There are not over a 100 people in the U.S. that hate the Catholic Church, there are millions however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church, which is, of course, quite a different thing.- Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Stop. Read. Think.

Imagine tomorrow's your birthday.You walk into your house to find it brightly decorated. There's a pile of presents in the corner. The table is set out with all of your favorite foods and drinks.

But, you begin to notice, no one acknowledges you, as they prepare the food, look at the decorations and wrap presents. Very few of the people there are your friends... most are possibly your parents' friends? They express dismay at the end of the birthday party, but you wonder why because the party hasn't begun... At midnight, everyone begins to hug, but they still ignore you. They give the presents to each other, but there is no present for you. Everyone begins to eat the food, but there is no place at the table for you. Before the day is over, the decorations are thrown out. The remaining food is thrown away.

I know I've treated Jesus this way during Christmas. It's his birthday, but none of the presents under the tree are for him! But, what do I give a man who has everything? One who literally owns the whole world (because he made it)?

One very important thing: My Heart.

I look at the nativity scene, and I look at the presents under the tree. I look at the cookies I haven't baked yet, and the gifts for my family that probably won't arrive until next week. Is my heart really with Jesus, or does it lie in love for presents, and worry over things not being perfect?

What if, this Christmas, I took my heart and my will, wrapped it up and tied it with a bow; placed it under the tree with a label that said:

 To: Jesus
From: Me         Could you imagine Jesus's face when he opens the gift?

What if you had a birthday cake for Jesus?
Actually, first you'd have to find 2011 candles...that's a lot of fire!
But I bet Jesus could blow them all out on the first try!

Is there room at the table for Jesus?
Could I let the Christmas season end, before it even begins?