Preparations

The last few days have been busy ones preparing the house for a homecoming. Rolling up area rugs to clear the floor of them. Repositioning furniture to allow room for a wheelchair and walker. Amazing what has to get done to prepare for a different way of life for the moment. It was all done for love to see a mother come home. So yesterday was my moms homecoming after a very difficult recovery time. Since she's had back surgery before and my sister did too, she is doing very well in knowing what she has to do and not to do.

Last night I was able to go to Scripture sharing and had some great constructive criticism on lectoring. I was told to speak louder and look up at the people in the pews. Which is good to know, they told how far away from the microphone one should be to be heard in the back of the Church. Well anyway, the reflections last night for this Sunday's Gospel readings, tied in pretty well with what basically was done in preparation at home, but on a different level of preparedness. Preparing ourselves for the coming of our Lord. I love how the Word of God and life go hand in hand. I love seeing how easily it is to recognize those moments and know the truth of the Gospel message. How often do we clean our homes and readjust in preparation for a homecoming? It's when we do these things and reflect on the Mass and see in life the very same thing, how inspiring God's Word truly becomes.

Right now many are decorating their homes in the preparedness for Christmas, not all in the spirit of receiving the birth of our Lord. We all have it in the back of our minds and hearts the truth of it all, but often fail to see it. More than anything we tend to squelch the truth of this time in favor of just having a grand ole time with merry making. The birth of Jesus is a very joyous time indeed, but not at the cost of excluding the truth in the first place. Preparing our hearts to receive him.