John receives a “cut” of the covenant. Luke 1:67-79 for the morning and early afternoon on December 24. In the Gospel of yesterday and today’s Mass, the newborn son of Zechariah and Elizabeth is eight days old. It is the day to circumcise the boy and give him a name among the Israelites, thereby taking him into the covenant of God with Abraham. Neighbors and kin have come to witness the cutting, expecting by tradition that... Read more
Through the voice of Mary, the still embryonic Christ started a chain reaction in the world. Luke 1:39-45 for December 21 in Advent In the Gospel at Mass today, Mary, newly bearing Christ in her womb, visits Elizabeth. Then, at the sound of Mary’s greeting, three persons answered. Firstly, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy. Secondly, the Holy Spirit flooded Elizabeth. Thirdly, knowing that Mary was already bearing Elizabeth’s Lord, Elizabeth cried out in a... Read more
The root of unreality and distance in relationships is sin. A sinless woman brings no unreality or distance into relationships. She can relate to us more closely and truly than can any other human person. Luke 1:26-38 for Sunday, December 20, in Advent. Hail, full of grace! We are too familiar with those words. But the Bible is not familiar with those words. In the original ancient Greek of the Bible, full-of-grace is a single word that... Read more
The Offensive Savior and the Forgotten Beatitude: And Blessed Is the One Who Takes No Offense at Me. Luke 7:18b-23 for Wednesday in the Third Week of Advent. Knowing our own sinful tendencies and the weight of suffering, we may think the Gospel of Christ seems at times to be either too hard or too good to be true. Perhaps, at times, in the midst of sadness, fear or anger, we may feel tempted to say to... Read more
A man named John was sent from God. John came for testimony, to testify to the Light. John was not the Light, but came to testify to the Light. John 1:6-8,19-28 for the Third Sunday of Advent. In the beginning of his testimony to Christ the Light, John said: there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. John came... Read more
Dear Juan, dear Juan Diego…. Know, be sure, my dearest and youngest son, that I am … Mary, mother of the one great God…. I want very much that they build here for me a temple, in which I will show Him, I will exalt Him on making Him manifest; I will give Him to the people in all my personal love, in my compassionate gaze, in my help, in my salvation, because I am truly your compassionate mother,... Read more
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ Isaiah 48:17-19 and Matthew 11:16-19 for Friday of the Second Week of Advent. Today in the ancient prophecy of Isaiah, God tells us his commandments are for our good. They open the way for us to live forever in his presence. But for his part, God in Christ lived in our... Read more
I preached this at a Mass for a Catholic grade school, and only touched in passing on the meaning of saying Mary, the Immaculate Conception, was conceived immaculate, that is, free of all stain of sin. Instead, I spoke of Mary’s role and relationship in regards to Christ and to us. Luke 1:26-38. Immaculate Conception … those big words are the name we give to Mary today. Mary is the Immaculate Conception. Those words mean that Mary’s life... Read more
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. From Luke 5:17-26 for Monday of the Second Week of Advent. Helpers of a paralyzed man showed their faith in Christ’s healing might, breaking open a roof to get the man to Christ. But they and the crowd got more than they... Read more
Gratification and the Christmas Tree, Repentance and the Tree of the Cross. For the Second Sunday of Advent: Is. 40:1-5,9-11; 2 Pt. 3:8-14; Mk. 1:1-8. During these first days and weeks of this time called Advent, the prayers and readings at Mass are not yet turned head-on at making ready for Christmas that marks the first advent or arrival of Christ long ago. Rather, for now the prayers and readings bear in mind making ready for the final... Read more
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