December 18 2018 - O Adonai - He shall save His People

One of the things that has always struck me about today’s Gospel story, of the archangel’s visit to St. Joseph, is that the archangel tells Joseph what he is to name the Christ child. Modern parents will often spend a lot of time flipping through books of baby names, actually they have websites for that now, to help them decide what they will name their child. They might pick a name in honor of a grandparent, a celebrity or saint, or they might pick a name whose meaning contains characteristics they hope their children will embody. My first name, for example, Kevin, has irish or gaelic roots, and means gentle, noble, and kind. I think my parents did a pretty good job with that, don’t you?

In ancient Israel, the child’s father was responsible for naming the child. Earlier in the Gospel of Luke, we hear how Zechariah names his son to be John. That God chooses the name of the Christ child shows that the son of Mary is the true Divine Son of the Heavenly Father. And God too chooses a name that will characterize the Son’s identity and mission. The Archangel announces the Father’s will, “You shall name Him Jesus”  The name ‘Jesus’ is derived from the Old Testament name “Joshua” which means, “God is salvation”.  What a perfect name. Jesus is God, and He is our salvation.

Now, first-century Jews were expecting God to save them from their political enemies.  Rome was occupying their land, controlling their religious life, cruelly torturing and murdering Jews who spoke out against Rome.

But the angel tells Joseph, that Jesus wasn’t going to save Israel from their earthly enemies.  Jesus was going to save Israel and all mankind from their sins.  For sin is a greater threat than any political enemy. Sin brought about not just an enemy’s occupation of one’s homeland, but the occupation of one’s soul. Sin threatened not just one’s national identity, but a defacement of one’s identity as a child of God.

The Advent O Antiphons for this morning applies another name from the Old Testament to the Christ Child. I sang “O Adonai”.  O Lord and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. 

Jesus is identified as the God who led Israel out of Egyptian slavery, who gave them the law that they might be a holy nation.

These names and titles help us to truly prepare for Christmas because amidst all the busyness, they help us to focus on who Jesus is, and what really matters.  That to us is born a savior who came to free us from being separated from God, from our destructive habits.

That Jesus is Lord, Adonai, means that we belong to him, we owe our loyalty to Him we owe our obedience to his law, and we owe worship to his glory, bringing to him the pure and acceptable offering of the total submission of our minds, hearts, and lives. May our honor of him help every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

Homily: 4th Sunday of Advent 2016 - "He shall be named Jesus"

One of the important and moving moments in parenting is choosing a name for their newborn. Now there are baby naming books and websites to help parents make that monumental choice of naming their children; for no doubt want the name to mean something, to signify how important this new life is to them.

It may be a name that honors a family member. My middle name, Edward, has been in my family since 1842.  Parents may also desire to give a child a special bond with a particular patron saint; I’d tried everything in my power to convince my sister to name her second child after the great saint Athanasius. But names are important: as the child grows, their name will help them develop their identity, others will come to know them by their name.

Well, God the Father was also careful about naming his Son.  He didn’t leave it up to chance or to Mary and Joseph’s creativity.  The Angel Gabriel told Mary that her child was to be named Jesus. As we heard in the Gospel today, the angel appears to Joseph in a dream, and delivers the same message.
The Name of Jesus is repeated almost a thousand times in the New Testament.  It is the name given to the Christ child, the incarnate Son of God.  St. Paul says, so great is this name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bend; in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

We even have a special feast day in the Church celebrating the Holy Name of Jesus, on the 3rd of January, while we are still in the Christmas season.  Also, we are directed by the Church’s liturgical documents to bow our heads slightly at the name of Jesus when it is pronounced in the liturgical prayers.

Psalm 8 proclaims: “O Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth.”  And something we take very seriously is keeping the name of the Lord Holy.  After all, it’s the second commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” So we reverence His name, we refrain from the grave sin of blasphemy, we don’t just throw it around and treating it like it doesn’t mean anything.

We bow our heads, we reverence the Holy name for the name of Jesus not only identifies a person, but his mission.  The name of Jesus, in Hebrew, literally means, “God saves”.  The name of Jesus reveals his mission.  Jesus isn’t merely an Old Testament prophet come to earth to announce God’s plan of saving mankind from sin and evil.  He comes in order to enact that plan; Jesus is God who saves us.  He fulfills the Divine mission, sent by God the Father to save us from our sins.

To know someone by name, to call someone by name is to begin to grow in intimacy with that person. I think the name of Jesus is repeated so frequently in Scripture is because we are meant to use his name often, to call upon him in prayer to save us from our temptations and earthly trials.

St. Bernard wrote, the name of Jesus is the cure for all diseases of the soul. Are you troubled? speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds will disperse and peace will descend anew from heaven. Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus, and you will soon feel life returning. No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name; there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name. Are you surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus, and your fears will vanish.

The Catechism says, the invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying.  Christians throughout the centuries have adopted the practice quieting down and simply contemplating the Holy Name of Jesus.  I began this practice while in seminary, I particularly employ it when I’m waiting in line, or in a doctor’s office…simply repeating while I wait, over and over the name of Jesus. You will find your feelings of impatience quickly disperse.

We encounter in the readings this weekend a second name.  In the first reading from Isaiah, and in the Gospel, we hear that the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.  Emmanuel.  Emmanuel in Hebrew means, “God is with us” or “God is among us”.  If the name “Jesus” referred to Christ’s mission, what he came to do.  “Emmanuel” refers to his identity, to who he is.

And the two names are closely related.  The only reason that Jesus is capable of winning salvation for the human race is because he is both truly man and truly God.  Jesus isn’t just another special holy person, like Mohammed, or Buddha, or the Dali Lama.

He alone was able to reestablish our right relationship with God from whom we were cut off because of original sin.  We needed God to save us; salvation was not something we could achieve on our own.

Finally, in the Second reading, we hear still a third name.  As Saint Paul summarizes to the Romans Christ's amazing mission he refers to Jesus as our "Lord."  We call Jesus, “Lord” to acknowledging that he is much more than just one of history’s great religious leaders.  By calling him “Lord” we express our conviction that he is the ruler of our life; that we owe him our deepest loyalty. When we call Jesus lord, we freely choose to submit to his authority, to be he followers, to be Christians in this world, 2010 years after his birth.

Today, Jesus, Emmanuel will come to us once again in Holy Communion.  As he is lifted up by the priest for all to see, may we repeat in our hearts as centuries of Christians have done, “Jesus, you are my lord and my God.”

The fourth week of Advent is characterized by peace. Remember in the business of the week ahead, that Jesus alone can bring peace to our trouble world. Jesus alone can bring peace to our anxious hearts. Come Lord Jesus Come, Bring Divine peace to our world and hearts. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Sept 12 2016 - The Holy Name of Mary

For many years, about 200 years actually in our own country, Mary was the most, or nearly the most popular name for baby girls. Around 1970 the name slipped out of the top 10, and starting in about 2009, Mary is no longer even in the top 100. Certainly, this is an indicator of a loss of reverence for the mother of Jesus; no doubt it corresponds to a decline in the practice of the Catholic faith. To our modern culture, there is little reverence for the name of Jesus, the name of Mary, the name of God is blasphemed on nearly every television show.

In Scripture, names reflect the type of person, aspects of their character. The name Jacob means trickster. Prophesying about the consolation of Israel, Isaiah’s name means “May God save”. Sometimes names are changed to indicate a change of personality or vocation: Abram’s name is changed to Abraham after God promises that he will be the father of a great nation. Of course, God, too, has many names in Scripture, and reveals his own mysterious name to Moses.

Calling upon the name of God in Scripture is always connected with adoring him and worshiping him rightly. God reveals his name so that we might love Him.

Though, Mary, her name meaning ‘beautiful’, and truly she is the most beautiful soul ever created by God, Mary was a truly humble woman, living a hidden life in the poor Judean countryside. If not for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, her name may never have been preserved, recorded in Scripture, or passed down through the generations of Christians. But her is name is known and loved. We are meant to invoke her by name, to honor her, and love her.

When we speak her name with love, we imitate our Lord Jesus; for did Jesus not call upon her with love, with filial devotion? We are faithful to Jesus, who told us, “take her as your own mother” when we love Mary as our mother.

When we invoke the name of Mary, we implore the aid of the woman who nursed, cared for, nurtured the Savior of mankind, who must have brought him so much consolation as he carried his cross; we place ourselves under her protection.

We do well to call upon her in times of temptation, for God has made humble Mary “full of grace”—powerful in His victory over the powers of evil, sin, and death. We do well to call upon her in times of trial asking her help to carry our own crosses. And like a child pointing out something delightful or beautiful to his mother, pronouncing her name in times of joy and thanksgiving throughout the day. 

May her name truly be "undying on our lips". We call upon the Holy name of Mary to help us become Holy, to help us to be faithful, to be humble instruments of God’s grace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.