December 17 2024 - God's Wisdom orders all things

 Today, December 17, begins late Advent. The O Antiphons begin to be used in the Church’s liturgy, the countdown to Christmas intensifies.

During Deep Advent the Church also sings the ancient O Antiphons both in her official evening prayer and also during the Gospel Acclamation at Mass. Today we sung of the Sapientia, the wisdom, that comes from the mouth of God, by which we are to order our life. O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: come and teach us the way of prudence

The Church’s liturgy sings of wisdom to help us understand that all time and history has been ordered according to God’s wisdom—from the beginning of history to its end—God has arranged creation for its greatest good. And even when Adam and Eve introduced discord and death into creation through Sin, God’s wisdom included a plan for salvation. 

Deep Advent enters deeply into a reflection of this plan. Our first reading is taken from the very end of the first book of the bible, the book of genesis. Late in the life of Jacob, Jacob, son of Isaac, lays on his death bed, and speaks to his sons. And he lays out a plan for his twelve sons who will become the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, Jacob issues a series of prophetic oracles about their futures and the future of their tribes. 

One would expect Jacob to predict the greatest blessings to be upon his first-born son. But God had other plans. It is not for Jacob’s first born, Rueben, nor his second or third, Simeon or Levi, that he predicts the most exalted future. But, as we read today, it is for Judah that Jacob foresees a royal future. Jacob calls Judah a lion, the king of beasts, and from Judah shall come a ruler, a king.

In our Gospel, today, St. Matthew traces the royal lineage through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and then Judah, leading to the great kings of Israel, David and Solomon, and then generations later, to the king of kings, Jesus who is called the Christ.

As a King wisely orders his kingdom, God wisely ordered the generations of Abraham to make way for the Christ. So too, God will order our lives, when we conform our lives to his wisdom.  

God has a plan for our lives, just as He had a plan for Jacob and Judah and for the generations of Israel, and when we surrender to that plan our lives become ordered mightily and sweetily from end to end and begin to resound with his glory. May we open our ears to receive His wisdom, our hearts to receive His Christ, 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 Pope and all the clergy may always be guided by the Wisdom of God. 

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

That the wisdom of God may direct the hearts of non-believers to the truth of the Gospel.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ. 

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

Almighty ever-living God, who brings salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

Thanksgiving 2024 - A life ordered by gratitude

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone. 

This Thanksgiving morning we read first from chapter 50 of the book of Sirach. 

The author of the book of Sirach, named Ben Sira was a Jewish scribe and scholar living in Jerusalem during the Hellenistic period, about two hundred years before the birth of the Lord.  In Jewish society, Ben Sirach’s primary duty was to study the Law and the Prophets and the accumulated wisdom of Israel, and then transmit that knowledge by training others. And so throughout the 51 chapters of his book, he dispenses wisdom to his students. He teaches about family values, friendship, finding a worthy spouse, and offers timeless teaching for living a good, ethical, and holy life touching upon how the virtues of honesty, humility, and justice need to be lived out in personal relationships, business dealings, or community engagement.

At after dispensing his wise teachings, as we heard today, he offers a simple prayer for those who took the time to listen to his wisdom: May God grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you; May his goodness toward us endure in Israel to deliver us in our days.

When your life is ordered, ordered by wisdom, ordered toward God, the result is joy and peace and goodness and deliverance. 

Today our nation celebrates Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, gratitude, is a key element in a rightly ordered life. If we are not grateful for the blessings we enjoy and possess, then something essential is missing in our hearts.

And that brings us to the Gospel today, where we hear the story of the ten lepers healed by Jesus. Only one of them, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks. Jesus’ response is striking: “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”

This Gospel challenges us to reflect on the disordered nature of taking blessings for granted. The other nine lepers experienced healing, yet they did not turn back to acknowledge the source of their newfound wholeness. Only one recognized the magnitude of what had been done for him and expressed his gratitude. His gratitude not only completed his healing but also deepened his relationship with the Lord.

Gratitude is essential for living a life ordered toward God because it reminds us of our dependence on Him. It draws us closer to the One who is the source of every blessing. When we practice gratitude, we become more aware of God’s presence and goodness in our lives, and this awareness brings peace and joy.

This Thanksgiving, as we gather with family and friends around our tables, we have the perfect opportunity to practice this virtue. These moments of fellowship, sharing stories, laughter, and food, are a tangible expression of God’s blessings in our lives. They are opportunities to be like the one leper who returned, giving thanks not only for the material blessings but for the relationships, memories, and love that enrich our lives.

We fittingly begin Thanksgiving today around the Lord’s table—giving Eucharistic thanks for the gift of our salvation. And ss you share in Thanksgiving dinners today, I encourage you to pause and truly thank God for the gifts of family, friendship, and faith. Lead your families in turning to God in thanksgiving so that your family may know joy of heart, peace among you, and His enduring goodness, today and always for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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With hearts full of gratitude for God’s blessings, we come before Him in prayer, asking for His grace and mercy in our lives and in the lives of all His people.

For the Church, that she may continually lead the faithful to live lives of gratitude and grace, giving thanks for the blessings of salvation and grace.

For our nation, that on this day of Thanksgiving, people of all faiths and backgrounds may pause to recognize the blessings of freedom, peace, and abundance, and turn their hearts to God in gratitude.

For the safety of travelers, the peaceful resolution of all family divisions and national hostilities, for protection from disease, for the lonely and forgotten, and harmony amongst all those who gather together today.

For the protection of our armed forces, police, and firemen and all those who risk their lives to preserve the security of our country.  

For those gathered with family and friends today, that their fellowship may be a reflection of God’s love, and for those who are alone, grieving, or in need this Thanksgiving, that they may find comfort in the Lord’s presence and in the kindness of others

For the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the aged, the lonely, the grieving, those who are out of work, those who are facing financial difficulties, those with addictions, and the imprisoned: that God will draw close to them, and bless them with grace and peace.

For the faithful departed, that they may be welcomed into the eternal joy of God’s kingdom and join the heavenly hosts in singing God’s praises.

Almighty and loving God, You are the source of all that is good. Hear our prayers and accept our thanksgiving for the many blessings You have bestowed upon us. May our lives always be a reflection of Your goodness as we give You thanks and praise through Christ our Lord.