Advent Adventure

 

                      1st Sunday of Advent

                      C cycle

 

 

A few years ago three films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic story, "The Lord of the Rings," enjoyed enormous critical and popular success. Issued in three successive years around Christmas time, they were a box office smash. The third in the series, entitled, "The Return of the King," won the Academy award for "Best Picture." Most of us know by now that both the three volume book and the films tell the story of a great journey or adventure undertaken by a group of men, elves, dwarves, and the now famous hobbits.

 

The adventure begins however in a smaller book of Tolkien's called "The Hobbit." In that book one particular hobbit is woken out of a quiet peaceful afternoon nap by a violent knocking on his door. To his amazement he is told that he must rouse himself out of his comfort and complacency and embark on a dangerous adventure whose end is far from certain. In the course of the adventure he will find that there is more to life than he ever dreamed, and that there is more to himself than he ever dreamed.

 

Isn't it odd that the word "advent" is contained in the word, "adventure"? Advent is not just a time of preparation for Christmas, it is a time for all of us to consider how far we have progressed on the great adventure of life. Let's consider the first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah: 

 

       The days are coming, says the Lord,

       When I will fulfill the promise

       I made to the house of Israel and Judah.

 

The prophet is speaking about a new age when everything will be different. 

 

This is the reason why Advent, the season which marks the beginning of the Church year, has traditionally begun with readings reminding us of the end of the world. In today's gospel from St. Luke, Jesus refers to the calamities that will occur at the passing of the old world. Nevertheless, he tells us not to fear but to stand erect and raise our heads for our redemption is at hand. Our Lord's advice whether it be the end of the whole world or just the end of our own little world is the same. "Be  vigilant at all times." When the time comes, we should be ready to face it. In particular, we should 

 

       Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy,

       From carousing and drunkenness

       And the anxieties of daily life...

 

Advent has always been regarded as a season of preparation. Why is it that we prepare for everything in life but often fail to prepare for the most important thing in life? What football team would go into the weekend's big game without practicing all week? What will they practice? Why, the very same formations and plays that they expect to use when they are put to the test. During the week they will also be in the weight room preparing their bodies for the blows to come. On game day they will put on their protective gear or armor. Only a fool would go into such combat improperly equipped.

 

In business it's much the same thing. Salesmen practice their presentations before facing their customers. They learn how to anticipate and overcome every objection. In politics look how even the presidential candidates go through rigorous prepping and role play before debating their opponents.

 

How should we prepare for life's great adventure? Let's see if we can come up with a list of things to do this Advent season they will help us on our way. First, let's take St. Paul's advice. 

 

       Increase and abound in love,

       For one another and for all…,

       So as to strengthen your hearts,  

       To be blameless in holiness….

 

We can all think of ways to "throw off the works of darkness," but St. Paul also urges us to "put on the armor of light." There is no better way to do so this season than by increasing our attendance at Mass. Certainly, in this season when we should all be looking forward to the coming of Christ, he comes to us in each and every Mass. Besides Sunday Mass we will celebrate the great feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, a true Holy Day of Opportunity. 

 

Finally, I can think of no better way to counter the stress and worry of this mad shopping season than to attend daily Mass during Advent. We will find a half hour of peace and tranquility every day and encounter some of the most beautiful readings in the Missal. We will get an opportunity to reconcile ourselves with God and our neighbor when we recite the Kyrie Eleison, the Confiteor, the Our Father and the Agnus Dei. We can offer the kiss of peace to our friends and family. We can offer thanks to God for all the good things that have been given us, and then we can approach the altar to receive the true gift of Christmas, the gift of God's only Son. 

 

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Reading 1. Jeremiah 33: 14-16

Reading II. 1 Thessalonians 3: 12—4:2

Gospel. Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36 (Be vigilant). 

Happy Thanksgiving

 

The first Thanksgiving in America was celebrated in St. Augustine in Florida when a Spanish priest said the first Mass on the newly discovered continent. That would have been about a century before the Pilgrims landed.

The word eucharist is a Greek word that means thanksgiving. Its root, from which our word charity is derived, literally means a gift of love, in particular a gift of divine love. The earliest Fathers of the Church used the word Eucharist to describe the Sacrifice of the Mass. Holy Eucharist means Holy Thanksgiving.

The Mass consists of two parts: a liturgy of the Word, and a Liturgy of the Eucharist. The second part begins with the Offertory. Members of the congregation, representing the entire assembly, bring up the gifts of bread and wine that will be offered to the Father. What is the purpose of the procession? What is the nature of these gifts?

It is a natural thing for people who have been blessed or gifted to want to give back. As the Psalmist says, “What return shall I make to the Lord for all that He has given me?” Here we have the basic reason for attendance at Mass. We come not to get something out of it but to try to give thanks to the Lord for all that we have been given.

What can we give back? A few dollars? A tenth of all we earn? What do a few coins or pieces of paper matter to the Creator who has given us every good thing? The only thing we have of any real value is our immortal soul. Again the Psalmist says, “a soul contrite and humble You will not spurn.” Ultimately, the gift that we bring to the altar at the Offertory is the gift of our very selves, the promise that we will give our whole life in service to God and our neighbor.

After the Offertory procession the priest goes up to the altar and prays that the bread might become “the bread of life,” and that the wine might become “our spiritual drink.” Then he prays that our sacrifice “may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

Please note that it is “our” sacrifice. The priest acts as our agent, our representative, our ambassador in presenting our offering to the Father. Will the offering of ourselves be acceptable?

After the completion of the Offertory, the priest begins the Eucharistic or Thanksgiving prayer. He asks us to “lift up our hearts,” and says, Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Thanksgiving is the theme of all that follows. In the Preface we pray: “Father, it is our duty and our salvation…to give you thanks through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.”

Again, is our gift worthy? The priest understands his own unworthiness and introduces a new priest or ambassador. “We come to you Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son. Through Him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice.” In other words, our gift, our sacrifice, the gift of our very selves must be merged with the gift of our Lord, with His own Sacrifice on the Cross.

We then proceed to the Consecration of the Mass. The words of consecration in our missals were being used by the earliest Christians even before they were written down by the four Evangelists and St. Paul. Our Lord had said to “do this in remembrance of Me.” When we hear the words of Consecration we are taken back to that first Eucharist which our Lord celebrated on Holy Thursday. When the priest pronounces the words of Consecration not only does the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, the celebrant becomes Christ. We believe that at every Mass it is our Lord himself who is he celebrant, our agent, our ambassador.

If we believe this, we have been given a great gift, the gift of Faith. At the end of the Eucharistic prayer we join in the acclamation or “Great amen.” Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father.”

Now we can proceed to Communion. We have brought our gifts to the altar. The sacrifice has been offered and accepted and now we publicly prepare to receive back more than we could ever give—the Body and Blood of Christ. To prepare ourselves we first recite the Lord’s Prayer to ask for forgiveness and healing. In the Rite of Peace we offer the Kiss of Peace to our neighbors as a sign of reconciliation.

Just before the reception of Communion we say two more prayers asking for peace and forgiveness. First, the ancient Agnus Dei or Lamb of God, and then we paraphrase the words of the Roman centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” Now we are ready to receive the body and Blood of the Lord.

After Communion there is very little left to be done in church. Our Eucharist or thanksgiving has been accepted. Our gifts have been returned to us a hundredfold. The priest dismisses us telling us to “Go in the peace of Christ to love and serve the Lord.” We have been transformed and now we are dismissed to go and transform the little corner of the world in which we live.

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Christ the King

                                Christ the King

                      B cycle

 

Today's feast of Christ the King marks the end of the church year. Although Christians have always believed in the Kingship of Christ, the feast is a relatively recent one dating only from 1925. Pope Pius XI instituted the new feast after a devastating world war which saw millions killed and empires fall. The Kaiser of defeated Germany was forced to abdicate his throne; the Tsar of Russia was deposed and executed by angry revolutionaries; the Austrian empire--the heir to the Holy Roman empire which had lasted for over a thousand years--was broken up into a number of small states; and the Turkish empire, which had ruled the Middle East for over 500 years, was also overthrown, an event which led to the anarchy in that area which persists even today. Even though the English monarchy survived the war, the mighty British empire was mortally wounded. 

 

At a time when the very idea of Kingship was on the way out, the Pope chose to emphasize the Kingship of Christ. The Second Vatican Council reemphasized the importance of the feast when it moved it from the last Sunday in October to the very last Sunday of the church year. Naturally, the theme of today's readings is Kingship. The first reading from the Book of Daniel speaks of one who has received “dominion, glory, and kingship.” 

 

       His dominion is an everlasting dominion

That shall not be taken away,

His kingdom shall not be destroyed.

 

In America we have never been partial to kings or the idea of Kingship. We pride ourselves on being a government "of the people, for the people, and by the people." It wasn't only that our founding fathers revolted against King George III of England but their aversion to kingship went even deeper. 

 

Kings were supposed to be God's divinely appointed representatives on earth. Their coronations were religious ceremonies where the new king would be anointed with holy oils by a religious leader. Political philosophers spoke of the "divine right of kings" to justify their power. Ever since the time of King Henry the Eighth, the kings and queens of England had acted as head of the Church of England. Old traditions held that the King even possessed miraculous healing powers. It was believed that merely touching his cloak could cure many physical maladies.

 

By the time of our revolution it was clear that most kings were not what they were supposed to be. Many had come to their thrones not by divine right or election but through violence and usurpation. Many did not behave like representatives of God especially when it came to being good shepherds. A King was supposed to be the best and noblest man in the nation but often he seemed to be the worst. Even if they started out with good intentions, power corrupted them.

 

But what if there was a person whose teaching was both simpler and wiser than any of the world's great philosophers? What if this same teacher was able to calm storms at sea and even walk on the angry waters? What if there was a person who did indeed possess miraculous healing powers? -- if merely touching his cloak could cure both physical and spiritual ailments? What if there was a person who could feed the multitudes not only with bread for a day but with the bread of everlasting life? What if there was a person whose power was so great that he could even bring the dead back to life? Finally, what if there was a person who rather than being corrupted by power, surrendered his own life for his people? Shouldn't we call that person our King?

 

In today's gospel from St. John we see our King on this last Sunday of the Church year on trial before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. In this scene Pilate puts the question to Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered:

 

You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.

 

All year we have been reading St. Mark’s account of our Lord's journey to Jerusalem. We've followed Him on the journey, heard the famous parables, witnessed the miracles and the miraculous cures and healings. He asked us to take up our cross and follow Him and promised that if we would do so we would enter into His Kingdom. Actually, He said that His Kingdom would enter into us--that the Kingdom of God would be within us. 

 

Let's end this Church year by visualizing the scene on the Cross. Let's imagine that we are one of the thieves being crucified along with Jesus and that our own journey through life is coming to an end. Wouldn't we want to hear the famous words in the gospel when the King turns to us and says,

 

       Amen, I say to you,

       today you will be with Me in Paradise.

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Reading 1. Daniel 7: 13-14

Reading II. Revelations 1: 5-8

Gospel. John 18: 33b-37 (You say I am a king)

Hope Springs Eternal

                            3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

                           B cycle

 

         

The month of November is sometimes called the month of the dead. As we look around we see the leaves falling from the trees, the sun riding lower in the sky and setting earlier and earlier. Animals are preparing for the long cold winter. 

 

The Church year also follows the cycle of nature. We began this month with the great feast of All Saints, and then remembered all the departed on All Souls day. Throughout the month we will remember our beloved departed and next week we will celebrate the feast of Christ the King where we will come face to face with the end of the world and the Last Judgment.

 

Although we are confronted with the end of the world in today’s readings, we should also understand that they also deal with the end of our own little personal world, and how we should face it. 

 

As a senior citizen I make it a regular practice to look through the newspaper obituaries every day. I like to joke that I do so just to make sure I am not listed. Actually, it is a practice both edifying and sad. It is good to read about those who had productive lives and left so many well-wishers behind. It is really sad to come across names of those who have passed away at a relatively young age. Finally, reading the obituaries makes me wonder why I am still living while others have been taken away.  

 

Today’s readings, however, contain a promise and a hope of eternal life. The first reading from the Book of prophet Daniel speaks of the end of time when all the dead rise.

 

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; 

Some shall live forever,

Others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. 

 

 

 

The Old Testament Book of Daniel was written only a few hundred years before the time of Jesus. It is clear that our Lord was familiar with it for in today’s reading from Mark’s gospel, He speaks of the end of time. It is a powerful image.

 

The sun will be darkened,

And the moon will not give its light,

And the stars will be falling from the sky,

And the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

 

No one knows when the end of the world will come, but we all know that our own life will come to an end, and that we will no longer see the sun, and the moon, and the stars. What can we do about it? How should we prepare.

 

It is easy to say that we might look back over our lives and wish that we could have done better, or that we should take steps to mend our ways before it is too late. However, instead of fear and trembling, I think it better to face the end with hope.

 

We all know about the three great virtues: faith, hope, and charity. By definition, a virtue is a habit, something that if we do it often enough, it becomes easy and natural. We all know that the greatest athletes practice more than anyone to develop their skills. How many shots does a great basketball player take in practice so that when the game is on the line, he can make the crucial shot?

 

It is easy to practice faith and charity. For faith, we just have to do our duty. The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fidelis or Always Faithful. The little acts of charity we perform even as children should lay a foundation that will last for all our lives. But what about hope?

 

As the old saying goes, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” It would appear that hope is even part of our genetic makeup. In spiritual terms it is a gift from God, Nevertheless, things can happen in our lives that can make us reject the gift and turn to despair.

 

 We see signs of despair all around us today. The suicide rate, especially among teenagers and college students, is rising. Millions of people in this country are taking anti-depressant medications to deal with their worries. Should we be surprised at such statistics when so many in our society are urging us to abandon God and reject his great spiritual gifts.

 

For the past few Sundays the second reading has been taken from the Letter to the Hebrews. The basic message of that letter is that Jesus has died for our sins and that we do not have to despair. He has risen and we too can rise and hope again. 

 

 Jesus told us that all we have to do is love one another. In practical terms loving and caring for others is the best way to take our mind off ourselves and our troubles. From the very beginning Christians have realized that faith, love and hope are inseparable.

 

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Reading 1.  1 Daniel 12: 1-3

Reading II. Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18

Gospel. Mark 13: 24-32 (My words will not pass away)

The Widow's Mite

                            32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

                           B cycle

 

 

        

Today’s first reading from the Book of Kings tells the well-known story of Elijah, the greatest of the Hebrew prophets, and a poor widow and her son who are about to die of starvation.  A drought has caused famine in the widow’s city and she and her son have lost all hope. 

 

Nevertheless, Elijah asks her for food and drink and promises that the Lord will not let her and her son starve.  She bakes her last bread and gives it to Elijah, and sure enough her jar of flour does not go empty. 

 

In today’s gospel Jesus notices another poor widow near the Temple treasury. Although wealthy citizens are obviously putting large sums into the treasury, Jesus points out that though the impoverished widow has deposited only two small coins, she has contributed more than all the others. She had made the ultimate sacrifice. She had given all she had, “her whole livelihood” while the rich had only given from their surplus.

 

This story reminds me of the days I used to help count the Sunday collection proceeds in my own parish. We would separate the cash from the envelopes and then open each envelope and record the contributions. Every Sunday one woman would just put a couple of small coins in her envelope. It could be that she was just thumbing her nose at the pastor, but I like to think that what she gave meant a lot to the woman. It always reminded me of the widow in today’s gospel. 

 

Today, in reflecting on the gospel, it seems to me that the Temple treasurer should have returned the widow’s contribution, and given the poor woman much more in return for her great gift.  Unfortunately, in those times and in ours, officials seem to be much better at taking in money than giving it out. In the first part of the reading Jesus tells his listeners to beware of the scribes, the temple officials who lord it over others. 

 

Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes

and accept greetings in the marketplace,

seats of honor in synagogues,

and places of honor at banquets.

They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext

recite lengthy prayers.

 

In another place Jesus told his new hierarchy of disciples not to become like the leaders of the Gentiles who lord it over their subjects. Their mission was to serve. Unfortunately, today many leaders in all denominations are little different from secular officials who live high on the hog, and seek to be served rather than to serve the people they have pledged to serve. They are public servants in name only.

 

A few years ago I visited the Cathedral in San Francisco, a huge architectural masterpiece that must have cost a fortune to build. Unlike the cathedrals of old, there were no crowds of pilgrims streaming in and out of this gleaming modernistic structure. It was virtually empty. The early cathedrals were signs of humility since they were built by the sweat and labor and contributions of ordinary people. The new cathedral in San Francisco seemed built by arrogance and pride.

 

In today’s second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are told that “Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands.” All of our churches today contain sanctuaries made by human hands but we must realize that the real sanctuaries in the church are the ordinary people in the church who have given themselves in the same way as the poor widow in today’s gospel. 

 

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Reading 1.  1 Kings 17:10-16

Reading II. Hebrews 9: 24-28

Gospel. Mark 12: 38-44 (The Widow’s Mite)