First Sunday of Advent, Sunday, November 29th, 2015
Let me preface what I write to say that I lost my dear mother this week. She passed away from this life on Thanksgiving morning. Thus, Thanksgiving 2015 has been a very emotional day for me, to say the least. The fact that I lost my beloved mother on Thanksgiving itself did encourage me to give thanks for her life and the life that she gave to me. But more important than the actual life she gave me, I am thankful for the love that she showed me all of my . . . ahem . . . 39 years here on this earth. You see, I can only speak from my own point of view . . . I can only speak on behalf of myself . . . I can only tell you things from my perspective . . . but in my case, my mother always showed me love; always supported me; and she loved me unconditionally. My mother was to me what a parent should be: someone who loved; encouraged; and supported. She was there for me my whole life. We hear so many stories, whether they be in the news-media or from people that we know, about parents who do not show love as they should. But my mother was certainly not one of those. She showed love to me my entire life. And in that last sentence, I emphasize the "showed" part. Why do I say that? Why do I emphasize that? Because my mother was very quiet when it came to her emotions. My mother was very soft-spoken when it came to voicing her opinion or her emotions for that matter, but she showed her love for me through her actions. She showed me that she loved me by being there for me. I never had any doubt as to whether or not she loved me. I knew that she did. She proved her love not by what she bought me but how she was there for me. I always knew that my mother loved me by the quiet support she always showed for me, no matter what. I knew that my mother loved me by the way in which she loved me day in and day out.
St. Paul says in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans: " . . . . for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8) Our Blessed Saviour gave clear direction that we should love one another: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (St. John 13:34) It is certainly not easy to show love at times. It is difficult to show love in the face of disrespect, for example. It is certainly not easy to show love when there is disappointment. It is difficult, to say the least, to show love when we faced with burdens and obstacles: whether these be physical; emotional; or mental. And yet love can overcome any burden. Love can overcome any obstacle. Love is what a parent does and what a parent shows. Love is what we show to one another in times of difficulty or emotional distress. Love is not defined by what we give to a person. Rather, love is defined by how we treat a person. My mother and my father, for that matter, defined love by giving of themselves to me and not what they bought for me. God also calls us to love, . . . to give of ourselves . . . to love one another . . . as He has loved us.
Two opportunities to join us for Mass on Sunday, November 29th, 2015:
St. Margaret meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.
Holy Spirit Church meets every Sunday at 1:00 PM at the historic First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street in Greenfield, Indiana.
Join us for Mass as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Join us as we hear God speaking to each one of us in His Precious Word. Come receive nourishment and strength as Our Lord fortifies you with His Precious Body and Blood at Communion time. Come dedicate an hour out of your week to God alone. Give Him that hour and dedicate that time to Him. He has given so much to you . . . . can you not dedicate one hour to Him?
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