For Faith In Action: Patton, the Priest, and the Power of Prayer

-Feast of St. Sebastian 

I've been a bit martial in this space lately. Don't let it scare you. Yesterday, in a post on the Jesus Prayer, I mentioned that in combat, there is no time for analysis or planning. True, to a point. 

But in leading up to the fighting, there is time for this activity. Sometimes hours, days, and even weeks of it. It is vital to the success of military operations that this time be used wisely. And as this story will attest to, here also, the power of prayer is necessary. We may have forgotten how powerful prayer is.

Because We Still Are Opening Christmas Gifts

Today, being a school-cancellation day, I had the opportunity to attend Mass with two dear friends. We drove to the Catholic Student Center at Rutgers University, where Father Jeff Calia, C.O. was celebrating. He told the worshippers he hadn't expected nearly 10 people to attend Mass today, given the weather. Consequently, he spoke to us extemporaneously about today's readings. He reminded us that now that we are in Ordinary Time, we are learning the implications of Christ's birth and His presence. In a sense, he told us, we still are opening our Christmas gifts.

Because He is Emmanuel

—Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

This afternoon my family will remove the lights from our Christmas tree, which now stands on our front porch, and haul the tree to the curb. Then our borough will collect it and grind it to mulch.

It is time for the tree to come down because this feast day, the Baptism of our Lord, marks the end of the Christmas season, and the beginning of Christ's public ministry.

Thanks to Little Christmas

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Little Christmas. My family and I attended Mass last night at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, which serves the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The parish is under the care of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, which, by the way, has a great website. The priest who celebrated the Mass, Father Joseph Scordo, O.P., delivered a magnificent homily about the meaning of this feast day. I want want to share his thoughts with you.

Because It Was Time: A Confession on Why I Killed Santa Claus

There is a killing that I won't need to bring to my parish priests' attention the next time I enter the confessional. I killed Santa Claus a little over a year ago in my own household, and I have absolutely no regrets about doing so either.

Because it had to be done, see? Like when Old Yeller saved the day and protected the family from a rabid wolf.

Because of the Christ Child

"The Savior comes to incapacitate the work of evil, the things that still keep us distant from God, restoring us to our ancient splendor and our original paternity. ... His coming, then, can have no other aim than that of teaching us to see and love events, the world and everything that surrounds us, with the eyes of God Himself. The Word, by becoming a Child, helps us to understand the way God acts, that we too may be capable of allowing ourselves to be transformed by His goodness and infinite mercy.

In the night of the world, let us still allow ourselves to be surprised and illuminated by this coming, by the Star which, rising in the East, has inundated the universe with joy. Let us purify our minds and our lives from everything that contrasts with this coming - thoughts, words, attitudes and actions - spurring ourselves on to do good and to help bring peace and justice to our world for all men and women, and thus to walk 
towards the Lord"

Pope Benedict XVI, Christmas 2010

Because To Me, This is a Christmas Song

But maybe that's just me...

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, کریسمس مبارک, Selamat Hari Natal, חג מולד שמח, Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo, मेरी क्रिसमस, Maligayang Pasko, عيد ميلاد مجيد, Froehliche Weihnachten, 聖誕節快樂, Joyeux Noël, С Рождеством, Buone Feste Natalizie, 메리 크리스마스, Feliz Natal, メリークリスマス, Sawadee Pee Mai,