My New Year prayer for you is taken from the Word of God.

First from the Book of Numbers 6:23-27:

"May the Lord bless you and keep you!

May the Lord let  his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

May the Lord look upon you kindly and give your peace!"

Then from Colossians 2:6-7:

"So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, 

rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith 

as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

A Happy, holy and fruitful New Year!

 Our existence is not accidental, but planned. Our existence has a defined purpose, which should guide our life. By God's divine plan from all eternity, we were loved into life. Our time on earth is not the important factor. Our reason for being is. Whether we live one day or eighty plus years on earth, none of this matters. Whether we live with God eternally does. That is the sole purpose of our begin created in his own image and likeness, so that we may share in his glorified life eternally. And when mankind sinned and lost this possibility, the Word became flesh to give his life for our life, to reconcile us to the Father.  It is through Jesus' death and resurrection we now have access once more to the eternal life God desires for us. Don't lose this second chance but strive for the prize that awaits us, life on high with God.

 During this season of Christmas we reflect on gifts. The gift of the Father to us is his Son Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. "God so loved the world that he gave us his only begotten Son." We too are a gift of the Father, who delights in us. We are made in his own image and likeness. Our life is a reflection of his love for us.  How often we fail to see ourselves as a gift and to rejoice in the gift we are. When we do, we are expressing our gratitude to God. At the same time, we are a gift to others and they to us. The gift we can give is wrapped in love and service, is lived in peace and communion, is marked by forgiveness and mercy.

We are blessed by God and are called to bless others.  It is important that we reflect on how blessed we are by God. We believe in God, while so many people do not. We share in God's divine life, many people do not. We have heard the word of God that sustains us on our journey of life, while many people ignore or even reject the Word of life. We have fellowship with God, while many people live in desolate isolation. 

But all the blessings that God pours forth upon us are given that we in turn can bless others. The gift we have been given is to be given to others. A body of water that has no outlet becomes stagnant. While a body of water that receives and gives remains life-giving. So too with us. God blesses us so that we can bless others. If we hoard our blessings, we run the risk of losing them. When we receive and give to others, there is a real joy that wells up within us. It is the joy of being blessed and being a blessing to others.

 "God came to us because he wanted to join us on the road, to listen to our story, and to help us realize that we are not walking in circles but moving toward the house of peace and joy. This is the great mystery of Christmas that continues to give us comfort and consolation: we are not alone on our journey. The God of love who gave us life sent his only Son to be with us at all times and in all places, so that we never have to feel lost in our struggles but always can trust that he walks with us."

The story of Christmas is the fulfillment of the continual word of God to us throughout the Old Testament. "I am with you." We read in St. John's Gospel: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." He is Emmanuel: God with us. But there is a greater dimension to God is with  us. He came also to be within us and we in him. This was to fulfill his plan for us, namely, that we would share in his divine life and be with him  glorified  forever in his eternal presence. It was sin that alienated us from God. It was his coming, death and resurrection that has restored us in our relationship with God. Now, God can be in  us and we in God.

 The mystery of Christmas!

The mystery of the Father's love!

The mystery of the Son's love!

The mystery of the Spirit's love!

"The Word became flesh and dwelt with us."

Our response is to enter into this mystery of love by responding with joyful love!

A blessed and holy Christmas to each of you! May Emmanuel be with  you!

As the daughter of the Father, the spouse of the Holy Spirit and mother of the Savior, Mary was a woman of faith. Even before the conception of Jesus in her womb, she was among the “anawin” of Israel, believing and expecting the promises of God to send a Messiah to be fulfilled, hopefully in her lifetime.  Pope Francis said: “In Mary . . . is fulfilled the long history of faith of the Old Testament, with its account of so many faithful women, beginning with Sarah: women who, alongside the patriarchs, were those in whom God's promise was fulfilled and new life flowered."

Little did she expect to be called by God to be the mother of the Messiah. Her faith in the word of God is stretched.  She is to become the mother by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.  She is the first to have faith, to be a believer.  Mary didn’t seek proof from Gabriel when she received his startling news.  She trusted and believed.

Mary first conceived Jesus in faith and then in the flesh, when she said “yes” to the message God gave her through the angel. What does this mean?  The fathers of the Church said, “It means that God did not want to become man by ignoring our freedom; he wanted to pass through Mary’s free assent, her 'yes’”. Mary, we pray for a deeper faith.

Mary is the beloved daughter of the Father because she received his love and freely and totally loved in return. The Father has many daughters, but only one that is his beloved. By grace she is more open to his revelation, more responsive to his initiatives, more submissive to his will.

As the beloved daughter, she heard the word of God and ponder it in her heart.  She was a woman of intimate silence and contemplation. She is a woman of very few recorded words, since her communication was more interior than verbal.

As the beloved daughter of the eternal Father, her love response was agape love, the love God has for us and asks of us in return. It is a total other focus love. Only when God is seen and responded to as the beginning and end of one’s life, can one respond with agape love. This is the love Jesus called forth from his committed disciples. This was the love Mary received from the Father and responded to, as perfectly as any human being can. Mary is our role model in our relationship with the Father.

 God has revealed in the Scriptures that, not only he wants us to be with him, but he wants to be with us. When he created Adam and Eve in his own image and likeness and shared his divine life with them, they walked with God in the Garden. Then they sinned and lost this intimacy with God. Throughout the Old Testament we read how often God says: "Fear not. I am with you." He was with them in power and in signs and wonders. But in Isaiah he reveals the heart of his desire for us. "A virgin will conceive and bear a son. He shall be called Emmanuel, God with us." Jesus is the fulfillment of that revelation.  "The Word took flesh and made his dwelling with us." Yet, the desire of God is greater than being with us and we with him. He desires to be in us and we in him. This is the original intimacy and it will be the eternal intimacy we are called to experience. What a mystery! How much God loves us to want us to be in him and he in us. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

"Hail full of grace." Pope Francis said: “Before calling her ‘Mary’, the angel calls her “full of grace”, and thus reveals the new name that God has given her and which is more becoming to her than the name given to her by her parents.”

Pope John Paul II: “From the moment of conception, in fact, her soul was filled with every blessing, enabling her to live in outstanding holiness throughout her earthly life. Mary's face reflects the mysterious face of the Father. The infinite tenderness of God-Love is revealed in the maternal features of Jesus' Mother.”

Because of her being full of grace throughout her life, she had a special relationship with God. She was the beloved daughter of the Father, uniquely chosen by him among all other women to be the future Mother of his Son and the spouse of the Holy Spirit.

St. Augustine said it this way. “The world being unworthy to receive the Son of God directly from the hands of the Father, He gave his Son to Mary for the world to receive Him from her…God the Father imparted to Mary his fruit-fullness, as far as a mere creature was capable of receiving it, to enable her to bring forth his Son and all the members of his Mystical Body.”

Christmas Novena Prayers

Opening Prayer

O Lord, Word of God, You, whose glory is complete, came to us in perfect humility as a child in the womb. Your love for us and humility is unsurpassed and brings us to our knees in prayer and worship.

Your incarnation forever changed the world.

All Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and forever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

December 17

O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!

December 18

O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!

December 19

O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!

December 20

O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

December 21

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

December 22

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

December 23

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

Concluding Prayer every Day

Let us pray:

Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin, at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem. I implore you, Lord, to hear my prayers and grant my desires.

(Mention request(s) here)

We offer this prayer to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit through the intercession of Mary and St. Joseph. Amen.

The Psalmist said: “In the anguish of my heart I groaned aloud.” What is that inner groan?   It is the desire of the heart. Again the Psalmist says: “All my desire is before you.” What is the central desire of the heart? Is it not to fulfill our purpose for existence? We were created out of love by God that we might share in his eternal life. The deepest desire of our heart is to see and be with God. St Augustine captured this when he said: “Lord, our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

St Augustine says in another place: “Yet there is an interior kind of prayer without ceasing, namely, the desire of the heart. Whatever else you may be doing, if you but fix your desire on God’s Sabbath rest, your prayer will be ceaseless. Therefore, if you wish to pray without ceasing, do not cease to desire.”

Don’t let that desire diminish. Don’t let the lure of sin extinguish the flame of desire for God. Become more conscious of this desire and cry out interiorly more loudly: “Lord, I want to see you and be with you more than anything else.”

 Recently, Pope Francis gave a teaching on the need to be vigilant, not only in regards awaiting the coming of the Lord in glory, but also in regards to our heart.  The Evil One seeks to enter into our hearts through our thoughts. If we don't take captive our thoughts, as St Paul warns, then these thoughts will make us captive, leading  us into sin. Thus, we need to always be vigilant to the subtle ways the Evil One comes against us. He knows our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, better than we do. The temptations he throws at us are not the problem. If we are not vigilant, we will fall for the temptation. But if we are vigilant, we can ward off the temptations and reman in union with God. Ask for the grace of vigilance each day.

Homily Fourth Sunday of Advent Year A

Reading 1: The Kingdom of Judea was being attacked by a foreign nation. The King and all the people were afraid. He is contemplating aligning himself with another king to defend Jerusalem.

God sends the prophet Isaiah to the king to tell him not to be afraid but put his trust in God who will defend him and defeat the enemy’s army without the king having to do anything. Ahaz was not convinced, even though exteriorly he says he doesn’t want to put God to the test. So Isaiah told him to ask for a sign. But the king was afraid to. But Isaiah said the Lord will give you a sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, who will be named Emmanuel, meaning God is with you.

As promised, God delivered his people from their attackers. The initial fulfillment was that the future king Hezekiah was conceived at this time and his mother was unmarried. The fuller meaning was yet to be fulfilled. As we have heard in the Gospel, it is the prophecy that God made to David concerning a future king from his line and that his throne will be everlasting. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Emmanuel. God was with the people of the Old Covenant and with the coming of Jesus, our Savior, is with us today. He is a God who is with us in the present moment.

Gospel: As Ahaz was disturbed by the attack upon his nation, so Joseph was disturbed by the realization that Mary, his betrothed was with child, but not his. As a righteous man, he could not condone or cover up what he thought was infidelity. At the same time, because he loved Mary and wanted to protect her from the scorn and shame of what people would say, he chose to divorce her by a letter. This was allowed by the Law without stating the reason.

But God had another plan to protect Mary, who was still a virgin and had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit the Savior of the world.

In a dream an angel appears to Joseph and reveals the true identity and mission of the child. Matthew then connects this revelation to Joseph with the prophecy of Isaiah to Ahaz. “A Virgin shall conceive and the child shall be known as Emmanuel.”

Joseph believed in the message of the angel in his dream. In contrast to Ahaz, Joseph was not afraid to do what the Lord told him. He loved God and he loved Mary. He wanted to do what was right and just in the sight of God.  Joseph submitted to God’s plan for him: to protect Mary and the child, to provide for her and the child, to trust in God, laying down his plans and embracing God’s plans. Joseph’s life would not be easy. He would have to make many sacrifices.

Reading 2: Ahaz was called to stand firm in faith, trusting his life and that of the people to God. Paul emphasized the mystery of the person of Jesus, Son of God in power and descendant of David in the flesh. One person but two natures: Divine and human. He also points to the prophets of old by proclaiming the Good News of God’s love in the person, life and deeds of Jesus.

Paul was called to be an apostle, one who belonged to Jesus and is sent out to proclaim the same Good News to others. We too the beloved of God by birth and by rebirth in baptism. We too belong to Christ because he redeemed from eternal alienation from God through his death and resurrection and he immersed me in the waters of baptism. We too are sent out to witness to others. We witness our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We witness by showing sincere love to others, truly wishing them a blessed Christmas.

 A common experience that many people, including the saints, have is dryness in prayer. The tendency is to give up, which is the wrong choice. God allows us to have aridity in prayer as a test of our desire and love for him. If God is expected to always answer our prayers quickly, then can become callous in our relationship. We presume on his generous grace, as if we deserve it on our own merits. If relationship with God is that essential in our life, what are we willing to endure for it? Persevering in our times of dryness prepares our heart for the more that God has for us. He is always faithful and in times of dryness we are expressing our faithfulness to him.

 In today's readings, Jesus tells the parable of the father who told one son to do something and he said "yes" but did not do it. Then the father told a second son the same thing. He initially said "No", but repented and did the will of the father. Doing the will of God is a central message in the Scriptures. It was at the  heart of Jesus' relationship with the Father. "I have come to do the will of him who sent me." It is a key part of the prayer he taught his disciples. "Thy will be done."  The issue for God is not that we say "No" initially, but that we realize our sin, repent and then do the will of God.  Doing the will of God is a daily challenge in our lives.  It is a test to see if, after all that God has done for us, we will truly make him first in our lives by doing what he asks of us. This includes what we really don't want. Jesus did not want to suffer the cruel death of crucifixion. "Father, take away this cup. Not my will but yours be done." We pray for the grace to be obedient to God even in those crosses we find too hard to bear.

 Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. One of the virtues that Mary exhibited in her relationship with God was joy. Her joy flowed from awareness of what God had and was doing in her life.  She expressed her joy in witness to Elizabeth. "My soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid...For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name." How joyful am I? Is it obvious to others? Do I like Mary have cause to be joyful for what God has and is doing in my life? Is joy a criteria of my life? Jesus' prayer was, "I have spoken my words to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be fulfilled." Paul reminds us: "Rejoice always. The Lord is in our midst."  Our joy does not come from the world, but from the Lord, who is our strength. Mary, help me to rejoice in all that God has and is doing in me. May my joy be a witness to others.

I invite you to join me on Zoom on Thursday December 15 for Part 3 on Mary in Advent. Feel free to share and invite others. Thanks. 

Topic: Mary in Advent, Part 3 by Bishop Sam Jacobs

 A Christian who isn't joyful is a Christina who is lacking something, or else is not a Christian. Is is a heartfelt joy, the joy within which leads us forth and gives us courage."

As Christmas is a season of joy, Advent is a time to live in joy in anticipation of Jesus' coming in a fresh, new way into our lives. Is it possible that joy is the door through which Jesus comes to us? So many  people are filled with anxieties and fears; so many people are enveloped in loneliness and self-concern. Why is joy missing in their lives? They forget the source of Joy. Jesus. They forget the reason of our joy, namely, our salvation and the gift of sharing in his divine life. Recall what God has done for us out of his love and respond to his blessings by being a witness of joy to others. We need to take the admonition of St. Paul to heart: "Rejoice always. Again I say, rejoice. For the Lord is near and in our midst."

"Today we contemplate the humble girl of Nazareth who, by an extraordinary and ineffable privilege, was preserved from the contagion of original sin and from every fault, so that she could be a worthy dwelling-place for the Incarnate Word. In Mary, the New Eve, Mother of the New Adam, the Father’s original, wondrous plan of love was re-established in an even more wondrous way. Therefore the Church gratefully acclaims:  “Through you, immaculate Virgin, the life we had lost was returned to us. You received a child from heaven, and brought forth to the world a Savior”  (Pope St. John Paul II)

When the angel appeared to Mary to announce the plan of God for the conception and birth of the Savior through her, his greeting was simple and to the point. "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you."  In this he referred to the original name God gave her, "full of grace" before her parents named her "Mary". By God's design Mary was full of grace from the very first moment of her existence in her mother's womb. This was so that she could be the perfect vessel to later conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit the Savior of the world. The Lord was within Mary by grace and shared life before he was was within her as a child.  This grace enable the Son of God to be conceived as the Son of man. Lord, thank you for this special grace you gave Mary so that we may be able to receive the special grace of your beloved Son from Mary.

Homily Third Sunday of Advent Year A

Reading 1: To understand Isaiah’s words, we have to put ourselves back in his time. The people of Israel had been conquered by their enemies because they did not live up to their covenant with God. They are in exile. In the midst of this desolate reality, Isaiah gives a message of hope.

 Isaiah finds joy even when things look bleak. Isaiah is prophesying what will happen when the promised Messiah comes. Nature itself will rejoice with celebration, the desert will bloom.  Isaiah sees beyond the weak hands, trembling knees, and lost hearts. He reminds the people that they will see the glory of God.  He reassures the Chosen People: “Be strong. Fear not. Be prepared. The Messiah comes to save us.” This is the reason for Isaiah’s joy: the promise of God to save them. How will they know? What the prophet hold on to is the conviction that everything will be transformed: Signs and wonders will occur: the blind will see; the deaf hear, the crippled will walk, and the mute will speak.

When the people returned from exile they experienced the initial fulfillment of God’s prophetic word. Jerusalem was desolate, but in time with the encouragement of God they rebuilt the city and the Temple and the glory of God returned to the Temple. But we know that the real fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy was fulfill by Jesus, who saved us from our sins and restored us to a sharing in God’s own life.

Gospel: John is in prison. He wants to make sure he made the right decision in pointing out Jesus as the Messiah. The doubt that John is expressing is not a questioning of his belief but a question of clarity. John had his own expectations about what the Messiah would do once he came. He thought he would be a fiery prophet like himself, condemning the sinners. John’s expectation was that Jesus would take up his prophetic mantel and continue to confront directly those who were not living righteously. The way Jesus was ministering was different than the way John ministered and expected Jesus to minister.

Instead, Jesus reassures his cousin that just as he fulfilled the plan of God, preparing for his coming, so Jesus himself is fulfilling the plan of God but in a different way. Fiery preaching was John’s method, Signs and wonders are Jesus’

Credentials. He preaches and confirms his words with signs and wonders or he performs signs and wonders with a teaching following.

Jesus say, “You John came in the spirit of Elijah, calling the people to repentance and confronting the powers to be head on. As Elijah’s life was threatened by Jezebel the queen, your life is threatened by the wife of Herod.” John fulfilled his role and suffered beheading in witness to his words. Jesus will suffer crucifixion in fulfillment of the words of the prophets.

We rejoice that John fulfilled his role in life, even though he was martyred for his conviction. We rejoice that Jesus fulfilled his role as Savior, even though he was crucified. Like Paul, we glory in Christ crucified, because through his death we have been saved and given a share in the life of God.

Reading 2: Isaiah was preparing the people for the first coming of the Messiah. Jesus is preparing us for his present and final coming.  Paul tells us that while we wait in patience and with firm hearts for his second coming, we need to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus in the present moment. How? We are called not to complain about one another, not judge others, but endure suffering from others as Christ did for our sake. We are called to keep our eyes on the coming of the Lord and not be distracted by the slights and criticism from others. It takes a bigger person to bless and not curse, to turn the other cheek and not strike back.

 Today is the Feast of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. I came across this quote from him for our reflection during Advent. "The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt.”

We can apply this to all of us. Because of Jesus's death and resurrection we have been given the greatest gift of all, redemption and eternal life with God. When we die, that will be our entrance ticket into the eternal kingdom of God. Sharing in the life of God is our treasure. So, when we give alms to someone this Advent, it is not so much an act of charity but a payment on the debt we owe to God for sharing his life with us. It is a debt we can never hope to pay back. But our sharing with others is one way we can express our gratitude to God. The opportunity to give to another is a greater blessing for us more than to the other.

 Join me tonight on Zoom as I present part two of Mary in Advent.

“Advent is a moment of grace to take off our masks — every one of us has them — and line up with those who are humble, to be liberated from the presumption of the belief of being self-sufficient, to go to confess our sins, the hidden ones, and to welcome God’s pardon, to ask forgiveness from those whom we have offended.

“This is how to begin a new life. There is only one way, the way of humility — to be purified from the sense of superiority, from formalism and hypocrisy, to see ourselves, along with our brothers and sisters, as sinners, and to see Jesus as the Savior who comes for us, not for the others, for us, just as we are, with our poverty, misery and failings, above all with our need to be raised up, forgiven and saved.” (Pope Francis)

The call of Advent is to prepare the way for the Lord to come to us in this present moment. The words of Pope Francis helps us to do this. What is preventing us from being more open and vulnerable to the grace of God? What sin are we holding on to? What needs to be done to make room for Jesus in the very center of our lives? We can prepare a barn or we can give him the guest room. It is our choice. We can long for his coming and be excited when he comes. Or we can be caught off guard  and unprepared when he comes. Come, Lord Jesus, can be a prayer of the heart or prayer of the lips. Our hearts can be filled with many things or made emptied to receive the most important gift, Jesus.

 Third Sunday of Advent Gospel A

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 

· Why is John questioning whether Jesus is the Messiah or not? John’s understanding of what the Messiah would do was different than what Jesus was doing. He was expecting a fire and brimstone Messiah.

· John knows that his time is coming to an end and he wanted to be reassured that his life was not for naught. Ever questioned whether your life had meaning, given the circumstances?

Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” 

· Jesus reassures John that his ministry is actually fulfilling the prophecies concerning the Messiah, especially those of Isaiah. (Isaiah 26:19; 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1).

· Jesus is asking John to trust in the Father’s plan for him rather than in John’s own expectations.

· Jesus wasn’t rebuking John for his questions but urging him to stand firm in his own conviction that he did the right thing.

· How hard is that for us to trust in the Father’s plan when it is different than what we want?

As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” 

· Jesus now affirms John’s ministry and identifies that he was truly a prophet of God. To do this Jesus cites the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the messenger who would prepare the way of the Messiah.

· What is Jesus saying about John and himself? John was the prophesied forerunner pointing the Messiah out and Jesus was the Messiah whom John pointed to.

· What do we apply from this passage in our own lives?

 This is now faith  that gives birth to new life. It is placed at the end of a process of which, in the tenth chapter of the Letter to the Romans, St. Paul traces, almost visually, the various phases, drawing them on the map of the human body. Everything begins, he says, from the ears, from hearing the proclamation of the Gospel: “Faith comes from listening”.. From the ears, the movement passes to the heart, where the fundamental decision is made“ with the heart one believes”. From the heart, the movement goes back to the mouth: “with the mouth one makes the profession of faith”:.

 I will present Mary in Advent  part 2 on Zoom on December 6 and part 3 on December 15. Here is the information to participate. Please invite others to participate. Thanks.

 Prayer for lighting 2nd week of Advent wreath candle 

“Escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him. Enter into your mind’s inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and whatever helps you to seek him; and when you have shut the door, look for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire. Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you.” (St. Anselm)

 This should be our attitude and prayer during this Advent season. Seek the face of the Lord who comes to us a new way, so that we can be with him in a new way. In the midst of the business of Bethlehem, even though there was no room in the hearts of many, he came in the stillness of time to those who awaited him and sought him. Do not let the business of our lives be the reason he does not come to us. Take time to seek him. Like St Anselm said: “Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you.”

"To wait with openness and trust is an enormously radical attitude toward life. It is choosing to hope that something is happening for us that is far beyond our own imaginings. It is giving up control over our future and letting God define our life. It is living with the conviction that God molds us in love, holds us in tenderness, and moves us away from the sources of our fear.

 Novena to the Immaculate Conception

November 30 and ending on December 8

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Immaculate Virgin! Mary, conceived without sin! Remember, you were miraculously preserved from even the shadow of sin, because you were destined to become not only the Mother of God, but also the mother, the refuge, and the advocate of man; penetrated therefore, with the most lively confidence in your never-failing intercession, we most humbly implore you to look with favor upon the intentions of this novena, and to obtain for us the graces and the favors we request. You know, O Mary, how often our hearts are the sanctuaries of God, Who abhors iniquity. Obtain for us, then, your angelic purity which was your favorite virtue, that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone, and that purity of intention which will consecrate every thought, word, and action to His greater glory. Obtain also for us a constant spirit of prayer and self-denial, that we may recover by penance that innocence which we have lost by sin, and at length attain safety to that blessed abode of the saints, where nothing defiled can enter. 

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. 

You are all fair, O Mary.

And the original stain is not in you. 

You are the glory of Jerusalem.

You are the joy of Israel. 

You are the honor of our people.

You are the advocate of sinners.

O Mary. Virgin, most prudent.

Mother, most tender.

Pray for us.

Intercede for us with Jesus our Lord. (Mention your request)

In your conception, Holy Virgin, you were immaculate.

Pray for us to the Father Whose Son you did bring forth.

O Lady! Hear my prayer.

And let my cry come to you.

Let us pray

Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and mistress of the world, who forsakes no one, and despises no one, look upon me, O Lady! with an eye of pity, and entreat for me from your beloved Son the forgiveness of all my sins; that, as I now celebrate, with devout affection, your holy and immaculate conception, so, hereafter I may receive the prize of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him whom you, in virginity, did bring forth, Jesus Christ Our Lord: Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, lives and reigns, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.

Homily Second Sunday of Advent Year A

Reading 1: Last Sunday, the prophet Isaiah invited us to come to the Lord to receive instructions so that we may able to walk in the light of the Lord. Today, the Church continues to listen to the prophet Isaiah. He tells us good news of hope. Even though things may look lifeless and hopeless, like an old stump of a tree, life will bud forth, a shoot shall break forth.

This was an allusion of the future Messiah. The Spirit of God will anoint him in his humanity for his own personal growth in his relationship with God: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge and fear of the Lord. These are the same gifts we received in Baptism, so that we can delight in the Lord.

Last Sunday, Isaiah talked about peace: one nation will not rise against another. This Sunday he speaks of the harmony between human beings and the animal world. When the Messiah comes he will restore relationship between us and God and between us and all creation. The same as it was before the Fall. And the focus is to free us to come to be filled with the knowledge of God. Not only is this peace for Israel but for the Gentiles as well. Advent is a time for us to fulfill what Jesus accomplished through his death and resurrection, namely, peace and harmony between God and us and us with others.

Gospel: As Isaiah was a prophet of hope, so John the Baptist is a prophet of hope. His role was to prepare the way for the Messiah. He does this by calling people into true and sincere repentance for their sins and to express this inner repentance through an external sign, baptism. But for this external sign to bear good fruit, they must turn away from sin, so that when the Messiah comes they can receive him. It will be then that they will be able to act on his word.

They are to prepare with expectation, because what the Messiah will do is baptize them in the Holy Spirit and fire. John’s baptism was a preparatory step to the greater gift that Jesus will offer, namely the Holy Spirit. Jesus will begin, like John, calling for repentance for sins which prepares the person for the grace of reconciliation and forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Like John’s call for some fruit in a person’s life, Jesus too calls for the fruit of witnessing to what God has done for us in the power of the Holy Spirit.

How many people were baptized by John and how many of these became open to the ministry and word of Jesus? How many persevered in their walk of faith? We have been baptized, we have been forgiven, we have been fed, we have been anointed. Where is the fruit, the evidence in our lives? Advent is a new beginning, a new response, a new longing for a fresh coming of Jesus and the Spirit into our lives. But it is a times of fruit on our part.

Reading 2: Paul is also a prophet of hope. He reminds us that the scriptures are written for our instruction, so that as we hear and act on God’s word, we might have the hope, giving us endurance in the midst of life’s difficulties. The source of our endurance and encouragement is God.

As Jesus died for all, we are called to be at one with all, to be at peace.

Through this harmony and peace we praise and glorify God. Unity and peace was the prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper. The exchange of peace at Mass is not just an external ritual but needs to be a reflection of our way of life.

As Paul said: “Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you,” Advent reminds us that if there is no room for others in our heart then there is no room for Jesus there.

 As important was the first coming of Jesus and his second coming in glory, equally important is his coming in the present moment. How we receive him in the present moment may indicate how really we responded to his first coming and will determine our situation at his second coming. For in the present moment he will come to call us to our personal accountability before him who created and redeemed us. That will determined the confirmation of the final judgement, whether we are one one of the sheep on his right or one of the goats on his left. It is his coming in the present moment that we need to be watchful and prepared for we do not know the day or the hour.  He comes to us in the present moment in many ways through many people. These are preparations for that moment when he will come through our death to life beyond the grave. The previous comings were like pop-up quizzes. The coming in death is the final exam. Always be ready.

I apologize that I could not give my teaching yesterday. Had technical issues, which I think I have resolved. So I will try again Wednesday night, Nov 30. Here is the link and other information you will need to connect to the Zoom room. 

Topic: Mary in Advent by Bishop Sam Jacobs

 Second Sunday of Advent Gospel A

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 

· This call is consistent with the prophetic message of the Old Testament. John adds the urgency for the need to repent: the coming of the Messiah. Later, Jesus begins his own preaching in the same vein but adds the important message: Reform your lives and believe in the Good News.

It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 

· Matthew wants to connect the ministry of John to that of Isaiah. Matthew also wants to show that what John is doing is fulfilling the prophetic message of Old Testament.

· How does God want us to prepare the way for the Lord in our heart during this Advent season?

· What do we need to repent of and change in so as to better respond to the Word of God?

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair  and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 

· These are the trappings of a prophet, who totally commits himself to do the work he was sent to do and to totally depend on the Lord even for his sustenance.

At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. 

· What was the difference between John’s baptism and the baptism inaugurated by Jesus? In one there is merely acknowledgement of sin so as to be better prepared to receive the Messiah. In the Sacrament of Baptism, there is the actual removal of sin and its effects in our life and the entering into the shared life of God. In the first, it is the effort of the individual that is central. In the other, it is the work of God that brings this about.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 

· John is questioning the motives of these groups. He was aware of their self-righteousness based on their relationship with Abraham. They considered themselves the pure stock, almost above sin.

· It is interesting that Jesus is going to pick up on their relationship with Abraham in his encounters with them. Jesus confronted this conviction and said: “If Abraham was your father you would have accepted me. For Abraham rejoiced in seeing me.”

Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 

· What fruit are you bearing in your life?

· Jesus uses the same idea when he talks about a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit.  Or when he cursed the fig tree for not bearing fruit.

I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. 

· John acknowledges that he is less than the Messiah. This is not just a statement of humility but a fact in who he is and who the Messiah is; what he does and what the Messiah will do.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

· What are the qualities of fire that John is emphasizing here?

· Does not Jesus use the same language in the parable of the wheat and the weeds?

· What does God want of you in response to your reflection on this passage?

 Yesterday, we focused on the past coming of Jesus in time. There is another coming that we profess in the Creed every Sunday, namely Jesus' coming at the end of time in glory. He will come to judge the living and the dead. In his first coming many did not receive him. He still died on the cross to save everyone. In his final coming in the future he will finalize the eternal life of everyone. Those who lived and died in Christ in their life time will hear the confirming word: "Well done, share in my Father's presence at the banquet of plenty." Those who did not receive him or share in his life in the years of their earthly existence will hear these words confirming their decision. "Depart from me into the everlasting darkness of unfulfillment." That day will be great for those who lived in him but horrible for those who did not. His judgment is an affirmation of our life-decisions. He does not have to condemn. We have done it ourselves, if we failed to receive him in this life. Lord, may I welcome you in this life so you can welcome me in the next.

 This is just a reminder concerning the first of three teachings on Mary in Advent on Zoom. The first will take place tonight, November 28, 2022 at 6:30pm Central Time. It will last for 30 minutes. If you would like to join me, here is the information you will need.

 ID is 677 091 7946

Password MWw89u

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/6770917946?pwd=SHlQTFR3Sm9KRURkU0ZpeXdKQkQ3QT09

 As we begin this new Advent season, we again will reflect on the coming of Jesus. He came in time. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." This coming we will commemorate and celebrate on Christmas Day. In our celebration we can either be like Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds or like the populous in Bethlehem. The former opened their lives to believe and receive him into their hearts. "Mary pondered these things in her heart." Or we can be like the latter who provided no room in their hearts. They were too busy about the business aspect of the census crowd pouring into Bethlehem. What will be our focus this Advent? Will it be like Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds whose focus was on Jesus, centering everything around him? Or will it be like the many others in Bethlehem, centering on the externals, buying presents, decorating, preparing the food, entertaining? While Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds received Jesus, the others did not even know he had come. It is his birth we celebrate. Thus, he should be the main focus.

"How unreasonable it is to pray that God’s will be done, and then not promptly obey it when he calls us from this world! Instead we struggle and resist like self-willed slaves and are brought into the Lord’s presence with sorrow and lamentation, not freely consenting to our departure, but constrained by necessity. And yet we expect to be rewarded with heavenly honors by him to whom we come against our will! Why then do we pray for the kingdom of heaven to come if this earthly bondage pleases us? What is the point of praying so often for its early arrival if we would rather serve the devil here than reign with Christ." (St. Cyprian)

As we come to the end of another liturgical year, we are reminded that our home is not here. We are citizens of heaven by virtue of Baptism. How often we see people forgetting this truth, especially at the time of their dying! And yet the attitude that we should hope to have when the Lord comes for us is looking forward to fulfilling our purpose for existence. God created us that we may be with him eternally in glory. Leaving our earthly family for a period, should not hold us back. For one day we will see and be with each other in the presence of God, if we have lived in his presence on our journey. Like Paul, we should be running with conviction towards the prize of life eternal. 

 Prayer for the lighting of the Advent Wreath.

During the first week one candle is left burning during the evening meal and at prayers.

Homily: First Sunday of Advent Year A

Reading 1: The people of Israel are experiencing both external threats and internal struggles. Externally, the surrounding nations are seeking to overcome them and subjugate them. The answer of Israel is a state of war. Internally, many of the people have forgotten their covenant with God. They are seeking to be a nation like the surrounding nations.

God sends the prophet Isaiah to speak the message of truth. He speaks about the mountain of Zion, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. About the mountain he says: “In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain.” About the city he says: “For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” And about the Temple, he says: “Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain to the house of the God of Jacob.”

What the people of Israel forgot was the Lord and his role in their lives. They were reminded that if they walked in the light of the Lord, they would be taken care of. Walking in the light of the Lord meant being in right relationship with God and acting on his word.

It was God who brought them out of bondage in Egypt with signs and wonders. It was God who purified them in the crucible of the desert before bringing them into the land of promise. It was God who established the kingdom of David. They forgot that when their ancestors depended on the Lord, they were victorious over their enemies.

As we begin this new Advent season, we are reminded that the Lord is with us on our journey. We are called once more to walk in the light of the Lord, who is our true peace.

Gospel: Jesus says that in spite of the warning given the people of Noah’s day, they kept sinning and refused to believe in the word of God. When the devastating flood came they perished. Jesus said that the same thing will happen when he comes again in glory. Those walking in darkness will perish, while those walking in the light of the Lord will be saved.

What are we to do? Stay awake and be watchful for the Son of Man will come when he is least expected. This coming can be our personal death or the final coming of Jesus. To stay awake and be watchful is another way of saying to follow and live the way of the Lord consciously and intentionally, not in fear but in readiness. For being with the Lord in fact now will insure that we will be with the Lord eternally through the moment of death.

As we prepare to celebrate the commemoration of Jesus’ first coming in the flesh through human birth, we are called to remember that Jesus is coming to us in the present moment and he will come again in a final moment. To commemorate one—Christmas—but not living in the light for the other two will mean that we did not act as the children of light but as children of darkness.

Reading 2: Paul continues the theme of light. There are two parts of focus. The first part:  “Our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith.” How often do we think of our salvation? Are we prepared for death, which could come as a thief in the night?

The second part: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, the way we prepare for our ultimate salvation is twofold: cast off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Cast off the deeds of habitual sin, serious mortal sin as well as lesser sins. Sin is the world of darkness. Sharing in the life of Christ in truth and love is the world of light and salvation.

To put on the Lord Jesus means do not conform ourselves to this generation of darkness but be transformed by the renewal of our minds, choosing what is the will of God, what is good, perfect and pleasing to God.  In this way we can prepare for the celebration of Christmas and for the coming of Jesus at death or at the end of the world.