This past week we had groups from a variety of different colleges up at the farm. On Monday we talked about the Catholic Social Teachings and the principle of Preferential Option for the Poor. In that discussion I pointed out how I believed that we are often the over-looked poor and vulnerable; overlooked because we are blessed with an abundance of things. I also pointed out how I believe that it is dangerous to overlook our vulnerability. When we suffocate ourselves with and abundance of things and fail to recognize our blessings we begin to lose the importance of God in our lives. We begin to pretend that we are self-made and that we are in complete control of our lives.
When all this happens not only do we lose sight of God but we lose sight of the poor and we begin to lose sight of even ourselves. We begin to question our faith, we isolate ourselves from humanity and we begin to consider our wants as needs.
Thoreau once said “We often starve ourselves not of lack of necessity, but for lack of wants.” We do this when we begin to view even small things such as coffee in the morning as a necessity in order to function during the day or to not be grumpy with others. We can see signs of this when we think we need t.v. in order to ease our minds after a long day of school or work. In reality those are addictions and escape mechanisms that have replaced God in your lives to provide for the energy, or ease of mind.
In a consumer based society we are targeted daily and are told we need things in order to succeed or to prosper and to be happy. We have created a society in which some believe it is impossible to live successfully unless you spend one hundred thousand dollars on a college degree so that you can get a career that makes good money. But what is the point? What is the motivation behind all that? What is our definition of success? Jesus warned us not to be motivated by “mammon” or material goods. Because they will grow old and even your mind will leave you some day. It is not our physical abilities, our material possessions or even what we know that points to our success in life, but rather it is how we love and serve others that determines our path to Christ. Now, I am not saying do not educate yourselves by any means, in fact, education is extremely important and something we need to strive for. It will help us live informed lives able to advance Gods gifts that we are given, but our attitude, motivation and value that we place with high costing diplomas should be evaluated. Are the poor given the same opportunities or do we create a divide between those that can/have a college degree and those who can’t/don’t?
Put simply: To have the goal in life to make money and collect things is dangerous, selfish and causes people to wander from the faith.
What is the faith that we wander from? The two greatest commandments are to love God with your whole heart soul, mind and strength and to love each other as Christ loved us. When we look at how Christ loved us, we see simplicity and we see sacrifice. We see that our faith is to serve the poor, feed the hungry, visit the lonely, welcome the outcasts and heal the sick. This is why we sacrifice and live simply. To free ourselves for those callings in whatever form they take.
When we disengage ourselves from material goods, comforts, and false needs we expose our vulnerability and recognize our dependence on God. When we depend on God he provides and that leads to much courage and joy. The most confidence one can have is found through the strength that God provides. Our actions can then become intentional, our wants are then realized as wants and our blessings are recognized, given thanks for and shared with others.
So, today I would like you all to take a moment to reflect on your lives. What are the blessings in your life? What in your life do you consider your needs? What are your wants? Most importantly, what can you sacrifice in your life to open yourself up to service, community or prayer?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A New Year!
We are back! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Season and enjoyed their time with family and friends. We at the farm had an extremely busy but rewarding month of December. Now we have all returned back to the farm and just finished a most wonderful volunteer group week. We were blessed with the presence of St. Mary’s Life teen (Massachusetts) (youth group), Canisius College (New York), Caldwell College (New Jersey) and Manhattan College. Lots of wonderful work was done around the farm. Because we have received close to 10 inches of snow throughout the week the groups for most of the week remained around the farm and completed projects. The supply barn was organized on the inside and all the wood was sorted and stacked. The White Barn and Dining Room was re-mudded and painted! We also had the pleasure to work for Granny, Betty, Butch, and Steve!
It is so beautiful this time of year and the air is fresh. With the New Year already begun it is a time to start anew. To remember fondly the past and to look forward with great hope to the future! Although, most importantly, we should take time to enjoy the season and the people around us and fully enjoy the present!
Tomorrow we have brand new schools coming to the farm for another week and the staff here is enthused to meet the new volunteers. It is a constant reminder for us that people around the world are seeking Christ and aiming to serve him by serving others. God is good, life is good, and we are all one!
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm.
It is so beautiful this time of year and the air is fresh. With the New Year already begun it is a time to start anew. To remember fondly the past and to look forward with great hope to the future! Although, most importantly, we should take time to enjoy the season and the people around us and fully enjoy the present!
Tomorrow we have brand new schools coming to the farm for another week and the staff here is enthused to meet the new volunteers. It is a constant reminder for us that people around the world are seeking Christ and aiming to serve him by serving others. God is good, life is good, and we are all one!
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Twelve Days of Christmas
I’m sure you have all heard the Christmas carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with its haunting melody. The carol dates back to the 16th century and its precise author is unknown. It has generally been assumed to consist of twelve nonsense verses built around a pretty melody. But in a fascinating article in Our Sunday Visitor (12/20/92), Fr. Gilhooley, a chaplain at St. Mary’s College, informs us that the carol was written by the English Jesuits of the 16th century as a catechetical device and it is far from filled with nonsensical verses.
The carol is akin to the apocalyptic literature of Scripture that used obscure symbols to hide its true meaning from the enemy in time of persecution. To understand the background that gave rise to the carol, let us look briefly at the history of Catholicism in 16th century England.
When Henry VIII was rebuffed by Rome in his bid to divorce Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn, he declared himself head of the Church in England replacing the Pope and demanded that all swear an oath of allegiance to him as such. St. Thomas More, the Chancellor of the Realm, the equivalent of the Prime Minister today, refused the oath supporting the elimination of the Pope’s authority and Henry had him publicly beheaded. Catholic convents and monasteries were closed and looted. The situation was worse under his son, Edward VI, and better during the short reign of Catherine’s daughter, Mary Tudor. She was succeeded by her half-sister Elizabeth I, an ardent Protestant, the daughter of Anne Boleyn. The practice of the Catholic faith was banned. Priests were exiled and forbidden under pain of death from returning or performing the sacraments. It was a desperate, dreadful time.
But many priests risked their lives to come back and minister to the flock and many lay Catholics likewise risked their lives and fortunes to hear Mass and have their children baptized. Wealthy families built hiding places, called priests’ holes, in their homes to hide priests in case their homes were raided by the secret police.
The story is told of one priest who was almost caught in a surprise raid. He had just time to squeeze into his hole before the police broke in on the family. The police had obviously received a tip because they went right to the fireplace where the priest’s hole was located. But try as they might, they couldn’t find the entrance. Then in their frustration they ordered a fire to be lit to drive out the priest. When he didn’t emerge, because to do so would subject the host family to prison or death, they ordered more logs on the fire. Eventually all were driven from the room by the intense heat and the police left in disgust. The family rushed to get the priest out of the hole but he was already dead, baked alive. He gave his life under cruel circumstances to save those whom he had come to serve. And he was only one of many.
With this as a background we can see the need for secrecy and deception. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written to educate the faithful in the doctrines of the faith and yet not be obvious to the persecutors. The numbers are simply a mnemonic to help Catholics remember some basic facts. Recall the words of the song. “On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: twelve lords a leaping, eleven pipers piping, ten ladies dancing, nine drummers drumming, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.”
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” celebrates the official Christmas season which starts liturgically on Christmas Day and ends twelve days later on the Feast of the Epiphany. “My true love” refers to God, “me” is the individual Catholic. The “twelve lords a leaping” are the twelve basic beliefs of the Catholic Church as outlined in the Apostles Creed. The “eleven pipers piping” are the eleven Apostles who remained faithful after the treachery of Judas. The “ten drummers drumming” are the Ten Commandments. The “nine ladies dancing” are the nine choirs of angels which in those days of class distinction were thought important. The “eight maids a milking” are the Eight Beatitudes. The “seven swans a swimming” are the Seven Sacraments. The “six geese a laying” are the Six Commandments of the Church or the six days of creation. The “five golden rings” are the first five books of the Old Testament called the Torah which are generally considered the most sacred and important of all the Old Testament. The “four calling birds” are the Four Gospels. The “three French hens” are the Three Persons in God or the three gifts of the Wise Men. The “two turtle doves” represent the two natures in Jesus: human and divine or the two Testaments, Old and New. The “partridge” is the piece de resistance, Jesus himself, and the “pear tree” is the Cross.
(courtesy of http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=3465)
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
The carol is akin to the apocalyptic literature of Scripture that used obscure symbols to hide its true meaning from the enemy in time of persecution. To understand the background that gave rise to the carol, let us look briefly at the history of Catholicism in 16th century England.
When Henry VIII was rebuffed by Rome in his bid to divorce Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn, he declared himself head of the Church in England replacing the Pope and demanded that all swear an oath of allegiance to him as such. St. Thomas More, the Chancellor of the Realm, the equivalent of the Prime Minister today, refused the oath supporting the elimination of the Pope’s authority and Henry had him publicly beheaded. Catholic convents and monasteries were closed and looted. The situation was worse under his son, Edward VI, and better during the short reign of Catherine’s daughter, Mary Tudor. She was succeeded by her half-sister Elizabeth I, an ardent Protestant, the daughter of Anne Boleyn. The practice of the Catholic faith was banned. Priests were exiled and forbidden under pain of death from returning or performing the sacraments. It was a desperate, dreadful time.
But many priests risked their lives to come back and minister to the flock and many lay Catholics likewise risked their lives and fortunes to hear Mass and have their children baptized. Wealthy families built hiding places, called priests’ holes, in their homes to hide priests in case their homes were raided by the secret police.
The story is told of one priest who was almost caught in a surprise raid. He had just time to squeeze into his hole before the police broke in on the family. The police had obviously received a tip because they went right to the fireplace where the priest’s hole was located. But try as they might, they couldn’t find the entrance. Then in their frustration they ordered a fire to be lit to drive out the priest. When he didn’t emerge, because to do so would subject the host family to prison or death, they ordered more logs on the fire. Eventually all were driven from the room by the intense heat and the police left in disgust. The family rushed to get the priest out of the hole but he was already dead, baked alive. He gave his life under cruel circumstances to save those whom he had come to serve. And he was only one of many.
With this as a background we can see the need for secrecy and deception. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written to educate the faithful in the doctrines of the faith and yet not be obvious to the persecutors. The numbers are simply a mnemonic to help Catholics remember some basic facts. Recall the words of the song. “On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: twelve lords a leaping, eleven pipers piping, ten ladies dancing, nine drummers drumming, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.”
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” celebrates the official Christmas season which starts liturgically on Christmas Day and ends twelve days later on the Feast of the Epiphany. “My true love” refers to God, “me” is the individual Catholic. The “twelve lords a leaping” are the twelve basic beliefs of the Catholic Church as outlined in the Apostles Creed. The “eleven pipers piping” are the eleven Apostles who remained faithful after the treachery of Judas. The “ten drummers drumming” are the Ten Commandments. The “nine ladies dancing” are the nine choirs of angels which in those days of class distinction were thought important. The “eight maids a milking” are the Eight Beatitudes. The “seven swans a swimming” are the Seven Sacraments. The “six geese a laying” are the Six Commandments of the Church or the six days of creation. The “five golden rings” are the first five books of the Old Testament called the Torah which are generally considered the most sacred and important of all the Old Testament. The “four calling birds” are the Four Gospels. The “three French hens” are the Three Persons in God or the three gifts of the Wise Men. The “two turtle doves” represent the two natures in Jesus: human and divine or the two Testaments, Old and New. The “partridge” is the piece de resistance, Jesus himself, and the “pear tree” is the Cross.
(courtesy of http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=3465)
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Advent Preparation
Why is it So Difficult to Enter Into Advent?
It happens every year, as predictably as drawing up a shopping list, decorating the tree and planning the Christmas Dinner. Every year we think, “Now THIS is the year when I really will enter into Advent.” And there it stays. Nothing happens. We know in our hearts that Advent can be more than a "pre-Christmas" season, more than those four weeks of getting ready for the Big Day on December 25th. We sit in Church and hear the different readings, the darkness and the promise of hope.
We ponder in our hearts: Our lives are full, our families are good, our homes beautiful. We have everything, simply everything we could want. But in the quiet darkness, we are aware of something stirring in our hearts, a longing we can't name. Something that no trip to the store, no decorations, Christmas dishes or new ornaments can fill. The longing might be risky, even dangerous, so we push it away — quickly — and busy ourselves again. There is so much to do in these weeks.
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
Jeremiah 3
frustrated manThe stirring returns. What is this promise for us? What does it mean for us in our comfortable, complicated and messy lives? We want to be better people, and our lives are not perfect. We don't want to delve into our relationships at home because we don't want to upset the way things are. We are so often impatient with our children, unreasonable with our spouses and we might even admit, disappointed in our lives. We echo the disciples' confusion and disappointment after the crucifixion: “We had thought it would be different." But we have everything we could want. What else is there?
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
The reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
Isaiah 25
HopeWhat if this Advent, we allow ourselves to imagine a life that is different? What if our hearts were at peace and our lives more satisfying? That longing in the most hidden corners of our hearts is something holy, a Holy Longing, a desire for a deeper relationship with God.
We might squirm at that and stammer all of the excuses we know: "Not now. I'm really busy. I'm not a very holy person. I'm going to get to a serious relationship with God as soon as my kids are gone... when I don't have to care for my parents; when I get the promotion at work; when we move to a new house." There are dozens of ways we can evade the issue, but still, that longing is there for something more.
candlesAdvent is a time to recognize both our holy longing and the healing love God has for us, despite the many barriers we put up between ourselves and God. We can start simply and just rest at the edge of our beds in the mornings, open our hands and whisper, "Come, Lord Jesus!" If we let ourselves feel what is in our hearts, we know they are filled with love. We can carry that experience with us as we go through even the busiest of our days. We may not know exactly where to begin or how to fill this longing in our hearts but it is simple. God waits with infinite love and with arms outstretched to meet us. The words we say don't matter. We can speak as if God is a friend we have not seen in a long time, but one with whom we can sit in a comfortable silence.
It's just about taking the first step. Even if we are fearful about this next step, we can say to God what is in our hearts. In this Advent season, it's time to risk, to make the first step, to find our way back home.
Loving God, I don't have the right words. I'm not sure where to begin, but I know you are the hope and promise of the peace to come in my life. Be with me this day. Let me look at my life and my day today and open my heart completely as I begin, "Come, Lord Jesus."
(taken from this website: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/difficult-entering-Advent.html)
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
It happens every year, as predictably as drawing up a shopping list, decorating the tree and planning the Christmas Dinner. Every year we think, “Now THIS is the year when I really will enter into Advent.” And there it stays. Nothing happens. We know in our hearts that Advent can be more than a "pre-Christmas" season, more than those four weeks of getting ready for the Big Day on December 25th. We sit in Church and hear the different readings, the darkness and the promise of hope.
We ponder in our hearts: Our lives are full, our families are good, our homes beautiful. We have everything, simply everything we could want. But in the quiet darkness, we are aware of something stirring in our hearts, a longing we can't name. Something that no trip to the store, no decorations, Christmas dishes or new ornaments can fill. The longing might be risky, even dangerous, so we push it away — quickly — and busy ourselves again. There is so much to do in these weeks.
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
Jeremiah 3
frustrated manThe stirring returns. What is this promise for us? What does it mean for us in our comfortable, complicated and messy lives? We want to be better people, and our lives are not perfect. We don't want to delve into our relationships at home because we don't want to upset the way things are. We are so often impatient with our children, unreasonable with our spouses and we might even admit, disappointed in our lives. We echo the disciples' confusion and disappointment after the crucifixion: “We had thought it would be different." But we have everything we could want. What else is there?
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
The reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
Isaiah 25
HopeWhat if this Advent, we allow ourselves to imagine a life that is different? What if our hearts were at peace and our lives more satisfying? That longing in the most hidden corners of our hearts is something holy, a Holy Longing, a desire for a deeper relationship with God.
We might squirm at that and stammer all of the excuses we know: "Not now. I'm really busy. I'm not a very holy person. I'm going to get to a serious relationship with God as soon as my kids are gone... when I don't have to care for my parents; when I get the promotion at work; when we move to a new house." There are dozens of ways we can evade the issue, but still, that longing is there for something more.
candlesAdvent is a time to recognize both our holy longing and the healing love God has for us, despite the many barriers we put up between ourselves and God. We can start simply and just rest at the edge of our beds in the mornings, open our hands and whisper, "Come, Lord Jesus!" If we let ourselves feel what is in our hearts, we know they are filled with love. We can carry that experience with us as we go through even the busiest of our days. We may not know exactly where to begin or how to fill this longing in our hearts but it is simple. God waits with infinite love and with arms outstretched to meet us. The words we say don't matter. We can speak as if God is a friend we have not seen in a long time, but one with whom we can sit in a comfortable silence.
It's just about taking the first step. Even if we are fearful about this next step, we can say to God what is in our hearts. In this Advent season, it's time to risk, to make the first step, to find our way back home.
Loving God, I don't have the right words. I'm not sure where to begin, but I know you are the hope and promise of the peace to come in my life. Be with me this day. Let me look at my life and my day today and open my heart completely as I begin, "Come, Lord Jesus."
(taken from this website: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/difficult-entering-Advent.html)
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Saints
At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”
Matthew 18:1-5
But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Matthew 6:3-4
This past Sunday we celebrated All Saints Day. To celebrate this feast day we as a staff decided to plan our prayers around the Saints. We reflected on the lives of new saints and old saints, famous saints and the unknown saints of everyday life. I have always loved hearing these stories. To me they affirm the authentic nature of our faith. It is more than a vague acknowledgement of a spiritual realm; it is more than abstract theological concepts. Our faith is something real and it can be seen and experienced in the ways we act upon it. The Saints remind us that the Body of Christ is made of people, people who have doubted, dreamed about, danced because of, and died for their faith. Their lives serve as examples of, among other things, wisdom, courage, compassion, sacrifice, and usually a healthy amount of stubbornness. We take these virtues and apply them to our own unique journey. It can be very intimidating to model the lives of people that cured the sick and raised the dead to life. However, I feel that we can find comfort it the fact that God does not quantify our deeds. Through one of us the sick may be healed and through another the sorrowful may be comforted. Both of these acts demonstrate God’s love and that is what matters.
In my reflections on the Saints I was led to research a bit about a saint that I am sure many of us have heard of but may not know much about, Saint Nicholas. As it turns out he was not from the North Pole but rather near present day Turkey and therefore most likely did not own any reindeer. However, all the pictures I found do show him with a pretty nice beard and there is a good chance that he had at least one red coat. From what I read of his life it is easy to see how he evolved into the icon that we know as Santa Clause. St. Nicolas was born into a wealthy family but like many other saints he found himself called to faith rather than fortune. He received a large inheritance upon his parent’s death, but committed his wealth to acts of charity. He is remembered as a very modest man and would therefore give gifts in secret. Many citizens of Myra would wake up to find gold coins in their shoes or other gifts from an anonymous giver. In particular he directed his generosity toward children. In one well known story he a poor man is unable to provide for his three daughters. The specifics of this story vary but, what is known is that St. Nicholas secretly gave three bags of gold, one for each daughter. In one version of the story St. Nicholas drops the gold down the chimney to avoid detection.
Reading about St. Nicholas got me thinking about our annual Christmas party. For those of you that don’t know, each year we throw a party for the people of Doddridge County. We hope that it is a time when people can come together for food, fun, and Christmas festivities. Each year St. Nicholas (the rosy-cheeked, bowl full of jelly variety) comes to visit the children. We acknowledge that for many of the low-income families in Doddridge County the holidays can put a strain on the budget. For this reason we make sure that every child that attends leaves with a gift and at least one book. In the same way that St. Nicholas assisted the father and his daughters we hope to be a helping hand to the parents in our community. Not to mention it is always a joy to celebrate with friends and neighbors. However, because we are a non-profit we can do nothing without the generosity of others. We are incredibly blessed to have so many people who, like St. Nicholas, give of what they have. At the Christmas party the staff is fortunate enough to be there to see the faces of the children light up as they play games and receive their gifts. However, most of the people that make this party possible are not there with us. Though in Matthew we are reminded that the Lord sees all that we do and will repay us for our kindness.
We are still planning for this years Christmas party and encourage everyone connected to the farm to consider joining us in our efforts. If you have volunteered recently you may want to sponsor a family that you worked with. Otherwise, we are looking for books, new educational toys, or monetary contributions. Our party is on December 13th and we would like to have gifts in by the end of November. Please consider sending us unwrapped gifts in the mail or contact us at 1-304-782-2742 (by phone) or Nazarethfarm@gmail.com (by email.) As Jesus says, “whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me”. We are grateful for anything you modern day St. Nicholas’s can do. We pray that you are blessed and, like the Saints, that your lives might be examples of how our faith is made real and how a real faith can change the world.
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
Matthew 18:1-5
But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Matthew 6:3-4
This past Sunday we celebrated All Saints Day. To celebrate this feast day we as a staff decided to plan our prayers around the Saints. We reflected on the lives of new saints and old saints, famous saints and the unknown saints of everyday life. I have always loved hearing these stories. To me they affirm the authentic nature of our faith. It is more than a vague acknowledgement of a spiritual realm; it is more than abstract theological concepts. Our faith is something real and it can be seen and experienced in the ways we act upon it. The Saints remind us that the Body of Christ is made of people, people who have doubted, dreamed about, danced because of, and died for their faith. Their lives serve as examples of, among other things, wisdom, courage, compassion, sacrifice, and usually a healthy amount of stubbornness. We take these virtues and apply them to our own unique journey. It can be very intimidating to model the lives of people that cured the sick and raised the dead to life. However, I feel that we can find comfort it the fact that God does not quantify our deeds. Through one of us the sick may be healed and through another the sorrowful may be comforted. Both of these acts demonstrate God’s love and that is what matters.
In my reflections on the Saints I was led to research a bit about a saint that I am sure many of us have heard of but may not know much about, Saint Nicholas. As it turns out he was not from the North Pole but rather near present day Turkey and therefore most likely did not own any reindeer. However, all the pictures I found do show him with a pretty nice beard and there is a good chance that he had at least one red coat. From what I read of his life it is easy to see how he evolved into the icon that we know as Santa Clause. St. Nicolas was born into a wealthy family but like many other saints he found himself called to faith rather than fortune. He received a large inheritance upon his parent’s death, but committed his wealth to acts of charity. He is remembered as a very modest man and would therefore give gifts in secret. Many citizens of Myra would wake up to find gold coins in their shoes or other gifts from an anonymous giver. In particular he directed his generosity toward children. In one well known story he a poor man is unable to provide for his three daughters. The specifics of this story vary but, what is known is that St. Nicholas secretly gave three bags of gold, one for each daughter. In one version of the story St. Nicholas drops the gold down the chimney to avoid detection.
Reading about St. Nicholas got me thinking about our annual Christmas party. For those of you that don’t know, each year we throw a party for the people of Doddridge County. We hope that it is a time when people can come together for food, fun, and Christmas festivities. Each year St. Nicholas (the rosy-cheeked, bowl full of jelly variety) comes to visit the children. We acknowledge that for many of the low-income families in Doddridge County the holidays can put a strain on the budget. For this reason we make sure that every child that attends leaves with a gift and at least one book. In the same way that St. Nicholas assisted the father and his daughters we hope to be a helping hand to the parents in our community. Not to mention it is always a joy to celebrate with friends and neighbors. However, because we are a non-profit we can do nothing without the generosity of others. We are incredibly blessed to have so many people who, like St. Nicholas, give of what they have. At the Christmas party the staff is fortunate enough to be there to see the faces of the children light up as they play games and receive their gifts. However, most of the people that make this party possible are not there with us. Though in Matthew we are reminded that the Lord sees all that we do and will repay us for our kindness.
We are still planning for this years Christmas party and encourage everyone connected to the farm to consider joining us in our efforts. If you have volunteered recently you may want to sponsor a family that you worked with. Otherwise, we are looking for books, new educational toys, or monetary contributions. Our party is on December 13th and we would like to have gifts in by the end of November. Please consider sending us unwrapped gifts in the mail or contact us at 1-304-782-2742 (by phone) or Nazarethfarm@gmail.com (by email.) As Jesus says, “whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me”. We are grateful for anything you modern day St. Nicholas’s can do. We pray that you are blessed and, like the Saints, that your lives might be examples of how our faith is made real and how a real faith can change the world.
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
Friday, October 16, 2009
Speak with confidence, Love with conviction
"One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, 'Do not be afraid; Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.' He settled there a year and a half and taught the word of God among them." - Acts 18:9-11
It is so wonderful to live in a community of Christians. Some days it hits me more than others, but every day I thank God for where he has brought me in my life. It is such a blessing to be surrounded by friends who genuinely care about me and others. It is freeing to be able to openly speak about Christ and to gather as community in prayer each morning. Finally, it is comforting to always have someone there whom which I can depend upon in times of struggle and suffering. Is this not what God has in mind for all of us? Yet, how many people in this world are unable to express those same feelings of joy which I mentioned? How many people whom we know (perhaps ourselves) feel alone or afraid in our faith? Last blog entry I spoke about refining our words and this time I would like to reflect upon the strength of our words and actions through Christ.
In the passage above Paul has arrived in Corinthian as part of his mission to preach the Gospel to all the ends of the earth. In particular he was preaching to the Jews in the area; however, many "opposed him and reviled him" (Acts 18:6). Paul during his life suffered a great deal for the pursuit of spreading the Good News. (He in fact brags about it in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29) Although, this time God speaks to him in a vision and tells him that he should continue speaking and to do so without fear, for He has many people in the city. What a powerful statement, but not just to Paul in his day, also to us. God is telling us that when we are amongst believers in Christ, we shall not fear, we shall speak boldly about our love of Christ, and we will be safe!
Problems occur in our lives when communication is broken down. When we don't understand instructions at work or school and don't ask questions, we turn in a bad assignment. When we are not able to express our feelings to our families, we feel alone in our homes. When two cultures fail to understand one another, violence and fear is bound to rise. And when we fail to discuss our faith with others, our faith deteriorates. We must communicate with God through prayer and we must communicate with love to one another in order to keep each other strong in our faith. This communication is not always with words, but also acts of kindness and giving of ourselves. We all have learned at some point during our lives that actions speak louder than words.
The question then, is why don't we speak? Often times we do not speak up (or out) because we are afraid. We are afraid of what others might think of us, do to us, or say to us. We are afraid of the consequences of our words and actions. Paul, being a good example shows us through is life that he was not afraid of the consequences of his words. In fact, the more he was persecuted the more he spoke. He was able to do so because he was confident in his faith and through his passion for Christ and genuine care for others; his love shined through.
Let us reflect on those we surround ourselves with. Are they a good influence in our lives? Do they allow us to speak freely about our faith in Christ? If so, give God thanks and praise for nurturing people who grow in love with one another through His Son. If not, pray to God for the strength and courage to speak freely about your faith with those who may not be the most receptive. Also, reflect on ways that which you can incorporate more Christians in your lives so that you can begin to form a loving and caring community in which your faith can continue to develop. Lastly, be the comfort and peace for someone else so that they can feel Christ's love. Speak with confidence and love with conviction so all the glory and honor be to God and His son Jesus Christ.
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
It is so wonderful to live in a community of Christians. Some days it hits me more than others, but every day I thank God for where he has brought me in my life. It is such a blessing to be surrounded by friends who genuinely care about me and others. It is freeing to be able to openly speak about Christ and to gather as community in prayer each morning. Finally, it is comforting to always have someone there whom which I can depend upon in times of struggle and suffering. Is this not what God has in mind for all of us? Yet, how many people in this world are unable to express those same feelings of joy which I mentioned? How many people whom we know (perhaps ourselves) feel alone or afraid in our faith? Last blog entry I spoke about refining our words and this time I would like to reflect upon the strength of our words and actions through Christ.
In the passage above Paul has arrived in Corinthian as part of his mission to preach the Gospel to all the ends of the earth. In particular he was preaching to the Jews in the area; however, many "opposed him and reviled him" (Acts 18:6). Paul during his life suffered a great deal for the pursuit of spreading the Good News. (He in fact brags about it in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29) Although, this time God speaks to him in a vision and tells him that he should continue speaking and to do so without fear, for He has many people in the city. What a powerful statement, but not just to Paul in his day, also to us. God is telling us that when we are amongst believers in Christ, we shall not fear, we shall speak boldly about our love of Christ, and we will be safe!
Problems occur in our lives when communication is broken down. When we don't understand instructions at work or school and don't ask questions, we turn in a bad assignment. When we are not able to express our feelings to our families, we feel alone in our homes. When two cultures fail to understand one another, violence and fear is bound to rise. And when we fail to discuss our faith with others, our faith deteriorates. We must communicate with God through prayer and we must communicate with love to one another in order to keep each other strong in our faith. This communication is not always with words, but also acts of kindness and giving of ourselves. We all have learned at some point during our lives that actions speak louder than words.
The question then, is why don't we speak? Often times we do not speak up (or out) because we are afraid. We are afraid of what others might think of us, do to us, or say to us. We are afraid of the consequences of our words and actions. Paul, being a good example shows us through is life that he was not afraid of the consequences of his words. In fact, the more he was persecuted the more he spoke. He was able to do so because he was confident in his faith and through his passion for Christ and genuine care for others; his love shined through.
Let us reflect on those we surround ourselves with. Are they a good influence in our lives? Do they allow us to speak freely about our faith in Christ? If so, give God thanks and praise for nurturing people who grow in love with one another through His Son. If not, pray to God for the strength and courage to speak freely about your faith with those who may not be the most receptive. Also, reflect on ways that which you can incorporate more Christians in your lives so that you can begin to form a loving and caring community in which your faith can continue to develop. Lastly, be the comfort and peace for someone else so that they can feel Christ's love. Speak with confidence and love with conviction so all the glory and honor be to God and His son Jesus Christ.
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Circumcise the tongue
"If we put bits into mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot's inclination wishes. In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord our Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers. Does a spring rush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh." - James 3:3-12
Fall has begun here at the farm and it looks beautiful! The trees are changing and with each big wind leaves rain down on our lawn. Also with this change of scenery, the weather is getting colder each night. Volunteers haven't been around the farm since August and besides the random visitors who have come, as well as the 30th Anniversary, it has been rather quiet. This has been a time for us (staff) to get to know each other, do much needed repairs around the farm and to finish up projects in the community which need to be completed before winter. In the quietness that is here at the farm I have been able to reflect upon the "noise" in life. Particularly the noise which comes from myself. How do others perceive me when they hear me talk and what kind of message do my actions portray to those I come into contact with. Often times it is the ones who we are closest to that we treat the worst. We feel as though we "know" them we are entitled to do and say anything we want around them; we tend to let our guard down.
In the letter above written by James, we are reminded that as Christians we are called to a higher standard of speech. He warns us that the tongue is a "flame from hell" which can ignite our whole body. We begin to speak loosely and say things which we do not mean or things which hurt others, but the more we speak these things the more we begin to actually become the things we speak about. This is a scary thought. It causes me to reflect upon the jokes I hear and speak. Why are they funny? Even though I may not be serious about something I am saying to get a laugh or to be sarcastic, saying "Oh, I don't really mean that"; James is saying that eventually those words are going to ignite my whole body. He notes, some day I may actually be doing the very thing I am joking about.
Another passage comes to mind from the Old Testament. In Isaiah chapter 6 we read about a vision that comes to Isaiah. In this vision he sees God up on a throne with Seraphim's flying about covering their faces and feet while crying out "Holy, Holy, Holy". In this sight he immediately reflects upon how unworthy he is because he has "unclean lips" and hangs out with people who have "unclean lips". God, being a God full of grace and forgiveness, burns Isaiah's lips to cleanse them and then sends him out on his mission. James recognizes this also and informs us that our mouth is meant to praise God and that we can not praise God with our tongue one minute and then speak unclean words another.
In our lives we will meet an abundance of people and we do not always know how they will take our words; some things we say will effect a person one way while another day it will have the opposite effect. We are called to show love and kindness to all people and this starts with our words. The only thing we have control over is what WE say and do. Let us focus on our words and actions this week. Can what we say or do be interpreted in a way which would not properly reflect Christ? It takes great courage and strength to hold your tongue and James points out that no man has ever fully tamed his tongue. If we did then we would be perfect, like Christ, and this is what we must strive to be like. Center yourself in prayer and reflect upon people in your life who you consider "holy" people and take note to how they speak and present themselves.
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
Fall has begun here at the farm and it looks beautiful! The trees are changing and with each big wind leaves rain down on our lawn. Also with this change of scenery, the weather is getting colder each night. Volunteers haven't been around the farm since August and besides the random visitors who have come, as well as the 30th Anniversary, it has been rather quiet. This has been a time for us (staff) to get to know each other, do much needed repairs around the farm and to finish up projects in the community which need to be completed before winter. In the quietness that is here at the farm I have been able to reflect upon the "noise" in life. Particularly the noise which comes from myself. How do others perceive me when they hear me talk and what kind of message do my actions portray to those I come into contact with. Often times it is the ones who we are closest to that we treat the worst. We feel as though we "know" them we are entitled to do and say anything we want around them; we tend to let our guard down.
In the letter above written by James, we are reminded that as Christians we are called to a higher standard of speech. He warns us that the tongue is a "flame from hell" which can ignite our whole body. We begin to speak loosely and say things which we do not mean or things which hurt others, but the more we speak these things the more we begin to actually become the things we speak about. This is a scary thought. It causes me to reflect upon the jokes I hear and speak. Why are they funny? Even though I may not be serious about something I am saying to get a laugh or to be sarcastic, saying "Oh, I don't really mean that"; James is saying that eventually those words are going to ignite my whole body. He notes, some day I may actually be doing the very thing I am joking about.
Another passage comes to mind from the Old Testament. In Isaiah chapter 6 we read about a vision that comes to Isaiah. In this vision he sees God up on a throne with Seraphim's flying about covering their faces and feet while crying out "Holy, Holy, Holy". In this sight he immediately reflects upon how unworthy he is because he has "unclean lips" and hangs out with people who have "unclean lips". God, being a God full of grace and forgiveness, burns Isaiah's lips to cleanse them and then sends him out on his mission. James recognizes this also and informs us that our mouth is meant to praise God and that we can not praise God with our tongue one minute and then speak unclean words another.
In our lives we will meet an abundance of people and we do not always know how they will take our words; some things we say will effect a person one way while another day it will have the opposite effect. We are called to show love and kindness to all people and this starts with our words. The only thing we have control over is what WE say and do. Let us focus on our words and actions this week. Can what we say or do be interpreted in a way which would not properly reflect Christ? It takes great courage and strength to hold your tongue and James points out that no man has ever fully tamed his tongue. If we did then we would be perfect, like Christ, and this is what we must strive to be like. Center yourself in prayer and reflect upon people in your life who you consider "holy" people and take note to how they speak and present themselves.
Welcome Home,
Nazareth Farm
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