Community Chat

[gloriajean]

No matter what you must confront today, know that God is with you.

Lord, today is part of Your plan for me. I do not doubt You and therefore

I will not doubt You within me.

Scripture of the day

"Jesus said to them, 'Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and

rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even

to eat." ~Mark 6:31

Meditation of the day:

It's good if I am more afraid of spirit-unrest, of soul-disturbance, of any

ruffling of the mind, than of earthquake or fire. When I feel the calm of

my spirit has been broken by emotional upset, then I can steal away alone

with God, until my heart sings and all is strong and calm again. Uncalm

times are the only times when evil finds easy entrance.

I can beware of unguarded spots of unrest. I can try to keep calm, no

matter what turmoil surrounds me.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that no emotional upsets will hinder God's power in my life. I pray

that I may keep a calm spirit and a steady heart.

Hello my friends! Today was my last day at Lori's office - and I did sell

another gift certificate, plus answer the phone for her while she was in

session, so it was good I was there. It'll feel good to be home now to get

the house in order etc. been away all week! We heard from Darla - Greg has

to work tomorrow (Sat.) yet and then they drive out here! They will only be

with us at Lori's house on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day they will be

at Greg's parents and the day after they leave - but not until Darla gets a

massage from Lori - and that morning is my oral surgery. I found out the

cost today after insurance - it'll be $278.00 in all! That's a blessing! It

could be much worse! Another blessing tonight was that after work, Lori

could come here and spend some time with us and we played a game of

dominoes! Praying for all of you for your needs - thanks for your prayers

for us!

A PRAYER WHEN YOU FEEL WORRIED AND UNCERTAIN

O Lord, each of us has fears that betray; worries that capture and shake

out our joy. We find ourselves in limbo because we are neither here nor

there. We are in a time of transition, of getting ready. Change and

chance surround us. Help us, O Lord, to return to your presence. Cause

us to find the point and purpose of each day. All we ask is that you keep

us on our feet so that we might walk with you. Bless us this night and

grant us rest. Amen.

Angels Of Wisdom

You have been sent the Angels of Wisdom!

Follow their words of wisdom and you will be blessed!

Don't be so busy adding up your troubles

that you forget to count your blessings.

The smallest deed done

is greater than the best of intentions.

Love is a language that can be heard by the deaf

and seen by the blind.

A house is made of wooden beams.

A home is made of love and dreams.

To be a good friend open your ears and heart

more often than your mouth.

People don't care how much you know

until they know how much you care.

Meaning of Christmas

Long ago there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He

wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about the hardships they

suffered. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar and

went to the homes of the poor. No one he visited thought he was their ruler.

One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cave. He ate the coarse

food the poor man ate. He spoke kind, cheerful words to him. Then he left.

Later he visited the poor man again and told him clearly, "I am your king."

How surprised the poor man was! The king thought that the man would surely

ask for some gift or favor. But he did not. Instead, he said:

"You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place.

You ate the coarse food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart. To others

you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself."

Reflection on Nativity Scenes

Rev. Johann G. Roten, SM

Re-creating the scene of Christ's birth is one of the most tender and

enduring Christmas traditions. Making representations of the Nativity is a

universally popular art form which has flourished in Europe since the

sixteenth century. In every language, it is known for its focal point, the

crib of the Infant Jesus creche in France, Krippe in Germany, presepio in

Italy, Belem in Portugal, presebre in Spain, and nacimiento in Latin

America.

Cribs have been created in different styles and methods of construction.

Besides the exquisite wood carvings of Bavaria and the lavish creations of

the Neapolitan Baroque, there are simpler styles descended from ancient

crafts and diverse traditions; new styles of folk and primitive art appear.

The use of humble materials paper, cork, wood, straw and precious ones

silver, coral, pearl indicates that all creation has been touched by God's

coming.

Interest in the crib continues on different levels and in different ways.

Collectors vie to acquire centuries-old masterpieces from art dealers.

Churches and families add to and repair crib sets which have been passed

down from generation to generation. Nativity scenes from Africa, Asia, and

Latin America take their place alongside those from Europe. Contemporary

creations portray Joseph and Mary as a homeless family huddled together on a

city grate which provides warmth.

In late summer of 1994, an earnest effort was begun at the Marian Library to

collect various cultural expressions of the nativity scene. To date, the

collection consists of about 620 nativity sets from many parts of the world:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, India, Africa, Mexico,

Guatemala, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, Haiti, Peru, Chile, and

the United States. Noticeably missing to date are a few cultural expressions

of the nativity from Eastern Europe, Spain, Portugal, Japan, China, Holland,

Belgium.

The goals we set in establishing such a collection are the following. We

wish to show Mary in context the context of family, of society, and of the

circumstances unique to a culture, and, simultaneously, to foster affection

for Mary in this context. Such a collection is a contribution to the study

of religion and culture, providing material for analyzing the various

expressions and the interaction of religion and culture as depicted in

religious festivities, costume, and folklore. We also wish to highlight the

popular character of religion, the ways in which it reflects the age-old

aspirations and fears of the human soul. A further element or concern is an

attempt to rediscover aspects of religious psychology and how culture deals

with them.

The creche collection has developed into an ongoing project which, as a

significant source for the study of the Incarnation, also finds affiliation

in International Marian Research Institute courses and research.

The nativity sets here presented are but a fraction of the whole collection

highlighting some of the many and different features attributed to Christ's

coming in this world. They show how the unique event of Christ's birth in

Bethlehem enters into and becomes part of the life story of families and

peoples.

At present, we are planning to expand our project into a noteworthy

state-of-the-art collection for The Marian Library/International Marian

Research Institute. We are searching for the following: old creches (as a

means to survey their historical development); nativity scenes crafted by

individual artists (when possible, signed by the artist and with some

information about the artist); new expressions of the nativity scene; and

creches from various countries, especially those not yet represented in the

collection.