The Holy Family

by David Lins  |  12/29/2019  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

I think a lot of Catholics have this rosy picture of the Holy Family. The mother was without sin. The son happened to be THE SON OF GOD. And the third member, St. Joseph, wasn’t exactly a slacker. (see: SAINT Joseph)

What problems could a trio like that actually have? Let’s come back to this thought.

This is the time of the year when many of us find ourselves wondering why our families don’t look anything like those Hallmark Christmas movies. A husband who participated in the purchase of every card and gift. A mother who finds all her husband’s idiosyncrasies as charming as the day they met. Children thrilled to spend hours laughing with each other. Their spouses relaxed by the roaring fireplace. Grandchildren grateful for every gift and perfectly behaved. The turkey a glossy golden brown.

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Christmas needs to be more

by David Lins  |  12/22/2019  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

Advent should’ve been more.

More than a search for the perfect gift for a loved one. More than flavoring everything with peppermint and pumpkin. More than Hallmark movies with predictable plots where everyone looks like they were created in a central casting laboratory.

Advent should’ve been more.

More than a time for family. More than a time to make a yearly pilgrimage to the confessional. Even more than getting ready for the arrival of the infant Jesus. It should’ve been a time where we renew our commitment to be ready for when Jesus comes again. It might be the second coming. Or it might only be Jesus coming for us individually.

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Your pew is about to be invaded!

by David Lins  |  12/15/2019  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

WARNING: Christmas is just around the corner and your pew is about to be invaded!

That’s right.

Those people who only show up for holidays or when the guilt they’d have to endure from their favorite grandmother isn’t worth the extra ninety minutes they’d “gain” will be making it harder to sit where you want or get out of the parking lot in 4.5 minutes flat.

How inconvenient.

Or maybe there is another attitude we should have.

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Celebrating Our Different Gifts

by David Lins  |  12/08/2019  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

When I was a youth group leader, I was often invited to various activities my youth group teens participated in. For the most part, they took the form of concerts, plays, and athletic events.

When you are a veteran of middle school concerts, you get used to the struggles of the choir populated with boys whose voices are in the midst of changing. The young ladies might have those notes nailed, but if even one unfortunate young man can’t hold back random oscillation between alto and baritone (with no stops at tenor), it can turn something beautiful into a sound that makes a person want to confess to crimes they didn’t commit.

When it comes to plays, you might have a high school thespian ready to play Willy Loman with the best of them, but if he’s onstage with a young woman who can’t remember any of her lines, it makes every member of the audience cringe (except her parents, who think she deserves a Tony).

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What would your tomorrow look like?

by David Lins  |  12/01/2019  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

I’ve previously posed the question: if tomorrow only contained what you thanked God for today, what would it look like?

It is a thought experiment worth revisiting.

The youngest among us tend to thank God for toys, parents, and cartoons.

The most grateful among us tend to thank God for our loved ones, our jobs, and our meals.

The holiest among us tend to thank God for the Church, daily struggles, and faith.

How many of us remember to thank the Lord for another morning?

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