Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I think that this is a very interesting and sometimes difficult time of the year. I say this because we just came off of the highs and excitement experienced over Christmas and New Year’s and now we find ourselves back to the grind. So too, January more often than not treats us to cold weather and overcast skies. What we need to recall when things get tough or overwhelming is that at this point in the Christmas story Jesus is still an adorable 4 week old baby. If you’re having a tough day, feel down or depressed, or feel like the world is cold imagine how everything could change if you’d pick up a 4 week old baby, hold Him close, and let His warmth penetrate through to your heart! I encourage you to spend some time each day this week sitting down in a comfortable chair, closing your eyes, and through imaginative prayer, pick up and hold baby Jesus for a handful of minutes. Just be there with Him, holding Him, loving Him, and letting Him look into your eyes and love you back in return! Have a great week with Baby Jesus!
God Bless,
Fr. Romke
Sunday: Do I have anything that I’ve been praying about for a LONG time that doesn’t seem to be resolved? How do I feel about this? (Not how do I feel about the situation but how do I feel about the fact that it hasn’t been resolved yet!) Talk to God about this and ask Him to give you patience and to help you understand that He has a plan.
Monday: Do I feel like I have a lot of water when I need wine? When this happens do I sometimes find it easy to find “Whine” rather than wine? When I feel like complaining, can I instead turn to God and ask Him to give me His strength?
Tuesday: Do I sometimes focus on how much further I have to go rather than being grateful for how far I’ve come? Can I ask God to give me a greater awareness of how far I’ve come?
Wednesday: Do I sometimes question if God knows what He is doing? Can I ask Him to reassure me and to help me to trust in Him in a deeper way?
Thursday: Have I ever given up on God at any point in my life? Have I essentially given up on God currently in any areas of my life and find myself just going through the motions? Can I talk to God about this and ask Him for help?
Friday: Can I open up my heart in a deep way and ask God to help me to trust in Him that He will be there for me, that He has a plan, and that He will turn the water of my life into wine?
Saturday: Am I willing to continue to walk forward on day and one step at a time, bringing what I have to the Lord so tht He can transform my life into something beautiful that will bring Him glory?