December 28, is the Feast of the Holy Innocents honoring the baby boys of Bethlehemkilled by Herod the Great, the Roman-appointed King of the Jews, in order to stop the birth of the new Messiah.It was a desperate act by this torn king fearful that the coming King of Kings would usurp him.You see, he was a brutal yet great builder, but his fear of Jesus drove him to become a fruitless mass murder.
His victims, the baby boys of Bethlehem, are honored on this day for they were instrumental in providing cover so the Baby Jesus could be saved. The original intent was specifically for these children. Over the years other causes have jumped on the bandwagon laying claim to the feast.
This is the fourth day of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and the third feast day in a row (St. Stephen and St. John). The Twelve Days span from the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day to the Feast of the Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).
On January 6 we celebrate the Epiphany, the day the Magi, Wise Men, and the many other prominent long-distance travelers arriving at the stable to honor the new Messiah. A magnificent Star of Bethlehem illuminated the sky like a beacon guiding them home. From kings, princes, priests, and rulers to shepherds and angels they were drawn to the Baby in the Manger.
This third feast in a row, the Feast of the Innocents, honors those innocent victims of King Herod who also died in their service to Jesus and Father Creator. Such a cowardly act by Herod that he should decide the fate of the new Messiah.
How arrogant for any human being to believe their Will was all-powerful like the Will of Father Creator. They have no concept of the power of the Creator’s Perfect Love for all of Creation.
In this day and age, it is so easy to get caught up in the frenzied, frantic, freaky, and fear-filled minds of the people. It is like a giant vacuum hose sucking everything in sight down into an endless Black Hole leading to the abyss.
But enough of this babble, we know the frayed edges of humanity where wounds are laid open and can never be healed is alive and well, but we can free ourselves of the dark influence.
You want to find inspiration and hope?
Seek out a quiet place and meditate. Purge your mind of all the worldly distractions, and free your spirit of all those other-worldly distractions. It may take some effort, but you can achieve this pathway to enlightenment.
When you achieve the state of peace and solitude ask Jesus to activate the Holy Spirit within you, long dormant while awaiting your call for help. As you have drifted farther and farther away from Jesus, who is the pathway to Father Creator, the Dark Side has harvested more and more weak and fear-laden Souls.
Rule number one in Creation, it is foolhardy to attempt to usurp control over any of the Creator’s Creations. Whatever action you take to accumulate power and possessions never intended for individuals and are not yours to take, is a direct affront to the Creator.
You can kiss off the Kingdom and embrace the void of the abyss where contaminated souls are transformed into anti-matter for all eternity. Perhaps you might call that Hell.
At present there are a considerable number of lost or contaminated souls walking the Earth who collectively represent a roadblock to salvation in the Kingdom for all others. Do not be surprised if substantial numbers of these contaminants are suddenly taken from the Earth to clear a better path for those of faith, or those who will seek out and find faith given a chance.
Not all of the seeds that are planted will grow, some must die away so that others will thrive.
And now back to our pathway to enlightenment. You are meditating, free of the worries and burdens of the real world, and beyond reach of the bad influences of the spirit world. Now what?
I mentioned you must ask Jesus to activate the Holy Spirit within you, long dormant while awaiting your call for help. What that means is Jesus is calling for the Holy Spirit to awaken in you those memories or DNA coding of the path to the truth. Jesus is the path to the truth and the truth guiding your salvation is knowing the Perfect Love of Father Creator is already within you.
When the Creator made Creation, to make it complete, the Creator became part of His own creation, not just humans but all life forces of his own Creation, thus everything that is has a life force of the perfect love of the Father.
It is day two in the Twelve Days of Christmas, December 26, and record crowds are making it one the largest shopping sprees of the year as people return all the stuff they do not want, exchange stuff to get the right size, and simply put, drive the economy into high gear. The Money Lenders are smiling as cash registers rings or credit cards get sucked dry in this feeding frenzy. What a shame to see the state to which we have descended.
Things were not always like this after the Resurrection of Jesus. In fact, just two years after Jesus died one of the Seven Deacons selected by St. Peter to assist the Apostles, became the first martyr of the followers of Jesus.
Stephen's Holy Ghost inspired role as one of the most successful Intercessors since Jesus set the example for ages to come, including to this day. Miracles were performed by Stephen in the name of the Lord and Jesus at a pace never seen since. Later in this story you can read much more about the astonishing life and ministry of Stephen, but for the moment, just contemplate on what you did not know about this first of all Christian martyrs. St Augustine said; “If St. Stephen had not prayed, the Church would never have had St. Paul.” Stephen prayed, he used his Intercessor role to influence God to grant many needs and wishes. Though not an Apostle, his influence on Saul, later to become Paul, and many, many other converts, was exactly what Jesus asked of his disciples.
When Good King Wenceslas provided food to a poor man gathering winter fuel on St. Stephen's Day, he began the tradition of doing acts of charity on December 26. St. Stephen's Day is also Boxing Day.Add caption
Boxer Day - Canada and former British Commonwealth members
Martha Perkins of the Vancouver Courier
Today, while many countries Commonwealth traditions offer Boxing Day as a holiday, it was an especially important day off for staff in Pepys’ day. They all had to work on Christmas Day to ensure the day was “happy and bright” for the gentry and upper classes. Who else would empty the chamber pots, keep the fireplaces stoked and prepare and serve the glorious Christmas feast?
On December 26, while the gentry slept off the over-indulgences of the day before, tradesmen and house staff finally got to celebrate their own Christmas. One tradition was to open boxes their employers had filled with gifts, money, hand-me-downs and even some leftover food from Christmas dinner.
When Good King Wencelas provided food to a poor man gathering winter fuel on St. Stephen's Day, he began the tradition of doing acts of charity on December 26. St. Stephen's Day is also Boxing Day.
Boxing Day is also known as St. Stephen's Day. And it was Good King Wencelas who, back in the 10th century, made that day famous as a day of gift-giving.
Good King Wenceslas looked out On the Feast of Stephen...
When a poor man came in sight Gath'ring winter fuel...
"Bring me flesh and bring me wine Bring me pine-logs hither Thou and I shall see him dine When we bear them thither."
Therefore, Christian men, be sure Wealth or rank possessing Ye, who now will bless the poor Shall yourselves find blessing.
Call it St. Stephen's Day or Boxing Day, but it is supposed to be a time when we do acts of charity for those less fortunate than us.
If you venture out on Boxing Day today, both of those traditions seem to be lost. It used to be that Boxing Day truly was the second day of Christmas. Stores were closed and everyone simply enjoyed another day of rest or playing with their presents. Boxing Day sales were postponed to December 27.
Sara Evans Twelve Days of Christmas
(Double click for full screen)
The Meaning Behind the 12 Days of Christmas A Spiritual Archives Story from All-Creatures.org
Hi All, this was sent to me today, it ties into the discussion of the meaning behind various hymns and carols. -John Z Gardiner
The 12 Days of Christmas -- The Rest of the Story
When most people hear of "The 12 Days of Christmas", they think of the song. This song had its origins as a teaching tool to instruct young people in the meaning and content of the Christian faith.
Each of the items in the song represents something of religious significance. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help young Christians learn their faith. The song goes, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."
The "true love" represents God and the "me" who receives these presents is the Christian. Here you go:
The "partridge in a pear tree" was Jesus Christ who died on a tree as a gift from God.
The "two turtle doves" were the Old and New Testaments - another gift from God.
The "three French hens" were faith, hope and love - the three gifts of the Spirit that abide (I Corinthians 13).
The "four calling birds" were the four Gospels which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The "five golden rings" were the first five books of the Bible also called the "Books of Moses".
The "six geese a-laying" were the six days of creation.
The "seven swans a swimming" were the "seven gifts of the Holy Spirit". (I Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12, Ephesians 4; I Peter 4:10-11).
The "eight maids a milking" were the eight beatitudes.
The "nine ladies dancing" were nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22 & 23)
The "ten lords a-leaping" were the Ten Commandments.
The "eleven pipers piping" were the eleven faithful disciples.
The "twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of the Apostles' Creed.
So, the next time you hear "The 12 Days of Christmas", consider how this otherwise non-religious sounding song had its origins in the Christian faith.
St. Stephen - Arch-Deacon,
Intercessor, and first martyr.
St. Stephen, the First Martyr by Dom Prosper Gueranger, 1870
St. Peter Damian thus begins his Sermon for this Feast: "We are holding in our arms the Son of the "Virgin, and are honouring, with our caresses, this our Infant God. The holy Virgin has led us to the dear Crib. The most beautiful of the Daughters of men has brought us to the most beautiful among the Sons of men, and the Blessed among women to Him that is Blessed above all. She tell us that now the veils of prophecy are drawn aside, and the counsel of God is accomplished. Is there anything capable of distracting us from this sweet Birth? On what else shall we fix our eyes? Lo! whilst Jesus is permitting us thus to caress Him; whilst He is overwhelming us with the greatness of these mysteries, and our hearts are riveted in admiration--there comes before us Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, doing great wonders and signs among the people? Is it right, that we turn from our King, to look on Stephen, His soldier? No--unless the King himself bid us do so. This our King, who is Son of the King, rises to assist at the glorious combat of His servant. Let us go with him, and contemplate this standard-bearer of the Martyrs."
The Church gives us, in today's Office, this opening of a Sermon of St. Fulgentius for the Feast of St. Stephen:
"Yesterday, we celebrated the temporal "Birth of our eternal King: today, we celebrate the triumphant passion of His Soldier. Yesterday, our King, having put on the garb of our flesh, came from the sanctuary of His Mother's virginal womb, and mercifully visited the earth: today, His Soldier, quitting his earthly tabernacle, entered triumphantly into heaven. Jesus, whilst still continuing to be the eternal God, assumed to Himself the lowly raiment of flesh, and entered the battlefield of this world: Stephen, laying aside the perishable garment of the body, ascended to the palace of heaven, there to reign for ever. Jesus descended veiled in our flesh: Stephen ascended wreathed with a martyr's laurels. Stephen ascended to heaven amidst the shower of stones, because Jesus had descended on earth midst the singing of Angels. Yesterday, the holy Angels exultingly sang, Glory be to God in the highest; today, they joyously received Stephen into their company. Yesterday, was Jesus wrapped, for our sakes, in swaddling-clothes: today, was Stephen clothed with the robe of immortal glory. Yesterday, a narrow crib contained the Infant Jesus: today, the immensity of the heavenly court received the triumphant Stephen."
Thus does the sacred Liturgy blend the joy of our Lord's Nativity with the gladness she feels at the triumph of the first of her Martyrs. Nor will Stephen be the only one admitted to share the honours of this glorious Octave. After him, we shall have John, the Beloved Disciple; the Innocents of Bethlehem ; Thomas, the Martyr of the Liberties of the Church; and Sylvester, the Pontiff of Peace. But, the place of honour amidst all who stand round the Crib of the new-born King, belongs to Stephen, the Proto-Martyr, who, as the Church sings of him, was " the first to pay back to the Saviour, the Death " suffered by the Saviour." It was just, that this honour should be shown to Martyrdom; for, Martyrdom is the Creature's testimony, and return to his Creator for all the favours bestowed on him: it is Man's testifying, even by shedding his blood, to the truths which God has revealed to the world.
In order to understand this, let us consider what is the plan of God, in the salvation he has given to man. The Son of God is sent to instruct mankind; He sows the seed of His divine word; and His works give testimony to His divinity. But, after His sacrifice on the cross, He again ascends to the right hand of His Father; so that His own testimony of Himself has need of a second testimony, in order to its being received by them that have neither seen nor heard Jesus Himself. Now, it is the Martyrs who are to provide this second testimony; and this they will do, not only by confessing Jesus with their lips, but by shedding their blood for Him. The Church, then, is to be founded by the Word and the Blood of Jesus, the Son of God; but she will be upheld, she will continue throughout all ages, she will triumph over all obstacles, by the blood of her Martyrs, the members of Christ: this their blood will mingle with that of their Divine Head, and their sacrifice be united to His.
The Martyrs shall bear the closest resemblance to their Lord and King. They shall be, as he said, like lambs among wolves (St. Luke, x. 3). The world shall be strong, and they shall be weak and defenceless: so much the grander will be the victory of the Martyrs, and the greater the glory of God who gives them to conquer. The Apostle tells us, that Christ crucified is the power and the wisdom of God (I. Cor. i. 24);--the Martyrs, immolated, and yet conquerors of the world, will prove, and with a testimony which even the world itself will understand, that the Christ whom they confessed, and who gave them constancy and victory, is in very deed the power and the wisdom of God. We repeat, then--it is just, that the Martyrs should share in all the triumphs of the Man-God, and that the liturgical Cycle should glorify them as does the Church herself, who puts their sacred Relics in her altar-stones; for, thus, the Sacrifice of their glorified Lord and Head is never celebrated, without they themselves being offered together with him, in the unity of His mystical Body.
Now, the glorious Martyr-band of Christ is headed by St. Stephen. His name signifies the Crowned; a conqueror like him could not be better named. He marshals, in the name of Christ, the white-robed army, as the Church calls the Martyrs; for, he was the first, even before the Apostles themselves, to receive the summons, and right nobly did he answer it. Stephen courageously bore witness, in the presence of the Jewish Synagogue, to the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth; by thus proclaiming the Truth, he offended the ears of the unbelievers; the enemies of God, became the enemies of Stephen, and, rushing upon him, they stone him to death. Amidst the pelting of the blood-drawing missives, he, like a true soldier, flinches not, but stands, (as St. Gregory of Nyssa so beautifully describes it) as though snowflakes were falling on him, or roses were covering him with the shower of their kisses. Through the cloud of stones, he sees the glory of God; Jesus, for whom he was laying down his life, showed Himself to his Martyr, and the Martyr again rendered testimony to the divinity of our Emmanuel, but with all the energy of a last act of love. Then, to make his sacrifice complete, he imitates his divine Master, and prays for his executioners: falling on his knees, he begs that this sin be not laid to their charge. Thus, all is consummated--the glorious type of Martyrdom is created, and shown to the world, that it may be imitated, by every generation, to the end of time, until the number of the Martyrs of Christ shall be filled up. Stephen sleeps in the Lord, and is buried in peace--in pace--until his sacred Tomb shall be discovered, and his glory be celebrated a second time in the whole Church, by that anticipated Resurrection of the miraculous Invention of his Relics.
Stephen, then, deserves to stand near the Crib of his King, as leader of those brave champions, the Martyrs, "who died for the Divinity of that Babe, whom we adore. Let us join the Church in praying to our Saint, that he help us to come to our Sovereign Lord, now lying on his humble throne in Bethlehem. Let us ask him to initiate us into the mystery of that divine Infancy, which we are all bound to know and imitate. It was from the simplicity he had learnt from that Mystery, that he heeded not the number of the enemies he had to fight against, nor trembled at their angry passion, nor winced under their blows, nor hid from them the Truth and their crimes, nor forgot to pardon them and pray for them. What a faithful imitator of the Babe of Bethlehem! Our Jesus did not send his Angels to chastise those unhappy Bethlehemites, who refused a shelter to the Virgin-Mother, who in a few hours was to give birth to Him, the Son of David. He stays not the fury of Herod, who plots his Death--but meekly flees into Egypt, like some helpless bondsman, escaping the threats of a tyrant lordling. But, it is under such apparent weakness as this, that He will show His Divinity to men, and He the Infant-God prove Himself the Strong God. Herod will pass away, so will his tyranny; Jesus will live, greater in His Crib, where be makes a King tremble, than is, under his borrowed majesty, this prince-tributary of Rome; nay, than Caesar-Augustus himself, whose world-wide empire has no other destiny than this--to serve as handmaid to the Church, which is to be founded by this Babe, whose name stands humbly written in the official registry of Bethlehem.
Prayer:
With these praises, which the venerable ages of old offered to thee, O Prince and First of Martyrs! we presume to unite ours. Fervently do we congratulate thee, that thou hast had assigned thee, by the Church, the place of honour at the Crib of our Jesus. How glorious the confession thou didst make of His Divinity, whilst thy executioners were stoning thee! How rich and bright the scarlet thou art clad in, for thy victory! How honourable the wounds thou didst receive for Christ! How immense, and yet how choice, that army of Martyrs, which follows thee as its leader, and to which fresh recruits will for ever be added, to the end of time!
Holy Martyr! help us, by thy prayers, to enter into the spirit of the mystery of the Word made Flesh, now that we are celebrating the Birth of our Saviour. Thou art the faithful guardsman of His Crib; who could better lead us to the Divine Babe, that lies there? Thou didst bear testimony to His Divinity and Humanity; thou didst preach this Man God before the blaspheming Synagogue. In vain did the Jews stop their ears; they could not stifle thy voice, which charged them with deicide, in that they had put to death Him, who is at once the Son of Mary and the Son of God. Show this Redeemer to us also, not, indeed, standing in glory at the right hand of his Father, but the sweet and humble Babe, as He now manifests Himself to the world, into which He has just been born, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger. We, too, wish to bear witness to Him, and to tell how His Birth is one of love and mercy; we wish to show, by our lives, that He has been born in our hearts. Obtain for us that devotedness to the Divine Infant, which gave thee such courage on the day of trial: we shall have devotedness, if, like thee, we are simple-hearted and fearless in our love of Jesus; for love is stronger than death. May we never forget, that every Christian ought to be ready for martyrdom, simply because he is a Christian. May the life of Christ, which has again begun within us, so grow within us, by our fidelity and our conduct, that we may come, as the Apostle expresses it, to the fullness of Christ (Eph. iv. 13).
But, be mindful, O glorious Martyr! be mindful of the Holy Church in those countries, where it is the will of God that she resist even unto blood. May the number of thy fellow-martyrs be thus filled up, and let not one of the combatants grow faint-hearted. May every age and sex be staunch; that so, the testimony may be perfect, and the Church, even in her old age, win immortal laurels and crowns, as in the freshness of her infancy, when she had such a champion as thyself. But, pray, too, that the blood of these Martyrs may be fruitful, as it was in times past; pray that it be not wasted, but become the seed of abundant harvests. May infidelity lose ground, and heresy cease to canker those noble hearts, who, once in the Truth, would be the glory and consolation of the Church. Our own dear Land has had her Martyrs, who, in the hope that God would avenge their blood by restoring her to the Faith, gladly suffered and died--oh! Prince of Martyrs! pray, that this their hope may be speedily fulfilled.
At noon
today from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis addressed
the following Christmas Message to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
“The
people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1)
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, Merry Christmas!
From
the womb of Mother Church, the incarnate Son of God is born anew this night.
His name is Jesus, which means: “God saves”. The Father, eternal and infinite
Love, has sent him into the world not to condemn the world but to save it
(cf. Jn 3:17). The Father has given him to us with great
mercy. He has given him to everyone. He has given him forever. The Son is born,
like a small light flickering in the cold and darkness of the night.
That
Child, born of the Virgin Mary, is the Word of God made flesh. The Word who
guided Abraham’s heart and steps towards the promised land, and who continues
to draw to himself all those who trust in God’s promises. The Word who led the
Hebrews on the journey from slavery to freedom and who continues to call the
enslaved in every age, including our own, to come forth from their prisons. He
is the Word brighter than the sun, made incarnate in a tiny son of man: Jesus
the light of the world.
This is
why the prophet cries out: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great
light” (Is 9:1). There is darkness in human hearts, yet the light
of Christ is greater still. There is darkness in personal, family and social
relationships, but the light of Christ is greater. There is darkness in
economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts, yet greater still is the light
of Christ.
May
Christ bring his light to the many children suffering from war and conflicts in
the Middle East and in various countries of the world. May he bring comfort to
the beloved Syrian people who still see no end to the hostilities that have
rent their country over the last decade. May he stir the consciences of men and
women of good will. May he inspire governments and the international community
to find solutions to allow the peoples of that region to live together in peace
and security, and put an end to their sufferings. May he sustain the Lebanese
people and enable them to overcome the current crisis and rediscover their
vocation to be a message of freedom and harmonious coexistence for all.
May the Lord Jesus bring light to the Holy Land, where he was born as
the Saviour of mankind, and where so many people – struggling but not
discouraged – still await a time of peace, security and prosperity. May he
bring consolation to Iraq amid its present social tensions, and to Yemen,
suffering from a grave humanitarian crisis.
May the tiny Babe of Bethlehem bring hope to the whole
American continent, where a number of nations are experiencing a time of social
and political upheaval. May he encourage the beloved Venezuelan people, long
tried by their political and social tensions, and ensure that they receive the
aid they need. May he bless the efforts of those who spare no effort to promote
justice and reconciliation and to overcome the various crises and the many
forms of poverty that offend the dignity of each person.
May the
Redeemer of the world bring light to beloved Ukraine, which yearns for concrete
solutions for an enduring peace. May the
newborn Lord bring light to the people of Africa, where persistent social and
political situations often force individuals to migrate, depriving them of a
home and family. May he bring peace to those living in the eastern part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, torn by continuing conflicts. May he bring
consolation to all who suffer because of violence, natural disasters or
outbreaks of disease. And may he bring comfort to those who are persecuted for
their religious faith, especially missionaries and members of the faithful who
have been kidnapped, and to the victims of attacks by extremist groups,
particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
May the
Son of God, come down to earth from heaven, protect and sustain all those who,
due to these and other injustices, are forced to emigrate in the hope of a
secure life. It is injustice that makes them cross deserts and seas that become
cemeteries. It is injustice that forces them to ensure unspeakable forms of
abuse, enslavement of every kind and torture in inhumane detention camps. It is
injustice that turns them away from places where they might have hope for a
dignified life, but instead find themselves before walls of indifference.
May
Emmanuel bring light to all the suffering members of our human family. May he
soften our often stony and self-centred hearts, and make them channels of his
love. May he bring his smile, through our poor faces, to all the children of
the world: to those who are abandoned and those who suffer violence. Through
our frail hands, may he clothe those who have nothing to wear, give bread to
the hungry and heal the sick. Through our friendship, such as it is, may he
draw close to the elderly and the lonely, to migrants and the marginalized. On
this joyful Christmas Day, may he bring his tenderness to all and brighten the darkness
of this world.
Repentance and Redemption - Lost but not yet found
A Letter to Jesus – a report on the status of Earth
It has been many years since you sent me here to make sense of what is happening on Earth. I’m sorry to report that the only cents being made in America is what goes into the deep pockets of the super-rich.
The people, well they are still a train wreck. They were given a Free Will to choose between Good or Evil, Light or Dark. So, what do they do?
Many became seduced by the empty promises of the Dark Side and willingly embraced the Seven Deadly Sins over the Seven Cardinal Virtues. Not only are their lives like a train wreck, they are also the victim of their own delusions, subject to the temptations of the Shadow Dwellers, and filled with fear, or a denial of fear.
Still, we know they are the Creations of Our Creator, so no matter how nasty they get, we are still honor-bound to accept your ironclad proclamation of Forgiveness – and Redemption. Yet they act like a bunch of losers, frustrated, angry, bitter, hateful, self-obsessed and probably possessed.
You do get the sorry state of affairs.
Humans have simply stopped their spiritual evolving, and enlightenment, and are now backsliding into the Abyss. I would say it is time the Creator put his foot down, but I doubt someone who is all everything would have much need for a foot.
Thought I might review a particular incident as an example. Take the Twelve Days of Christmas honoring the birth of the Baby Jesus. They run from Christmas Day, December 25th, until January 5th, the day before the Epiphany, which is January 6th.
Here are the feasts and honorees during the Twelve Days of Christmas.
December 25: Birth of Jesus
December 26: Feast for St. Stephen (First Martyr) December 27: Feast for St. John the Evangelist December 28: Feast for the Holy Innocents December 29: St. Thomas Becket December 30: St. Egwin of Evesham (or 6th day in the Octave of Christmas) December 31: St. Sylvester I January 1: The Circumcision of Our Lord (Octave Day of Christmas) January 2: Holy Name of Jesus January 3: Sts. Zosimus and Athanasius (or Octave Day of St. John) January 4: St. Aquilinus (or Octave Day of the Holy Innocents) January 5: Vigil of the Epiphany (and St.Telesphorus)[January 6: Epiphany]
Of course, most of people do not know or remember the Twelve Days, let alone the Epiphany when the Wise Men, Magi, princes, princesses and other long-distance travelers arrived at the stable to honor the new Messiah. A magnificent Star of Bethlehem illuminated the Earth drawing kings, priests, rulers and shepherds to the Baby in the Manger.
After Christmas Day, the birth or Nativity of Jesus, the 2nd Day of Christmas celebrates St. Stephen, the first Martyr for Jesus. The 3rd Day honors St. John the Evangelist, the only Apostle not martyred and author of the Gospel, Revelations, and other works. The Holy Innocents, honored on the 4th Day were the victims of King Herod’s murder of baby males in Bethlehem. Those are the four major feasts and celebrations of the Birth of the Child Jesus and fulfillment of ancient prophecies.
Could you imagine Herod’s action? How arrogant for any human to believe their Will is all-powerful like the Will of Our Creator. They have no concept of the power of the Creator’s “Perfect Love” for all of Creation.
It is so easy to get caught up in the frenzied, frantic, freaky, fear-filled minds of the people. Their collective will, is like a giant vacuum hose sucking everything in sight down into an endless Back Hole.
Okay, enough of the frayed edges of humanity where wounds are laid open and never heal.
We need help to get through to them. Before we can help them, we must get their attention and shatter the glass wall surrounding their lives, the same glass wall that blocks them from seeing good.
They have forgotten how to pray, the need for prayer, and how it can only be achieved through their attainment of the insights of the Holy Spirit. It did not used to be like this. There was a time nearly 1,600 years ago when all knew how to pray, a few hundred years after the death of Jesus.
Over the years it seemed to lose favor and before long it was lost in the past, the prayers and feasts honoring the Baby Jesus being replaced by Santa, Reindeer, presents, so many and so expensive, self-indulgence, and nary a thought of the wonder of the Jesus Child, the miracles of the Creator, the path to the Kingdom from the Holy Spirit, or the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies.
Poof – it was all gone, buried in an avalanche of credit card debt, one-upping the neighbors, honoring the false gods of commerce, and ignoring their relationship to Father Creator and his beloved Son. Greed, Power and Control, the magic triangle of the Dark Side.
Only this triangle tilts upside down, forcing everything down to the single point at the bottom. Now they tragically find themselves spiraling toward the Black Hole to the Abyss, the gateway to the Void of the Anti-Matter.
Thanks to your Father’s never-ending benevolence and unwillingness to give up on his Creations, they still have a shot at repentance, and redemption. In other words, there is still hope St. Peter might find their name on the list at the Golden Gate to the Kingdom of Heaven.
They must wake up before it is too late, and time is getting short.
First people must seek out solitude and peace, surrounded by silence if at all possible. You must learn to meditate. Purge your mind of all worldly distractions, and your spirit of all those other-worldly distractions. It may not be easy at first because humans constantly overload their sensory perceptions.
Everything is too much, too many, too loud, too inferior, too cheap, too impersonal, too stupid or just plain nonsense. Our sensory nerves are not just frayed, they are fried. We are addicted to downloading way more than our touch, scent, sight, hearing or taste can absorb and process.
Get off the bandwagon following the lead of everyone else and be brave, be courageous, be smart, and be aware of yourself by being different. Think, think of choices and consequences, but think for yourself with the many God-given gifts you have received.
Free yourself from the shackles of slavery in far many more ways than you can imagine, by reaching the state of peace devoid of the distractions of life.
When you reach the place of peace and solitude, ask for help from Jesus to activate the Holy Spirit within you, long dormant while waiting to be called by you for help.
In your lifetime you have drifted farther and farther away from Jesus, who is the pathway to Our Creator. The Dark Side has been harvesting more and more weak and fear-laden souls of late.
Rule number one in Creation. It is foolhardy to attempt to usurp control over any of the Creator’s Creations. Whatever actions you take to accumulate power and possessions that are not yours in the first place to possess, is an affront to the Creator.
You can kiss off any hope for seeing the Kingdom by embracing the empty promises of the Void where in time contaminated souls are transformed into anti-matter for eternity and beyond. You might call that Hell.
At present there are a considerable number of contaminated and lost souls walking the Earth who collectively represent a roadblock to salvation in the Kingdom of Heaven for all others. Do not be surprised if substantial numbers of them are taken from the Earth to clear a path for those of faith, or those who will seek and find faith.
Not all seeds planted will grow in the Earth. Some must die away so that others will thrive. It is your choice. You have much bigger concerns than school, work, or retirement. Just getting by is not going to be good enough.
Meditate, ask Jesus to help awaken the Holy Spirit in you, fill yourself with the wonders of the Holy Spirit, find the pathway to Jesus and the Father, become aware of the Perfect Love of the Creator – then go out and live the will of Father Creator - knowing you have found redemption and salvation, through the Son. Yours in Hope, Just another traveler On the Road to Kingdom Come.
