The Perfect Joy.
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O Divine Infant Jesus, our Saviour, your love for St. Joseph could not have been greater, and yet you did not remedy his inability to provide comfortable lodging for Our Lady Mary to give birth. Neither did you shield your holy parents from the indifference and contempt shown by those who refused them. Though an upright and just man, we recognize in St. Joseph an aspect of our own poverty and failed attempts to do the good we desire. Sadly, some of us may even lack all virtue and feel ourselves steeped in sin, and therefore deserving of contempt and rejection, leading us to behave no better than the beasts.
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However, it is the patient example of St. Joseph, and Our Lady Mary who gave birth to you amongst the beasts in stable, that you teach us O Little Lord the perfect joy of Christmas.
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You gently remind us that the price of your friendship is frequently the pain of your apparent rebuff. And while it is true that on account of our sins we may deserve to be cast out and excluded, each Christmas recalls to us that you are always there to meet us, even in the most culpable desolation. For this we thank you Little Lamb. In this is the perfect joy of Christmas, that you meet us even in our basest misery, our powerlessness, pouring out your mercy and love to the soul who hungers for you - Love Incarnate.
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Merry Christmas!
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[This would have been posted on Abbey2 if it had remained.]
Oh, no! Bummer at AR2 does that mean this blog is going to become all highbrow and spiritual!? :-)
ReplyDeleteBlessed and Merry Christmas to you, my friend. The kindness you have, especially, shown to me this Advent has not gone unnoticed. Much appreciated.
Merry Christmas, Terry, Cathy, and everyone.
ReplyDeleteTerry, I sent your "imperfect Christmas" post from the former A-R 2 out and everyone (especially mothers) loved it.
This post today is beautiful.
Thank you for your work. It means a lot to me and my family. May God bless you! Susan
Again, you know where at least 140 posts are if you ever want them. Peace be with you.
ReplyDeleteThis Ninth day of Preparation could not have been more appropriate. Thank you, thank you to you, humble instrument of Our Lord.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteL & P,
Gette
Merry Christmas, Terry
ReplyDeleteSF: Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteFeliz Navidad!
Merry Christmas, Terry!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! +J.M.J.+
ReplyDeleteOwen - I tried to email you and posted on your blog - but yes I would be interested in what you have saved of my posts on AR2. There were a couple of posts I really wanted to save from that blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Terry, my email is owenswainATgmailDOTcom. However, no worries, I will look after getting this together and sending it to you. I have your email.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You will be happy to know that as I tracked towards over 140 items my google reader keeps spawning more and I am now showing well over 700! items, and counting. However, I have no comments as I didn't subscribe to the comments feed.
ReplyDeleteThat's going to be too big to mail. What I am going to do then is create a temporary blog using typepad before I close me account (that I can't afford to keep) and then create a saved downloaded file which I can send to you that you can import using blogger OR (if that doesn't work) I will give you the private address to the blog where you can copy the posts manually, then let me know when you are done and I will delete the blog along with everything else.
Owen - I appreciate that so much! I am so fortunate to have friends like you. God bless!
ReplyDelete