A part of Advent is opening our hearts and lives to God’s presence, to God’s glory.
Amidst challenges the extent of God’s grandeur may be shrouded in mists of confusion and doubt. But, God’s glory – like God’s love – doesn’t change.
“The Glory of God is a human being fully alive.” St. Irenaeus
One part of being “fully alive” is being open to the grandeur of God’s heavenly paintbrushes at work outside us and inside us.
“People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.” Saint Augustine
This Advent are we open to God’s grandeur? Are we letting God’s giftedness in us shine for others to see? Or, have we hidden our gifts under bushels of fear and feelings of inadequacies? Maybe it’s time to take the angels’ “Fear not” message seriously.
An Advent task for today: exert a bit of courage and do (at least) one thing to glorify God.
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…”
Here’s to courageously letting the Light of Christ shine in and through us…
grace, peace & divine grandeur conduits
Virginia : )
Photos: Jasper & Banff National Parks, CANADA
Roses in the Rubble 
“Selah!” – my response to your words and photos. Thank you for this moment of reflection and awe.
Thank you, Faith, for your encouragement. God’s grandeur is something to behold if we’re open to behold it… Blessings! ✨💜✨🤗✨
V, and this is why…[that was a go-to refrain of one of our parish priests back in the day]…and this is why I read your blog…I never fail to learn something new…12 years of Catholic education and decades more of being a congregant…and I’ve NEVER heard of this saint. Wow! Keep up the good work. I’m heeding your nudge to ‘exert a bit of courage and do (at least) one thing to glorify God.’ and will start my next moreloveletters.com piece.
When I worked in the Middle East in 1990s I discovered this saint & many others (St. John Chrysostom, St. Ignatius of Antioch, St.Anthony of the desert et all)
Exerting courage is an up & down endeavor- younger VA had no problem standing between gun toting soldiers & children, but now it’s hard drumming up courage to share creative efforts! Blessings, Tim – thanks for all your encouragement & writer cheerleading, it helps! ✨📚🤗📚✨
I was a devout Catholic, cradle Catholic. I then moved down the totem pole to now a totally lapsed Catholic. Your posts remind me of faith. Thanks for sharing your strong faith in God and hopefully one day, HE will remember me again. Have a great weekend Virginia.
No matter what kind of Catholic (or any religion) you are, GH, God loves you! It’s hard when times are tough to “feel” God’s love (this I know very well after going thru a rough patch when I was REALLY mad at God!) but God’s love is, it just is. Challenge is opening heart to God’s love, to have relationship with God (vs. “do’s & don’t” lists.) You are such a conduit of joy, GH, that brightens our lives with humor. To me that’s God’s grandeur in you, that despite many challenges & painful surgeries you share gift of laughter with others. Blessings & BIG hugs! 🌟💜🤗💜🌟
Aww Virginia, thank you for taking the time to pen this heartfelt comment of encouragement. I need to find God….sigh!!
✨💜✨🤗✨💜✨