THEME: IN YOUR WILL IS OUR PEACE
Gradually the season of Advent is coming to an end. Today we begin the second aspect of the Advent Season which focuses on the coming of Christ at Christmas. We are reminded that Christ is the fulfillment of the promise God made to David.
In the first reading, David who is presented to us as a shepherd king has been given rest by God from all his enemies and has fortified his reign. Human as he was, David thought he should reciprocate this gracious gift of God to him. He complains to the prophet Nathan, “… see now, I am living in a house made of cedar, but the Ark of God stays in a tent” (2 Samuel 7:2). David had the good will but God proved to him that good will is not enough but doing God’s will is what matters. Sometimes we want to place our priorities or plans over and above God’s. Yet, He always has good plans for us. This makes the words of the prophet Jeremiah true, “ For surely I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” ( Jeremiah 29:11).
David was thinking of building a physical structure for God’s dwelling but God had already thought of a dynasty; an eternal covenant with David. We are invited to cooperate with God’s will and he will in turn fulfill our eternal destiny (the example of Mary) and as Dante puts it, “In your will Lord is our peace.”
Not only did God assure David of a dynasty, but freedom from his enemies from generations to generations. God recounts to David his (David) humble beginning and reminded him that what was impossible with men namely a shepherd boy becoming a king of the chosen people is possible with God. All that God demands of us is a total submission of our will to Him
The Ark of God for which David wanted to build a house for and for which God contended that He does not dwell in houses made of human hands was fulfilled in Mary in the Gospel reading of today. Mary becomes that new Tabernacle made not by human hands but by God himself. In the same way this aspect of God is fulfilled in each one of us today. We are the living temples of God. God wishes to dwell in us this Christmas and forever. Jesus takes flesh in us each time we worthily receive the Eucharist. Do you have a room in your heart for Jesus?
The Gospel reading of today already set the tone for the Nativity. The story is about the Annunciation of the Birth of Christ. What the first reading lacked the Gospel provided. In the first reading, David had a goodwill but Mary in the Gospel reading had both good will and submission of such a will to God.
No decision in all the history of humanity can compare in drama and import with the one she was asked to make. The Fathers of the Church liked to picture all of humankind hanging on her answer, begging her to assent. The circumstances were hardly reassuring. She was just a young teenager. She believed God wanted her to remain a virgin, even in marriage. Moreover, as a faithful monotheistic Jew, she could not possibly understand a proposal involving three divine Persons; the angel´s considerate "explanation", that the "Holy Spirit" would "come upon her" amounted to a non-explanation. But none of these human factors was decisive. That she came through in spite of them stems from four fundamental attitudes. She has unlimited trust in whatever God wills. She does not demand that first she must ´understand´; she accepts that God´s ways, even in their human ramifications, necessarily surpass us; She has no preconceived personal plans that are non-negotiable and to which God´s plan must be adjusted; To know and do his will is the hinge on which her life turns.
Therefore she said: "I am the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say". And the Son of God –himself obedient to his Father´s plan– began to inhabit her womb. God became one of us. Our human nature was raised to a new, incomparable dignity. It is the high point of history. This little girl did more for us than all the other great lights of humanity combine (CCC 461-464; 479-486).
This Christmas, we all need to be very clear about the fact that what we do to make it special is simply nothing compared with what God has done. Christmas is his work, not ours. It is his coming, for our salvation. If we focus mainly on the externals – that we and our families and friends provide – then we have missed the point of Christmas. If we make those externals – in these last days of preparation, and in the days of Christmas – so many multi-colored reminders of the loving kindness of the Christ Child who comes among us with his mysterious but totally real presence, then we will be able to approach it all with the deep sense of need and of anticipation that is the condition for genuine, personal encounter with him. Why not propose to inject into our shopping, or cooking, or delivering gifts, or sending cards… spirituality, a lived intentionality? "I am going to do this now so that it will lead those I am doing it for to experience God´s saving love". Then all those ´chores´ can become a spiritual preparation for Christmas.
And recognizing that it is God who gives gifts to us (rather than the reverse), we could ask him that, as his special gift this Christmas, we might learn the fundamental dispositions necessary to become his ´co-workers´ (1Corinthians 3:9), like Mary. Always be prepared to shelve your own plans, if it seems God wants something else. Ready to accept his word –mediated to me through the Church – even when I do not fully ‘understand’ or ‘it does not make sense to me’.
We are again told that immediately Mary said yes to the Angel, the Angel left her. It is significant for us to know that each one of us has a Guardian Angel waiting upon us. Our Guardian Angels are the carriers of our destiny. Day and night, they, like watch men are waiting upon us to say ‘yes’ to God and God’s promises will be fulfilled in our lives. But each time we say ‘no’ to them because we choose to do our own will. Your guardian Angel is still knocking at your door to communicate to you the fulfillment of God’s promises concerning your life.
In conclusion, God saves. David wanted to do something for the Lord: build him a house. He had not understood that it is always God who always provides our needs and wants, not we for God. It is we who are needy. God has no needs. We cannot do him any favours, even if in our moments of greater generosity we tend to think of ourselves as doing just that. In ways often less clear, but sometimes more painful, than the prophet Nathan´s word, he takes care of teaching us this. Our salvation is always his initiative, always totally gratuitous, and always surpasses human logic. Salvation does not come from man; because unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor labour in vain (Psalm 127:1).
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year B Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11/Luke 1:46-50, 53-54/1Thessalonians 5:16-24/ John 1:6-8, 19-28
THEME: BE JOYFUL
A story is told of a religious Sister named Marian Stella who was heading a secondary school for boys. The boys were so stubborn that Sister was very hard on them. One Christmas season, as the boys were busy preparing the Christmas crib, one of them accidentally broke one of the statues made of ceramics. All the boys screamed “Sister will steam you alive.” They were just waiting to see what Sister will do to the poor boy. When sister came, and saw what has happened, she was calm, unusual of her. Then she bend down and began putting the broken statue together piece by piece. As she did that she looked at the astonishing faces of the boys and told them, “This is what Jesus came to do at Christmas namely to heal our brokenness and and make us joyful in the midst of our weaknesses. Are you broken?
This Sunday is traditionally called Gaudete (Rejoicing) Sunday. This is because the readings of today’s liturgy bring into sharp focus Jesus’ liberation for the entire humanity. Jesus liberates us from the slavery of sin onto the threshold of freedom and peace. He restores the social order which hitherto is beset with injustice. In the same light, Mary, our mother rejoices too in the fact that through her, God restores the social order and brings hope to a humanity whose hope is waning.
The first reading from the prophet Isaiah forms part of the book of Isaiah called Trito Isaiah or the Book of Restoration. The Israelites have just returned from exile in Babylon, their Temple (their pride) has been destroyed. Indeed, they were dejected, broken and experienced all the negative things associated with being in exile. It is within this context that Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah who will restore both the social and religious order. The prophet says “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to the prisoners and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour… (Isaiah 61:1-2a).
The Israelites have every cause to rejoice because all that they lost in exile was being restored to them. Their identity, their integrity and the like were being restored. For the prophet assures them “ For as the earth brings forth shoots and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations” ( Isaiah 61:11a).
You will notice that the images the Prophet uses presupposes that joy or to rejoice is a gratuitous gift from God; it is unmeritorious. The same is true for the many who are searching for meaning in life. It does not matter if you are the cause of your own problems. The Lord wants to restore you; he wants to restore your brokenness.
Gratitude is the least of all the virtues. But ingratitude is the greatest of all the vices. God requires of us a little bit of appreciation for what He is doing in our lives. Therefore, on this third Sunday of Advent, the Church presents to us already, Mary in the Psalm as a model of rejoicing in the Magnificat she sang. Mary teaches us how to praise God even in the most difficult circumstances of our lives. It is one of the prayers of the Church that has and continues to be prayed so often that it has become a cliché and for that matter is not really appreciated by those who pray them. I think, a reflection would aid us to rediscover the richness of this prayer and like Mary, we would always sing the praises of God who has called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
What kind of joy are you looking for? Is it one that is transient; one sought in material possession? St. Paul in the second reading presents to us that joy or rejoicing is all about … “praying without ceasing, giving thanks to God in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” ( 1Thessalonians 5:16-18). Indeed, as Dante said “In your will, Lord we find true peace. Who are those seeking for true joy and peace? Do the will of God.
Mother Church admonishes us at the beginning of the Church’s Liturgical year to rejoice in the following words “Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).
In sum, certainly, we can be joyful in the midst of suffering and turmoil so long as we are close to Christ. This is the secret of the saints. They reached such a degree of closeness to their friend Jesus that suffering only increased their joy because it made it easier for them to identify with him. The secret of the saints must be our secret too. As we grow closer to him our joy will increase. Jesus, of course, is the fire which warms us. We need to get close to him – to know him as our personal friend.
A story is told of a religious Sister named Marian Stella who was heading a secondary school for boys. The boys were so stubborn that Sister was very hard on them. One Christmas season, as the boys were busy preparing the Christmas crib, one of them accidentally broke one of the statues made of ceramics. All the boys screamed “Sister will steam you alive.” They were just waiting to see what Sister will do to the poor boy. When sister came, and saw what has happened, she was calm, unusual of her. Then she bend down and began putting the broken statue together piece by piece. As she did that she looked at the astonishing faces of the boys and told them, “This is what Jesus came to do at Christmas namely to heal our brokenness and and make us joyful in the midst of our weaknesses. Are you broken?
This Sunday is traditionally called Gaudete (Rejoicing) Sunday. This is because the readings of today’s liturgy bring into sharp focus Jesus’ liberation for the entire humanity. Jesus liberates us from the slavery of sin onto the threshold of freedom and peace. He restores the social order which hitherto is beset with injustice. In the same light, Mary, our mother rejoices too in the fact that through her, God restores the social order and brings hope to a humanity whose hope is waning.
The first reading from the prophet Isaiah forms part of the book of Isaiah called Trito Isaiah or the Book of Restoration. The Israelites have just returned from exile in Babylon, their Temple (their pride) has been destroyed. Indeed, they were dejected, broken and experienced all the negative things associated with being in exile. It is within this context that Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah who will restore both the social and religious order. The prophet says “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to the prisoners and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour… (Isaiah 61:1-2a).
The Israelites have every cause to rejoice because all that they lost in exile was being restored to them. Their identity, their integrity and the like were being restored. For the prophet assures them “ For as the earth brings forth shoots and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations” ( Isaiah 61:11a).
You will notice that the images the Prophet uses presupposes that joy or to rejoice is a gratuitous gift from God; it is unmeritorious. The same is true for the many who are searching for meaning in life. It does not matter if you are the cause of your own problems. The Lord wants to restore you; he wants to restore your brokenness.
Gratitude is the least of all the virtues. But ingratitude is the greatest of all the vices. God requires of us a little bit of appreciation for what He is doing in our lives. Therefore, on this third Sunday of Advent, the Church presents to us already, Mary in the Psalm as a model of rejoicing in the Magnificat she sang. Mary teaches us how to praise God even in the most difficult circumstances of our lives. It is one of the prayers of the Church that has and continues to be prayed so often that it has become a cliché and for that matter is not really appreciated by those who pray them. I think, a reflection would aid us to rediscover the richness of this prayer and like Mary, we would always sing the praises of God who has called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
What kind of joy are you looking for? Is it one that is transient; one sought in material possession? St. Paul in the second reading presents to us that joy or rejoicing is all about … “praying without ceasing, giving thanks to God in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” ( 1Thessalonians 5:16-18). Indeed, as Dante said “In your will, Lord we find true peace. Who are those seeking for true joy and peace? Do the will of God.
Mother Church admonishes us at the beginning of the Church’s Liturgical year to rejoice in the following words “Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).
In sum, certainly, we can be joyful in the midst of suffering and turmoil so long as we are close to Christ. This is the secret of the saints. They reached such a degree of closeness to their friend Jesus that suffering only increased their joy because it made it easier for them to identify with him. The secret of the saints must be our secret too. As we grow closer to him our joy will increase. Jesus, of course, is the fire which warms us. We need to get close to him – to know him as our personal friend.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Homily for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year B Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11/Psalm 85/ 2Peter 3:8-14/ Mark 1:1-8
THEME: REPENT!
This second Sunday of Advent begins a focus on St. John the Baptist as the Forerunner. His purpose is to call people to repentance before the coming of Jesus Christ. That is his complete responsibility! Simply to point out the way to Christ and call people's attention to the fact that He is coming. It is the people's responsibility to hear his word and act on it, changing their lives for the better through repentance. John is a great model of the humility we all need as we continue our journey through this Advent season. For--who knows?--God may be calling you to point the way of the Lord to someone, to many people, perhaps without even realizing it.
If we understand this section of the Prophet Isaiah as Deutero-Isaiah and the Book of Consolation, then the first reading of today is appropriate. The Israelites were in exile because of their waywardness and sinfulness. However, in their waywardness, Yahweh never abandoned them. He consoles them and assures them of the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah and Redeemer. He says, “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry for her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2).
In spite of the fact that their sin is atoned for, the coming of the Messiah can only be meaningful if they made the conscious effort to welcome him namely putting away all evil or the works of darkness. So he says, “Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low; and uneven ground shall become level and rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…” (Isaiah 40:4-5). You need to watch road contractors at work trying to level mountainous areas or having to fill valleys in order to construct a road. The lesson for us is that we are called to lose our time, our energies and above all what is most cherished in our lives even though they are evil. This is what this season calls us to; to prune our lives. It is only then that the saviour will come to us.
Not only is the Prophet to console them, he assures the Israelites that the coming of the Lord will be characterized by subduing of nations under him. All sovereignties including those oppressing the Israelites will be subdued. The vulnerable will have a place in his network of salvation. This is because he is like a shepherd King feeding his flock, gathering them against his breast. The shepherd king attribute of Christ is made clear again in that he will bring hope to the vulnerable.
Just as the first reading was a consolation to the Israelites in exile, the second reading is a reminder that as we await the Lord, whether he comes early or not, we must not relapse into sin or take advantage of his delay to do evil. This is because, “ The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance” ( 2Peter 3:9).
In our day to day relationships, when we are expecting someone who is so dear to us, we prepare so well for such visits. Such visits are usually filled with anxieties because we want to please our beloved. The Gospel reading presents us with a direct opposite of this situation. As we wait for Jesus’s second coming, we are called to prepare seriously for him. In the case of Jesus who is our guest, he comes to prepare us for his coming in the person of John. Thus the guest rather prepares the host for his coming. What a paradox, yet it is true. St. Mark says, Look, I am going to send my messenger before you. He will prepare your way” (Mark 1:3).
Again, we are told that the kind of preparation John gave his disciples was a baptism or repentance for the forgiveness of their sins. If John has been sent by Jesus to prepare our way, then the preparation will not fall short of repentance. This season is not a time to busy ourselves about what we will eat or wear at Christmas. It is a time of reconciliation for all especially those who have not received the Sacrament of Baptism; it is a time of stock taking about how we have lived our baptismal promises. Let us not be like Martha who was so busy about receiving a guest. This is because Jesus, the Servant of the Servants is visiting us to serve and not to be served and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Moreover, we are also told that “ All people from the whole of the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out with him and were baptised by him in the river Jordan , confessing their sins” ( Mark 1:5). This Second Sunday of Advent calls us all to give serious attention to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is not an option; it is Christ who comes to us to offer us forgiveness of our sins.
In conclusion, Saint Ambrose of Milan has this to say “…for repentance must first condemn sin, that grace may blot it out. So then, John, who was a type of the law, came baptizing for repentance, while Christ came to offer grace. May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek him. May the darkness not blind us to the vision of wisdom which fills the minds of those who find him. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!
This second Sunday of Advent begins a focus on St. John the Baptist as the Forerunner. His purpose is to call people to repentance before the coming of Jesus Christ. That is his complete responsibility! Simply to point out the way to Christ and call people's attention to the fact that He is coming. It is the people's responsibility to hear his word and act on it, changing their lives for the better through repentance. John is a great model of the humility we all need as we continue our journey through this Advent season. For--who knows?--God may be calling you to point the way of the Lord to someone, to many people, perhaps without even realizing it.
If we understand this section of the Prophet Isaiah as Deutero-Isaiah and the Book of Consolation, then the first reading of today is appropriate. The Israelites were in exile because of their waywardness and sinfulness. However, in their waywardness, Yahweh never abandoned them. He consoles them and assures them of the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah and Redeemer. He says, “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry for her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2).
In spite of the fact that their sin is atoned for, the coming of the Messiah can only be meaningful if they made the conscious effort to welcome him namely putting away all evil or the works of darkness. So he says, “Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low; and uneven ground shall become level and rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…” (Isaiah 40:4-5). You need to watch road contractors at work trying to level mountainous areas or having to fill valleys in order to construct a road. The lesson for us is that we are called to lose our time, our energies and above all what is most cherished in our lives even though they are evil. This is what this season calls us to; to prune our lives. It is only then that the saviour will come to us.
Not only is the Prophet to console them, he assures the Israelites that the coming of the Lord will be characterized by subduing of nations under him. All sovereignties including those oppressing the Israelites will be subdued. The vulnerable will have a place in his network of salvation. This is because he is like a shepherd King feeding his flock, gathering them against his breast. The shepherd king attribute of Christ is made clear again in that he will bring hope to the vulnerable.
Just as the first reading was a consolation to the Israelites in exile, the second reading is a reminder that as we await the Lord, whether he comes early or not, we must not relapse into sin or take advantage of his delay to do evil. This is because, “ The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance” ( 2Peter 3:9).
In our day to day relationships, when we are expecting someone who is so dear to us, we prepare so well for such visits. Such visits are usually filled with anxieties because we want to please our beloved. The Gospel reading presents us with a direct opposite of this situation. As we wait for Jesus’s second coming, we are called to prepare seriously for him. In the case of Jesus who is our guest, he comes to prepare us for his coming in the person of John. Thus the guest rather prepares the host for his coming. What a paradox, yet it is true. St. Mark says, Look, I am going to send my messenger before you. He will prepare your way” (Mark 1:3).
Again, we are told that the kind of preparation John gave his disciples was a baptism or repentance for the forgiveness of their sins. If John has been sent by Jesus to prepare our way, then the preparation will not fall short of repentance. This season is not a time to busy ourselves about what we will eat or wear at Christmas. It is a time of reconciliation for all especially those who have not received the Sacrament of Baptism; it is a time of stock taking about how we have lived our baptismal promises. Let us not be like Martha who was so busy about receiving a guest. This is because Jesus, the Servant of the Servants is visiting us to serve and not to be served and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Moreover, we are also told that “ All people from the whole of the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out with him and were baptised by him in the river Jordan , confessing their sins” ( Mark 1:5). This Second Sunday of Advent calls us all to give serious attention to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is not an option; it is Christ who comes to us to offer us forgiveness of our sins.
In conclusion, Saint Ambrose of Milan has this to say “…for repentance must first condemn sin, that grace may blot it out. So then, John, who was a type of the law, came baptizing for repentance, while Christ came to offer grace. May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek him. May the darkness not blind us to the vision of wisdom which fills the minds of those who find him. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!
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