Advent through Christmas -- 2007
Joyce Kilmer
Thursday, December 6, First Week in Advent
Bork in New Jersey on this date in 1886, Joyce Kilmer graduated from Columbia University. A writer and editor, he worked as an editor on Funk and Wagnall’s Dictionary, was literary editor of the Anglican newspaper, The Churchmen, and a feature writer at The New York Times.
In 1913, Kilmer converted to Catholicism and today is considered a major Catholic poet. His deep religious beliefs can be seen in his poem, "Prayer of a Soldier in France.” Perhaps his best known work is his poem, “Trees” (“I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree…”)
In 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. As a married man with children, Kilmer did not have to enlist…but he did. With the assistance of legendary chaplain, Fr. Francis Duffy, Kilmer transferred to the 165th Infantry (Once called the Fighting 69th, a primarily Catholic regiment from New York City.)
As a member of the intelligence staff, Kilmer was protected from the front lines, but the young man would not be kept out of action.
On July 30, 1918, the 31 year old Kilmer was killed by a sniper’s bullet. He is buried in France
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Actor Jeffrey Lynn portrayer Kilmer in the 1940 film, “The Fighting 69th. in which veteran actor Pat O’Brien played Father Duffy.
Today is the Memorial of St. Nicholas
Advent through Christmas -- 2007
Thursday, December 6, First Week in Advent
Jesus said, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted his house. But it did not collapse. It had been set solidly on rock. Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Jesus says that if we take to heart his words and make them the basis of our actions, our lives are built on a rock solid foundation.
This raises some questions. First have I built a set of convictions that I try to live by? (These would be comparable to the house in the parable above.) Or, do I more or less operate of a vague desire to do right?
If I do have convictions, then another questions is this: What are they based on? The “rock” of God’s word? Or the sifting sands of what seems generally acceptable to our society.
When the rain and floods and winds come into my life – and they do – I need solid footings. As a disciple of the Lord, I commit myself to more than following the Gospel whenever possible, regardless of the convenience to me.
Just for starters…Do I forgive when I feel like it, or do I have a conviction based on the “solid rock” of what Jesus taught about forgiveness? Or, prayer. Do I pray, “when I get a chance,” or do I have a rock solid pattern of prayer?
I need to spend some time taking stock of the foundations on which I have built my life.
Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
