Deacon
Tom Writes,
“Lighten The Load”
If you have taken a flight to go on vacation lately,
then you know how difficult it is to get everything you need packed into your
suitcase and not go over the 50-pound limit to avoid the surcharge. Sometimes you
just can’t do it, so you have to leave behind that extra sweater or the additional
pair of dress shoes or pony up the extra bucks! Oh well, they can be replaced.
I wonder if the Magi had trouble packing all they
needed for their trip. They didn’t know how long their journey would take nor
what exactly they would need along the way. There was only so much that they
could bring with them and there were no shopping malls along the way like there
is today. They had to pack wisely if they wanted to find that special object they were seeking, the infant King of the Jews.
This journey of the Magi that announces the Good News
of God’s salvation to the entire world invites us reflect on the journey of our
lives. The Magi’s story prompts us to ponder the direction of our lives and asks
us, “What it is that we are looking for in this life”? What is the object of
our hearts’ desire that is driving us forward each day; what is that “special thing” that
will completely satisfy us when we find it? Most of us recognized that
our lives are so busy and cluttered at times that we often neglect those
important things that give us the most joy and happiness. Suffering from that
same condition, I have been asking myself what are the essential, absolute
necessities I need to enjoy life. It comes down a single word…relationship.
Relationships with my family, friends, and God are what matter most to me at
this stage of my life. Perhaps the same is true for you also.
There are so many activities that contribute to the
busyness of our lives that don’t contribute to the quality of our lives, nor do
they lead us to what is most important: a deeper relationship with those around
us and God. If the choices we are making aren’t leading us to deeper, more
profound relationships, then, these are the things we need to leave behind,
just like we must leave some things behind when we pack for the airport. Life,
as we are often reminded, is full of choices…and not all of them are good.
I hope that 2019 will give us all the opportunity to
lighten the clutter of our lives and enable us to concentrate on improving the
quality of our lives – spiritually, mentally, and physically.
May God, who sent His only Son to “dwell among us”,
direct our hearts to His so we may experience a meaningful relationship with Him and those other people in our lives who are important to us. And, may God bless you and your loved ones in the new
year.
Enjoy the day and a very blessed, holy, and happy to
you and your loved ones.
Deacon Tom
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