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A Christmas Gift for You

Some highlights from the book:

  • Some moments are holy, some moments are unholy, and our choices can guide a moment in either direction - P#19
  • A holy moment is a single moment in which you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to him. You set aside personal preference and self-interest, and for one moment you do what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do - P#21.
  • The principle of Holy Moments teaches us to focus on the good we can do. This energizes us - P#41.
  • Every day you will see opportunities for Holy Moments. These opportunities are literally everywhere - P#53.
  • Holy Moments have the power to ransom people from fear and hatred and return them to God - P#62.
  • What we need is the spiritual awareness to recognize opportunities for Holy Moments and the spiritual intelligence to bring them about. This is what leads to meaningful lives, enriched relationships, and a better world for everyone - P#75.
  • It is time to stop searching for worldly solutions to spiritual problems - P#76.
  • The world needs a massive outpouring of goodness. It needs the healing tonic of goodness that Holy Moments release. But the culture is so resistant to goodness, so in order to unleash the tidal way of goodness needed to heal the culture, we need to be bold - P#111.

What is My Holy Moment Today?

  Mathew Kelly, in his book Holy Moments, (your Christmas gift) makes some strong observations: "The world is a mess; I am concerned about the world my children are growing up in. It makes me anxious to think about the world that will greet our grandchildren if we continue down the path our society is on.." He asks, "What happened - How did it get this way?" His answer: "Unholy moments made the world to this state" (Page # 66).

  What is holy moment and unholy moment? In a day you sometimes do good things and feel good about it; and at times you do some bad things and feel bad about it. This is the sharp contrast between holy moment and unholy moment. The point is that which one you make more in a day. Holy moments make God and everyone happy while unholy moments make them feel bad and miserable. The sad thing is every unholy moment makes us less of what we were created to be and the world a little more of a mess.

  At the dawn of the New Year 2023 I invite you all to boldly say, "We can do something about it." How? Creating Holy Moments is the solution to the world's problems. It will get us out of the mess. First, let me share a mind voice of unholy moments: "I have made horrible mistakes in my life. I have taken wrong turns and compounded those wrong turns with arrogance and stubbornness. I have been selfish. I have put my wants ahead of other people's needs. I have been unfaithful to my spouse. I have not paid attention to my child's needs. I put secular things over God. I never speak about religion to my children." Like this, there may be plenty of unholy moments in one's life. These mind voices or thoughts of unholy moments should not remain unchanged, rather it should be turned upside down.

  In some people's lives these unholy moments of past prevent them from creating holy moments in the future. It is possible to create a tidal wave of goodness with your life. How do you begin? It starts with one holy moment at a time through infinity. They can be made in every aspect of life such as visiting sick or lonely people, saying kind words, praying with children at home and in the church, being loyal to spouse, carrying out one's responsibility faithfully.

  St. Paul wrote to Galatians how holy moments could be created in one's life: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (5:22-23).
Are you part of the world's mess through unholy moments? It's time to produce more holy moments! What is your holy moment today?

 

In the Service of the Lord,
  Fr Thainese Alphonse

 

     
       
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St. Bernadette Catholic Church