Advent Reflections, Week One Friday

The gift of ourselves is the greatest gift -- filling our boxes with generosity, kindness, and love this Advent is a wonderful gift to offer Jesus.  This notion was instilled for us kids at an early age with the tradition of making Advent boxes.  We would decorate old shoe boxes with Christmas wrap and cut a slit in the top.  Then we would cut out last years old Christmas cards and paste images on the box.  Then every time we did something "good" we would write it down and put it in our box. Then on Christmas the hope I believe my parents had is that would be filled to the brim with goodness as a special gift just for Jesus! I will admit some years were filled up more than others.  This memory alone is a gift and one I now pass along to my children

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 ~ Psalm 147:1-6 ~ Matthew 9:35 ­10:1, 6-8

 “The gift you have received, give as a gift.” Matthew 10:8

Giving gifts and getting gifts is on everyone’s minds these days. My children have always had at least one “I-have-to-have-this-or-I-will-just-die” gift on any list. As we think of this year’s gifts, we can turn our attention to the gifts that the Lord has already given us. All are important but as we reflect on them some one or another of these gifts plays a greater part in each of our lives. For some it is the Bible. For others, the daily Eucharist. Or Mary. Or service to the poor. If that gift was not part of our spiritual life in the special way that it is, we can imagine being much less alive. The Lord has given it to you so that we can give others who may “just die” without the life it brings.

Thank you, Giver of all good gifts, for the abundance of your love that has given me life, especially for…