Christmas Eve

A friend of mine brought up the following question,  "Are you in the Christmas spirit?" At that particular moment my rather gloomy thought was (with a slight chuckle), "Bah humbug! By golly! I've got the perfect disposition of Scrooge wearing the Grinch hat."  But on this day, on the eve of the birth of Our Lord, it made me think back through Advent, what had I actually accomplished, where had I advanced in the life of Grace? From my pre-Advent desirable list.... very little.  The house is not immaculate, the gigantic dumpster I ordered is not filled, the 4 foot pile of books is not read, etc...  We did manage one thing that remained very precious to each one of us. We made a list of people who we would pray for and offer up our prayers, works, joys and sufferings each day.  There are 13 of us, so every day there were 13 special people (individuals, families, groups, parishes, petitions) names drawn and stuck up on the board next to our names.  The youngest only offered up their cuteness but God sees in ways we don't.  We all loved doing this so we have decided to continue this practice. 

It was a difficult, drawn out Advent from my human standpoint but the lesson from within the Stable is one of Poverty of Spirit.  What can I offer God anyway, only my little poorness, just like that little tiny helpless little Babe in the Manger.  Here's my little sacrifice, my little bit of nothing-in-light-of-Eternity.  And you know what else? I know that Our Blessed Mother is there to make my little nothingness something beautiful in the Eyes of God. 

The more I thought about the Spirit of Poverty and the Stable the more I thought about how this tiny baby had nothing at all yet, as our Creator, He had absolutely everything.  I think it is when we accept our nothingness that we suddenly have everything, because all that is left is the Omnipotent Everything....  The Eternal Love..... we have God Himself.  What more could I hope for? What more could I rejoice in?  And all I can ask is that He fill my heart with His Infinite Love.