Prayers of the faithful - the Feast of the Holy Family - 30 December 2022

Lord Jesus - You are the glory of Israel - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - You are the awaited Messiah - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - You are the Son of Mary - Lord have mercy. 

PRIEST: As we celebrate the Holy Family in a special way today, let us bring our prayers to God, who showers blessings upon all his sons and daughters.

1. For the members of the Christian family, that they may have joy and peace throughout the Christmas season. 

2. For the families of our community, that members of our families may treat each other with tolerance and respect and work towards unity and reconciliation.  

3. For families where there is hurt and difficulty, that those who have suffered may find healing. 

4. For families that live with illness and frailty, that those called to be care givers may be filled with gentleness and patience. 

5. For families who are homeless, that political leaders work toward providing affordable housing.  

6.  For the members of our families who have died, and for all those we knew who died during 2022.  As we lift them up in our prayers, we pray that the light of heaven may be theirs.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts.  

PRIEST: O God, your care for your family is constant: hear the prayers we make in faith and trust through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.  

prayers of the faithful - fourth day of the octave of Christmas - 28 December 2022 - WEDNESDAY

Lord Jesus - you are a light for the nations.  

Christ Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope and truth. 

As we journey through the holy days of the Christmas season, we bring our prayers to our loving Father. 

1. For our Bishops and Church leaders, may they lead us to the truth of the Gospel message and help us to evangelize the world.  May continue to pray for Bishop Kopacz who is visiting his family in Pennsylvania for the Christmas vacation. 

2. For all parents and families, may they help their children grow in wisdom and in the values of the faith. 

3. For those traveling during the Christmas holidays, for safety for them.  For all those affected by the harsh winter weather.  

4. For the sick and sick-in, for those needing healing in their lives body, mind, and spirit.  For those struggling with mental health issues and addictions. 

5. For the men in the women in the military, for first responders, for medical professionals, for all who are working and who are away from their families during the holidays.  

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts this morning.  

In Christmas hope and joy, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

prayers of the faithful - 29 December 2022 - octave of Christmas - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to hope. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to love. 

As we unite our prayers with the martyrs of our faith and with the community of saints, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father:  

1. For members of the Church: that we may recognize and honor the dignity which we have been given in being called children of God. 

2. For the grace to grow in wisdom: that the Spirit will give us insight into our experiences and help us to learn from them how to hear God’s invitation and fully respond to God. 

3. For our Church leaders and governmental leaders: may they help proclaim justice and peace throughout the land.  

4. For all families: that family members may support one another and help each other grow in wisdom, age, and grace, and walk closer with God each day. 

5. For our children and youth: may God accompany them through their Christmas break.  

6. For the sick and shut-in, for those who need healing in mind, body and spirit. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts. 

We make our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

Prayers of the faithful - 27 December 2022 - third day of the octave of Christmas

Lord Jesus - you followed the Father’s will. 

Christ Jesus - you are the new covenant between God and his people. 

Lord Jesus - you are the Savior of the world. 

As we celebrate the joyful Christmas season, we present our prayers to the heavenly Father:

1. For all believers, that we all may share Christ’s Good News with others in humility and patience.  

2. For the leaders of the nations, may they work towards the resolution of conflicts and work towards peace and justice throughout the world. 

3. For those who struggle to find peace and joy throughout the holiday season, that those who suffer from illness, loss, and hardship may feel the grace of God helping them in the midst of their reality. 

4. For our Diocese and for all members of God’s family, that the joy of the Christmas season may bear fruit in their hearts. 

5. For all who have been adversely affected by the harsh winter weather here in Mississippi and throughout the country.  

6. For our personal needs and intentions that we recall in the silence of our hearts this morning.  

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessings you give us in life and we thank you for your grace that helps us meet our challenges.  We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

Reflection on the martyrdom of St Stephen - feast day on December 26, 2022

      The day after Christmas, the birth of our Savior, we recognize the first martyr of the early Church, St Stephen.  Stephen’s martyrdom is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, but we don’t really know much more about him than what is recorded in that book of the New Testament. Stephen was an important martyr in the early Church. Scripture scholars believe that he was probably a Jew who had lived outside of Israel and who was influenced by the Greek culture. We do not know the circumstances of how Stephen converted to the Way of Jesus or how he became a leader in the early Church. He died by being stoned by an angry mob. Scripture is not entirely clear as to whether the mob was acting outside the auspices of Jewish law or was following after Stephen’s trial by the Sanhedrin.  As we hear of others in our modern world who are being persecuted for their faith today, as we see our own religious liberties curtailed and limited, perhaps the story of Stephen has even more resonance and meaning.

6 January 2023 - 1 John 5:5-13 - Christmas weekday before Epiphany - St Andre Bessette

     Today, from the first letter of John, we hear about three ways that God gives testimony to us about Jesus.  First, there is the Holy Spirit who comes into the hearts of believers since Jesus left the earth; the spirit testifies about who Jesus is and about what Jesus taught. Second is water, which points us to John the Baptism’s baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, a visible sign, or testimony of God’s endorsement of the work of Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world. The third testimony is blood, signifying the death of Jesus on the cross that brings us salvation.  These three things constitute God’s testimony about who Jesus is for us. 

       As we continue to hear readings from the first letter of John, we celebrate a rather new saint who was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010: St Andrew Bissette, a Holy Cross brother who was born in a small town outside of Montreal, Canada in 1845.  One of 12 children who was orphaned at the age of 12, he did very poorly in school and worked as a laborer as a boy.  His devout faith and holiness as a boy spurred his pastor to recommend him for the congregation of the Holy Cross, where he worked a porter as a religious brother of that congregation for many years at the College of Notre Dame in Quebec.  After countless acts of holiness and mercy, he attracted quite a following, sort of like Padre Pio and John Vianney, where the people wrote many letters and visited him in huge crowds, wanting his blessing and wanting to be in his holy presence.  A saint like Andre Bessette points to the way that in small acts of holiness and kindness, we can bring the love of God to others.  Always in frail health, he ended up living until the age of 91, dying in 1937.  Let us unite our prayers with the prayers of St Andre Bessette today.  

8 January 2023 - The Feast of the Epiphany – The Three Magi – The Three Wise Men - Matthew 2:1-12

       Even though our secular world has moved on from the Christmas season, probably because we've been hearing Christmas carols in the stores and on the radio since early November and have seen Christmas decorations up for several months as well, we in the Catholic Church are still celebrating Christmas. In fact, the Christmas season officially ends this Monday when we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.  

       Today, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, one of the high points of our Christmas season. Our English word “epiphany” comes from the Greek word “epiphaneia,” which means "appearing" or "revealing” or “manifesting.”  Today, on Epiphany, and during the entire Christmas season, we focus on how God manifested himself in the world in Jesus, his divine Son.

         We celebrate Epiphany in the visit of the kings, the Magi, as they traveled from afar to honor the Christ child and to bring him gifts. It is interesting to look up the feast of the Epiphany on the internet to find the different ways it is celebrated throughout the world.  The Guardian newspaper showed a series of photos of the celebration of Epiphany.  Carolers in Germany dress up as the three kings as they sing Christmas carols and ask for donations to fund children’s aid projects throughout the world as they go house to house. Many in the Eastern and Orthodox Churches celebrate the baptism of the Lord on Epiphany. A photo showed swimmers jumping into the frigid waters in a river in Bulgaria as they raced to retrieve a cross positioned in the icy waters, celebrating the baptism of the Lord. Getting the cross brings good luck and wards off evil spirits. In Romania, there is a special blessing of horses on this day. In the different countries of the world, we have special traditions to mark today’s feast of the Epiphany, which is very appropriate, since this feast day shows how Jesus is a gift to all people and all nations, how his message speaks to all of us, no matter our culture or ethnic group. If you look around at our parish here and the other parishes of our Diocese, we see a lot of diversity.  Today, the Church around the world comes together to honor the Christ child just like the Magi did.  

        I have always loved the story of the three kings.  I guess I’ve always dreamed about going to faraway lands and I had a great sense of adventure as a child and as a youth, so the story of the three kings appealed to my imagination and my adventurous spirit. We have the wonderful image of the star of Bethlehem leading the Magi to the place where they can find the baby Jesus. As we think about the star of Bethlehem that guided them to their destination, we realize that we all follow something in life, don’t we?  We might not even be aware of what is pointing us in the direction we are going, but God speaking to us in our lives points us in the direction in which he wants us to go. 

        Our Gospel tells us that the chief priests and scribes closed their hearts to the surprising ways that God can reveal himself to us.  Many people failed to recognize who he was, both at Jesus' birth and during his lifetime and ministry. Yet, the three Magi, these mysterious men from the East, who were perhaps astronomers, scientists, wise sages or scholars, or a combination of those things, they received a message that a very special child was to be born in the world, a child who was a gift for all people and all generations.  

        Sometimes we expect to see God in a certain way.  Sometimes we expect our journey of faith to go down a certain road. However, often God leads us down a road less traveled or down a road with struggles and challenges. God speaks to us in the human world and in the non-human world, too. God spoke to the Magi through a dream and through a star. He spoke to them in a way that surpassed the impossible, the unimaginable.  God speaks to us in many different ways today. Yet, sometimes we don’t pay attention or listen to him. Sometimes we close our hearts to him.  

        Through the wonderful story of the Magi, God is speaking to us during this joyful Christmas season, that’s for sure.  May the feast of the Epiphany stimulate our imagination to seek Christ out today and every day. 

5 January 2023 - Weekday of the Christmas season - Thursday - 1 John 3:11-21 - St John Neumann

     The writer of the first letter of John writes that the key to discipleship is love. He also states that hate and jealousy drive the contempt that most of the world has for Christians.  Yet, out of love, out of compassion, we are called to persevere in our faith and we are called to endure.  

       St John Neumann is the saint we celebrate today. Neumann was born in 1811 in the country of Bohemia, a very Catholic country that had a large number of priests. Bohemia is a country that no longer exists, but is part of the present day country of the Czech Republic.  Neumann felt called to become a missionary in the rather new country of the United States. He attended seminary in New York and served as a priest in the growing missionary Church there. Neumann had a great gift for learning languages, which served him well in the very diverse Catholic Church in the United States. Although he started as a Diocesan priest, he joined the Redemptorist missionary order, eventually serving as its provincial in the US. In 1848, he became a US citizen.  In 1852, Neumann became the 4th Bishop of Philadelphia. One of his main accomplishments was the establishment of a thriving system of parochial schools, the first in our country, a legacy that still has a large impact in our American Catholic Church today. He is the patron saint of Catholic eduction. A hard worker, he died of exhaustion at the young age of 49. Pope Paul VI canonized him in 1977. We Americans can take great pride in St John Neumann as our of the Fathers of the US Catholic Church.  Here is a great quote for St John Neumann about our vocation as Christians: “Everyone who breathes, high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, has a mission, has a work. We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random…  God sees every one of us; he creates every soul . . . for a purpose. He needs, he deigns to need, every one of us. He has an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labor in them for him. As Christ has his work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.”  What wonderful words upon which we may ponder. 

 

4 January 2023 – weekday of the Christmas season – Wednesday - John 1:35-42

     “What are you looking for?”  This is the question that Jesus asks two men who are intrigued by him after they hear John the Baptist call him the Lamb of God.  Many in our modern world are searching for something in their lives because of they feel unfulfilled in their daily reality.  Unfortunately, many try to fill this void in their lives with other things, such as drugs, alcohol, music, video games, entertainment, pleasure, or even work.  Many of these things are not bad in themselves in moderation, if we don’t make them our idols or our gods.  Yet, if we are looking for something in our life, our faith is where we are called to find it.

       Yet, we won’t always get an answer to all the questions we have.  Many times we will have to walk by faith and to accept that some of truths of our faith will remain a mystery to us.  We are to learn and our journey.  Indeed, it is not only the end point, but the journey itself is important as well.  

         We celebrate St Elizabeth Ann Seton today.  She was born in a wealthy Episcopalian here in the American colonies in the late 18th century a couple of years before we became an independent country.  Her father was only of the first public health officials in New York City.  She became Catholic after the death of her husband while on a trip to Italy.  Her own father was a great example of someone who lived a life of charity toward others.  Elizabeth Ann Seton gives us a great example of faith today as the first American born Catholic to be beatified, as the founder of the first American religious community for women, the Sisters of Charity, as the founder of the first American parish-affiliated Catholic school, and as the founder of the first American Catholic orphanage. Jesus asks all of us: What are you looking for?  Elizabeth Ann Seton answered this question through her life of faith, serving God in humility and grace and serving her brothers and sisters. We are called to answer this same question with our own lives of faith. 

3 January 2023 – Homily for a Weekday in the Octave of Christmas – TUESDAY - 1 John 2:29 – 3:6

      We are in the first week of the new year of 2023 celebrating the joyful season of Christmas. In our first readings during our daily Masses this week, we are hearing from the letters of John from the New Testament. These letters were probably produced by the same community that wrote the Gospel of John.  These letters were probably written more than 100 years after Christ’s birth, so this community was still trying to understand who Jesus really was, especially regarding his identity of being both human and divine. In today’s reading, we hear this community being called to have confidence in its faith in the Lord, in the identity as children of God.  However, we hear the community dealing very openly with sin, about the need to turn away from their sins to truly be disciples of Christ. 

         When I was a seminarian, I spent a summer working as a chaplain at Baptist Hospital in Jackson.  That was a very edifying experience, but very challenging and difficult most of the time as well.  Every week, we would write down a pastoral conversation that we had with a patient during a visit. Then, our professor and fellow classmates would critique that conversation, identifying our pastoral strengths and weaknesses.  Even though we all have gifts as well as struggles and weaknesses, it can be challenging to look at them, to name them, and to try to grow.  I really grew a lot that summer in my ministry, and I think it shows how important it is to look at our sins and to try to achieve a conversion of heart in our journey of faith.

          May we all acknowledge ourselves as true children of God, but may we also accept that responsibilities and challenges that this identity entails.

2 January 2023 - Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil the Great, Doctors of the Church and Saints of the Day - Monday - Reflection

      Four great Fathers of the Eastern Church were recognized as Doctors of the Church by Pope Pius V in 1568:  John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius of Alexandria.  We celebrate two of these great saints today - Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil the Great.  Basil and Gregory were both from Cappadocia in present day Turkey.  A monk who became the Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia in 370 AD, Basil fought vigorously against the Arian heresy. The monastic rule that Basil wrote is still followed in monasteries in the East to this day. Gregory, a great friend of Basil’s, became Bishop of Constantinople. He was a great theologian and preacher.  As we celebrate the Christmas season, this quote from Gregory of Nazianzus is very appropriate: “What Jesus was, He laid aside; what He was not, He assumed. He takes upon Himself the poverty of my flesh so that I may receive the riches of His divinity.”  

       During the Christmas and Advent seasons, we have celebrated great saints who have helped us in the welcoming Christ into the world and into our lives as we celebrate his birth.  As we celebrate this two great Church fathers on their feast day, let us never forget the roots of our faith.  

1 January 2023 - solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - Luke 2:16-21

      Today, we celebrate the end of the year 2022 and the beginning of a New Year of 2023.  On the first day of the New Year, we always celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God - Mary, as the Theotokos, the God bearer through whom Jesus came into the world. In Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church from the Second Vatican Council, it was declared that God did not employ Mary in a purely passive way, but that she freely cooperated in the work of human salvation through her faith and her obedience. The great Early Church Father St. Irenaeus is quoted in Lumen Gentium, noting: “Being obedient, Mary became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.” Mary is seen as the new Eve, as St Irenaeus states: “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience; what the virgin Eve bound through her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened through her faith.”  Pope Francis loves the image of Mary as helping us untie that knots that hinder us on our journey of faith. In our relationship with God, when we disobey his will, when we do not listen to him, when we lack trust, when we turn to sin, a kind of knot is created in us. These knots take away our peace and serenity, hope and trust. These knots can become tangled, making it difficult to untie them. Yet, we know nothing is impossible with God and his grace. By saying yes to God, Mary opened the door for God to undo the knot of original sin, that ancient disobedience. Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, patiently and lovingly brings us to God so that he can untangle the knots in our souls.  

     Lumen Gentium goes on to say that through Mary’s faith and obedience, she gave birth to the very Son of the Father, not conceived by man, but by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.   Mary first conceived Jesus in faith and then conceived him in the flesh by freely following God’s will and God’s calling in her life. What took place most singularly in the Blessed Mother also can take place within us in a spiritual sense. When we receive the word of God into our hearts with sincerity and humility, when we put his word into practice in our lives, then God take flesh within us and comes to dwell within us. In this way, Mary as the Mother of God and as the first disciple is not only our greatest example of faith, but she is our Mother who leads us and guides us to Christ. We can bring Jesus to life in a spiritual sense in the same way Mary brought him to life. 

      We celebrate the beginning of the New Year with Mary as we ask for her prayers and intercessions for our journey, for our nation, and for our families.  January 1st marks a World Peace Day, which was established by Pope Paul VI in 1968. The theme this year reflects what we have been through in the world these past couple of years: “No one can be saved alone. Combatting Covid-19 together, embarking together on paths of peace.” The Pope recalls how the Apostle Paul encouraged the Thessalonian community to remain steadfast in their faith.  The pope states: “when tragic events seem to overwhelm our lives, we are called to keep our hearts open to hope and to trust in God, who makes himself present, accompanies us with tenderness, sustains us in our weariness and, above all, guides our path.”  The pope reminds us that there is the light of faith that shines even in our darkest hour.  He concludes his new year’s peace message by stating: “To all men and women of goodwill, I express my prayerful trust that, as artisans of peace, they may work, day by day, to make this a good year!”

    As brothers and sisters in Christ, as members of the human family, we are to help each other on our journey, we are to support each other and to provide encouragement to each other, remembering that on our journey of faith, we are never alone.  As we celebrate Mary today, may we always invite her to be with us on our journey.  

prayers of the faithful - Friday of the fourth week of Advent - 23 December 2022

Lord Jesus, you gather the nations into the peace of God’s kingdom: Lord, have mercy.

Christ Jesus, you come as the word of God to strengthen us in holiness: Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you will come in glory: Lord, have mercy.

As we come to the end of our Advent journey this week, let us offer our prayers in confidence and hope.

1. That we in our nation and in all the countries of the world may reach out to those who are struggling and suffering.  

2. We pray for all missionaries and those who bring the faith to others.  May all of us be missionary in spirit, proclaiming the message of Christ's birth to the world. 

3. For all the places in the world experiencing war, terrorism, or violence. May we all work toward peace, healing, and reconciliation.  

4. For those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, or mental health issues this holiday season, that they receive the help they need and feel love and support from God and the community of the faithful.  

5. For safe travel and warmth for all during this cold winter weather most of the country is experiencing. 

6. For the sick and the shut-in, the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and those prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Loving God, we ask that you hear our prayers and help us in our needs as we get ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We make these prayers through your son Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

22 December 2022 - Thursday of the Fourth week of Advent - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you are of the tree of Jesse

Christ Jesus - you are the morning star. 

Lord Jesus - you are Emanuel, God with us. 

As we approach the day of our savior's birth, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father with great joy;  

1. For justice in our world: that we may strive to fulfill our duties to others and use our gifts and our faith to reach out to our brothers and sisters

2. For the healing of our communities: that God will heal and comfort those who have experienced violence, free their hearts from fear, and help us to comfort and support them. 

3. For safety for all who are traveling during this Christmas holiday season.  

4. For the Gospel of life - that all of us with treat others with dignity and respect and withhold the values of the Gospel of Life in our words and our actions.  

5. For our children and youth: that God will accompany them during their time of Christmas vacation.  

6. For the protection of earth's resources: that God will give wisdom and understanding to our role as steward of God’s creation.  

7.  For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

With Advent joy and hope, we present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

opening prayer - diocesan finance council meeting - 13 December 2022

 Lord God, we come to you today in the midst of our Advent journey. During Advent, we prepare a way for the Lord, we prepare for the coming of the Lord at his birth at Christmas, and we prepare for his coming at the end times. We give thanks for our Diocesan finance council members, for all their hard work to help guide our Diocese, for their advice in our finances and administration, and for their help in our mission here to serve the people of God in the Diocese of Jackson.  As we meet together today virtually, we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit for wisdom in the decisions we make.  In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  AMEN. 

21 December 2022 - Luke 1:39-45 - homily for Wednesday of the fourth week of ADVENT - St Peter Canisius

      As we get close to our celebration of Christmas, we hear of Mary traveling to visit her cousin Elizabeth, for them to support each other when both of them were journeying into the unknown with the will of God calling them to a specific vocation as mothers of important figures in the history of salvation. We, too, often have to follow God’s will into the unknown. Germany was the center of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, led by Martin Luther, who had been an Augustinian monk. Peter Canisius born in that same era.  Although he was born in the Netherlands, he spent most of his priesthood in Germany.  He is now known at the second Apostle of the Germans, the first being St Boniface who originally brought Christianity to that region of the world.  We celebrate Peter Canisius’ feast day today.  As a young man, Peter met Peter Faber, a close friend of St Ignatius of Loyola.  Canisius joined the Jesuits as a priest, a religious order of priests founded in the era of the Protestant reformation whose members pledged a particular loyalty and allegiance to the Pope. As a young priest, Peter could often be found visiting the sick or imprisoned, even when his assigned duties in other areas were more than enough to keep most people fully occupied. After attending several sessions of the Council of Trent, Peter was later assigned to implement the decrees of that council in his native country of Germany.  He taught in several universities there and was instrumental in establishing many colleges and seminaries. In addition, he wrote a catechism that explained the Catholic faith in a way that common people could understand, which was greatly needed in the era of the reformation.  Dying in 1597, he was canonized a saint and named a doctor of the Church in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.  In the midst of our Advent journey, may we unite our prayers with Peter Canisius.  

Bulletin reflection - 4th Sunday of Advent - 18 December 2022

During the past three Sundays of Advent, in our Sunday Gospel readings, we have heard from John the Baptist, from the prophet Isaiah, and from Jesus himself, as they all helped us prepare a way in our lives for Christmas. This weekend, we hear about how the Angel communicated to Joseph in a dream about the upcoming birth of Jesus. All of these Advent messengers are there to help us and to guide us along our Advent journey.

For them and for their message, we give thanks. We have some beautiful and inspiring Advent prayers that accompany us on this journey of preparation. I want to share the following prayer with you on this last Sunday of the Advent season as the day of the birth of our Savior draws near:

O Emmanuel, you are truly God with us. In this Advent season, we celebrate that you are not hidden in some faraway place. In this holy season, we are called to recognize how you chose to be with us in the mystery of our lives.

In the midst of our to-do lists and the rush of this busy season, you are with us in the hymns that echo in our minds, in the light of a candle, in the Christmas messages we receive from family and friends, and in the holy word of God that we hear proclaimed. These are all signs of your presence with us.

We turn to you during this holy season in a special way. We pray that you would birth joy, healing, blessing, and hope in our lives. We pray that something wonderful would begin in us during these holy seasons of Advent and Christmas — something surprising and holy. May your hand be upon us, O Lord. Let your love fill us. Let your joy overwhelm us. Let our longing for you be met on the coming holy night of Christmas as you, Emmanuel, are with us once again. Amen. 

prayer for lighting of the Advent wreath - fourth Sunday of. Advent - 18 December 2022

 On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light all four candles on the Advent wreath:

Father, all-powerful God, your eternal word took flesh on earth when the Blessed Virgin Mary with great joy placed her life at the service of your plan. As we light the four candles on our Advent wreath on this last Sunday of Advent, we lift up our minds and our hearts in hope to hear the voice announce God's glory. May we open our minds to receive the Holy Spirit in preparation for the coming of Christ into our world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

prayers of the faithful - 4th week of ADVENT - 18 December 2022

Introduction: As we celebrate the last Sunday of the Advent season, we light the four candles on our Advent wreath. In our Gospel today, we hear about St Joseph responding to the message of the angel with faith and trust. May we continue to place our hope and trust in the Lord in these last days of the Advent season. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to be faithful.


Christ Jesus - you come to be born in our hearts. 

Lord Jesus - you proclaim justice. 

Priest: On this last Sunday of Advent, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father with hope and trust:


1. For the Church: that our hearts may leap for joy as we recognize God- with-us in the people and events of our lives. We pray to the Lord.


2. For all believers: that we, like Joseph, may believe that God will not abandon us, that we may place our trust and hope in the Lord in the midst of the challenges of life. We pray to the Lord.


3. For a spirit of joy: that we may be grateful for the gifts and opportunities that God offers us and that we may rejoice in the blessings which come to us each day. We pray to the Lord.


4. For all parents and for expectant parents: that God will bless their children with health and help them to care for and nurture their children both physically and spiritually. We pray to the Lord.


5. For all children and youth, that the Lord may accompany them and bless them during their break from school. We pray to the Lord.


6. For the sick and shut-in, for those battling addictions, for those trying to cope with anxiety, depression, and mental illness. For comfort, healing, and wholeness for them. We pray to the lord.


7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. We pray to the Lord.


Priest: With Advent joy, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

21 December 2022 - fourth week of ADVENT - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you are the son of Mary. 

Christ Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you are the prince of peace. 

As these last few days of our Advent journey, we present our prayers to our God of mercy: 

1. For our Church leaders: that God may give them wisdom and courage as they help the Catholic faithful prepare for the coming of the Lord. 

2. For reconciliation within families and our communities: that in our celebrations of God being with us, we may forgive past hurts and strive to renew relationships. 

3. For all who will be traveling during the holidays: that their journeys may be safe and their visits with friends and loved ones be renewing and refreshing.

4. For all who are burdened by poverty and for those who seek to assist them:  that God will open new ways to meet their needs and bring them hope and courage. 

5. For peace: that the coming of the Prince of Peace may bring healing and safety to those impacted by domestic violence, civil disturbance, and warfare. 

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

With Advent faith and hope, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

Prayers of the faithful - fourth week of Advent - 20 December 2022

Lord Jesus - you are the son of Mary. 

Christ Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

In the midst of this 4th week of Advent, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For all who are busily preparing for Christmas: that the Holy Spirit will help us to stay aware of whose life we celebrate and to show Christ’s love in all our interactions. 

2. For freedom from judging others: that we may hold our judgments so that the work of God may unfold in the hearts and lives of those who are dear to us. 

3. For all who are awaiting the birth of a child or who are new parents: that they may recognize God’s presence in their child and nurture the gift of life entrusted to their care. 

4. For all who are away from home this holiday season: that God will guide those serving in the military, as relief workers, as missionaries, or as first responders, that God will protect them from all danger and keep them safe. 

5. For the members of the Jewish community: that as they celebrate Hanukkah, they may grow in their awareness of God’s presence and saving action in their lives. 

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts.  

Priest:  With Advent hope and joy, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

Prayers of the faithful - 16 December 2022 - 3rd week in ADVENT

Lord Jesus - you are the son of God. 

Christ Jesus - you are the light of the world. 

Lord Jesus - you are our Savior. 

In the midst of our Advent journey, we present our prayers to the heavenly Father:

1. For the Church: that we may wholeheartedly live out our faith traditions and remain open to the mystery of God's unconventional work in our lives and in the world around us.

2. For openness of heart: that, like Mary and Joseph, we may enter into the mystery of God’s loving actions and be co-operative with the work of God even when we do not understand how to proceed. 

3. For the gift of wisdom: that like Mary, we may perceive the invitation of God in the strange and sometimes unreasonable situations into which God calls us

4. For a deepening of faith: that through the mystery of Jesus becoming human, we may open ourselves to a fuller sharing in the divine life. 

5. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

In this time of waiting and expectation, we present these prayer through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

prayers of the faithful - 3th week of ADVENT - 14 December 2022

Lord Jesus - you and the Son of the Most High. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us God’s wisdom. 

Lord Jesus - your kingdom is without end. 

Priest: With Advent joy and hope, in this third week of waiting and preparation, we present our prayers this morning to our Heavenly Father. 

1. We pray for our children, youth and their families, that the Lord may accompany them in their final days of the school semester and accompany them during their days of rest and vacation during the Christmas break. 

2. For the Gospel of Life, that we will work to protect human life, especially the unborn and those who are vulnerable.  With an execution planned here in Mississippi this evening, we pray for an end to the death penalty and capital punishment. 

3. We pray for those who have lost a loved one, especially in the last year.  We pray for the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed.  

4. On this feast day of St John of the cross, we pray for all who work toward reform in our Church and all of our Church leaders.  

5. We pray for healing and reconciliation in our community, particularly in families, and that we make a special effort to reach out to those who are lonely or in need.

6.  For the sick and the shut-in, for healing in body, mind and spirit. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: Generous God, as we prepare for the birth of our savior, we thank you for our many blessings.   Continue to look with favor on us as we present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.  

30 December 2022 – Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph – Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

     Today, we mark a great feast of the Holy Family in our Church in this first week of the Christmas season.   Throughout the papacy of Pope Francis, the topic of the family has been at the forefront of our Church discussions.  You may remember that the pope called a Synod on the Family during the early years of his papacy. That Synod looked at the questions and issues facing the family in our modern world, with a specific emphasis on the pastoral care needs of the family. The Church rightfully sees the family as the traditional unit upon which society is built, but in our modern reality, the family faces many changes and challenges. Families and religion have traditionally been two of the things that bind us together in society and that help form us as children, youth, and adults.  Yet, Cardinal Walter Kasper from Germany has noted that in the past 50 years, modern society has been more about breaking down those things that bind us together, with consumerism and individualism becoming the more important values that are being embraced.

       With all the challenges and obstacles families face in the modern world, the feast of the Holy Family that we celebrate today becomes even more important and relevant to our journey.  We see many people in our society today on a quest to find meaning and significance in their lives, to find fulfillment and happiness.  We see the Holy Family in the Gospel today moving twice according to the message they received from the Angel.  They fled to Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod.  They then returned to their town of Nazareth when it was safe.  Many families today also face a hard reality that causes them to respond in different ways.  

         Today's feast of the Holy Family declares the importance of the family in our human development and in the development of our faith.  Any of us who are priests or consecrated sisters or brothers or lay leaders in the Church can attest to the way our parents and our upbringing had an influence on our vocations to serve in the Church.  Today, we honor our families through the example of the Holy Family.  I would like to close today’s feast with a prayer that Pope John Paul II wrote for the family.  

Let us pray: 

     Lord God, from you every family in Heaven and on earth takes its name. Father, you are love and life.  Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, born of woman, and through the Holy Spirit, the fountain of divine charity, grant that every family on earth may become for each successive generation a true shrine of life and love.

      Grant that your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of husbands and wives for the good of their families and of all the families in the world.  Grant that the young may find in the family solid support for their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love.  Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of marriage, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass.

       Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission in the family and through the family.

       We ask this of You, God the Father, who is life, truth and love with the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Mensaje de la Virgin de Guadalupe - vigilia del tercer domingo del adviento - 10 de diciemebre de 2022

    "No estoy yo aquí que soy tu Madre? No estás bajo mi sombra y resguardo? No soy la fuente de tu alegría? No estás en el hueco de mi manto, en el cruce de mis brazos? Qué mas puedes querer?"  La Santísima Virgen María hablaba estas palabras en una conversación que ella tenía con Juan Diego. Podemos reflexionar sobre estas palabras en nuestros corazones.  En su misericordia y su ternura materna, nuestra Madre María conoce la verdad de nuestras vidas. Ella se duele y se preocupa e intercede por nosotros en su ternura y cariño. Con el dolor que ella tenía mirando la pasión de su Hijo y su muerte en la cruz, ella tiene compasión para nosotros en nuestro camino y en nuestras cruces. 

       Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe escogió a Juan Diego en su pequeñez, en su humildad, y en su sencillez para ser mensajero de esta aparición de la Madre de Dios.  La Santísima Virgen escogió a un indígena como su intermediario con el Obispo. Es un mensaje de justicia y respecto y dignidad para todas las personas en los margines del mundo.  Nosotros, en nuestra humildad y pecados, en nuestras faltas y errores, podemos ir a nuestra Madre como Juan Diego para pedir su ayuda. Hoy, nuestra madre tiene un mensaje para nosotros.  Todos nosotros somos sus hijos y una parte de su familia.

       Hoy, con nuestra Madre María y con toda la comunidad de los santos, alabamos al Señor en nuestro camino del adviento y en nuestra preparación para el nacimiento del Príncipe de Paz. 

29 December 2022 - feast of Thomas Beckett – the fifth day in the Octave of Christmas – Luke 2:22-35

     For years, Simeon waited patiently.   In the solitude and majesty of the Temple, Simeon embraces the child Jesus; he rejoices in his knowledge of God’s fidelity.  In his faith and in his waiting, Simeon discovered a joyful opportunity to love God and to live as a disciple of Christ. 

        Just like Simeon, we are called to put our trust and confidence in God. In his trust and confidence, Simeon waited patiently until he could be in the presence of the Christ. The saint we commemorate today was called to stand up for his faith in a very different way when compared to Simeon.  Yesterday, we commemorated the feast of the Holy Innocents: children who were martyred by King Herod when he felt threatened by the birth of Jesus. Like the Holy Innocents, Beckett also is a martyr for the faith. He was chancellor and trusted friend to King Henry II in 12th century England.  He was made Archbishop of Canterbury by the king.  Despite his loyalty and friendship with the King, Beckett stood firm when King Henry tried to usurp Church authority through the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and would have prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. Thomas fled to France for safety, where he remained in exile there for 7 years.  He returned to England even though he knew it would mean certain death for him.  Four of the king's knights murdered Thomas Beckett in the Canterbury Cathedral shortly after his return.  The king saw Thomas Beckett as yet another “troublesome priest.”  Yet, across the centuries of time and history, the courage of Thomas Beckett and his willingness to sacrifice for the faith remain a strong witness to us today, just like Simeon's own patience and perseverance.  May we take courage from the patience of Simeon and the steadfastness of Thomas Beckett.  

28 December 2022 - homily for the feast of the Holy Innocents - Matthew 2:13-18

        Right after we celebrate Christ’s birth, our Church recognizes three feast days in a row, representing people from different walks of life who worship and honor Jesus during the season of Christmas.  The day after Christmas is the feast of St. Stephen, a martyr in the early Church. We can see Stephen representing those who have sacrificed and given their lives for our faith.  Next, we have the feast of John the Evangelist.  We can see John as representing our Church leaders, both laity and ordained, who serve tirelessly for our faith. Today, we honor the Holy Innocents, children who were massacred by King Herod in the town of Bethlehem when he had heard of Jesus' birth. Martyrs, church leaders, and children: they all honor Jesus at his birth in the midst of their own reality. Two of these feasts recognize those who died for our faith, showing us how the shadow of the cross, the sacrifice Christ made for our salvation, is an essential part of the message we hear this Christmas season.

         Luke’s Gospel tells of the massacre of these children as a part of  the story of the Magi.  Luke’s Gospel quotes the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.”  The prophet Jeremiah portrays Rachel, the wife of Jacob, the patriarch of the people of Israel, as weeping at the place where the Israelites were herded together by the conquering Assyrians for their march into the Babylonian captivity. As Rachel is imagined weeping for her people who have been forced into exile, as the parents of the children killed in Bethlehem weep for their loss, we too may weep for things we see  today in our modern world.  We see children and families suffering and torn apart by violence, alcohol and drug abuse. We see the innocent unborn killed by abortion.  We see many in our world and in our own society go to bed hungry for lack of food to eat.  We certainly have a lot to weep for in our world today. 

         In the midst of this weeping, he hear a message of hope and liberation to the people of Israel forced into exile.  Herod's act of violence is not the final word.  God gives us hope in the birth of Christ. Through Jesus’ birth into our world, God proclaims his kingdom and promises us salvation. We ourselves can help proclaim this kingdom in the reality of our world today. 

27 December 2022 - homily for the Feast of St John Apostle and Evangelist - John 20:1-8

     We celebrate many different saints during this first week of Christmas.  Yesterday was the feast day of St Stephen, the first martyr of the early Church. Later in the week, we commemorate the feast of the Holy Innocents and the feast of the Holy Family.  Today, with Christmas joy in our hearts, we celebrate the feast St John Apostle and Evangelist. John and his brother James were called the Sons of Thunder by Jesus, I assume due to their very fiery and larger-than-life personalities. John and James were the sons of Zebedee.  It is also believed that their mother was Mary of Salome, the sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so John the Evangelist would have been the first cousin of Jesus. James and John were fishermen from Galilee who were called to become disciples of Christ and to become fishers of men. 

     Tradition has it that John's Gospel has been traced to him, probably through a community that tied its identity and its spirituality to John. Of the twelve apostles, John is the only one described in the Gospels as being present at Christ's crucifixion.  Jesus gave him Mary to protect, where tradition holds that they both lived in Ephesus in present-day Turkey. In that place today, there is a location of a house where tradition holds that Mary and John lived.  We hear from the 20th chapter of John’s Gospel of how John arrived at the tomb with Peter after the apostles had been alerted by Mary Magdalene of the empty tomb. Tradition holds that John was the last of the apostles to pass away.  He is probably the only apostle to die a natural death, with all the other apostles having been martyred.  However, Tradition also holds that John was banished into exile in an era of persecution by Roman Emperor Domitian to the Isle of Patmos where he possibly wrote the book of Revelation, the last book in the New Testament. We heard the beginning of John's Gospel at the Mass on Christmas day.  The beginning of the first chapter of John's Gospel does not contain the traditional story of Christ's birth in a humble stable in Bethlehem, but rather a description of Jesus' entrance into the world in a very poetic and theological way, as the word of God that existed from the very beginning. 

      As we celebrate the feast day of one of the first apostles and one of the Evangelists today in this holy season of Christmas, a season dedicated to the celebration of the birth of our savior, may we unite our prayers with John and with the other apostles who passed down the faith to us.  

24 December 2022 - Homily for Christmas Eve Mass - Luke 2:1-14

      We welcome everyone to our Christmas celebration here at the Catholic community of Holy Savior in the city of Clinton.   Christmas is a time of year when many visitors and family members from out of town come to worship with us, to celebrate Christ’s birth. As we welcome all of you to our celebration this evening, we hope you will feel the warmth and hospitality of our community of faith. We are so glad all of you are joining us this evening for this joyful celebration of faith. 

         Each Christmas, we hear the story of Jesus’ birth from the Gospel of Luke, so there are no surprises in the story we hear tonight.  We are all familiar with Mary and Joseph traveling to the city of Bethlehem to comply with a census taking place throughout the Roman empire, of how they were forced to spend the night in a humble stable because there was no room for them in the inn. Jesus, the Son of God made incarnate in the world by being born by the Virgin Mary, came to earth not in a grand palace or mighty castle, but in the place where animals live. Shepherds and animals were present at his birth, not kings and not the rich and powerful.  Jesus was not born in a comfortable bed with fine linens, but instead in a manger, in the food trough where animals ate, foreshadowing the way that Jesus’ body will become the spiritual food for us that nourishes us in the Eucharist at Mass, as we partake of his body and blood that are transformed from the bread and the wine that we offer to God on his holy altar. 

        There is a lot being written this time of the year about how we need to rediscover the true meaning of Advent and Christmas, because the Christmas message has been taken over by our secular world.  In our world today, Christmas has been transformed into a secular holiday where shopping, presents, and parties can take the focus away from the true religious and spiritual meaning of Christmas.  Christ was born in a humble stable in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago, but how is he born in our hearts today?  Is he being born in Black Friday sales and trips to Target and Walmart, or is he being born in the way we reach out to others in this holy season and in the way the values of our faith permeate our lives? How exactly are we helping to proclaim Christ’s message in our world?  If being a disciple of Christ does not have a real impact on our lives, if we do not reflect the Gospel message in the way we live, then I don’t think that Christ’s birth has much significance at all for us. 

         At Christmas, we celebrate Christ as the light of the world.  But it is not a light that came to our world only once upon a time so long ago. Christ is a light that shines tonight here with us in our Church at our Christmas Eve Mass, a light that shines for all of eternity. To feel the true meaning of Christmas, we are called to experience that light shining in our lives, to feel the responsibility to bring that light to others.

         I recall Christmas Eve in the year 1997 when I was serving as a missionary in Ecuador.  It is hard to believe that was 25 years ago.  On Christmas Eve, from our mission site, I traveled five hours in a canoe to a remote village in the rain forest jungle, a place where I traveled each week to run a school and to work with the church groups there.  This village had no electricity, no running water, not a lot of the things we take for granted each day.  I remember leading a word and communion service in the church in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, feeling the vast darkness of the jungle all around us.  There were only several candles in the darkness that provided any light.  As we sang the traditional Christmas hymns in Spanish with the group of villagers I had gotten to know very well, I felt the light of Christ and the love of Christ all around me. None of the problems of the world and none of the darkness of the vast jungle could separate us from that light.  That is the light of Jesus being born at Christmas. 

               I would like to close with a prayer that captures the essence of bringing the light of Christ into our lives, of being the light of Christ to the world. Let us pray:  Lord, may we follow your light each day on our journey here on earth.  Let your light shine forth in our thoughts, our deeds, and our words. Let your light enable your mercy and charity to flow within us. Let our hearts always reflect your love, peace, and joy.  Let our lives shine forth in true discipleship to Christ.  Jesus, our Savior, as you are true light, true God, and true man, we ask that you send us as a light into the world, as a messenger of your Gospel.  Let your light illuminate us with your truth, both now and every day of our lives. We ask this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  AMEN. 

25 December 2022 - Homily for Christmas Day Mass - John 1:1-5 and 9-14

I love the weeks of Advent that we have leading up to Christmas, a time of waiting and preparation.  As a priest, Advent is a super busy season for me. I know that the weeks leading up to Christmas are very busy for all of us, so all the readings and devotions we have during Advent help us prepare for the coming of the Lord.  I love the Christmas story from Luke's Gospel that we hear at Christmas Eve Mass, of Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem, of them finding shelter in a humble stable used to house animals, of the shepherds being told of the birth of the Savior by the angel, of the heavenly host proclaiming the birth of Christ by singing “Glory to God in the highest.” 

At Christmas time, a lot of us think about the Christmas celebrations we have had in the past, of celebrations with family members who perhaps are no longer with us. During the years, I have celebrated Christmas in a small humble village in Africa, in a rain forest jungle in Ecuador, at a mission on a native reservation in northern Canada, at a soup kitchen in inner city Winnipeg, and at different parishes throughout our Diocese.  I even celebrated Christmas on a repurposed Mardi Gras float in the church parking lot of St Jude in Pearl when the pandemic forced us to look at our faith and practice our faith in a new way.  We bring our past experiences and our memories of Christmas past to our celebration of Christmas this year.  

I mentioned the beautiful nativity story that we hear from the Gospel of Luke each Christmas Eve.  Now, on Christmas Day, we hear a different perspective on the Christmas story from the beginning of John’s Gospel, announcing the birth of our Savior with the proclamation of Jesus as the Word of God: the Word who was with God from the beginning, the Word who is God.  We think of these extraordinary words as we celebrate the birth of a small baby in the manger in Bethlehem.  Through the word, God expresses his very self.  God’s word does not just communicate something to us.  God’s word is a verb, a word of action. God’s word produces and creates.

Today’s Gospel message brings us light and life.  John’s Gospel proclaims Jesus as a light shining in the darkness, that the darkness will not overcome this light, that this is the true light that has come into the world to enlighten us.  

Sometimes, in the circumstances of our lives, the darkness can seem overwhelming. We have experienced this in a profound way in the midst of the pandemic these past couple of years, when our reality was turned upside down.  Sometimes the light of Christ can seem like a weak flickering light that is barely there.  But the light of Christ is there.  It will always be there for us. During the weeks of Advent, we sing “O come, o come Emmanuel.”  We are told of the prophecy of a baby to be born into the world, the Savior, the Messiah, who will be named Emmanuel: “God with us.”  The message of Christmas is that God is with us.  He isn't just dwelling far away in the heavens, away from the drama of human life playing out here on earth.  God enters the darkest places of the world to be among us.  The light of God accompanies us in the darkest moments.  That light brings us hope.  

I remember how in the midst of this pandemic, a month or two before Christmas, a lady from Texas called me at the chancery office.  Her mother had passed away without being anointed.  She was wondering if there was any way I could say prayers over her, since the family was in another state and could not be here.  I found out that her body was at the mortuary in Rankin county.  I was told by the mortuary directors that the pandemic did not allow any visitors, so I could not go inside to anoint her body.  I asked them if I would be able to go on their front porch and pray for her there.  They said certainly, that I would be very welcome to do that.  I called the family and they expressed their gratitude that I would be willing to do that.  We all know that life was not easy for us in the midst of the pandemic. But there are still ways we can bring the light of Christ to the dark and difficult moments that confront us in life.  The light of Christ can still be there for us if we are creative and if we open our minds and our hearts to the way that light can be present.  

Our Christmas message today is a message of love, joy, and hope.  Wherever there is darkness in our lives, wherever there is struggle and anxiety, that is the place Christ the light of the world is with us.  And Christ's light empowers us to be light ourselves: a light shining in the midst of despair; a light of peace in the midst of discord, intolerance, and violence; a light of joy where there is sadness; a light of courage where there is fear; a light of love where there is hatred.  Jesus. light of the world, may we help your light shine.  

23 December 2022 - Homily for Friday of the 4th week of Advent - Luke 1:57-56

       We have been hearing passages from the first Chapter of Luke this last week of Advent. Today, the day before our Christmas Eve mass, it seems very appropriate that we hear about the birth of John the Baptist, since John’s life and Jesus’ life were so intrinsically linked. Before John was born, an Angel appeared to his father, Zechariah, telling him that his wife Elizabeth would bear a child, that this child would be a great prophet to appear in Ancient Israel, that this child would prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah was a priest in the line of Aaron, a very learned, intelligent, and honorable man.  Yet, his response to God’s messenger was to laugh, to believe that it was impossible, for his wife was of advanced age and had been barren for years. How could this be? Zechariah did not think that God’s covenant and promises to Abraham and his descendants could be fulfilled in this way. We are called to open our hearts to the impossible and the unimaginable, for everything is possible and imaginable with God.  Most of you know that I a huge Chicago Cubs fan. Since we had not won the World Series in more than 100 years, I knew of some Cubs fans who wore T-shirts that had the Cubs logo on it that said: “Please, Lord, just one time before I die.”  Well, we all know that Cubs won in 2016 - we won in such nail-biting, dramatic fashion. I think I cried tears of joy for about 3 hours straight when we won, thinking of my mom, my grandfather, and my aunts and uncles who were deceased and who were the biggest Cubs fans ever. Yes, anything is possible. Even the Cubs winning the World Series. Certainly, anything is possible with God.   Today, we remember God and his promises as we get ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord tomorrow at our Christmas Eve Mass

22 December 2022 - Thursday of the 4th week of Advent - 1 Samuel 1:24-28 - Luke 1:46-56

     Our readings today near the end of the Advent season help prepare us for the true meaning of Christmas at a time when many of us are probably preoccupied with other things, such as buying last-minute gifts, decorating our homes, or winding things down at work before we celebrate Christmas with our families. 

        Mary’s song of the Magnificat in today’s Gospel is filled with extraordinary proclamations about God.  Mary expresses a remarkable strength of belief.  Sister Elizabeth Johnson, who taught theology at Fordham University in New York for many years, remarks that “Mary’s Magnificat …shows a woman whose consciousness is deeply rooted in the heritage and wisdom of the strong women of Israel.  Knowledge about the liberating traditions of her own people, (the Virgin Mary), this friend of God, stands (out) as a prophet.”        

    

       We hear from Hannah in our first reading today, another prophetic woman from Ancient Israel. Hannah brings her young son, Samuel, to the Temple to dedicate him to God and to leave him there under the tutelage of the prophet Eli.  Hannah does this to fulfill her promise to God for answering her prayers and giving her a son. Hannah is one of many faithful Jewish women in Holy Scripture that Mary was aware of as she joyfully sings the Magnificat. 

       Perhaps the messages of Hannah and Mary are helping us discover the true meaning of Advent in the midst of our busy secular world.  As God manifested himself in the humble manger in Bethlehem in the form of baby Jesus, he reminds us that in our modern world today, God's real presence is still among us, a presence.  We encounter this presence in many ways.  Our readings in this last week of Advent remind us how much we are loved by God just as we are. The Magnificat reminds us that God loves us, that he desires us to express this love to him and to others as we live out our daily lives of faith.  God touches us through others.  Likewise, God touches others through our presence to them just as Mary brought God to her cousin Elizabeth through her presence and through her words.   Let us pray that God may open our eyes, our hearts, and our hands to the stirrings of God in our lives, especially in the ways he comes to us during Advent and Christmas.

20 December 2022 - Tuesday of the 4th week of Advent - Luke 1:26-38

“ Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” The Angel Gabriel makes this simple statement to Mary in our Gospel today. We cannot imagine how Mary is feeling in the presence of the Angel Gabriel during this visit, as the Angel proclaims to her a special message from God. Mary has just been told that she miraculously will bear a child, a child who is to be the Son of God, the Son of the Most High. Can we even begin to imagine the fear or shock or incomprehension that is going through Mary’s mind at this moment? Like Mary, we can have fear of the unknown in our lives, fear of something that is new and unimaginable.

 Sometimes, God can call us to a scary and disconcerting place in our lives. We might have thought that we knew the world around us, that we knew the rules, but then the world of the present seems to be a place that is so different from what we knew, with values that are so different compared to what our faith teaches. It is not only Mary who has the responsibility to carry out God’s will in her life. All of us have that responsibility as disciples of Christ, to take the Good News of Christ we receive in our lives and to apply it to our vocation and with the interactions we have with others.

I really love the season of Advent, this time of reflection, waiting, and renewal that we have every year before the Christmas season. In his book A Pilgrim’s Almanac, Edward Hays says this: “Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season for prayer and reformation of our hearts. Since it comes at winter time, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent...If Christ is to come more fully into our lives this Christmas, if God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have to be present in our prayer. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can truly change our hearts. Ours is a great responsibility not to waste this Advent time.” During these final days of Advent, may we use this time productively to prepare for the coming of the Lord. 

18 December 2022 - 4th Sunday of Advent - Isaiah 7:10-14, Matthew 1:18-24

     King Ahaz and the tribe of Judah were terrified about the possibility of being attacked. They did not know where to go for help. In desperation, they turned to the Lord in their distress. The Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of (me), the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” Ahaz responded that he would not put the Lord to the test. The prophet Isaiah told Ahaz that as a sign, the Virgin would conceive and give birth to a Son who would be called Emmanuel. That would be his sign. That sign, that a virgin would give birth to a son, was prophecy given to Joseph by the Angel Gabriel in our Gospel today, foretelling the birth of Jesus. 

      We also have signs that God gives to us: signs of the season all around during Advent.  We light candles on the Advent wreath to count down the days of waiting. We do works of charity as signs of the season, signs of our faith.  We see such generosity and kindness from so many of our parishioners in helping out others in need as a part of our Angel Tree outreach and our outreach to the Born Free Program of Catholic Charities. We’re called by the Church to partake of the sacrament of reconciliation during Advent as a sign of our repentance and transformation. And we sing “O Come O Come Emmanuel” during Advent as a sign that we yearn with expectation for the coming of the Lord. But, we might want other signs as well. We might want a sign of hope in our lives during Advent in the midst of the reality of life. We might want to hear the Lord’s voice, loud and clear, for a specific purpose: to tell us the answer to our prayers, to heal a loved one who is sick, to help us or a family or a friend to finally overcome an addiction after a long struggle. We might want the Lord to speak to us in a dream like the way he sent an angel to speak to Joseph, to come into our hearts to make us whole, to heal the wounds and problems that plague our lives.

     However, the sign we receive from the Lord might be totally unexpected. In today’s Gospel, Joseph had already figured out how he was going to solve the situation he faced with Mary, doing so not by shaming her, but by treating her with dignity and respect by divorcing her quietly. Joseph wasn’t looking for a sign from God, but the Angel came to him anyway, giving him instructions to take Mary into his home to be his wife. Joseph was a righteous man who listened to God's will. He said “yes” to God, becoming an integral part of God’s plan of salvation for all.

     Wonderful signs of hope are the devotions and traditions of the Church that help us, lead us, and guide us on our journey of faith.  Any of you who attend daily Mass with me as the priest presiding know that I very often talk about the saint of the day, as we have so much we can learn from them. In addition, as you know, I have started a monthly evening of adoration here at our parish, celebrate the First Friday Mass dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus, and now, beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, we have started praying the prayer of St Michael the Archangel at all of our weekend Masses.  In fact, the project I am working on in the liturgical leadership program at the University of Notre Dame is trying to apply the traditions and devotions on the parish level in order to strength the sense of Eucharistic community in our parish.  

       Recently, I saw a painting of St Joseph that was painted by Frenchman James Tissot over 100 years ago. He shows Joseph at his carpenter’s bench with tools strewn about. There is clutter all around his workshop, with its window’s looking out at the busy streets of Nazareth. In the middle of this busy scene, Joseph is resting at his table, his chin leaning on his hand as he is deep in thought. We normally think of Joseph as calm, patient, and strong, but this painting is entitled, “The Anxiety of Joseph.” Whether this painting depicts Joseph the day before the dream with the Angel Gabriel, or the day after, we can only imagine the anxiety Joseph was feeling in his life. Yet, in the midst of his reality, Joseph had a message of hope – he had assurances from God, he had the upcoming birth of his son. 

       Our age is also characterized by a lot of anxiety as well.  Like Joseph, in the midst of our anxiety, we await Christ’s birth with hope. In recent years, our Church has called us to a new evangelization, something that has more urgency now than ever with the pandemic that we experienced, with a lot of people not coming back to Mass on a regular basis. We want to reach out to our fellow parishioners in faith and hope.  We want to be a sign of hope in our community and in our Diocese.  We have the example of Mary and Joseph living out their lives of faith in a humble unassuming way.  Mother Teresa once said: “We ca do no great things, only small things with love.”  And:  “ I believe that God loves the world through us - through you and me.”  May we remember that through the everyday moments of life, at home, at work, with our friend, in our community, we can be the love of God for others, we can do those everyday things in life with great love for the glory of God.  Blessings to all of you on this last week of Advent.  

Prayer for the lighting of three candles on our Advent wreath - 11 December 2022

Lord God, on this 3rd Sunday of Advent, the witness of John the Baptist leads us to Christ and helps us prepare a path for the coming of our Lord. With Advent joy in our hearts, we light three candles on our wreath today as we get ever closer to Christmas Day.

May we, your people, who look forward to the birthday of Christ on Christmas, experience the joy of salvation and celebrate that feast with love and thanksgiving. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  AMEN.  

15 December 2022 - Thursday of the 3rd week in ADVENT - Matthew 1:18-25

      We are getting closer to our celebration of Christmas. We continue on our Advent journey, preparing for the coming of Christmas. I came across a document issued by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops entitled: “Advent: Joy and Hope: We look forward with joy to the coming of Jesus.” Joy and hope are two important aspects of Advent season; perhaps we neglect and overlook these two themes. Advent is indeed a solemn serious season when we are called to repentance, renewal, and reconciliation. However, it is a joyful season as well.  

      Joseph’s predicament in today’s Gospel is serious indeed.  We can only imagine the anxiety, concern, and tension that he felt in the midst of his reality. Advent is a time of preparation for us, of making straight a path in the arrival of the Lord into our world. Luke tells us that this fulfills what the prophet foretold, that the Virgin would give birth to a child who will be called Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” Advent is a time where we not only prepare for the coming of the Lord, but it is also a time in which we contemplate the way God is with us in the present. That’s important to keep in mind, to remember that Emmanuel means  that “God is with us” – not “God will soon be with us” or “God is on the way.” 

     Sometimes, with what is going on in our lives and what we see going on in the world, it is easy to forget that “God is with us.”  We are indeed connected with God, but sometimes that connection can seem far away, can’t it? God comes to us through Jesus’ birth, but God is always with us and he is present throughout human history in many different ways.  As we are only a week away from Christmas, I pray that all of us may be aware of the ways God is with us, the ways God is working in our lives. 

ADVENT PRAYER

Lord, you are always here with us.

You always come to us,

No matter what the season. 

Wherever we are on our journey,

Whatever we are doing,

Whatever we are feeling,

No matter what ups and downs we are experiencing,

May we always have knowledge of your presence with us, Lord. Amen