Reflections for Advent and Christmas, [November 28, 2004

Saturday - First Week of Advent

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” Which means “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:22-23)

Matthew likes to quote the Old Testament and show how it leads up to Jesus. Such linkage was particularly important for the earliest Christians, since the Old Testament was the only Scripture they had.

In today’s passage Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah who preached 750 years before Christ. This Scripture quote is the first interpretation of the life of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel – “God is with us.”

These will also be the very last words of Matthew’s Gospel. The risen Lord says to his disciples: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

It is a touching and consoling thing when we are facing something difficult and a person says too us, “I’ll go with you.” It may be to a doctor’s appointment when we’re facing serious health problems…or to a courtroom…or to some difficult confrontation.

These are the words the Lord speaks to me today, and every day: “I’ll go with you.” To remember he’s there wherever we are – makes a difference.

He’s with me now. And wherever today takes me, he says, “I’ll go with you.”

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Sunday, December 5, 2004

The Advent Wreath

Today the Church lights the second of the four candles on the Advent wreath.

It is thought that the origins of the Advent wreath lie in the pagan customs of people in the far northern countries of Scandinavia – customs that originated long before the birth of Christ.

Because they couldn’t do farm work outdoors in the winter, people brought into their homes the wheels of their wagons, decorated them with greens, put candles on them, and hung them from the ceiling on a wire. Then they would twirl them to become a glowing prayer to the god of light in the time of winter darkness

Christians later adapted this to celebrate the coming birth of the Light of the World.

We’re eight days into Advent, with 19 days left. Time to go back to November 28 and look at the plans we sketched and perhaps make some adjustments.

Sunday - Second Week of Advent

Advent: A Time to Reform our Lives

Why was John the Baptist so tough on the Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming forward to receive his baptism of reform? The Pharisees and the Sadducees were not evil people. They worked hard to learn the law and they were dedicated to keeping the law. They were not immoral people. They were very religious. They were not rich people – at least the weren’t fleecing the people. And yet, John is very tough on them.

As today’s Gospel reading unfolds, we discover more about why this was so. We see the picture of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and some others as people who are more or less boxed in. They were rigid and they clung to the rules and ways of stating their beliefs – so much so that they were unable to catch the spirit of what they believed. Worse than that, they were unable to discover the newness because there is always newness as God continues to reveal and pour forth his Spirit. And that’s what they couldn’t do; they were boxed in, they were tied to the letter of the law and missed the whole spirit. They couldn’t go beyond – they couldn’t grow – they couldn’t feast on the great mysteries that Jesus would preach.

We are always called upon to put ourselves into the Gospel and not simply be spectators. It is an occupational hazard of religion that we get lost in the details and miss the spirit.

During Advent, I am called upon to prepare in a special way and to reform my heart. What is some evidence in my life that I really mean to reform and truly to be the kind of person that Jesus is and that He called me to be?

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Monday, December 6, 2004

St. Nicholas

The feast of St. Nicholas has been celebrated on this date since about the fifth century.

Little is known of his life, except that he was bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey) and lived in the fourth century.

Stories suggest he was the only child of a wealthy family, was orphaned as a young boy, grew up in a monastery, and at age 17 became a priest. He was kind and generous to poor families, widows and especially children and orphans. Legends say that, wishing to aid people anonymously, he would drop bags of gold down the chimneys of the homes of people in need or throw gold coins through windows where they landed in stockings hanging by the fireplace to dry.

Legends of his generosity soon encouraged other people also to give gifts at this time of year. But in the 16th century, some Reformers felt Nicholas was too closely tied to the Catholic Church. Different countries or regions developed their own gift-giver. In France, he was known as Pere Noel; In England, Father Christmas; to the Dutch, Sinter Klass.

Early Dutch settlers in New York brought their tradition of Sinter Klass to the United States, where he later became known as Santa Claus.

Monday - Second Week of Advent

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. (Matthew 1:24)

We have in this passage the first of four responses of Joseph to an angel’s message: ”When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” He will respond in this same fashion three more times:

• When later told to flee to Egypt: ”Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.”

• After Herod’s death when told to return to Israel: ”He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.”

• On the way, when warned in a dream that Herod Archelaus was ruler of Judea: ”He departed for the region of Galilee.”

Joseph faithfully did whatever he was given to do. That’s the long and the short of it in my life. Sometimes I wonder, “Why this? Why me? But it’s got to be done, and I’m the one to do it, so I do it.

Doing God’s will doesn’t always involve high-profile stuff or works that seem so wonderful. Only later will we realize how important the ordinary things really are.

Just ask Joseph.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Tuesday, December 7, 2004

Feast of St. Ambrose

Ambrose was governor of a region in northern Italy, with his headquarters in Milan. When the bishop of Milan died in 374, the people had a hard time electing a replacement (that’s how they chose bishops back then) because of angry factions. Worried about civil disorder, Ambrose went to the basilica and told the wrangling parties to conduct themselves peacefully. Someone shouted, “Ambrose for bishop!” and the crowd picked it up. Ambrose fled, but they tracked him down, and insisted that he become their bishop.

There was one problem. Actually, two problems. First of all, he wasn’t a priest. Second, he wasn’t even baptized.

In the space of a week, Ambrose was baptized, confirmed ordained a priest and ordained a bishop.

Ambrose began an intensive study of Scripture, sold his property, lived an ascetic life, reached out to the poor, and immersed himself in the pastoral care of his people. He turned out to be a holy bishop, and when he died 23 years later, the people acclaimed him as a saint.

* * *

There was another young man in Milan who, as Ambrose had been, was a non-Christian pursuing a civil service career. Ambrose instructed him and received him into the Church. The new convert became a great theologian, a bishop, and a saint. His name was Augustine.

Tuesday - Second Week of Advent

Joseph had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:25)

The birth of Jesus is told in nine words: “She bore a son, and he named him Jesus.”

The literal English translation of today’s passage is sometimes confusing: “He had no relations with her until she bore a son.”

In English, when peoples say something didn’t happen “until” such-and-such, it is usually implied that it did happen afterward. The Greek construction, however, doesn’t necessarily carry that implication.

How things are said can be very important. The implications, the hidden messages picked up by the listener (and perhaps not intended by the speaker or writer) can trigger all sorts of reactions and assumptions.

It is easy sometimes to jump to conclusions. Because Dorothy Day worked for social justice and advocated changing structures, she was called an anarchist, a communist.

She could take that. What bothered her was when someone called her a saint…and it wasn’t because she was trying to be humble. “When they call you a saint,” she said, “it means basically that you’re not to be taken seriously.” It was like, “Dorothy Day can do that stuff because she’s a saint.”

Sometimes I excuse myself from having to change my way of life because, after all, I am not a saint.

But because I am a disciple of the Lord, I’m called day in and day out to do good things that are within my capacity to do. After all, the Lord is with me. I ought to think about that during Advent.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

The Immaculate Conception

Today is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, often mistakenly thought to refer to the way Mary was conceived or to the way she conceived Jesus in her womb.

The “Immaculate Conception” means that what we received at Baptism, Mary received immediately. From the first moment of her conception she was free from sin – “Immaculate”.

The feast was celebrated in England as early as the 12th century, and in the 18th century was made a feast of the whole Church.

In 1846, the sixth Provincial Council of Baltimore made this the patronal feast of the Church in the United States.

In 1854, after consultation with the bishops of the world and with theologians, Pope Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception to be a doctrine of the Church.

Wednesday - Second Week of Advent

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

That a star rose to signal the birth of the king of the Jews would not have seemed strange to the people of that time. It was widely accepted that the births and deaths of great people were marked by signs in the heavens.

The Magi use the phrase “king of the Jews.” It is one of Matthew’s hints of the Passion. One can’t help but think of these very words hanging above Christ’s head on the cross.

The Christmas season is not a time of unmixed joy. There is also sadness, pain. It will be lonely for those who have just lost someone they loved. For some others, it is always lonely. This season sends us deep within our soul – a mixture of happy and sad thoughts, thanksgiving for what we have, sometimes musing of what might have been.

Don’t resist the mixture. It’s already there in the feast itself. We’re celebrating the birth of the one who suffered, died, and rose from the dead to open the door of life for us. We/re celebrating the birth of the one who came to reach out to those who need him. That's what he came to do.

And that’s what he still does.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Wednesday, December 9, 2004

St. Juan Diego

Juan Diego has special meaning for the Mexican people. Juan was a native Aztec. On December 9, 1531 (10 years after the Spanish Conquest), Mary appeared to him along a country trail (near present-day Mexico City) and told him to tell the bishop to build a church on that site to replace a pagan shrine. Strikingly, Mary’s features and clothing were Aztec, and she spoke to him in that language.

Juan’s efforts to convince the bishop failed. Finally, in her third appearance, Mary told him to take nearby roses (unusual in December) as a sign. Juan put some in his cloak. When he got to the bishop and unfolded the cloak, imprinted on it was the painting of Mary that has become famous.

Juan Diego’s cloak now hangs in the huge church of Our Lady of Guadalupe built on that site. After nearly 500 years the picture on the cloak shows no sign of deterioration, and artists have been unable to duplicate the combination of materials used in the paint.

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12.

Thursday - Second Week of Advent

When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:3-4)

Herod was “King of the Jews” from 37 to 4 B. C. His reign was marked by a bloody struggle to protect his throne. His paranoid reaction to the announcement of the magi comes as no surprise.

What follows is another chord that hints at the death of the child just born – the “assembling” of the chief priests and the scribes of the people. Three times in his Passion Narrative, Matthew uses this same word to describe the religious leaders, “assembling” to put an end to Jesus. Ironically, here in the birth story the chief priests and scribes give supporting evidence that the child could be the Messiah.

It was easier for them to accept Jesus as an infant. Perhaps it’s easier for us too. When he grows up, he will speak some hard words.

In the Advent Season, we open ourselves to receive Jesus fully into our lives. He will not stay a child. He becomes a prophet, a leader who calls us to follow in his footsteps and to walk a different way of life. The truth is, he’s not always easy to follow. Don’t be afraid to tell him that.

Can I ask for guidance while I talk with him?

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Friday, December 10, 2004

Hanukkah

The Jewish feast of “Hanukkah,” a Hebrew word that means “dedication.” began on December 8. It is an eight-day festival celebrating an event that took place a century and a half before Christ.

In 167 B. C., on the 25th day of the third Jewish month, the tyrannical king of Syria desecrated the Temple by removing its altar and putting up a pagan altar on which he offered a sacrifice to Zeus. This capped off years of attempts to paganize the Jewish people, some of whom went along with it. Others, however, were willing to die for their faith.

A revolt ensued and, exactly three years to the day after the desecration, Judas Maccabeus, leader of the revolt, purified the Temple, built a new altar, and dedicated it.

There was great rejoicing for many days, and candles played a large part in the celebration. Today a nine-branched menorah is used with one main candle from which an additional candle is lit each of the eight days.

The feast of Hanukkah usually falls in December.

Friday - Second Week of Advent

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

’And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

(Matthew 2:5-6)

The Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah emphasized most of all that he would bring freedom. This meant a great deal to a people that had known exile, enslavement – to a people that often lived from hand to mouth trying to eke out a living from arid soil to which they must have felt enslaved.

And when the Messiah came, the early Christians did experience freedom. They were free from the treadmill of the law and now were born into a new life.

Observers remarked about the early Christians that they were a people with a sense of freedom – there was a certain peace and joy and fresh air about them.

If the Messiah has brought freedom, and the Messiah has come, I should experience this freedom. Here. Now.

And I can. I don’t have to be God. I don’t have to be the Messiah. I don’t have to be God toward myself, toward my family, toward my friends, toward the world. All I have to do is my best, and to pray and know that God loves us and we are his children.

I can let God be God…and rejoice.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Did Jesus Have Siblings?

There is reference in several Gospel passages to the “brothers” of Jesus. Mark even gives their names: James, Joses, Judas and Simon.

The problem is, the Greek word for “brothers” can also have the broader sense of kinsmen, relatives. The Church’s tradition of the perpetual virginity of Mary goes back to the early centuries, which indicates that “brothers” was interpreted in the broader sense.

Since the word itself is ambiguous, one cannot prove the case based solely on the New Testament.

* * *

Annual Retirement collection

The annual retirement collection for religious is taken up this weekend. For many years religious in the United States (many of them women teach in schools) received small compensation. With the modern-day escalation of costs in caring for their sick and elderly, many communities found themselves in difficult financial straits. To asst them, the bishops began this special collection in 1986.

Saturday - Second Week of Advent

Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” (Matthew 2:7-8)

Herod is no stranger to secret intrigues.

Nor is he a stranger to hypocrisy. Under the pretense of wanting to pay homage to the newborn king, he asks the magi to deliver the information he needs to kill the child.

“Hypocrisy” comes from a Greek word associated with acting on stage. It literally means an “actor’s mask”.

More than any other Gospel writer, Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ condemnation of hypocrisy – the word appears 12 times in his Gospel.

None of us really wants to be a hypocrite. We would cringe if anyone even called us one. Trouble is, we sometimes feel a touch of it in us. No one knows us as we know ourselves, and we know when we’ve faked it a bit.

There’s a place for diplomacy – using tact and timing, while still being faithful to the truth.

But hypocrisy is pretending something that’s not true. Peter tried that in the courtyard and got into an awful mess.

During Advent we open ourselves fully to Jesus and we talk straight to him. The truth, No mask. He can handle it.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Saturday, December 12, 2004

Our Lady of Guadalupe

In addition to being the Third Sunday of Advent, today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.) The story of this feast was told earler on December 9, the feast of St. Juan Diego.) This is a day of great celebration particularly among Hispanics. They have been preparing with a novena that began on December 4.

Gaudete Sunday

Today is traditionally called “Gaudete Sunday” (the Latin word “gaudete” means “rejoice”. “Rejoice” is the first word of the opening antiphon for the Third Sunday of Advent, which is taken from the second reading of Year C (“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! The Lord is near.” Phil 4:4-5).

That’s why one of the three candles to be lit on this Sunday on the Advent wreath is often pink.

Desert Flowers

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist was having a crisis of faith.

He believed that he was the herald of the Messiah, and he did everything that God called him to do. He believed that his cousin, Jesus was to be the Messiah…and then he began to wonder. He had worked hard. He had fasted and prayed and prepared the way. And now he was in prison.

So he sent messages to Jesus: “Are you the one?” John was saying, “If you are the Messiah, then where is the transformation of this world? I thought you came to bring freedom to captives – and here I am in prison. Is this what I get? I thought you were going to bring peace, and here we are still occupied by the Roman forces. Where is the unity, the life, the justice, the glory that the Messiah is to bring?”

Then Jesus sent back word and said, “I have planted some seeds. There are some desert flowers I want you to know about. There is a man who never could hear a sound, and now he hears. There was a blind man who never saw a tree, and now he sees the sunset in the sky. There was the paralytic who never stood up a day in his life, and now he can run. There is much more to do and it will take a long time…but, John, see these wild flowers. These are the beginnings of what I, the Messiah, have come to do.”

This is the kind of hope we have to have. We have to plant the hope. It is not a vague wish. It is real, because we look around us and we look at ourselves.

And we see real desert flowers.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Monday, December 13, 2004

St. Lucy

Little is actually known about St. Lucy, whose feast is today. She was martyred at the beginning of the fourth century. Tradition has it that, at the height of a persecution conducted by the Roman Emperor Diocletian, Lucy distributed her dowry to the poor, and was suspected of being a Christian. She was turned in by the young man to whom her parents had betrothed her.

* * *

Lucy became a popular saint and her name was even included in the Canon of the Mass.

* * *

Her name comes from the Latin word “lux” which means “light,” and celebration of her feast often include wearing a crown of lights. She is also patroness of the eyes.

* * *

The meteors that often appear about the time of her feast are referred to as “Lucy’s Lights.”

Monday - Third Week of Advent

After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. (Matthew 2:9-11)

This is a fascinating story. The star now reappears and leads the Magi to Bethlehem.

Bethlehem is about five miles south of Jerusalem, so it was not a long trip. This remarkable star not only showed them the town, but the house where the child was.

The Magi enter the house and find “the child with Mary his mother.” Where’s Joseph? (He isn’t mentioned at all in the entire episode of the Magi.)

Joseph is only mentioned when he is needed – to get up, take the child and his mother, and do this or that.

Mary too. Same as Joseph: Never imposing herself, always there to do God’s will. (In Matthew’s entire infancy account, she and Joseph speak not a word.)

It’s God who is the master painter. We’re assistants. Let the master do the masterpiece. We’re honored to help.

Actually, it’s good news. A Messiah has been born for us. That job’s taken. We don’t have to try to fill it. Just do what we’re asked to do.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.

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