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.
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)
Perhaps many of you know that recently I had a make a trip home to visit my ailing father. Altogether, I was home but for a week. It all ended well with my father showing extraordinary recovery within a matter of days. Most of you have since said to me that it was my presence that did it for him. Actually, my brother had come first. He saw my father home through his first hospitalization. By the time he was hospitalized the second time, I had decided to visit him. While I was there, I discovered that people in the neighborhood knew that I was coming. “Our son is coming!” they had told every visitor. It was as if with my coming everything would miraculously be fine again. That is exactly how it played out. My father showed an almost miraculous recovery. While I cannot but acknowledge the work of the medical community, and while I cannot but be grateful to my God, I cannot deny that my brother and my presence made a big the difference. Presence is everything!
Saturday of the Fourth Week in Advent - Mass in the Morning
I love canticles. I ‘can’t’ get enough of them. Seriously though, I think the great canticles of the scripture capture the greatness and beauty of God, but also serve a secondary purpose. They encourage us to let the joy of our hearts burst forth from our lips in a song of praise. Each and every one of us has a canticle in our heart. I’m such a firm believer of this that I once took a canticle I wrote to our parish council as the opening prayer, though I quickly learned that asking people to pray something with your name on it in size 28 font is a little awkward. Anyway, my love of canticles has drawn me to today’s gospel, the Canticle of Zechariah.
Friday of the Fourth Week in Advent
Today's scriptures are hastening us on toward Christmas Day, but at the same time they remind us that we are not there yet, that there are still a couple days more of preparation to do. We know this at a practical level, in the midst of baking and buying and wrapping and welcoming relatives and so on. But for Christians, the preparation is meant to become much more intense. In today's scripture readings, we are asked to do some very deep soul searching. Do we really - I mean, REALLY - want Jesus to come? Do we know what the implications of Jesus' coming are? Are we prepared to open our lives to Jesus nevertheless?
Thursday of the Fourth Week in Advent
As a new father, it’s hard for me to understand what Hannah is doing in today’s first reading. It’s strange to me that she would pray to the Lord to give birth to a child, then give him back to the Lord when he was just three years old (unless of course he was a VERY precocious three-year-old!). Perhaps Hannah thought that dedicating a child to God is the best thing anyone could possibly do for her child, and it represented a great gift of thanks to God. Or, perhaps she knew that this amazing act would be talked about all through town, proclaiming the greatness of God.
Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Advent
In reflecting upon the readings today one of my favorite Mary songs came to mind. The song “Breath of Heaven” is sung in first person as having the voice of Mary. This song imagines a Mary prayerfully allowing the Holy Spirit to breathe upon her so that she might accomplish what the Lord is asking of her. In the song,“So I offer all I am, for the mercy of Your plan.” The illuminates what Mary thoughts and feelings might have been before and into her pregnancy. Today’s gospel takes us outward from Mary’s yes as we hear Elizabeth’s affirmation of Mary and her praise for the Lord who even within Elizabeth is doing great things.
Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Advent
As we celebrate the fourth week of Advent, tomorrow’s readings directly call us to put our focus on the coming of Christ and the sign Jesus’ birth is for our relationship with God. In the first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear the story we head on Sunday, of Ahaz being tempted to ask God for whatever his hear desires. Instead he recognizes that he does not need to bother God with his pithy requests, especially as Isaiah reminds him of the coming of Christ and the sign that is for those in the house of David of God’s covenant with Israel. That dynamic is only reinforced by the annunciation story from Luke, which serves as today’s Gospel reading.
Monday of the Fourth Week in Advent
Advent is a time of anticipation for me and I find my mind flooded with memories of Christmases while I was growing up. I have discovered this a very a common experience for others as well. There were many moments of wonder and joy and for that I am so grateful. In recent years, I find myself pondering these moments in a different way. I have been looking for how God was present in those moments I remember and I find myself in awe. Although I didn’t see it at the time, God was present and active in each moment. It is a precious gift that draws me closer to God in marvelous way.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
We are a week away from Christmas and today’s scripture readings get as close to the events of Christmas. There is something special about the stories in these readings. As we read them, we realize that ordinary people were integral to the main plot. Somehow, their stories of these people converge with the story of the birth of Jesus. There are characters in these stories who are models for us and those that we do not want to imitate. I would like to approach today’s scriptures through the characters in the story of Jesus.
Saturday of the Third Week in Advent
Today’s readings include the genealogy from Matthew. A few years ago I would have likely skipped it entirely. Maybe, just maybe, I would have skimmed it. My assumption would have been something like this, “Here are some Old Testament greats to help set up why Jesus is so great.” In those few years I’ve become more familiar with Scripture and have realized how wrong that assumption would be.
Friday of the Third Week in Advent
My daughter's been begging me to read a lot of stories about Jesus lately. These aren't scriptural stories. They're fictional stories, but each one of them is telling something true about who God is for us. There's one about a clown, for example, who juggles; everyone laughs at him, but Jesus does not. In fact, in the story, Jesus delights in this juggler who juggles with all his might. Or, there's a story about a little mouse who plays a little acorn drum for the baby Jesus. In this story, the little mouse is looked down upon by his other animal friends, because he is so tiny, but it turns out that he and his joyful playing of a drum end up being the most captivating for Jesus.
Thursday of the Third Week in Advent
Scripture Readings
In both today's first reading and responsorial psalm today we hear a common message about God's wrath. In the Psalms we read, "For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing." And in the book of Isaiah we read, "In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid my face from you; But with enduring love I take pity on you, says the LORD, your redeemer."