Christmas Eve
This, the last day of Advent, brings to an end our waiting.
It has been my joy to spend a part of each day of this season learning from Fr. Richard and sharing with you and it is my hope that all of us have prepared a place within our hearts and lives for Christ to be born anew.
As you know by now I journal daily and while most entries are my thoughts, I often record quotes from others. One piece that I have carried in the back of my journal for the past year is a benediction I received from the inward/outward site early last year. This blessing says best what I would hope for all of you as the Christmas season begins.
A Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.