Christmas, Cycle B - December 25, 2020

 Christmas

Cycle B

December 25, 2020

St. Mary Parish, Pylesville 4, 6, and 8pm

Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center        11am

 

I Heard the Bells 

 

One hundred and fifty-seven years ago, Christmas of 1863, our nation was deeply divided by the Civil War.

 

On that Christmas, the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was feeling very down. He was worried about our country and about his son who had been wounded in battle.

 

Feeling so down, Longfellow scribbled these words: “In despair I bowed my head; `There is no peace on earth,’ I said.  `For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to all.’”

 

Very soon after writing these words, again, on Christmas Day 1863, Longfellow heard the sound of bells from a nearby church. The peeling of those bells lifted him out of his downcast spirit and awakened his faith and hope.

 

So, in a matter of minutes, Longfellow rewrote his words: “Then peeled the bells more loud and deep: `God is not dead; nor doth he sleep! The wrong shall fail, The right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to all.’”

 

As we all know, Longfellow’s words became our popular carol, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.   

 

I Heard the Word 

 

Those bells reminded Longfellow of God and of what Christmas is all about.

 

They awakened his faith and hope. They helped him to see the possibilities that Christmas proclaims.

 

Tonight, the Scripture readings – like the bells – awaken our faith and hope in what the birth of Jesus is all about.

 

Awaken to Sacredness of Human Life

 

Most basic and most important of all, tonight’s gospel reveals that God has taken on our humanity in the birth of Jesus.  

 

God is one with us and is present in our humanity. What I see here is that the birth of Jesus awakens our faith in the sacredness of the life of each person.

 

Aren’t we seeing this reverence for life right now in the untiring commitment of our health care workers in caring for those with Covid? And doesn’t this call me and each of us to do every practical thing we can to protect one another from this virus?

 

And don’t we see this reverence for life in the hard work and thoughtful care of so many parents for their children? And doesn’t this call me and each of us to care for the life of unborn children and also of all children who are living with no hope?

 

So, Christmas, the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, awakens our faith in the sacredness of human life.        

    

Awaken to Respect for Differences 

 

And then, tonight’s gospel tells about shepherds coming to the manger in Bethlehem.

 

A few verses after this passage, we hear that wise men from the East also come to see the newborn Savior. These stories tell us that Jesus draws to himself the poor, uneducated shepherds from nearby, and the wealthy, educated wise men from a foreign land.

 

What I see here is that the birth of Jesus awakens us to a respect for differences. In fact, it awakens us even to a valuing of differences.

 

Don’t we see this already with our country accomplishing so much when we value both athletes and artists, computer techs and carpenters, delivery drivers and doctors, engineers and electricians, farmers and financial experts, mechanics and military officers, psychologists and plumbers, security guards and scientists, teachers and tailors? And doesn’t this call me and each of us to stop being afraid of differences in other realms of life and realize how enriching they can be?

 

So, Christmas, the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, awakens us to a respect and valuing of differences.

 

Conclusion

 

That’s what I am seeing, this Christmas of 2020.

 

May we allow the bells of Christmas and our Christmas gospel to awaken us in these ways. With that, we can have “peace on earth [and] good will to all.”   

4th Sunday of Advent, Cycle B - December 20, 2020

 4th Sunday of Advent

Cycle B

December 20, 2020       

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville   8am

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton   11am

 

The Annunciation 

 

Today’s gospel is one of the most well-known stories in the entire Bible.

 

It is called the Annunciation. The angel Gabriel announces something to Mary – the word Annunciation refers to this announcement. 

 

This passage is packed with details that are inspiring and enriching for our faith. I have chosen three of them for our reflection. 

 

1. Mary as Disciple

 

The number one thing to notice is that Saint Luke presents Mary as the first and model disciple.

 

Just look at what happens. At the beginning of the story, the angel Gabriel greets Mary and announces what is about to take place.

 

Then, at the very end of the passage, Mary responds. “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.”

 

So, Mary 1) listens and then 2) lives out God’s message. It is helpful to think about her response in the context of a story later in Luke’s gospel.  

 

Jesus is inside a house and someone says, “Your mother and family are outside wanting to talk with you.” And Jesus responds, “My mother and family are those who [1] listen to the Word of God and [2] live it.”  

 

So, Jesus defines what it means to be a member of his spiritual family or a disciple – 1) listening to and 2) living his word. The significant thing is that Mary has already done this before Jesus is even born.  

 

In fact, Mary becomes Jesus’ physical mother and forms his human family because she is the first member of his spiritual family. She is the first and model disciple.  

 

2. Jesus As God’s Son

 

The next thing that stands out for me is what the angel tells Mary about the child she will bear.

 

The angel says: “He will be called Son of the Most High.” And then, a few verses later, Gabriel explains to Mary how this will happen.

 

“The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” And it is this word “overshadow” that is significant. 

 

The Book of Genesis uses the same word “overshadow” to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in the act of creation. And, as I just said a minute ago, Mary responds to the angel: “Let it be done to me according to your word.”  

 

Again, the Book of Genesis uses the same word or expression that Mary uses here – in Latin, “Fiat” – “Let it be done.” Genesis uses this same word to describe God’s action in creating the world.

 

So, the idea here with these words – “overshadow” and “Let it be done” – the idea is that God is doing a new creation – something radically new with Mary. And, of course, Gabriel gets very clear on what this newness is.  

 

The angel says: “The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” The newness is that this child is the Son of God, the very presence of God with us.  

 

3. Nothing Is Impossible 

 

My last reflection is on Gabriel’s concluding words to Mary: “Nothing will be impossible for God.”

 

We all know or have known relatives or friends who have been in situations that seem impossible. Maybe we ourselves have been in such situations: a serious case of cancer or Covid; an addiction or the loss of a job out; chronic anxiety or depression.

 

And I imagine that you have said as I have often said: “I will pray for you.” “I will remember you at Mass.”

 

Have you ever thought that our promise of prayer is based on what Gabriel tells Mary today? “Nothing will be impossible for God.”

 

Mary fully affirms Gabriel’s statement and, in doing this, is a great example of faith for us. She herself knows very well that with God, all things are possible.

 

She invites us to trust that God will care for us and for others for whom we pray. God can do what we cannot conceive of in our own minds.

 

And so, we promise to pray for one another. Because “Nothing will be impossible for God.”

 

 

3rd Sunday of Advent, Cycle B - December 13, 2020

 3rd Sunday of Advent 

Cycle B

December 13, 2020

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville   8:00am       

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton   11:00am 

 

John the Prophet

 

In the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, there is a large sculpture of Saint John the Baptist.

 

The sculpture is located between the ocean and a main highway in San Juan. The interesting thing is how John is portrayed. 

 

He stands with his head tilted down and his eyes looking down at the highway. But his right arm is raised above his head – something like this – with his index finger pointing up to the heavens. 

 

This depiction says a lot about John the Baptist and other prophets.  

 

John and the Other Prophets

 

In today’s gospel, John is asked: “Are you the Prophet?” – spelled with a capital P. 

 

Here the word Prophet means the Messiah or Savior that God has promised. John replies that he is not the Prophet in that sense.

 

But, in truth, he is a prophet – spelled with a small c. He is the last of a long line of Old Testament prophets who were preparing the way for the Savior whom God promised.

 

As the sculpture in San Juan depicts, John and other prophets are looking closely at everyday life. But they are doing this from a heavenly perspective – with their finger or mind pointed up and focused on God. 

 

We as Prophets

 

Maybe we have never thought about it before, but we and all baptized persons are called to be prophets.

 

In the Rite of Baptism, we are anointed with consecrated oil with these words. “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live.”

 

So, we are to live as prophet. We will leave the Priest and King parts for another time. 

 

For today, the question is: what does it mean for us to be a prophet? Well, it definitely doesn’t mean living in a desert or dressing differently like John did.

 

In fact, being a prophet is to be part of ordinary, everyday life. I think we can summarize what it means in three statements: We are to 1) listen to God, 2) speak for God, and 3) work with God.

 

1.    Listen to God

 

First, we are to listen to God.

 

This can be a quiet five minutes early in the morning before the busyness of the day starts. Or it can be a quiet thirty to forty seconds at a stop light.

 

Or it can be reading and reflecting on a passage from the gospel. Making time to listen to God may be challenging, but it is important.

 

It is our way of having our arm above our head with our index finger pointed to God. It’s our way of inviting God to guide us in all the stuff we do in the course of a day.

 

2.    Speak for God  

 

So, 1) listen to God, and then 2) speak for God.

 

Today’s gospel says that “John was sent from God to testify to the light.” John’s role was positive – to testify to the light and not just curse the darkness.

 

And, as John says, the light is Jesus and his message. So, as prophets, we speak for God when we affirm the good behavior or accomplishments of our children. 

 

We speak for God when we assert or lift up something that we believe without putting down someonewho believes differently. Speaking for God like this is the way of the Christian prophet.

 

3.    Work with God

 

Finally, we are to work with God.

 

The idea is that God needs us to be his hands and feet in the world. So, following the images of Isaiah in the first reading, we work with God when we prepare a casserole for the Our Daily Bread program. 

 

We work with God when we comfort someone whose heart is broken by the death of a loved one. We work with God when we are with those imprisoned by depression or loneliness.

 

So, we are to 1) listen to, 2) speak for, and 3) work with God. That’s the way to be a prophet of the New Testament and to live out our baptism.

 

 

 

 

2nd Sunday of Advent, Cycle B - December 6, 2020

 2nd Sunday of Advent  

Cycle A

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 8:30 a.m.

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville 11:30 a.m. 

December 6, 2020

 

Breaking News

 

Today, when we watch the news on TV, we often see the words Breaking News.

 

Breaking News appears when a story is new. It is intended to grab our attention.

 

For example, about three weeks ago, we saw Breaking News when an American pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, announced that it had completed its phase-three clinical trials on a vaccine for Covid. It said that the vaccine looked to be 94% effective. 

 

Days later, we heard similar Breaking News from Moderna, another American pharmaceutical company. Two other companies, including one right here in Maryland, are also close with their vaccines.

 

We have also heard that the FDA may give emergency authorization to Pfizer and Moderna very soon, and that people will begin to get vaccinated by the end of December. So, all of this is Breaking News and, thank God, it is good news.

 

Mark’s News 

 

I think this context helps us to appreciate today’s gospel.

 

This passage is the very beginning of Mark’s gospel and he starts off this way: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The word for gospel means proclamation.

  

It is the same word that civil rulers used back then when they had something important to proclaim to their people. So, in effect, Mark is saying: “This is the proclamation, the Breaking News, the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

 

Notice, right in this first sentence, Mark explains why there is a proclamation, Breaking News, good news about a man from Nazareth. Because God has entered our world in the person of Jesus and he is “the Son of God.”

 

More News: John and Jesus 

 

Then, right after telling us this, Mark gives us some background – kind of like the next thirty seconds worth of Breaking News.

 

Mark tells us that a man named John the Baptist is introducing Jesus and telling us something about him. And John is doing this even by his own lifestyle. 

 

So, John’s diet consists of locusts and wild honey – not my idea of a good snack! These foods are symbolic. 

 

In the Old Testament, God sent a plague of locusts to punish the evil pharaoh in Egypt – in other words, to overcome evil. And so, John’s eating locusts tells us that Jesus is coming to do good things and to overcome evil.

 

Jesus will fulfill the images that we hear in today’s first reading – levelling mountains and filling in valleys and smoothing rough roads. These images, like the locusts, are symbolic and they point to how Jesus will do good and overcome evil.

 

Jesus’ News

 

For example, Jesus will level the mountain of human ego when we place ourselves or our group above others. He will introduce the humble way of seeing ourselves, along with everyone else, as God’s sons and daughters.

 

Then, Jesus will fill in the valley of hopelessness that can be caused by poverty or by loneliness. He will move us to care for those who are hurting in any way, as if we were caring for him. 

 

And Jesus will also smooth the rough land of injured and broken relationships. He will show us the way of taking the first step and trying to forgive and even to reconcile. 

 

Conclusion

 

So, the locusts that John eats are symbolic – symbolic of the good that Jesus will introduce and the evil he will overcome. 

 

And the honey that John eats is a Biblical symbol of God’s loving care for us. It reminds us of those first words in the Isaiah passage today: “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.”

 

 Jesus, as Mark says in his opening sentence, is the Son of God and gives us the comfort of God’s presence. That is the proclamation, the Breaking News, the good news of these Advent Scriptures today.

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner 

1st Sunday of Advent, Cycle B - November 29, 2020

 1st Sunday of Advent

Cycle B

November 29, 2020

 

The Preciousness of Time

 

From my ministry as a priest, and from my family and personal life, I have heard some very good wisdom.

 

I have heard statements from persons who have lived with cancer or other life-threatening diseases. And I have heard statements from those who have survived major coronary problems or a stroke.

 

Their illnesses have taught them an invaluable lesson. They say that every second that flashes on your watch and every hour of the day is precious.  

 

These persons explain how you learn to prize people. They explain how you come to understand that others can be as fragile and as fearful as you have been.

 

Every walk in the woods becomes an encounter with the sacred. Every hour spent with your spouse and children and friends becomes special.

 

Every moment spent with another person becomes too important to waste on put-downs and pettiness, or on judgment and rejection. You don’t quarrel anymore; you discuss.

 

Joy, peace, and reconciliation are the driving forces in your life. Paradoxically, even though you have had the life-threatening illness and deserve compassion, you develop compassion and empathy for others. 

 

So, many of those who have had these illnesses can help the rest of us to realize that our time is finite and limited, that “later” is “now” and that “tomorrow” is “today.” They can lead us to cherish every moment we have.

 

Advent: Watch

 

Advent, the season that we begin this weekend, presents the same theme.

 

Advent alerts us to how finite and limited our time is. It confronts us with the reality that our lives are precious and fragile.  

 

It is interesting that in today’s brief gospel parable, Jesus uses the word “watch” or “watchful” four times. I guess he doesn’t want us to miss the point.

 

Watch

 

I am seeing four ways of watching or being watchful in response to Jesus using that word four times. 

 

First, we are to watch out for the long term of life. 

 

We are not to lose ourselves in any one season, including this Christmas season, or in any one comfort or problem, including the pandemic. Instead, we are to watch out for the long term of life and the kind of person we will want to be when the last chapter of our life on this earth has arrived.

 

Then we are to watch out for the big picture, the broad perspective of things.  

 

We are not to get boxed in by a narrow vision of life and of the world. Instead, we are to watch out for the big picture, the broad perspective –God’s own perspective – of the well-being of my family and my community and also of others whom I only know from the news.  

 

Next, we are to watch for how God comes to us each day. 

 

We are not to be insensitive to the truth that God comes to us in everyday ways. Instead, we are to be watchful for how God comes to us in an affirming comment from your spouse or friend or even in the starkness of winter.

 

And finally, we are to watch for how I can bring God to others.  

 

We are not to miss opportunities to do good and then be guilty of what we call sins of omission. Instead, we are to be watchful for opportunities to pray, to read Scripture, or bake a casserole for those who have nothing to eat and maybe no place to live. 

 

Conclusion

 

So, Jesus and the Advent season call us to be watchful in these ways.  

 

This watchfulness is our way to accept the wisdom of those who have had serious illnesses. And it is our way to be prepared and ready for that second coming of Christ.  

Feast of Christ the King, Cycle A - November 22, 2020

 Feast of Christ the King

Cycle A

November 22, 2020

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville 8 a.m.

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 11 a.m.

 

The Big Question

 

This morning, let’s think about a big question.

 

What determines our final destiny? What do we have to do to experience eternal life with God?

 

What do we have to do to reach an inner peace that will never be taken away? What do we have to do to get to heaven?

 

All of these are really the same question. I am guessing that each of us thinks about these questions from time to time.

 

The Surprising Answer

 

The answer Jesus gives in today’s gospel parable may be surprising.

 

And, by the way, in all four gospels, this is the only description of what the Last Judgment will be like. The gospels don’t describe the Last Judgment anywhere else, so I think this is worth our attention.

 

Jesus says that those of us who are a blessing to others will inherit the kingdom. The kingdom is Jesus’ expression for eternal live, for lasting happiness and peace, for heaven.

 

Jesus says that those of us who care for the least in our world will enter the kingdom. We might expect that Jesus would give some other answer related to Church teaching or the visible practice of our faith. 

 

That’s why I say that Jesus’ answer may be surprising. And in a way, it is even more surprising because the sheep in the parable, the ones who do care for the least persons, they admit that they do not see Jesus in these least persons.

 

They just do what they can to care for them, and Jesus says this is what leads them into the kingdom. Let’s look at some examples of what this might be like for us.

 

The Answer: Personal

 

In our personal lives, maybe you have a parent or spouse who is suffering with dementia. Step by step, he or she is diminishing right before your eyes.

 

This is very painful to deal with and witness. But, you make sure you give time to them.

 

You want them to feel that you are there and that they are not alone. Jesus says: “I was ill, and you cared for me.”

 

Or maybe you have a son or daughter in college who is floundering. They are neglecting their studies and hanging out with the wrong crowd.

 

You know that they are hungering for something – acceptance, belonging, purpose – something to help make sense of their lives.  You lay down some boundaries, but above all you are there for them.

 

You try to discern their feelings and you try to provide emotional and spiritual nourishment. Jesus says: “I was hungry, and you gave me food.”

 

The Answer: Societal

 

Then, on the broader level of our society, maybe we see a man standing at a traffic intersection. He looks unshowered, he is wearing raggedy clothes, and he’s holding a cardboard sign that says: “Homeless.  Out of work. Need job or money.”

 

We don’t know what is true or how any money we would give him will be used. But still, we reflect on how this man might have gotten to this point and how humiliating this must be for him.  

 

We may or may not offer him some money, but we do pray for him and for others who are in the same straits. Jesus says: “I was naked, and you clothed me.”

 

And then there are many complicated issues before our country and our world. And we look at these in a time that is very challenging.

 

We can be tempted to form opinions only from the viewpoint of our own wellbeing, of what’s best for me. But instead, we try to take a broader perspective and think about the common good of everyone.

 

We try to take into account those who lack the basics for life and even for survival. Jesus says: “Whatever you do for these least of mine, that you do for me.”

 

Conclusion

 

So, Jesus deals with a big question today, and his answer may be surprising.

 

It is whoever cares for the least, even if we don’t see Jesus in them, we will enter the kingdom of God. That’s the message of the only Last Judgment scene in the gospels.

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle A - November 15, 2020

 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle A

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 8:30 a.m.

Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville 11:30 a.m. 

November 15, 2020

 

The Giftedness of Children

 

Some years ago, I read a story about a young man named Brian.

 

Brian always loved to tinker with mechanical devices. As a 6-year old, he took apart a remote-control toy car.

 

At age 9, Brian helped his dad fix the lawn mower. In high school, he spent hours rebuilding computer equipment.

 

And as a young adult, Brian became a sound technician for a theatre company. His parents steadily encouraged him from a very young age.

 

But, Brian, in his school years, was never labeled as “gifted.” The definition of the “gifted child” was traditionally limited to the top 5 to 10% of children who achieved high test scores in school.

 

No question, these children are gifted, but, there may be other ways for children to be gifted. Today, educators and psychologists tell us that nearly all children have special gifts.

 

Children may display their giftedness through words, numbers, music, sports, technical skill, social interaction, intuitive insight, creativity, and on it goes. Many professionals now say that all children have gifts, and they just vary from one child to another.

 

Our Gifts and the Gospel 

 

I came across these insights in an article entitled Fifty Ways to Bring Out Your Child’s Best.  

 

This was written by Dr. Thomas Armstrong, the Director of the American Institute of Learning and Human Development. The article has led me to see today’s gospel parable from a slightly different perspective.

 

Instead of reflecting on the use of our own gifts, I am thinking about how we can encourage others, especially children, in using their gifts. The article gives 50 ways to bring out the best in children; this morning, I want to share just 5 of these with you. 

 

Five Ways to Bring Out a Child’s Gifts

 

First, look for what really interests children. Be alert to what captures their attention in a positive way.

 

These interests may say a lot about where their gifts are. By being alert to this, we are in effect letting children discover their own giftedness.  

 

In today’s gospel parable, the number of talents – 5, 2, or 1 – does not just mean having more or less talent than others. These numbers also represent different kinds of gifts, and our task is to help children identify their own unique gifts.

 

Second, encourage children, but do not push or pressure them too much. If we do that, they may become too stressed and not develop their gifts well.

 

The master in today’s parable does not pressure. He simply gives his servants the gifts and the opportunities to use them.

 

Third, allow children to make some mistakes. If they have to do everything perfectly, they may never take the risks necessary to discover and develop their gifts.

 

It’s important to assist a child in realizing a mistake and learning from it. But first, we need to allow some appropriate freedom to make mistakes.

 

And the fourth rule is connected with this: don’t criticize children in a way that puts them down. Instead, give them encouragement and constructive criticism.

 

These last two rules – 1) allowing children to make some mistakes and 2) not putting them down – are borne out in the third servant in the gospel parable. He feels afraid and intimidated, and the result is that he does not develop his gifts.

 

And the fifth rule: accept children as they are. Maybe your son is musically inclined and does not have a lot of athletic ability.

 

Or maybe your daughter is more into computers than dance. The important thing is to take children as they are, because that will be the best environment for using their gifts and for becoming the persons God intended them to be.      

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner 

Friday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time - November 6, 2020

 (Instead of a regular homily, the pastor spoke at all Masses this weekend about stewardship or offertory renewal. Therefore, today I am posting a homily which I gave at Mass this past Friday.)   

 

Friday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time

November 6, 2020 11:00 a.m.

Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center 

Readings:   

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 16:1-8

 

This past Sunday, I had a Zoom visit with my brother and sister-in-law who live in Roanoke, Virginia.

As you know, with Zoom and Facetime and other technologies like them, we can be miles away from each other and still see one another as we talk.

What a blessing this has been for families and friends and businesses and everyone during this pandemic!

Then there is the capacity of our computers and cell phones and GPS systems – some years ago, we would never have imagined such conveniences.

But, imagination and initiative have led to so many things that have improved or made our lives more comfortable. 

 

It’s that kind of imagination and initiative that Jesus praises in today’s gospel parable.

And, let’s be clear, that’s the only thing he is praising here.

Jesus is not praising the dishonesty of the steward in the story.

That guy was dishonest in managing his boss’ business, and Jesus is not condoning that. 

Rather, Jesus’ one point is to call us to have the imagination and initiative that this guy had, but to have it when it comes to the things of God.

So, he wants us to be imaginative and take the initiative when it comes to our personal relationship with God.

He wants us to look for ways to carve out time for prayer and even to look for new forms of prayer that will bring us closer to God. 

Jesus also wants us to be imaginative and take the initiative when it comes to our relationships with each other.  

He wants us to look for the right way to show empathy for that family member who is hurting and even to figure out ways for the last and the least and the lost in our society to have enough.

 

So, be as imaginative and take as much initiative in the things of God as in the things of the world – that’s the message today.    

 

Father Michael Schleupner