Advent, 4th Sunday, Year A (2007)
24/12/07 00:08
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year ADecember 23, 2007
Do Whom Do We Belong?
Christmas is just around the corner. How many here like to receive Christmas cards and notes from family and friends? Last week, I received the following message by e-mail from a friend: “These are pictures of an actual polar bear attach in Churchill, Manitoba & were taken while people watched and did nothing to stop the attack! Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery. This is not for the squeamish!” Anyone want to see the pictures? Children, close your eyes (just kidding!).
[Show pictures on the screen]
Nobody is afraid of a baby, even if it’s a baby polar bear! In a few days, we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the birth of the Son of God, into our world. Just as we think these photos of this baby polar bear are cute, because a baby polar bear can’t hurt anyone – in the same way, Christmas is about God loving us so much that he sent his Son to us – not in power and might, not with lightning bolts and thunder, but as a tiny baby, so that we would not be afraid, so that we could come to know that God loves us, and is not out to frighten or cower us.
One of the best known verses in the Bible is John 3:16. It sums up in a beautiful and powerful way the Good News of the Bible, and the Good News of Christmas: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world as a tiny baby so that we might know and experience God’s tremendous love, so that we might know and experience his tremendous life, life to its fullest, life unto eternity.
On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, our readings today focus us on one simple word: Emmanuel. In Hebrew, it means, “God with Us.” How many here bear the name Emmanuel, or maybe, Emanuela? Let’s give the Emmanuel’s and the Emanuela’s in our midst today a big round of applause. You carry with you, in your name, a constant reminder that “God is with us.” Give thanks to your parents for naming you in such a wonderful way. And always, always, live up to the power of your name – God is with us!
I’ve brought with me today two objects. Anyone know what they are? Right – bookends! [Show bookends] To understand fully our readings today, especially Matthew’s gospel, we need to see that Matthew wrote his gospel with this idea of “Emmanuel” – “God with Us” – as the two bookends at the start and at the end of his gospel. Let’s start with the first bookend – Chapter One of Matthew’s gospel: “Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about… Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." (Matthew 1:18, 22-23) But now let’s go to the second bookend, the very last sentence in Chapter 28 of Matthew’s gospel, where Jesus says, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) You see, this theme of Emmanuel, God with Us, is woven throughout all of Matthew’s gospel, from start to finish, beginning with the promise of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Matthew 1, and ending with the promise of Jesus in Matthew 28 – again, “Emmanuel,” “I am with you always until the end of the age.”
Let’s look at the first bookend, the start of Matthew’s gospel, more carefully. At the very start of Matthew’s gospel, we see the love of God poured out upon all of us – “God is with Us,” “Emmanuel.” It’s really a fulfillment of the prophecy and the promise of Isaiah, which we heard in our first reading. Isaiah lived 500 years before the time of Jesus, during the time of King Ahaz, who was a very wicked king. Ahaz mistreated his own people, especially the poor. Ahaz worshipped false pagan gods, and even sacrificed his own son as a burnt offering to one of the pagan gods. The Assyrians were threatening to conquer Ahaz’s armies and to destroy the nation of Israel. The people were dispirited, filled with dread and hopelessness. But into this darkness, Isaiah spoke words of hope, words of light: “A maiden will give birth to a son, whose name will be Emmanuel, God with Us.”
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise and that prophecy of a messiah, a savior. But Jesus, too, grew up in troubled times. King Herod was much like Ahaz. He mistreated the poor. He killed several of his own family, as well as the innocent babies, the holy innocents, in an effort to kill Jesus. The Holy Family – Joseph, Mary and Jesus, fled to Egypt to escape King Herod. But they, too, in the midst of despair and suffering, hopelessness and pain, clung to the promise: God is with us, Emmanuel.
We, too, live in troubled times. Some government leaders seem corrupt. We are at war in Iraq. There is the violence of terrorism and also, the violence on our American streets. The economy is failing. The housing market is at an all time low. Many people are without jobs or are struggling financially. We live in constant fear – red alerts, orange alerts, yellow alerts, amber alerts. Some of us have experienced personal pain and suffering in this last year – a sickness, the death of a loved one, problems with a job or a marriage or with one of our children. And this first part of Matthew’s gospel, the first bookend, reminds us: We are not alone in our suffering, we are not forsaken or abandoned, because God is always with us, not matter what the pain, no matter what the struggle.
Last week, I heard a wonderful story about a bishop who was asked to celebrate a Confirmation Mass with special children, at a school for children with physical, mental and emotional handicaps. The director of the school asked the bishop to keep his homily short, because many of the children had short attention spans and would not understand a long and complicated sermon. The bishop began his homily: “Little children, your moms and dads stroke your hair, stroke your cheek, gently brush your face and forehead, to show how much they love you. When I pour holy oil on your head for confirmation, remember that God is stroking your hair, stroking your cheeks, gently brushing your face and your forehead, because He is always with you, always at your side, and He loves you very, very much.” The first bookend, the first part of Matthew’s gospel, reminds us that God is also stroking our cheeks, our foreheads, because he loves us so much that he send his only Son, Jesus, into the world to sacrifice his very life on a cross, for our rescue and our salvation.
The second bookend is Matthew 28. This is about our response to God’s love, how we reach out to love others. Let’s read it together: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20) You see, the love we have received is not to be hoarded. It is to be shared. We are the messengers and the missionaries of God’s good news in the world!
As an aside, you may notice that Matthew talks about going out to “all the world.” In God’s eyes, no one nation or race or culture or people is superior to another. We all are God’s children. The Good News of Jesus is meant to be preached to all the nations, so that nobody gets left out. And at Bookend No. 1, at the start of Matthew’s gospel, the first visitors to the newborn babe are curious foreigners, not Jews – the wise men who traveled from afar, following the star.
So, now comes the question: How do we respond? To whom do we belong – to God or to the world? Unfortunately, lots of people put other things besides God and the center of their hearts and their lives: their country, patriotism before faithfulness; their family; pleasures; a bad habit; possessions and purchases; career and work; school; sports, hobbies; and the list goes on.
Our gospel gives us a different example, an example of faithfulness, in the person of Saint Joseph. We learn, first, that he was an honorable man who did not want Mary to get hurt publicly, because of her pregnancy. We also learn that, when the angel appeared to him, he felt afraid. How often do we feel afraid? How often do we allow fear to block us from fulfilling God’s will in our lives? Joseph and Mary listened to the angel, listened to the voice of God instead of the voice of fear. Despite hardships, trials, tribulations, they continued forward, listening and obeying the Lord in their lives. We are called to do the same!
Five profound questions to ponder as we end this Advent season and journey toward Christmas:
1. Who or what is at the center of your life? Is your life centered on God on centered more on self?
2. Who is your community? Are you a spectator or a participant in this family which the Lord has given to us, the Church?
3. What is the character of your life? Do you just seek after your own pleasure and comfort? Or do you live a life of integrity, righteousness, imitating the Lord and reflecting God’s values to your family, acquaintances, co-workers?
4. What is the contribution of your life? Are you a giver or a taker? Do you generously reach out with your time, your talent and your treasure to help other people?
5. What is the “communication” or the “message” of your life? Do you promote yourself mostly? Or do you promote the Kingdom of God?
Saint Paul urges us: “Live in such a way that you are a credit to the message of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27)
Saint Paul applauds the faithfulness of some of his followers: “Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word… The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore – you’re the message!” (1 Thessalonians 1:8)
God is with us! Emmanuel. And He invites us to share His love and His presence with others!
Please stand, and together, let us ask God to come closer to us, to move us to become his living messengers, as we sing this traditional Advent hymn:
O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appears. Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
Advent, 4th Sunday, Year A (2004)
15/12/07 11:19
Advent 4-A (December 19, 2004)Good morning, everyone!
Christmas is less than a week away! So on your handouts, let’s answer the question, “What do you really want for Christmas?” Now focus on that word “really.” We’re not talking about the superficial stuff – new toys, new clothes, a new Nintendo or Game Boy. What are the deeper things we really want – not just at Christmas, but in life: inner peace, less stress, more time for family, less worry and frustration, and end to war and violence in the world? What are the big things we really would like to see at Christmas?
People want different things at Christmas. And different people look at Christmas in different ways. Last week at the Spanish Masses, I told the story of a young woman, about 20 years old, who went to the Mall to visit Santa Claus. Now Santa usually doesn’t attend to adults, only to children – but this time, he made an exception and allowed the young woman to stand in line, and to sit on his lap, and to tell him what she wanted for Christmas. “Santa,” she said, “I want a special gift for my mother.” Santa Claus was impressed. “What is it that you want Santa to bring your mother for Christmas?” he asked. She replied, “Santa, this Christmas, I would like you to bring my mother a son-in-law.” What that young woman really wanted for Christmas was NOT a gift for her mom – she was looking for a boyfriend and a husband!
Last week, I received an e-mail about a school teacher who asked her students how they celebrated Christmas. One little boy, Patrick Murphy, replied, “Me and my 12 brothers and sisters go to Midnight Mass, we sing hymns, we come home and put mince pies by the back door and hang up our stockings, then we go to bed and wait for Father Christmas to come with toys.” The teacher asked another student, Jimmy Brown, and he replied, “Me and my sister also go to church with mom and dad and we sing carols and after we get home, we put milk and cookies near the chimney and we put up our stockings, then we hardly can sleep as we wait for Santa Claus to bring us our toys.” The teacher realized there was a Jewish boy in the class, and not wanting to leave him out, she asked, “Isaac Cohen, what do you do at Christmas?” Little Isaac replied, “Well, we go for a ride and we sing a Christmas carol.” Surprised, the teacher asked him to elaborate. He replied, “Well, it’s the same very year. Dad comes home from the office. We all get into the Rolls Royce and drive to his toy factory. When we get inside, we look at all the empty shelves and we sing, ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’ Then we all go to the Bahamas for vacation.”
On your handout, it says, “Our Advent Tour Guides So Far.” This is our fourth and final Sunday of Advent, so let’s review briefly what we’ve heard and learned over the last few weeks.
First, we heard from Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet. He’s the visionary, the dreamer. “In that day, the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and the goats will be at peace…. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes.” – Isaiah 11:6, 8 -- Isaiah invites us to hope and dream and believe that the world can be a better place – a place of peace and calm and harmony, instead of war and strife and violence.
We also heard from John the Baptist, the New Testament prophet who paved the way for the coming of Jesus. Matthew’s gospel tells us, “John the Baptist began preaching out in the Judean wilderness. His constant theme was, ‘Turn from your sins… turn to God… for the Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon… Prepare a road for the Lord.” – Matthew 3:1-3 -- John the Baptist tries to wake us up, to help us become aware that we are the ones God has assigned to make the dream and vision of Isaiah a reality. And it begins when we are willing to change and to turn back to God, and to turn away from the false values of the world.
Finally, last week, on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we heard from Mary, the mother of Jesus. In Luke’s gospel, Mary cries out, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” – Luke 1:38 -- Mary is the one who inspires us, like a mother, who invites us to trust in God and surrender our fears and worries, and to embrace a humble and simple confidence that God is with us, if only we say our gentle “yes” to God, just as she did when the angel Gabriel announced that she was miraculously pregnant with a baby who was to become Savior of the world.
Now today, our final Advent tour guide, for this fourth Sunday of Advent, is Joseph. This is interesting, because we hardly ever get a chance to talk about Joseph. Most the time, we’re focused on Mary – so today, it’s time for us guys!
There’s a joke – Does anyone know why Moses wandered 40 years in the desert? Because, since he’s a man, he refused to stop to ask for directions. But today – all jokes against men aside – no men-bashing today! We’re going to look at Joseph, a man of great holiness, a mentor and role model for all of us men here, and we’re going to contrast Joseph to another man, King Ahaz, whom we heard about in the first reading today.
Let’s set the stage, first, but looking – as it says on your handout – at two possible worlds: The world as it is (the world of slavery) and the world as it could and should be (the world of freedom).
I’ve prepared a video, which I also used with the Spanish community over the previous few weeks. Let’s watch – and you tell me what is being portrayed, the world as it is, or the world as it could and should be. [Show video of “Jungle Book” juxtaposed to “A Day Without a Mexican.”]
[Invite a teen up, handcuff him – to symbolize slavery. On video, ask congregation to join in as you view various slides. They are to scream out, “Slavery” or “Freedom,” depending on what is depicted on the video slide. Then applaud the teen volunteer and let him or her return to their seat.]
Lots of things can enslave us. On your handout are some examples:
Addictions. Drugs, alcohol, gambling. Addiction means we have no control. Rather, something seizes control over us. And often, we are in denial and don’t even want to admit that we are enslaved. But addictions ultimately will kill us. What’s the answer, the antidote? Support from others – from family, from other Christians in our small faith community, in support groups and treatment programs like AA and NA and Al-Anon. Don’t try to solve an addiction problem on your own. You will fail! That’s why God gave us a community, a church, so we can help and support one another. The Bible says, “Support and love one another.”
Anger, bitterness, resentment – they also can enslave us. The antidote is forgiveness. “Don’t grumble about each other,” says the Bible. Instead, forgive one another. Forgiveness is NOT allowing someone to continue to mistreat or abuse us – but it is about letting go of the anger that controls us. Not too long ago, I counseled a couple who were having difficulties in their marriage. A few years prior, the husband had cheated on his wife, and obviously, this had caused great anger and bitterness and pain on the part of the wife. Two years later, both came to me. He had really tried to change and repent. She acknowledged the positive changes in him. But she still found it difficult to let go of the past. Whenever he would do something wrong, she would remind him of his past misconduct. She had not yet let go of her anger and bitterness and frustration. Finally, they started taking their problem to God in prayer. They would hold hands, facing each other, and ask God to heal the past, ask God to heal the wounds, as God to help rebuild their love and trust in one another, to bring forgiveness and a new start, a new world. And, finally, God was able to heal their marriage. In fact, that couple would tell you today that their marriage is stronger – not because of the unfaithfulness, but because of the prayer.
False values can enslave us. The lust for money, possessions, things instead of God. Last week, I heard a story about a salesman who had just taken a new job. He was driving his new boss around, and they were near his house, so he said to his boss, “Would you like to stop and visit my family, meet my wife and kids, maybe grab a bite to eat?” The boss replied, “I have absolutely zero interest in your family, your wife, your kids, or anything about your personal life. All I care about is if you make the sales and bring in the money. That’s the bottom line. Nothing else matters.” The salesman was stunned by his boss’ callousness and shallowness. But lots of people live in that world of slavery. The antidote is generosity, giving. The Bible says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” When we give instead of just take, God blesses us a hundredfold.
A fourth area of slavery is hurry. We never slow down to smell the roses. The antidote is rest, and time with family and friends and loved ones. The prophet Jeremiah tells us to find rest for our souls.
Finally, a fifth area of slavery: Frustration. Some people have just fallen into the hole of cynicism and negativity. They are unhappy with themselves, with their world, with their circumstances and situation in life. God’s antidote is prayer. Turn to God for strength and guidance. St. Paul says, “Don’t worry. Instead, pray and God will give you direction and peace and guidance.”
One of the themes in Advent is that God invites us to choose freedom over slavery, the world as it can and should be, not just the world as it is.
In our gospel today, God gives us two promises:
1. God saves us from our slaveries, from our addictions and frustrations, our anger and our hurry, from the false values which our society tries to foist on us. The angel tells Joseph, “You are to name the child Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Jesus is a rescuer.
2. And secondly, Jesus is God-with-Us, Immanuel, God at our side to help us and walk with us through the valley of our struggles.
Our readings today also give us the example of two very different men: one very faithful (Joseph) and the other not so faithful (King Ahaz).
Let’s look briefly at King Ahaz. He ruled in Judah, the southern Jewish kingdom, with its capital in the city of Jerusalem, about 700 years before Christ. He was a selfish, fearful, weak ruler – unfaithful to God, unfaithful even to family and friends. Assyria, a powerful nation to the north east, was threatening to attack and destroy little Judah. But Ahaz sells out his people in order to save his own hide. He pays a bribe to the Assyrians and agrees to make Judah a vassal state, a slave state, to the Assyrians. In our first reading today, the prophet Isaiah invites Ahaz to trust in God – but Ahaz is too fearful, and refuses. That’s where the name “Immanuel” comes from – Isaiah tries to assure Ahaz, God is with you. God will protect you and the people of Judah against Assyria, if only you will trust in God. But Ahaz is unwilling or unable to trust in God.
We even see that Ahaz was a bad parent. In 2 Kings, the Bible tells us: “Ahaz… even sacrificed his son by burning him alive. Sacrificing children was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that the Lord had fourced out of the Israelites’ way.” – 2 Kings 6:3 -- He was so fearful, so eager to appease Assyria and its false gods, that he sacrificed on an altar of fire his own son!
Now contrast Ahaz to Joseph. Let’s read the story of Joseph: “Joseph, her fiancé, was a just man.” A just man doesn’t just follow the crowds or do what is popular. A just man stands up for right and wrong. “He decided to break the engagement quietly.” He didn’t want to hurt Mary. He was wise, discrete, caring.
Joseph had a dream. In some sense, he was like the first Joseph in the Old Testament, who also was a dreamer. He was a bit like Isaiah – able to dream big and envision a better world, not just the world as it is.
Joseph was a holy man. He prayed. He listened to God. He sought to do God’s will, not his own. He was faithful – to God and to his family. The Bible tells us, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded.”
The world needs more men (and women) like Joseph, and fewer people like Ahaz.
This Advent – first Isaiah, then John the Baptist, then Mary and now Joseph – all trying to wake us up, spiritually. What do you REALLY want for Christmas? What is your dream, your vision? What world are you willing to choose – the world of slavery or the world of freedom, the world as it is, or the world as it can and should be? And are you willing to take the risk to start to make that dream and that vision a reality?
Last week, I was reading about risks. Did you know that 1 in 400 people hurt themselves in bed, sometime in their life? Or that almost ever other day, someone dies from falling out of bed? Or that every year, 1 in 7,000 men suffer an accident while shaving that is serious enough to require a trip to the emergency room? Or that 1 in 6,500 people get hurt each year on the toilet? Or that 1 in 2,600 people get hurt while getting dressed, because of a zipper? All of life is a risk. Doing nothing at all is a risk – we risk wasting our lives and living in slavery instead of freedom.
That’s why we have these four weeks of Advent – to remind us to take the risk of freedom, to live like Joseph and not like Ahaz.
On your sheets, it says the real dream and vision of Advent is about three things:
1. Faithfulness, Fidelity. Joseph was faithful, Ahaz was not. Faithful to God. Faithful to his spouse. Faithful to his children. Faithful to his community. Advent invites us to choose to be faithful. Lord only know, the world desperately needs more people who are faithful!
2. Hope. Daring to dream and to believe in the world as it can and should be, not just as it is. Joseph dreamed. Ahaz didn’t.
3. Love. God’s love for us – a God who saves us, a God who is always with us, Immanuel. And our response of love – love of God, love of others. Joseph really loved. Ahaz only loved himself.
Let’s read on your handout about God’s love, from the book of Lamentations: The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" – Lamentations 3:22-24, NLT
In our second reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Paul shows us how to respond: Paul,, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God… -- Romans 1:1 (NAB)
You see, we are not called to be slaves to addictions and anger and the false values of this world – but we are called to be slaves to Jesus Christ, his apostles, his witnesses, his missionaries, set apart to create that better world.
God’s name: The one who saves, the one who is with us, Immanuel.
But God also has given each of us a name: Child of God.
Advent invites us to live up to that name, to follow the example of Joseph, not the example of Ahaz.
What do you REALLY want for Christmas? Do you really want to follow Jesus?
Advent, 3rd Sunday, Year A (2004)
08/12/07 11:19
Advent 3-A (2004)Today, we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Advent, and also, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. And Christmas is just two short weeks away.
I love this time of year! How about you? But it is not always pleasant for everyone. Some folks are far away from family and friends – so Christmas can become a season of great loneliness and depression. There is the rush, rush of shopping and preparation. Sometimes people get irritable and impatient.
I read a story of a young woman, driving through the heavy traffic at Christmas time. The car in front of her was moving very slowly. At a stop light, it refused to move, even when the light turned green. Finally, the young woman – full of anger – started honking her horn, yelling and screaming, and waving her fist at the other car. A policeman happened to be passing by, tapped on her window and arrested her. The young woman, now indignant, started screaming at the policeman: “Why are you arresting me? It’s that stupid driver in front of me who is to blame!” But the policeman explained, “It says on the back bumper of your car, ‘Honk if you love Jesus’ and ‘I love my church’ and ‘Jesus is my co-pilot.’ So obviously, this car belongs to a follower of Christ, so you must have stolen it from its real owner!”
Ouch! Time to slow down, get ourselves back on track spiritually, remember what Advent and Christmas are really all about.
Let me ask you a question: What do you want for Christmas? I read a story just the other day about Santa Claus at the mall, who was very surprised when a young lady about twenty years old walked up and sat on his lap. Santa doesn't usually take requests from adults, but she smiled very nicely at him, so he asked her, "What do you want for Christmas?" "Something for my mother," said the young lady. "Something for your mother? Well, that's very thoughtful of you," smiled Santa. "What do you want me to bring her? " Without blinking she replied, "A son-in-law!"
Although that’s only a joke, some young women are truly lonely and depressed because they are getting older, and they still don’t have a boyfriend. What is your pain, your hurt? How can God reach in, this Advent and Christmas season, and bring healing and hope and joy into your life?
On your handout, it says, “Advent: A Time for Hope and Joy.” That’s what Advent is really all about. And then it says, “Breaking the Chains that Imprison You.” Isn’t that a wonderful vision, a wonderful hope – to be free of all that is bad, and alive to what is good?
Last week, we talked about the world as it is, versus the world as it should be. Today we are going to continue that topic by looking at some of the possible worlds that we can choose to live in – some good, some bad.
Our first reading, again from the Old Testament book of the Prophet Isaiah, continues to hold forth for us a hope and a vision of a better world. Let’s read what Isaiah says:
The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
[2] They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
[3] Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
[4] Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.
[5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
[6] Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the dumb will sing….
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.
. -- Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 (NAB)
What a wonderful vision!
This is the 3rd Sunday of Advent – the midway point. It’s when we light the pink candle instead of another blue or purple candle. Pink is the color of rejoicing and gladness. On your handout is a picture of a vista point, an overlook. Has anyone every climbed Monterrey Blvd. going south out of Palm Desert, climbed the mountain going toward Idylwild and stopped and the lookout point? You can see the entire Coachella Valley spread beneath your feet. This 3rd Sunday of Advent is kind of like that vista point – a spiritual opportunity to look back at the world as it is, at some of the things we want to change in our lives – but also to look up at our destination and our goal, where we want to go, where we want to be heading. We must always keep our eyes set on the goal, and not get trapped living in the valley and in the past. Where are we going? What is our destination?
First, let’s look at the world as it is – the things we want to change, the chains that sometimes imprison us, the false worlds that destroy lives. I need a volunteer. [Pick one of the young people or children. Put handcuffs on one of them. Then ask them to identify items in a box that enslave or imprison us]
First item: A beer. This represents the world of addictions. Addictions are things that enslave us – it can be an addiction to alcohol, or drugs, or sex, or spending, or gambling.
Second item: A knife. This represents the world of violence, resentment, anger, hatred. Violence is not always physical. It can be verbal. Cutting, hurtful words. Ignoring another person. Cutting them down behind their back. Gossip. Lies. Hidden resentment or anger. An inability or an unwillingness to forgive or let go of a past hurt.
Third item: Money. This represents the world of false priorities and values. The quest and thirst for material goods in order to buy our way into happiness. But money and things never, in the long run, buy real happiness.
Fourth item: A whistle. This symbolizes the world of always on the run. We live in a society that is always rushing here and there. Hurriedness can enslave and imprison us.
Fifth item: The handcuffs themselves. These symbolize the world of frustration and discontent. Lots of people are living lives of quiet, hidden anger and frustration, seething over this or over that. I believe there is a hidden rage in many people, just bubbling below the surface, often suppressed but also, ready to explode. Or they are angry and frustrated because, in their eyes, life has thrown them a raw deal. They are not content with what they have. They are blind to the blessings that God has given to them.
[Ask kid] Do you want to stay chained and handcuffed? Or do you want to go free? Let’s look at some of the keys that can free us, that can unlock the prisons that enslave us. [Take out some keys and unchain the young person who is helping you]
Always remember that the good news is that God wants to heal us and free us and unlock those chains. That’s what we celebrate in Advent, why we say Advent is a season of hope and of joy. But it is up to us to cooperate with God by being people of hopefulness and joy, people of faith that God can unlock our chains.
In our gospel today, John the Baptist is in chains. He is in jail, and he is frustrated and despondent. If Jesus is the Messiah, why doesn’t he free me? Why doesn’t he even come to visit? Why does he permit me to suffer and rot in this jailhouse? But Jesus tells John’s followers to go back and tell him: “The blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.” – Matthew 11:5 (TEV)
Then we have this one very telling verse from Jesus: “How happy are those who have no doubts about me!" – Matthew 11:6 (TEV)
Let’s look at some of the keys that will unlock the prisons that enslave us!
[Pull out an O’Doules] This is a non-alcoholic beer. It symbolizes our victory over addiction. Addictions are difficult to overcome, but we need to stop them and overcome them, because they will destroy us and destroy our families. Few people can overcome addictions by themselves. That’s why it is important to admit the problem, turn to God for help, but also – turn to other people for help. Get into a support group like AA or NA. We have lots of support groups, and even our own parish-based counseling center, right here to help. Please: Don’t try to battle your problem by yourself. St. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:13: “Bear with one another….” – Colossians 3:13 (NAB)
A second key: the Bible. This symbolizes trusting and leaning on God. God can help us overcome anger and resentment. We need to forgive those who have trespassed against us. We need to let go of anger that has festered and built up over time and is like the time bomb about to explode. I knew a couple who had been married 20 years. She discovered that her husband had been unfaithful. But he was truly sorry, truly repentant, begged her for forgiveness, promised to do everything in his power to regain her confidence and trust. They had several children. She found it hard to forgive, hard to let go. She wanted to know all the details, even though none of those details would make the pain of betrayal go away or be any less. I suggested that the couple join hands and pray together every night – facing each other, a Bible in the middle, seeking God’s healing in their marriage, seeking God’s strength to forgive and to move on, not to live enslaved to the past, but also, not to go on repeating the same mistakes from the past. Nobody can change their past. And sometimes, the scars remain for years from the mistakes we make. But God heals and forgives and forgets, and can give us the strength and the power to do the same.
The Bible tells us that anger and bitterness and hatred ultimately destroy. The book of Job in the Old Testament tells us: “Resentment kills the senseless, and anger brings death to the fool.” – Job 5:2 (NJB) In our second reading today, James tells us: “Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgment yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. – James 5:9 (NJB)
A third key: A football and flowers. To overcome the slavery to false values, focus your time and energy on what really matters – God, your marriage, your family. The football is a reminder to play with your kids and spend time with them and give them your love and attention. The flowers remind you to play with your wife, too – to keep the fire of romance alive and well. St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians: “Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.” -- Philip. 2:4 (NLT)
A fourth key: Candy. This symbolizes generosity, and enjoying life, and resting. Treating yourself, being sweet to yourself – and then, also to others. This will help you overcome the slavery of hurriedness and always being on the run. Slow down. Even God rested on the seventh day, according to the Book of Genesis.
Finally, a fifth key: prayer, symbolized by the rosary. Prayer can help you overcome frustration by making you more aware of your blessings and more aware of the need to lean on God, not on yourself. James tells us: “Dear brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently wait for the precious harvest to ripen….For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” – James 5:7, 10 (NLT)
We also celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe today. Mary appeared nearly 500 years ago to an indigenous peasant, Juan Diego, and to the Mexican people with a message of freedom and liberation. She came to unlock the chains of slavery and oppression that the indigenous people were suffering under the yoke of the Spanish conquistadors. She came as a missionary to the Mexican people to announce joy and hope and new life through belief in her Son, Jesus Christ.
The sign of Guadalupe is what? Right! The rose! [Hold up a rose]
The rose is a symbol of joy. It is a symbol of hope – of new life and beauty growing in the cold of winter atop that hill of Tepeyac. It is a sign and symbol of love – God’s love for each of us, God’s love mediated through the love of His beloved mother, Mary.
The challenge for us today is simply this: Are we a people of hope, and a people of joy, and a people of new life in Jesus Christ? Are we a people who love – love God, fully and completely, and love one another as brothers and sisters? Are we a people ready and eager to build a new and better world, a world as it can be and should be, rather than simply settle for the world as it is?
Advent invites us to trust God to remove the shackles and chains that imprison us – whether that be the prison and the world of addiction; or the prison and the world of anger and violence and resentment; or the prison and the world of false values and false priorities that put things ahead of our relationship with God and with others; or the prison and the world of rush, rush, hurry, hurry, where we are running so fast that we never slow down to smell the roses or to refresh ourselves or to reach out to help another; or the prison and the world of frustration and discontentment, where we are blinded to the many blessings and the beauty that God has given to us.
Cast off the chains. Grab hold of the keys of life, the keys to a new a better world. As Advent people, we are children of light, children filled with hope and joy. We bask in the vision of a new and better world – the world as it can and should be, not the world as it is!
Advent, 2nd Sunday, Year A (2004)
01/12/07 19:30
Advent 2-A (2004)Advent, Christmas – magical time, especially for children: school’s out, Christmas presents, Santa Claus.
But also busy and stressful time, especially for parents – rush, shop, cook, long lines, traffic.
For some, a depressing time.
Story of guy coming out of Wal Mart, saw policeman writing tickets in parking lot. Got mad. “What kind of Christmas scrooge are you?” he asked. Policeman wrote second ticket. Man got more incensed. “Are you some stupid oaf?” Third ticket. “You’re just a no-good SOB.” Fourth ticket. Eventually, after so much verbal abuse, policeman wrote 10 tickets altogether. Then man said, “Got to go now – my car is on the other side of the parking lot!”
On your handout – Restoring Our Broken Relationships.
The world as it is; the world as it should be.
Video 1: World as it should be. [Clip from Jungle Book]
Read together Isaiah.
Video 2: World as it is. [Clip from “A Day Without a Mexican”]
Game: Look at image on screen and say, “World as it is” or “as it should be.” [Show images]
The world is full of broken relationships, people who are hurting and in pain. War, senseless violence, injustice, poverty. Divorce, family strife, conflicts between spouses or between parents and their kids. How do we restore our broken relationships? How do we find healing?
Chinese tell us: If you want to save the world, you first must save your community, If you want to save your community, you first must save your family. If you want to save your family, you first must save yourself.
Three words of advice from Isaiah:
1. We need God. Impossible with God’s help in our lives. Under our own steam, bound to fail and feel frustrated. Isaiah says we need a savior, the root from the stump of Jesse. Notice how often Isaiah talks about the Spirit.
2. Need faithfulness. To our core values. To our core beliefs and convictions. To our relationships. Faithfulness is in short supply in our world today!
3. Need to appreciate. That’s the problem with the Gringo’s in the movie “One Day Without a Mexican.” But it often is also a problem with our kids, in our marriages. We have been richly blessed, if only we would have eyes to see.
John the Baptist: Repent. Change. Turn back. But lots of hypocrites or unwilling to confront their issues.
Five things that destroy relationships – and the antidote for each thing, the antidote that heals and restores.
1. Enemy 1: Selfishness. All of us are selfish at times. Five stages of a marriage cold.
• Antidote: Generosity. Give and we receive back.
2. Enemy 2: Pride. Stubborness, Macho. Won’t get help.
• Antidote: Humility.
i. Admit if you need help. We all need help – from God and from others.
ii. Story from Mini-Retreat 101 of woman in flood, police send boat, helicopter.
1. Men: won’t stop, ask directions!
3. Enemy 3: Insecurity.
• Antitdote: Love
i. Why living together is not a good idea – no commitment, insecurity, no intimacy
ii. Children need security, too.
4. Enemy 4: Resentment.
• Antidote: Forgiveness
i. This is one of most difficult – letting go, letting God.
1. Parishioner: 3 years fighting with another woman.
2. Some people like wallowing in their tears.
3. In marriage, in families: forgiveness is essential.
a. Couple: would not talk to one another for 3 months!
b. Anger is OK but not resentment: Frozen anger.
c. Couples: Opposites attract but also: opposites attack!
5. Enemy 5: Hurry.
• Especially this time of year.
• Antidote: slow down. Pray. Enjoy life. Rest.
Right relationships. Restored relationships. The world as it should be, not just as it is.
That’s the task of us who are Christians.
Everyone: Onward! Missionaries of the Good News of Jesus to all corners of our community and Valley!
RELACIONES RECTAS Y RESTAURADAS
El mundo como es;
El mundo como debe ser
El lobo habitará con el cordero, el puma se acostará junto al cabrito, el ternero comerá al lado de león y un niño chiquito los cuidará. La vaca y el oso pastarán en compañía, y sus crías reposarán juntas, pues el león también comerá pasto, igual que el buey. El niño de pecho pisará el hoyo de la víbora, y sobre la cueva de la culebra el pequeñuelo colocará su mano. – Isaías 11:6-9
¿Cómo curamos nuestras relaciones?
1. NECESITAMOS DIOS
“En aquel día una rama saldrá del tronco de Jesé, un brote surgirá de sus raíces. Sobre él reposará el Espíritu del Señor, espíritu de sabiduría e inteligencia, espíritu de prudencia y valentía, espíritu para conocer al Señor, y para respetarlo, y para gobernar conforme a sus preceptos. – Isaías 11:1-2
2. NECESITAMOS LA FIDELIDAD
Tendrá como cinturón la justicia, y la lealtad será el ceñidor de sus caderas. – Isaías 11:5
3. NECESITAMOS APRECIAR EN VEZ DE JUZGAR Y CRITICAR
No juzgará por las apariencias ni se decidirá por lo que se dice, sino que hará justicia a los débiles y dictará sentencias justas a favor de la gente pobre. – Isaías 11:3-4
Lo que Destruye Relaciones y Lo que Construye Relaciones
1. El Egoísmo
Antídoto: Generosidad
Ninguno busque únicamente su propio bien, sino también el bien de los otros. – Filipenses 2:4
2. El Orgullo
Antídoto: Humildad
No hagan nada por rivalidad o por orgullo, sino con humildad, y que cada uno considere a los demás como mejores que él mismo – Filipenses 2:3
3. La Inseguridad
Antídoto: Amor
Donde hay amor no hay miedo. Al contrario, el amor perfecto echa fuera el miedo, pues el miedo supone el castigo. Por eso, si alguien tiene miedo, es que no ha llegado a amar perfectamente. - 1 Juan 4:18
4. El Resentimiento
Antídoto: Perdón
Porque el enojo mata al insensato, y la ira da muerte al necio. — Job 5:2
Sopórtense unos a otros, y perdónense si alguno tiene una queja contra otro. Así como el Señor los perdonó, perdonen también ustedes. – Colosenses 3:13
5. La Prisa
Antídoto: Despacio
El séptimo día terminó Dios lo que había hecho, y descansó. – Génesis 2:2
Advent, 1st Sunday, Year A (2007)
01/12/07 12:11
1st Sunday of Advent, Year A(December 2, 2007)
What Time Is It?
Two stories to help us reflect on the meaning of Advent:
First story, about a little boy who couldn’t wait to see his baby sister come home from the hospital. Couldn’t wait to be near her, to talk to her. But his parents didn’t want him to be left alone with her. He was only 4. They wanted to supervise his visits. He kept begging to be alone with her. So one night, his parents finally relented. The boy tip toed into her room, next to his sister’s crib, and whispered, “Tell me about God – I’m starting to forget.”
Story two, told by William Willimon, about a funeral he attended when he was serving as pastor in a small congregation in rural Georgia. One of his members' relatives died, so Willimon and his wife attended the funeral held in an off-brand, country Baptist church. He writes: "I had never seen anything like it. The preacher began to preach. He shouted; he flailed his arms. 'It's too late for Joe. He's dead. But it ain't too late for you. People drop dead every day. Why wait? Now is the day for decision. Give your life to Jesus.' " Willimon fumed and fussed at his wife Patsy, complaining that the preacher had done the worst thing possible for a grieving family - manipulating them with guilt and shame. Patsy agreed. But then she said: "Of course the worst part of it all is that what he said is true."
Now a question: What time is it? There are two kinds of time – kronos, chronological time, it is 9:20 a.m.; and kairos, spiritual time. So … what time is it, spiritually? And the answer, from our two stories – first, time to remember, to not forget about God and about what Christmas is all about; and a time to wake up, before it’s too late!
I love Advent, these four weeks that we prepare spiritually for the celebration of the birth of our savior. It’s a wonderful opportunity to wake up spiritually, before it is too late. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect to God before we start to forget. It’s a season of simplicity and great beauty that reminds us to slow down, even in the midst of the hectic Christmas shopping season, amidst all the Christmas parties – slow down. It’s about a journey, the light of Christ starting to shine a little brighter in our hearts and in our lives as we journey through each of the four weeks of Advent. It’s one light, one candle at a time – but slowly, gradually, as the light grows brighter, the darkness shrinks and recedes away.
As we journey through these four weeks of Advent, we are reminded that God is with us, Emmanuel. And we are reminded that Christmas is not just the celebration of an event in history 2,000 years ago. Rather, it is a celebration of Jesus being born and reborn in us, here and now, today and each and every new day.
Last week, a friend of mine sent me the following message via e-mail:
‘Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land, not a Christian was praying or taking a stand.
The children were told by their schools not to sing about shepherds & wise men and angels and things.
It might hurt peoples’ feelings, the teachers would say – we must say Dec. 25 is now just a “holiday.”
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit, pushing folks down to the floor just to get it.
CDs from Madonna, Ramadan and Kwanzaa, an X-Box, an I-Pod,
but the word “Christmas” nowhere to be found.
At the top of the Senate, there rose such a clatter, to eliminated Jesus in all public matters.
And we spoke not a word as they took away our faith, forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded, the reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So choose your words carefully, choose what you say: Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday. Jesus: He’s the reason for the wonderful season. Merry CHRISTmas to all, and to all a good night.
So… what time is it? Time to wake up! Time not to forget the true meaning of Christmas. Now, let’s look a bit deeper, about what each of our readings tells us about this Advent Season.
First, we have Isaiah, the prophet, who tells us this is a time for hope, not despair: This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD'S mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths." … They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD! -- Isaiah 2:1-5 (NAB)
Isaiah offers us a wonderful, hopeful challenge. We are to walk in the light of the Lord. We are to allow the Lord to teach and instruct and guide us, so that we can walk in His paths. We are to be peacemakers, beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. All nations are invited to the Lord’s Temple, not just a few – Iraqis, Canadians, Afghanis, Mexicans, Africans, Asians, Europeans, Australians and, yes, even Americans. “Many” will accept the Lord’s invitation – not all, though! And we are invited to be the messengers of God’s good news to others, so that they, too, might choose to join us in our grand march toward heaven.
This is an election year. Private faith is not enough. Christians are to live out their faith publicly. We need to listen carefully to the presidential debates, read the newspapers and listen to the candidates on TV and radio, so that we can vote according to Christian principles and values. A few weeks ago, the U.S. Catholic bishops met and issued guidelines to help Christians vote. They affirmed that we as Christians must be peacemakers in a world torn asunder by war and violence – in Iraq, but also, elsewhere: Afghanistan, Israel, the Sudan. If we are a people who walk in the light, we must be a people who promote a culture of life, not death – but life in a holistic sense. The bishops clearly spoke out against the evil of abortion – an “intrinsic evil,” they said, which Catholics must oppose – but they also urged us to vote for candidates who promote life in other ways, also – for example, who oppose war, who oppose the death penalty, who support programs for health care for children and support for the elderly. Dwight Eisenhower, an American general in World War II who later became president of the U.S., said this in a speech in 1952: : “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in a final sense, a theft from those who are hungry and not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.”
Sometimes, we become apathetic. What difference can one person or one vote make? But have you heard the story of William Wilberforce? Last year, they made a movie about his life, entitled “Amazing Grace.” He lived in England and, in 1787, experienced a profound spiritual conversion. He dedicated the next 20 years of his life to abolishing slavery in the British Empire. And in the year 1807 – exactly 200 years ago – he was successful. One person, with great faith, great commitment, great dedication, and with God on their side, can make a tremendous difference.
So: Now to our second reading, Paul’s Letter to the Romans. What time is it? A time for light, not darkness. Paul writes: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness (and) put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day… Put on the Lord Jesus Christ… – Romans 13:11-14 (NAB)
We need to clothe ourselves, spiritually, with the armor of God, so that darkness cannot defeat us. We need to feed ourselves spiritually on a steady diet of prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist, and a connection in community to other Christians who will support, encourage and help us. I often use the image of a light bulb. [Pull out a light bulb] Is it working? Why not? Because it is disconnected to the electricity, the power source! Spiritually, if we are disconnected from God, from the power source, we cannot walk in the light of the Lord. But connected to God, nothing is impossible and nothing can overcome God’s power and God’s light.
What time is it? Our third and final reading is from Matthew’s gospel – and, by the way, this is the gospel we will be hearing on most Sundays throughout the upcoming year. Matthew tells us: It is time for preparedness, not sleep. He says: For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In (those) days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away… Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come… So too, you also must be prepared. – Matthew 24:37-39, 42, 44 (NAB)
Anyone here ever fallen asleep in class? I remember once in college, I had been up all night, studying for a test, and I started to doze off in the one class. The professor grabbed an eraser [grab an eraser] and flung it straight in my direction. [fling the eraser suddenly into the congregation]. Believe me, I woke up fast! As it turned out, the guy behind me also was sleeping, and the eraser actually hit him, not me! Anyway, this gospel reminds us to be awake, alert, prepared – not like the people in Noah’s day. And today, lots of Christians also are asleep at the wheel, spiritually.
How do we get ready for the Lord? Very simple, really – Serve, don’t just sit!
Here are four steps:
First: Become a person who trusts in God, not yourself. Last week, I celebrated Mass for the people in Thermal and I asked them, “What is the hardest commandment to obey?” Lying? Stealing? Honoring the Lord on the Sabbath? Honoring your mother and father? Coveting your neighbor’s possessions? In John’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” – John 14:1 (NAB) In our society today, we are so stressed, so overwhelmed with fear and insecurity – of terrorists, of losing our job and not being able to make house payments, fear of sickness, fear for the welfare of our children – and we also are so impatient, wanting quick solutions instead of learning to be patient and to wait – that this might be the hardest commandment to obey: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” To be prepared, we must learn to trust in God, let Him help us, and not try to save ourselves or to do everything on our own power.
Second: We must become persons who make ourselves available to serve God. I’ve met lots of people who proclaim they love God. They come to Mass most weekends. But apart from that, they never make themselves available with their time to serve God and others. This is a result of selfishness, self-centeredness, of thinking we are too busy, of having skewed priorities that put other things in front of serving the Lord. It’s a product of our society’s materialism and its many distractions – we spend more time playing, more time shopping, more time watching TV than we do serving the Lord. We just don’t make ourselves available.
A third step is this: We must become people of faithfulness. That means we see serving God and others as a priority, a commitment that requires dedication – not just something we do extra, when and if we have time, when and if we feel like it. That’s the difference between being just a volunteer, versus being a minister who serves God. Ministry means we are called by God. Maybe we don’t get paid, but nonetheless, we treat it with utmost seriousness and put our best energy into it. Volunteers, on the other hand, just serve when they have time, when it is convenient for them, and if something else comes up, they have no problem just abandoning their ministry to do that “something else,” letting others pick up the pieces. And all of this is because people sometimes serve out of the wrong motives – to impress others, or out of guilt maybe, instead of with a humble, servant’s heart like Jesus, serving out of love rather than expecting something back in return.
Finally, we are called to become people of gratitude and generosity. This is the heart of that word we’ve been talking about for so may weeks and months: Stewardship. It’s a recognition that everything we have is a gift from God. In gratitude, we are called to give back. Last week, I came across a bumper sticker: “Tithe if you love Jesus. Any fool can honk!” But tithing is not just about money – we should be giving back to God, out of our love and gratitude to the Lord, or our time, talent and treasure, not just our treasure.
Stewardship is about living a life of significance, making a contribution back, instead of just living a life of personal success, which is just focused on me. Listen to this song. Can you identify it? [Play “He’s My Everything,” by Elvis Presley]
Elvis – the King of Rock n’ Roll. He’s sold more than a billion record albums, starred in 33 movies, but only won one Grammy Award, for a spiritual album entitled “He Touched Me.” This is one of the songs from that album, “He’s My Everything.” But Elvis, and had all the money and fame and popularity that the world could offer, died alone at age 42, of a drug overdose, clutching in his hands a book entitled “A Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus.” He sang and knew about Jesus – but somehow, that lure of “success” prevented him from fulfilling his dream to live a life of “significance.”
We can fall asleep at the wheel. A new book just came out about the richest people in America. Did you know that today, there are 1,000 billionaires – there were only 13 back in 1985. Did you know that the U.S. has more than 10 million millionaires? Or that the richest 1 percent of Americans own more than a third of our nation’s wealth? But by and large, most these wealthy people are not very generous. Bill Gates and a few others are the exception. For example, the book talks about a family worth $50 million gives about 1 percent to charity each year, but spends more than that on servants, airplanes and cars. Or another family, worth $80 million, who gave only $11,000 away last year to charity and political causes combined, but spent $500,000 on travel. Or a family worth $1.2 billion who gave only a fourth of one percent to charity, but spent $20 million on a new yacht and spends $2.5 million a year just to maintain the boat! But greed and materialism entraps all of us, not just the ultra-rich.
We need to be careful. Are we listening to the voice of God? Or are we starting to forget? Are we awake, alert, or is it too late? This Advent, what time is it? Right! Time to wake up! What time is it? Time to wake up!
Let’s end by reading together this little poem, based on Psalm 23, entitled “I Shall Not Rush,” and may it become our guiding poem for this Advent season:
The lord is my pace setter . . . I shall not rush. He makes me stop for quiet intervals. He provides me with images of stillness which restore my serenity. He leads me in the way of efficiency through calmness of mind and his guidance is peace. Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day, I will not fret, for his presence is here. His timelessness, his all importance will keep me in balance. He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity by anointing my mind with his oils of tranquility. My cup of joyous energy overflows. Truly harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours for I shall walk in the Pace of my Lord and dwell in his house for ever. -- (A version of Psalm 23 from Japan, as reprinted in Mother Teresa, Life in the Spirit: Reflections, Meditations, Prayers, ed. Kathryn Spink, San Francisco, Harper & Row, 1983, 76-77.)
Advent, 1st Sunday, Year A (2004)
24/11/07 20:34
Advent 1-A (2004)Anyone here ever heard of Psalm 23? It’s a very popular psalm, often used at funerals. It goes like this: “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” Recently, I came across a new, updated version of Psalm 23. It goes like this: “Coffee is my shepherd, I shall not sleep!”
I brought with me this morning my coffee mug. [Show huge coffee mug] As you can see, it takes a lot of coffee in the morning to wake me up! I remember once, in college, falling asleep in the middle of a lecture. I woke up just in time to see the professor tossing an eraser through the air, heading right toward my head. He screamed out, “Nobody falls asleep in my class!” Fortunately for me, the eraser hit the guy in the row behind me, who also was asleep!
On your handout today, it says, “Caffeinated Christianity.” Today, we begin the season of Advent, which is the start of a new church year. It’s time when we start to prefer for the celebration of Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s also a time to wake up spiritually, and when we reinvigorate our faith – following Jesus with “caffeine,” so to speak.
Advent is an adventure and a journey. Over Thanksgiving, I went to the I-Max Theater in Cathedral City to see, in 3-D, the new Tom Hanks movie, “Polar Express.” It really is intriguing, especially in 3-D. It is the story of a little boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus and the North Pole, until the Polar Express train stops in front of his house and takes him on a journey and an adventure to visit the North Pole and Santa Claus. For us Christians, our Advent journey is even more thrilling and exciting than the Polar Express, because we are on a journey and an adventure to see – not Santa Claus – but Jesus Christ, the messiah and savior of the world.
The four candles on our Advent wreath symbolize the four comings of Jesus. First was at the creation of the world. In the first chapter of John’s gospel, we hear, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and all was created through Him.” The Word is Jesus, who the Bible tells us that Jesus – the Word -- was present at the very start of creation! The second candle reminds us of Jesus’ birth into the world on Christmas Day – Emmanuel, God-with-Us. The third candle represents Christ’s birth in each of us, in each of our hearts and lives, when we invite Him to live in us and to establish a living and personal relationship with us. The final candle symbolizes Jesus’ Second Coming at the end of time.
Today, our readings ask us to be awake and alert. Lots of people in our society are asleep spiritually. A few years ago, I came across a humorous story about an elderly couple who lived in Indiana but were planning a vacation trip to Florida. The woman was unable to travel to Florida on the anticipated day, because of an unexpected emergency at home, so she sent her husband on to Florida alone and promised to join up with him in two days. Her husband, once he arrived in Florida, decided to send an e-mail to his wife in Indiana, but he accidentally mistyped the e-mail address and sent his message to a lady in Ohio, whose husband had just died a few days before. The e-mail said, “Honey, I really miss you. It is very warm here, but all is well. The good news is that you will be joining me here in a few more days. Love, your husband.” The point of this humorous tale: Stay awake! We want to make sure we are headed in the right direction spiritually – up, not down!
In our readings today, St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans: “You know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness.” -- Romans 13:11-12 (NLT) And Jesus tells us in today’s gospel: “You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.” -- Matthew 24:44 (NLT)
Our readings tell us to be alert and awake and ready – but not to be afraid. Our going to be with Christ should be a joyful anticipation, like a small child waiting for Santa to drop off gifts at the house. The prophet Isaiah, in our first reading today, offers us a wonderful vision of heaven: “This is another vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: [2] In the last days, the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship. [3] Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him." For in those days the Lord's teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem. [4] The Lord will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. [5] Come, people of Israel, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” -- Isaiah 2:1-5 (NLT)
We’re going to look quickly today at six obstacles – six strategies that Satan uses – to rob us of our joy and to keep us asleep spiritually. In your mind, decide which of these is the biggest personal obstacle that the devil uses on you:
Obstacle #1: Fear. We live in a culture of fear. A few weeks back, you may remember that we watched a clip on gun violence and fear from the movie, “Bowling for Colombine.” Experts say that there are more than 600 different phobias, or fears, that afflict people – fear of heights, fear of tight spaces, fear of sermons (just kidding!). What are the fears that enslave you? It might be the fear of a divorce, or of a sickness, or for the safety of your kids, or that you will have enough money on hand this month to pay all the bills. The Bible tells us: “Love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.” – 1 John 4:18 (NLT)
Obstacle #2: Laziness and apathy. Our gospel reading today tells us this was the mistake made by the people during the time of Noah. "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. [38] In those days before the Flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. [39] People didn't realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. [40] "Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.” -- Matthew 24:37-40 (NLT) Lots of people are “mañana” people and procrastinators. All of us get lazy at times! A story is told of a woman who tried to wake her son on Sunday morning to go to Mass. “Go away!” the son pleaded. “I’m tired and need my sleep.” But the mother persisted. The son replied a second time, “Go away! Let me sleep! Let me miss, just this once.” But the mother persisted. Finally, the son asked his mom, “Give me one good reason why I should go to Mass this morning.” She replied, “Because you are the pastor!” Even us priests get lazy and complacent, sometimes!
Obstacle #3: Distractions. Let me illustrate this by asking one of our children to come forward and help me. I have with me a bag. Please pull out something from the bag. What is it? [bring a bag full of remote controls] How many own one of these? All of us! What else is in my bag? Another remote control! What else? Another… and another! These are just from my house! We’ve become a lazy and distracted nation in many ways, distracted by TV, distracted by advertisers. Sort of by default, God falls into second or third or tenth place in our lives – not by conscious choice usually, but just because we get distracted and busy and preoccupied with other things. Many people know the names of the soap operas and their other favorite television shows, more than they know the names and the content of the four gospels and other parts of the Bible! But how sad that is!
Obstacle #4: Negativity. So much war and violence and bad news on TV and radio. It is easy to grow despondent, cynical. Satan uses negativity to discourage us and others. There is a saying: “A sad Christian is a sad excuse for a Christian.” As Christians, we need to be full of life and joy and zeal – caffeinated Christians. That doesn’t mean we’re not human – that we always are smiling, we’re wearing a happy mask even when we’re sad, we don’t experience trials and difficulties and pain and suffering, just like everyone else in the human race. But even in the midst of the cloud storms of life, we as Christians have a supernatural power source in God that should give us hope and a sense of calm and peace and trust and joy in God that can overcome event he darkest storm clouds. Martin Luther, the famous 16th century Protestant reformer, is reported to have said once, “If I knew the world was to end tomorrow, I would plant a tree today.” That’s the attitude for Christians –not gloom and doom and negativity and cynicism and pessimism, but hope and joy in the future, no matter what.
Obstacle #5: Superstition. Instead of a real and deep trust in God, many Christians are just Christian in name only. They have a religion of sentimentality. Sweet memories from childhood. Maybe they honor the religious customs of their parents or grandparents – Guadalupe, Ash Wednesday, Christmas, Easter – but their faith is an empty shell of externals. There is no depth, no maturity, no real and authentic desire to follow God. Faith is just an ornament that adorns life when it is convenient.
Obstacle #6: Doubt. This obstacle faces all of us, I believe. We all have questions at times and shake our fists at God with our questions and doubts. But doubt and questioning – which can be signs of spiritual health and vitality – also can become excuses for not following God and not really seeking to discover answers. Sometimes I see this especially with our kids. They go to school, encounter an atheistic or cynical teacher or professor who convinces them that God is a myth and that religion is a pack of lies – but instead of really digging and searching for answers, they simply accept what the teacher or professor says, without critically looking at their faith. They become non-believers based on the word of another person, instead of really seeking after the truth themselves.
What is the answer to these obstacles? St. Paul, in our second reading today from the letter to the Romans, tells us: “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light.” -- Romans 13:12 (NLT)
Let’s look at seven pieces of armor that can help us spiritually, especially in this season of spiritual renewal called Advent. We’ve just ended one church year and are starting another, so this is a perfect time to look back and evaluate – which obstacles has Satan used most effectively on me? Is it fear? Laziness and apathy? Distraction? Negativity? Superstition? Doubt? And this is a perfect time for making spiritual “New Year’s Resolutions” – what armor do I need to put on?
First piece of armor, Prayer. Not just once in a while, but daily. We need to stay connected to God, the source of Life, the electricity that powers our life. That electrical connection, spiritually, is through prayer. One concrete suggestion to begin and kick off this new Church Year on a good foot spiritually: Read the Gospel of Matthew, or attend the upcoming play next Friday, when we will have a professional actor here who has memorized the entire gospel of Matthew and will perform it live here in the church. Why Matthew? Because that is the gospel we will be hearing for most Sundays of the next year.
Second piece of armor: Mass every week, and partake of the eucharist, Jesus’ body and blood. We need other Christians. We need a weekly spiritual lift. We need spiritual food to stay strong.
Third piece of armor: Confession. At least once a year. More often may be even better. God cannot use dirty dishes. We need the healing and the forgiveness and the new start in life, spiritually, that confession offers to us. Our Advent reconciliation service and confessions are coming up on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., here in the church and also at the same time outside at the Valley Missionary Program plaza. Priests from the area will be available.
Fourth piece of armor: Spiritual growth. God needs us to become mature Christians, not spiritual infants. The Christian faith is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to follow Jesus for the long term, not just for the moment or when we are experiencing a crisis. Fortitude, perseverance. How to grow? Start with the Mini-Retreats. The first, Mini-Retreat 101, is coming up next Sunday afternoon, 3 to 8 p.m. in the rooms behind the church.
Fifth piece of armor: Community. God never wants us to be orphans. Two are stronger than one. We need other spiritual companions in our life, just as a soldier needs his buddies to watch out for his back. One of the best ways to stay strong spiritually is to join a weekly bible study group or small faith community. Our church has many such groups. For example, mine meets on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and all are welcome!
Sixth piece of armor: Service, or Ministry. Get involved. Give back. Church is always more fun and interesting when we are not just spectators, but participants. I’ve especially seen how service can really transform the lives of our children. When they get involved in a ministry here at church – for example, helping with our children’s program on Sunday mornings – they get excited about their faith. One simple way to begin is to do something special as a family, like visiting someone who is elderly and homebound or in a nursing home or sick.
Seventh piece of armor: Generosity. This goes hand in hand with service, or ministry. When we are generous in giving of our time, talent and treasure, get is generous in returning an abundance of blessings to us. One suggestion: As a family, buy a Christmas gift for a needy child.
God wants all of us to do our part. I remember a story of a man who would walk up and down the beach, throwing star fish back into the ocean that had been washed up on the shore. A friend laughed at him. “What difference can you really make?” the friend asked, pointing out that the beach was filled with thousands of star fish. “You cannot possibly rescue them all.” But the man just reached down, threw one more star fish back into the sea, and said, “I made a difference for that one, didn’t I?”
Or there is the story of the little bird who was lying on his back, feet pointed up to the air. A friend asked what he was doing. “I heard that the end of the world was coming, that the sky was about to fall.” The friend just laughed. “What can you possibly do to stop the sky from falling, with your spindly legs?” But the little bird replied simply, “At least I am doing my part!”
God just asks us to do our part.
Let’s read the last two verses on your handout:
From Luke 21:19 (NAB) -- “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
We need to just stick with it, for the long haul – finish the race, run the marathon, not tire out and give up and quit the race early.
And from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, which is a bedrock verse for guiding our life spiritually: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” -- Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
This Advent, wake up! Be alert, ready, prepared, and full of life and joy. Offering our very lives as living sacrifices to God, not following the false obstacles of the world, but clothed in the full armor of God. Caffeinated Christianity, not wimpy or weak decaffeinated and powerless Christianity!