The year is closed...

The year is closed, the record made;

The last deed is done, the last word said.

The memory alone remains

Of all its joys, its griefs, its gains;

And with purpose full and clear

I turn to meet another year.

Robert Browning

Reborn each moment...

Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day,

even every moment

in the interior temple of your spirit,

remaining like a baby

in the bosom of the heavenly Father,

where you will be reborn each moment

in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ.

~ St. Paul of the Cross

The Three Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said:  "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones.  I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean.  "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town.  "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all.  I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world."

Years passed.  The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall.  One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.  The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me."  With a swoop of his ax, the first tree fell.  "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!"  The first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me."  With a swoop of his ax, the second tree fell.  "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree.  "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way.  She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven.  But the woodcutter never even looked up.  "Any kind of tree will do for me," he muttered.  With a swoop of his ax, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals.  The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure.  She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day.  Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat.  She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard.  "What happened?"  The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many, many days and night passed.  The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox.  "I wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered.

The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood.  "This manger is beautiful," she said.  And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat.  The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose.  The little tree shuddered.  She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.

The tired man awakened.  He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace."  The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun.  And suddenly the second tree knew she was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile.  She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd.  She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her.  She felt ugly and harsh and cruel.  But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything.

It had made the third tree strong.  And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.  That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

~ Author Unknown

The Legend of the Poinsettia

It once was the custome in Mexico

For the villagers to leave

A gift for the Baby Jesus

In their church on Christmas Eve.

In one small village, a little boy,

Who had no gift to bring,

Prayed to God for a way to show

His love for the Infant King.

God, in His mercy, looked down on the boy

And answered his earnest prayer

By causing a flower to bloom where he knelt --

A flower so brilliant and fair.

The miraculous flower was formed like a star

With leaves tht were red and so bright,

And the boy's precious gift has come to be known

As the "Flower of the Holy Night."

Published in Christmas Blessings

by Hallmark

What we have looked upon and touched with our hands...

St. John, whose feast we celebrate today, is an amazing person to look to when discerning a vocation.  Why?  It wasn't seeing the Babe in the manger at Bethlehem.  But John's own words in his Gospel when he arrived at the tomb on that first Easter morning:  he "saw and believed."  Not swaddling clothes, but the burials cloths are what cemented his faith.

Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, as John so eloquently expresses in the opening lines of his first letter: 

What was from the beginning,

what we have heard,

what we have seen with our eyes,

what we looked upon

and touched with our hands

concerns the Word of life --

for the life was made visible;

we have seen it and testify to it

and proclaim to you the eternal life

that was with the Father and was made visible to us --

what we have seen and heard

we proclaim now to you,

so that you too may have fellowship with us;

for our fellowship is with the Father

and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

(1 John 1:1-4)

As you sit and ponder these words today, ask yourself a few simple questions:  how do I see Christ today?  how do I touch Him?  how do I proclaim His presence to those around me?

Nativity Nunning

The creche in our chapel, while containing the same basic elements (i.e. same figurines and stable) always seems to ends up with a new "effect."  This year is no different -- in fact you could say this year it grew. 

Grew?  Well, this year we added a starry sky.  Our plain white walls needed some color and light.  So consulting with one of our ever loyal volunteers, several engineering discussions having occurred, a check on what might be in house and a trip to the lumber store, Sears and JoAnne Fabric brought about the elements needed to achieve our goal.

First two of our guys hauled in the three sheets of 4' x 8' particle board and stood them in place.  Next 4' x 6' nets of LED lights were strategically stapled to the boards followed by dark blue fabric being draped loosely over them to create the twinkling night sky.  Then we stapled some beige-tone fabric to the base of the particle board to create the "horizon" and then we went for it with more fabric, boxes, dried grasses, and, yes, even more lights!  We think the effect is quite dramatic -- and even better experienced in person. 

Stop by the Cor Jesu Chapel to pay Jesus a visit!

Here's a sneak preview of the Creche before
we placed the figurine of the Christ Child.

A Christmas Prayer

Christ Eternal, hear our prayer,

Bless our friends everywhere,

Bless each home and fireside hearth,

Bless the children's fun and mirth,

Bless the carols that are sung

As the holly greens are hung;

May all earth this Christmastide

In Thy joy and peace abide.

Christ Eternal, shed Thy love

From Thy throne in Heav'n above,

Fill with peace the hearts of men

As Thou didst at Bethlehem;

May Thy glory fill this day

'Til all men shall know the way

to Thy great salvation free,

Blood-bought Gift of Calvary.

Christ Eternal, may all men

Look anew to Bethlehem,

May they see the guiding star,

May they hear the angel choir,

May their faith grow deep and strong,

Trusting Thee, God's only Son;

May all earth its homage pay,

Christ, to Thee this Christmas Day.

Kathryn Thorne Bowsher