Little Flower Parish at 204 1st St. N.W., Browning, MT 59417 US - Time Well Spent

In The Library

DE LA SALLE BLACKFEET SCHOOL PROJECT By Fr. Ed Kohler Dec. 8, 2001 It was a blessing to me to hear our De La Salle Blackfeet Middle School fifth graders practicing Christmas carols, especially considering the songs they were singing actually had something to do with the birth of Jesus. I was reminded of a trip I made last Advent to a meeting in Helena. Going there the night before the meeting I was struck by the beauty of the night and then desired to listen to some Christmas music as I made my way to Helena. I found Christmas music easily enough on the radio, but in the half hour I searched I found not even one song that had anything to do with the birth of Jesus. I was so frustrated I turned my radio off and argued with the world the whole rest of the way to Helena. I have come to realize that the world (as understood by St. John in his Gospel) does not want to deal with Jesus. More than that, the world would be most happy if He and His Gospel were silenced. As a Christian baptized into Christ Jesus, we, the Body of Christ, cannot let that happen. But in the spiritual fog left us by the Secular Revolution of the late 1960s, to some significant degree it has happened and we often demonstrate that we have lost sight of the vision or the plan of God as it relates to Jesus Christ. God's people often live their lives out of harmony with the plan of God, as if their lives have no ultimate meaning or direction. It is commonly believed in our secular world that creation unfolds by the random consequence of each day. If our lives are disconnected from God's almighty plan we will want to fill our day with distractions so as to not have to face an empty life. With this secular worldview of reality it is not Jesus who brings all things into being, but the voice of the world calling us to it's own agenda. Heeding this voice leads to depression, alcohol and drugs, and finally death. But it is in understanding God's marvelous plan that we are moved to enter into the unfolding of this plan and actually cooperate in helping Him make it happen. My hope for our De La Salle Blackfeet Middle School, and all Catholic Schools, is that we lead our children to enter more fully into the plan of God and not expend so much precious time responding to the voice of the world. This is what the Lord wants from us. The insight I would like to share with you finds its roots in the first chapter of John's Gospel and is dogmatically restated in the Nicene Creed we say each Sunday during Mass. "It is through Jesus Christ that all things came into being, and apart from Him nothing came to be." (Vs.3). Let us look at Christmas from the perspective of the eternal God. Out of God's incredible love was born the plan of creation. In our Catholic schools we would teach that at the beginning of time was the Word--who is Jesus. The Word was in God's presence and the Word was God. From the beginning of time the creator God and Father knew that on one very special day in His creation His Son would be made flesh, would be born to the world. This had never happened to God before. I as a priest have watched parents and grandparents joyfully look foreword to the birth of their first-born child. That joy impacts me and delights me to no end. From the beginning of time God the Father looked foreword to the birth of His Son. It was because of Him that He even bothered to create. It was through His Son and for His Son that all things came to be. And apart from Him nothing came to be. Just think for a moment. What does Christmas day mean to God the Father? If the joy of the Father does not yet delight us, then the next step in God's plan should get our attention. The birth of Jesus completed the first of three steps in creation. Once Jesus was born He wanted brothers and sisters. So he prayed to the Father for those of us who would desire to enter into the plan of God. At John 17:20 Jesus prayed, "I pray for those who will believe in me through their word, that all may be one, as you Father are in me, and I in you, I pray they may be one in us." With this prayer creation entered into its second stage of development, that is, making those that want to participate in God's plan, into adopted Sons and Daughters of God. For this reason we have been born. For this reason we are baptized. It is by entering into this plan that we find our meaning and purpose to life. But we must choose to enter into the plan of God. We must desire to become adopted sons or daughters of God, and desire to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He recreates us and teaches us the ways of God. Our time on earth is very short and cannot be wasted on the agenda of the world. We must be about the business of choosing eternal life. It is in this context that I offer the value of Catholic education. 1) Jesus was born to the earth two thousand years ago. 2) By baptism we are born into Him and He into us. 3) If we honor this gift of being adopted into the family of God we will be there when He comes in glory to complete the third step in His plan of creation. Only Jesus is the way to true knowledge. No one can come to the Father except through Him. How we spend our time is a serious choice to be made. In order to find themselves in the great plan of God our children need help in the choices of their lives. Catholic education, is focused time in a protected environment, that allows God's grace to help our children learn all that they need to know in order to grow into healthy sons and daughters of God. In a Christian based environment, such as a Catholic school, we can be taught to live out our lives in God's time and according to His Plan. This would be time well used and would delight the creator God who is trying to bring His plan to completion. Each Monday our fifth grade class writes a prayer. Here is one: “O God, thank you for Christmas. Christmas is where Jesus will come to us and forgive us. He will take us as His brothers and sisters. His birth is coming with love and gladness for us. He will bring love to Afghanistan. Forgive Asama Bin Laden for what he did. Amen.” Again I praise God for the gift of the De La Salle Christian Brothers and their willingness to come to Browning and teach our children. I pray that Jesus bless this effort and make it grow. If you are interested in knowing more about our parish or our De La Salle Blackfeet Middle School please see our Web site: http://LittleFlowerParish.Catholicweb.com. If you are interested in helping us financially, please write us at, Little Flower Parish, P.O. box 529, Browning, MT. 59417. We pray for our benefactors.

(Back)