December 3rd is the first day of Advent.
Advent
The liturgical seasons of the Catholic church are beautifully arranged, allowing us time to prepare for Christmas. The word Advent is derived from ad+venire; its Latin meaning is “to come, ” “to come towards.” That is the state of mind we should all be preparing for. We, as Christians, are to renew our desire for the Lord at a deeper level. We prepare our spirits and our hearts to humbly receive special graces during the Advent season. Advent is referred to as “Little Lent.” We are preparing for the arrival of Jesus in our hearts. The best way to prepare during Lent is to give of ourselves.
Helping Others
Every Saturday our parish generously distributes food to over 300 families. This is done on a volunteer basis. The service is from 9:00 a.m. until 12 noon. If you are able and willing to participate in this compassionate outreach, it is a perfect way to start Advent.
If you are brave enough, you can stand outside an abortion clinic and pray the rosary. My son-in-law Russ tricked me into doing this. He called me and asked if I wanted to attend a Catholic Bible study with him. To me that’s a no brainer, a family member and Bible study? I was in. He gave me an address and told me to meet him there. I got a little suspicious when he told me to park at the 99 Cent Store parking lot. The address was not right, so I parked where instructed. Russ then told me to meet him across the way on Tustin Street. This street in Orange is a major artery, with six lanes to cross. Suddenly I see Russ waving to get my attention. He was standing in front of the Planned Parenthood clinic, and our Bible study was to pray the rosary at the entrance. Despite my uncomfortable reaction, I did enjoy the experience.
Visit Prisoners
Every jail inmate has a family, and I can speak from experience that many of these inmates do not get visitors. This past weekend my sister Norma sacrificed her work to make a trip out to see her son Mario. My sister also arranged for two of her grandsons to visit Mario as well. This was not an easy task; she had to go through a lot of red tape to get the boys’ clearance. They needed a copy of their original birth certificates plus a notarized letter from their mother giving them permission for the visit. Her granddaughter Bella also came, but she was not given approval because her application was not turned in on time.
I know that my sister sheds many tears for her son, but she kept all her emotions to herself. As a family they had a wonderful visit, but as a mother she can’t help but worry about Mario’s future. She cries when she speaks of him. My sister is so strong, I know that she will one day see her son succeed. These are the promises of God for those who love Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
I, too, plan to visit Mario before Christmas. The joy you bring to an incarcerated individual lasts a lifetime, not only for them but for you as well.
The Holy Spirit is ever present during our visits. Our conversations are filled with the love of Christ. Our deep connection through God causes us to remember those who are less fortunate. Yes, there are many at this particular prison that have a life sentence. We need to pray for our relatives who are in prison and, if you cannot visit, write to them. A written letter will be something that they will read over and over again. Bring joy to them by letting them know you care. Tell them that God is not done with them yet, and that He has a perfect plan for their lives once they get out. But mostly pray, pray, pray for them.
Christmas Overload
This time of year brings great joy to the spirits of many. We are transformed into busy people. Since Thanksgiving was so late this year, I decided to put up Christmas. Every room of our home is filled with Christmas cheer! I started in mid-November by putting up the Mexican tree, and the following day I decorated the kids’ tree.
Since discovering that hoarding might become a problem, I no longer purchase Christmas ornaments. I had accumulated so many ornaments that I had to purchase more trees, hence all the themes. The Holy Land tree is one of my favorites. All the olive wood, hand-cut ornaments bring me great memories of all the years I traveled to the Middle East. I hope one day soon I can return. Our cat Prudie has stationed herself in the manger. She loves to be one of the animals in the Nativity and, in a special way, she is guarding the Christ child.
I wanted our home to be filled with joy when Norma and her family arrived, so as she was visiting Mario I decorated the upstairs bathroom and bedroom.
My Cat Prudie
We are not sure exactly how old Prudie is, but we know that she is over 20 years old. We are very careful not to let her outside without supervision. Last Monday night she got out. Neither Mike nor I had any idea that she was outside. It was not until the following morning while I was proofreading my Blog that I heard her crying. She was cold and very hungry. The following day as Mike was raking up the leaves from under the tree, a fig fell off the tree and hit him on the head. As he looked up he made eye contact with a rat. He chased the rat across the garden, but the dirty rodent got away. Prudie must have gotten wind of this, because the following morning she caught the rat and left it for Mike. It was an early Christmas present.
