Advent Thoughts

“He who made the stars...
whose name is LORD.”[Amos 5:8]
                                                     ~reprinted from The Mantle,, Nov 7, 2008

"Let us with Faith, trust Him in all things."

           I have always been fascinated with the stars.  When I was a child, we often sat outside with my parents when the evenings were still warm.  Living on the farm, there were no city lights to block light from the heavens.  We would search the skies and try to be the first one to spy a star as darkness began to fall.  The times we saw a shooting star, were the highlight of our evening.  I’m sure I have already shared with you the clear, sharp, still dark, star-filled early Christmas mornings when my family had been to Midnight Mass, Mom had made breakfast, and my sister Margie and I walked to the barn to milk the cows a little early that morning before we finally went to bed.  Every time we took that walk, we would marvel at the stars and tell each other that we were sure, if we could be quiet enough, we would probably be able to hear the angels singing in celebration.

            I remember another Christmas when I was in great anguish due to my prodigal Catholic son’s behavior, and asked, “Why, God?”  And then was led to read God’s words to Job:  “Can you direct the movement of the stars—binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion? Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens? Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?  ~Job 38:31-33

            I could only reply as Job did, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”  From that difficult time on, whenever I am touched by the appearance of a star in the heavens, it reminds me to trust Him that no matter what troubles seem to be swirling around me.  “It’s ALL good because God is there.” (Romans 8:28)

I ask you to looked out at the evening sky in November you may have seen two bright planets slowly moving toward each other and the moon.  Venus low in the SW sky with Jupiter  to the right of the moon.  As advent begins, remember the Scripture:  “The Heavens declare the Glory of God” (Psalm 19:2)

           Let those stars remind us that we do not know the mind of God.  We are not His counselor.  Let us with Faith, trust Him in all things.  And then let us pray the words of Psalm 148:1-3:   Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; give praise in the heights. Praise him, all you angels; give praise, all you hosts.  Praise him, sun and moon; give praise, all shining stars.

        May we each continue to have the perseverance of St. Monica and the unconditional love of the father of the Prodigal Son, until the day when we, too, can say, “Rejoice with me! The prodigal for whom I have prayed has come home!”