I just finished our Holiday Prayer Service at the Center. It was a lovely service of inspiration and blessings. If you couldn’t make it to the service, I have the sermon here. I hope you are Starstruck. Many blessings.
I want to talk to you today about being starstruck. At this most holy time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we cannot forget the story of the 12-days of Christmas that follow his birth. We have all heard the story of the Magi, the three Kings who according to Matthew2:2
These Kings gathered up their finest gifts, gold, Frankincense and Myrrh and followed the star to Bethlehem. Imagine their surprise as they came upon a stable, a place for cattle, not a castle or house of luxury, just a plain and simple hut. Matthew 2:11 continues with
Regardless of where this child was born, the three kings were starstruck by this child.
Great things can come from places we don’t expect. What do you do when you have a dream of how your life will be and you follow the star and end up in the stable?
Spirit is not just there when you are in the PALACE of your life. Spirit is much closer to you when you are in the STABLE of your life.
I gave a reading once for a woman who was very proud of all the things she had – a good job, a great house, a nice car. I kept feeling a wall go up as I was reading her. Her guides had me ask her if she was a woman of faith. She of course said yes, that she had a strong faith. I asked her what she would say if I told her that Spirit wanted her to give up all she had to be of service to the world and everything she needed would be taken care of. She went immediately into fear mode. She could not possible do that. Her faith diminished. It’s easy to say we have faith but when it comes right down to it, do we really?
When we are on top of the world, we are less likely to recognize the blessings in our life and don’t call upon Spirit to be there for us.
On one end of the spectrum, there is faith and on the other, we have fear. In order to exist, they both require us to believe. Which do you choose?
One of the top stories of the week has been about a Reality Star who expressed his opinion. America has become Starstruck in a way by a family who has become millionaires by creating a line of duck calls and becoming reality stars. I don’t have an opinion on the situation either way but did you know that 6 American soldiers lost their lives in Afghanistan this week in a helicopter accident while doing their job of protecting our freedom? I doubt many people know their names. Starstruck.
Who are the stars in your life? Who are the stars that lead you closer to Spirit? Where would you be without these stars?
One year ago last week, many precious souls were taken from this earth in the Newtown shootings. Just this morning, Claire Davis, a 17 year old student at Arapahoe High School in Colorado passed from a point-blank gunshot wound to her head inflicted in the school shooting one week ago. We don’t know what was going through the heads of these two young men who inflicted such tragedy on so many people. Perhaps they were starstruck by thinking they would be heroes in some way. Perhaps they couldn’t handle the pressures of being human. We will never know. What we do know is that these teachers and children who have crossed over due to the choice of one person, have become the bright shining stars for the rest of us on how to live our lives. They have taught us how to live a life with no regrets. Somewhere in their passing, we have all learned to be better humans. I am Starstruck by them.
The star that led the Magi to Bethlehem is the star that is closest to the Sun. It was the brightest star in the sky for those 12 days. God wants us to be shining stars here on earth. He wants us to be the one to point others to that bright star. He wants us to be the star closest to HIS SON – SON not SUN, in good times and in bad.
As we go forth today, let’s not forget the reason for this holiday season. Be Starstruck.
A moment of silence was also held as the names of the Sandy Hook souls were read and a candle lit for each one. In memory of these souls, here are their names.
Charlotte Bacon, (age 6)
Daniel Barden, (age 7)
Olivia Engel, (age 6)
Josephine Gay, (age 7)
Ana M. Marquez-Greene, (age 6)
Dylan Hockley, (age 6)
Madeleine F. Hsu, (age 6)
Catherine V. Hubbard, (age 6)
Chase Kowalski, (age 7)
Jesse Lewis, (age 6)
James Mattioli, (age 6)
Grace McDonnell, (age 7)
Emilie Parker, (age 6)
Jack Pinto, (age 6)
Noah Pozner, (age 6)
Caroline Previdi, (age 6)
Jessica Rekos, (age 6)
Avielle Richman, (age 6)
Benjamin Wheeler, (age 6)
Allison N. Wyatt, (age 6)
ADULTS
Rachel Davino, (age 29)
Dawn Hochsprung, (age 47)
Anne Marie Murphy, (age 52)
Lauren Russeau, (age 29)
Mary Sherlach, (age 56)
Victoria Soto, (age 27)
Nancy Lanza
Adam Lanza
PRISCILLA, thank you. This is absolutely spectacular and inspiring. Boy, did I need this today. You are a remarkable and wonderful human being and you shine. Thank you. Love you.
Thanks Jim. I can’t take all the credit as most of it just comes through me. Love you lots!