Sunday, December 23, 2012

4th Sunday of Advent

BEADS OF JOY 12-23-12 “4th Sunday of Advent”
©2012 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. In our lives, do we really recognize our Lord’s presence? Have you turned your life over to God, trustingly giving Him full control of everything? What is the significance of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth while she was pregnant? Did you know that it is the Holy Spirit within us that leaps with Joy- always leading us to, and always recognizes our Lord’s presence? Are you also ready to RESPOND to God’s love in your life? How we RESPOND shows Jesus how much we really love Him. This week our focus will be how we can RESPOND to Jesus. He loves us even when we don’t or won’t love Him in return; His love is unconditional. Mary our Lord’s Mother and ours; lovingly gave up her life to accept the sword that would pierce her heart. How can we live a life in response to her example? What we have to do in this life, is figure out this: How can I make Jesus the absolute center of my life?
Today’s gospel can be found in Luke 1:39-45 (The Visitation). I always love it when our days focus is on a mystery. The Visitation is the second Joyful Mystery, and that alone is exciting. Mary did receive a crown, a crown of Joy given to her for unselfishly being our Lord’s mother, the ark of the New Covenant; but we must note that she also received another crown for the pain and sorrow she will bear at the foot of His cross. The Visitation teaches us a lot about, self-giving to others and unselfishness. Today’s scripture captures me at this verse, “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” When Mary saw Elizabeth, Elizabeth was shocked that Mary would be there for her, knowing she was the, “..mother of my Lord.

Let us RESPOND together to such a loving, caring, merciful God. Christmas is just two days away. It’s so exciting and there is so much fun; just thinking about the Joy that baby Jesus will bring to the world. Many of you know how much I really love Praying The Rosary, and that nothing interferes with my relationship with my Lord. Today I challenge you to try to do the same in your own life. RESPOND to God’s infinite love by placing Him first and foremost in your thoughts and actions each day. When I gave my heart and life to Jesus back in 1983, you can understand the depths of my experience if you read “My Storyhttp://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-story-1st-time-posted-here.html check it out, if haven’t yet. My whole life changed and my allegiance was fully to my Lord and the Rosary was my guiding light to Him every day. How did I RESPOND? I centered my life around my love for Him, trusting Him, and always turning to Him and always thanking Him; even in the hardest of times, still trusting Him. It has given such great strength through these trying times of Chrissy’s suffering.

Jesus, I Trust in You.”

Your Brother in Christ Jesus
and His Most Precious Mother Mary,
Jimmy (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS