Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
Those who were here for the Christmas Eve mass saw a spectacle unfold during the preparation of gifts. A middle-aged man we have never seen before came to the ushers and insisted that he be allowed to come up the altar and give a gift to Jesus. I am very grateful that our ushers were very accommodative and then one of them accompanied him to the altar. Honestly, with the shootings in in Connecticut so fresh in the mind, I was a little scared. He came up with an object wrapped in a piece of angry-birds wrapping paper. Again, he insisted that I open the gift right then and there. I did. It was his brother’s picture. Tears flowing down his cheeks, he told me that his brother had died and that he wanted to give this picture as a gift to Jesus. I merely gave him a hug, may be even two, and soon he was gone. I put the picture at the foot of the altar and continued with the mass, relieved that everybody was safe. I did not see him later at that mass or have not seen him since.
Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
Joy! Joy rings out in the words of today’s psalm, “Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands… come before him with joyful song” as our celebration of Christmas continues.
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious
I have difficulty believing, sometimes, that I can really be a disciple. I often feel like I'm engulfed by doing so much for and with my kids that it feels like loving my enemies or the strangers in my midst is too tall an order. Take this past week: I took my kids to see their grandparents in Colorado and the youngest got an ear infection while we were there. We were so focused on caring for her and on being with family that I wonder: am I really DOING what I'm supposed to be doing?
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
Ever been somewhere where you did not know many people? Perhaps, you were at party, or standing in line at the grocery store. You may have looked around and known almost no one. A conversation with someone standing nearby can often make the time go more smoothly. Those conversations are often responses to questions that could sum up as, “Who are you?” Many times the questions asked are “Where are you from?” Or “what do you do?” Can you imagine if the question asked probed to the core of your being?
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
It is common to make one or more New Year’s resolutions at this time of year. You decide that you want to spend more time with family, or that you would like to be healthier or to get more exercise. In this way our contemporary, secular culture recognizes the need to reflect on one’s life and to change course at least once a year. The calendar offers us an opportunity to start anew, even if it often is difficult to follow through on living out our resolutions.
The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
New Year’s Eve is a holiday that celebrates both beginnings and endings. Many people take the opportunity to remember the year that has past- the joys, the sorrows, the challenges, and the changes. We also look forward to the New Year ahead and what it might hold. With many of the recent tragedies and political unrest that our world faces, it may seem difficult to face the beginning of this new year with anything but worry and discouragement. But as we continue to celebrate Christ’s birth during this season, we are given a reason for hope- Jesus and His presence among us. The scripture passages today remind us that Christ is our beginning and with Him there is no end. To remain focused on Christ is the only way that we can look back on the past year and see our lives with a purpose- to know God, love God and serve Him. When we look forward to 2013, we need to remain centered on Christ, since He gives us the grace we need to face all that lies ahead. He promises us that He is with us always- we are not alone no matter what the future may hold. It is for these reasons, that we truly have something to celebrate on this New Year’s Eve.
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Today is the feast of the Holy family. Since we are commemorating the year of being church at home and home and church, it is crucial for us to reflect deeply upon both the Holy Family and our own families.
We have just celebrated Christmas. When we think of God’s plan and all the ways in which God could have come to us, is it not truly amazing that Christ came into a home? Just as Christ’s coming as a human person gives dignity to the human race, God’s coming into a home bring dignity to every family. A family in itself is a holy thing but by God coming into our home makes a home a sacrament. In other words, the home is a place where we can encounter God in a deep way. I am sure that marriage, the birth of a child, anniversaries, birthdays and even death are already sacred moments for us. But we are also being invited to reflect upon our day-to-day living and make it an opportunity for encounters with God.
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
On this fifth day in the octave of Christmas, we reflect upon the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Simeon was regarded as a holy man among the people of Israel and was blessed with the promise of seeing the Messiah. Joseph and Mary prove themselves to be good Jews also by bringing Jesus up to Jerusalem for His presentation.
Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
It is difficult, especially this year, not to make a connection between this feast and the Newtown, Connecticut shooting - especially as I find my heart aching as I think of parents whose children are not there this Christmas season. Not just Newtown parents, either, but all parents who are grieving.
Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist
Two days after Christmas and we’re reading about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (John 20:1a, 2-8). It certainly seems out of place as we are still in the Octave of Christmas, but the readings were chosen to celebrate today’s feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist. John was one of the earliest of the twelve apostles and is referred to in the Gospel of John as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Although John may not have been the actual writer of the gospel that is attributed to him, it is believed to be the product of a community near the end of the first century that traced its identity and spirituality to the apostle John. This gospel’s message emphasizes the importance of loving one another as Jesus loved us; maybe not so unrelated to Christmas after all.
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
In the midst of joyful celebrations of the incarnate Christ at Christmas, the Church provides a sobering contrast with today’s feast. As if we have forgotten Newport and fragile nature of life, we are given a stark reminder that life is not always hymns and glitter. In fact the martyrdom of St. Stephen reminds us that allowing Christ into our lives completely, can mean we may have to give our very lives for the gospel’s sake.
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
When news leaked that Kate Middleton was pregnant the media went wild. Only the news of an alien landing in Times Square could have been more sensational. BBC called this child the ‘global’ child. Of course, this child is destined to be ‘royal’ in every sense of the word. The child will be born in a palace, in the safest place ever, and with the best care possible. The world will love this child, the media adore this child and celebrities worldwide will come to bestow lavish gifts upon this child. This child will be a phenomenon.
Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Scientists estimate that there are at least 1 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. Based on powerful telescopes such as NASA's famous Hubble telescope, scientists further estimate that there are at least 1 billion such galaxies in the universe. It's difficult to comprehend the vastness of those numbers and the size of the universe, let alone the God who created it all. And yet this same God who created every star and every galaxy became man and was born in a humble manger- hardly a home fit for the Most High God. We may think to ourselves, "How can the God of the universe make His home in a manger?"
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
My kids here at Immaculate Conception school are truly an amazing bunch. In the last few weeks I have shared their notes with you. And here is another one. This kid writes, “Thank you Mary for having Jesus in your tummy. XoXoXo.” Today, I want to join in that sentiment. Just a day before Christmas I would like to thank Mary. In reality I should be talking about Mary and Joseph. I figured I will do that for the feast of the Holy Family. Today, I want to dedicate to Mary.
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
As we enter into the final days of preparation for Christmas, we are presented with two types of fear– a holy fear of the Lord and a prideful fear of losing earthly power.
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
There's a kind of joy that you get in anticipation of something good happening - this time of year, it's mostly children that we see with that kind of joy. They are so excited for Christmas that they're joyful about it, because they can almost, almost, almost see the lumpy stockings, and taste the chocolates, and the Christmas dinner.
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
I have to admit, there have been times that I have asked God for a sign. Struggling with some issue, feeling alone, wondering where God is I’ve cried out for a sign, something tangible to know that God is with me, with us. We are human, we experience life through our senses, and we are relational, we need communication with other living beings. And God, our creator, knows this.
Today’s first reading from Isaiah (7: 10-14), the prophet writes of the Lord encouraging Ahaz to ask for a sign for the people who are in distress. Ahaz doesn’t want to “tempt the Lord” in this way, but the prophet tells him he will receive a sign anyhow so that they may know that God is with them who trust in God’s saving power. The sign they are given is that “the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” (vs.14) (Immanuel, also spelled Emmanuel, means God with us.) We are told that biblical scholars agree that the child Isaiah is referring to here is the son of King Ahaz; but the Gospel writers later see in this passage a reference to Jesus (see Matthew 1:23) who is truly “God with us.”
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
When was the last time you were asked to do something completely different? Perhaps it is a change in your job description at work or maybe needing to move to a new city. No matter what the change, it may demand that one look at the world differently. But more than this, it may ask us to function in a new way. Can you imagine a situation like that?
Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
I admit to having a bit of a long-standing puzzle in today’s gospel reading (Matthew 1:18-25). The angel tells Joseph to name the baby Jesus. But then just a couple lines later, Matthew proclaims that the angel’s visitation to Joseph, and the discussion of what to name Jesus, is to fulfill a prophecy from the Old Testament: that a virgin will bear a son and he will be called Emmanuel. How is it that this baby is both Jesus and Emmanuel? How do we make this fit? I remember asking my parents about this when I was a kid, and they suggested that “Jesus” and “Emmanuel” mean the same thing.