Saturday 28 January 2012

Near the end of January '2012

Everyday Christian
Many days of the year are not special. Although today is the Memorial Day of St. Thomas Aquinas; as many days of the year have Sts. attached to them: it is not so special, unless you went to a church named after that St. Thomas, and partial because there are so many Sts., and except for government holidays, Christmas, New Years, Easter and Thanksgiving, they’re not too many special days. In Canada, Catholics don’t have as many days of obligation as they do in the USA. And I think we all see the trend of Sundays not being kept sacred holidays or special. Even though most of my Saturdays are special for me: my wife had the day off, before she retired and has everyday off, I go to the Belleville Catholic Men’s Fellowship in the morning, spend an hour in our Chapel of Adoration in the afternoon and usually go to the Vigil (Saturday Nite) Mass; it isn’t a special day really. But we sure can count on God’s love for us today, depend on the mercy of Christ, the Father’s blessing and the grace of the Holy Spirit. And so I am especially glad to be an everyday Christian.
When we think of the Incarnation, particularly Jesus hidden years, we are reminded that he had a lot of days that maybe didn’t seem so special. He probably worked with his father, Joseph, at carpentry, as the Bible says he was obedient to his parents. Many believe that Joseph died when Christ was in his youth, and he felt responsibility towards his Mother, Mary. Even on the cross he asked St. John, the Beloved disciple to treat her as his Mother. I think our Savior made everyday special with some time spent in a synagogue, in study of Scripture, or in solitude with his Father, as there are many references to this. And so too we are called to embrace everyday as a great day to be a Christian. I like to say the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Divine Office, read the Bible, and take Communion, everyday. There are two North American Catholic Networks, Vision TV, Christ centered radio stations and many other ways to make it a good day and a God day today.