Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Last Sunday, on the Feast of Epiphany, I reflected with you on the star that led the magi. I remember saying that whereas the star was an external sign, the magi were also following a star within them - their conviction that their destiny lay in Christ. I also remember asking the question, “What is your star?” “Where is your star leading you?” “Who lies at the end of your star?” As we enter the Ordinary Time in our liturgical calendar, I would like to follow up my Epiphany homily with a further reflection on the questions.
Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Hosanna, our 16 month old daughter, had her first run in with a ‘stomach bug’ yesterday. The poor little girl was bewildered that we wouldn’t let her drink more milk, that she took two baths in one day, and that she kept getting put in new clothes. Conversely, I think she was pleasantly surprised by how much cuddle time and attention she got from Bess and me. Isn’t that how it is supposed to be when you are sick? Experience and today’s readings would seem to suggest, yes.
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
I don't think I would have expected this when I first started parenting nine years ago, but my kids actually seem to like time outs. The "time out" is often used as a disciplinary action for kids; it's called a "time out" because the parent (or teacher or adult in charge) asks the kid to take a break from the unhelpful activity they are doing for a while - hitting a sibling, having a tantrum, pulling the cat's tail - and go sit in a corner, or on a step, taking a few minutes to put physical and mental space between the kid and the cause of the tantrum or fight.
Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
I am a procrastinator by nature. So when I read today's first reading I get a little bit of anxiety. So much of this reading is focused on one word - "today!" Fellow procrastinators all know that today is not really when we like to do things. We prefer tomorrow or next week or next month. But Paul makes it very clear to us that when it comes to heeding the word of God, we are not to wait until tomorrow, next week or next month. We must act now. We must act today. If we hear God's voice today, we should begin to act today.
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
There is a new Martin Scorsese film called “Silence.” The movie based on novel of historic-fiction is set in 17th century Japan. “Silence” captures the journey of two Jesuits to find their spiritual mentor who has gone there as a missionary but seems lost. I have not seen this movie and it does seem from its descriptions to be both violent and beautiful. This dangerous journey of these two Jesuits, answers God’s call for them to bring Christ to a country steeped in persecution to anyone who professes belief in Jesus. Their journey is both brutally physical and deeply spiritual as these men search for both their mentor and God.
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s first reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews. Scholars debate over whether or not this letter was actually written by Paul or by someone else, mainly because it seems so different from the other letters we are used to reading and hearing. Today’s excerpt is a bit complicated but it is rich and actually quite beautiful in its message. It asks the question about the difference between humans and angels, saying that it was humans to whom God “crowned with glory and honor.” The is an old Jewish story that when God made Adam, he presented his creation to the angels, telling them to bow down in worship of the image of God Adam bore. This letter evokes the same feeling of the absolute dignity and worth of the human being.
The Baptism of the Lord
Over the holidays I went to see the movie “Moana”. The film had amazing animation and lovely music, but I was particularly enchanted by Moana the young princess who was striving to know who she was and how she was being encouraged to live out that calling. How often as adults do we stop and take time to reflect upon who we really are and what is our deepest calling. Today’s readings demonstrate who we are at the core of our being- “beloved sons and daughters” of God.
The Epiphany of the Lord
A couple of weeks back I preached a homily titled, “Turning the Ahaz in Us into Jospeh” in which I drew a contrast between KIng Ahaz and Joseph. I had said that whereas Ahaz could not get himself to trust God unconditionally, Joseph showed incredible capacity for fidelity and trust in God. Today, I want to contrast King Herod and the Magi.
There are many points on which Herod and the wise men can be contrasted. First, the Magi were on a search. “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” they asked. In contrast, the birth of Jesus went completely unnoticed by Herod. Neither did he hear the angles nor did he see the star. Second, the scriptures tell us that Herod was “greatly troubled” when he heard that a star had appeared announcing the birth of Jesus. He became afraid. His fear was so intense that it made him act irrationally. Many innocent children were killed in the process. In contrast, the gospel reading tells us that the magi were “overjoyed at seeing the star” and the “child with his mother.” Third, the magi did the child homage and offered him gifts. Herod on the other hand, sought to destroy the child.
Christmas Weekday
My son and I watched a little video yesterday about Christmas today. He loved it and I did my best to enjoy a film made for a 3-year-old. Due to my heroic efforts I caught some interesting tidbits. They talked about Christmas encouraging us to be generous, the challenge of Jesus’ humble birth, and Christ’s mission to lead us to heaven. It was that third topic that came to mind again as I read the first reading, particularly, “[Jesus Christ] is the true God and eternal life.” For John to call Jesus ‘eternal life’ seemed strange to me but I believe that is a failing on my part, not a peculiarity of John.
Christmas Weekday
Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
Today’s first reading is a core gem in the Christian Life. John is telling us how to Love. Christians must love one another. But we get tripped up when we ask, ‘what does it mean to love?’ Should I be sure to send Christmas cards? Is it just a matter of saying nice things and getting along? John is telling us that love is bigger than that, deeper than that.
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious
When we are children, we often think in terms we might call black and white. For many of us, as we grow older we are taught to think more broadly. Then it becomes more difficult to see the world in such polarized way. This can be so true that we find black and white thinking offensive. Still in times of unrest it may be the thing we think that will give us order, whether be in a critical situation in the hospital or a crisis in governance. Yet sometimes the contrast is precisely what we need in order to refocus our being.
Christmas Weekday
We returned home from a week of travels yesterday, visiting family and friends that we moved away from a few years ago. We came home to our Christmas tree still up and some opened gifts still under the tree, the favorite ones made the trip with us. We are still in the Octave of Christmas and we leave our tree up until Epiphany. Having left soon after Christmas, I’m glad we still have a few more days to take in the Christmas season at home. Today’s readings remind me a little of the gift-giving we so recently did, especially for our children. Like most parents, we want to make Christmas special for them. Although we (and, I hope, they) know that giving and receiving gifts is not the most important part of Christmas, we want them to feel special and loved when they open their gifts Christmas morning. We take care to give gifts that show that we pay attention to their likes and interests and have listened to their wishes and desires (while also exercising parental judgment and a budget!)
Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church
“Beloved: Who is the liar?” Waking up to these words the day after New Years can catch one off guard. This can be a good thing! Many of us have spent time these last few weeks taking stock of our lives and planning for how we will make effective changes in the new year. The brevity and punch of this scripture may wake us up to where our spiritual life, our relationship with God, needs attention.
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
I must admit, Advent 2016 was a challenging Advent. Changes in the staff at both parishes, the literal doubling of my official responsibilities, my travel to India to visit my ailing father, the many funerals during Advent, all contributed to a rather restless Advent. You may not believe this, but, I eagerly looked forward to my 14 hour non-stop flight to get some alone and quiet time. I am not saying that advent and Christmas were not meaningful. I am simply saying that my soul was craving for something deeper.
The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Today we hang on the last day of the Christmas Octave. We stand at the turning point between two significant dogmas within our faith. This past Sunday was Christmas and tomorrow is the feast of Mary, the Mother of God. The temptation with dogmas sometimes is to set them aside in favor of another part of Jesus’ message. However, I think we should avoid setting aside either dogma or Jesus’ messages that direct our lives toward love.
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
The devotion to the Holy Family began in Canada in the late seventeenth century and grew steadily. Does the 1700’s remind you of the industrial revolution? That is when families began to be disintegrated. Men began to move away from the traditional families and women began to be absent from their homes and spent more time at dingy industrial environment. Children spent less and less time with their natural parents. The establishment of the feast was a response the imminent crisis in the most basic institution of society: the family. In 1893 Pope Leo XIII signaled his approval by composing the hymns for the office of the feast, and in 1921 Benedict XV ordered the feast to be kept by the universal Church.
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Scripture Readings
The first reading (1 John 2: 3-11) makes a connection between two themes not related anywhere else in the scriptures – light/darkness and brotherly love/hatred. John is very logical as he lays out what he terms a “new commandment” (1 Jn 2:8). He begins by suggesting that relationship with God (John calls it ‘knowing’ God: 1 Jn 4-5) necessarily involves keeping the commandments/word. Then he proceeds to suggest that the commandment he is talking about is the commandment of love. Finally, he draws the connection between light/darkness and brotherly love/hatred. The seriousness of John’s final statement must not be missed: “Whoever hates his brother is in darkness” (1 Jn 2: 11a). The source of this darkness lies inside the human person – an internal blindness caused by a refusal to be obedient to the commandment of love (1 Jn 2: 11b) The bottom line is this – all hatred as darkness is incompatible with the light of Christian life.
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
The Feast of the Nativity symbolizes the innocence of the incarnation as we celebrate the coming of Emmanuel. The powerful God of creation sent his only son to be a vulnerable child to dwell among us. Never mind what the infant mortality rate was two thousand years ago. Never mind that they did not have cars, heating or air conditioning. Never mind that there was no electricity, prenatal care, or birthing centers with sterile and somewhat comfortable birthing conditions. Jesus’ birth was at a disadvantage for all these reasons and one more. Today’s gospel reminds us that he was hated for who he was almost from the time of his birth. Yet, into this world, Christ was sent to bear witness to a loving God who wants to be one with us.
Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist
Scripture Readings
For many in our world, Christmas has come and gone. But for those of us who are Catholic, the celebrating continues. And how appropriate that today we celebrate the feast of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist. As both one of the Twelve and the author of the Gospel of John as well as 1 and 2 John and the book of Revelation, St. John is for us a model of the great and complete joy that we ought to have as Christmas continues.