Babe's And Billboards

I think it was earlier last year in the spring when I was driving towards Dallas through Denton on I-35E. I noticed a big billboard that simply said "Behold the King of Kings" with a picture of the Nativity. 

I didn't take this Instagram...

"That's pretty cool, but...it's awkward because it's sooooo not Christmas right now. Maybe this is accidental in leaving the billboard up...", were my thoughts. I didn't think too much about it and went on my merry way (but not merry in a holiday way, because it 'twas not the season). I mean, being up here in north Texas, it's not uncommon to see Christian billboards. (Do you know how many pro-life ones I pass by on the way to work? Lol.)

There was another non-holiday instance of me driving through the Metroplex, and I noticed the same billboard. This time in a completely different location! And I was like, "Dang, whoever is sponsoring this billboard ...they're intense! ...or forgetful-because-it's-still-not-Christmas." But now, I had the opportunity to look at the billboard more closely and such a closer look revealed something that I wasn't expecting.

Babe's?!?! Whaaaa!

I had no idea that one of my favorite restaurants had any sort of Christian affiliation with it!

And so they definitely do, according to their Visions & Values on their website.

Since I'm writing this in the Christmas season (which for Catholics, is celebrated as an entire season and not just a single day...ends January 12th this year), I really do get the opportunity to behold the King of kings! I'm celebrating His arrival! Word made flesh! God humbling Himself as a babe (not a chicken house)!

Y'all, that has so much theological richness to it that I can't hope to even begin to talking more about it! But, I'm appreciative of the fact that Babe's has billboards all over the place reminding me to behold the Him.

===Update 1/5/2014===

I unintentionally seemed to have posted this blog post on the weekend of the Epiphany of the Lord, where the Church celebrates the three "Wise Men" coming to see the babe to worship Him. Seeking the Child in Jerusalem, they asked King Herod where to find Him. After visiting Herod, they went on their way

and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (RSV-CE Matt 2: 9-11)

At this morning's Mass, our priest highlighted that the Epiphany used to be an even greater celebration than Christmas itself! This is simply because here we have Jesus being revealed to the world...to other eyes besides Mary and Joseph. Quite a big deal! The "Wise Men" have come to behold and worship the King of kings! Upon hearing this stressed importance during the homily, I had a sort of epiphany about Epiphany.

Either way...today is the day which we celebrate beholding the babe as King as the three Orient kings did those ~2000 years ago.

While the Solemnity of the Epiphany is a once-a-year celebration, I think, going forward, these billboards that Babe's (Chicken Dinner House) has placed around town will be good reminders for me to go to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament--where I can really behold the King of kings truly present: body, blood, soul, and divinity.

Behold.
- JD

Picture of Babe's "Behold the King of Kings" billboard from The New MethoFesto blog

Close up picture from Humor Outcasts
"There's Myrrh" meme from Catholic Memes
Picture of Pope Francis holding monstrance with Eucharist from Catholic Philly

Many Hats and Humility (Luke 18: 9-14)

30th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --
greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Click here for today's readings (NAB)

For those who know me personally these days, they know that I do a lot of volunteering. A lot. Like, I wear many, many hats. I don't blog about everything that I do because ironically, I'm too busy doing stuff to blog about doing stuff.

Now, for all the "good" that I do helping out at my church and helping out in my community, it may seem like I am attempting to do a lot of good for my own sake. But, no. I am not trying to earn my way into God's good graces.

Last Sunday, I had to teach a class on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. I stressed to the students that the reason why Catholics engage in social justice is because we, all of humanity, deserve dignity. And the works of mercy are ways that we can give people that dignity. We are all called to help out the "least of us" as Jesus because helping the least is helping Him. When He was hungry, did I give Him food? When He was thirsty, did I give Him drink? Etc, etc.

I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.

With great emphasis, I stressed to the students that no matter what good we do, we cannot earn our way into heaven. No hundreds of hours of community service will guarantee a cozy spot in heaven. Yes, I feel like I've earned 10 Green Cords (a cord earned for completing 100 volunteer hours at my alma mater), but I know and realize that won't necessarily get me to where I ultimately desire even though I do (what seems like) a lot.

There needs to be a level of humility whenever I engage in the volunteer work that I do. Humility helps forge our hearts to love God and others more than our selves. It increases our capacity to love because we're no longer concerned with self, but rather more concerned with the Other. Through humility, I decrease, so that others may increase, and by having others increase, God increases in my life. 

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

It is through humility that I can recognize my imperfection. I mentioned this the other day how I had a very real moment in silence while driving home from work because I realized I had to change a certain aspect of my life that has been holding me back from being who I am created in the image and likeness of God. I think the root cause of many sins is the (rather deadly) sin of pride. I see that, quite evidently, in today's Gospel reading with the Pharisee. But yet in the end, it is not he who is held in high regard for he boasts with a sense of pride of his good doings. I often find myself like the Pharisee. "I'm such a pro chaperone!", "I prayed ALL THE MYSTERIES of the Rosary today!", "Psh, I don't use kneelers." ...and the list goes on... But I need to be humble like the tax collector.

See, the temptation of being proud in my good doings is that now the attention and focus is all on myself. This leads to selfishness. And if I am filling myself with only myself, then I have no room for others. And authentic love requires an outpouring of self rather than an inpouring (which apparently that isn't a word...but you get what I mean). O how many times have I fallen because of my selfishness! How many times have I failed to love others because I only wanted to love me!

I thank you that I am like the rest of humanity.

And so, I have to have humility. I have to arrive at the point to recognize that life isn't about me. In everything I do--humility. I do not volunteer seemingly professionally for the sake and benefit of myself, but rather, it gives me opportunities to serve others rather than serve myself. The volunteering that I do lets me encounter the rest of my fellow brothers and sisters in humanity...in Christ... so that I can give of myself in love for them. We're all trying to navigate this world. We're not perfect. But I, at the very least, can do what I can in order give others dignity and mercy.

I think the easiest way to gain a better understanding of humility is to just stare at a crucifix and pray. Better yet, praying at Adoration with Jesus truly present in the Eucharist. If I'm lucky, both are in my view when praying, lol.  It is here, at the foot of the cross, before the Lord, that it becomes very real and apparent to me that I'm just the created and He is the Creator, that I am just the loved and He is the Lover. I am not perfect, without Him. I am nothing without Him. 

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I decrease. Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

- JD

Man with Many Hats // The Foundry 

This type of blog post inspired by Daily Meditations with Fr. Alfonse.