Our Call to Evangelization for the Salvation of Souls

Homily for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
    

READINGS:

First Reading: Job 7:1-4, 6-7
Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

FOCUS: Evangelization simply involves sharing our Christian hope with others. 

FUNCTION: Bring hope to others by sharing with them the good news of the Gospel.

          How many of you have ever met someone who seemed to embody the sentiments of the first reading?  Have you ever felt that way yourself?  The first reading from the Book of Job certainly does NOT give us a very happy vision of human life.  In fact, Job’s estimation of human life in general – and of his own life in particular – give us a quite hopeless and depressing and miserable picture of human existence. 

          Speaking about his own life, he says, “I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.  My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.  Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.”  And to these sentiments, I would like to reply, “Hey, that’s the spirit!  Way to think positively! What an encouraging message!”  Ugghh.  Maybe not.  There’s not much hope to be found in Job’s estimation of the quality of life.

          This kind of extreme negativism about life can infect all of us at one point or another.  But for some people, this extremely depressing evaluation of human life is the only way they know how to think.  They approach life from the perspective that they are irrevocably doomed, that life is miserable, that nothing good will ever come their way.  Perhaps you’ve met some people like this.  They’re no fun to be around, that’s for sure.  And what they need most – pardon the terrible metaphor – is a triple espresso of hope!  They need to know that life is worth living, that life has value, and that it’s possible to find good, even in the midst of the darkness.  And this is where we – as Christians – are called to bring the light of Christ into the darkness of people’s lives. 

          Jesus gave us a mission to bring a message of hope to those who have none, to proclaim the Good News to those who are so desperate to hear it, to be a light in the darkness, and to help people know – in the words of the responsorial psalm – that God “heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.”  We have been called by Almighty God – through His Only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ – to be an evangelizing Church, to be a Church that boldly proclaims the Good News of the Gospel to the people of the world. 

          And sometimes we have done a really terrible job at this.  I know I’ve talked about this before, but we HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO get over this false notion that religion is a purely private matter and that our faith shouldn’t be shared with others.  Because that’s the very philosophy that the Devil would have us profess, so that others don’t come to know the Good News of Jesus’ victory over sin and death and darkness and despair.  If we don’t get over that notion that religion is private, then so many people around us will continue to live lives that feel hopeless, depressing, and miserable – as was Job’s experience of life.

          Saint Paul gave us a lot of insights into the task of evangelization in the second reading.  He said, “Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.  To the weak, I became weak, to win over the weak.  I have become all things to all, to save at least some.”  And about preaching the Gospel, he also said, “…woe to me if I do not preach it!”  We have a tremendous and powerful example of commitment to evangelization in the person and ministry of Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles! 

          He never shrank from sharing the Good News of Christ with those around him, whether it was the members of the Churches he wrote to, or the people of the cities he visited, or even with royal officials and those in authority.  He never shrank from proclaiming the Gospel to anyone, because he knew that the message of the Gospel was meant for everyone and not just a select few!  God’s salvation is open to all people, and Saint Paul wanted everyone – or at least as many people as possible – to be saved by the grace and mercy of our loving God and Father, and of His Anointed One, Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior.

          Unlike Saint Paul, sometimes we “overthink” what it means to evangelize, or we make it out to be something more difficult than it actually is.  Evangelization simply involves sharing our Christian hope with others.  And that’s not so difficult.  It’s actually quite easy.  So how can we evangelize?

          We can share our hope with the people around us who disbelieve in God’s existence, and show them that God has revealed Himself to us through Jesus of Nazareth, God’s beloved Son.  We can share our faith and hope with sick persons, inviting them to see how the Crucified Lord shares in their sufferings and can make their suffering redemptive and life-giving.  We can share our hope with fallen-away Catholics and invite them to come back to Church to embrace both a personal and a communal relationship with God in and through the Church that Jesus established as His Body.  We can share with our family members the hope and the joy that we have because Jesus is in our life and we life by faith in His never-ending love and mercy.  I could go on, but I think you get the point.  Evangelization is not hard.  It’s simply a matter of being willing to share with others the hope that we have as Christians.

          But before we can share our hope and faith with others, we need to truly possess it ourselves.  As the saying goes, “You cannot give what you do not have.” And so we can ask ourselves: are we really living in the world as people of faith?  Is the virtue of hope present in our lives?  Do we love the people around us as Christ has loved us?  Do we really believe that Jesus has conquered the power of sin and death, and that new life is possible in Him?  In order for us to impart faith, hope, and love to others, we must have first received it ourselves.  Only then can we hand it on to those around us, so that they might know the same joy.

          Very soon, we’ll begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist, where we will ultimately receive the Body and Blood of Our Blessed Lord.  And as we heard in the Gospel – that Jesus went from town to town preaching, curing illnesses and diseases, and casting out demons – let’s allow this Blessed Sacrament that we receive to change us from the inside out, so that we, too, might reach out to others and help them to experience the healing, liberating and saving power of Christ.

 And let’s answer our call to be an evangelizing Church.  There are still many people in the world who share Job’s unfortunate sentiments about life.  To them, life is often harsh and cold, empty and difficult.  And so, following the example of Saint Paul, let’s share with the people of the world around us the Good News of our Christian faith, so that we might all be transformed by the light of God’s heavenly kingdom of peace, joy, justice, and love.                                                         

Come after Me, and I will make you Fishers of Men!

Homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

READINGS:
First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Gospel: Mark 1:24-20

FOCUS: Jesus wants to make all of us into “fishers of men,” people draw others into God’s kingdom.

FUNCTION: Act as a “fisher of men” and bring others to follow the Lord. 

          I have a lot of admiration for people who really know how to fish…because I don’t.  I mean, I REALLY don’t.  It’s so bad, embarrassing, really.  But I guess I’ll tell you about it, anyway.    

          I attach the bobber to my line, put a worm on the end of my hook, and cast my line into the water.  And then I wait, and I wait, and then I wait some more.  Sometimes, I think I’ve got a bite and so I try to hook my fish and I reel it in, only to find out it’s only seaweed or some other useless thing.  Darn.  Epic failure.  So I cast my line again, hoping that I might actually catch a fish this time.  Finally, I feel a tug on the line and so I try to hook the fish and reel it in, only to realize that the darn fish got my worm but I didn’t get the fish! 

          And it’s like this over and over again.  No wonder I don’t do much fishing!  I’m no good at it!  Now you can understand why I admire people who really know how to fish!  It’s tough…or at least it is for me!

          But thanks be to God that we’re not called to be actual fishermen!  I’m sure that the Lord’s disciples – Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John – all had more luck as actual fishermen than I usually have.  And knowing that these men were fishermen by trade, when Jesus called them to follow Him, He did something really interesting.  He called them to do something different but also somewhat the same.  He said to them, “Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 

      

Jesus’ invitation basically acknowledged that, while fishing is important and provides food for people to eat, it’s not as important as working to bring people into God’s heavenly kingdom.  Of course, Jesus wasn’t as interested in catching fish as He was in “catching people” – fishing for men and women – and saving the immortal souls of the people the world. 

          We need to understand the importance of the first words of Jesus’ public ministry so that we might also understand His mission and the mission of His disciples.  When Jesus began his ministry, He said, “This is the time of fulfillment.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel.”  With those first words, Jesus was both inaugurating and announcing a new era – a time of prophetic fulfillment – a time in which the kingdom of God would now be made known to Israel and to the world.  And the best response to this new era would be to repent of past sins and believe in the gospel message: the good news that God wished to announce to the whole world through Christ and His disciples.

          In calling Simon and his brother, Andrew, and James and his brother John, Jesus was recruiting disciples who could follow after Him and participate with Him in the work of announcing and making present the kingdom of God.  There was a strong sense of urgency about it all.  Jesus had said that this was the time of fulfillment, the time for the coming of the kingdom of God.

          And the kingdom of God needed heralds.  These two sets of brothers were chosen by Christ the Lord to be the first of the kingdom’s heralds, announcing the good news of God’s salvation to Israel and the world.  And Jesus would make them  “fishers of men,” men who would “catch” people for God’s kingdom, so that the people of Israel and the world could come to the knowledge of truth and enter into God’s promised salvation.

          Simon and Andrew, James and John – and others as well – all heeded the Lord’s invitation and became, truly, “fishers of men” – heralds of the kingdom – men who helped to advance the message of God’s salvation.  But the invitation was not meant to end with them.  It was extended to others as well.  And now Christ’s message has reached our ears: “Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  In all honesty, it’s the most exciting work on the face of God’s green earth – to work for the advancement of God’s kingdom, to labor for the proclamation of the gospel, and to pour out one’s life for the salvation of others.

          And this great job wasn’t given only to the Lord’s first disciples – or to their successors, the bishops – or to the bishops’ helpers, the priests and deacons.  Neither was this great job given solely to the men and women of religious life – those who decided to follow Christ the Lord through “the evangelical counsels” of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  No, it was given to all of Christ’s faithful – to all those who had received new birth in Christ through the saving waters of baptism, to all those who had received the sacred mysteries of the Lord’s Body and Blood, to all those who had heard the message of the gospel and believed.  This great job was given to ALL Christians, not just a few. 

          To all of us gathered here today, Christ says, “Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  There is a great urgency for us to be about this work of bringing others into the kingdom of God.  Many threats have risen up in the world and now endanger the eternal salvation of the people who practice them.         

          The New Age movement, for instance, is experiencing a great resurgence, drawing people into dangerous spiritual practices such as consulting fortune tellers, tarot card readers, mediums, astrologers, and psychics, just to name a few.  Involvement in these practices were condemned by God as early as the time of Moses as a violation of the first of the Ten Commandments, “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before Me.”  Involvement in these things continues to grow because people have either not heard, or not fully heard, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of salvation.

          And since today is January 22^nd – the 39^th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe V. Wade, which nationally legalized abortion – it’s important for us to realize that there are currently a great many assaults on the dignity and sanctity of human life, through the threats of abortion, euthanasia, eugenics, human cloning, embryonic stem-cell research, in-vitro fertilization, and many others.  These various threats to the dignity and sanctity of human life continue to grow because people have not heard the Gospel of Life.

          These are only two examples of why we need to be about the work of advancing the kingdom of God.  Jesus wants to make us fishers of men!  Through our efforts, He wants people to be saved and inherit the promise of eternal life.  How can people be saved if there’s no one to preach? 

          We must be like Jonah in the first reading.  If we don’t tell people that, because of the way they’re living they’re headed to perdition, then they will surely be destroyed.  And we’d be culpable for their destruction, just as Jonah, to some degree, would have been culpable for the destruction of the people of Nineveh if he failed to proclaim to them God’s message of repentance.

          Jesus now says to all of us gathered here, “Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  And so let us respond like the first disciples, or like Jonah, and go forth from here to announce the good news of the kingdom, all for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.                                                

Keep the Faith, but Don't Keep it to Yourself!

Homily for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

READINGS:

First Reading: 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20
Gospel: John 1:35-42

FOCUS: Being a disciple of Jesus means following Him and helping others to do the same.

FUNCTION: Invite a friend to come with you to Church; share your faith about Jesus. 

          Operation Andrew is a program here in the Archdiocese of Dubuque aimed at helping young men answer God’s call to discern a vocation to the priesthood.  What usually happens is a priest picks out a young man or two from the local community who he thinks could make a good priest and then invites him (or them) to the Operation Andrew dinner.  Priests and candidates then eat and pray together as well as discuss questions the candidates might have about the vocation to the priesthood.  It’s a chance for young men to get an “inside view” of the priesthood directly from parish priests themselves and gain a glimpse into the dynamics of priestly life and ministry.

          The program takes its name from the Gospel we just heard, especially the part where it said, “Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.  He first found his own brother Simon and told him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which is translated Christ.  Then he brought him to Jesus.”  The goal, then, of the Operation Andrew program is that a priest acts like Andrew in helping a young man to meet Christ. 

          Personally, I am very thankful that a priest also invited me to attend the Operation Andrew dinner so that I could gain some insight into priestly life and ministry.  That experience, among others, helped me say “yes” to God and begin my seminary discernment about a vocation to the priesthood.  If it weren’t for that “Andrew-like” priest and others like him, I might not be here today.  I am very thankful that they brought me to the Lord, so that I could say “yes” to this beautiful vocation to the priesthood. 

          Sometimes it’s the invitation that makes all the difference.  Think about it.  You probably know a few “Andrews” in your own life.  These are the people who, because they introduced you to someone or something, have made a positive impact on your life.  You would not be who you are today if it were not for them having introduced you to this person or thing that made such a difference.  It’s probably pretty rewarding for them to know how much they impacted your life.  Now consider how rewarding it’d be for you if you did the same for someone else.  And the good news is you can!

          In fact, it’s what Jesus told us to do.  At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus said, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18b-20).  As members of His Church, Jesus gives us that as our mission in the world. 

          As disciples of Christ the Lord, we’ve been called to go out into the world and make more disciples.  And although we don’t always live it very well, we are a missionary Church.  That means that we’re called to go out and help bring other people to Christ, just as Andrew brought his brother Simon to Christ.  We must not shrink away from such a mission in fear!  And why not?  Because we want people to be saved, to come to the knowledge and love of God, and ultimately, to enter the joy of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!  God wills that all people be saved, but He wants to use us to reach out to them.

          This is sometimes a tough pill to swallow, especially for us as Catholics.  Here in America, we have been socialized to think that religion is a private matter.  You know the two things we’re told not to talk about with others: politics and religion.  But actually, politics and religion (and religion especially!) are among the most necessary things to talk about. 

          In some sense, yes, religion is a private matter.  And no one should ever be forced to believe in something or to belong to a certain religion against their will; that’s clearly contrary to the spirit of the Gospel.  But I think we need to get over this tendency to think of religion as a private matter insofar as we’re told it shouldn’t be talked about.  It should be talked about and shared.  There’s a great quote I noticed recently on the bottom of an e-mail; it said, “Keep the faith, but don’t keep it to yourself.”  What a great motto!  Our Christian faith (and the message of our Christian faith) is meant to be shared, to be given away and proclaimed joyfully to others, so that others around us might also experience the joy of knowing Christ.

          So what does that mean in practice?  Well, it means reaching out to people around you who are fallen-away Catholics and inviting them to join you for Sunday Mass; it means not being afraid to talk about your faith with people who ask you why you’re Catholic.  It means sharing your faith with your children and friends and family; it means living according to the spirit of the Gospel and being loving and forgiving toward others (especially the difficult people around you). 

          It means witnessing to your friends when they engage in gossip that’s malicious and hurtful; it means helping your children to make faith a priority by coming to Mass on Sunday morning instead of going to the soccer game.  It means standing up for what’s true and right in matters of faith and morals; it means witnessing to friends about how certain behaviors might not be the best for them, for instance,  when they drink too much or want to live together before marriage.  And it means acting like a Christian....like Christ….to others who so urgently need to hear the good news of the Gospel.

          “Keep the faith, but don’t keep it to yourself!”  St. Andrew the Apostle gives us such a good example of this in the Gospel.  Dear friends, there are many people in today’s world who are desperately looking for Jesus the Messiah, for fulfillment, peace, and hope.  If we have found Him….and we have found Him….here in this Mass….here in the Eucharist….we should reach out to others who are still searching for him (and who maybe don’t even know they’re searching for Him) and bring them to Jesus.  They’d be so grateful to us, just as I’m so grateful to those priests who reached out to me and invited me to consider a vocation to the priesthood.  What a beautiful gift we could give to others if they came to faith in Christ because of our invitation, because of our witness!

          Dear friends, it is our destiny….indeed, it is our mission….to be like Andrew to the people around us.  God is calling us to make a difference in the lives of others by introducing them and bringing them to Christ!  So many lives could be changed if we reached out to those around us.  Through our efforts as Christians, so many people around us could find faith in place of disbelief, hope in place of despair, and love in place of selfishness….all because of an encounter with Christ.  And all we have to do is bring them to Jesus.                                                                 

               

A Lively Faith - Our Gift to the Lord (Epiphany Homily)

Homily for the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (January 8th, 2012)

READINGS:
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12

FOCUS: Let us offer to Jesus the gift of a lively faith that reaches out to others in love.

FUNCTION: Practice the Catholic faith in thanksgiving to God for the gift of Jesus. 

           There’s a rich history around gift-giving during the Christmas season.  Some of it is connected to the tradition surrounding Saint Nicholas, a 4^th century Greek bishop of the city of Myra in Lycia (part of modern-day Turkey), whose feast day we celebrate every December 6^th.  Saint Nicholas was known as a secret gift-giver, doing such things as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him.  No doubt, that’s why people still put their shoes out for Saint Nicholas to fill with gifts on December 5^th, the night before his feast day. 

          And certainly some of the history around the gift-giving that happens during the Christmas season comes to us from the feast we celebrate today: the Epiphany of the Lord.  Today, we honor the coming of the Magi from the east to do adore the new-born Jesus.  They came bearing sacred gifts, fit for royalty: gold for one who would be a king; frankincense for one who would be a priest; and myrrh, for one who would offer His life as a sacrifice.  These gifts are rich with cultural, social, and religious significance.  They speak depths to us about the identity of who this new-born baby, the Son of Mary, really is.  It was only fitting that the new-born Son of God should be adored by the Magi, who were also supposedly Kings, rulers of the gentiles.  This “Epiphany of the Lord” is really a Divine revelation of God’s promised salvation to the gentiles in the form of a little Child – the Child Jesus – poor and meek, humble and lowly.    

          Several passages from the Old Testament foretold this sacred event.  Speaking in reference to Jerusalem, the first reading told us that “…the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of the nations shall be brought to you.  Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.”  What a prediction!

          And the psalm mentioned that “The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.  All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him.”  And of course the second reading gave us the meaning of all these things: “…the gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”  The message of the Epiphany is this: God’s promised salvation is not exclusionary; it is open to all people, to Jews and gentiles alike.  No wonder, then, the Magi from the east brought their gifts before the feet of the new-born Jesus!  God’s gift of Jesus was not an exclusive gift; it was meant to be received by all people.

          While we’re on the subject of gift-giving, we might think about what gift we want to lay before the feet of the new-born Lord Jesus.  What gift do we have to offer to the new-born Christ child?  What offering might we bring before His feet?  The Magi offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Those are fine gifts, and they say a lot about both the faith of the Magi and the identity of Jesus.  But they are probably not the best gifts to offer to God’s promised Savior.  So what would make a better gift?  I’d like to propose this: we should offer the Savior the gift of a lively faith that reaches out to others in love.

          That’s the kind of gift that will really put a smile on Jesus’ face.  Jesus doesn’t need gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  He is God: all that’s in the world belongs to Him.  But what does not belong to Him – what belongs uniquely to us – is the gift of our faith and how we chose to put it into action.  The only worthy gift that we can give to Him is the same gift which He first gave to us.

          Think about it this way: if you gave your loved one a brand-new car, the best response from that person would be for them to put that car to good use.  If the car only sat in the driveway for your loved one to admire from afar, you’d probably wonder what was wrong.  After all, cars are made to be driven, not just admired!  If your loved one only admired the car and never drove it, you’d probably think they didn’t really like it or care for it that much.

          The same thing is true of our faith!  We have this great gift of faith that sometimes, for whatever reason, we prefer to admire from afar rather than put into action.  This Christmas, God has given us the best gift that we could ever ask for: the gift of a Savior – the gift of Jesus Christ.  And God has also given us this gift of our Christian faith.  The best thing to do with it is put it to good use!  We must not let our faith just sit on a shelf and collect dust.  We must not come here to Mass and simply go through the motions.  We must not live in the world practically indistinguishable from atheists.

          The best gift that we can offer the Lord on this Feast of the Epiphany is a lively faith that reaches out to others in love.  That’s the best response we can make to God for giving us the gift of a Savior.  If we profess to be Christian, but are Christian in name only, then our faith is a sham and we are no better than liars.  Faith that is living is a faith that uses the gift that God has given; living faith then becomes our offering to God, in thanksgiving for what He has given us.

          And so living faith, for instance, means avoiding tendencies towards gossip in ourselves and/or gently correcting the same tendencies in others; it means appropriately coming to the aid of people who ask for our help; it means actively contributing to the needs of the parish so that the parish can continue to shine forth the light of Christ to others.  Living faith means standing up for that which is morally good; it means being steadfastly opposed to those things which are morally evil; it means making prayer a priority in the home and wherever; it means only supporting those public policies that are consistent with our Christian values.  Living faith means reaching out to others – our family and our friends – in a spirit of Christian charity and service; and it means proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world by our words, and most importantly, by our actions.    

          That’s what we can offer the Lord on this Feast of the Epiphany!  That’s the gift that means so much more than gold, frankincense, or myrrh.  And, oddly enough, that’s exactly what the Lord asks of us and that’s what the world most desperately needs in our day.  Saint Catherine of Sienna, great Dominican mystic and Doctor of the Church, once said, “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire!”  And even though we’re Catholics and not Evangelicals, our response should be a rousing “Amen!  Yes!  Let it be!”  The world is in need of our active witness to Christ by living intentionally in the world as Christians.  If we do that, there’s no telling how many lives could be changed.      

          So what do you think?  Does this any of this sound possible?  It may be difficult, but it’s definitely doable.  So let’s allow our Christian faith to be a lively faith that reaches out to others in love; let’s allow that to be the gift we offer the new-born Jesus on this Feast of the Epiphany.                                                           

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

READINGS:

First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 29

Second Reading: Romans 16:25-27

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 

FOCUS: The event of the Annunciation is one of the world’s most important moments ever. 

FUNCTION: Prepare your hearts to receive Christ with joy when He comes.

          You probably wouldn’t think much of the place.  Nazareth didn’t have a great reputation.  In fact, many years later, before he met Him, one of Jesus’ followers would remark, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (see John 1:46).  At the time, no one knew the importance that place would hold for human history.  For it was there…in a little town of Galilee named Nazareth…that the most important meeting to ever happen on the face of the earth would transpire.

          Although we’ve all heard the story, it’s hard for us to really grasp the magnitude of the moment— that moment when the archangel Gabriel first appeared to the Virgin Mary, informing her that God wanted to bring about in her the conception and birth of His only-begotten Son.  It was the newsflash of history!  Imagine the possible headlines, in big, bold letters:

          “Angel Appears to Virgin Bearing Unbelievable News,”

          “Lowly Town Site of Major Message from Heavenly Being,”

          “Angel Promises Virginal Conception: Fact or Fiction?”

          “Lowly Virgin Chosen to be Mother of God’s Only Son.”     

          Suddenly, almost without warning—what had been promised by God to King David a thousand years before—what had been prophesied by so many of God’s prophets—what Moses had prophesied to the people he led out of Egypt— and what had been long-awaited by so many people throughout so many centuries—was finally going to be fulfilled in and through Mary, the lowly and humble Virgin of Nazareth.  Finally, salvation was about to spring forth.  Finally, a new day was dawning for humanity.  Finally, hope was on the horizon.  Finally, God’s promises were about to be fulfilled.   

          The Angel speaks, “Hail, Full of Grace!  The Lord is with you!”

          Mary is confused.  What kind of greeting could this be, she wonders?  Never before had she been addressed in such a grand and important way, and by such a magnificent and luminous being….and at such a young age! 

          The Angel speaks again, “Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  Mary sighs with relief.  The angel’s words are good news: she has found favor with the God of the ancient covenant, with the Lord of her people.  That’s always been her desire: to be pleasing to God, to find favor with Him through prayer, and to do His will faithfully and without reservation.

          But those first words from the angel aren’t even half of the story.  The angel goes on, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David his father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

          Mary is awestruck and humbled in the sight of God.  Did she hear the angel correctly?  She’s been chosen by God to be the mother of WHO, exactly?  Ah, yes, God’s promised Messiah…the One who would liberate Israel and would one day bring peace to the whole world…the One that God promised to send into the world through the mouths of so many prophets.  God chose to give Mary the single greatest honor in the world….the honor of being the mother of the world’s one and only Savior: the Messiah, the Son of God. 

          But there’s a catch.  Mary speaks, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”  Unlike so many of her contemporaries, Mary wanted to remain virginal in the Lord’s eyes, to be entirely consecrated to Him through her virginal purity.  How would it be possible for her to be both virgin and mother?  How would it be possible for her to offer her virginal purity to God and still be the mother of God’s promised Messiah? 

          The angel speaks, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”  There is Mary’s answer.  The child would be conceived not through human means, but through supernatural means…through the Holy Spirit, the power of the Most High.  This Child would be no ordinary child.  This Child would truly be the Son of God, a human being who could call on God as His Father in a unique way, and later enable others to do the same.

          And in case there’s any doubt that God could accomplish this, the angel offers another newsflash: “And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”  Amazing!  God helped the old woman Elizabeth conceive a son, even though she was formerly infertile and childless.  Mary thinks, if God could accomplish that, He can accomplish anything!  Indeed, God has demonstrated that nothing is impossible for Him!

          And after all that, there is a moment of silence.  It seems to go on forever.  While Mary only experiences the presence of this one angel, she doesn’t realize that there are countless others, practically holding their breath, waiting in silence, waiting to her the Virgin’s response.  The hosts of heaven know that God gave humanity the gift of free will for a reason, to choose to follow God freely, to say yes to His will not because they had to, but because they chose to.  It all came down to this.  Mary paused, drawing together all her courage and all her sincerity, and spoke the words that the whole universe waited to hear, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”

          In His goodness and His graciousness, God willed to include humanity in His plan of salvation.  Our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell from God’s grace through a free choice.  And so God willed that humanity would not be saved, except through another human’s free choice.  And when God proposed His plan of salvation, Mary said yes.  Her reply was humanity’s “yes” from humanity’s best -- the lowly and humble Virgin of Nazareth.

          Mary’s yes made His conception and birth possible.  We know that He would later go on to preach and teach and heal, and eventually to suffer and die, and on the third day, be raised to new and eternal life.  And as the world’s one and only Savior, He must be received again and again, as Mary received Him. 

          Salvation is God’s free gift.  God forces His gift on no one.  No one is forced to be saved.  On Christmas day, God will invite us to receive the most beautiful gift ever: the gift of Jesus!  It is the gift of a poor Child lying in a manger, the gift of an itinerant preacher, teacher, and healer from Nazareth, the gift of a Savior.

          So as Christmas draws near, don’t neglect either to give to others or to receive from God the greatest gift of all— the gift of God’s love for the world— the gift of Jesus.        

                                           

Black Friday - Where are our priorities?

Black Friday: Where Are Our Priorities?


For many people, today (often identified as “Black Friday” because it’s the day that many stores come into “the black,” financially speaking) is a day to find and embrace great deals….in preparation for Christmas, or just because.   Today, there are lots of sales and discounts and early hours in businesses around the country.   “Get it while the gettin’ is good” could be the motto for Black Friday.


But if our whole motivation is the accumulation of more and more “stuff,” whether for ourselves or for others, what are we missing out on?   And where are our priorities in the midst of all this shopping?


In focusing so much on the possession of material goods this Black Friday, perhaps we’ve forgotten about the “goods” that really matter: growing in holistic personal health (emotional, physical, spiritual, psychological, etc.), maintaining relationships (with family, friends, and loved ones), or taking time to say, “I’m sorry” or “I love you” or “Forgive me” or “How can I help?”   And let’s not forget about the REALLY important “goods” that can’t be bought: truth, justice, mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, peace, healing, wholeness, sacrifice, good will, compassion, kindness, generosity, respect, faith, hope, reconciliation, and so much more.


As the lines for the sacrament of Reconciliation are dwindling in Churches around the country, the lines to get into Best Buy, Wal-Mart, JC Penny’s, etc. are growing around the country. WHY? Because we’ve inverted our priorities!   Instead of focusing on those things that will better our lives in the long run (in heaven!) we’ve given into focusing on those things that will “better” our lives on earth, but which won’t ultimately satisfy us.   Are you looking for a good deal?   Run to GOD’S MERCY!!   It’s always FREE, and you can’t beat free!


As stores are trying to get “in the black” on this Black Friday, are we trying to get “in the black” in our lives, regarding our relationships, regarding how we live, regarding the things we do and say?   Perhaps we’ve been operating at a deficit for some time now.   When do we want to start operating with a profit, with a surplus of wealth?   That requires that we make the effort to turn our deficit into a profit.   That requires that we turn away from the things that won’t ultimately satisfy, to Him who alone can satisfy us.   If you’re not living the kind of full life that you want, maybe it’s because you haven’t heard of or embraced the offer of Him who came to bring us the fullness of life.   Jesus once said (and now says to us!), “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (see John 10:10).


So this Black Friday, take the time to invest in those “goods” that really matter, and you might just be surprised that you’re satisfied with “less” because, in fact, you have “more.”


For those of you who read these words, may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain with you forever.


“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look kindly upon you and give you peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26



P.S.  Please don't think I'm being negative in this post.  I'm only offering a reflection....an examination of conscience, if you will......to help us understand where our eyes are focused: on the world, or on Christ?  That's the question.  So in the midst of shopping, etc. let's keep our eyes on Christ, trusting that the "deal" He gave us through His death on the cross.....namely, the free gift of salvation.....is the best deal of all :)