Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Today the Church recognizes the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Whenever I think of the babies who were killed by order of Herod at that time, I always think about ‘Limbo’. Growing up, we studied the Baltimore Catechism and were expected to memorize the questions and answers word for word. One of the questions was “where will persons go who—such as infants—have not committed actual sin and, through no fault of theirs, die without baptism? (BC # 3 Q. 632) Paraphrasing the answer to this question, ‘persons who die without having been baptized could not enter heaven, but rather went to some place similar to Limbo where they experienced no suffering but could not experience the happiness of heaven’. This answer never made sense to me; I could not imagine why God would not welcome innocent infants immediately into the fullness of heaven. It was many years later that I realized that this particular explanation, even though part of our catechism at the time, was not official Church doctrine. The God of mercy and love I have come to know could never be limited to this.
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
The Feast of the Holy Family is a relatively new feast compared to the two thousand history of the Church. The Coptic Church has always had a devotion to the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph because of the biblical reference to their flight to Egypt. In the Western Church, however, devotion to the Holy Family dates back only to the early sixteenth Century. The Feast of the Holy Family as a liturgical celebration was established by Pope Leo XIII as late as 1893. It was the time when the very structure of the family, its identity and its role was being radically transformed by unbridled and rapid industrialization.
Our families, as we find them today, is a direct result of the impact that the industrial age has had on the family. Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, I am sure our minds are drawn to our own families. May I offer three points for us to reflect upon.
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
Here we are, the day after Christmas. This is a time for joy, cheer, good company, and martyrdom. Yup, the day after celebrating the nativity of adorable little baby Jesus we have the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr (makes sense why Good King Wenceslaus is a Christmas carol now). This begs the question, “What’s the deal Church? Why celebrate the feast of the first Christian martyr the day after Christmas? Can’t we just get a couple days of cute baby action?” Obviously the answer is no, but I want to spend our reflection this morning exploring why the Church might celebrate the feast of Stephen the day after Christmas.
I was there when the first ray of light broke through. I AM the light.
I was there when the first word was spoken. I AM the Word.
I was there when life took shape. I AM the life.
I was there when the first breath was taken. Breath and I are one.
I was there when grace was first needed. I AM grace
I was there…. I AM…
I am the Light of the World. I am the Word Made Flesh. I am Breath of Heaven. I am Grace.
I am Love run rampant.
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent
I would venture to guess that we all have dynamics of our lives that displace us from our comfort zones a bit – financial challenges, family dynamics, the nature of our work, societal injustices, noisy neighbors, allergies, to name a few. In today’s first reading we hear of God’s reminder to King David of how David was displaced from his work in the pasture to be commander of the people of Israel. God sends Nathan to remind David of this, but also to remind David that he needs to build a place where God can dwell. Within the text, this reminder seems to come at a time where David is finding great comfort in his palace and the protection that God has provided, but yet again God encourages him to rise from that comfort and make Israel a place filled with God’s presence. Placing myself in David’s shoes, I’d feel great frustration that I am consistently pulled from areas of comfort to discomfort in order to serve God.
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
He will be called John. Imagine a woman who was barren and believed she would never have a child, now pregnant. What must Elizabeth have thought? Like Mary, how can this be? After having waited for perhaps decades for a child, God gave her the gift of a son. And after all that waiting she had to wait again only this time for nine months.
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 gospel passage today is one of my favorites. Luke tells about the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth who are both pregnant expecting their first child. At the sound of Mary’s voice, John the Baptist leaps for joy within Elizabeth. John recognizes the coming of Jesus as an occasion for great gladness and celebration. As Christians, if we contemplate and try to fully comprehend the mystery of Christmas, I think we would also be leaping for joy. To know that God loves us beyond our imagination, that He came down and lived among us sharing in our humanity, and He invites us back into relationship to live forever with Him- there truly could be no greater joy than this good news! Once we are convicted of God’s love for us, then the joy of Christ not only causes us to leap with joy, but it sends us forth to share this joy with others.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
How big do you think is heaven? I think of heaven as limitless, unbounded, unfathomable. In fact, everything that we imagine about God and eternity is unimaginably big and boundless. God has no beginning and no end. So is eternity. The created universe too is an endless expanse. Creation is magnanimous. So what about the small? Is there room for ‘small?’ After all, if we put human life in perspective, we are like a speck of dust. In fact, we are so small that if tomorrow any of us dies, nothing will change. Life will go on. What about the small?
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
We live in a noisy time. Between cell phone calls, whatever we have playing through Pandora, and the constant stream of noise that can come from the TV, we don’t get much silence. We even demand silence before our noise. You know the cheesy “turn-off your cell phone and don’t talk to the person next to you” video that plays before a movie starts. And we only notice all that noise if we can hear it over the sound of our own voices. All this noise makes Zechariah an interesting person to reflect on today.
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
In today's readings we hear the recounting of the lineage of Jesus' family, the makings of the Jesse tree, the family tree of Jesus. What is interesting to me is that this lineage is the lineage through Joseph, not Mary. This means that this is not actually the blood line of Jesus, but rather the lineage of the family in which he was adopted into.
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
It is the season where expectations begin to run high. For many us, especially children, there are advertisements, store windows and TV commercials peddling the fancy toys or gadgets that are “must have.” For many of us, there is decorating, parties, cleaning, cards and cooking. These activities are in addition to our already busy lives. Our goal is that all of these things happen in a picture perfect way. In this, our own expectations can lead to our possible unraveling.
Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
There’s an old joke that Jewish rabbis answer questions with more questions. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is in full rabbi mode. He turns the tables on the priests and elders, asking them a question that is meant to challenge their way of life. He tells them a story of two sons, one who first refused to obey his father but ultimately did, and another who said he would obey right away but never went to work. Jesus then asks his listeners which one did the father’s will. It’s a no-brainer, for them and probably for us. The first son really did the father’s will, for even though he took his time, he obeyed and did the work.
Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. John of the Cross, often referred to as the ‘Mystical Doctor’ of the Church. One of his most famous quotes is, “At the evening of our life, we will be judged on love alone”. St John of the Cross was nothing if not single hearted and everything he left to us in his writings leads us towards this end; his path is not easy nor are his instructions easy. St John of the Cross was not only aware of the intense sacrifices involved—he lived them. St John is a saint whose exhortations can lead others to live a life in the service of love and mercy.
Third Sunday of Advent
Since the terrorist attack on Paris, and then closer home in San Bernardino, California, it does not take too long in a conversation for people to say, “The world is in such a mess.” Perhaps, I am not wrong in saying that the mood is a little dull these days. Sure we are trying to keep things as normal as we can, but there is a certain fear that lurks in the background. And then we come to church and realize that this third Sunday of Advent is also ‘Gaudate Sunday’ or “Rejoice Sunday.’ I am wondering, though, if we are not finding it difficult to feel sheer joy these days year because of the situation of the world.
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is said that Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego starting December 9, requesting that a church be built. The bishop who was petitioned requested a miraculous sign before approving a church. Mary promised that she would deliver the sign on December 11. You might have noticed by now that we are celebrating this feast on December 12. Turns out Juan Diego got distracted.
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Earlier this year, one of my children had to have a couple of minor surgeries - but those surgeries meant several visits to the surgeon. With each visit, we could count on the fact that we'd be waiting at least an hour - if not two - before seeing the doctor. The first visit, I was just annoyed and frustrated. I won't lie to you and say that over the next several visits I got used to waiting, exactly, or that I became the best patient person ever.
Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
I am not one to dwell on power too much. I hesitate at the sense of hierarchy it can create, the sense of one person being greater than another because of the responsibilities of either person. So it struck me in today’s Gospel when Jesus positions John the Baptist as greater all who are born of a woman, but yet lesser than any who are in Heaven which, at that time, was a place of turmoil and violence. What consoled this dynamic for me was reading this Gospel in light of today’s first reading from Isaiah.
Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
Advent may be the season of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity, yet it’s focus often seems like season of getting stuff done for Christmas. Of course, these four weeks include both. Yet, it is tempting to focus so much on our temporal Christmas checklist, that our exhaustion can obscure the possible spiritual growth of an Advent season well celebrated. Today’s readings address our weariness and speak of the strengthening that is offered to those who place their hope in the Lord.