Third Sunday of Advent

(Modified from a reflection originally written for my Church bulletin)

When I was young, every Sunday we would drive by a drugstore on the way to Mass. This was an old-fashioned drugstore in Cedar Grove.  It had large storefront windows on which were painted seasonal scenes and where sales were advertised. Inside the drugstore there was a food counter where you could eat a meal, have pie, ice cream and even a root-beer float.

Each Sunday we would check to see what had been drawn on the drugstore windows. The best day was always the Sunday we saw Santa Claus painted on one of the store’s large windows. It was our sign that Christmas was close and it brought joy to me, my brothers and my sisters.

Today the Catholic Church brings us joy. It has changed what we see. The vestments the clergy wear are not the normal advent purple but rose in color. We light the rose colored candle on our advent wreaths. Just as that drugstore changed the depictions on its windows to advertise a different season, today the Church is advertising joy! We hear the word “Rejoice” at the beginning of the Mass and rightly we should for the advent season is more than half over. Our preparation for the coming of the Lord will not be in vain. The Responsorial Psalm tells us that the Lord keeps faith forever.
Rejoice! God is sending us his saving Word.

Using Advent as a time of Preparation

(Modified from a column originally written for my Church bulletin)

The Advent season is like that of the of the Lenten season, both seasons can have a penitential feel to them. Advent is the time for us to reassess the state of our spiritual life with the knowledge that Christ will return. We are not only to examine our spiritual readiness for the coming of Christ, but we are to make the necessary changes based on that spiritual examination.

There are numerous ways to prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ. One way is a personal sacrifice, giving up something we enjoy. This self-denial can be a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us.  A second way to prepare for the coming of Christ is to start or increase our own prayer life. Adding some of the beautiful traditions that have been passed down through generations is a good way to quickly increase our prayer life.

I would describe tradition as an action or a belief that is passed on from one generation to the next. It must be worthy of being continued from one generation to the next or it will stop and be forgotten. No one will continue a tradition if it does not have a deeper and desirable meaning. Each family probably has its own Advent and Christmas traditions already. It could be a certain day the Christmas tree is decorated, the use of an advent wreath or a Christmas calendar with Bible verses.  Usually family traditions have been tested by time so do not discard some of your family or Church traditions too quickly.

Whichever way you choose to prepare for Christmas make sure there is time for the spiritual side of your life.  You could be the one that starts a new tradition in your family. May this Advent season bring you many blessings as you prepare for the coming of Christ.

When Christmas comes, are you ready?

(Updated version of column for church bulletin)

I enjoy reading, so much that I remember having to be told not to bring books to the dinner table when I was a child. Today my reading interest varies depending on the mood I am in. Subjects can range from history, religious and biographies to best selling fiction.  Sometimes I will let the book I read effect my mood. I remember the first time I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I was so sad when I finished the last book. The characters of the books had entered my imagination and become real. We shared grand adventure, become friends; protected each other and now all at once and very quickly they were gone, never to live again unless I read the books again.

Our holidays can be like that sometimes. The memories become alive just like the characters in the books we have read. We may feel that with each passing Advent and Christmas season something has been lost. Memories and feeling have been made that we may never have again. Luckily the unique sights and smells of the holidays draw us back to our own memories. The sweets that are baked and the scented candles we burn all help us remember our own family memories. We recall our childhood and the excitement we felt at this time of the year. We want to remember our past but also create new memories with our own family and friends. We recall the past and use those memories to build on the future.

This is what Advent should be for all of us. We should be looking back at the birth of Jesus, recalling all the events surrounding it and also looking forward to the opportunity the birth of Jesus will bring to us. It is fitting that today’s Collect helps us to look both in the past and to the future. We pray that through the Incarnation of the Son of God, made known to us through the message of the Angel, God’s grace may be poured forth into our hearts. This grace will help us prepare for our own eternal salvation that is shown to us by the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel tells us that the child Elizabeth was carrying leaped for joy when hearing the voice of Mary, causing Elizabeth to cry out: “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” We too must be ready to leap for joy when the birth of Christ comes. Our savior wants us to say “Yes” to the salvation he will one day offer to us which begins with his birth. This is not just something from the past, a memory that only lives when we read or think about but an offer of a future eternal life. Advent has helped us to recall the past and to prepare for the future. When Christmas comes may you too be blessed for having believed the message spoken to Mary “the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”

Advent: a Time for Traditions

(Updated version of column for church bulletin)

Each family has their own traditions for the holidays. Think back a few weeks ago to the Thanksgiving holiday. You probably ate the same food and did the same things you do every year. Maybe after dinner you played games together, shared family stories or just stood around in the kitchen visiting with each other as everyone helped to clean the dishes. There is nothing wrong with tradition especially if it brings us together in love and comfort. Our hectic lives could be causing us to slowly lose some of our traditions, especially during the Advent season. Our schedules have become so busy and diverse it is hard to find the time for family traditions. Traditions can build up the family through love and sharing so they are worth keeping despite the effort they require.

My wife and I both had the same tradition when growing up.  Each of our families would gather around the television to watch some of the Christmas shows such as The Charlie Brown Christmas Special, Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was a time before DVDs, video recorders and multiple playing of the same show. If you did not plan to watch a Christmas show, you could miss it and would have to wait another year for the chance to see it again. There was comfort in the knowledge that you, your mom, dad, brothers and sisters took the time to come together to enjoy the same show and share laughter, comments and jokes. Though it was not spoken at the time there was a love felt by all by just being together.

Today we should be lighting the second candle of our Advent wreath. I know that not everyone has or uses a wreath during the Advent season but it is a tradition my wife and I have always liked. When our children were young, it was very easy to bring them together for the lighting of the advent wreath. There is something about the lighting of the candles, praying together and anticipating the birth of Christ that they all seemed to enjoy. The Advent wreath was also a countdown clock to Christmas for our children so I will admit that the anticipation of a visit by St. Nick probably played a role in my children’s enjoyment of this daily advent tradition.

One thing my wife and I would do each night when we gathered to light the Advent wreath was to make sure not as many lights were on around the kitchen table. Our children would notice this darkness around the kitchen table.  It was their visual reminder of not just how close Christmas was but also of the darkness the world was in before the birth of Christ. The lighting of an additional candle each week would make the room brighter. Each week we knew it was a little closer to the light of Christ coming into our earthly world.

There are many other Advent traditions that can be done; the blessing of your Christmas tree and nativity scene, Advent countdown calendars, the Jesse tree, fasting, attending daily Masses and meditating on the great "O Antiphons" of Advent are just a few. Advent offers us many traditions for preparing for the birth of Christ. Find that special Advent tradition for your family or for yourself and start it today.

Preparing for the Birth of Christ

(Updated version of column for church bulletin)

Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

This is the Collect for the today’s Mass; the First Sunday of Advent. We are called to run to forth to meet Christ with righteous deeds. Advent is a time of preparation. We are to prepare for the coming birth of Christ by our righteous deeds. How well we prepared can be shown by how well we wait.

When I was younger, there were three types of waiting I did for a parent. The first was with trepidation. There was a feeling of apprehension; I knew something was wrong. The problem was this feeling was brought about by my own mistakes. I had probably disobeyed either a parent or teacher and did not want to face the consequences. I hoped my mistake was forgotten or not known. Neither was usually the case.

The second type of waiting is with indifference. I just did not think about when my mother or father would be home. I may not have done anything wrong but neither had I done anything outstanding. There was no reason to anticipate their arrival. I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts, plans and desires.

The third type of waiting is one of joyful anticipation. The anticipation is not in an opportunistic way as if waiting to proclaim personal accomplishments but one of joy as one waits to see a loved one. It is the joy that comes from knowing that you wait for someone who desires to see you as much as you desire their presence.

The Advent season gives us a time to prepare for the coming birth of Jesus. We must decide now how we will prepare during this time. Is it with indifference; not giving any thought to how the birth of Christ effected us? Will it be with the trepidation of knowing that we could have done more to better appreciate what the birth of Jesus means to our salvation? Will it be with joyful anticipation that comes from the knowledge that we have truly taken the time to prepare for the birth of Christ?

There will be a multitude of deeds you can do to be ready for the joyous birth we celebrate at Christmas. Participate in the opportunities your Church will offer. Journey through the Advent season using one of the many spiritual Advent books being offered. Budget your time wisely so you will be able to reflect on scripture. Visit the home-bound and those in nursing homes. Donate your time, talent and treasure to those in need. These good deeds will have you prepared and waiting for the birth of Christ with joyful anticipation.

Advent Reflection, Fourth Sunday, 2016

Bishop Robert Barron recently wrote that if we take an honest look at the Biblical texts dealing with Christmas, we will find that they have precious little to do with sentimentality. Bishop Barron writes of the visiting Magi from the East looking for the newborn king. Their search was not met with excitement or enthusiasm. Matthew tells us: “When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”  King Herod saw this newborn baby as a threat to his position.  Herod asked the Magi to return to him with news of this newborn king, When the Magi returned home by a different route King Herod became furious. To protect his kingship, Herod ordered that every boy in Bethlehem the age of two and under be killed. Herod does not sound like someone excited about the Christmas season.

Why would a newborn be such a threat to King Herod?  The Gospel reading for this Fourth Sunday reminds us of the mission Jesus is given. The Angel of the Lord tells Joseph during a dream about the child Mary is carrying; "She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” This newborn king could be the messiah who liberates the Israelites from the Romans and thus from King Herod's rule.

We have to remember that the Incarnation was just the first part of God’s plan.  The Advent season allows us the time to look beyond the birth of Jesus and make the connection to his death and resurrection. It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus that we are redeemed.

The Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent helps us do this.  In the Collect we pray that God’s grace be put in our heart so that through his Passion (the suffering of Jesus Christ up to his death) we will move to the glory of his resurrection. The Collect reminds us the Incarnation is just the beginning of God’s plan for our redemption.

The birth of Jesus is a challenge to each of us. It is a call to conversion and a call for self examination.  Just as Herod did, some of us may not want to let go of those things that distance us from God. That distance can keep us from the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Use these final days of Advent as a time for reflecting on the life of Jesus.  Have we let go of everything that is keeping us from the saving power of his resurrection?

This Christmas celebrate the infant Jesus in the manger. Join the angels in giving glory to God. Give glory to his birth and give glory to his resurrection.

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.

Advent Reflection, Third Sunday, 2016

Today is Gaudete Sunday. We have passed the midpoint of Advent. The normal purple vestments of Advent are not worn. The vestments worn at the Mass today will be a rose color. This is a visual encouragement for us to continue our spiritual preparation for the coming birth of Jesus. This encouragement and joy is shown by the lighting of the pink candle on an Advent wreath and the Entrance Antiphon of today’s Mass.  The antiphon points us to the joy of the coming of our Lord when we sing “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed the Lord is near.”

Why do we rejoice? First, we rejoice because the Word became flesh. We see God in the baby Jesus. We take comfort in the fact that God has not abandoned us. We were created out of love and that love for us has lead to the birth of Christ. Jesus has come so we may know the Father through the Son and by this we may know the way for eternal salvation.

In every baby we see the possibility of great things that can be. We see a child growing and the richness that their life can have. We too are like babies in the eyes of God. We have such great possibilities but we are easily turned away from the richness God has prepared for us.  Jesus is our hope for salvation. He points us to the right path for salvation. We can read of Jesus as an adult.  He fulfilled all that our own human nature can be.  It is by his birth that our hope takes root.

So today we do rejoice! The Lord is near both in the celebration of his birth and through his salvation. His birth leads to his Passion and Death but we know it is not the end of the story. The story of Jesus continues with his Resurrection; our hope for a new life. Our story starts with our birth, continues through death and into what we hope is our eternal salvation, the salvation that Jesus won for us by his Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Today Collect (the opening prayer of the Mass) reminds us of this.  We celebrate the Lord's Nativity for we know of the joy of salvation that it offers.

O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.

Advent Reflection, Second Sunday, 2016

Have you been told that Christmas has become too commercialized? Have you been told to keep Christ in Christmas? You probably have.  Sadly this too has become part of our Christmas tradition just like using an Advent wreath, watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special or mailing out Christmas cards. You may have been told Christmas is too commercialized or Christ has been lost in Christmas as an attempt by someone to help you get through this time of the year or out of their own feelings of frustration. My thought is that if you do feel this way; it is your own fault! The main focus of businesses, including the television industry, is to make money. They will only sell what people buy and watch.

We make the choices of how we prepare for Christmas. The Advent season is one of the many things I believe the Church got absolutely correct. Advent reminds us we are on a journey. The end of this journey should find us prepared to properly celebrate the birth of Christ. The buying of Christmas presents, the listening to Christmas music and the watching of Christmas specials are not inherently bad. It is how we let these commercialized things affect us that can lead us to the possibility of a bankrupted spirituality at Christmas.

The first week of Advent is over. Take a few minutes to reflect on this first week. Consider what you have done in preparing for Christmas. You may have brought some presents, attended a party or watched a few Christmas shows. Are you humming Christmas songs throughout the day?  You may have also been frustrated by traffic around the stores you shop or the lack of service you received at a busy eatery.  If you keep all these things in the proper perspective none of them should affect your preparations for the coming of Jesus.  The Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent reminds us to let “no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son.” 

We should all know that traffic jams, busy stores, Christmas music and our own frustrations are just part of this time of the year. They will not go away.  So we must do as the Prayer after Communion tells us; we must “judge wisely things on earth”. We are to remain focused on those things that are important as an aid to our spiritual growth and let go of those things that are too distracting. We must seek the “heavenly wisdom” for making the right decisions during Advent.

Enjoy this time of the year but never forget that Christmas does not start until the birth of Jesus. Now it is Advent, the time to prepare. If you feel the distractions of the world are beginning to overwhelm you, sit with God in prayer for a few minutes. Recall the opening prayer of today’s Mass. It reminds us of the real reason for Christmas; the Word became flesh so that we may gain the heavenly kingdom.

Almighty and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking hinder those
who set out in haste to meet your Son,
but may our learning of heavenly wisdom
gain us admittance to his company.

Advent Reflection, First Sunday, 2016

When you write a column for the Cathedral bulletin, it has to be submitted in advance for printing purposes. The good thing about posting that same column to a blog is the post is almost instantaneous. This gives you an opportunity to make any last minute changes to the post. After my adventures of yesterday, I have decided to amend my reflection for the first week of Advent before posting it to my blog.

Yesterday, I was with a group of Cathedral parishioners on a pilgrimage to Grand Coteau. After the early morning clouds burned off, the day ended up being a beautiful day of sunshine and cool air. Upon our arrival at Grand Coteau, we were able to see where St. John Berchmans appeared to a dying Mary Wilson. Mary was miraculously cured of her disease and this became the miracle used for the canonization of John Berchmans. Msgr. LaCaze celebrated the Mass for us at the Shrine.  We felt both the reverence of the shrine and the joy that comes from being with each other. All those on the pilgrimage agreed this would be a wonderful event to recall when the Heart of St. John Berchmans was at the Cathedral. (Click on Picture to right for more information)

We say and hear that Advent is a time of preparation. We are to focus on both the coming birth of Christ and his second coming. Grand sounding words but do we take them seriously?  Looking back on our pilgrimage, I will admit to a little pride in my calmness and clarity during an off-road adventure our bus took.  Visiting the shrine and the off-road adventure on the return trip caused me to wonder if I do take my Advent preparation seriously enough. Was I ready to be gathered at God's right hand as we hear in the Collect (Opening prayer of the Mass)?

The Collect from the first Sunday of Advent also tells us “to run forth to meet your Christ”.  We need to be running to the Lord. God is here just waiting for us to acknowledge his love for us. Once we wake up to God's love for us then we should have a deep desire for it. That desire will cause us to figuratively run to the Lord.

How do we figuratively “run forth” to our God? This is done by returning God's love and is shown by the righteous deeds we do for others. We give others the honor due as one created by God. We treat them with the respect that is deserved as sons and daughters of God's love. Our goal then should be to live each day of our life in such a way that if we knew today was to be our last day on this earth, we would not want to change anything about our day.  If we are truly running forth to the meet our Christ then we are running to the heavenly Kingdom.

Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
with righteous deeds at his coming,
so that, gathered at his right hand,
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Bulletin Column 201512120)

I have used this space during the Advent season to review the life of saints whose feast days are celebrated around this time period. It has given us the opportunity to explore these saints for traits that may help us prepare for the birth of Jesus. We first read about St. Andrew and his invitation to bring others to Jesus. Next St. Juan Diego taught us to help build up the Church established by Jesus and that our role is never too small or unimportant. Last week St. Stephen reminded us of the harsh realities of the world. Our role in the Church may not always be one that is easy. It may not be the journey we wish to take but it may be the one we are called to take.

Our final Saint to review is St. John Kanty who died in 1473.  His feast day is December 23.  Many of us have probably not celebrated or even heard of St. Kanty. Preparations for our very soon Christmas celebrations may have distracted us from John Kanty but I do not believe he would be upset. John was a very humble person who won over people by his sincerity and kindness.

John Karnty was a brilliant student at university of Kraków, Poland. He was ordained a priest and became a professor of theology. John was very popular with the students at the university which caused some to become envious of him. This resentment led to his being ousted by rivals and sent to be a parish priest at Olkusz. John Karnty was afraid of the responsibilities of a parish and this caused his parishioners not like him at first. He did win his parishioner’s hearts as they saw his genuine love and concern for them. John returned to Kraków after eight years and taught Scripture for the remainder of his life.

John was a serious man and yet humble. He was known to all the poor of Kraków for his kindness. He gave all his money to the poor except what was needed to support himself. John taught his students this philosophy; "Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause."

As Advent comes to a close recall the Saints we have reviewed. Know that everything you do is important to God and must be done with kindness and sincerity, no matter what the cost. Invite people not only into your lives but also into a new way of life. May this Christmas Season find you with a joyful heart, happiness in spirit and blessings for everyone you meet.

Third Sunday of Advent (Bulletin Column 20151213)

Today we will review the life of a Saint that I feel a special kinship to. He is found in the Acts of the Apostles. His feast day is December 26 and is considered the first martyr of the Church. He is also considered the first Deacon of the Church. His name is Saint Stephen. The Acts of Apostles state that Stephen was a man filled with grace and power, who worked great wonders among the people.

The Apostles found that as the disciples of Jesus grew in number, they needed helpers to look after the care of the widows and the poor. So they ordained seven deacons. Stephen was one of seven deacons and is the most famous of them. Stephen spoke with such wisdom and grace that many of the people who heard him became followers of Jesus. Unable to stop Stephen's preaching, his opponents found men who were willing to lie about what Stephen taught. These opponents claimed that "they had heard him speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God”. At his trial, Saint Stephen scolded the Sanhedrin for not believing in Jesus. This claim caused the Sanhedrin to rise up in great anger and scream at Stephen. Looking up to Heaven at this time Stephen said that he saw the heavens opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. It is also noted in the Acts of the Apostles that the Sanhedrin, "looking on him, saw his face as if it had been the face of an angel." These same men then proceeded to judge Stephen to be guilty of blasphemy. They dragged him outside the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death. As he was dying St. Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" and begged God not to punish his enemies for killing him.

Another fact about the stoning of Stephen should be noted. It is the presence of a man named Saul, who we read in Acts "was consenting to his death” and at whose feet "the witnesses laid down their garments.” This of course is Saul of Tarsus, who we know will become the great apostle Saint Paul.

The first week of Advent we learned to bring ourselves and others to Jesus through the example of St. Andrew. The second week of Advent we read about St. Juan Diego and how all are important to God. None are too insignificant to have a role in the Church. God has a vocation for each of us and through it we become an instrument for Him in the salvation of all.

St. Stephen reminds us today that the role we play in the Church may not always be one that is easy. It may not be the journey we wish to take but it may be the one we are called to take. Our belief in God and the practice of our faith will sometimes lead to ridicule, beatings and even death. Jesus has already overcome death through his sacrifice on the cross. Death holds no fear over us. Recall the words we read in today Responsorial Psalm: “God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior.” We have been invited by God to go and spread his good news of mercy and love. Let us confidently take up our call from God, unafraid with the knowledge that He is our savior.

First Sunday of Advent (Bulletin Column 20151129)

Advent Season is a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus. Reviewing the life of some of the saints whose feast days are celebrated during this time period may offer us some inspiration and guidance.

We will first look at St. Andrew, the Apostle whose feast day is celebrated on November 30th. On this day we remember the personal call of Andrew by Jesus to spread the good news of salvation. What little we know about St. Andrew is gleamed from the Bible. We know he and his brother were fishermen from Galilee. Andrew is considered the first Apostle of Jesus. He was originally a follower of John the Baptist. When John the Baptist sees Jesus he says: “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist hear this and immediately began to follow Jesus. After spending the day with Jesus, Andrew goes to his brother, tells him “We have found the Messiah” and takes his brother to Jesus. Jesus looks at the brother of Andrew and says, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).”

Later, people begin to follow Jesus after they see him healing the sick. On one occasion there are about five thousand men and uncounted women and children who have followed Jesus. These people were hungry and needed to be feed. After Jesus asked the Apostle Phillip how these people were to be feed, it is Andrew who brings to Jesus a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish. This occasion has become known as the miracle of “The Multiplication of the Loaves”.

It was Andrew who during the Passover Feast brings a group of Greeks (Gentiles) to meet Jesus. This prompts Jesus to remark: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Yes, Jesus will meet the Greeks but not in the way Andrew or the Greeks expect. Jesus will meet all, from Jews and Greeks to those yet to come by his sacrifice on the cross. He will become the bread of life for all generations.

Tradition has it that after Pentecost, Andrew travelled to Greece to spread the teachings of Jesus. It was in Greece where Andrew suffered death by crucifixion. Like his brother Peter, he did not deem himself worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. Andrew was crucified on a diagonal or X-shaped cross which has become known as St. Andrew's cross.

St. Andrew also plays an important part in our Advent season. Most of us use Catholic calendars, quick Internet searches or wait for the Church to remind us in determining when the Advent season starts. Advent is actually defined as starting with the Sunday nearest to the Feast day of St. Andrew.

In this quick look at St. Andrew we find someone that is always bringing others to Jesus. Andrew introduces St. Peter to Jesus. He brings the boy with food to Jesus. Andrew brings Gentiles to Jesus, showing the salvation Jesus offers is for the whole world. Through his feast day, St. Andrew is bringing us to a chance for a new beginning with the start of the Advent Season.

Begin this Advent season as St. Andrew would. Bring someone to Jesus. Invite people to join you at the Mass. Share a meal with a person who may be eating alone. Listen to someone you consider a “Gentile” but needs your help and understanding? Jesus is calling all of us to be fishers of men. Let St. Andrew be our inspiration as we “abound in love for one another and for all.” (1 Thes 3:12)

A New Liturgical Year (Bulletin Column 20151115)

Many of us like to recognize special events in our lives and the lives of others. We will have parties for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. We will celebrate promotions, retirements and many other things just too numerous to mention. One event that many people celebrate is New Year’s Eve. People will attend parties to “ring-in” the New Year. Others may enjoy a quiet evening by watching television with their family or friends. Regardless of how you bring in the New Year, you are probably with someone that is special to you.

Just as there is a calendar year that mark events in our life, the Church has a liturgical year that will mark events of both the life of Jesus and the Church.  These many events deserve recognition and celebration. By use of the liturgical calendar we are able to revisit the events annually. This gives us the opportunity to rediscover them as we grow in maturity and spirituality. Some yearly celebrations include the birth of Christ, his baptism, passion and resurrection. The calendar also includes the feast days of men and women who have played important roles in the growth of our faith. Through the use of Holy Days, the Church will call our attention to special events in the history of our faith that should be celebrated, remembered and prayed upon.

The liturgical year of the Catholic Church begins with the first Sunday of Advent. There are many things you will immediately notice on the first Sunday of a new liturgical year. The clergy will be wearing violet vestments and not the green color that has been worn since the end of the Easter season. The Church will begin a new cycle of readings. For many churches the most obvious change will be the displaying of an Advent wreath. The Advent wreath is used during the Advent season and will remain out until the beginning of the Christmas season.

The official end of the liturgical year is the last Saturday before the beginning of the Advent season. To properly celebrate the end of the liturgical year we must first consider what has happened during this concluding year. We used the liturgical year to recall the life of Christ here on earth. We heard readings at the Mass that are only read every three years. We celebrated important events in Church history. The Church ends each year in Ordinary time; giving us the opportunity to grow as we contemplated the teachings of Jesus anew.

The last Sunday of the liturgical year is the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. To “ring-out” the end of the liturgical year the Solemnity will mark the culmination of our spiritual growth and understanding for the ending year. Do not wait until the end of the calendar year to review your spiritual life. Review and resolve to make the changes that will bring you closer to God. Let us “ring-in” the new year proclaiming that Christ is our King.

Never to Late to Pray or to Post

I logged in to update my blog and was surprised to see how long it has been since my last post.  I know there is a cliché that goes Time flies when you're having fun but I wonder if there is one for when time flies because you are busy?  Maybe there is one but who has the time to search for it.  Sadly, there have been things I have written for the Cathedral that could have been posted.  Since I did not post them timely they are now dated and cannot be used.  I will try to start adding weekly updates even if the post are more personal in thought and nature.

Thinking about being busy has also made me reexamine my prayer life.  I will admit that some days I do not pray the evening prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours.  I never have trouble praying the morning prayers, it is always the evening prayers.  This tells me that I am not putting the proper emphasis on these prayers.   I should never be too busy to take a few minutes to recite my prayers. Praying the morning and evening prayers is part of my Diaconate and is something I should do every day.

Maybe now is a good time for all to examine their prayer life.  The new liturgical year will be starting soon and the Advent Season will be upon us.  A season of preparation for not only the birth of Christ but his second coming. Review your prayer life.  Make the proper changes now that will enhance your readiness for the coming of Christ.

Our Understanding Lord (Bulletin Column 20141221)

Today we read of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that when will bear a son.  Mary with the free will that God has granted all of us declares she will do the will of the Lord.  This is not an easy decision for Mary to make.  By accepting this child, Mary's life will be forever changed.  She will open herself up to shame, ridicule, divorce, ostracism and the possibility of death.

The birth of Christ is a beautiful and wonderful event in the history of mankind.  It can also be a life full of many dangers.  These dangers are not just for Mary and Joseph but for Jesus himself.  Our faith is that Jesus was fully divine but also fully human.  Jesus as fully human was exposed to all the frailties that come with being human.  He felt the cold of the night and the heat of the day.  He experienced the pain that comes from cuts and bruises.  There were probably days of hunger and of sadness.  Jesus would also experience all the good things that come with being human.  Jesus would have felt the warm and comfort of a parent's hug.  He would have tasted the food made with care and love that only a mother can make.  He would have felt the pride of Joseph as he learned his earthly father's trade.  Jesus would understand how a beautiful sunrise or a full moon moves us to ponder our existence.  He would experience friendships both created and lost. Jesus experienced all that you and I will experience in our lifetime.

There are only a few days left in this Advent season.  These past few weeks have given us the opportunity to review our own life.  We have removed the things that cause us to sin and added those things which bring us closer to God.  Let us also begin to look forward to Christmas, when our Lord becomes flesh.  For it is only through the sacrifice of his flesh and blood that we find salvation in our Lord.  A Lord that completely and fully understands what it is to be human.

Rejoice in the Lord (Bulletin Column 20141214)

"Rejoice in the Lord always” are the first words in our entrance antiphon. They are the very first words that are either recited or sung when the Mass begins. We rejoice because the Advent season is more than halfway over. We are closer to the birth of Christ. Advent is a season of joy to most of us. We have found the perfect gift for our loved ones. We have attended a few Christmas parties. Our houses have been decorated both inside and out. The Christmas Eve or Christmas day menu has been set. We wait in joyful anticipation of the beautiful Christmas Mass with its music that recalls the angels giving glory to God.

To recognize this joy the Church lights the pink candle on the Advent wreath and the clergy vestments are rose colored. The third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday should also remind us of what the Advent season is for. In just the action of lighting a pink candle we should be reminded of why purple vestments are worn and purple candles are light during the other weeks of the Advent season. Advent is like the Lenten Season, a penitential season. Advent is a time for us to remove any hindrance that will keep us from being in full communion with the Church when our Savior is born.

It is important that we be prepared for the birth of Christ. Recall that John the Baptist was crying out in the desert for all to repent and make straight the way of the Lord. John the Baptist understood that we must remove the distractions that keep us from growing closer to our God. When our earthly distractions begin to fall away we realize that our hope can only come from God. Advent gives us the opportunity to examine ourselves. We use the season to remove the things that give us false hope and distance us from God.

We read in Thessalonians that we are to “Pray without ceasing.” This does not mean we should always remain in a prayerful posture and never attend to those who cry out for our help. It means that everything we do should be done as a prayer being offered up to God. Recall how you pray in church; with reverence, sincerity and humility. Image if you did everything in this same way, as a form of a prayer being offered up to God. Your abilities are a gift from God so you would use your gifts with reverence. You would share your gifts with others in sincerity knowing that they are given to you by God's love for us. You did not earn these gifts; they are given to you freely from God so you would use them humility. Your actions can be prayers that glorify God.

The conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a prayer. The part we read today is a wonderful Advent prayer to all of us.

May the God of peace make you perfectly holy

and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,

be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May this Sunday’s change in liturgical color be your encouragement to continue the spiritual preparation for Christmas.

Advent and the New Liturgical Year

This is the column I wrote for our Church bulletin dated November 30, 2014.

When we begin a new calendar year we start a cycle that recalls different parts of our life throughout that calendar year.  Think of birthdays and anniversaries as examples of this.  We also begin a new cycle of celebrating events that are important to us as a people of a community.  Think of Independence Day or Memorial Day as examples of this type of celebration.  These days are not forgotten because they are important to us either as an individual or as part of a larger community.

Today is the first day of a new year in the Catholic Church.  It is the beginning of the new liturgical year.  The cycle of recalling the events of God interacting with his people will begin anew.  The Church will also use the liturgical year as an opportunity to help us reach our desire of eternal salvation.  One of the first things you will notice in the new liturgical year is a change in the Sunday Gospel reading.  The Church is now in Cycle B. The Gospel readings for the Sunday Masses of the new liturgical year will be from the Gospel of Saint Mark and chapter 6 of the Gospel of John.  The Gospel cycle gives us the opportunity to hear all four Gospels over three years.  This spacing allows us to grow in our understanding of the Gospel message as we grow spiritually and intellectually in our own life.  The liturgical calendar is different from a calendar year in that it is more than just a way to mark the passing of time. It also helps us to better understand and live our faith.

A calendar year can mark the passing of time by season; winter, summer, fall and spring.  The Church liturgical calendar also marks the passing of time through seasons.  The seasons of the Liturgical calendar are Lent, Sacred P aschal Triduum, Easter, Ordinary Time, Christmas and the season we are beginning today, Advent.  Each season points us to a very special event that happens in the life of the Church.  Just as the changing cycle of the Gospel readings help us grow in our faith, so too does the liturgical season help us prepare, appreciate and understand the events that take place in the Church.

The liturgical year always begins with the season of Advent. It is a time of preparation.  The Advent season focuses on the both the birth of Christ and his second coming.  In the first reading of today’s Mass we hear the Israelites calling out to God.  They are in exile and are praying for God to reveal himself to them.  The Israelites are asking God to come to their aid.  In the Advent season we too are awaiting the coming of Jesus.  Open yourself up to the beauty of the Advent season.  Participate in all the events the Cathedral is offering.  Expand your prayer life.  Remove yourself from that what separates you from God.  Become what the Israelites pray; “clay in the Father’s hand.”