Epiphany 2020 - "Athirst for the Infinite"

At our Christmas Masses, I reflected on Holy Father Pope Francis’ apostolic letter on the meaning and importance of the nativity. I hope every still has their nativities set up, for we are still in the Christmas season.

In his letter, the Holy Father explains the significance of the different elements of the nativity scene. The dark sky represents how it is often in the dark times of life that we need to look for God. The humble shepherds remind us how it is the poor and humble who go out to greet the event of the incarnation. “The presence of the poor and the lowly in the Nativity scene remind us that God became man for the sake of those who feel most in need of his love and who ask him to draw near to them.”

On this feast of the Epiphany, I’d like to consider what the Holy Father had to say about the Magi. “As the feast of Epiphany approaches,” the Holy Father writes, “we place the statues of the Three Kings in the Christmas crèche. Observing the star, those wise men from the East set out for Bethlehem, in order to find Jesus and to offer him their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These costly gifts have an allegorical meaning: gold honors Jesus’ kingship, incense his divinity, myrrh his sacred humanity that was to experience death and burial. As we contemplate this aspect of the Nativity scene, we are called to reflect on the responsibility of every Christian to spread the Gospel. Each of us is called to bear glad tidings to all, testifying by our practical works of mercy to the joy of knowing Jesus and his love.”

And then he writes something quite profound, he says, “The Magi teach us that people can come to Christ by a very long route. Men of wealth, sages from afar, athirst for the infinite, they set out on the long and perilous journey that would lead them to Bethlehem. Great joy comes over them in the presence of the Infant King. They are not scandalized by the poor surroundings, but immediately fall to their knees to worship him. Kneeling before him, they understand that the God who with sovereign wisdom guides the course of the stars also guides the course of history, casting down the mighty and raising up the lowly. Upon their return home, they would certainly have told others of this amazing encounter with the Messiah, thus initiating the spread of the Gospel among the nations.”

The Holy Father connects man’s search and thirst for God with our need to spread the Gospel. There are people out there, athirst for God, they search, like the Magi. Some of them, are certainly searching for God in all the wrong places, but everyone thirsts for God, for God has placed that thirst deep in our souls.

And, we who have encountered the Christ, like the Magi, must go from this place, telling others of our amazing encounter with the Messiah. We have a responsibility, to speak of our encounter with God, at Holy Mass, in the Sacraments, whilst in prayer, whilst in service. We are to speak of our encounter with the infinite God, so that others may know that he can be found here. Amidst all the scandals, God can still be found. Amidst all the technological and artificial alternatives, God still satisfies. Admist all the ugliness in our world and political discourse, God's truth, goodness, and beauty can still be encountered in the traditions of our Catholic faith.

“Dear brothers and sisters”, the Holy Father writes, “the Christmas crèche is part of the precious yet demanding process of passing on the Faith.”

We do well, as we begin this new year, to identify those people in our life, members of our families and neighbors that we have a duty towards to pass on the faith. Particularly, if we have godchildren, at whose baptism we promised to assist in their religious formation. That role of Godparent doesn’t end.

The magi brought gifts to the Christ child. Well, we have an epiphany gift for every, a wonderful book by Catholic author Matthew Kelly, “Rediscovering the Saints.” Might I recommend, everyone take a copy, read the book, then give it away to someone who has fallen away from the faith or who could use some heavenly inspiration in their life. Read the book, share with them your thoughts on it, and why they could benefit from reading it.

As we humbly approach Christ in word and sacrament on this beautiful feast, may that encounter open us to the simple grace of loving him more deeply and desiring to share that encounter with others for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 2020 - First Friday Holy Hour - Bethlehem and Eucharist

Gospel - LK 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
 

Just 10 days ago, we sang those beloved words, “Adeste Fidelis, Venite Adoremus” Come, Ye Faithful, Come, Let us Adore Him. Well, tonight we fulfill those words. We gather this evening on the feast of the Holy Name, to adore the one who is called Jesus and Lord.

At Christmas, we looked to the crib, to the beauty of the crèche, and we were drawn to gaze with love upon the face of the Christ Child. We imagined what it was like for Joseph and Mary to see that face for the first time.

As they gazed upon Christ as he was that first Christmas in Bethlehem, we gaze upon Christ as he is, not just once a year, or once in a lifetime, but how he is every day, mysteriously under the appearance of bread and wine.

It is no coincidence that the word Bethlehem, in Hebrew means, “The House of Bread.”  St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta reflects upon the connection between Bethlehem and the Eucharist. “The Holy Eucharist is the continuation of Christ’s incarnation on earth. The mystery of the Eucharist gives us the joy of having Christmas every day. When we come to the Blessed Sacrament we come to Bethlehem, a name which means “house of bread.” Jesus chose to be born in Bethlehem because He would dwell with us forever as the “Living Bread” come down from heaven. When the shepherds and Magi came to adore Him, they brought Him so much joy with their humble visit to Bethlehem that their visit has been praised and retold down through the centuries. God has never stopped honoring them for honoring His Son in Bethlehem. So too, your humble visit to Jesus today in the Blessed Sacrament brings Him so much joy that it will be retold for all eternity and bring the world closer to His promise of peace on earth.”

In Bethlehem, the prophecy of Emmanuel was fulfilled: the prophecy of God-with-us was fulfilled at Bethelehem. So, too the Emmanuel prophecy is fulfilled in the Eucharist. For in the Eucharist God is truly with us. “Bethlehem”, says servant of God Fr. John Hardon, “is wherever there is a Catholic Church or chapel in which Christ is present.”

What an honor, then, for us to visit Bethlehem this evening, to adore Emmanuel, the Christ Child, to gaze on him in love, to ask him to bless us with his peace, to strengthen us in virtue, to nourish our souls with the wheat of his body and the wine of his blood. Bethlehem heralds the Eucharist. May our lives resonate with the peace of Bethlehem today and always, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

September 2019 - First Friday Holy Hour - New Wineskins and Eucharistic Adoration

“New wine must be poured into fresh wineskins” .

At mass this morning, I reflected upon how these words remind us of the need for constant renewal in the Christian life. Baptism transforms our souls into new wineskins of grace, but without renewal, prayer, without faithfulness, and the Sacraments, our souls can become brittle again, resistant to the sanctification the Lord desires for us.

We know Catholics, even members of our families, who though baptized, have become resistant to grace. The mere mentioning of the Church at a family gathering, or even a gentle reminder of the need to return to the Sacraments can lead to a heated argument.

So we come before Our Eucharistic Lord tonight for them and for ourselves. We entrust the fallen-away to the Sacred Heart, pleading for miracles of conversion. And we come before Lord asking for conversion for our hearts as well, for the grace we need to be instruments of healing and evangelization.

At World Youth Day, in Cologne, in 2005, Pope Benedict spoke about the profound transformation which the Eucharist both signifies and brings about. He said, “This first fundamental transformation of violence into love, of death into life, brings other changes in its wake. Bread and wine become his Body and Blood. But it must not stop there; on the contrary, the process of transformation must now gather momentum. The Body and Blood of Christ are given to us so that we ourselves will be transformed in our turn…His dynamic enters into us and then seeks to spread outwards to others until it fills the world, so that his love can truly become the dominant measure of the world.”

We kneel down in Adoration, there is a profound contact of our heart with His. The Latin word for adoration, after all is, is ad-oratio - an embrace of love. We embrace Him and He embraces us to make us like Himself.

So let us take some time now to become quiet, to adore the Lord who embraces us and transforms us, who longs to heal us of selfishness and fear, we seeks to set our hearts ablaze with the fire of His Sacred Heart.

After a period of silent adoration, we will offer prayers of reparation followed by benediction.
Rejoice, for the Bridegroom is with us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.