PAX ET BONUM: Fr david Berger

How do we react to negative experiences or realities in our life?  How often have we associated them with punishments?  But what if they are gifts not punishments?  What if they are exactly what we need? We forget that God wants to save us; he doesn't necessarily want us to be prosperous or have great jobs but he wants us to be on the narrow path back to him.  All experiences can be a gift for that purpose. 

We continue our journey into Advent.  In order to truly get the spirit of Advent then we have hunger for a savior, one who comes to save his people form their sins, Emmanuel God with us.  Do we hunger for redemption.  Are we aware of things in our life that are in need of redemption and salvation.

We begin the octave prior to Christmas.  Eight days form now we shall celebrate with much pomp the birth of our savior.  The church gives us the O Antiphons to help point the way.  Today we investigate the family Tree of Jesus as we read Matthew's account of Jesus' Genealogy form Abraham to David to Jesus.  The genealogy answers the question, "how doe God descend to be one with the lowliest of humanity."

Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.  These are the words of Jesus in today's gospel.  How are we to understand these words of Jesus as they impact our lives today?

We look at Heaven.  This is part one of the two part series.  We look at questions such as What difference does heaven make, will we be free, what will we do, what will we possess, will we be bored?

How can we miss what we expect?  We see this reality with the return of Elijah Jesus speaks of in the gospel.  We experience daily in our life.

We ponder the life of Juan Diego as someone whose actions we find the lines of love that we see in Mary herself in whose heart remains the readiness of faith.

Abundance.  What does it feel like and more importantly how can we keep experiencing it?

We venture forth in to the words of the patron of Advent, Isaiah.  You might wonder what a stump and a petting zoo have to do with Advent?  Well lets take a look.

We enter this day of Thanks.  Why is thanks so important?  We look at the first thanksgiving, we explore the Rabbi understanding of the coming of Messiah pointing to the today sacrifice or sacrifice of thanks and we ponder the Ascension of Christ and tie it all together with Thanksgiving. 

WHat does God's fury have to do with anything as we encounter in the book of revelation? 

we continue our journey through the book of revelation.  Today we encounter the lamb that seem to have been slain.  The seals are about to be open.  We are in his grip, he who is the Lord of all history.

Last week we looked at death from a christian perspective.  This week we look at what happens after death.  What awaits us when we journey through the valley of death and arrive on the other side?  Im not talking about near death experiences but rather death death experiences.  Ultimately, Christ alone can reveal this to us of the alone as seen the other side and reveals it to us. 

We investigate the letter of St Paul to Philemon.  At the heart of the letter is the runaway slave Onesimus.  Paul reminds us that God gives up on no one. Do we?

We hear a few words from Pope Francis bout newness, God brings newness into our lives and we should be careful not to close ourselves to that newness.  As much as we plan outlives, we must surrender to God's providence.  Planning can never replace providence only then can God's newness begin to transform us.