Christmas, Cycle A - December 25, 2019

Christmas

Cycle A

December 25, 2019 

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville   4pm, 6pm, 10am

 

O Little Town of Bethlehem 

Back in the nineteenth century, in the 1870’s, there was an American preacher named Phillips Brooks.

One December, shortly before Christmas, Phillips Brooks visited the Holy Land. On that Christmas Eve, he made the trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on horseback – a two-hour trip.

From a distance, Brooks saw the little town of Bethlehem lit up against the darkness of the night. That sight made a great impression on him and a year later it inspired Brooks to write some verses.

His church organist then composed a tune to go with the verses. That hymn has become one of our popular Christmas carols and, as you probably know, it goes like this:

“O little town of Bethlehem,

How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting light;

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.”

Light in Darkness Then

“In thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light.” These words really get my attention.

For me, they express the contrast between darkness and light that Christmas is about. In tonight’s first reading, the Prophet Isaiah says: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone.”

Isaiah looks ahead to a moment when God will penetrate the darkness that can make our lives gloomy. He foresees a moment when God will break through and be a light in that darkness.

We see Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. And yet, even the story of Jesus’ birth tells us that the star which guides the Wise Men does not drive all the darkness away.

Instead, the light of that star shines in the darkness and is a help and guide through it. I suggest that for us, the light of Bethlehem operates in much the same way.

Light in Darkness Today

Each one of us, probably at a number of points in our lives, each one of us experiences some kind of darkness.  And in that darkness, we are invited to look to the light of Bethlehem.

Maybe we find ourselves in the darkness of loneliness after the death of a spouse or close friend. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us the presence of Emmanuel, God-with-us as we seek consolation.

Or maybe we find ourselves in the darkness of searching, wondering why we are living and what we really believe. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us a vision for where we are going and how to get there.

Maybe we find ourselves in the darkness of cold, a relationship with a son or daughter that has grown cold. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us the warmth of God’s love and moves us to extend and accept glimmers of that love.

Or maybe we find ourselves in the darkness of feeling trapped in some destructive habit or addiction. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us the hope of human growth and invites us to look for persons or programs that can help us with that growing. 

Conclusion

So, “In thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light.”

Yes, experiences of darkness will be there at times for each of us. These can be difficult.

But, the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world can make a difference. He gives us at least a glimpse of God’s presence, vision, love, and hope in the darkness that we can experience on our human journey. 

They are my reflections on this Christmas of 2019. Merry Christmas!

4th Sunday of Advent, Cycle C - December 23, 2019

4th Sunday of Advent

Cycle A

December 23, 2019      

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville   8 and 9:30am

 

My Sleeping on a Homily 

Sometimes I find it difficult to get the idea for my Sunday homily.

I reflect on the readings early in the week. I ask myself: what are these passages, especially the gospel, saying to me today, in my life? 

And then, what are they saying to us today, in our lives? Sometimes it just doesn’t get clear.  

And then what I do is re-read the Scripture passages and some commentaries before going to bed, maybe on Wednesday evening. I just sleep on it.

And almost always, I wake up in the morning and it’s clear. Sleeping on it has a way of helping me to see it as I had not seen it before.

Joseph Sleeping on His Dilemma 

I wonder if something like this is what happens to Joseph in today’s gospel.

Joseph and Mary are betrothed. In that culture, this was more than being engaged.

Betrothal meant that they were married but not yet living together as husband and wife. So, betrothal could only be ended by divorce.

Joseph learns that Mary is bearing a child and he knows that the child is not his. He must have been confused, upset, disappointed, and maybe angry.

The religious law of that day calls for Joseph to divorce Mary and for Mary to be publicly shamed and punished. But, Joseph sees no good coming from this and doesn’t want it to happen.

So, he decides to divorce Mary quietly, without any accusation against her. Still, something tells Joseph to take time with his decision.  

He decides to sleep on it and see what he thinks in the morning. He wakes up and now things look different and clear to him. 

Something tells him to trust Mary. In fact, Joseph senses that God through an angel has told him that Mary’s pregnancy is an action of God, that this child will be very special, and that he should go ahead with the marriage. 

Joseph Responds 

In all of this, Joseph is a great example.

He doesn’t just react out of anger or hurt or pride. He doesn’t react hastily.

Instead, Joseph takes time to be with the situation. He gets in touch with what God is saying within himself.

He is decisive and not rash, reflective and not reactive. And, of course, the result is wonderful.

Joseph cooperates in bringing God’s Son into the world. What a wonderful example he is!

I have to ask: how much more of God’s presence and peace can enter our world if we respond to situations as Joseph does? Step back – reflect – pray – sleep on it – get in touch with what God wants – what a helpful, positive approach this is! 

Joseph Respects

Joseph shows one more trait that I don’t want us to miss.

He is a religious man and respects the religious law, but he doesn’t want to expose Mary to shame and disgrace. So, he is going to live up to his faith, but in a way that is not self-righteous and not destructive of Mary.

Well again, what a good example Joseph is! Sometimes, in our world and in our religion, we think that we have to “stand up” for what we believe.

And sometimes, this “standing up” becomes a “putting down.” Sometimes we think that “standing up” for something we believe is right means “putting down” others whom we believe are wrong.

This is an unfortunate approach. It is not the way of Joseph or of Jesus.

It is not the way that Pope Francis is modeling for us. Joseph’s example today is a great example of being able to “stand up” for something and still respect the other person at the same time – a both/and approach.   

It is an example of great strength, not weakness. It is a powerful example for us men today and, for that matter, for all persons as we deal with the situations in our lives. 

3rd Sunday of Advent, Cycle C - December 15, 2019

3rd Sunday of Advent

Cycle A

December 15, 2019

 

 

John the Baptist 

Back in the first century in Palestine, there was a man named John the Baptist.

John was a fiery preacher. People liked his talk about God’s terrifying wrath.  

They figured that God’s wrath would come down heavy on the Romans who are occupying their country and oppressing them. They wanted the Romans to get their just desserts and John seemed to be saying that God will take vengeance on them.

John pointed to Jesus as the one who will lead his people in all of this. He referred to Jesus as “one more powerful than I.”

Jesus 

Jesus has listened to John and even been baptized by him.

But then, Jesus goes in a very different direction. He doesn’t talk about wrath or about God as punishing or vengeful.

Instead, Jesus introduces a whole new language about God. He speaks in terms of compassion and mercy.

Jesus even speaks about the forgiveness of enemies. He speaks of union with God and with one another and not of division.

Jesus emphasizes that God comes to save us from what oppresses the human spirit. He does not speak of God in political or military terms.

Jesus replaces John’s austere life in the desert with a lifestyle centered on meals. He replaces John’s good guy/bad guy, insider/outsider mentality with an approach that is open to people.

Jesus doesn’t push away or condemn people. He eats dinner with those labeled as sinners and he talks with them about God.

And beyond all this, Jesus does something that John the Baptist never does. He heals people and his physical healings, while real, seem to point to something deeper – to the healing of the deepest hungers and hurts of the human spirit.

Very remarkably, Jesus directs a lot of his attention to the lost and the last and the least of society. And that includes women and children.

A Revolution 

This is the background of today’s gospel.

This is why John sends some of his followers to ask Jesus: “Um, are you really the One we’ve been waiting for? You’re looking pretty different from what we expected.”

Jesus responds by going back to Isaiah, to what we heard in our first reading. He knows that Isaiah gives the accurate idea of what this Savior will do, and he knows that this is revolutionary.

So, Jesus says: “Tell John what’s happening. The blind now see a vision and purpose for their lives.

“The deaf now hear a message of unconditional acceptance and self-worth. The lame are now able to walk through the challenging bumps of life."

“Those as good as dead are now alive and have something to live for. And the poor now have their deepest hunger satisfied.”

So, what he’s telling John is that a revolution is taking place. He is bringing a whole new understanding of God and our relationship with God.

The Revolution Continues

Today we still need to hear what Jesus says because sometimes we still hang on to John the Baptist and his understanding.  

Sometimes we see faith only as a checklist of truths that have to be believed. We can miss faith as an alive, personal relationship with Jesus.

Sometimes we see Church as a club with members, with the need to determine who’s in and who’s out. We can miss Church as a community of persons who can be at different places in their journey with the Lord, a community where there can be unity without complete uniformity.

Sometimes we see God as punishing and condemning those who don’t measure up. We can miss God, as revealed by Jesus, as reaching out and even including those whom we think are doing wrong. 

Maybe it all boils down to this. We need The Joy of the Gospel.  

That’s what Pope Francis talks about in his statement that is titled The Joy of the Gospel. The Pope has expressed the way of understanding God that Jesus presents on this Third Sunday of Advent.  

He calls us to embrace this more fully. And my bet is, if we do, then the One whose birth we celebrate at Christmas will come much more fully into our world.  

2nd Sunday of Advent, Cycle C - December 8, 2019

2nd Sunday of Advent

Cycle A

December 8, 2019

 

Forest Fires

I have never seen a forest fire, except on TV news reports.

But I would say that they look fearsome.  In the last few months, we have seen devastating forest fires in various parts of California. 

These forest fires can have several causes.  They can be intentional or accidental.

An intentional fire can be lit by someone who may or may not realize the impact of what they are doing.  An accidental fire can be caused by a campfire that is not fully extinguished.

Whether intentional or accidental, a forest fire can cause great destruction.  There can be great loss of trees and of personal property and even of human life.

The Promise of Forest Fires

An amazing truth of nature is that there is promise and hope hidden within the very destruction caused by a forest fire.

New growth can and will happen.  The timeline for new growth after a fire varies, but one thing is certain.

The ashes become a nutrient for new growth. Eventually, new shoots of life will sprout from the earth or even from the stumps of trees.

This is the image that Isaiah uses in our first reading.  Isaiah compares the recent kings of Israel – the line of kings that began with Jesse, the father of King David – he compares them to the stump of a tree. 

These recent kings have been so weak that they have brought devastation to the country, much like a forest fire.  And yet, Isaiah says with beautiful alliteration, “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.”

Isaiah offers promise and hope.  New life will eventually emerge here much as from a forest fire.

Our Forest Fires 

Now we can also experience forest fires in our own personal lives.

In a sense, some of them are intentional – meaning that we bring them upon ourselves – and some are accidental – meaning that they just happen to us.  Our intentional fires might result from speaking hurtful words to somebody, or from not applying ourselves to our school work, or from falling away from God.

Our accidental fires might come from the death of a loved one, or from being bullied in school or put down at work.  All of these personal forest fires can also be destructive.

They can destroy relationships and leave us alone and lonely. They can destroy our immediate future and leave us feeling hopeless.  

They can destroy any inner sense of God’s presence and leave us feeling lost.  And they can destroy self-esteem and leave us feeling worthless.

The Promise of Our Forest Fires

But, as with the forest fires of nature, there is also promise and hope.

We can live in the hope of a shoot sprouting from a stump.  This hope is a core message of Advent – the hope of regeneration, of new life springing from destruction.

Usually, we cannot leave this totally up to God.  We must do our part too.  

So, we may need to own up to our own behavior and even connect with a counselor to assist us in changing our ways and rebuilding a relationship.  We may need to work day by day to develop our potentials and build a future.  

We may need to try the Sacrament of Reconciliation and allow our sense of oneness with God to be rekindled. And we may need to rediscover our own self-worth by being with persons who build up and not tear down.  

So yes, hope is not passive.  It demands that we do our part.

But we do this because we have the promise and hope extended by Isaiah and by Jesus.  With this, our forest fires can give way to new life: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.”

1st Sunday of Advent, Cycle C - December 1, 2019

1st Sunday of Advent

Cycle A

December 1, 2019

Darters and Strollers

Well, here we are, in the busiest shopping days of the year.

Several years ago, an author named Robert Winters made some observations about shoppers during these days of the Christmas season.  He describes two kinds of shoppers in the malls. 

First, there are the darters.  These people are walking along and then something catches their eye.

The darters abruptly change direction and dart over to look at a Keurig coffee maker or a Hollister shirt or whatever it is. They move so quickly that you have to put on the brakes real fast to avoid bumping into them.

And then there the strollers.  These people walk like a bridal party slowly making their way down the aisle.

The strollers are creeping along, taking in each piece of merchandise.  They are just savoring every item they see.      

Robert Winters says that the darters and the strollers have one thing in common.  Both of them are so wrapped up in the things they are seeing that they are unmindful of and not heeding the other shoppers around them.

Today’s Gospel

Winters’ observations help us to appreciate today’s gospel.

Jesus refers back to the time of Noah.  He says: “In those days people were eating and drinking and marrying, up to the day Noah entered the ark.  

“They knew nothing until the flood came and swept them away.  So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

Now there is nothing wrong with eating and drinking and getting married.  But apparently, they were doing all of this without being alert to the coming flood – something like the darters and strollers in the malls.

Jesus also says: “Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding meal; one will be taken and one will be left.”

The idea here is that those who are taken and ready for the Lord may not be doing anything different from the others.  But they are doing things with a different awareness. 

They are what I call “heeders” – spelled H-E-E-D-E-R-S. Unlike the darters and the strollers, they are heeding both God and those around them as they do their jobs or shop or whatever.

Heeders 

I’ve got a few ideas on what it means, practically speaking, to be a heeder rather than a darter or a stroller.

Heeders reserve some time each day for prayer.  They maintain some inner space for quiet, for being in touch with God.

In this way, heeders remain aware of the spiritual.  They see all the items and decorations as good, but they remain aware that only our relationship with God matters in the long run.

Heeders also probably try to grow in their faith.  They don’t stay stuck in the understanding of God that they learned as children.

Heeders are awake to what God is saying to them right now in the gospels.  They are awake to new possibilities maybe about God’s unconditional love or about our response of social justice, things like that.

Then heeders carefully reserve time for their husband or wife or children or close friend.  They are not submerged in their job or self-absorbed in some way.

Heeders are attentive to persons, the important persons in their lives and those who are with them at any given moment.  They stay attentive to persons as making up what life is really all about.

And finally, heeders care for those in need.  They don’t blame the poor for their plight.

Instead, heeders are alert to the pain of the sick, to the suffering of the depressed, or the desperation of the homeless or the immigrant.  They are alert to Jesus being present in these persons.

Conclusion

So, the message today: don’t be a darter or a stroller.  Don’t be just wrapped up and absorbed in the stuff of the season.

Instead, be a heeder.  We may be doing some of the same things as everyone else, but remain aware, awake, attentive, and alert to what really matters.