Lk 1:26-38 A Christmas the Grinch Could Never Steal

Lk 1:26-38 A Christmas the Grinch Could Never Steal

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Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

I don’t want to sound like a Grinch. But do any of you remember the Christmas gifts you received as a child? Did any of them really make a difference in your life? Yesterday, right before my homily, I was trying to remember some of the Christmas gifts I received as a child. Will you believe me when I say to you that I could not think of any one particular gift? Then slowly, after some deep reflection, I remembered an action figure I received, a G.I. Joe.

I do not want any children to think that I am trying to convince Santa Claus not to give any Christmas gifts this Christmas! I am not trying to convince anyone of this! What I am trying to say is that we need to do better. We need to go beyond SEARS, MACY’S, NEIMAN MARCUS, TOYS-R-US and APPLE. We need to see things in the long term. This is how Christ sees things. This is how the Church sees things.

David was the greatest King Israel ever had. He united the tribes and ruled over them. He won battles and land. But eventually, he forgot his roots. He forgot who he had been. When Nathan found him, he was simply a poor shepherd boy from an insignificant family. The Lord changed all that. Mary was an insignificant young girl from an insignificant family that lived in an insignificant town. The Lord changed all that.

David lost his head. Mary never lost her innocence. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Mary is venerated. David is simply remembered. Mary understood that greater things would happen. David thought he was the next best thing to God! Mary was right. David was seriously wrong. God, along with the Church, will always remind us that what we do is pretty good, but things could be a lot better. Christmas gifts to family and friends are good. But we can do a lot better. Moms and dads, this Christmas, can bring some badly needed warmth, peace and love to their children and friends. Brothers and sisters can hug and kiss their siblings goodnight every night! What better Christmas gift is there than to know that you are loved and made visible; that is, significant?

I am going to make reference once again to the young actor I saw this past Thursday in the play, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” It has now been three days since I saw it and I am still dumbfounded by the significant impact this insignificant actor left in my heart and mind by his insignificant role in this little town production. I guess with age comes some sentimentalism and a little more wisdom. I can appreciate, in a way never before, a tiny role, for in that role a great humility is revealed. And what a lesson it is for all of us to learn. Regardless of the significant or insignificant role we play in our lives, it can always have an impact that goes beyond sights and facts. With God, “nothing is impossible.” Just look at the saints as evidence.

Heavenly Father, you gave us the greatest gift imaginable; you gave us your son. May we learn to imitate you - your love and sacrifice­ - by sharing our life with you and with others. We ask this through your son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mt 1:1-17 The Lord’s Family Tree

Mt 1:1-17 The Lord’s Family Tree

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Today’s reading is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

It’s long. Most preachers prefer not to read the entire thing. What are we to think of all of this?

The long wait has come to an end. The prophecies have been fulfilled. The moment has arrived. It is the perfect moment - “in the fullness of time.” A Savior is born. Make straight the way of the Lord.

It is quite clear, from the Lord’s family tree, that the road to salvation was not always so straight. “Blessed is the man who takes no offense at me.” You know as well as I do that we tend to judge people based on their relationship to others. Throughout my religious life I have always worked in schools, either in a leadership role or as a chaplain. Wherever I went, I made it my number one rule NEVER to research a student’s family history. In other words, I never wanted to know what a child’s father or mother did or who they were related to. Over time, the parents would let me know (if they wanted to) what they did. By that time, they were more than willing to help the school either financially or materially. It was the best policy or lesson I ever learned and adhered to. It made such a difference when it came down to disciplining, forming and educating our students. I never once had a child say to me, “Do you know who I am?!!!!” They knew that I didn’t care at all who they were or where they came from.

Chivalry is an old world with a ton of meaning. Blessed is the man who believes when he is at the top of his game or when he is being crushed in sadness; when he is happy as can be or suffering the greatest trial of his life. “Blessed is the man who takes no offense at me.”

Not too long ago I saw the play, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!” A wonderful family from Coppell invited me to see it and I was more than happy to spend some time with them. Their daughter had a lead role in the play. She did an amazing job! I was really impressed with the talent that was on stage and the love they all have for theatre. I always thought that acting was becoming a lost art at the small town level (or that it was restricted to schools only). I am glad to say I’m wrong.

There was one young man that played a very tiny role. His sole responsibility was to wheel in and out “Mrs. Armstrong.” She is the “strong arm” woman who always led the play but because she broke her leg was no longer able to do so. I thought to myself, would I ever play this role? Would I be humble enough to take a role like this? Would any of us?

Today, we give recognition to all the men and women that helped to bring forth the Messiah. Saints and sinners are mixed in the list: Abraham, Isaac, Ruth, Rahab, David, Solomon, Joseph and Mary. No matter how off course I get, the Lord and I can fix things up. There is no fall, no wall, no hurdle or sin that can chop, block or stop this Light from penetrating. The perfect time for God to enter the world and enter my life is when I turn (turn back) to the Lord. It is then that I find this incredible family tree just waiting for me. It is there that I find name, along with Christ's, carved in for life.

John 5:33-36 Love and Light

John 5:33-36 Love and Light

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Jesus said to the Jews: “You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth…John was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John’s.

John was a remarkable man. He stood in front of others and invited them to open their hearts, confess their sins and amend their lives. Very few individuals have the courage, the humility, to do that, and to do it successfully. He did it.

His message was easy to understand because he repeated himself, over and over again. He would say, again and again, “Repent and believe”. And the broad of vipers and the band of sinners would come to him. His greatest lessons, and the reason why he was so admired, always revolved around sin and grace. John was the last among the great prophets and the first to herald the coming of the Lord. He made straight the path of the Lord by passing along to us the solemn truth regarding the brevity of sin and the longevity of grace.

Love must travel at the speed of light. How does the Lord treat sin? How does he treat my sins? Well, from past experience I can tell you that he treats them swiftly and decisively. He treats sin as if it were some dust that had fallen on His sacred vestment: He brushes it off briskly, quickly and somewhat dismissively. He gets right back to looking at me, lovingly and passionately.

This is how I should treat those who have wronged me: quickly, briskly, and somewhat dismissively. And I need to get right back at looking at them lovingly and passionately.

“John was a burning and shining lamp.” Light completely dispels the darkness of the night. Completely! It takes only one candle, one match and one stroke. But come to think of it, I guess it could take multiple strokes or matches. But then isn’t that a perfect reminder of the Gospel truth? Seven times seventy times I must forgive. Over and over, again and again, I must forgive the sinner that stands before me.

Love must endure longer than sin. Do we ever give up in lighting the grill or lighting the candles on a table for a romantic evening? Never! The same should hold true when it comes to the persistence, determination, and repetitiveness of grace in the face of sin. I can never give in or give up.

We know firsthand the awful affects that sin has on us. When someone lets you down; when others treat you harshly; when someone loses their temper and floors you, don’t you have the very strong tendency to let that be the last thing they ever did to you?

Too often, we allow sin to have more power over us than grace. Sin seems to have the last word.

It saddens me to no end how some people can wipe away years of an individual’s love, hard work, dedication, love and compassion in a single stroke, and all due to a single fault or fall. How many have turned away from confession because the confessor was a little harsh or mean or downright nasty! What about the dozens of times before?

Love must endure longer and spread wider than sin. Let us remember that patience is a virtue. Revenge is not. Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle.

Replenished by the food of your word and flesh, we humbly beseech you, O Lord, that, through our partaking in the mystery of sin and grace, you may teach us to judge wisely the things of earth and hold firm to the things in heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Luke 7:24-30 What Do You See?

Luke 7:24-30 What Do You See?

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Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. “What did you go out to the desert to see?”…This is the one about whom Scripture says: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare the way before you.”

Yesterday I went to see the Christmas program at my old school out in Richardson. I wasn’t going to go. The weather was horrible; the traffic would be bumper to bumper, and I would feel like I was stalking my old stomping grounds. I hesitated throughout the entire time I was in my car. But I had promised the kids and like so many times in my life, I was so happy that I did. The kids were wonderful, hilarious, silly and goofy! The elementary school children were decked out with their reindeer suits and little antlers. Others were dressed like penguin. Some not too larger than the actual ones! In the end, they sang their hearts out to their moms and dads and to the baby Jesus. Oh, the beauty of a Catholic education and school!

During the program, some middle school students quietly approached me to invite me to say hello to the others. Of course I went along with them. Once I arrived near the front of the sanctuary, the music director announced over the microphone, to my embarrassment, that I had arrived and that I was standing off to the side. I cannot begin to express to you how happy I was at the reception I received. It was a wonderful reminder of why I chose to follow the Lord: I was looking for something in the desert.

Often we think of the desert of consisting solely of sand domes and reeds swaying in the stifling heat. But the desert could also consist of seeing day in and day out the same things over and over again.

I fear that far too many of us live in the desert. We work ten hours a day, we work with the same people, sit in the same chair and work in front of the same computer day in and day out. Our business is to be consistent. How awful the assembly lines of old must have been. How mindless Ford must have been when he came up with the very efficient but very inhuman assembly line. We have been trained since Kindergarten to think that life consists of working, eating, sleeping and playing.

What did you go out to the desert to see? What message did you expect to receive? I believe the message for all of us is this: there is more to living than working, eating, sleeping and playing. There is the delight of surprise. There is the attraction of mystery. There is God’s Kingdom in the midst of the desert. There is God’s job for you in the midst of your job in the desert.

A simple superintendent at a small public school has gotten himself into a lot of trouble by putting up a nativity scene. As soon as he received threats from the ACLU the crèche went down; but as soon as he received free legal/financial support to defend it, the crèche went back up. Most schools buckle to the ACLU for one reason alone: financial. But when someone steps up with financial guarantees, then the ACLU will not take the case – it’s not worth it. This superintendent has discovered something in his job: a higher calling, the bigger picture, a greater vision.

We can all receive the higher calling. We can all work for the bigger boss. We can all prepare the way of the Lord from our simple office, our everyday computer terminal, our mundane ten-hour-a-day job. All we have to do is be the prophet, priest and king He baptized us to be in the middle of the desert.

Luke 7:18-23 Dark Nights

Luke 7:18-23 Dark Nights

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At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

Sometimes we can doubt, especially when we are in a lot of pain.

John was suffering. Imprisoned in a dark cell, he asked two of his closest friends to ask the Lord if he was indeed “the one who is to come.” Darkness, pain, suffering and turmoil can do that to us. It can make us doubt a lot of things we once took for granted.

Rain. No one really enjoys it. Except for Gene Kelly, no one really “sings in the rain”. Today’s responsorial psalm is perfect in light of today’s weather: “Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.” Rain makes everything appear cloudy, dreary, muddy and sloppy. But plants and animals need it in order to survive, to blossom and to grow. We need it too and for the same reason. The experts tell us that we need a lot of it. A simple rain shower won’t do it. We need it to pour. You can complain. You can say, “Well, couldn’t it happen another way. Couldn’t nature have made it that instead of raining down to the surface it rained up to the surface?" Of course things could be different. But then, the world would be a totally different place!

The Cross. No one really enjoys it. Except for St. John of the Cross, no one really “embraces their Cross.” No one likes it. But we all need it. We all need it in order to mature and to grow. It seems to be a law of nature; that if you want to grow up, you need to face up to some pain and suffering in your life. If you want to be a better man, you need to carry a heavier cross. You could complain and say, “Why does it have to be this way? Why does pain and suffering have to be the means to a bright and glorious end? But we know, from experience, that complaining gets us nowhere.

John the Baptist was experiencing one of the worst moments of his life. He was having second thoughts while in prison. He doubted himself and the Lord. After all, his life was so much easier before he had met the Lord. Life had been so much better while in the desert, wearing sackcloth and eating locusts, than now; in prison, in solitary confinement, in filth and dampness that filled him with the fear of being forgotten and abandoned. Physical loneliness can make us question everything. Mental loneliness can make life unbearable. That’s why John needed to know. That’s why he needed to ask, “Is my suffering worthwhile? Are you the one?”

Raise your voice and tell the Good News: Behold, the Lord God comes with power! Atheists are weak. They crumble at the slightest amount of tolerance. They fall apart at the slightest possibility of acceptance. They are intolerant and expect everyone to fall in line with them. But in reality, they whimper at everything because they laugh at nothing! I love the Saints, especially St. John of the Cross. He endured horrible hardship at the hands of his own brothers; that is, those who belonged to his religious congregation! They placed him in jail! They played mind games with him. And he endured it all by writing a poem, a love story: “The Dark Night of the Soul”.

A while back, after celebrating Mass at a Catholic school, a young student came up to me and said, “I was very offended by your homily. Being an atheist I would prefer that you no longer speak about atheists again.” I kid you not! I was shocked! I reminded this young student that I had said nothing against atheists but rather against the failure of atheistic philosophy. Then I paused and said, “Are you censoring me? I thought we lived in a country where ideas may be freely expressed?” The student had nothing to say. Finally, I said, “But if I offended you I want you to know that you are more important to me than my homily.” The student looked shocked and kindly said, “Thank you.”

This Christmas, the atheists are seeking court orders to put up their weak minded slogans next to our physically weak child Jesus. They think their slogans will help Americans come to know the truth. If anything, I am sure that it will help Americans come to know the truth about them and the Truth, Way and Life of Jesus Christ.

When it rains, it pours! It cannot be avoided. When life begins, pain and suffering begin as well. It cannot be avoided. Not even our Lord wished to avoid it, for it is a most excellent way to rise and define who you are and to show how much you can love.

Mt 21:28-32 Changing Your Mind

Mt 21:28-32 Changing Your Mind

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A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, “Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.” The son said in reply, “I will not,” but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, “Yes, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?

I know far too many moms who would tell me that their child says "no" all the time, and mean it!

God must be getting his revenge on us, saying, “Now you know how I feel every single day when you say “no” to me, and mean it.

We are like children, so good and so bad. We can put up a fight for the most illogical reasons. The Lord instructs us to treat our body with respect. And what do we do? The opposite. Either we overeat, starve ourselves or tattoo or pierce ourselves to death! We live for the moment, for the thrills and frills. We are off. We are imbalanced. We clutch. We cling. We drown in our dreams and are buried by our nightmares. Music inspires us too much too soon. Money motivates us far more than it should. A kiss, a hug, a love overwhelms us to the point of breaking us. We don’t know how to live out the daily wonder of our lives!

We wait for Christmas to give a gift. We wait for an illness to seek forgiveness. We wait for death to gather together. We are so stubborn in our birth. We are so reluctant with our death.

What to do? Take your time but do not delay. Come to the Lord this Christmas. Make amends. Resolve conflicts. Seek those who have harmed you. Seek to follow the Lord in all that you do. Live passionately. Live life to the full. Give glory to God. Smile at the child in the manger. Embrace He who awaits you.

Stop pretending. Stop believing you are who you are not. Allow the Lord to come close to you. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. The Lord redeems the lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.” (Ps 34)

I say, “Come, O Lord, do not delay!” He says, “Come, my child, and lay your weary head.”

Do not exaggerate the pain. Do not exaggerate the loss. “I will bless the Lord at all times! His praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad.” (Ps 34)

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him, but they did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe in him.”

Say yes to the Lord at all times. Live out His Holy Will. I will say “yes” to the Lord. I will walk the talk. I will follow His path. I will not be swept away by vampires or dragons, monsters or creatures. I will stay on course. I will not be distracted. I will live out the wonder of my life. I will faithfully follow the giver of life. I will not allow the story of my life to end in mystery. I will what His Will demands. My story will end like His: happily ever after! And many minds will be changed.

Lk 1:39-47 Our Lady of The Americas

Lk 1:39-47 Our Lady of The Americas

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Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

Our lady of Guadalupe is venerated as the Patroness of the Americas. Why? Is it simply because she appeared in Mexico? Or is it because America is in need of some very special graces?

“O God…grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and peace.” (Collect)

Justice and peace. Justice is a virtue that is in short supply in the Americas, especially in Latin and South America where corruption runs rampant. But how does the virtue of justice fair in the United States? Are we satisfied with the rule of law; with majority rule? Do we really believe that the majority rule ensures that morality rules?

When in doubt, do I give the Lord the benefit of the doubt or do I look for consensus?

“For the first time ever, the Health and Human Services secretary publicly overruled the Food and Drug Administration, refusing Wednesday to allow emergency contraceptives to be sold over the counter, including young teenagers. The contraceptive pull, called Plan B One-Step, has been available without a prescription to women 17 and older, but those 16 and younger have needed a prescription – and they will because of the decision by the health secretary, Kathleen Sebelius.” (New York Times)

Of course the reaction was mixed. There were expressions of disgust and horror on the part of liberals, and surprise and shock on the part of conservatives. What is striking is that Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic, for unknown reasons (most likely political reasons), decided to do the right thing for the first time, and do it without the approval of the majority opinion. Thank God for election years!

The same can be said of Tim Tebow, the Evangelical Christian and Denver Broncos quarterback, who routinely gives thanks to God, not for winning (which he seems to do a lot of) but for living and giving thanks to God for his talents. He has surprised all the so-called experts that thought he would be a loser and is defying the NFL commissioner and commission for their “no-no” to public manifestations of personal faith. But is freedom to worship not protected by our Constitution? Can I not pray in public? Giving thanks to God before eating in a restaurant or asking for his protection before taking off for a flight? Of course it is, regardless of the majority of the fans in the stadium, on my flight or in the cafeteria!

Do it! Show the world who you believe in! Show the world who makes you tick!

Just like St. Juan Diego, following the Lord (or the Blessed Virgin Mary) may mean twists and turns, uphill battles, valleys filled with tears and stormy nights. But we know how this story ends: happily ever after!

Three Wise Men and one good thief knew it well too. Some may take the road filled with denials and demands while others simply say, “Remember me, Lord.”

That story too, had a happy ending!

Our Lady of Guadalupe! Pray for us!