Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
In today's Solemnity we celebrate many feasts, both secular and religious. Most people know this day as New Year’s Day. It is a day of rest where we spend time with family and friends. It is a day where we continue our looking forward in hope to the upcoming year, especially as we begin trying to make good on our New Year's resolutions.
The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Today is the last day of the calendar year. It makes sense, then, for today’s reading to begin like this: “Children, it is the last hour.” We may not feel as if the world will end tonight but we do have a sense of finality this week. Most of us take some time, however little, to reflect on the year just passed. TV shows and websites count down the “best of 2013.” Many people take stock of their own years, asking what was great and what was not so great. At the end of this tally, many people will find ample things to change and make resolutions to do so.
The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
The phrase “It’s not about me!” has been on my mind a lot recently. The idea that what I want should not be the driving force for everything I think, do and say is a challenging concept, and yet this “other-centered” perspective is how we are called to live as Christians. Today’s scripture reminds us that living for God and others and not becoming caught up in worldly pursuits is how Jesus calls us to follow Him. If we examine the life of Christ, we will see that He lived out the phrase “it’s not about me” to perfection, since He gives of Himself even to the point of dying for us. Although He is God, His life here on earth is not about bringing attention to Himself. He lives to do the Father’s will and give Him glory. We are called to do the same. When we take the “me” out of the center of our lives and put Christ in the center, this is when we are best able to do as Psalm 96 proclaims: “Give to the LORD glory and praise; give to the LORD the glory due his name!”
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Today is the feast of the Holy Family. The very word ‘family’ evokes mixed feelings. On the one hand, our family is our most prized possession. On the other hand, each member of our family is unique and different. Some of them are more unique and different than others. Every family has at least one person who is more than a challenge. You have yours and I have mine. I call home every day to speak to mom and dad. On Christmas day, I called home twice, both because my parents are by themselves, and because I really missed them. Dad hardly spoke two sentences the second time I called, and said, “We are praying the rosary. We will talk to you tomorrow.” And he hung up! I said to myself, “Thanks for calling!” If we could all tell our family stories right now, we would be here all day. Don’t you think?
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… pretty challenging Mass readings to reflect upon. Today, we read about the darkness of sin and the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under. These are certainly not the most uplifting themes to reflect upon during the season of Christmas. But, in them, with the heart of St. Joseph, we are charged with the mission of the Gospel and awakened by the call of the Lord– a call to rise, to take with us Jesus and Mary, to move, to act, to respond, and to live our discipleship anew.
Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist
We Christians celebrate many, many important things about Jesus at Christmas, but perhaps the most important is that we celebrate the Incarnation, the fact that God takes on flesh and becomes one of us. This is so important because we know instinctively that God cannot, in fact, be merely one of the many creatures on the planet, or even merely human. If he were, he would just be that thing, and not capable of being the creator of the universe, the fashioner of every single human being, the lover of all of us. A god who was merely one of the things on our planet isn't capable of being God.
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
Just yesterday we were celebrating the birth of Christ and today the church celebrates the feast of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. While we still have our hearts and minds on the birth of Jesus, we are asked to also take a look at a man, a disciple, who gave his life for this very Jesus.
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Early this December, Pope Francis issued an apostolic exhortation. In lay person’s terms, an apostolic exhortation is a teaching in the tradition of the apostles. In the Catholic Church, only the Pope issues such a teaching. The 200 page long exhortation is entitled, “Evangelii Gaudium,” or The Joy of the Gospel. The exhortation begins with the statement, “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.” This is very similar to the message of the angel the night Christ was born: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.”
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Christmas eve is an occasion for great anticipation. While there is much to say about the scriptural passages for today, I wish to diverge from the standard format by offering Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Christmas Sermon on Peace” as my reflection for today. It is as relevant now as it was then. I apologize for its length but I cannot think of a better expression of the hope and anticipation that this day represents.
Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
If you have ever had the opportunity to attend a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous you probably heard someone say “Carry the Message”. The simplicity of this little phrase belies its significance and, in fact, is so important that long term recovery is considered dependent upon it. The notion that someone may recover on their own or fail to share their experience with others contradicts the very foundation of recovery. As I read today’s Scriptures, I was reminded of how important “carrying the message” is in the life of a Christian.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
This holiday season, there was one sales-pitch that got under my skin. It went something like this: “Get more Christmas this Christmas,” or as some even said, “Get more Christmas for less.” Some stores invited people to begin their shopping early and begin paying in installments so that when Christmas arrived they would have more Christmas. I hate, abhor, detest, despise, loathe statements like these. It is great sales pitch, but don’t call it Christmas. As it is, St. Nicholas has been stolen from us and gimmicked into the mascot of free market. And now “How the Grinch stole Christmas,” looks like a real possibility. I get this very bad sense that Christmas very soon will go the Santa way. Part of the blame lies on us. Many Christians have succumbed hook, line, and sinker to the lure of a bargain Christmas. But the reality is this – you cannot get more Christmas for less. Christmas is about God becoming one of us, God coming to dwell among us, God taking birth in every human heart. If Christmas must happen then we need more than a bargain.
Friday of Third Week of Advent
Just last week, I was reading today's gospel (Luke 1:26-28) with the 1st and 2nd graders in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. We meditated together on what it might mean to be visited by an angel. "I think I'd feel afraid!" one boy shouted, and most of the children agreed that they'd feel scared too. "Why would we probably feel scared?" I asked. "Because it would be scary to have someone you don't know in your house telling you things that don't make sense," replied one of the children. Even God (maybe especially God) can do scary things in our lives, sometimes.
Thursday of Third Week of Advent
We often like to believe that we are in control; that we make the plans and call the shots. Today’s reading and gospel are a good reminder to me that this is simply not true. The Lord is in control. Even when we cannot see where God is taking our lives or how He is using us to bring about his kingdom, God has a plan.
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
In this late Advent weekday, our focus is turned more fully on the coming of Jesus as an infant born in Bethlehem. Today we hear proclaimed the gospel passage from Matthew. In this selection, Joseph receives a dream telling him not to divorce her, although he knows she is pregnant and it is not from him. The message from the angel convinces Joseph to marry his betrothed, and this story also is crucial for us who strive to understand who Jesus is. All who hear this gospel proclaimed are to understand that this babe will save his people from their sins; he is Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”
Third Sunday of Advent
There is an irony we have to contend with. Almost always, the most important things are the least reflect upon. Hope, for example; it is not every day that we reflect upon hope. Yet, think about it! Hope is to every human person what breath is to life. These days when I visit my parents in India, returning back to ministry in Dayton is a gut-wrenching experience. I am not sure how I actually walk out of my home leaving my aging parents behind. But I do so in the HOPE that I will see my parents again. In fact, HOPE is the ONLY reason I am able to leave. This week the world buried Nelson Mandela. He spent twenty-five years in prison for standing up for equality. How does a person not lose his or her mind after being confined in a cell for twenty-five years? This week was the first anniversary of the children killed by the gunman in Newtown. How can these people move on? I think the answer is HOPE. For that matter, if you have ever been in a crisis – cancer, tumors, surgeries, accidents, divorce, and death – what is the only thing that sustains you? The HOPE that tomorrow will be better than today! Hope… Hope is to us what breath is to life. A pregnant mother hopes that the baby inside her is well; a young man or woman hopes that someday he or she will be married; a student hopes that he or she will pass the exam; a poor person hopes that tomorrow he or she will be a little less poor; even a dying person hopes that the other side is better. Hope… without hope there is no reason to go on.
Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
I spent this weekend in Texas visiting some friends and their three children. It was a busy, joyful weekend. At church on Sunday, we sang "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus," one of Charles Wesley's advent hymns. I've never really thought about this particular hymn but it spoke to me this advent. The simple idea of Jesus being "long expected" gave me pause. I imagined natures of God's people waiting, hoping for the messiah that would set them free and bring true justice. Our reading today give us some idea about this "long expectation." They also give us, however, a glimpse into the surprising aspects of this messiah, things we could not have expected or imagined.
Monday of the Third Week of Advent
Today’s gospel reading discusses the authority of Jesus. When I hear the word “authority”, I feel a little uncomfortable. I believe that many people have a similar experience because many of us have this sense that a person or group who has “authority” over us wields a power to tell us what to do. We resist this control because our culture encourages us to want to “do what we want to do” and not let someone else tell us what we should do (even if these things are good things like wearing a seat belt or not drinking the super size soda). Another reason why I believe many people question authority is because they find it impossible to believe that someone or some power could actually have their best interest in mind. There is always this underlying suspicion that the person who wields the authority is really making decisions that will benefit them- not us.
Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
Advent may be the season of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity, yet it often seems like the time to “get stuff done” for Christmas. Of course practically, these four weeks demand both from us. However, it is so tempting to focus on getting our Christmas checklist completed that our secular emphasis can obscure the 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.
Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
The shepherd and the lamb is a central Christian image. I’ve read today’s gospel passage countless times. I’ve heard it preached on even more. It has hovered about my head since childhood. Yet, until now the image in my mind was always set in the springtime. I’ve always imagined a shepherd surrounded by lambs, munching on green grass on a sunny day. While annoyed and perhaps a little afraid that the shepherd has left them to find a lost sheep, they are still fairly comfortable. It never occurred to me that these passages could be set in a more precarious setting. Looking out the window at the snow and ice, the frigid cold, and my dead grass, I have come to read today’s passages in a different way.