Meeting the Incarnation

4th Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Hebrews 10:5-10. I’d suggest reading verses 1-18, for a more full context, as well as the other readings.

One who was familiar with the sacrifices of the Old Testament would know that one day each year, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make sacrifices for the sins of the people - would know that he first made a sacrifice for his own sins before he was worthy to offer sacrifices for the whole people. This is exactly the intended audience, and the writer to the Hebrews lays out the ways in which Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament law. Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that he came not to abolish the the law, but to fulfill it.

Rejoice IN THE LORD

3rd Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Philippians 4:4-7. Be sure to read the other readings for added context.

I wrote last week on how Advent is a time of preparation, and the ways in which we are called to live as though constantly in a state of watchful preparation for the return of our savior and king.

There are many different types of preparation. In Advent, we practice both penitential preparation and joyful preparation. This week, we light the pink candle on our Advent wreaths, the candle which traditionally represents Joy. It is easy in a season that is both preparation and penitential to lose sight of the joy with which we prepare for Christ’s return.

Advent All Year

2nd Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Philippians 1:4-6,8-11. Also review the other readings, for greater context.

This second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of preparation. In Advent, not only do we prepare for Christmas, but also for the Second Coming.

Much like the Jews of the Old Testament, we engage in this preparation with great joy, and with a measure of seriousness.

Preparing for His Return

1st Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2. But I strongly suggest reading the other readings as well.

Like many of the readings for Advent will, the first reading looks forward to the birth of the messiah, and the gospel looks forward to his return.

We know beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus is coming back. We know this because he told us that he was coming back, and his word is trustworthy.

In light of this, what should we do to prepare our hearts?

It's Almost Time to Stop...

Well, it's finally here, the fourth week of Advent. Have you finished doing everything Pinterest told you to do?

No? Me neither.

Wow. Advent has really been crazy in our house this year. We've been passing one nasty cold after another among the members of my immediate family - not to mention that due to a comedy of errors, my root canal happened a week later than it was supposed to, so, needless to say we haven't been going crazy with decorating this year.

We're having my family come over for Christmas morning, and so I'm starting to really feel the stress that comes with suddenly realizing that I'm hosting a party that has to have two meals served in one day, when the house is nowhere near clean, and I haven't actually done any Christmas shopping.

Okay, maybe it isn't as bad as all that. Not anymore, but when I started drafting this post, it was all true.

I know I'm not the only one in this situation, and I think we could all stand to take a lesson from one Daniel Tiger. The jingles in Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood are very useful - I especially like the ones that make things like babysitters and diaper changes easier, and make fits suddenly stop. (The fact that I say this is how you know I have a toddler in the house!)

In episode 129, Daniel learns that we have to stop what we're doing when it's time to go do something else, in his case, "something else" was "go to bed".  I spent several minutes looking for a clip of the episode I wanted on their website. It is there, so you can go look through their list of episodes, if you need a new earworm. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to link to the individual episode, so you will have to get along without the catchy tune, unless you're willing to go hunting for it. The words to the song are,

"It's almost time to stop, so choose one more thing to do...
...That was fun but now, it's done!"

Advent is a season of preparation for Christmas. For the last three-ish weeks, that's what we've all been doing like crazy people. We've been preparing for family parties. We've been preparing food, searching for perfect presents, preparing and sending Christmas cards. We have been going and going and going, and it's almost time to stop. We need to slow down, so that when Christmas gets here, we are ready to change gears.

As Lacy at Catholic Icing pointed out, Advent is a time of nesting in some ways - nesting for baby Jesus, so all of this preparation is important, but we also need to maintain our focus in the midst of it.

One of her very insightful commenters also asked another important question that we should think about:

What would we really do if we were eight months pregnant?

Between now and Christmas, I invite you to take up this challenge with me:

Choose one thing to do each day, but otherwise, try to slow down and just wait.

Also, just a quick announcement:
My reflection on the epistle for next Sunday will be posted on Friday this week, so that I can spend time on Christmas with my family.

The Beauty of the Plan

Fourth Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Romans 16:25-27.

One thing you might not notice at first about this reading is that it's all one sentence: “To him who can strengthen you…be glory for ever and ever!” If we were taking out all of the modifying clauses, that’s what this sentence would say. That’s right – all once sentence. Apparently our ways of writing about theology haven’t changed much in twenty centuries.

Getting Ready for Christmas

It seems like every year, around November 28th, Pinterest fills me with big ideas for Christmas.

Obviously, this is not just Pinterest. I got in on Pinterest kind of late, but over the years, I have found myself wanting very much to make large impressive portions of my Christmas decorations. I want to trim the tree and the mantle with beautiful things that I have made with my own hands.

Somehow, all of these ideas are gradually abandoned as I realize exactly how short Advent is - usually right about... now.

Perhaps one of these years, I will learn my lesson: hand made Christmases rarely begin during Advent. In much the same way, we cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of only working to trim our hearts for Christ’s return during times of concentrated preparation.

I think that the reason I seem to disappoint myself is because I set my expectations too high, and I’m often not willing to accept a lesser goal. For example,

• I have a Bible reading calendar that I have not looked at, let alone kept up with, for a long time. I got a few days behind and gave up.
• I realize I no longer have time to crochet and block forty snowflake ornaments, so I just conclude to use the ornaments we’ve used for the last five years.

 If I was willing to either set a lower goal - like only reading the new testament, or only making a few snowflake ornaments for our tree - I might not disappoint myself so easily.

It is important to allow ourselves to keep trying, even if it is no longer realistic to succeed in our original goal.

• To allow that even though I won’t finish in a year, I keep reading scripture regularly. 
• To allow that I still make a few snowflake ornaments, even if they won’t be the only thing on the tree. 

We must keep trying to live as faithful Christians, in spite of the sins in our past.

Rejoice! We are an Easter People

Third Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 1 thes 5:16-24.

Pope Francis observes in his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium that, “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter.” (EG, 6)  If this is true, then it is no wonder that people think that the Catholic faithful (and indeed faithful Christians on the whole) are oppressed, repressed, and unhappy people. If we go around moping like somebody is about to die, we look like a church that is perpetually in mourning. Who wants to belong to a religion like that?

Who wants to go to church where people act every week as though they all ate bad sushi the night before and still feel a little green around the gills. These are people who are there because of an unwanted feeling of obligation.

Now, don’t misunderstand – this is not a complaint against the obligation to attend Mass each Sunday. It is rather a complaint against the attitude with which some people choose to do it.

We must not take lightly what takes place during the Mass. The Eucharist is a beautiful union between heaven and earth. Angels sing and rejoice with us that God has accomplished the salvation of the world. We experience the bodily, physical presence of Jesus Christ made manifest in the world. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.  And people claim that they “don’t get anything out of it.” Objective grace is happening whether you feel it or not. (NB: I cannot claim most of the observations in this paragraph as my own – I am repeating things I heard in the homilies of many, many excellent homilists.)

Now, I understand that there may be times when you’ve ACTUALLY had bad sushi the night before, but just the same, Paul exhorts us to rejoice always.

What about -

Always. And in all circumstances give thanks.

What is the reason for this rejoicing? There are a few.

First: it is the will of God for us. God desires us to be happy in this life. We are commanded to rejoice in the Lord.

Second: In this concluding prayer for this letter, Paul prays that the members of that community will be made holy and be preserved blameless for the coming of Jesus Christ. He reminds us thereafter that God is faithful – and speaks of God’s fidelity regularly in his letters, as do many of the Old Testament prophets. God's faithfulness to his promises is something to rejoice in, as we are the beneficiaries of those promises.

Third: What’s not to rejoice in about the Eucharist?

And a hundred other reasons besides!

Let’s pray that God increase our joy in our faith. Let us ask him to increase our joy in the blessings that we have already received, and in those that have been promised to us, for he is faithful and will accomplish what he has promised.  Let us also ask that our joy might be a light to the world that others may see the joy of the Christian life, and be converted.

Evangelization 101

Second Week of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 2 Peter 3:8-14.

Somewhat paradoxically, the readings for Advent not only reflect on Christ’s coming at Christmas, but also on his coming back. I remember noticing this for the first time only a few years ago.

We know that Christ is coming back, and we have been told that it will be soon. It is still difficult to reconcile this promise of “soon” with the 2,000 years that have passed since that promise of “soon” was made.

It seems important to me to notice that the remark about delay is immediately followed by, “he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Can it be that what we cannot help but understand as a long delay is actually for OUR benefit? So that the human race might have hope of being ready to meet him when he comes again?

What then must we do?

Maintaining my Spiritual House

Most of the year, this is about the best my kitchen table ever looks.

Now, let me stress that this is what my kitchen table looks like three days after effectively having a dinner party at my house for which the table has to be beautiful, clear, and clean - so, really, this is pretty close to my best foot forward. Usually, there is a much larger stack of mail, several more grocery bags and empty drink cans, no beautiful candle centerpiece, and about half the time, a laundry basket - sometimes clean, sometimes dirty.

Equipped and Sent Out

First Week of Advent

This week, the second reading is from 1 Corinthians 1:3-9.

Do you see the sheer brassy confidence St. Paul has in the promises of God? It’s exactly like St. Paul to talk this way – how could he not after the incredible encounter he had with Christ on the road to Damascus?

Notice that he speaks of the gifts of God as things already received.  In fact he gives thanks to God that the Christian community in Corinth has been “enriched in every way”.  In the same way, God enriches us in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord are hardly things to be laid aside lightly, and it is easy to forget that they have already been given to us in our baptism!