Weekend of 12/29-30/2012 … Sister Kate’s “Gospel Question of the Week (Luke 1:39-45) This weekend we celebrate “Holy Family” Sunday. The Holy Gospel presents us with a story that resembles every parent’s nightmare. The Holy Family had traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover and when they started for home; both Mary and Joseph thought that Jesus was with the other parent. They were frantic when they realized that Jesus had been left behind and quickly doubled back, hoping to find Him. I’m sure they worried all the way back to Jerusalem wondering what had become of Jesus…was He hurt, had He been taken by someone, was He sitting in front of the temple just waiting and hoping that they would return for Him? Fortunately, the story had a happy (and curious) ending. Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the Temple after three days of anxious searching. Jesus explained to them that he was in his Father’s house…about His Father’s business…as if he had had a blaze of realization about his Divine Sonship. I wonder how Joseph must have felt when Jesus took the name "father" from Joseph and gave it to God… very gently, but very definitely. The Holy Gospel tells us that he returned with his parents to Nazareth and there grew up like any other child. He obeyed his parents and was attuned to all his duties to God, to his parents and to the community, faithfully “advancing in wisdom and age and favor before God and man”. How does all this apply to our own lives? By celebrating the Sunday immediately following Christmas as the Feast of the Holy Family, the Church encourages us to look to the Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph for inspiration, example and encouragement. They were a model family in which both parents worked hard, helped each other, understood and accepted each other, and took good care of their Child so that He might grow up not only in human knowledge but also as a Child of God. Jesus brought holiness to the family of Joseph and Mary as Jesus brings us holiness by embracing us in His family. FAMILY is so important…or should be for all of us! A few years ago, a study was undertaken to find the U.S. city with the lowest incidence of cancer and heart disease. The winner was Rosetto, Pennsylvania. Soon experts descended upon the city expecting to see a town populated by non-smokers, people who ate the correct food, took regular exercise and kept close track of their cholesterol. To their great surprise, however, the researchers discovered that none of the above was true. They found instead that the city’s good health was tied to the close family bonds that prevailed within the community. This suggests that there is much to be said for a close and loving family relationship. Question for the Week: Are you a good and contributing member of your family…does everyone in your family know that they are loved and appreciated?
Weekend of 12/22-23/2012 … Sister Kate’s “Gospel (Luke 1:39-45) Question for the Week”… This weekend marks the Fourth Sunday of Advent. We’re getting closer to the big day of Christmas! All of today’s readings remind us that Jesus is reborn every day in ordinary people living ordinary lives. People, however, need to be open to these comings of the Savior. They need to keep their “eyes peeled” to recognize Him in their brothers and sisters. The readings suggest that Christmas should inspire us to carry out God's word as Mary and Jesus did…open to the Father’s promptings…this is the way that we become TRUE disciples! In the Holy Gospel, Luke tells us how two seemingly insignificant women met to celebrate the kindness and fidelity of God. It shows us how sensitive Mary was to the needs of Elizabeth, her older cousin, who had miraculously become pregnant in her old age. For Luke, discipleship consists in listening to God's word and then carrying it out, and Mary does both, to become the most perfect disciple. Mary is an example to us of what a disciple truly is. And what does this mean for us? We need to carry Jesus to others as Mary did. Christmas is the ideal time for us to be filled with the spirit of Christ, allowing his rebirth within us. Once Christ is reborn in us, he enables us to share His love with all whom we encounter by offering them humble and committed service, unconditional forgiveness and compassionate and caring love. This is a tall order, but Jesus never said that being a disciple was only for perfect or really strong people. Looking for something practical this Christmas to live out your discipleship…take the time to visit others this during Christmas season, especially the sick and shut-ins, to bring some inspiration into their lives, and hopefully to bring them closer to God. Do you have any idea how many people are lonely and feel separated from everyone? I can tell you that there are many in every nursing home I visit and every homebound person I visit. They long just for some conversation and the encouragement to believe that they are worth something. Can you commit to this wonderful act of kindness? Composer and performer Bradley James has set Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s teachings and prayers to music in the internationally acclaimed recording, Gift of Love: Music to the Words and Prayers of Mother Teresa. Bradley remembers her teaching: “Mother said we don’t have to go to Calcutta to help the poor; rather, we must help them right in front of us.” He applied this lesson when he encountered a homeless beggar on the streets of San Francisco. Bradley placed some money in his metal cup, then reached out and shook the man’s hand. The recipient gave him a big smile, and the two exchanged names and small talk. Bradley recalls: Then he pulled me a little closer and said, “Thanks for the money, but what I really needed was a handshake.” Question for the Week: Are you up to “carrying Jesus” to a lonely person this Christmas season?
Weekend of 12/15-16/2012 … Sister Kate’s “Gospel (Luke 3:1-6) Question for the Week”… This weekend marks the Third Sunday of Advent. We call this Sunday “Gaudete” Sunday because today’s Mass begins with the opening antiphon, “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”). Today we light the rose candle of the Advent wreath. That brings to three the number of candles that will be lit during our celebration of the Eucharist. Why do we rejoice, you might ask? Do you have a few hours…I can make a list for you!!! Briefly, we rejoice because: we are getting closer to celebrating the day of Christ’s birth…we recognize His daily presence in our midst (YES!!!)…and we wait for his return in glory. That’s enough to keep us rejoicing for the rest of our lives!!! Christian joy does not come from the absence of sorrow, pain or trouble, but from an awareness of the presence of Christ within our souls. In the Holy Gospel today, John the Baptist explains the secret of Christian joy as “wholehearted commitment to God’s way by doing His will.” If this is true (and I think it is), then a sad Christian is a contradiction in terms. According to the John the Baptist, happiness comes from living the Gospel faithfully every day…specifically by doing good to others and sharing our blessings with others, every chance we get. John the Baptist’s call to repentance is a call to joy and restoration. Did you know that Repentance” means a change in the purpose and direction of our lives. Filled with joyful expectation that the Messiah was near, the people asked John, “What should we do (to change the direction and purpose of our lives)?” He told them to act with justice, charity and honesty, letting their lives reflect their transformation. For us, that transformation occurs when Christ is allowed to enter our hearts. When this change takes place in our hearts, it will be reflected in the way we live our lives. In the second chapter of C.S. Lewis’ book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, little Lucy stumbles through the back of a wardrobe into the imaginary country of Narnia. Although its summer in England (where the wardrobe sits), its winter in Narnia. Shivering in the cold, Lucy soon meets a faun, Mr. Tumnus, who tells her what wintertime is like in Narnia. The wintertime is perpetual, says Mr. Tumnus, and is the result of someone called the White Witch. “It’s she who makes it always winter (here),” Tumnus says, “Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!” What a wonderful description of a world without Christ: “Always winter and never Christmas . . .” No thanks! Question for the Week: How do you express your Christian joy? Do people see it in you?
Weekend of 12/8-9/2012 … Sister Kate’s “Gospel (Luke 3:1-6) Question for the Week”… This weekend marks the Second Sunday of Advent. Remember…Advent is a time of preparation for the “coming of Jesus.” We celebrate the coming of Jesus to earth at Christmas, but the readings throughout Advent remind us of the MANY “Comings of Jesus” into our lives…everyday…if we are looking hard enough for Him. How do we do that? Listen to the symbolism that the Holy Gospel uses in this weekend’s Gospel like “filling the valleys, making straight the paths, making the rough roads smooth.” It is up to us to commit to preparing our hearts and lives for Jesus, our Savior, to be reborn in us. Specifically, we have to work at filling in the “valleys of our souls,” formed from our often shallow prayer life and a less than zealous way of living our faith. We have to “straighten out whatever crooked paths” we’ve been walking that lead us away from the Lord. If we have been involved in some dishonest practices…at work or at home…we are called to “straighten them out” and make restitution. If we have been harboring grudges or hatred, or failing to be reconciled with others, now is the time to “clear away” all that debris. Each of us has our own “crooked paths” to straighten and it is up to us to identify those attitudes and habits that keep us from preparing our hearts for the arrival of Jesus. Those faults might include: a deep-seated resentment, persistent fault-finding, unwillingness to forgive, dishonesty in our dealings with others, or a haughty attitude. And we all certainly have to level the “mountains” of our pride and egocentrism by practicing humility and giving humble service to others. When the president or prime minister of a country is scheduled to make a public appearance, his staff prepares weeks and even months in advance to make certain that the proper protocol will be observed and the leader’s security will be assured. Similarly, detailed preparations precede the appearance of religious leaders like the Pope. Programs are scheduled, choral presentations are practiced, gifts are bought and special persons are chosen to present them in the most gracious manner possible, so that the honored one is duly recognized and appreciated. Careful planning also accompanies the appearances of other political figures, celebrity entertainers and rock singers. When rock stars like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen made a tour, elaborate preparations were made for their coming. One wonders if today’s Gospel passage about John the Baptist proclaiming the coming of Jesus applies more to modern rock stars than it does to the true Messiah. Only when we put the same care and commitment into our spiritual Christmas preparations that rock stars put into their musical performances, will “all mankind begin to see the salvation of God.” Question for the Week: Are you getting your heart ready for the coming of Jesus?
Weekend of 12/1-2/2012 … Sister Kate’s “Gospel (Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36) Question for the Week”… This weekend marks the beginning of the New Church Year. The Church Year begins with the First Sunday of Advent. Notice the change in color of the vestments, banner, and altar cloth as we move from Ordinary Time (green) to Advent (purple). Advent is a time of waiting for Christ, allowing him to be reborn in our lives. It is also a time for renewing our lives by reflecting on and experiencing the several comings (advents) of Christ into our lives. Besides his first coming at his birth, Jesus comes to our lives through the sacraments, through the Word of God, through the worshipping community, through the people and opportunities we experience each day, and, finally, in his Second Coming to judge the world. In today’s Holy Gospel, Jesus prophesies the signs that will accompany his second coming and encourages us to be expectant, optimistic, vigilant and well-prepared: He says, “When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” We need to prepare ourselves for Christ’s second coming by allowing Him to be reborn daily in our lives. Advent is a time for us to make this preparation by repenting our sins, by renewing our lives through prayer & penance, and by sharing our blessings with others. Advent also provides an opportunity for us to check for what needs to be put right in our lives, to see how we have failed, and to assess the ways in which we can do better. Let us remember the words of Alexander Pope: ‘What does it profit me if Jesus is reborn in thousands of cribs all over the world and not reborn in my heart?” Jesus must be reborn in our hearts and lives, during this season of Advent and every day of our lives, in our love, kindness, mercy and forgiveness. When we prepare for the Lord by caring daily for one another then we will receive hope, peace, love, and joy in return. THEN we will know that when the King, our Lord Jesus, returns on the clouds of glory, we will be ready for Him. A woman was in the mall doing her Christmas shopping. She was tired of walking through every aisle of every store to find just the right present. She was stressed out by the mounting debt on her credit card. She was tired of fighting the crowds and standing in lines for the registers. Her hands were full and when the elevator door opened, it was full. “Great!” she muttered and the occupants of the elevator, feeling her pain, graciously tightened ranks to allow a small space for her and her load. As the doors closed she blurted out, “I think whoever came up with this Christmas junk ought to be found, strung up and shot!” A few others shook their heads or grunted in agreement. Then, from somewhere in the back of the elevator came a single voice that said, “Don’t worry. They already crucified him.” Question for the Week: Are you able to “Keep Christ in Christmas” these next few weeks?