Claire Smith

Scripture:

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
Luke 1:5-25

Reflection:

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.” Luke 1:13

As Christmas Day draws near, the Church invites us to tap into our deepest hopes for new life. Today’s Scripture thrusts us into the lives of two families that had remained faithful to God. Both longed to have children. One had not given up hope, and the other had resigned itself to being childless.

The human heart has longings and desires that may never be realized. When we are young, we long to be older and we long to be “someone.” We look at the things that may make us happy, successful and secure, like a fulfilling career, a family and a peaceful community. When some of these longings are lacking, it seems that our life is unfulfilled, no matter how good everything else is.

In our Mass readings for today, we have the tale of two families. Both families seemed to have good lives. Both families were faithful to God. In fact, Zechariah was a priest with privileges. He was chosen to enter the Sanctuary of the temple and burn incense. But in both families, there was one thing lacking: children. That longing for children had never left them, as good as their lives were.

Then God broke into their lives. Once God brought new life into their world, their lives changed. God’s gift to them came with responsibilities. For so many of us, the experience of God transforms our lives. We become more aware of our frailties and much more aware of God’s love.

In our Christmas preparations, it is very easy to lose touch with our deepest longings and our greatest desires. We become overwhelmed with the superficial wrapping of the Christmas season. But every so often, we stop to take a deep breath and enjoy a quiet moment. It is then that we allow the unfilled longings to come to the front. And it is precisely there, where we encounter God. This is when new life happens! This is when we experience Christmas.

May we never be so busy this Christmas that we don’t recognize when God answers our deepest longings!

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Christ the King Community in Citrus Heights, California. 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 23:5-8
Matthew 1:18-25

Reflection:

Today’s Advent gospel highlights the role of Joseph in the birth of Jesus. Indeed, whilst we often reflect on the fact that Mary shows us a model of discipleship that totally opens itself to God’s will, it is also true to say that Joseph shows us a model of discipleship that can also touch our lives very deeply.

So today, let us reflect on this silent, faithful servant and his part in welcoming Jesus into our world.

Firstly, we can note most of all that Joseph did not insist on his own will, and in fact cooperated with God’s mysterious and seemingly unimaginable plan. In this sense, Joseph made himself vulnerable before God’s will.  And ‘vulnerability’, writes Brené Brown in Daring Greatly,  is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want to find a greater depth and meaning in our spiritual lives, then vulnerability is an excellent starting point and can be  the foundation of all the above emotions and feelings which we bring to our service of God.

Secondly let us notice that Joseph is resolute and committed. He listens and acts on his deep intuition (imaged in the fact that all his message come in ‘dreams’). He is collaborative. He is compassionate. He is loyal in the face of possible ridicule.

A further aspect of Joseph’s response to God is his great silence. He does not say a single word or make any kind of statement in the gospels. He is deeply receptive and his witness is one of a listening heart and  a contemplative stance.

Then we might notice his age. At least tradition tells us that he was somewhat older than Mary (who is depicted as a young mother). In this sense we have an image of discipleship revealed to us by an elderly person; one who is faithful and still close to God despite all the struggles that life has offered. Joseph joins characters like Simeon and Anna who will also have a part to play in the infancy narratives, in demonstrating for us that older people can and do show us the way to Christ and reveal him to us.

Joseph also shows us the dignity of labour. He was not just a carpenter, rather he was a ‘builder’ since in biblical times carpenters did not just make the furniture, they often made the house too. We see him as the instructor of Jesus and we see the impact on Jesus of Joseph’s example in the way Jesus himself later speaks and teaches  – e.g. with references to “splinters in one’s eye” and “drawing up plans for a tower”. We can note too that Joseph builds up the Kingdom of God by the labour of his hands no less than by the example of his life and faith.

Finally, in Joseph we see a witness to the importance of fatherhood and to the importance of wider family life in giving a young person a stable life platform. We see this reflected in Jesus life too – his attitude to women, his ease with children, his ‘at homeness’ in others’ houses and in mixed company. All this I think can be related back to the example of Joseph as a man, a husband and as one who humbly took upon himself the role of ‘father’ to Jesus.

Let us imitate his witness and example.

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.  He currently serves on the General Council and is stationed in Rome.

Scripture:

Numbers 3:1-2, 9-13
Matthew 21:28-32

Reflection:

As we prepare once again to celebrate the birth of the Messiah our first scripture reading takes us back to the moment the Hebrew people completed the 40 year journey through the Sinai desert from Mt. Horeb and arrived at the plain of Moab. Before they could move into the Promised Land they would have to fight the Moabites. Barak, the Moabite king, seeks out a locally well-known prophet, Balaam, son of Beor, to curse the invaders. To the surprise and consternation of Barak, rather than cursing them, Balaam utters blessings.

In the first oracle Balaam blesses the Israelite people spread out in the plain below. He says they are like gardens watered by a stream or tall cedars planted by God. Their wells will provide free flowing water and the sea will open ways to prosperity. Their leader will rise ever higher and his family will be exalted. For us today we are reminded that Jesus came from a blessed people, that he was formed by his synagogue in Nazareth, and by the temple worship and sacrifice in Jerusalem. Circumcised on the eighth day he bore in his body the mark of his Hebrew heritage. Mary taught him his first prayers and Joseph and Mary introduced him to the annual Passover celebration in Jerusalem. Today the Church says that Christians should not actively pursue the conversion of Jews. God will save them through the covenant he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and renewed on Mt. Sinai before the people entered the Promised Land.

The second oracle is mysterious. Far in the future (not now, not near) Balaam sees someone who advances like a star or a staff rising. He sees the star and staff coming from Jacob (Israel). Such portents indicate that the Israelite people have god’s blessing and the Moabites will not be able to block their advance. Looking back two thousand years we have a clearer understanding of the prophecy. It wasn’t David or Solomon or any subsequent king that Balaam dimly saw. The star is Jesus and with his help (the symbolized by the staff) we can walk the way he leads us.

Jesus is rooted in the hopes and expectations of his people. He is the Messiah, the anointed one who reestablishes the Kingdom. May we enter deeply into this time of waiting and experience once again the mystery of Divine Birth.

 

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

The Third Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:10-18

Reflection:

Our readings for the 3^rd Sunday of Advent reflect beautifully the theme for this day when we light our Pink candle signifying Joy! Phrases like: Shout for joy; Sing joyfully; Cry out with joy and gladness; all point the way to the something new and mighty soon to arrive on the scene. And in the context of the world we inhabit today, I might add that it is a very timely reminder that the Good News cannot be drowned out—even now.

Our Gospel picks up a few verses beyond last Sunday with the prophet Isaiah: a voice crying out ………..heralding that all flesh will see the salvation of God ….. straight paths, hills and valleys becoming level. Something new is arriving and the crowds seem to be caught up in this wave of anticipation. We read that the people were filled with expectation having heard these Messianic verses and they wonder if John is the Messiah.  In what seems like a wonderful reflection of the baptism of repentance which John performed, the first reading from the prophet Zephaniah confirms this notion that the “Lord has removed the judgement against you.”

In preparation for this coming of the Messiah they questioned John, “What should we do?” His answer is to share what you have—live in awareness of your brother or sister’s need. Plain and simple; John’s teaching is an opportunity for us to share so as not to be possessed by our possessions. It is an invitation to become a community taking care of each other and living in God’s justice together.

We live only 80 miles from the recent terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California an event which has caused great pain and suffering. Our hearts go out to those who are affected by such a senseless, violent act. For the rest of us, tragic events like these can rattle nerves, rob us of our sense of security and take away our peace. If we are not careful, fear can enter and take a foothold. The readings remind us that we must not fear or be discouraged. God is our mighty savior who rejoices over us with gladness and renews us in his love.

Paul calls us to rejoice always. He wrote this letter while in prison in Rome before being put to death. Yet, he doubly reminds us, rejoice! Let your kindness to known to all, he enjoins us to have no anxiety at all; and follows up with how we are to pray in these situations when fear beckons. Why? Because the Lord is near! The context in which he was writing makes a serious statement of surrender under any circumstance and is a good lesson for us to ponder.

We know that we cannot control much of what can happen and yet somehow we are seduced into imagining that we can.

“Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him” Sirach 15:17

Are we to share our cloak and our food with those who need it in our world or hide in fear? Brothers and sisters, the truth is that we are always called to choose life and break through our fears. This quote I discovered by Pope Francis speaks practical advice to us:

“You will find life by giving life, hope by giving hope, love by giving love.”

Come, Lord Jesus, come mighty savior with your Holy Spirit and fire, renew us in your love. Remove the chaff from our lives so that we may bear fruit that will last and live in your peace which surpasses all understanding. Amen.
Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Scripture:

Zechariah 2:14-17 or Revelation 11:119a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Luke 1:26-38 or 1:39-47

Reflection:

Let’s bring to prayer our present reality these dramatic and historical apparitions of Mary, the Mother of God, at the hill of Tepeyac (located in the present Mexico City) from the 9th – 12th, December, 1531 to  a native convert, St. Juan Diego. His name in native Chichimecan translates as “the eagle who speaks.”

Our Lady appeared four times to him. She appeared in an area know as “de Guadalupe,” meaning “she will crush the server of stone.” She appeared at the time of the terroristic Spanish annihilation of the native peoples of the region.

Through the incredulity-to-believability shown by Juan Diego, the message to the indigenous poor of Mexico and, subsequently, to the whole of North America, was “am I not here? I who am your mother? And, are you not under my shadow and my protection?”

While the Church in Mexico owed its foundation to the direct intervention by the Mother of God, is it not most relevant now in this world-wide threat of terror to speak of Our Lady’s role in forging a new people – a mestizo people (mixture/blend).

In meditation, this interpretation of the apparitions can affirm the continuation of native values, and social customs. It affirms the voice of Mary to women of color the world over, affording them personal dignity and respect, and, for immigrants and refugees alike the promise of sharing in the wealth and security of our country without a loss of national pride nor ethnic identity.

For those non-Hispanics the apparitions and message of our Blessed Mother remind us that one time there were no national boundaries dividing people of the Americas. In the apparition of Guadalupe, Our Lady promises to be the Mother of all who dwell in the land without borders.

Is this the Church in the world as it exists now? A spiritual and virtual borderless place of mercy, compassion, and equity.

As an out-grown from our prayer today, make a resolution, when in public to take the initiative and meet and greet the one who crosses your path, who obviously is different than you are. Is this individual, habitual act an act counter to terrorism (breeding fear and division). As the Church is living stones, so we build through inclusion of all, or else the building is not complete according to the Plan of God. Build relationships, not walls.

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president emeritus of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Scripture:

Isaiah 41:13-20
Matthew 11:11-15

Reflection:

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.”

It’s hard to believe this statement was written 2000 years ago, given what is happening in our world today. From the birthplaces of Christianity, to Africa, to European nations, to the cities of our own country, we are engulfed in violence. Not only is violence committed against religion but it is too often committed in the name of religion or by fanatics who distort the religion they claim to represent. Commonly, innocent people are targeted as they go about their daily lives, shopping, eating, seeing a movie, going to school, or just walking down the street. It seems that no one is safe anywhere.

In the midst of this violence, Pope Francis declares a Year of Mercy. How can we bring God’s Mercy to bear? How can we proclaim our faith in the face of senseless aggression, killing, and violence? Gandhi gave us a clue when he said, “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear.”

As a nation, I believe the worst thing we can do is over-react out of fear. Japanese-Americans have nightmarish memories of being confined to camps during World War II based solely on their cultural origin. Yet there are calls to figuratively or literally do the same to Muslims, based solely on their faith. Then go on to condemn desperate families fleeing from war, rape, and horrific treatment. We are told to cower in fear, judging anyone whose skin color, culture, or religious beliefs are different. Slam and lock the doors, forget about your neighbor, and refuse to help anyone but your own.

This may give the appearance of safety. But it does not give security. It breeds more fear, and generates more violence.

So on the national level, I send donations of money, clothing, and food to organizations that support and re-settle refugees in our county. I have also written to my senators and representatives to plead for reason and well-considered responses instead of gut reactions. With each move, I pray that hearts may change and our leaders will have the wisdom to know how to proceed.

On a personal level, often the most effective tool against fear is understanding and personal engagement. I was seated by a young female maître’d wearing a Muslim headscarf. I thanked her for having the courage to profess her faith in public and showed her the cross around my own neck. Tears welled up in her eyes. She told me she never goes a day without facing hateful stares, hand gestures, and even spitting, insults she endures as gracefully as she can. Then she said, “I wish people knew how much this violence breaks my heart, and how hard my Muslim community tries to bring peace and live out the real truths of our faith. It helps me to know there are good people in this world. Thank you so much.”

What can you do? Who can you reach out to? This Advent season, as we anticipate the incarnation of God into a refugee family whose rulers practiced a different faith from their own, may we live out the Mercy of our God and work to bring peace.

Amy Florian is a teacher and consultant working in Chicago.  For many years she has partnered with the Passionists.  Visit Amy’s website: http://www.corgenius.com/.

Scripture:

Isaiah 40:25-31
Matthew 11:28-30

Reflection:

Isaiah describes God’s work of delivering Israel as: making a highway through a transformed, beautiful desert. It is a safe route, and even fools can’t make a wrong turn! ‘It is for those who have a journey to make’ (Is. 35:8-9). As a community in preparation we have set out to celebrate the unfolding of our salvation. Our journey takes place during a season for distraction, but it is cushioned with beautiful readings and music.

Isaiah tries to convince Israel that their rough road will be smooth, ‘come, heed my words and let’s go’. We may be finding the opposite these days? We want to ‘do Advent’; we desire the grace of this season. Do the readings today know that we often find ourselves, not lost on the highway, (this can’t happen), but none the less a bit out of sorts, maybe disappointed by unrealized expectations, or having begun the Holy Year of Mercy, and feeling our Holy Door is the revolving type, we go in circles and are never quite sure as we begin the day in which direction we will be launched?

Today is the feast of Juan Diego. ‘My little Juan’ as Mary affectionately calls him. Did Mary see in Juan what the Father saw in Mary herself? Juan’s revolving door had shot him out as a follower of Jesus, in a culture greatly in flux. What intimacy and joy Juan receives as Mary focuses upon him. Through this humble man she embraces a whole people and leads them to her Son. There was a lot of Advent going on as Mary shows Juan what surrendering to God’s Will can accomplish!

Our worries, doubts, weariness and temptations are those of Israel. But we want to savor the gifts being given to us, our salvation and God’s creative love beyond expectation. About halfway through Advent God’s Word finds us as Mary found Juan. What advice do we weary travelers receive as we set out today?

The one you seek, ‘He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, 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. (Is.40:28-31).

We might ask, ‘What direction?’ as we come closer to our goal?’ ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light. (Mt. 12:28-30). Don’t give up, the best is yet to come.

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

Feast of The Immaculate Conception
Beginning the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Scripture:

Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11, 12
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

As I began to read today’s scripture, I thought about why Pope Francis chose the Feast of the Immaculate Conception to open the Year of Mercy.  Why not begin the year on the first Sunday of Advent or on January 1^st, and make it a calendar year?  However, I soon realized that this feast and today’s readings are filled with signs of God’s mercy.  In the first reading, God, in Divine Goodness, has created Adam and Eve and given them Paradise with just one rule to follow.  Afterwards how could God hold any mercy out to them (us) when they (we) couldn’t even follow one little command?  But God IS mercy and so really pulls out all the stops –  God gives his son to us.  The second reading elaborates on that gift, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ” and then our beautiful gospel tells us of the Angel’s visit to Mary.  Mary, this young girl, becomes the bearer of God’s mercy.  Wow!  She becomes the actual bearer of Jesus, who is God’s mercy for us.  Mary herself lives that mercy as she visits her cousin, Elizabeth, to help Elizabeth prepare for the birth of her child, John, and again, at the marriage feast at Cana as she asks Jesus to help the hosts.

Reading the scriptures and recalling our own lives, we know that our God is indeed a merciful God.  In fact, all of us and each of us are in need of forgiveness and of God’s love and mercy.  It is that very mercy that will enable us to see the love of God and be transformed by it.  It is that mercy that will help us understand God’s love and how we reflect that love when we show mercy to others.

Today as we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and as we open this jubilee, we look to Mary, the very bearer of God’s gift of mercy, his Son.  In Pope Francis’ words, “”We entrust it as of now to the Mother of Mercy, because she looks to us with her gaze and watches over our way.”

And our question for today and for the next year must be how can I, like Mary, be a bearer of mercy, how can I, like Jesus, show mercy to all – sinners and saints, rich and poor, those in need and those with whom I walk daily.  During this special year, may God’s mercy touch our hearts and through us touch the hearts of all we meet.  May God’s mercy transform us and through us, transform the world.

Mary Lou Butler is a long-time friend and partner in ministry to the Passionists in California.