Presence. Holy Family Sunday (2023-12-31)

___ Click Here for Audio of Homily ___ 

____ Click Here for Video of Mass ____ 

Homily, Holy Family Sunday ●●  2023 December 31  ●● Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 ● ● Psalm 128 ● ● Col 3:12-21 ● ● Luke 2:22-40

 [__01__]    In this gospel of Holy Family Sunday, we read about Simeon and Anna, members of the temple who are elderly. They have been present in the Temple for many years. Simeon’s age is unlisted number. Anna’s age is given as 84 years old

Why are they in the Temple? They are the Temple because they believe that the Savior is coming to the temple. They've been waiting for the Savior to come to the temple. And now he's finally here.

And Simeon says, These are famous words:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go  in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”  (Luke ch. 2)

Simeon says he can die in peace as a result of seeing the Savior. When we are waiting for somebody, then we can be at peace.

This is an example of me not quite at peace because I was waiting for somebody.

[__02__]   Several months ago, on a Sunday afternoon, there was a Mass in the university chapel and gathering afterwards at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University.

          While I was there, I met many other priests from the Archdiocese of Newark and some from outside the Archdiocese of Newark who had traveled there.

          One of the travelers from out of town was my friend – Father Anthony – who is a priest in Wilmington, Delaware.

          We were at the seminary together back in the early 2000’s.

          He has visited NJ several times. Sometimes, when he does, he stays the Lourdes parish rectory here in West Orange overnight.

          I did not know he would be at Seton Hall that day, so I did not invite or expect him at Lorudes.

          Nevertheless, I said, “hey, Anthony, what are your plans for the evening? Are you driving back to Delaware or staying in New Jersey? Do you need a place to stay?”

          He said that he might.

          “Do you want to stay at the Lourdes rectory?  I actually asked him if he still had a key to the place which he showed me – along with his driver’s license so that I knew it was really him. I did not say that. He had a key for the building. He also had his own car and keys.  I told him to let me know what his plans were.

          Then, we parted ways and he went to talk to some people and I went in a different direction.

          I never heard from him again at the Seton Hall event. I drove back from South Orange to here and went to the front of the rectory. I had left him a voice mail, but did not get a reply.

          While I was sitting at my desk in the front of the rectory, I heard a sound by the back door and kitchen, but thought nothing of it.

          There are always sounds !

I continued at my computer.

Later at around 11 pm, I went out the parking lot and saw a car parked there which I did not recognize.  And the parking lot should have been empty of cars. I was annoyed and thought about having it ticketed or towed.

Of course, you have figured this out faster than I did !!

I noticed the car had Pennsylvania license plates which remind me that this car belonged – all along – to Anthony. Then, I finally looked up and saw the light was on a guest room. He had been there all along.

 

I saw a light on and a guestroom and then I thought now I can go in peace. Now I can sleep in peace knowing that he's there. I wondered what had happened. He actually told me later they got lost in Maplewood on his way, South Orange as they say as we say in texting “IDK”. I don't know. But I was glad he was here. His experience reminded me that someone can be present in our lives without us being aware of their presence.

 

[__03__]  This is similar to the unseen presence and sometimes the presence of somebody can be threatening to us or make us uncomfortable. This is the this is what happens to King Herod Herod the king of Israel who hears about the birth of the Savior, the Savior King and Harriet is threatened by the birth of the Savior and he cannot find him.

Herod wants Jesus ticketed and towed and more taken out of his life.

By whom do you feel threatened or uncomfortable? Many of us may feel it as times. If somebody says something that makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy. You may feel like a deer in headlights, you may not know what to say or what to do.

You may think that you will I didn't have any comeback at that moment. Therefore I can't say anything. Sometimes that's true. Sometimes a moment passes and we can't say anything.

But we can also pray about Well, Lord, what do you what are you calling me to say?

Or, what in this moment that makes me feel so uncomfortable? Is there something I can say or do? And and also ask, Lord, are you not in my house? In my life?

Isn't the Holy Spirit always in our house? So, Samuel, Anna and Simeon, are recognizing the presence of Jesus the presence of the Savior in their lives

Jesus presence has been recognized before. Mary recognizes the presence of Jesus from the moment of his conception. From the moment he's conceived, reminding us of the sanctity of life, that the sanctity of life, the sanctity of a person's life begins not at birth, not on their, the day of their birth, but really at the moment of their conception. We're called to protect the sanctity of life.  The presence of somebody whom we cannot see, is undeniable in this regard.

Life has sparked each time we welcome God into our lives each time we turn to God for mercy for forgiveness, or we try to extend forgiveness to others. This is a way for us to welcome God into our God's presence into our lives each day to remember that he is in your house. He is in our house.

 

[__04__]

This One is ... (Christmas 2023)

___ Click Here for Audio of Homily ___ 

____ Click Here for Video of Mass ____ 

 Homily, Christmas, Mass at Night ●  2023 December 25 ● ● Isaiah 9:1-6 ● ● Psalm 96 ● ● Titus 2:11-14 ● ● Luke 2:1-14 ● ●

 [__01__]  Once upon a time, I heard there was there was a young child who was learning about the Christmas Nativity scene and the significant figures.

          She was eager to share what she had learned, her knowledge, with a grown-up relative whom she pulled into the room up to the statues, pointing out:

o   This 1 is the sheep.

o   This 1 is the shepherd

o   This 1 is the angel.

o   This 1 is Joseph

o   This 1 is Mary.

          And, then, between Joseph and Mary, she points to the crib, asks: do you know this 1 ?

The grown-up says, “you tell me”. And she says:  This 1 is breakable à fragile.

 [__02__]  When Jesus our Lord comes to us born in the flesh, He comes with strength and wisdom and miraculous powers. Yet Jesus remains fragile as a divine person with a human nature, human form and human fragility.

We read in Philippians, ch. 2 that …. “Though Jesus that he was in the form of God did not deem equality with God, something to be grasped that it was. So it was to us that He humbled Himself obediently accepting even death, death on a cross.”

The Gospel of Christmas is about introducing us to the one of whom the angels sing:  “Glory to God in the highest. But it's also been introducing us to the humility of God present in a human person who is fragile, breakable”

What is calling to situations of fragility or breakability?

I suggest there are two responses, in gospel terms: “service”  and “forgivenesss/repentance”

[__02.01_service_]

Every year you so many of you respond generously to our
“Giving Tree” Project, starting in November and leading up to Christmas. You bring gifts for both grownups and children for whom life and security are fragile.

I myself must realize that I have lived a relatively comfortable life and have never doubted that there'd be enough food and gifts in our home, not just on Christmas, but every day.

And while my siblings and I joke around humorously that my parents kept the heat too low in the winter time and that we were cold, this is truly an exaggeration. It is a way to laugh at my parents careful in their spending.

We did not live fragile lives as children and my parents insulated us not just with heat, but with love keeping us from breaking down.

As a priest, I have been inspired by your solidarity with the poor, to assist in The Giving Tree to give back. And now that we are really here at Christmas, we can ask ourselves: who else is fragile in my life or your life?

For whom can I make room at the inn?

Is there somebody in my class on my school bus in my family, for whom I am called to make room at the inn?

One response to fragility is service.

[__02.02_forgiveness_]

Another response to fragility is forgiveness and repentance. Jesus comes among us as the incarnate Lord through whom “service” is rendered: washing the feet of his disciples, replenishing the wine at Cana, and feeding the hungry crowd. But he also comes with a greater gift, which is the forgiveness of our sins.

He forgives us not because we are strong, but because we are weak and fragile. Here's one example in my life that I remember. When I was first ordained a priest, I was serving here at O.L. Lourdes with our pastor Monsignor Joe Petrillo, from whom I learned much about our ministry.

We had a good working collaborative relationship, but I must admit we did not see eye-2-eye and agree on absolutely everything all the time.

In one instance, I felt compelled to tell him what was wrong and kind of to tell him off.

I realized that I had overstepped my bounds. I really didn't want to apologize, because after all, I was right.

But eventually, I realized that our relationship as brother priests and co workers in the vineyard was more important than and being proven correct. The relationship was fragile.

[__03__] Many of us have relationships that are fragile. Or some of our closest loving relationships are fragile. They're breakable and they need nourishment. They need insulation and climate control.

Going to confession as a Catholic going to confess is the way we speak about what is fragile in my life or in your life, but also a way to be strengthened and love of God and love of neighbor.

Forgiveness is something to pursue because we are fragile, and also by cleansing and purifying our hearts, we have the strength, both to ___ forgive those who trespass against us,

And ____ encourage others to follow the gospel and to do the right thing.

[__04__] Knowing that I am fragile breakable, I may sometimes withdraw from encouraging other people to do the right thing because I know I don't do the right thing!

Why should I encourage other people but being forgiven when having a pure heart we can speak about doing the right in a charitable loving way.

Yes, we are fragile, we are fragile temples of the Holy Spirit. But still we're temples of the Holy Spirit.

 [__05__]  Joseph and Mary, as the foster father and mother of the Son of God give us an example of how to receive Jesus the Word of God into our fragile lives. As Father Ronald Knox wrote, they care for Jesus not simply to make Him their own child, but to prepare to give this child away to the whole world.

We receive Communion, the incarnation of God in the flesh and the body of Christ, not only for our own nourishment, but also to give Christ away by our own actions of service, and our spreading of God's message of forgiveness.

[__06__]  Several months ago, my father and mother bumped into an old friend who also told them that he had some connections at a local hospital with doctors. And he felt very strongly that my mother and father should call him if they had any health issues or needed a referral to find the right doctor. This was a nice offer. Life and Health are fragile. So my parents were pleased to make this connection. I was pleased they made the connection. My father expressing his faith in both his personal access and medicine, “Well, I guess this means I'm going to live forever.”

Well, unfortunately, in the physical realm, all of us have limited time spans and lifespans. But by accepting Jesus as your Savior and my Savior and following up in service and forgiveness, and by repentance, we can be aware of a life beyond this world.

So even though our we have a life that is fragile and breakable, we can keep eternal salvation and security in mind. We can live forever.

911 / 411 Annunciation / Advent (2023-12-24, Advent Sunday)

___ Click Here for Audio of Homily ___    

____ Click Here for Video of Mass ____ 

Homily, 4^th Sunday Advent  ●  2024 December 24 ●● 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 ● ● Psalm 89  ● ● Romans 16:25-27 ● ● Luke 1:26-38

Title: 911 / 411 Annunciation / Advent  (2023-12-24, Advent Sunday)

[__01__]      This is the 4^th Sunday of Advent, although by your vision and seeing we are on the verge of Christmas Day …. thanks to our art and Environment Team have set up our altar so beautifully with our trees and lights.

[__02__]  This Sunday morning, by reading the Annunciation gospel, we are pumping the brakes on the Gran Prix race to Christmas day. Everything is more “annunciated” and accelerated this year because Christmas falls on Monday, tomorrow, December 25. I'd like to touch on the “Annunciation of Jesus’s birth” in reference to a type of announcement. The word annunciation means announcement.

[__03__]  Recently, one of our buildings our school building received an upgrade to its fire alarm system, new wiring, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, communication. Fortunately, praise God, we have not needed to use this for an actual fire for an actual 911.

We have only used it for fire drills or false alarms. But this new system has a device that perhaps was could be defined in biblical or doctrinal terms. It's called the “annunciator” panel or screen on the fire alarm. And the annunciator panel is shows with sound and words where the fire alarm was pulled, or where the fire is, or where the smoke condition is. We never had this information before with date, time and location. And it will keep our West Orange firefighters safe as well. So it's all good news.

[__03__]    Why do we use a fire alarm? This fire alarm system? Why is there this screen / panel? Why is there the Annunciation? Is it only for 911? Now, of course we all know that we dial 911 on the phone for emergencies.

But there is also another service – less used these days --- where you can call not just for emergencies but simply to look up a phone number or address. This is 411 information.  I admit that if you are younger than 39, you might not recall 411 as a service. Fewer of us press 411, because we have websites and Google searches and everything.

          I’m making this contrast – to ask myself as well – do I, do you, do we only turn to God in 911 emergencies?

          I can easily turn to God at such urgent moments. And I want that problem solved right away.

It's good to pray to God in times of crisis, and emergency. But it's also important to pray for God just for 411 Just for more information. And sometimes I have trouble doing this. Maybe I feel moved to make a decision or I have to do something right away. And I don't like waiting, waiting, waiting around for information to make my next move.

Mary, our Blessed Mother in this gospel is praying not just at a time of 911. She's going to be the mother of God. This is urgent. But she also has some 411 type questions like How can this be I have no relations with a man? How am I going conceive and bear a child?

And she's waits for that information? She waits for that answer. So Mary gives us an example of pumping the brakes, not accelerating too fast of silence and retreat on this Advent Sunday.

[__03__]

John Henry Newman wrote this about the identity of Mary as connected to Jesus:

“Had the blessed Mary been more fully disclosed to us in the heavenly beauty and sweetness of the spirit within her, true, she would have been honoured, her gifts would have been clearly seen; but, at the same time, the Giver would have been somewhat less contemplated, because no design or work of His would have been disclosed in her history. She would have seemingly been introduced for her sake, not for His sake. When a Saint is seen working towards an end appointed by God, we see him to be a mere instrument, a servant though a favoured one; and though we admire him, yet, after all, we glorify God in him.” (https://www.newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume2/sermon12.html)

And that's true for every saint. It's also true for you and me, that we are strengthened by God not for our own sake, but also to point others towards God towards Jesus in our lives, to be His servants.

That's why we are introduced to her. That's why we are connected to her. And it's true for all of us that we are called to recognize that we are here pursuing holiness, sanctity, forgiveness, not just for our own sake, but also to glorify God.

 

We are also called to live the out the words that Mary gives us in the Gospel today, are challenging words, which are similar to words we pray ourselves. Those words are, let it be done to me according to your word. Now, maybe you've never made that particular prayer. Maybe you've never said, Lord, let it be done to me according to your word. But have we not said similar words in the Lord’s Prayer. We will pray them in a few minutes: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. This is similar to “let it be done to me according to your word.”  It's similar to the prayer Jesus makes in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus says, Not my will be done, but your will be done, but Thy will be done.

What's my preference? I want my will to be done often on a 911 or emergency basis.  But what I'm called to do and what we're often called to do is to pray for God's will to be done or at least for me to understand what God's will is and for me to desire what it is. It involves not just praying on an urgent basis for 911, but also praying for information to pray that God will make his will known to us, on both in the information and consolation we need, on a 411 basis, so that we can let his will be done to us according to his Word, even if the information is only that we know that He calls us to follow him not because we are his servants, but because we are truly – in Christ – God’s friends.

[__end__] 

Pray. Give Thanks (2023-12-17, Advent 3rd Sunday)

___ Click Here for Audio of Homily ___    

____ Click Here for Video of Mass ____ 

 Homily, 3^rd Sunday Advent  ●  2023 December 17 ● ● Isaiah 61:1-2A, 10-11 ● ● Psalm ___ ● ● 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24  ● ● John 1:6-8, 19-28

Title:  Pray. Give Thanks.

[__00__]    Every year the biblical-readings structure of Advent at Mass starts – on the 1^st Sunday – with the 2^nd Coming of Jesus.  On the 2^nd Sunday, John the Baptist appears on the scene. And on the 3^rd Sunday – today - John the Baptist leaves the scene to make way for Jesus. And this Sunday is also has special candle this with brightness and is known as Gaudete Sunday or Rejoice Sunday.

 [__01__]    In the initial years of my service as a parish priest here at Our Lady of Lourdes, I had the privilege of working alongside Monsignor Joe Petrillo, our beloved pastor. During this time, I observed his genuine desire to express gratitude to our parishioners, dedicated staff, and volunteers. Monsignor Petrillo exemplified the words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians in our 2^nd reading, urging them to "give thanks in all circumstances," serving as an role model in my early priesthood.

In this season, we remember Monsignor Petrillo for his commitment to our Christmas liturgy and worship, and recall the coincidence of his passing on December 20, right before the 4^th Sunday of Advent in 2013—we commemorate his 10^th anniversary with prayers for his eternal rest.

 

[__02__] Monsignor Petrillo also also provided a noteworthy example of prayer, silence, and meditation. He made a weekly practice of praying before the 5:30 pm Mass, kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament in the first pew on the right side of the altar. In both good times and bad, he dedicated his prayers to you and all of us.

          Paul wrote of this importance in his Thessalonians letter [2^nd reading]as well:    “pray without ceasing”

[__03__] This Sunday, as we gather for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, themed around joy—Gaudete Sunday—I invite you to reflect on the profound joy Jesus calls us to embrace even in times of adversity.

          This also is an invitation to “give thanks in all circumstances“ and to “pray without ceasing”.

To attain true joy, beyond fleeting entertainment or pleasure, we are called to confront and understand the troubles that may weigh on us.

In the face of grief, the Gospel's Good News doesn't erase our sorrow but guides us to comprehend it and connect with others.

I heard one preacher say: if you don't know the bad news, the good news is no news. So we're called to know about our sinfulness, our suffering.

Just before his ultimate triumph through suffering, Jesus prayed, "not my will but thy will be done."

Several months ago, I thoroughly misplaced my laptop, my 2016 Windows 7 laptop, which was kind of outdated, but I loved it. I couldn't remember where it was. It was only a laptop I use for personal use. I had a real computer at my desk.

But I was still anxious, upset knowing that this device was not obsolete, not to me. And I looked for it, for days, because it was so useful to me as a device. Then I finally gave up.

I prayed for strength to let it go. Because it was only a thing. I once heard someone praised for “not being into things and attached to things.”

I thought, wow, that is an admirable quality. That is not me, because I am into things. I like things. But so I can get attached to a thing, but I needed to grieve this loss and move on which I did with some intention.

But shortly after making this prayer, I remembered where it was, I remembered where it was it was in another building.

Of course, it's not always that easy. And this was just a material object. But the experience of real grief is not just about the momentous loss of a person, the death of a loved one, of a mother, a father, a spouse, a sibling, a child, but also about the loss of other things.

We can and do grieve the loss of health, the loss of physical strength, the loss of status, the loss of a job, the loss of a home, the loss of someone's affection, even the loss of things.

All of the these losses can disrupt our joyfulness, all of these experiences and more can leave us anxious, fearful.

What's the solution? The solution is pray that you may grieve, pray that I will be able to grieve the loss of these things.

This will help you remember where you are, to remember where I am.

I'm hardly 100% good at this. I sometimes go in the opposite direction.

My experience of loss or trouble turns into comparison, what other people have or don't have, it turns into competition.

What are the losses I have to conquer? This would be a natural outgrowth of my fear, because I'm so afraid of losing what I have, or losing more.

However, grief, the experience of grief is not meant to be a competition or a comparison. But it's meant to be the connective tissue, and the corrective medicine that urges us to greater compassion with God and neighbor, not to be too attached to things too, but to pray, “not my will, but Thy will be done.”

 I read this in an article that the truth of the cross affirms that perfect casts out or drives out fear, from 1^st John.  (Source: https://www.hprweb.com/2014/06/giving-our-grief-over-to-the-man-acquainted-with-grief/)

Despite living in fear of potential losses, believing in the truth of the cross helps us overcome such anxieties and uncertainties.

          Deacon James Keating writes: “With the coming of Christ into the depths of all things human, we now know that even our grief can be given over to the good God because “we do not have a priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15) All losses can become places of life, places of intimacy with Christ.”   (Source: https://www.hprweb.com/2014/06/giving-our-grief-over-to-the-man-acquainted-with-grief/)

There is a priest who is who is able to sympathize with your weaknesses. That is priest is not me. I try to sympathize your weaknesses, but the writer is talking about Jesus as the priest who was able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

          One thing that Monsignor Petrillo was particularly adept at, in his own experience of trouble – was in rejoicing at what had gone wrong.

          As you may recall, Monsignor Petrillo was not a fan of technology and for the first few years that I knew him, he rarely used his mobile cell phone. He certainly was not in the habit of using it in the car and hardly knew what “Bluetooth wireless audio” was.

          Too bad for Monsignor!

          But, he did carry a cell phone, quite intentionally because Monsignor also worked for the Archbishop of Newark, in helping make assignments of priests to parishes. He had to maintain contact with the AB. One morning, he was driving to Newark, to the Cathedral and Chancery and he got a phone call, from the AB which he took.  And, not only was the AB in on this call but so were the East Orange Police. Monsignor was pulled over on Park Avenue for using his phone without a headset and driving with the phone in his hand.

          When the police officer approached the car he was asked in words only Monsignor Petrillo could utter, “Officer, would it be helpful to know that I was speaking with the Archbishop of Newark?”

          The police officer said that this would not at all be helpful and gave him a summons for talking while driving.

          Monsignor Petrillo could laugh at his error and crime.

          That story has been retold many times I asked you to please retell the story. And don't drive while talking on your phone.

John Henry Newman observed that what Christ asks of us is not sinlessness but diligence, writing that if you had lived 10 times longer, you would be asked to do 10 times more.

[To the end of the longest life you are still a beginner. What Christ asks of you is not sinlessness, but diligence. Had you lived ten times your present age, ten times more service would be required of you. Every day you live longer, more will be required.]( Book 5, Sermon 4. Shrinking from Christ's Coming, n.3, https://www.newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume5/sermon4.html)

The longer we live, the more we observe that we need the Lord's help. The longer we live, we live the words: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you.” But we also become aware of our need for God and His love to pray without ceasing ___ rejoice at all times, ____ And in all circumstances, to give thanks!

 [__END__]

Prepare the Way (2023-12-10. Advent)

 ___ Click Here for Audio of Homily ___    

____ Click Here for Video of Mass ____ 

Homily, 2^nd Sunday Advent  ●  2023 December 10 ● ● Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 ● Psalm 85 ● 2 Peter 3:8-14  ● + Mark 1:1-8 ●

[__01__]  In Biblical and Gospel history, we refer to John the Baptist as the precursor of Jesus Christ.

          The word PRE + CURSOR is not referring to that blinking vertical line on your computer where you start typing, but PRE + CURSOR means the one who runs ahead, the forerunner.

          In this case, JTB does not run ahead and arrive early.

          Rather, JTB – as precursor – prepares the way. He paves the road for Jesus to arrive and walk on.

[__02__] Have you noticed there's a lot of paving and road construction these days on the parkway on the turnpike and elsewhere?  The paving and fixing of roads is urgent right now given that the construction crews have to finish paving before the weather gets even colder.

I recall learning this when we were doing our parking lot and that  the asphalt has to be poured before it gets too cold. You can't pour asphalt in the winter. And we'd like to have smooth roads before the snow comes.

          So, the urgency of physically paving on the turnpike and the spiritual paving by JTB lines up in parallel fashion …both have to finish before Christmas.

 

[__03__] This reminded me of a brief summer job I had many years ago in which I was working on paving of roads for a few weeks. One of these projects was near here on Park Street in Montclair.

          In the projects, we were paving with new asphalt – the black stuff – but we were also trying to reuse the existing road surface by heating it up, raking it over and steamrolling it, to transform it into a new road.

          Our work was the precursor to a new road. But there was another precursor before we even got there.  We were not repaving just to make it look nice, but were repaving due to digging and underground work by the water company or PSE&G.

          Now that their digging and work was completed, we could do the next stage: pave the road.

          We were the final precursor to the new road

 

[__04__] John the Baptist is the final precursor to Jesus as our new road, also expressed as Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

          John the Baptist is the voice crying out in the desert

          JTB is not last in a line of prophets who had also prepared a road for the Messiah.

          One prophet with a very long journey was Moses – the prophet of the Exodus, the “Prince of Egypt”. But, Moses was not called to become powerful in Egypt but to stand up to the powerful authorities in Egypt.

          Through Moses’ mission and preaching, the Jewish people were freed from slavery in Egypt.

 

[__05__]  Moses was the guide to the NAVIGATION that led them geographically. Moses did not limit the people by telling them where to go, but was freeing them.

Moses was also the prophet to receive the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai, the discipline and rules which were not meant to punish the people but also to liberate by giving them LEGISLATION and laws to live by.

Moses’ mission is both NAVIGATION and LEGISLATION.

 

[__06__] John the Baptist follows in a similar way with a message to repent and to remind that there is still – from God – a plan for both NAVIGATION and LEGISLATION of the people.

 

[__07__] As for me, I am not always open to or attracted to God’s NAVIGATION or LEGISLATION – I myself need conversion to Christ so that I can do what is right, say what is right.

This Advent season is a time for penance and penitence. It's not a long time of penance, like the 40 days of Lent that begin on Ash Wednesday. This is only a 21 day adventure. It's the shortest possible Advent. This is not to rush you to Christmas. I'm not trying to rush you like everybody else. But it's a short Advent because Christmas falls on a Monday this year. So it's only only 21 days. But it is a time for us to examine our lives.

 

[__08__] Moses himself, along with many of the prophets, were flawed and fragile figures with their own issues of disobedience and distress before God.

          For example, Moses was so adamant about getting water from the rock in one instance that he double-clicks the rock (struck the rock 2x) when God told him to “single click”  *strike 1x”. For this, Moses was told he would never see the Promised Land.

          Leaders are held to a high standard!

          So, Moses himself never crosses through the Jordan River to the Promised Land.

          In a sense, JTB picks up where Moses left off, baptizing the people in the Jordan River. John is also baptized by Jesus – and baptizes Jesus – in the Jordan.

 

[__09__]  JTB was reminding people then – and reminding us now – about the uncomfortable process of digging beneath the surface, of repentance

I don't like this. I don't like to see my fears exposed my laziness exposed, even to me. I'd rather not know how lazy I am. Or, my selfishness exposed.  My lack of punctuality exposed I could go on but we don’t have that much time ! But but through making myself aware of my sins, they can be transformed. And preparing the way of the Lord is a matter of transformation.

Going to confession is part of this.

We have confession here every Saturday. Just a reminder that confession for Catholics is required at least once a year. I myself try to go at least once a month, I try to be available to hear confessions for people, not just Saturday afternoon, but whenever is convenient for you. You can call me up, and you really should be able to call up any Catholic Church and ask for a priest to hear your confession at a time convenient for you, at a mutually convenient time. Preparing the way of the Lord is not just a superficial exercise.

And paving the road is not just a superficial exercise. It involves digging beneath the surface first. But also in our case, we don't have to be scared of digging beneath the surface because the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Jesus is there and he comes to renew us and to keep what is good within us. It is urgent that we prepare the road before it gets too cold.