The Holy Family

            It is in this cold, dark and sometimes snowy time of the year that the Church encourages us to meditate on some of the most important parts of our faith. Less than a week ago, we gathered to ponder the awesome mystery of Christ’s birth. We rejoiced in the fact that God so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son to become man and live with us. All creation was filled with awe that almighty God would become a tiny, vulnerable baby and accept the many limitations that come with being a human being. This humility of our God, manifested at Christmas and celebrated each year by Christians goes even deeper to the feast we celebrate today, the feast of the Holy Family. The weekend following Christmas is always reserved for this celebration which helps us to grow in appreciation of the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as well as our own families who have raised and formed us.

            There is not a great deal that we know about the Holy Family. This part of Jesus’ life is called his hidden life. But we do know that this time was crucial to his development as a human person, where he learned the many lessons that form a person into a good and holy member of society. This hidden life was the majority of Christ’s life; about thirty of his thirty-three years on this earth. And so, in these days following the celebration of his glorious birth, the Church invites us to meditate on the lessons and mysteries of his hidden life in Nazareth.  

During most of his life, Jesus shared the condition of humanity: a daily life spent without obvious greatness, a life of manual labor and daily instruction. His spiritual life would have been that of an observant Jew, obedient to the law of God, while living out an ordinary life in the community. We learn something about Jesus from this period of time. We are told that Jesus was "obedient" to his parents and that he "increased in wisdom, age, and favor with God and man."

             Jesus’ obedience to his mother Mary and foster-father Joseph, was the perfect example of the fourth commandment. It was also the earthly sign of his obedience to his Father in heaven. The everyday obedience of Jesus prepared the way for his obedience on Holy Thursday when he began his suffering and death with the desire: "Not my will but thy will be done." The obedience of Christ in the daily routine of his hidden life was already beginning his work of restoring what the disobedience of Adam had destroyed.

            The hidden life at Nazareth allows everyone to enter into fellowship with Jesus by the most ordinary events of daily life. Pope Paul the VI gives a beautiful meditation on the Holy Family. He says that:

             

            “The home of Nazareth is the school where we begin to understand the life of Jesus--the school of the Gospel. First, then, a lesson of silence. May esteem for silence, that admirable and indispensable condition of mind, revive in us a lesson on family life. Second, we learn about family life. May Nazareth serve as a model of what family life is, its communion of love, its austere and simple beauty, and its sacred and inviolable character. [It is] beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings.”

 The finding of Jesus in the temple is the only event that breaks the silence of the Gospels about the hidden years of Jesus. Here Jesus lets us catch a glimpse of the mystery of his total consecration to a mission that flows from his divine sonship: "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's work?" Mary and Joseph did not understand these words, but they accepted them in faith. Scripture tells us that Mary "kept all these things in her heart" during the years Jesus remained hidden in the silence of an ordinary life. It was from this lengthy period of silence, the daily routine of family life, and the many lessons that come from work, obedience, and prayer that prepared Christ for his mission as the Savior of the human race.

 God could have chosen a different way for his Son to be born and raised. There are countless other scenarios and possibilities that could have played out. But God sent his Son, born as a child, into a human family, with a mother and father, because it is the best way for a person to be loved, nurtured, and formed. The family is the foundation of society and the basic unit that provides structure to our society. This is why we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family today, to pray for our own families and to look to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for encouragement in forming good and loving families.

            As we gather here today, in the joy and excitement of the Christmas season, let us ask the Holy family to help us be better members of our human families. Children, you are called to respect and obey your parents, in the same spirit of love and humility that Jesus did for Mary and Joseph. Parents, you are called to deepen, every day, the love and care you have for your children. You are called to help them grow in wisdom and favor in the sight of God. Husbands, you are called to imitate St. Joseph in showing undying respect, unconditional love and humble service to your wives. Love your wife in the same way that Christ loves the Church. You are called to protect her integrity and be a source of kindness, strength, and holiness for her. Wives, love your husbands in the same way that the Church loves Christ. Support them in their work to provide for others, help them to spread the gospel in the world and in your home.  Let your love be defined by loyalty and gentleness; always pondering in your heart, the will of God in your home. Outdo one another in showing mutual love and self-sacrifice.

            Let us find inspiration in the hidden life of Christ to live a virtuous life, developing our personal gifts, and contributing to society with our work. May this feast of the Holy Family always remind us that we are not just members of a human family but also members of God’s family.  My prayer for each of you in this Christmas season is that you experience the peace and joy of the Holy Family in your own households by imitating their example. May your homes be little Nazareths that make the world a better place and bring the light of Christ to a world wading through sin and darkness. 

Christmas

This past Sunday, there was an excellent article in the Wall Street Journal by Robert Sapolsky on a spontaneous Christmas truce that occurred during the First World War. This terrible war, sparked by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the archduke of Austria, would begin in 1914 and conclude 4 years later after some 16 million people had died. On Christmas Eve, 1914, German soldiers began decorating the areas around their trenches, including the trees, with candles. They also sang Christmas carols throughout the fortifications. The British troops, on the other side of the battlefield, responded with songs of their own. Before long, soldiers were shouting Christmas greetings to each other. After a while, a few cautious soldiers from each side laid down their equipment, painted a sign with the words, “A Merry Christmas” and met in the dreaded killing field known as “No Man’s Land.” Soon after this initial encounter, troops up and down the Western Front of battle laid down their weapons, shook hands with the enemy, and began trading food, souvenirs, and other goods. Time was taken to rest, hold joint memorial services for the dead, and even hold a soccer match. This truce lasted through Christmas day in most areas and even to the New Year in some places. Sadly, the killing began anew after senior officers threatened soldiers with punishment if they did not resume fighting. In fact, many of the soldiers who initiated the truce up and down the line were court-martialed for their friendly exchanges with the enemy.

In spite of these threats and punishments, certain little unofficial truces continued during the war and became the seeds for a permanent ceasefire in 1918. For example, one side started ending their artillery fire precisely at 6pm and gave the enemy one hour to have a quiet supper before beginning again in earnest at 7pm. The other side realized this and also quieted their guns at the same time as a token of good will. This informal ceasefire spread to food trucks and latrines, which were unofficially off limits, even though they were easy targets. There are even accounts of snipers who would fire on an abandoned house near an enemy position. The sharpshooter would hit the exact same spot, day after day, making his point, “I could get you, but I am choosing not to.” The other side would respond in the same way with their snipers and an informal, wordless agreement was reached: We will shoot over your head if you shoot over ours.”

So, what do these incredible stories teach us? What is illustrated by these moments of tender humanity in the midst of unimaginable suffering and loss of life? We know people are capable of causing each other terrible pain and suffering through sinful thoughts, words, and actions. But each of us has an even greater ability to forgive, to love, and to heal others through acts of charity and loving worship to God. It is this God-given gift of kindness and solidarity that is celebrated at Christmas as the world takes a breath from its incessant struggle, remembering we share a common light in the God who shared our humanity. 

We humans have not been made for the darkness of sin, suffering, and death. We are not made for war, we are not meant to carry the burden of hatred. We are not doomed to stumble along as victims of circumstance, blinded by grudges, past mistakes, or self-hatred. Even during the worst times in the history of humanity, something beautiful and loving always finds its way into the world. Sometimes it takes a gesture of peace and kindness like the Christmas truce of 1914 to remind us that we are all made by God and for God.

Each year, Christmas serves to jar us out of the darkness of a fallen world. The birth of God as a tiny, helpless baby reminds us that we are loved beyond measure by the One who created all things. The Savior of heaven and earth lets us know that God will never give up on his children, no matter how many times we mess up, or hurt one other, or run away from him. Christmas serves as a heavenly wake-up call that we are inherently good, along with the whole created world; it invites us to let loose that goodness into a universe that is often wrapped up in its self-created darkness and gloom.

Tonight God crosses No-man’s land as a vulnerable newborn, inviting us to a truce. He says, “Lay down your hurts, your anger, your unforgiveness, your feelings of unworthiness, worthlessness, and sadness. Surrender whatever puts you at war with yourself, your family, friends, and yes, even with the Almighty.” Lay aside these things and enjoy peace, rest, and joy; the things you were made for and the very things your heart longs for. 

May God bless you and your loved ones with the very same peace and happiness that put a war on hold and caused enemies to celebrate together as brothers. A Merry Christmas to you and all the best in the year to come!

4th Sunday of Advent (Cycle B)

In 1962, during the height of the Cold War, an institution was founded to provide strategic insights to decision-makers in government, international institutions, and civil society. This group was called The Center for Strategic and International studies and they compiled reports on a variety of issues.  One report dealt with Global Organized Crime and it detailed a raid by FBI agents on a psychiatric hospital in San Diego that was being investigated for insurance fraud.  After hours of reviewing medical records, the dozens of agents were quite hungry.  The agent in charge of the investigation called a pizza parlor to order dinner for his colleagues.  The following telephone conversation took place and was recorded by the FBI because they were taping all phone calls to and from the hospital: 

     Agent: Hello. I would like to order 19 large pizzas and 67 cans of soda. 

     Pizza Man: And where would you like them delivered? 

     Agent: We're over at the psychiatric hospital. 

     Pizza Man: The psychiatric hospital? 

     Agent: That's right. I'm an FBI agent. 

     Pizza Man: You're an FBI agent? 

     Agent: That's correct. Just about everybody here is. 

     Pizza Man: And you're at the psychiatric hospital? 

Agent: That's correct.  And make sure you don't go through the front doors.  We have them locked. You will have to go around to the back to the service entrance to deliver the pizzas. 

     Pizza Man: And you say you're all FBI agents? 

     Agent: That's right.  How soon can you have them here? 

     Pizza Man: And everyone at the psychiatric hospital is an FBI agent? 

     Agent: That's right. We've been here all day and we're starving. 

     Pizza Man: How are you going to pay for all of this? 

     Agent: I have my checkbook right here. 

     Pizza Man: And you're all FBI agents? 

     Agent: That's right.  Everyone here is an FBI agent.  Can you remember to bring the pizzas and sodas to the service entrance in the rear?  We have the front doors locked. 

     Pizza Man:  I don't think so.  Click. 

I think the feeling the Pizza Man had as he participated in that conversation must have similar to what Mary felt when she first encountered the angel Gabriel in the Annunciation. In this brief conversation, the salvation of the world hung in the balance. How incredible and confusing this must have been for Mary. Imagine the shock of having an angel appear and greet you as one "full of grace"! Gabriel goes on to tell her that she is going to become the mother of God. Taken aback, Mary interjects a practical concern: "how can this be since I have no relations with a man?" Gabriel responds that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and points out that nothing is impossible with God.

Although we don’t hear it today, a similar announcement was made by Gabriel to a member of Mary’s close family, just a few verses earlier in Luke’s gospel. Zechariah, the husband of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, has just heard that he and his wife are about to have a child, even though they are far beyond child-bearing years. Gabriel makes these two Annunciations, one right after the other. Each is about a child to be born, but neither one is possible according to human wisdom. Elizabeth is barren, so she cannot have a child. Mary has no husband and she had never has had conjugal relations. So why was Zechariah struck deaf and mute, while Mary went peacefully on her way? They both confronted with hard-to-believe-news, but listen to how each one reacts:

• Zechariah says, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

• Mary: "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

While these two responses of Mary and Zechariah seem very similar, they are actually quite different in what they are asking. The faith or the lack thereof behind their question is the reason why Mary will be held up as a model of trust for all generations while Zechariah will be punished with almost a year of silence. 

Zechariah’s reply, while realistic, is insulting. His heart is skeptical. He is saying to the angel, "give me some reason to believe what you are saying," since your word is not enough. This kind of question should never have occurred to him. God's voice had already spoken love deeply into his heart throughout his whole life. He had been blessed by God as a temple priest. He was privileged to literally be in the presence of God as part of his priestly duties, something almost no one in Israel could do. His trust in God’s promise should have been part of who he was. In this sense, Zechariah was already deaf and mute when he heard the Angel! He could not receive the words of the Angel, and therefore could not give birth to the truth in his response to Gabriel.

Mary on the other hand seemed to know already that "nothing is impossible for God." Her heart was docile and willing to do anything God wanted. Her question was not a challenge to God to prove how he would do these things, nor was it a protest in any way. She simply asked for clarification. Just tell me how this is going to happen and I will gladly do it. Mary had already said “yes” to God in her heart on a daily basis. All she wanted to know was how to carry out his will. A remarkable gift and something we too often fail to live. 

A comparison of the responses of Mary and  Zechariah helps us to understand Mary’s love for God, her unwavering trust in him, and how she listened with her heart. It also challenges us to give God our “yes” in the same way: unconditionally, no strings attached. How much do you and I listen to the voice of God's promise? It is written in our hearts and reinforced in the love we experience in our families, friends, and right here in this church. Do we give God that fundamental “yes” and use our prayer to discover how God wants us to carry out his plan? Or are we more like Zechariah, skeptical, questioning God’s will, and demanding that he prove to us how it will all work?  

In these last days of Advent, let us ask humbly for the grace of Mary to listen and to hear. Whatever God’s plan for us, may we echo her words “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Sky Full of Stars, (3rd Sunday of Advent, Cycle B)

One of the more popular songs this year has come from the British band Coldplay. In this song, titled “A Sky Full of Stars”, the singer croons about how someone very special shines like a sky full of stars and lights up his path. He also mentions how this person gets brighter, the darker things get and how they are so wonderful that even in a sky full of stars, he can see his beloved. It is rather catchy tune and from the description he gives, the person he is singing about must be pretty spectacular. 

When I read the gospel for the weekend, I immediately thought of this song in reference to John the Baptist. Since the sin of Adam and Eve, the world had been dwelling in spiritual darkness, waiting, hoping for the messiah who would free them from sin and re-open heaven. By the time of John, the darkness had become overwhelming. The Chosen People were oppressed in every way by their Roman occupiers and things were so bad that even some of their fellow Jews were working against their own countrymen in order to make a living. The world desperately needed the messiah but it wasn’t quite ready to recognize and embrace him. To introduce the savior without warning would be blinding, like coming out of dark room into the bright sunlight. A gentle light would need to come first; starlight before sunlight. 

This light was John, the last of prophets. He was the sky full of stars that would illuminate the path of all those who wanted to return to God. The darker the sins of his fellow man, the brighter John shone, pointing not to himself but to Emmanuel, who was to come very soon. John was the gentle light that enabled to people to begin opening their eyes before the full light of the Son God would shine in the person of Jesus Christ. As bright as he was, John would not be confused with the splendor of the savior, just as we would never mistake a clear night, illumined by moon and stars, as the daytime.

But this homily is not just a reflection on John the Baptist, as worthy as that would be. Reflecting on John and his relation to Christ leads us back to the same message he gave his life for, 2000 years ago. John was trying to stir people out of their comfort zones. He knew, better than most, that people have to keep growing, preparing their hearts for Jesus. His entire self was spent emphasizing the seriousness of giving our hearts, our lives to God. We can get drowsy and just drift along. We can start thinking, “well I always have tomorrow”. A person can even think, “maybe there's even another life where I can have a second chance”.

John knew that the task of turning towards God was a priority…and not something to be delayed. As one anointed by God, John calls his generation - and us - to repentance. This call to repentance is urgent because this life is the one chance we get. Jesus tells us that after death comes judgment - and that the judgment involves two possibilities: heaven or hell. I wish I could tell you not to worry, everything's going to be OK, you still have plenty of time, there will always be another chance. But if I tell you that, I would not be true to Our Lord or John the Baptist. When you hear John speak, you do not get a sense of leisure, but a sense of urgency. Consider the very first words in his public ministry, "The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." Jesus picks up the message of John. Repent. This life is serious. It's your one chance. Take it. Prepare your heart for the Son of God. John not only preaches repentance but he illustrates how we prepare our hearts. That preparation has two steps. 

The first involves giving of self. John had great talents: preaching, study, prayer, simplicity of life and fasting, and he used those talents for his people. John's investment made him the greatest man of his generation. He is the last and greatest of the prophets. Jesus says, "no man born of woman is greater than John." The Jewish historian, Josephus, has a paragraph on John the Baptist, describing him as a crucial figure. And in the Acts of the Apostles we see that he had followers as far away as Ephesus in modern Turkey. This fame indicates John’s gift of self. You and I will probably not achieve fame, but hopefully we will follow John's example of investing all of ourselves in our faith. 

John exemplifies something else, a second step we must take after making the effort to give all. That step is humility. When you think about it, humility is the best gift we can give. 

If I give, then start bragging or if I give with strings attached, I will cut myself off from others - and from God. John represents beautiful humility. He was the greatest man of his generation, yet when he Jesus came he said "I am not worthy to untie his sandal strap." In other words, before God, I am lower than the lowest slave. But humility is tricky business. It does not mean hiding one’s gift or excusing ourselves from sharing them. It means giving generously of ourselves then acknowledging the truth - anything you and I could give or do pales when we stand in front of Jesus, just like the night light of the stars is nothing compared to brilliance of the noonday sun. 

This Sunday we see the seriousness of this life - the one opportunity we have to prepare our hearts for Jesus. And we prepare our hearts by St. John's example of self-giving and humility. Next week we will see an even greater example of humility in the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Humility enables us to rejoice always, in every circumstance. Hopefully each of us can embrace this virtue and shine like a sky full of stars to help light the path for others who want to see the Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ. May we imitate John the Baptist and become the voice of one crying out in the desert, making straight the way of the Lord.

2nd Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

Sometimes, when I see a "for sale" sign, I think of the cozy house I grew up in. It was a little 1800 sq. ft. ranch in Hazelwood, built like a fort in the post-war era. I used to think that our house was a wreck, but considering the fact that it housed 12 kids, 2 parents, a rabbit and a large dog, it was remarkably clean and intact. This was largely due to my mom’s system of chores and daily tasks that kept things in order.

But as tidy as my mom managed to keep this house, there was a whole new level of stress that took place when my parents decided to put it on the market. Any of you who have sold a house or lived in a home that is for sale, know exactly what I mean. As kids, we were amazed at the amount of work that had to go into preparing our house to be sold. To us it seemed just fine. But the entire house had to be repainted inside and out, knicks and scratches needed to be repaired, plumbing and light fixtures replaced, and new carpet had to be installed. Even after these large tasks were completed, a million little jobs had to be accomplished, like dusting, wiping down cabinets, staging furniture, sprucing up the yard, and so on.

But even this wasn’t the end of what had to be done. Perhaps the most difficult part of living in a house that is for sale is the fact you must be prepared for a visit by the realtor and potential buyer at any time. This is the whole point for all of these preparations; when someone comes to look at your house, they will find a place that is displayed in the best possible light and up to its full potential. This was by far the most difficult part. It was pretty easy to do the big stuff: the major repairs and improvements in the weeks before the house was listed. But how much harder it was to keep the house clean, to avoid moving the chair or table that never used to be there, or to never make the mistake of denting a wall or scuffing some paint on a door!

Now, even though all of these steps were stressful and difficult, they were all worth it because of the final goal of selling the house. Because our family wanted to impress a potential buyer, we were willing to endure some significant hardships and inconvenience. Can you imagine how much more preparation or work we would have done around the house if we had been expecting a visit from a king? How much more we would have been willing to endure? That very concept, the visit of a king, is what I want to talk to you about today. A king is coming, not just any king, but the King of Kings!

Long before Jesus was born, about seven centuries in fact, the prophet Isaiah foretold that there would be a prophet to prepare the way of the Lord. This person’s name was John the Baptist and his role in preparing the world for the Savior was crucial. Scripture tells us that John was indeed a prophetic voice, crying in the wilderness, telling people that Jesus was coming and that they needed to prepare for his arrival.

When John told people that they needed to prepare for the coming of Jesus,

he clearly wasn't talking about a clean house. He was talking about something much more important, a clean heart. He told the people that they needed to confess their sins, repent, and be baptized so that they would be ready to meet the coming King.

Every year, the Church gives us this Advent season to remind us to prepare for the arrival of Christ. Every Advent, the Church holds up the person of John the Baptist for us to consider as we go about the business of preparing ourselves for the coming king. Like the preparations needed to get a house ready for listing, we must first attend to the big-ticket items, the glaring weaknesses in our spiritual lives. For example: Has it been months or years since my last good confession? Am I in the state of grace or am I stuck in a cycle of serious sin? Are there people who need my forgiveness? Unhealthy relationships that I need to let go of?

But just as important is the need for attention to the finer details. Even after I have addressed the larger items that need cleaning and fixing in my soul, we must then focus on the smaller details that make our soul a hospitable place for Christ the king. Do I take time each day for quiet prayer? Am I focusing on the blessings God has given me or do I simply dwell on what I don’t have? Do I treat other people kindly, without selfishness, especially those I might take for granted like family, friends, and co-workers? Am I only trying to avoid sin, or am I also looking for opportunities to serve God and others? 

As we journey towards Bethlehem this Advent season, we do so with determination and joy because we are preparing to celebrate the birth of the King of heaven and earth. He will bring comfort to God’s people and offer the possibility of salvation for all who believe in him. But in order to receive the benefits his birth offers us, we must be prepared to greet him with open arms and clean hearts. So where are you now? What part of John the Baptist’s message needs to be incorporated into your soul? Are you ready to meet the King? Will he find a heart that is hospitable and developed to its full potential? What still needs to be done so that at Christmas, our King will feel welcome and at home in our lives? 

As we pray this second sunday of Advent, may we listen to those words of the prophet: “prepare the way of the LORD!”

1st Sunday in Advent, Cycle B

It is hard to believe we have just wrapped up another Church year and find ourselves once again beginning Advent. And while I am tempted to preach on the common themes of Advent, relating them to our daily life and preparations for Christmas, I feel I need to first address what has been going on in our great city. Not because I want to. In fact, perhaps like many of you, I am sick of reading about, hearing about, and watching what has been going on in Ferguson and the surrounding area. In the more than three months that have passed since Officer Wilson shot Michael Brown, we have been unable to escape the endless speculation on the Grand Jury, whose decision we now know. We have been surrounded by angry accusations from all sides and watched helplessly as a small number of fools burn, loot, and destroy not only part of our great city, but also our image around the world. What is maddening about the whole situation is that so many people fail to see, in the midst of their constant analysis, opinions, and arguments, a simple truth at the heart of the whole situation. 

That simple truth is sin: original sin, passed down to us from Adam and Eve at the dawn of creation. This fundamental sin disposes us towards the things we ought not like or want and makes it hard to chose the things which are best for us and for others. Original sin which has put our world out of sync with God and his loving plan. But there is also actual sin, sin that I choose to commit. Deliberate thoughts, words and actions that drive me away from God and from other people and bring about hurt, selfishness, and destruction. No matter how you feel about what happened on August 9th between Officer Wilson and Michael Brown, one truth stands tall. At the heart of that encounter which took the life of one man and changed the course of another, in that moment which became a catalyst for incredible pain, destruction, and grief throughout an entire city, driving all these terrible things was sin. If you boil down any of the arguments, any of the reasons for why this took place, you will eventually trace it back to both personal and original sin, which is nothing more than our wandering away from God.

On Monday night, as I watched the various protestors, most peaceful and law-abiding, a few deliberately causing destruction and mayhem, I found myself getting angry to the point of hatred. Not just at the ones looting, burning, and destroying. But also at those people who seemed to be delighting in the lawlessness, seeing it as excusable, justified, or simply entertaining. As valid as my feelings might have been, I realized that everything happening in these days is a macrocosm, a super-sized version of what goes on in every human heart. Within each of us are the conflicting desires of love and hatred, mercy and vengeance, gentleness and force, order and chaos, right and wrong. Without God’s grace and help, any one of us could be the one destroying, looting, burning, and hurting. These are all results of sin, something we all struggle with; not a single one of us is immune. 

So what we are seeing right now in our city, in a very graphic and painful way, is what happens when we wander away from God. And how quickly things go downhill when we try to address the pain of sin and its consequences with anything other than God’s grace and healing.

And that is where the season of Advent and today’s readings tie in. We are reminded that Christ is indeed near us at every moment of our lives. Our Faith reminds us that Christ wants to draw us back to him and put an end to our destructive wandering. That is the message for us on this first Sunday of Advent. Our gospel tells us to be watchful, to watch for the Lord’s coming and return to him. Jesus makes it clear that we must be prepared if we are going to be ready to receive him when he comes. This is a test we do not want to fail as people that bear his name; when he returns, we want him to find us waiting and ready. 

But because of our sinful tendencies, because of our inclination towards chaos, we need this season of Advent. We need this time each year to examine our lives and ask ourselves if we are living in a way that puts Christ in the center of our hearts. 

The amazing thing about our faith is the trust that God puts in us. Especially when you consider how so many of us behave. Yet, even so, God entrusts us with a building up a piece of his kingdom and all he says is "do a good job, behave well, and be alert for my return."

Christ is coming again, and we need him to come again; too many in the world have become unruly. But, while we long for his return, as Israel longed for his coming in the first reading this morning, while we long for the time when the world will be a place of harmony and peace, for the time when all things will be finally straightened out, the time when the wicked will get their just desserts and the faithful their reward,  we need not be overly concerned about when it will come, we need not worry because we have our work to do in the meantime and we can trust God to honor that work, and to keep his promise to be merciful and kind to those who have lived by faith in him.

The Lord will come, and the faithful and the unfaithful alike will see him coming. They will see him coming with his angels in the clouds with great power and glory, and the angels will be sent out to gather his elect from the four corners of the earth, and there will be justice, there will be peace. A peace greater than that which any earthly court can render, a justice more just than that which any law can guarantee.

This is our hope, this is our Christian faith, and this is the time in which we show our Lord that we indeed can be trusted. 

During this advent, let us allow the words of Isaiah in the first reading to resonate in our hearts and in our lives: “You, LORD, are our father, our redeemer you are named forever. Return for the sake of your servants. Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways!”

Christ the King

            I don’t know about you, but it has been hard to pick up the paper or watch the news lately. It seems like every time I check on what is happening in our world there is more bad news. Whether you’re talking about our nation’s politics, world events, especially with ISIS, Ebola, and the Ukraine, or of course, the local happenings in Ferguson, there doesn’t seem to be much good that is going on at this time. To be honest, reading the news often leaves me frustrated and discouraged as I see story after story of corruption, people hurting each other, suffering souls with no relief in sight, and scandalous behavior by those who promised to care for the poor, the sick, and the weak.

            Perhaps you understand this feeling yourself. Maybe you have been hurt by some of the events that are taking place in our country and across the world. Just the other day I was talking with a member of my family who is having trouble making ends meet and it breaks my heart to see them suffering, struggling to get through this time of the year which is supposed to be characterized by giving and getting together with family. Maybe you, like me, sit down amidst all of this and wonder “why”? Why have so many good people lost their jobs, their homes, their retirement savings and live paycheck to paycheck? Why do executives of failing companies get massive bonuses or severance packages while thousands of employees are laid off? Why are so many innocent people losing their lives to wars, disease, and hunger, even when so much of this could be prevented? Why are troublemakers glorified and law-abiding citizens ignored? But even more fundamental than the question “why” is the question, “where is God in all of this?”

            As Christians, we believe that God is all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present here in our world. But when we see good people being hurt, when the innocent are suffering and dying at the hands of the wicked and greedy, this belief can be challenging. And it becomes even more difficult when the people who are suffering are our friends or family members. At times like these, it can be easy to look around and wonder: “Where are you God? How can you allow these things to happen?”

            It’s for times like these that the Church, in her wisdom, gives us the feast that we celebrate today, the feast of Christ the King. Today we reminded as Christians, of the faith we profess in Jesus Christ as king of heaven and earth. He is in control of all that is happening, no matter how bad it seems, and he will make all things work for his greater honor and glory.

This feast is relatively new in the life of the Church. It was founded in 1925 by Pope Pius XI for a very practical reason. At the time, a certain dictator named Mussolini had taken control of Italy and another young man named Adolph Hitler was gathering support for the Nazi Party.

Across the world, the economy was beginning to fail and peace was faltering only a few years after the devastating First World War. These times were dark times and many were wondering if God was present or if evil had finally conquered the world. So Pius XI founded the feast of Christ the King to remind Christians that Jesus was in charge of the world and of history; not evil people and their destructive plans.

Now our times aren’t so different from the 1920’s. We often experience the effects of modern-day Mussolini’s and present-day Hitler’s; evil people still seize power and oppress the weak. Our world hopes for peace even while wars rage and terrorists murder the innocent and defenseless. So many in our world are affected by the struggle for earthly power and dominance, which causes abuses in marriages, families, and whole societies. Our times have seen some horrendous attacks on human life and dignity. People still go hungry; the rich still oppress the poor, good so often appears to be defeated by evil. We need the message of hope and comfort given to us by Christ the King just as people did in 1925!! We need to be reminded that Christ still rules over history, even when things look terrible and depressing. We need to recall the fact that this world is passing away and the kingdom of God is coming to take its place for all eternity.  

This is the truth of Christ the King. He is Lord of heaven and earth. He will return to make things right and to destroy evil once and for all. But for now he waits and, despite his unlimited power, he gives us a choice, he doesn’t force us to serve him. He asks us to choose between serving him and serving the world. But we cannot do both.

Do we allow Christ to be Lord of our lives and king of our hearts? Or do we allow a desire for earthly power, personal autonomy, and worldly comfort to take hold of us? Do we choose Christ’s version of power, with its mandate to serve others and sacrifice ourselves? Or do we seek the power of this world, which so often crushes and dominates.

            We can take consolation in Christ our king, whose kingship is described in psalm 23 today as a loving shepherd. We have a king who doesn’t just rule over us but who actually loves us to the point of laying down his life for you and me. And it’s in dark times like these, when things are truly difficult and frightening, that Christ comes to seek us out when we feel lost or frightened, to show us the way to safety. In this Eucharistic sacrifice, let us thank God for his loving kingship and let us renew our faith in him, our all-powerful shepherd who never stops caring for us and protecting us from all harm.

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

                        Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. The fact that we are celebrating this feast on a Sunday is a little odd. Usually, when a liturgical memorial falls on a Sunday, the normal Sunday Liturgy overrides it. This is because Sunday, the Lord's Day, the weekly participation in his sacrificial death and resurrection, is the real cornerstone of the Church's spiritual and liturgical life. But today is different. Today a liturgical memorial falls on a Sunday, but it takes precedence over the normal Sunday Readings and prayers.

                        And to make the situation even more exceptional, the memorial isn't even connected to a saint or a particular person, but to a building, the first Christian church in history: the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome. Why is this building so important that today the world's Catholics are all thanking God for it and celebrating the memorial of its dedication, which took place in the year 324 AD? The answer to that very reasonable question is that this Church is much more than just a building. It is one of the four major basilicas in Rome and it is the cathedral of the pope. As such, it is known as the Cathedral of Rome and of the World. In addition to this, it is a powerful symbol, the embodiment of one of the most profound truths of our faith: that the Catholic Church is indestructible. Jesus promised that he would be with us until the end of time, through all the ups and downs of history, and that the gates of hell would never close around his one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. This building, this Basilica, stands as evidence that Jesus has been keeping his promise.

                        There are two main reasons for this. First, the Lateran Basilica calls to mind the Church's first major victory. For the first 300 years of the Church's history, being a Christian was illegal. The Catholic Church was marked by wave after wave of violent, horrible persecution. The Roman Empire wanted to stamp out Christianity because Christians refused to worship the false gods that pagan rulers depended upon for protection. By worshipping Christ instead of the pagan gods, Christians became enemies of the state, and they suffered because of it. During those centuries, no public places of worship, no churches, were built because the situation was simply too risky.

                        That changed with the Emperor Constantine. In the year 312 Constantine's small army defeated a much larger army in the Battle of Milvian Bridge. Constantine attributed his victory to Jesus Christ, who had granted him a vision of the cross, held up by angels, and a shining crest with Jesus' initials. Written across the sky in this vision were the words, "In this sign you shall conquer." Constantine had the Christian monogram emblazoned on his soldiers' shields and banners, and they went on to victory. As soon as he became sole emperor, he ended the centuries-long persecution of Christians, legalizing Christianity and even supporting it by sponsoring the construction of its first public churches. The very first one was the magnificent Basilica whose dedication we celebrate today: the Arch-Basilica of the Most Holy Savior, better known as St John Lateran. To look upon this building is to look upon the power of God that outlasted and won over the full might of the Roman Empire, the Church's first persecutor.

                       

                       

                        But there is also a second reason why this feast is given so much attention. The Lateran Basilica not only symbolizes that first major victory in the history of the Church, it also symbolizes the living Church, the supernatural power of the Catholic Church to endure and grow through the centuries. Like the Catholic Church herself, the Lateran Basilica has survived and thrived in spite of horrendous troubles, disasters, and betrayals. In 410 AD, it was ransacked by the invading Visigoths, who stormed Rome and destroyed everything in their path. In 455 another army of barbarians, the Vandals, returned to finish the job, stealing its treasures, sacking its beautiful altars, and smashing its recently rebuilt walls and pillars. In 896 the immense wooden roof caved in as the result of an earthquake. In 1308 the rebuilt structure again collapsed due to a fire. A year later the pope moved out of Rome to begin the papacy's 70-year residence in France. With the pope and cardinals gone, the Basilica fell into further disrepair, and another fire broke out in 1367, leaving barely more than a pile of smoldering ruins. When the papacy returned to Rome in 1377, the Basilica was in such bad condition that the pope didn't even bother to move back in - they relocated to the Vatican instead. For the next 400 years, the Basilica was repaired, beautified, restored, and refurbished little by little, one piece at a time - the roof, the nave, the narthex, the façade, and finally, in 1887, the apse.

                        That history of good times and bad, disasters and attacks, renovations and improvements is a symbol of the history of the whole Catholic Church. Today's feast reminds us not just of a great building, not just of the first great victory of the Church, but also of the supernatural power that has kept the Church surviving and thriving for more than 2000 years, in spite of attacks from the outside and struggles with corruption on the inside.

                        This is why today, throughout the entire world, Catholics are celebrating the dedication of an old church. It is much more than an old building with sentimental value: it is the mother of all church buildings. This basilica is the tangible evidence of the trustworthiness of Christ's promise that by his grace the Catholic Church will last for all time. Today when we recite the Creed, recite it from the heart, remembering this great story that we are a part of, that we have a chance each day to contribute to the story of salvation. And as we receive the living Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion let's ask our Lord for the grace to make our lives into living basilicas, as St Paul described in today's Second Reading. Be decorated with every virtue, so as to be living signs of God's power and love in this world that is so desperately looking for something, or someone, to hope in. This is the beauty of this feast of St. John Lateran; this is the beauty of our Catholic faith, do not be afraid to share it with the world!!

All Souls Day

There is a story that's told of an old priest in a little country parish. He was a rather gentle fellow, he loved his parishioners and they loved him. He was pretty easygoing and even-tempered and didn't do too much to surprise people. However, every year, right around this time, he would give a fire and brimstone sermon on the four last things, which are death, judgment, heaven, and hell. This homily was passionate and appropriately fiery. As he went through his homily, he got more and more worked up and he finally exclaimed: "one day, every single member of this parish will die." The congregation was stunned, sitting straight up in their seats. But then they heard someone laughing, almost to the point of losing control. Slowly the heads turned and all eyes focused on this stranger who could hardly catch his breath between fits of laughter. Greatly annoyed, the pastor said, "and what do you think is so funny about the fact that one day all of the people in this parish will experience death?" The man looked at him and simply said, "I am not a member of this parish."

I doubt that any one of us would think that this fellow was very logical in thinking that he was somehow cheating death. But there is something inside each of us that dreads the thought of our own death. We often avoid thinking about our inevitable end here on earth. This is a basic human tendency; it is quite natural to dread the though of death and all it brings. Far too often we choose to distract ourselves with less important activities. We tend to immerse ourselves in the things of this world; we spend all our time and energy looking after the demands of our earthly life and spend little to no time preparing for the all-important moment when when we will come face-to-face with God himself. And for this reason, Holy Mother Church gives us the feast day of All Souls. On this day, we are mindful of our own mortality and we are reminded and encouraged to pray for those who have died and gone before us, marked with the sign of faith.

            This feast of All Souls Day is a perfect opportunity for us to ponder the reality of our own mortality. It is one of the few days that the priest is permitted to wear a black vestment. The music and readings focus on the mercy of God and the comfort that he brings. There is a traditional hymn which calls upon the angels to guide the departed soul to its eternal resting place in heaven. The Church focuses on all of this, not because she is morbid or obsessed with death, but because she wants us to be prepared for that important moment when each of us will be required to stand before God and give an account of how we lived our life. There is a tendency in our world to see death as the end. But we, as followers of Christ, know that death is actually the beginning of a new and everlasting life. The Church teaches that three options await us after we die, depending on how we lived our life. The first option is heaven. Those who die in the state of grace and have a perfect love of God and a complete detachment from sin will gain entrance to heaven. The second option is hell. Hell is reserved for those who die in the state of mortal sin and by their actions have chosen live apart from God for all eternity.

           

            The third possibility is purgatory, something we don’t hear much about these days. Purgatory is still something we Catholics believe in. It is a state of purification that involves suffering; where souls who died in the state of grace but still had attachments to sin and evil go to be cleansed. This makes sense to us if we think about it. No one who is impure, unloving or sinful in any way can be in the presence of God. Realistically, few of us ever achieve such purity and perfection here on earth. Therefore, God, in his great mercy and love offers this opportunity for souls to be cleansed and restored so they might return to him. This belief in purgatory should give us hope because it assures us that even if we are not completely spiritually clean at the moment of our death, we can be made clean in purgatory and be admitted to heaven. Purgatory is a temporary state. Therefore, everyone who is in purgatory will one day be in heaven.

This belief in purgatory reinforces the Christian practice of praying for the dead. Praying for the dead was not some sort of medieval invention; rather, it was a common practice among the early Christians in Rome. Inscriptions of such prayers have been found in the catacombs, and some of the church Fathers commended this ancient practice. In the Old Testament book of Maccabees, the practice of praying for those who have died is praised. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until the protestant revolt, with Martin Luther in the 16th century, that people even considered withholding their prayers for the dead.

Common sense, history, and the Bible all agree: purgatory is real and many if not most of us will need to be purified from the vestiges of sin and selfishness after we die, so that we can fully experience the joys of heaven. This is not a complicated doctrine. The Church has made no definitive statements about what exactly happens, or where, or exactly how long it takes. We just know three things for certain: that a purification after death exists, that it involves some kind of pain, and that it can be assisted by the prayers and offerings the living make to God.

Knowing this motivates us to do two things. First, we can accept the sufferings of life here on earth with faith, uniting them to Christ's sufferings on the cross. Thus we can grow closer to Christ in this life, getting our purification done faster and less painfully now instead of later. Second, we can alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters who have died and are now in purgatory by praying for them, offering Masses for them, obtaining indulgences for them... God has generously connected our lives to theirs.

As we celebrate this feast of all souls, do not be afraid to consider death and to ask yourself if your soul is preparing to meet God. Nothing could be more important than this moment; it has eternal consequences. And then, let us also pray for those who have died, especially our friends and family, that if they are in purgatory, they might soon be united with God in heaven. Certainly, there is no greater kindness we can do here on earth than to pray for the dead and help them obtain eternal happiness in heaven. We can be assured that they will assist us during our time here on earth and pray for us when the moment of our death arrives. Eternal rest grant to them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

There are a lot of things out there that promise to simplify our lives. Many of these items also claim to make us happier, more efficient, more productive members of society. Electronics are common offenders in this area. For example, the computer, supposed to add hours to the day often drains us as we try to keep up with waves of emails, Facebook friends, and word-processing. Something that was intended to help us often needs our help with frequent debugging, defragging, anti-virus updates, and spyware maintenance. The same might be said of the smartphone. Touted as a mobile office, it rarely gives us more free time as we are beholden to every text, new email, and incoming phone call. But the strangest claims of efficiency and simplicity can be found on tv, especially the shopping channel, and tend to deal with exercise and personal fitness. Perhaps you remember the treacherous thighmaster or the bizarre shakeweight?! My favorite is the ab-belt, a modern marvel of laziness and strange science. According to the commercial, this gizmo punishes the user’s abdominal muscles better than sit-ups by sending intense electrical signals throughout the stomach region. According to the commercials, you just strap this baby on and then do whatever you like, even watch a movie, as it sculpts your midsection into perfectly defined abs that would shame a bodybuilder. 

We humans desire simplicity; we crave it. We are constantly searching for that magical thing that will make our lives easier, happier, and more efficient. That’s why we fall for these products that so often promise to simplify but rarely deliver on that pledge. That’s why we so often have garages and basements that are stuffed with junk, ..... yet we are still searching. 

Today, in the gospel, Jesus does the very thing we are looking for. He simplifies the 613 laws of the Jewish faith into two basic commandments. “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”

You and I have heard these commandments since we were very little, so we might not think they are such a big deal. But think again to what Jesus just did. He gives the key to living the good life, a happy, wholesome, fulfilling life in terms of our relationship with God and with other people, and does so in two commandments that are so simple that any young child can remember them. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. In fact, it can’t get any more simple than that. These two things are the very least we must do to be truly joyful in this life and forever happy with God in the life to come. And these two commandments are all you have to do in order to reach heaven.

It seems too good to be true, too simple to work. Why would this be any different than the million other things that claim to simplify but then end up disappointing? The answer, of course, is found in who it is that gives us these two great commandments. Jesus is completely trustworthy; he is God, he cannot lie. And he has nothing to gain from his wise words; there is no gimmick involved, simply his desire to unite us with each other and our heavenly Father. 

But I think it is important to make one clarification. Just because Christ simplifies the whole moral code doesn’t mean that it suddenly becomes easy. In fact, its simplicity makes it more demanding! You see, the more complicated something is, the greater the chance for some leeway or loophole. Just think of our nation’s tax laws, for example. But the simpler it becomes, the less wiggle room. What you see is what you get; no nuances, qualifications, or conditions. The same is true of the two great commandments that Jesus gives to you and me. He really means that we are to love God above all things with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. And he is dead serious when he says we must love our neighbor as ourself.”

So how do we apply this to ourselves? How do these simple commandments make demands on us? Consider some of the following examples which are not in any way, an exhaustive list:

When it comes to loving God above all things, do I love him enough to get my family to Mass every weekend? Even when we have 7 games or a late night or are out of town? Or is it always God who gets the short end of the stick? Do I give generously of my income to God or do I mostly give him what I have left over after I have taken care of what I want? Do I give freely of my time and talent to God? Do I take some quality time each and every day to spend in prayer or does he simply get some time here or there when I am distracted, tired, and complaining? Do I respect the Church and seek to be obedient to her teaching? Even difficult teachings about marriage, birth control, and sexuality? Or do I think I always know best? Do I do as God has commanded me and pray for my government leaders? Do I seek his wisdom in trying to decide who to vote for - or do I vote for those who encourage me to live as if my concerns are the only ones that matter?

How about loving our neighbor as ourself? Do I have true respect for others without exception? Am I kind in the way I talk about others, including those that are different than me or who drive me crazy? Am I patient with those I interact with, even when they are annoying, needy, or downright rude? Christ’s command to love did not include any exceptions, even for these types of people! Do I allow others to have their dignity, even when I don’t feel like they deserve it? Do I in fact give myself to others out of love - or offer them only a show of courtesy concealing some other agenda? Do I further the social work of the Church by caring for the poor, the neglected, the sick and the unborn? Do I pay my taxes and accept my responsibilities towards my fellow citizen or do I lie and cheat to get ahead? Do I truly love my neighbor as myself, always and everywhere, or do only do so when it is pleasant, beneficial to me, or fits into my schedule?  

The way we get to heaven is utterly simple: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” But it is not easy. We need God’s help every step of the way, through prayer, the sacraments, and the teaching and support of His Church. May we recommit ourselves to the two great commandments and then trust that in keeping them, we will find eternal love, peace, and happiness.