Preparing the Heart for the New Year

Our tables may be not THAT filled with goodies and food this coming New Year's Eve, but as long as our hearts are READY and filled with peace, love, joy that only FAITH can bring, 2009 will surely be better than what the "news" tells us it may dismally be.

This short video (Thank you, Martin Nievera) truly captures that sense of hope (instead of despair) in every new beginning. It can be a relaxation aid or prayer for us all as we listen and ponder at the meaning of this video.

Despite the gloomy predictions, there is one currency that never loses its value -- that currency is HOPE.

Christmas Day has Gone Away?

Christmas day has passed the calendar declares
Our merry cheer vanishes mysteriously in such frenetic haste
Some have grown tired and now wanting for those normal days again
Others view the coming New Year as the season’s real end.
It didn’t make sense to celebrate if normal is something like –
Back to work, hate the boss, wishing your enemy takes a hike
Or back to the normal days when laughter and joy were dead
And you wished some grumpy human ill after praying in your bed.
Christmas means forever much as love never really dies
Christmas means our hearts can cry when justice loses because of lies
Christmas makes us see beyond borders – geography, religion and race
We feel for those in pain like babies who aren’t born with velvet mittens and lace
We sigh for those in Africa and Asia who are born to die of AIDS and cholera
We care more because of Christmas about a world war-torn- a pathetic era
A pathetic era plus an apathetic cluster of humankind who weep not for their own kind
But silently nods and affirm the destruction of their own specie – abortions, wars, being unkind
If after the New Year everything becomes normal again
Perhaps there never was a real Christmas. Should anyone say Amen?
(I hope not)

(An original poem written at a time of pondering while watching CNN)

The Pope's Christmas Message 2008

"We draw near this night to the child of Bethlehem...in every child we see the child of Bethelehem. On this night then let us think of all those children who have been denied the love of parents.Let us think of every child who is brutally exploited as soldiers who are made instruments of violence instead of being made mesengers of reconciliation."

"Let us think of those children who are made victims of pornography and every other appaling form of abuse and throse who are traumatized to the depths of their soul. The Child of Bethlehem summons us again to do everything in our power to put end to the suffering of those children...only through the conversion of our hearts can the cause of this evil be overcome.." - Pope Benedict XVI.

Equanimity and Stress During the Holidays

What is equanimity???? It is evenness of mind especially under stress.Having the right disposition or a "sense of balance".

Synonyms of equanimity is composure or sangfroid meaning a balanced mind under stress. Equanimity suggests a habit of mind that is only rarely disturbed under great strain . Composure means controlling of emotional or mental agitation by an effort of will or as a matter of habit . Sangfroid implies great "coolness" and steadiness under strain

In a frenzied season such as the holidays, we seem contolled by the hype of the season. Today, we are probably thinking of what we have in our kitchen and how we will manage to do the cooking well before the sun sets. Sure, the feeling of preparing for Christmas is "pleasant" but we have to sometimes admit that as we go on a hurried and rather exciting pace, we start to stress.

It seems that it is impossible to spend a happy holidays without stress, but it is all a matter of "equanimity". It is thinking in terms of "balance". It is taking an hour or two OFF to have some time FOR YOURSELF.

Time for yourself to perhaps get your mind off the holiday complexities and meditate on something -- like God and his goodness. Time to THANK Him that you survived another year unscathed.. time to be grateful for all the friends and family you HAVE and the obvious fact that you are ALIVE. Time to put your mind in a "faith mode" and stop fretting about that extra tomato sauce you forgot to purchase OR that Quezo de Bola which will be missing on your Noche Buena table. Equanimity is that silent voice that will tell you that ONE missing Qiezo de Bola does not matter. Christmas Eve is just a night like all other nights and to stress about it is rather foolish. Equanimity will remind you that the assortment of food in your table does not matter MORE than the state of your relationships with others, your love for Jesus and your commitment to Him. Equanimity is what one needs when you need to find solice from a frenetic world and you are reminded of the words of the Psalmists that sweetly nudges you to : "Be still and know I am God".

Equanimity is calmness inspite and despite of everything around you.It is when you reach the point of having such a "merry peace" despite the fact that everything does NOT seem "okay" but you still can find pleasure (instead of aggravation) in the voices of little children caroling at your gate or doors. It is a sense of mental and soul balance which when one learns to somehow attain it opens the door to wisdom, right decison-making and freedom from stress.

And of course there are always those petty family problems during the Season. Someone feels you gave the other a "better" gift; or you actually forgot to give someone a gift; or you feel bad because your husband remembered everyone except YOU. Equanimity tells you that it really does not matter... because soon Christmas day will be OVER and you wil survive the angst and learn that everything passes.... even Christmas Eve. :) Peace and love to you ALL !

A Wondrous Conversion

Christmas... Remember WHO is the Reason

A friend of mine who is NOT religious is not touched by the "usual" Christmas songs. That was until she heard this song (and the lyrics). The first time my friend heard this song she swears that "something" happened to her heart-- she fell in love again with Jesus Christ and never fell out of love for Him until now. (And never will)

While it is easy to repeat the same religious cliches like "Jesus is the meaning of the season" let us not JUST say it-- but FEEL it in the depths of our individual hearts and soul. Yes, He is the meaning of the Season but WE are the reason he came to this earth -- He left his grand home heaven to be scorned, to suffer, to die because he loved us. If there is anything that the Christian season can DO to us, it should be able to touch our hearts again. To make us, on the other hand say with firm commitment : "HE IS THE REASON TO LIVE! " And really, He is.

"As little children we dreamt of Christmas morn, and all the gifts and toys, we knew we'd find but we never realized a baby boy one blessed night... GAVE US the greatest gift of our lives...."

He is the reason for the Season if we are willing to make Him OUR reason to LIVE!

Mother Angelica's Live TV Shows

Please take note that these are the complete videos of Mother Angelica's "old" Live Shows. These are the BEST of Mother Angelica.

Place your MOUSE below the video of your choice. Though one of the videos is no longer avaliable, MOST are posted here which is a complete collection which you can always come back to everytime you feel like listening to all or any of this collection :)