God’s Plans For Me

Can you believe that we’re only 4 days away from Christmas? Where did Advent go? I’d like to take a little survey of how your Advent Plans have been working… how are things going? I’m sure you laid out a schedule to get ready… practically and spiritually. How did everything go…and how are you doing with the things that didn’t go according to plan? Who said, “hey if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”. Hmmmmm, I really don’t thing that’s very funny; I hope God didn’t say that.  

Maybe your surmising that all my plans didn’t work out perfectly. Well, congratulations Sherlock, you’re right. There were a few blocks in the road. We have been working hard to prepare our parish choir for Christmas… a concert and then Midnight Mass.. beautiful hymns, 4 part harmony, some great voices , instruments. I’m serious when I say, it’s really good. Well, after a lot of practicing, our concert was postponed and our midnight mass is a bit shaky. Yes you guessed it the Covid Demon has been sneaking around. Even the famous tenor section has been affected; yes, Dave the number 4 tenor has Covid and is out of action. Hopefully the top three will be able to carry the day. Fortunately the choir director will be over her Covid in time for Christmas. Some planning.

On the positive side other things have worked out pretty well. Yes we did get our tree up. “Where did you get the tree Dave, how much was it, are the needles staying on, was it raining when you got it, did you have to bargain the guy down…. ?” Well actually it’s an artificial tree and I had to get it up from the basement….. not as easy as it sounds. I also put up our little town and it looks great. I love to look at it …. I can almost disappear into the town. The wreaths are up, the stable is up. We even put candles in our window. I bought some presents and wrapped them. I am very proud of myself…. the right kind of pride, not the sinful kind…. I hope. And of course my assistant, Birdie, was a big help.( One little secret…she actually has better taste in decorating that I do…. no, I’m serious.)

I know this BLOG is getting very deep. I really don’t like to push you into a study of the Catechism and the writings of Augustine and Aquinas to figure the subtleties of my story…. especially 4 days before Christmas. So, what’s the point of this BLOG?

In a nutshell, let’s look at Paul’s letter to the Romans. “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purposes>” (Rom. 8:28) Lord help us to leave our failed plans in your hands, knowing that you have an even better plan. Help us to keep our eyes open as we see you working to give us a Jaguar instead of an Edsel…. a trip to the Holy Lands instead of Cleveland… and a Christmas filled with love and gratitude and peace instead of one that has all the trimmings but none of the love. I bet even Augustine and Thomas would agree with that. 

So, happy few days left of Advent and may this Christmas, even if not according to OUR plans, be the best we’ve ever experienced… enveloped in the love of our God. Wow, that is very good news.