Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
Proverbs, Chapter 15,
Verse 33
The fear of the LORD is training for wisdom,
and humility goes before honors.
To
become wise, one must hear and
integrate perspectives contrary to one’s own, which means accepting “reproof.”
Wisdom does not isolate one but places one in the company of the wise.[1]
When we have failed to live up to the vision of God for us let us remember that
to be truly wise and loving and have a true fear of the Lord our return to
honor requires us to 1) say I am sorry; 2) acknowledge that it is our fault-no
excuses and most importantly 3) to take actions to correct the fault or make
things right-Lord help me to make the
things I have done poorly right!
Come
to deliver us, and tarry not.
O Root of Jesse, who
stands for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence and
unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: Come to deliver us, and tarry
not.
O Root of Jesse
"Come to deliver us and tarry not." The world cries
out for Christ its King, who shall cast out the prince of this world (John
12:31). The prince of this world established his power over men as a result of
original sin. Even after we had been delivered from the servitude of Satan
through the death of Christ on the cross, the prince of this world attempts to
exercise his power over us. "The devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about
seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:8). In these trying times, when
faith in Christ and in God has largely disappeared, when the propaganda of a
pagan culture is broadcast everywhere, and the forces of evil and falsehood
rise up to cast God from His throne, who does not feel the power of the devil?
Does it not appear that we are
approaching that time when Satan will be released from the depths of hell to
work his wonders and mislead, if possible, even the elect? (Apoc. 20:2; Matt.
24:24.)
"Come, tarry not." Observe
how thoroughly the world of today has submitted to the reign of Satan. Mankind
has abandoned the search for what is good and holy. Loyalty, justice, freedom,
love, and mutual trust are no longer highly regarded. Establish, O God, Thy
kingdom among us, a kingdom established upon truth, justice, and peace.
"Come, tarry not." "Thy kingdom come."
Spiritual Crib[3]
A special devotion that can be performed during Advent to
prepare for the coming of the Infant Savior. It can be adapted for adults
and/or children and applied as is appropriate to your state in life.
·
9th day, December 19th: THE OX—Silence Today we
may speak nothing unnecessary, much less give way to distracting thoughts. On
the contrary, hold interior converse with God by loving aspirations to Him.
Every Christmas although the same
in many ways is always new for each Christmas expresses a hope learned from a
lifetime of praising God. For every Christmas if we open our eyes to truth, we
will see the handiwork of God; the rock of our salvation. Perhaps in these
final days of anticipation it would do us well to reflect on the virtues of
Mary Christ’s very own mother and in these final days in some way reflect them
in our own lives.
Humility the first of Our Lady’s virtues
“True
humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
“These
are the few ways we can practice humility: To speak as little as possible of
one's self; to mind one's own business, not to want to manage other people's
affairs; to avoid curiosity, to accept contradictions and correction
cheerfully; to pass over the mistakes of others, to accept insults and
injuries; to accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked, to be kind and
gentle even under provocation; never to stand on one's dignity, to choose
always the hardest.”
― Mother Teresa, The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living
How
to celebrate Look for an Evergreen Day
·
The
best way to celebrate is to grab a book of local flora/fauna, and head out to
identify all the different types of evergreen plants that grow in your part of
the world· There are literally thousands of different varieties from every
place in the vegetable kingdom, so there are certain to be multiple examples in
your local area.
·
Obviously,
if you haven’t gotten your tree yet, then Look for an Evergreen Day is
when it should happen· By understanding the difference between Blue Spruce,
Douglas Fir, and the dozens of other varieties of Christmas Tree available,
you’ll know which ones will have the most even spread, which ones will be the
most dense, and will best compliment your home and decorating scheme.
Daily
Devotions
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