HOLIDAY DRAMA
Holiday drama....
In just a few days, the smell of turkey will fill the house. The doorbell will ring and bring on the holiday season with all of its drama.
There's always one in the gathering. The one who picks on everyone!Then there's the one who doesn't like being picked on and gets upset. Maybe you have a relative who gets upset because they weren't invited except they really were!
The holidays bring out the good and bad in families when it comes to spending time together. It is most important to remember that the holidays are an opportunity to grow in virtue. This takes practice!!!
By practicing patience instead of reacting to each and every comment we didn't like.
Practice self-control instead of letting words fly out of your mouth.
Generosity overcomes greed. By donating your talent, time or treasure for the less fortunate you can detach from the things of this world. It puts the focus on God and not the stuff. It's a personal sacrifice.
Temperance overcomes gluttony. This helps control our love of eating and drinking. We can control what goes in our mouths. This gift helps us stop in the midst of pleasure. It's about moderation. Walk away from "all you can eat" places.
Humility overcomes pride- it doesn't matter who is right and who is wrong. Everything on earth is on loan from God-our looks, money, house, etc. Understanding we didn't accomplish all of these things on our own.
Diligence overcomes sloth. This is the virtue that tells us to fulfill our duties in life even if they are tiresome. It's about staying in it when the going gets tough or unbearable.
Meekness overcomes anger. This virtue controls resentment at others and cultivates patience. It's an important one when spending time with family. Those angry outbursts are characteristic of someone in need of practicing this virtue.
Chastity overcomes lust. The holidays are the "hook up" time of year as loneliness sets in. This helps us moderate our desire/ thoughts of impure actions. Our bodies are a temple on loan from God so we must treat them as such.
Brotherly love overcomes envy. This is the virtue that involves being happy for everyone's success even those you might not like (family members). Refraining from badmouthing someone who has obtained something we think they didn't deserve. We must acknowledge that it is God's will that this particular series of events occurred in that person's life and not ours, for a reason.
This holiday season can bring you closer to God and closer as a family if you make it a habit to practice the virtues. A word of caution: this is something to practice daily. Pick one and focus on it. Trying to use a virtue only one time and expecting to see results is self defeating. It's a daily walk. Remembering that we are working for eternal life while we are here on earth is a great motivator. Let the holidays begin.....
