God created you to love you. Period.

“Get your mind ready for His visit”.

Yesterday was thanksgiving and I did not see a single human being, not even the garbage man or the mailman because of the holidays.

Yesterday everyone visited someone everywhere. Yesterday was a day to thank God for everything and if you did not find a reason to thank God, you could thank him that you are not a turkey.

Yesterday I pardon all the turkeys of the world and cooked and eat lamb chops. Yesterday I miss my wife, family and friends as I eat by myself my thanksgiving dinner but I was not “alone”.

When my Ruthie died and my children left to their homes after the funeral I realize for first time in my life that “I was home alone”, in a far away country of different language and different people than my place of birth and that by the will of God.

Exactly one year later at the first anniversary of my Ruthie’s death at midnight I turn off the lights of the house to get in bed and in the darkness of my bedroom I notice on my pillow a round circle of light with a cross in the middle.

I lifted up my eyes to see from where that light was coming from and I saw in the high ceiling of my bedroom a circular window with the full moon right behind the cross bars.

My first reaction was emotional and deeply spiritual, “Thank you papa, you remembered me enough to visit me and send sister moon the Queen of the night to say hi to your lonely servant on this special day”.
(Picture attached in this letter).

Then my birthday arrived and the unfailing first hug and kiss with soft words of greeting for my ears only was not going to be ever again, let along the “trimmings” that only Ruthie could serve her husband.

Once again I turned off the lights at midnight and longingly look upon my pillow the sign of the cross in the round circle of light and there was nowhere to be found.

It was not the right month nor was a full moon. As my head was on my pillow I turn my eyes longingly to the high ceiling toward the window.

Long and behold there he was in the dark background of the Universe at midnight in all his glory the King of the planets Jupiter peeking from behind the cross sent by its creator just to say Hi for my birthday. Again my reaction was, “You remembered my birthday papa, thank you for this birthday card.”

I do not know about you, but to me the greatness of a miracle is not in its size but in its timing.

In the fall season sometimes I work overnight and tend to sleep during the day to catch up, but when the day is beautiful the Sun comes around to the High Ceiling and a flood light shines on my face and I wake up at the kiss of the Sun the king of the sky to enjoy the day that the Lord has made and remember to be glad in it.

Today I am looking forward to another visitor who announced his first coming using an obedient star in Bethlehem whose name is Jesus.
Since thanksgiving is still fresh in our minds and the smell of leftover turkey are still fresh, I want us to thank God for Gabriel the messenger of God to Mary and thank God for John the Baptist the forerunner but in a special way I want us to thank God for our Guardian Angels who encamps near to those who fear God and defend us.

Let me use the illustration of the great planet Jupiter to speak about guardian angels. (See picture attached). Apart from the Sun and the moon to be in the exact right distance to sustain life on Earth, our need of Jupiter is greater than we think. Jupiter is like a regular Captain America the guardian angel of the earth.

If it were not for the size of Jupiter and the magnetic power, our planet according to the scientist would be like a dartboard for all the asteroids that would make out of our earth a Swiss cheese or like the face of the moon full of craters. As is Jupiter in like and angel of the Lord that camp near enough to defend us and far enough not to suck us like a vacuum as it does to asteroids.

Jupiter is not just there; Jupiter is one of many babysitters of the Lord not only to take care of us but also to remind us that we are not alone.

Prepare you mind for the Lord’s visit on Christmas and be truly thankful that you are not “Home alone.”

Thanks to my loneliness yesterday I was able to think in this little gentle reminder that God is not only there but he is mind-full of us.
Be mindful of God in Jesus, for apart from him we know not God and cannot know God at all.

Gerry Gutierrez.

PS. My thanksgiving was great as my family and friends called or wrote. After making sure that all my family had their Turkeys and all that goes with it according to our tradition, now I am getting ready for Christmas. Those who were thankful will have a richer Christmas this year, because the word commands us to be thankful in all our circumstances. It is the will of God that we are thankful.

Pictures are of full moon on Ruthie’s first Anniversary and Jupiter on my Birthday.