Merry Christmas Everyone !

mjmaherjr

mjmaherjr

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Merry Christmas ! Whether it’s being a miserable beaten down St John’s fan over the years or those fleeting amazing hoops times in the past there aren’t a better bunch of friends to go through this with than you guys. And much better days ahead for us finally
 

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A very merry Christmas to all, may your holiday be filled with happiness and may you all be surrounded by your loved ones.
On a very positive note I heard from
Paul’s family earlier today and as of late he has been feeling better. Let us all hope that Paul continues to improve and feel better while he goes through this horrible battle. And for those that believe in prayer, as I know some of us do, I ask on behalf of Paul and his family , who are believers, that you please keep Paul in your prayers. Thank you.
 
Every day I get the gifts of information, opinions and insights here. Thanks to all of you for making this site such an happy part of my world. And, of course, special thanks to the mods and to Paul for your effort in keeping this community alive. It is much appreciated! Merry Christmas all...
 
This year, as much as any, I realize the significance of family at Christmas in the context of the Holy Family. How much the Nativity story is radically contemporary. A couple betrothed to be married. The husband to be shocked to find his beloved fiance pregnant. Yet still loved her enough not to expose her to the scandal of being an unwed mother, so decides to marry her to spare her perhaps even stoning, and then divorce her. Joeph and Mary's faith, both visited by angels to reassure them of God's plan. And both to say yes against their own wishes, to do God's will. Still, the child born into the poverty and indignity of being delivered in a field of cattle, and laid to rest in a trough used to feed animals. Hardly the story that aligns with the glorious songs proclaiming glory to the newborn king. Then and now, God was teaching us about kingdoms, about what is important.

Today, many of us will gather with families in conflict of one form or another. Many of us dread the interactions we will face, worry about that relative who drinks too much, about arguments that may occur, about unresolved hostilities. Some of us, like Paul, are struggling with catastrophic illness, and all the issues and uncertainty that affect way more than the afflicted. Still others with the financial duress of too much spending and too much materialism that has long ago taken over Christmas. And sadly, and perhaps worst of all, is the estrangement from loved ones that gets magnified at this time, and which exists in far too many families.

Not a very gleeful message, is it? For many of us, we arrive at Christmas broken, in our own poverty, whatever form that poverty takes. As my pastor said last night, (who mentioned the Vincentians and St. John's in his homily while quoting St. Vincent de Paul), it is in our poverty where God calls us most loudly, and draws us to our faith, and is perhaps most present to us, if we'd only look.

I've shared with a very few of you over the past 5 years, what my family has gone through. Paul is one of those, and a handful of others. Those few have provided wise counsel and great support, and I admire and love them for it. Today, we look forward to a Christmas where my entire family will gather and will hopefully lead to better days ahead.

I wish all of you great joy and happiness, pray for healing wherever needed, and for you to be drawn by God's gift of redemption of humanity through His love. Merry Christmas to all!
 
Beasts of the East said:
This year, as much as any, I realize the significance of family at Christmas in the context of the Holy Family. How much the Nativity story is radically contemporary. A couple betrothed to be married. The husband to be shocked to find his beloved fiance pregnant. Yet still loved her enough not to expose her to the scandal of being an unwed mother, so decides to marry her to spare her perhaps even stoning, and then divorce her. Joeph and Mary's faith, both visited by angels to reassure them of God's plan. And both to say yes against their own wishes, to do God's will. Still, the child born into the poverty and indignity of being delivered in a field of cattle, and laid to rest in a trough used to feed animals. Hardly the story that aligns with the glorious songs proclaiming glory to the newborn king. Then and now, God was teaching us about kingdoms, about what is important.

Today, many of us will gather with families in conflict of one form or another. Many of us dread the interactions we will face, worry about that relative who drinks too much, about arguments that may occur, about unresolved hostilities. Some of us, like Paul, are struggling with catastrophic illness, and all the issues and uncertainty that affect way more than the afflicted. Still others with the financial duress of too much spending and too much materialism that has long ago taken over Christmas. And sadly, and perhaps worst of all, is the estrangement from loved ones that gets magnified at this time, and which exists in far too many families.

Not a very gleeful message, is it? For many of us, we arrive at Christmas broken, in our own poverty, whatever form that poverty takes. As my pastor said last night, (who mentioned the Vincentians and St. John's in his homily while quoting St. Vincent de Paul), it is in our poverty where God calls us most loudly, and draws us to our faith, and is perhaps most present to us, if we'd only look.

I've shared with a very few of you over the past 5 years, what my family has gone through. Paul is one of those, and a handful of others. Those few have provided wise counsel and great support, and I admire and love them for it. Today, we look forward to a Christmas where my entire family will gather and will hopefully lead to better days ahead.

I wish all of you great joy and happiness, pray for healing wherever needed, and for you to be drawn by God's gift of redemption of humanity through His love. Merry Christmas to all!
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I love that you remembered to keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas. Have a wonderful day!
 
Beasts of the East said:
This year, as much as any, I realize the significance of family at Christmas in the context of the Holy Family. How much the Nativity story is radically contemporary. A couple betrothed to be married. The husband to be shocked to find his beloved fiance pregnant. Yet still loved her enough not to expose her to the scandal of being an unwed mother, so decides to marry her to spare her perhaps even stoning, and then divorce her. Joeph and Mary's faith, both visited by angels to reassure them of God's plan. And both to say yes against their own wishes, to do God's will. Still, the child born into the poverty and indignity of being delivered in a field of cattle, and laid to rest in a trough used to feed animals. Hardly the story that aligns with the glorious songs proclaiming glory to the newborn king. Then and now, God was teaching us about kingdoms, about what is important.

Today, many of us will gather with families in conflict of one form or another. Many of us dread the interactions we will face, worry about that relative who drinks too much, about arguments that may occur, about unresolved hostilities. Some of us, like Paul, are struggling with catastrophic illness, and all the issues and uncertainty that affect way more than the afflicted. Still others with the financial duress of too much spending and too much materialism that has long ago taken over Christmas. And sadly, and perhaps worst of all, is the estrangement from loved ones that gets magnified at this time, and which exists in far too many families.

Not a very gleeful message, is it? For many of us, we arrive at Christmas broken, in our own poverty, whatever form that poverty takes. As my pastor said last night, (who mentioned the Vincentians and St. John's in his homily while quoting St. Vincent de Paul), it is in our poverty where God calls us most loudly, and draws us to our faith, and is perhaps most present to us, if we'd only look.

I've shared with a very few of you over the past 5 years, what my family has gone through. Paul is one of those, and a handful of others. Those few have provided wise counsel and great support, and I admire and love them for it. Today, we look forward to a Christmas where my entire family will gather and will hopefully lead to better days ahead.

I wish all of you great joy and happiness, pray for healing wherever needed, and for you to be drawn by God's gift of redemption of humanity through His love. Merry Christmas to all!
Click to expand...
Wonderful news. Beast.
Have a great day.
 
Beasts of the East said:
This year, as much as any, I realize the significance of family at Christmas in the context of the Holy Family. How much the Nativity story is radically contemporary. A couple betrothed to be married. The husband to be shocked to find his beloved fiance pregnant. Yet still loved her enough not to expose her to the scandal of being an unwed mother, so decides to marry her to spare her perhaps even stoning, and then divorce her. Joeph and Mary's faith, both visited by angels to reassure them of God's plan. And both to say yes against their own wishes, to do God's will. Still, the child born into the poverty and indignity of being delivered in a field of cattle, and laid to rest in a trough used to feed animals. Hardly the story that aligns with the glorious songs proclaiming glory to the newborn king. Then and now, God was teaching us about kingdoms, about what is important.

Today, many of us will gather with families in conflict of one form or another. Many of us dread the interactions we will face, worry about that relative who drinks too much, about arguments that may occur, about unresolved hostilities. Some of us, like Paul, are struggling with catastrophic illness, and all the issues and uncertainty that affect way more than the afflicted. Still others with the financial duress of too much spending and too much materialism that has long ago taken over Christmas. And sadly, and perhaps worst of all, is the estrangement from loved ones that gets magnified at this time, and which exists in far too many families.

Not a very gleeful message, is it? For many of us, we arrive at Christmas broken, in our own poverty, whatever form that poverty takes. As my pastor said last night, (who mentioned the Vincentians and St. John's in his homily while quoting St. Vincent de Paul), it is in our poverty where God calls us most loudly, and draws us to our faith, and is perhaps most present to us, if we'd only look.

I've shared with a very few of you over the past 5 years, what my family has gone through. Paul is one of those, and a handful of others. Those few have provided wise counsel and great support, and I admire and love them for it. Today, we look forward to a Christmas where my entire family will gather and will hopefully lead to better days ahead.

I wish all of you great joy and happiness, pray for healing wherever needed, and for you to be drawn by God's gift of redemption of humanity through His love. Merry Christmas to all!
Click to expand...
There is no poverty when someone opens their heart and makes us all rich. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
 
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