Author: Cathy Cunningham

God-With-Us With the birth of Jesus, everything we thought we knew about God changes. God isn’t “up there” in heaven, watching us from a distance. God is with us. And that changes everything. “It was God-With-Us. Not the God-Up-There somewhere who answers our prayers by lifting us out of our lives, but the God who… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/26/23

Merry Christmas! “Any of us who prayed to be transported into God’s presence this Christmas will get our wish – only not, perhaps, in the way we had thought. None of heavens escalators are going up tonight. Everybody up there is coming down tonight, right here, right into our own Bethlehem, bringing us the God… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/25/23

After reaching their destination, finding Jesus, and presenting their gifts to honor him, the Magi went home another way. The Magi, wise men, paid attention to what came to them in a dream. They continued to trust the signs that had guided them and followed their dream warning just like they had followed the star.… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/24/23

On Waking, by John O’Donohue I give thanks for arrivingSafely in a new dawn,For the gift of eyeTo see the world,The gift of mindTo feel at homeIn my life.The waves of possibilityBreaking on the shore of dawn,The harvest of the pastThat awaits my hunger,And all the furtheringsThis new day will bring. Footnotes

Gifts For Jesus? You have undoubtedly spent time thinking about, planning, procuring, wrapping, and delivering gifts to family or friends this Christmas season. Your gifts may have included spending time together, cooking/baking, or praying special intentions for them. Have you done anything like this for Jesus? My spiritual director often needs to remind me (usually… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/22/23

Welcoming Strangers Another tradition associated with Epiphany and the Magi is the welcoming of strangers. The Magi showed up unannounced, presumably shortly after the birth, and in a location where I’m sure Mary wasn’t expecting to entertain visitors. I doubt that I would have been as gracious as Mary was to have exotic visitors from… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/21/23

Discriminating Joy “It is discrimination, the ability to choose between one good in life over another, that the liturgical year parades before our eyes over and over again, year after year, until we finally develop enough maturity of soul to tell what lasts from what pales, to discern what’s worth having from what isn’t, to… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/20/23

Joy “We come to realize more each year how great are our blessings, how beautiful is a life lived in concert with the Jesus who came to show us the way. We learn the joy of anticipation, the joy of delighting in a sense of the presence of God all around us, the joy of… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/19/23

Wherever the Way May Lead “If we only listen for God in church, we will miss half of the message. The good news is always beginning somewhere in the world for those with ears to hear and hearts to go wherever the way may lead.” The birth of Jesus wasn’t noticed or announced in the… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/18/23

When the Magi left Herod, they followed the star, not knowing where or for how long they would continue traveling. Not surprisingly, when the star finally led them to the end of their journey, they were overjoyed. When we reach the end of our journey, it’s important to acknowledge the destination. Especially if it’s not… Continue reading Advent 2023- 12/17/23