Blog & Pastor Letters

Sometimes it is a struggle to see how each of the Mass readings correspond. Other times the threads between them interweave like a masterfully woven tapestry. Today’s readings, at least to me, represent the latter. Strands of being created for a plan and a purpose, prophecies shared and rejected, good people treated as evil, and connected to all of it, a God that loves without reserve — upholding, strengthening His beloved.

When I was a Dominican novice, I remember asking one of the older friars in our community to succinctly describe the charism of the Order of Preachers. He stopped, thought for a moment, and replied, “The Dominican is meant to have a preoccupation with the Word of God.” That has stuck with me throughout my years in religious life and helped shape my ministry as a priest. Would that we all have a preoccupation with the Word of God!

The life of St. Augustine of Hippo is filled with testimonies of his immoral living before he found Christ. As a young man wandering all over North Africa and around the Mediterranean Coastlands, he sought to find true happiness. He tested all avenues of finding happiness as a young man but found no true joy. In whatever he indulged in, he progressed to the next to suit his personal voids. During his wanderings, he travelled to Milan in Italy and entered a church where he heard the word of God that touched him for the first time in his life. He listened to Bishop Ambrose of Milan preach about Jesus and this attracted him greatly. St. Augustine changed his life and was baptized. He not only become a Christian, but he was ordained later as a priest and Bishop of Hippo.

One Sunday, I had only one candidate for baptism after Mass. The family arrived well before the Mass ended and took up positions in the front pews ready for the baptism of their lovely baby. Since I had the afternoon Mass, I dressed up appropriately in the sacristy and proceeded to the altar to start the initiation of this lovely baby into the Christian faith. The baby was dressed all in white, but he was busy having his lunch from a small feeding bottle and his face beamed with angelic smiles. I was later told that his father flew in from Germany to attend his son’s baptism.

The month of December has come and gone. The world did not end. Or at least we are still here moving around. The Mayans are gone and the calendar they left for us is hard to interpret. What can we say? A year comes in, and a year goes out, that is how life works. Such has been the cycle of life right from the creation of man. What has a beginning must have an end. The year 2021 has ended and we must brace up to delve into a new year with hope of better things to come.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived in Nazareth as a family. The kind of family life they lived was normal considering the standard of other families at that time. We all know that the trade of Joseph was carpentry and Jesus must have assisted in great measures while growing up. Of course, Mary did her best to cement the life in the family. The gospel of Luke tells us that they attended the yearly festival in Jerusalem. While returning to Nazareth, Jesus got separated from his parents and they had to search for him. When they found him, they said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” This is the kind of anxiety you would expect from a parent whose child has been lost.

The prophecy of Isaiah concerning the birth of a son was a soothing message for the people of Israel. When we read Isaiah chapters 7 and 9, we can see indications of the Lord’s desire to restore joy and happiness to his people. In Isaiah 7: 13-14 he says, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” The name Immanuel means God is with us.

The question many people always ask at moments of great panic is, ‘What am I to do?’ But that is only for those who can summon courage and ask. At moments of great panic, many people are speechless because the situation has gone out of hand. In desperation we cling to any opinion from anyone around us to save the day. When there is no one to offer any opinion, we use our instinct, and so we act impulsively without damning the consequences. At that point, it is a matter of survival not morality that rules our subconscious.

I recently watched a YouTube video on Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. The video was based on her contributions in uplifting the lives of Germans and other nations within Europe and elsewhere. Her country is enjoying an economic boom and her persona as woman speaks volumes to the world. The refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe are a challenge seeking the attention of the world. Germany is one place that the refugees yearn to find safe refuge.

The landscapes of our towns have changed since Thanksgiving Day ended. Christmas is the next major celebration. We prepare for Christmas in the season of advent; a time we reflect on the coming of the Lord. It is no surprise therefore that our landscapes have become colorful again with lights and beautiful designs in preparation for Christmas. This season is important for our spirituality and for our eternal salvation because we remember the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem of Judea.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King as the culmination of the Church’s liturgical year before we begin a new liturgical year with Advent. There are two themes resonating through the readings for this great feast: 1.) the end of time and the final judgment; and 2.) the reign of Jesus Christ as king of the universe. In the first reading, we see God portrayed as a shepherd with the people who faithfully follow Him being His sheep.

Jesus speaks in cryptic language here about coming judgment. He uses language that is reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets, including Daniel in the first reading. There is dual meaning here. First, Jesus points forward to judgment upon the city of Jerusalem. This was fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans conquered Israel, pillaged Jerusalem, and leveled the Temple. This fulfillment makes sense of Jesus’ statement that “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.”

I was never a boy scout, but even I know what their famous saying is; Be Prepared! As we approach the end of this Church year and start a new one when we Advent begins, the gospel today and next Sunday speak to us of being ready and prepared.

In our ordinary everyday lives we all know how to prepare and get ready. We get ready if we have an appointment with the doctor. We get ready for school or for work. If we are going out to somewhere special, we spend extra time getting ready and being prepared. We wait for our favorite television program to start. We all know what happens when we are at the bus stop. We check at our watches as we look up and down the street anxiously hoping that the bus will arrive sooner rather than later.