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Tuesday, December 6

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Why Santa Makes Sense

Saint Nicholas is truly beloved by children around the world, whether or not they realize jolly old Saint Nick is a saint. Santa Claus is the object of such affection because his generosity is so spectacular. A man who brings presents to every child – who could not love Santa? It makes no sense, really – why would he do such a thing? Why work so hard for someone else’s children?
When Jesus speaks of looking for one lost sheep, it also doesn’t seem to make sense – why care so much about that one sheep? But the story of the shepherd resounds with us because even we can imagine doing the same – searching high and low for that one missing sheep. That law of unfathomable generosity is written in our hearts. We want to love that much – giving all that we have for even the one that goes astray.
Only we are not capable of sustaining that love – we lose heart and give up; we get mad at the sheep for getting lost in the first place, we kick him in anger. We think we are the shepherd and it is our job to find that lost sheep. But we forget that we ourselves are the lost ones, and that Jesus’ mercy is for us, if we will only give him the chance to seek us out.

Reflection based on Matthew 18:12-14
Rebecca Vitz Cherico

Loving Father, you never stop seeking for your children. Open my hard heart to your tender mercy.

Wednesday, December 7

Saint Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the Church

Giving the Rest to His Rest

In today’s Gospel, the Lord is calling us to come to him and he will give us rest! So often we become overtired and then can’t sleep when we lay down! There is so much on our minds, so much to do, and often so little time to do it! The answer for this lies in Jesus’ own words that he is speaking to all of us: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus does not beat around the bush. It should come in loud and clear, he wants to give us rest! Too often we think that rest applies only to our physical tiredness, but we can also become emotionally and spiritually weary. Our precious Jesus wants to rest those parts of us too! He wants us to be yoked to him so that he can help us as we wend our way to eternity.
When oxen are yoked, they work together to pull the load. There are those times in all of our lives when we feel that our burden is too heavy and that we can’t go on one more step by ourselves. Today Jesus is telling us that we don’t have to! When we are yoked with him, our burdens are light!

Reflection based on Matthew 11:28-30
Molly Kelly

Loving Father, help me to surrender to your Son’s love when weariness makes me feel defeated.