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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.

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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.