Christmas Weekday
On the heels of Christmas day and the celebration of God made flesh, the authors of this week's scripture readings have been doing all in their power to get us to see the truth of the gospel. Like us today, they knew that it was not an easy thing to believe that God had become man. Even if a person accepted that idea, it was a tough pill to swallow to learn that this God-man had died a humiliating death on the cross. Or further still, that when believers suggested this God-man had risen from the dead, this was no mere ghost, but the actual man himself.
Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
It would not be an exaggeration to say that perhaps the most complicated aspect of our life is relationships. Each of us is a complex being and we enter into numerous levels of relationships with other complex persons. Some of them are more complex than others. Some of these complex persons are related to us by blood, so that it is not that we can just isolate them and live as they do not exist. We are compelled to relate to them. In the process of managing these relationship we become capable of love, sacrifice, patience, forgiveness or anger, resentment, and even hatred. It is in this context that I would like to approach today’s readings.
Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious
When we are children, we often think in terms we might call black and white. As we grow older we are taught to think more broadly and it becomes more difficult to see the world in this way. This can be so true that we find black and white thinking offensive. Yet sometimes the contrast is precisely what we need in order to refocus our being.
Christmas Weekday
I don’t always feel comfortable calling myself a ‘child of God.’ It seems a little arrogant to say that; yet, that is exactly how the author of 1 John describes us Christians. The first reading states that God is righteous. And if Christians are called ‘children of God,’ this means that Christians are supposed to be like God. As the passage points out, it is hard to know what is ultimately in store for us if we live faithfully as Christians. It is not open to us to know exactly what it is possible for us to become. Yet we know that our goal is to be like God and that one day we shall be like him (1 John 3: 2). According the scripture writer then, the Christian life is training in righteousness—training us to be like God.
Saints Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church
Today’s Gospel reading relates the testimony of John the Baptist (Jn 1:19-28). John is asked by Jewish Pharisees, Levites, and priests to identify himself. John admits he is neither Elijah, nor the Prophet, nor the Messiah (Jn 1:20-21). He claims his identity as “the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord” (Is 40, Jn 1:23) and “I baptize with water” (Jn 1:26). Among the people he was addressing were some who would eventually put Jesus to death. John is forerunner, precursor to the Messiah. His baptism with water prepares people for the baptism in spirit and fire by the Messiah (Lk 3:16) who, John points out, is in their midst… “one among you whom you do not recognize”(Jn 2:26) and will eventually put to death.
The Lord Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Before you begin reading this homily I would like you to watch this YouTube clip:
The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Rejoice! Joy rings out in the words of today’s psalm, “Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound;let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!” as our celebration of Christmas continues.
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
As someone who is Catholic but with evangelical Protestant friends and acquaintances, I have often been asked if Jesus is my personal Lord and savior. I am always a bit perplexed at the question. Of course I encounter Jesus personally; I think he has saved me - even me - and this is a source of great hope, joy and faith. I think many Catholics would say similarly. I suspect the question comes from a sense that Catholics seem just to be "going through the motions", saying the same words every Sunday, and that seems to lack the kind of specialness and singularity that my Protestant friends hope we all encounter in Christ. Christ came to earth and died, for me. I matter so much to God, and God loves me so much that this is the case. We cannot begin to fathom the great depth of God's love for us without that sense.
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
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
The gospel reading for today talks of Jesus' appearance to his disciples after his resurrection from the dead. It states that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden where he was buried. Mary then goes to Peter to tell him that she has seen Jesus, and Peter goes to John. Their initial reaction is to see for themselves, so they run to the tomb finding it empty. However, they see the burial clothes that were used to wrap Jesus’ body in the empty tomb. The Bible also teaches that Jesus later appeared bodily to the rest of the twelve disciples and ascended into heaven.
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
Yesterday we celebrated the joy of Christ’s birth. Today we turn to the feast day of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church. This initially seems like an unusual juxtaposition of joyful and sorrowful themes in the midst of the Christmas season, but on closer inspection there seems to be an encouraging message that is shared with today’s readings.
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Many of you probably have received via internet, the now popularized story of the father and the son who collected rare works of art. And then the son went to War and lost his life trying the save the life of another soldier. The father was crestfallen. Just before Christmas that year, the young soldier whose life the son saved, came to the door and presented to the grieving man a portrait of his son that he had painted. The man kept the portrait on his mantel and often admired its realism. When he died, an auction was held for all the rare works of art and among them was the portrait of the son by an unknown artist. At the auction, everybody’s eyes were on the rare paintings but there were no takers for the portrait of the son. The family gardener had fond memories of the son and he was the only one to bid ten dollars for the son’s portrait. That was all he could afford. At once the auctioneer announced that the auction was over. He told the puzzled gathering that there was a secret stipulation in the old man’s will. “The son, the son,” he auctioneer cried out, “whoever took the son will get everything.”
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Sometimes, I think, we are so taken with the utter beauty of the nativity scene and the infancy narratives in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels to meditate on the extremity of the situation, indeed the poverty of it all. Having a two and half year-old, I’m always deeply skeptical of the serenity of the manger scene as we see it on Christmas. How exhausted must Mary and Joseph have been after their journey from Galilee all the way to Bethlehem (about 90 miles, or about a week’s journey) only to find nowhere suitable to sleep? How much pain must Mary have been in after giving birth? How about trying to rest with a crying baby (surely He cried!), surrounded by a slew of animals?
Friday of the Fourth Week of 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 of Advent
In this last week of Advent, we hear more about and from Mary. Today’s gospel reading (Luke 1: 46-56) is the beautiful Magnificat, Mary’s prayer (probably sung) in response to Elizabeth’s greeting shortly after learning that she would be the mother of the Messiah. It is a well-known, powerful hymn of praise that is made up of verses taken from the Psalms and Prophets.
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
When is the last time you have set out on a journey that involved some significant preparation or time in order to get ready? I have a friend whose religious order has asked him to take a post in India for three years. He will be changing his community, his career and his culture. As an outsider it seems his whole world is being turned upside down. What I find even more profound is that this priest’s response to the call was much like Mary’s to Gabriel. Like Mary, Fr. Jack’s response has been, let it be done to me and through me according to your word. What is our response when the Lord calls us to undertake such a journey?
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
The first scripture reading for today, from Isaiah, talks of a sign. There are a few different things to note about signs. First, signs are intended to get people’s attention. Think of the way a stop sign gets our attention with its bright color drawing attention to its important message. Second, signs are a kind of proof pointing to something beyond themselves. For instance, NASA is currently looking for signs that life may have existed on Mars. Or think of an archaeologist who takes fragments of clay and stone as signs that ancient people lived in a particular area. In a similar way, the Catholic Church views the sacraments as signs that show God’s action in our lives. They go beyond the actions performed and the words that are said to mediate graces but also to reveal something about God. Third and finally, a sign helps us to understand things and help us discern what is important for our lives. A sign therefore is not a mere symbol. It is more than what it appears to be.
Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Like many Catholics and other Christians who were baptized as infants, I don’t remember it. I don’t recall what I wore or if I cried as the water saturated my dry hair. I can only trust that my parents responded to questions such as “Do you reject Satan?” with a fervent and loud “I do!” on my behalf. But I don’t remember. Nevertheless, in that moment, I was forever changed. To borrow a line from the Catechism, I no longer belonged to myself, but to Him who died and rose for us. (CCC 1269) In that moment, I was born again (John 3:5-7). In that moment, I was consecrated to God.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
I was talking to a dearly beloved parishioner yesterday. And she was talking about how her knees and her hips were beginning to give her problems. Obviously, she was very scared. She loves dancing, skiing, and being with her grandchildren, and she is afraid that she might have to stop doing the things that she loves to do. She talked to me about a healing mass she participated in. She genuinely wanted her ailment to be gone. When the priest anointed her with the laying on of hands, he prayed in words like, “Lord, please heal her of her pain but if it is your will that she should carry this pain, then give her the strength to endure it.” She said, to me yesterday, “But that is not I wanted to hear.” When I asked her permission to share this story, she said “I was being silly, but I meant what with all my heart!”