Jack Mc Ardle outlines the Gospel readings for Year C, offers reflections, personal parables on the various themes, outlines the teachings, suggests practical responses and reinforces them all with life stories. It is particularly suited for the interested layperson.
236pp, Columba Press 2006. To purchase this book online, go to www.columba.ie
Contents
Introduction
First Sunday of Advent
Second Sunday of Advent
Third Sunday of Advent
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Christmas Day
The Holy Family
Second Sunday of Christmas
Baptism of the Lord
First Sunday of Lent
Second Sunday of Lent
Third Sunday of Lent
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Passion (Palm) Sunday
Easter Sunday
Second Sunday of Easter
Third Sunday of Easter
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Ascension
Pentecost Sunday
Trinity Sunday
The Body and Blood of Christ
Second Sunday of the Year
Third Sunday of the Year
Fourth Sunday of the Year
Fifth Sunday of the Year
Sixth Sunday of the Year
Seventh Sunday of the Year
Eighth Sunday of the Year
Ninth Sunday of the Year
Tenth Sunday of the Year
Eleventh Sunday of the Year
Twelfth Sunday of the Year
Thirteenth Sunday of the Year
Fourteenth Sunday of the Year
Fifteenth Sunday of the Year
Sixteenth Sunday of the Year
Seventeenth Sunday of the Year
Eighteenth Sunday of the Year
Nineteenth Sunday of the Year
Twentieth Sunday of the Year
Twenty-First Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Second Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Third Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Fourth Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Fifth Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Sixth Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Seventh Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Eighth Sunday of the Year
Twenty-Ninth Sunday of the Year
Thirtieth Sunday of the Year
Thirty-First Sunday of the Year
Thirty-Second Sunday of the Year
Thirty-Third Sunday of the Year
Feast of Christ the King
|
Review |
|
|
Chapter One
First Sunday of Advent
Theme
Today’s gospel parallels the events of Christmas, for which we now prepare. If, when Jesus came at Bethlehem, the people were not ready to receive him, then, when he comes again, they will have no excuse, because he has come to prepare them for that Second Coming.
Parable
We are just getting used to the new Millennium. One of the many new changes we will have to come to accept has to do with cars. For the first time ever, cars of a certain age, are subject to inspection. When it comes to the time to renew the tax on these cars, they will have to be subjected to a detailed examination first. People in possession of such cars have been given plenty of notice. They are even advised to have the car serviced before submitting to the inspection, as this will save them both time and money. Needless to say, many people have already been caught unprepared, and all that can be heard from them is the unfairness and injustice of the system!
Teaching
Jesus tells us to ‘watch and pray’. There is a certain level of alertness that is part of being a Christian. ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ The moment of grace is NOW. If I am not present in the ‘now’, then I am not at home when Jesus calls. At the end of every day, I can look back, and see the many opportunities the day had afforded me to say the good word, or to do the good deed.
Jesus reminds us that ‘that day’, as he calls it, will come upon us all. It must not find us filled with the worries of this life. We are a pilgrim people, on our way home. ‘Where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.’ There is some excuse for people
not being ready to greet Jesus when at first he came. There will be no excuse, however, for those of us who have heard the Good News, not to be ready when Jesus comes again. That ‘readiness’
is called prayer, which is a way of being in the watchtower, of being on guard, of being in a sense of readiness and expectation.
Jesus tells us that his Second Coming will be heralded by signs, turmoil, and wide-spread upheaval. While this will strike fear in the hearts of the citizens of this world, it should be an occasion for great rejoicing among the members of his Kingdom. The kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of Satan will have come to an end, and his victorious Kingdom will be established for all eternity. It will be the beginning of eternal glory and rejoicing for all the children of God.
Response
We are now beginning a four-week period of preparation for Christmas. On that first Christmas night, there was many a heart, and many a home closed against him. We are now given yet one more opportunity to declare where we stand. We prepare for Christmas in so many many ways. There is a lot of time and money that goes into that preparation. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as we remember that ‘Jesus is the reason for the Season’.
Salvation is not something I receive when I die. Rather it is the opportunity to begin again, any day I choose. The only ‘yes’ that God is interested in is my ‘yes’ of now. God’s grace is always available to us. He doesn’t give me anything, but he offers me everything. The offer is made anew with each new day. I can live today on my ‘yes’ of today.
As I journey on my life with Jesus, as he leads me back home to the Father, I become more and more aware of his accompanying presence, and I live with the constant knowledge of that presence. This awareness is expressed through prayer, which is not necessarily saying prayers. It is to have a praying heart. It is to have a constant awareness that Jesus is among us, within us, and that every day is Christmas. The manger is in my heart, and every time I go down into the heart I meet Jesus there.
Practical
Today’s gospel is a wake-up call. It would amaze anyone of us to discover how much of ourselves is dormant. Did you hear about the bishop who dreamt he was preaching a sermon, and he woke up to discover that he was?! Have you ever discovered yourself beginning a decade of the Rosary, and then find yourself at the Gloria, without any awareness of what happened in between? Today’s gospel calls on us to extend the antennae in our heads, as it were, to be alert, and to be aware of what’s going on. John Lennon tells us that ‘life is what’s happening when you’re making other plans’.
The secret of this alertness is to live in the now. There is no reality outside of now. Yesterday is gone, and will never return. To-morrow does not exist. The only reality is now. God is totally a God of now. ‘I am who am.’ When I was a child we had a wireless (radio), and, because we did not have electricity, it was run on two batteries, one a ‘dry’ (or ordinary) battery, and the other a ‘wet’ battery, which was made of glass, and filled with acid. This battery required regular charging. Another thing about the wireless was that it had a drifting dial. We received just one station, and, as the station faded away on occasions, it was necessary to turn the dial slightly to return the wireless to that station. In a way, we all have a drifting dial, and to live in the now entails tuning our attention, to bring ourselves back to the proper wave-length.
Advent is a time of wonderful blessing and renewal. It requires, of course, our own personal investment. We have to take advantage of this opportunity to prepare our hearts anew for the coming of our Saviour. Incarnation is not a once-off event that happened many years ago. It is an on-going evolution going on within the heart of every Christian. It the result of God’s offer, and of our acceptance. God’s offer is constant, daily, minute by minute. Our acceptance must be the same. It is not a question of preparing for Jesus’ Second Coming at the end of time. My future is in the now. It involves wakening up, tuning in, and saying ‘yes’. It is deeply personal, and it is very very real.
Story
A young lady was walking through the park, when she became conscious of footsteps behind her. She hastened her step, only to become aware that the person behind had begun to walk faster also. Obviously, she was quite worried, and she decided to face the situation head-on. She turned around to discover a young man walking briskly behind her. She asked him if he were following her, and, if so, why? The young man was embarrassed, as he began to explain why he was doing what he was. He told her that he had noticed her pass this way every day, that he had become infatuated by her, and that he just had to meet her. The young woman remained silent, while the young man poured out his heart about how much he loved her, and there could be nobody else in the whole world that he could possibly love like he loved her. Retaining her composure, the young woman said
‘My sister is much more pretty that I am, and she is coming up there behind you.’ The man turned quickly, only to discover that there was no one coming. ‘You’re only making a fool of me’, he said. ‘There’s nobody coming behind me.’ The young lady replied very calmly ‘Yet you looked around! If you loved me like you said you did, you would not have looked around to see my younger sister!’
Second Sunday of Advent
Theme
At a time when we are preparing our hearts for Christmas, we read of John the Baptist preparing the people for the coming of Jesus.
Parable
Sept ’79 was an historic occasion for Ireland. Pope John Paul II visited Ireland, and all of everyday life came to a stand-still for the duration of his visit. As I now recall that occasion, the strongest memories I have are connected with the work that preceded his visit. Special Masses, all-night vigils, prayer groups, were the order of the day. There were four places in the country where the Pope would celebrate Eucharist, and address the crowds. These places were decorated, corralled, and fully equipped to cater for the many thousands expected. Local communities were organised for mass transport to and fro. I myself was very involved in this preparation, giving talks, conducting vigils, etc. The visit was a wonderful success, and a time of much and many graces for the Irish nation. I have never doubted that the preparation was a very vital part of the success of the Papal visit.
Teaching
John’s message was a call to turn from sin, and be ready for God’s forgiveness. There was a Saviour coming, there was a Redeemer coming. In order to be saved, it is necessary to acknowledge my sinfulness, and my need for salvation. In order to be redeemed, it is necessary to acknowledge the fact that I am in bondage, and in need of being set free.
In many ways, John the Baptist is an image of the church. At a later time, John pointed to Jesus, and encouraged his disciples to follow him, and become Jesus’ disciples. (On occasions, unfortunately, the church could be accused of pointing to herself as the source of salvation). During this Advent season, the church concentrates on preparing us to celebrate the coming of Jesus as our Saviour. We must heed that call, and prepare our hearts for this great occasion.
We are called to straighten out our lives. To fill in the valleys, and to level the mountains and hills is about ensuring justice for all of God’s people. In today’s language, we refer to this as providing a level playing field for all, so that everybody has access to the goods of this world. The final words of Isaiah in today’s gospel tells that’ And then all people will see the salvation sent to us from our God.’ This is the direct result of making straight the ways of the Lord, filling the valleys, levelling the mountains, straightening the curves, and making smooth the rough places. We can all identify these areas in our lives.
Response
The only way I will ever be able to respond to the word of God is to accept that it is a personal word for me. Today’s gospel contains a message for me. I am the one who is asked to turn from my sins, to turn to God, and to prepare the way for him to make his home within my heart. I am the one who is asked to ensure fair play and justice for others, so that I can see the salvation sent from God.
What exactly does ‘turning from sin’ mean? If I am conscious of anything in my life that is in conflict with my Christian vocation; if I am aware of any pattern of behaviour, relationship, or deceit in my life that is not according to the will of Jesus, then I must get rid of it. ‘If your hand sins against you’, says Jesus, ‘cut it off. It is better to enter heaven with one hand than to end up in hell with two’.
Usually there is little difficulty identifying something in my life that should not be there. We all have a conscience, that still silent voice that reminds us. When I was a child, I had a dog that looked guilty anytime he did something wrong! One look at him, and you knew he had been up to some
thing. When approached, he lay on his back, expecting a slap. When he received a pat, or a friendly stroke, he immediately jumped up all over me, because he knew he was forgiven.
John the Baptist’s time was very limited, just as the season of Advent is quite short. There is little time for procrastination. All diets begin on Monday! Today’s gospel calls for action now. Surely I cannot presume on the number of Advents left in my life. With the call to respond comes the grace needed to make the response. This is a precious moment of grace that must not be neglected.
Practical
There would never be a war if somebody somewhere was prepared to say ‘Sorry, I’m wrong’. There may be somebody in your life to whom you owe those words. It is relatively easy to say ‘I did wrong’, because I then can go on to tell you who was responsible for making me do the wrong. (It is never me!). It requires greater honesty and maturity to be able to say ‘I was wrong’. Give some thought to this today.
Filling the valleys, levelling the mountains, straightening the crooked road, preparing a pathway for the Lord… this is all part of my preparation for Christmas. This involves decisions, and these decisions come out of the context of the realities of my life. God is always calling on me to respond to him. Responding to him is to become responsible. I have responsibility for my actions, and become willing to face up to the truth. There is a tendency to look for a softer, easier way. Part of the human condition is an inability to understand the human condition. Lucy said to Charlie Browne ‘Charlie Browne, do you know what’s wrong with you?’ ‘No’, replied Charlie, ‘tell me’. ‘What’s wrong with you, Charlie Browne, is that you don’t want to know what’s wrong with you.’
Most churches have a Service of Reconciliation during Advent. In a way, we can think of this as ‘Confession without the shopping list’. To people of my generation, it may appear all too simple, all too easy. This is to totally misunderstand the thinking behind the Reconciliation Service. Sin has a community dimension. When I do wrong, I offend the community in general, through an individual, or through a group. Because there is a community dimension to my sin, there must be a community dimension to my repentance. That is why the public acknowledgement of our sinfulness, that is part of the Service of Reconciliation, is much more preferable to going into a Confession box and whispering in the dark. In the season where we are told about ‘peace on earth to those of good-will, it is very important that I harness my good-will, and ACT on it.
Story
Jim had always been a quiet man. His voice was gentle and pleasant, and he had a sincerity about him that held you when he spoke to you. He seemed to have a constant sense of being in contact with God, and of God’s presence in his life, and in the world. He had absolutely no aggression in his personality, but he was always deeply upset by reports of injustice, ethnic cleansing, and the flow of refugees, in search of safety and security.
Jim got cancer. From the very beginning, he was totally aware of his situation, and he insisted on being kept informed of every step of the prognosis. He retained his dignity, his composure, and his peace of mind. He was very realistic about life and about death. He spoke openly about how he felt, and what he thought. Most impressive of all was his attitude towards death. Whenever I was with him during his final weeks, I always felt that his whole life was a preparation for what was to come. It was obvious that he had made a direct connection between the first coming of Jesus, and his return to call Jim home. He was ready, and he had a sense of waiting patiently. He spent a lot of his time, while he still had the energy, in reaching out to others, in sorting out his affairs, and in preparing his wife and family for what lay ahead.
I was with him when he died. He died as he had lived, with peace, calm, and dignity. When I read today’s gospel, I think of Jim. He represents for me what today’s gospel is all about. My own personal reinforcement of the gospel message has come from the people I have met who are living the message.
Third Sunday of Advent
Theme
Today’s gospel is a gem, because it is full of practicalities. When they heard John speak, people from different ways of life came to John and asked him ‘What should we do?’ His words had obviously touched their hearts, and they were ready to respond. It is reasonable to assume, by the nature of their questions, that they were prepared to listen to his answer.
Parable
A friend of mine is a member of AA. He is now a fully convinced and convicted member, after a long period of rationalisation, self-justification, and denial. For most of his first year there was a raging battle going on within him. He could not identify with the others, and, because he had not done all the crazy things the others had done, he continued to deny that he really was an alcoholic. By sticking with the programme, however, and by continuing to attend the meetings, he gradually came to a point where he was ready to ask for help, to take his focus off the others, and to ask himself ‘What do I have to do to gain sobriety?’ It was only then that his recovery had begun. The message had got through to him, and he was ready to make a personal response to what he was hearing.
Teaching
Today’s gospel contains some very simple questions, and some very direct answers. There are several occasions in the gospels when someone asked Jesus what should he do. On Pentecost morning, the people asked Peter what should they do to receive the Holy Spirit. Pilate asked Jesus ‘What is truth?’, and then he walked away, because he probably didn’t want to hear the answer. We are speaking about truth here. In other words, if you don’t want to hear the answer, don’t ask the question. Denial of the truth is very much part of our human condition. Part of our sinful condition is that it blinds us to that very condition. That’s why it’s so much easier to see the faults of others.
John himself was very open and truthful when it came to the question as to whether or not he was the Messiah. John had never any doubt about his role. He was sent to prepare for Jesus, and, once Jesus had arrived on the scene, John’s role was over. ‘I have to decrease, if he is to increase.’ John knew his place before God, and he had no tendency to try to play the role of God or of Messiah. That is humility in the truest sense. It is stating things as they are, and it is living in, and with reality.
The most important thing about John’s announcements was that he saw them as Good News. He was very definite about the good times up ahead. It was part of the Jewish tradition that a Messiah would come some day. Even today, Jews are still waiting for that Messiah. John was a specially anointed prophet, who had a clear and definite vision about what was unfolding. Calling on people to repent, to change their lives, to get their lives in order was the perfect introduction to the themes Jesus would pick up on, when he came. Just as John highlighted the need to acknowledge sin in our lives, so would Jesus emphasise his offer of forgiveness for sin.
Response
Supposing you went up to John the Baptist, and asked ‘What should I do?’ What do you think his answer might be? It is interesting to note that each group who asked this question in today’s gospel was told something about what they did for a living. To the tax collectors he replied that they should not extort more money than was due. To the soldiers he said that they should not accuse people of things they know they didn’t do. I don’t think it would require any deep or prolonged reflection for any of us to come up with what John’s answer to us might be.
If we are honest, it must surely amaze us at times how much we take for granted. We know that Jesus will come again, but, in reality, that is not his Second Coming. His Second Coming is when he enters the heart of each of us, and sets up his Kingdom there. For us, the final coming will be the Third Coming. What I’m driving at here, is that it is so essential that we take him seriously. Advent is a precious time, a time of grace. It will pass us by, leaving us untouched, however, if we do not make a personal response to it. This is our third week of Advent, of preparing for Christmas. How do you think the preparation has been going?
When we follow the advice of the Baptist, and the Messiah arrives in our heart, then we, in turn, can become like the Baptist in the lives of others. I am not talking about preaching, or gathering followers to listen to my message. Life is made up of relationships. How I function in my relationships is a wonderful opportunity to touch the hearts and lives of others. My life is my message, and I speak clearly of my values by the way I live that life, by the way I relate to others. Looking seriously at my relationships is certainly one good way to prepare my heart for Christmas.
Practical
Supposing you were to take five minutes out today to sit with the question that you posed to John the Baptist… To sit sincerely with the question, in peace and quiet, without any pressure or guilt-trip… It would be interesting to reflect on what comes to mind. It is obvious, of course, that I would do this after a whispered prayer to the Holy Spirit to enlighten me. I strongly suggest you do this.
John tells us that the Messiah will baptise us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Through his Spirit, he will enkindle within us the fires of divine love; he will stir up within us a zeal and enthusiasm for things of God. Most of us, I’m sure, have been baptised with water. Our experience of living the Christian life may not be very exciting or energising. I’m sure you have heard the phrase about ‘having fire in your belly’. Once again, here is another suggestion for a five-minute time of stillness: Open your heart, and ask Jesus to complete your Baptism of water by baptising you with the Holy Spirit. Ask with a strong sense of expectation.. .
How real does the sense of Good News ring in your heart? Familiarity can breed contempt. The opposite to love is not hatred, but indifference. Without knowing it, I can easily slip into an indifferent mode, where nothing is really passing my head, and entering my heart. A life without reflection is a life that’s not worth living. Indifference usually comes from the absence of reflection. Even as children, we excused our wrong-doings by saying ‘Oh, I never thought’! There is just over one week to Christmas. It would be wonderful to make this a time of reflection. How to do this would be up to each individual. Reflection is a condition of the heart, and I can reflect in the midst of throngs. There will, however, be those few quiet moments that each of can steal from our schedule, no matter how hectic that schedule might be. If I am too busy to reflect, then, indeed, I am too busy.
Story
I believe there is a great need for us to hear the truth, to see the truth, and to speak the truth, without waffle, hearsay, or ‘woolly thinking’. A young lad was doing his homework, as his dad watched television. ‘Dad’, called the boy, ‘where did I come from?’ The father was unprepared for the question, as he hummed and pondered. ‘A stork brought you’, came the answer at last. A few minutes later came another question. ‘Dad, where did you come from?’ Once again the father was slightly flustered, and then he replied ‘Santa brought me’. The young lad continued writing. Just as his dad was beginning to relax, a third question came. ‘Dad, where did grand-dad come from?’ The father was running out of ideas by now, but then he reverted to the old reliable. ‘He was found under a head of cabbage.’ By now the father was quite pleased with himself, and the young lad finished his writing, closed the copy, and went to bed. As the father was reflecting on the string of questions, he got a bright idea, and he went over to the table, got the young lad’s copy, and read what he had written. Imagine how he felt when he read’ As far as I can ascertain, after persistent questioning, there hasn’t been one normal birth in this family for the past three generations’!
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Theme
Today’s gospel contains a simple but beautiful story. Before Jesus comes to the rest of the world at Christmas, Elizabeth has the extraordinary privilege of having him come to her. This is Elizabeth’s Christmas Day, and, of course, once again, Mary is instrumental in that happening.
Parable
I was ordained a priest at the age of 41(and I’m neither a Jesuit or a slow learner!). At my first Mass, I had a song that was sung at two different parts of the Mass, and it was actually printed twice in the Mass leaflet for the occasion. It had a personal importance for me, and I needed to stress that fact. It was called ‘The Visit’, and it was about Mary visiting Elizabeth. ‘Be brave little mother, for the burden you bear, ’cause it’s Christ that you carry everywhere, everywhere.’ I thought that the image of Mary visiting Elizabeth, and bringing Jesus to her, would be a wonderful model for me in my role as a priest. Mary did what I would hope to do as a priest. I can use this same model for any Christian, whose role is to be a Christ-o-pher, or a Christ-bearer.
Teaching
Christianity is not about producing nicer people, with better morals. I could be a pagan, and be a good person. It is not about prayer and fasting; I could be a Muslim, and do all of that. Christianity is about a person, Jesus Christ. I have to meet Jesus before I can follow him. There are many different ways in which people in the gospel met Jesus. One man got down out of a sycamore tree. Another man was lowered on a stretcher through a hole in the roof. In today’s gospel, Elizabeth met Jesus, while he is in the womb of his mother. In fact, John the Baptist, also in the womb, showed clear signs that he was in the presence of the divine. It is interesting to note that, in all our debates about the viability of the unborn, that it was an unborn baby who first responded to the presence of the Saviour.
When I was a child I thought that Mary visited Elizabeth, because Elizabeth was old and frail, was going to have a baby, and needed someone to care for her. I don’t see it that way now. Mary was in the midst of the most extraordinary experience of her life. Since the angel appeared, until now, her heart was bursting with prayer, praise, amazement and wonder at the goodness of her God. She certainly couldn’t talk to her neighbours about it, because it would be unreal to expect them to understand. In all the world, at that time, there was only one other human being who was having an experience similar to her own. She just had to meet with Elizabeth. They had so much to share. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and her baby leaped with joy. Mary poured forth the Magnificat prayer, one of the most beautiful prayers of praise ever to come out of a human heart.
Elizabeth paid an extraordinary tribute to Mary, ‘All these things happened to you because you believed that the promises of the Lord would be fulfilled.’ Mary had been told that ‘nothing is impossible with God’, and she believed that. Jesus said that ‘the sin of this world is unbelief in me’, and ‘when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on this earth?’
Response
Today’s gospel marks the beginning of a new way of being a pilgrim people. In the words of the song, from now on, ‘You’ll never walk alone’ anymore. Like Mary, I, too, can bring Jesus into every situation I enter. ‘I will never abandon you… I will not leave you in the midst of the storm… I will be with you always…’ Incarnation is not a once-off event, but is repeated again and again within the heart of every Christian. Like Mary, once I say my ‘yes’, the Holy Spirit comes upon me, the power of the Most High overshadows me, and the one who becomes incarnate within me is the Son of God.
Today’s gospel just stops short of the Magnificat, which was Mary’s response to the greeting of Elizabeth. To magnify the Lord is to make him bigger. The bigger your God, the smaller your problems. Some people have a very small God, because they seem to have mighty problems. Mary had a very clear vision of the width of the gap between herself and God. ‘He that is mighty has done this thing to me … He raised up the lowly…’ It is a special grace to know my place before God. Humility is nothing more than the truth, than seeing, and accepting things as they are.
There was something in common between the experiences of Mary and Elizabeth, and they had a lot to share with each other. One could easily imagine the atmosphere of prayerful praise that was part of their time together. In miniature, it is the ideal model of the Christian community, where people come together to share a common message, and to respond to a common call. Each individual is still very unique, while completing the unity of the body. When one reflects on the situation between the various Christian churches, it is, indeed, sad that, while sharing so much in common, it is the differences that are most highlighted.
Practical
The journey of Mary to visit Elizabeth is one of the symbolic journeys in the gospel. It is the life of the Christian in summary. This can become part of my prayer, as I set out each day. I can offer myself as someone who is willing, and who wants to bring Jesus to others today. My prayer could be ‘Lord, may your presence within me today touch the hearts of those I meet, either through the words I say, the prayers I pray, the life I live, or the very person that I am.’
A committed Christian is never alone, but is always in the presence of the Lord. I know an elderly lady, living on her own, and she is in constant conversation with Jesus all day long. She loves gardening, and she is chatting away to him, as she weeds, trims, or plants. I have often come within a yard of her before she became aware of my presence. I have spoken to her about this, and she is so clear about the fact that she is not alone, and how she is constantly aware of being accompanied.
For those of us brought up on promises, it would be a good thing to reflect on the words of Elizabeth to Mary in today’s gospel’ All these things happened to you because you believed that the promises of the Lord would be fulfilled’. The greatest promise I could make to the Lord is not to make any more promises! How much better it would be if I listened to his promises, and began to act on them. There are hundreds of promises in the gospel; more than one for every day of the year. At the time of writing this I am also in the process of writing a book, with a promise, a reflection, and short prayer, for every day of the year.
Story
It was a Charismatic Prayer Meeting. There was a goodly crowd there, and there was no shortage of contributions by way of prayers, readings, testimonies, etc. One man stood up to tell his story. He said he had been a wife-beater, a drunk, a child molester, a cheat, etc. When he was finished he announced to all and sundry that he wanted to publicly thank God here tonight that, during all those years, he had not lost his religion! He may not have brought Jesus to others, but…
Christmas Day
Theme (of Morning Gospel)
Today’s gospel is pure poetry. It is as if John just opened his mouth, and poured out all the joy, wonder, and gratitude within his heart. It is a summary of the gospel, of Incarnation, and of the blessings that Jesus’ coming has brought us. The other gospels give us some glimpses of that joy, whether it’s with angels, shepherds, etc.
Parable
When I think of today’s gospel, I think of a friend of mine who is an artist. What I associate most with her work is her extraordinarily effective use of colour. Her most abstract painting would hold your attention, as you study the shades, highlights, and interplay of colour, all resting peacefully with each other, and combining to present a kaleidoscope of colour. To me, John succeeds in doing that in today’s gospel. It is a gospel I would have to read again and again, with pauses for reflection, before I would even begin to catch the beauty and the richness of it. It is interesting to reflect on just how many famous and priceless pictures of the stable, the shepherds, the star, etc,. there are throughout the world today. Many a gifted artist has endeavoured to capture that moment, and hold it before our eyes for reflection.
Teaching
Christmas is an occasion of genuine celebration for the Christian. It celebrates the fact that God came to dwell among us, and to journey the road of life with us. It marks the beginning of our journey to redemption and salvation. It is a time when freedom is announced to captives, and when new hope is offered to those who sit in darkness, bereft of all hope.
John’s gospel is like the backdrop to the accounts of Luke. Luke is the only writer who gives us some detail of the birth of Jesus. He tells us about there being no room in the inn, and how it happened that Jesus came to be born in a stable. One of his greatest gems is his account of the shepherds. The most important part of this story is that, even though they were told the good news by angels, they said ‘Let us go to Bethlehem, and see for ourselves this news that the Lord has given us.’ That journey to Bethlehem, to see for ourselves, is part of the journey of every Christian.
‘He came onto his own, and his own received him not. But, for those who did receive him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they had to do was to trust him to save them.’ Those sentences are at the centre of what today is all about. They was many a heart and home closed to him that first Christmas night, and that is still the case today. The greatest blessing for us, of course, is that we are given yet one more opportunity every moment of every day. Today’s gospel is something that is happening for us today.
Response
It helps make the gospel more realistic and authentic if I remind myself that the gospel is now, and I am every person in it. This is my Christmas Day. It is as if I were born this morning, and this is my first opportunity to be alive on such a day. As I grow older, I will hear the story in school and in church. Sooner or later, however, like the shepherds, I must be ready and willing to ‘go to Bethlehem, and see for myself’. That is a journey of faith, where I no longer believe something just because someone else told me. There is a story in the gospel about the woman at the well, who ran off, collected some of her friends, and brought them to meet Jesus. There is a very significant line at the end, when her friends turned to her and said ‘Now we believe, not because you told us, but because we have met him ourselves.’
By coming here to church (or by reading this now!), you are showing that you have your priorities right. Jesus is the reason for the Season. with all the hoopla that surrounds Christmas today, when the ads on the telly begin months in advance, it is difficult to keep the priorities right. By all means have a good day, have a good dinner, and enjoy whatever gifts you receive. The whole concept of Christmas is based on gift, and on giving. The Father gives us the greatest gift he possibly could give us. Jesus comes to give us life, redemption, and salvation for our sins. When I buy something that is a gift for another, I always make sure that the price-tag is removed. God’s gifts have no price-tags. A gift, by definition, is something that is free.
The door of the human heart has but one handle, and that is on the inside. The human heart is the manger of today. For all the hearts and homes that have been closed against Jesus since that first Christmas night, we open up our hearts to him today. This is a day when we receive gifts, and it would be odd, indeed, if we failed to accept the greatest gift of all. Much of what we receive as gifts are toys, food, or clothes. The time will come when the toys are broken, the food is eaten, and the clothes are worn. The gift of Jesus in our lives is on-going and eternal.
Practical
Part of the ritual of being present at a Christmas Mass, especially for those with children, is to pay a visit to the crib. These few moments can be a time for heart-felt prayer. They can also provoke and evoke some serious reflection to carry into our day. Whether you have children with you or not, I would suggest that you spare a minute or two to visit the crib. All of us have spent many an idle moment staring at all the goodies in the shop windows over the past few weeks. Surely, then, the crib deserves a few moments of our time.
Of all the gifts we may give or receive today, it is important to remember that the greatest gifts in our lives are people. We don’t throw our Christmas presents in the bin because we don’t like the wrapping in which they came. We often, however, judge and reject people by the colour of their skin, how they dress, their age, or some other external dimension.
While I wish you a ‘Happy Christmas’, what I really mean is that you, as a Christian, may be a great source of love and blessing in the lives of others today. This is a special day, and, in a way, it gives us some clue to what every other day should/ could be like. For those of us who want, every day is Christmas Day. Today can be what you want it to be. It can be a genuine Christian celebration, when I experience, and pass on to others, the blessings of this time. It is an opportunity not to be missed. Make the most of it.
Story
The following story is told by a mother as having actually happened to her: It was Sunday, Christmas. Our family had spent the holiday in San Francisco with my husband’s parents, but, in order to be back for work on Monday, we found ourselves driving the 400 miles back to Los Angeles on Christmas Day. We stopped for lunch. The restaurant was nearly empty. We were the only family, and ours were the only children. I heard Erik, my one-year-old, squeal with glee. ‘Hithere’, the two words he always thought were one. ‘Hithere’, and he pounded his fat baby hands whack, whack, whack – on the metal high chair. His face was alive with excitement, his eyes were wide open, gums bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled, and then I saw the source of his merriment. I gasped with shock, as my mind couldn’t take it in all at once.
A tattered rag of a coat, obviously bought by someone else aeons ago, dirty, greasy, and worn; baggy pants; spindly body, toes that poked out of would-be shoes, a shirt that had ring’round-the-collar all over, and a face like none other, with gums as bare as Erik’s.
‘Hi, there, baby! Hi there, big boy! I see you buster!’ My husband and I were mortified and embarrassed, and we suggested that we should leave. Just then our meal arrived. The banging and the noise continued. Now the old bum was shouting across the room. ‘Do you know ‘peek-a-boo’? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo!’ Erik continued to laugh, and to answer ‘Hithere!’ Every call was echoed. Nobody thought it was funny. The guy was a drunk and a disturbance. I was embarrassed. My husband, Denis, was furious. Even our six-year-old asked ‘Why is that old man speaking so loudly?’
Denis went to pay the bill, telling me to meet him in the parking lot, with the children. ‘Lord, just let me get out of here before he speaks to me or to Erik’, I whispered, as I bolted for the door. It soon was obvious that both the Lord and Erik had other plans. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back, walking to sidestep him, and any air he might be breathing. As I did so, Erik, all the while with his eyes fixed on his new-found friend, leaned over my arm, reaching with both hands to a baby’s pick-me-up position. In a spilt second of balancing my baby, and turning to counter his weight, I came eye-to-eye with the old man.
Erik was lunging for him, arms spread wide. The bum’s eyes both asked and implored ‘Would you let me hold your baby, mam?’ There was no need for me to answer, since Erik propelled himself from my arms to the man’s. Suddenly a very old man and a very young baby were embraced in love. Erik laid his tiny head against the man’s ragged shoulder. The man’s eyes closed, and I could see tears hover beneath the lashes. His aged hands, full of grime, and pain, and hard labour, gently, so gently, cradled my baby’s bottom, and stroked his back. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment, and, then his eyes opened, and set squarely on mine. He said, in a firm commanding voice, ‘You take good care of this baby, mam’. And, somehow I managed ‘I will’ from a throat that contained a stone.
He pried Erik from his chest, unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I held my arms open to receive my baby, and, again the man spoke: ‘God bless you, mam, and thank you. You have given me my Christmas gift.’ I said nothing more than a muttered ‘Thanks.’ With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. Denis was wondering why I was crying, why I was holding Erik so tightly, and why I was whispering ‘My God, forgive me. Lord, please, please forgive me.’
Erik is the Jesus I’m speaking about today. Are you willing to let him hug you?
The Holy Family
Theme
Today’s gospel is about the loss of Jesus, and how he was found in the Temple. It is a simple story, but there are some beautiful and simple lessons in it. We can strongly identify with Mary and Joseph, because we have all experienced that sense of loss from time to time.
Parable
One of my earliest memories of my mother’s simple piety was to watch her while she searched for something she had lost. St Anthony was called in straightaway, and, if the object was found, she owed Anthony a few bob! While involving St Anthony, however, her audible prayer was ‘Jesus was lost, Jesus was found. Jesus was lost, Jesus was found… etc.’ It was like a mantra, but she was completely convinced that the outcome would be good. (I must confess that, when my own back was to the wall, and I had lost something precious, I just swallowed my pride, and repeated her mantra!).
Teaching
This is a lovely little human story, with profound lessons. Jesus is a personal God. He is actually among us, as real as you or I. I may not be aware of his presence, I may not see any evidence of his presence; I may not hear his voice, or have any sense of personal association with him. I just presume he is somewhere within the community. It may be some consolation to all of us to remind ourselves that Mary and Joseph made that mistake! They presumed he was somewhere in the crowd, and they arrived home before they realised he was not with them. (When a little boy in school was asked what Mary and Joseph did then, with total conviction, he replied ‘They went down to the Temple and said three Hail Marys to St Anthony’!).
Today’s gospel lifts the veil a little bit for us. What seemed a very ordinary little lad is found in the Temple discussing profound questions with the experts of the day. One of my earliest memories as a child is a sense of great joy that he was able to put these know-alls in their place! I really don’t see any good reason why this should have happened in the first place. One possibility I can accept is that only God can do God things. Only God can speak God’s word, and reveal his mind. In that case then, it matters little how young or how old the speaker is, because it is God speaking through them. ‘Out of the mouths of infants thou hast perfected praise.’ I certainly don’t think that Jesus was fully aware of his mission yet, no more than I was when I was twelve. I think this would have been a gradual revelation, through his baptism in the Jordan, and his many hours of prayers with the Father on the mountain-side at night.
When Jesus told Mary and Joseph that he had to be about his Father’s business, they didn’t understand what he meant. Immediately, however, he resumed his normal place within the family, and, as a family, they got on with life, like any normal family. We are told that Jesus grew up to be what we would describe as a very likeable young man, ‘beloved of God, and of those who knew him.’ Even on a human level, with the parents he had, it would be difficult to imagine anything else.
Response
It would be a mistake to think that Jesus, or, indeed, Mary and Joseph, really knew who Jesus was, and what his mission was. They were very ordinary people, who were destined for an extraordinary mission. Mary never wrestled with mystery. We are told that’ she kept these thoughts, and pondered them in her heart.’ Time, in reflection and prayer, would unveil all the mystery. She didn’t claim any inside track with God. She always waited for the Spirit to make the first move.
Later in life, Jesus showed a great zeal about the Temple, and he went there on a regular basis. Tradition has it that Mary would have almost been reared in the Temple. It was a place towards which religious Jews felt a natural gravitation. On the occasion of today’s gospel Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were there for the Passover festival. They seemed to be very strict about all the Jewish traditions, as we see in the stories regarding the Presentation in the Temple, the circumcision, etc. It is interesting to see how Jesus will seek to challenge the authenticity of some of those festivals, at a later date, and how he will clear the Temple of much of its ‘merchandising’, with his whip of cords.
Jesus is a personal God. It is not enough to assume or presume that he is somewhere in the Community. Throughout the gospel, his questions are quite direct and personal ‘who do you say that I am? Will you also go away? Do you love me? …’ There is a way in which I immerse myself in the community, so that I am deeply aware of his presence. As a church, we provide the body, and he provides the Spirit. If the Spirit of God is present and active within the community, then, surely, I should have some personal sense of that.
Practical
The most consistent way to deal with the gospels is to see each event as something that is happening now, and to see myself as being every person in it. As a Christian, I travel the road of life with Jesus. Sometimes I lose sight of him, and, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, I fail to recognise him. When he walked on water, his apostles thought he was a ghost, and at the tomb, Mary Magdalene thought he was a gardener. ‘In this is eternal life, to know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.’ This was the prayer of Jesus to his Father. He also says ‘I am the good shepherd; I know mine, and mine know me.’
The mystics and spiritual writers often refer to the ‘Dark Night of the Soul’. It is a time of inner darkness, when I have absolutely no sense of God’s presence at all. St Therese of Lisieux spent long periods in this darkness towards the end of her life. It was her crucifixion, and, like Jesus on the cross, she could cry out ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ We can easily get bothered when we lose this sense of God; we blame ourselves, and become troubled with guilt.
The last paragraph of today’s gospel speaks about what we call the ‘Hidden Life’ of Jesus. These were the years up to the age of thirty, before he began his public mission. His life is very ordinary. In fact, when he began to preach and work miracles, those who grew up with him in Nazareth were puzzled, and said ‘Where did this man get all this power? We have known him and his family, and he’s just one of ours.’ Most of our lives are very ordinary and everyday. It is at such times that the Kingdom grows within us. Jesus speaks of the farmer sowing the seed, and then moving away, and letting the earth do the rest. The Kingdom of God is built up by countless tiny acts, most of which are hidden. ‘Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.’
Story
When I was growing up in the country, there was a man who was classified as being’ simple’. He was to be found in the front row of church, chapel, Orange hall, or ‘meeting house’. One day he was on the main street of the local town, listening to an evangelist preacher, who addressed all who cared to listen from the back of a truck. He was talking about’ finding the Lord’. Our friend was at the front of the crowd, and he had his usual vacant grin, which the preacher may have interpreted as some sort of religious trance! Anyhow, as he thumped his bible, he turned to our friend, and asked him’ And you, sir, have you found the Lord?’ To which our friend replied ‘Naw. Have ya lost him?’
For once in his life, our friend was brilliant…
Baptism of the Lord
Theme
Today’s gospel witnesses to the handing over of the mission from John the Baptist to Jesus. No, John was not the Messiah, Jesus was. Both the Father and the Spirit bore witness to that fact.
Parable
For those of us who have grown up with the experience of infant Baptism, it is that little bit more difficult to grasp the immense significance of the Sacrament. Baptism was intended for adults only. In the time of Jesus, it had to do with repentance, and turning from sin, which certainly should not be a call made to newborn babies! I had the privilege of bringing groups on pilgrimage to the Holy Land on several occasions. One of the highlights of our trip was a Service of Reconciliation on the banks of the Jordan river, after which each person (appropriately dressed!), was fully immersed in the waters of the river for the forgiveness of sin.
Teaching
Today’s gospel is where the Saviour meets the sinners, where the Divine meets the human. Jesus joined the sinners at the river to be baptised. In other accounts, we have John protesting that it is Jesus who should be baptising him. John was a prophet, and, with the insight of the prophet, he went through with the ceremony. Immediately his action was confirmed from on high, and his best suspicions of Jesus were proven to be correct.
We are told that ‘the heavens were opened’. This is significant in that it is a reversal of the effects of original sin, when the heavens were shut. When Jesus will have completed his mission on Calvary, we are told that the veil of the Temple was rent in two. In other words, we now could come into the Holy of Holies. The voice of the Father, and the visible presence of the Spirit was clear proof that full connection has been established between heaven and earth.
John made a very clear distinction between his form of Baptism, and the Baptism that Jesus would made available to us. John’s baptism was for the forgiveness of sin. Jesus would bapthise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He would anoint us, make us holy, and enable us to share in the fullness of the Divine life.
Response
It is strange that Jesus had already spent thirty years on this earth by this time, with nothing extraordinary happening. He was being prepared for his mission, by living and experiencing the ordinary everyday hum-drum life of those around him. While being divine, he put his divinity to one side, and lived a full human existence. He would be guided by the Father in everything he said and did. He must have spent long periods in prayer, which, for him, was listening.
While he was preparing himself for his mission, John the Baptist was preparing the way for him. They were cousins, of the same age, and their first meeting was extraordinary, in that they both were in their mothers’ wombs at the time of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. John’s father, Zachary, prophesied about the coming Messiah. He said that he would visit those in darkness and in the shadow of death, and that he would guide our feet into the way of peace, so that’ free from sin, and saved from the hands of our foes, we might serve him in holiness and gladness all the days of our lives in his presence.’
At the beginning of creation, God took the clay, and breathed his Spirit into it. Once again, as in a new creation, the Spirit comes upon Jesus, and John tells us that Jesus will make this possible for everyone of us. It is a new creation; it is salvation, which is not something I get when I die, but the grace to start again any day I choose. Being called to share in the life of divinity is to be called to share life with the Father, Son, and Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity are represented in today’s gospel.
Practical
I conducted an adult education course recently, and the theme for eight nights was Baptism. Because most of us were baptized as infants, we discovered that we didn’t know a great deal about Baptism. We knew the externals, the water, candles, oils, etc., but we had to spend quite a lot of time trying to come to grips with what Baptism really implies for anyone of us. Quite a lot of our time was spent on prayer, reflection, and silences. This is mystery, and we depend totally on the Spirit to reveal this to us. One thing we did discover was it was time well spent, because our understanding of Baptism was the foundation of much of the rest of the gospel message.
Those of us who were baptised as infants had no input into the process. That is no longer an excuse today. I can renew the commitments of my Baptism any day I choose. My Baptism gives me certain rights. Through it I am enrolled in the family of God, and I am a member of God’s Kingdom. The Kingdom now is what we call heaven later on. I could be greatly blessed if I renewed my Baptism commitment every single day.
My Baptism brings me under the Niagara of the Father’s love. I, too, can hear the Father say of me ‘This is my beloved child…’ The Spirit is poured out upon me once again. I am anointed and empowered through my Baptism. I can sally forth into each day with the prayer ‘Lord, may your Spirit within me today, touch the hearts of those I meet, either through the prayers I pray, the words I say, the life I live, or the very person that I am.’ My Baptism gives me a whole new focus and purpose in life.
Story
A pig and a chicken were out for a walk one day. The pig wasn’t too bright, and tended to repeat everything that others said or suggested. The chicken remarked ‘Those are very nice people down in that house down there.’ ‘They are, indeed,’ replied the pig, ‘they are very nice people.’ ‘They are very good to us,’ continued the chicken. ‘They are, indeed,’ replied the pig, ‘they are very good to us.’ ‘Do you know what I was thinking?’ asked the chicken. ‘No,’ said the pig. ‘What were you thinking?’ ‘I was thinking that we should do something for them.’ ‘That’s a very good idea,’ replied the pig, ‘I think we should do something for them. What did you have in mind?’ ‘I was thinking,’ said the chicken, ‘that we should give them something.’ ‘A brilliant idea,’ said the pig, ‘I think we should give them something. What did you have in mind?’ ‘I was thinking,’ said the chicken, ‘that we should give them bacon and eggs.’ The pig quickly stopped in his tracks, and said ‘Definitely not! For you that’s only a slight inconvenience, but for me it’s a total commitment!’
Baptism is intended to lead us to a total commitment, and our acts of Christian charity should be seen as anything but slight inconveniences.
.
