You Can Have My Room! (Christmas, 2023)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

First of all, I want to wish all of you a very merry Christmas! This is my 7th Christmas at Incarnate Word and I cherish this holiday as a time to see and pray with so many of you! I pray that this is your best Christmas yet and you each experience profound peace and joy within yourself and with your loved ones!

I heard a sweet story about an unscripted moment that happened at a grade-school Christmas play. We’ve all been in the audience for these festive performances which never fail to make us smile because of their unpredictable and precious nature. In this case, there was a second-grader named Wally who inadvertently stole the show. Wally was one of those big second-graders, having been held back a year before kindergarten and also having a late-summer birthday. This delayed entry into school was all for the better because Wally was never going to be an academic superstar; his gifts lie elsewhere. Wally was blessed with a big heart, endless optimism, helpful, with a ready smile, a natural defender of the underdog, and well-liked by his classmates. His parents encouraged him to audition for the annual Christmas play. Wally wanted to be a shepherd but he was given the role of the innkeeper. The director reasoned that Wally’s size would lend extra force to the innkeeper’s refusal of lodging to Joseph. During rehearsals, Wally was instructed to be firm with St. Joseph. When the play opened, no one was more caught up in the action than Wally. When Joseph knocked on the door of the inn, Wally was ready. He flung the door open and asked with a big scowl, “What do you want?” “We seek lodging,” Joseph replied. “Seek it somewhere else,” said Wally in a firm voice: “There’s no room in the inn.” “Please, good innkeeper,” Joseph pleaded, “this is my wife, Mary. She is about to have a baby and is very tired. She needs a place to rest.” There was a long pause as Wally looked down at Mary. A teacher whispered Wally’s next line: “No! Be gone!” Wally remained silent. Mary and Joseph turned and slowly began to move away. Seeing this, Wally’s true self got the better of him. Tears welled up in his eyes and he called out, “Don’t go! You can have my room.” 

This little story is light-hearted and sweet but it hints at something deeper within ourselves. Most of us in church know what it is like to be comfortable at home and to hear a knock on the front door or have the phone ring at the worse possible moment. When this happens, many of us contend with that dilemma: do I avoid answering or do I go the extra mile and engage with the person on the other end? Many times, for a whole host of reasons; we tell others there is no more room at the inn and we ask that person to go somewhere else.

But our homes and phones are not the only things we guard carefully. So too our hearts and our time. When we look across the horizon of salvation history, recorded in Sacred Scripture and secular history, we notice how often people, indeed entire cultures, closed the doors of their hearts to the message of love and peace God desired to share.  Again and again, God knocked on the doors of the human heart, first at the dawn of creation with Adam and Eve then through his prophets, angels, judges, and kings. And as many times as our God offered his incredible offer of divine forgiveness and peace, we responded by either ignoring his invitation or going back on our promise to be faithful. We replied, in no uncertain terms, there is no room at the inn, go somewhere else! But in his never-ending goodness, God never gave up on us! And that is what we celebrate today. That in the fulness of time, God would send his only-begotten Son, born of a virgin in a manger, amidst farm animals, visited by kings and shepherds. Here, in this little baby, was the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Wonder-Counselor, the Prince of Peace. He is the Word-Made-Flesh, who has come to earth to invite us to let him in so he might share his peace, mercy, and love.

Today Christ is seeking a place to stay, wondering if we will make room for him. Someone beautifully wrote, “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.” Each of us knows, in some way, we have refused to open that door due to sin, fear, or selfishness. As we gather here to celebrate again the birth of Jesus, we should ask ourselves what it is that causes us to close the doors of our heart to the Christ-child. Is it a lack of faith that God will provide all that I need, even if it is not all I want? Is it because I have deep-rooted addiction to some sin I don’t want to give up? Do I resist the invitation to pray each day, filling that time instead with activity or mindless screen time? Am I so attached to an unhealthy relationship that I fear life without it? Am I unwilling to set aside my greed, lust, anger, bitterness, fear, or shame which barricades the door of my heart from welcoming the many gifts Jesus desires to share with me?  

Today Christ knocks on the door of every human heart not as a threatening judge, not as a fierce warrior, not as an impersonal god. He comes to us as a gentle and innocent baby, reflecting the infinite love and mercy of the God who never stops seeking to win our hearts. Make room to embrace the Incarnate Word and experience his freedom which liberates us from the slavery of sin. May Jesus always find a home in our hearts, minds, and homes! Today our savior is born, come let us adore him.

Testify to the Light (3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

I can’t exactly tell you why, but I have always had a fascination with flashlights. Probably because every one in our house never worked! I also loved the variety. You can find lights powered by different batteries and bulbs, with or without the option to focus the beam. They could be heavy or lightweight, rechargeable or disposable, halogen or LED, massive or compact. Growing up, I would constantly ask for one for birthdays or Christmas, and always for extra batteries because I knew at least one sibling would try to steal my light and hid in a dark room flashing it on and off like a weirdo. One of my all-time favorites was the venerable Maglite which used to be a status symbol in the flashlight community. Made of aircraft-quality aluminum that was rugged and durable, you could find them ranging in size from the handy mini-mag which used two AA batteries to the Maglite white star, which used 6 D batteries and stretched nearly two feet long. I never did get that mega-maglite but it wasn’t for a lack of trying!

These days my enthusiasm for flashlights and other task lighting has not diminished, my affection is just more mature. I realize there is no single flashlight or work-light that can do everything so I must have all of them! I even brought a few of my go-to’s so you can see that I am serious. Headlamp (handsfree, attic, hiking), Solar lantern (recharged by the sun and ready for an emergency), two m18 work lights (one has a hook and an adjustable head while the other is magnetic and sticks to a vehicle or metal that you are welding!). The last and most used is a streamlight Strion which is small but mighty, rechargeable and 3 different brightness settings. I have one in the house and one in the truck and use it all the time!) It is so bright, that if you shine it in someone’s eyes in the dark, they will be blinded and disoriented for a few moments. Ask me how I know!

Perhaps you don’t share my passion for flashlights; that is regrettable but forgivable! However, all of us are drawn to light. We need it for so many aspects of daily life and we appreciate the safety and security it brings. Light is a good thing! I have yet to see advertising for a flashlight that says “our product produces the least amount of light and probably won’t have any power when you need it.” We all want light that is both bright and long-lasting. But no matter what man-made light we swear by, no matter how big the bulb or brightness rating, all of them pale in comparison to the sun. All of them are limited in the light they can provide.

The theme of light can be found everywhere in the Advent season. Isaiah tells us that the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. Today, in the gospel, the theme of light comes to the forefront as we hear that “a man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

John was the greatest prophet that ever lived. He was the brightest light that would point to the messiah. He was the crown of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New. He inspired and captivated huge crowds and some of them even wondered if he might be the messiah or Elijah, back from the dead. But John’s brilliance, as good as he was, was dazzling in contrast to the darkness. His light, preparing the way of the Lord, was only bright in the absence of the One who was light from light, true God from true God. Compared to Christ, John paled, like any flashlight, which is so bright in the darkness but no match for the sunlight. 

The beautiful thing is that John knew this and embraced it. When asked by the crowds who he was, he made it clear that he was not the Christ, nor Elijah but simply “the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'make straight the way of the Lord.'" As a sign of his great humility, John said: “there is one coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." John’s role as a prophet was simply to be a light leading others to Christ; his purpose was not to try and outshine Christ or to confuse people on where the true light can be found. How easy it could have been for him to take credit for what he was saying and doing, to promote himself and try to take the glory. 

This lesson of humility is really important for us as modern day people. It is far too easy to get caught up in being number one and competing with our rivals in business, school, social circles, and even church. So much energy can be spent on trying to outshine others that we forget that there is only one true light that gives meaning to our lives and peace to our souls.  

As followers of Christ, you and I are called to be lights in the midst of darkness. Like John the baptist, the Lord wants us to live lives of joy and courage, witnessing to him and preparing his way as he enters our world.  

On this third Sunday of Advent, the Church tells us to rejoice because the saving light of Christ’s birth is drawing near. If we have the attitude of John, it will be easy to rejoice because we know the victory has already been won, that sin and death have no more power over us, and that all the good we do is not because of us but through Jesus. There is a great freedom in living, loving, and thinking this way. It is no longer up to us to make everything work or chase away every darkness; the glory and the worry are God’s. So let us quietly and humbly prepare the way of the Lord, pointing others to the one true light, Jesus Christ.    

Clear a Highway (2nd Sunday, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Coming home is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the Second Sunday of Advent. All three readings focus on the absolute necessity of getting ready for Christ’s return into our hearts and lives by true repentance, reparation, prayer and the renewal of our lives. I am especially struck by the first reading, from the prophet Isaiah, which describes the Babylonian exiles coming home to their native country, Judah, and their holy city, Jerusalem. Isaiah assures his people that the Lord will lead them in a grand procession to their homeland and take care of them as a shepherd cares for his sheep.

I love the command to prepare the way of the Lord. The prophet describes the task at hand; make a highway that is straight, fill in the valleys, knock down the mountains, don’t let anything stand in the way. 

It reminds me of a wonderful experience I had growing up when highway 370 was being built. Part of this new road happened to run through the woods immediately behind our house. As a result, we were able to watch the whole process from beginning to end. I am fairly certain we creeped out the workers because after school each day, we would go to the edge of the woods, climb high into the trees and watch them work several hundred feet away. But we sure did learn a lot about how a road is built!

First was the clearing of the trees and other vegetation. Once that was finished, surveyors came and staked out the general outline of the expressway. After that, the heavy machinery followed. Magnificent equipment that moved incredible amounts of earth so the new roadway could be flat, wide, and straight. Those road scrapers could haul 130,000 lbs of earth in every load and the large bulldozers that work alongside them pushed a blade that was 26’ wide by 9’  tall. For someone who loves power equipment, this stage was a dream come true! After this heavy earth moving was done, precise grading equipment followed, along with compactors, tons of gravel, rebar and concrete forms, and then long lines of mixer trucks, and workers who finished the concrete with the proper texture and slight angle so the water would drain. 

From start to finish, the project took a couple years and it made a lasting impression on me, watching everything that went into a road that most people would soon use at high speed with hardly a thought to all that went into it. I will always have admiration for the incredible range of equipment and technique that goes into construction, the combination of brute force and masterful skill. And the fact that it takes years of work and planning to produce a road that, once completed, could be covered in a matter of minutes, from start to finish.

But isn’t that is the whole point of preparing the way?! To transform something, someplace that currently is difficult or impossible to travel into a new creation that propels us to our destination. I like to think if Isaiah or John the Baptist saw how roads are built today, they would exclaim, “now that is what I am talking about!”

The dynamics at work in building infrastructure also apply to our spiritual lives. For most of us, there are mountains and valleys that stand between us and God’s grace. A path is possible but it must be cleared. The first step is to bulldoze the major obstacles so a new way can be plotted. The heavy lifting is not our worry; God’s grace provides the power to move whatever stands in the way. We simply have to cooperate with his gifts; accept the grace he offers through the sacraments, personal prayer, and the guidance of the Church. God’s love is capable of clearing a highway through years of sin, addiction, judgement, and self-hatred and he can do so in record time. Nothing can defeat him!

Once the large sins have been eradicated and cleared away, the finer work continues as we learn to live the virtues, look for ways to love and serve others, and choose to live our faith because we want to make God happy rather than worrying about being punished. Our faith and relationship with God becomes something we are proud of, a priority that receives the best of who we are and what we have, something we willing to share with others. It becomes part of who we are and we practice it with skill, dedication, and joy. 

This process take place over years but when we look back, if we embrace it, we see that God’s grace and love can now move faster and freer than when we first started. God has a highway straight to our mind, heart, and soul. 

But like any road, our relationship with God requires regular maintenance and care. Potholes must be patched, sections may need to be replaced, new lanes added for additional traffic! 

Advent is a time for careful examination and spiritual evaluation. How easily can God reach my heart right now? What is the state of my soul today? Is it a multi-lane expressway, clear as far as the eye can see? Or is it littered with debris, in need of repair? Most of us probably have some work to do; I know I sure do! In these short advent weeks and every day after, let us prepare the way of the Lord within our hearts, making clear a highway for him and his gifts to come rushing into our lives whenever he so wishes!