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| PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS Last December as I was preparing Christmas decorations for the Daycare Center where I work, a lady who shares our building came up to me and asked, "Do you like doing what you are doing?" "I love preparing for Christmas," I replied, smiling at her. "Well, I don't!" this lady barked at me and walked away. It was an upsetting experience for me and from that day on I decided to ignore her completely. We would pass each other in the hallway everyday and not even look at each other. I felt justified in doing this, considering the many persons she had offended in the past. "She is only getting what she deserves," I thought. However, the Gospel sentence, "The Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26), strengthened my resolve to love her. Next Monday morning, I went in early to work. I had decided to love her and here she was walking in carrying a load of materials. I walked up to her and said, "Good morning! How are you feeling today?" She stared at me, perplexed. Then I took the heavy load from her without asking and she let me do so. When she reached the room, she looked straight at me for the first time in weeks and said, "Thank you." Seeing my attitude towards this lady, other people in the building began to be more pleasant to her and in return she started to greet us back. The whole atmosphere at work has now changed. _____________________________________ Jesus, Your message of peace at Christmas, I ask You: From me let it not depart; Let me feel the pain of a wounded heart And seek to heal that wounded one I pray; Humble me to take the reconciling role, And bring an end to strife on Christmas day.* _____________________________________ |