The Christmas Hike

Christmas morning. Normally one would picture children waking up to presents, a happily married couple smiling with coffee in their hands happy about their perfect lives in front of them and the family looking out the window at a white blanket of snow. Then afterwards going to Christmas Mass and having a nice Christmas dinner with the whole family. What we sometimes fail to remember is not everyone has all of that. Some people are single, have lost family members, are unemployed with limited budgets, have grudges they are holding, etc.  In fact, I am one of those who can relate to some of these.

Most of my family lives is Massachusetts where I grew up. I now live in Arizona. So I don't get to go home for every holiday. I'm not asking for a pity party, it's just background info to the point of the story. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of when my stepdad went into cardiac arrest and as a result went brain dead. Finally, New Years Eve is his actual passing. So this time of year is tough on our family. I wasn't in the mood to celebrate.  (Have I ruined your Christmas yet? Well keep reading until the end for the happy part!)  For some reason instead of hot chocolate, white snow (which we don't have in Phoenix) and friends, I wanted to go for a hike. And this was strange. I always say I like hiking but reality, I am SO out of shape! Especially since it's so cold in the morning!

So bright and early , well my version of bright and early, 7:30am I headed out! Up North Mountain. Not the best one in Phoenix but the closet to me. I didn't know why I was doing it. I thought, "Maybe I'm just getting away from everything. Maybe it's to get anger out. I don't know. All I do know is I have to go. " So I did. But my expectations were not met... They went further.!

As I began I thought oh no bad idea! The first five minutes was when I realized how bad of a shape I was in! But I needed to get to the top and see the sun over the mountain. It was my goal and I wanted to achieve it. No matter what it took. As I kept going I was shocked at how many other hikers there was on a day normally people spend with families. I thought, wow, I guess I'm not the only one. I kept hiking with my headphones on and my waterbottle in my hand.

Finally!! I realized the reason I was supposed to go hiking!: Jesus' Christmas gift to me, and it was a two-fer. First, I forgot it was Christmas, literally! I was just going for a hike and going to go to someone's house later who invited me to spend the day with them. But my "Christmas spirit" was not present.  I forgot about the cheer and joy.  As I was hiking, almost every person (at least 15-20) smiled and said "Good morning! Merry Christmas!" Just that small gesture for some reason meant so much.  It brought me into the Christmas spirit. Thank you Lord!  The second gift was when I reached the top. The amazing view of the sunrise. I just sat in the cold wind and soaked it in.  God gave this gorgeous gift for me to behold. His promise of His love for me.

Again I don't know if I was climbing to get energy out, or to spend time alone or if it was my weird way to try to reach Heaven where my family who passed away is. But what I do know is the heavens reached down to me.
Merry Christmas!

The Search

"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray." Matthew 18:12-14

As I was driving back to my house to eat breakfast reflecting on this morning's Gospel reading and the homily, I heard an amazing story on the Christian radio station about a Latina woman up for a Nobel Peace Prize that deepened my reflection: ... and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave... and go in search of that one?

Susana Trimarco. A Latina woman. Ordinary mother out for an ordinary doctor appointment ten years ago with her ordinary 23-year-old daughter. Before she knew it her daughter was snatched away by sex-traffickers and Trimarco was to never see her again.  Her life was turned upside down. Many would just fall into despair and lose hope. Others would leave it to the police. But Trimarco saw not much was being done for her daughter and knew that her love was deep. She could not just stay and wait. She went to find her daughter.

Susana Trimarco, after realizing the police couldn't find any leads, took it upon herself to find her daughter. She teamed up with her husband and disguised themselves while going into the brothels of traffick rings. Trimarco spoke to news reporters of how difficult this has been because it was in those rings where she saw what they were doing to the girls.  Pictures floated through her mind about who was doing the same thing to her own daughter.  Yet, she didn't just stop at the search for her daughter. This is where the amazingness comes in. She became an instrument of peace to Latin America, and this is how...

Susana Trimarco began rescuing women in those brothels. She has rescued hundreds of them during the search of her daughter.  I can't help but think of when St. Paul says, "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28  While by no means is sex trafficking GOOD... neither is her daughter being kidnapped... but God brings good out of every instance. By her daughter being kidnapped, Susana used it for good and has freed all those hundreds of women who also have moms, dads, brothers, sisters, best friends, possibly children.... they have lives. And Susana has become an instrument of peace by putting her life in danger and helping them.

Her daughter is still out there somewhere and Susana does not give up, just like our Heavenly Father never gives up on us.  No matter where we are, what we do, who we are, He is on a constant search for us and our total surrender to His love and mercy.  The best part of God is that He waits.... He waits for us... at the same time, He desires us more than what we know.

picture from MSN.com

For more information on her story: http://news.msn.com/world/argentine-mom-rescues-100s-of-sex-slaves-but-cant-find-daughter