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Prepare the Way of the Lord /Preparen el Camino del Señor

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I remember going to Mass at my parish during Advent and hearing Father sing “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” (from the musical Godspell) to start his homily. I was completely confused because the singing felt like it came out of nowhere. But he went on to explain how that song summed up the Advent season. We are preparing the way of the Lord. 

In today’s Gospel, we see that John the Baptist knew that Jesus’s ministry was coming, saying “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.” He was helping people repent so they could be ready for Jesus’ world changing ministry. As ridiculous as he might’ve sounded, the people who listened were able to repent and prepare. Just like actors and actresses practice for the big show, preparing themselves to perform, we need to prepare ourselves for his Second Coming.

This can also apply to modern-day society. While we are preparing for the Christmas parties and all the gift giving, we sometimes forget, myself included, what we are truly preparing for. One thing that helps is remembering to fit in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to repent of my sins and be fully present to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.

As we prepare for the Lord, I pray that each of you can truly enjoy the Advent season and the Christmas season. Let’s also take time to pray for those who aren’t practicing Christians, that this Christmas season can help them see the good that God can do in each one of our lives. 

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Recuerdo ir a misa en mi parroquia durante el Adviento y escuchar al Padre cantar “Preparen el Camino del Señor” (del musical Godspell) para comenzar su homilía. Estaba completamente confundido porque el canto parecía surgir de la nada. Pero continuó explicando cómo esa canción resumía el tiempo de Adviento. Estamos preparando el camino del Señor.

En el Evangelio de hoy, vemos que Juan el Bautista sabía que el ministerio de Jesús se acercaba, diciendo: “Yo los bautizo con agua, en señal de que ustedes se han convertido; pero el que viene después de mí, es más fuerte que yo, y yo ni siquiera soy digno de quitarle las sandalias. Él los bautizará en el Espíritu Santo y su fuego”. Estaba ayudando a la gente a arrepentirse para que estuvieran listos para el ministerio transformador de Jesús. Por ridículo que pudiera parecer, quienes lo escucharon pudieron arrepentirse y prepararse. Así como los actores y actrices practican para el gran espectáculo, preparándose para actuar, nosotros también debemos prepararnos para su Segunda Venida. 

Esto también aplica a la sociedad moderna. Mientras preparamos para las fiestas navideñas y todos los regalos, a veces nos olvidamos, yo incluido, para qué nos estamos preparando realmente. Algo que ayuda es recordar incluir el Sacramento de la Reconciliación para arrepentirme de mis pecados y estar plenamente presente para celebrar el cumpleaños de Jesús.

Mientras nos preparamos para el Señor, le pido a Dios que cada uno de ustedes pueda disfrutar verdaderamente del Adviento y la Navidad. Dediquemos también un tiempo a orar por quienes no son cristianos practicantes, para que esta Navidad les ayude a ver el bien que Dios puede hacer en cada una de nuestras vidas.

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Ben Hooper is originally from Maryland, having been adopted from Korea and growing up in the Catholic faith. He went to Franciscan University to dive deeper into his faith and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Management. He loves musical theater, sports, spending time with his wife Lily and their dog Kolbe.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Soothing Words / Palabras consoladoras

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The Church, in her wisdom, always chooses wonderful readings during each liturgical season. In this first week of Advent we hear some soothing words from the prophet Isaiah. The prophet tells us,”O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you.” Even though this was spoken to the people of Zion it still applies to us today. 

Have you ever had a moment where you felt like you were dying of thirst or exhaustion? I once went on a backpacking trip with my cousins to a remote island in Michigan and on the very first day I got the worst sunburn imaginable. I am a redhead so when I say worst sunburn ever I mean that I was literally the color of a lobster. It was terrible and I would have given anything to have some aloe vera lotion to put on my burns. 15 miles of backpacking with the straps rubbing against my burnt skin was not what I would call a vacation. 

As soon as we got back to the mainland I immediately went to a store to get lotion that was instantly soothing. We all have things in our lives that need healing. Maybe for some of us these are more spiritual wounds than physical ones, but we all have them. I think it can be easy to write God off and say that he has other people to care about or maybe even believe that we aren’t worthy of healing, but God wants to heal us. The instant relief of aloe vera lotion for me was a human remedy. Think of how much more God wants to soothe us, heal us, and make us whole. 

Today’s first reading makes it clear that God wants this for us. God wants to enter into the very hurt of our lives and bring us His soothing presence and grace. This is one of the reasons that the Sacrament of Reconciliation requires sorrow for sin. It is not so much that we put ourselves down and feel terrible, but quite the opposite. We are required to have sorrow for our sin because that is right where God wants to meet us and heal us. Just like the people in Zion who were told they would no longer weep, God is telling us, as we prepare for his birth at Christmas, that he wants to be a part of our healing journey. 

He doesn’t just want to watch as a bystander. He wants to be actively involved in our sorrow, our hurts, our wounds, and our failures. He is the great healer, we just have to let Him heal. Let’s take a moment during this beautiful season of Advent to allow God to show us exactly where we need healing and what we need from Him, and then ask Him for it. Like a loving Father, He longs to hear from us and heal us.  

From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless! 

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La Iglesia, en su sabiduría, siempre elige lecturas maravillosas durante cada temporada litúrgica. En esta primera semana de Adviento, escuchamos unas palabras de consuelo del profeta Isaías. El profeta nos dice: “Pueblo de Sión, que habitas en Jerusalén, ya no volverás a llorar. El Señor misericordioso, al oír tus gemidos, se apiadará de ti y te responderá, apenas te oiga”. Aunque esto fue dicho al pueblo de Sión, todavía se aplica a nosotros el día de hoy.

¿Alguna vez has sentido que te morías de sed o de agotamiento? Una vez fui de mochilero con mis primos a una isla remota de Michigan y el primer día sufrí la peor quemadura solar imaginable. Soy pelirrojo, así que cuando digo la peor quemadura solar de mi vida, quiero decir que literalmente tenía el color de una langosta. Fue terrible y habría dado cualquier cosa por tener un poco de loción de aloe vera para aplicarme en las quemaduras. Caminar 24 kilómetros con las correas rozando mi piel quemada no fue lo que yo llamaría unas vacaciones.

En cuanto regresamos a tierra firme, fui inmediatamente a una tienda a comprar una loción que me alivió al instante. Todos tenemos cosas en la vida que necesitan sanación. Quizás para algunos sean heridas más espirituales que físicas, pero todos las tenemos. Creo que es fácil ignorar a Dios y decir que tiene otras personas a las que cuidar, o incluso creer que no merecemos la sanación, pero Dios quiere sanarnos. El alivio instantáneo de la loción del aloe para mí fue un remedio humano. Piensen en cuánto más desea Dios consolarnos y sanarnos.

La primera lectura de hoy deja claro que Dios quiere esto para nosotros. Dios quiere entrar en el dolor mismo de nuestras vidas y traernos su presencia y gracia reconfortantes. Esta es una de las razones por las que el Sacramento de la Reconciliación requiere arrepentimiento por el pecado. No se trata tanto de que nos menospreciemos y nos sintamos fatal, sino todo lo contrario. Debemos sentir dolor por nuestros pecados porque es ahí donde Dios quiere encontrarnos y sanarnos. Al igual que al pueblo de Sión, al que se le dijo que ya no lloraría, Dios nos dice, mientras nos preparamos para su nacimiento en Navidad, que quiere ser parte de nuestro camino de sanación.

Él no quiere ser solo un espectador. Quiere participar activamente en nuestro dolor, nuestras heridas, nuestras penas y nuestros fracasos. Él es el gran sanador; solo tenemos que dejar que Él sane. Tomemos un momento durante esta hermosa temporada del Adviento para permitir que Dios nos muestre exactamente dónde necesitamos sanación y qué necesitamos de Él, y luego pidámoslo. Como un Padre amoroso, Él anhela escucharnos y sanarnos.

De parte de todos nosotros aquí en Diocesan, ¡Dios los bendiga!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Faith and Healing / La fe y la sanación

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“Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants” (Gospel Antiphon).

The two blind men in today’s Gospel are a model for all of us: they know their need, they know the One who can help them, they believe He will do so, and they call out for help. They are taken out of the crowd and into a quieter space, into the house, where Jesus can look at them as individuals and speak to them in private. Jesus does not haphazardly dispense healing into a crowd, but in a personal way, in a personal relationship of love and trust. 

To understand what Jesus is doing in the Gospels, we try to see with whom He is establishing relationship. Where is His gaze? From whom is He eliciting a response? What is He drawing out of a person’s heart to create a space for healing grace?

This is what happens with the blind men. Their eyes were opened, but only because they knew they were closed, and they desired to see! Sometimes, we fail to see the areas of our own blindness, and so we do not even know to ask for healing. Sometimes, we do not fully believe we are worthy of healing, or we are afraid of what we will be without our woundedness, so we cannot truly desire the healing touch of God’s love.

These blind men not only believe Jesus can heal them, but recognize who He truly is – they call Him “Son of David,” acknowledging that He is the Messiah. And Jesus underscores and deepens their belief by asking them, “Do you believe that I can do this? … Let it be done for you according to your faith.” True healing always begins with faith and trust.

Jesus wants us to be whole and free, so that we can walk with confidence toward the Kingdom of Love and endless peace. Advent is an opportunity to ask for the grace to examine our hearts with sincerity, lift up our brokenness to the Light of His gaze, and take whatever steps we need to be wholly prepared to receive “the Son of David” as He comes to us with quiet grace at Christmas.

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“Ya viene el Señor, nuestro Dios, con todo su poder para iluminar los ojos de sus hijos.” (Antífona del Evangelio).

Los dos ciegos del Evangelio de hoy son un modelo para todos nosotros: conocen su necesidad, conocen a Aquel que puede ayudarlos, creen que lo hará y piden ayuda. Los sacan de la multitud y los llevan a un espacio más tranquilo, a la casa, donde Jesús puede mirarlos individualmente y hablarles en privado. Jesús no imparte sanación a la multitud al azar, sino de forma personal, en una relación personal de amor y confianza.

Para comprender lo que Jesús hace en los Evangelios, tratamos de ver con quién establece una relación. ¿Dónde está su mirada? ¿De quién obtiene una respuesta? ¿Qué extrae del corazón de una persona para crear un espacio para la gracia sanadora?

Esto es lo que sucede con los ciegos. Sus ojos se abrieron, pero solo porque sabían que estaban cerrados y deseaban ver. A veces, no vemos las áreas de nuestra propia ceguera, y por eso ni siquiera sabemos pedir sanación. A veces, no creemos plenamente que seamos dignos de sanación, o tememos lo que seremos sin nuestras heridas, por lo que no podemos desear verdaderamente el toque sanador del amor de Dios.

Estos ciegos no solo creen que Jesús puede sanarlos, sino que reconocen quién es Él realmente: lo llaman “Hijo de David”, reconociendo que es el Mesías. Y Jesús subraya y profundiza su creencia al preguntarles: “¿Creen que puedo hacerlo?…Que se haga en ustedes conforme a su fe”. La verdadera sanación siempre comienza con la fe y la confianza.

Jesús quiere que seamos completos y libres, para que podamos caminar con confianza hacia el Reino del Amor y la paz eterna. El Adviento es una oportunidad para pedir la gracia de examinar nuestros corazones con sinceridad, elevar nuestra fragilidad a la Luz de su mirada y dar los pasos necesarios para estar completamente preparados para recibir al “Hijo de David” cuando venga a nosotros con su gracia silenciosa en la Navidad.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Building Our House on Rock / Edificar nuestra casa sobre roca

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A phrase from today’s Gospel really caught my attention: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.”

It reminded me of a time back in 2011, when I had left the comforts of the United States to return to Peru, my native country. I had high expectations because I was already a college graduate, but reality was completely different from what I had imagined. I couldn’t get a job because I was overqualified. When I finally got hired, they never paid me, and I was so poor that I only ate twice a day without snacks. It was a mess. There was a church not far from my apartment, where I would visit the Blessed Sacrament every day and go to Mass on Sundays. My faith never wavered; on the contrary, it grew stronger. I visited the Blessed Sacrament three times a day, for what I called my spiritual breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Faith in God was what kept me alive and gave me hope for a better tomorrow.

We must remember and put into practice what God teaches us every day, especially by following His commandments and teachings so as to continue growing in faith. Whether we are experiencing good times or difficult situations, we must continue to trust in God. The first reading says, “Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock.” Being with God and walking hand in hand with Him is what gave me strength when I didn’t have a job. God’s love calmed my hunger when the only thing I could eat every day was two pieces of bread and some milk for breakfast and an eighth of a chicken breast, rice, and broccoli for dinner.

The strength God gave me to overcome that difficult time made me love Him more, and I was grateful every day for having at least a little food to eat. We don’t have the ability to resolve everything. We need God in our lives to overcome difficulties, and we must always put what we’ve learned into practice. A high school math teacher once gave me some advice: “Put the concept or definition you learned into practice in order to get results.” Let’s all build our “house” on Christ, our Rock.

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En el evangelio de hoy hay una frase que me llamó mucho la atención “El que escucha estas palabras mías y las pone en práctica, se parece a un hombre prudente, que edificó su casa sobre roca”. 

Me hizo acordar a una temporada en el 2011, donde había dejado las comodidades de estar en Estados Unidos para volver a Perú, mi país nativo. Tenía muchas expectativas porque ya era un profesional, pero la realidad fue totalmente distinta a las que había pensado. No podía conseguir trabajo porque estaba sobrecalificado. Cuando por fin me contrataron, nunca me pagaron, y era tan pobre que sólo comía dos veces al día sin snacks. Todo era un caos. A poca distancia de donde vivía había una iglesia, la cual siempre iba todos los días al Santísimo y los domingos a Misa. Mi fe nunca se deterioró, más bien se iba haciendo más fuerte yendo al Santísimo tres veces por día, lo cual llamaba mi desayuno, almuerzo y cena espiritual. La fe en Dios era lo que me mantenía vivo y la esperanza de tener una mejor mañana.

Hay que acordarse y poner en práctica lo que Dios nos enseña todos los días, sobre todo seguir sus mandamientos y enseñanzas para seguir teniendo una fe cada día más fuerte. En los momentos buenos o situaciones difíciles hay que seguir confiando en Dios. En la primera lectura dice, “Confíen siempre en el Señor, porque el Señor es nuestra fortaleza para siempre”. Lo que siempre me dio fuerza de no tener trabajo es estar con Dios en cada momento y caminar de la mano junto a él. El amor de Dios me calmaba el hambre cuando todos los días sólo podía comer dos panes con leche en el desayuno y un octavo de pechuga de pollo, arroz y brócoli para la cena. 

La fortaleza de Dios para superar ese mal momento me hizo amarlo más, y hasta agradecía todos los días por tener al menos un poco de comida. Nosotros no tenemos la capacidad de resolverlo todo. Necesitamos a Dios en nuestra vida para superar las dificultades y siempre hay que poner en práctica lo aprendido. Una vez me dio un consejo un profesor de matemáticas de la escuela secundaria: “pon en práctica el concepto o la definición de lo que has aprendido para obtener los resultados”. Que todos construyamos nuestra “casa” en Jesucristo, nuestra Roca.  

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Felix Urcia was born in Lima, Peru. He moved the U.S. to complete his college degree in Computer Science at Northern Kentucky University. He is passionate about his faith, his family, education and soccer. When he is not homeschooling and caring for his young children he enjoys personal programing projects and coaching. He and wife live in a small town in Western Michigan where they enjoy spending time with their five children.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Jesus Multiplies What We Give Him / Jesús multiplica lo que le entregamos

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In today’s Gospel we learn the value of participating in the work of our Lord. We learn that even when Jesus has taken time to heal many people, there is work He wants to involve us in, things He wants to do for others. Jesus is concerned about the crowd, and He lets His disciples know of His concern. However, the disciples respond that there is no place to get food for so many people. Jesus ignores their concern. They are thinking in human terms, not God’s. 

Jesus asks them what they have and takes it from them. They are looking outside of themselves. But Jesus changes their perspective by making them look for what He needs among themselves: “How many loaves do you have?” 

How many times does Jesus show us someone that needs our help or something that He is calling us to, but we feel like the problem or task is too big to be solved by us? We say back to Him: “Impossible!” Then, Jesus asks us: “What do you have?” Reminding us that what we have been given is meant to be offered back to Him to fulfill His purpose. We are not expected to solve the big problem on our own or tackle the seemingly impossible task alone. If we offer it to Him, He will multiply our gift of self, time, money, etc. in order to help us achieve whatever He has called us to.

He will be grateful for the gifts we are now offering for others and multiply them in ways we cannot imagine. And once we continue giving all that He has multiplied until whatever or whoever is satisfied, He will have multiplied so much as to leave us with more than we had. 

For when we give gifts to Jesus, we are never giving away all we had to give. We are instead trusting in His power and love and He turns our giving into receiving. 

What happens with the seven baskets left over? We do not know. The Gospel simply tells us there was plenty left. We can assume it’s not left behind, wasted, or unused, but instead is shared with others during other parts of their journey or enjoyed by the disciples once the crowds have dispersed.

God makes it so we will continually have something to offer even when it feels like we have nothing that will solve the problem. When it seems like everyone is satisfied, we will be left with more than enough to satisfy ourselves and share with others in the future. Jesus constantly invites us to look inside ourselves and asks: “What do you have?” Then we have to ask ourselves whether or not we are willing to give what we have so that He can multiply it for the good of others. 

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En el Evangelio de hoy aprendemos el valor de participar en la obra de nuestro Señor. Aprendemos que incluso cuando Jesús se ha tomado el tiempo de sanar a muchas personas, hay una obra en la que Él quiere involucrarnos, cosas que Él quiere hacer por los demás. Jesús está preocupado por la multitud y lo hace saber a sus discípulos. Sin embargo, los discípulos responden que no hay dónde conseguir comida para tanta gente. Jesús ignora su preocupación. Están pensando en términos humanos, no en los de Dios.

Jesús les pregunta qué tienen y se los quita. Están buscando fuera de sí mismos. Pero Jesús cambia su perspectiva al hacerles buscar lo que necesita entre ellos: “¿Cuántos panes tienen?”

¿Cuántas veces Jesús nos muestra a alguien que necesita nuestra ayuda o algo a lo que nos llama, pero sentimos que el problema o la tarea es demasiado grande para que lo resolvamos nosotros? Le respondemos: “¡Imposible!”. Y Jesús nos pregunta: “¿Qué tienen?”, recordándonos que lo que hemos recibido debe ser devuelto a Él para que cumpla su propósito. No se espera que resolvamos el gran problema por nuestra cuenta ni que abordemos la tarea aparentemente imposible solos. Si se lo ofrecemos, multiplicará nuestra ofrenda personal, de tiempo, dinero, etc., para ayudarnos a lograr lo que nos ha llamado hacer.

Él estará agradecido por los dones que ahora ofrecemos a los demás y los multiplicará de maneras inimaginables. Y una vez que sigamos dando todo lo que Él ha multiplicado hasta que las personas estén satisfechas, Él lo habrá multiplicado tanto que nos dejará con más de lo que teníamos. Porque cuando damos dones a Jesús, nunca estamos regalando todo lo que teníamos para dar. En cambio, confiamos en su poder y amor, y Él transforma nuestro dar en recibir.

¿Qué pasa con las siete canastas que sobraron? No lo sabemos. El Evangelio simplemente nos dice que sobró mucho. Podemos asumir que no se deja atrás, ni se desperdicia, sino que se comparte con otros durante otras etapas de su viaje o los discípulos lo disfrutan una vez que la multitud se dispersa.

Dios hace que siempre tengamos algo que ofrecer, incluso cuando parezca que no tenemos nada que resuelva el problema. Cuando parezca que todos están satisfechos, tendremos más que suficiente para satisfacernos y compartir con otros en el futuro. Jesús nos invita constantemente a mirar dentro de nosotros y nos pregunta: “¿Qué tienes?” Y luego nos toca a nosotros preguntarnos si estamos dispuestos a dar lo que tenemos para que Él lo multiplique por el bien de los demás.

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Nicole Berlucchi is a faith and family blogger (www.nicoleberlucchi.com) and Catholic blog contributor. She has worked in a number of roles in the nonprofit world, but helping people realize their vision and make an impact, seems to be her sweet spot. Nicole owns Coley B. Creative, LLC, a marketing company providing support to small businesses. She is also the author Magnify Love: Unlocking the Heart of Jesus in Your Marriage and Your Life. A native of Philadelphia, she now resides in the Nashville area with her husband, Joe, and their four children. She’s a big fan of brilliant skies, salted caramel with chocolate, books and more books. She loves sharing her journey with Jesus so that others might: Come and see.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Looking Back / Mirando hacia atrás

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As we begin to approach the great season when we celebrate the birth of the Christ-child among us, we may be tempted to look forward in anticipation. Only 22 more days until Christmas Eve! I can’t wait for that family party in two weeks! I am so excited to see my kids’ faces on Christmas morning! And while anticipation is not a bad thing in itself, today I invite you instead to take a look back. 

Look back upon salvation history and see God’s hand working in each and every story. Recognize His love and mercy spilling forth as He creates the world, saves Noah from the flood and then makes a covenant with him, provides an heir for Abraham in his old age, saves Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, uses Joseph, sold as a slave, to feed his flock during a time of famine, guides his people out of Egyptian slavery through His servant Moses, forgives King David of his grave sins and still considers him a man after His own heart, and sends prophets before Him to prepare our hearts for His coming. 

Sure, we could look back and see nothing but unrest, famine, sinfulness and broken covenants. We could get frustrated that things seemed to take so long, I mean 40 years wandering around in the desert… really? We could point out how many people had to die in the countless wars and how much Job had to suffer. We could go on and on, but that would defeat the purpose. What God wants is to open our eyes to this long line of events leading up to something more incredible than we could ever imagine, the birth of His only Son, the Savior of all mankind. 

We may be tempted to do the same thing in our own lives, look back with negativity and regret at our shortcomings, but I prefer to look back in a similarly positive way, recognizing the hand of God throughout my life. That heartwrenching job loss that my husband experienced? It resulted in us moving back to Michigan and closer to family. That horrible pandemic that we suffered through? It allowed us to find a lovely home with a big yard in a quiet town. That devastating rental venture that went awry and forced us to sell the house? It afforded us a new vehicle and a low monthly mortgage. That frightening car accident we got into? The insurance payout covered most of our bill when our AC broke during a hot summer. In other words, God’s got it. He’s always got it.  

After having looked back at all of God’s blessings in our life up to this point, may our Advent theme be one of praise and thanksgiving. As the first reading states, may our “delight [] be the fear of the Lord.” May we echo the words of the Psalm: “May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun his name shall remain.” May we repeat often the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel: “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.”

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Al acercarnos a la gran época en que celebramos el nacimiento del niño Jesús entre nosotros, quizá nos sintamos tentados a mirar hacia adelante con ilusión. ¡Solo faltan 22 días para la Nochebuena! ¡No puedo esperar para la fiesta familiar dentro de dos semanas! ¡Me emociona tanto pensar en ver las caras de mis hijos la mañana de Navidad! Y aunque la ilusión no es mala en sí misma, hoy los invito a mirar hacia atrás.

Repasen la historia de la salvación y vean la mano de Dios obrando en cada una de ellas. Reconozcamos su amor y misericordia derramándose al crear el mundo, salvar a Noé del diluvio y luego hacer una alianza con él, proveer un heredero para Abraham en su vejez, salvar a Lot y su familia de la destrucción de Sodoma y Gomorra, usar a José, vendido como esclavo, para alimentar a su rebaño durante una época de hambruna, guiar a su pueblo para liberarlo de la esclavitud egipcia a través de su siervo Moisés, perdonar al rey David de sus graves pecados y aún considerarlo un hombre tras su corazón, y enviar profetas delante de él para preparar nuestros corazones para su venida.

Claro, podríamos mirar atrás y solo ver inquietud, hambruna, pecado y alianzas rotas. Podríamos frustrarnos porque las cosas parecen haber tomado tanto tiempo, o sea, 40 años vagando por el desierto… ¿de verdad? Podríamos señalar cuánta gente tuvo que morir en las innumerables guerras y cuánto tuvo que sufrir Job. Podríamos seguir y seguir, pero ese no es el propósito. Lo que Dios quiere es abrirnos los ojos a esta larga serie de eventos que nos llevaron a algo más increíble de lo que jamás pudiéramos imaginar: el nacimiento de su único Hijo, el Salvador de toda la humanidad.

Quizás nos sintamos tentados a hacer lo mismo en nuestras propias vidas, a mirar atrás con negatividad y arrepentimiento por nuestras faltas, pero yo prefiero mirar atrás con una actitud igualmente positiva, reconociendo la mano de Dios a lo largo de mi vida. ¿Esa desgarradora pérdida de trabajo que experimentó mi esposo? Nos obligó a regresar a Michigan y pudimos estar más cerca de la familia. ¿Esa horrible pandemia que sufrimos? Nos permitió encontrar una hermosa casa con un gran jardín en un pueblo tranquilo. ¿Aquel devastador negocio de alquiler que salió mal y nos obligó a vender la casa? Nos permitió comprar un vehículo nuevo y tener una hipoteca mensual baja. ¿Aquel aterrador choque de carro que vivimos? El seguro cubrió la mayor parte de nuestra factura cuando se rompió el aire acondicionado de la casa durante un verano caluroso. En otras palabras, Dios lo tiene todo. Siempre lo tiene todo.

Tras recordar todas las bendiciones de Dios en nuestra vida hasta este momento, que nuestro tema de Adviento sea la alabanza y la acción de gracias. Como dice la primera lectura, que nuestro deleite sea en que “está lleno el país de la ciencia del Señor”. Hagamos eco de las palabras del Salmo: “Que bendigan al Señor eternamente y tanto como el sol, viva su nombre”. Repitamos con frecuencia las palabras de Jesús en el Evangelio de hoy: “¡Yo te alabo, Padre, Señor del cielo y de la tierra”!

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Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adulthood she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Leave the Details to God / Deja los detalles en manos de Dios

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When I read today’s Gospel, I was struck by the centurion’s response. At first, he only tells Jesus about his servant’s paralysis. He doesn’t ask for healing. Jesus is the one who offers to help saying, “I will come and cure him”. The centurion responds by almost rejecting the offer, but ultimately leaves the decision to Jesus: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant shall be healed”.

The profound thing about this is that the centurion did not necessarily expect a healing. What was he expecting? At least some kind of help from Jesus, I’m sure. But he didn’t seem particularly attached to the way it happened. He wanted to speak to Jesus about his paralyzed servant, and He wanted Jesus to decide what to do with that information.

It wasn’t so much a passive-aggressive helplessness, wanting Jesus to figure out his problem so he didn’t have to. It was more of an open-ended request for help. The centurion wanted Jesus to help with the servant, but he didn’t presume to demand a particular course of action from the Lord.

As the centurion said, he knew what it was like to have authority and to be able to effect his will with only his word: “I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Jesus in turn recognized the centurion’s faith that He could heal the servant with only His command and praised him for it stating, “in no one in Israel have I found such faith.” This faith is so powerful because it recognizes that God can not only heal but can heal in whatever way He wills to do so.

This kind of faith also understands that God is able to determine what will be best for His creation. The centurion might have wanted Jesus to come and lay his hands on his servant, but he knew to whom he was speaking. He knew that the decision was best left up to Jesus, and he was willing to present his problem in that light. He was even willing to face the possibility that Jesus might have chosen to leave his servant paralyzed.

This deep faith is an example to us. It is good for us to ask the Lord for help, and it is better to present the Lord with our troubles and needs without attachment to a particular solution. We have our own ideas, and those are not necessarily bad, but the Lord’s are best, and He often acts in ways that we do not understand. As the centurion understood, the details are best left to God.

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Al leer el Evangelio de hoy, me impactó la respuesta del centurión. Al principio, solo le cuenta a Jesús sobre la parálisis de su siervo. No le pide sanación. Es Jesús quien se ofrece a ayudarlo diciendo: “Voy a curarlo”. El centurión responde casi rechazando la oferta, pero finalmente deja la decisión en manos de Jesús: “Señor, yo no soy digno de que entres en mi casa; con que digas una sola palabra, mi criado quedará sano”.

Lo profundo de esto es que el centurión no necesariamente esperaba una sanación. ¿Qué esperaba? Al menos algún tipo de ayuda de Jesús, estoy seguro. Pero no parecía estar particularmente interesado en cómo sucedió. Quería hablar con Jesús sobre su siervo paralítico y quería que Jesús decidiera qué hacer con esa información.

No era una impotencia pasivo-agresiva, queriendo que Jesús resolviera su problema para no tener que hacerlo él. Era más bien una petición de ayuda abierta. El centurión quería que Jesús ayudara con el sirviente, pero no se le exigió al Señor una acción específica.

Como dijo el centurión, sabía lo que era tener autoridad y poder hacer su voluntad con solo su palabra: “cuando le digo a uno: ‘¡Ve!’, él va; al otro: ‘¡Ven!’, y viene; a mi criado: ‘¡Haz esto!’, y lo hace”. Jesús, a su vez, reconoció la fe del centurión de que podía sanar al sirviente con solo su orden y lo elogió por ello, diciendo: “en ningún israelita he hallado una fe tan grande”. Esta fe es tan poderosa porque reconoce que Dios no solo puede sanar, sino que puede sanar de cualquier manera que Él desee.

Esta clase de fe también comprende que Dios puede determinar lo que es mejor para su creación. El centurión quizá hubiera querido que Jesús viniera y pusiera las manos sobre su sirviente, pero reconoce con quién hablaba. Sabía que era mejor dejar la decisión en manos de Jesús y estaba dispuesto a presentar su problema desde esa perspectiva. Incluso estaba dispuesto a afrontar la posibilidad de que Jesús hubiera decidido dejar a su siervo paralizado.

Esta profunda fe es un ejemplo para nosotros. Es bueno pedirle ayuda al Señor, y es mejor presentarle nuestros problemas y necesidades sin aferrarnos a una solución específica. Tenemos nuestras propias ideas, y no son necesariamente malas, pero las del Señor son las mejores, y a menudo Él actúa de maneras que no entendemos. Como comprendió el centurión, es mejor dejar los detalles en manos de Dios.

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David Dashiell is a freelance author and editor in the Nashville, Tennessee area. He has three children, a degree in theology, and enjoys writing about philosophy, theology, culture, music, and comedy. You can find his personal blog, Serious Daydreams, on Substack. He is also the editor of the anthology Ever Ancient, Ever New: Why Younger Generations Are Embracing Traditional Catholicism, available through TAN Books.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Stay Awake / Mantente despierto

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As we enter the first week of Advent, we hear in Matthew’s Gospel, “Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” This is a familiar verse and one that we might be tempted to gloss over. Yet, Advent is an invitation to a time of expectation, of quiet waiting, and deep spiritual preparation. It is a time to slow down and consider what it means in our lives in 2025, to stay awake. 

Have you ever been so exhausted that you cannot physically stay awake? I am a nervous flyer. I have no problem staying awake on long flights because the adrenaline coursing through my body guarantees that I will not fall asleep. However, my inability to sleep on these flights makes my first day of travel very challenging, excruciating even, and I struggle to stay awake without drinking coffee or espresso. Merely resisting sleep in this exhausted state is not what this passage means by staying awake. Sure, I can keep my eyes open after a long flight, but I am not alert enough to pay attention and perceive what is happening around me. 

Today’s Gospel reading is a call not just to have our eyes ajar, but to be alert, attentive, and expectant. That is what it means to stay awake. In this passage, Jesus invites us to recall the Old Testament story of Noah when people were going about their daily lives. They were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.” Though Moses and his family were building an ark with precise measurements in the midst of their community, onlookers were not sufficiently alert or awake to realize that a great flood was coming. Many people found themselves unprepared when the flood arrived.

In a similar way, we too, can live life in a distracted state. Especially in this modern age, our lives are fast and overstimulated. During the holiday season, we zip from parties, to shopping, to school plays and concerts, fueling ourselves on cookies and coffees. Our bodies are in motion but not necessarily alert or awake to the miracle of Advent:  Christ is coming.

The invitation to stay awake beckons us to be conscious of the virtue of hope, of the miracle of life, and the prodigious love that our God has for us in choosing to become incarnate. Let us stay awake this season to be attentive to the details surrounding Jesus’ birth and to prepare ourselves for His ultimate return in glory.

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Al comenzar la primera semana de Adviento, escuchamos en el Evangelio de Mateo: “Velen, pues, y estén preparados, porque no saben qué día va a venir su Señor.” Este versículo nos resulta familiar y podríamos sentirnos tentados a pasarlo por alto. Sin embargo, el Adviento es una invitación a una temporada de expectativa, de espera silenciosa y de profunda preparación espiritual. Es un momento para reducir la velocidad y reflexionar sobre lo que significa para nuestras vidas en 2025 permanecer despiertos.

¿Alguna vez has estado tan agotado que no puedes mantenerte despierto físicamente? Soy una viajera nerviosa. No tengo problemas para mantenerme despierto en vuelos largos porque la adrenalina que recorre mi cuerpo garantiza que no me quedaré dormida. Sin embargo, mi incapacidad para dormir en estos vuelos hace que el primer día del viaje sea muy difícil, incluso insoportable, y me cuesta mantenerme despierta sin tomar café o espresso. Simplemente resistirse al sueño en este estado de agotamiento no es lo que este pasaje significa con mantenerse despierto. Claro, puedo mantener los ojos abiertos después de un largo vuelo, pero no estoy lo suficientemente alerta como para prestar atención y percibir lo que sucede a mi alrededor.

El Evangelio de hoy nos llama no solo a tener los ojos abiertos, sino a estar alerta, atento y expectante. Eso es lo que significa mantenerse despierto. En este pasaje, Jesús nos invita a recordar la historia de Noé en el Antiguo Testamento, cuando la gente seguía con su vida cotidiana. “Antes del diluvio, la gente comía, bebía y se casaba, hasta el día en que Noé entró en el arca.” Aunque Moisés y su familia construían un arca con medidas precisas en medio de su comunidad, los espectadores no estaban lo suficientemente alerta ni despiertos como para darse cuenta de que un gran diluvio estaba por venir. Mucha gente no se encontró preparada cuando llegó el diluvio.

De manera semejante, nosotros también podemos vivir la vida distraídos. Especialmente en esta era moderna, nuestras vidas son aceleradas y llenas de demasiada estimulación. Durante las Navidades, vamos de fiestas a compras, a obras de teatro y conciertos escolares, alimentándonos con galletas y café. Nuestros cuerpos están en movimiento, pero no necesariamente alertas ni despiertos ante el milagro del Adviento: Cristo viene. 

La invitación a permanecer despiertos nos invita a ser conscientes de la virtud de la esperanza, del milagro de la vida y del prodigioso amor que nuestro Dios nos tiene al elegir encarnarse. Mantengámonos despiertos en esta época para estar atentos a los detalles que rodean el nacimiento de Jesús y prepararnos para su regreso en gloria.

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Elizabeth Tomlin is the author of Joyful Momentum: Building and Sustaining Vibrant Women’s Groups and contributing author to the Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers. She is General Counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Elizabeth is an Army wife and mother of three and currently lives in Oklahoma. You can find her at @elizabethannetomlin on social media and she blogs at JoyfulMomentum.org 

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Joyful Hope / Esperanza gozosa

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Today’s Gospel offers us a tender reading for the day before Advent: Be on guard. Don’t be lulled into sleep. Let not dissipation and worry take you captive. Hold carefully and warmly those places in your heart that break – the disappointments, the losses, the depressing burdens. Be alert. The Son of Man, the Child of Bethlehem comes. Cling to the light that Advent promises, to the stars that brighten the darkened skies.  

It’s the eve of the glorious season of Advent. The Gospel reminds us today to look around and take note of the need for light, for hope, for mercy. A mother tells me her teenage daughter still hasn’t recovered from the isolation imposed by the Covid-19 lockdown.  A grandpa worries his granddaughter will lose her way at college. A friend texts that her cousin has set a date for an abortion. 

Be not weighed down by the worries of life, because God has entered into this life to be here with us as our very Life. Be not blinded by the darkness, because this evening we begin to prepare for the birth of the Light of the world and the ultimate end of the night. Be not feeble of heart because Jesus conquers every death and restores joy.

Advent is about renewing the fires of joy and the eagerness of hope. It is for the child in us that needs innocence restored by the Child of Bethlehem.

Advent is about walking through the dark that surrounds us with eyes translucent with eagerness for the Kingdom.

Advent is about knowing that the victory of Christ is our victory, that God holds the power in love, and that nothing can rip us out of His hand.

So be alert and prepare, but may your preparation be filled with the joy that hope brings.

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El Evangelio de hoy nos ofrece una lectura conmovedora para la víspera de Adviento: Estén alerta. No se dejen llevar por el sueño. No permiten que la disipación y la preocupación los tenga cautivados. Acojan con cariño y calidez aquellos lugares de su corazón que se rompen: las decepciones, las pérdidas, las cargas deprimentes. Estén alerta. El Hijo del Hombre, el Niño de Belén, viene. Aférrense a la luz que promete el Adviento, a las estrellas que iluminan los cielos oscurecidos.

Es la víspera del glorioso Adviento. El Evangelio nos recuerda hoy que miremos a nuestro alrededor y nos demos cuenta de la necesidad de luz, de esperanza, de misericordia. Una mamá me cuenta que su hija adolescente aún se recupera del aislamiento impuesto por la COVID-19. Un abuelo teme que su nieta pierda su camino en la universidad. Una amiga me manda un texto diciendo que su prima ha hecho cita para un aborto. 

No se dejen agobiar por las preocupaciones de la vida, porque Dios ha entrado en esta vida para estar con nosotros como nuestra propia Vida. No se dejen cegar por la oscuridad, porque esta noche comenzamos a prepararnos para el nacimiento de la Luz del mundo y el fin definitivo de la noche. No desfallezcan de corazón, porque Jesús vence toda muerte y restaura la alegría.

El Adviento se trata de renovar el fuego de la alegría y el ardor de la esperanza. Es para el niño que llevamos dentro y que necesita la inocencia restaurada por el Niño de Belén.

El Adviento se trata de caminar por la oscuridad que nos rodea con ojos abiertos por el anhelo del Reino.

El Adviento se trata de saber que la victoria de Cristo es nuestra victoria, que Dios tiene el poder en el amor y que nada puede arrebatarnos de su mano.

Así que estén alerta y prepárense, pero que su preparación esté llena de la alegría que trae la esperanza.

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Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes

Sr. Kathryn James Hermes, FSP, is an author and offers online evangelization as well as spiritual formation for people on their journey of spiritual transformation and inner healing. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com My Books: https://touchingthesunrise.com/books/
Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ HeartWork Spiritual Formation Group: https://touchingthesunrise.com/heartwork/

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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See For Yourselves / Vean por sí mismos

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“It smells like it’s gonna snow.” If you haven’t lived in a four-season climate, that comment may sound strange, but those who have experienced winter know the distinct fragrance that tells them what’s coming. As the seasons change, there is a change in the air. The frozen ground of winter smells different than it does as it thaws in the spring, and the warm, heavy air of summer gives way to the cooler, crisper perfume of fall.

The grace of living in four seasons is that each year we see a stunning display of the cycle of life: the new birth of spring, the full richness of summer, the harvest and grace of fall, and the quiet shutting down of winter. The greatest transition, though, happens as the cycle begins again.

By the end of winter, everything looks dead — heavy gray skies, scraggly bare trees, trodden brown grass peeking out in patches where remnants of dirty snow have melted. But then, right around Easter time (on this side of the equator), the world starts to come alive again. That melted snow has watered the ground, and dormant trees awaken to drink from it. Buds appear, then leaves and flowers. The grass gets green, birds sing, and the sun shines. 

Jesus tells us in Luke’s Gospel today, “When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near.” Every year is an allegory — there is life after death; God makes everything new. Jesus talks to his Apostles about “these things” taking place and they are not easy ones: the destruction of the temple, signs and persecutions. Then the Coming of the Son of Man. He seems to be reminding us that it will be difficult, hard things will happen, and sometimes things will get worse before they get better. We will all see our winter. But trust.

God keeps His promises, and He reveals himself to us in the very world He created and in Scripture. Jesus tells us, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Our call is to keep our eyes open and see what is unfolding. Just as that first green crocus pushing up through the snow tells us warmer days are coming, God will reveal Himself to us. There are signs. Notice them, and remember, no matter how hard the winter, spring is coming. Trust that the battle has already been won.  

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“Huele a que va a nevar”. Si no han vivido en un clima de cuatro estaciones, ese comentario puede sonar extraño, pero quienes han experimentado el invierno conocen la fragancia distintiva que les anuncia lo que está por venir. Con el cambio de estaciones, se produce un cambio en el aire. El suelo helado del invierno huele diferente al descongelarse en primavera, y el aire cálido y denso del verano da paso al perfume más fresco y vigorizante del otoño.

La gracia de vivir en cuatro estaciones es que cada año presenciamos un despliegue impresionante del ciclo de la vida: el renacimiento de la primavera, la plenitud del verano, la cosecha y la gracia del otoño, y el tranquilo final del invierno. Sin embargo, la mayor transición ocurre cuando el ciclo comienza de nuevo.

Al final del invierno, todo parece muerto: cielos grises y densos, árboles desnutridos y desnudos, hierba marrón pisoteada que asoma en parches donde se han derretido los restos de la nieve sucia. Pero entonces, justo en la época de Pascua (a este lado del ecuador), el mundo comienza a cobrar vida de nuevo. La nieve derretida ha regado la tierra, y los árboles inactivos despiertan para beber de ella. Aparecen los brotes, luego las hojas y las flores. La hierba reverdece, los pájaros cantan y brilla el sol.

Jesús nos dice en el Evangelio de Lucas de hoy: “Cuando ven que empiezan a dar fruto [los árboles], saben que ya está cerca el verano”. Cada año es una alegoría: hay vida después de la muerte; Dios lo hace todo nuevo. Jesús habla a sus apóstoles sobre “las cosas que les he dicho” que están sucediendo, y no son fáciles: la destrucción del templo, las señales y las persecuciones. Luego, la venida del Hijo del Hombre. Parece recordarnos que será difícil, que ocurrirán cosas difíciles, y que a veces las cosas empeorarán antes de mejorar. Todos veremos nuestro invierno. Pero confíen.

Dios cumple sus promesas y se nos revela en el mundo que creó y en las Escrituras. Jesús nos dice: “Podrán dejar de existir el cielo y la tierra, pero mis palabras no dejarán de cumplirse”. Nuestro llamado es mantener los ojos abiertos y ver lo que está sucediendo. Así como el primer azafrán verde que brota entre la nieve nos anuncia la llegada de días más cálidos, Dios se revelará a nosotros. Hay señales. Obsérvalas y recuerda: por muy duro que sea el invierno, la primavera está llegando. Confía en que la batalla ya está ganada.

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Pamela Kavanaugh is a grateful wife, mother, and grandmother who has dedicated her professional life to Catholic education. Though she has done her very best to teach her students well in the subjects of language and religion, she knows that she has learned more than she has taught. She lives, teaches, and writes in southwest suburban Chicago.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Let Us Give Thanks/ Demos gracias

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What a blessing to be able to share a few thoughts with you on Thanksgiving Day! 

Our Gospel begins with Jesus walking to Jerusalem, minding His own business, when ten lepers approach Him as he enters a village. They shout from a safe distance, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” Jesus is touched by the encounter and proceeds to grant their request. 

But He did not heal them in that instant. Instead He told them to go show themselves to the priests. Why would He say that? Because Mosaic law indicated that if someone was healed they had to go show the priest. The lepers did as they were told and while they were on the way, discovered that they were healed. Nine of them continued on their way but one went back to thank Jesus, falling at His feet. And there He remained until Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Can you put yourself in this story? Have you asked Jesus for a favor and He didn’t grant it right away, but “as [you] were going” you noticed He had granted it to you in His time and in His way? When will we realize and fully trust that He sends us these graces at exactly the right time? Do we get distracted and forget to thank Him? It happens all the time. The enemy does not want us to be grateful.

Have you ever experienced a time when you didn’t even ask for help (and perhaps didn’t realize you needed it) and God sent it to you anyway? Perhaps on this day we have set apart especially to give thanks, we can reflect about all the ways God has surprised us with His gifts over the years. And then we can offer up a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for His generous and merciful love.   

Serving with joy!

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¡Qué bendición poder compartir algunas reflexiones con ustedes en el Día de Acción de Gracias!

El Evangelio comienza con Jesús caminando hacia Jerusalén, sin hacer nada, cuando diez leprosos se le acercan al entrar en un pueblo. Gritan desde una distancia prudencial: “¡Jesús, Maestro, ten piedad de nosotros!” Jesús se conmueve con el encuentro y accede a su petición.

Pero no los sanó en ese instante. En cambio, les dijo que fueran a presentarse ante los sacerdotes. ¿Por qué diría eso? Porque la ley mosaica indicaba que si alguien quedaba sanado, debía presentarse ante el sacerdote. Los leprosos hicieron lo que se les dijo y, de camino, descubrieron que estaban sanos. Nueve de ellos continuaron su camino, pero uno regresó para darle las gracias a Jesús, postrándose a sus pies. Y allí permaneció hasta que Jesús le dijo: “Levántate y vete. Tu fe te ha salvado”.

¿Te identificas con esta historia? ¿Le has pedido a Jesús un favor y no te lo ha concedido de inmediato, sino que, “mientras [ibas] de camino” te has dado cuenta de que te lo ha concedido a su tiempo y a su manera? ¿Cuándo nos daremos cuenta y confiaremos plenamente en que nos envía estas gracias en el momento perfecto? ¿Nos distraemos y nos olvidamos de agradecerle? Sucede todo el tiempo. El enemigo no quiere que seamos agradecidos.

¿Has vivido alguna vez un momento en el que ni siquiera pediste ayuda (y quizás no te diste cuenta de que la necesitabas) y Dios te la envió de todos modos? Quizás en este día que hemos apartado especialmente para dar gracias, podamos reflexionar sobre todas las maneras en que Dios nos ha sorprendido con sus dones a lo largo de los años. Y luego podamos ofrecer una oración de alabanza y agradecimiento por su amor generoso y misericordioso.

¡Sirviendo con alegría!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 55 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty-one grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

Featured Image Credit: Priscilla Du Preez CA, unsplash.com/photos/yellow-flowers-decor-bJPn27RFg0Y

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Bless the Lord! / ¡Bendigan al Señor!

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One virtue I really strive to instill in my children is gratitude. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked them to say thank you when they are given something or to stop grumbling about small inconveniences and be thankful for what they have. Another small tradition we have started is to mention one thing we are thankful for during night prayers. 

A couple of my kiddos have caught on quickly, another I have to nudge with a few suggestions while another now has a whole list of things each day! I always remind them that it doesn’t necessarily have to be anything super special. It can be something as simple as the air they breathed or the water they drank that day. It can be the fact that their clothes are clean or that they have a home that is heated and cooled, because absolutely everything is a gift from God!

So in preparation for the day we publicly give thanks tomorrow, I thought I would share a small list of things I am particularly thankful for: that my oldest son is now old enough to have interesting, semi-adult conversations with; that my second oldest is making small steps toward coming out of his shyness, that my third oldest still loves to snuggle with his mommy, that my fourth child seeks ways all day long to be active, enjoy life and laugh; that my youngest still has round cheeks that I can kiss every single day; that my husband feels well enough after his second back surgery to coach soccer again; that God always provides in the most unexpected ways; for family members and friends that I love and cherish and care about, that bring so much human connection as a foretaste of the heavenly connection with my Lord that awaits me… And you? I invite you to write your own list. 

In today’s first reading, we see God’s justice being proclaimed to King Belzhazzar through the prophet Daniel. They were in the midst of a great banquet, and instead of glorifying the Lord for His provision, they “praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.” As a consequence of their rebellion, God promised to divide his kingdom and put an end to his reign. 

In complete contrast to this scenario, we see right praise being given to our God in the Psalm response: “Sun and moon, bless the Lord… Stars of heaven, bless the Lord… praise and exalt him above all forever.” Strengthened by the correct ordering of our minds and hearts, we see how God helps us endure any hardship in today’s Gospel: “They will seize and persecute you… You will be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives and friends…but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.” 

God does and will take care of us every single day. In life and in death, in heat and cold, through hardships and joys, let us bless the Lord with sincere gratefulness. 

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Una virtud que me esfuerzo mucho por inculcar en mis hijos es la gratitud. No te imaginas cuántas veces les he pedido que den las gracias cuando reciben algo o que dejen de quejarse por pequeñas inconveniencias y agradezcan lo que tienen. Otra pequeña tradición que hemos empezado es mencionar algo por lo que estamos agradecidos durante las oraciones de la noche.

Unos de mis hijos han entendido rápidamente, a otro tengo que darle algunas sugerencias, ¡y otro ya tiene una lista completa de cosas a diario! Siempre les recuerdo que no tiene que ser algo súper especial. Puede ser algo tan sencillo como el aire que respiraron o el agua que bebieron ese día. Puede ser que su ropa esté limpia o que tengan una casa con calefacción y aire acondicionado, ¡porque absolutamente todo es un regalo de Dios!

Así que, en preparación para el día que daremos gracias públicamente mañana, pensé compartir una pequeña lista de cosas por las que estoy especialmente agradecida: que mi hijo mayor ya tiene la edad suficiente para tener conversaciones interesantes, casi adultas; que mi segundo hijo está tomando pasos pequeños para superar su timidez; que a mi tercer hijo todavía le encanta acurrucarse con su mamá; que mi cuarto hijo busca maneras todo el día de estar activo, disfrutar de la vida y reírse; que mi hija menor todavía tiene mejillas redondas que puedo besar todos los días; que mi esposo se siente lo suficientemente bien después de su segunda cirugía de espalda como para volver a ser entrenador de fútbol; que Dios siempre provee de las maneras más inesperadas; por los familiares y amigos que amo, aprecio y me importan, que me brindan tanta conexión humana como un anticipo de la conexión celestial con mi Señor que me espera…¿y tú? Te invito a escribir tu propia lista. 

En la primera lectura de hoy, vemos la justicia de Dios proclamada al rey Belzasar a través del profeta Daniel. Estaban en medio de un gran banquete, y en lugar de glorificar al Señor por su provisión, “comenzaron a alabar a sus dioses de oro y plata, de bronce y de hierro, de madera y de piedra”. Como consecuencia de su rebelión, Dios prometió dividir su reino y poner fin a su reinado.

En completo contraste con este escenario, vemos la alabanza justa que se le da a nuestro Dios en el Salmo Responsorial: “Sol y luna, bendigan al Señor… Estrellas del cielo, bendigan al Señor… Fuego y calor, bendigan al Señor…” Fortalecidos por el correcto orden de nuestras mentes y corazones, vemos cómo Dios nos ayuda a soportar cualquier dificultad en el Evangelio de hoy: “Los perseguirán y los apresarán… Los traicionarán hasta sus padres y hermanos, sus parientes y amigos… ni un cabello de su cabeza perecerá”.

Dios nos cuida y nos cuidará todos los días de nuestras vidas. En la vida y en la muerte, en el calor y el frío, en las dificultades y las alegrías, bendigamos al Señor con una gratitud sincera.

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Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adulthood she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.

Feature Image Credit: Jon Tyson, unsplash.com/photos/thank-you-very-much-sign-vD6UFu8QYUI

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.