Tag: Gift

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Minute Meditation – The Gift of Enough

The gifts we give are ultimately about the receiver, not about the giver. How often when we’re giving gifts do we think about how the gift will reflect on us, our great taste, our generosity, our discretionary income? Much of this stems from insecurity, a fear that we’re somehow not enough in ourselves, that what we do and how much we make and the gifts we give bolster our sense of self. But the peril of this approach is that we’re bound to be disappointed by the receiver’s reaction, no matter how much they thank us. The Christmas holidays often surface doubts and insecurities that we ignore the rest of the year. It might be the stress of extra activities, more spending than we’re accustomed to, less sleep than we need, more food and drink than we should have. We see people we haven’t seen in several months, perhaps not since last Christmas, and we wonder what they think of us. Family gatherings can raise tensions as well. The wonder of the birth of Jesus is balanced by a darker reality: We are all broken and marginalized in some way. We are called to see the mercy and forgiveness that are such an essential part of the incarnation. The peace we can’t find in our daily life is waiting for us in the love of God, a love so clearly shown in the gift of Jesus.

Treat yourself to a little soul-searching. We usually know what fault we most need to work on in ourselves. Minor issues can often be dealt with through some reflection and journaling, being honest with ourselves, and making a commitment to work on our bad habits. More serious issues might need some counseling or therapy. That could be the best Christmas gift you could give yourself. Many churches have special reconciliation services during the Advent season; if you’re so inclined, you might want to attend one, with or without individual confession. A peaceful heart is one of the greatest gifts of Christmas.

—from the book The Peace of Christmas: Quiet Reflections from Pope Francis
by Diane M. Houdek

//Franciscan Media//

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Minute Meditation – The Gift of Contentment

Advent is a good time to reflect on the many gifts we already have, and even on the many material things that make our lives more pleasant and less difficult. But we don’t have to be very far along in the spiritual life to understand that having more isn’t going to fill an emptiness in our souls. Contentment is a great gift that we don’t always appreciate. It’s not as rare as we might think. Instead of asking whether we’re happy, perhaps we can get into the habit of asking how content we are. Contentment has in it an element of peace that’s greatly needed in our lives and in our world today. And the more content we are with what we possess, the more likely we are to hold those things lightly and to give to those whose needs are greater and more genuine than our passing desires. The prophet Isaiah speaks of prosperity and success being like a river or the waves of the sea: infinite but constantly in motion. We are to hold our treasures lightly, knowing that they come from God.

— from the book Simple Gifts: Daily Reflections for Advent 
by Diane M. Houdek

//Franciscan Media//

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Minute Meditation – A Gift Beyond Time

Advent reminds us that the One who has come into the world and is always coming into our lives in new ways is the source of our salvation. We don’t need novelty and “magic bullet” solutions to our concerns. We simply need to return again and again to the rock-solid foundation of our lives: God and God alone. The mystery of the Incarnation is that by entering into our time and into our world, Jesus can show us the way to the gift that is beyond all time.

—from the book Simple Gifts: Daily Reflections for Advent
by Diane M. Houdek  

//Franciscan Media//

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Minute Meditation – Everything is a Gift

To Francis everything in him and around him was a gift from his Father in Heaven. He expected nothing, so he was grateful for everything. Even a piece of earth was cause for rejoicing, and he thanked God always for everything that was. He held everything to his heart with the enthusiasm of a child surprised by some unexpected toy. The air he breathed, the sounds he heard, the sights and smells of all the world entered his grateful soul through senses perfected by gratitude and purity of heart.

Nothing was evil, for everything came from God, and evil came only from a heart that chose not to love. The heart through passion or selfishness or pride could choose not to love and that was evil, but no thing or no person was evil in and of itself. When Francis passed people on the road or met them on their doorsteps as he begged, he could not hide his delight in them, in their very existence. All people to Francis were good gifts to brighten his day with the mystery of their unique personalities.

—from the book Francis: The Journey and the Dream
by Murray Bodo, OFM, page

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Minute Meditation – Probe for Inner Wisdom

We are told that in the beginning there was light. Ever since, all of God’s creation—plants, animals, we humans—are drawn to light. As we emerged from our mothers’ wombs and pushed our way through a dark and confining birth canal, we experienced light for the very first time. We have come to learn how light sustains us and calls us to life. We call Jesus “Light of the World,” and he invites us to be light for one another in ways of loving, caring, and serving. Without this light, ours would be a dark, fearful, oppressive journey. 

Move from contemplation to action and probe for inner wisdom. What kind of light do others see in you? Do you have enough light to see your way? How do you fill the oil in your lamp? Who needs you today to bring a bit of sunshine into their life? As you generously share your light, give thanks and praise in knowing and treasuring all that is gift. 

— from the book Eucharistic Adoration: Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition 
by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

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Ascension Presents – Prayer Ain’t Easy

Growing up Fr. Mike thought prayer should be like soaking in a hot tub. He didn’t understand why it was so hard when he tried it.

It took him a while to learn that, as the Catechism says, prayer is a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. Prayer always presupposes effort. There’s always some kind of engagement when we properly pray to God. It’s not just about soaking in God’s grace. The required effort in prayer is difficult more often than it is not. Prayer is a battle against ourselves and “the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer” (CCC 2725).

Over time, Fr. Mike discovered that prayer needs to be more than a momentary time where we seek solace and closeness with God. We need to constantly acknowledge our relationship with God throughout the day, just as a husband and wife are constantly thinking of each other. Then when we do set aside time to simply be with God, it happens more naturally.

If you want to improve your prayer life, make the intentional and faithful decision to live the same way outside of prayer as you do within prayer.

Read “The Battle of Prayer” section in the Catechism.

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Minute Meditation – We Live in a World of Gift

When we exist in a world of gift, in which we ourselves are given, then our own labors must be gifts to those around us. To refuse that possibility is to refuse the thanksgiving to which we are properly called. Or, to put it another way, if we are not willing to see our lives and the creation as gifts, then we are not able to properly acknowledge our debts. Being so free, we then feel as though it is in our right to say that others owe us. Thus we can easily sell our labors, without any sense of obligation that perhaps we really owe them. That some should give their labors freely is then, properly, the response of those who owe what cannot be repaid—which includes us all.

— from the book Wendell Berry and the Given Life by Ragan Sutterfield

//Franciscan Media//