The Blessed Virigin Mary, Mother of God

Cyril of Alexandria"I have been amazed that some are utterly in doubt as to whether or not the holy Virgin is able to be called the Mother of God. For if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, how should the holy Virgin who bore him not be the Mother of God?" (Letter to the Monks of Egypt 1 [A.D. 427]). "This expression, however, ‘the Word was made flesh’ [John 1:14], can mean nothing else but that he partook of flesh and blood like to us; he made our body his own, and came forth man from a woman, not casting off his existence as God, or his generation of God the Father, but even in taking to himself flesh remaining what he was. This the declaration of the correct faith proclaims everywhere. This was the sentiment of the holy Fathers; therefore they ventured to call the holy Virgin ‘the Mother of God,’ not as if the nature of the Word or his divinity had its beginning from the holy Virgin, but because of her was born that holy body with a rational soul, to which the Word, being personally united, is said to be born according to the flesh" (First Letter to Nestorius [A.D. 430]). "And since the holy Virgin corporeally brought forth God made one with flesh according to nature, for this reason we also call her Mother of God, not as if the nature of the Word had the beginning of its existence from the flesh" (Third Letter to Nestorius [A.D. 430]).
___Photo taken from http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/pics/Virgin_Mary_Mother_of_God.jpg

Christmas in July, and August ...

  What was Christmas like for me?  Did I experience it as  one of the people in Bethlehem who were so busy they passed by the stable unaware that the cry they heard was the cry of their Savior? Did I take the time I should have to adore our Savior ,who came as a babe that was hungry for love, hungry to forgive and hungry for souls, my soul?
This  past Christmas, did I  miss what could have been an Epiphany or was I  like one of the shepherds who dropped their work and did  seek Christ ,and do what they could to diligently find Christ in the crowds?
Who did I  most relate to in the story of Christ's Birth?
This Christmas was I  like the Wise men - "seeking" by the light of the Church to find Christ? Or like the shepherds present in adoration and ready to receive and spread the Good news? Or like the Innkeeper who was too busy to notice or honor the Christ Child in others and closed the door of his heart to the Holy Family? Or like Herod opposing Christ altogether? Did I suffer loss for Christ's sake as did the the mothers of the Holy Innocents? Did I listen to the call to be like St Joseph, obedient and faithful or like Mary, in love with God, surrendered and obedient or like Jesus, little, poor, humble, forgiving, life giving?... Christmas meditations can keep me busy all year.

"Come to Bethlehem and See"

Luke 2:15
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
I am so impatient to get our shopping done.
My experience preparing for Christmas made me consider how impatient we all can be with ourselves and others. I guess that is par for the course as we live in a world that expects immediate results often achieved at a click of a button.

Ideally, we would like to embrace the trials of the season with joy that we are sharing in God’s plan to bring Christ into the world with a kind word or an open heart. I know that Christ will always remain in Christmas and keeping Him there is not the real problem. The real problem is making a way to remain with and in Him.

Little Boy,Little Fish, Big Faith

John 6:9  9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
The little boy gave the little he had trusting that nothing was impossible with God. He may of been one of the smallest among Christ followers but he had big faith that when we give Jesus our gifts no matter how small and limited we may think they are and no matter our weaknesses, Jesus can and will work wonders.