Holy Family

The Scripture Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122715.cfm

On May 2nd, 2015, a royal daughter was born to Prince William and Duchess Kate. News of Charlotte Elizabeth Diana quickly spread throughout the world. Her official name is Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. She is fourth in line to the throne of England. The London sky lit up the night of her birth.

On this feast of the Holy Family, we remember that we are more than royal children. We are not sons and daughters of earthly monarchs. Instead, we are children and heirs of the King of kings. In the first Letter of St. John, he states that "we are God's children, now." (1 John 3:1) This is not just fancy rhetoric. It is fact! Let's take a moment to think about this!

One time, Jesus told his disciples, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." (Luke 8:19-21). In the reading from the First Letter of John, God tells us what he wants: to believe in Jesus Christ and to love one another. The payoff is that we remain in God, and he in us. It is like a drop of water in the ocean. It is not the ocean. However, it is part of the ocean, the ocean is part of it. Further, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to remain in us to connect us to him and the Father.

What we are learning today on this Feast of the Holy Family is that Jesus has three families. His first family is the Trinity. It is a mysterious love triangle of Father, Son, and Spirit. Their love gave birth to all creation. Their love eventually brought forth Jesus (divine and human) to show us how to live.

His second family was his earthly family, the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. We celebrate that family today. That family models for us devotion, respect, and obedience to God - despite many trials.

We hear of Joseph obediently taking Mary as his wife and raises Jesus as his son. Scripture uses only one adjective to describe Joseph: just. However, we see in his actions unselfish devotion to his family and to his God.

Next we hear that Mary never said no to God, regardless of the cost. When the angel Gabriel told her that she was to be the mother of the Messiah, she responds, "Be it done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38) She was faithful from the annunciation to the manger to the cross to the grave.

It was in this family that Jesus, as a human like us, grew in age, wisdom, and grace. Though God, he respected his earthly parents. We owe that respect to our parents just because they are our parents. Sirach says that this respect comes through their life.

Finally, we are Jesus' adopted family. God gave all of us into Jesus' care. He calls us brothers and sisters. He modeled obedience to God the Father, no matter the cost. He taught us how to be children of God and children of our earthly parents. We are drawn into the Holy Family because he gave us Mary, his Mother, to be our mother, too.

If your family is not holy, if they have rejected you, if you feel rootless, unloved, unaccepted, remember that nothing can separate you from your relationship with God except yourself. Even then, God's door is always open to welcome us back into the family to share a meal.

Each week as we gather for the Eucharist, we assemble as children of God united as his Holy Family. We come to strengthen our families, both spiritual and earthly, through sharing the Scriptures and in the Eucharist. Truly, Communion makes present our life in Christ and his life in us. Go forth living as a royal child of the King of kings.

“A savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.” Luke 2:11

This week we celebrate with joy the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is Messiah and Lord! With all this hustle and bustle and shopping during this time of year, we have to remember that Jesus is the “reason for the season!”

In the gospel of Saint Luke that we will hear read during Midnight Mass (Luke 2:1-14), the story of Jesus is characterized by simplicity and reserve. In it we hear of a decree from Caesar Augustus, calling for a nationwide census. Traditionally, people hated a census because its real purpose was to raise taxes and increase the military inscription. Though this information in Luke’s gospel is not historically accurate, it serves the purpose to get Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem so that Jesus can be born in the city of David, which was a requirement for the Messiah. The birth itself is simply stated with few details.

The first people to hear about the Messiah were not the national and religious leaders. Instead, angels appear to shepherds and inform them what has happened in the city of David. Shepherds were at the bottom of the social ladder and almost the last people that one would expect to be the recipients of such wondrous news. The fact that angels delivered the announcement of Jesus’ birth underscored the importance of what was happening, the possibility of peace on earth.

In Jesus, we see the fulfillment of God’s promises made throughout human history. Jesus brings not only personal salvation and transformation, but also establishment of God’s kingdom where all people can live in harmony, justice, and peace. As God honored poor simple shepherds with the news of the birth of Jesus, God continues to honor all people with that news today.

God calls on us, not merely to observe and celebrate the birth of Jesus, but to manifest the kingdom through our actions. During this Christmas season, go and share the Good News of the presence of Jesus in your life with those who you love the most.

Third Sunday of Advent

Scripture readings for the Third Sunday of Advent can be found at  http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121315.cfm. 

Today the church celebrates Gaudete Sunday. The Church rejoices that our Savior has come and will come again.

On meeting people for the first time and enjoying their presence, we regret when the time arrives for their departure. Reassured by them that they will return, we hope that we will meet again. Since they did not indicate an exact time or place for this return, we place our hope in their word. Until that time, we rejoice in their promise. 

During Advent we focus on the fact that Our Lord  who has come to live with us will return to fulfill that promise.

Sin occurs when we search for happiness apart from God. In our first reading, Zephaniah emphasizes this by illustrating that gladness results when we realize that God is among us. How aware are we of God's being with us? What are the ways in which this is evident to us? How can we live happily in a world that seems to avoid God?

In our search for happiness, we need to focus upon obeying God by keeping his commandments. Using these guidelines can help us to become more aware of God. Rejoicing in his presence and look forward to his coming again.

A person does not need to be in a pleasant surroundings in order to have happiness. An example of this is Paul writing from prison to the Philippian Church, expressing Christ's love and joy for their friendship.

Paul was full of joy for he knew that, whatever would happen to him, Jesus Christ was with him. Let us try to remember this the next time our surroundings make us depressed or lonely. Remember that our Lord is ever present in our darkest corner, waiting to cheer us up.

In our gospel, we hear John's message. It's more than just an invitation. It was a response that moved a person toward a complete, a total transformation.

In demonstrating the importance of right living, John points out the need for repentance, especially among groups such as tax collectors and soldiers. John cites these groups as examples for our personal repentance and interior change. Perhaps we can use this time during Advent to reflect more upon the importance of repentance and how this can apply to our lives.

This message includes not only tax collectors/solders, but also those who were currently experiencing poverty, prejudice, and unfair treatment. These people were definitely aware of their needs as they gave all their effort to seek how they could change their lives. God desires to poor out mercy to those who  change their lives. 

When John appeared, the people were excited. They were sure that the age of the Messiah had come. What would we think or act if a prophet were in our midst? Would we recognize them as prophets through their words and message? As a result, would we change our lives and drawer closer to God?

When our Lord comes, will we recognize him because we have come to know him in his word and the Eucharist? Indeed, it is through hearing the word of God and receiving his sacraments in the Church that we joyfully look forward to his glorious coming.

Ever mindful of our rejoicing, we continue to place our hopes and joys in our community of faith. Through it, may we come to see the presence of Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine that we bring and offer until our Lord's return.