EASTER SUNDAY I - We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. + Anyone who has been to at least three of the Masses of which I am the celebrant knows that I always end the Mass the same way: by invoking a blessing of joy, hope and peace, before the final blessing and dismissal: to love and serve the Lord, as we love and serve one another (which is always the same at all of my Masses). You can count on this ritual every time – even today, although there is a special Solemn Blessing before the dismissal because it is Easter. And of course the usual response to my short prayer of blessing is: AMEN! – but I don’t always hear it as loudly or enthusiastically at it might be heard. Maybe if I explain where it comes from, a more resounding response can be made from now on. The source of the Joy, Hope and Peace that I talk about is EASTER! For surely and truly if there were no Easter: if Christ did not rise from the dead in a newness of life, then joy, hope and peace would have been impossible for everyone, forever. This needs to be understood! NO EASTER: NO JOY, NO HOPE, NO PEACE AT ALL! This applies not only to “religious people” – but it also applies to all people everywhere – those with and without religion - everybody. There is only one source of newness of life, there is only one source of the optimistic desire to go on, in spite of everything (and this applies both to the church and to the world), there is only one source of peace that is far more reaching than anyone could possibly get on their own, but which everyone on the face of the earth craves. The source is the Resurrected Jesus. His Risen Presence is available for anyone at all to experience: all it takes is the suspension of the earthly way of perceiving and verifying: the way we know the Risen Jesus is by the SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE OF FAITH, which itself is a gift from God, so that we can even begin to believe in the resurrection of his Son. This gift of faith – freely given to all who ask for it - allows us to venture forth in hope – following behind Jesus who loved us so much as to die for us on a Cross. And it is when we do as he tells us and imitate Jesus and carry our own cross out of love for him and his Father, that we experience the power of the resurrection: the power of Joy, the power of Hope, the power of Peace – deep abiding peace – the kind that the world cannot give or take away! My dear people of God – we are invited today to bask in the radiant light of Easter Glory that shone round the Risen One. There is no need for there to be darkness in the world! There is no need for there to be darkness in your world. His radiance is ours by our baptism into his death and resurrection; and by it we are mandated to carry that glow of hope, and joy and peace into every part of the world that we go. Like the leaven in the second reading today: we, as Catholic Christians, are called to permeate the entire dough of society with right vision, right sense and right decisions, all emanating from the very source of our Christian lives: the Risen Lord Jesus – who will never leave us, or let us down! It is because of all of this that I invoke an Easter Blessing of Joy, Hope and Peace at the end of every Mass I celebrate. And this is why I ask your heartfelt and convincing AMEN! This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. PALM SUNDAY I – My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting knowing that I shall not be put to shame. + We have just celebrated the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and have listened to an accounting of some of the events of his Passion and Death. We will take up this theme again on Good Friday in five days time. In the meanwhile, perhaps we can approach the coming days in a different sort of way than ever before. Usually this is recommended to be a time to “gear up” for the contemplation of the events that brought about our redemption: but this year I propose that we take our cue from the Parish Read Book, “Sabbath” and Rest, Relax and Remember the amazing fact of our salvation. It has already occurred; it is something that has been freely and generously done by our God for us; and so all we need do is to: Rest (in the presence and love of God), Relax (knowing that we are always safe in the “now” of God’s presence), and Remember (everything we possibly can about just how much we are truly loved by God: how we each were created and born into this world because he first thought about us and loved us, how our salvation was important to God – he wants us to spend eternity with him, how he has incorporated us into his Body the Church, and his family forever, how he is always there to guide and direct our lives if we want it, how he is sacramentally present to us to strengthen our Christian pilgrimage through life, and how he would have done this whole saving activity if there were only one of us here on earth to do it for). Yes, during the days of the coming week, especially on Thursday, Friday and Holy Saturday Night – let us Rest, Relax and Remember God’s Tremendous Love for us – all of us – and all the people in the whole world! FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT I – See, I am doing something new and I give my people drink. + The joy of last Sunday’s celebration continues this week as we soon approach the finish line of Lent. The theme remains the same: even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful. It is just amazing how hopeful and excited God is about any of us who might take this opportunity, during this Lent, to turn or re-turn to him with our whole heart, like never before; to experience his ever available and powerful grace and tender mercy. Just as the adulterous woman in the gospel passage experienced the unprecedented compassion and healing of Jesus by an act of loving acceptance and forgiveness – rather than condemnation - she is now a role model for us as far as one who was sincerely repentant, willing to change her life – and in fact did so - at the invitation and encouragement of Jesus. Jesus invites us to the same process of conversion and better living! In the second reading today we have another example of one who was “going the wrong way” until he had a powerful encounter with Jesus: St. Paul. Great evidence of Paul’s conversion is found in this passage from his letter to the Phillippians: I consider everything [now] as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. He is even quite willing to share in the sufferings of Christ, being conformed to his death, so as to share in his resurrection from the dead. He says that he still has a long way to go as far as possessing Jesus completely, but compared with Jesus and eternal life – everything else in this life just does not measure up. He says that he strains rather toward the goal; the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Just as God put water into the desert in the first reading today, so too he wants to bring life and nourishment to our parched and oft-times tattered lives. It makes him very happy to do it, and it makes us happy to have it done for us. But we must always give credit where credit is due: give God glory and praise, honor and worship because the source of the water of life is at his throne in heaven: in fact, it is his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ – who will give every drop of water within him very soon to prove his love for us. Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful – and then “go and do not sin any more.” FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT I –David is anointed as king of Israel. + We have a magnificent second reading today from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians. It is one of the most simple and yet profound passages in scripture. It is the cause for much hope and rejoicing. It is also very short, instructive and quickly gets to the heart of the matter; and the heart of the matter is this: you now have a choice: live in darkness or live in light: LIVE IN LIGHT: live in the light of Day, the light of Christ – who is Light! The passage begins in a very ominous sort of way, (St. Paul is talking to the Ephesians and us) whose meaning can easily be glossed over: you were once darkness it shouts out! YOU WERE ONCE DARKNESS – not, you possessed darkness, or darkness overshadowed you, or you were stumbling around in the dark – but rather: YOU WERE DARKNESS because the sin of the origin of the human race was your inheritance at birth; and you yourself compounded that darkness by living oftentimes as a selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed human being. But now you are commanded to live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. You are also – all of you – commanded to take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; it is shameful even to mention the things done in secret by those who wallow in darkness – but they will be exposed by the light – everything will become visible when the light of Christ shines on it – either now, or one day to come – when a judgment will be made on all our deeds – and the secrets of our hearts – our true, unmasked, undefended motivations will be seen for what they really are. The verse before the gospel exhorts us to follow Jesus so that we may have the light of life – so that we may not be darkness any longer, so that we may choose Jesus in faith and let him be our shepherd every step of the way of the rest of our lives. The shepherd boy, David, who became king, prefigured Jesus who will one day be king of everyone – he is and can be our king today if we choose him. This Shepherd King has the power to heal, the power to restore sight to those born spiritually blind because of the Original Spiritual Sin – he has the power to draw people to the light which is himself. We rejoice that he has called us thusly (especially this year’s class of catechumens); we rejoice that he will light our path with his own light; we rejoice that he is calling all members of our parish to the brightness of his glory. Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light! God bless you! THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT I – “I AM” sent me to you. + From the very first day of Lent on Ash Wednesday the theme has been the same, and it will continue to be so up to a Friday in April that we call “Good.” REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND! How many times we have heard this command? How many years? How many occasions have these words and these sentiments gone into our ears to be processed by our hearts and minds and souls? And how many times has it actually made a difference? It is easy to think that since these words are 2000 years old that they apply mostly or even only to the people who lived back then, when Jesus lived. Not so! They apply equally, if not moreso to us – who have 2000 years of history behind us regarding the truth involved here. And the truth is this: the only way to be included in the kingdom of heaven that is now truly at hand is to REPENT: to actually and really feel sorry for one’s sins and transgressions against God, others and self. What is absolutely necessary here is the “voluntariness” of the action of “repentance.” It has to be done with no coercion, with no force, with no fear – but rather out a sense of humility, true remorse and heartfelt love for God – and a willingness to change for the better in the future!This makes the act of repentance perfect! As we are now almost midway through Lent – how has this word “repent” rattled around in our souls this year? Have we taken it as seriously as we should? But these same saved people turned against God and rebelled against him later in the desert and God was not pleased at all with most of them, and they were struck down in the desert. The second reading tells us, as well as the Corinthians for whom it was originally written, that just because we are in the safe rock-like confines of the Church, and are baptized into Christ, and eat and drink spiritual food and drink of his own Body and Blood we ought not take things for granted and think that we are standing secure. For so long as we are alive nothing is completely guaranteed for us. St. Paul tells us that it is only after we have crossed the finish line – in the kingdom – that we can rest – and hope to receive a glorious crown that has been reserved for us. But we cannot even hope to do that unless we continue daily, weekly, monthly, yearly to REPENT – to turn away from sin, to turn toward Jesus, and his Way, and Truth and Life – and then REJOICE in the mercy, compassion and forgiveness that is shown us! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand – in Jesus, in his Church, in us who are the Church, in the Sacrament of Eucharist, in the Sacrament of Penance, in our prayer, in our worship, in our commemoration of the events of our salvation! May the continuation and conclusion of this Lenten Season be all that it can be for us because we have repented in a deeper way than ever before – even gone to confession if we needed to – and can proclaim God’s kindness quite freely, because we have experienced it and we believe it! God bless you! SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT I – God made a covenant with Abraham, his faithful servant. + Just as last Sunday we could conclude that the temptations of Jesus in the desert were not a necessity for him, but rather they were endured for us – so that we would know how to handle temptation to power, prestige and pleasure when they come our way – so today the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain was not done for Jesus simply “to show off his glory” – it was done to prepare the apostles for the scandal of the Cross, to give them something to remember when all the things he told them finally did come to pass, to be the Light in the Darkness of Good Friday! It also occurred for our instruction, as a sign of our own hope in one day sharing in the glory of the resurrection that would be offered to us free of charge – he will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body – the only requirement being faith in the one who is now Transfigured in Radiant Glory – and a life evidencing the fact that love – the kind of love that he demonstrated - matters! In the first reading today, we hear one of the most breathtaking narratives in Scripture: “The Lord God took Abram outside and said, Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so shall your descendants be. Abram put his faith in the Lord who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.” Magnificent narration! Astounding reality! FAITH IS BORN! And the “family of faith” that began with Abram now Abraham continues to today – to us – and to all who bear the name of Christian. Yes, his descendants were very many indeed! Our responsorial psalm today reflects a related theme: The Lord is my light and my salvation! It is difficult for us to understand just how dark the world was spiritually, emotionally and psychologically before “the dawn of a new day” shed it first rays on Christmas Morning some 2000 years ago. We may sometimes think it is dark now, but this was really nothing compared to what was then. It was a hopeless darkness because there was no way that man of his own accord, could penetrate or remove it! It is the Lord who is the true Light of Lights, and our Salvation! He came to us to save us because he loves us and wants to light our path, to show us the way to get to spend an eternity with him in his Father’s kingdom! We are so blessed and so loved and so protected! As we begin a new week of Lent, let us enter into it wholeheartedly – focusing our lives by the bright light of the Father’s presence in a cloud, and Jesus himself in radiant glory illuminating our every move – let us listen to Jesus as he speaks to our hearts: have faith, have hope, have charity to all: for I have overcome the world! God bless you! FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT I – The confession of faith of the chosen people. + The temptations of Jesus were not a necessity for him, but they were for us! Jesus himself was well equipped to dismiss any temptation to do evil always – but he submitted to the temptation process in the desert on our behalf and for our instruction. Jesus always knew what he was about! He left heaven as Word of God for a single purpose: to redeem the pitiable human creations who turned down life and happiness for a moment of power, prestige and pleasure. And nothing could deter him from his purpose! Just as our first parents were tempted to sin by Satan along the lines of power, prestige and pleasure – so too was Jesus – so too are we. But the way Jesus handled it ought to be a lesson for us that could save our spiritual necks some day! When tempted to pleasure – to satisfy our earthly desires and appetites Jesus says: there are other more important things that will satisfy eternally – go for them (go for the gold), leave everything things alone! When tempted to prestige – to be “someone” in a world of equals – realize that there is only one God and you are not him. When tempted to power – to “lord it over” others just for the rush of it – don’t even give any indication that you are interested, for there is only one who holds all power and it is not you or anyone you know: cooperation here, leads to true success. The first reading today is about the people of Israel at last, and at least temporarily, giving God what is his due because they seemingly understand all that he has done for them in saving them from their enemies. They make an offering of the firstfruits of their soil to him! This as a foreshadowing on how they will be even moreso saved by a descendant of theirs who would destroy the one true enemy, Satan, and break his power forever! This descendant, this Jesus, is the one who is confessed in the second reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans. Those who confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead will be saved! It is now up to us, who have claimed a share in this salvation on the day of our baptisms, to renew our faith and our trust and our hope in Jesus – who endured temptation and ignominy and a brutal death for us so that we could free ourselves more easily from temptations and ultimately death itself – so that we could be accountable to God for the deeds of our own volition – giving him glory, praise, thanks, honor and adoration at all the hours of the day and night – either directly or indirectly – by what we think and say and do! Let us use these days and weeks of Lent to do just that: learn how to handle temptations to pleasure, prestige and power when they come our way: to put our focus on where it rightly belongs: the things of heaven; and to thank God at every turn for all that he does for us, his unworthy but trusting children! God bless you! SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME I – Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings; blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. + Taking a look at the readings for today’s Mass, we can certainly say” “What in the world do these have to do with the secular celebration of Valentine’s Day, and the Church’s celebration of World Marriage Day on top of that? Well, actually, quite a bit, if we dig deep, and open our eyes and ears of faith! The first reading puts some cards right out on the table: “cursed is the one who trusts in human beings: he is like a barren bush in the desert;” but then it goes on to say: “blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord: he will prosper like a tree planted near water.” The response for the psalm puts it the same way: “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” If our trust and hope are in the only source that can reward and fulfill them, then we will have all we need, come what may, in our lives. If God is the object of our trust and hope, then we can get through anything – anything at all, either as a single person, or as a married couple – especially a couple whose marriage has been blessed by the Catholic Church. Very special graces and helps are given to those receiving the Sacrament of Marriage. (But God does not abandon those at all who for whatever reason are not partaking of such a sacramental blessing at the present time.) Graces and helps for what, you may ask? Ask any married couple! The Gospel passage can help illuminate this aspect for us. It is actually St. Luke’s version of St. Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. But Luke only uses three categories to list the beatitudes, where Matthew uses eight. Luke simply summarizes the necessity of anyone who wants to be included in the Kingdom of Heaven to be actually committed to everything about it, willing to take the risks involved in finding out more and more about it, and actually trying it out, even in the face of ridicule from others. Luke therefore is not talking about classes of people: “the poor” (those who have very little money or social standing); and “the rich” (those who have the money and the social standing)! Everyone, every “class of people,” is eligible to get to heaven if they work for it using the same rules – and the rules are these: KEEP YOUR EYES FIXED ON JESUS, HE WANTS ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION, SO HE CAN REDEEM ALL OF YOU, AND THEREFORE TAKE ALL OF YOU TO HEAVEN to live forever with him – BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU! This is an amazing love story, good for Valentine’s Day, World Marriage Day and any other day of the year! We will all be exceedingly rich in the graces that God will give us through Jesus who died for us to prove his astounding love, if we detach ourselves from our need to feel rich, full and rewarded now – if we let go of everything that hinders our progress to get to heaven! All of this has everything to do with marriage! “Blessed is the married couple who hope in the Lord alone – who embrace the idea of living out their marriage as a preparation for entering fully into the Kingdom of Heaven -living by the same rules as all other Christians: being actually committed to everything about being not only a Catholic but a Catholic in a Sacramental Marriage, and willing to take the risks involved in finding out more and more about these things, and actually trying them out, day in and day out, especially when the going gets tough, even in the face of ridicule from others who may even sneer and say: “so where is your God now” – not all of you are living “happily ever after” – hasn’t your God let you down? Well on that day, both St. Matthew, St. Luke and Jesus tell us to jump for joy, and be glad for it is in suffering humiliation and ridicule that the real happily ever after has a chance to begin for you one day at the end of your lives – when death parts you – and as brothers and sisters in God’s family you live forever in the bliss that you rightly dreamed about at the very beginning of your marriage! Yes it is true, blessed are those who trust in the Lord absolutely and are willing to do it his way completely; and the converse is true: cursed are those who trust in human beings, who seek strength in flesh and fleshly desires, and whose heart therefore turns away from the Lord. The Lord will turn away, by rights, from them in the end, forever! This will not be a case of “happily-ever -after!” Let us celebrate today those who choose God, who choose life with God, who choose to be committed to him and to one another in a partnership of Christian experience, even if it is an unpopular thing to do: single persons and certainly, married couples, who have the Spirit of God at their beck and call to shower them with all the help, support and guidance they need – if only they ask it of him! The Lord watches over the way of the just, whatever they do prospers, because they delight in the law of the Lord! FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME I – Here I am! Send me. + Today we consider the “simple radicalness” involved in true discipleship to Jesus. Jesus invites us to be an “all-or-nothing” kind of person where it matters most – our eternal salvation! And if you really stop to think about it what else deserves more intense consideration than where we will spend forever? And we will spend forever somewhere! Peter realized – when confronted with the majestic, powerful and gentle person of Jesus – that he, Simon of Bethsaida, just did not measure up! I can hear him say: “How can I possibly even consider spending forever with Jesus, who is so awe-inspiring and powerful, yet caring and compassionate! I am a sinful man!” But Jesus told him to stand up, dust himself off and to get ready, for soon he would be catching not fish, but men. Jesus would take care of the “sinful” part – with Peter’s cooperation. And then he would be inviting Peter to spend a lifetime here and hereafter with himself as Lord, Messiah, Redeemer and Friend. Simon Peter could not have imagined that morning when he woke up that he would be an all or nothing follower of an itinerant rabbi that afternoon. But he was – and he was glad about it! The Prophet Isaiah in the first reading today foretold, at least partly, Simon Peter’s willingness to become an uncompromising disciple of Jesus. The reading tells of a vision that Isaiah saw where he was in the lofty throne of God – where he heard everyone crying out: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts”. He himself saw his own unworthiness in comparison and said: “Woe is me, I am doomed! I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts!” How can I possibly do him justice with my words. Then an angel took a burning coal with tongs and touched his mouth with it and said: “See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,” Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”” Here I am,” I said; send me!” I wonder what Isaiah thought when he heard those words coming from his own mouth? I wonder what went through Simon’s mind when he left boat and business and went to follow Jesus forever? Actually, perhaps it was the same that went through the mind of St. Paul when he was chosen by the same Lord Jesus to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles – born out of normal course: becoming an apostle not by being handpicked by Jesus to follow him around for three years for a special type of “seminary” training but by means of a special attention getting event – including a persuasive blinding display of light. Paul already had a different kind of education – and Jesus chose him for his tenacity and his enthusiasm and his stick-to-itiveness – and his love for his Jewish roots. Isaiah handed on what he got from God; Peter handed on what he learned from Jesus; Paul handed on what he received from the other apostles and the early members of the Church: that Jesus is the Messiah, and that he died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and on the third day he was raised, in accordance with the scriptures. Then he appeared to the apostles and to many who hand on the story one person to another. So the preaching occurs and so believing can be a response! When we hear of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus preached to us – what is our “for real” belief quotient? Is it slight, moderate, heavy, extreme? For good or bad, where we will spend forever depends on our response! May we like Isaiah, Peter, Paul and so many others – receive the word of God that is preached, let it take root deep in our hearts, let it say exactly what it has in mind to say (rather than what we might want to hear), and let it have an effect in our lives that will give God glory and will upbuild the lives of others around us, upbuild the Kingdom – then we can be assured of being in the right place at the right time – when forever begins! In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord! FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME I – A prophet to the nations I appointed you. + Last week we heard Jesus’ very first homily in the same setting that our gospel passage for today is situated. After reading from the Prophet Isaiah, in his home synagogue, Jesus rolled up the scroll and sat down and said: “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE PASSAGE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING!” That was it! That was his first homily. I remarked last week that one of Jesus’ intentions in this nine word homily was to give direction to all preachers to get to the point, quickly, and then sit down! I promised to take this hint more seriously this week. Let’s see how I do! After this short homily of Jesus, all looked intently at him and then began to talk highly of him. They were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. But then they immediately missed the whole point of the homily! They missed it completely! They condescendingly and patronizingly said “Oh, isn’t this the son of Joseph?” Thereby meaning “Isn’t this Mary and Joe’s boy, who grew up down the street? He turned out to be such a nice man, he speaks quite well!” They missed the point that HE WAS THE LONG-AWAITED MESSIAH! HE WAS THE ANOINTED ONE OF GOD! HE WAS GOD’S SON AND SAVIOR OF THE WORLD – their Savior! THEY DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO BEGIN TO BELIEVE IN HIM! Jesus though, read their thoughts and said, “So, you would like me to do signs and wonders here among you, like I did in Capernaum on my way here – perform a few miracles!” NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED IN HIS OWN NATIVE PLACE! Even if I did a hundred miracles here you would not believe in me. YOU HAVE NO FAITH! and FAITH IS A REQUIREMENT NOT ONLY FOR MIRACLES BUT FOR THE GREATEST MIRACLE OF SALVATION! They rose up then and drove him out of the town to a cliff on the top of a hill. They intended to throw him over headlong. But he passed though the midst of them and went away, no doubt shaking his head and saying aloud to himself: “Father, this is not going to be easy, saving your people; especially the ones who want to disqualify themselves from being saved! What can we do for them? And so, the second point for me to learn as a homilist here today is: after I keep the homily short, make sure it challenges (at least a few) and hope they don’t want to throw me off a cliff after Mass. Just as Jeremiah was called in the first reading to be an unpopular spokesman for God but being promised the powerful aid of God himself to defend him against any assailants, so Jesus was clearly an unpopular spokesman for God his Father and he also had the powerful aid of this Father and the Holy Spirit to help him when he needed it. I believe that I can count on the same protection and guidance. What it was that Jesus was speaking was none other than TRUTH, not the truth, or a truth, but just plain Truth: Jesus spoke TRUTH about everything, because he was around when everything was made (as Word of God) and so he knows thoroughly and absolutely how everything works and is supposed to work together – especially matters of dealing with God and other people. Those unwilling to hear Truth will be unwilling to hear Jesus, or anyone speaking what Jesus would have them speak –and a variety of reactions and responses could be forthcoming, some even involving cliffs, both real and symbolic. Jesus spoke TRUTH, but he was also Truth in the Flesh; he was also LOVE, and thus Love in the Flesh: so when one is open to Love, one is open to Truth, one is open to Jesus. Our second reading today tells us that the powers of faith and hope are very important, but the power of love is most important: the kind of love that is risk-taking, self-sacrificing and totally other-oriented. May we be open in the next weeks as the first stage of Ordinary Time winds down and Lent begins, to hear what the Spirit of God has to say to us individually and as a group when we come here on Sundays. Hopefully you will hear something that you do not know, something that you may have forgotten, something that you might initially “disagree” with. None of us are the same as we were last year at this time – and so God’s Word and explanations will affect us differently this year. But if we are open to change and growth, then maybe with the grace of God we will change and grow and become more the image that God has in mind for us to become: an amazing image of a holy, caring and joyful, saintly person! God bless you! THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME I – They read from the book of the Law and they understood what was read. + In today’s gospel passage we have Jesus’ very first homily – and it only contained nine words! After reading a specifically chosen passage in the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord – rolling up the scroll, and handing it back to the attendant, he sat down and said: “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE PASSAGE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING!” That was it! That was Jesus’ first homily! And it was probably the most powerful homily ever delivered by anyone at any time. This homily was announcing not only to those gathered, but also to the whole world: I AM THE ANOINTED SERVANT OF THE LORD! I AM THE LONG-AWAITED MESSIAH! I AM YOUR SAVIOR! It is I who will bring amazing glad tidings of happiness to the poor. It is I who will proclaim loudly liberty to those held captive by sin. It is I who will provide recovery of sight to the spiritually blind. It is I who will let the intellectually, emotionally and psychologically oppressed go free. It is I who will announce the jubilee year of amnesty and grace. I AM GOD’S SON! – I CAN DO THIS! I AM HERE FOR YOU – DO YOU BELIEVE IT? Everyone there stared at him intently – and looked around at one another – and they were astonished at what they heard. This does not mean that they believed any of it, but there were dumbfounded at the way in which he spoke! And so the first point of my homily today is: JESUS IS THE ONE! He is not only the one for his own people, but he is the one for all people. The second point refers to the period before Jesus came when all the people of God had to know they belonged to God was the law that was given at Mt Sinai to Moses and all of the prescriptions that were derived from it. The heart of the matter here is that the people were willing to be in a relationship with God based on an external set of rules: this, though not ideal, was at least something for them to hold on to. And we can see from the first reading today that they took the reading of the law very seriously. But it was Nehemiah and Ezra who told the men, women children old enough to understand that when they heard the law of God read they should not be sad and weep (mostly thinking about how they disobeyed it continually), but rather on that day they were to rejoice – for the day was holy – and they were to go and have rich feast – because from then on “rejoicing in the Lord must be their strength!” This scene has everything to do with Jesus as well. He is not only the law of God in the flesh – but he is also the new and simplified law of God: which is simply LOVE. When we love God and love others as we love ourselves – as we have been loved by God in the dramatic way in which we have been – then we experience what being redeemed and saved is all about. The third point of today’s homily is this: Jesus set up a way for us to live out the new law, his command of love, in a very personal way. He had the wonderful idea of actually making us spiritually a very real part of his very real spiritual self. This happens initially at our baptism. We become among other things an integral and necessary part of the very Mystical Body of Christ: a holy and spiritual but very experiential and tangible sort of Body – that manifests itself as the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ, because we are the Body of Christ. And unless we celebrate that fact and live that fact that we are truly the Body of Christ, then the Communion, the Body of Christ made present in bread, does not really mean anything at all. Each member of the Body of Christ is necessary to it; the Church depends on our active commitment to our Baptismal and Confirmation duties and responsibilities. Our second reading today tells us that just as the body has many members, they are all of equal value because they form the one body, and the body would be incomplete and less than it could be without it. Each of us has a gift or two to share with everyone else – out of love for God and one another. May we help Jesus in his mission as Messiah, Liberator, Healer and Constant Friend to All by being his Body, by being willing to be used by him in any way he wants when we leave here today. Yes, this day is holy to the Lord! The reading of the scriptures ought not make us weep and be sad because we do not live up to what it says. It ought to instead inspire us to take the hand of Jesus and walk through our days doing great things for him and his Father with the help of their Spirit. The Lord sent YOU to bring glad tidings to the poor, and to proclaim liberty to captives! And the end of this Mass GO in peace to love and serve God as you love as serve any brother or sister in need! SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME I – The Bridegroom rejoices in his bride. + We have heard often of the scene in today’s gospel passage: Jesus attending the wedding feast at Cana. But if we really stop to think about it, some of the implications in this account are quite astounding: first of all this is Jesus’ first big dinner party since his Baptism and the inauguration of his public ministry (which we celebrated last week). And here at this feast, at least three important things happen:
And so, Jesus accepted the direct opening of the narrow highway that would lead him to the cross, on that day in Cana of Galilee. He had serious work to do, beginning right then and there; but he was so very happy to do it. To him he was truly like a bridegroom who rejoiced as he prepared to meet his bride for a great wedding feast. The bride is the Church. The bride is us. And one day we shall enter into that great Nuptial Wedding Feast in the Kingdom - which is being prepared for us right now! Jesus has done his part already! We do our part by using the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the second reading today – gifts which have as their goal upbuilding the family of God in all charity: us, the Bride of Christ and the cherished object of the Father’s eye! God has called us through the Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ – may we respond affirmatively to the invitation and show our gratitude for what Jesus has done for us - beginning on that day in Cana of Galilee, by allowing the Spirit to move us to great works for God and for all, especially for those who are in most need of our help! THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD I – Behold my servant with whom I am well pleased. + It is not a secret in the world of business that “silent partners” exist. In fact most businesses, large and small have such partners. These are usually the ones who actually carry a lot of weight in the company, but do so behind the scenes – in an almost invisible and oft-times forgotten sort of way. The “front people” – the ones that you see physically are obvious and their words and deeds are out there for the world to see – but they would really have little power to do anything without the silent partners. Did you ever stop to think that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are actually “in the business of saving our souls,” saving our necks from eternal loss and separation from them. God the Father is the “Idea-Man,” God the Son, Jesus, is the “Front-Man – The Man in the Trenches” and God the Holy Spirit is the “Silent Partner.” All three of them are required to be fully functional, of their own free will, for the “business to be successful,” in order for us to be saved! It was always God the Father’s plan, idea, to save his wayward children after the Original Sin. Jesus volunteered to be the “front-man, the man in the trenches,” the man sent by God to accomplish our redemption by a brutal death on a cross. The Holy Spirit promised to be with Jesus every step of the way, helping him in everything he ever thought, said and did as Messiah, Redeemer and Friend of Mankind. When things got rough for Jesus, especially towards the end, it was the Holy Spirit who consoled him and reminded him of how much his Father loved him and how pleased he was with what he was doing for his errant brothers and sisters! Our readings today tell us quite plainly of such a “spiritual business arrangement!” Having just celebrated the Season of the Father’s Gift: Jesus, born in Bethlehem – one day to die in Jerusalem on a mount called Calvary -we now see Jesus coming forth at age thirty ready to “get to work,” ready to “do his Father’s business” as he announced he would be doing when he was found in the Temple when he was 12 years old. And so he came to the Jordan to be baptized by his cousin John, who was his herald: the one chosen by the Father to literally point to him and tell everyone that he was indeed the long-awaited Messiah: the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world! And after Jesus was baptized the “Silent Partner” showed up in a majestic show of brightness and form (the figure of a dove) – also sent by the Father – to tell all of us that Jesus’ Reign and Kingdom would be a spiritual one – and that He would be helping Jesus in everything, in every way! Then the Father himself, the “very loving Idea Man” spoke, in fact thundered regarding Jesus: YOU ARE MY BELOVED SON; WITH YOU I AM WELL PLEASED! The Family of God Business was now open and operating: and Jesus set out to be what he was prophesied to be: a light for all the nations; one who would open the eyes of the spiritually blind, release those imprisoned by their own selfishness and sinfulness, and bring out from the dungeon of their own making, those who live in the darkness of intellectual stubbornness and blindness. As we begin a new year of watching the life and ministry of Jesus unfold, may we remember the three partners in this family business who will make it all happen: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit: The Idea Man, The Front Man (The Man in the Trenches), and the Silent Partner! And we must not forget that because of our baptisms we actually are a part of the family business as well – and we get all of the benefits that Jesus and the Spirit have to offer – if we cooperate and do our assigned jobs as salesmen and promoters of this magnificent family business! Let us be grateful! Let us rejoice! Let us live like we are members of God’s family during this new year of grace, especially using the amazing power of that same Silent Partner who was with Jesus every step of the way, The Holy Spirit, who has been gifted to us so we can truly live Christ-like lives! THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD I – The glory of the Lord, shines upon you. + It was only fair that Jesus first make contact with his own people, his own family, his own adoring mother and foster-father, and a holy man and a prophetess in the Temple at his presentation, before he would be manifested to the rest of the world. Today, in our gospel passage we have that familiar story of the arrival of the three magi from the east. They of course were sent on a mission by King Herod - a mission of espionage and subterfuge, but it was God himself who redirected their efforts in the end and sent them back to their own country by another way, thus avoiding a return to Herod. And these magi offered him gold, frankincense, and myrrh – to fulfill a prophecy regarding his kingship, his eminence, and his death and burial. It was to the little town of Bethlehem that they came – the town that was too small to be of much use to anyone at all – but the town which had a mighty prophecy written about it: you are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah, from you shall come a ruler; who is to shepherd my people Israel! And so a star led the magi to Bethlehem and they found Jesus with Mary his Mother in the house. They offered their gifts and thus represented the world’s recognition of Jesus as Lord, Messiah, King, Ruler and Shepherd! Sadly though, after 21 centuries, not that many, relatively speaking, recognize Jesus as Lord, Messiah, King, Ruler and Shepherd! And even the ones who say they do don’t always speak and act like it! Jesus came to make all the difference in the world – all the difference to every aspect of life! But he can’t do it without our permission. He respects our freedom and he waits for our willingness and our cooperation! All of the spiritual money is in the bank for us because of his life, death and resurrection, but we must write out the checks by our lives of deliberate acts of love, kindness, friendship and concern. If Jesus is the Light of the World whose arrival was signaled by the brightness of a brilliant white star in the blackness of night, and we have his light in us by our baptism, then it is up to us to let his Light shine through us to brighten the whole world. This is the message of Epiphany: everyone who comes in contact with us should come away feeling they have encountered Christ the Light of All Nations! Lord, every nation on earth will adore you, for you shall rescue the poor when they cry out; and the afflicted when they have no one to help them. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save! Lord, every nation on earth will adore you! THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD I – They shall invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them. + A week ago today we celebrated a “feast of Jesus”: his birthday; today we celebrate the “feast of the one who gave birth to him”: his Holy and Immaculate, Virgin Mother: Mary: wife of Joseph of Nazareth of the House of David. It is really an amazing feast honoring the Mother of Jesus, who was also the Mother of God! Mary is the greatest of the Church’s saints, and “Mother of God” (Theotokos) is the highest of her titles. It is the basis for every other title and dignity accorded to her. Although she was the Mother of God from the moment she conceived Jesus in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, her motherhood of God was not formally recognized by the Church until the first half of the fifth century, in response to a theological controversy that focused not upon her, but upon her Son. A crisis erupted when in his preaching, Nestorius publicly denied to Mary the title: “Mother of God” calling her instead the mother of Christ (Christotokos). To make a long story short, Nestorius was condemned at the church Council of Ephesus in 431. This council condemned his views and deposed him as patriarch of Constantinople. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (which we recite at Sunday Mass and on Solemnities) was established at this council at it was made clear that Jesus had two natures: one human (of Jesus Emmanuel) and one divine (of the Word of God that was with God in the beginning), but only one Person. Therefore, Mary could rightly be considered Mother of God. At the Cross, Jesus extended the Motherhood of God, to the Motherhood of the Church when he gave his own mother, Mary, to the Apostle John (who represented all of us). If he is Son of God and Son of Man, and he is also the Church in its mystical form: then Mary is Mother of the Church and our Mother: for we are members of that Mystical Body of Christ. Perhaps that is why another beautiful title of Mary is “Mystical Rose.” Just as Mary treasured everything that ever happened concerning Jesus in her heart, so should we; and so should we enjoy the benefits of being true spiritual children of Mary – by thinking about her every day, praying to her, and asking her to intercede to her Son for us. Jesus cannot rightly refuse any requests that his “Queen Mother” asks him! Hail Mary, Pray for us, always! THE HOLY FAMILY I – Those who fear the Lord honor their parents. + Today as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we consider “family life in God.” Family life in God is based on a dynamic that is for the most part distasteful to most Americans in this day and age: and that dynamic concept is OBEDIENCE. More than ever the American “dream” is about the “fantasy” of “absolute detachment” and independence from any real lasting accountability for anything or anyone (that does not serve temporary and fleeting flights of self-seeking, self-satisfaction and self-glorification!) In contrast to this, family life in Nazareth was experienced as a real and true flight into the heart of God the Father: whose purpose and plan it was and is to gather unto himself an amazing family, from the four corners of the earth, united in peace, harmony and virtuous living. He even went so far as to send us in the flesh One who would teach us all about life in this family – that One is Jesus – Savior – Messiah – Prince of Peace! However, to understand anything at all about Jesus the very first lesson to be learned (taught by he, himself) is OBEDIENCE! It was out of OBEDIENCE that Jesus came to us: sent by the Father who was so very concerned about the fact that all of humanity stood in a self-imposed condition of being condemned by him because of the Original and other personal sins; and because there was an irrevocable chasm between us and him, with no possibility of crossing into eternal life of blessedness. Jesus OBEYED and came to us! He OBEYED and was subject to everything about human life that we are, except sin! He OBEYED his Father’s Will at every moment of his earthly existence. And for us and for our salvation he became OBEDIENT even unto death, death on a Cross; this he did joyfully because both he and his Father were so eager to build a new family of believing people who would benefit from his great act of redemption! But the key for them would have to be the same key as it was for him: OBEDIENCE! Obedience to God and his promise of salvation! Why would we not want to love and trust and OBEY anything that our God tells us to do for our present and eternal welfare? Family life then, mirrored in the life of the Church, has everything to do with OBEDIENCE: the obedience exercised by the Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. If Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church (us) is his Bride – and the way for salvation is for the Church/Bride to “do whatever he tells us” (the way Mary explained “obedience” at the Wedding Feast of Cana where Jesus raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament), then in the same way wives should love and “obey” their husbands in the Lord; and husbands must love their wives in exactly the same way that Christ loves, cares for and protects his Bride the Church: and the children, the fruit of the union of husband and wife to complete the cycle of family life need to obey their parents, as we see Jesus doing in the gospel passage when he went down to Nazareth and was “obedient” to them. There is a great benefit in the God-centered and initiated dynamic of OBEDIENCE that can never be experienced unless family members take the risk of trying it out unconditionally. If we remember that God is the source, the power behind and the reward for all OBEDIENCE and that it is really him that we are obeying in the process, then it might be easier to “take the plunge” and try it out! Perhaps this might be a good “Family New Year’s Resolution!” Take to heart the words of these scripture passage that are found in your Bibles at home – OBEY GOD and experience the “joy of OBEDIENCE” in your relationships and then the peace of Christ will dwell in your richly and it will control your hearts and your family life will take on a dimension that maybe it has never had: and you will also better understand what it means to be Church, and members of God’s Great and Loved heavenly family! Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, and who walks in his ways – you shall be blessed and favored forever! THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD I – A son is given us! + The Great Moment has finally arrived: the one we have been eagerly waiting for four weeks! And at this point -- here, now -- it all comes down to the notion of “gift-giving and receiving.” This is the night / and day tomorrow that is really about “gift giving and receiving,” all done out of love: for what we exchange is really LOVE. At this point, the most treasured gifts given will be the ones given as an expression of heart-felt LOVE, and they must all be received with an equal measure of gratitude and LOVE: the Christmas Gifting Gesture: is actually then an exercise in the “communion of LOVE.” What this means is that the gifts given that were paid for by self-sacrifice and hard-earned work, gifts made by hand, gifts of promised service for a later time (a Holiday IOU for providing aid and assistance to those in need) are the most treasured and most valuable gifts! Later in this Mass you will receive into your hand, into your mouth, into your heart the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace who made his appearance on this earth in that tiny stable in Bethlehem amidst an adoring crowd of his parents, shepherds and animals bowing and lowing. That was an amazing scene and an amazing moment, and it took place in utter silence that was only broken by a chorus of angels giving glory to God and announcing peace on earth to men of good will! That peace was Jesus himself: he was and is God’s-peace-made-flesh. After receiving the “little Lord Jesus” in Holy Communion tonight there will a moment of Great Silence – (which is normally observed anyway) but tonight it will be even more special. At that time, when we sit in silence, there will be the opportunity for a very special exchange of gifts: Jesus has something uniquely special for you this year, unlike any other year. You can use this silent moment to spiritually “tune in” to what that is: ask him to reveal it and he will; and then, you can use this wondrous moment to offer him something likewise different from any other Christmas: something especially significant for both you and him, this year, that perhaps only you and he would know about: something that you have made with your life this year. IT CAN BE A TRULY AWESOME MOMENT! We will take the time: to observe it, cherish it and use it! It will be fantastic! Oh, and it will be OK during the Mass up to that point to think about what possible gift Jesus will have for you, and the one you will have for him at the Great Silent Moment! (*)I proclaim to you good news of great joy: today a Savior is born for us, Christ the Lord. FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT I – From you shall come forth the ruler of Israel. + On this final Sunday of Advent we focus on one rather obscure phrase in the first reading today which actually summarizes everything about the Season that we are in and the one that will begin this coming Thursday evening: the phrase is: “he shall be peace!” He shall be peace refers to the shepherd who will stand firm by the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord, his God; the shepherd King of the House of David, from the town of Bethlehem-Ephrathah (too small to be among the clans of Judah). He shall be peace! The one who is to come to first dwell in that stable in Bethlehem will be peace-in-the-flesh. To think that peace is simply the absence of chaos, is to miss the whole concept of Christ completely. Peace is actually a human being and his name is Jesus. All else that we relate to peace derives from his person. He is the heavenly peace that he not only sleeps in, but also radiates at every moment of his existence. His is the peace that the world cannot possibly know about, understand or desire in the slightest. His is the peace, nevertheless, that all people thirst and yearn for to the depths of their beings. Yes, what we need in our lives is not just the absence of turmoil, but a personal relationship with the Prince of Peace himself; and the only way we can have that is in quiet, silent, reflection! The gospel passage today tells us what Mary did immediately after this Prince came to live within her who consented to be his Mother, she felt the need to radiate that peace to others, she was moved to holy action, and she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was also now with child (whose name would be John, and he would be the Baptizer). John leapt for joy in his mother’s womb when Mary entered the house. He was the first to recognize the unique presence that his cousin, the Prince of Peace was. A new day was dawning and the One whose obedience would take away all of the bad of the old dispensation is now months away from making his earthly appearance. As our second reading today tells us, it would be in his “will” to do his Father’s will – that would be the cause of our salvation! May we in these last days before Christmas take time each day to reflect in silence the great mystery of the coming into the world, coming into our lives of the Prince of Peace himself. And remember on Christmas Eve or Day (whenever you will attend Mass to celebrate his birth) that you will consume and eat in Holy Communion this “peace of God” who became a man, who became that piece of bread for you, so that you can be that bread and the peace and that Prince to others, all others, but especially the poor and needy – not only on Christmas Day, but on every other day of the year as well! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will! THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT I – The Lord will rejoice over you with gladness. + The Third Sunday of Advent, which we celebrate today, is GAUDETE SUNDAY, taken from the first word of the Entrance Hymn of the old Latin Mass:”Gaudete!” REJOICE! There is an obvious cause for rejoicing as we make our way, week by week, through the Advent Season, that now it is half over – and the nearness of the Lord can be felt intensified (even if we know that he has already come so many years ago in the stable at Bethlehem, and is always available to us). But did you ever stop to look at Advent from the opposite point of view, God’s point of view; the God whose plan it was to reconcile his people by sending them a redeemer and Savior; who carefully and over o so many generations prepared a people and family to receive him; whose astounding love was the cause of it all and the impetus behind each and every meticulous detail. His perspective on this midway day of Advent is superabundant rejoicing that he is getting nearer and nearer to becoming one of his own creations while still remaining fully God. He is very excited about Jesus’ whole mission to us. The first reading from the Prophet Zephaniah shouts of such excitement: Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully; O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has removed the judgment against you, the King of Israel, the Lord, (will soon be) in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. When he comes into your midst, your Lord will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, and he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. [Isn’t that incredible – sometimes we think it a burden to sing our praise to God, yet he sings exuberantly of his love of being our Father, and our being his beloved, redeemed, children all of the time! That is amazing!] And so today: let us rejoice doubly: as we think both of our joy and God’s as we enter into the last two weeks before the celebration of the birthday of the central figure in all of human history: Jesus the Lord, the King, the Prince of Peace: God who became one of us; and let us reflect upon how God rejoices over us always– and then, let us act like deserving recipients of such a tremendous gift! Yes, let us love as we have been loved! The best way to continue our preparation and to show that we really “get” what is going on in this holy season is to do what John the Baptist suggested in the gospel passage when he told the people coming to him at the Jordan River to repent and prepare for the Lord’s coming: he told them, bottom line, to LOVE, to look out for one another, to share their belongings, to share their food – to think of others first. This is the best way to prepare for the coming of Jesus because we will recognize him as the one from whom these practices originate, for he is LOVE INCARNATE: LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP AND COMPASSION IN THE FLESH! And then we can see his glory and his light and his truth! REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS, for he truly does rejoice in you! SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT I – Jerusalem, God will show your splendor. + As we celebrate the Second of Advent today we are amazed at the great love and excitement that was found bubbling forth from the heart of God the Father as he conceived the plan to send forth a redeemer to reconcile his wayward children. The Prophet Baruch tells us in the first reading that God was more than enthusiastic about gathering his errant people from east to west so that he could name them his “justice” and the” glory of his worship” forever! This is quite a vocation that the people of Israel had. And symbolically God ordered that every lofty mountain be made low, and that age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground so that Israel could advance straight and secure in the glory of God and at last see their salvation: the fulfillment of their vocation! The gospel passage today takes up the same theme: as the time of the arrival of the fulfillment of the prophecies, the Messiah is near, and John the Baptist is chosen by God to fulfill the prophecy of Baruch and literally cry out: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. He is very near! You have waited for him, and now he comes! Fill in the valleys of your stubbornness causing you to hang on to your own sorrows and afflictions, make low the mountains of your pride and selfishness, make straight the winding roads of your restlessness and willful wanderings, make smooth the roughness of your manner and demeanor! Smile! Relax! Rejoice! Your God cares for you! – and he cares for you too, for you are born, by your baptism, from the faith-stock of the Israelites! One way for you to determine how tuned-in you are to the real Spirit of the Holidays is, as St. Paul told the Philippians, (having first decided to take care of any detrimental matters mentioned above) to measure your readiness by how truly loving you are: how willing you are to share the riches God gives you to share: how willing you are to go over and above what you might feel comfortable saying and doing to upbuild and help others: how willing you are to be prophets(spokesmen for God), in order to bring others to Jesus! If each good thought, word and deed were a piece of straw: would you (in the course of the next three weeks) be able to acquire and save enough of them, and place them in the manger of your heart to be ready to receive the little Lord Jesus, away in that manger, on Christmas Eve? Prepare the way of the Lord: make him a manger full of your good words spoken, and good deeds done, because you love him, you understand what his birthday means, and you understand that the love that flows at this time of the year begins with God but is now dependent upon you in order for the world to understand what Christmas is all about! FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT I – I will raise up for David a just shoot. Today, as we mark the First Sunday of Advent 2010, we begin another church calendar “Year of Grace” in which the truly astounding mystery of “the breaking into human history of the Son of God himself” will once again – during the next 12 months - be presented for our intellectual consideration, our prayerful reflection, our worshipful response and our motivation for doing more good works out of love for God, who made it all possible. The first reading today speaks of the fulfillment of a promise that God made with the house of Israel and Judah, to raise up for David a just shoot: one who would do only what is right and good in the land. In fact, there would be so much security in the land, that with the coming of this shoot, grown to full stature, Jerusalem itself will be called: “The Lord our justice!” The injustice that existed there beforehand was as old as our first parents, who broke faith with God, mistrusted him, disobeyed him and set up their own system of justice that never did measure up to God’s. But God’s is the one that will count in the end. In this original injustice, since God was offended, only one who was God could make up for the offense, but he would also have to be one like us to make the reparation effective for all of us. That perfect combination of a God – Man was Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man. We prepare now for four weeks for the celebration of his birthday: when the awesome majesty and splendor and power and love of God was found contained in a tiny little baby boy in a manger in Bethlehem. Only one who was so large in heart and power, could become so humble and small, for us and our salvation! But not only do the Advent readings speak of Christ’s “first coming” as a babe in Bethlehem, they begin by speaking of his “Second Coming” – as an exclamation point for the great feast of Christ as King of the Universe that we celebrated last Sunday, to culminate the past Liturgical Year. Jesus is indeed King – and one day he will come to be our judge just as he promised he would. And he promises that it will be a truly frightening day for those who are caught off guard, for those who were not vigilant, for those who thought it might apply to everyone else except them. Not so! It applies to everyone! He is coming! And he will judge everyone! And he suggests that the best posture to have as we wait is to stand up straight, with head held high – with voices raised in praise and glory and thanks to his Father - as well as showing real proof of our love for God and our belief in him by being of loving service to others until the last trumpet! For those who refuse to give him what is his due, he will turn them away from him – forever! But it need not be that way: all it takes is a willingness to ask the Lord for his merciful help and love, and for the gift of salvation! And it shall be done for you! The Lord is our HOPE and our SALVATION! He was born to be our HOPE, he would love to accompany us through our lives as our hope, and on the last day he would like very much to convert our hope into the BLESSED ASSURANCE OF A NEVERENDING EXPERIENCE OF HAPPINESS IN THE HEART OF GOD! O come Emmanuel and ransom your needy people! |
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