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Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Because I was weak in Marian theology, when I was a student at C.T.U. I decided to do a research paper in Scripture about the Immaculate Conception. I won’t give you all my findings and history, but I want to proclaim the central idea that ran as a thread throughout the paper: God’s original grace is stronger than original sin. God’s grace in us supercedes and helps us overcome the effects of the fall with which we are all so familiar.

I want to describe grace as "God’s initiative." We heard in the second reading that God "chose us before the world began." Notice, it was not when we were baptized or ordained or surrendered to Jesus, no it was before all of that. God had us in mind and chose us before we were born. The emphasis is on his election not our actions or any deeds we have done.

We are celebrating today that God chose a humble handmaiden from all eternity. Her song is ours. The opening prayer asked us to trace her love in our lives. She is the first disciple and shows us how to follow Jesus.

I’ve led pilgrimages to Rome and studied there while on sabbatical. In Rome, I saw many works of art as well as churches.  Many churches have mosaics in their apses. For example, there are four major basilicas in Rome: one dedicated to Peter, one to Paul, one to John, and one to Mary. The one dedicated to Mary is the Church of St. Mary Major.

When I visited the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the glittering mosaic in the apse of the church struck me. It shows Christ the King and on his right hand sits Mary, his mother. He is putting a crown on her head. It is the coronation of Mary. Another famous artist, Michelangelo, painted The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. He shows Christ as judge, raising his right hand in stern judgment. Just to his right is the virgin with her face turned away from the damned since not even she can intercede for them now. My point is that many churches include Mary in a predominant place.

This brings to mind the story of James and John, the sons of thunder, as Jesus named them. They were seeking to sit at Jesus’ right and left when he came into his glory. Jesus replied that it is not his to give but is for those "whom the father has prepared it for beforehand." My personal opinion, like many artists, is that Mary will sit at Jesus’ right for all eternity, and Moses will occupy the place on his left.

In the first reading we heard about the fall of humanity: disobedience, a no, and the curse. Mary has reversed the curse by her obedience and her yes. She was chosen from all eternity. That’s grace. What’s more, she was preserved from sin so she could be a vessel of salvation. God’s grace was once again lavished upon her. She is truly "full of grace." By her yes, she reversed the curse and paved the way for a new humanity.

She was chosen. Ephesians tells us that we too were chosen. One version  says that we were "picked" by God. Think of it. You did not just "happen" upon your vocation…you were specially selected for it. God had a design for your life right from the beginning. That’s grace. Whenever we say "Yes" to God’s will and plan for our life, we further the Gospel and salvation in the world. The key is to be faithful where God has placed us, in our day and age, and keep surrendering our fiat to God.

Eucharist is all about celebration and surrender. We gather, like Mary, and celebrate the wonderful love of God at this table. We rejoice that original grace is more powerful than original sin. Because God has chosen and handpicked us from all those in the world, like Mary in the Magnificat, "our souls magnify the Lord and our spirits rejoice in God our savior!" With Mary, we offer ourselves to God, as we also do in the Kyrie. We surrender ourselves again, now, united with the forever fixed self-surrender of Jesus on the cross.

 

Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. is a missionary preacher, author of 13 books and creator of the TV program Live with Passion! airing in many cities. You can learn more about his ministry at: http://www.frcedric.org/

Scripture:

Isaiah 35:1-10
Luke 5:17-26

Reflection:

The reading for the 2^nd Monday of Advent is highly dramatic.  Jesus is preaching, teaching and healing in the synagogue in Capernaum.  Luke tells us that the fame of Jesus has spread and "teachers of the Law" were coming from every village of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem and were sitting around as Jesus continued his healing ministry.

There is a sudden interruption — noises came from the ceiling, followed by straw directly falling down around Jesus.  Soon, a large hole was opened and four men began lowering a stretcher to the feet of Jesus.

One glance revealed there was a young man on the stretcher, and his contorted arms made his paralysis evident to all.  What a stage for a miracle!  But much more was to happen.  Jesus will assert himself as much more than a preacher and healer.  He does that with his few opening words "My friend, your sins are forgiven you."

Consternation for the assembled rabbis!  "Who but God can forgive sins?"  Certainly a question to be asked.  And Jesus lets them know the answer.  "That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, pick up your stretcher and go home."  The unlearned went away saying "We have seen incredible things today."  They surely did!  They saw and heard Jesus reveal Himself as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

No matter what addiction may have paralyzed us, Jesus through his ministers can free us from our sins and restore our spiritual health.  That is certainly the lesson we are to draw from this Advent reading.  There has been born to us a Savior.  We need not break roofs and ceilings to find him.  He encounters us in every confessional.

 

Fr. Fred Sucher, C.P. is retired and lives in the Passionist community in Chicago.  For many years he taught philosophy to Passionist seminarians.  

Scripture:

Isaiah 26:1-6
Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Reflection:

The Word of Life

Out of chaos and darkness, came Creation with a zillion wonders of nature and humanity! Out of winter and the shortest days (and the daily stuff that we face) comes the beginning of the new reign of justice and harmony, and the intimacy of God in the Son. This Advent season, I want to get a "handle on" Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One, being reborn in me. I watch for images in the daily Word that indicate God’s leading me into this close relationship with the Son. Today, it is a city and a house. Fr. Martin Pable, OFM, helps me understand these images when he writes " There is the lofty city -one that exalts itself and trusts in its own resources; and a strong city – one that trusts in God and keeps faith." The house built on rock is the Word upon which I trust, to act for the sake of the new kingdom. During Advent I want to strengthen the discipline of paying close attention to the Word, trusting that even in the most difficult situations and temptations, these can be opportunities to rediscover deeper within, His presence. The God of the Universe willed the Son into life, in an utterly simple, and humble way. Does God lead me beyond what I want, to what is right and just? Do I want today to do the Will that brings to birth, yet again, the Spirit of Jesus for the world? We have control of working with our inner life. It is the discipline of Advent.

 

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

Reflection:

This past week during the Thanksgiving holidays, I visited a Holocaust memorial.  The physical size of this memorial was quite small, yet what most etched in my mind were the images of human figures.  These figures consisted of perhaps a dozen men and women painted from head to toe in solid white color. They were lying on concrete, representative of a Nazi gas chamber.  The figures to me appeared powerless, frail and innocent.  The memorial certainly reflected how the victims were caught up in a reality much greater than that small space.  Indeed, they were innocent and they were victims.

I’ve been thinking about this as we have entered this Advent season, because most of the Old Testament readings this week have been from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  Today’s first reading is no different.  Isaiah is speaking directly to the Jews who were left in Jerusalem during the Babylonian exile. Recall that the Babylonians took most of the elite, including the educated and wealthy members of Jewish society back to Babylon with them.  However not all of the Jews were exiled to Babylon.  How difficult it must have been for those remaining in Jerusalem.  Their city was in shambles.  Their Temple was destroyed. And they had lost everything the Lord had promised and given to their ancestors:  the covenant, the Promised Land, the monarchy, the Temple and the law.  How disheartening this must have been not only to have let down the Lord, but also to lose everything your forefathers had worked for.  There must have been tremendous shame and humiliation among the people of Israel.   Much like the Holocaust memorial, the victims left in Jerusalem were caught up in a reality much greater than they understood.  And so it is to these people that Isaiah speaks.

Notice he does not speak any words of shame or ridicule.  He speaks strongly about the persistent presence of the Lord God.  He speaks of God’s generosity, God’s immense presence, God’s abundance, and God’s gentle voice.  He speaks of God bringing better days ahead.  One of the things I’ve noticed is when we are in dark days we need to know that there are going to be better days ahead.  Knowing this, and believing it, literally help to carry us through.  On the other hand when we are in those better days, we tend to be quite forgetful people, and we take so much for granted.

These are dark days.  Specifically, Advent comes when the daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere are at their shortest.  And somehow in the midst of this we are asked to hear good news.  I think it’s one thing to be able to hear of God’s abundance, and God’s generosity.  I think it’s far more challenging to believe it.  And yet the Gospel asks us to take it even one step further.  Jesus sends his disciples to go out and proclaim it.  So perhaps our Advent question of the day is simply, what is the good news you need to proclaim today?

Lastly, back at the Holocaust memorial, the bodies were arranged so that some of the members were actually giving comfort to others even while taking their final breath.  In the midst of Advent darkness, are you attentive to God’s good news?

David Colhour, C.P. is on the staff at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Isaiah 25:6-10a
Matthew 15:29-37

Reflection:

I received an e-mail recently, with this subject: "Tell me how he did it, and I’ll give you a thanksgiving turkey."  The "it" was a video of a card trick that was truly amazing; it seemed to nullify any effect of shuffling the cards, which were dealt out in an obviously pre-arranged order.  But, like any card trick, there was a skillful manipulation of cards and audience in order to make something appear to be what it was not.  The e-mail made me consider how easily we pass from "wonder" at our observations, to the skeptical, "tell me how he did it". 

Today’s readings (Isaiah 25:6-10a and Matthew 15:29-37) are like that.  We read in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus cured persons who could barely walk, whose eyes did not work, whose joints were misshapen, and whose speech was held back.  "They placed them at his feet, and he cured them."  In Isaiah’s passage, the mortality of the people, the sentence of death under which we all live, is cancelled; "the web that is woven over all nations" and the "reproach of his people" will be removed.

Our human curiosity and desire to know drive us to ask "how did Jesus do that?"  How does Jesus bring healing into our lives?  How did Jesus satisfy the hunger of thousands on the Galilean mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee?  Surreptitiously, we pass into the skepticism that makes us want to know "how".  Perhaps if we only knew how Jesus performed his saving miracles, then we might be better positioned to share in his healing, in his satisfying of our hungers, in his gift of everlasting life.  Perhaps if we knew "how" Jesus performed these wonders, then we might better believe that he is truly "the Son of God."

The truth of the life-giving work of Jesus is not found in the knowledge of "HOW he did these wonders".  It is in our faith’s insight into the fact "THAT he did these wonders".  The "how" may tantalize us, but the "that" of Jesus as our Savior has saved us.  Let us remember the conversation of the women on their way to the tomb on Easter Sunday morning, "Who will roll the stone away?", of Mary at the sight of the one she believed to be the gardener, "If you took him away, tell me where you laid him."  These questions and doubts are erased by the conviction THAT Jesus is raised, he goes before them.  May we find in today’s Scripture, the encouragement to place our faith in what God, through Jesus, does for us daily; and in the conviction that God will continue to heal, comfort and nourish us forever.

 

Fr. Arthur Carrillo is the local leader of the Passionist Community in Houston, Texas. 

Scripture:

Isaiah 11:1-10
Luke 10:21-24

Reflection:

In today’s readings, Isaiah announces and names the gifts and work of the Spirit of the Lord and in the gospel, Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit.

Both readings lend themselves to prayer in what St. Benedict describes in Lectio Divina as: "…The ability to listen deeply with the ears of our hearts…"   So, today we are invited to open ourselves to be drawn into the presence of the Holy Spirit and open to the Spirit’s work in transforming our own lives and hearts.

Let us read these scriptures slowly, take time to ponder them in prayer… enjoy  a long, loving look at the source and meaning of the traditional names of the gifts of the Holy Spirit…the gifts that rest upon us in the Spirit of the Lord: 

A Spirit of wisdom and understanding;

A Spirit of counsel and of strength;

A Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord….

Isaiah goes on to describe peace… safety… for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord… 

We may want to read and ponder the whole passage… and reflect on its meaning in each of our own lives what wonderful Advent gifts – to give and to receive!

At the end of today’s gospel, Jesus turns to his disciples and to each of us …He tells us that  we are blessed because we see and hear what many of the prophets and kings desired to see, but did not see or hear what we have been gifted with.

As we conclude our reflection and prayer today, what have we heard with the "ears of our heart" that we want to share with another today?

 

Sr. Marcella Fabing, CSJ, is on the staff of Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Romans 10:9-18
Matthew 4:18-22

Reflection:

There are two words that the Lord used frequently in the Gospels.  The first word is "Come."  "Come, follow me." "Come and see." "Come, take up your cross." "Come, all you who labor and find life burdensome…." In today’s gospel Jesus says to Simon and Andrew, "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men."  They came.

The second word that Jesus used frequently is, "Go."  "Go in peace."  "Go and show yourselves to the priest."  "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard."  "Go tell my brethren they are to go to Galilee…"  "Go into the whole world and preach the gospel."  Our first reading today reminds us how beautiful are the feet of those who go forth to announce good news.

There is no sense in coming to Christ, if we just sit there and go nowhere with the gifts he gives.  And there is no sense in going someplace, if at first we don’t come to Christ to be taught and nourished.  So each Sunday we come to Holy Mass.  We come to listen, to give thanks, to be fed, and to support one another.  And then we go.  We go out into the world to be fishers of people, to serve Christ in our neighbor.  We come in need. We go forth empowered.  The weekly rhythm of our coming to Mass and going forth from Mass gives meaning to the statement that that the Mass is the "source and the summit" of our spiritual lives, lives that are centered on Christ. 

We might compare our participation in Sunday Mass to those precious moments that the apostles spent with the Lord when the returned from their missions.  It is at Mass where we are healed of our failures, where we celebrate our successes, and where we gain insight to face the challenges ahead.  Our constant coming to Christ and being sent forth continues the work of St. Andrew whom we remember today.

 

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P., is a member of the Passionist Community of Sierra Madre, CA.  Visit: http://www.alanphillipcp.com/.

 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 33:14-16
1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Reflection:

Happy New Year! Or perhaps you think I am a bit confused with this greeting…but in reality, the First Sunday of Advent marks the first day of the Church’s new liturgical year. These next four weeks are meant to be weeks of intense prayer and longing for the joyful return of our Savior Jesus Christ. So why do the Church’s readings this first day of Advent focus on the end of the world? Why is the Church being, to use the vernacular, "such a party pooper"???

Most people, even some Christians, think of the days leading up to Christmas as simply a time which reaches its climax on December 25^th, the day Christians celebrate the historic birth of Jesus, God in the Flesh. The time is often marked by a succession of parties and gift-giving which truly lighten both mind and spirit – a time of joyful celebration! And while there is nothing wrong with parties or gift-giving, Catholics know that there is much more to Advent then just the celebration of a historic person’s birthday, even if that person was God. The other element that is often missing in secular society is the element of intense longing – longing for the coming again of our Savior Jesus the Christ. And yes, this second coming is meant to be joyful!

For the faithful, Advent is not just a time to remember the wonderful event of God’s Son coming among us as a poor babe in Bethlehem. It is also a time to wait in anticipation for the Son’s second coming, not as a babe but as a ruler. This Jesus, this Christ, will make all things new and establish a Kingdom of Righteousness for all of the faithful. Therefore those of us who will be privileged to experience this coming again of our Lord have no need to fear, no need to run and hide, no need to stock up on supplies, but rather to welcome this Christ with joy and love in our hearts. My friends, this will truly be the apex of our existence, both as individuals as well as a species. That is why the Church’s focus today is on the end of time – not as a time of catastrophe, but rather as a time of our personal redemption as well as world transformation.

So Jesus tells us today, this first Sunday of Advent, not to go out and start digging a bomb shelter in our backyard or hoard a year’s worth of can goods or quit our jobs and sail around the world…no. Jesus tells us simply to be "vigilant," to "pray" and to "stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand."

Now that’s a reason to party! 

 

Patrick Quinn ([email protected]) is the director of Planned Giving at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago.