O Wisdom....

So, gang, today begins the liturgy's Story of O -- the "privileged time" of Advent that, from the earliest days, signifies this last week before Christmas.

The calendar's convenient wake-up call might sound like a perk, and it is. Just as much, though, it's a needed reminder to all of us not just for Advent, but for life: time is short, so make it matter… and for those of us needing to catch up, here's our chance.

It's all too easy to get caught up in everything else in this home stretch -- whether the news, the parties, the last-minute shopping, card-writing, travel preps or Mass plans... and it's no surprise when we end up frazzled, spent or, God forbid, rather unjoyous as a result.

Lest anyone here's feeling the brunt of said chaos, take this minute just to breathe... and, well, just watch:



Miss that, church, and we miss everything.

To all of you, your loved ones and those you serve, every blessing of light, joy, comfort, happiness and peace in these graced days -- enjoy 'em and soak 'em up.

SVILUPPO: And now, for something a tad lighter, but just too cute to pass up.....

A great, longtime friend has two boys, Ryan and Joseph -- they're 6 and 4, respectively... and, for whatever reason, they call your narrator "Uncle Rock."

Anyways, they're apparently getting into the spirit, as the following message from earlier today attests:

Ryan is obsessed with the song Mary Did You Know [lyrics], because he finds it terribly unfair that no one is asking Joseph anything. I explained that Joseph didn't live to see Jesus' ministry but he is not mollified. Currently he's singing "Mary did you know" to the creche and having Joseph yell, "HEY! What about ME?"

And, well, you'd be hard pressed to top that.

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