final count down to Christmas ..

[seaweeds]

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In my last post I spoke about the 7 "O" Antiphons which accompany Vespers for this final count down to Christmas. The above is the latin plainsong chant to the first - O Sapientia (O Wisdom).

Through the blessing of God this Advent has been a particularly fruitful one for me; with certain spiritual issues cleared up and priorities re-arranged. I do believe I have much to look forward to in 2011 and for that I am extremely grateful.

Whilst I do believe my calling is perhaps not of the Sacramental Priesthood - I do sincerely believe that, as with all baptised, I am called to continue being the "salt and light of the earth" but in perhaps a more radical way.

Whilst for those early in spiritual development and perhaps the unbaptised, God's continuing challenge would be "Have you fed the hungry? Have you been good to the poor? Have you clothed the naked? Have you comforted the lonely?".

But for those baptised and seeking to co-operate with God in his salvific mission through his church - the challenge from God is an additional one. I believe that we need to go beyond these "lateral" and "vertical" relationships as we are called to mission. We are called to evangelization of the unbaptised and more importantly - re-evangelization of the baptised but lukewarm or even cold.

For those of us who respond - God's challenge is that of his question to Cain in the book of Genesis: When we meet God face to face, he will simply ask us: "Where is your brother?"

To which our answer cannot be Cain's: "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" but I believe, the only answer acceptable to God for my brothers' and sisters' absence would be: "I called and I called and I called - but if it is your will, I will continue to call again."

So let us not waste time feeling all good and holy singing "O come O Come Emmanuel" as really, we have HECK of a lot of work to do. When I meet God face to face in heaven - I want to be able to confidently say:

"I called and I called and I called - if it is your will, I will continue to call again."

If you are baptised, God is not going to ask you if you believe as that is a "given". So - do ponder how you are going to answer when He asks: "Welcome home my dear son/daughter - but - where are your brothers and sisters?"



will you join me ?