St. Bartholomew Church

          I haven't seen it on tv for a while, but there's an old Hebrew National Hot Dog commercial that promotes their kosher hotdogs with a tag line at the end of the commercial that says, 'we answer to a higher power.'

          If it applies to a good hot dog, it most certainly applies to us.  But we know that we get caught up in so much else, especially this season.  So much clutter, so much junk, so many demands and expectations.  So much that needs to be cleared out of our lives - and certainly cleared out of our path is we are going to make a way for God to come to us this Christmas. 

          The Baptist reminds us - be prepared - make a path for God to enter your life.  It doesn't matter what the world tells us is important this season.  It doesn't matter one bit.  What matters is what God calls us to.  We all need to make a path in our lives.  Somewhere in the midst of all the other stuff of this season, we have to clear a way for God in our lives.  And we all know what stands in the way of that happening.  We know well the obstacles, the excuses, the misplaced priorities that we allow to stand in the way of that happening in our lives. 

          So it takes some effort - alot of effort.  Remember what I said last week - make time to pray everyday as a family - make time for quiet prayer yourself everyday, just 5 minutes.  No excuses. Just do it.

          Next week we will talk about everyone's favorite - the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  But in the mean time, let's all start to look at our lives and identify the obstacles we place on the path to God . This week we name them - next week, we get them out of the way. 

          If we are truly going to answer to a higher power this holy season, in the next two and a half weeks we have a lot of work to do.  Let's make sure we are truly prepared, as God tells us to be prepared, and that we allow nothing to get in the way.  God help us all. +