The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Do you know Jesus? Have you met our Lord? We’d all like to say ‘Yes, of course, I’m Christian aren’t I? I’ve received the Sacraments, haven’t I?’ But today’s first reading gives me pause. I am fairly certain that no one who knows me would consider me a hateful person. Considering Jesus’s number 1 and number 2 commandments are ‘love God,’ and ‘love your neighbor,’ the most I can say is that I am doing number 1 as best I know how, and I am doing number two, except for a few people that really bother me. In all humility, I’m concerned this is falling short of what Jesus commanded! Do you love your neighbors…(ALL of them)…as you love yourself?
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
“Christ is light. In him there is no darkness. Come to him and he will bring you light.” My children sing this in catechesis of the Good Shepherd each week. The tune is catchy and it stays in my head and theirs, throughout the week. I find it a constant reminder to continue to seek out Christ - seek out the light in the darkness. This same message is relayed in our first reading today, as we hear that “God is the light and in him there is no darkness at all.” As we are in the Christmas season, this season of light and life and hope, this message seems very relevant and poignant.
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen- the first martyr. At first glance this seems an odd time to celebrate this feast day, since just yesterday we were singing “Joy to the World” as we gathered around the manger of the Christ child. And yet, our church wisely reminds us that we are called to leave the stable and head out into the world to proclaim the “Good News.” Jesus tells us that our lives will not be free from pain and suffering. And yet, as we celebrate the death of St. Stephen there is still reason for joy. Jesus promises us that His Spirit will always be with us to provide all we need as we live out our discipleship.
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to people of good will! (Lk 2:14) Joy to the World, the Lord has come, let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing! For the last four weeks, we have focused with our children on the themes of peace, hope, joy, and love in addition to lighting our purple and pink candles in preparation for the birth of Jesus. Emmanuel has come. God is with us in the infant, Jesus, lying in the manger.
Thursday in the Fourth Week of Advent - Mass in the Morning
If one were seeking a theme for these days, darkness would certainly work. Just three days ago we passed through the longest night of the year with fifteen hours and thirty-nine minutes of darkness leaving just eight hours and twenty-one minutes of light. Three days out, we’ve gained all of one minute of sunlight. And that amidst some rather grey Ohio skies.
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Today marks a wonderful moment in our Advent journey to pause and ask the Lord to purify us. Advent is a time of waiting for the Lord’s coming anew into our hearts, lives, and world, and a season to anticipate the Lord’s coming again in glory. Advent is also a time for repentance, to humble ourselves before the Incarnate One who is also our Savior and Redeemer. Purification is one of God’s loving processes within us. Let us consider today how we might yield and surrender to this gracious and merciful work.
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
When you were a small child, do you ever have the experience of someone picking you up, turning you upside-down, and holding you there by the legs as your pockets emptied? I have a few memories like this, as both the one over-turned, and later as the one doing the flipping. It was a favorite way for older cousins to bond with younger ones while we were playing outside at family events. Sometimes there was a lot of tickling and snorting and laughter involved. It’s a moment when power wasn’t misused, but instead was a source of joy.
Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
The hustle and bustle of the holidays are all around us even in the midst of the pandemic. Shipping times are delayed, retail stores are still packed, and the frantic stress of the season is here. All of that frenetic energy has an end though. It culminates in Christmas and family. One of my favorite memories from Christmas gatherings with my extended family is the Hargadon Family Greeting. It wasn't a secret handshake or a delicate kiss on the cheek. It was a rousing chorus of shouted welcomes as each person walked through my grandparent's front door. It didn't matter whether you were in a conversation or getting some food. It was irrelevant whether you could see the door or not. When someone walked through that door, they were greeted like we had all been awaiting their arrival. Now, I'm not saying everyone has to be like my family, but I do want to reflect on families and our coming together during Christmas in the light of our reading of the Visitation.
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
The cold gray days of winter have officially arrived in Ohio. Many people (myself included) have a sense of exhaustion. The anxiety and sorrow of the pandemic, the racial and political division of our society and the physical isolation from our quarantine seem to create a barren landscape that adds to the darkness of these winter days. Today’s scripture readings, however, give us reason for hope and joy. Hannah and Elizabeth believe in God’s promises and bring new life into the world. As we anticipate Christmas and the celebration of Jesus’ birth, God is reminding us that the promise of new life is for all of us. We must remain hopeful and faithful to God’s promise, so the Spirit of God can bring new life to us and to our world.
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
I have long been fascinated by dreams. My family knows this and they sometimes share theirs with me, especially if it’s a particularly vivid or troubling dream. The Bible has numerous examples of God’s angels speaking to people through their dreams. Dreams have been referred to in contemporary times as “God’s Forgotten Language” and “Unopened Letters from God” (both book titles), perhaps indicative of how we have gotten away from dreams as a potential source of divine communication. With today’s gospel passage (Matthew 1:18-25), we are reminded that an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The gospel reveals that this is how God chose to communicate a very important message about the conception and birth of Jesus and what role Joseph would play in that. Certainly something he was not expecting.
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
Today’s passage from Matthew is the opening of his gospel. It is introduced with the words: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Matthew’s gospel was written for Jewish Christians to show the continuity of Jesus in the history and tradition of Israel. God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3; 22:18) declared Israel to be His chosen people with a promise to bless them greatly. God also told Abraham the entire world would be blessed through his descendants. Likewise, God’s covenant with the King David, made through the prophecy of the Nathan, was that David’s line would rule over Israel forever: “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Matthew shows that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the covenants promised to Abraham and David.
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
In our Gospel today, John the Baptist sends two of his disciples to question Jesus about his identity. I find this situation curious for two reasons. First, John had already expressed his self-understanding and calling as the one sent to prepare the way for the Lord, and second, Jesus and John were relatives. Surely John grew up hearing his mother Elizabeth tell the story about how he leapt in her womb when Mary came to visit early in her pregnancy. Certainly, John had heard Mary’s testimony about the visit from the Angel Gabriel and the miracle of Jesus’ conception. Today’s Gospel has me thinking about the ways in which we tend to question our own calling at times, and also how often we fail to recognize Jesus in the familiarity of those around us.
Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
Our God loves us in a dangerous way; the Lord is always giving opportunities for us to change our mind, to convert, to make a new path toward righteousness. I suspect God knows what we cannot bring ourselves to believe, which is that most of our decisions are at least partially clouded by misplaced priorities, sinful or selfish desires. We all need a lot of chances to turn around and change for the better. Perhaps this is why Jesus tells a story about a person who immediately rejects his father’s order, but then later does the right thing.
Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church
I remember a time that one of my nephews became obsessed with jokes. One joke that he clung to went like this:
“What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?”
“I don’t know.”
“Time to get a new fence!”
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
When I read scripture, I often wonder how much of the deeper meaning of the readings are lost to me because I do not live when these stories were written. Our world and culture are so far removed from these stories that at times I stop and wonder what truth is really trying to be shared.
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Our readings today beg the question, what will it take for us to listen? Especially in this Advent season, when we know the Lord is coming, what will it take for us to truly prepare the way? Isaiah shares, “I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments…” (Is 48:18). We might acknowledge in our minds that God loves us and knows what is good for us, but when we attempt to accept this in our hearts, will it change how we live each day? As Matthew Kelly shares in this year’s edition of “The Best Advent Ever,” the will of God is not a mystery. Sometimes we think it is so difficult to know and then to follow the will of God. In reality, however, what we know is that God wants us to fulfill our potential and, in Matthew Kelly’s words, become “the best version of ourselves.” So God lays out the commandments and shows us, through Jesus, Mary, and the communion of saints, how to live in virtue. Thérese of Lisieux said, “Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude.” Sometimes we are bustling about trying to figure out how to be happy, trying to follow our will and our path in life, rather than God’s way. Often, the path we create entails worrying about, and paying attention to, trivial matters and we end up ignoring God and not paying attention to all of the signs of God’s love in our lives. In the Gospel, Jesus warns, “We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn” (Mt 11:17). Jesus points out that John was criticized for not eating and drinking while the same people criticize Jesus for eating and drinking. When we begin to define our own path, we do not pay attention to the signs in front of us.
Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
Everywhere we look today, it seems, we see signs that ours is a culture and a time defined by insecurity, disorder, and even chaos. On an annual basis, now, we learn that last year was warmer, on average, than any previously recorded year. Owing to the pandemic, nearly 11 million Americans are unemployed right now. And with the surges we have seen and more expected, it’s anyone’s guess where that number is headed. Even worse, where are the numbers headed in terms of how many Americans will be infected? How many will die?
Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
Last week I reflected on the nature of our hope as Christ-followers. Hope is a confident pressing forward, a waiting on the edge of your seat, eagerly anticipating what is to come. For nearly nine years, I worked for a non-profit organization called Heart to Honduras. During countless trips to Honduras, I came to know the incredible faith and hope of the Honduran Christians. Despite daily hardship, suffering, and challenge, the Honduran people exhibit remarkable resilience. Nearly every sentence uttered by Honduran Christians is punctuated by “Glory to God!” or “thanks be to God!” These expressions flow from hearts that know how to wait upon the Lord in genuine hope. In rural villages, families rise around 4:00am and toil until late into the evening. Despite physical exhaustion, Honduran Christians find rest in the midst of it all. Our readings today point us to the kind of hope and rest to which the Hondurans give witness.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Anticipation. Advent is the season of anticipation and today we celebrate one of the greatest feasts of anticipation. In anticipation of her role as Jesus' mother, we believe that God preserved Mary from Original sin and safeguarded her from personal sin. This is a feast that I find myself thinking about frequently, not just because our parish is Immaculate Conception, but it is a belief that raises a lot of questions from Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Here are two of my musings.
Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
When I would take teens to youth conferences and retreats, one of the hardest things they faced was going home. Today, Jesus’ command to the paralytic he heals is not to follow or to remain secret or to go out and teach everyone. Instead, he sends him home.