Author: Heart and Soul (Page 1 of 9)

“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them, and they were filled with fear.

“And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host of angels praising God and saying:

“‘Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men
with whom He is pleased!’

“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’

“And the shepherds departed right away and went with haste to Bethlehem, and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known to others what was told to them concerning the child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

“But Mary kept all these things to herself, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Luke 2: 8-20)

Jesus, the very Word of God, is here among us!

The Word, who in the beginning was with God and IS God, became flesh and lived among us. (John 1: 1, 14) By His Word, the heavens were made; and all their hosts of angels, by the breath of His mouth (Psalm 33: 6); all of His work done in perfect love and faithfulness. (Psalm 33: 4)

His plans are designed to transform our hearts so that we too may enter into the Father’s Kingdom, here on earth and in heaven.

Christmas Day is a day to rejoice! The living Song that the angels sing, over and over (Isaiah 6: 3), has chosen to dwell among us on earth, not because of anything we have done to deserve such a great honor and favor, but because of God’s endless mercy and love for us. (Titus 3: 4-5)

By observing the grace and truth of Jesus’ life on earth, we are able to see more clearly the beauty of God’s law, passed down to us generation after generation, through the beloved Moses. (John 1: 16-17)

May your hearts be filled with much joy and gladness and hope, for the Word of God is very much alive and active still among us today! (Hebrews 4: 12)

Thank you, dear Father, for loving us so deeply. Thank you, dear Jesus, for your boundless mercy and grace. Come Holy Spirit, fill the crevices of our hearts and minds so that we may recognize and understand the things that Jesus is trying to show us.

Merry Christmas!

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed, who was with child.

“And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2: 1-7)

And at that moment, profound Love entered the world. A centuries-old promise was fulfilled through the willingness of Mary and Joseph to trust in the loving plan God had for their lives, and for all of humanity.

“In Love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it – one from the house of David – one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.” (Isaiah 16:5)

God loves us.
He loves us deeply and without end.
Love always wins.

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of His roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

“He shall not judge by what His eyes see, or decide by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins.

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The suckling child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

“They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

“In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; Him shall the nations seek, and His dwellings shall be glorious. In that day the Lord will extend His hand yet a second time to recover the remnant which is left of His people.” (Isaiah 11: 1-11)

God loves you so much.

Be strong and courageous, fueled by your confidence in God’s love. Do not live in fear, dreading what tomorrow might bring. Recognize and take comfort in God’s nearness. Realize, in your hearts and minds, that God the Father will never, ever leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31: 6)

The prophets of old continue to reveal that God always — always — keeps His promises made to mankind.

God loves you deeply and without end.

Love always wins.

Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, a prophet named Micah¹ prophesies the birth of a promised ruler and savior in Bethelehem:

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.

“There he shall give them up until the time
when she who has labor pains has
brought forth;
then the rest of his brethren shall return
to the sons of Israel.

“And he shall stand and feed his flock in
the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he
shall be great to the ends of the earth.” (Micah 5: 2-4)

Through Micah’s words, we understand that even though humanity has fallen from a state of innocent devotion and obedience to God, all is not lost!

In the Book of Genesis, we observe God drive Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, placing the cherubim at the east end of the Garden to guard the Tree of Life. (Genesis 3: 22-24) But we also know from the remaining Old Testament stories that God remains with fallen humanity in the world, still guiding and loving us — and inspiring prophets like Micah to share His plan for offering us, through Jesus, another chance at eternal life with Him.

All is not lost. God loves us so much.

O my God and my Father, You remain my source of all wisdom and hope and counsel and love. Thank you, dearest Father, for this profound act of love. Amen.

¹Micah prophesied sometime during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (750-686 BC).  His prophecies may have been compiled in this book (Book of Micah) after his death. (Source: Catholic News Agency)

Every year, as Christmas approaches, I make time to read one or two Christmas-themed stories. This year, one of the books I read is He Sees You When You’re Sleeping, written by mother-daughter duo Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark.

The story focuses on a character named Sterling Books who has been waiting for more than 40 years after his death to enter heaven. One day, Sterling is summoned by a Heavenly Council and given the chance to redeem himself by returning to earth and finding someone to help. Sterling finds a heartbroken young child named Marissa who has been separated from her father and grandmother because of their placement in the Witness Protection Program.

In this heartwarming story, Sterling devises a plan to assist Marissa and her family; and with special powers granted him by the Heavenly Council, Sterling finally learns what it means to live and love with an open heart.

The story is thought-provoking in the sense that Sterling’s sins were sins of omission. Sterling is not a terrible person, but he is awaiting entry into heaven because of the self-absorbed life he lived on earth and the love he withheld from so many of those around him.

As Christmas approaches, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the love we give and the love we withhold from others. In the opening prayers of the Mass, we recite a Penitential prayer that includes these words:

“I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, through my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do.” (Excerpt from the Penitential Act of the Mass.)

Who are we failing to love? Why are we withholding love from others? The stories recorded in the New Testament are filled with observations of Jesus loving the people around Him so deeply. Shortly before He dies, Jesus prays these words to the Father:

Jesus said, “‘I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your Word … Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before creation.'” (John 17: 6, 24)

Jesus spent his human life sharing the Love of God with humanity through the Word of God. What is the secret to a life well-lived? According to Jesus, love God and love each other. Everything hangs on these two things. (Matthew 24: 36-40)

It’s hard sometimes to not be self-absorbed. It’s hard sometimes to forgive and to extend a loving gesture to someone who has caused us pain. But the rewards of loving as Jesus loves are so great.

Jesus said to the Father, “‘All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. And glory has come to Me through those You have given Me to love.'” John 17: 10

Just like the character of Sterling Brooks, our own hearts are transformed as we extend love to others. Glorious joy and peace await all of us through love.

Jesus loves you so tenderly.

“He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.” Isaiah 40: 11

Today we are celebrating the feast day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Destined by God as the Mother of Jesus, Mary was given the very special privilege of being conceived without original sin and of being filled with all the graces needed to make her a fitting Mother for the Son of God.

When the angel Gabriel appears to Mary, he acknowledges the extraordinary condition of Mary’s soul in his greeting:

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Luke 1: 28

The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on to describe Mary’s Immaculate Conception in this way:

“The ‘splendor of an entirely unique holiness’ by which Mary is ‘enriched from the first instant of her conception’ comes wholly from Christ: she is ‘redeemed in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son.’ The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person ‘in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places’ and chose her ‘in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love.'” CCC 492

It is through her Immaculate Conception that Mary is prepared to mother Jesus in a manner that both preserves and ensures His redemptive role as Savior. And by responding “Yes” to the angel Gabriel when he presents the Father’s request (Luke 1: 38), Mary in turn becomes the first person eternally saved by the Mercy of Jesus and the Love of God.

From an early age, Pope John Paul II carried a deep love for the Blessed Mother. When a young Karol Wojtyla lost his own beloved mother at the age of nine, his father, before an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pronounced, “From today on, she will be your mother.”

In his Angelus address on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8, 1997, Pope John Paul II described the transformative effect of a relationship with the Virgin Mary:

“‘Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16: 7) And Mary’s heart was fully disposed to the fulfillment of the Divine Will. This is why the Blessed Virgin is the model of Christian expectation and hope. In contemplating the biblical scene of the Annunciation, we understand that the divine message does not catch Mary unprepared; on the contrary, it finds her watching and waiting, recollected in profound silence, in which echo the promises of the prophets of Israel, especially Isaiah’s famous messianic prophecy: ‘Behold a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.'” (Isaiah 7: 14)

It is inspiring and hopeful to witness the transformative power of Mary’s intercession on Pope John Paul II’s life.

It is also perfectly fitting that we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary at the start of Advent, the season in which we anticipate and prepare for the Nativity of Jesus, for it was through Mary’s total trust in God’s will for her life that a Love like no other entered the world.

We too can be transformed by Mary’s maternal love. Here is a beautiful prayer to Mary, written by Pope John Paul II. It is purported that he said this prayer daily:

Totus Tuus (translated, “Totally Yours”)

Immaculate Conception, Mary my Mother,
Live in me, Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life, replace it with Yourself,
Incline me to constant adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.

Note: The origin of the icon above — titled Our Lady of Perpetual Help — is unknown. Today, the original icon is displayed within the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome.

A Psalm of David

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the angels I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your mercy and your faithfulness; for You have exalted above everything your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me, my strength of soul you increase.

All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth; and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your mercy, O Lord, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Psalm 138

As the Advent season approaches — the Christian season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas — we have the opportunity to reflect on the birth of Jesus and on His promise that He will return one day:

“‘Immediately after the tribulation … then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.'” Matthew 24: 29-30

The tribulation is the time of chaos and distress and persecution of God’s people that will precede Jesus’ second coming. (2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4)

Jesus tells us that when He returns, He will return with the angels:

“‘And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.'” Matthew 24: 31

This verse from Matthew is one of many verses throughout the Bible that confirm these mysterious and powerful spiritual beings belong to Jesus. These ministering and protective and majestic creatures are His angels. The excerpt below from the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes this beautifully:

“They (the angels) belong to Him because they were created through and for Him: ‘for in Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities — all things were created through Him and for Him.’ (Colossians 1: 16) They belong to Him still more because He has made them messengers of His saving plan: ‘Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?’ (Hebrews 1: 14).” CCC 331

The angels were with Him in the beginning. The Book of Genesis tells us that just as He created man, God also created the angels:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the [heavenly] host of them [the angels]. And on the seventh day, God finished His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which He had done.” Genesis 2:1-2

While both the angels and man were created by God, the angels serve as intermediaries between God and man, because God “has made him [man] a little less than the angels.” (Psalm 8: 5) And Jesus, God “has crowned with glory and honor.” (Psalm 8: 5)

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, I can’t help but think about all the times in the New Testament that we see the angels accompanying Jesus. To share a few examples — the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive a son, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that this child, whose name shall be Jesus, is the Son of God. (Luke 1: 26-38).

An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph, in a dream. When Joseph, who is betrothed to Mary, finds out that she is with child, he resolves to send her away quietly, as the child is not his. But the angel tells Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary into his home, because the child she carries is conceived of the Holy Spirit. The angel confirms that this child, who shall be named Jesus, will save humanity from its sins. (Matthew 1: 18-25)

The angels announce the good news and great joy of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. (Luke 2: 8-14) And an angel appears again to Joseph in a dream, telling him to flee with Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt, to avoid King Herod’s purge of all male babies under the age of two. (Matthew 2: 13-18)

The angels minister to Jesus following his 40 days of temptation in the desert (Matthew 4: 11); and an angel appears to Jesus to strengthen Him, as He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion (Matthew 22: 43). The angels are with Jesus at His resurrection from the dead (John 21: 11-13). And as Jesus ascends into Heaven, two angels address the apostles gathered there:

“And while they were gazing into heaven as He (Jesus) went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.'” (Acts 1: 10-11)

Every story, every verse, every single word in the Bible is intentional and inspired by the Holy Spirit, to help us to know and to draw nearer to God.

God’s creation of the angels as intermediaries between man and Himself is a remarkable demonstration of His love for us. We have God’s holy angels offering us their protection and guidance as we seek to know and trust in the Lord:

“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91: 11-12

The presence of the angels with Jesus — in both his human and Divine form — is equally remarkable, offering us undeniable proof of the power of the holy angels to lead us in good and holy lives. For Jesus says to us, “‘Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.'” (Matthew 11: 29)

In saying “take My yoke,” Jesus asks us to study His life through Holy Scripture. He asks all of us to think about the way He lived, and to learn from Him. One of the many, many lessons Jesus offers to us is the role of God’s holy angels in serving as powerful intermediaries for us.

With Christmas drawing near, this is the perfect time to reflect on the role that the holy angels play in Jesus’ life — and in the lives of all who believe and want to draw closer to God.

The holy angels belong to Jesus.

Jesus desires that we may have abundant life. (John 10: 10) He wants us to have abundant life with Him right now, here on earth — and throughout eternity.

Jesus loves us so much. We can trust in His promises. It is because of Jesus’ great love that we have His holy angels to guide us to the lives of goodness and joy and love that he prepares for each one of us.

“Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared for you.” Exodus 23: 20

Angels are all around us, waiting to lead us to God’s love.

Throughout the Bible, angels show up as messengers (Luke 1: 26-38) and mediators (Job: 23-26). Sometimes they show up in physical form (Judges 6: 11-24). At other times, they show up in spiritual form, even entering our dreams with messages intended to help us. (Matthew 1: 18-25)

Whatever form the angels take, they always show up as ministering spirits:

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” Hebrews 1: 14

A direct and personal encounter with an angel is not necessary to believe that angels exist. The Bible suggests a vast number of angels. Moses, shortly before his death, blessed the people of Israel with these words:

“The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned from Seir upon us; He shown forth from Mount Paran, He came from the ten thousands of holy ones [or angels], with flaming fire at His right hand.” Deuteronomy 33:2

Daniel describes this vision of heaven, received in a dream:

“As I looked, thrones were placed and One that was ancient of days took His seat; His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. A steam of fire issued and came forth before Him; a thousand thousands [of angels] served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7: 9-10

Jesus’ beloved apostle John, in recording his vision of heaven, refers to many angels:

“Then I looked and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voices of many angels, numbering myriads or myriads [which translated to hundreds of millions] and thousands of thousands.” Revelation 5: 11.

Later on, in the Book of Revelation, John equates the number of angels to the number of stars in the heavens, when he shares the vision of a red dragon’s tail sweeping away a third of the stars:

“His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to earth.” Revelation 12: 5

Interestingly, Biblical scholars believe that this particular verse in Revelation 12 is referring to those angels who were cast down from Heaven, as a result of their decision to rebel. It appears that even angels have free will.

My objective in sharing these stories and verses about angels is to encourage all of us to stop and consider the role that angels play in our lives. The real struggles we face are on the spiritual realm. (Ephesians 6: 12) Are we calling in particular upon our guardian angels to help us?

Even if we already believe in angels, I would venture to guess we could go further in calling upon them to guide us. I know that I could and should call upon my guardian angel more often. Calling regularly to these angels and inviting them to walk with us can help us to avoid trouble altogether.

God’s angels exist so that we never have to walk alone through life.

There are angels all around us, desiring to show us the way up, over, through or around whatever obstacles we face, and on to goodness. No obstacle seems too large — or too small — for the angels.

Never walk alone. Call often for your guardian angels! Trust that they are always nearby, loving you and waiting to assist you.

“Invoke your guardian angel that he will illuminate you and will guide you. God has given him to you for this reason. Therefore, use him!” – St. Padre Pio

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.

And sweetest — in the Gale — is heard
And sore must be the storm,
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest Sea,
Yet — never — in Extremity
It asked a crumb of me.

Poem by Emily Dickinson