Merry Christmas!

Seriously, I pray that whoever is reading this is having a genuinely joyful and blessed Christmas!  What a time! Don't get me wrong, I love the lights, I love the snow, I love ridiculous Christmas movies like ELF.  Even more than this, I love the time with my family.  It is so good to be with them, especially Lisa and the kids. We have had a tremendous time traveling across the country, hanging with those we love.  It was great to be in Cincy,     

 and now we are in Ft. Wayne, which is equally as awesome.   But, most of all, it is just awesome to meditate on and think about God sending His son in the flesh! Incarnatus est!  Think about it. Midnight mass is always tremendous for me.  

So overwhelming. 

God sent His son to be born in a stable, with animals, in poverty.  God the Father let a humble, but holy carpenter be responsible for protecting Him.  God chose a lowly handmaiden, probably around 15 years of age to nurse Him.  HE REALLY CAME IN THE FLESH!!!  Try to wrap your mind around God being a newborn, His smallness, His weakness, His dependency.  See what your God has done.  He has wrecked everything.  He has turned it all upside down.  He didn't tell the priests and scribes.  He sent myriads of Angels to shepherds to tell them.  Think about it, Shepherds?  I mean, come on, are you kidding me?  These are rough dudes.  Not exactly the "Church" going type.  

This is all the proof we should need that God wants to draw close to us.  He didn't come as a JUST JUDGE reigning down fire and judgment.  He didn't even come with an army.  He came as a baby, not so that we would fear Him, but so that we would love Him, cherish Him, grow with Him.  He did everything exactly the opposite of what we would think He would do.  

He still does this.  He comes differently than we think.  He seeks us.  He goes to the lowest places.  He lets us discard Him, not pay attention.  He continues to let us send Him to the stable while we hang out in the Inn.  During this GREAT OCTAVE of Christmas (CHRISTMAS lasts 8 days!)  try to go out into the stable.  Hang out with Jesus and His family.  Talk to our Lady about her Son, her humility.  Ask her to hold him.  Do it! Pray. Talk to them.  Men, ask Joseph what he is planning to do with Jesus, what you should do with your kids.  You have been at the Inn all month-office parties, family gatherings, shopping in chaos, worshipping material and not God.  Now take advantage of the real Christmas season- 8 days of tremendous grace.  Go to the stable.  He waits, not as a judge, but as a baby, longing to be loved and held.  

Help us to be faithful Lord.  Help me to be faithful.  

I pray that you all are blessed.  Have a Joyful and Holy Christmas.