Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
–Philippians 4:4-7 (RSV)
We hear this passage every Third Sunday of Advent—Gaudete Sunday, the Latin for the first word of this reading—Rejoice! And it can be easy to rejoice around the end of Advent and Christmas. There is the promise of parties, family time, gifts, and surprises. A festive mood is prevalent every where. Of course we are rejoicing in that! And we rejoice in the spiritual meaning, that of God becoming Man, the mystery of the Incarnation. We rejoice at the appearance of the babe in the manger.
But what do we do when Christmas is over? The Wise Men have gone home. The decorations are put away for another year. It is Ordinary Time again, and life feels…ordinary. We are back to the routine of work, school, and daily obligations.
But St. Paul doesn’t tell us to just rejoice when it’s holiday time. He tells us to rejoice always. Every day! We aren’t to worry about anything!
Right. Sure, St. Paul. Because the electric bill will pay itself, and dinner will end up on the table by House-elf, and the mop is enchanted, like in Sleeping Beauty. Sure! No worries!
The thing is—he means it.
One of the things I started doing this year is keeping a spiritual journal. Now I’ve kept a regular journal since I was about twelve. But this is different. In this journal, I write my prayer practices, prayer requests, helping quotations, prayers, homily notes, and other things that help me in my spiritual growth. I take it with me to my weekly Holy Hour and write down what God puts in my heart there. It’s always with me, jammed in my bag, and is starting to get a little rough around the edges, but I love this little book.
Another thing I record in its pages are things I’m thankful for, the little blessings God gives me everyday. I scribble big things and small things, from hot, steamy bath water to a good doctor’s appointment to seeing wobbly cut-out hearts in a florist’s window.
This can sound hokey. Everyone, it seems, talks about “Gratitude journals” these days. But to me, it is sheer, perfect evidence of how God works in our lives. How many opportunities we have for joy, for thanksgiving! And then, the greatest of all thanksgivings, the Mass, Eucharist—which means thanksgiving. We can go to Mass daily, if we want, and if we have the ability. We can worship God and receive Him every single day. That baby in the manger is God incarnate! And even though the tree is put away, He can never be put away. He is the cause of our joy.
In the bustle of daily life, the baby can get lost. The thanksgiving, the joy, can be overwhelmed by carpools, traffic, daily errands, and laundry. We can forget to see. I know I’ve done it. But if we train ourselves to see, to take in the little bits of joy that God gives us everyday, we can practice thanksgiving all the time. And then, maybe, we can start to find the “peace that surpasses all understanding”, that St. Paul has promised us. Peace that can never be taken away, no matter how crazy the day, because we know that God has given us the greatest joy—His Son.
?
Can you list 3 things off the top of your head you’re thankful for right now?
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:: Two children who yesterday were my babies and today are men
:: God’s mercy …new to me every day
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Your blog is beautiful, Caroline!
Such great things to be thankful for.
(PS: I love the name Caroline. It’s the name of my Best Stuffed Bunny for childhood. )
I am grateful for….
….a bowl full of fruit on the table & kids who ask for fruit for snack
….photobook arriving in the mail today
….my sister
I too keep a gratitude / prayer journal. I carry it with me and whenever somebody asks for prayer I enter it my “red heart book” as well as my thanksgiving.
This is wonderful entry on how to be thankful of the little things. I just recently found this website thanks to Emily. I am hoping to read more good entries in the near future by the others of Suscipio.
God Bless.
I am grateful for:
- Mass followed with Morning Prayer with my pastor and other lovely ladies at church this morning
- my husband who is my friend and rock!
- the rising sun shining brightly as it peeked up over the mountaintop
Love those things, Rebecca!
Oops~forget my three things…
…rainy morning with no errands
…big mug of strong coffee
…browsing books on Amazon
Emily~such a wonderful post! I have been visiting your blog too and started following. I am a Secular Carmelite. I love the idea of your journal. I keep a gratitude journal…recording God’s gifts…but it would be nice to jot down scripture quotes or anything else God may be speaking to me. So great to have you here!
Thank you, Theresa! I love your blog as well.
It’s so neat to meet secular members of other orders and compare notes.
Grateful ~ Seeing the sunrise this morning, spiritual readings, and family
Emily ~ do you have a blog? One of the things I am really enjoying of Suscipio is finding amazing Catholic ladies and visiting their blogs!
I love the idea of your journal. As I am learning more about my faith, this would be so wonderful to keep a journal!
Wonderful post!
Hi Marcia!
Yes I do! It’s http://catholicpostergirl.stblogs.com. I think if you click on Rapunzel over there, it’ll take you there.
Thanks so much for your kind words!
I am grateful for the feeling in the depth of me that is the desire and longing for intimacy with God.
I am grateful for the last 18 years of mothering little and in turn bigger children
I am grateful for dh and 19 years of marriage
I am grateful for the little snippets of time for silence and solitude
I am grateful for the opportunity to now embrace a new chapter and to have the time to think, pray, exercise, create etc
I am grateful for my chooks, and garden
I am grateful for music (listen to the Faure flute fantasy and the Poulenc flute sonata)
I am grateful for my ability to read and write, to play music and to create
Hmmm …I could write a very long list!
Good Morning Marie. Your day is off to a great start!
::hot chocolate in a chipped “Motherhood is a holy privilege” cup
::the first load of laundry already swishing about in the washing machine
::2 little boys who woke up early and are now snuggled in my bed (one of whom turns 8 today!)
Thanks Jenny for the morning call…its actually really early in the morning here -12.30 am, Saturday- such is the time difference in the southern hemisphere
So I am going to give thanks for a nights sleep and go off to bed!
Southern Hemisphere! Wow! Where are you, Marie?
australia…the land of sun and seak. I just spent the afternoon on Sydeny harbour. Something else to be grateful for. It really is the most beautiful harbour in the world
Hi Marie and Jenny,
I like both these lists!
Marie: Making music! Yes! Something that is vitally important in my life as well.
Jenny: Mmm hot chocolate! Might have to go get some. And I love the little boys snuggling. Happy birthday to the birthday boy!