The Library

The first room was the study - the library. Let us call it the study of the mind. Now in my home this
room of the mind is a very small room with very thick walls. But it is an important room. In a sense, it
is the control room of the house. He entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase,
the magazines upon the table, the pictures on the walls. As I followed His gaze I became
uncomfortable. Strangely enough, I had not felt badly about this before, but now that He was there
looking at these things I was embarrassed. There were some books were there that His eyes were too
pure to behold. There was a lot of trash and literature on the table that a Christian had no business
reading, and as for the pictures on the walls - the imaginations and thoughts of the mind - these were
shameful.
I turned to Him and said, "Master, I know that this room needs a radical alteration. Will You help me
make it what it ought to be? - to bring every thought into captivity to you?"
"Surely!" He said. "Gladly will I help you. First of all, take all the things that you are reading and
looking at which are not helpful, pure, good and true, and throw them out! Now put on the empty
shelves the books of the Bible. Fill the library with Scriptures and meditate on then day and night. As
for the pictures on the walls, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but here is an aid" He
gave me a full-size portrait of Himself. "Hang this centrally," He said, "on the wall of the mind."
I did, and I have discovered through the years that when my thoughts are centered upon Christ
Himself, His purity and power cause impure thoughts to back away. So He has helped me to bring my
thoughts into captivity.
May I suggest to you if you have difficulty with this little room of the mind, that you bring Christ in
there. Pack it full with the Word of God, meditate upon it and keep before it the immediate presence of
the Lord Jesus.

"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS _____"

"Arise, My beloved, My beautiful one, and come!" -Song of Songs 2:10, 13

Despite the constant hype the world gives to Christmas, the world only wants a minimal Christmas. People are programmed to be happy with "two front teeth," a new PlayStation, fur coat, diamond ring, Barbie doll, power tool, or even a new car. The world proclaims that getting this for Christmas is a maximum Christmas. When you focus on the gifts instead of the Giver of the gifts, you've set yourself up for a minimal Christmas. 
The world is not ready to receive the incarnate Love of the Lord for Christmas. That's why we need Advent: to help us prepare to raise our expectations to receive the earth-shaking, maximum Christmas God has for us. The Lord shouts to us: "Arise" (Sg 2:10, 13). He calls us to rise above our meager expectations. In the northern USA, we expect snow; God expects a new springtime in the Spirit (Sg 2:11ff). We expect family gatherings; God expects us to take our royal place in His glorious family (Jn 3:5; Mt 12:50). We expect good tidings; God sends the Good News by sending His only Son, Jesus (Jn 1:14). We expect delicious Christmas treats; God expects Christ-Mass, featuring the eucharistic banquet of the Lamb. We expect the Christmas Spirit; God expects us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:41). We expect Christmas carols; God provides His own music as He sings joyfully about us (Zep 3:17). 
Raise your expectations and have yourself a Mary Christ-Mass.


Prayer: Father, may I expand my vision (see Is 54:2-3) and never limit You to a worldly Christmas. Maranatha!

Promise: "Blest is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled." -Lk 1:45
Praise: "O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of Eternal Light, Sun of Justice, come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death."