Papoo told me about this many times, and here it is one YouTube.
Miracle at The Lord’s Ranch
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Family
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of The Holy Family. Teague and I had the opportunity to celebrate at St. Joseph Parish in Cerrillos, New Mexico. Today’s readings focus on the family and at times spoke to me deeply. They talk of respecting your father, and I have to ask myself, “Have I?” The reading from Colossians warns fathers not to provoke their children. I have to admit that I am often a failure in this area, and it saddens me.
We are here celebrating family in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside of the city of Santa Fe. The Winger clan has gathered, and we are all under one roof. Sacrifices have been made by many to be here, and I have to admit there were times that I wasn’t always excited about coming. It’s not easy when you get this many people together, but grace and prayer can do amazing things, and I’ve witnessed it more than once this weekend.
Being a part of a family is not the easiest thing, but it is a great blessing, and I have observed multiple blessings here among the Winger clan. Dad was telling me this morning that he and Mom had a fun laying in bed last night just listening to everyone in the main room laughing as they played games and visited. Voices were recognized and blessings came down.
Family is important. The Church often refers to the family as the domestic church (CCC, 2204), and the family is the very foundation of society. Strong families are the foundation and backbone of society.
I am thankful for my family, and I pray that I will honor my parents, love my wife, and not provoke my children.
The Grace to Begin Again
These things have been written for a warning for us, for we are living at the end of the ages. (1 Corinthians 10:11)
Where has the time gone? Can you believe that we are already at the end of 2012? When St. Paul wrote the verse above, I suppose that he thought that the Second Coming of Christ would be soon. Many of the early Christians felt the end time was at hand. In our Father’s time, it really hasn’t been that long ago since St. Paul penned this verse after all, “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day.” (2 Peter 3: 8) So, I guess we could say that it’s been about two days since St. Paul proclaimed that we were “living at the end of the ages.”
Aren’t we all in fact living in our own end times? Who knows how many days we have left on this earth? In my Personal Finance class, we take a look at a life expectancy calculator when we discuss life insurance and how premiums are calculated. My life expectancy usually runs from the mid 60’s to the mid 70’s. So, according to the calculator, I could have about twenty years left to live. That doesn’t sound very long to me. But who knows what tomorrow may bring? Will I be alive?
I haven’t written a Mary Mail since August. Where has the time gone? What have I done with it? Have I served God? Have I followed Jesus?
Over the past couple of months, I have had the opportunity to meet weekly with a group of young families. The children age from about 6 months to 10 years old. We come together and eat. The children play and the adults pray and share our faith. I was out of my comfort zone, but I was blessed to witness “a family, a Church in miniature.” (St. John Chrysostom)
I got a call last week. A group of men that I used to meet with on Tuesday mornings wanted to start getting together again. We met last Tuesday, and again I was encouraged and enriched.
We are smack dab in the middle of Advent, a time when we are called to remember the First Coming of Jesus our Lord as a babe in a manger. It is also a time when we are called to reflect on our lives and prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of Jesus our Lord. There is also a Third Coming, which is hidden and lies between the first and the second. “In it only the elect see the Lord within their own selves, and they are saved.” (Saint Bernard, abbot; Sermo 5, In Adventu Domini)
Through life’s journey God has granted me the grace to start over. He has blessed me numerous new beginnings. I pray that as we travel this Advent journey together that we will all accept the grace God has given each of us to begin again.
Retrouvaille
Publisher: dwinger Volume No. 4 Issue No 23 Date Aug. 16, 05
This past weekend Teague and I experienced Retrouvaille. Retrouvaille, pronounced
Re-tro-vi¢ with long o and long i, is a French word meaning rediscovery. It is clear to me that our marriage has indeed experienced rediscovery. Teague and I decided that we would both try and share our thoughts and feelings about the weekend, and so ladies first…
Art and Faith
Psalm 120
The LORD answered me when I called in my distress:
2 LORD, deliver me from lying lips, from treacherous tongues. (NAB)
I pray Lord that my heart will seek only to please you.
Psalm 119
169 Let my cry come before you, LORD; in keeping with your word give me discernment.
170 Let my prayer come before you; rescue me according to your promise.
171 May my lips pour forth your praise, because you teach me your laws.
172 May my tongue sing of your promise, for all your commands are just.
173 Keep your hand ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, LORD; your teaching is my delight.
175 Let me live to praise you; may your edicts give me help.
176 I have wandered like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commands. (NAB)
Lord hear our prayer.
