2012

My, oh my! Jesus seems a little insensitive, doesn’t he? “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Then Luke adds these interesting words: “But they did not understand what he was saying to them.” Is there anyone in this room who has not felt at some time in your life that your parents did not understand you? Of course not. All of us have had times when we felt like our families didn’t understand us. Conflict within families, particularly between the generations, is as old as time. It’s not easy being a parent at any age nor is it easy being a young person. One mother said, “Doctor, I’d like you to evaluate my 13 year-old son.” “OK,” said the doctor, “He’s suffering from a transient psychosis with an intermittent rage disorder, punctuated by episodic radical mood swings, but his prognosis is good for full recovery.” The woman was surprised. “How can you say all that without even meeting him?” she asked. The doctor said, “Didn’t you say he’s 13?”

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Holy FamilyRead More »

The forecast of snow brings to mind one of my favorite poems, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost. Drawn by the beauty of a gentle snow fall, the rider wants to stop and watch the woods fill up with snow, even if his little horse should think its queer to stop without a farmhouse near. But he knows that he must move on. “The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

Someone is relying on him to keep his word. We live in an age when promises in politics, business, or even our relationships evaporate as quickly as a snowflake hitting a warm window pane. Christmas, on the other hand, is a reminder of a promise God made three thousand years ago to liberate us from the darkness of sin.

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ChristmasRead More »

Tonight is Christmas Eve. See how different the church looks! The tree in the loft filled with lights, many flowers around the altar, and garlands on the walls, making everything look so festive and bright. It sure didn’t look like this the last time you came to Mass, did it? I imagine your home looks different too.

How many of you have a Christmas tree in your living room? Is your tree as big as our tree? Do you have stockings hanging over the fireplace? Do you have a nativity scene? Is it as big as the one we have near the parish hall?

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Christmas Eve Family MassRead More »

A woman, whose husband died six months before Christmas, sat down to write a Christmas card to a close friend. She wrote, “Some say to me, ‘This first Christmas without your husband will be hard for you.’ It will be, of course. But without Christmas, my life would be impossible.”

At the time of her husband’s death, that woman thought that God had turned out the light. But then came the Christmas Message of hope to remind her that God had reached out and turned on the light for all time and for all people.

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4th Sunday of AdventRead More »

Despite its penitential overtones with shades of purple, Advent is really meant to be a time of joy. Paul tells us, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” The prophet, Zephaniah, urges his community, “Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exalt with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!”

Given what happened in Connecticut, joy is not on our minds this weekend. The tragedy of another senseless rampage, this time claiming the lives of 20 children has dampened the joy of the season for many across America. So what will it take to find joy if we are not so inclined? That question may have prompted many to ask John the Baptist, “What should we do?”

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3rd Sunday of AdventRead More »