Traffic Report (2011-12-11, Advent)

This is my homily for Sunday 11 December 2011. I am a Catholic chaplain in Teaneck at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) campus and for the FDU Newman Catholic Association. We celebrate Catholic Mass - during Fall and Spring semester - every Sunday Evening (7:30 p.m.) at the Interfaith Chapel, 842 River Road, Teaneck, NJ.

[_01_] This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent.

[_02_] In the Advent Gospel, John the Baptist speaks of a road, quoting Isaiah the prophet. The road, the highway which we are called to build, pave, construct for the Messiah, the Lord, the child Jesus.
The Gospel tells us of travelers (drivers) on this road who have made the excursion to desert, to repentance, to baptism, to see John the Baptist.

[_03_] What is on the road for you and for me? Are we on a journey, always moving straight ahead or, are we sometimes distracted? What would draw our attention? What would slow us down?

[_04_] FIRST – sometimes, we are concerned about being pulled over, stopped.
If we are moving down Route 4 or moving down the hallway at school, we are subject to authority, to certain rules of behavior, speed limits.

And, we may find these limits, ethics, rules to be relatively easy in a familiar territory. That is, we know the speed limit on Midland and Continental (Route 4 and the Garden State Parkway) after we have lived in River Edge (New Jersey) for a while. Or, we know what’s expected after we have been in a particular school, classroom for a while.

But, consider that we sometimes find ourselves to be the

• Taking care of a new person or new child at home
• The new kid on the block
• The new person in the classroom.

How do we feel about the rules of the road in these situations?

Do we, sometimes, feel lost? For example, if we were surrounded by other people who do not share our convictions, then, we might feel lost.

This Advent, we gather here not ALONE in the desert, but communally in the desert, in a spiritual sense, to see where Jesus is meeting us.

And, our journey to the Lord, our highway, is not in the desert literally, but in the desert spiritually for repentance and for the water of his forgiveness and mercy.

(Remember ..tomorrow evening Monday December 12, 7:30 p.m. is our Advent Penance Service here at St. Peter’s in the church).

[_05_] SECONDLY – on the road, there is often ongoing construction. The traffic report on the radio tells us – every 10 minutes – what is happened outbound the George and inbound at the Lincoln. Sometimes, our lane is slowed down due to paving, digging, repairs on the bridge or tunnel.

Why the changes in infrastructure, structure, concrete, steel? We wait for this cement to dry so that we can have smoother faster journeys.

Do we accept ongoing construction? In the car or train, we try to avoid it all costs, don’t we?

But, in our lives in general, this may not be possible. The ongoing construction due to:
• Illness, oneself, other
• Death in the family
• Sharing of burdens
• Retiring from a job, seeking a new job.

These ongoing construction projects cause you and me to slow down.

And, sometimes we may even be re-routed to an unfamiliar place – the desert of John the Baptist?

At such a time, the ongoing construction reminds us about some of the basic
principles of our Christian life, our prayer life. This is not about speed, but slowing down - to pray, to fast at times (to sacrifice) to give alms (charity, generosity).

These actions will also smooth our rough edges.

[_06_] THIRDLY – on the road, you and I can be easily distracted by other drivers.

Do I spend my time gazing (rubbernecking?) at others, wishing, they’d go faster ...or wishing that I were driving their car ..or walking in their shoes?

Don’t we sometimes complain about the person in the next car?

Francis de Sales reminds of the Gospel verse, “judge not lest ye be judged” and “condemn not lest ye be condemnded.” (Luke 6:37)
Francis de Sales observes that we sometimes reverse this commandment regarding ourselves and others. That is, isn’t it easier (more likely) that I will turn by judgment upon another person rather than myself?

I can do this regarding both the good and evil of life. Regarding the good, I may so envy another person’s talents or gifts that I do not recognize who I am in God’s eyes.

Regarding the evil, I may feel such bitterness towards another person’s actions that I do not reflect or repent of my own sins. This repentance could remind me that God has mercy on BOTH of us. The Blood of Christ has been poured out for both of us.

[_07_] John the Baptist directs us – re-routes us – gives us a detour - to a new highway where we seek to hear and recognize God’s call to each of us. [_fin_]