It's A Wonderful Life | December 24, 2015

December 24, 2015

It's A Wonderful Life is my dad's favorite movie and honestly, it is probably my family's favorite movie because he loves it so much. Dad is a hopeless romantic and the story of George Bailey's life mattering so profoundly to the lives of literally hundreds of other people and their families captures the core of my dad’s soul. Each and every one of us matters, and each and every one of us has a very special purpose while on this earth. Our actions affect those around us and if we reflect on the things we’ve done, we will see that we are indeed important. George Bailey’s life was hit by a perfect storm, just like my dad’s life has recently been hit by a perfect storm. George was at his whit’s end and tried giving up. Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt like giving up. But God sent George an angel named Clarence to help him to see into the depths of his own soul. Raise your hand if you’ve ever had someone show up at the right time when you felt like giving up and save you from darkness. Clarence takes George through his life showing him how the lives of all his family and friends would be without them ever knowing him.  The scenes minus George’s presence were bleak, sobering, and sad. George tried desperately to reach out to them from where he was, but he couldn’t. The affects of his absence from their lives were grave and permanent. George questioned his self worth, his purpose, his impact on others, and his success in life. Raise your hand if you’ve ever done the same.

Of course we know how It’s A Wonderful Life ends, with George embracing and understanding that he had made a difference in the world due to the outpouring of kindness from all his family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers when he was in need, and our favorite angel, Clarence, did indeed get his wings. I imagine that my dad, Mr. Christmas himself, spending Christmas in the hospital might seem like the worst scenario for him and for us, but somehow there is a sweetness about it, a George Bailey and Angel Clarence-ness to it. So many people have called and visited, and reached out to us during this time, that it makes this suffering somehow a happy fault, a beloved thorn, a wonderful opportunity to look at our lives and give thanks for the gift of each other, community, and know that we do matter deeply. Our suffering goes to waste if we don’t see the opportunities to grow in wisdom, strength, stature, and love. There is always light at the end of the tunnel and it is our faith that gives us the ability to focus on that light.

As of today, dad has been in the hospital for a total of 12 days this month….12 days of Christmas to help us see what exactly our true love gives to us, and that is of course, JESUS. Now isn’t that a WONDERFUL LIFE??!!

God bless you and your family on this beautiful day filled with hope, promise, love, and light. Please pray for us and we will pray for you as well. Thank you for the gift that you are to me, a gift far greater than any material thing of this world. I love you.

Reading 1 2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16

When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
“Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” 
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you.” 
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?

“‘It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel. 
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. 
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. 
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies. 
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you. 
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

Responsorial Psalm PS 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 AND 29

R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Alleluia 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 1:67-79

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”