GLIMPSES OF GOD 2025

Glimpse of God for the week of January 12, 2025

Reflections on the Christmas Season 

As Catholics, we will conclude the Christmas season with the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord today. With that, I am sharing my reflections on how the Holy Family story is our story, our history, that we are invited to acknowledge, live out, honor, reverence and celebrate, each and every day, and not just one day or one liturgical season of the year.

Mary had faith in God in God and his promises Joseph held on to hope that things would work as God wanted them to the shepherd’s great love for God and his message and they gave up all in search of the Savior. Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel and was told that she was chosen by God to be the mother of our savior, the Messiah. She knew about the promise of a Messiah, as she was a very learned Jewish girl. She grew up in the temple and later with the stories the visitations constantly told by her parents and Anne and Joachim.

In her question of How can this be? She was not to asking for a sign or seek proof, but rather to come to a greater understanding of what he was saying. She could not fully grasp what the angel was telling her, and in her heart, she thought, why me? can this be true?

How often when things happen to us and we find ourselves saying, why me? could this be true? how am I to respond? Although we might not be visited by an angel with life changing news, aren’t we often visited by angels, God’s messengers her on earth, who share God’s good news with us and with that news, our lives are changed forever?

What Mary said to the Angel was spoken, not as one who was seeking a sign or proof out of doubt, but rather so that she could come to a greater understanding of the Angel’s message. The Angel told her that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her, and she would conceive a child and he shall be called Jesus, the savior, our Redeemer.

Often when we live through some very painful and unexpected situations, we feel over shadowed with doubt or fear, anxiety or stress and then start with the why's, could this be true, am I being punished? Or when we are blessed beyond our imaginings, we even question why. How can this be, how come I am so fortunate, and others are not?  there are so many others who are suffering how come or can I be so blessed? Whatever message God has given us, what are we being invited to do that will build up His kingdom here on earth? God’s Holy Spirit is always with us and even in the midst of challenging time, He still is there to dismiss the fear, discouragement or despair that we may be experiencing.               If we are called to carry a heavy cross, we are given the strength and grace by God to carry it knowing that we are never alone. Mary believed this and trusted in God and in that trust, she said Yes, she gave her Fiat that began our salvation. Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and she conceived the child.

I believe that we can, if we try to, recognize how in our life experiences where and when we were overshadowed or embraced by the Holy Spirit and received new life. The new life that was conceived within us were his gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord. How do we know that we received his gifts? It is by the way we share his fruits of joy, charity, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, chastity, modesty, and self-control, with others.

We receive these gifts from the Holy Spirit who is alive and well in our life. I believe that what we desire is to be a greater reflection of these gifts and fruits as was Mary.

Through Mary's intercession, as we imagine being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, what we can see within, it's what we give life to it is our better self, our stronger self, our deeply rooted self in Christ. No matter what we are called to do, or cross we are called to carry, we are invited to ask for Mary's help, her never-ending intercession, knowing that it's always available. Mary said yes, we say yes not just once but every day when we recognize how God has chosen us to be his witnesses in the world beginning in our home, in our community, and on our world.

Mary was the first living Tabernacle. She bore the savior and not only gave Him life but gave us all new life in Christ. As members of the body of Christ, each time we receive the Holy Eucharist, we are also a living Tabernacle. Christ dwells in our heart and we are enlivened with His grace so that we are not an empty vessel but a but a living Tabernacle filled with God's grace to be his living witnesses to all those we encounter.

Mary's eyes and heart were open to God and his message that the Angel delivered. The Angel delivered God's message to his servant Mary, and she accepted it, and lived it out. We sometimes have our eyes and hearts closed due to fear, anxiety, and stresses of daily life yet God knows our hearts and understands and recognizes our weaknesses. So as we think about closing our eyes and heart because we are afraid, take a moment to remember that in the darkness, God's light shines even brighter so when you open your eyes and heart His light will be the beacon that leads you and others to the Christ child.

Joseph was visited by an Angel

After Joseph decided to divorce Mary or put her away to avoid her from being stoned to death an Angel appeared to him and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. At first, I am sure that he was not only startled, but more confused and probably thought that he was going nuts, but once he realized the Angel was from God, although he still did not understand his role in this miracle, he trusted that God would show him what he needed to do, he was happy and at peace.

Joseph, prior to the dream, was content and sure that he could provide for Mary, as a Carpenter and his work had and would be their livelihood. He was concerned because he knew that Sacred Scriptures said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but they lived in Nazareth, and up to that point had no intention to travel that far.

But then the census came out from Caesar Augustus. Everyone, no matter what, even the blind, lame and even pregnant women had to return the city of their fathers and there be counted. Joseph prepared for the long journey and tried to console Mary by telling her that the ancient prophecy was being fulfilled, in spite of their wishes, was coming true.  So, at this news and obligation, Mary and Joseph prepared to leave for Bethlehem, which was 50-mile journey that would take at least five days. The physical journey of Mary who was about to give birth and traveling to a land not known, and Joseph who was afraid that about the safety of the baby began.  The spiritual journey of faith, trust and hope continued.

After the journey was completed and they arrived in Bethlehem, they were faced with the reality that all the inns and everything living space was filled with folks and there was no place for Mary and Joseph to go to have the baby. But they were offered a cave where they could have the baby, it was where the animals were kept warm. That was all that Joseph had. As the husband he felt that he disappointed and failed both Mary and Jesus, he wanted the best for her and the baby, but he accepted what was placed before him trusting that God placed it there and all was going to be well.  

How often do our thoughts and ideas go off track? we think we know how it should be? we think we know what's best for us, but then we see that God’s plan is what worked and through it we learned and became stronger person. With God’s grace and through it all we are able to recognize how we became our best self the person that God crated us to be and have the potential to become.

Like Joseph, sometimes when we are called by God to do His will in our life and we think that it will be clear and easy, we often encounter many obstacles, roadblocks, and mountains. We begin to feel that we didn’t hear Him right or failed and even disappointed God and others.  It’s not what we thought it would be. If God wanted me to do this, it should be clear and easy. When the Angel appeared to Mary and Joseph, he didn’t say it would be easy, he said fear not. In other words, do not be afraid of me, an Angel of God, or of what God is calling you to.  Yet we know as did the martyrs and saints, that God’s will isn’t meant to be easy, but He would never ask anything of us that we could not fulfill without His grace. Following Christ’s footsteps is what makes it a straight and clear path.

How often do we think that we failed God and others and are so deeply disappointed in ourselves because of our mistakes and bad choices? Although we make mistakes, the consequences and repercussions don't define us, what defines us is that we are God's beloved sons and daughters, loved unconditionally and are His greatest creation. Joseph maintained his hope with his faith and trust of Mary and hoped that all would work as God wanted it to

The Shepherds were visited by an Angel and the Wise Men were guided by a star

The shepherds were outcasts, wanderers, they had no roots, seldom married, they were looked down upon and having sheep that didn't smell all that great didn't help. But God’s Angel appeared to them in their lowliness and humility and proclaimed that both the savior and Lord was born and that they wanted to go worship him. God knew their hearts and knew that they would want to go in search of Him. They left all behind, in search for the savior and they found him. The three Wise Men followed the star and were led to Jesus. They came bearing gifts.  They traveled a far distance in search of the Christ child, and an angel revealed to them to go another route because Herod wanted to kill the child. Their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were expensive, yet they represented Christ and His role as Priest, Prophet and King. As we seek to honor and reverence Christ, our gifts may not be those of the wise men, but ours are priceless, that of our heart, mind, spirit and soul. When we offer those to Christ, God receives them with great gentleness, mercy, love and compassion,

We are called to guide, lead and show others how to know Christ through our example so as to show them how they are instrumental in building up the kingdom of God here on earth. Like the shepherds and the Wise Men, as they beheld the child in a Manger and emerged with great joy and proclaimed his birth to all they encounter, don’t we, or shouldn’t we do this when we behold the child Jesus in the Eucharist? When Jesus enters our being in the Eucharist, we are filled with great joy, and it is that joy that we are to share with all those we encounter. It is then that we are shepherds, helping all of God’s sheep, both the lost and the found, to come and know Him better and that He came for them and not just for everybody else, we all have reason to proclaim Joy to the world.  

The shepherds were outcasts, yet they knew about God and Sacred Scripture. How do we look at the outcasts of our society? The homeless, the addicted, the poor…..

Do we, are we willing to see the face of God in their face, or do we turn away, make judgments, and leave being indifferent? Do we try to be in relationship with them as a brother or a sister in the Lord, or do we keep them at a distance as a stranger?

The shepherds possessed the faith and trust, the hope and joy of Mary and Joseph and as humble shepherds were chosen by God to behold the face of God in the baby Jesus. They heard the message and beheld the miracle. So as a seeker and follower of the Christ

child, although we are not shepherds herding sheep in a foreign land, everyday if we open our hearts and minds to God’s voice, we will hear his message and be given the opportunity to behold a miracle. The miracle of life, every breath that we take, the gift of reconciliation, of mercy being extended, injuries being healed, us becoming whole, these are all actions of God and His grace within us. The shepherds beheld the miracle and emerged with great joy and exultation.

As living tabernacles, each time we receive the Holy Eucharist, we too can emerge with great joy and exultation, or do we just go away feeling no different, and not allow the grace of God to change us, conform, transform, reform us? Jesus changed Mary, Joseph, the Shepherd and even the wise men, how can we not be changed after we receive the Holy Eucharist, after we have the opportunity to behold Jesus in our very heart, mind, spirit, and soul? And if we are changed, does that not affect how we see others? aren’t we able to see past appearances and see the heart of the person? Do we seek to see past the hurt to the healing?

As we stand in the light of Christ’s birth, let us share that light with all those who seek the Christ child and may we behold Him in the faces of our family members, church, community, the stranger, the estranged, and the outcast. As Mary and Joseph embraced all those who beheld their Son, may we embrace those who seek Jesus, and those who have walked away from Him feeling lost and forgotten. As the Holy Family looked upon all with love, may we see our God looking at us with great love, adoration, and joy.

Glimpse of God for the week of January 5, 2025

Beholding the face of God in Christ. The feast of the Epiphany

The Christ child came, our salvation was born, and humanity was saved. As Mary and Joseph beheld the face of God in Christ, God made it possible for all aspects of humanity to behold Him: the poor shepherds, the strangers that allowed him to be born in their stable, the animals that watched over them, the visitors passing through and the traveling Magi.

I believe that the lives of all those individuals who beheld the savior in the face of an infant, were changed forever. Like those individuals, we too can be changed forever, one glance at a time, when we seek and find the face of God both in others and in ourselves. As humanity is given the opportunity to behold the face of God in Christ, to listen to His messengers,

we are all given the opportunity, are invited, to behold the face of God in Christ in each other, those close to us, those far away, those estranged from us, the stranger, and even our enemy, and then to take the risk to be transformed and changed.
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, we recall how it was through the message of an angel that the three wise men sought the child Jesus, the Messiah and found him.  It was also through the message of the angel that they should return home by another route. Although we may not hear an angel tell us what way to go, or how to get there, God does provide His messengers to guide us so that we can be our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become. With this message, also comes the invitation to be transformed. These messengers can come in form of parents, siblings, teachers, church members, religious leaders, community members, neighbors, coworkers, friends, and even our enemies. As we listen to God’s messengers as they lead us nearer to Christ, as we seek to behold the face of God, we must always be open to how God chooses to reveal Himself and as when we seek Him with an open mind, spirit, and heart, we too shall behold Him. And in that epiphany experience, we like the wise men, can be changed forever.

Let us be mindful that we are always invited to see the face of God in Christ in others and in ourselves. Have a blessed, merry, and happy Epiphany. Let us keep our mind open to beholding the face of Christ in all those we encounter and perhaps we will behold him when we least expect to.  Start by looking in the mirror, His face will be clear and bright.

This week’s glimpse comes as we behold the face of God in Christ. What does that face look like? We are all God’s beloved children and inherently, we possess His presence, His love, and His compassion. As we behold the face of Christ in others and in ourselves, the face could and often reflects the presence and compassion, love, and peace of God, but sometimes these qualities are either masked underneath other significant emotions that a person is experiencing or emerges forth from them. These could be joy, happiness, sadness, sorrow, stress, worry, disappointment, anger, weariness, peace, or love.

This week I will take each day and invite you to look into the face of some of these various life experiences and see the face of God in Christ. If you are looking out to others or in the mirror, Christ dwells in our lives and in each experience that we go through.

When we least expect to see Him, He is there. In the face that we are beholding, we may see Him in the glare coming from the eyes or in the emptiness of them. He can be seen through the smile, grin, or the frown of the mouth. He can be seen in the color or lack of color in the cheeks and how the hair is taken care of. As we behold the face of Christ, we can listen to the voice that comes forth from it, be it the voice of an infant through the cuus and whimpers, of a child with few words that sometimes make sense or not, or of an adult’s voice that comes with words of joy, sadness, or confusion. God reveals Himself as He sees best and so that we can see Him when we least expect to or are least open to. And, as we behold the face of God, are we willing to be transformed by what we see so that we can, as the wise men did, follow a new path or different direction that God places before us and become a new creation?

SUNDAY – JOY AND HAPPINESS

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love? When we behold the face of God in joy and happiness, how do we respond? Do we allow others joy and happiness to take root on our lives, by our presence, with empathy or do we attempt to overshadow their joy with our stresses, worries, or crosses? As we behold the face of God in joy, and we see it clearly in the face that is beholding us, are we able to see God in our very face? When we behold the face of God, are we open to personal and spiritual transformation through that which is not only beholding us but penetrating our very being? Are we able to recognize and be a person of joy: a person that is centered on Jesus, Others and Self? Are we willing to change, to trust and surrender to God all that is keeping us from being a joyful person so that we can experience true and lasting joy and happiness?

MONDAY – SADNESS OR SORROW

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love?

When we behold the face of God in sadness, do we allow ourselves to enter into the life experience that has caused one to be sad? Do we shy away from beholding the face because we feel uncomfortable and it makes us feel uneasy? How are we changed when we behold the face of God in sadness and sorrow whereas we see God in the sadness and sorrow and do not turn away from Him? In and through sorrow we can be transformed into a new creation, or we can choose to stay an old creation in need of greater healing so that we can become whole. When you behold the face of God in sorrow, do you, can you allow yourself to see Christ on the cross, reconciling, healing, and loving you, or another, through the pain, sorrow and sadness?

TUESDAY – STRESS AND WORRY/CONCERN

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love? When we behold the face of God in stress and worry,(for me worry is without Christ, concern is with Christ, so I don’t worry aobut anything, but I have many concerns that I place bofore our loving Savior} do we feed into it or do we try to surrender it so that we can begin to feel a greater sense of calm and peace? When you encounter the face of God in stress and worry do you reject it, embrace it, or turn away from it? In your ability to accept it and discern how you can surrender it, do you? The face of God in stress and worry, is a face that some behold but for the wrong reasons. Some people thrive on stress, worry, and anxiety so that they can be the center of attention or take the attention away from someone who is need. Life experiences can make one feel isolated then feel anxious amid the isolation. When we behold one who is stressed, the face of God is beckoning for greater love, patience, understanding, compassion, and empathy. When you behold the face of God in stress and worry/concern, be it in the mirror, or out the window, can you pray for God’s grace so that you can see more clearly God’s peace?

WEDNESDAY – DISAPPOINTMENT AND FRUSTRATION

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love?

Take today to look around at the face of God in those you encounter and as you see another who is disappointed and frustrated, be attentive to your feelings. How does another’s disappointment and frustrations affect you? Are you drawn into them or are you able to distance yourself from them? When you see the face of God in disappointment, in the mirror or out the window, are you filled with hope or despair? As followers of Christ, we as He, Mary and Joseph did, will face many disappointments. But we cannot let them define us, but rather we can choose to overcome them. Can you take the latest disappointments that you experienced and one of another and redefine them? Not disappointments but rather ……discoveries, revelations, hidden treasures…

THURSDAY – IRRITATION AND ANGER

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love? Only you can answer these questions as you behold the face of God in anger and irritation. These emotions can bring about great pain and cause injury both physical and emotional.  How do you respond? Some respond with hurtful words and or actions causing more pain and a divided heart. When you behold the face of God in anger, how do you handle it? If you are the recipient of another’s anger, are you able to see the face of God that only desires healing, understanding, and peace and not injury? Not many people like to be with someone who exhibits anger, and never seems to be not angry for one reason or another. Yet we know that as God’s beloved child, who is hurting, we are invited to see beyond the anger to understanding, patience and empathy.  Can you seek to see God more clearly so that you don’t respond with more anger, but rather compassion, understanding and empathy?

FRIDAY – WEARINESS AND EXHAUSTION

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love? Are you so tired that you cannot offer any consolation to those who are

 Exhausted? I think we all know the face of God in weariness and exhaustion and as we look in the mirror, we see clearly what that face looks like. Sometimes in our exhaustive moments, we can be short with outers, inpatient, and get frustrated easily. It is these moments that our face is not one of tranquility, but rather angst. When you behold the face of God in weariness and exhaustion, can you come to Christ who says to all of us, Come to me all you labor and are heavily burdened and I will refresh you…..He knows your weariness and wants to refresh you, will you allow Him to as others behold His face in you?

SATURDAY – PEACE AND HOPE

What does this face look like? How do you behold it? Do you behold it with fear, apprehension, anticipation, joy, or great love? Are you longing for lasting peace and a greater sense of hope?  Happy Epiphany. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it. It is the day where God revealed Himself to the nations, to the poor and the rich, to the shepherd and the stranger. As you behold the face of God in the poor, the homeless, the less educated, can you see past the shadow of social status, a box for a home, tattered clothes, and see God himself before you? As you behold the face of God in your coworkers, in your boss, in your community, can you see God revealing Himself through their wisdom, experience, and knowledge? Can you allow yourself to be transformed by their sharing it with you instead of being too proud to accept it?