If We Would Please Him

'If we would please this Divine Infant, we too must become children, 

simple and humble. We must carry to Him flowers of virtue, of meekness, 

of mortification, of charity; we must clasp Him in the arms of our love.'

St. Alphonsus

On This Day

The Great Split

Painting: Blake, Ancient of Days

With Great Love

One Who Has Hope

Christmas Every Time

God Grant You

'God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;

the warmth of Christmas, which is purity;

the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;

the belief in Christmas, which is truth;

the all of Christmas, which is Christ.'

Venerable Bede

Painting: Ferdinand du Puigaudeau

Our Proven Family

Painting: Waldmüller, Christtagmorgen

Everything With Him

For Christ is Near

Escape

Making Ourselves Ready

There's Something in My Shoe

Why, look at this! It's December 6th, and is this a letter from Santa that I see in my blog-shoe?

Dear Boys and Girls,

I have a confession to make. I'm not exactly who you think I am.

Oh, I'm real all right, and I hope my telling you that right off the bat will make you feel better. But I confess that I'm not the precise person, technically, specifically, who, in all honesty, places toys by that pretty tree on Christmas. Your tree looks especially nice this year, by the way, and yes - I can see it. I live where I can see lots of things, someplace much cooler than the North Pole.

I live with God.

I am, you see, a saint. I was a bishop and I lived in the fourth century and I fought heresy. Oh yes, I did. You can go read about that by clicking on this line right here.

People who teach heresy lead God's people away from Him, and that's just not nice. I guess you could say little Arius wound up on my naughty list.

So yes, Virginia, there is a me. And as for you, Harold and Jason and Emma - why, look here! Everybody who's reading this is on the Nice List!
 

Keep up the good work, boys and girls. Stay in touch with God, and have a HO HO HO Meerrrrrrrrrry Christmas!

Love,
Nicholas of Myra, Bishop
(but you can call me Santy as long as you want)  

(This was originally posted on a blog I had several years ago.  Shared here because, well, sometimes we just need a touch of whimsey....)

A Sign for the Humble

"The brightness of the sun is no sign, but an eclipse is. 

He said that on the last day, His coming would be heralded 

by 'signs in the sun,' perhaps an extinction of light. 

At Bethlehem the Divine Son went into an eclipse, 

so that only the humble of spirit might recognize Him."

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

Painting: Howard Russell Butler, in US public domain due to age PD-US

In Wordless Infancy

'He was created of a mother whom He created. 

He was carried by hands that he formed. 

He cried in the manger in wordless infancy. 

He, the Word, without Whom all human eloquence is mute.'

St. Augustine

Painting: Marianne Stokes

In This Night That Stills Everything

'In this night of reconciliation, let none be angry or gloomy.  

In this night that stills everything, let nothing threaten or disturb.  

This night belongs to the sweet One; let nothing bitter or harsh be in it...

In this day of gladness, let us not spread sadness.'

St. Ephraem the Syrian

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS


Painting: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

To Illumine the Earth

'Today the darkness begins to grow shorter and the 

light to lengthen, as the hours of night become fewer... 

Realize that the true Light is now here and, 

through the rays of the gospel, is illumining the whole earth.'

St. Gregory of Nyssa

The Gift of Bread

'The little town of Bethlehem is taken from two Hebrew words 
which mean 'House of Bread.'

He Who called Himself 
'the living Bread descended from Heaven' 

was born in the 'House of Bread' 
and was laid in the place of food, the manger.'

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

Painting: Duccio di Buoninsegna

Our Seasonal Expectations

'Christmas is fast approaching. And now that Christ has 

aroused our seasonal expectations, He will soon fulfill them all!'

St. Augustine

Painting: Henry Mosler, Christmas Morning, 1916

The Message of the Christmas Tree

"The traditional Christmas tree is a very ancient custom which exalts the value of life, as in winter the evergreen becomes a sign of undying life. In general the tree is decorated and Christmas gifts are placed under it. The symbol is also eloquent from a typically Christian point of view: it reminds us of the 'tree of life' (Genesis 2:9), representation of Christ, God's supreme gift to humanity. The message of the Christmas tree, therefore, is that life is 'ever green' if one gives: not so much material things, but of oneself: in friendship and sincere affection, and fraternal help and forgiveness, in shared time and reciprocal listening."

Pope St. John Paul II




Illustration by unknown artist, in US public domain due to age