Thursday, December 16, 2021

 Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

(Isaiah 54:1-10; Luke 7:24-30)

It took a Lincoln to call a “day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer.”  Statespersons today will not recognize a national sin nor see a purpose in asking God’s forgiveness.  Yet liberals berate the country for racism and conservatives for abortion.  Perhaps it is a waning belief in God that causes the reluctance to repent.  Christians should not be so recalcitrant.

Today’s first reading from Isaiah expresses God’s mercy to Israel.  It has spent scores of years in exile where it acknowledged its sins.  God seems anxious to take back the nation as His beloved.  In today’s gospel Jesus recognizes the Baptist’s role in calling for a similar change of heart.  He describes John as “more than a prophet” because John announces the Messiah’s coming.  Of course, Jesus fills this role by showing God’s prodigious love for all.  

In a sense Advent is a time of repentance.  We may not delineate personal sins as in Lent although any time is right for this practice.  But it is the apt time to recognize social sins like the vestiges of racism and licensing abortion.  After a common penance, we will have more reason to celebrate Christ’s coming.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

(Isaiah 45:6c-8.18.21c-25; Luke 7:18b-23)

Today’s reading from Second-Isaiah – the second part of the prophet’s book – speaks of God’s majesty.  He created light.  Not limiting Himself to physical light, He gave humans moral light as well.  He gave them law.  They can find peace by keeping the law.  Those who rebuke the offer will be rattled and humiliated.  Ultimately, they will have to succumb to God’s sovereignty.

In the gospel Jesus shows that he comes from God.  He works marvelous deeds including giving special attention to the poor.  His works rhyme with those of Second-Isaiah.  Those who follow him are blest; those who reject him are cursed. 

We follow Jesus by obeying his law of love.  It is simply stated but lived only with self-sacrifice.  We are to love both God and neighbor.  This commandment entails limiting what gives us pleasure so that God is praised and other people are uplifted.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

 Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

(Zephaniah 3:1-2.9-13; Matthew 21:29-32)

St. John of the Cross lived in sixteenth century Spain.  Buoyed by New World gold, the nation reached its zenith in power and prestige.  St. John questioned the affluence, at least as much as it meant a relaxation in religious life.  Along with St. Teresa of Avila, John set about reforming the Carmelite Order.  Poverty characterized the reform’s exterior discipline.  More critically, the reformers concentrated on prayer and contemplation. 

John’s reform of the Carmelites echoes the call of Zephaniah to Judah in today’s first reading.  The prophet first castigates Jerusalem for wanton behavior.  He complains that the city does not listen to God’s voice but does what it pleases.  He sees conversion in its future, however. In Zephaniah’s vision Jerusalem becomes an example writ large of the first son in Jesus’ gospel parable.  The son claims that he will not obey his father.  Then he comes to his senses and does his father’s will.

Faith calls us as well to reform our ways.  We have to abandon our incessant desire for comfort and to thank God for simple things.  We must also forsake our penchant for entertainment to pursue a deeper relationship with God in prayer.  Prayer and simplicity of life will lead to Christmas peace.   

Monday, December 13, 2021

 

Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr

(Numbers 24:2-7.15-17a; Matthew 21:23-27)

As with most early martyrs, little can be said of St. Lucy with certainty.  It is told that she was martyred because she refused marriage after making a promise of virginity.  More interestingly, Lucy is known as the patroness of the blind.  A very late legend depicts her eyes being gouged out as a form of torture.  Although unlikely to be true, Lucy’s eyes link her to both Scripture readings today.

Balaam is a pagan visionary.  God has granted him the ability to peer into the future.  Facing the camp of the Israelites, he sees a mighty king being born someday among them. Jews have interpreted this king as David.  Christians understand him to be Christ.  In the gospel Jesus shows remarkable insight.  He knows the malevolence of the Jewish hierarchy.  Rather than fall into their trap, he puts them on the defensive.

Even if St. Lucy was blinded, she clearly saw the light of Christ.  Indeed, her name reflects this light.  We too have Christ in our inner sights.  We should listen and do what he communicates to us.  Focusing on Christ, we will arrive at our destination of happiness.

Sunday, December 12, 2021

 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

(Zephaniah 3: 14-18; Philippians 4: 4-7; Luke 3: 10-18)

We usually celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe separately from the Advent season. We honor Virgin now as if there were in the middle of summer. But this separation of feast and liturgical season is hardly necessary. She represents a great deal that corresponds to time of waiting. Anyway, this year we cannot isolate the feast from the season. Falling on a Sunday, December 12 must give cede priority to the Advent season.

During Advent we should be reflecting on the tripartite coming of the Lord. He will come again at the end of time as he came 2000 years ago and as he comes every day. First, he came in the flesh as redeemer of the world. Now he comes in the Eucharist as sustenance for believers. At the end of time he will come in glory as savior of the faithful. When he arrives, he will justify our ways of living righteously. The whole world will realize why we cherish modesty and use moderation. It will know that we have dedicated ourselves to the good of both God and our neighbor for a specific reason. We want the Lord of glory to recognize us as his own.

It can be said that John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary represent the spirit of Advent. The two announce the coming of Christ. Juan does it in the Gospel today by saying “’…one mightier than I is coming.’” The Virgin did it by appearing to the indigenous Juan Diego as a pregnant woman. The ribbons on her dress showed that she was carrying the baby Jesus to Tepeyac, the place of the indigenous people. What is more, she requested the construction of a church so that her son would have a dwelling among them.

The two also indicate how we are to prepare for the Lord's coming. Juan is as direct as a sergeant is to a private. He commands the people to share their clothes with the poor. He tells tax-collectors not to cheat and soldiers not to extort money. We are to carry out these guidelines in our lives. We too must always be honest with money and compassionate towards the poor.

The Virgin was much more subtle in her instructions. She indicated the need for us to focus on God when she presented herself as "Mother of the true God for whom she lives ..." Her determination to have a temple built also taught us the virtues of social justice and fortitude. It was only the right of the indigenous people to have a place where they could praise Christ. However, if the Virgin did not insist, Juan Diego would never have returned to the bishop to obtain it.

Today, the third Sunday of Advent, the priest wears rose-colored vestments at Mass. He does it to lift the spirits of the faithful. It is time for rejoicing. We have to wait just two more weeks for the coming of Christ at Christmas. The first reading instructs us: "Sing, daughter of Zion." Let us sing with spirit because the Lord is very close! The second reading echoes this theme. It says: "Rejoice always in the Lord." Another reason to sing and rejoice is the presence of the Virgin already among us. She has come to help us, her people. She has come to introduce us to her son, the redeemer. As with Juan Diego, she has come to be our Mother.