Christmas 2010

Christmas this year.
from Catholic Agitator of the Los Angeles Catholic Worker:
"You could say that we came from a tradition that was pretty much into the Bible. As Anabaptists, a founding premise of our religious identity was that history and tradition could contort the message of Christianity, and that therefore constant reference back to the contents of the Bible was necessary to maintain or arrive at a steady, faithful understanding of Christ's message." (Bold added for emphasis.)
"As someone whose personality tends towards introversion and introspection rather than action, as well as someone who grew up in a tradition emphasizing in many ways, right-belief over right-action, I knew that I needed to be around and learn from people who made a concerted discipline of working out in action the social justice imperatives of the gospel that I believe I had come to recognize through reading the Bible."
"...the part that I value about it most is the chance to hear perspectives on the bible that are formed through daily experience with an embroilment in the systems of oppression that affect the people that we know in the inner city."

I've just heard of another similar story. A man of a certain prominence, began helping out with the weekly Saint Vincent de Paul Society, food distribution. At the regular Sunday service he shared that he previously didn't known much about this service of his church community. He then held up his green envelope that is used for financial contributions to the work. He encouraged others to be generous. To me this was a clear example of how actual contact with the poor brings a different perspective and conversion.
We will hear the Christmas story again this year. It is announcement of HOPE and a call to ACTION!
THE INFANCY NARRATIVES OF LUKE AND MATTHEW both present the clear message: Some People Accepted Jesus. Some People Rejected Jesus. The Gospel of John states it this way: He came to his own but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power (he empowered them) to become children of God, to those who believe in his name. Jn. 1:11,12.

In Matthew there are guiding dreams and a guiding star. Joseph accepts the message of the dream and the magi follow the star. Herod and the scribes and priests of Jerusalem are threatened by the coming child and respond as threatened people do.

In Luke there are announcing angels, Mary and the Shepherds accept the message, but Simeon tells of the "fall of many a sign to be contradicted."

This pattern of announcement, acceptance or rejection will be carried through the entire Gospel. It continues tonight. Tonight we receive and renew the announcement again: For to you is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord. But we must be attentive to what action these words are calling us.

When Luke in his orderly manner according to the Roman way of announcing speaks of the birth of Jesus he tells us: of "Caesar Augustus (the emperor), Quirinius, governor and Joseph and Mary." In the eyes of the world it is from the most important to the least important. But reversal of values will be a continuing part of the Gospel message.
The child to be born is to be called Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.
He is to be called Emmanuel which means God is with us.
Our Gospel tonight presents us the image of Jesus being born on a Journey for a Journey.
We are invited tonight to Journey to Bethlehem. You have all come here tonight to pause on your life journey.
We return to the place where God is homeless and we are at home. We make the journey to Bethlehem each year to rediscover our own roots in the gift of Jesus. But we must be aware of the homeless, the migrants, the hungry, etc.

The words of some of our Christmas carols announce good news to us:
Oh holy night the stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the dear Savior’s birth, long lay the world in sin and error pining till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees oh hear the angels voices, oh night divine, Oh night when Christ was born o night divine, oh night oh night divine.
O Little Town of Bethlehem. Yet in thy dark street shineth the ever lasting light, the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

The Gospel Story is an old one we know it quite well but what newness does it bring for us now on this 2010 birthday of Jesus? Is it announcing NEW HOPE TO US? It gives substance to our hope that new life is possible because of the birth of the Son of God.
But retelling and rehearing the story is not enough.
The Gospel writers make clear that Jesus was the awaited one of ages and generations for the Jewish people.
But the birth of Jesus is not to be just a past event. It is to be for us a present reality. Sin and error have been part of our life. But we hear the promise of a new sense of self worth. In our weariness we hear the promise of a thrill of hope. In our darkness we hear the promise of ever lasting light. In our fears we hear the promise of hope. We can begin again, we can be people of hope. Listen to your guiding stars and guiding dreams. If Christ is to be born again this Christmas then we must be people (ACTION) who bring his message to the people that Jesus brought hope to in his life, (Matthew 25) hungry, thirsty, strangers, in need of clothes, sick or imprisoned. Be attentive for Angels of Announcement. Jesus the Son of God was born and wants to be born in us and our world again.

Advent 4 A

Advent 4 A
Learning from Joseph

Introduction: The infancy story as told by Matthew has some very different emphases than the story as told by Luke. In today’s Gospel the person who comes to the forefront is Joseph.

HOMILY: Joseph is offered to us as an example. As the story begins Joseph is presented with a dilemma. His wife is pregnant and he knows that he is not the father and he can only think that another is. In chapter 22 of the book of Deuteronomy two ways are indicated in which a woman might become pregnant before joining her husband: she might willingly have relations with another and commit adultery (vs. 20-24), or she might be forced against her will and thus remain innocent. (vs. 35-37) Joseph could have demanded a trial. As a devout observer of the Mosaic Law, Joseph wished to break his union with someone who he suspected of gross violation of the law. But Joseph also heard the Law (Torah) calling him to care for the defenseless. So he decided to divorce her quietly.

We see Joseph presented as one who keeps the law as it was known and handed down to him. He is faithful to his tradition.
But he is also presented as one, who fulfills the will of God, as he knows it.
The will of God is made known to him in a dream by an angel. He is told to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife. It is revealed that the child has been conceived through the Holy Spirit. He is to name him Jesus. When Joseph names the child Jesus he acknowledges him as his son and Joseph becomes the legal father of Jesus. The angel gives the name Jesus “because he will save his people from their sins.”

But Matthew also introduces into his story the words of the prophet Isaiah which speak of the “virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means God is with us. This is a greater identity, which Joseph must accept beyond that of Son of David and Jesus, savior of his people. Jesus is God with us. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, the risen Jesus will proclaim: “I am with you always to the end of the world.”

We are called to grow in the role of Joseph. We do this when we attend to what is holy as it is handed down to us, and when we do our best to defend the weak and helpless. We do this when we attend to that voice that calls to us to go beyond the accepted or imposed limits, when we are open to God’s ability to do new things, so that God might be born once again into our world. Matthew's Gospel proclaims a different way of life from the predominant kingdom of Rome, Herod and the Institutional religion of the scribes and pharisees. Joseph begins living the new way of life which Jesus will proclaim.
The overall mood of Matthew’s Christmas story is quite different from that of Luke’s. There are not triumphant angels, a picturesque gathering of shepherds, little focus on a tender vision of mother and child. Instead there are ominous plots against the child, outbreaks of violence, displacement and exile. Matthew will end his Gospel with similar events, plots against the adult Jesus, and outbreaks of violence against him, crucifixion and death. But Jesus will rise to new life. At the beginning and end of Matthew’s Gospel there is the promise of God’s abiding presence, bringing salvation in spite of sin and rejection. Jesus overcomes obstacles, sin even death itself. He lives. We approach the day when we celebrate that he is born. Christmas.

Advent 2 & 3 A, further insights

Advent 2 & 3 A

Some further insights.

The Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of Advent in the A cycle is colored by a variety of Apocalyptic images.

1) John the Baptist is presented as an Elijah figure. Matthew wants to portray John in the likeness of Elijah, with his ascetic clothing and diet (3:4;2 Kgs 1:8) Many expected that Elijah would return as precursor and messenger before the end time (Mal. 3:1; 4:5-6; Sir 48:10-11). Matthew makes this identification of John with Elijah even more explicit at 11:10,14; 17:11-13. (Barbara Reid,The Gospel According to Matthew, p. 22)

2) From the margins and contrary to the perceptions of the religious center, John sees the corrupt nature of the present and the inevitability of God’s wrath to come, which holds people accountable, and for which repentance is the only preparation. Interpreters usually assume that John sees a cataclysmic apocalyptic future scenario (supported by “in those days” in 3:1). (Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins, p. 97)

3) This why the bracing wake-up call is necessary. “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (3:11-12). This image moves us from stones to the common harvest imagery of Jewish and Christian apocalyptic thought. But be wary of equating Pharisees and Sadducees with chaff – they might have repented and borne good fruit. It’s our turn to prepare for the coming of the Messiah; and we ought not to presume. (John W. Martens, blog in “America” magazine).

The Gospel reading for the 3rd Sunday of Advent in the A cycle

Is John’s question strange after this testimony and John’s baptism of Jesus (3:14)? Somewhat. But there was no uniform, widespread messianic expectation . Jesus’ ministry has demonstrated power (3:11) in authoritative teaching (chs.5-7, 10) and miracles (chs. 8-9) and has offered salvation and promised judgment (10:32-33; 3:11-12). But no cosmic judgment has taken place. John seeks confirmation. His question underlines the means of recognizing Jesus’ identity. Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins, p. 250)

Advent 3 A

Advent 3 A

Introduction: Our First reading of this Sunday, known as REJOICE Sunday, give us an interplay between nature and human society. About nature it says, “the desert...will bloom with abundant flowers.” God’s providence extends to healing. In today’s Gospel we hear: “John ...sent a message through his disciples to ask Jesus, ‘are you ‘He who is to come’ or do we look for another?’”

Homily: The question that comes to my mind on first hearing this Gospel is: WHY did John send this message to Jesus? What was behind it? I’d like to look at two different answers to that question.
1) For the first answer we need to know more about the disciples of John. John had a group of disciples, that is clear. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist points to Jesus as the Lamb of God and two of his disciples follow Jesus. But what we fail to take into account, is that John had more than two disciples. Some of these disciples continued to follow him even after the coming of Jesus on the scene. In John chapter 3:25 we are told “...a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew about purification...” These disciples also jealously object to the number of people who were following Jesus. In the Acts of the Apostles chapter 18 we hear about a group at Ephesus who had been baptized only with the baptism of John. So there was a group of people who were followers of John throughout Jesus’ life and for some time after his death. Some may even have thought that John was the Messiah. John and Jesus have much in common: both were regarded as prophets, their preaching message in some ways is the same, “Reform your lives! The reign of God is at hand.” They both call for action now and “bearing fruit” in good deeds. Both are arrested on very flimsy grounds, executed because of the weakness of a government official, and buried by their disciples.
Some say that John sent his disciples to Jesus because he was fed up with them. He had told them explicitly that he had only come to announce the coming of Jesus. He had told them very clearly that he, John, was not humanity’s destination, that he was only a sign-board on the road, and yet they remained all the time, like babies that do not want to be weaned, hanging around him, John. He sent them with the question, hoping that Jesus would convince them to stay with Jesus.

2) There is however another explanation offered. John may have lost faith in Jesus. Reflect for a moment, if you will, on the preaching of John that we heard last Sunday. John the Baptist was a desert man, a kind of wild man. The description of his attire would have reminded people of the prophet Elijah. His words would echo for them the message of previous prophets: Malachi, “the day of the Lord”; Amos and Zephaniah, “coming wrath.” “When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, “are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” When we hear these words our tendency is take the meaning for “works” to be the miracles of Jesus. But there was much more to Jesus’ ministry than miracles. John’s harsh judgment on sinners was not Jesus’ way. Jesus ate and drank with sinners. He sat at table with unsavory types. He conversed with prostitutes and even allows them to wash his feet. He objected to the idea of stoning a woman caught in adultery. People confronted him with the fact that the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast often and offer prayers, but yours eat and drink. (Lk. 5:33)
To me it seems conceivable that John couldn’t put together his idea of a rather rigorous Messiah, with the actions of Jesus. Jesus didn’t fit his idea of what the Messiah, the One who is to come, would be like. (Remember that the Apostles also had a similar difficulty accepting the type of Messiah Jesus would present.) And so John addresses his question to Jesus. It is quite possible that John selectively read the prophets. His preaching would seem to indicate that. But John might have overlooked the broader vision of Isaiah. This whole world would start to change under God’s influence through the efforts of the faithful. Remember that beautiful imagery of today’s first reading: “The wilderness is changing, the wasteland is blooming and the glory of God is seen on its way. I hope that John came to understand that. I hope we under that.

Maybe God is asking us too to understand something new about God this Advent. John could boldly address his question to Jesus. Do you have some question that you wish to address to Jesus?
Some would prefer a God of fire and brimstone, like John projects. By comparing John and Jesus, we may have to take another look at how we understand, project our God. I think we should be asking one another and the TV Evangelists: Are you really the followers of Jesus, he who is to come, or should we look for another? Churches are sometimes full, lots of money is collected but is justice organized? Do our life decisions or life style, make the blind see, the lame walk, and the dead rise? Are we good news to the poor in this world? Maybe God is asking us to do something new to help the blind, deaf, lame, poor and the dead.

Advent 2 A

Advent 2 A

Introduction: The First Sunday of Advent gave us a general orientation to the season, looking back, looking ahead, and living now. Each Sunday of this Advent the first reading is from the book of the Prophet Isaiah. The Second and Third Sundays of Advent propose for us, one of the key persons of the Season, John the Baptist. Our Fourth Sunday will have us look at St. Joseph. Of course Mary can not be far from our thoughts during this pregnant time. We will especially focus on her for the feasts of her Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Homily: The Gospel offers us the picture of a fire and brimstone preacher. With our imagination we see John, arrayed in “a garment of camel’s hair and a leather girdle” eating “locusts”. In my imagination he has long unkempt hair and a beard. From this frightening image of a man come forth even more frightening words: “Repent!” (v.2) The Greek word means “change your mind,” “change your thinking,” “turn around,” “return”, be converted.”

If Christ is to come to us in any meaningful way, if Christmas is to bring the joy and hope that it promises, we Christians have to change our minds, our way of thinking, our way of living. In our times “Sin” itself has almost vanished from our vocabulary.
John identifies a particular group as "coming for baptism, many Pharisees and Sadducees." On page 96,97 of Warren Carter's commentary on Matthew he says, "The phrase coming for baptism can also be translated, coming against the baptism. the greek preposition translated "for" can mean "against." John's prophetic identity suggests likely conflict with the religious elite, and in 2:4-7 the religious leaders are introduced as resistant to God's purposes. More likely then, is that they come to oppose John's baptism and persuade others not to be baptized." John reprimands the religious leaders, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves...” John spews forth scary image after scary image. “Even now the ax lies at the root of the tree. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into

his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
We must search ourselves. Am I producing good fruit? What are some of the presumptions that I make, that I “say to myself?” Am I living a life that is not bearing good fruit? Am I risking being cut down and thrown into the fire? Is my life such that I will be in the barn with the wheat or in the unquenchable fire with the chaff?

After this serious examination of conscience we need to be reminded of the vision of the prophet Isaiah. Last Sunday he offered us a vision of a New World Order, “swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks...nor shall they train for war again.” Today we heard a vision of a world recreated in peace. Animals that are enemies become friends. Children an small animals dwell in peace with savage carnivores and poisonous snakes. Despite their vulnerability, they risk no harm. We hear of the “spirit of the Lord” coming to rest upon us. This is a spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, fear of the Lord. “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.”

Let us seek to be part of this New World Order, of a world recreated in peace. We ask for pardon for our sins and pray again our Responsorial Psalm:
JUSTICE SHALL FLOURISH IN HIS TIME AND FULLNESS OF PEACE FOREVER.
O God, with your judgement endow our leaders,
And with your justice, our president and congress;
May you govern your people with justice
And your afflicted ones with judgment. R/.

Justice shall flower in your days,
And profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May God rule from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the Earth. R/.

For God shall rescue the poor when they cry out,
And the afflicted when they have no one to help them.
God shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
The lives of the poor God shall save. R/.

May God’s name be blessed forever;
As long as the sun God’s name shall remain.
In God shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
All the nations shall proclaim God’s happiness. R/.