23/12/2023

Advent Sunday 2023

Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.”

Every time we pray The Lord’s Prayer we ask to be able to do as Mary did “Your kingdom come, your will be done…” That is our vocation we received at baptism: trying to do God’s will.

How do you know what God wants you to do?

God speaks to me through the events of my life –  and the people that come into my life. It is up to me to decide how to treat them – and how to treat myself.

My conscience – The Word of God present in  my heart – tells me what I should be doing.

The serenity prayer, written by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971),  is, I find,  helpful. “Heavenly Father, grant to us the serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be changed, courage to change that which can be changed, and wisdom to know the difference.”

One of my mantras is, “All I can do is to do all I can. Do my best and leave the rest to God.” It stops me fretting and dissolves any frustrations that would accelerate my ageing.

I take care of my body, my mind, my emotions and my prayer life. How about you?

Though I know I have been able to change myself  across my PIES – and am not as I was in my teenage years  - or even twenty years ago – I know I cannot change others. I can, however, give them the tools for the job. I can – and do hear confession. I can encourage, guide and motivate people – as I hope you may have noticed.