The Bulletin of the Catholic Community at the Family Foundation School
Pauca Verba
Number 3 – December 13, 2009
We shall not turn away from you, O Lady, for you always save your servants from all manner of grief.”
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Today is the Third Sunday of Advent – also called in Latin – Gaudete (Gow-day-tay) Sunday. The vestment color is rose, a color seen in the dawn sky. The color of “almost.” Hear the Prophet Zephaniah at Mass today:
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart…
God has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear…
do not be discouraged…
God will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you…
This is truly wonderful; can you feel it?! An invitation to joy because God is our helper, turning away the enemies that want us undone. God disempowers the sources of fear. We don’t need to live in discouragement. God is happy about our renewal! Let’s think about these things!
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Graduation weekend: Send a blessing and good wishes full of hope to everyone leaving! The house is smaller now. That’s not cause for feeling all depressed and lonely. Look around you. Who needs a friend around here? Fewer people means that we can be closer to one another. So many people live lonely, friendless lives. Mother Teresa says that this loneliness is the great poverty of the rich countries – worse than the material poverty of the poor countries. Christmas is near. God gives himself away in love, in the Holy Child of Bethlehem. You do that too!
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Suddenly it’s winter: there’s snow and ice, raw cold and the darkness feels heavier. But God is taking care of the birds and the animals. The trees and the plants are protected. Everything will be all right and on the 21st of the month the light will begin to increase by one minute each day. Do a little kindness for yourself each day and acknowledge the sunlight. Even when the sky is gray like lead and seems to be only about a foot over your head – be grateful that our hemisphere is slowly leaning back into the sun. There will be winter days when you’ll actually be able to feel the sun’s rays. And believe that God is taking care of us here too. We’re not forgotten by God at all, but held very tenderly in God’s love.
Of course, it’s no mistake or coincidence that Christmas falls right around the time when the darkness starts to give way to increased light! “I am the light of the world,” Jesus said! Inner light!
The prophet Isaiah writes (chapter 9): “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone…For a child is born to us, a son is given us…”
Maybe we’re in a position to understand these bible lines better than many people. Think about it!
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Want to make a break with the sad past of selfishness, entitlement and ingratitude? Make a point of acknowledging (in writing) every gift you’ve received this Christmas time. A grandma shared recently that for years she has given a check to her grandson at Christmas. He has never responded with even the simplest, Thank you. He’s not a little boy or teenager – but in his 30’s. Everything is a gift!
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Is it too late to join the Rorate Mass group on Saturday mornings? Absolutely not! Most welcome! Come and pray with us. There’s this little group of about 35 early-risers – a sub-community of happy faith and anticipation.
