Dear Philothea!

Christmas is a time when we greet everyone who is close to us: our colleagues, friends, relatives, siblings, parents, spouses, children. Certainly we must do that. We must be polite and kind to all our friends, but much more with those whom we live: our parents, spouse, children. This is what Saint Francis de Sales teaches us:

“Recall to mind that the Spouse of the Song of Songs has honey not only on her lips and at the tip of the tongue but has it also under the tongue, that is to say in her breast; not only honey is there but also milk (4:11). For we should have not only kind words for our neighbour but also the whole heart, that is, the whole interior of our soul. We should not only have the sweetness of honey which is aromatic and fragrant, in other words, the sweetness of polite conversation with strangers but also the sweetness of milk among the members of our family and close neighbours”  (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 8).

Wish you all a very grace-filled Christmas. May, through us, our dear ones experience the “sweetness of the milk” along with the “sweetness of the honey”.

Peace!

Fr. George

Spiritual Director

Message of the Week

Dear Philothea!

This week we move closer to celebrating the Birth of the Lord Jesus. In Saint John’s words, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (Jn 1:14). What shall our spiritual wish be for this Christmas? What does our father Saint Francis de Sales wish for us? Let us listen to him:

“I wish, therefore, dear Philothea, to engrave and inscribe on your heart, before everything else, this holy and sacred maxim: LIVE JESUS! After that, I am sure that your life which comes from your heart, like the almond tree from its kernel, will produce all its actions which are its fruits inscribed and engraved with the same word of salvation. Just as this gentle Jesus will live in your heart, he will live also in your conduct and appear in your eyes, in your mouth, in your hands, even in your hair” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, chapter 23).

Sr. Florence
sends her Christmas greetings from Rome

We wish you a very grace-filled Christmas, May Jesus take hold of your heart and live in it. Live Jesus! (In my heart)!

Peace!

Fr. George

For the Philothea Missionaries

Christmas Novena

Father of the Word made flesh, we await the coming of your Son,

for you are faithful to your promises of salvation and eternal life

May we prepare ourselves for the birth of your Son,

by meditating upon your word.

Through the Word made flesh may we learn to love each other,

so that Christ will find all of us waiting for him in joyful prayer at the Second Coming.

God of love and mercy, help us follow the example of Mary,

who believed the angel, hastened to help Elizabeth, and welcomed your Son in a cold, bare stable, warming him only with her exceeding love.

God of love, bring us joy and peace;

help us to live united in respect and love for each other.

Let us pray

Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment

At which the Son of God was born

Of a most pure Virgin

At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem

In the piercing cold

At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech You,

To hear my prayers and grant my desires

(mention requests here). 




Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen

Message of this week

Dear Philothea!

This week on Friday we begin the Novena of Nativity. This is a period of intense preparation and expectation in joy for the birth of our Saviour. But what do we prefer: to remain close to the Child Jesus in the Stable or to be with the angelic choirs? This is what Saint Francis de Sales, our father says:

“At the birth of the Saviour the Shepherds heard the songs of the heavenly spirits, but Sacred Scripture does not say that they were heard by the Madonna and Saint Joseph, who were close to the little Babe. Instead, they saw the Divine Child trembling with the cold. His eyes bathed in tears! And what do you prefer – to stay in the dark stable which echoes with the cries of the Babe, or to be outside listening with the shepherds to the angelic choir? Certainly we should choose the former because it is better, even in the darkness, to stay close to Jesus.”

“We always want this thing or that thing, and even when we have Jesus Himself in our breast we are not satisfied. Yet He is all that we could possibly desire...” (Letters 359)

Let us be more concerned with having Jesus in our hearts at Christmas, than the many external festivities connected with this feast.

Peace!

Fr. George

For the Philothea Missionaries