December 23 2025 - He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children...

 

This last full day of Advent, we read from the very last verses of the very last book of the Old Testament. The book of Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, and in our bibles, Malachi is the very last book before the New Testament.

Like Isaiah and Jeremiah before him, Malachi foretold how a Savior would come to redeem us and usher in the kingdom of God’s peace. In today’s passage we read Malachi’s prophecy of the events that would occur just prior to the arrival of the Messiah.

There would be a forerunner to prepare his way—a messenger to point out to God’s people that the Messiah is coming soon. And in the Gospel, we read about the birth of the forerunner, John, who would preach from the banks of the Jordan, calling Israel to repent, to prepare their hearts for the imminent arrival of the Savior who will restore and heal Israel, and bring justice.

And then the very last thing Malachi says, the very last verse of the Old Testament, is a prophecy about family: “He will turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the land with utter destruction.”

The peace and restoration and justice the Messiah will bring will involve the restoration of families. The Messiah will restore the brokenness in the human family, and he will enable families to fulfill the vocation established by the Creator. Malachi is also clear that there are consequences when that order is rejected: “the land will be struck with utter destruction.”

Pope St. John Paul echoed Malachi’s prophecy when he gave his famous quote on the family. He said, “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” In other words, the quality of familial relationships directly impacts the well-being and future of nations and subsequently, the entire global community. Families are the building blocks of society; they are where values, traditions, and beliefs are instilled in individuals from their earliest days

Within the family children are to learn important virtues of love, respect, forgiveness, and diligence, which are crucial for fostering a peaceful society. While most, if not all of our cultural ills, can be traced to the breakdown of the family—to the many distortions of the order designed by the Creator. Family sins like abandonment, neglect, selfishness, violence, godlessness have ripple effects in the lives of children and society.

During Christmas time many families will come together. It is often clear when Christ is at the center of family life and when he is not. Whatever our family life is like, chaotic and dysfunctional, or blessedly peaceful and joy filled, we pray that we may do our part in contributing to the health and salvation of family life by bearing the peace, goodness, and love of the one born for us at Christmas, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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As we stand on the threshold of Christmas, awaiting the coming of the Savior who restores all things, let us place our prayers before the Father.

That Christmas may find us bearing the peace, goodness, and love of Christ in our homes and relationships.

For society and its leaders, that respect for the family as designed by the Creator may be renewed, and that public life may be guided by policies and decisions that protect and strengthen family life.

For those from broken or wounded families That Christ, born into the human family, may bring healing, consolation, and hope to all who suffer from abandonment, neglect, violence, or division.

For the faithful departed, that they may share in the eternal peace of God’s kingdom.

For the petitions in our heart and for…

Father of mercy, You sent Your Son to restore what sin has broken and to reconcile the human family to Yourself. Hear these prayers and prepare our hearts to receive Christ with faith and love. Through Christ our Lord.

3rd Sunday of Advent 2025 - Joy in stillness

On the first Sunday of Advent, our Scripture readings urged us to be mindful of the need to prepare well during this holy season. On the Second Sunday, last week, we heard John the Baptist urge us to repent—to prepare for the Lord’s coming by turning away from our sins, detaching from worldly distractions, and making straight the pathways in our lives for God.

On this third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday—we are presented with images of joy—the joyful exultation of Israel as God’s promises are fulfilled, and the Lord pointing to the example of John the Baptist, who leapt for joy in his mother’s womb at the drawing near of the savior. Jesus sends John’s disciples to tell the good news to John, now in prison, that the signs of the Messiah’s coming were now being fulfilled by Jesus. Even in prison, this would have brough John joy.

Joy, it is the deep longing of the human heart. Each one of us longs for joy. No one ever complained about having too much joy in their lives. Rather, the opposite is true, we tire of the joyless, and often jump from one pursuit to the next looking for that elusive joy. 

The brilliant Christian author, C.S. Lewis well-known for his “Chronicles of Narnia” books like “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” also wrote a sort of spiritual autobiography, in which he details his conversion to Christianity from Atheism—a book titled “Surprised by Joy”. In it, Lewis describes how every human being who has ever existed desires joy—we crave it; each of us are on an eternal quest for lasting joy.  Yet, joy, Lewis admits, is the most elusive of the virtues: we are all searching for it, but few seem to find enduring joy.  The authentically and fully joyful person is rare.  

Lewis explains that joy is often so elusive and hard to find because so many people are looking for joy “out there”—as if joy can be acquired if I just obtain the right object, or the right amount of cash in my bank account, in some earthly thing or activity or set of circumstances 

This is why our culture always seems so exhausted once Christmas is over. Our consumeristic, materialistic culture is convinced that joy can be purchased and found in material things like playstations, iphones, televisions, new wardrobes, and the like.

Lewis writes, “No, “Joy does not come from out there,” Lewis says, rather “Joy comes from in here.”  Joy comes into the heart when we are in right relationship with God—joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Only when the heart is firmly planted in Christ and doing the works of Christ, will the fruit of joy truly bloom.

Joy is most elusive, but there are a group of people who have discovered Joy. The saints! If you’ve ever met a truly holy person, they are filled with joy. The saints show us that joy is truly found in the Lord. They sing along with Psalm 16: “[Lord] you make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.”

The saints also show us what is required to tend the soil of one’s heart so that joy may bloom. In the saints, we see that joy is cultivated primarily in two ways. 

Firstly, why are the saints so joyful? Because they have learned to live for others. They show us that joy is cultivated not through selfish accumulation, but by giving oneself away in service. Joy is not found in stuffing yourself to the gills day after day, but in feeding the hungry. Joy is not found with meticulously assembling the perfect wardrobe by keep up with the newest fashions, but by clothing the naked. Joy is not found in mindlessly doom scrolling on your phone and trying to convince people that you have the perfect life on social media, but disciplining and structuring your life around intentional generosity and self-sacrifice. They show us that the way of Christ—putting the teachings of Christ in practice, particularly those lessons of charity—is the pathway to joy.

So, firstly, the saints cultivate joy through self-sacrificial good works. Secondly, they show us the indispensability of prayer. And when I say prayer, I’m not just talking about rattling off an our father or hail mary once a day if you remember to do so, or saying grace before meals. Those prayers are important, however, the prayer of the saints is practice by quieting the mind and the soul, seeking God in the stillness of one’s soul. The saints practice prayer to such an extent that they learn to encounter the living God who makes His dwelling in the soul of the baptized. Prayer, for the saints becomes a living fountain of joy. 

This week in OCIA we talked about one of the great teachers of prayer, St. Theresa of Avila, the great Carmelite mystic and one of the four female doctors of the Church. Doctor, by the way, doesn’t mean that she was a medical doctor. The word ‘doctor’ means learned one—someone with something to teach. And the doctors of the Church are the ones learned in the faith and the spiritual life. St. Theresa of Avila is a doctor of the Church because what she has to teach us about prayer.

The doctor of prayer, St. Theresa wrote extensively on prayer and the spiritual life. Her masterpiece on prayer, called “The Interior Castle” was written for those who want to make serious progress in the spiritual life and the practice of prayer. Though it was written over 500 years ago, the language is easy to understand and quite accessible—you should check it out.

Throughout the chapters of her book, Theresa describes how the human soul is like a mansion. And as we enter deeper and deeper into the mansion of the soul, we come experience a purer and purer encounter with God. The journey through the inner mansion of the soul is transformative; we are changed as we grow nearer to God—we grow in joy, in purity of love and intension, detachment from sin, we grow in simplicity, and willingness to suffer for the sake of others. Growth in prayer, growth in holiness, brings growth in joy, as we grow nearer and nearer to God—the source of all joy.

The season of Advent, especially today, Gaudete Sunday, has this character, of seeking to enter more deeply into communion with God, seeking the joy and fullness of life that only He can bring, the joy that the soul longs for.

Throughout her writing, Theresa repeatedly emphasizes that it is not only we who long for God, but God who longs for us, and God desires union with each one of us. And that union doesn’t just begin when our earthly life comes to an end, Yes, we are meant for union with God in eternity, but that experience and growth in communion with God is to start now, in this earthly life—again through prayer, and the life of charity.

We will be happier, more joyful and fulfilled, when we make the inner journey, stripping away all that keeps us from that encounter with Christ, who draws near to us, and makes his dwelling among us, in our very souls. Gaudete in domino semper, rejoice in the Lord always. Dominus enim prope est. Indeed, the Lord is near. 

A week and a half now before Christmas, let us make good use of the time we have been given, to draw near to the Lord who has drawn near to us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

2nd Week of Advent 2025 - Wednesday - God's promise of renewal

In the first reading, God promises strength for his people. Isaiah says, “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings: They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”

To Isaiah’s original audience, this promise was not a vague spiritual encouragement. It was a concrete proclamation spoken into one of the darkest chapters of Israel’s history. Recall that this promise was being given to a people exiled in Babylon. The Jews had lost their land, lost their Temple, lost their monarchy, lost their identity as a nation, and wondered if God had abandoned them. They were a defeated people with no political leverage and no military strength. They experienced the exhaustion of futile existence and defeat.

But to these people, God assured them: I will restore you, I will rejuvenate you. Your defeat will not get the final word. Hope in the Lord, he will come for you. God remains faithful despite appearances. 

Throughout Advent, we read these promises from Isaiah to understand the spiritual state of humanity awaiting the savior. Israel’s exile was the consequence of their persistent unfaithfulness—idolatry, injustice, hard-heartedness. The loss of the Temple, the land, the kingship, and the city was not just political—it was identity-shattering.

The promises of Isaiah are not just significant for historical Israel, but for all of humanity. God would restore what was lost through sin, he would restore dignity, identity, mission, renewing the human heart enabling us to become the people God made us to be. 

In the Gospel today, Jesus identifies himself as the one who brings the strength and rejuvenation Israel and all of humanity longed for. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Rest. Rejuvenation. New strength. Renewal. Jesus is the answer to humanities longing. He is the font of new life.

We know how the burdens of life and the demands of mission of the Gospel can be quite demanding and exhausting. Raising a family in the faith, being faithful to the demands of our particular vocation, caring for the poor in all the ways God is calling us, fighting against temptation and worldly distraction. Sharing the Gospel to a world that mocks us, hates us, persecutes us. The Christian pilgrimage can be exhausting.

But during Advent, we are to take the time to renew our hope and trust in the Lord, quieting down, turning away from worldly distraction, so that we can be rejuvenated, strengthened when the Lord comes. 

The Christian life isn’t just about gritting our teeth, relying on our own talents, pushing through on our own, but learning to hope in the Lord in times of difficulty. Those who hope in the Lord will be strengthened. Those who turn to the Lord will have strength for the long haul, strength to do small things with great love, strength to embrace great challenges, for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls

 

Trusting in the God who renews the strength of His people and who calls us to find rest in Him, let us offer our prayers.

That during this Advent season, the Church may deepen her hope in the Lord and draw renewed strength from Christ, who restores what sin has broken, and for renewal in our parish.

That all who serve the poor, fight against injustice, experience Christian persecution or witness to the Gospel in difficult environments may receive fresh strength from the Lord to continue doing good without growing weary.

That parents, spouses, and caregivers, may be strengthened by God’s grace to persevere with patience, love, and hope amid life’s demands.

For all of the sick, and that those who feel burdened, defeated, or forgotten—may find renewal in Christ.

That all who have walked the pilgrimage of faith and now rest from their labors may rejoice in the fullness of the Kingdom prepared for them.

God of strength, You renew the hearts of those who hope in You. Hear the prayers we place before You and grant us the grace to find in Christ our rest, our renewal, and our salvation. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

December 03 2025 (school mass) - St. Francis Xavier - Purpose

 

On just the third weekday of Advent this year, we wear not Advent purple, but white, as we celebrate the obligatory memorial of a saint of the Church, St. Francis Xavier: a reminder, that the purpose of the season of Advent is to make us saints. The purpose of Advent prayer, Advent Symbols and songs, Advent charitable-giving, is to make us saints.

St. Francis Xavier was filled with zeal for helping others prepare their hearts to receive Christ. Francis Xavier was a Jesuit priest sent by the founder of his Order, St. Ignatius of Loyola, to spread the Gospel to the people of India, Japan, and the Philippines who did not believe in Christ. In the course of only 10 years of teaching people about Jesus, he baptized over 80,000 people.

Why did Francis Xavier leave his home and travel to the far reaches of the world? As we heard in the Gospel today, Jesus gave a command to his followers: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

God the Father sent his Son into the world so that none of us would perish. And Jesus sends his followers to continue that mission: to help people believe that Jesus is truly the Son of God, and by becoming his followers we come to eternal life.

Again, that’s why I’m here, that’s why your teachers are employed here, that’s why Corpus Christi Academy is here, that’s why St. Clare parish is here, to help you believe in and follow Jesus.

During the season of Advent, each of us does well to consider what we must do to follow Jesus more faithfully, to understand his teachings and the purpose for which he came into the world, and to make our hearts more like his: loving, peaceful, joyful, devoted to doing the will of the Father. St. Francis Xavier was led by the Lord to preach and teach to India, Japan, and the Philippines.

Where might God be leading each of us? God how are you calling me to use my gifts to build up your kingdom? To lead others to you? How by my words and actions are you calling me to better witness to your goodness, truth, beauty, and love? What sins are you still at work to save me from? How are you calling me to make my heart more like Christ’s for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

1st Week of Advent 2025 - Monday - The Centurion's Advent Faith

 “"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” On this first weekday of Advent we read the powerful Gospel passage of the faith of the Centurion. The Centurion, a non-Jew, like us, believed that Jesus had the power to heal.

Out of all of the Gospels, why does Mother Church present us with this Gospel in particular on the first weekday of Advent?

Advent starts with desire: the ache for God to come close, to save, to heal, to set things right. The Centurion’s simple cry—“Lord… only say the word”—is the voice of every human heart waiting for Christ. Advent begins not with the instruction to make sure we buy the right presents or decorate our homes with the right amount of tinsel, but with a plea for mercy—humble longing, confident trust, and the recognition that we cannot save ourselves.

The fact that the Centurion is a Gentile is a signal that Christ came for all nations. So, On Day 1 of Advent, the Church reminds us: The Messiah is for the whole world. This echoes a constant theme we’ll hear from Isaiah throughout this season: of all nations streaming toward the mountain of the Lord.

The Centurion believes without seeing — Advent is a season of unseen hope. Jesus does not go to the house. He speaks a word. The servant is healed. Advent involves this kind of faith: a willingness to trust God before the fulfillment is visible, to believe the promises before the manger is filled, to hope for what we do not yet see.

And yet, this exchange between Jesus and the Centurion certainly foreshadows Christmas, at which we celebrate that God enters under our roof—not because we are worthy, but because He is merciful. 

Hence, the Centurion teaches us how to wait for Christ: with humility, with faith, with hope in God’s power to save, with a universal vision of a Messiah for all people, with the readiness to welcome Him under our roof

It is the whole spirituality of Advent packed into a single moment of great faith.

As the Lord enters our roof in the celebration of Mass today, in Word and Sacrament, may we learn from the humble Centurion in preparing well for Christmas for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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With humble trust in the Lord who speaks the saving word, let us present our prayers and petitions.

As we begin a new liturgical year and the season of Advent, we pray for the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love to fill the Church, the world, and our hearts.  Let us pray to the Lord.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote authentic peace and justice according to God’s Holy Will. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the protection of our armed forces, police, and firemen and all those who risk their lives to preserve our security and freedom. For peace in those war-torn areas of the world and God’s protection of persecuted Christians. Let us pray to the Lord.

That, like the Centurion’s servant, those in need of healing—physical, emotional, or spiritual—may experience the saving word of Christ spoken over their lives. Let us pray to the Lord.

That as we receive the Lord in Word and Sacrament today, we may welcome Him with humble longing, confident trust, and a renewed desire to prepare well for Christmas.

For our beloved dead: That those who awaited the Lord in faith may now behold the fulfillment of every promise in the Kingdom of heaven.

God our Father, in Your mercy You sent Your Son as Savior of All nations. Hear these prayers we bring with faith, and grant us the grace to welcome Christ under our roof with humility and hope. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

1st Sunday of Advent 2025 - Preparing Well

 Happy Advent Everyone.

The most important things in life require some preparation, don’t they? When parents discover they are expecting a new child, they prepare a room for the child and a crib—clothes are purchased, a baby shower is thrown. When a couple becomes engaged for marriage, they prepare, they plan. They meet with the priest for marriage preparation, they attend a pre-cana day, the reception is planned, the wedding garments are acquired, a home is made ready. 

Similarly, when a young man realizes his call to the priesthood, his seminary formation involves nine years of theological training, experience in different ministerial settings like visiting the sick in hospitals and nursing homes, visiting the imprisoned, learning how to craft a homily, teach in the classroom, and celebrate the sacraments.

We prepare for big tests, big presentations and tasks at our jobs. We prepare emotionally to tell someone difficult news; we prepare our wills for the end of our lives. A priest friend of mine would often say, “everything prepares us for something else.” 

Often the sufferings of the past and present help to prepare us for some future task that will require mature faith and endurance. St. Paul even says that our sufferings prepare us to console others who suffer.

The two most important feasts of the Liturgical Year are so important that they both have entire seasons to prepare for them. The season of Lent prepares us for easter, and the season of Advent which begins today prepares us for Christmas.

So how does Advent prepare us for Christmas? Well, certainly by helping us focus our time. We have 4 weeks to prepare. 4 weeks to space out the physical preparations, the shopping, the planning of parties and gatherings, the decorating, the baking of Christmas cookies.

But more importantly, yes? Are the spiritual preparations. Through the Advent scriptures and liturgies and Advent symbols Mother Church helps us to prepare our minds, hearts, and souls for the celebration of the birth of the Christ-Child?

On each of the four Sundays of Advent we read from the book of the prophet Isaiah. Throughout Advent we hear Isaiah’s message for God’s people to practice justice, the need for repentance, the reality of judgment, God’s promise of salvation and proclamation of mercy; Isaiah urges God’s people during times of darkness to practice faith and hope. 

All of those lessons are important to meditate upon, but Isaiah is read during Advent particularly because the book of Isaiah contains Scripture’s clearest proclamations of the coming of the Messiah. God will intervene in history. History filled with so much strife and chaos, war and oppression, injustice and sadness. And Isaiah proclaims the promise that the Messiah will enter history to bring mankind the peace and reconciliation and salvation that our hearts long for. 

If possible, during Advent spend time each day with the Church’s scripture reading, meditating on Isaiah’s promises. If you can’t make it to mass throughout the week, the scripture readings are available on the US Bishop’s website every day. You can even sign-up to have them emailed to you every day. 

Reading through the daily scripture readings will help you to be spiritually prepared for Christmas.

Active, intentional preparation is vital, so vital, that Our Gospel contains a message about preparation from Our Lord Himself. In this passage from near the end of Matthew’s Gospel, teaching in Jerusalem during Holy Week, Jesus teaches about the consequences for not being prepared.

He says the people of Noah’s day were not preparing for what was to come, but, instead they were eating, drinking and having a good time, preoccupied with earthly matters and so were unprepared and unrepentant when the flood came. Moses and his family were spared the flood because they were listening to God, they prepared for the flood by listening to the instructions of God, building the ark, battening the hatches, preparing for this mighty act of God which would cleanse the earth of wickedness.

Similarly now during Advent, Christians need to take time to listen to God. The rest of the world is busy busy busy with all of the physical preparations for Christmas. But Christians don’t just prepare like the rest of the world, we prepare spiritually as well which will enable us to experience deeply the flood of grace at Christmas, which the world will ignore.

Here the Lord gives us a warning and our marching orders for Advent. “Stay awake” he says. Make sure you are prepared for God wanting to break-in to your lives. Make sure you are engaging in sufficient prayer, reflection on the Word of God, acts of charity and repentance of sin.

It is certainly appropriate during the season of Advent to make a good confession. For what better way to prepare our soul for the Lord coming more deeply into our lives, than by confessing and receiving absolution for those sins which weigh us down, our failures to love the Lord as we should.

“You know the time;” Paul says,  “it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.” What are the spiritual practices that will awaken you from whatever spiritual lethargy has crept into your life? What do you need to do to remain spiritually awake throughout Advent? Today is a great day to come up with a good spiritual plan for Advent: what will your Advent spiritual reading consist of, when will you make your Advent confession, what are the good works you intend to engage in (even if that just means baking a plate of cookies for the lonely widow next door). 

We will never regret the time given to the Lord to prepare spiritually for his coming, to prioritize faith during this busy season, to prepare room for him to live and dwell in you this Christmas, for the glory of God and salvation.

December 18 2024 - O Adonai - Lord God and Lawgiver

  

Yesterday, began that wonderful part of the church year called “late Advent” the seven days leading up to Christmas. And on each of the days of late Advent, we use one of the ancient chants known as the O Antiphons. 

Each of the O Antiphons highlights a title for the Messiah—and an important aspect of his identity and mission: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel ( God with us). 

Today we sang, O Adonai, O Lord, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and gave him the law at Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!

Adonai is the Hebrew word for the Lord God. When you are reading the Old Testament in Hebrew, and you come across the word ‘Lord, the Hebrew word is Adonai. 

So today’s O Antiphon highlights something of great importance about the child born on Christmas. He is God. He is the God who appeared at the burning bush—the one who heard the cries of the Hebrew people enslaved in Egypt, who delivered them out of the land of Egypt, who gave the Law at Sinai to help them to be a holy people. 

Again, this O Antiphon helps us to remember that Jesus Christ is born to deliver us, to save us. We heard this from the lips of the angel in the Gospel this morning. The angel tells Joseph that Mary will bear a child and he is to name the child Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. 

And just as God freed the people from physical slavery in Egypt, he gave the 10 commandments at Sinai to help people live free from slavery to the ways of evil and sin. In his teaching, the Lord Jesus stresses the importance of following the commandments of God through which we attain to the moral and spiritual perfection befitting of the sons and daughters of God. 

Knowing how difficult this is, the O Antiphon cries out to God, asking him to “come to redeem us with an outstretched arm” 

These final days of Advent help us to draw near to the Lord in wonder and awe, and continue to seek that deliverance from evil through our obedience to him, that transformation of our mind and heart and life that he desires for us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

That the Pope Francis, all bishops and priests, religious and laity may shine with the Light of Christ’s love for the scattered peoples of the earth. 

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated from God through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That our young people will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

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.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

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.

3rd Week of Advent 2024 - Monday - Star and Staff

 During the first two advent weeks, we read predominately from Isaiah, the prophet of the Babylonian exile, and his promises to captive Israel of the coming Messiah. Well, our old testament readings over the next week will include a smattering of prophecies from the Old Testament; for Isaiah was neither the first nor the last of the prophets to foretell the Messiah’s coming.

We read today from one of the most ancient books of the old testament, from the Pentateuch book of numbers, one of the five books of moses. Numbers describes the wilderness experience of the Israelites as they wandered 40 years in the desert after departing Mt. Sinai. And after wandering for 40 years, the Israelites come to the plains of moab, on the east bank of the Jordan river. And there, a group of Israelite elders encounter a Moabite prophet named Balaam, son of Beor. And it is through Balaam, this non-Israelite, as we heard this morning that the God of Israel issues one of the very first prophecies of the Messiah in the Old Testament.

Balaam prophecies of a king who will defeat the enemies of Israel, who will know the thoughts of God, whose wells shall be over-flowing. 

Then, Balaam speaks of the king’s birth: “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel.” Here of course is a prophecy of the star of Bethlehem which would guide the Magi to the newborn Messiah. 

The “staff” signals that the Messiah would come from the lineage of a king of Israel—certainly an interesting prophecy, since Israel would not even develop a monarchy for hundreds more years. Additionally, to many of the ancient peoples, like the Moabites, stars were themselves considered divinities that watched over the earth. The coming of a star, then signaled a divinity being involved in the rise of this king. 

Little did Balaam or Moses know that this was in reference to the fact that the Messiah-King would also be God himself in the flesh. 

A star which would lead them to the presence of the one true God-made-flesh, the king of kings that would defeat the most ancient foes of Israel—sin and death. 

In the Gospel passage, the chief priests and elders question Jesus about the authority by which He acts and teaches. While they are unable—or unwilling—to recognize His divine commission, the earlier reading from Numbers reminds us that true authority comes from God and that God’s chosen one was prophesied long ago. The star from Jacob and scepter from Israel signify that God will raise up a ruler with legitimate authority, one who does not need to rely on human endorsement. Jesus, in refusing to disclose the source of His authority to the questioners, indirectly highlights that His authority is neither borrowed nor dependent on human recognition. Instead, it is rooted in the divine plan revealed through the centuries. 

In these final Advent days, let us grow in wonder and awe at the God’s plan to deliver us, and deepen our love for Jesus the Messiah, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the Church: That in these remaining days of Advent, the Church grow in  greater wonder and awe at God’s saving plan.

For all peoples and nations and that leaders may be guided by divine wisdom, working to bring about justice, peace, and the dignity of every human person, as they acknowledge the true authority that comes from God alone.

For those who struggle to believe: That the star of God’s truth may shine upon all who wander in doubt or darkness, leading them to encounter the Messiah who fulfills the deepest longings of the human heart.

For our parish: That as we reflect on the divine authority and kingship of Christ, we may grow in reverence, deepen our love for the newborn King, and await His coming with joyful expectation.

For those who are sick, weary or burdened: That in moments of hardship and uncertainty, they may draw strength from the promise of a Messiah-King who defeats sin, brings overflowing blessings, and comforts those who suffer.

For the faithful departed: That they may be welcomed into the fullness of God’s kingdom, especially, N. for whom this mass is offered. 

Gracious Father, you have guided your people through centuries of waiting and longing. Hear our prayers today, and lead us ever closer to your Son, the Messiah foretold by prophets and revealed in the humble stable of Bethlehem. Through Christ our Lord. 

December 13 2024 - St. Lucy - The light of the consecrated virgin martyr

 

The Church has honored Saint Lucy for almost fifteen hundred years.  Her name, Lucy, Lucia, comes from the latin word “Lux” which means, light of course, and her light continues to shine for us in many ways.

There are a few different legends about St. Lucy’s martyrdom. maladies. In one story, Lucy, arrested for her Christian faith, had her eyes gouged out by soldiers prior to her death. In another story, it was Lucy herself who removed her own eyes, as a way to protect her virginity which she had consecrated to Christ. No matter which version of her martyrdom is accurate, it is not hard to difficult to understand why St. Lucy is the patron saint of eye maladies and blindness.

Like St. Cecilia, St. Agnes, and St. Agatha, we honor St. Lucy as a consecrated virgin.  

As a consecrated virgin, Lucy gave her life entirely to God, consecrating her heart and body to Him. Her purity was not simply an avoidance of sin but an active, joyful embrace of a life wholly directed toward God’s will. In Advent, we, too, are called to purity—not only in body but in mind, heart, and intention. This purity allows us to see God more clearly and reflect His light to the world.

The light of St. Lucy’s martyrdom reminds us, too, that true discipleship often requires sacrifice. Her willingness to endure suffering for the sake of the faith shows us that the light of Christ shines most brightly in acts of self-giving love. According to legend, St. Lucy brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle-lit wreath on her head to light her way and leave her hands free to carry as much food as possible. During Advent, we are called to shine with the light of charity in acts of selflessness in our daily lives.

In a world often marked by spiritual blindness and moral confusion, St. Lucy radiating with the light of Christ shines in our present darkness. 

Purity, discipleship, courage, self-sacrifice, self-giving are the lights our world desperately needs. May her example inspire us to live as children of the light, preparing our hearts to welcome Christ, the true Light of the World, this Christmas, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in God’s light, let us bring our prayers before the Lord.

For the Church, that she may be a radiant beacon of Christ’s light in the world, guiding all people toward truth and salvation.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties guided by the light of truth, justice, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  

For all who suffer for their faith, that they may find strength in the courage of the martyrs and remain steadfast in their love for Christ.

For those struggling with physical or spiritual blindness, that through the intercession of St. Lucy, they may be healed and come to see the light of Christ more clearly.

For consecrated virgins and all who have dedicated their lives to God, that they may be strengthened in their vocation and shine as witnesses to His love and purity.

For those experiencing darkness or despair, illness, or affliction, that they may be comforted by the hope of Advent and the promise of Christ’s coming.

For our departed loved ones, especially those who have lived lives of faith and service, that they may rejoice forever in the light of God’s presence. 

Heavenly Father, You are the source of all light and life. Through the intercession of St. Lucy, hear and answer our prayers, that we may walk always in Your light and prepare our hearts to welcome Your Son. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

2nd Week of Advent 2024 - Tuesday - Comfort my people

 

“Comfort, give comfort to my people.” These words from Isaiah 40 come at a pivotal moment in the story of Israel—indeed, in the story of all who seek hope amid hardship. Here, God’s voice breaks the silence after long seasons of despair, exile, and weary struggle. 

When Isaiah spoke these words, the people of God were in the shadow of national trauma. They had suffered exile, displacement, and the humbling realization that their collective sins—turning away from God’s commands and worshiping idols—had resulted in a grave departure from their calling to be a people of faith.

We cannot begin to imagine Israel’s relief, when they hear the prophets message. God has not abandoned or forsaken you, rather, your iniquity will be pardoned. The time of estrangement and suffering is passing; forgiveness and peace is at hand.

For us who believe in the God of Israel, who place our faith in the promises carried forward by the prophets and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, this text transcends its ancient setting. 

This same God knows the contours of each human heart, the weight of burden each of us carries, the guilt we bear for our sins, our unique challenges. And the message to all of us is the same as it was to Israel. Comfort, peace, and relief are promised to those who turn their hearts to Jesus Christ--to a living relationship with Jesus Christ.

This is the message we are to shout from the mountains Go up onto a high mountain, and cry out at the top of your voice. 

This is a comfort meant not only for the collective but also for the individual seeking relief from suffering. God will lower the mountains of your despair, raise up the valleys of your desolation, and smooth out the jagged edges of your life’s journey. As you stand in the uncertainty of the desert, He prepares a way—a road to healing, restoration, and peace.

As our Lord says in the Gospel today, the Heavenly Father wills that not a single one of his children be lost, which is why we are to carry this Advent message of comfort to all people. 

“Comfort, give comfort to my people,” God says. May these words find a home in our hearts today, guiding each of us—to make room in our lives for the Comforter of God, and to announce that comfort to those we meet, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Let us place our needs and the needs of the whole world before our merciful and comforting God.

That all believers may proclaim God’s promise of comfort, forgiveness, and peace with courage and clarity, helping all people find hope in Jesus Christ.

For leaders of nations: That they may guide their peoples toward justice and reconciliation, working tirelessly to heal divisions, relieve suffering, and rebuild trust.

That strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we may courageously climb the “high mountains” of our daily lives, proclaiming the Good News of comfort and salvation to those we encounter.

For those burdened by despair, grief, illness or guilt: that they may be led on the path of the healing and peace of Jesus Christ. 

That those who have gone before us in faith may rest forever in the comforting embrace of our Heavenly Father’s eternal life and peace, especially N.

Heavenly Father, you know the burdens we carry and the longing we have for Your comfort. Hear these prayers we bring before You. Renew, restore, and guide us along Your path of peace. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Immaculate Conception 2024 - Preparation for a life of grace

 Now in our second week of the Holy Season of Advent, we celebrate this great solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We celebrate today, how from the very first moment of her existence, from the moment she was the tiniest of babies in the womb of her mother, God gave Mary a special gift: God protected Mary from the corrupting influences of evil—what we call the stain of sin. That’s what the word immaculate means—without sin. God made Mary immaculate—without stain. 

Why did God do this? Out of all the human beings in history, why did God give this special grace to Mary?

He did it to prepare her for the special role she would have in our salvation. God preserved Mary from the stain of sin to prepare her to be his earthly mother—when he would take on our human flesh in order to save us from our sins.

For remember, in God there is no evil. In God there is no selfishness, no spite, no hateful intentions, no pride, lust nor greed. There is only goodness and love. God is entirely holy. 

And God wants us to be holy as well. This is why he took our flesh—to save us from the sin that corrupts and debilitates us and causes us to be separated from Him and hinders his life of goodness and love in us. Sin weakens our wills, darkens our intellect, and diminishes the unity of body and soul. Sin is never good for us. Sin sets our minds and our hearts and our bodies and our willpower at odds with God who is the highest good. 

And so God, saving Mary from the stain of sin, is like a beautiful glimpse of what He desires to do in the life of every person. Through Jesus, God wants to save us from the terrible effects of sin—sin that causes us to fall so short of what God designed us to be—beacons of his goodness, love, and glory.

So God made Mary immaculate from the moment of her conception to prepare her to be the mother of the savior. 

This is a wonderful feast to celebrate during Advent, which itself is a season of preparation. Mary’s Immaculate Conception reminds us that God is at work in our lives to prepare us to more deeply receive Jesus, to celebrate his birth, for a life of grace, and to prepare us from his second coming 

The question is, will we make use of the graces God gives us or not? That’s up to us. Will we make good use of this sacred time? Or will we squander it on selfish pursuits?

Pope John Paul II, nearly 30 years ago now, spoke about how Mary’s immaculate conception helps us during Advent to prepare for Christmas. He said,  “This important Marian feast occurs during Advent, a season of watchful and prayerful preparation for Christmas. She, who knew better than anyone how to wait attentively for the Lord, guides us and shows us how to make more vital and active our journey to the Holy Night of Bethlehem. With her, we spend these weeks in prayer and, guided by her bright star, hasten to make the spiritual journey that will lead us to celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation with greater intensity.”

To prepare well for Christmas by imitating the Blessed Virgin Mary, we can focus on three key aspects of her life: her purity, her faith, and her availability to God's will.

Firstly, Mary’s Immaculate Conception reminds us of the importance of purity—not just physical purity, but purity of heart. This Advent, we can strive for greater purity by seeking God’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Removing the stains of sin from our own souls allows us to be more open to God’s grace. Like Mary, we are called to be temples of the Holy Spirit, radiating God's love and goodness to those around us. So, set aside time for a thorough examination of conscience and make a good confession before Christmas.

Secondly, Mary’s life was marked by her unwavering faith in God’s promises. She trusted that God’s plan for her was good, even when it seemed beyond her understanding. We, too, are invited to deepen our trust in God’s providence, especially in the midst of uncertainty. During Advent, as we await the coming of the Lord, let us renew our confidence that God is working in our lives, even in hidden ways. Spend time each day in Scripture, particularly the Gospels, meditating on God’s promises and allowing His Word to strengthen your faith.

Thirdly, Mary’s fiat—her “yes” to God—which we heard in today’s Gospel, is the model of Christian discipleship. She was completely open to God’s will, setting aside her own plans to serve His purpose. During Advent, we can imitate Mary’s availability by listening more attentively to God in prayer and being willing to say “yes” to the opportunities He places before us to love and serve others.  Begin each day with a prayer of surrender, asking God to show you how you can serve Him and others that day. Look for concrete ways to be generous, especially toward those in need.

In this season of preparation, let us ask Mary, the Immaculate Conception, to guide us. Through her intercession, may we open our hearts to God’s grace, grow in holiness, and be ready to welcome Jesus with joy at Christmas and at His second coming. By imitating her purity, faith, and availability, we can make our lives a dwelling place for Christ, just as Mary did. Amen.

1st Week of Advent 2024 - Wednesday - Promise and fulfillment

 Advent invites us to marvel at a profound mystery: the mystery of how the promises of God in the Old Testament are revealed and accomplished in the person and work of Jesus.

In our first reading from Isaiah, the prophet speaks of a vision of extraordinary hope. He proclaims that on God’s holy mountain, the Lord will provide a feast of rich food and choice wines—not just for Israel but for all peoples. This feast symbolizes abundance, joy, and the fulfillment of all human longings. But it is more than just a meal. It is the promise of salvation itself: The Lord will destroy death forever. He will wipe away every tear. He will remove the reproach that veils all peoples.

This prophecy is a vision of a world redeemed, a world where the burdens of sin, death, and sorrow are no more. It is a promise of God’s boundless care for humanity, a care that embraces every nation and every person. Isaiah calls us to rejoice and trust in this God who has pledged to save us.

In today’s Gospel, we see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise. Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, ascends a mountain—just as Isaiah foretold. There, great crowds gather, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the mute, and the sick. Jesus heals them all, restoring not only their bodies but also their dignity. The crowds are amazed, and they glorify the God of Israel. Here we see Isaiah’s prophecy in action: the removal of suffering and the transformation of lives.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He turns to his disciples and expresses compassion for the crowd, saying, “I do not want to send them away hungry.” With seven loaves and a few fish, Jesus provides an abundant meal, satisfying the hunger of thousands. This miraculous feeding is a foretaste of the eternal banquet promised by Isaiah, the feast where all will be satisfied.

Advent is a season of promise and fulfillment. It is a time to reflect on how God’s promises are being fulfilled in Christ and in our lives. Isaiah’s vision and Jesus’ actions call us to trust in God’s providence, to open our hearts to His abundant care, and to respond with gratitude and faith.

But there is more. Just as Jesus involved his disciples in the feeding of the crowd—asking them to bring the loaves and fish and distribute the food—so too does He involve us in His mission. We are called to be participants in the fulfillment of God’s promises.

How can we bring healing to the suffering? How can we share what we have with those in need? How can we reflect the compassion and generosity of Christ in our daily lives? How can we bear the message of salvation to others?

As we journey through Advent, let us rejoice in the God who fulfills His promises, who provides for all peoples, and who calls us to share in His mission of love and salvation for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in God’s abundant care and the fulfillment of His promises in Jesus Christ, let us bring our prayers and petitions before Him.

For the Church: That she may always proclaim the hope of God’s promises and lead all peoples to the abundant feast of Christ’s love and mercy.

For world leaders: That they may work to remove the burdens of suffering, poverty, and division, and foster a world of justice and peace where all can flourish.

For the poor and hungry: That they may experience the providence of God through the generosity and compassion of His people, especially during this Advent season.

For the sick and suffering: That they may find healing and comfort in the care of others and in the compassionate love of Christ, who restores all things.

For all disciples of Christ: That we may trust in God’s promises and actively participate in His mission by bringing healing, hope, and abundance to those in need.

For our departed loved ones: That they may rejoice forever in the eternal banquet of God’s heavenly kingdom, especially N.

Loving Father, you are faithful to your promises and generous in your care for us. Hear our prayers and grant what we ask in faith, through Christ Our Lord.

December 3 2024 - St. Francis Xavier - The Advent Mission

 On just the second weekday of Advent this year, we wear not Advent purple, but white, as we celebrate the obligatory memorial of a saint of the Church, St. Francis Xavier: a reminder, that the purpose of the season of Advent is to make us saints. The purpose of the Advent solemnity—Advent prayer, Advent charitable-giving, is to make us saints, to curb and convert our selfishness and self-absorption, into Christ-like selflessness and concern for the Other.

St. Francis Xavier was filled with zeal for what we might call, the Advent mission—helping others prepare their hearts to receive Christ. Francis Xavier was a Jesuit priest sent by the founder of his Order, St. Ignatius of Loyola, to evangelize pagan India. There he worked in hospitals, taught the catechism, and preached the Gospel. He also traveled to many of the islands around India, and as far as Japan and the Philippines, and is called the first apostle to the Philippines.  

In the course of only 10 years of missionary work, he baptized over 80,000 people. 

Francis Xavier engaged in missionary work because Christ himself was sent as a missionary by the Father for the work of salvation. This is the Advent mission—to prepare our hearts to receive Christ and to help others prepare their hearts as well. 

Consider how our readings today speak to the missionary dimension of the Christian life.

In our first reading, Isaiah speaks of a world transformed by the coming of the Messiah, a world where natural enemies live in harmony, and peace reigns over the earth. The Messiah was sent as a missionary to inaugurate a new reign of peace. St. Francis Xavier continued that mission, and all Christians are called to continue that mission, of leading souls to the peace of Christ. 

The psalm deepens this theme by extending the reign of God’s justice and peace. “He shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.” St. Francis Xavier cared for the sick and the poor, he preached to the unevangelized to help rescue those in the poverty of sin. Likewise, we extend the reign of the Prince of Peace, when we teach and preach and attend to the poor and afflicted.

In the Gospel, Jesus rejoices that the mysteries of God are revealed to the childlike. Here again is the missionary work—to reveal to the childlike the mysteries of God. But at the same time, we must maintain that childlike spirit—that joyful trust in the Lord which is cultivated through Advent prayer and Advent charity.

It was this childlike faith—a trust in the Father’s plan and a willingness to go wherever the Spirit led—that made St. Francis Xavier such a powerful missionary. He rejoiced in his share of Christ’s mission, seeing each soul brought to baptism as a fulfillment of the Father’s gracious will.

The word of God, and the holy example of this missionary saint, should deepen our desire to share the peace and goodness of Christ with others. May our hearts burn with zeal for the spread of Christ’s kingdom—his justice and peace, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Confident in the Lord’s love and inspired by the example of the saints, let us offer our prayers and petitions for the needs of the Church and the world.

For the Church, that during this Advent season she may inspire all the faithful to embrace missionary zeal, preparing their hearts and the hearts of others to receive Christ.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, for the Jesuit Order’s faithfulness to the mission of Christ, and through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, all missionaries and those who proclaim the Gospel, may may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to carry forward the mission of Christ with courage, faith, and love.

For peace in our world, that the reign of Christ’s justice and harmony, foretold by the prophet Isaiah, may be realized in every nation and among all people.

For all who have yet to encounter the joy of the Gospel, that through the witness of faithful Christians, they may come to know the peace and goodness of Christ.

For those who are poor, sick, or afflicted, that they may experience the healing and comforting presence of Christ through the care and compassion of His followers.

For the souls of the faithful departed, that they may rejoice forever in the glory of God’s kingdom.

Heavenly Father, through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, grant us the grace to embrace our Advent mission, deepening our faith and extending Your love to the ends of the earth. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

1st Week of Advent 2024 - Monday - Climbing the Mountain

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the world and my soul will be healed.” 

How appropriate, that right at the beginning of Advent, we have this profound statement of humble faith of the Roman Centurion. “Lord, I am not worthy”

On one hand, these words confess our unworthiness to receive the holy one. Our lives our full of so many imperfections, so much weakness, that the words of St. Peter would be more appropriate, no? “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” I have so often turned away from grace, turned away from goodness. I am not worthy.

And yet, Advent celebrates that the Lord comes to us, draws near to us, not only despite our unworthiness, but because of it. We celebrate that God desires not that the sinner should perish, but that he might have eternal life. And so rather than turning away from us in disgust, God draws near to us, and becomes one of us.

In the reading from Isaiah, not only Isaiah, but all nations joyfully stream toward the Lord who has made his dwelling upon the holy mountain. During Advent, we celebrate how the Lord draws near to us, but also recognize that we must do our part to climb the Lord’s mountain, in order to draw near to him, and that is a source of great joy.

What are some ways we can draw near to the Lord this Advent?

Like the Centurion, we do well to make a confession of our unworthiness. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a beautiful way to prepare for the coming of Christ. By acknowledging our sins and receiving God’s forgiveness, we make room for His grace.

The words of the Centurion are also echoed in every Mass: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof”. Participating in every daily mass we can is one of the most profound ways we can enter climb the mountain of the Lord during Advent. For at Mass, we hear the voice of the Lord in our Advent scripture readings, and we are able to draw as close as we possibly can to the Lord while we are still on earth, in the worthy reception of Holy Communion.

Isaiah speaks of all nations streaming toward the Lord. We certainly grow in the Advent spirit when we help others draw near to the Lord as well: inviting them to mass, to prayer, to scripture study, and reaching out in love and generosity and small acts of kindness.

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord, that we may meet the Lord in love and joy, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.


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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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 bring 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.

 

December 18 2023 - King of Kings & Emmanuel

 Yesterday, began “late Advent” the seven days leading up to Christmas.

Where the first part of Advent focused on the coming of Christ and the need to prepare our hearts and lives for his coming, Late Advent focuses on the identify of the Christ Child, particularly as he is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

Several promises are contained in our scripture readings today.

Firstly, in the Jeremiah reading, we hear the promise of a righteous king from the line of David. The Davidic kings were not always righteous men, they were sometimes even quite despicable. Some of them were outright idolators, whose false worship brought terrible ruin to Israel. Injustice ran rampant under these immoral, greedy, blood thirsty kings. Yet, Israel possessed a hope in God’s promise of a king who would establish justice, whose kingdom would last forever.

The child born at Christmas is that promised king. The king of kings of who establishes the “eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace.” The Church established by the Christ is the beginning of that Kingdom over which Christ our head rules. And the truth, life, holiness, grace, and justice, love, and peace of that kingdom can be seen in the life of the Church.

In the Gospel, we heard how the Christ child would be the fulfillment of another promise, two promises, actually. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” The first promise is that, a virgin would bear a son. The king of kings would be born of a virgin. That’s how you’ll know him. And the second, is that he shall be called Emmanuel—God is with us. 

Now, Israel believe this child would just be a sign that God was with his people. But we know, that he is more than that. He is not just a sign that God is with his people, he is God with us. He is God incarnate. God takes flesh in Christ, and fulfills his promises in a way that is greater than Israel first conceived. 

Over these final Advent days, cultivate a real appreciation for the ways God fulfills his promises in Christ and their relevance for the life of the Church and for the good of mankind. This will help you to deepen your love and gratitude for him, and to share the good news of his birth with others for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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 bring 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.

2nd Week of Advent 2023 - Friday - Games people play

There is a famous book on human psychology published back in the 1960s called “Games People Play.”  The book isn’t talking about board games like monopoly or trivial pursuit, or children’s games like hop-scotch or kick the can.  The book explains the often selfish and manipulative "games" adults play with each other in their interpersonal relationships. Think of a boss who throws tantrums in order to get his employees to do his bidding, or a beautiful woman using her voluptuousness to get what she wants.

We even play games with ourselves—little lies we tell ourselves in order to justify certain behavior:  “I’m so stressed, I deserve to eat an entire carton of cookie dough ice cream. Or, I had such a hard day, I deserve to have six whiskies.” We dismiss what is wise in exchange for the foolish games because foolishness provides more immediate gratification--certainly a characteristic of our fallen nature.

In the Gospel today, Jesus talks about playing games with God.  He describes the behavior of his generation as a bunch of children playing games in the street instead of taking the word of God seriously; they are foolishly parading through life, mocking Christ’s message instead of heeding the message, seeking to understand Christ’s wisdom.

In our own day, many have turned Advent and Christmas into just another game, just another form of entertainment. The music, the lights, the gifts, and the parties are part of an annual parade for our enjoyment. 

Rather, the Church’s observance of Advent invites the worldly—the game players—to a deeper understanding and experience of God. There is more to Christmas than Christmas-flavored gratification and trying to trigger childlike-wonder through nostalgia. Advent echoes the call of the Gospel to something more than what the world offers—more than all of those social games we play in order to feel better about ourselves. Advent is the call to turn away from all of those things in order to encounter God. 

But this is not simply an invitation to the non-believer. Christians too do well to examine the games we play with God, our neighbor, and ourselves. What lies do I tell myself in order not to pray as much as I should? What lies do I tell myself in order to indulge in sinful behavior? What lies do I tell myself in order not to serve the mission of the Church as much as I should? What lies do I tell myself in order not to reach out to the estranged and the lonely?

Advent involves the call to deeper conversion for all people. May the Holy Spirit lead us to the change of heart, the change of attitude, the change of behavior God wants for us, that conforming our lives to Christ, we may bear his truth and love to all the word, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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 bring 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.

2nd Week of Advent 2023 - Monday - Advent Charity

 On the feast of Christ the King, just prior to the beginning of Advent, we heard the great parable of the sheep and the goats being separated one from another—judged on the criteria of their charity or lack thereof. Christ will return at the end of time and we will be judged—did we love or not.

But God does not does expect us to do something that He himself has not done. In fact, recall the scripture that God is love. Deus Caritas Est. We are to love because we were made to do so. We were made in the image of the One who is love—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a communion of life and love.

In the Isaiah reading today, we hear of God coming to the rescue of the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the mute. He restores them to life out of love. He restores creation making it safe from vicious jackals and tepid marshes out of love. He makes it a place where those he has ransomed out of love can sing in peace and joy. Isaiah foretells that God will come to the aid of his people to save us from sin and death. His motivation is love.

And so in the Gospel, we hear the Lord praising the charity, the love, of the friends of the paralyzed. Aware of their friend’s misery, these friends use their hands and feet to overcome obstacles to bring their friend to the Lord. They go to what many might think to be excessive ends—climbing to the top of a roof—in order to bring their friend close to Jesus, and they do so out of love.

Advent calls us to love—to go to excessive ends to bring relief to the blind, deaf, lame, mute, poor, and paralyzed—to the physically helpless and afflicted. But also, to the spiritually helpless and afflicted—those afflicted with atheism, doubt, discouragement, confusion, error, malaise, and even pride—to bring them close to Jesus if we can. And we do so out of love—love for them and love for God.

And when we are faithful to the call to love, we are transformed by love into love growing in likeness to the one we prepare to celebrate at Christmas, then one who will judge us at the end of our lives for our charity. Salvation and the Christian life means entering into the life of God who is love, allowing our conversations, decisions, work and leisure to be animated by love for the glory of God and the 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 Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces and for an increase in charity among all the people of God, that cleansed of every vain and selfish desire we may be instruments of the love of God. 

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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 bring 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.

December 6 2023 - St. Nicholas - An Exemplary Advent Saint

Today we honor a saint whose feast always falls early on in Advent, the great bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas. Nicholas is a wonderful Advent saint for us to celebrate, for Nicholas exemplifies some of the important Advent virtues—virtues that we are to cultivate and practice throughout Advent.

Firstly, Nicholas was known for his generosity. There is the well-known story of how Nicholas threw bags of gold through the open window of an impoverished family. Here are certainly the origins of our modern day notion of Santa Claus with his bags of gifts. But Nicholas didn’t have magical elves to fabricate gifts or money out of thin air. Nicholas gave of his own earthly treasure, to ease the sufferings of others. He was attentive of the needs of the poor, he showed concern for strangers, he gave of his own livelihood, and he did so, anonymously, without the expectation of being thanked or praised. We too are to practice Nicholas-like generosity during Advent.

Secondly, Nicholas was known for his dedication to truth, his sound doctrine. As a bishop, Nicholas was present at the Council of Nicaea, when the Church was gathered to address the growing error of Arius, who claimed that Christ was not fully God, neither coeternal nor consubstantial with the Father. 

But Nicholas had sought the truth and knew his duty to proclaim the truth. On the floor of the Council of Nicaea, in front of all of his brother bishops, even knowing that some of them had been persuaded by the errors of Arius, Nicholas defended the true faith that Jesus Christ, is the Word Made Flesh, and true savior of the world.

During Advent, we too are to seek the truth and proclaim the truth. We pray that people without faith, through our example, will come to seek the truth of the one born in Bethlehem, who He truly is. For, Advent and Christmas for so many people have become Christ-less. Advent is filled with everything but Christ. The world is impoverished, spiritually, due to its faithlessness and error. 

And so during Advent, the Church, by her prayer, and worship, and good works, and study of the scriptures, helps the world rediscover the reason for the season, to reclaim the riches of preparing for Christ to enter more deeply into our lives. But like Nicholas, we must be people of sound doctrine, committed to the truth of Christ—true God and true man, savior, and Lord. 

The prayers of the Mass today refer to St. Nicholas as a powerful helper.  In the Opening Prayer we prayed that “by the help of St. Nicholas keep us safe from all danger.”  His example, his virtues, and his heavenly intercession help to protect us from the dangers of selfishness, self-absorption, and error. By his help may we be filled, like him, with the generosity, love, compassionate concern for others, sound doctrine and truth of Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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 bring 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.

1st Week of Advent 2023 - Tuesday - The Peace we long for

 During the season of Advent we recall the promises of God—promises God has communicated to humanity through his prophets—promises to fulfill our deepest needs and longings—the promise of peace, salvation, and eternal life. Particularly, we read extensively through the eloquent writings of the prophet Isaiah. 

In today’s passage from Isaiah, we hear promises of peace that will be established through the anointed one—the savior. 

And this peace is profound and supernatural—something only God could accomplish: Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the baby goat; The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair. 

Again, this is a peace only God can accomplish. No amount of animal training or human ingenuity can make it completely safe for a baby to play in a cobra’s den. A wolf, if he gets hungry enough, will eventually devour the lamb. 

However, God promises that his anointed one—his Christ—will establish something new—not only protection for the weak, vulnerable, and innocent lambs, baby goats, and human infants from the fierce, deadly powers, but a newfound peace. 

What a promise! The world is filled—our lives are filled with so much strife, jealousy, violence, fear, destruction, family and national division—strife crushes us. There is so much suffering we don’t even think about it, we can’t—the innocent children who suffer in our own neighborhood, let alone around the world—it is so immense, that we feel helpless to do anything about it. 

Advent focuses our attention on the one who can. The one who is able to accomplish the things that are impossible for man—the things that are hidden even from the wise and the learned. The one who can bring peace because He is both God and man. 

And God’s promises are made known to us, that we may believe in them, and pursue them, to align ourselves with them, and the one who alone can fulfill them. 

The secular humanists and materialists will insist that man can obtain peace for himself—just the right set of political and socio-economic policies, the right scientific breakthrough and new technology and we can create utopia for ourselves. But human attempts will always fail to achieve what we most deeply long for—God Himself. And that’s the promise of Advent: God comes to us, so prepare your hearts to receive Him, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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 bring 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.