This Christmas: know that God treasures you!

Image: Candle at the Window

A reflection on the Incarnation for the eve of Christmas Eve:

We know what the Incarnation means to us, that God the Son, by becoming human, caught up our human nature into his, made each one of us one with him. He took our human nature for is own and gave us his. He experienced everything that we do, except sin, and he even took upon himself the guilt and punishment of sin.

He made himself subject to our limitations: to discomfort, poverty, hunger and thirst and pain. He knew fear, temptation and failure. He suffered loneliness, betrayal, unrequited love, utter desolation of spirit, the sense of despair and death. He suffered all these things, and all the secret, incommunicable things known to each individual, which can never be told; and he overcame them all.

Christ lived each of our lives. He has faced all our fears, suffered all our griefs, overcome all our temptations, labored in all of our labors, loved in all of our loves, died all our deaths.

He took our humanity, just as it is, with all its wretchedness and ugliness, and gave it back to us just as his humanity is: transfigured by the beauty of his living, filled full of his joy. So that no matter what suffering we meet, we can meet it with the whole power of the love that has overcome the world.

God intimately and silently shares all of our secrets, no matter how hidden we may keep them from other people. God knows our hidden selves, and still God is pleased to be with us. God rejoices in our triumphs and shares the pain of our unspoken sorrows - all in complete and undisturbed solidarity with us...

God has chosen to be one of us. Rejoice in your humanity! Celebrate your individuality! Know that God treasures you.

O God who comes to us in Advent, help us to recognize our humanity as a gift that, with Jesus, we share with you.

- A Child in Winter with Caryll Houselander, edited by Thomas Hoffman, pages 43-45

Latest US Bishops statement on health care bill

BISHOPS CALL SENATE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL ‘DEFICIENT,’
ESSENTIAL CHANGES NEEDED BEFORE MOVING FORWARD

Seek to retain federal policy on abortion funding
and conscience protection
Want to protect access to health care that immigrants have now,
remove barriers to access
Need strong provisions for adequate affordability
and coverage standards

WASHINGTON—The current health care reform bill is “deficient” and should not move forward without “essential changes,” the chairmen of three committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said December 22.

The chairs, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, of the Committee on Migration, stated their position in a December 22 letter to senators working to pass the Senate version of health reform legislation.

A link to a PDF of the entire letter can be found in the USCCB statement here.

The legislative proposal now advancing “violates the longstanding federal policy against the use of federal funds for elective abortions and health plans that include such abortions -- a policy upheld in all health programs covered by the Hyde Amendment as well as in the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program -- and now in the House-passed ‘Affordable Health Care for America Act,’” the bishops said.

They said that the health care bill passed by the House of Representatives “keeps in place the longstanding and widely supported federal policy against government funding of elective abortions and plans that include elective abortions” and “ensures that where federal funds are involved, people are not required to pay for other people’s abortions.” The Senate bill does not maintain this commitment...

December 23 - Seventh O Antiphon

Image: IHM Sisters

O GOD-WITH-US, Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.

Let us pray...

Jesus, God-with-us,
all compassionate and loving God whom we honor and adore,
you have unlocked the gates of heaven
and cleared the pathway for all humanity
to come to you in the glory of the Father.

Save us from the chains of sin and darkness.

We thank you for the gift of redemption
and look forward to the day of your coming in glory.

Amen.

(More information on The O Antiphons and on praying them)

Word for Holy Family Sunday - December 27

Image by ethnic2020

The Sunday within the octave of Christmas is feast of the Holy Family. You might still be pondering and preparing to hear the scriptures for Christmas but make some time between now and the weekend to look over the Holy Family scriptures and the background material on them. (Note that there are options for the first two lessons.)

Got kids? Help them prepare to hear the Word with these hints for youngsters on the readings.

Remembering Mary in Advent

Some years back I supervised a field education student in a campus ministry setting. Chris was pregnant when she ended her assignment with us and at our last meeting she brought me some flowers. In a card with the flowers Chris thanked me for my work with her and promised that she would "carry me with her..."

I remember being very moved to know that someone who was carrying new life within her would, somehow, carry me, too.

The experience of bearing new life into the world is something that a woman understands from a unique perspective: love takes flesh in her body and new life is created...

How much there is of our understanding sacrament and sacrifice, of the Word become flesh that women's witness can enrich and enhance in a unique and irreplaceable fashion!

In this Advent time I ponder Mary musing on the new life stirring in her womb. Certainly she pondered the mystery of an angel's visit and the message delivered. Certainly she shared Joseph's anxious moments. Certainly she carried many thoughts with her as she carried her child in her womb. Perhaps this is why, since ancient times, Christians have asked her to carry their prayers to her son...

As Advent comes to its close, what thoughts and prayers, worries and concerns, joys and hopes might you ask Mary, who carried Jesus within her, to carry even now to her son?

Image: WillowTreeCherish

When feeling blue in the season of red and green...

One of my favorite books for this time of year is A Child In Winter: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with Caryll Houselander. It draws on all of Houselander's writings and is beautifully edited by Thomas Hoffman.

Especially in this season when so many can feel blue with all the red and green and glitter, these words are beautiful. Perhaps this passage from A Child In Winter will help move you to prayer in these busy days...

Christ never goes away, never forgets,
all day long ,
however you are,
whoever you are,
whatever you are doing.

His whole heart is concentrated on you.

He watches you with the eye of a mother
watching an only child.
He sees not the surface things,
not the imperfections inevitable to human frailty,
but the truly lovable in you,
your dependence on him,
your need of him.

Does a mother love her child less
because it has fallen and bruised herself?
No, indeed - only (if that is possible) more!

What then must we do?

Listen.
Be silent.

Let Christ speak to you.

Forget yourself,
do not be self-centered,
let him tell you how he loves you,
show you what he is like,
prove to you that he is real.

Silence in your soul
means a gentle attention to Christ,
it means turning away from self to him,
it means looking at him,
listening to him.

God speaks silently.

God speaks in your heart;
if your heart is noisy, chattering,
you will not hear.

Every ordinary thing in your life is a word of God's love:
your home, your work, the clothes you wear,
the air you breathe, the food you eat,
the friends you delight in, the flowers under your feet
are all the courtesy of God's heart flung down on you!
All these things say one thing only:
"See how I love you."

God asks only one thing,
that you will let God tell you this, directly, simply;
that you will treat God as someone real,
not as someone who does not really exist.

December 22 - Sixth O Antiphon

Image: IHM Sisters

O KING OF ALL NATIONS,
the only joy of every human heart:
O Keystone of the mighty arch of man.
Come and save the creatures you fashioned from the dust.

Let us pray...

Lord, every nation on earth adores you,
for by your passion, death, and resurrection,
you have saved all humanity.

Your constant love and friendship
reach from the heavens to the ends of the earth.

You alone have bridged the deep chasm created by sin;
you have protected us from the grasp of the evil one.

You are the source of all life;
help us to be as one family in you,
our God and Savior.

Amen.

(More information on The O Antiphons and on praying them)

The Scriptures for the Celebration of Christmas

And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. (Luke 1: 4)

The Roman Catholic Lectionary provides four sets of readings for the Masses of Christmas, arranged for Masses celebrated at different times of the night and day:

The Vigil Mass
Mass at Midnight
Mass at Dawn
Mass during the Day

The Lectionary also provides for interchanging the texts based on pastoral needs. Some parishes will be using the texts for Midnight Mass at some or all of the other Christmas liturgies while other parishes will use the selections appropriate to the time of day.

Background material on all these scripture can be found here at the St. Louis University liturgy site.

(See this earlier post, too, with regard to the Christmas story in the four gospels.)

Jesus, Mary and... oh yeah - Joseph

Joseph the carpenter from the movie, The Nativity Story

I preached this homily two years ago, on these scriptures: Isaiah 7:10-14 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-24 Because Joseph sometimes get short shrift in the Christmas story, I thought to post this reflection again...

Well, how many people in the last week or so have asked you,
“Are you ready for Christmas?”
In other words:
“Is your shopping done? your gifts wrapped? your cards mailed?
your cookies baked and your tree trimmed?”

2,000 years ago, when Christ was about to be born,
only a few individuals had any notion at all
of what was about to happen.
So I doubt that many people were asking St. Joseph
"Hey, Joe! Got your tree up yet?"

Although it’s altogether possible that Mary might have asked,
“Joseph… are you ready for this?”

Today’s gospel tell us that at least at one point,
Joseph was not ready for this.
Rather, he was ready to quietly break off his betrothal to Mary
- until he received a message from God,
through an angel, in a dream.
And the message was this: “Be not afraid…”

Be not afraid – of what?
Of taking Mary into his home as his wife? Yes, that.
Of caring for a child he knew he had not sired? Yes, that too.

But most of all, the angel in the dream was telling Joseph,
“Be not afraid of how the mystery of God
is weaving itself into your life,
into your relationship with Mary,
and into your whole future.

“Be not afraid, Joseph, of how the mystery of God
will touch your life, shape your life, turn your life around
and stand it on its head!"

None of us is asked to face what Joseph faced.
But all of us, like Joseph, face times in our lives
when God has allowed things to happen,
or has allowed things to fail to happen,
that would intimately touch, shape and turn our lives around
in ways we never dreamed would happen.
And sometimes in ways we wish had never happened.

And in all of this the word to us
is precisely the angel’s word to Joseph in his dream:
“Be not afraid because in everything, and in all things,
God Is With You: EMMANUEL.”

As it was for Joseph in his days,
so it is for us every Christmas.
Being “ready” for Christmas has little to do with
presents to buy and wrap, or trees to decorate,
or cards to write, or baking to do…

Being “ready” for Christmas
means renewing our faith and more than our faith, our trust,
in all the ways the mystery of God’s presence
is weaving itself into our lives:
touching and shaping and turning our lives around
in ways we may never have imagined.
And most of all, being “ready” for Christmas
means trusting that God is with us, Emmanuel,
in everything and in all things.

(Here’s the Joseph figure from my mother’s nativity scene which enjoyed a year-round place on her hutch.)



Take a moment, as you get “ready for Christmas,”
and ponder Joseph’s presence in your nativity
at home or here at Holy Family.

Imagine his doubts, his anticipation his anger…
his regrets, his concern for Mary, his fears…
his wonder, his confusion, his awe, …
Imagine him handing his troubles over to God
and trusting, putting his fears aside…
And imagine how Joseph might be a patron saint for us
as we get “ready” for Christmas…

The Child born in Bethlehem is still weaving his way into our lives.
The name Bethlehem means “House of Bread.”
And even this morning the Lord weaves the mystery of his presence
into our prayer at his table
and makes of our place of prayer the House of God’s Bread.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, God with us,
and weave the mystery of your presence,
the mystery of your love,
into our lives…

Monday Morning Offering - 78

Coffee in the Morning by George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

It’s almost time for us
to give each other gifts
on Jesus’ birthday -
and I hope you’ll forgive us
for getting that mixed up again this year!

So, there's lots of wrapping going on:
paper and foil, gift bags and boxes,
tags and tape, ribbons and bows…

Everyone’s wrapped up in wrapping -
and that includes me…

So what I offer you this morning, Lord,
are all the things I’m wrapped up in
that need unwrapping...

• I get wrapped up so easily in little things
while the big things that matter go undone…

Unwrap me, Lord, and make me faithful
to things deserving my priority…

• I get wrapped up in things that waste my time
and time is one of my most precious possessions…

Unwrap me, Lord, and make me a good steward
of my days and nights, my work, my play and my rest…

• I get wrapped up in day dreams
and leave work on my real hopes untended…

Unwrap me, Lord, and sharpen my vision
of what’s real and what helps me truly grow…

• I get wrapped up in desires
for what I should not or cannot have…

Unwrap me, Lord, and give me a hunger
for what truly nourishes and satisfies…

• I get wrapped up in hurt and anger
that sap my energy for reaching out generously…

Unwrap me, Lord, and free my heart
to be with others and to do for others…

• And I wrap myself up in my self, too:
in my fears, my worries, my disappointments…

Unwrap me, Lord,
and let me see the blessings that are mine
and the gift of your presence, your comfort,
your mercy and your strength...

Unwrap me, Lord,
so that others can know and enjoy my gifts…

Unwrap me, Lord,
so that nothing hides me from you and your love
and the love of those around me…

I have Christmas gifts for others, Lord,
but it’s your birthday that's coming,
so I offer you my unwrapped heart
my opened faith, my unsealed trust…

Unwrap me, Lord,
I need your help,
for I cannot unwrap myself…

Amen.

December 21 - Fifth O Antiphon

Image: IHM Sisters

O RISING DAWN,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come, shine on those who dwell in darkness
and in the shadow of death.

Let us pray...

Radiance of the Father,
light for our eyes, and guide for our souls,
brighten our days by showing us the way to the Father,
for you said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Your life showed us the way to live;
your words spoke of the truth of the Father;
your sufferings and death brought us to new life.

May we be radiant with your joy,
as we begin to recognize your coming to us in one another.
We thank you for the gift of your Body and Blood in the Eucharist
which nourishes us and gives us renewed life.

Amen.

(More information on The O Antiphons and praying them)

US Catholic bishops on path of health care reform

Here's an update on the American Catholic bishops response to the path that the health care reform bill is taking:

Responding to reports of a new “compromise” proposal on abortion in the U.S. Senate’s health care reform bill, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo today reaffirmed the position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the legislation will be morally unacceptable “unless and until” it complies with longstanding current laws on abortion funding such as the Hyde amendment. Cardinal DiNardo is Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and Chairman of the Conference’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

The Senate health reform bill should not move forward in its current form, said l DiNardo and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City said December 19, as senators proceeded closer to a vote.

Cardinal DiNardo chairs the bishops’ Committee on Pro-life Activities. Bishop Murphy chairs the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. Bishop Wester chairs the bishops’ Committee on Migration.

(Complete texts here)

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, open your ears and your hearts to this beautiful song as Christmas draws near...

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a flowerlet bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright, she bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender
with sweetness fills the air,
Dispelled in glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!

Luke, Matthew, Mark or John?

What do you know of the story of Christ's birth? How did you learn that story? What are your sources? Does your recounting of the Nativity match up with the scriptures?

Did you know that of the four evangelists, only Luke and Matthew write of Christ's birth - that Mark and John say nothing about it? Did you know that the "three kings" do not appear in Luke's account and that in Matthew's account, they don't go to a stable but to a home (and that none of the four accounts mentions a stable)?

Compare and contrast Luke and Matthew below to see what scriptures have most influenced your understanding of the Nativity.



The icons of the four evangelists are the work of Peter Wilke

Luke
Chapter 2
(preceded in Chapter 1 by the story of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and their son, John the Baptist; and the story of the angel appearing to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, announcing that she will conceive by the Holy Spirit; and Mary's visit to Elizabeth)

1

¹ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus ² that the whole world should be enrolled.

2

This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3

So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.

4

And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

5

to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

6

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,

7

and she gave birth to her firstborn son. ³ She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8

⁴ Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.

9

The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

10

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11

⁵ For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.

12

And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

13

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14

⁶ "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

15

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."

16

So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

17

When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.

18

All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.

19

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

20

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

21

When eight days were completed for his circumcision, ⁷ he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

22

⁸ When the days were completed for their purification ⁹ according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

23

just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"

24

and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

25

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, ¹⁰ and the holy Spirit was upon him.

26

It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.

27

He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,

28

he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

29

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,

30

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

31

which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,

32

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."

33

The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;

34

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted

35

(and you yourself a sword will pierce) ¹¹ so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

36

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,

37

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

38

And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

39

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

40

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Matthew
Chapter 1
(Preceded by the genealogy of Jesus)

18

⁶ Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, ⁷ but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.

19

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, ⁸ yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

20

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord ⁹ appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

21

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, ¹⁰ because he will save his people from their sins."

22

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

23

¹¹ "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us."

24

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

25

He had no relations with her until she bore a son, ¹² and he named him Jesus.

Chapter 2

1

¹ When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, ² behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

2

saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star ³ at its rising and have come to do him homage."

3

When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁴

5

They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

6

'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

7

Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.

8

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."

9

After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

10

They were overjoyed at seeing the star,

11

⁵ and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

13

⁶ When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, ⁷ and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."

14

Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.

15

⁸ He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

16

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.

17

Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

18

⁹ "A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more."

19

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt

20

and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." ¹⁰

21

He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

22

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, ¹¹ he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee.

23

¹² He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."

Mark
There is no Nativity narrative in the Gospel of Mark.





John
There is no Nativity narrative in the Gospel of John.

A Christmas visit: Mary and Elizabeth

Mary and Elizabeth by Dorothy Webster Hawksley

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
(Scriptures for today's liturgy)

Beginning yesterday afternoon and through today
thousands of people are stranded in airports this morning,
many delayed on trips to visit family and friends at Christmas.

Even if we’re not traveling far for Christmas
many of us will visit locally with family, friends and neighbors
- or they’ll come to visit us.

Children may be expecting a visit resulting in toys under the tree
and their parents will be expecting a visit from a letter carrier
bringing credit card bills.

We look forward to some visits: other visits - not so much.
A few days ago I visited a place I don’t like to visit at all:
Burlington Mall!

And in today’s gospel, there’s some visiting going on:
we find Mary visiting her older kinswoman, Elizabeth,
traveling out to the hill country to see her.

This scene, this encounter between two pregnant women,
is called the Visitation.
Those who pray the Rosary
know this as the second joyful mystery.

It’s a great story for us to read just before Christmas
because Christmas celebrates the greatest visitor in human history:
God’s visit to his people, in Christ, some 2000 years ago.
God’s visit to the world began in just the same way
each of our visits into the world began:
through the door of a mother’s womb.

We’re blessed to have on our parish staff a woman expecting a child
and Andrea speaks often about her baby moving and kicking within her,
just as Elizabeth did when she told Mary,
“As soon as I heard your voice, the child within me leaped for joy!”

Elizabeth was carrying John who would be called the Baptist
and in her heart she already understood who was the Child
who had visited, made a home in Mary’s womb.

And it’s with joy that we recognize Christ, born of Mary,
whose visit wasn’t over in a day or month or even a lifetime.

Jesus didn’t just “stop by” - he moved in.
He moved into: our history, our hearts and our hopes;
our problems and pain; our worries and wounds;
our dreams and desires; our past, our present and our future.
Jesus came to visit - and he’s never left us…

Christmas is a time for renewing family relationships and friendships.
At this time of year,
we try to be especially warm and welcoming of one another
- and even of strangers.

It’s a time to be especially warm in welcoming the Lord, too,
and especially to welcome him into the places in our hearts and lives
where we sometimes tell him “there’s no room in the inn for you there.”

He knows our hearts’ desires
and promises to fulfill the deepest needs we have.
Every week the Lord renews his visit with us by sharing this table,
and sharing his life with us in the meal, the sacrifice of the Eucharist.

As we welcome friends and family at Christmas time,
as the Lord welcomes us here at the altar,
may we welcome him and come to believe
that all that is promised in his divine visit will be fulfilled.

December 20 - Fourth O Antiphon

Image: IHM Sisters

O KEY OF DAVID, O royal power of Israel
controlling at your will the gate of heaven:
come, break down the prison walls of death
for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death
and lead your captive people into freedom.

Let us pray...

Christ Jesus,
you are the key to the happiness of our hearts.

The darkness of sin
and awareness of our weaknesses drag us down,
but you have come to lift us up and redeem us.

We place all our hope in you who have freed us from sin.

Teach us to open the doors of our hearts
to you and to one another
through awareness of the mystery of your presence in others.

Lead us into the light of your love and grace.

Amen.

(More information on The O Antiphons and praying them)

An Advent song from back in my day

Nineteen years ago I was a campus minister at St. Ann University Parish in Boston. While the parish served a number of schools in the Back Bay/Fenway area, I worked primarily at Northeastern University and Emerson College. Some of our parish musicians contributed a song to a rather strange collection titled, Gross Santa's Yuletide Favorites which, for a time, was actually available in Boston music stores. The piece, One Voice, was composed by John Burckardt, a parishioner and music minister at St. Ann's and director of the Woods Harbor Ensemble which I joined for this recording as the lead vocal. You'll hear us on track 8. As John puts it, "We're the answer to the question, 'Which one doesn't belong with the others?'"

(Thanks to Casey Desmond for bringing this recording to cyberspace and to John Burckardt for posting it on FaceBook.)


Gross Santa's Yuletide Favorites by caseydesmond

I hadn't listened to this recording in years so finding this on John's FaceBook page brought me back nearly two decades in my memories. And there's no doubt about it: the arrangements of familiar tunes on this recording are definitely out there - but not gross in any vulgar way: this is G rated material. Perhaps you'll enjoy one, two or more of these songs - and I hope you'll find One Voice to be a prayerful addition to your Advent repertoire.

(Click on a title to play - and you can download any of the songs for free.)

Saints: our brothers and sisters

I'm grateful to Rocco, the wizard at Whispers, for doing the work this morning and offering us a summary of the announcements made at the Vatican today regarding the progress of some of our brothers and sisters on their path towards being declared saints of the Church:

• Miracles to green-light the canonizations of Blesseds Mary MacKillop (who'll become Australia's first saint) and Andre Bessette, the Holy Cross brother and founder of Montreal's St Joseph Oratory;

• the martyrdom "in odium fidei" of Fr (now Blessed-to-be) Jerzy Popieluzsko, the chaplain to the Polish Solidarity movement who was killed by the country's Communist authorities in 1984;
  

• and, most prominently of all, the heroic virtues of not one, but two pontiffs: Karol Wojtyla, better known as John Paul II... and Eugenio Pacelli, Pius XII, whose cause has sparked a significant amount of protest among Jewish leaders amid charges that the wartime Pope failed to do enough to avert the Holocaust. (While John Paul's heroic virtue was reportedly approved unanimously by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints last month, Pius' decree has been pending before Benedict since it, too, was green-lighted by the dicastery's entire membership in May 2007.) Both now become "Venerable," their causes now permitted to present a first miracle in order to progress to beatification -- which, in the case of John Paul, could come as soon as next year.
  

• And lastly, with the Pope slated to visit the UK next fall, likewise advanced was the cause of now-Venerable Mary Ward (1585-1645), the English foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Inspired to start an Ignatian community for women in the spirit of the Jesuits -- one that, shockingly for its time, would be free from the obligations of the enclosure and a "specific" habit -- Ward's declaration, like MacKillop's, recognizes a life that endured ecclesiastical hardball; her community was suppressed in 1630, and only re-established sixty years after her death.
  

December 19 - Third O Antiphon

Image: IHM Sisters

O FLOWER OF JESSE,
you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you.
Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Let us pray...

O Christ, living sign of the Father’s love,
we adore you as the center of our lives.

You are our model for grace, truth
and living in the light of the Father.

Be our strength in times of sorrow and trouble;
be our joy in times of sadness;
be our light in the darkness of sin and our troubled world.

We are in awe of your holy presence:
may we rejoice and share with one another
the signs of your coming.

Amen.

(More information on The O Antiphons and praying them)

Blessing the Bambinelli, figures of the Infant Jesus

It's customary for the pope to bless Infant Jesus figures that children and families bring to St. Peter's Square in Rome on the Third Sunday of Advent. Some parishes, including my own, offer the same blessing at Masses on the weekend before Christmas. If you aren't able to attend one of these blessings, simply hold the Infant from your creche reverently in your hand and invite those you live with to pray as you read this blessing:

God our Father,
you loved us so much
you sent us your only Son, Jesus,
born of the Virgin Mary,
to save us and lead us back to you.

We pray that, with your blessing,
these images of Jesus might be
a sign of your presence and love
in our homes.

Good Father,
give your blessing
to all who gather with us this Christmas,
family and friends.

Open our hearts,
that we might receive Jesus in joy,
do always what he asks of us
and see him in those who need our love.

We ask this in the name of Jesus,
your beloved Son, who came to give peace to the world.
You who live and reign forever and ever.

Amen.