkness - to be visible examples of your Father's love and good works.


God Bless.