Charlie Dittmeier's Home Page
Last night we had another snowfall that was almost a carbon copy of the previous three-inch snowfall last week. Again it occurred during the night and greeted us in the morning and was about three-inches. The big difference is that this time much of the snow melted quickly and it was never a problem on the streets.
May we keep choosing love, not because the world makes it easy, but because God is with us.
From Red Letter Christians
Here is some information received from the bishop of Phnom Penh about the conflict on the border between Cambodia and Thailand. Caritas Cambodia, the church relief agency, is organizing tent cities, water, food, toilets, and other assistance. They are probably the main positive force in the renewal of this century-old dispute.
The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.
From Creighton Online Ministries
Yesterday the church crew started setting up a nativity scene at St. Boniface Church. Today I was back there for a mass for the Immaculate Conception and this is what I found. From what I understand, the St. Boniface tradition is to set up stable and manger and then the next week add the stable animals and then the last week before Christmas to add supporting people statues and then the Holy Family on Christmas Day, but it seems the animals were in a hurry to get there.
“Life must always be welcomed and protected. These two things go together – welcome and protection, from conception to natural death. All of us are called to respect life and care for it.”
Pope Francis
Advent can feel like a countdown to Christmas and a hustle of preparation for the holidays, when in fact the liturgical season is all about waiting–not for a short-lived celebration but for a person.
Today I had a meeting after lunch and was debating how I could go when I depend on my bicycle for getting around. I went outside at Nazareth Home above and the sidewalks there and the nearby streets look reasonably cleared and usable for a bike.
The temperature, though, was in the high 20ºs and low 30ºs, and I learned over the last weekend my fingers–even with ski gloves–could only take about 15 minutes of that. My earlier rides were REALLY painful, so I was happy to learn today that another priest was going to the same meeting and I could ride with him–in a car. The trip was smooth and warm and I got to see more beautiful scenes from this winter’s first real snow.