Sunday, January 29, 2012

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus does everything He does from his own authority. In Greek, the work for authority is literally "from one's being". While the crowds did not understand that He was God, they did understand that He was working from his own power. He taught and healed as who He was.
We who follow Him work with His authority. But He also gives us authority as sons and daughters of God. Do we use it for the purpose with which it has be given?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. Did the fishermen understand what this seemingly simple explanation mean, or did they just follow, knowing that in time all would be revealed? They were asked to be formed in Jesus Christ, and with that formation to bring men into the Kingdom of God by sharing the good news.
We hear that some call in our lives. We are called to conform our lives to Christ and to transform the world around us by proclaiming the good news.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Second Sunday In Ordinary Time

Speak. Lord, your servant is listening! Samuel opens his ears and heart to the Lord, who called to him but he did not recognize who was calling. He lived in a time and culture when, as the verses before this reading relate, revelations were infrequent and visions rare. But the Lord was calling - the people were accustomed to not listening. Even Eli, the priest, missed the signs the first two times. But the beauty is that once he realizes what is going on, he is able to instruct Samuel, who then never ceases to listen to the Lord.
Andrew does not struggle with listening to the God. He, as a follower of John the Baptist, hears John point of Christ Jesus, calling Him the Lamb of God. He follows Jesus. When asked what he is looking for, he answers not with a desire to see the house of Jesus, but to know Him, to see where he lives. Andrew finds Simon, and tells him. Simon and Andrew both are able to hear the Lord, and they in turn help others.
We live in time that has distanced the Lord, by and large. But we have some people like Eli, John the Baptist, and Andrew. They can help us listen to the voice of the Lord, and help us to open our hearts to Him.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

The Epiphany of the Lord

Christ is revealed to the nations as God made flesh, and wise men, following the star, come to worship. They open up their treasures to the Lord, giving Him gold, a symbol of His kingship, frankincense, a symbol of divinity, and myrrh, as symbol of suffering sacrifice.
While star no longer shines and leads us to Christ, we follow Christ Himself as he is true light. We come to worship all the same, and we offer not treasures contained in coffers, but the gift of our hearts, redeemed by Christ.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

Mary is the Mother of God, and on this octave of Christmas, we take a further look at her Son. To proclaim Mary is the Mother of God is a proclamation that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God. The Blessed Mother is often titled Theotokos, the God-bearer. It is not that she gave Christ existence - He was begotten by the Father before the ages - but gave Him flesh. Mary, Mother of God, reveals Christ to us. So we honor her, and we worship her Son who was born for our salvation.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Jesus Christ is born for us, having been conceived 9 months prior, nourished and nurtured in the Blessed Mother's womb with love beyond all telling. Here is salvation at last. We call to mind that fly night in which the heavens and earth united in the praise of God who sends His Son for our salvation.

Today, the twenty-fifth day of December

Unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the earth
And then formed man and woman in his own image.

Several thousand years after the flood,
When God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.

Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah;

Thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.

Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges;

One thousand years from the anointing of David as king;

In the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.

In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
The seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome.

The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
The whole world being at peace,

Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
Desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming,
Being conceived by the Holy Spirit,
And nine months having passed since his conception,
Was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary.

Today is the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

Amen.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Mary responds to the message of the angel, rather to the Lord, "May it be done to me according to your word." She may not know the full implication of her response, nor how exactly this is to come to be, but she is submissive and obedient. She is not passive, though, despite the passive voice of her translated response. In the Greek New Testament, this is in the 'middle' voice - a voice that implies that while another performs the action, the subject will cooperate with the actor. Mary will cooperate, she will help the Lord bring about salvation.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Third Sunday of Advent

John the Baptist cries out for the people to be prepared for the coming of the Messiah. He knows where he stands - that he is not worthy to untie the Savior's sandals - and who he is. He prepares the way through he baptism of repentance. As we prepare ourselves to receive the savor at His second coming, that message of repentance is still relevant for us. Are we prepared to receive Christ?

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Second Sunday of Advent

John the Baptist's purpose in life was clear: he was to proclaim the coming of Christ the Messiah, to prepare the hearts of those who would receive Him through repentance. He gives comfort to the people who long to see Christ, and most likely disturbed those satisfied with the status quo. But John simply proclaims the message, disturbed neither by those clamoring or opposed to come to Christ. Perhaps he can serve as an example to us who are striving to live our vocations. We must simply do our best!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

First Sunday of Advent

Watch, Jesus exhorts us. We are given a task to do until His return, and when we set out to do what we are called to do, remaining vigilant for His arrival, we will be ready for when He comes. In the mean time, though, we might take on some of the zeal of Isaiah in the first reading: Rend the heavens, make the mountains quake, and work powerfully in our lives. A secular world rushes toward Christmas, even if vaguely aware of its deeply religious roots, ignores the purpose of Advent which is not only to prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ who is incarnate for us, but more importantly to prepare for His return. So we keep watch, continuing to work diligently, and to beg for Him to act in our lives.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Feast of Christ the King

The parable of the separation of the Goats and Sheep needs a careful reading. On the surface, many might think that the 'goats' are condemned because they would not serve, but the issue was that the would only serve the Lord ("When did we see you and not minister to your needs?"). The 'sheep' serve, being compassionate simply because it is the right thing to do. We cannot reduce what we do as a response to seeing the Lord, but more simply to do what is right and just. At times, we might avoid doing what is right and just simply because we don't 'feel' the Lord calling us to do it, but this is an error. We must know that in serving, we are serving the Lord, even if we don't see it.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have been given so much treasure, and we will be judged not one how much we have or how much we returned to the Lord, but rather on whether we tried or not. The first two responded to the master's gift by doing their best, and one is not judged as inferior to the other - both receive the same words of praise. But the third servant does not even try. He hides the money. Not only is it that he does not appreciate the money, he does not even appreciate the master. Note his words are thinly veiled insults.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The parable of the virgins teach us to be prepared. The five wise ones looked ahead and prepared by bringing extra oil for their task, while the foolish ones were not prepared. Failure to plan is a plan to fail, as they say. It seems that the Lord can prepare us for our vocations, and the wise ones are those who ask the Lord to help them be prepared.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus emphases the importance of humility, which is standing grounded in the truth. We are not to seek places of honor or praises of others, but simply do what the Lord asks. Those in positions of leadership are to lead with compassion, not simply ordering edicts that are too onerous to bear with no regard. Note that Jesus Christ does not condemn the scribes and Pharisees for their proclamations, but it was their lack of concern and follow-through on their part. Those who seek positions of leadership, it would seem, do not seek something wrong if their intention is to help others find salvation. Leadership that accepts Christ as Lord and Master and God the Father as our creator and Father, and aligned with God's will, is a true gift.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We tend to make things so difficult, but in the end, only one thing is required: That we lave. But even that, we make complicated, but thinking love is something it is not. It is not an emotion, not a feeling of benevolence. It is an act of benevolence - and choice of the will to act for the best. Love is not easy, but it is not any more complicated than that. So let us choose to love, until those choices become who we are!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Seeking to trick Jesus, the pharisees propose a dilemma of strict adherence to the Jewish law and supporting a regime that believed it was headed by a son of God. Jesus cuts threw the dilemma by telling them they should give to Caesar only what was due (his coins), but to God the rest. What a response! In discerning a vocation, we must be willing to look at our lives in such a way - what is eternal, of God, and meaningful, versus what is transitory, earthly, and minuscule. Giving the best to the Lord, and the rest where is falls, will guarantee we find our vocations.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Lord invites us to a great feast, and we must give a response. Not giving an answer is a response. Saying no is a response. Killing the messenger is a response. But the Lord desires us to accept the invitation and come to Him. But we must also prepare our hearts for this banquet by putting on hearts and lives that love Him.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The loving Father has created all that surrounds us. He asks for the proper share of our labor - our thanksgiving, our praise, our worship. How easy it is to become 'practical atheists' - to profess belief in God, but to live without any reference to Him (except maybe an hour or so a week). The Lord is jealous for us - we belong to Him, not the world He created for us. Let us give Him the proper produce of what He has given us: hearts that long for Him.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

ZENIT - Pope's Address to German Seminarians

On his recent trip to Germany, Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech to seminarians. Here are some highlights:

The seminary is therefore a time for training; also, of course, a time for discernment, for learning: does he want me for this? The mission must be tested, and this includes being in community with others and also of course speaking with your spiritual directors, in order to learn how to discern what his will is. And then learning to trust: if he truly wants this, then I may entrust myself to him.

A time for discernment, a time for learning, a time for vocation ... and then, naturally, a time for being with him [Jesus Christ], a time for praying, for listening to him. Listening, truly learning to listen to him -- in the word of sacred Scripture, in the faith of the Church, in the liturgy of the Church -- and learning to understand the present time in his word.

Studying is essential: only thus can we stand firm in these times and proclaim within them the reason for our faith. And it is essential that we study critically -- because we know that tomorrow someone else will have something else to say -- while being alert, open and humble as we study, so that our studying is always with the Lord, before the Lord, and for him.