God Is Not 3 Guys

In the fourth century, Christians envied the feasting of pagans in honor of the sun's birthday at the winter solstice. Christians created their own feast in honor of Jesus, whom they called the "true sun." This was the birthday of Christmas. Whatever the meaning of Christmas for you, I hope this poem by John O'Donohue infuses you with hope appropriate to this solstice time of new beginnings. The poem fills me with courage to face new possibilities. John O'Donohue was an Irish poet and priest.      In out-of-the way places of the heart,      Where your thoughts never think to wander,      This beginning has been quietly forming,      Waiting until you were ready to emerge.       For a long time it has watched your desire,      Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,      Noticing how you willed yourself on,      Still unable to leave what you had o...

John Chuchman is a Catholic, to my observation, a Catholic like I’m a Catholic.  It’s our spiritual home, come what may. It remains our blood family, no matter what differences we have with it. John and I exchanged books and I quote extensively ( with permission and editing license ) from one of his— Let’s Hospice Our Church :             We are in a demographic collapse                         of the priesthood.             Anecdotes abound throughout the Church                         about how the collar                      ...