Jan 22-27: Jan 22 Monday: (Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children) :Mk 3:22-30: 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house. 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” — 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”(Feast Day gospel: Jn 15: 9-17)

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives Jesus’ crushing reply to the slander propagated by the observers from the Sanhedrin, that Jesus expelled devils using the assistance of the leader of devils.

Jesus refutes the false allegation raised against him by the Sanhedrin scribes with three counterarguments and a warning: 1) A house divided against itself will perish and a country engaged in civil war will be ruined. Hence, Satan will not fight against Satan by helping Jesus to expel his co-workers. 2) If Jesus is collaborating with Satan to exorcise minor demons, then the Jewish exorcists are doing the same. 3) Jesus claims that he is using the power of his Heavenly Father to evict devils, just as a stronger man can tie up the strong man who has guarded all his possessions, and take all the strong man has acquired. The evil one, the strong man, has muh of the world as a guarded possession, but Jesus is stronger that the evil one and will destroy the captor and free the captives. – by dying on the cross in willing sacrifice to save all of us, 4) Finally, Jesus gives a crushing blow to his accusers, warning them that by telling blatant lies they are blaspheming against the Holy Spirit and, hence, that their sins are unforgivable (unless, of course, they repent).

Life message: 1) Jesus teaches that we can be influenced by the evil spirit if we listen to him and follow him. Hence, we have to keep our souls daily cleansed and filled with the Spirit of God, leaving no space for the evil spirit to enter our souls. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 22nd 2024 is the 51st anniversary day of Roe versus Wade judgment by the Supreme Court in the U.S. legalizing abortion. The number of unborn children slaughtered in the wombs of their mothers is 4400 per day in the U.S. Hundreds of old or terminally ill people are killed in advanced countries, under the names “mercy killing” or euthanasia. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all U.S. men and it took the lives of 30,622 people in U.S.A. in 2001. “Physician-assisted” suicide for the terminally ill is now legal in at least one state in the U.S. Other forms of destruction of life are homicides and embryo destruction for scientific experiments.

Why should we respect life?

1)TheBible teaches that life is a gift of God and hence we have to respect it from womb to tomb. Based on the word of God, the Church teaches that an unborn child from the moment of its conception in its mother’s womb is precious because it carries an immortal soul. (a) Psalm 139: 13-16: You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. (b) Jeremiah 1: 5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

2)It is God’s commandment that we shall not kill. (Exodus 20: 13: “You shall not kill. The embryo’s heart starts beating from the 25th day and its brain starts functioning on the 40th day.

3) International Law forbids the killing of innocent, defenseless people. Abortion is the killing of a defenseless child in its safest abode by its own mother, mostly for selfish motives.

4)Abortion harms women physically, emotionally, psychologically, socially and spiritually.

5) Advocates of pro-choice follow a dangerous principle of far-reaching consequences in the society. If it is justifiable to kill unwanted children by abortion, then the old, the sick, the handicapped, the mentally ill, and the retarded can also be killed.

Messages

1) We need to respect and protect all forms of human life from conception to natural death; we need to work and pray vigorously to end the culture of death.

2) We need to speak and act against abortion in private and public forums. Protecting human life is no more a sectarian creed than the Declaration of Independence is a sectarian document. Because all rights depend on life, the right to life is the most fundamental issue of all; if that is eliminated, the rest will follow.

3) We need to work to have the government enact anti-abortion, anti-euthanasia and anti-Physician-assisted suicide laws; these killings violate justice, and therefore the command of God to love one another.

4) We need to give real care, support and assistance to mothers with unwanted pregnancies, contemplating abortion. The Church promises any woman who has had an abortion that if she truly repents of her sin, she will find welcome and forgiveness. However, she has to understand the fact that abortion is a mortal sin, and it brings an automatic excommunication upon those who procure it, perform it, or cooperate in it.

Jan 23 Tuesday (Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr; For a short account, click onhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-vincent-of-zaragossa/ USA: Saint Marianne Cope, Virgin]: For a short account, click onhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-marianne-cope/Mk 3:31-35: 31 And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

The context: As Jesus became a strong critic of the Jewish religious authorities, his cousins, taking Mary His mother with them (though she supported him and all he was doing) to get a hearing by Jesus and take him to Nazareth by force, perhaps because they feared that he would be arrested and put to death, and that they might be next

Jesus’ plain statement: Today’s Gospel episode seems to suggest that Jesus ignored the request of his mother and close relatives who had traveled a long distance of 20 miles to talk to him. But everyone in the audience knew that Jesus loved his mother and had taken care of her for years before he started his public ministry. Besides, Jesus’ plain answer, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother” was actually a compliment to his mother who had always listened to the word of God and obeyed it. Jesus was declaring, “Blessed are those who hear and keep the word of God as she is faithfully doing” (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 58). Jesus was also using the occasion to teach the congregation a new lesson about their relationship with God. Being a disciple of Jesus, or a Christian, is first and foremost a relationship of mutual love, service, and unity with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and so with all who belong to God as His children. Jesus has changed the order of relationships and shows us here that true kinship is not just a matter of flesh and blood. God’s gracious gift to us is His adoption of us as His sons and daughters. This gift enables us to recognize all those who belong to Christ as our brothers and sisters. Our adoption as sons and daughters of God transforms all our relationships and requires a new order of loyalty to God and His kingdom. “Everyone who does the will of the Father,” that is to say, who obeys Him, is a brother or sister of Christ, because he is like Jesus who fulfilled the will of his Father. But he who not only obeys but converts others, begets Christ in them, and thus becomes like the Mother of Christ” (“Commentary on St. Matthew”, 12:49-50.)

Life message: 1) Let us remember that by Baptism we become the children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, and members of the Heavenly family of the Triune God. Hence, let us observe our obligations of treating others with love and respect and of sharing our love with them in corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We are also His disciples, and so are obliged to be hearers as well as doers of the word of God. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 24 Wednesday: (Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church): For a short account, click on https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-francis-de-sales/ Mk 4:1-20: 1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; 6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty-fold and sixty-fold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 10 …..19

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives us the parable of the sower, the seeds sown, and the yield depending upon the type of soil. It is the first parable of Jesus in the New Testament about the Kingdom of Heaven. It is also a parable interpreted by Jesus himself. This parable was intended as a double warning: to the hearers to be attentive to, and to the Apostles to be hopeful about, Jesus’ preaching in the face of growing opposition to the Master and his ideas. Jesus wants all of us to open our hearts generously to the word of God and then to put that word into practice. The sower is God, the Church, the parents, the teachers, and we ourselves. The seed sown is the high-yielding word of God which is “a sharp sword” (Is 49:2), “two-edged sword” (Heb 4:12), and “fire and hammer” (Jer 23:29).

Soil type & the yield: The hardened soil on the footpath represents people with minds closed because of laziness, pride, prejudice, or fear. The soil on flat rock pieces represents emotional types of people who go after novelties without sticking to anything, and are unwilling to surrender their wills to God. “I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh” (Ez 11:19). The soil filled with weeds represents those who are addicted to evil habits and evil tendencies, those whose hearts are filled with hatred or jealousy, and those whose greed focuses on acquiring money by any means and on enjoying life in any way possible. The good and fertile soil represents well-intentioned people with open minds and clean hearts, earnest in hearing the word and zealous in putting it into practice. Zacchaeus, the sinful woman , the thief on Jesus’ right side, St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Francis Xavier, among others, fall into this category of the good soil.

Life message: Let us become the good soil and produce hundred-fold yields by earnestly hearing, faithfully assimilating and daily cultivating the word of God we have received, so that the Holy Spirit may produce His fruits in our lives. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 25 Thursday (The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle): For a short account, click onhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/conversion-of-saint-paulMk 16:15-18: Paul, the “Apostle to the Gentiles” and the greatest missionary of the Apostolic age, was a Roman citizen by his birth in Tarsus (in Cilicia), and a Jew born to the tribe of Benjamin. His Hebrew name was Saul. Since he was a Pharisee, Saul was sent to Jerusalem by his parents to study the Mosaic Law under the great rabbi Gamaliel. As a student, he also learned the trade of tent-making. He was present as a consenting observer at the stoning of Stephen. But Saul was miraculously converted on his way to Damascus to arrest the Christians. After that, Saul, now called Paul, made several missionary journeys, converted hundreds of Jews and Gentiles and established Church communities. He wrote 14 epistles. He was arrested and kept in prison for two years in Caesarea and spent two more years under house arrest in Rome. Finally, he was martyred by beheading at Tre Fontane in Rome). Paul’s spiritual journey was a spiritual experience (Mysica), that produced a transformation (Metanoia) and impelled him to assume a mission of evangelization (Missio).

Today we celebrate the feast of the conversion St. Paul (described thrice in the New Testament: Acts chapters 9, 22, and 26) an event which revolutionized the history and theology of the early Church. Saul of Tarsus, because of his zeal for the Jewish law and Jewish traditions, became the most outrageous enemy of Christ and his teaching, as the apostles started preaching the Gospel. Saul consented to the martyrdom of Stephen, watching the cloaks of the stoners. After the martyrdom of the holy deacon, the priests and magistrates of the Jews raised a violent persecution against the Christian communities at Jerusalem, and Saul was their fanatical young leader. By virtue of the authority he had received from the high priest, he dragged the Christians out of their houses, chained them and thrust them into prison. In the fury of his zeal, he applied to the high priest and Sanhedrin for a commission to take up all Jews at Damascus who confessed Jesus Christ and bring them bound to Jerusalem to be properly punished. He was almost at the end of his journey to Damascus, when, at about noon, he and his company were suddenly surrounded by a great light. As Saul fell to the ground, he heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul answered, “Who are you, Sir?” And the voice said, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now, get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Saul rose and, blind, was led by his companions into Damascus.The Lord sent a Damascus disciple named Ananias to heal and instruct Saul. Ananias entered the house and, obeying Jesus’ orders, laid his hands on Saul and prayed over him so that he might regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. He regained his sight, got up, was baptized and, having eaten, recovered his strength. Saul had realized the truth that Jesus was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing. He could easily identify Jesus with Jesus’ followers. He stayed several days in Damascus with Christian disciples and started teaching in the synagogues that Jesus was the promised Messiah and the Son of God. Life message: Saul’s conversion into Paul teaches us that we, too, need conversion and the renewal of our lives by a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit, which will enable us to bear witness to Christ, as St. Paul did, by exemplary lives.(Feast Day gospel: Lk 10:1-9) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 26 Friday (Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops):For a short account, click onhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-timothy-and-titusMk 4:26-34: 26 Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed upon the ground, 27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34 he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. (Feast Day gospel: MT 23: 8-12)

The context: Using the mini-parables of the growth of wheat seeds and mustard seeds in the field, Jesus explains the nature of the growth of the Kingdom of God or rule of God in human beings and human societies. In the case of both wheat and mustard seeds, the initial growth is slow and unnoticeable. But within days a leafy shoot will emerge, and within months a mature plant with numerous branches and leaves, flowers and fruits will be produced. The growth is silent and slow but steady, using power from the seed in the beginning and transforming absorbed water and minerals for energy in the later stages. Jesus explains that the Kingdom of God grows this way in human souls. The Kingdom of God is the growth of God’s rule in human hearts that occurs when man does the will of God and surrenders his life to God. It is slow and microscopic in the beginning. But it grows by using the power of the Holy Spirit, given to us through the Word of God, the Sacraments, and our prayers. Finally, God’s rule in the human heart transforms individuals and communities into God’s people, doing His will in His kingdom.

Life message 1) As we learn God’s will from His words and try to put these words into practice, we participate in the growth of God’s Kingdom on earth, a growth which will be completed in our Heavenly life. But we need the special anointing of the Holy Spirit to be doers of the word of God, so let us offer our lives before God every day, asking for this special anointing. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 27 Saturday: (Saint Angela Merici, Virgin): For a short account, click on(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-angela-merici) Mk 4:35-41: 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” 41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

The context: Mark’s emphasis on Jesus’ wondrous works helps him to reveal Jesus’ true Messianic identity. The role of God in calming the storms of life is the central theme of today’s Gospel. By describing the miracle, Mark also gives the assurance to his first-century believers that nothing can harm the Church as long as the risen Lord is with them. The incident reminds us today to keep Jesus in our life’s boat and to seek God’s help in the storms of life.

The storm: The Sea of Galilee is lake thirteen miles long from north to south and eight miles broad from east to west at its widest. It is notorious for its sudden storms. When a cold wind blows from the west, the valleys and gullies and hills act like gigantic funnels, compressing the winds and letting them rush down to the lake to create storms with violent waves. Unable to control their fears in just such a storm, the disciples awaken Jesus, accusing him of disregarding their safety. Jesus' response is immediate. First, Jesus rebukes the winds and the sea, producing perfect calm, to the great astonishment of his disciples. Then only does he reproach them for their lack of Faith.

Life messages: 1) We need to welcome Jesus into the boat of our life. All of us are making a journey across the sea of time to the shore of eternity, and it is natural that, occasionally in our lives, we all experience different types of violent storms: physical storms, emotional storms, and spiritual storms. We face storms of sorrow, doubts, anxiety, worries, temptations, and passion. Only Jesus can give us real peace in the storm of sorrow or console us at the loss of our dear ones.

2) When the storm of doubts seeks to uproot the very foundations of our Faith, Jesus is there to still that storm, revealing to us His Divinity and the authority behind the words of Holy Scripture. He gives us peace in the storms of anxiety and worries about ourselves, about the unknown future, and about those we love. Jesus calms the storms of passion in people who have hot hearts and blazing tempers. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

OT III [B] Sunday (Jan 21): Eight-minute homily in one page (L/24)

Introduction: The three readings today underline our absolute need of repentance and our immediate need for a prompt response to God’s call.

Scripture lessons: The first reading tells us how God had to deal with the disobedient, fleeing prophet Jonah to turn him around (convert him), so that, repenting, he would go to Nineveh to preach repentance there. The wicked people of Nineveh, however, accepted Jonah as God’s prophet at once, and promptly responded to God’s call for repentance as Jonah preached it. In the second reading, Paul urges the Christian community in Corinth to lose no time in accepting the message of the Gospel and in renewing their lives with repentance because Jesus’ second coming may occur at any moment. Today’s Gospel describes how Jesus came to Galilee and began preaching, challenging people to “repent and believe in the Gospel.” Just as John did, Jesus also called for repentance, meaning a change in one’s mind or in the direction of one’s life and setting new priorities. Repentance also means hating sin itself, not just being sorry for the consequences of one’s sins. Believing in the Gospel demands from the hearers a resolution to take Jesus’ words seriously, to translate them into action, and to put trust in Jesus’ authority. Jesus preached the Gospel, or Good News, that God is a loving, forgiving, caring and merciful Father Who wants to liberate us and save us from our sins through His son Jesus. By describing the call of Jesus’ first disciples, Andrew, Peter, James, and John, today’s Gospel also emphasizes how we, sinners, are to respond to God’s call with total commitment by abandoning our accustomed style of sinful life. Jesus started his public ministry immediately after John the Baptist was arrested. According to Mark, Jesus selected four fishermen, Andrew and his brother Peter with James and his brother John, right from their fishing boats. Jesus wanted these ordinary, hard-working people as assistants for his ministry because they would be very responsive and generous instruments in the hands of God.

Life messages:1) We need to appreciate our call to become Christ’s disciples: Every one of us is called by God, both individually, and collectively as a parish community, to continue Jesus’ mission of preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom and healing the sick. 2) We are called individually to a way of life or vocation: – a religious commitment (priest, deacon, missionary, religious Sister or Brother, marriage partner, or single person), plus a particular occupation rising from our talents (medicine, law, teaching, healing, writing, art, music, building and carpentry, homemaking, child-rearing ….). Our own unique vocation should enable us to become what God wants us to be. As St. Francis Sales puts it, we are expected to bloom where we are planted. 3) Our call, of course, begins with our Baptism and the other Sacraments of Initiation. It is strengthened through the years with the Eucharist and Reconciliation, healed and consoled by Anointing and, for those so called, made manifest in the sacraments of Matrimony or Holy Orders. The amazing truth is that God is relentless in calling us back to Himself even when we stray away from Him. 4) Let us be thankful to God for His Divine grace of calling us to be members of the true Church. Let us remember that it is our vocation in life as Christians to transmit Christ’s Light through our living, radiating Jesus’ unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness, and humble service to all in our society.

OT III [B] (Jan 21, 2024) Jon 3:1-5, 10; I Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1: 14-20

 Homily starter anecdotes: # 1: The management forgives you: J. Edwin Orr, a professor of Church history has described the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Protestant Welsh Revivals of the nineteenth century, which resulted for many in real metanoia.  As people sought to be filled with the Spirit, they did all they could to confess their wrongdoings and to make restitution.  But this created serious problems for the shipyards along the coast of Wales.  Over the years, workers had “appropriated,” or “borrowed,”  all kinds of things, from wheelbarrows to hammers.  However, as people sought to be right with God, they understood that they had actually stolen all these things from their shipyards, so they started to return all they had taken, with the result that soon the shipyards of Wales were overwhelmed with returned property.  There were such huge piles of returned tools that several of the yards put up signs that read, “If you have been led by God to return what you have stolen, please know that the management forgives you and wishes you to keep what you have taken.” — In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges each one of us to revive our life with a true spirit of repentance.  (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

# 2:  Four reasons why people do not catch fish:  I have come to the conclusion that there are basically four reasons why people do not catch fish: (1) Some people are using the wrong bait. (2) Some people are fishing in the wrong lake, that is, they don’t know where the fish are. (3) Some people have got the right bait and they’re in the right lake, but they don’t know how to fish. (4) Then there are some people who have the right bait, and they’re in the right lake, and they know how to fish but they’re just not going fishing. The Lord Jesus came not only that we might put our Faith in Him, but that we might go fishing with Him. You see, our problem is not that we have the wrong lake. The water is full of fish. The problem is not that we have the wrong bait. We have the Gospel which can hook any fish. Our problem, I believe, is one of ignorance and apathy. There are many Christians who believe they do not know how to share the Lord Jesus, and then there are many who just don’t want to go. (Rev. Maxie Dunnam). Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).

# 3:  “Follow me.” Billy Graham was in a certain town years ago, and he wanted to mail a letter, but he had no idea where the Post Office was. So, he stopped a little boy walking the street and asked him if he could direct him to the nearest Post Office. Well, the little boy said, “Yes sir, go down to the red light, turn right, go two blocks to the second red light, turn left, go one block, turn back to the right and you will be right there.” Dr. Graham thanked him and said, “Son, if you will come to the Convention Center this evening, you can hear me telling everybody how to get to Heaven.” The boy said, “Well, I don’t think I’ll be there, Mister; you don’t even know your way to the Post Office.” Well I want to tell you that Jesus not only knows the way to Heaven, He is the Way to Heaven. He not only knows how to live, He is Life more abundant. The very first command He ever gave to any disciple was: “Follow Me.” For that is where discipleship begins and ends, in following Jesus. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction:  God’s call to discipleship, with the response of repentance, conversion, and renewal of life expected from each of us, is the main theme of today’s readings.  No matter to what life, work, or ministry God calls us, He first calls us to conversion, to reform, to repentance – to the process of continually becoming new people.  Those who are constantly being reformed by the Spirit will be able to follow, as true disciples, wherever God leads.  All three readings today underline the absolute necessity of such repentance and ready response to God’s call.

Scripture readings summarized: The first reading tells us  about the prophet Jonah, whose response when God first called him and told him to go to Nineveh was to take ship immediately for the furthest point he could get to in the opposite direction!  Why? We don’t know. Perhaps he was scared. Or perhaps it was because he hated the Gentile people of Nineveh and thought that they were not worthy of God’s gracious mercy. In any case, Jonah ran away. God had to halt Jonah in his flight, then give him a three-day “time-out” in the belly of that great fish, before the prophet was ready to accept the Lord God’s “second chance” to obey Him and go to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh.  Far from being hostile, however, the people and the King of Nineveh, promptly responded to God’s word as preached by His prophet, repenting in sackcloth with a fast  — just on the outside chance that the Lord God ”might” spare them! In the second reading, Paul urges the community in Corinth, and us, to lose no time accepting the message of the Gospel because Jesus’ second coming may  occur at any time.  Today’s Gospel describes how Jesus entered Galilee and began preaching. Like John, Jesus also called for repentance.  But Jesus added the Good News that the Kingdom of God was at hand. It still is, for where Jesus is, there is the Kingdom of God. Then Jesus called on his listeners to believe in the Gospel or the Good News of God’s love, mercy and salvation. When Jesus invited Simon, Andrew, James, and John to join him and help in his preaching and healing ministry, they promptly accepted his call, for discipleship is the only complete response a believer can make to that proclamation and invitation. The two greatest aspects of discipleship in Mark are being with Jesus and sharing in his mission. Disciples are invited to be with Jesus on a great spiritual journey and to share in Jesus’ mission of proclaiming God’s Kingdom in word and deed. In describing the call of Jesus’ first disciples, today’s Gospel also emphasizes how we, sinners, are to respond to Him with total commitment, abandoning our accustomed attitudes and styles of life to follow Him in thought, word, and deed.

First reading, Jonah 3:1-5 explained: The first reading shows us that we should respond promptly to God’s call for repentance.  Our passage comes from the beginning of the second part (Jonah 3-4), where Jonah finally obeyed the Lord God by preaching of repentance to the Ninevites. The call to repentance delivered by Jonah to the people of Nineveh demanded they make a radical change in their manner of living. Jesus makes the same demand of us in today’s Gospel: “Repent and believe  in the Gospel.” The Book of Jonah was written in Palestine around the 5th century BC, after the Babylonian exile. Some of the Jews were strongly nationalistic, filled with a smug sense of their superiority over all other nations. Like Jonah, they wished God would destroy the nations they perceived as His enemies.  For Jonah, the Ninevites were terrible people doing terrible things.  The city was notorious for its lack of morals and the idolatrous, decadent life-style of its inhabitants. The story of Jonah was intended to rebuke the Palestinians’ smallness of vision, and to teach them that God had care for other peoples besides themselves.  Reading (Jonah 3:1-5, 10) we have a condensed version of the “Jonah story,” which helps us keep our focus on the workings of the Lord. The Lord “calls” and “sends” Jonah to warn the Ninevites about their need to repent and reform their lives before it is too late. The Ninevites believed the Lord’s message and responded immediately in penitential fashion, thus softening their hearts to receive God’s mercy. The first two chapters describe how God responded to Jonah’s flight from His call and the mission He had assigned the prophet: He allowed him to experience a deadly storm followed by an excruciating experience in the belly of a whale.  At God’s second call to preach repentance in Nineveh, Jonah obeyed – but he was disappointed to see the ready response of that evil city to God’s message of repentance and a change of life! Jonah had not even finished the first day of his preaching journey before the people had totally turned around – doing visible penance while asking and hoping for God’s love, reconciliation and forgiveness.  Contrary to Jonah’s expectations, the pagan peoples of the city “believed in God” and “renounced their evil behavior”.  But perhaps the greater change, the more radical turnabout, happened in Jonah himself.  Jonah had been an arrogant, bigoted, narrow-minded prophet.  But he finally realized that God’s love is not limited – God’s forgiveness is not to be contained – God’s offer of salvation is for all – and we’d best not thwart it.

[Lessons taught by Jonah story: Not an historic account, but a didactic fiction, i.e., a story told in order to educate, the Jonah narrative had a double lesson for the inhabitants of Judah. First, in sending the main character of the story to foreign, pagan, Nineveh, the universality of God’s saving purpose was underscored. Second, in the bigoted persona of Jonah, the parochial and nationalistic Judahites were to recognize a caricature of themselves and to accept the challenge to broaden their concerns in order to bring them into line with God’s Will. Moreover, the value and quality of spirit attributed to the Ninevites was intended to awaken in the people of Judah an attitude of respect for and acceptance of others, who were often regarded as sub-human or as animals (dogs, swine). We notice that, when Jonah preached his short message, the Ninevites believed God (v. 5). Conversion in Nineveh was effected, not by prophetic eloquence (“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed!?!”) but by God’s power. http://www.ncrpub.org)] .

Second Reading, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 explained: The second reading also urges us to be converted and to accept the “Good News’ preached by Jesus. Thinking that the end was near and the second coming of Jesus would happen soon, Paul preferred that no one get married and that slaves not try to gain their freedom (1 Cor 7:8, 17-24). But the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World makes clear that it is precisely through engagement with the concerns of the world that Jesus’ followers are to exercise their discipleship. Saint Paul had to be strict and detailed in his moral teaching to the Christians in Corinth because Corinth was a bawdy seaport with a typical seaport’s set of ethics and some very bizarre philosophical ideas.  Hence, Paul spent all of chapter 7 on marriage and sexual morality.  He told the Corinthians to live in total freedom and detachment because nothing they had, whether things or personal attachments, was permanent, and everything could disappear at a moment’s notice.  Whether life is very good or very bad, nothing lasts except the fundamental values of truth and love, of freedom and justice. In the end, it is who and Whose we are, not what we have that counts.  Hence, let us ask to have the freedom to follow the call of God and to be ready to go at once wherever Jesus is asking us to go.

Gospel exegesis:  “The time is fulfilled.” The meaning of this verse hinges on the Greek word used for ‘time’: “The time is fulfilled…” There are two different words in Greek for ‘time’, and they carry very different meanings. Mark does not use the word ‘chronos’ for ‘time’ here; ‘chronos’ indicates a moment in historical time, a date on the calendar, an hour in the day…Instead, he uses the word ‘kairos’, which still means ‘time’ but is more to do with the eternal quality inherent in any given moment. So Jesus does not announce the historical moment in time when the kingdom of God came to earth. Instead, he is alerting us to the possibility of encountering the kingdom of God at any given moment in historical time, if we repent and believe.

Invitation to repentance: Some Bible scholars believe that after his baptism, Jesus became a disciple of John, preaching his message of repentance and baptizing others (see Jn 3:22). Over the course of time, Jesus began to discover a new ministry for himself. According to Mark, Jesus embarked upon it after John was arrested (Mk 1:14).It is highly likely that Jesus and the four followers he summoned here were not strangers.  Even if they had not personally met each other before this time, they were aware of each other’s aspirations and objectives.  Jesus used exactly the same words John the Baptist had used:  “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.”  The Greek word used “metanoeo” means to change one’s mind or direction.  But Jesus must have used the Hebrew shûbh, or its Aramaic equivalent, which means to turn around 180 degrees, to reorient one’s whole attitude toward Yhwh in the face of his coming kingdom. It therefore includes within it the demand for faith. Thus, repentance means that we make a complete change of direction in our lives.  This involves a radical conversion (metanoia), a change of direction and priorities in our lives. The mark of genuine repentance is not a sense of guilt, but a sense of sorrow, of regret for having taken a wrong turn.  For Jesus, repentance is not merely saying, “I’m sorry,” but also promising, “I will change my life.” Real repentance means that a man has come, not only to be sorry for the consequences of his sin, but to hate sin itself.  We often think of repentance as feeling guilty, but it is really a change of mind or direction — seeing things from a different perspective.  Once we begin to see things rightly, it might follow that we will feel bad about having seen them wrongly for so long.  But repentance starts with the new vision rather than the guilt feelings.  By true repentance we are giving up control of our lives and throwing our sinful lives on the mercy of God.  We are inviting God to do what we can’t do ourselves — namely to raise the dead — to change and recreate us.  “Repent” is used in the present tense — “Keep on repenting!”  “Continually be repentant!”  This means that repentance must be the ongoing life of the people in the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is the theme of Jesus’ preaching. This Kingdom is any society where God’s will is done as it is done in Heaven. Hence, a person who does the will of God perfectly is already in the Kingdom of God. Being in the Kingdom offers us a new healing and freeing access to God, already to be tasted in Jesus’ own ministry. Matthew, as a devout Jew, consistently uses the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven,” while Mark, writing for Gentile converts, uses the phrase “Kingdom of God,” without any scruples about using God’s name.  We probably shouldn’t interpret the “Kingdom of God” as Heaven where God rules.   In telling us that the Kingdom has come near, Jesus is telling us that we can dwell in this Kingdom now, provided we repent or turn away from the idols that crowd our lives and do the will of God as it is done in Heaven, thus allowing God to reign in our lives.

Believe in the “Gospel” or “Good News.”  It was preeminently “Good News” that Jesus came to bring to men.  The Good News is that God is our loving and forgiving Father and not a punishing judge, and that He wants to save us through His son Jesus.  So St. Paul calls it the Good News of truth (Gal 2:5; Col 1:5), Good News of hope (Col 1:23), , Good News of God’s promise of salvation (Eph 1:13, 3:6), Good News of peace with God and man (Eph 6:1), and Good News of immortality (2Tim 1:10).  To believe in the Good News simply means to take Jesus at his word, to believe that God is the kind of God that Jesus has told us about,  and to believe that God so loves the world that He will make any sacrifice to bring us back to Himself.  To believe in the “Good News” involves a total commitment – the investing of one’s whole self in God without any guarantees or preconditions.

The call of the apostles: “The evangelists were not precise chroniclers of Jesus’ words and works. Rather each inspired writer, with his own personal talents and sources, has taken the oral tradition preserved within his community and has shaped a Gospel according to his own Christological and soteriological insights, and in keeping with the pastoral situation and concerns of his readers. For this reason, the same events, e.g., Jesus’ calling of his disciples, have been presented somewhat differently by each of the evangelists.” (http://www.ncrpub.org). Just like Matthew’s, Mark’s account of this call is very brief.  Jesus calls two pairs of brothers – Andrew and Peter, James and John – inviting them to become his disciples.  The men respond immediately, leaving their nets, their boats, and their father “in the boat along with the hired men, (1:20),” to follow Jesus. These fishermen immediately accept Jesus’ invitation to use their skills to “fish for people.” Abandoning their nets is a way of speaking of what must be left behind when one embraces radical discipleship.  Usually rabbinical students sought out their teachers and attached themselves to them.  However, Jesus, as rabbi, takes the initiative and calls some probably less-than-ideal candidates to be his students.  The disciples were simple fishermen with no great background.  In Cicero’s ranking of occupations (De Off 1.150-51), owners of cultivated land appear first and fishermen last.  What Jesus needs are ordinary folk who will give Him themselves.  What Christ needs is not our ability, but our availability.  What Jesus teaches His disciples is not a course of study, but a way of life to follow.  Hence, Jesus offers these men the opportunity to observe him at close range on a daily basis.  Perhaps Peter, Andrew, James, and John fundamentally misunderstood the call and believed it to be the way out of their poverty and powerlessness. Here was a call to a new life in which they would have power and authority and would be respected by everyone as a result.

Call to make fishers of men:     There is a similar passage in Jeremiah 16:16 – “I am now sending for many fishermen, says the Lord, and they shall catch them”.  In the ancient world fishing was a metaphor for two distinct activities: judgment and teaching.  “Fishing for people” meant bringing them to justice by dragging them out of their hiding places and setting them before the judge.  And “fishing” was also used of teaching people, of the process of leading them from ignorance to wisdom.  Both cases involve a radical change of environment, a break with a former way of life and entrance upon a new way of life.  We are the fish, and what God promises us, who are dragged out of the water in the nets to die, is a Resurrection, a new life, a new family, a new future, all under God’s control, all within the Kingdom of Heaven, which has come near in Jesus.  We have very little control over our own lives, but as fish caught in the net of God’s love, we can trust that we are under God’s control.  We have to believe that being captured by God’s love, that responding to the command to repent and die to self, that being raised to a new life by God, is not only right for us, but is a message we need to share with the entire world.  The disciples will be trained to do precisely what Jesus is doing right now:  proclaiming the Kingdom, recruiting people for it, and drawing them into a community that experiences God’s reign.

Life messages: 1) Let us appreciate our call to be Christ’s disciples: Every one of us is called by God, both individually and collectively.  The mission of preaching, teaching, and healing which Jesus began in Galilee is now the responsibility of the Church.  Our own unique vocation and our relationship with the risen Lord are the same as that of the universal Church.  Be we religious, priests, married or single people, we are all called, and in this call we become what God wants us to be.  The call, of course, begins with our Baptism and the other Sacraments of Initiation,  is strengthened throughout the years with the Eucharist and Reconciliation, healed and consoled by Anointing, and (for those so called), made manifest in Matrimony, or Holy Orders.  God is relentless in calling us back to Himself, even when we stray away from Him. Perhaps, God is asking us to see His hand in unexpected changes, reminding us that we are a pilgrim people who cannot be settled down into comfortable routine! Even when the changes are, apparently, not for the better, how we deal with them is what matters.

2) Let us be thankful to God for His Divine grace of calling us to be members of the true Church. Let us make personal efforts to see in her the Light of Christ and to grow in holiness, learning the truths that are revealed through the Church and receiving her Sacraments.  Let us be shining lights in the world as Christ was and make a personal effort to bring others to the truth and the light, so that they may rejoice with us in the Mystical Body of Christ, the invisible Kingdom of God.

3) God is constantly calling each one of us to repent, to confess our sins, to do penance, and to amend our lives. I cannot receive communion if I have sinned mortally, without first confessing my sins and receiving absolution in the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) (CCC #1415). If I do receive communion while not in the state of grace, I have committed a sin of irreligion called a sacrilege which is a very serious offense against the 1st Commandment (CCC #2120). Is God calling me right now to respond to His call to repent by seeking out a priest and making a good confession?

JOKES OF THE WEEK: 1) Good News and Bad News: An old man visits his doctor and after thorough examination the doctor tells him: “I have good news and bad news; what would you like to hear first?” Patient: “Well, let me have the bad news first.” Doctor: “You have cancer.  I estimate that you have about two years left.”  Patient: “Oh no!  That’s just awful!  In two years my life will be over!  What kind of good news could you probably tell me, after this?”  Doctor: “You also have Alzheimer’s.  In about three months you are going to forget everything I told you.”

2) Jonah and the whale: There was this Christian lady that had to do a lot of traveling for her business, so she did a lot of flying. But flying made her nervous so she always took her Bible along with her to read, and it helped relax her. One time she was sitting next to a man. When he saw her pull out her Bible he gave a little chuckle and went back to what he was doing.
After a while he turned to her and asked, “You don’t really believe all that stuff in there do you?”
The lady replied “Of course I do! It is the Bible.”
He said, “Well what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?”
She replied “Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that; it is in the Bible. The Bible says Jonah was swallowed by a whale, and I believe it. And if it had said that Jonah had swallowed the whale, I would believe that too!”
He asked “Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?”
The lady said “Well I don’t really know. I guess when I get to Heaven I will ask him.” “What if he isn’t in Heaven?” the man asked sarcastically.
“Then you can ask him when you reach the Hell,” replied the lady.

3) The best prayer I ever heard was: “Lord, please make me the kind of person my dog thinks I am.”

4) A young boy wanted to go down to the lake to fish, and his mother asked him to take his little sister with him. He said, “Mom, don’t make me take her with me. The last time she came with me, I didn’t catch a single fish.” The mother said, “I’ll talk to her, and I promise this time she won’t make any noise.” The boy said, “Mom, it wasn’t the noise. She ate all my bait!”

USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK: (The easiest method  to visit these websites is to copy and paste the web address or URL on the Address bar of any Internet website like Google or MSN and press the Enter button of your Keyboard).

• Nick’s collection of Sunday homilies from 65 priests & weekday homilies: https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies
• Don’ collection of video homilies & blogs: https://sundayprep.org/featured-homilies/ (Copy it on the Address bar and press the Enter button)
• Geoffrey Plant’s beautiful & scholarly video classes on Sunday gospel, Bible & RCIA topics:   https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant20663)
• Brant Pitre’s commentary on Cycle B Sunday Scripture for Bible Class: https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/mass-readings-explained-year-Biblical basis of Catholic doctrines: http://scripturecatholic.com/
• Agape Catholic Bible Lessons: http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/Patron saints of the day: http://www.catholicforum.com/saints/patron02.htm ; https://www.franciscanmedia.org/
• Online marriage preparation: http://www.catholicmarriagepreponline.com/
• http://www.andiesisle.com/ThisBlessingIsForYou.html (Irish blessing video)

  25- Additional anecdotes:

25- Additional anecdotes:

1) Deep-sea fishing: How many of you have ever been deep-sea fishing? I was shocked to learn that more than 2.4 million people participated in this sport last year, resulting in retail sales of almost $2.4 billion dollars and a total economic impact of almost $4.5 billion dollars. Deep-sea fishing provides jobs for nearly 55,000 people. You may be asking what deep-sea fishing has to do with the Church. You are going to see over the next four weeks that deep-sea fishing is a picture of the deep-soul fishing we are to be about as Church. “As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and, I will make you fishers of men.'” (Mk 1:16-17). That one statement tells us what our primary business is as Church, both corporately and as followers of Jesus individually. If you are a follower of Jesus, I want you to understand that every day Jesus Christ wants fishermen-disciples to launch out into the sea of humanity and go deep-soul fishing, because the Church’s primary business, and so the Christian’s primary business, is the fishing business. No matter what else we do or how well we do it, if we ever get out of the fishing business, we are out of business. Your neighborhood is a lake full of fish. Your office is a lake full of fish. Your school is a lake full of fish. When Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men,” He was saying, “I will take you, with your personality, your background, your testimony, your influence, and I will use you to catch men, women, boys, and girls and bring them into My family.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) Four reasons why people do not catch fish:  I have come to the conclusion that there are basically four reasons why people do not catch fish: (1) Some people are using the wrong bait. (2) Some people are fishing in the wrong lake, that is, they don’t know where the fish are. (3) Some people have got the right bait and they’re in the right lake, but they don’t know how to fish. (4) Then there are some people who have the right bait, and they’re in the right lake, and they know how to fish but they’re just not going fishing. — The Lord Jesus came not only that we might put our Faith in Him, but that we might go fishing with Him. You see, our problem is not that we have the wrong lake. The water is full of fish. The problem is not that we have the wrong bait. We have the Gospel which can hook any fish. Our problem, I believe, is one of ignorance and apathy. There are many Christians who believe they do not know how to share the Lord Jesus, and then there are many who just don’t want to go. (Rev. Maxie Dunnam) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) Then we can have the greatest renewal:  Years ago, Richard Cardinal Cushing (b. August 24, 1895 — d. Nov. 2, 1970; Archbishop of Boston 1944-1970-; created Cardinal, 1958), wrote:  “If all the sleeping folks will wake up, and all the lukewarm folks will fire up, and all the disgruntled folks will sweeten up, and all the discouraged folks will cheer up, and all the depressed folks will look up, and all the estranged folks will make up, and all the gossiping folks will shut up, and all the dry bones will shake up, and all the true soldiers will stand up, and all the Church members will pray up, and if the Savior of all will be lifted up . . . then we can have the greatest renewal this world has ever known. Amen.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

4) “Follow me.” Billy Graham was in a certain town years ago, and he wanted to mail a letter, but he had no idea where the Post Office was. So, he stopped a little boy walking the street and asked him if he could direct him to the nearest Post Office. Well, the little boy said, “Yes sir, go down to the red light, turn right, go two blocks to the second red light, turn left, go one block, turn back to the right and you will be right there.” Dr. Graham thanked him and said, “Son, if you will come to the Convention Center this evening, you can hear me telling everybody how to get to Heaven.” The boy said, “Well, I don’t think I’ll be there, Mister; you don’t even know your way to the Post Office.” –Well, I want to tell you that Jesus not only knows the way to Heaven, He is the Way to Heaven. He not only knows how to live, He is Life more abundant. The very first command He ever gave to any disciple was: “Follow Me.” For that is where discipleship begins and ends, in following Jesus. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

5) They abandoned their father: Columban, who died in AD 615, was the greatest of the Irish medieval monk-missionaries. A well-educated youth, he had a very passionate nature that caused him great concern. “Flight from the world is the only solution,” a holy anchoress [a woman living enclosed in a cell abutting a Church with a window into the Church for Mass and the Sacraments, and a window to the outside world to counsel those who came to her for advice],  advised him: “flight even from your own native land.” Following her counsel, he entered the monastic life and studied the spiritual way at the feet of some of the most noted – and strictest – Irish monks. He lived in the monastery of Bangor until he was about forty-five. Then he sought permission of the abbot to head a group of monks as missionaries among the Germans. In Germanic Burgundy he founded the monastery of Annegaray, and then the more famous one of Luxeil. To the men who flocked to become monks under his tutelage, he gave a very strict rule, heavy with penalties for even slight infractions. If his followers observed so stringent a way of life at all, it was doubtless because they saw St. Columban himself observing it to the last letter. On account of political opposition, Abbot Columban moved away from Burgundy into Switzerland, and eventually into northern Italy. Here the Germanic King Agilulf gave him land for a new monastery, and the Abbot, now in his seventies, erected the Abbey of Bobbio, where he died not long afterward. When young Columban had first felt the call to become a monk, his mother had objected very strongly. To prevent his departure, she had even thrown herself across the doorway of their home. This did give the saint pause, but only for a moment. He stepped over her and went his way, never to return.

— What did Zebedee the fisherman say when his sons, James and John, left him for good to follow Christ? The Scriptures do not tell us. He quite likely grumbled for a while about the fate of the family business. What did St. Columban’s mother do when he stepped over her and left? History does not tell us. Being a sensible Irishwoman, she quite likely got up, dusted off her clothes, and sought consolation in a cup of tea. Both she and Zebedee, God-fearing persons that they were, probably came to realize all the more clearly thereafter that children are a gift from God, and so He has first claim on their service. “They abandoned their father Zebedee.. . and went off in His company.” (Mk 1:20. Today’s Gospel). (Father Robert F. McNamara) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

6) “Follow the Leader“ Has any of you ever played “Follow the Leader?” Of course you have! I played the game when I was a child — my father played the game when he was a child — his father played the game when he was a child. Follow the Leader is a game that is played and enjoyed by children all over the world. The rules are very simple. You choose a leader and you follow him wherever he goes — and do whatever he does. — In our daily lives, too, we play follow the leader. In school, in Church, in sports, in any activity we join, there are always leaders. Every day we are faced with making a choice of which leader we will follow. But we must be sure to choose a leader who will lead us in the right direction. Today’s Gospel tells us how Jesus selected his first disciples and instructed them to follow him as the leader. As Jesus was walking along the seashore he saw two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, and called out to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” The Gospel tells us that they laid down their nets and followed Jesus. Jesus went a little farther and he saw two more men, James and John sitting in their boat mending their nets. Jesus called out to them and the Bible tells us that they left their boat and their father and followed Jesus (Mt 5:19-20). Jesus is still calling people to follow him today. He has called you and me to follow him. Now it’s up to us to decide if we will follow the Leader. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

7) “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.” Purdue Farms had the same problem when they tried to expand their chicken business. Their popular slogan tried to appeal to women by making men prepare a chicken dinner. Do you recall the slogan? It was, “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.” Desiring to reach into the Spanish market they translated their slogan and announced to the entire Latino world, “It takes a virile man to make a chicken affectionate!” This faux pas illustrates the truth that Translation and Treason come from the same root!  Now,  how can we reach others for Christ? We can do it by “speaking their language” that is by understanding their jobs, taking an interest in their hobbies, speaking to them about their families. We can do it with a personal touch. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

8) “Come to the Chapel,” and “Jesus Sets the Prisoners Free!”  Some of you are familiar with the name Charles Colson. Chuck Colson was, at one time, a power player in Washington politics, a member of President Richard Nixon’s inner circle. He was one of Nixon’s most enthusiastic “hatchet men.” Those who knew him best described him as a man of few principles. But his involvement in the infamous Watergate scandal led to his disgrace.  It was while serving time in prison for his role in the scandal that Charles Colson came to an authentic relationship with Christ.  After his release, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, a ministry to inmates in prisons around the world. Many years ago, Colson started a Prison Fellowship group with just eight young inmates at a maximum-security prison in Delaware.  One young inmate was deeply affected by what he learned in the Prison Fellowship Bible study. When a judge reviewed his case and unexpectedly set him free, this young man asked to be allowed to remain in prison until he had finished the study. About a year after Colson’s first visit to the Delaware prison, he returned for an Easter morning service.  Dozens of prisoners stood outside the chapel and held up signs announcing, “Come to the Chapel,” and “Jesus Sets the Prisoners Free!”  Hundreds of inmates packed the chapel that morning to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. [Charles Colson.  Loving God (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1987), pp. 21-24.] — Christ reaches out to all kinds of people. They don’t have to be special people. But he turns them into special people. All they have to do is say, “Yes.” Here’s what we need to see: it can happen to us. Christ can turn us into someone special if we will let him. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

9) Integrity, intelligence, and energy: Warren Buffett, the nation’s most successful financial investor and the second-richest man in America, has some very valuable advice on hiring the best people for one’s business. He says, “Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” [Omaha World Herald, Feb. 1, 1994. Cited in Thoughts of Chairman Buffett, (New York: HarperBusiness, 1998).] — If you were looking to hire someone to work for you, where would you begin? Wouldn’t you begin with someone you could trust? Jesus saw something in these men that helped him to know that he could depend on them. This is not to say that the disciples were perfect. Certainly, they were not. There is a silly story about Jesus having his Last Supper with his disciples. As they ate, he looked around at them. There, in one direction, he saw Judas Iscariot, who would betray him to the authorities before three hours had passed. On the other side was Peter, who would deny him three times before the cock crowed. And almost immediately opposite him was Thomas, who, on a crucial occasion, would express doubts. There seemed only one thing to do. Jesus called over the headwaiter, “Max,” he said, “separate checks.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

9) Do you remember “Top Gun“? Remember how planes took off and landed on aircraft carriers? These sleek, large, worth-more-than-their-weight-in-gold jets sit on even bigger, more expensive ships. In order for both pieces of equipment to function without disaster, a bond of complete trust and genuine teamwork must be established between those who fly and those who remain grounded. Those trained to pilot the most powerful and sophisticated aircraft in the world must rely upon and wait for a series of “go-ahead” hand signals from their always-grounded “air boss.” Each step must be carried out in proper sequence before the big jets can set off on their appointed missions. The first duty of the air boss is to signal the removal of the “chocks,” the small clamps that lock in place the aircraft’s wheels and keep them from rolling. — When Jesus utters his first proclamation of the Good News, “the Kingdom of God has come near” (Mk 1:15), he follows it with the command to “repent.” Before anything else can happen, even before he urges listeners to “believe in the Good News,” Jesus preaches repentance. Jesus knows that our sins and shortcomings, prejudices and preconceived notions can effectively block us from making any headway in our search for God’s kingdom. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

10) Word-of-mouth evangelization in a world of commercials: One of the biggest industries in the United States today is the production of advertising. Billboards, signs on benches, magazines, newspapers, placards on the sides of buses, messages on the insides of match books, “junk” mail, computer phone calls, radio and, of course, television, all seek to commercial-ize us, to sell us something. Commercials make a host of promises. We’re told that if we just use what they sell, people will notice us; we’ll be healthier, happier, sexier; smell better; look better; feel better; get just about everything we want. I’d hate to add up the amount of time each day that is ruined by commercials. Kids, especially, are fascinated with them and affected by them (most of the time affected badly). About forty years ago there used to be an automobile named the Packard. Packard was the last car manufacturer to get into advertising, It didn’t happen until old man Packard died, because whenever he was approached to buy some advertising for his cars he always said, “Don’t need any; just ask the man who owns one.” — Our Lord Jesus Christ is also known through word-of-mouth advertising. That’s how the word about him gets out. Only the Shepherds at the first Christmas heard the Good News from angels. Only the Wise Men were led by a Star. Just a comparative few were touched by miracles. But almost everybody came to know Jesus Christ, and is still coming to know him, through word-of-mouth advertising, one person telling another. There are other names we use: preaching, witnessing, sharing, testifying, evangelizing. Basically, however, it’s all word-of-mouth advertising, one person telling another. Our Gospel lesson reminds us that John the Baptizer was one of the first to get the word out about Jesus. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

11) “MVSU was the only school to come to my house and give me a personal visit.” Some of you will remember the 1989 MVP of Super Bowl 23: Jerry Rice. There is an interesting story about him. He was the longtime star for the San Francisco 49ers, considered one of the greatest receivers in the history of football; he played for the 49ers for 15 years, 1985 to 2000. He is a famous athlete, and you would think he came from some legendary college team but he didn’t. He played for Mississippi Valley State University, in Itta Bena, Mississippi, a virtual unknown. He was once asked, “Why did you attend a small, obscure university like Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi?” Rice responded, “Out of all the big-time schools (such as UCLA) to recruit me, MVSU was the only school to come to my house and give me a personal visit.” The big-time schools recruited through cards, letters, and advertisements, but only one came to meet him and showed Rice personal attention.  — It makes a difference in this world to meet people eye to eye and invite them to be a part of something. As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, the Scriptures say, he saw Simon and his brother casting a net into the sea. He approached them and Personally invited them to be a part of His ministry and mission. They followed Him. He went a little further and he saw two more brothers: James and John. He went up to them extending the same Personal invitation, and they followed. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

12) “Unlike a religious fanatic, a football fanatic can be perfectly harmless.” A man in one Church recalled how during football season he and his son watched football on television the whole weekend. On Saturdays it was college football, on Sundays, professional football, and then to cap it off professional football on Monday evenings. This same father was uncomfortable with his son being away for a weekend religious retreat, fearing his son might turn into a religious fanatic! I asked him if he thought being a sports fan was okay for his son. Of course, he replied. But when I pointed out that “fan” is the shortened form of “fanatic,” he was taken aback. His long-neglected wife, a football widow of the first rank, wondered aloud why it was perfectly acceptable to be a football fanatic and not a religious fanatic. “Because,” replied her husband without thinking, “unlike a religious fanatic, a football fanatic can be perfectly harmless.” “Yes,” said the long-unnoticed football widow, “I can vouch for that!” — Neither fanaticism nor academism by themselves will do for discipleship. The word “disciple” means “learning follower.” It is the root of the word “discipline.” And the discipline required of Jesus’ disciples is thinking and acting, learning and following Jesus. Now Jesus calls all of us to renewed discipleship, to follow him toward new goals and priorities, to be faithful fishers of men, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John — and look how they changed the world! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

13) Just 6 were about the Bible, 4 about Jesus, and 3 about evangelism. In the “prosperity gospel” that has gripped so many of our Churches and most of our minds, “conversion” is less a turning toward Christ than a turning toward success or fame or fortune, especially a turning towards self. Just check out “best-seller Christianity,” which has become ladder-climbing wrapped up as spirituality. A survey of CBA’s best-selling books as we began the 21^st century found that family and women’s topics accounted for nearly half of the titles, with the rest focused mainly on success and the self. Of the top 100 books, just 6 were about the Bible, 4 about Jesus, and 3 about evangelism. The rest of them were about how to climb higher and higher on the ladders of success. “The Christianity of the bestseller lists tends to be personal, private, and interior,” writes Gene Edward Veith in World magazine (July 2008), “with little attention to objective theology or to the Church.” We have even made conversion primarily about ourselves, a finding of ourselves and a fulfilling of ourselves, a journey of self-discovery rather than a journey of God-discovery.  “Any version of the Gospel that substitutes the message of personal success for the cross is a manipulative counterfeit,” writes A. C. Thiselton in his commentary on The First Epistle to the Corinthians. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

14) There are people who are unhappy with their lives and situations. In 1957, as John Galbraith was about to describe us as “the affluent society,” our per-person income, expressed in today’s dollars, was less than $10,000. Today it is more than twice that – making us The More Than Doubly Affluent Society. Compared to 1957, we have more than twice as many cars per person; we have digital TVs, satellite dishes, cell phones and $15 billion a year worth of brand name athletic shoes. So, are we happier than we were sixty-seven years ago? We are not. In 1957, thirty-five percent of Americans told The National Opinion Research Center they were very happy. By 1991, our per-capita income had already doubled, and yet only thirty-one percent said they were very happy. And the trends continue. “Judged by soaring rates of depression, the quintupling of the violent crime rate, the doubling of the divorce rate, the slight decline in marital happiness among the marital survivors, and the tripling of the teen suicide rate, we are richer and unhappier.” [Adapted from James Merritt, Friends, Foes & Fools, Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holmes, 1997.]– The first disciples of Jesus were probably dissatisfied with their lives. So, when Christ showed them something better – when he offered to give them a dynamic new purpose for their lives – they did not hesitate. They dropped everything and followed him. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

15) Decide between a new car and getting engaged. There are some issues too important to put off. A decision has to be made. Once, an Ann Landers column told about a dilemma faced by another young man: “Dear Ann, I have got to decide between a new car and getting engaged. I really love this wonderful young lady. But every night when I go to sleep, I dream about the car!”  —  When we hear an invitation from Christ, we often find two conflicting inner voices within our spirit. One is telling us, look before you leap; don’t get involved; you can always do it later on. Then there is a voice urging us to trust and be obedient to the call. We can’t have it both ways. We must respond to one voice or the other. We can’t waver between two opinions. The disciples were teachable; they were decisive. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

16) “And those who quit will be doctors, lawyers, and captains of industry.”

Some of you football fans will remember when Bo Schembechler was the coach of the Michigan Wolverines. It’s said that Schembechler used to work his players especially hard during spring practice to see what kind of young men he had, winners or quitters.  He made a sign with a slogan on it and hung it above the locker room door. The sign read like this: “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions.” Of course, not everyone stayed. One morning Schembechler came to the office and looked at the sign. Underneath the words “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions,” someone had written, “And those who quit will be doctors, lawyers, and captains of industry.” —  Not everyone has what it takes to answer the call to be a champion, regardless of the field or profession. Well, you get the idea.  Not everyone is cut out to play football. Not everyone will be happy as a sailor. And not everyone was called to be among Jesus’ original twelve disciples. Jesus calls many, but only a few heed his summons.  In most Churches, only about twenty percent of the congregation is really involved in the life of the Church. Another twenty percent are relatively faithful in worship, but can’t truly be counted on for anything else. Another twenty percent are sporadic attenders. And then there are about forty percent who are of the hatched, matched, and dispatched variety. That is, they are here when they need to be baptized, married and finally buried – hatched, matched, and dispatched – but they couldn’t be much more nominal in their devotion. So the fact that these first disciples were willing to not only say “yes” to the Master, but also to leave their nets and follow him is no little matter. As they say, “showing up is half the battle.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

17) Radical conversion of Honest Jake: Former Massachusetts congressman Tip O’Neill tells the story of a metanoia or change – the story of a man named “Honest Jake.”  Honest Jake became well-known in the Boston area because of his assistance to three generations of immigrant families.  He owned a little variety store and would extend credit to the poor immigrants to help them get started in their new land.  As Honest Jake neared his sixtieth birthday, a group of people he had helped decided to give him a party and a generous gift of money.  Jake received the money gratefully and began to use it for his own makeover.  He had his teeth capped.  He bought a hairpiece.  He invested in a diet and exercise program and lost a lot of weight.  He purchased a whole new wardrobe.  Then he boarded a plane and a few hours later the new Honest Jake hit the beach at Miami.  He met a beautiful young woman, asked her for a date, and she accepted.  But before they could go out on the date, a thunderstorm came up, and Honest Jake was struck by a lightning bolt and died instantly. In Heaven, he said to God, “After all those years of hard work in Your service, I was just trying to enjoy myself a little.  Why?  Why me?”  And God said to him, “Oh, is that you, Jake?  I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you.” — The Scripture for this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is about change, about the radical change we make by repentance, not in the way of Honest Jake, perhaps, but making ourselves over into the image to which the love of God and the ministry of Jesus Christ call us. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

18) Whom and what are your ready to renounce? Hermit’s loin-cloth (‘Baavaani Iangoti’) is a popular Gujarati folktale of a devoted hermit (sadhu) who owned nothing but a pair of loin-cloths and lived a life totally committed to God. Once, a rat nibbled a hole in one of his loin-cloths and so he got a cat to protect it. However, he had to beg for extra food and milk to feed the cat. “I’ll keep a cow to get milk for the cat and myself,” thought he. So he got a cow, but had to find fodder for the cow. “Too troublesome!” mused he, and married a woman to look after the cow. With wife, cow and cat to feed, he got some land and hired laborers to work upon it. Soon, he became the richest man in town. When asked about why he renounced discipleship, he explained, “This is the only way I could preserve my loin-cloths!” — To become fishers of Man, Jesus’ first disciples renounced everything. Whom and what are you ready to renounce? (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

19)“I, and this nation, should be on the Lord’s side.” A friend of Abraham Lincoln one day tried to console the President in his many problems by saying: “I hope that the Lord is on our side.” Lincoln replied kindly but firmly that this was not his hope. Everyone was amazed! Then he went on to say: “I am not at all concerned about that, for we know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I, and this nation, should be on the Lord’s side.” — If we are on the Lord’s side and for His Kingdom, we will use the countless gifts He has given to each of us to advance his Kingdom. (Vima Dasan in His Word Lives; quoted by  Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

20) Who and what am I working for? There was once a holy rabbi who lived in a town where the houses of the rich stood in an isolated area so that they had to hire men to watch over their property at night. Late one evening as the rabbi was coming home, he met a watchman walking up and down. ‘For whom are you working?’ the rabbi asked. The man told him and then inquired in his turn,  ’And for whom are you working, rabbi?’ The words struck the rabbi like a shaft. ‘I am not working for anyone just now,’ he barely managed to say. Then he walked up and down beside the man for a long time. ‘Will you be my servant?’ he finally asked. ‘I should like to,’ the man replied, ‘but what would be my duties?’ ‘To ask me that question every now and then,’ said the rabbi. — It’s a question each of us might ask ourselves every now and then: Who or what am I working for? (Flor McCarthy in Sundays and Holy Day Liturgies; quoted by Fr. Botelho. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

21) On whose side? A Russian youth who had become a conscientious objector to war, through reading of Tolstoy and the New Testament, was brought before a magistrate. With the strength of conviction he told the judge that he believed in a life which loves its enemies, which does good to those who despitefully use it, which overcomes evil and which refuses war. “Yes,” said the judge, “I understand. But you must be realistic. These laws you are talking about are the laws of the Kingdom of God, and it has not come yet.” The young man straightened and said, “Sir, I recognize it has not come for you, nor yet for Russia or the world. But the Kingdom of God has come for me! I can’t go on hating and killing as though it had not come.” — In a way, the Russian youth summed up what we believe about the Kingdom of God. How soon will the plan of God for his Kingdom be realised? It depends much on how earnest we are to be on God’s side and cooperate with his plan. (Fr. Botelho) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 22) Turning Evil to Good: A lady once showed Ruskin a costly handkerchief on which had fallen a large blot of ink. “What a shame!” she moaned. “It is absolutely good for nothing now. It is totally spoiled. Ruskin said nothing but asked to borrow the handkerchief for a day. The next day he handed it to her without a word, and the lady delightedly saw that, using the blot as a starting point, the great artist had designed an intriguing pattern on that corner of the handkerchief. Now it was actually worth more than it had ever been before the blot had disfigured it. — God can draw forth good from evil! (Bruno Hagspiel, from Tonic from the Heart in 1000 Bottles; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

23) History Changed by One Man: In September of 1862, the Civil War tilted decisively in favour of the South. The morale of the Northern army dipped to its lowest point of the war. Large numbers of Union troops were in full retreat in Virginia. Northern leaders feared the worst. They saw no way to reverse the situation and turn the beaten, exhausted troops into a useful army again. There was only one general who might be able to work this miracle. That was General McClellan. He had trained men for combat, and they loved and admired him. But the War Department didn’t see this, nor did the Cabinet see it. Only President Lincoln saw it. Fortunately, Lincoln ignored the protests of advisors and put McClellan back in command. He told him to go to Virginia and give those soldiers something no other man on earth could give them: enthusiasm, strength, and hope. McClellan accepted the command. He mounted his great black horse and cantered down the dusty roads of Virginia. What happened next is hard to explain. Northern leaders couldn’t explain it. Even McClellan couldn’t quite explain it. McClellan met the retreating Union columns. He waved his cap in the air and shouted words of encouragement. When the tired men saw their beloved leader, they began to take heart. They began to get the unexplainable feeling that now things could be different. Now things could be right again.  Here’s how Bruce Catton, the great Civil War historian, describes the excitement that grew and grew when word spread that McClellan was now back in command. “Down mile after mile of Virginia roads the stumbling columns came alive, and threw caps and knapsacks into the air, and yelled until they could yell no more…. because they saw this dapper little rider outlined against the purple starlight. And this, in a way, was the turning point of the war…. No one could quite explain it.” And whatever it was, it gave Lincoln and the North what was needed. And history was forever changed because of it. — That is what Jesus did by choosing his apostles. (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 24) An epitaph to God’s grace: In the small cemetery of a parish churchyard in Olney, England, stands a granite tombstone with this inscription: “John Newton, clerk [pastor], once an infidel & Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long labored to destroy.” — You may not remember his name, but all of us know the song he wrote as a testimony of his life:  Amazing Grace.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 25) A Priest is always wrong

If he waits for people, they say he has never been punctual.

If he starts the Mass on time, they say his watch is wrong.

If he owns a car, people say he is luxury-loving.

If he does not have one, they say he is always late.

If he asks for donation, people say he is a money-grubber.

If he does not ask, they say he is proud and lazy.

If he is seen with women, people say he is a playboy.

If he goes with men, they say he is a sissy.

If he preaches too long, they say they get bored.

If his homily is too short, they say he is unprepared.

If he visits houses, people say he is always out.

If he stays in the rectory, they say he has no time for them.

If he is young, they say he has no experience.

If he is old, they say he should have retired.

But when a priest dies nobody takes his place.

 

 Perhaps, we should put this into our minds — that being God’s priest does not abolish his humanity. When he is ordained as a priest, he does not become an angel. Pride, ambition, personal interest, greed for power and materials, and even sensuality are very much present in a priest, and they can blind him just as they can other people. But the Lord called and selected imperfect men — just like St. Peter who was so sensitive, yet denied Him three times, but still became the head of His universal church. These church leaders on their part have the obligation by virtue of their Divine calling, to strive constantly to overcome their human weaknesses and, so, to become better priests and servant-leaders. Concretely, they should continue to pray, and to strive to live as good shepherds, servants and stewards of people whom God has entrusted to them, and always to seek help from Him Who can and will make them what they cannot make themselves. And we owe it to them and to ourselves and the Church, to pray earnestly for them  and to refrain from passing judgment on them altogether, lest we too be judged on appearances by Jesus! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/). L/24.

“Scriptural Homilies” (B) no. 12 by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com)

Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle C  & A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  of Fr. Nick’s collection of homilies or Resources in the CBCI website:  https://www.cbci.in.  (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020)  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph  M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507

Jan 15-20: Jan 15 Monday: Mk 2:18-22: 18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins.”

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives Jesus’ reply to the question raised, perhaps by some well-meaning Pharisees who were disciples of John the Baptist, asking why Jesus’ disciples ate and drank and feasted, while they (John the Baptist’s disciples), and the Pharisees in general, fasted and prayed. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving were the three cardinal religious practices — the “good deeds” — of Jewish religious life.

Jesus’ reply: Jesus responded to their sincere question using three metaphors: the metaphor of the “children of the bridal chamber,” the metaphor of patching torn clothing, and the metaphor of wineskins. First, Jesus compared his disciples with the children of the bridal chamber. These were the selected friends of the bride and groom who feasted in the company of the bride and groom during a week of honeymoon. Nobody expected them to fast. Jesus assured the questioners that his disciples would fast when he, the Bridegroom, was taken away from them. In other words, fasting is necessary when we sin, and our union with Christ begins to fade, as happens when we get addicted to evil habits and evil tendencies, leading us to sin. As Catholic Christians, we are uniquely blessed to experience Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. In the same way, we are to welcome both the joys of Christian life and the crosses it offers us. But Joy is the chief characteristic of a Christian – joy even in tribulation. Using the comparisons of the danger of using new, unshrunken cloth to make a patch for an old garment, or old wineskins to store new, still-fermenting wine, Jesus told the questioners that they must have more elastic and open minds and larger hearts to understand and follow his new ideas which were, in many cases, different from traditional Jewish teachings. Jesus is challenging us to be open to radical transformation so that we may receive him and, with his grace, reflect his love, mercy, and forgiveness to others.

Life message: 1) We need to be adjustable Christians with open and elastic minds and hearts. The Holy Spirit, working actively in the Church and guiding the Church’s teaching authority (the Magisterium), enables the Church to put into practice new visions, new ideas, new adaptations, and new ways of worship in place of old ones. So, we should have the generosity and good will to follow the teachings of the Church. At the same time, we need the Old Testament revelations, the New Testament teachings, and the Sacred Tradition of the Church as main sources of our Christian Faith. 3) We need to gain spiritual strength by fasting, prayer, and penance, especially when we separate ourselves from Christ by our sins .Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 16 Tuesday: Mk 2:23-28: 23 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, His disciples began to make a path, picking the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; 28 so the Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives Jesus’ teaching on the purpose of the Sabbath and on its proper observance. This was his response to a criticism and a silly accusation made by Pharisees against his disciples. On a Sabbath, to satisfy their hunger, the disciples had plucked ears of grain from a field, removing the husks by rubbing the grain between their palms and blowing away the chaff. The Pharisees accused them of violating Sabbath laws by performing three items of work forbidden on the Sabbath, namely, harvesting, threshing, and winnowing. God Himself, the originator of the Sabbath (Gn 2:3), ordered the Jewish people to avoid certain kinds of work on this day (Ex 20:8-11; 21:13; Dt 5:14), to leave them free to give more time to God. As time went by, the rabbis complicated this Divine precept. By Jesus’ time they had extended the list to 39 kinds of forbidden work (Navarre Bible Commentary).

Counter-arguments: According to Matthew, Jesus gives three counter-arguments from Holy Scripture defending the apostles. But Mark gives only one of those arguments. Jesus argues that basic human needs, like hunger, take precedence over Divine worship and Sabbath observance. In other words, the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy does not come before the duty to seek basic sustenance. Jesus cites from Scripture the example of hungry David and his selected soldiers. They approached Abiathar (Mk 2: 26), the high priest of Nob (or his father, the priest, Ahimelech — 1 Sm 21:1-6) who gave them for food the “bread of the Presence” which only the priests were allowed to eat. The bread of the Presence consisted of twelve loaves or cakes placed each morning on the table in the sanctuary, as homage to the Lord from the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Lv 24:5-9). The loaves withdrawn to make room for the fresh ones were reserved to the priests (Navarre Bible Commentary).

Life message: Like the Jewish Sabbath, the Christian Sunday is to be: 1) a day of rest and refreshment with members of the family; 2) a day for thanksgiving and the recharging of spiritual batteries through participation in the Eucharistic celebration (for Catholics); 3) a day for parents to teach religious Faith and Bible to their children; 4) a day to do works of charity in the neighborhood and in the parish; 5) a day for socializing with family members, neighbors, and fellow-parishioners. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 17 Wednesday: Saint Anthony, Abbot:For a brief account, click onhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-anthony-of-egypt) Mk 3:1-6: 1 There was a man there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

The context: Today’s Gospel describes a miraculous healing done by Jesus on one Sabbath as a public violation of Sabbath law to demonstrate that God’s intention for the Sabbath was to do good and to save life rather than to do evil or to destroy life.

The incident and the reaction: Ex 20:8 and Dt 5:12 instructed the Jews to keep the Sabbath holy. But the Scribes and the Phariseeshadamplified God’s law on the Sabbath by misinterpreting it and had made it burdensome for the common people through man-made laws. Jesus wanted to demonstrate in public the original intention of God in declaring the Sabbath holy. For Jesus, the Sabbath was a day of rest to be used in adoring God, learning and teaching His laws, and doing good to/for others. Hence, Jesus took the liberty of granting healing to a man with a withered hand in the local synagogue immediately after the worship service, thus infuriating the scribes and the Pharisees.

Life messages: 1) Our Christian Sabbath, that is, our Sunday, observance of participating in the Eucharistic celebration is meant to recharge our spiritual batteries for doing good to/for others and avoiding evil. 2) Our Sunday observance is also meant to be an offering of our lives to God on the altar, to ask God’s pardon and forgiveness for our sins, to present our needs before the Lord and to participate in the Divine Life by Holy Communion. 3) Sunday is also a day for us to spend time with the members of the family and to participate in the activities of our parish and neighborhood. Fr. Tony(https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 18 Thursday: Mk 3:7-12: 7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed; also from Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon a great multitude, hearing all that he did, came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they should crush him; 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits beheld him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

The context: Today’s Gospel describes how both Jews and Gentiles from Galilee and all surrounding areas gathered around Jesus practically every day of his public ministry of preaching and healing. Jesus preached the Good News of God’s love and demonstrated by his healing ministry the mercy and compassion of God his Father.

Jesus’ mission was universal, attracting Jews and pagans alike. He exercised his Divine power of healing, using his human body to demonstrate to people that he was both God and man. Jesus instructed the healed ones not to publicize him, as the expected Messiah because he did not want to bring his public life to a premature end. The ordinary Jews believed that the expected Messiah would declare himself King of the Jews after overthrowing the Roman rule. Hence, it was dangerous to let people regard him as the Messiah.

Life messages: 1) Jesus continues to preach the Good News and heal the sick through the Church and through us, his followers. He welcomes our response to him and calls us to come to Him through the Sacraments, and especially through our participation in the Eucharistic celebration, with trusting Faith and confident expectation. 2) “The holy human nature of our Lord is our only route to salvation; it is the essential means we must use to unite ourselves to God. Thus, we can today approach our Lord by means of the sacraments, especially and pre-eminently the Eucharist. And through the sacraments there flows to us, from God, through the human nature of the Word, a strength which cures those who receive the sacraments with faith (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, “Summa Theologica”, III, q. 62, a. 5). Fr. Tony(https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 19 Friday: Mk 3:13-19: 13 And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. 4 And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons: 16 Simon whom he surnamed Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, whom he surnamed Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Then he went home. (& Lk 6: 12-16)

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives a short account of the call and mission of the Apostles. Jesus is the first missionary, sent by his Father with the “Good News” that God, his Father, is a loving, merciful, and forgiving Father Who wants to save everyone through His Son Jesus. Today’s Gospel describes how Jesus selects and empowers twelve future missionaries as apostles, giving them his own mission along with a share of his power to preach, and to heal the sick as proof of the truth of their message. Then, Jesus sends them in pairs to the Jewish towns and villages as heralds, to prepare the people to receive the Good News.

Special features: Jesus selected very ordinary people, most of them hard-working fishermen with no social status, learning, or political influence, because he was sure that they would be very effective instruments in God’s hands. It was a strange mixture of people. Matthew was a hated tax-collector for a foreign power, while Simon the Cananaean was a Zealot and fanatical nationalist who belonged to a militant group determined to destroy Roman rule by any means. The others were mostly professional fishermen with a lot of good will, patience and stamina. At first it was only their admiration and love for Jesus that united them. Jesus selected them after a night of prayer and gave them his own powers of healing and exorcism and his own mission of preaching the “Kingdom of God.”

Life message: 1) As Christians, we have the same mission that Jesus entrusted to his apostles: to proclaim the word of God to all the world. We fulfill this mission primarily by living out Jesus’ teachings and by promoting and helping the world-wide missionary activities of the Church with prayer, moral support, and financial aid. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/ (L/24)

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 20 Saturday: Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr; For a brief account, click on (https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-fabian) Saint Sebastian, Martyr:https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-sebastian) Mk 3:20-21: Then he went home; 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, “He is beside himself.”

The context: Today’s Gospel tells us how Jesus’ relatives and fellow villagers wrongly judged him as out of his mind and consequently tried to take him by force back to Nazareth to his safe, secure job as a good carpenter. That might be one reason why Jesus once remarked, “a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” (Mt 10:36). However, Jesus met opposition with grace and with determination to fulfill his Father’s will.

There were five reasons why Jesus’ family thought he was mad and attempted to dissuade him from his preaching and healing mission. First, Jesus had abandoned his safe, secure job as a much-needed village carpenter with a steady income to become a wandering preacher with no residence or steady income. Second, Jesus had chosen a band of fishermen with no political or social influence, a hated tax-collector and a fanatic zealot among his disciples. Third, Jesus had begun to criticize the power lobby – the chief priests, elders, scribes, and Pharisees – in the Jewish religious headquarters, Jerusalem, labeling them hypocrites. Jesus’ relatives might also have been afraid that Jesus would be arrested, and they would be persecuted with him for criticizing those in power. Fourth, Jesus had indirectly claimed to be the long-awaited Messiah and had worked miracles to support his claim. Fifth, they might have been jealous of Jesus’ huge popularity throughout Palestine.

Life messages: 1) Since Jesus experienced rejection by his own relatives, he can sympathize with the hurt and rejection we receive from our family members and console us in our pain. 2) Let us learn to forgive the modern “liberal-minded” people who find our Christian beliefs and practice “crazy,” and face them with the courage of our convictions based on Christ’s Divine authority and the reliability of his doctrines and promises. 3) Let us remember that many saints, following Christ’s example, have been taken for madmen–but they were mad with love, mad with love for Jesus Christ, their God. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/ (L/24).

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 20: Feast of St. Sebastian: For a brief account, click on (https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-sebastian (Mt 10: 28-33): 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

The only historical truth about St. Sebastian is that he was a Roman martyr. He was venerated in Milan even in the time of St. Ambrose and was buried on the Appian Way, probably near the present Basilica of St. Sebastian. Devotion to him spread rapidly, and he is mentioned in several martyrologies as early as AD. 350.

According to legend, Sebastian was born at Narbonne, Gaul. He became a soldier in the Roman army at Rome in about 283, to assist the martyrs without arousing suspicion. Sebastian was named captain in the Praetorian Guards by Emperor Diocletian, and was so accepted by Emperor Maximian when Diocletian went to the East. Neither knew that Sebastian was a Christian. Sebastian encouraged two prisoners, Marcellian and Marcus, who were under sentence of death, to remain firm in their faith. Sebastian made numerous other converts as well. Among them were the master of the rolls, Nicostratus, who was in charge of prisoners and his wife, Zoe, a deaf-mute whom Sebastian cured; the jailer Claudius; Chromatius, Prefect of Rome, whom Sebastian cured of gout; and Chromatius’ son, Tiburtius. Chromatius set the prisoners free, freed his slaves, and resigned as prefect.

When it was discovered during Maximian’s persecution of the Christians that Sebastian was indeed a Christian, he was ordered executed. He was shot with arrows and left for dead, but when the widow of St. Castulus went to recover his body, she found he was still alive and nursed him back to health. Soon after, Sebastian intercepted the Emperor, denounced him for his cruelty to Christians, and was beaten to death on the Emperor’s orders.

He is patron of archers, athletes, and soldiers, and is appealed to for protection against plagues. He is patron saint of athletes because of his physical endurance and his energetic way of spreading and defending the Faith. Sebastian is also patron to all soldiers. He was declared patron of plague-sufferers because of his reported cures of those afflicted with many diseases. (Fr. Tony) L/24

Sources: 1) http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=103, 2) http://www.catholic.org/saints/, 3) http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/engl/

OT II [B] SUNDAY (Jan 14/2024) Eight-minute homily in one page

Introduction: The main theme of today’s Scripture readings is Divine vocation – that everyone is called by God to be a witness for Christ by doing something for others with his or her life, using his or her unique gifts and blessings. Hence, today’s readings remind us of our personal and corporate call to become witnesses for Jesus, the Lamb of God, by leading lives of holiness and purity.

Scripture lessons summarized: The first reading describes how Yahweh called Samuel to His service and how the boy Samuel responded to Him, saying, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Hence, God blessed him in the mission entrusted to him, and Samuel became an illustrious figure, ranking with Moses and David as a man of God. The Refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 40), has us sing, “Here am I Lord! I come to do Your Will!” indicating that our vocation is to obey, to do what God commands us to do. In the second reading, St. Paul explains to the Corinthians that their Divine call is a call to holiness. Hence, they need to keep their bodies pure and their souls holy, because by Baptism they have become parts of Christ’s Body and the temples of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, John the Baptist claims that his vocation is to introduce Jesus to two of his own disciples as the “Lamb of God,” suggesting Jesus’ vocation to become a sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins. The disciples followed Jesus to his residence, accepting his invitation to “come and see.” They stayed with him that day. Then Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus, presenting him to Jesus as the Messiah. Thus, today’s Gospel also describes the call or vocation of the first apostles and challenges us to invite others to Christ by our Christian witnessing.

Life messages: 1) Our Christian vocation is to live and die like the Lamb of God. We live like the Lamb of God: a) by leading pure, innocent, humble, selfless lives, obeying Christ’s commandment of love; b) by appreciating the loving providence and protecting care of the Good Shepherd for his Church; c) by partaking of the Body and Blood of the Good Shepherd in the Holy Eucharist and deriving spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the Sacraments. 2) We are called to die like the Lamb of God: a) by sharing sacrificially our blessings of health, wealth, and talents with others in the family, parish, and community; b) by bearing witness to Christ in our illness, pain, and suffering through our graceful acceptance of all of it; c) by offering our sufferings for God’s glory, as penance for our sins, and for the conversion of sinners.

3) Our call is to bear witness to the Lamb of God. Doing this requires a personal experience of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. a) We get this personal experience of Jesus in our daily lives through the meditative reading and study of the Bible, through personal and family prayers, and through our active participation in the Eucharistic celebration. b) Once we have experienced the personal presence of Jesus in our daily lives, we will start sharing with others the Good News of love, peace, justice, tolerance, mercy, and forgiveness preached and lived by Jesus.

OT II [B] (Jan 14): I Sam 3:3b-10, 19; I Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20; Jn 1:35-42

Homily-starter anecdotes: 1: “Eureka, Eureka.”  According to legend, Hieros II (the king of the Greek City State Syracuse on the island of Sicily) asked Archimedes (a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer, (287-212 BC) to find a method for determining whether a crown was made of pure gold or of gold mixed with silver.  One day when Archimedes stepped into his bath and noticed that the water rose as he sat down, he ran out of the house naked shouting, “Eureka! Eureka!” (= “I have found it!”)  The method to determine whether or not a crown was pure gold, discovered by Archimedes in his bathtub, was to compare its weight to its volume.  If one had one pound of gold and one pound of silver and submerged them in water, the silver would make the water rise higher than the gold, because it is less dense than gold, and therefore, larger in volume, it takes up more space by displacing more water.  Archimedes compared the volume of water displaced by the suspect crown with that displaced by a pure gold crown of equal weight to identify successfully the pure gold crown.  Archimedes did not “find” this truth by searching after it — although he might have spent days thinking about a solution to the problem.  His “find” came as an unexpected surprise.  He had probably noticed the water in the bathtub rising hundreds of times before, but its significance didn’t “click” in his brain until that “eureka” moment. — Today’s Gospel describes how John discovered Jesus as “the Lamb of God,” and how Andrew, Simon, and Nathaniel discovered him as the “Promised Messiah” quite unexpectedly.  Jesus was their “Eureka.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

# 2: A lamb on the roof: In the city of Werden, Germany, there stands a Catholic Church with a lamb carved out of stone and placed on its roof. It was said that when the Church was being built, a stone-carving mason fell from a high scaffold. His co-workers rushed down, expecting to find him dead. But to their surprise and joy, he was alive and only slightly injured. How did he survive? A flock of sheep was passing beneath the tower at that time, and he landed on top of a lamb. The lamb broke his fall and was crushed to death, but the man was saved. To commemorate that miraculous escape, he carved a lamb in stone and placed it on the tower, in gratitude for the lamb that saved his life.  — Today we are here at this Liturgy to remember and salute another Lamb Who died a cruel death to save not just one man, but all mankind. In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist introduces Jesus as the “Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.” Peter said that the full weight of our sins fell upon Jesus (1Pt. 2:24). And the apostle Paul explained, “For our sake [God] made [His Son Incarnate] to be sin who did not know sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in [Jesus]” (2 Cor 5:21). We all have fallen in sin, but on the cross Jesus took the punishment for our sin upon Himself. He now offers eternal life to all who personally put their Faith in Him (Jn3:1-16). (Msgr. Arthur Tonne). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) “I asked 300,000 to support me, but only 140 to affirm Jesus.” Former President Jimmy Carter is not shy about sharing the Faith. He and wife Rosalynn have been on numerous Faith-sharing missions in America and overseas. In his book Living Faith, Jimmy Carter recounts a humbling experience. He says that when he was preparing to run for governor a second time, he was invited to speak to a Christian men’s group about his activities as a Christian witness. In preparation for that talk, he took account of the witnessing he had done. He added up the times when he had shared the faith with other people, one-on-one, and they had made commitments to Christ. The total number came to 140. But then, said Carter, “The Lord must have been looking over my shoulder because immediately I remembered my 1966 political campaign when Rosalynn and I had traveled the state and had shaken hands with 300,000 Georgians, extolling my good points, and asking them to vote for me. I had asked 300,000 to support me, but only 140 to affirm Jesus. The terrible difference in those numbers brought me to my knees.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction: Today’s theme is Divine vocation.  Everyone is called by God to be some one and to do some thing for others with his life and with his unique gifts. Hence, today’s readings remind us of our personal and corporate call to become witnesses for the Lamb of God and to lead lives of holiness and purity.  We are told that each of us, as a Christian, is personally called to discipleship which demands an ongoing response of commitment.  The first reading describes how Yahweh called Samuel to His service. The boy Samuel responded to God promptly, as instructed by his master and mentor, Eli, saying, “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.” Hence, God blessed him in the mission entrusted to him, and Samuel became an illustrious figure, ranking with Moses and David as a man of God.  The refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 40) has us sing, “Here am I Lord! I come to do Your Will” voicing our recognition that our vocation has called us to obey God’s command, that is, to do His will. In the second reading, we listen to St. Paul speaking reminding  the Corinthians and us that we have a Divine call, a call to holiness.  He argues that all Christians need to keep their bodies pure and their souls holy because in Baptism they have become parts of Christ’s Body and the temples of the Holy Spirit.  In the Gospel, John the Baptist says to Andrew and John, two of his disciples, “Behold, the Lamb of God”  as Jesus walks past them.  The two at once follow Jesus on the way  to His residence, accept his invitation, “come and see,”  and stay with Him for the rest of that day. Then Andrew brings his brother Simon, back, to present him to Jesus, the Messiah.  Thus, today’s Gospel describes the call of the first apostles.

The first reading, 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19 explained: The book of Samuel begins with a long narrative of what we might call ancient Israel’s middle history.  Moses, Aaron, and Joshua were gone from the scene.  The period of rule by Judges had begun (at about 1000 BC).  The first chapter describes how Samuel was born to a long-barren couple by Divine intervention.  They dedicated him in his early childhood to God’s service in the Temple at Shiloh, as an apprentice to the priest Eli.  The boy’s duties included attendance during the night near “the Ark of God,” a most sacred cult object and a place of unique Divine presence among the people.  God called Samuel one night, and Samuel thought it was his Master Eli. Twice God called, twice Samuel went to Eli, and twice Eli told him to go back to sleep.  The third time God called, and Samuel went to Eli, the old priest realized what was going on and told Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if He calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’” (1 Sm 3:9; RSV 2 Catholic).  The threefold repetition of God’s call indicates genuine experience rather than a hallucination.  Eli knew the proper response for all God’s followers: “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”  Only those willing to carry out the Lord’s wishes will be able to hear God calling — even in the middle of a silent night.  Though Eli had served God faithfully, it was Samuel whom God called.  Samuel became an illustrious figure, ranking with Moses and David as a man of God.  The lesson for us is that God often calls ordinary people, including the young, to serve within the community.  Consequently, we all need guidance in discerning and responding to His will.  Our lives as God’s followers revolve around our seeking, finding, and responding to God’s calls.  Listening to the call of God is to hear, understand, and accept it in word and action.  Is God calling me today for a special mission?  What is He saying to me?  Am I really listening?

The second reading, 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20 explained:  The letter is addressed to all members of the Church at Corinth.  Corinth was a bawdy seaport in cosmopolitan Greece and the center of intellectual ferment.  The vices of every seaport, plus the philosophical ferment of ancient Greece, were all part of these peoples’ lives, and gave rise, in part, to the need for this letter.  One of the greatest besetting sins of the pagan port-town of Corinth was prostitution.  A few Christians even tried to justify prostitution as part of the Christian liberty which Paul had preached to them.  Corinth was a difficult place to preach a new doctrine and a new morality, but Paul had dared to preach both, provoking intense controversy.  The pagan Corinthians believed that the soul of man was the important part and the body a mere piece of matter.  They looked on the body as a   matter of instincts to be fulfilled, including the sex instinct.  Therefore, they argued, one ought to let the desires of the body have their way. Some of the Christian Corinthians had apparently picked up these pagan ideas. So Paul reminded them that they were “sanctified and called to be holy,” like all who call on the name of Jesus.  Just as God called Samuel and Jesus called his apostles, the Corinthian Christians were called to lead a life of holiness.  Paul’s argument runs like this: our bodies are members of Christ [by Baptism] and so “whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with Him.”  Because God’s Spirit dwells in us, we have become temples of God and, consequently, our bodies are sacred. In addition, Christ gave his life in order that man might be redeemed, body and soul.  Hence, a man’s body is not his own to do with as he likes; it is Christ’s, and a man must use it, not for the satisfaction of his lusts, but for the glory of Christ.

Gospel exegesis: John the Baptizer’s selfless witnessing: John’s Gospel presents John the Baptist as a self-effacing figure whose role is preeminently one of witnessing.  Instead of building up his own following, John selflessly directed his disciples to Jesus.  John the Baptist gave testimony to Jesus by pointing Him out as the Lamb of God (vv 29, 36); Andrew called him the Messiah (v 41), and Nathaniel called Jesus Rabbi, Son of God, and King of Israel (v 49).  Jesus completed the epiphany, declaring Himself the Son of Man (v 51).  In the Synoptic gospels, Jesus called the disciples away from their fishing boats to follow him (Mt 4:18-22, et al.).  But in the Fourth Gospel, they went to Him at John’s direction rather than in response to Jesus’ call.  Instead of leaving their boats, they left John. On the second day of Jesus’ public ministry, John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the Jews as the “Lamb of God.” (Jn 1:29).   On the third day, he pointed out Jesus, the Lamb of God, to two of his own disciples, Andrew and John, as described in today’s Gospel.

The Lamb of God is the most meaningful title given to Jesus in the Bible.  It is used 29 times in the book of Revelation.  It sums up the love, the sacrifice, and the triumph of Christ.  John’s introduction might have brought five pictures of the “lamb” to the minds of his Jewish listeners.  1) The Lamb of Atonement (Lv 16:20-22).  A lamb was brought to the Temple on the Day of Atonement (“Yom Kippur”).  Placing his hands over its head, the high priest transferred all the sins of his people to the lamb.  It was then sent into the wilderness (as the lamb who takes away the sins of the Jews) to be killed by some wild animal.  2) The Lamb of Daily Atonement (Ex 29:38-42; Nm 28:1-8).  This was the lamb sacrificed on the “Black Altar” of the Temple every morning and evening to atone for the sins of the Jews.  3) The Paschal Lamb (Ex 12:11ss.).  The Paschal Lamb’s blood saved the firstborn of the Jewish families in Egypt from the “Angel of destruction.” The event was memorialized yearly in the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb at Passover. 4) The Lamb of the Prophets, an image portraying One Who, by dying a sacrificial death, would redeem God’s people: “But I was like the gentle lamb led to the slaughter” (Jer 11:19. RSV 2 Catholic); “…like a lamb that is led to the slaughter” (Is 53:7); RSV 2 Catholic). Both, as we know, refer to the sufferings and sacrificial death of Christ.  5) The Lamb of the Conquerors.  The picture of a horned lamb on the Jewish flag at the time of the Maccabaean Liberation War was used as a sign of conquering majesty and power.  The great Jewish conquerors like Samuel, David and Solomon were described by the ancient Jewish historians as “horned lambs.”

Addressing Christ as Lamb of God has become familiar to us in the Eucharist, when, at “the    breaking of the bread,” we proclaim our traditional “fractional anthem” three times in word or song what the Baptist said:  Agnus Dei – “Lamb of God, Who take away the sin of the world, … have mercy on us (twice)/ …grant us peace (once).”  In this prayer, we give expression to our deepest understanding of the identity and purpose of Jesus Christ in coming to earth as the Messiah of God. He has come to be both our Lamb and our Lord.  Because Jesus lived out his life on earth as one of humility, obedience to His Father, love, and sacrifice, we believe and affirm that Jesus is the One Who came and continues to come into a broken world to take our sins upon himself in the Holy Mass.

Stages in God’s call: In the opening verses of today’s Gospel, John points out to his disciples that the One who is passing by is the “Lamb of God.”  Two of John’s disciples follow Jesus. Jesus turns and asks them what they are seeking.  Somewhat confused, they ask Jesus where he is staying.  Jesus does not tell them. Instead, he invites them to “come and see.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church says,  “Each one of us is called personally by God to ‘stay with’ Jesus, to follow His way, and to continue His mission of spreading the Good News (in a manner appropriate to our vocation in life)” (CCC #871).  For each of us, belief in Jesus develops in stages, which John appears to be describing.  First, we respond to testimony given by others.  Then, having “seen” where Jesus dwells — within believers, as individuals and as community — we move to a commitment which is based on our own experience of the risen Lord.  Finally, our conversion is completed when we become witnesses for Jesus.  In Andrew’s case, his conversion reveals his belief in Jesus as the Messiah.  He then brings his brother Peter to Christ.  Jesus looks at Simon and says, “You are Simon, son of John.  You are to be called ‘Cephas’ or ‘Peter.’” Cephas is the Aramaic word for “rock” while the Greek word for rock is “Petros.”  This kind of name-change has precedents in the Old Testament (Gn 17:5, 32:28).  Such name-changes indicate the beginning of a new life—a new purpose—a new relationship with God.  Simon’s new life in Christ is symbolized by his new name, “Peter,” conferred by the Master.  The evangelist sets out a challenging pattern for evangelization.  The first people to be evangelized preached Jesus in their turn to relatives, friends, and even to strangers.  We, too, must find and grow in Faith through our grace-assisted, lifelong seeking of God’s will, as we come to God through Jesus, finding him in each other, in the local Christian community, in the Church, in the Sacraments –particularly the Eucharist – and in the Scriptures.

Life Messages: 1) Our Christian call is to live and die like the Lamb of God.  We live like a lamb: a) by leading pure, innocent, humble, selfless lives, obeying Christ’s commandment of love; b) by appreciating the loving providence and protecting care of the Good Shepherd in his Church; c) by partaking of the Body and Blood of the Good Shepherd in the Holy Eucharist and d) by deriving spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the Sacraments.  2) We die like a sacrificial lamb: a) by sharing our blessings of health, wealth, and talents with others in the family, parish, and community; b) by bearing witness to Christ in our illness, pain, and suffering; c) by offering our suffering for the salvation of souls and as reparation for our sins and those of others.

3) Our call is to rebuild broken lives. Like the missionary call of Samuel and the apostles, we too are called.  Our call is to rebuild broken lives, reconciling our brothers and sisters to God’s love and justice through Christ Jesus, our Lamb and Lord: a) Through Baptism into the Body of Christ, we are empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit to free the oppressed. b) Through the love of the Lamb of God, we are called to better the lot and improve the broken spirit of anyone who has been exiled from the possibility of hope, exiled from God’s righteousness, or burdened by the yoke of spiritual, social, economic and/or political dislocation. c). In other words, through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the glorified Lamb, we are called to be His conduit, carrying an empowering sense of identity and of purpose to each human spirit we encounter.

4) Our call is to bear witness to the Lamb of God.  Today’s Gospel reminds us that being a disciple of Jesus means that we are to grow in Faith and become witnesses for him. a) Bearing witness to Christ is an active rather than a passive enterprise.  Knowing Jesus is a matter of experience.  One could know the Catechism of the Catholic Church, all 700 pages of it, by heart, and still not know Jesus. b) Bearing witness to Christ, then, demands that we should have personal and first-hand experience of Jesus.

5) We get this personal experience of Jesus in our daily lives: through the meditative reading and study of the Bible, through personal and family prayers, and through the Sacraments, especially by participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and primarily in the Eucharistic celebration. b) Once we have experienced the personal presence of Jesus in our daily lives, we will start sharing with others the Good News of the love, peace, justice, tolerance, mercy, and forgiveness that Jesus preached. c) The essence of our witness-bearing is to state what we have seen, heard, experienced, and now believe, and then to invite others to “come and see.”  Other people will see Jesus in our lives when we love, forgive, and spend time doing good for all we meet. e) A dynamic and living experience of Jesus will also enable us to invite and encourage people to come and participate in our Church activities.

JOKES OF THE WEEK

1)  A little boy was listening to a long and excessively boring sermon in Church. Suddenly the red sanctuary lamp caught his eye. Tugging his father’s sleeve, he said, “Daddy, when the light turns green can we go home?”

2) A Catholic boy and a Jewish boy were talking, and the Catholic boy said, “My priest knows more than your rabbi.” The Jewish boy said, “Of course he does! That is because you tell him everything in confession.”

3)  The son-in-law’s testimony: A rich Jewish businessman named Raymond went to meet Ben, his new son-in-law to be.  He said to Ben, “So, tell me, Ben, my boy, what you do?” “I study Theology,” Ben replied. “But Ben, you are going to marry my daughter! How are you going to feed and house her?” “No problem,” says Ben, “I study Theology, and it says God will provide.” “But you will have children; how will you educate them?” asked Raymond. “No problem,” says Ben, “I study Theology, and it says God will provide.” — When Raymond returned home, his wife anxiously asked him what Ben was like. “Well,” said Raymond, “he’s a lovely boy. I only just met him, and he already thinks I’m God.” (Source: Jewish Jokes)

4)  Worse pastors: At morning Mass, the pastor announced to the congregation that the bishop had just appointed him to another parish.  After the Mass, a woman came up to him and expressed her dismay at his leaving.  “Oh, I’m sure the bishop will send you someone who’s far better than I am,” The pastor tried to console her. “No,” the woman replied, “that won’t happen, and that can’t happen.” “Why not?” asked the priest, unable to resist the temptation to hear a compliment in the superlative about himself. “Because,” the woman said, “I’ve seen five pastors now in this parish, and each new pastor was worse than the last.”

USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK: (The easiest method  to visit these websites is to copy and paste the web address or URL on the Address bar of any Internet website like Google or MSN and press the Enter button of your Keyboard).

• Nick’s collection of Sunday homilies from 65 priests & weekday homilies: https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies
• Don’ collection of video homilies & blogs: https://sundayprep.org/featured-homilies/ (Copy it on the Address bar and press the Enter button)
• Geoffrey Plant’s beautiful & scholarly video classes on Sunday gospel, Bible & RCIA topics:   https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant20663)
• Brant Pitre’s commentary on Cycle B Sunday Scripture for Bible Class: https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/mass-readings-explained-year-Biblical basis of Catholic doctrines: http://scripturecatholic.com/
• Agape Catholic Bible Lessons: http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/Patron saints of the day: http://www.catholicforum.com/saints/patron02.htm ; https://www.franciscanmedia.org/
• Focus on the family: http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting

 Warning website for abusive priests: Database of Publicly Accused priests: http://app.bishop-accountability.org/member/index.jsp

 8)   Catholic Information Network: http://www.cin.org/,

9) Capsule Movie reviews: http://www.cdowk.org/catholic_advance/capsules.html

“Scriptural Homilies” no. 11 by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com) L/24

23- Additional anecdotes

1) “Evangelism – Andrew style”: Shaquille O’Neal played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers. He loved coming up with nicknames for himself. When he received his first Most Valuable Player award, Shaq gave himself a new nickname. He said, “From this day on I want to be known as ‘The Big Apostle’ because Aristotle once said that excellence is not a singular act; it is a habit – you are what you repeatedly do.” –Shaq was right… and Aristotle was right. Excellence is not one single act. It is found in what we repeatedly do well… and here is where we see the excellence of Andrew. He repeatedly introduced people to Jesus. He repeatedly brought people into the presence of Jesus. He repeatedly included people in the circle of his love and Christ’s love. This was the greatness of Andrew. Today’s Gospel challenges us to bring our friends to Christ. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2)  “Evangelization – St. Francis of Assisi style“: One day, Francis of Assisi invited one of the young friars to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young friar was so honored at receiving such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted. They paused beneath a tree and Francis stooped to return a young bird to its nest. They went on and stopped in a field crowded with reapers and Francis bent his back to help load the hay onto a cart. From there they went to the town square where Francis lifted a bucket of water from the well for an old woman and carried it home for her. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and, suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. Each time they stopped, the young friar was sure that St. Francis would stop and preach. But no words of great truth or wise discourse issued from the saint’s mouth. Finally, they went into the Church, but Francis only knelt silently to pray. At the end of the day, the two headed back home. Not once had St. Francis addressed a crowd, nor had he talked to anyone about the Gospel. The young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis, “I thought we were going into town to preach?”–  St. Francis responded, “My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking and in everything we did. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It’s of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk! Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words only if necessary.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3)   The be-all and end-all of a dog’s life:  In the book, No Bad Dogs, British dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse says dogs understand love better than we do.  She writes, “In a dog’s mind, a master or a mistress to love, honor, and obey is an absolute necessity.  Love is dormant in the dog until brought into full bloom by an understanding owner. Thousands of dogs appear to love their owners, they welcome them home with enthusiastic wagging of the tail and jumping up, they follow them about their houses happily and, to the normal person seeing the dog, the affection is true and deep.  But to the experienced dog trainer this outward show is not enough.  The true test of love takes place when the dog has got the opportunity to go out on its own as soon as the door is left open by mistake, and it goes off and often doesn’t return home for hours. That shows that the dog loves only its home comforts and the attention it gets from its family; it doesn’t truly love the master or mistress as they fondly think.  True love in dogs is apparent when a door is left open and the dog still stays happily within earshot of its owner.  For the owner must be the be-all and end-all of a dog’s life.” — The real meaning of our Divine call and the test of our walk of Faith is not to be seen in our work or activity, or even in our theological purity.  It is found in our desire to remain with God.  This is the essence of our call to Christian discipleship as shown by Andrew and the other disciples described in today’s Gospel. It means that when we have an opportunity to wander away, to disobey, to leave His presence, we choose instead to stay close to Him, to abide in Christ, and to   obey Him. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

4) “Operation Andrew.” Popular talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey has lots of influence. She has 15 to 20 million daily viewers. Evidently, she has the power to create a best-seller. Since she has started recommending books on her show, sales of the titles chosen have skyrocketed. For example, the first book she recommended, a novel entitled The Deep End of the Ocean, had only sold about 100,000 copies. After being featured on her program, the book sold 850,000 copies propelling it to the top of the New York Times best-seller list. — Though none of us has the influence of an Oprah Winfrey, each of us has influence with some people. My big question today is this: Are you using your influence for Jesus Christ? Are you commending him openly, by word and deed, when you have opportunities? Have you ever introduced another person to Jesus Christ, and helped him or her claim Christ as Savior and Lord? If not, why not? (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

5) “Come and see:” George Barna, in his book Marketing the Church, writes: “The most effective means of getting people to experience what a Church has to offer is having someone they know who belongs to the Church simply invite them to try it. Call it whatever you wish – word-of-mouth, personal invitation, friendship, evangelism – this is indisputably the most effective means of increasing the church rolls.” [George Barna, Marketing the Church (NavPress, Colorado Springs, 1988), p. 109.] — I don’t want to bore you with statistics, but these are not boring statistics.  There are 160 million Americans who are unchurched. If invited to attend Church, 31% said they would be very likely to come – 51% said they would be somewhat likely to come. That means 82% of the people who do not go to Church in America are likely to attend if they are invited – Only 21% of active Church goers ever invite anyone to Church. Only 2% of active Church-goers invite the unchurched. Do you know what Jesus needs more than anything else? He needs more fishing buddies. Do you know what fishing buddies need? They need a Church that will be fish-friendly. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

6) “Come and see.” There’s a beautiful instance of Jesus’ inviting style in the book, The Horse and his Boy (p. 79), one of C. S. Lewis’ stories of Narnia. Aslan, the great lion, is the Christ-figure in those stories. The lad Shasta is walking on a steep mountain pass in the middle of a dense night fog. He senses a huge presence walking beside him. Shasta finally gets the courage to whisper out, “Who are you?” The resonant golden voice of Asian answers, “One who has waited long for you to speak.” — That’s Jesus’ style: “Come and see,” he invites us (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

7) “We are a family — so love each other, help each other, support each other!” Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski wrote a book called Leading with the Heart. Coach K was the highly successful basketball coach at Duke University, who led his team to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992, and to eight Final Four appearances, beginning in 1986. In his book, Coach K speaks out of his own experiences of what he has learned about leadership in basketball, business, and life. His philosophy at Duke is very simple, but very profound. In essence, he says to his team: “We are a family — so love each other, help each other, support each other! We are a family —  so use plural pronouns. It’s not about ‘me,’ it’s about ‘us’ and what we can do together… so don’t do anything detrimental to our family.” If two freshmen oversleep and miss the team bus… he doesn’t just deal with the two freshmen, he deals with the whole team. “Why didn’t someone miss them? Why didn’t someone check on them? Why didn’t someone wake them up? If one of us is late, all of us are late! What happens to one of us… it happens to all of us… because we are a family.” — Isn’t that a great philosophy for a basketball team… and a Church? We learn it from Andrew! It is our responsibility, our privilege, our joy, to bring our brothers and our sisters into the presence of Christ.  That’s number one… Andrew brought his brother. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

8) “Evangelism –Jesus’ Style”:  In a book entitled, The View From a Hearse, Joe Bayly, who lost three of his children, tells this story. He was sitting, torn by grief, over his wrenching loss. Someone came and talked to him about God’s dealings, of why it happened, of hope beyond the grave, the fellow talked constantly, saying things that Bayly knew were true. But Bayly said, “I was unmoved, except to wish he would go away. He finally did.” Then said Bayly, “Another came and sat beside me. He didn’t talk. He didn’t ask me leading questions. He sat beside me for an hour or more, listened when I said something, answered briefly, prayed simply, left. I was moved, I was comforted. I hated to see him go.” (Charles Swindoll in Killing Giants and Pulling Thorns, p. 39).– Most people don’t need advice from us — they get plenty of that. They don’t need us to preach to them, or to argue with them, or try to convince them of some theological proof. Most people don’t need advice from us – they need love — and isn’t that the Gospel? (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

9) “I just climbed up on her lap and cried with her.” Chuck Swindoll, in his book, Killing Giants and Pulling Thorns, tells about a little girl who “lost a playmate in death and one day reported to her family that she had gone to comfort the sorrowing mother. ‘What did you say?’ asked her father. ‘Nothing,’ she replied. ‘I just climbed up on her lap and cried with her.’ [Charles R. Swindoll, Killing Giants and Pulling Thorns (Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, l979), pp. 39-40.] — That little girl had the right idea — be a caring person who majors in encouragement. Lonely, hurting, suffering people need a friend who cares. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

10) Redhead got the job: A company advertised an opening in its sales force.  It received more than 1000 applications for the job.  But of those many letters and resumes, one letter stood out: “I am presently selling furniture at the address below.  You may judge my ability as a salesman if you will stop in to see me any time, pretending that you are interested in buying furniture.  When you come in, you can identify me by my red hair.  I will have no way of identifying you.  That way, the sales abilities I exhibit will be no more than my usual everyday approach and not a special effort to impress a potential employer.” — The sales manager took the applicant up on his challenge and visited the furniture store.  You won’t be surprised to learn that the redhead got the job.  Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus’ criteria for the selection of his apostles were different.  He chose the weak and the least qualified and made them his strong and powerful witnesses. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

11) “We are here to help each other. That’s what it’s all about.” Some years ago, a fifth-grade school teacher named Diane Williams had a dramatic experience while sky-diving. Sky-diving was one of her hobbies. One Saturday morning, she met her sky-diving group for a jump, but this day was different from all the rest. Apparently, Diane was trying to join three other divers in a hand-holding formation when she accidentally slammed into the back pack of another sky-diver and she was knocked unconscious. This caused her to hurtle head over heels like a rag doll toward the ground at a speed of 150 miles per hour. Fellow sky-diver, Gregory Robertson, saw that Diane was in big trouble. Immediately, he straightened himself into a vertical dart, arms pinned to his body, ankles crossed, head aimed at the ground in what parachutists call a no list dive. In effect, he became a human dive bomber plummeting toward the earth and Diane at 200 miles per hour. At 3500 feet, about ten seconds from impact, Gregory caught up with Diane. He managed to pull the rip cord on her emergency chute, as well as his own… and they both floated safely to the ground. Greg’s heroic efforts saved Diane’s life. When asked later about his incredible feat, he said simply, “We are here to help each other. That’s what it’s all about.” He paused for a moment, and then he said, “Someone tried to die in my drop-zone this morning. No one dies in my drop-zone!” — I suppose at that moment somewhere in Heaven God was smiling… because nothing pleases God more than to see us helping and serving one another, our sisters and brothers, in unselfish, sacrificial, self-giving ways. Andrew found the Christ… and immediately ran to get his brother. This is a beautiful mountain-peak moment in the Bible. He brought his brother into the presence of Christ. Andrew’s simple, thoughtful act of sharing with his brother is a poignant reminder to us that we in the world are not isolated individuals just existing alongside each other, selfishly hoarding whatever we can accumulate. No, we are family… and life is better when we act like a family… loving each other, supporting each other, helping each other, respecting each other, treasuring each other… and, like Andrew, bringing each other into the presence of Christ and the circle of Christ’s love. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

12)  “The Praying Hands” by Albrecht Durer: We are incredibly indebted to Simon Peter’s brother, Andrew, for the gift of Peter to the Church and to the world. Andrew was the one who brought his brother, Simon Peter, into the presence of Jesus. Andrew was the one who encouraged Simon Peter. Andrew was the one who presented Peter to Jesus. It’s recorded in the first chapter of John’s Gospel. Andrew, finding the Messiah, immediately brings Simon to Him.  Back in the 15th century in a tiny village near Nuremberg, Germany there lived a family with eighteen children. That’s right… eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this large family, the father (who was a goldsmith by profession), worked almost eighteen hours a day at this trade and any other paying job he could find in the neighborhood. Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of the older children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father, with all that he had on him, would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Art Academy there. After much discussion, the two boys finally worked out a plan. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the Art Academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies in four years, he would in turn support the other brother at the academy either with sales of his art work, or, if necessary, also by working in the mines. So, one Sunday morning after Church, they tossed a coin. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg to study art. His brother, Albert, went down into the dangerous mines and for the next four years, financed his brother whose work at the Art Academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht Durer’s etchings, his woodworks, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works. When the young artist returned home to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht’s triumphant homecoming. After a delightful meal with lots of music and laughter, Albrecht Durer rose from his honored position at the head of the table to express his deep appreciation to his beloved brother, Albert, for the years of sacrifice he had put in that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were: “And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream and I will take care of you.” All heads turned in love and eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat. Tears were streaming down his face. Slowly, Albert stood to his feet and softly he said, “Thank you, my brother, but no, I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look, look what four years in the mine have done to my hands. The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately, I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less, make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, my brother, for me it is too late.” — More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer’s hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer’s works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office. One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother’s abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply “Hands”, but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to this great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love, “The Praying Hands.” The next time you see a copy of this touching creation, take a second look; let it be a reminder that no one– no one — ever makes it alone! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

13) “Come and see.” Two men, who had been business partners for over twenty years, met one Sunday morning as they were leaving a restaurant. One of them asked, “Where are you going this morning?” “I’m going to play golf. What about you?” The first man responded rather apologetically, “I’m going to Church.” The other man said, “Why don’t you give up that Church stuff?” The first man asked, “What do you mean?” His partner said: “Well, we have been partners for twenty years. We have worked together, attended board meetings together, and had lunch together, and all of these twenty years you have never asked me about going to Church. You have never invited me to go with you. Obviously, it doesn’t mean that much to you.” (John A. Stroman, God’s Downward Mobility, CSS Publishing Company) — Don’t get yourself in that fix. Don’t let others think your Faith doesn’t matter that much to you. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

14) Gone With the Wind. I imagine most of you have seen the film, Gone With the Wind. If not, you have a treat waiting for you. It is interesting how Director David O. Selznick chose the leading lady. Everyone knew that no one but Clark Gable could be Rhett Butler, but who should play Scarlett O’Hara? David Selznick considered a few dozen actresses for the role of the Southern belle. Finally, he made a surprising selection: not a girl born in the South or even in America, she had been born in India of British parents. Her name was Vivien Leigh. Almost everyone agrees that she played a superb, unforgettable Scarlett O’Hara. David Selznick took great care in picking just the right person for that famous role.– Similarly, but with infinitely greater care, God selects us for a part in the Divine drama. We see it today in the call of the prophet, Samuel. Bottom line: Like a great director, selecting exactly the right person for a part, God chooses you or me! (Fr. Phil Bloom) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

15) Someone is always listening: In St. Paul’s Cathedral in London there is a circular gallery where any spoken sound bounces back from the hard smooth stone walls. If you put your ear close to the wall, you can hear what is even whispered on the other side of the wall, many meters away. Many years ago, a poor shoemaker whispered to his beloved that he could not marry her because he could not afford to buy any raw material for his work and his business was on the verge of ruin. The poor girl wept as she listened to the sad news. A gentleman on the other side of the gallery more than sixty meters away heard the story and the shoe maker’s whispered prayer, and decided to do something about it. The gentleman followed the shoemaker out of St. Paul’s and after finding where he lived, had some leather sent to his shop. Naturally the young man was delighted. He made good use of the gift, and his business prospered and he was able to marry the girl of his heart. It was not until a few years later that he learned the name of his unknown friend. It was Prime Minister William Gladstone of Great Britain. — Today’s Gospel tells us that God is calling each one of us giving him or her a unique mission. Do you listen to God’s call? (From The Sunday Liturgy; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

16) “What’s your profession?” A stranger once asked a teacher, “What’s your profession?” The teacher replied, “Christian,” The stranger continued, “No, that’s not what I mean. What’s your job?” The teacher asserted, once again, “I’m a Christian!” Puzzled, the stranger clarified, “Perhaps I should ask, what you do for a living?” The teacher replied, “Well, I’ve a full-time job as a Christian. But, to support my sick husband and children, I teach in a school.” — That teacher had certainly understood the meaning of discipleship summarized by today’s Responsorial Psalm (40): “Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your will.” (Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

17) “I need a person who is on the alert!”: Waiting in a steamship office to be interviewed for the job of a wireless operator, a group of applicants filled the room with such a buzz of conversation that they were oblivious to the dots and dashes that began coming over the loudspeaker. About that time another man entered and sat down quietly by himself. Suddenly he snapped to attention, walked into the private office, and a few minutes later came out smiling with the new job. “Say,” one of the group called out, “how did you get in ahead of us? We were here first.” “One of you would have gotten the job,” the successful applicant replied, “if you had listened to the message from the loudspeaker.” “What message?” they asked. — Do we listen to God? (Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

18) Called by name: You may remember the story of Helen of Troy. According to legend this beautiful queen was captured and carried away and became a victim of amnesia. She became a prostitute in the streets. She didn’t know her name or the fact that she came from royal blood. But back in her homeland, friends didn’t give up on her return. An old friend believed she was alive and went to look for her. He never lost faith. One day while wandering through the streets, he came to a waterfront and saw a wretched woman in tattered clothes with deep lines across her face. There was something about her that seemed familiar, so he walked up to her and said, “What is your name?” She gave a name that was meaningless to him. “May I see your hands? He pursued. She held out her hands in front of her, and the young man gasped, “You are Helen! You are Helen! Do you remember? She looked up at him in astonishment. “Helen!” he yelled out. Then the fog seemed to clear. There was recognition in her face. The light came on! She discovered her lost self, put her arms around her friend and wept. She discarded the tattered clothes and once more became the queen she was born to be. — God searches for you in the same way. He calls you by name. He uses every method possible to look for you and try and convince you of your worth to him. (Brian Cavanaugh in The Sower’s Seeds; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

19) “Follow me!”  Albert Schweitzer was a concert pianist in Europe who gave up his career in music to become a doctor and work as a missionary in Africa. Albert Schweitzer writes in his book The Quest for the Historical Jesus, “Jesus comes to us as one unknown, as he did long ago to the apostles on the seashore. He speaks to us the same words that he spoke to them: ‘Follow me!’ And to those who accept his invitation, whether they be wise or simple, young or old, he will reveal himself to them in their toils and sufferings. And they shall learn through their own experiences who he is.”
(Mark Link in Sunday Homilies; quoted by  Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

20) “Discovering God’s plan for me”: Coach Grant Teaff of Baylor University in Texas has written a book called I Believe. In it he describes an incident that happened earlier in his career at McMurry College. One Saturday night, he and his team had taken off in a chartered plane to return to Texas. Suddenly the plane developed serious trouble. The pilot announced that he would attempt a crash landing. The plane was loaded with fuel, so an explosion was likely. As the plane sped downwards one of the players called out, “Coach Teaff would you lead us in prayer? We’re all pretty frightened.” Teaff prayed aloud for everyone. Seconds later the plane bellied across the ground. A shower of sparks engulfed it. Miraculously, however, it didn’t explode and no one was hurt. The next night Teaff and his family were in the Church together. Right in the middle of the services Teaff got up and left the church and went to the McMurry Fieldhouse about a mile away. He went directly to the team’s dressing room and knelt down and prayed: “God, I know You have a plan, a purpose, and a will for my life and the lives of these young men. I do not know what it is but I’ll…. try to impress upon the young men I coach this year and forever that there is more to life than playing football; that You do have a purpose for our lives.” (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

21) St.  Marcellus’s sleepless search for God: Saints are the ones who discovered the true value of this intimate, personal relationship, and refused to compromise it. St Marcellus [march-EHL-oose] the Righteous is a prime example. He came from a good family in Syria and lived in the 400s. He received a good education, and reached adulthood with a bright future. Then his parents died, and he inherited their considerable fortune. He had to decide what to do with it. Most people wouldn’t think twice! They would simply enjoy it. But Marcellus was a man of reflection, and he detected something unsatisfying about an existence dedicated unthinkingly to the affairs and enjoyments of the world. He thought: “If everything in this world is going to pass away, myself included, what’s the point?” As he prayed and studied the Faith in order to work through this dilemma, the following analogy came to him. Little kids make a big deal out of their toys, but adults recognize the paltriness of toys. They, instead, make a big deal out of money, success, and pleasure. But, reasoned Marcellus, what do such things look like from God’s perspective if not foolish toys? And so, in pursuit of lasting values, he moved to Ephesus (in modern day Turkey) and put himself under the direction of some well-known Christians. He grew in holiness and wisdom, and eventually became the revered abbot of a gigantic monastery near Constantinople and an influential adviser to emperors, bishops, and Church councils. In his monastery, the monks were divided into many different small choirs, so that at every hour of the day and night, at least one choir could be singing God’s praise. For this reason, the monastery was called “Akimetes” [ah-KEY-meh-tehz], which meant “sleepless.” It was a living testimony to the source of life’s true meaning: an ongoing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. (E-Priest) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

22) A Quiet Nun Is Heard around the World: St. Catherine Laboure is an example showing that God likes to use messengers, especially messengers who stay focused on the message. St Catherine was born to a large family in central France in the 1800s. When her mother died and her older sister entered the convent, she took over the housekeeping responsibilities for her father, until she too felt a call to the religious life. She joined the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul in Paris, where she was graced with a series of visions in which the Blessed Virgin Mary asked her to have a medal struck for the benefit of the faithful throughout the world. The medal was later known as the “miraculous medal” because of its origin in these miraculous visions. The Blessed Virgin explained in detail everything that was to appear on the medal. St Catherine confided the Heavenly task to her confessor, who went and carried it out. But Catherine made him promise not to reveal her identity. She herself didn’t mention the visions to anyone else. And she was persistently unwilling to appear before ecclesiastical authorities, even when the bishop of Paris was questioning the authenticity of the visions. A first batch of medals was eventually made, and since then it has become a sign of hope and Faith for millions of Catholics throughout the entire world. (E-Priest). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

23) Speak to me, O God: Come and See:

I begged the May flower tree: “Speak to me of God,” and the May flower tree showed herself to me in full bloom.

I asked a poor man: “Please, speak to me of God,” and the poor man shared his tea with me.

I entreated the house: “Speak to me of God,” and the door opened welcoming me.

I asked a child: “Speak to me of God,” and the child smiled at me.

I told a farmer: “Speak to me of God,” and the farmer showed me his standing crops.

I begged nature: “Speak to me of God,” and nature decked herself with luscious beauty.

I asked my friend: “Speak to me of God,” and my friend caressed me warmly.

I asked a nightingale: “Speak to me of God,” and she filled the air with silvery tunes.

I asked a soldier: “Speak to me of God.” and in shame, the soldier threw away his weaponry.

I besought a suffering man: “Speak to me of God,” and I saw in his eyes a quivering tear of accepting joy.

I asked a fountain: “Speak to me of God,” and the fountain merrily spilled out its crystal water.

I begged my mother: “Please, speak to me of God, ” and she stamped a soothing kiss on my forehead.

I entreated my enemy: “Speak to me of God, ” and he, in forgiveness, stretched out his hand to me.

I asked the voice: “Speak to me of God,” but the voice could not find words. It remained silent.

At last, I asked the setting sun: “Speak to me of God,” and the sun mysteriously set down and left me in darkness.

But next day, at dawn, when I opened the window of my room, mischievously with his warmth he kissed me on both my cheeks.

(Adapted from a poem of Maria Luisa Brey) Quoted by Fr. Tony Kayala (https://frtonyshomilies.com/). L/24

“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle B, no. 11 by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com) L-21

 Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle C  & A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  of Fr. Nick’s collection of homilies or Resources in the CBCI website:  https://www.cbci.in.  (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020)  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph  M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507

 

Jan 7, 2024: Epiphany of the Lord (8-minute homily in 1 page) L/24

Introduction: The Greek word Epiphany (επιφάνεια), means appearance or manifestation. Multiple revelations of Jesus as God are celebrated on this Feast of the Epiphany. First, the angels revealed Jesus to the shepherds. In the Western Church, the Feast of the Epiphany celebrates Jesus’ first appearance to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, while in the Eastern Church, the Epiphany event is celebrated in the commemoration of the Baptism of Christ when the Father and the Holy Spirit gave combined testimony to Jesus’ identity as Son of God. At Cana, Jesus revealed His Divinity by transforming water into wine Later, in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus revealed Himself as the promised Messiah. The Church celebrates all these epiphany events on this Feast of Epiphany.

Scripture lessons summarized:Today’s Gospel teaches us how Christ enriches those who bring him their hearts. The adoration of the Magi fulfills the oracle of Isaiah (first reading), prophesying that the nations of the world would travel to the Holy City following a brilliant light and would bring gold and incense to contribute to the worship of God. Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 72) includes a verse about kings coming from foreign lands to pay homage to a just king in Israel. Paul’s letter to the Church of Ephesus (today’s second reading), expresses God’s secret plan in clear terms: “the Gentiles are…copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” Today’s Gospel reminds us that if God permitted the Magi – foreigners and pagans – to recognize and give Jesus proper respect as the King of Jews, we should know that there is nothing in our sinful lives that will keep God from bringing us to Jesus. There were three groups of people who reacted to the Epiphany of Christ’s birth. The first group, headed by King Herod the Great, tried to eliminate the Child, the second group, priests and scribes, ignored him, and the third group, represented by the shepherds and the Magi, came to adore him.

Life Messages: (1) Let us make sure that we belong to the third group: a) by worshiping Jesus at Mass with the gold of our love, the myrrh of our humility, and the frankincense of our adoration; b) by giving a new direction to our lives. As the Magi chose another route to return to their homes, we need to choose a better way of life, abstaining from proud and impure thoughts, evil habits and selfish behavior; c) by becoming stars leading others to Jesus as the star led the Magi to Jesus — removing the darkness of the evil around us and radiating Jesus’ love through selfless service, unconditional forgiveness, and compassionate care.

(2) On this feast of the Epiphany, let us, like the Magi, offer Jesus our grateful use of his gifts to us: (a) His gift of friendship with God in the form of wholehearted love and devotion; (b) His gift of friendship with others by leading them to Jesus through our exemplary lives of Christian charity in action; (c) His gift of reconciliation with God by daily asking His pardon and forgiveness for our sins and giving unconditional forgiveness to those who wound us; and (d) His gift of peace by seeking God’s peace in our own lives through prayer, leading a Sacramental life, and meditating daily on the Word of God.

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD (Jan 7): Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12 

Homily starter anecdotes: # 1: “Because you never know what’s going to happen next.” A survey was made among school children asking them why they enjoyed reading Harry Potter novels and watching Harry Potter movies. The most common answer was, “Because you never know what’s going to happen next!” This same sense of suspense and surprise prompted us to watch the seven episodes of the Star War movies. The same desire for epiphany with the thrill of suspense and joyful anticipation prompted adults to watch James Bond films and encouraged the great explorers like Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus to make risky and adventurous journeys. It is the same curiosity which led the Magi to follow the star of Bethlehem.  An element of suspense marked every moment in the journey of the Magi, who never knew what road the Spirit of God was going to take them down next. Today’s readings invite us to have the same curiosity explorers and movie fans have, so that we may discover the “epiphany,” or manifestation, or Self-revelation, of our God in every person and every event, everywhere.

#2: History of Epiphany: Next to Easter, Epiphany is the oldest season of the Church year. In Asia Minor and Egypt, the Epiphany was observed as early as the second century. The Festival of the Epiphany fell (and still falls), on January 6. It was observed as a unitive festival — both the birth and Baptism of Jesus were celebrated at this time. January 6 was chosen as Epiphany Day because it was the winter solstice, a pagan festival celebrating the birthday of the sun god. In 331 AD the solstice was moved to December 25, but January 6 continued to be observed. Christians substituted Epiphany for the solstice. The emphasis was upon the re-birth of light. In keeping with this time, the First Lesson for Epiphany Day is appropriate: “Arise, shine; for your Light has come.” The unitive Festival of Epiphany was divided when December 25 was chosen as the birthday of Jesus. The Church in the East continued to celebrate Epiphany in terms of the Baptism of Jesus while the Western Church associated Epiphany with the visit of the Magi. For the East, the Baptism of Jesus was more vital because of the Gnostic heresy claiming that only at his baptism did Jesus become the Son of God. On the other hand, to associate Epiphany with the Magi is appropriate, for the Magi might not have gotten to Bethlehem until a year after Jesus’ birth. By this time the Holy Family was in a house rather than in a stable. If this was the case, then the Magi could not have been a part of the manger scene popularly portrayed in today’s Christmas scenes and plays. The Vatican II lectionary and calendar combine the two by placing the visit of the Magi on Epiphany Day and the Baptism of Jesus on Epiphany 1 (The First Sunday after the Epiphany).

 # 3: Adventurers: When pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager made their historic flight in 1986 with their spindly Voyager aircraft, the whole world followed it with excitement. For nine days a sky-watch was kept tracking their first non-stop global flight without refueling. Achievers and risk-takers like Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager have always fascinated us. Marco Polo journeying to India and China, Christopher Columbus coming to America, Admiral Byrd going to the South Pole, our Astronauts flying to the moon: such adventurers have always aroused our admiration or our skepticism. –Bystanders’ attitudes were no different at the time of the Magi in today’s Gospel story. To the cynical observer the Magi must have seemed foolish to go following a star. These astrologers had to be a little crazy leaving the security of their homeland to venture forth into a strange country presided over by a madman like Herod. Nevertheless, to the person with the eyes of Faith, the Magi had discovered an immense secret. They found not only the secret of the star but the secret of the whole universe – the secret of God’s incredible love for His people. For the Child they found was no ordinary child but the very Son of God become man. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds).

Introduction: The Greek word Epiphany (epiphanos), which means appearance or manifestation or showing forth, is used to describe   Jesus’ first appearance to the Gentiles.  Originally the word Epiphany referred to the visit of a king to the people of his provinces. “Epiphany” refers to God’s Self-revelation as well as to the revelation of Jesus as His Son to all mankind.   Epiphany is an older celebration than the feast of Christmas, having originated in the East in the late second century.  In Italy and Spain, the gifts traditionally associated with the Christmas season were exchanged on the feast of the Epiphany. Among Italians, it was believed that the gifts were brought by the old woman, Befana (from Epiphany), whereas Spanish custom attributed the gifts to the Kings or Magi. While in the Western Church, the feast commemorates the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, in the Eastern Church, the feast also commemorates   the Baptism of Christ. The angels revealed Jesus to the shepherds, and the star revealed him to the Magi, who had already received hints of Him from the Jewish Scriptures.  Later, God the Father revealed   Jesus’ identity to Israel at his Baptism in the Jordan.  In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus revealed himself as the promised Messiah.   Finally, Jesus revealed himself as a miracle worker at the wedding of Cana, thus revealing his Divinity. These multiple revelations are all suggested by the Feast of the Epiphany.

Scripture readings summarized: Isaiah 60:1-6, is chosen as today’s first reading, partly because it mentions non-Jews bringing gifts in homage to the God of Israel. Here the Prophet Isaiah, consoling the people in exile, speaks of the restoration of a New Jerusalem from which the glory of Yahweh will become visible even to the pagan nations. Thus, the prophet in this passage celebrates the Divine Light emanating from Jerusalem and foresees all the nations acknowledging that Light, enjoying that Light, and walking by that Light. As a sign of gratitude for the priceless lessons of Faith offered by Jerusalem, the nations will bring wealth by land and sea, especially gold for the Temple and frankincense for the sacrifice. Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 72) declares that all the kings of the earth will pay homage to and serve the God of Israel and His Messiah. Thus, these two readings express hope for a time when “the people of God” will embrace all nations. As the privileged recipient of a Divine “epiphany”, Saint Paul reveals God’s “secret plan” – that the Gentiles also have a part with the Jews in Divine blessings. Hence, in the second reading, St. Paul affirms the mystery of God’s plan of salvation in Christ. Paul explains that this plan includes both Jews and Gentiles. (The reading tells us that Jesus Christ is not only for the Jews, but for all peoples. That is why we have to proclaim the good news to the non-Jews, the Gentiles, the pagans, and to all peoples!). Jesus implemented this Divine plan by extending membership in his Church, making it available to all peoples. Thus, the Jews and the Gentiles have become “coheirs, members of the same Body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” Hence, there are no second-class members of Jesus’ Body, the Church. Paul declares that he was commissioned by Christ to make this mystery known to the world. Today’s Gospel teaches us how Christ enriches those who bring Him their hearts.  Since the Magi came with joy in their hearts to visit the Christ Child, God allowed them to see wondrous things. At the same time, today’s Gospel hints at different reactions to the news of Jesus’ birth, foreshadowing his passion and death, as well as the risen Jesus’ mandate to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19).

Gospel exegesis:  The Magi and the star: The Magi were not Kings, but a caste of Persian priests who served Kings, using their skills in interpreting dreams and watching movements of stars. The sixth century Italian tradition, that there were three Magi, Casper, Balthazar, and Melchior, is based on the fact that three gifts are mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Magi may actually have been Persian priests or Babylonian astronomers or Nabataean spice-traders. Eventually, however, they were pictured as representatives of different peoples and races.   The Orthodox Church holds that the Magi consisted of twelve Kings, corresponding in number to the twelve tribes of Israel.   Commentary on the Torah by Jewish rabbis suggested that a star appeared in the sky at the births of Abraham, Isaac, and Moses.  Likewise, in the Book of Numbers (24:17), the prophet Balaam speaks of “a star that shall come out of Jacob.”  Stars were believed to be signs from God, announcing important events.   Thus, the brightness of the Light to which kings were drawn was made visible in the star they followed. They were led by God’s power to Christ and brought gifts to him and his family—to Mary and Joseph—as Isaiah and the psalmist foresaw. (What was the nature of this star? Some scholars think it might have been Halley’s Comet which appeared in the night sky about the time Jesus was born. Others think the star was the result of the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn which gave the appearance of a single bright star. And still others, a stellar explosion, a Nova, which appeared in the night sky. (Cf., Curtis Mitch & Edward Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010, pp. 51-52).

The gifts: The primary, simplest symbolism of the gifts the Magi brought to the Infant Jesus is that Gold represents His Kingship, Frankincense, His Divinity, and Myrrh, His humanity. ((St. Irenaeus who lived in the second century tell us that the three gifts symbolize the Lord as Messiah-King, God, and Crucified Savior! The gift of gold symbolizes the kingship of the Lord. The gift of frankincense symbolizes the divinity of the Lord. And the gift of myrrh which was used for embalmment and burial symbolizes the crucified Savior! (Raas/Lefrois/NJB/NJBC)) Gold, frankincense and myrrh may also be thought of as prophesying Jesus’ future, gold representing his kingship as well as His Divinity, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh, a prefiguring of his death and embalming.   Gold was a gift for Kings, and the Magi accepted the baby Jesus as the king of the Jews. Gold is also a symbol of Divinity and is mentioned throughout the Bible. Pagan idols were often made from gold and the Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with gold (Ex 25:10-17). The gift of gold to the Christ Child was symbolic of His Divinity—God in flesh. Frankincense is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Ex 30:34), as frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ Child was symbolic of his willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving himself up, analogous to a burnt offering. Myrrh was used by the High Priest as an anointing oil (Ex 30:23) Myrrh was used in ancient times for embalming the bodies of the dead before burial. It was a fitting “gift” for Jesus who was born to die. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article of drink. (Mt 27:34) refers to it as “gall.” Such a drink was offered to, and refused by, our Savior before His crucifixion (Mk 15:23), as a stupefying potion. Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. The baby Jesus would grow to suffer greatly as a man and would pay the ultimate price when He gave his life on the cross to redeem all mankind, if they chose to believe in Him and receive this gift. In addition, myrrh was used an oriental remedy for intestinal worms in infants, a useful gift for a new baby. These gifts were not only expensive but portable. “Laden with gold and spices, the journey of the magi evokes those journeys made to Solomon by the Queen of Sheba and the ‘kings of the earth’ (see 1 Kgs 10:2,25; 2 Chr 9:24). Interestingly, the only other places where frankincense and myrrh are mentioned together are in songs about Solomon (see Song of Songs 3:6, 4:6,14)” (Dr. Scott Hahn). Perhaps Joseph sold the gifts to finance the Holy Family’s trip to Egypt and Mary kept myrrh in her medicine chest.   The gifts might have been God’s way of providing for the journey that lay ahead.

The triple reactions: The Epiphany can be looked on as a symbol for our pilgrimage through life to Christ.   The feast invites us to see ourselves as images of the Magi, a people on a journey to Christ.     Today’s Gospel also tells us the story of the Magi’s encounter with the evil King Herod.   This encounter symbolizes three reactions to Jesus’ birth:  hatred, indifference, and adoration: a) a group of people headed by Herod planned to destroy Jesus;  b) another group, composed of priests and scribes, ignored Jesus;  c) the members of a third group — shepherds and the magi — adored Jesus and offered themselves to Him.

A) The destructive group:  King Herod considered Jesus a potential threat to his kingship.  Herod the Great was a cruel, selfish king who murdered his mother-in-law, wife, two brothers-in-law and three children on suspicion that they had plotted against him. Herod, in today’s Gospel, asks the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah is to be born. Their answer says much more, combining two strands of Old Testament promise – one revealing the Messiah to be from the line of David (see 2 Sm 2:5), the other predicting “a ruler of Israel” who will “shepherd his flock” and whose “greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth” (see Mi 5:1-3) (Dr. Hann). Later, the scribes and Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus because he had criticized them and tried to reform some of their practices. Today, many oppose Christ and his Church because of their selfish motives, evil ways, and unjust lives. Children still have Herods to fear. In the United States alone, one and a half million innocent, unborn children are aborted annually.

1. B) The group that ignored Christ: The scribes, the Pharisees and the Jewish priests knewthat there were nearly 500 prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the promised Messiah.  They were able to tell Herod the exact time and place of Jesus’    They were in the habit of concluding their reading from the prophets on the Sabbath day by saying, “We shall now pray for the speedy arrival of the Messiah.”   Unfortunately, they were more interested in their own selfish gains than in discovering the truth. Hence, they refused to go and see the child Jesus — even though Bethlehem was quite close to Jerusalem.  Today, many Christians remind us of this group.   They practice their religion from selfish motives, such as to gain political power, prestige and recognition by society.   They ignore Jesus’ teachings in their private lives.
2. C) The group that adored Jesus and offered Him gifts:  This group was composed of the shepherds and the Magi.  The shepherds offered the only gifts they had: love, tears of joy, and probably woolen clothes and milk from their sheep.  The Magi, probably Persian astrologers, were following the star that Balaam predicted would rise, along with the ruler’s staff, over the house of Jacob (see Nm 24:17). The Magi offered gold, in recognition of Jesus as the King of the Jews; frankincense, in acknowledgment that he was God, and myrrh as a symbol of his human nature. “Like the Magi, every person has two great ‘books’ which provide the signs to guide this pilgrimage: the book of creation and the book of Sacred Scripture. What is important is that we be attentive, alert, and listen to God Who speaks to us, who always speaks to us.” (Pope Francis)

The light and darkness imagery: The Old and the New Testaments speak symbolically of the Real Presence of God using the imagery of Light. The “pillar of fire” that accompanied the Hebrews during the earlier phases of the exodus journey, and the “burning bush” episode with Moses are two great examples from the Old Testament. In the New Testament, John’s Gospel is exceptional in its recognition of this ‘Light’ imagery as standing for God’s presence, He Whose “Light shines in the darkness” (Jn 1:4-5). Similarly, the  imagery of darkness is used to represent the sinful lives of the chosen people.  Their “darkness” – the sins of apostasy and idolatry, and their lack of a true spirituality – eventually caused them to be led away into exile to Babylonia in 587 B.C. After about seventy years during which they could ponder the real reason for their misfortunes, the prophet we refer to as “Third Isaiah” announced that their relationship with Yahweh was being restored: His Light once more was to be restored to the Israelites (Is 60:1-6). Once again, they are being called to be His servants, focused on God and not on idols,  worldly allurements or distractions. The Light theme continues into the Gospel today (Mt 2:1-12), where we see a “star” shining in Bethlehem over the “true Light that shines in the darkness,” the Child Jesus. Here we find the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy from Third Isaiah, that that all nations would be drawn to this Light. They would come to do homage and worship and praise the Lord, the One Who would shepherd His people.

Life Messages: (1) Let us make sure that we belong to the third group.  a) Let us worship Jesus at Mass, every day if we can, with the gold of our love, the myrrh of our humility, and the frankincense of our adoration.  Let us offer God our very selves, promising Him that we will use His blessings to do good for our fellow men.   b) Let us plot a better course for our lives as the Magi did, choosing for ourselves a better way of life in the New Year by abstaining from proud and impure thoughts, evil habits, and selfish behavior, sharing our love with others in acts of charity.   c)  Let us become stars, leading others to Jesus, as the star led the Magi to Him.   We can remove or lessen the darkness of the evil around us by being, if not like stars, at least like candles, radiating Jesus’ love by selfless service, unconditional forgiveness and compassionate care.

(2) Like the Magi, let us offer to Jesus God’s gifts to us on this feast of Epiphany. (a) The first gift might be friendship with God.  After all, the whole point of Christmas is that God’s Son became one of us to redeem us and call us friends. God wants our friendship in the form of wholehearted love and devotion.  (b) A second gift might be friendship with others. This kind of friendship can be costly.   The price it exacts is vulnerability and openness to others.   The Good News, however, is that, in offering friendship to others, we will receive back many blessings.   (c)  A third gift might be the gift of reconciliation.    This gift repairs damaged relationships.   It requires honesty, humility, understanding, forgiveness, and patience.   (d)   The fourth gift of this season is the gift of peace:  seeking God’s Peace in our own lives through prayer, the Sacramental life, and daily meditation on the Word of God. It is out of humble gratitude that we give Him from the heart our gifts of worship, prayer, singing, possessions, talents, and time.  As we give our insignificant, little gifts to God, the Good News is that God accepts them! Like the Magi offering their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, we offer what we have, from the heart, in response to what that Child has given to us – Himself.

Let us conclude with a 19^th century English carol, Christina Rosetti’s A Christmas Carol, which begins, “In the bleak midwinter.” The carol sums up, in its last stanza, the nature of “giving to the Christ Child.”

What can I give him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I could give a Lamb.

If I were a wise man, I could do my part.

What I can I give Him?  Give Him my heart!”

JOKEs OF THE WEEK: 1) “I want the big cow!”: It was an excited little girl who told me this story. The first two wise men got down from their camels and offered their precious gifts to the Baby. He declined them. When the Baby Jesus declined the gift of the third also, the exasperated wise man asked, “Then what do you want?” The Child Jesus answered quickly and with a warm smile, “Your big cow!”

2) A husband asked his wife, “Why would God give the wise men a star to guide them?” She replied, “Because God knows men are too proud to ask directions.”

3) Three Wise Women: While they were talking about the story of the three wise men, a woman asked her parish priest this question, “Do you know why God gave the star to the wise men?” When he professed his ignorance, she told him: “God knows men are too proud to ask directions. If there had been three wise women instead of three wise men, they would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and given some practical gifts!”

4) Epiphany of a pilot: A helicopter was flying around above Seattle yesterday when an electrical malfunction disabled all the aircraft’s electronic navigation and communications equipment. Due to the clouds and haze, the pilot could not determine the helicopter’s position and course to steer to the airport. The pilot saw a tall building, flew toward it, circled, drew a handwritten sign, and held it in the helicopter’s window. The pilot’s sign said, “Where am I?” in large letters. People in the tall building quickly responded to the aircraft, drew a large sign, and held it in a building window. Their sign said, “You are in a helicopter.” The pilot smiled, waved, looked at his map, determined the course to steer to Sea-Tac airport, and landed safely. After they were on the ground, the co-pilot asked the pilot how the, “You are in a helicopter,” sign helped determine their position. The pilot responded, “I knew that had to be the Microsoft building because, similar to their help-lines, they gave me a technically correct but completely useless answer.”

USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK: (The easiest method  to visit these websites is to copy and paste the web address or URL on the Address bar of any Internet website like Google or MSN and press the Enter button of your Keyboard).

• Nick’s collection of Sunday homilies from 65 priests & weekday homilies: https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies
• Don’ collection of video homilies & blogs: https://sundayprep.org/featured-homilies/ (Copy it on the Address bar and press the Enter button)
• Geoffrey Plant’s beautiful & scholarly video classes on Sunday gospel, Bible & RCIA topics:   https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant20663)
• Brant Pitre’s commentary on Cycle B Sunday Scripture for Bible Class: https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/mass-readings-explained-year-Biblical basis of Catholic doctrines: http://scripturecatholic.com/

5) Agape Catholic Bible Lessons: http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/1)      http://www.catholic.org/: A wealth of information on Catholic Church/ Faith

• Don Schwager based on William Barclay’s commentary: http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
• USCCB video homily: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
• Nick’s collection: http://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/weekday
• Saint of the Day: 1) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/source/saint-of-the-day/ 2) http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/default.asp
• http://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/the-virgin-shall-be-with-child/652/
• Regnum Christi Mediations: http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/meditaciones/index.phtml?se=39&ca=95&te=60
• Video Scripture study by Fr. Geoffrey Plant: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066

  25-Additional anecdotes:

1. A woman among the Magi? Rev. Benedict Thomas Viviano, a renowned Gospel of Matthew professor, Dominican friar and priest (https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/17405/viviano_writes_about_a_woman_magi), has a new Biblical theory that may change nativity scenes across the globe: there was one Wise Woman (or more) among the Wise Men. His original theory was published in 2011 in Studies of Matthew by Leuven University Press. It’s “perfectly plausible” that Matthew would have understood the magi as some sort of Eastern sages, he said. “On the other hand, the masculine plural magoi does not close the question of gender. “The main reason to think of the presence of one or more women among the magi is the background story of the queen of Sheba, with her quest for Israelite royal wisdom, her reverent awe, and her three gifts fit for a king,” Viviano suggested. His second reason to suspect the presence of the feminine is the Israelite tradition of personifying wisdom as a woman, he said (Proverbs 8:22-30; 9:1-6; Book of Sirach, 24). Viviano’s third argument for his female-among-the-magi cause is that Matthew’s Gospel later characterizes Jesus as embodying wisdom, which Jewish literature considers female and even terms Lady Wisdom. The passages he refers to are Matthew, Chapter 11:19 and 25-30. — What difference it would have made if there was a woman among the magi? A women’s magazine says: They would have come before the birth of Jesus, brought provisions for the child and his mother, and the woman would have served as a midwife! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) An epiphany in the airport. We spot what looks like a mom, a dad, and three teenage daughters. The girls and their mom are each holding a bouquet of roses. We are wondering what the story is. Whom are they expecting? The dad keeps looking at his watch. The mom keeps turning her head to make sure she hears each airport announcement. Finally, the door opens. First come the “rushers”–men and women in suits with briefcases and bags over their shoulders, rushing towards phones, bathrooms, and their cars or rent-a-cars. We’re still wondering and watching to learn whom this family we’ve been studying is there to meet. Then out come a young Marine, his wife, and their obviously brand-new baby. The three girls run to the couple and the baby. Then Mom. Dad. Hugs. Kisses. Embraces. “OOPS! The flowers!” But the baby is the center of attention. Each member of the family gets closer and closer to the mother and each opens the bundle in pink to have a first peek at this new life on the planet. We’re seeing it from a distance. It’s better than the evening news. Then we notice several other smiling people also watching the same scene. There are many other hugging scenes, people meeting people, but this is the big one. We’re smiling too. A tear of joy.
— What wonderful moment we are photographing into our memory. We’re thinking, “Family! Children! Grandchildren!” This is what life is all about. We’re experiencing an epiphany. Life is filled with them. Praise God! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) Artaban’s gift: There’s a story called “The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke. It’s about a fourth man who is supposed to accompany the other three wise men on their journey to search for the newborn King. The fourth wise man is Artaban. As Artaban prepares for the journey, he takes with him a bag of precious stones to give to the baby King. On this way to join the other three wise men, Artaban stops to help a poor person. The delay is just enough to make him miss his rendezvous with the others. Artaban never does catch up with them. He constantly runs into people who need help. And he always stops to help them. Eventually, Artaban gives away all his precious stones. As the story ends, Artaban is old and poor. He has never realized his dream to meet the King of Kings. But the story doesn’t end here. One day Artaban is in Jerusalem. Authorities are about to execute a criminal. When Artaban sees the criminal, his heart skips a beat. Something tells him this is the King of Kings for whom he has been searching all his life. Artaban is heartbroken when he sees he can do nothing to help the King. Then something remarkable happens. Artaban hears the King’s voice say to him: “Don’t be broken-hearted, Artaban. You’ve been helping me all your life. When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. When I was naked, you clothed me. When I was a stranger, you took me in” (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 4) Epiphany of a drummer: Consider a true story of a young man named Tony. He travelled all over the world, appearing widely on stage and on television as a drummer in a world-famous music group. Then one day Tony felt called to the priesthood. When he resigned from the music group to enter a seminary, some people thought him to be a fool. The story could end here. And if it did, some would consider it to be a sad story. It would be the story of a young man who let a dream slip through his fingers. But the story doesn’t end here. Tony’s now a priest in the diocese of Dallas. And he’s tremendously happy. — Jesus will someday say to him what he said to Artaban: “You’ve been helping me all your life, Tony. What you did for your Parishioners, you did for me.” (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

5) Lesser epiphanies of Robert and Edison: Let’s start by reminding ourselves: God keeps appearing; we still have epiphanies. One kind of lesser epiphany is an “aha” experience. We sometimes get an “aha” when studying the Bible. For days, Robert had been bothered by a big sin he’d committed — that so awful, so nasty sin we dread telling in confession. Then, reading about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, Robert felt, “Aha! If God can raise his friend Lazarus from the dead, God can forgive me this great sin I committed!” A “lesser epiphany!” When Robert went to confession, he knew God loved him, deeply and totally.
We have “lesser epiphanies” as others treat us with kindness. After Thomas Edison had finished making the very first light bulb, Edison gave the light bulb to a young assistant to carry upstairs. Crash! The young man dropped the light bulb! Twenty-four hours later, a second light bulb completed, Edison handed the second light bulb to the same young lad. Edison knew, accidents happen, but the young man was still a fine young man. Here was a “lesser epiphany” — God’s love manifested in the kind gesture of a great inventor. Have no doubt: God continues to appear among us. When we attune ourselves to God, we see “lesser epiphanies” every day. There may be no star hovering overhead, but we recognize God in the kind gesture, in the “aha” insight; we see God in the love we receive and are called to give. (Fr. Clyde Bonar) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

6) The Hostess of the Magi missed the Child Jesus: Once upon a time there lived in Bethlehem a woman named Babushka. She kept the cleanest and neatest house in town and was also the best cook. She heard rumors of three kings coming across the desert but paid no attention to them because she had so much work to do. Then she heard the sounds of drums and pipes and a cavalcade of riders. She looked out the window and there were three richly dressed kings coming towards her house. They told her that they had come to honor the little prince who had been born in Bethlehem and they needed food and lodging. Babushka cooked a wonderful meal for them, remade all the beds, and wore herself out. The next morning the kings begged her to come with them so she too might see the little prince. Babushka said she would follow after them as soon as she finished the dishes. She cleaned the house again and then took out of a cabinet the toys of her own little prince who had died so long ago. She had no more need of them and would give them to the new little prince. She put them in a basket and sat down for a moment’s rest before she followed the wise men. Hours later she woke up, grabbed the basket, and rushed into town. But the kings were gone and so were the little prince and his parents. Ever after, it is said, Babushka has followed after them. Whenever she finds a newborn babe, she looks to see if he is the little prince. Even if he (or in our days she too), is not there, Babushka leaves a toy for the child. — I think she probably found the prince early on, but we still should learn from her lesson: we should never let the important interfere with the essential.  (Fr. Andrew Greely) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

7) A new Magi story: In this story, the three wise men, Gaspar, Balthassar and Melchior, were three different ages.  Gaspar was a young man, Balthassar a middle-aged man and Melchior an elderly man.  They found a cave where the Holy One was and entered to do him homage one at a time.  Melchior the old man entered first.  He found an old man like himself in the cave.  They shared stories and spoke of memory and gratitude.  Middle-aged Balthassar entered next.  He found a man his own age there.  They spoke passionately about leadership and responsibility.  Young Gaspar was the last to enter.  He found a young prophet waiting for him.  They spoke about reform and promise.  Afterward when the three kings spoke to each other about their encounter with the Christ, they were shocked at each other’s stories.  So, they got their gifts of gold frankincense, and myrrh together and all three went into the cave.  They found a baby there, the infant Jesus only twelve days old. — There is a deep message here.  Jesus reveals himself to all people, at all stages of their lives, whether they are Jew or Gentile. (Fr. Pellegrino). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

8) O Henry’s story of real love through sacrificial sharing: “Gift of the Magi”: (A summarized version by Fr. Puncha):   It was Christmas Eve, during the days of the depression of the 1930’s.  Della and James, a newly married couple, were very poor.  They loved each other dearly, but money was hard come by.  In fact, as Christmas approached, they were unhappy because they had no money to buy presents for each other. They had two possessions that they valued deeply:  James had a gold watch which had belonged to his father, and Della had long and beautiful golden-brown hair.   Della knew that James’ watch had no matching chain–only a worn-out leather strap.  A matching chain would be an ideal gift for her husband, but she lacked the money to buy it.

As she stood before the mirror, her eyes fell on her long brown tresses.  She was very proud of her beautiful hair, but she knew what she had to do.  She faltered a moment, but nothing could stand in the way of love.  She hastened to the “hair-dealers,” sold her hair for twenty dollars, and went round shop after shop, hunting for the ideal gift.  At last she found it: a gold chain for her husband’s watch.  She was very happy and proud of the gift.  She knew James would love it, the fruit of her sacrifice.

James came in, beaming with love, proud of the gift he had bought for Della.  He knew she would be very happy with the gift.  But when he saw her, his face fell.  She thought he was angry at what she had done.  She tried to console him by saying that her hair would grow fast, and soon it would be as beautiful as before.  That is when he gave her his gift.  It was an expensive set of combs, with gem-studded rims.   She had always wanted them for her hair!  She was very happy, but with a tinge of sadness.  She knew it would be some time before she could use the precious gift.

Then, with tears in her eyes, she presented him with the gift she had bought.  As he looked at the beautiful chain, he said with a sigh: “I guess our gifts will have to wait for some time.  The combs were very expensive; I had to sell my watch to buy the combs!” — These were the perfect gifts:  gifts of sacrificial love.  Both James and Della were very happy for, like the Magi, they had discovered LOVE through self-sacrifice.  (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

9) Angel at work? The British express train raced through the night, its powerful headlight piercing the darkness. Queen Victoria was a passenger on the train. Suddenly the engineer saw a startling sight. Revealed in the beam of the engine’s light was a strange figure in a black cloak standing in the middle of the tracks and waving its arms. The engineer grabbed for the brake and brought the train to a grinding halt. He and his fellow trainmen clambered down to see what had stopped them. But they could find no trace of the strange figure. On a hunch the engineer walked a few yards further up the tracks. Suddenly he stopped and stared into the fog in horror. A bridge had been washed out in the middle and ahead of them it had toppled into a swollen stream. If the engineer had not heeded the ghostly figure, his train would have plummeted down into the stream. While the bridge and tracks were being repaired, the crew made a more intensive search for the strange flagman. But not until they got to London did they solve the mystery. At the base of the engine’s headlight the engineer discovered a huge dead moth. He looked at it a moment, then on impulse wet its wings and pasted it to the glass of the lamp. Climbing back in to his cab, he switched on the light and saw the “flagman” in the beam. In the fog, it appeared to be a phantom figure, waving its arms. When Queen Victoria was told of the strange happening, she said, “I’m sure it was no accident. It was God’s way of protecting us.” — No, the figure the engineer saw in the headlight’s beam was not an angel…and yet God, quite possibly through the ministry of His unseen angels, had placed the moth on the headlight lens exactly when and where it was needed. Today’s Gospel tells us how God sent a star to lead the magi to His Son Jesus.
(Billy Graham from Unto the Hills; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

10) “It’s me Papa.  Open the door, it’s your son.” The Buddha told a story. A young widower who loved his five-year-old son very much was away on business, and bandits came, burned down his whole village, and took his son away.  When the man returned, he saw the ruins, and panicked.  He took the charred corpse of an infant to be his own child, and he began to pull his hair and beat his chest, crying uncontrollably.  He organized a cremation ceremony, collected the ashes and put them in a very beautiful velvet bag.  Working, sleeping, eating, he always carried the bag of ashes with him. One day his real son escaped from the robbers and found his way home.  He arrived at his father’s new cottage at midnight, and knocked at the door.  You can imagine at that time, the young father was still carrying the bag of ashes, and crying.  He asked, “Who is there?” And the child answered, “It’s me Papa.  Open the door, it’s your son.”  In his agitated state of mind, the father thought that some mischievous boy was making fun of him, and he shouted at the child to go away, and he continued to cry.  The boy knocked again and again, but the father refused to let him in.  Some time passed, and finally the child left.  From that time on, father and son never saw one another… —  After telling this story, the Buddha said, “Sometimes, somewhere, you take something to be the truth.  If you cling to it so much, when the truth comes in person and knocks at your door, you will not open it.” (Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk in his book Being Peace). We celebrate the feast of Epiphany. God breaks through.  God is revealed. Truth happens. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

11) Those who are at the top need to fear a fall: Raymond Brown, the great New Testament scholar, found an echo of the story of the Three Wise Men in the story of King Balak and the prophet Balaam in the Old Testament. Balak was a king of the Moabites. When the Israelites left Egypt under the leadership of Moses, like king Herod who feared the birth of the Messiah and wanted to kill him, King Balak feared the Israelites wanted to destroy Moab, so he planned to destroy them first. To accomplish his purpose, Balak summoned a famous prophet, Balaam, to place a curse on Israel. Balaam was an interesting character; he was a non-Israelite, and a practitioner of enchantment. He was capable of doing both good and evil. Balaam, the prophet, came from the east along with two servants, thereby, making the number three, like the Magi. And when he came, commanded to curse Israel, the Holy Spirit foiled King Balak’s efforts by blessing Israel through Balaam and foretelling the future greatness of Israel and the rise of its royal ruler. Balaam prophesied and said, “A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will rise from Israel.” Like king Herod who massacred all the infants in Bethlehem 2 years-old and younger so that he wouldn’t miss the newborn King, the wicked king Balak tried to do the same thing by using a magus to destroy the Israelites, but his efforts were foiled. (John Rose in Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

12) Why a Feast only for the Magi and not for the shepherds? In the stories of Jesus’ birth, two special groups of people came to visit the newborn babe: the shepherds and the Magi. The Church has no special feast to commemorate the visit of the shepherds, but we have this special feast of Epiphany today to celebrate the visit of the magi. Why? The visit of the Magi is an eye-opener! The shepherds learnt of the birth of Jesus through a direct Revelation from angels appearing in the midnight sky, and they believed the Message. This is direct and supernatural Revelation. Many of us have no problem with that. The Magi, on the other hand, learnt of the birth of Jesus by observing a star. The star did not say anything to them. They had to interpret this natural sign of the star to know what it meant and where it led. If we remember that the Magi, or the three wise men, divined God’s will by reading the movements of the stars and other heavenly bodies, then we can see how the visit of the Magi challenges some of our popular beliefs. (Fr. Munacchi). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

13) The star of Bethlehem: In Arthur C. Clarke’s short story “The Star,” we read about a Jesuit astrophysicist who makes a space trip with other scientists to a distant galaxy called the Phoenix Nebula. There they chance upon a solitary planet still orbiting the remnant of a central sun, which had exploded thousands of years ago. The explorers land their spacecraft on this planet and examine the scorched surface caused by that cosmic detonation. They discover a melted-down monolithic marker at the entrance of a great vault in which they find the carefully stored treasures and records of an advanced civilization. On their return trip to earth in our own galaxy, the Jesuit astrophysicist calculates the exact time when the light from this cosmic explosion in the Phoenix Nebula reached earth. It was the date of Christ’s birth when the light from that fire was seen as a bright new star appearing in the East. But now that he had solved an ancient mystery, he had a greater mystery to grapple with. How could a loving God allow a whole planet of intelligent being to be given a galactic conflagration, so that the symbol of their passing might shine above Bethlehem at his Son’s birth? –This science-fiction story about the star of Bethlehem has its source in today’s Gospel. Mathew’s narration of the Magi uses the star as its central symbol. From its rising in the East to its coming to a standstill over Bethlehem, the star leads and guides the astrologers. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

14) Horoscope mania: As we enter into a new year it is comforting to know that the stars are in our favor. We are still in the early years of the Age of Aquarius, which, according to Wikipedia, officially began November 11, 2011. “When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets and love will spear the stars.“ That’s what the astrologers have been telling us, and it is not difficult to be impressed by the fact that an estimated fifty million North Americans consult the “Horoscope” in their newspapers, and that books on astrology have been selling by hundreds of thousands every year. Among young people, astrology is very much an “in” thing — unfortunately, in some cases, as a kind of substitute for religion, which they have rejected. As in all forms of prediction, astrology can be troublesome because so often it is ambiguous and is very hard to interpret. A man was telling his friend that an astrologer had said to him, “Your wife’s second husband will be rich, brilliant and handsome.” And the friend asked, “Didn’t it upset you to hear that kind of prediction?” “Yes, it did upset me very much,” the man answered. “I didn’t know my wife had been married before!” — For some people, apparently, the star signs can mean what they want them to mean. But it is interesting to note that people are interpreting the star signs to mean we are moving into a new era of brotherhood, peace and love. This should be of the utmost importance to us Christians because our most reliable source for information concerning the world’s destiny, The New Testament, is saying the same thing. And, incredibly, the New Testament begins by telling us the story of a baby’s birth. “We observed His star at its rising and have come to pay Him homage.” On this first Sunday of the New Year, if we have discovered the living presence of God deep in the core of our being then we will not have missed Jesus’ star at its rising, and we will know how to pay Him true homage. With God at the center of our lives we will bear homage to the newborn Babe through our gifts of heartfelt compassion, patient understanding and genuine concern for others. Our greatest gift to the world in this New Year or any other year is the gift of self. This is the homage we pay Him: to love one another as Jesus has loved us.  (Millennium edition) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

15) Camel on the roof: We begin with a story from a collection of the lives of saints – the saints of Islam – which concerns a king of Balkh (now northern Afghanistan) named Ebrahim ibn Adam. Ebrahim was wealthy according to every earthly measure. At the same time, however, he sincerely and restlessly strove to be wealthy spiritually as well. “One night the king was roused from sleep by a fearful stumping on the roof above his bed. Alarmed, he shouted: “Who’s there?” “A friend,” came the reply from the roof. “I’ve lost my camel!” Perturbed by such stupidity, Ebrahim screamed: “You fool! Are you looking for a camel on the roof?” “You fool!” the voice from the roof answered. “Are you looking for God in silk clothing, and lying on a golden bed?”
— The story goes on, according to Jesuit theologian Walter G. Burghardt, to tell how these simple words filled the king with such terror that he arose from his sleep to become a most remarkable saint. [Still Proclaiming Your Wonders: Homilies for the Eighties (New York: Paulist Press, 1984), 55.] — The camel on the roof raises the Epiphany question, “Where are you looking for God?” This compelling question of life properly stands at the beginning of a new year, as does, “Where have you found God?” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

16) “If I lose that, I am lost.” A great artist once painted a picture in which a solitary figure is seen rowing a small boat across the dark waters of a lonely lake. A high wind is churning up the waters causing white-crested billows to rage ominously around the tiny skiff. As he rows on, the boatman’s eyes are fixed on the one lone star shining through the darkness. Under the picture, the artist has inscribed these words: “If I lose that, I am lost.” — In the manner of that dauntless boatman, our mission is to keep our eyes fixed on a certain star as we travel along life’s way. This very day, we join with the Wise Men from the East as the Star of Bethlehem guides us along the way to the place of the Savior’s birth. But, having paid homage to the newborn Babe, our eyes must remain fixed on Jesus’ star. In order that Jesus may number us among those who love him and will carry on his work, we must follow his star to the foot of the cross. It is only from the cross that that guiding star can lead us to the empty tomb. It is there, at the place of Resurrection. (Millennium Edition). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

17) We Live Like Beggars: Thomas Merton was a famous Christian writer. He was converted to the Catholic religion, and later became a Trappist monk. He was an author of many books. In one of his books, he says that he once met a Hindu sanyasi (ascetic). The sanyasi said to him that he loved two lovely Christian books: The Confessions of St. Augustine and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis. He suggested Merton read these two books. — What an irony! A non-Christian recommending two great Christian classics to a Christian! This is the paradox in life: we have such wealth, yet, because of our ignorance, we live like beggars. The same thing happened to the Jews; they were the Chosen ones but did not find the Messiah. (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

18) “I have a dream…..”On August 28,1963, before a quarter million Afro-Americans, Martin Luther King Jr. thundered, “I have a dream that former slaves and slave-owners will sit together at the table of brotherhood…I have a dream that little black boys and girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and girls as sisters and brothers… I have a dream that my four children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Likewise, Mahatma Gandhi envisioned “The India of my dreams.” King and Gandhiji have left their footprints indelibly on the sands of human history. Ignatius of Loyola spent much time stargazing before birthing the Society of Jesus. Rabindranath Tagore’s prayer, “Amidst thy numberless stars, let me place my own little lamp,” is a must-say for modern Magi who leave familiar shores and follow stars. — Remember, as you strip stars from your Christmas trees and cribs, ask yourself: “Who, and what, is my star?” Start this New Year with some dream and some star that will guide you towards Jesus Christ, Superstar, The Light of all nations. (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

  19) Looking at the Stars: It was a hot day in July 1969 on board an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. Sailors with binoculars were searching the sky above the carrier. Suddenly they let out a yell. There, orange and white parachutes exploded and bloomed in the blue sky. Dangling from them was a ball-like shape. It was the Apollo II space capsule. Minutes later the capsule plunged into the warm water of the Pacific. The splashdown climaxed a voyage that had put three men on the moon. When the smiling astronauts emerged from the capsule, President Nixon danced a little jig on the carrier deck. He had flown halfway around the world to witness this history-making moment. He said the splashdown climaxed the greatest week in the world since creation. In the exciting months ahead, the three astronauts made a good will tour around the world. They visited 23 countries in 45 days. One of the “most striking moments of the trip,” said Astronaut Ed Aldrin, was to visit the Vatican. — The astronauts were especially moved by the unusual gifts presented them by Pope St. Paul VI. Writing in his book Return to Earth, Ed Aldrin says: “His Holiness unveiled three magnificent porcelain statues of the Three Wise Men. He said that these three men were directed to the infant Christ by looking at the stars and that we three also reached our destination by looking at the stars.” (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

20)  The whispering angel: The seventeenth century painter Guido Reni has left us a magnificent painting of Matthew. An angel is whispering to him various events in the life of Jesus. The attentive Evangelist is frantically writing down all that he is told. The tale will become his Gospel —  A portion of those whispers is today’s story of the Epiphany. It is only Matthew who tells us this tale filled with wonder. Why the other Evangelists ignored this magical story, we will never know — at least this side of the grave. (Fr. Gilhooly). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

21) Bones of the wise men? If you ever visit Cologne (Köln) Cathedral in Germany you can walk around the sanctuary where, behind the main altar, you will find a large reliquary which is said to contain the bones or at least the skulls of the three wise men. “How did they get to Cologne?” you might ask.  Ireland has been privileged to have been visited by the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux (2001) and St Anthony of Padua (2003) so that makes it easier for us to understand the explanation.  The wise men’s bones are said to have been found in Persia and then brought to Constantinople by St Helena.  St Helena was the mother of the emperor Constantine (AD 306-337), who was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity.  The bones were transferred from Constantinople to Milan in the fifth century and to Cologne in 1163. (Fr. Tommy Lane). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

22) The Magi at 40,000 feet: On Christmas morning, a single mom and her two sons, ages 14 and 12, boarded a plane in Atlanta.  They were heading to San Diego to spend Christmas with friends.  Another single mother boarded the same flight, wrangling two small boys, ages 2 and 3.  The older boy was wearing a”halo” neck brace to immobilize his head and spine.  They took their seats two rows behind the first family.  The younger child sat on her lap, and the boy in the halo took the middle seat — next to a man with a look of unmitigated dread.  Both toddlers immediately started screaming.  The boy in the halo wanted no part of the seat belt and the other didn’t want to sit on his mother’s lap.  The first mom knew what the toddlers’ mom was going through.  Once the plane was in the air, she got up and offered her seat to the ashen-faced man near the window.  He looked spectacularly relieved.  She took his place and offered the mom an extra pair of hands.  For the next four hours she read Dr. Seuss, walked up and down the aisle with the boys, amused them with hand puppets, changed diapers, doled out Goldfish crackers and bottles.  During the last hour of the flight, both children were asleep, and the two moms had a chance to talk.  The toddler’s mom asked the first mom about her sons’ father.   She told her about the divorce and a new relationship that was faltering.  “And your sons: where is their father?” she asked gingerly.  The toddlers’ mom spoke softly: “Six months ago, my husband was killed in a car accident.  I was at home with the baby, and my older son” — she pointed to the three-year-old with the halo — “was airlifted in critical condition from the scene.  He had a broken neck and severe internal injuries.  It was touch and go for a while.  He still has ways to go.” She went on to explain that she was on leave from Delta and was now trying to sort out the next moves for her and her boys.  For now, she was taking them to see her family in California.  She smiled wistfully.  “You never know how quickly life can change.  The life you plan . . .”  Her voice trailed off as she smiled at the sleeping child in her lap. — The first mom writes of that Christmas: “I had intended to be the generous one that morning.  My gift to her was an extra pair of hands to wrangle spirited toddlers trapped on a plane.  But her gift to me was of the Magi order.  It was the gift of perspective, of being able to step back and appreciate what I have, however frustrating . . . thanks to that stranger on a plane, I discovered I had more patience and appreciation in me.” [From “The Magi at 40,000 feet” by Laura Wilkinson Sinton, The New York Times (December 22, 2011).] (Fr. Kayala). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

23) The Star of Bethlehem: Gordon Wilson’s daughter was killed by a bomb in Enniskillen on Remembrance Day 1987. Instead of calling for revenge, he forgave her killers and began a campaign for peace and reconciliation. — He said: “I am a very ordinary sort of man. I have few personal ambitions and no political aspirations. I just want to live and let live. Life has been kind to me in the main, and I have tried to live by the Good Book. I do not profess to be a good man, but I aim to be. I would like to leave the world a better place than I found it, but I have no exaggerated ideas of my ability to do so. I have hitched my wagon to a star, a star of hope, the star of Bethlehem.”
(Flor McCarthy in New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

24) The gift of the Magi, and our gift to Him: Once, the people of a very poor parish set their hearts on acquiring an expensive set of figures for their Christmas crib. They worked hard and managed to get a set of rare porcelain for their crib. The Church was left open on Christmas day so that the people could visit the crib. In the evening when the parish priest went to lock up, to his consternation he found the baby Jesus was missing. As he stood there, he spotted a little girl with a pram entering the church. She made straight for the crib, took the baby Jesus out of the pram and put him lovingly in the crib. As she was on her way out the priest stopped her and asked her what she was doing with the baby Jesus.  She told him that, before Christmas, she had prayed to Baby Jesus for a pram. She had promised him that if she got the prom, He would have the first ride in it. She had got her pram so she was keeping her side of the bargain. — Christmas evokes generosity in all people, especially in children. It was the poverty of the Infant Jesus that caused the Magi to open their treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and lay them before him. What is our gift to him? (Flor McCarthy in New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

25) Kings shall pay him homage: Christian tradition has made three Kings out of the three Wise Men. Whether they were royal or not is unimportant; but it would certainly have been appropriate for the first Gentiles who were invited to greet the Infant King of Kings, to have been of kingly state. King St. Louis IX of France became a sort of fourth Wise Man when he devoutly visited the shrines of the Holy Land around the year 1250. Those were the days of the Crusades – armed Christian expeditions against the Moslems of Palestine who had seized Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the other places of pilgrimage made holy by Christ’s presence. As a young king, Louis followed the Crusade movement with great devotion. In 1239, he accepted as a most precious gift the crown of thorns of Christ, given to him by the French crusader, Emperor Baldwin II of Constantinople. To house this crown of thorns King Louis built a beautiful little church that still stands in Paris, “La Sainte Chappelle.” In 1244, St. Louis was gravely ill. Blessed with the relic of the sacred crown of Christ, he suddenly recovered. In thanks, he vowed to head a new Crusade to the Holy Land, where the Moslems were threatening to recoup their losses. Louis landed in Egypt and set out against the enemy. “Never did anyone behold so fine a man,” one of his officers said. “He appeared towering over all his people, head and shoulders taller than they, a gilded helmet on his head, a German sword in his hand.” A truly royal figure! — Actually, Louis’ campaign failed. He was himself captured, then ransomed. But he was nevertheless able to make his way as a pilgrim to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Thus, he fulfilled the dream of the psalmist: “Let us go where He is waiting and worship at His footstool” (Ps. 132, 7)…”All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him” (Ps. 72, 11. Today’s responsorial psalm.) -Father Robert F. McNamara. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 26) “The Revelation of the Magi” What’s more interesting is that Matthew’s story is not the only version of the Magi. There is a document called “The Revelation of the Magi” which tells of TWELVE magi who follow a star and come and visit the child. In fact, if you go to the Metropolitan Museum and look at their Christmas tree you will see a number of kings arranged in the display. This became normal in the Neapolitan versions of the Creche scene, reflecting this alternative story. In the version found in “The Revelation of the Magi” we find twelve sons of kings, who were descendants of a group of mystics, descendants of Seth, the 3rd son of Adam and Eve. These “silent ones”, as they are called, had kept alive a prophecy that at some time in the future God would become man and his coming would be signaled by the appearance of a star. And so now that the star had appeared 12 of the sons of the kings of these “silent ones” traveled to Jerusalem and like Matthew’s story visited King Herod and then went to Bethlehem to honor the child born of the star. Here, there is no mention of gifts; but after paying him homage they returned to their home, that is from “East of the world inhabited by human beings at the Ocean, the great see beyond the world, east of the land of Nod, that place in which dwelt Adam, head and chief of all the families of the world”, interpreted to mean China. Later, they then were visited by the Apostle Thomas who baptized them in the Christian religion and formed a Christian community. Some observations. — Why twelve? It seems that it’s rooted in the fact that the Feast of the Epiphany is in fact twelve days from Christmas – the familiar Christmas carol — which in turn seems to be connected to the idea of twelve apostles and twelve tribes of Israel. Twelve has taken on special meaning in Christian stories. The original document seems to have been written somewhere at the end of the second century beginning of the third, so not at the same time as Matthew’s story, but still seen as a further development of that tradition. Actually, the final part of the story, the arrival of Thomas, seems to be a sixth century addition. Again, as in the case of most of the ancient documents associated with Christianity, this one too has been studied and analyzed. The kings here are also named in the story. It’s a rather interesting list of tongue-twisters: Zaharwandad, Hormizd, Austazp, Arsak, Zarwand, Ariho, Artahsisat, Astanbozan, Mihruq, Ahsiras, Nasardih, and Merodak. It’s all seems to be expansion of the story associated with the Epiphany; created actually to fill in the story found in Matthew; as in the case of other documents which expand the story of Mary and the birth in the stable found in the Gospel according to Luke.. (http://www.dignityny.org/sites/default/files/homilies/) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).L/24

 “Scriptural Homilies” Cycle B (No. 11) by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com

Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle B homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under CBCI or  Fr. Tony for my website version. (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website– http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020)  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph  M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507, U. S. A.

Jan 1-6: Jan 1 Monday (SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD): Lk 2:16-21: For a short account: (https://blog.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit/the-solemnity-of-mary-mother-of-god).(No obligation this year to attend Mass today, this year)Introduction: Since we celebrate the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God on New Year’s Day, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year? I pray that the Lord Jesus and His Mother Mary may enrich your lives during the New Year with an abundance of Divine blessings. Today’s Feast of Mary, the Mother of God, is a very appropriate way to begin a new year, reminding us to rely on the powerful intercession of our Heavenly Mother. The Church has, since 1968, also observed a yearly World Day of Peace; this year, 2022, marks the 54th celebration. On this day, the Church invites us to pray specially for lasting peace in the world throughout the New Year.

Scripture lessons summarized: Today’s first reading gives us the beautiful Divine blessing from the book of Numbers for the New Year, and the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 67) begs for that blessing. In the second reading, Paul reminds the Galatians and us that God’s Son has become one of us through Mary, and that it is through Jesus that we have become the children of God. Today’s Gospel describes how the shepherds spread to all their neighbors the Good News surrounding the birth of Jesus which the angel had revealed to them, and how Mary treasured “all these things” in her heart. The Gospel also tells us that on this day, the eighth day after His Birth, the Child was circumcised and received the name Jesus that had been chosen by God Himself.

Traditional belief and Church doctrine: We honor Mary primarily because God honored her by choosing her to become the mother of Jesus, the Incarnate Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who remained God, when He took on human flesh and became Man, as stated in the Bible. The angel said to Mary: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His Name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High…” (Lk 1:31-32a; RSV 2 Catholic). After the angel had appeared to her and told her that she was to be the mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth. At Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lk 1:42-43; RSV 2 Catholic). Hence, the Council of Ephesus affirmed in AD 431 that Mary was truly the Mother of God (Theotokos), and in AD 451, the Council of Chalcedon affirmed the Divine Motherhood of Mary as a dogma, an official doctrine of the Holy Catholic Church.

Life messages: 1) Let us strive to be pure and holy like our Heavenly Mother. All mothers want their children to inherit or acquire their good qualities. Hence, let us honor Mary, our Heavenly Mother, by practicing her virtues of trusting Faith, obedience to the word of God, purity, and humble, selfless, committed service. 2) Let us make the New Year meaningful by having every day a) some noble thing to dream, b) something good to do, and c) Someone to love, the first person being Jesus. 3) Let us sanctify every day of the New Year: a) by offering every morning, all the activities of the day to God for His glory, thus transforming them into prayers, b) by asking for the anointing and strengthening of the Holy Spirit to do good to others and to avoid evil, c) by remaining faithful to our family prayers and Bible reading at night, d) by asking God’s pardon and forgiveness for our sins committed during the day, and e) by seeking God’s special protection during sleep. Before we sleep, let us say, “Good night, Lord,” repeating Jesus’ last words from the cross, “Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.” (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24. For additional reflections: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 2 Tuesday (Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church): https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-basil-the-great/ & https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-gregory-nazianzen/ Jn 1:19-28: 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 They said to him then, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The context: The news reached the central Jewish religious authorities in Jerusalem that one John, the son of a Jewish priest, was preaching repentance and renewal of life to the Jews and inviting them to receive the baptism of repentance meant only for Gentiles. Hence, the Sanhedrin sent a delegation of experts to Bethany on the eastern bank of river Jordan (different from the Bethany near Jerusalem, where Lazarus lived), to discover whether John was claiming to be the expected Messiah or his forerunner Elijah, the prophet, and to ask why he encouraged the Chosen People to receive the baptism of repentance.

John’s witnessing mission: John frankly declared in all humility that he was not Elijah nor the expected Messiah nor even one of the Old Testament prophets reincarnated. Later, Jesus referred to him as “a lamp “He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light (Jn 5:35). In the spiritual life, the ideal is to become invisible, and our role as Christians is to become salt, yeast, grain, and light. But John claimed that he was the forerunner of the real Messiah, and that his mission was to prepare the lives of the Jews to receive the expected Messiah and to bear witness to him when he should appear in public. John also explained to them that he was baptizing the Jews with water because they must be made holy through repenting of their sins and renewing their lives if they were to receive the most Holy Messiah in their midst.

Life messages: 1) As Catholic Christians, we believe in the coming of Jesus our Lord and Savior on our altars during each Eucharistic celebration. Hence, we, too, need to repent of our sins and ask God’s pardon and forgiveness on a daily basis if we wish to receive Jesus into our hearts and lives sacramentally. 2) We, too, need to renew our lives with the help of our Lord Jesus living within us, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, so that He may radiate His love, forgiveness, and mercy to all around us. 3) We too need to practice the true humility of John the Baptist. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/;https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 3 Wednesday: Jn 1:29-34:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 … 34

The context: The central theme of today’s Gospel is a challenge to live like the Lamb of God and to die like the Lamb of God. The Gospel passage presents two themes, namely, John’s witness to Jesus and Jesus’ epiphany and identification by John as the “Lamb of God.” Today’s Gospel is a personal and corporate call to us to become witnesses to the Lamb of God. John the Baptist gave testimony to Jesus by pointing out that He was the Lamb of God (vv. 29, 36); a man who was before me (vs. 30); the one on whom the Holy Spirit remained (v. 33); and the Son of God (vs. 34). Lamb of God is the most meaningful title given to Jesus in the Bible. John’s introduction probably brought five pictures of the “lamb” to the minds of his Jewish listeners. 1) The Lamb of yearly Atonement (Scapegoat): (Lv 16:20-22). Two lambs were brought to the Temple on the Day of Atonement. Lots were cast, and the high priest slowly led one to the altar to be killed as a sin offering for the people. Then he placed both his hands on the head of the other and confessed the sins of Israel and transferred them to that scapegoat. It was then sent into the forest to be killed by some wild animal. 2) The Lamb of Daily Atonement (Ex. 29:38-42; Nm 28:1-8). This was the lamb sacrificed on the “Black Altar” of the Temple every morning and evening to atone for the sins of the Jews. 3) The Paschal Lamb (Ex. 12:11ss.). This was the lamb whose blood saved the firstborn of the Jewish families in Egypt from the “Angel of destruction” as well as the Paschal Lamb killed every year on the Passover Feast. 4) The Lamb of the Prophets. The prophets portrayed one Lamb Who, by His sacrifice, would redeem His people: “The gentle lamb led to the slaughterhouse” (Jer 11:19), “like a lamb to the slaughter” (Is 53:7). Both refer to the sufferings and sacrifice of Christ. 5) The Lamb of the Conquerors. This was the image of the horned lamb on the Jewish flag at the time of Maccabaean liberation war, used as a sign of conquering majesty and power.

Life messages: We need to live and die like the Lamb of God.

(1) Living like a lamb means: a) leading a pure, innocent, humble, selfless life, obeying Christ’s commandment of love; b) appreciating the loving providence and protecting care of the Good Shepherd in his Church; c) eating the Body and drinking the Blood of the Good Shepherd and deriving spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit through Sacraments and prayers.

(2) Dying like a sacrificial lamb means: a) sacrificially sharing our blessings of health, wealth, and talents with others in the family, parish and community; b) bearing witness to Christ in our illness, pain, and suffering; c) offering our sufferings for the salvation of souls and as reparation for our sins and those of others(https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L24

For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 4 Thursday (USA: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious): https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-elizabeth-ann-seton/ Jn 1:35-42: 35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

In Mathew’s Gospel, Jesus called the fishermen Andrew and his brother Simon from their fishing boat. But John the Evangelist gives a slightly different story. According to him, Andrew and he (John, son of Zebedee) were disciples of John the Baptist. John the Baptist wanted them to join the true Messiah, Jesus, as His disciples. So, one day when Andrew and John (according to tradition) were standing with their master, John the Baptist, Jesus happened to pass in front of them. John the Baptist promptly introduced Jesus to them as the Lamb of God. It was natural for Andrew and John to guess what their master, John the Baptist, wanted them to do. So, they followed Jesus. Since Sabbath rest was about to begin when travel was forbidden, Jesus cordially invited them to come and stay with Him and learn more about his life and mission till the Sabbath was over.

When the Sabbath rest with Jesus was over, Andrew and John went home. Andrew was so fascinated with Jesus and his contact with him the previous day that he promptly told his brother Simon about Jesus: “We have found the Messiah.” Without wasting time Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. Jesus surprised Simon by calling him by his name, Simon, and changing that Hebrew name to the Greek name, Cephas (Peter),meaning rock, and accepting him as His disciple.

Life message: 1) We need to be missionaries like Andrew. Just as a day’s contact with Jesus transformed Andrew into a missionary, leading his brother to Jesus, we are expected to experience Jesus in our lives by Bible reading, personal prayers and sacramental life and acts of charity. Once we experience Jesus personally, we too must start leading others to the same experience of Jesus as their Lord and Savior, enabling them to surrender their lives to Jesus, too. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 5 Friday: (USA: Saint John Neumann, Bishop): https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-john-neumann/ Jn 1:43-51: ( 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Beth-sa’ida, the city of Andrew and Peter). 45 Philip found Nathan’a-el, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathan’a-el said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathan’a-el coming to him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” 48 Nathan’a-el said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”49 Nathan’a-el answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

In today’s Gospel of John (John 1:43-51), Nathanael, also called Bartholomew or “son of Tholomay,” is introduced as a friend of Philip. He is described as initially being skeptical about the Messiah coming from Nazareth, saying: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” But he accepts Philip’s invitation to meet Jesus. Jesus welcomes him saying, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Jesus comment “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you” is probably based on a Jewish figure of speech referring to studying the Torah. Nathanael immediately recognizes Jesus as “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel“. Nathanael reappears at the end of John’s Gospel (John 21:2) as one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared at the Sea of Tiberius after his resurrection from the tomb. The Gospels thus present Bartholomew as a man with no malice and lover of Torah with openness to truth and readiness to accept the truth. Nathanael was the first Apostle to make an explicit confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah and as the Son of God. (Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”.

Life message: Let us pray for the grace to love the word of God as Bartholomew did and to accept the teaching of the Bible and the Church with open heart and open mind without pride or prejudice. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections: Click on https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Jan 6 Saturday: ([USA: Saint André Bessette, Religious]: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-andre-bessette/Mk 1:7-11 or Lk 3:23-38 or 3:23, 31-34, 36, 3: Lk 3:23-38) 23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er … 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”

The context: Starting with a genealogy was the Jewish way of beginning a biography, because the Jews gave importance to the purity of the lineage which made them part of the chosen people. For a noble Jew, the line must be traceable back through five generations, and for a Jewish priest traceable back to Aaron. Luke presents Jesus’ human ancestry, working his way back from Joseph, husband of Mary who became the Mother of Jesus, to Adam, the son of God,” indicating that salvation history for the whole human race, which began with God’s promise to Adam and Eve, has reached its climax with the birth of the Son of God through Mary by the working of the Holy Spirit.

The genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew’s Gospel, makes the same point. It begins with Abraham and ends with Joseph, “the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.” It is carefully arranged into three groups of fourteen generations each. The three groups are based on 1) the rise of Israel to a great kingdom under David and Solomon, 2) the fall of the nation in the Babylonian exile and 3) the resurrection of the nation after the exile. The three groups symbolically represent the creation of man in God’s image, the loss of man’s greatness in Adam’s sin and the regaining of greatness through Christ Jesus.

The Jewish genealogies followed the male line. Hence, Joseph, as the husband of Mary, was the legal father of Jesus, and the legal father was on a par with the real father regarding rights and duties. Thus, it is through Joseph, his legal father, that Jesus became the descendant of David. Since the Jews generally married within their clan, the early Fathers of the Church believed that Mary also belonged to David’s family. As a legal son of David, Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies.

Life messages: 1) We need to accept and support, lift up and correct the bad members of our family, realizing the truth that every family has some black sheep. But God can bring good out of the worst persons and circumstances. 2) We need to appreciate our membership in the Divine family of God by Baptism and behave as holy children of a holy God. (Fr. Tony) L/24 For additional reflections: Click on https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Dec 31st) Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph, [B]

Introduction: On the last Sunday of the year, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  We are here to offer all the members of our own families on the altar for God’s blessing.

Scripture lessons summarized: The first reading (Gen 15:1-6, 21: 1-3) Today we hear God’s promise (Chapter 15),  of numerous descendants  to Abraham whom Judaism, Christianity, Islam consider their father, and its fulfillment (Chapter 21) when Abraham’s wife, Sarah, gave birth to Isaac.

In the second reading, (Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19)taken from the letter to the Hebrews, the sacred author further shows us the trusting faith of Abraham in the promises of God, first,  in Abraham’s willingness to move his whole family to an unknown place to which God said He would lead him; second, in the way Abraham and Sarah trusted God’s power to give  them  a son born to them in their very old age and third, in the way Abraham’s unwavering Faith in his God enabled him to obey, without hesitation, his God’s order to sacrifice his only son.

Today’s Gospel (Lk 2:22-40) presents the head of the Holy Family, Joseph, faithfully obeying God’s law given through Moses concerning the purification of the mother and the redeeming of the child by presenting Mary and the Baby Jesus in the Temple. The events recounted here are also found on February 2^nd, the Feast of Presentation of Jesus.

 Life messages: 1) We need to learn lessons from 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 Jesus might grow up not only in human knowledge but also as a Child of God.

2) We need to make the family a confessional rather than a courtroom.  A senior Judge of the Supreme Court congratulated the bride and groom in a marriage with a pertinent piece of advice: “See that you never convert your family into a courtroom; instead let it be a confessional. If the husband and wife start arguing like attorneys in an attempt to justify their behavior, their family becomes a court of law and nobody wins.  On the other hand, if the husband and the wife — as in a confessional — are ready to admit their faults and try to correct them, the family becomes a heavenly one.”

3) Marriage is a sacrament of holiness. Each family is called to holiness. By the Sacrament of Matrimony (marriage), Jesus sanctifies not only the spouses but also the entire family. The husband and wife attain holiness when they discharge their duties faithfully, trusting in God, and drawing on the power of God by prayer.

THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY [B] (Dec 31st, 2023)

Correct readings: Gen 15: 1-6, 21: 1-3; Heb 11: 8, 11-12, 17-19; Lk 2: 22-40

Homily starter anecdotes: #1: Grandparents are treasures: Pope Francis said that as a child, he heard a story of a family with a mother, father, many children, and a grandfather. The grandfather, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, would drop food on the dining table, drop and break bowls, and smear food all over his face when he ate. His son considered it disgusting. Hence, one day he bought a small table, a wooden bowl and spoon and set it off to the side of the dining room so the grandfather could eat, make a mess and not disturb the rest of the family. One day, the Pope said, the grandfather’s son came home and found one of his sons playing with a piece of wood. “What are you making?” he asked his son. “A table,” the son replies. “Why?” the father asks. “It’s for you, Dad. When you get old like Grandpa, I am going to give you this table.” (In the American version of the story, the boy was making a wooden bowl).  After that day, the grandfather was given a prominent seat at the dining table and all the help he needed in eating by his son and daughter-in-law. “This story has done me such good throughout my life,” said the Pope, who celebrated his 85rd birthday on December 17, 2021. “Grandparents are a treasure,” he said. “Often old age isn’t pretty, right? There is sickness and all that, but the wisdom our grandparents have is something we must welcome as an inheritance.” A society or community that does not value, respect and care for its elderly members  “doesn’t have a future because it has no memory, it has lost its memory,” Pope Francis added. (http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2013/11/19/grandparents-are-a-treasure-says-pope-francis/) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

# 2: Cancer, heart disease and family relationship: 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. (Robert Duggan & Richard Jajac). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

# 3: Dying of loneliness: In an audience, Pope Paul VI told how one day, when he was Archbishop of Milan, he went out on parish visitation. During the course of the visitation he found an old woman living alone. ‘How are you?’ he asked her. ‘Not bad,’ she answered. ‘I have enough food, and I’m not suffering from the cold.’ ‘You must be reasonably happy then?’ he said. ‘No, I’m not’, she said as she started to cry. ‘You see, my son and daughter-in-law never come to see me. I’m dying of loneliness.’ Afterwards he was haunted by the phrase ‘I’m dying of loneliness’. And the Pope concluded: ‘Food and warmth are not enough in themselves. People need something more. They need our presence, our time, our love. They need to be touched, to be reassured that they are not forgotten’ (Flor McCarthy in New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction: On the last Sunday of the year, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  We are here to offer all the members of our own families on the altar for God’s blessing. This feast reminds us that we are part of a human family and at the same time we belong to God’s family, the Church. In both these families, we have privileges and responsibilities. In both, we work out our salvation together — as women, men, and children living and working in love and peace. Hence let us try our best to make life pleasant for other members in our family, and let us begin again today.

Scripture lessons explained:

Year B– I reading, Genesis 15: 1-6; 21: 1-3 explained: Here, we hear God’s promise (Chapter 15),  of numerous descendants  to Abraham and its fulfillment (Chapter 21) when Abraham’s wife, Sarah, gave birth to Isaac. This reading has messages about the reliability and timing of God’s promises and lessons about prayer. God’s word appears to Abram in a vision, reminiscent of the way that the prophets both hear and see God’s message (cf. Amos 1:1). The first thing Abram is told is not to fear and continues by telling Abram that God will be his shield. God also tells Abram that Abram’s reward (literally, his “wages” or “pay”) will be exceedingly great. Abraham asks a question that essentially amounts to, “What is my reward?” Abram holds God responsible for his lack of an heir: “Look, you have not given children to me” (literally, “seed”). God’s response is direct and reassuring: “This man (Abraham’s manager) will not be your heir, but rather one who will come from your body (Hebrew: ‘loins’) will be your heir.” Thus, God reiterates that Abram will have descendants and specifies that those descendants will be biological. In verse 5, God adds a visual to the promise. Abram is told to look to the night stars and count them if he is able, that his descendants will be that numerous. The final verse of this selection contains Abram’s response: he believed in the Lord. However, the heart of this interaction is faith and trust. If Abram understands God to be righteous, to be one whose word is firm and secure, to be one who will make good on God’s promises, then Abram can believe. The story of the birth of Isaac brings a key aspect of the Abraham narrative to a climax. The promised son is, finally, born. Interestingly, only Sarah speaks in response (21:6-7). Sarah testifies to her faith in the God who has made this birth possible despite seemingly impossible odds (21:6-7).

Year B Second reading,Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 explained:Abraham, “our father in faith”, is the greatest example, in the Old Testament,of faith in God (cf. Gen 12:1-4; Rom 4:1ff; Gal 3:6-9; Heb 6:13ff). Putting all his trust in the divine word, Abraham gave up all the security and comfort of his native land in Ur of the Chaldeans, to set out for a distant and unknown place, the land of Canaan, which God had promised to give his descendants. ” 11-12. Sarah, like Abraham, was very elderly when God announced that she was going to have a child. At first she was puzzled and even sarcastically skeptical (cf. Gen 18:9f), but soon her attitude changed into a faith which God rewarded by her conceiving Isaac. The faith of Sarah and her husband can be said to exceed that of the earlier patriarchs because what God promised could come true only by means of a miracle, since Abraham, like his wife, was old and incapable of begetting children. The conception of Isaac is also a “type” of that of Christ. “All the miraculous conceptions which occurred in the Old Testament were prefigurements of the greatest of all miracles, the Incarnation of the Word. It was fitting that his birth froma Virgin should be prefigured by other births so as to prepare people’s minds for faith. But there is this difference: God miraculously enabled Sarah to conceive by means of human seed, whereas the blessed Virgin conceived without it” (St. Thomas Aquinas, “Commentary on Heb.”, 11, 3). 17-19. It is very difficult for us to imagine what Abraham thought when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac, the son of the promise, his only son, in the mountains ofMoriah (cf. Gen 22:2). Paul’s epistles generally Abraham’s faith is proposed as an example (cf. Gal 3:7;Rom 4:3, 11-12; 4:17-22); but that was in the context of his faith in God’s promisethat he would have a multitude of descendants. Here, however, the Patriarch’sfaith is to be seen in the way he approaches a commandment which seems tonegate that promise: how could God possibly ask him to sacrifice his only son?The answer lies in the fact that God knew that Abraham had faith in his ability tobring the dead back to life. Abraham’s obedience to God in this episode is the most striking proof of his faith. “God tested Abraham’s faith  to prove to himself the Patriarch’s virtue; he did it to show the world how excellent Abraham was. we know, moreover, that precisely on account of Abraham’s generosity and faith, God renewed his promise to him, now ratifying it with an oath (cf. Gen 22:16; Heb 6:13-18). (From Navarre Bible Commentary). 

Gospel Exegesis:

Lk 2: 22-40: The context: Today’s Gospel presents the head of the Holy Family, Joseph, faithfully obeying God’s law given through Moses concerning the purification of the mother and the redeeming of the child, by presenting Mary and the Baby Jesus in the Temple. The events recounted appear elsewhere in the liturgical year but are those we traditionally celebrate today, February 2^nd, with the Feast of Presentation of Jesus.

 A feast known by various names: This is a combined feast, commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is known as the Hypanthe feast or Feast of the Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple), the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers and the payment of “five shekels to a member of the priestly family” (Nm 3:47-48; NAB Note on Lk 2:22), to redeem or buy the firstborn male child back from the Lord’s service), and the Feast of Encounter (because the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). On February 2nd, we celebrate these events as a formal ending of the Christmas season. The same day, we also celebrate the Feast of Candlemas (because candles are blessed then for liturgical and personal use).

Purification and redemption ceremonies: The Mosaic Law taught that, since every Jewish male child belonged to Yahweh, the parents had to “buy back” the child (“redeem” him), (The “Pidyon haBen” Service) )with the payment of “five shekels (=15 Denarius= wage for 15 days of work) to a member of the priestly family” (Nm 3:47-48; NAB Note on Lk 2:22). In addition, (Nm 18:15) every mother had to be purified after childbirth by prayers and the sacrifice of a lamb (or two turtledoves for the poor) in the Temple. Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God.

The encounter with Simeon and Anna:  By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious, Spirit-filled Simeon and the very old widow, Anna, both of whom who had been waiting for the revelation of God’s salvation, were present in the Temple the day Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to Present Him to the Father. Simeon recognized Jesus as the Lord’s Anointed One, and in his prayer of blessing, he prophesied that Jesus was meant to be the glory of Israel and a Light of revelation to the Gentiles. While he blessed Mary, Simeon warned that her child would be “set for the fall and rising  of many in Israel, and for a sign of contradiction” and that “a sword will pierce through your own soul. Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah.

Life message: Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our presentation. Although we were officially presented to God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives. Let us also remember and pray for our godparents who presented us to the Lord on the day of our Baptism Fr. Tony

USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK: (The easiest method  to visit these websites is to copy and paste the web address or URL on the Address bar of any Internet website like Google or MSN and press the Enter button of your Keyboard).

• Nick’s collection of Sunday homilies from 65 priests & weekday homilies: https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies
• Don’ collection of video homilies & blogs: https://sundayprep.org/featured-homilies/ (Copy it on the Address bar and press the Enter button)
• Geoffrey Plant’s beautiful & scholarly video classes on Sunday gospel, Bible & RCIA topics:   https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant20663)
• Brant Pitre’s commentary on Cycle B Sunday Scripture for Bible Class: https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/mass-readings-explained-year-Biblical basis of Catholic doctrines: http://scripturecatholic.com/

5) Agape Catholic Bible Lessons: http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/1)      http://www.catholic.org/: A wealth of information on Catholic Church/ Faith

6) 28 Rules for Fathers: http://www.danoah.com/2012/08/28-rules-for-fathers-of-sons.html

7) Living as a Catholic family: http://www.loyolapress.com/living-as-a-catholic-family.htm

8) Strong Catholic Family Faith: http://www.catholicfamilyfaith.org/

9) v http://catholicexchange.com/five-marks-catholic-family

10) Yolanda Adams: What about the children (meaningful song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=22_q5uxeeO8

11) https://stories4homilies.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/768/

                        37– Additional anecdotes:

1) “If you bungle raising yur children…” In a rare personal interview, granted not long before her death, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis remarked: “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do will matter very much” (Good Housekeeping, July 1994). For a woman whose wealth, education, background, and connections could have assured her a prestigious career in academia, politics or diplomacy, her statement may seem surprising. However, despite all the possibilities she could have pursued for herself, Mrs. Kennedy was convinced that family was ultimately the most important entity in her life; to her credit, she lived by that conviction. (Sanchez Files) –Because family is the resting ground where values and virtues are inculcated and cultivated, healthy families are essential to the well-being of society. As anyone can attest, however, during the past quarter century, a variety of factors have contributed to the progressive fragmentation, isolation and structural evolution of the family unit, e.g. (1) an ever-increasing rate of divorce (more than one million per year in the U.S.); (2) a steady rise in the number of single-parent householders: one-third of all school-aged children live with only one parent; (3) in more than 50% of all households, both parents must seek employment outside the home; (4) mobility: more than 20% of American families change their residence annually or more often. These factors are compounded by what Dr. William Bennet has described as a cultural disintegration. “We have ceased being clear about the standards we hold and the principles by which we judge. As a result, we have suffered a cultural breakdown of sorts, in areas like education, family life, crime, and drug abuse, as well as in our attitudes toward sex, individual responsibility, civic duty, and public services.” (The De-valuing of America: The Fight For Our Culture and Our Children, Summit Books: 1992). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) The Messiah is one of you.” The following fable offers a powerful example of the contagious grace of change. The membership of a once numerous order of monks had  dwindled over the years, until there were only five brothers left in what had been a thriving community. For years, people from the surrounding area had been drawn to the monastery in search of the learning and spiritual renewal they found there. Now, no one ever visited as the spirit of the place and its inhabitants seemed to be slowly dying.

One day, however, a rabbi happened by to visit. When he was about to leave, one of the brothers asked the rabbi if he had any advice  on how they could revitalize themselves and make their monastery a spiritual center once again. After a few moments, the rabbi replied, “The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you.” Flabbergasted, the brothers replied, “The Messiah among us? Impossible!” As the weeks passed, the brothers puzzled over the rabbi’s startling revelation. If the Messiah were here, who would it be? Maybe, Brother Timothy . . . he’s the abbot and in his capacity as leader, he could surely be chosen to be the Messiah. It couldn’t be Bro. Mark; He’s always so argumentative, but, he’s usually right . . . Or maybe, it’s Bro. Pius who tends the garden and the animals. He could probably nourish a troubled world if he were the Messiah. Surely, it could be Bro. Dominic; he’s studious, learned and familiar with all the great spiritual writers. It couldn’t be Peter, could it? Certainly, the Messiah couldn’t be the one who cleaned toilets, dirty laundry and scrubbed the pots and pans each day. Or, could it? Since the monks were unable to determine which one of them was the Messiah, they began to treat one another as though each were the one. Moreover, just in case he himself might be the Messiah, each monk began to treat himself with new respect and to conduct himself with greater dignity. Within a few weeks, the monastery’s occasional visitors were awed by the love, goodness and revitalized spirituality they experienced. They returned again and again and brought new friends along. Soon, a few young men asked to be admitted to the order and the monastery thrived again. — Imagine the possibilities for growth and renewal if each family were to take to heart the rabbi’s words, “the Messiah is one of you.” How much more might spouses love and cherish one another . . . how much more might parents value their children, protect them, teach them, and lovingly attend to their needs . . . how much more might children honor and appreciate their parents. If each member of every family were to reverence one another as the Messiah, i.e., as Jesus who is our Savior and brother, how much might that strengthen and secure those familial bonds that are the infrastructure, without which our society has no future. (Sanchez Files) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) “Daddy, could you please sell me one hour of your time?” A little boy greets his father as he returns from work with a question: “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?” The father is surprised and says, “Look, son, not even your mother knows. Don’t bother me now, I’m tired.” “But Daddy, just tell me please! How much do you make an hour?” the boy insists. The father finally gives up and replies, “Twenty dollars.” “Okay, Daddy,” the boy continues, “Could you loan me ten dollars?” The father yells at him, “So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right? Now, go to sleep and don’t bother me anymore!” At night the father thinks over what he said and starts feeling guilty. Maybe his son needed to buy something. Finally, he goes to his son’s room. “Are you asleep, son?” asks the father. “No, Daddy. Why?” replies the boy. “Here’s the money you asked for earlier,” the father said. “Thanks, Daddy!” replies the boy and receives the money. The he reaches under his pillow and brings out some more money. “Now I have enough! Now I have twenty dollars!” says the boy to his father, “Daddy, could you sell me one hour of your time?”– Today’s readings have a message for this man and for all of us, and the message is that we need to invest more of our time in our family life. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

4) “Paco, meet me at the Hotel Montana noon Tuesday.  All is forgiven.”  In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, a Spanish newspaper carried a poignant story about a father and his son.  It goes like this.  A teen-aged boy, Paco, and his very wealthy father had a falling out, and the young man ran away from home.  The father was crushed.  After a few days, he realized that the boy was serious, so the father set out to find him.  He searched high and low for five months to no avail.  Finally, in a last, desperate attempt to find his son, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper.  The ad read, “Dear Paco, Meet me at the Hotel Montana noon Tuesday.  All is forgiven.  I love you.  Signed, Your Father.   On Tuesday, in the office of Hotel Montana, over 800 Pacos showed up, looking for love and forgiveness from their fathers!! — What a magnet that ad was.  Over 800 Pacos!!  The feast of the Holy Family reminds us that we need more loving, forgiving fathers and mothers. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

5) Don’t humiliate them! As a student, Daniel Webster (US Senator, noted 19^th century American political orator) was particularly marked for being untidy. Finally, the teacher, in exasperation, told him that if he appeared again with such dirty hands she would thrash him. He did appear in the same condition. “Daniel”, she said, “hold out your hand.” Daniel spat on his palm, with an intention to clean it, rubbed it on his trousers and held it out. The teacher surveyed it in disgust. “Daniel”, she said, “if you can find me another hand in this school that is dirtier than that, I will let you off.” Daniel promptly held out his other hand! –- Many children with an eccentric trait blossom into geniuses. The teachers and parents should not underestimate them or humiliate them. (G. Francis Xavier in The World’s Best Inspiring Stories). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

6) “Am I not a family valuable?” Rabbi Neil Kurshan in his book Raising Your Child to be a Mensch (a Yiddish word for a person having admirable characteristics such as fortitude and firmness of purpose), tells this real story: A young woman about to be married had come to the Rabbi for counseling. When she told the Rabbi that she hoped she would not make the same mistakes her parents had made, he pressed her to elaborate. The woman explained that each summer her wealthy parents traveled to Europe while she remained behind with a nanny. One year, when the girl was 11, the housekeeper suddenly quit just shortly before her parents’ annual trip to Europe. Upset that their vacation might be jeopardized, the parents quickly found a replacement. A few days before their departure, the girl noticed that her mother had wrapped the family jewels and silverware and placed them in the safe. Since this had never been done before, she asked why. Her mother explained that she could not trust the new housekeeper with the family valuables. — Though certainly not intended, that insensitive remark so shocked and hurt the little girl that she never forgot it. Wasn’t she a family valuable? Didn’t she have more value than silver knives and silver forks? That is a question all of us could ask about our attitudes toward dependent family members, young, old, or in-between, this Holy Family Day. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

7) “I never hugged my dad”! In his book My Father, My Son, Dr. Lee Salk describes a moving interview with Mark Chapman, the convicted slayer of Beatle John Lennon. At one point in the interview, Chapman says: “I don’t think I ever hugged my father. He never told me he loved me…I needed emotional love and support. I never got that.” Chapman’s description of how he would treat a son if he had one is especially tragic, because he will probably never get out of prison and have a family of his own. He says: “I would hug my son and kiss him…and just let him know…he could trust me and come to me…and (I would) tell him that I loved him.” — Dr. Salk ends his book with this advice to fathers and sons. It applies equally well to mothers and daughters. “Don’t be afraid of your emotions, of telling your father or your son that you love him and that you care. Don’t be afraid to hug and kiss him. “Don’t wait until the deathbed to realize what you’ve missed.”  (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

8) “We are all equal in the eyes of God:” Former President Jimmy Carter recently decided to leave the Baptist Church to which he had belonged for sixty years.  The reason was doctrinal disagreement. The Southern Baptist Convention had just codified that women are responsible for original sin and hence subservient to their husbands. President Carter disagreed. He said: “This was in conflict with my belief – confirmed in the Holy Scripture – that we are all equal in the eyes of God. … This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or Faith. Consequently, they are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many Faiths and led to some of the most pervasive, persistent, flagrant, and damaging examples of human-rights abuses.”  So, Jimmy Carter’s conscience could no longer allow him to be part of his lifelong Church. — The Feast of the Holy Family challenges the spouses to love and respect each other. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

9 Grandfather’s wooden bowl:

(American version of Homily starter anecdote no 1):   A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.” So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?” Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

10) “Have you ever seen a Saint praying?”  St. Teresa of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Avila have their own stories about the influence their fathers had on their lives as role models.  The Little Flower used to ask an innocent question of her first grader classmates: “Have you ever seen a Saint praying?”  She would add: “If you haven’t, come to my house in the evening.  You will see my dad on his knees in his room with outstretched arms, praying for us, his children, every day.”  She states in one of her letters from the convent: “I have never seen or heard or experienced anything displeasing to Jesus in my family.”  St. Teresa of Avila was admitted against her will, by her father, to a boarding house conducted by nuns in the final year of her high school studies, as soon as he detected bad books and yellow magazines hidden in her box.  They were supplied by her spoiled friend and classmate, Beatrice.   St. Teresa later wrote as the Mother Superior: “But for that daring and timely action of my father, I would have ended up in the streets, as a notorious woman.”  — The feast of the Holy Family challenges Christian fathers to be role models to their children. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

11) “Those God makes six-eight have to look out for those He makes three-three.” (Jesse Jackson tells the story of a visit he made to the University of Southern Mississippi). While touring the campus with the university president, he saw a towering male student, six-feet, eight-inches tall, holding hands with a fidgety coed barely three-feet tall. What a contrast, six-feet, eight-inches tall and only three-feet tall. His curiosity piqued, Jackson watched as the young man, dressed in a warm-up suit, tenderly kissed the tiny coed, and sent her off to class. The president said that the student was a star basketball player. Both parents had passed away when he was a teenager, and he made a vow to look after his sister. Many scholarships came his way, but only Southern Mississippi offered one to his sister, too. Jackson went over to the basketball star, introduced himself, and said he appreciated the way he was looking out for his sister. The athlete shrugged and said, “Those of us who God makes six-eight have to look out for those He makes three-three.” (3) –Don’t you wish every young person could have that kind of love for his or her siblings? We live lives of Faith and we look out for those we love. (Rev. Duncan). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

12) The morning after. A cartoon in the New Yorker magazine says it all. In the middle of the floor is a dried up, withered, Christmas tree. The calendar on the wall reads December 26. Dad is sitting in his chair with an ice pack on his head. Mom is in a bathrobe and her hair in rollers. The floor is a virtual mountain of torn wrappings, boxes, and bows. Junior is reaching in his stocking to be sure that there is no more candy. In the background we see a table with a thoroughly picked turkey still sitting there. The caption on the cartoon reads simply: The morning after. — It is to normalize our lives in our families that we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family and invite its holy members to our families. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

13) “Scatter my ashes in the local Wal-Mart“: A single mother who raised her only child, lavished all her love on the girl,  and spent her health and wealth, time and talents on the child’s upbringing.  But the daughter dated and married a drug addict, against her mother’s warnings and wishes. As a well-employed girl, she never cared to visit her mother.  So on her deathbed the mother instructed her attorney to cremate her body and to scatter the ashes in the local Wal-Mart of the city where her daughter lived. He enquired why. The mother said: “Then I will be able to see my daughter visiting me every week!” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

14) “Louis, this morning you met your real self.” Rabbi Gafni recalls one of the first bar mitzvahs he ever performed.  (bar mitzvah is a coming-of-age ritual for Jewish boys. When a Jewish boy reaches 13 years old, he becomes accountable for his actions and becomes a bar mitzvah, a son of the Law) This bar mitzvah was for a boy named Louis.  Louis was awkward and sad.  His insensitive parents did little to encourage his self-esteem.  They implied that he was too dumb to learn the traditional Hebrew passages a boy recites for his bar mitzvah. Gafni was determined to bring out the best in Louis.  He spent extra time teaching him the songs and prayers.  He discovered that Louis was smart, and had a fantastic singing voice.  On the day of his bar mitzvah, Louis performed beautifully.  At the end of the ceremony, Rabbi Gafni stood and spoke directly to Louis.  He said, “Louis, this morning you met your real self.  This is who you are.  You are good, graceful, talented, and smart.  Whatever people told you yesterday, and Louis, whatever happens tomorrow, promise me one thing.  Remember . . . this is you.  Remember, and don’t ever lose it.”  A few years later, Louis wrote to Rabbi Gafni.  The boy whose parents predicted that he was too dumb to perform a traditional bar mitzvah was studying for his medical degree at an Ivy League university.  He was also engaged to be married.  Louis ended his letter by saying, “. . . I kept my promise—I always remembered my bar mitzvah morning when you said that this is who I am.  For this, I thank you.”  [Marc Gafni, The Mystery of Love (New York: Atria Books, 2003), pp. 123-124.] — I wish all of us could have an affirming adult like that in our lives. Some of you know about that kind of love. That was the kind of love you experienced from your parents. And you know how precious it is.  (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

15) “My mother told me that I was the ugliest little girl she knew.” A few years ago, Rabbi Marc Gafni gave a talk at a children’s camp in New York.  At one point in the afternoon, Rabbi Gafni asked the children, “When was the last time someone told you that you were beautiful?”  The children’s response devastated him.  Few of them could recall true, encouraging words from their parents.  So many of them heard only words of condemnation and shame.  One young girl said, “My mother told me on Saturday that I was the ugliest little girl she knew.”  Another boy related a heartbreaking conversation with his mother.  He said, “My mother was in the Holocaust.  And she says that if she had known that I would be her son, she wouldn’t have worked so hard to survive.”  [Marc Gafni, The Mystery of Love (New York: Atria Books, 2003), pp. 120-121.] — Parents like that need to stop and consider the impact of their words.  It is hard to imagine a more hurtful thing to say to a child. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

16) 60 years of separation:  The story of Boris and Anna Kozlov is very touching. Boris and Anna Kozlov were married in 1946.  After three days Boris had to ship out with his Red Army unit.  By the time he returned, Anna was gone, consigned by Stalin’s purges to internal exile in Siberia with the rest of her family. Nobody knew where the family was, or what had happened to Anna… Boris became frantic. He tried everything he could to find his young bride, but it was in vain. She was gone. After 60 years, one day, Anna Kozlov caught sight of the elderly man clambering out of a car in her home village of Borovlyanka in Siberia. There, in front of her, was Boris. An extraordinary coincidence had led them both to return to their home village on the very same day. 60 years of separation had made their reunion inexpressibly joyful.– In today’s Gospel we heard Mathew’s account that Jesus’ family had to be separated from their kinsmen due to Herod’s decision to annihilate Jesus.  (Fr. Bobby). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 17) “But…But…..you tell better lies Mum!”: A mother was shocked to hear her son tell a lie. Taking the youngster aside for a heart-to-heart talk, she graphically explained what happened to liars. “A tall black man with red fiery eyes and two sharp horns grabs little boys who tell lies and carries them off at night. He takes them to Mars where they have to work in a dark canyon for fifty years! Now” she concluded, “you won’t tell a lie again, will you, dear?” “No, Mum,” replied the son, gravely, “But…But…..you tell better lies Mum!” – Children learn to tell lies from the elders. With them it does not work to say,  ”Do as I tell and not as I do.” (G. Francis Xavier in Inspiring Stories; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 18) Attachment: In the middle of the night a young boy wakes up in a hospital bed. He feels very frightened and very alone. He is suffering intense pain: Burns cover forty percent of his body. Someone had doused him with alcohol and then had set him on fire. He starts crying out for his mother. The nurse leaves her night-post to comfort him; she holds him, hugs him, whispers to him that the pain will go away sooner than he thinks. However, nothing that the nurse does seems to lessen the boy’s pain. He still cries for his mother. And the nurse is confused and angry: it was his mother who set him on fire. — The young boy’s pain at being separated from his mother, even though she had inflicted such cruelty on him, was greater than the pain of his burns. That deep attachment to the mother makes separation from her the worst experience a child can undergo. (Denis McBride in Seasons of the Word; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 19) The Cosby Show: One of TV’s highest rated program of all time was The Cosby Show. It was a weekly sitcom about an upper-middle-class black family, which for all practical purposes, had become America’s First Family. In a feature article about Bill Cosby, Newsweek magazine said that his show about the Huxtables is endearing not cutesy, its parents are hassled but never hapless and there is clowning but no guff. The Cosby Show was popular because the family situations it portrayed had an air of universality and reality about them. Any family could identify with both the irritations and misunderstandings that arise on the show, and with the truly humorous and heartwarming things that happen. While Dr. Cliff Huxtable, his lawyer-wife Clair and their four children may not be the perfect counterpart of the Holy Family, they do picture for us in modern terms what some of the qualities of family life should be. — The seven ‘C’s of family life are: commitment, communication, compatibility, compassion, confession, conviviality, and children. They sum up today’s readings about how to become a holy family instead of a broken family. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds; quoted by  Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 20) “We wanted to stay together…”: In his new book, All Rivers Run to the Sea, Elie Wiesel recalls the terrible moment when his family had to make a critical choice. The war was coming to an end, but the deportation of Jews continued. Elie, his parents and three sisters faced deportation from their village in Hungary to the concentration camp in Berkenau. Maria, a Christian and the family’s house-keeper, begged the Wiesels to hide in her family cabin in the mountains. At first the Wiesels declined, but Maria persisted. The family gathered at the kitchen table for a family meeting: should they go with Maria, or stay and take their chances. The family decided to stay. Elie Wiesel remembers: “But why?” Maria implored us, her voice breaking. “Because” my father replied, “a Jew must never be separated from his community. What happens to everyone happens to us as well.” My mother wondered aloud whether it might not be better “to send the children with Maria.” We protested: “We’re young and strong. The trip won’t be as dangerous for us. If anyone should go with Maria, it’s you.” After a brief discussion, we thanked Maria. “My father was right. We wanted to stay together, like everyone else. Family unity is one of our most important traditions… the strength of the family tie, which has contributed to the survival of our people for centuries….”

— The war did not end soon enough for the Wiesels. Only Elie and two of his sisters survived. His mother, father, and youngest sister died in camps. (Quoted in Connections Newsletter). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

21) Obedient Child Jesus: A few centuries before Christ, Alexander the Great conquered almost all the known world through military strength, intelligence, and diplomacy. Legend has it that one day Alexander and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly defended, walled city. Alexander, standing outside the walls, raised his voice, demanding to see the city’s king. The king, approaching the battlements above the invading army, agreed to hear Alexander’s demands. ”Surrender to me immediately,” commanded Alexander. The king laughed. “Why should I surrender to you?” he called down. “We have you far outnumbered. You are no threat to us!” Alexander was ready to answer the challenge. “Allow me to demonstrate why you should surrender,” he replied. Alexander ordered his men to line up single file and start marching. He marched them straight toward a sheer cliff that dropped hundreds of feet to rocks below. The king and his soldiers watched in shocked disbelief as, one by one, Alexander’s soldiers marched without hesitation right off the cliff to their deaths. After ten soldiers had died, Alexander ordered the rest of his men to stop and to return to his side. The king and his soldiers surrendered on the spot to Alexander the Great. — Even on a human level, obedience is powerful. But when the one we are obeying is God Himself, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, obedience is truly a life-changing virtue. It leads not just to temporary victories here on earth, but to the everlasting victory of the Resurrection, as Jesus himself proved by his obedience unto death on a cross. (Adapted from Hot Illustrations; E- Priest) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 22) Child Jesus guided by Mary and Joseph: On October 14, 1943, Jewish slave laborers in Sobibor concentration camp, on the border of Poland and Russia, executed a well-planned revolt. Of the 700 prisoners who took part in the escape, 300 made it through the minefield between the barbed wire fence of the prison and the dense forest beyond. Of those, fewer than 100 are known to have survived the Nazi search parties. One of them, Thomas Blatt, was 15 years old when his family was herded into Sobibor. His parents were executed in the gas chamber, but Thomas, young and healthy, was sent to slave labor. Thomas and two companions made it out and started their long journey through the dense woods after navigating the minefield. At daybreak they buried themselves in the woods to sleep. At night they made their way through the trees and thick brush. After four nights of wandering through the cold forest, they saw a building silhouetted against the dark sky in the distance. With smiles on their faces, they eagerly approached it, hoping for sanctuary from their enemies. As they got closer, they noticed that the building they had seen was a tower – specifically, the east tower of the Sobibor concentration camp! They had made one giant circle through the woods and ended up exactly where they started. Terrified, the three boys plunged back into the forest. But only Thomas lived to tell about their awful experience. — When we reject the guidance of God’s commandments and the teaching of his Church, we are like those boys wandering through the woods at night without a guide, and we make no lasting progress to the happiness we long for. (Hot Illustrations; E- Priest). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 23) Dorothy Law Nolte wrote, “Children Learn What They Live”

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

24) Satan’s seven-steps strategy: Dr. Peter Kreeft a professor of philosophy at Boston College and a well-known author and speaker, gave a talk in Ohio, USA. In his talk, he outlined what he calls, “Satan’s spectacularly successful seven-steps sexual strategy.” This is his explanation of how the devil is working in our world right now to destroy families and even the whole human race. Personally, I think Dr. Kreeft is right on target in his analysis. Here it is:

Step 1 in Satan’s strategy – this is the devil’s ultimate goal: winning souls for hell.

Step 2: in order for Satan to win many souls for hell, society must be corrupted.

Step 3: to effectively destroy society, family life must be undermined – because strong families are necessary in order to have strong societies.

Step 4: in order to destroy the family, you must destroy its foundation – stable marriage

Step 5: marriage is destroyed by loosening its glue which is sexual fidelity.

Step 6: fidelity is destroyed by promoting and defending the sexual revolution.

Step 7: the sexual revolution is promoted and defended by the media – through which the seeds of destruction are sown into the minds of millions of people every day. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

25) Statistics and Commentary: The evidence is convincing that the better our relationships are at home, the more effective we are in our careers. If we’re having difficulty with a loved one, that difficulty will be translated into reduced performance on the job. In studying the millionaires in America (U.S. News and World Report), a picture of the “typical” millionaire is an individual who has worked eight to ten hours a day for thirty years and is still married to his or her high school or college sweetheart. A New York executive search firm, in a study of 1365 corporate vice presidents, discovered that 87% were still married to their one and only spouse and that 92% were raised in two-parent families. The evidence is overwhelming that the family is the strength and foundation of society. — Strengthen your family ties and you’ll enhance your opportunity to succeed. (Zig Ziglar in Homemade, March 1989). Fr. Kayala(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 26) Top traits of successful families: According to a study of more than 500 family counselors, the following are the top traits of successful families: *Communicating and listening *Affirming and supporting family members *Respecting one another *Developing a sense of trust *Sharing time and responsibility *Knowing right from wrong *Having rituals and traditions *Sharing a religious core *Respecting privacy. (Focus on the Family Bulletin, December, 1988). Fr. Kayala. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

27) Profile of a strong family:  From a national survey of strong families conducted by the Human Development and Family Department at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, a profile of a strong family:

1. Appreciation. “Family members gave one another compliments and sincere demonstrations of approval. They tried to make the others feel appreciated and good about themselves.”
   b. Ability to Deal with Crises in a Positive Manner. “They were willing to take a bad situation, see something positive in it and focus on that.”
   c. Time Together. “In all areas of their lives–meals, work, recreation–they structured their schedules to spend time together.”
   d. High Degree of Commitment. “Families promoted each person’s happiness and welfare, invested time and energy in each other and made family their number one priority.”
   e. Good Communication Patterns. “These families spent time talking with each other. They also listened well, which shows respect.”
   f. High Degree of Religious Orientation. “Not all belonged to an organized church, but they considered themselves highly religious. (University of Nebraska- Lincoln). Fr. Kayala(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 28)Family Statistics: Families in 2000 will average 1.81 children, down from 1.84 today. Some 60 percent of kids born in the ’80s will live for a time with one parent; 1 kid in 4 will live with a stepparent by age 16. One third of all households will be childless. . . Supporting a teenager still at home will cost $12,000 a year against $7,000 now. Kids who head to college in 2000 will need upwards of $100,000 for each bachelor’s degree. (U.S. News and World Report, Dec .25, 1989). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 29) Rudyard Kipling once wrote about families, “All of us are we–and everyone else is they.” A family shares things like dreams, hopes, possessions, memories, smiles, frowns, and gladness…A family is a clan held together with the glue of love and the cement of mutual respect. A family is shelter from the storm, a friendly port when the waves of life become too wild. No person is ever alone who is a member of a family. (Fingertip Facts). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
30) Threats to the families: Parents rate their inability to spend enough time with their children as the greatest threat to the family. In a survey conducted for the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Corp., 35 percent pointed to time constraints as the most important reason for the decline in family values. Another 22 percent mentioned a lack of parental discipline. While 63 percent listed family as their greatest source of pleasure, only 44 percent described the quality of family life in America as good or excellent. And only 34 percent expected it to be good or excellent by 1999. Despite their expressed desire for more family time, two-thirds of those surveyed say they would probably accept a job that required more time away from home if it offered higher income or greater prestige.  [Moody Monthly, (December, 1989), p. 72.]
31) Disintegration of various cultures with the parallel decline of family life:  Sociologist and historian Carle Zimmerman, in his 1947 book, Family and Civilization, recorded his keen observations as he compared the disintegration of various cultures with the parallel decline of family life in those cultures. Eight specific patterns of domestic behavior typified the downward spiral of each culture Zimmerman studied.

*Marriage loses its sacredness…is frequently broken by divorce.
*Traditional meaning of the marriage ceremony is lost.
*Feminist movements abound.
*Increased public disrespect for parents and authority in general.
*Acceleration of juvenile delinquency, promiscuity, and rebellion.
*Refusal of people with traditional marriages to accept family responsibilities.
*Growing desire for and acceptance of adultery.
*Increasing interest in and spread of sexual perversions and sex-related crimes.

(Swindoll, The Quest For Character, Multnomah, p. 90). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

32) “Wow! Wow!” One of Winston Churchill’s biographers, William Manchester [The Last Lion (Boston: Little Brown and Co., 1983)] once wrote that the eminent statesman’s feelings about his family were unquestionably warm and intense. Churchill regarded his home as an independent kingdom with its own law, its own customs, even its own language. “Wow!” was the family’s traditional greeting. When Churchill entered the front door, he would cry: “Wow! Wow!” Upon hearing him, his wife would call back in answer, “Wow!” Then the children would rush into his arms and his eyes would mist over. (Wow!) — A statesman in his own right (many scholars think he may have served for a time as Israel’s ambassador to foreign courts), Jesus ben Sira, the second century B.C.E. author of today’s first reading also valued the special love and language that unites the members of a family. To that end, he invited his readers to cultivate a love that honors, obeys, and cares for the other while speaking the language of comfort, kindness, and consideration. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 33) “Family is a place where people want you and love you and take care of you.” On a recent television “talk show”, the host had invited about two dozen children to appear as his guests. All of them, ranging in ages from three to thirteen years of age were wards of their respective state’s Children’s Services Program and were being cared for by foster parents. Some had been in the foster care system since birth; most had been passed from home to home. Every child expressed the same desire: to be permanently adopted into a family. When asked by the show’s host what “family” meant to him, one small boy summed up the feelings of the other children. “Family”, he replied, “is a place where people want you and love you and take care of you.” —  Most of us can be grateful that we have not been similarly deprived of that special place called family. But our gratitude for the gift of family must also be matched by a desire to preserve and strengthen the bonds that unite us and, when necessary, to expend whatever effort is needed to repair and renew those bonds when they are strained. To that end, the author of today’s second reading offers sage advice, advising women to be submissive, while urging men to love their wives in such a radical way that husbands become their wives’ servants, too, and advising children to respect, love and obey their parents. (Sanchez Files). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 34) Pope Francis’ twitter (December 2014): “It is so important to listen! Husbands and wives need to communicate to bring happiness and serenity to family life.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

35) “The Cats in the Cradle:” Some of us can remember a song by Harry Chapin recorded many years ago It was called The Cat’s in the Cradle. It was a ballad about the relationship between a father and son. The father spent his time and energies making a successful living. The son kept asking for his attention, to be able to share his father’s life: “When you comin’ home, Dad?” The son would repeatedly ask, only to receive the reply, “I don’t know when, but we will get together then.”

A friend of mine has a daughter who is a lawyer. She lives a considerable distance from him. Months had passed since he had seen her. He is not a well man, and every day is precious, so he called to ask when she might visit. The daughter detailed a list of reasons that prevented her from taking the time to see him: her court schedule; meetings; new clients; research, etc. At the end of the recitation, the father asked, “When I die, do you intend to come to my funeral?” The daughter’s response was immediate: “Dad, I cannot believe you would ask that! Of course I will come.” To which the father replied, “Good. Forget the funeral, and come now. I need you more now than I will then.”(Fr. Bob Warren SA) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/). 36) The February 2003 issue of Reader’s Digest features the story of Norma Super and her daughter, Dani, who became lost while hiking through the mountains straddling the Wyoming-Colorado border.  The possibility of saving the mother and daughter was bleak, for no one lost for more than five days in that wilderness had ever been found alive. The seventh day was dawning when Aleta Walker and her friend Diane Holycross set out to find them somewhere in the Zirkel Wilderness, moved by a strange gut feeling that mother and daughter might still be alive. The author, Peter Michelmore, described the saving encounter between the rescuers and the lost campers: “Norma splashed her face with icy creek water. Black spots fluttered in front of her eyes. She shook off the dizziness and trudged on to a meadow sprinkled with blue and pink flowers. ‘There’s something white there,’ said Dani, pointing ahead. They hiked on, watching. ‘It looks like a horse.’ They walked closer. Norma could make out two horses now. Two people on horseback. She broke into a run, pushed by adrenaline through the bog as mud sucked at her boots. One hundred feet from the riders, she saw that they were women. ‘Are you Norma Super?’ one called. Norma collapsed. On her knees and weeping, she said, ‘Yes’.” Today’s Gospel (Lk 2:22-40) depicts a saving encounter in the temple of Jerusalem: the meeting between Jesus and the two figures of messianic expectation, Simeon and Anna. This redemptive event is commemorated by the Church in a celebration known as the “feast of the Encounter”. Now called the “feast of the Presentation of the Lord”, it is a prolongation of the Christmas mystery. (Lection Divina)

37) Cloud seeding for a brainstorm: Becoming good at the things that build inner confidence and calm takes practice — and a dash of creativity! The following list might provide some cloudseeding for a brainstorm or two of your own. Have some fun with your family…and get ready for a good rest.

1. Pay off your credit cards.
   2. Take off ten pounds or accept where you are without any more complaints.
   3. Eat dinner together as a family for seven days in a row.
   4. Take your wife on a dialogue date (no movie, guys).
   5. Read your kids a classic book (Twain’s a good start).
   6. Memorize the Twenty-third Psalm as a family.
   7. Give each family member a hug for twenty-one days in a row (that’s how long the experts say it takes to develop a habit).
2. Pick a night of the week in which the television will remain unplugged.
   9. Go out for a non-fast-food dinner as a family.
   10. Pray for your spouse and children every day.
   11. Plan a vacation together.
   12. Take a vacation together.
   13. Read a chapter from the Bible every day until it becomes a habit.
   14. Sit together as a family in Church.
   15. Surprise your teenager. Wash his car and fill up his gas tank.
   16. Take an afternoon off from work; surprise your child by excusing him from school and taking him to a ball game.
   17. Take a few hours one afternoon and go to the library as a family.
   18. Take a walk as a family.
   19. Write each member of your family a letter sharing why you value them.
   20. Give your spouse a weekend getaway with a friend (same gender!) to a place of his/her choice.
   21. Go camping as a family.
   22. Go to bed early (one hour before your normal bedtime) every day for a week.
   23. Take each of your children out to breakfast (individually) at least once a month for a year.
   24. Turn down a promotion that would demand more time from your family than you can afford to give.
   25. Religiously wear your seat belts.
   26. Get a complete physical.
   27. Exercise a little every day for a month.
   28. Make sure you have adequate life insurance on both yourself and your spouse.
   29. Write out information about finances, wills, and important business information that your spouse can use to keep things under control in the event of your death.
   30. Make sure your family car is safe (tires, brakes, etc.) and get it tuned up.
   31. Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm.
   32. Put a security system in your house.
   33. Attend the parent/teacher meetings of each child as a couple.
   34. Help your kids with their homework.
   35. Watch the kids on Saturday while your wife goes shopping (but if a friend calls, don’t say that you’re “babysitting”).
   36. Explain to your spouse exactly what you do for a living.
   37. Put together a picture puzzle. (One thousand pieces or more.)
   38. Take time during the week to read a Bible story to your children and then discuss it with them.
   39. Encourage each child to submit to you his most perplexing question, and promise him that you’ll either answer it or discuss it with him.
   40. Finish fixing something around the house.
   41. Tell your kids how you and your spouse met.
   42. Tell your kids about your first date.
   43. Sit down and write your parents a letter thanking them for a specific thing they did for you. (Don’t forget to send it!)
   44. Go on a shopping spree where you are absolutely committed to buying nothing.
   45. Keep a prayer journal for a month. Keep track of the specific ways that God answers your needs.
   46. Do some stargazing away from the city with your family. Help your children identify constellations and conclude the evening with prayer to the majestic God who created the heavens.
   47. Treat your wife to a beauty make-over (facial, manicure, haircut, etc.). I hear they really like this.
   48. Give the kids an alternative to watching Saturday morning cartoons (breakfast at McDonald’s, garage sales, the park, chores, etc.).
   49. Ask your children each day what they did at school (what they learned, who they ate lunch with, etc.).
   50. After you make your next major family decision, take your child back through the process and teach him how you arrived at your decision.
   51. Start saying to yourself “My car doesn’t look so bad.”
   52. Call you wife or husband from work just to see how they’re doing.
   53. Compile a family tree and teach your children the history of their ancestors.
   54. Walk through an old graveyard with your children.
   55. Say no to at least one thing a day — even if it’s only a second piece of pie.
   56. Write that letter to the network that broadcast the show you felt was inappropriate for prime-time viewing.
   57. Turn off the lights and listen to a “praise” tape as you focus your thoughts on the Lord.
   58. Write a note to your pastor praising him for something.
   59. Take back all the books in your library that actually belong in someone else’s library.
   60. Give irritating drivers the right to pull in front of you without signaling and yelling at them.
   61. Make every effort to not let the sun go down on your anger.
   62. Accept legitimate criticism from your wife or a friend without reacting or defending yourself.
   63. If your car has a Christian bumper sticker on in — drive like it.
   64. Do a Bible study on the “wise man” and the “fool” in Proverbs…and then apply what it takes to be wise to your life.
   65. Make a list of people who have hurt your feelings over the past year…then check your list to see if you’ve forgiven them.
   66. Make a decision to honor your parents, even if they made a career out of dishonoring you.
   67. Take your children to the dentist and doctor for your wife.
   68. Play charades with your family, but limit subjects to memories of the past.
   69. Do the dishes for your wife.
   70. Schedule yourself a free day to stay home with your family.
   71. Get involved in a family project that serves or helps someone less fortunate.
   72. As a family, get involved in a recreational activity.
   73. Send your wife flowers.
   74. Spend an evening going through old pictures from family vacations.
   75. Take a weekend once a year for you and your spouse to get away and renew your friendship.
   76. Praise your spouse and children — in their presence — to someone else.
   77. Discuss a world or national problem, and ask your children for their opinion on it.
   78. Wait up for your teenagers when they are out on dates.
   79. Have a “quiet Saturday” (no television, no radio, no stereo…no kidding).
   80. If your children are little, spend an hour playing with them — but let them determine the game.
   81. Have your parents tell your children about life when they were young.
   82. Give up soap operas.
   83. De-clutter your house.
   84. If you have a habit of watching late night television, but have to be to work early every morning, change your habit.
   85. Don’t accept unnecessary breakfast appointments.
   86. Write missionaries regularly.
   87. Go through your closets and give everything that you haven’t worn in a year to a clothing relief organization.
   88. Become a faithful and frequent visitor of your church’s library.
   89. Become a monthly supporter of a Third World child.
   90. Keep mementos, school projects, awards, etc. of each child in separate files. You’ll appreciate these when they’ve left the nest.
   91. Read the biography of a missionary.
   92. Give regularly and faithfully to conscientious Church endeavors.
   93. Place with your will a letter to each family member telling why you were glad you got to share life with him or her.
   94. Go through your old records and tapes and discard any of them that might be a bad testimony to your children.
   95. Furnish a room (or a corner of a room) with comfortable chairs and declare it the “disagreement corner.” When conflicts arise, go to this corner and don’t leave until it’s resolved.
   96. Give each child the freedom to pick his favorite dinner menu at least once a week.
   97. Go over to a shut-in’s house as a family and completely clean it and get the lawn work done.
   98. Call an old friend from your past, just to see how he or she is getting along.
   99. Get a good friend to hold you accountable for a specific important need (Bible reading, prayer, spending time with your family, losing a few pounds, etc.).
   100. Establish a budget.
   101. Go to a Christian marriage enrichment seminar.
3. To prove his love for her, he swam the deepest river, crossed the widest desert and climbed the highest mountain. She divorced him. He was never home. (Rose Sands, The Saturday Evening Post)

(Tim Kimmel, Little House on the Freeway, pp. 219-223). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).L/23

“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle C (No. 7) by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com

Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit also https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under Fr. Tony’s homilies and  under Resources in the CBCI website:  https://www.cbci.in  for other website versions.  (Vatican Radio website: http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html uploaded my Cycle A, B and C homilies in from 2018-2020)  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Ave, Mobile, AL 36604 .

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Dec 25-30: Dec 25 Monday: Christmas: Christmas- a thematic homily (1-page summary)L/23

Why do we celebrate Christmas with great rejoicing?

1: First, Christmas is the Feast of God’s sending us a Savior: God undertook the Incarnation of Jesus as True God and true man to save us from the bondage of sin. The Hindus believe in ten incarnations of God. The purpose of these incarnations is stated in their Holy Scripture, Bagavath Geetha or Song of God. “God incarnates to restore righteousness in the world whenever there is a large-scale erosion of moral values.” (“Dharma samstaphanarthe sambhavami yuge yuge.”). But the Christian Scriptures teach only one Incarnation, and its purpose is given in John 3:16: “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” We celebrate the Incarnation of God as a Baby today as Good News because we have a Divine Savior. As our Savior, Jesus liberated us from slavery to sin and atoned for our sins by His suffering, death and Resurrection. So, every Christmas reminds us that we need a Savior every day, to free us from our evil addictions and unjust, impure and uncharitable tendencies. Christmas 2021 also challenges us to accept Jesus in the manger as our saving God and personal Savior and to surrender our lives to him, allowing him to rule our hearts and lives every day in the New Year.

# 2: Second, Christmas is the Feast of God’s sharing His love with us: Jesus, as our Savior, brought the “Good News” that our God is a loving, forgiving, merciful, rewarding God and not a judgmental, cruel, punishing God. He demonstrated by his life and teaching how God our Heavenly Father loves us, forgives us, provides for us, and rewards us. All his miracles were signs of this Divine Love. Jesus’ final demonstration of God’s love for us was his death on the cross to atone for our sins and to make us children of God. Each Christmas reminds us that sharing love with others is our Christian privilege and duty, and every time we do that, Jesus is reborn in our lives. Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius) Hence, let us allow Jesus to be reborn in our hearts and lives, not only during Christmas, but every day, so that he may radiate the Light of his presence from within us as sharing and selfless love, expressed in compassionate words and deeds, unconditional forgiveness, the spirit of humble service and, overflowing generosity.

# 3: Third, Christmas is the Feast of the Emmanuel (God living with us and within us): Christmas is the feast of the Emmanuel because God in the New Testament is a God Who continues to live with us in all the events of our lives as the “Emmanuel” announced by the angel to Mary. As Emmanuel, Jesus lives in the Sacraments (especially in the Holy Eucharist), in the Bible, in the praying community, and in each believer as the abiding Holy Spirit, residing in us and thus making us His “Temples.” Christmas reminds us that we are bearers of God with the missionary privilege and duty of conveying Jesus to those around us by loving them as Jesus did, through sacrificial, humble, committed service. Sharing with others Jesus, the Emmanuel living within us, is the best Christmas gift we can give, or receive, today.

Mother Teresa: “It is Christmas when you let God love others through you.” L/23

Dec 26 Tuesday: St. Stephen: For a brief biography, click on https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-stephen/Matthew 10: 17-22: Mt 10:17-22: 17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Life and death of St. Stephen: Today’s first reading, taken from theActs of the Apostles, describes the death of Stephen, the first martyr in the history of the Church. Stephen was a zealous Greek convert from Judaism to Christianity. He was chosen by the community and accepted by the Apostles to serve as one of the seven earliest deacons in the Church. These Deacons were meant to help meet the material needs of Greek Christian widows in Jerusalem who had complained that they were being slighted in favor of Hebrew Christian widows in the matter of Church assistance. Stephen was chosen for this ministry of helping the poor because he had good character and was filled with the Holy Spirit. But he was arrested by the Sanhedrin because he was converting numerous Jews to Christianity, and the Jewish leaders could not win against him with arguments. The jealous Jews arranged false witnesses against Stephen. These men accused him of blaspheming against Yahweh and Moses. In his final defense speech before his judges in the Sanhedrin, Stephen, inspired by the Holy Spirit as Jesus had promised all His disciples they would be when called to bear witness to Him, bravely and eloquently defended his belief in Jesus as the promised Messiah. He accused the Jews of unbelief and explained that the sacrifices and sacrificial Laws given by Moses were temporary. When Stephen suddenly announced that he could see Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father, the infuriated Jews mobbed him, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death. During the stoning, Stephen bore heroic witness to Jesus, first praying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” and then, obeying the command of Jesus, prayed loudly for his executioners, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” With that, he “fell asleep.”

Life message: St. Stephen teaches us how to bear witness to Christ bravely in our lives, when our Faith and its practice are questioned or challenged. St. Stephen’s martyrdom is celebrated on the day following Christmas to remind us of the consequences of giving our lives to Him who was born an infant in Bethlehem — that we must give Him everything, holding nothing back, even if it means persecution and death. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/23: For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Dec 27 Wednesday: St. John the Apostle: For a brief biography, click on https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-john-the-evangelist John 20: 1a and 2-8: 2 So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 5 and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7 and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist: John was the son of Zebedee the fisherman and Salome, a close relative of Mary. John and his brother, James the Greater, were fishermen, partners of Peter and Andrew; they were disciples of John the Baptist before they were called by Jesus as his Apostles. John’s name is mentioned always after his brother’s name in Matthew, Mark and the Acts of the Apostles. John was the Apostle beloved by Jesus and one of the three constituting Jesus’ inner circle of friends who witnessed Jesus’ raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead, His Transfiguration on the mountain and His agony in the garden of Gethsemane. After fleeing with the others from Gethsemane, John returned. He remained faithful to Jesus at the palace of the High Priest during Jesus’ trial by the Sanhedrin, and he had the courage to be at the foot of the cross, supporting and consoling Mary. He was entrusted by Jesus with the care of His mother, and, after the Resurrection, John was the one who first recognized the risen Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Missionary activities: With Peter, John played a prominent role in founding and guiding the Church. John was with Peter when the latter healed the lame man (Acts 3:1), was in prison with him (Acts 4:3), and was with him when Peter visited the new Christians in Samaria (Acts 8:14). John left for Asia Minor and Ephesus when King Herod Agrippa I started persecuting Christians. He returned to Jerusalem in AD 51 to attend the Jerusalem Council. According to tradition, when the attempt of Emperor Domitian to murder John by putting him in boiling oil failed, John was exiled to Patmos Island. As an Evangelist, John wrote five books of the New Testament: The Gospel according to John, three epistles and the Book of Revelation. He preached always about God’s love in his old age. Returning to Ephesus, John lived there, dying when he was one hundred years old. John reminds us of the greatest commandment of love given by Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Fr. Tony) L/23

For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Dec 28 Thursday: Feast of the Holy Innocents For a brief aacount, click on https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/holy-innocentsMatthew 2: 13-18: 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.”

The Holy Innocents whom this Mass commemorates were the children slaughtered by the soldiers under the the orders of Herod the Great in his fruitless pursuit of the “newborn king of the Jews.” In our times this Mass includes the the untold numbers of innocent babies slaughtered by abortion. The Feast also reminds us of Pharoah’s murder of the male children of the Hebrews at the time of Moses’ birth.

The context:Herod the Great had been made the king of Judea by the Roman Empire although he was not even a Jew: his father was an Idumean, his mother an Arab. This cruel king was kept in power mainly by the Roman army. He brutally executed all suspected rivals to his throne including his wife, brother, and two brothers-in-law. No wonder he was terrified at the news that a rival king, a descendant of King David, had been born somewhere in Bethlehem, for this child could someday claim to be the legitimate king of Israel and Judea! Herod’s anger intensified when he realized that the Magi had not returned to his royal palace to report the whereabouts of the Child Jesus. Matthew says that the slaughter of the Innocents was in fulfillment of a prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly; it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” Ramah is a hill near Bethlehem and the burial place of Rachel, the wife of the patriarch Jacob. The Jews believed that she wept bitterly in her tomb when the Jews were taken as slaves by the Assyrians and later when Herod massacred the babies. The most likely scenario is that Jesus was born around 4 BC; the wise men (by their own account) arrived in Jerusalem two years later in 2 B.C., and in that same year Joseph, Mary, and Jesus fled to Egypt. When Herod died, they returned. So, the length of their sojourn in Egypt was probably about a few months.

Life message: We need to raise our voice against the 21st century massacre of the Innocents: As in other advanced countries, the cruel massacre of the innocents, though now illegal in America since the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturn of the Roe vs Wade Supreme Court’s decision of 1973, continues elsewhere in the world, and in America, the proponents of Abortion on demand are have shifted their fight their fight in the mid-year elections for members the Senate and the House of as well as in the legislatures of the individual states. While Herod killed at the most a hundred children, nearly four thousand unborn babies are slaughtered in the United States every day. They are killed because, like the infants of Bethlehem, they are inconvenient. Children are sacrificed also for the most powerful king of the twenty-first century, Science. Babies are killed in their embryo stage to harvest their “stem cells” for medical experiments intended to heal the illnesses of their parents and grandparents. Along with prayer, let us do everything in our power to stop this brutal murder of the helpless babies. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/23For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Dec 29 Friday: St. Thomas Becket For a brief biography, click on https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-thomas-becket : Luke 2: 22-35: The context: Today’s Gospel presents the head of the Holy Family, Joseph, faithfully obeying God’s law given through Moses concerning the purification of the mother and the redeeming of the child by presenting Mary and the Baby Jesus in the Temple. The events recounted are those we traditionally celebrate on February 2nd with the Feast of Presentation of Jesus. We celebrate them today in order to group all the events of Christ’s Infancy within the Octave of Christmas. Today (and on February 2nd), we celebrate a combined feast, commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother 40 days after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is known as the Hypanthe feast or Feast of the Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple), the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers and a sacrifice offered in the Temple to redeem or buy back the firstborn male child from the Lord), and the Feast of Encounter (because the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). On February 2nd we celebrate these events as a formal ending of the Christmas season. On that day we also celebrate the Feast of Candlemas (because candles are blessed then for liturgical and personal use).

Purification and redemption ceremonies: The Mosaic Law taught that, since every Jewish male child belonged to Yahweh, the parents had to “buy back” the child (“redeem” him), by offering lambs or turtledoves as a sacrifice in the Temple. In addition (Nm 18:15), every mother had to be purified after childbirth by prayers and an offering made to God in the Temple. Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God.

The encounter with Simeon and Anna: By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious and Spirit-filled Simeon and Anna had been waiting in the Temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. Simeon recognized Jesus as the Lord’s Anointed One, and in his prayer of blessing, he prophesied that Jesus was meant to be “A light for Revelation to the Gentiles and for Glory to Your People, Israel” While he blessed Mary, he warned that her child would be “a sign of contradiction” and that her own soul would be “pierced with a sword.” Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah.

Life message:1)Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our presentation. Although we were officially presented to God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/23

For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

Dec 30 Saturday: St. Egwin For a brief biography, click on https://anastpaul.com/2017/10/12/saint-of-the-day-12-october-st-edwin-of-northumbria-586-616/Luke 2: 36-40 :, There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

The context: Today’s Gospel presents Anna the prophetess who greeted the Baby Jesus as the Redeemer when Joseph presented Mary and the Infant in the Temple for the purification of the mother and for the “redemption” of the Baby Jesus.

Anna and her testimony: Anna was an eighty-four-year-old widow who spent her days in the Temple in fasting and prayer, waiting for the promised Messiah. She was rewarded with the joy of seeing her Redeemer as a Baby. In her excitement she praised God and introduced the Infant to others around her as the expected Messiah.

The Child Jesus’ growth in wisdom and the favor of God: Commenting on the last sentence of today’s Gospel St. Bede says: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, as a Child clothed in the fragility of human nature, had to grow and become stronger. But, as the eternal Word of God, He had no need to become stronger or to grow. Hence, He is rightly described as full of wisdom and grace.”

Life messages: 1)The Holy Spirit uses ordinary men and women with simple Faith as His instruments to bear witness to Christ, His ideals and teachings. 2) We need praying Annas in all our parishes to offer prayers for all the members of our parish families. Let us cooperate with the Spirit in everything. 3) Anna’s prophetic life tells us that we each must live our lives in constant preparation for meeting our Divine Lord in the Temple of Heaven, remaining alert, as Anna did, to recognize, love, and serve Jesus hidden in the people we encounter. 4) Like Anna, we must all foster an interior life of ongoing prayer and penance, and we must direct all our actions in life to the praise and glory of God and the salvation of our souls. Anna’s life is a symbolic prophecy of every vocation. (Catholic Daily reflections). (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/23:

For additional reflections, click on : https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

May Jesus be reborn in your heart and life during Christmas 2023 and every day of the New Year 2024 May He radiate His presence from within you as sharing love, unconditional forgiveness, humble service, a compassionate heart and overflowing generosity. May the Holy Babe of Bethlehem bless you with health in body and soul and grant you a peaceful and blessed New Year. I assure you of my special prayers during my Christmas Holy Masses and every day in the New Year. Fr. Tony Kadavil. Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507

May the LORD bless you and keep you!

May the LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!

May the LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

(Book of Numbers 6: 24-26)

Christmas The Nativity of Our Lord, (Dec 25, 2023 Monday)

Christmas homily starter anecdote:1) Christmas questions answered: A) Is Christmas the greatest feast celebrated in the Church? The answer is no. Easter is feast #1, Pentecost is #2 and Christmas is #3. The Roman Church started celebrating Christmas only after Christianity was recognized as the state religion. B) Was Jesus born on December 25th? The answer is no. Many Fathers of the Church thought that Jesus was born on January 4th, in 4 B.C. before the death of King Herod the Great. Some Bible scholars fix Jesus’ birth in the month of September during the Feast of the Tabernacles when people travelled and when the sheep were in the field at night. December 25th was fixed by Pope Julius in A.D. 353 as a part of baptizing or Christianizing pagan feasts so that the converted pagans might celebrate the birthday of Jesus on Dec 25th instead of celebrating the birthday the Sun-god during winter solstice, while converted Roman soldiers might celebrate Christmas instead the birthday of Mitra, the Roman god-of-virility (Deus Solus Invictus). The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring the god of agriculture, Saturn. Later the Kalends of January were observed to celebrate the triumph of life over death. The entire season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun., or Saturnalia). It was Emperor Julianus who declared Christmas as a national holiday in the 6th century. Most of the present-day Christmas decorations like the Christmas carols and gifts, Christmas tree and Christmas lights are also remnants of the pagan celebrations. (It was St. Francis of Assisi who first introduced the manger or Christmas crib in the 13th century. C) Where did the name Christmas originate? In medieval times, the celebration of Christmas took the form of a special Mass celebrated at midnight on the eve of Christ’s birth. Since this was the only time in the Catholic Church year when a Midnight Mass was allowed, it soon became known in Middle English as Christes Masse (Christ’s Mass), from which is derived Christmas. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Christmas- a thematic homily (No 1)

Why do we celebrate Christmas with such great rejoicing?

1: First, Christmas is the Feast of God’s sending us a Savior: God undertook the Incarnation of Jesus as True God and true man to save us from the bondage of sin. The Hindus believe in ten incarnations of God. The purpose of these incarnations is stated in their Holy Scripture, Bagavath Geetha or Song of God. “God incarnates to restore righteousness in the world whenever there is a large-scale erosion of moral values.” (“Dharma samstaphanarthe sambhavami yuge yuge.”). But the Christian Scriptures teach only one Incarnation, and its purpose is given in John 3:16: “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” We celebrate the Incarnation of God as a Baby today as Good News because we have a Divine Savior. As our Savior, Jesus liberated us from slavery to sin and atoned for our sins by his suffering, death and Resurrection. So, every Christmas reminds us that we need a Savior every day, to free us from our evil addictions and unjust, impure and uncharitable tendencies. Christmas 2019 also challenges us to accept Jesus in the manger as our saving God and personal Savior and to surrender our lives to him, allowing him to rule our hearts and lives every day in the New Year.

# 2: Second, Christmas is the Feast of God’s sharing His love with us: Jesus, as our Savior, brought the “Good News” that our God is a loving, forgiving, merciful, rewarding God and not a judgmental, cruel, punishing God. He demonstrated by his life and teaching how God our Heavenly Father loves us, forgives us, provides for us, and rewards us. All his miracles were signs of this Divine Love. Jesus’ final demonstration of God’s love for us was his death on the cross to atone for our sins and to make us children of God. Each Christmas reminds us that sharing love with others is our Christian privilege and duty, and every time we do that, Jesus is reborn in our lives. Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius) Hence, let us allow Jesus to be reborn in our hearts and lives, not only during Christmas, but every day, so that he may radiate the Light of his presence from within us as sharing and selfless love, expressed in compassionate words and deeds, unconditional forgiveness, the spirit of humble service and, overflowing generosity.

# 3: Third, Christmas is the Feast of the Emmanuel (God living with us and within us): Christmas is the feast of the Emmanuel because God in the New Testament is a God Who continues to live with us in all the events of our lives as the “Emmanuel” announced by the angel to Mary. As Emmanuel, Jesus lives in the Sacraments (especially in the Holy Eucharist), in the Bible, in the praying community, and in each believer as the Holy Spirit, residing in us, makes us His “Temples.” Christmas reminds us that we are bearers of God with the missionary privilege and duty of conveying Jesus to those around us by loving them as Jesus did, through sacrificial, humble, committed service. Sharing with others Jesus, the Emmanuel living within us, is the best Christmas gift we can give, or receive, today.

Christmas Thematic Homily No. 2: The why of Christmas decorations and gifts

Q no 1: Why do we give Christmas gifts covered in ornamental papers? It is because God gave Himself to us a divine gift covering His Divinity as a human baby.

Q no 2: What does the Christmas star mean? The star on top of the tree symbolizes the star of Bethlehem, which led the three men to the stable where Jesus was found.

Q no. 3: Why do we decorate the Christmas tree? It is because the Christmas tree represents the “tree of life” in the Paradise which was restored later by the tree of Calvary in the form of a cross.

1. no. 4: Why do we make cakes on Christmas day and share it with others? The cake represents the “Promised Land flowing with milk and honey” given by God to His Chosen People and his own body and blood given as the Holy Eucharist, the heavenly food to his followers by Jesus Christ.

Q no 5: Why do we celebrate Christmas with Christmas star and other light decorations? It is because Jesus introduced himself as the light of the world and advised his followers to become the light of the world.

Q no 6: What do candy canes represent? The shape of the candy cane represents a shepherd’s staff or shepherd’s stick, which he used to guide the sheep. Historically, the red color on the candy is said to be Jesus’ blood and the white resembles life after salvation for Christians.

Q no 7: Why do we use Christmas wreath? According to many theories, the wreath represents the crown of thorns that was put on the head of Jesus when he was crucified. In modern times, it is used as a symbol of God’s everlasting love and eternal happiness.

Q no 8:  Why do we use bells in Christmas decorations? Bells were part of the Jewish high priest’s garb. Christmas bells not only symbolize the joy of Christmas; they also remind us that Christ is the High Priest.

Q no 9: Why do use Christmas cookies, breads and pastries?   Christmas pastries are made with flour and remind us of the many uses of bread in Scripture. The Jewish people offered cakes made with oil to the Lord. The Israelites took their unleavened loaves with them when they fled Egypt. They recalled this event yearly in the feast of Unleavened Bread. The manna in the desert tasted like wafers made with honey. Elijah performed a miracle in which a widow’s flour did not run out during a time of famine. When David brought the Ark of God back to Jerusalem, he gave each person in Israel a loaf of bread, a cut of meat, and a raisin cake.   Jesus multiplied loaves twice in Scripture and came as the Bread of Life. He comes to us in every Mass under the form of Eucharistic bread and wine. This rich history is present to us with every taste of Christmas pastries.

1. no 10: Why do we sing Christmas carols?Christmas carols remind us of the angels who announced the birth of Christ by singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth!” Song has been a part of worship since the beginning. Miriam composed and sang a hymn of Thanksgiving when God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians. David sang and danced before the Ark of the Lord when he was accompanying back to Jerusalem after having rescued it from the Philistines. He composed the Psalms, all of which are to be sung. Many of the Psalms mention times when the Jewish people sang, some of which are: bringing in the harvest, going up to the temple, success over one’s enemies. Jesus mentioned funeral songs in one of His exhortations. People use song as an expression of highest emotion. How fitting that we sing about the birth of Christ!

Q no 11: Why do we use Advent candles in the Church? Advent candles were originally part of the holiday wreath tradition, and the two combined as part of a long-standing Catholic tradition. That being said, there is historic evidence that Germanic people used wreaths and candles in the time before Christianity to provide hope during the dark days of winter. In fact, the Catholic Church didn’t actually adopt the tradition until some time in the Middle Ages! The four candles symbolize the number of weeks for Advent. Traditionally, three of these candles are purple, standing for prayer, penance, and preparation. The other candle, which is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, is rose-colored. It signals a time of rejoicing. New religious practices sometimes change the color of the candles to uniformly white. Regardless, the light of the Advent candles symbolizes Jesus Christ as “the light of the world.”

Q no 12: Why did God become man instead of pardoning man by a single declaration of absolution for his inherited and acquired sins? It is to show God’s everlasting love for man in spite of man’s sinful nature. It is also to demonstrate God’s agape love for man by Jesus the savior’s or Man-God’s death on the cross, challenging us to love Him in rerun and to express it by loving our neighbors. It is by his death on the cross that Jesus actually became the Holy Eucharist or Holy Mass for us. That is why in oriental rites the Holy Mass begins singing the angels’ announcement at Christ’s birth to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the Highest” and in the Latin rite, singing or reciting the “Gloria” a bit later.

Christmas- 4 Lectionary–based Homilies– 2023

Christmas Vigil homily in one page: Is 62:1-5; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 [1:18-25] (1-page summary) Introduction: The Scripture readings for the Christmas Vigil Mass remind us  how God showed His Mercy to the mankind  by choosing Abraham and adopting his descendants as His Chosen People, disciplining them by slavery in Egypt and later in Babylon, making them a prosperous nation under God-fearing kings, then disciplining them again, by Greek and Roman conquerors, when they turned unfaithful, and finally by giving them the promised Savior-King in the form of Baby, Jesus, in Bethlehem.  Thus today, at this Christmas Vigil Mass, we are celebrating the fulfillment of our God’s prophecies about sending His own Son to save a sinful world.

Scripture lessons: In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies how the God of Israel will honor the desolate and forsaken Jerusalem and land of Israel by espousing her as a man marries a virgin and makes her a mother. Yahweh does this by sending His long-awaited Messiah into Israel to possess it and rule over it.  The Messiah will vindicate Israel and save her. Through His prophet Isaiah, the Lord God wished to inspire the hopeless Israelites, returned from the Babylonian exile, to plant crops and make their desolate land fertile and prosperous so that she might be able to hold up her head again among the other nations.   In the second reading, St. Paul recounts the history of God’s mercy to Israel, His chosen people. God showed His mercy to His chosen people of Israel by fulfilling the prophecy about His long-awaited Messiah. He sent His Son as the Savior and the descendant of David. The Gospel reviews the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17), tracing his descent from Abraham through David as foretold by the prophet, then describing his birth as our Savior at Bethlehem (1:18-25), through the working of the Holy Spirit.   The Gospel also shows how God resolved the doubts of Joseph by sending His angel, first to reassure Joseph, then to instruct him to name the child Jesus. The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yehosua, which means ”Yahweh is salvation.” Just as the first Joshua (the successor of Moses), saved the Israelites from their enemies, the second Joshua (Jesus) would save them from their sins. Life messages: 1) We need to allow the Savior to be reborn in our lives.   Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius).   So, let us allow Him to be reborn in our lives during Christmas 2020 and every day of the New Year 2021. Let us also show the good will and generosity of sharing Jesus, our Savior, reborn in our hearts, with others as love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and humble service. 2) We need to experience Christmas as it takes place at Christ’s Mass on our altars. Jesus becomes present on our altars to become our spiritual food, to nourish our souls so that we may become his healthy children. Let us worship him by our active participation in the Holy Mass as the angels, shepherds and wise men did in the Gospel story. 3) We need to have a Christmas gift for the Christ-Child because we are celebrating his birthday. Hence, instead of focusing our full attention on giving Christmas gifts to family members, let us give our hearts to Jesus today, filled with sacrificial love, overflowing mercy, selfless caring, and unconditional forgiveness for others.

CHRISTMAS VIGIL(Full text): Is 62:1-5, Acts 13:16-17, 22-25, Mt 1:1-25 [1:18-25]

Anecdote: 1) Consider Christmas Again: When Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in AD 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today? In 1223 when St. Francis of Assisi used a nearby cave to set up a manger filled with straw, and his friend, Vellita, brought in an ox and a donkey, just like those at Bethlehem, nobody saw how that novel idea was going to evolve through centuries. When Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, who would have ever thought that the decorations would become as elaborate as they are today? There is an unproved legend that Martin Luther is responsible for the origin of the Christmas tree. This story says that one Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through the snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of the snow glistening on the trees. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a small fir tree and shared the story with his children. He decorated the Christmas tree with small candles which he lighted in honor of Christ’s birth. In 2020, as, burdened by Covid-19 and its effects and limits,  we walk through Advent again in the midst of all the excitement, elaborate decorations and frantic commercialization which surround Christmas, we are given another opportunity to pause, and to consider again the event of Christmas and the Person whose birth we celebrate. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) Kierkegaard has a fable of a king who fell in love with a maid. A king fell in love with a poor maid. The king wanted to marry her. When he asked his counselors, “How shall I declare my love?” they answered, “Your majesty has only to appear in all the glory of your royal raiments before the maid’s humble dwelling, and she will instantly fall at your feet and be yours.” But it was precisely that which troubled the king. He wanted her glorification, not his. In return for his love, he wanted hers, freely given. Finally, the king realized love’s truth, that freedom for the beloved demanded equality with the beloved. So late one night, after all the counselors of the palace had retired, he slipped out a side door and appeared before the maid’s cottage dressed as a servant to confess his love for her. Clearly, the fable is a Christmas story. God chose to express His love for us humans by becoming one like us. We are called to obey, not God’s power, but God’s love. God wants not submission to His power, but in return for His love, our own(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 3) Gospel Infancy Narratives: In Scripture, the birth of Jesus is only of secondary importance to his death and Resurrection. The meaning of his birth is understood properly only in the light of his life, death, and resurrection.  Luke begins with two Annunciation stories. First, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, an old man whose wife was beyond the age of childbearing, to tell him that Elizabeth would conceive a son. The Old Testament often used the literary technique of saying that someone was conceived of a mother beyond childbearing years to highlight that this person was called by God to a special mission. But if being born of a woman beyond child-bearing years was remarkable, how much more extraordinary, and how much greater the person must be destined to be, who is born of a mother without the intervention of a human father! The story of the two annunciations is a way of highlighting the dignity and importance of Jesus.  St. Luke tells us (2:7) that Mary “gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.” The thrice-repeated word manager is the most important word in this account. The child will be found in the manger because it is in the person lying there that people will find the sustenance of God. The finding of the child in the manger is a sign that God wants to be found by his people again and to be recognized once more as the people’s sustenance. The Child was wrapped in swaddling clothes that suggest a royal child, a son of King David. Very often the shepherds are presented as devout people who spent their time praying for the coming of the Messiah while tending their flocks. Actually, in the literature of the time, they were looked down on by society and often mentioned with tax-collectors and whores! So, God’s choice of these lowly, despised shepherds for the first  the visitors to the manger tells  us that the Savior of sinners and outcasts has been born. He is a Savior who makes the last become first and for Whom there are no outcasts. The angels’ song, “Glory to God in the highest and peace to men with whom He is well pleased,” [“of good will”] is a way of saying that God was present at the birth of Christ who would bring salvation to all people. (Bible Claret) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

4) “Does your master have anything to declare?”  In the movie, The Greatest Story Ever Told, King of Kings, there is another scene which attracts our attention. Jesus, after he began his public ministry, had called a few people to become his Apostles. First, he called Peter and Andrew, and James and John. In this scene we see Jesus walking with them and some of his other followers. As they pass by tax collector Mathew, he asks Jesus, “Do you have anything to declare?” But because of the noise of the crowd Jesus does not hear it. Hence, Mathew asks John, “Does your master have anything to declare?” Immediately John replies, “Yes, his love for you!” As Jesus told Mathew, Jesus has something to declare to us during this Christmas season, and it is his love for us. Yes, Jesus loves each one of us dearly. That is why he was born in Bethlehem and later died for us on the cross in Jerusalem. It is because he loves each one of us very much that he remains with us even today in the form of the Eucharist. Remember, Jesus has another name – Emmanuel which means God is with us. (Fr. Jose Panthaplamthottyil CMI).

Introduction: The Scripture lessons for today focus on the first Christmas. In the first reading, Isaiah shows us the vindication of Israel by the Lord God. This vindication has found its fulfillment, for all of us, in the coming of Jesus as our Savior. The  Refrain for tonight’s  Responsorial Psalm (Ps 89), has us sing  gratefully of this Salvation,  “Forever I will sing the Goodness of the Lord!” In the second reading, St. Paul recounts the history of God’s mercy to Israel, His chosen people. That mercy has culminated in the birth of Jesus, the Messiah for Whom the Jews have been waiting for centuries. The Gospel reviews the genealogy of Jesus, tracing His descent from David, then recounts the story of His birth in Bethlehem as our Savior.

The first reading, Isaiah: 62:1-5 explained. After their exile in Babylon, the Jews returned to Judah where they had a difficult time restoring their old institutions, their economy, their capital Jerusalem, and their Temple on Mount Zion. They were quite discouraged when the prophet Isaiah received this prophecy from God to restore their fallen spirits (Chapters 56-66.)   Just as we look forward to the celebration of the birth of the Messiah, so Isaiah looked forward to God’s ending of Israel’s shame, and the coming of the Promised Redeemer (though, in God’s plan, the second event would follow the first only after a silence of some 400 years). In today’s text, Isaiah uses imagery to describe the conversion of Israel from gloom to joy. Isaiah compares the dispirited Jewish people to a woman who had thought she would never marry. But she suddenly has found a suitor! It’s Israel, the land of the Jews that the Lord proposes to marry, and, by extension, to make fertile. The prophecy’s goal has been to inspire the hopeless people to plant crops and make their desolate land fertile.   Now, the Lord God says through Isaiah, Israel will be able to hold up her head again among the other nations, who will see her vindication.

Second Reading, Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 explained: This reading is taken from the account of Paul’s first missionary journey, which began in Syria and took him to Antioch in Pisidia.  This is the first of the several speeches of St. Paul in which he tells   the Jews that the Christian Church is the logical development of Judaism.  When St. Paul delivered this speech, the Jews had 1800 years of history behind them. Paul takes advantage of their knowledge to show that the coming of Jesus was the fulfillment of all history.

Exegesis: The genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:1-17):  While Paul presents Jesus as  a descendent of David in our second reading, Matthew traces Jesus’ genealogy from Abraham. This genealogy not only shows Jesus’ human ancestry, but also indicates that salvation history has reached its climax with the birth of the Son of God through the working of the Holy Spirit. Though we often skip over these lists of names, the Gospel writers took great pains to compile the genealogies and to make several theological points in the process. Our Lord Jesus Christ was born of a line of ancestors whom Matthew arranges into three groups, of 14 patriarchs, 14 kings and 14 princes. The three groups are based on the three stages of Jewish history: i) the rise of Israel to a great kingdom by the time of David, ii) the fall of the nation at  the time of Babylonian exile and iii) the resurrection of the nation after the exile. Strangely enough, the list includes a number of disreputable characters, including three women of bad reputation: Tamar, Rahab and Bathsheba. Perhaps the Lord God included these women in His Son’s human genealogy to emphasize God’s grace, to give us all hope, and to show us that Jesus is sent to save sinners.  Thus, God’s powerful work of salvation comes to us under the appearance of weakness. From the beginning, Matthew’s account challenges our human expectations as to how God will fulfill our hopes for endless peace, justice, and righteousness. Luke’s account shows us another example of this kind of challenge. The royal child, heir to King David’s throne and bearer of wonderful titles, is born in poverty. He is laid in a manger because there is no room in the inn.

The three-step marriage:   Engagement, betrothal and marriage proper were the three stages of the Jewish marriage ceremony.   The engagement was often made through the parents when the couples were only children. The betrothal was the ratification of the engagement into which a couple had previously (been) entered.  It made the young man and woman husband-and- wife, — legally married, but without cohabitation and conjugal rights for one year. The third stage was the marriage proper, which took place at the end of the year of betrothal. It was during the betrothal period that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus. The essence of God’s story in Matthew is that, in the birth of Jesus, the Spirit of God was seen operating in the world as He had never done before.

Joseph the “father” of Jesus (Mt. 1:18-25): While Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the role of Mary, Matthew’s brings Joseph to the forefront.  Joseph is important to Matthew’s Gospel, because Jesus came from David’s lineage through Joseph (1:1-17).  The Davidic descent of Jesus is shown as both legal and natural. In other words, Jesus is  descended from Abraham and David not only by physical descent but also by God’s supernatural action. The Davidic descent of Jesus is transferred not through natural paternity but through legal paternity. Matthew carefully constructs verse 1:18 to avoid saying that Jesus was the son of Joseph. As Mary’s legal husband, Joseph became the legal father of Jesus. Later, by naming the child, Joseph acknowledged Him as his own. The legal father was on par with the biological father as regards rights and duties.  Since it was common practice for couples to marry within their clan, probably Mary also belonged to the house of David. Several early Church Fathers, including St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Irenaeus, St. Justin, and Tertullian, testify to this belief, basing their testimony on an unbroken oral tradition. Joseph is presented as a righteous man (v. 19), who chose to obey God’s command rather than to observe rigidly a law that would have required him to divorce Mary publicly.   He resolved to divorce Mary quietly in order that he might not cause her unnecessary pain.  In this resolution,  Joseph serves as a model of Christ-like compassion.  He also demonstrates a balance between the Law of Torah and the Law of Love. While Luke tells the story of the Archangel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), Matthew tells us only that the Child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

The Divine intervention through the angel: Luke tells us of Mary’s obedience (Luke 1:38), and   Matthew tells us of Joseph’s obedience.  This is the first of three occasions on which an angel appears to Joseph in a dream.  In each instance, the angel calls Joseph to action, and Joseph obeys. He is told   not to be afraid of his fiancée’s pregnancy, nor of the opinion of his neighbors, nor even of the requirement of the Torah that Mary be punished.  He is not to hesitate, but is to wed Mary. “She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Mary’s role is to bear a Son, and Joseph’s role is to name Him.  By naming Him, Joseph makes Jesus his Son and brings Him into the house of David.

Jesus the Savior as the fulfillment of prophecy: The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehosua, which means “YHWH is salvation.” Just as the first Joshua (successor of Moses), saved the Israelites from their enemies, the second Joshua (Jesus) will save them from their sins.  The Jews, however, did not expect a Messiah Who would save them from their sins, but one who would deliver them from their political oppressors. Matthew stresses the fact that the birth of Jesus as Savior is the fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah (7:14): “’Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall name him ‘Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.'” The fulfillment of the prophecy is important to Matthew’s first audience, Jewish converts, which is why Matthew mentions the fulfillment of eleven prophetic statements about Jesus in his Gospel.  The context of the verse taken from Isaiah is the dilemma of King Ahaz in the eighth century BC.  Jerusalem was under siege, and it appeared that both the city and the nation might be destroyed.  Isaiah’s prophecy was that a boy-child would be born and that, by the time he reached maturity, the threat from the enemy would have passed.  We do not know that boy’s identity, but the city and nation were both spared. Some scholars suggest that King Ahaz’s successor in Judah, King Hezekiah, who was faithful to the Lord God as his father had not been, was the partial fulfillment of this prophecy. “The Church  has always followed St. Matthew in seeing the transcendent fulfillment of this verse in Christ and His Virgin Mother,” declares the NAB note on this verse.

Emmanuel born of a Virgin: The NRSV correctly translates ho parthenos as “the virgin” rather than “a virgin.”  In other words, the original uses the definite article.  Isaiah referred to a young woman (almah), but Matthew’s ho parthenos clearly refers to a virgin.  That is why the Church has always taught Mary’s perpetual virginity. “‘They shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.'” In Hebrew, El is a short form of Elohim, a name for God.  Immanu-El, therefore, means “God with us,” a meaning which Matthew spells out for non-Hebrew readers.  Emmanuel is not a second name by which friends and neighbors will know Jesus.  “Jesus” is Our Lord’s true name, and   Emmanuel describes his role.  Thus, Matthew begins his Gospel with the promise that Jesus’ role-name means “God-with-us.”  He will end his Gospel with Jesus’ own promise that He will be with us “always, to the end of the age” (28:20).

Life messages: 1) We need to look for Jesus in unlikely places and persons.   During the Christmas season we, like the Magi, must give our most precious gift, our life, to Jesus.  We will learn to discover Him in the most unlikely places and in the most distasteful people –- in those who live in suffering or in distress,  in poverty, or in fear. The message of Christmas is that we can truly find Jesus if we look in the right places –- in the streets, in the slums, in the asylums, in the orphanages, in the nursing homes –- starting in our own homes, workplaces, and town. We need to look for Him in people that we might otherwise ignore: the homeless, the sick, the addicts, the unpleasant people, the rebels, or the people of different culture and lifestyle from us.  True Christmas is about celebrating the coming of God among the poor, the homeless, and the disadvantaged, with a message of hope and liberation for these sufferers in our world.  It is about our responsibility to be part of that liberating process.  It is about working to remove from our world the shameful blot of poverty, discrimination, and exploitation that is the lot of too many in our environment of prosperity. God challenges us to be like the shepherds who overcame their fear in order to seek out Jesus, or like the Wise Men who traveled a long distance to find Him. Then we will have the true experience of Christmas – the joy of the Savior.

2) We need to allow the Savior to be reborn in our lives.   Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius).   So, let us allow Him to be reborn in our lives during Christmas 2020 and every day of the New Year 2021. How should we prepare for Christ’s rebirth in our daily lives? As a first step, John the Baptist urges us to repent daily of our sins and to renew our lives by leveling the hills of pride and selfishness, by filling up the valleys of impurity, and by straightening the crooked paths of hatred. Our second step in preparing for Christ’s rebirth in our daily lives is to cultivate the spirit of sacrifice and humility.   It was by sacrifice that the shepherds of Bethlehem and the Magi were able to find the Savior. They were humble enough to see God in the Child in the manger.   We, too, can experience Jesus by sharing Him with others, just as God shared His Son with us.  Let us remember that the angels wished peace on earth only to those able to receive that peace, those “people of good will,” who possessed the good will and largeness of heart to share Jesus, our Savior, with others in love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness and humble service.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

1) A 4-year-old boy was asked to give the blessing before Christmas dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes– even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited–and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t He know that I’m lying?”

2)  Mrs. Oppenheimer decided to get away from the often inclement weather of New York and spend Christmas in the Deep South. Being unfamiliar with that part of the world she wandered into a “restricted” hotel and said “Hi. I’m Mrs. Oppenheimer and I’d like a room for the next week.” “I’m very sorry,’ said the manager, “but all our rooms are taken.”  Just as he said these words a customer came to the desk and unexpectedly checked out. “How lucky!” responded Mrs. Oppenheimer, “Now you have a room for me.” “Look, I’m very sorry,” said the manager, “but this is a restricted hotel. Jews are not allowed here.” “Jewish! Whaddya mean Jewish? I am a Catholic.” “That takes some believing,” said the manager. “Tell me, Who was the Son of God?” “Jesus.” she replied “Where was he born?” “In a stable in Bethlehem….. simply because some bigot like you wouldn’t rent a room to a Jew.”

3)  A family celebrated Christmas every year with a birthday party for Jesus. An extra chair of honor at the table became the family’s reminder of Jesus’ presence. A cake with candles, along with the singing of “Happy Birthday” expressed the family’s joy in Jesus’ presence. One year on Christmas afternoon a visitor to the home asked the five-year-old girl, “Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?” After a moment’s hesitation, she answered, “No, but it’s not my birthday, It’s Jesus’ birthday!”

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7a by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com)

 Midnight Mass: 1-page summary: Is 9:1-6; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 

Introduction: Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, which occurred some 2,000 years ago.  Looking through the telescope of Christ’s Resurrection, the New Testament authors, as well as the Fathers of the Church, reexamined foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, in the writings of the prophets, and they identified Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.

Scripture readings: Following the death of the Assyrian monarch in the late 8^th century B.C., the Lord God, through  His prophet Isaiah, promises relief for both the northern and the southern kingdoms of Israel through a new king and his descendant in the line of David, in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the child Isaiah’s prophesy calls the “prince of peace.” “Sing to the Lord a new song!” the Psalmist urges us in the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 96). The second reading, taken from the “pastoral letter” of Paul to Titus, tells us that it is only by the saving power of God in Christ that we are enabled to live virtuously in the present with hope for the future.  The Gospel for the midnight Mass tells us how Jesus was born in Bethlehem and how the news of His birth was first announced to shepherds by the angels.  Since David was a shepherd, it seems fitting that the shepherds were given the privilege of visiting David’s successor in the stable. Further,  since shepherds cared year-round for the Temple sheep and lambs meant for daily sacrifice in the Temple of Jerusalem, how suitable it is that shepherds were the first to see the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!

Life messages: We need to reserve a room for Jesus in our heart: Christmas asks us a tough question. Do we close the doors of our hearts to Jesus Who is looking for a place to be reborn in our lives? There is no point in being sentimental about the doors slammed by the folk in Bethlehem, if there is no room in our own hearts for the same Jesus coming in the form of the needy.  We need to reverence each human life, and to treat others respectfully as the living residences of the Incarnate God.  To neglect the old, to be contemptuous of the poor, or to have no thought for the unemployed and the lonely, is to ignore those individuals with whom Christ has so closely identified Himself.  Hence, we all need to examine ourselves daily on the doors we close to Jesus.

2) We need to experience Jesus as Emmanuel: Actually, the  real meaning of Christmas is Emmanuel, God-with-us – God coming down to us; God seeking us out;  God coming alongside us; God revealing Himself to us; God bringing us forgiveness, healing, comfort, moral strength, and   guidance — God dwelling within us. Each one of us has, deep down in our soul, an incredible hunger: a hunger for purpose and meaning; a hunger to feel and celebrate the redeeming, forgiving, sustaining love of God; a hunger to be in the presence of God. Christmas is special because it reminds us concretely that God is, indeed, with us. In every circumstance of life, even when we are frightened or lonely or in sorrow, God is with us. So, let’s go home to the heart of Christmas and embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT: Full text:  Is 9:1-6; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 

Homily starter anecdote: 1) “Don’t go! You can have my room.” Nine-year-old Wally was in second grade when most children his age were fourth graders. He was big for his years, a clumsy fellow, a slow learner. But Wally was a hopeful, willing, smiling lad, a natural defender of the underdog, and he was well-liked by his classmates. His parents encouraged him to audition for the annual parish Christmas play. Wally wanted to be a shepherd. Instead, he was given the role of the innkeeper. The director reasoned that Wally’s size would lend extra force to the innkeeper’s refusal of lodging to Joseph. During rehearsals, Wally was instructed to be firm with Joseph. When the play opened, no one was more caught up in the action than Wally. And when Joseph knocked on the door of the inn, Wally was ready. He flung the door open and asked menacingly, “What do you want?” “We seek lodging,” Joseph replied. “Seek it elsewhere,” Wally said in a firm voice. “There’s no room in the inn.” “Please, good innkeeper,” Joseph pleaded, “this is my wife, Mary. She is with child and is very tired. She needs a place to rest.” There was a long pause as Wally looked down at Mary. The prompter whispered Wally’s next line: “No! Be gone!” Wally remained silent. Then the forlorn couple turned and began to slowly move away. Seeing this, Wally’s brow creased with concern. Tears welled up in his eyes. Suddenly, he called out, “Don’t go! You can have my room.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 Introduction: The season of Advent is past, and the period of anticipation is complete.  Now it is time to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, which occurred some 2,000 years ago.  Looking through the telescope of Christ’s Resurrection, the New Testament authors, as well as the Fathers of the Church, reexamined the writings of the prophets to discover foreshadowings of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.  Today’s first reading is one of these, taken from one of the greatest of the prophets, Isaiah. “Sing to the Lord a new song!” the Psalmist urges us in the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 96).  The second reading, taken from the “pastoral letter” of Paul to Titus, tells us that it is only by the saving power of God in Christ that we are enabled to live virtuously in the present with hope for the future.  The Gospel for the midnight Mass tells us how Jesus was born in Bethlehem and how the news of his birth was first announced to shepherds by the angels.

First reading, Isaiah 9:1-6, explained: In the late eighth century BC, God’s people in the Promised Land had become divided into a northern kingdom, Israel, and a southern kingdom, Judah.  Assyria was the dominant power in the region, particularly oppressing the northern kingdom.  In the eighth century BC, the source of the “darkness” was the Assyrian invasion under Tiglath-Pilesar III.  But following the death of the Assyrian monarch, the prophet declares that in the darkness, Light has shone!  Hope for endless peace, justice, and righteousness has been kindled and burns brightly.  Isaiah prophesies relief for both northern and southern kingdoms in the person of the new king who will come to the throne in the southern kingdom, Judah, and will see to the reunion of the north and south and the expulsion of the Assyrians from the north.  The king whom Israel saw as fulfilling the prophecy is, interestingly, Hezekiah, the successor of King Ahaz.  So “the people once in darkness” are the dwellers in Israel oppressed by Assyria.  The “child/son born to us” is the new king in Jerusalem in Judah.  Hezekiah inherited the throne of David whose glorious reign, roughly four centuries earlier, was still the source of national pride and hope. Some 2700 years later, we see Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God and Son of David, the Redeemer and Savior of the world, as the final fulfillment of the prophecy of this promised King.

Today’s passage in Isaiah 9 completes a prophecy begun in Isaiah 8:1.  In spite of all the doom and gloom that surround Israel and the evil that darkness portends, there will eventually be Light and restoration for Israel.  The yoke and bar, (verse 4), represent enslavement and oppression.  Those will be cast off vigorously as in the days of Gideon and the Midianites (Jgs 8:10-12; Ps 83:9-11).  The prophecy concludes with the now-famous words: “For a child has been born for us, a son given for us…..”  What follows is a description of the yet-to-be-realized Kingdom of Christ (verse 6).  Notice the many titles given to the coming child: Wonderful Counselor — counsel, as in advice; Mighty God — an image of power and majesty; Everlasting Father — one Who will not diminish, expire, or fade away: an eternal relationship of nurture and trust; Prince of Peace — not war-like, but reconciling.

Second Reading, Titus 2:11-14:  The books of Titus and 1^st and 2^nd Timothy are called “pastoral letters” because they are instructions to the pastors dealing with Church life and practices.  This reading is an interesting choice for Christmas Midnight Mass because it focuses on the other coming of Jesus, at the end of time, and on the changes that we are called to make in our lives.  It reminds us that we are enabled to live virtuously in the present with hope for the future by the saving power of God in Christ.  The theological plainness and moral starkness of this letter make it a worthy counterpoint to the sentimentality that dominates Christmas.

Exegesis: The origin of the Christmas celebration: Many scholars believe that Christmas came to be placed on December 25^th in order to counteract a pagan celebration called the Birth of the Unconquered Sun, a feast established by the Roman Emperor, Aurelian, in AD 274.  Since December 25^th was near the date of the winter solstice (the year’s shortest day, after which the days begin to lengthen again, showing the victory of the sun over darkness), it was chosen as the date of rejoicing.  When Christianity was approved as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Church chose this day to celebrate the birth of the true Sun – the Son of God Who conquers the power of darkness.  Another theory gives Biblical support for celebrating Christmas on the 25^th of December.  It claims that the Annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah occurred during the feast of Yom Kippur, around September 25^th, placing the birth of John after nine months on June 25^th.  Since the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth is in the sixth month of her pregnancy, the Annunciation event and the conception of Jesus took place around March 25^th, leading to Jesus’ birth after nine months, around December 25^th.

The Christmas event: While Matthew places the birth of Jesus against the background of Herod’s reign, Luke places it against the background of the Roman Empire.  It is generally accepted that Jesus was born in 4 B.C.  Luke begins by making a subtle contrast between Caesar Augustus who failed as an inaugurator of peace, and Jesus the Savior and bringer of peace.  Both Tertullian and Justin Martyr (c. 165) state that in their time the records of the 4 B.C. census still existed along with those of 28 B.C., 8 B.C. and 14 A.D.  In the Roman Empire, a census was taken periodically with the double object of assessing taxation and of discovering those who were subject to compulsory military service.  Another hidden aim was to find out the true descendants of King David who had a claim to the throne as the king of the Jews.  Luke’s purpose in mentioning the census was to provide God’s reason for, and means of, getting Mary and Joseph the roughly eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David, wherein the promised heir of David was to be born, as prophesied by Micah (5:1).  Bethlehem was commonly thought of as the city of David because of David’s birth and childhood there. Since travelers brought their own food, the innkeeper provided only fodder for the animals and a fire for cooking along with a spot to sleep within his walls.  A manger is a feeding trough (food box), and it symbolizes the sacrificial meal that Jesus becomes, which provides sustenance for the whole world. Father Raymond Brown in his masterful book on the Infancy Narratives says that these stories are theologumena, not so much literal history as stories with a theological point – the other gratuitous and revolutionary impact of Jesus’ birth, life, and death. The important thing to remember is that they are stories of God’s love and Jesus’ role in history and that’s what counts, not historical details.

 The first visitors:  Since David was a shepherd, it seems fitting that the shepherds were given the privilege of visiting David’s successor in the stable. The Temple sheep and lambs, were meant for daily sacrifice in the Temple of Jerusalem,  were under the care of shepherds year-round. How suitable, then, that despised shepherds were the first to see the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!  Shepherding was a lonely, dirty job, and shepherds found it difficult to follow all the obligatory religious customs.  Hence, they were scorned as non-observant Jews.  So Baby Jesus selected these marginalized people to share His love at the beginning of his earthly ministry.  The shepherds expressed their joy and gratitude by “making known what had been told them” (v. 17).  Just as very ordinary people would later become witnesses to the Resurrection, very ordinary shepherds became witnesses to the Incarnation.  Other than the angels, they were the first to proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ birth.  Once we have been privileged to experience God’s presence, we, too, have the responsibility and the privilege of sharing that experience with other people – of spreading the word – of proclaiming the Gospel.

Good News of great joy: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is the Messiah, the Lord.’”  Perhaps because Luke was a Gentile convert, he establishes at the beginning of this Gospel that Jesus is for all the people — not just for the people of Israel:  “… a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (v. 11).  The Romans thought of Augustus as savior.  However, Augustus’ peace was fragile.  After his death, other men would assume power — men like Nero and Caligula whose names would be synonymous with treachery and cruelty.  The angels introduced a different kind of Savior — a Savior who would continue His saving work throughout human history.  The Savior of the First Century is also the Savior of the Twenty-first Century.  The Savior of Israel is also the Savior of the World.

 

Glory to God and peace on earth: The angels welcomed Jesus’ birth singing: “Glory to God in the highest heaven” (v. 14).  Later, the crowds would welcome Jesus to Jerusalem, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38 (RSV 2 Catholic). That peace is the shalom of God – the life of grace experienced in all its fullness, richness, and completeness, in accord with the will of God.  The angelic song conveys the message that true peace on earth is available only to those able to receive it, that is with the good will to do the will of God, and thus to give Him glory.

Christmas is not just one day, but a season which lasts for twelve days, concluding on Epiphany (Twelfth Night). The extension of the feast should remind us to continue to share our joy at the comings of the Messiah – the first some 2000 years ago, the last at our death or at the Parousia, the “Second coming,” for which we all pray  at Mass (Eucharistic acclamation – “We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, and profess Your Resurrection, until You come again”), and all those occurring between the two, as we live our daily lives.  As we celebrate the Incarnation of the Word of God this Christmas, we might make a conscious effort both to remember that Jesus is always with us in our hearts and in the Eucharist and to share our joy in His presence with others.

Life messages: 1) We need to reserve a room for Jesus in our heart: Christmas asks us a tough question. Do we close the doors of our hearts to Jesus looking for a place to be reborn in our lives? There is no point in being sentimental about the doors slammed by the folk in Bethlehem, if there is no room in our own hearts for the same Jesus coming in the form of the needy.  We need to reverence each human life and to treat others respectfully as the living residences of the incarnate God.  To neglect the old, to be contemptuous of the poor or to have no thought for the unemployed and the lonely is to ignore those individuals with whom Christ has so closely identified Himself.  Hence, we all need to examine ourselves daily on the doors we close to Jesus.

2) We need to experience Jesus the Emmanuel: The real meaning of Christmas actually is Emmanuel, God-with-us – God coming down to us; God seeking us out;  God coming alongside us; God revealing Himself to us; God bringing us forgiveness, healing, comfort, moral strength, guidance; — God dwelling within us. Each one of us has, deep down in our souls, an incredible hunger: a hunger for purpose and meaning; a hunger to feel and celebrate the redeeming, forgiving, sustaining love of God; a hunger to be in the presence of God. Christmas is special because it reminds us concretely that God is indeed with us. In every circumstance of life, even, perhaps especially, when we are frightened or lonely or in sorrow, God is with us. So, let’s go home to the heart of Christmas and embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

JOKES OF THE WEEK

1) A few days before Christmas, two young brothers were spending the night at their grandparent’s house.  When it was time to go to bed, anxious to do the right thing, they both knelt down to say their prayers. Suddenly, the younger one began to do so in a very loud voice. “Dear Lord, please ask Santa Claus to bring me a play-station, a mountain-bike and a telescope.”             His older brother leaned over and nudged his brother and said, “Why are you shouting your prayers?  God isn’t deaf.”   “I know,” he replied.  “But Grandma is!”

2) The 3 stages of man: a) He believes in Santa Claus.
b) He doesn’t believe in Santa Claus.
c) He becomes Santa Claus.

3) A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He noticed a young man who showed up in the Church for Christmas and Easter as Poinsettias and Easter Lilies do.  He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. Pastor said, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” My friend said, “I’m already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned, “How come I don’t see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I’m in the Secret Service.”

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7b by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com)

Christmas Dawn Holy Mass (Lk 2:15-20)- One-page summary

Introduction: The main theme of this Mass at dawn is an invitation to savor, by a life of sharing love, the lasting peace and celestial joy brought by the Divine Savior.  St. John gives the main reason for our Christmas joy in his Gospel (3:16): “For God loved so loved  the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (RSV 2 Catholic) God showed His love for sinful man by sharing His love with us in His Son, Incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus,  in turn, saved us by His suffering, death and Resurrection.

Scripture lessons: In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah shows the Jews that their God is a saving God Who will extend His redemption to His holy city. In the second reading, St. Paul tells Titus that God saves us through His Son Jesus, not because we have deserved it by our good deeds, but because of His mercy. Jesus continues His saving mission by allowing us to be reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, thus enabling us to become God’s children and heirs of eternal life.  Describing the response of the shepherds to the angelic message, today’s Gospel invites us to offer ourselves as a gift to Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and to bear witness to Him through our lives, by sharing His love with others.

Life messages: 1) We need to be Christ-bearers and Christ-givers:  Since it is Jesus Who gives real meaning to our celebrations, Jesus must be reborn in us each time we celebrate Christmas.   Hence, let us leave “room in the inn” of our hearts for Jesus to be reborn in our lives. Let us remember the famous lines of  St. Augustine, quoted by Meister Eckhart: “What do I profit if Jesus is born in thousands of cribs all over the world during this Christmas, if He is not born in my heart?”  So let us pray for the grace of Jesus’ birth in each one of us today, bringing us love, mercy, kindness, and compassion to give away.  Let us help all those around us to experience the newborn Savior – Jesus within us – as sharing love, in the form of compassionate words, unconditional love and forgiveness, selfless service, merciful deeds, and overflowing generosity.

2) We need to listen to God speaking to us every day and to respond promptly, as the shepherds did: There isn’t one of us in this Church this morning who hasn’t had God speak to him or her in some personal way. It may not have happened as dramatically as it did to these shepherds, but God has indeed spoken to our soul and spirit. Too often, however, we have chosen not to listen. Have we ever had an argument with a member of our family, heard that inner voice deep down within us telling us to stop, and we knew we should stop? Have we ever had that same inner sense of knowing we needed to do something or to avoid doing something? That was the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us, the Spirit sent to us by the Father at the request of Jesus our Savior. Whether or not we chose to listen in those cases really isn’t the point. The point is that God has indeed spoken to us, and He continues to speak to us right now. How are we going to respond? Will we respond as Mary did, as the shepherds did and as the magi did? Or not?

MASS AT DAWN ON CHRISTMAS: Full text: Is 62:11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20

(The theme: The joy and peace of the Savior through sharing love)

 Homily Starter Anecdote:  Sharing the sorrow of chemotherapy: An 11-year-old boy with cancer lost all the hair on his head as a result of chemotherapy.  When the time came for him to return to school, he and his parents experimented with hats, wigs, and bandanas to try to conceal his baldness.  They finally settled on a baseball cap, but the boy still feared the taunts he would receive for looking “different.”  Mustering up courage, he went to school wearing his cap – and discovered to his great surprise that all of his friends had shaved their heads to share their solidarity with their friend.   It was their way of expressing their love and sympathy. No wonder God became man to express His love for mankind! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction: The main theme of this Mass at dawn is an invitation to savor, by a life of sharing love, the lasting peace and celestial joy brought by the Divine Savior.  St. John gives the main reason for our Christmas joy in his Gospel (3:16): “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son,  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”(RSV 2 Catholic). God showed His love for sinful man by sharing with us His only begotten Son, Incarnate as Jesus and born in Bethlehem. Jesus, in turn, saved us by His suffering, death and Resurrection. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah shows the Jews their God as a saving God Who will extend His redemption to His holy city.  The  Refrain for the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 97) reminds us,  “A Light will shine on us this day: The Lord is born for us!” In the second reading, St. Paul tells Titus that God saves us through His Son Jesus, not because we have deserved it by our good deeds, but because of His mercy. Jesus continues His saving mission by allowing us to be reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, thus enabling us to become God’s children and heirs of everlasting life.  Describing the response of the shepherds to the angelic message, today’s Gospel invites us to offer ourselves as a gift to Jesus, our Lord and Savior and to bear witness to Him through our lives, by sharing His love with others.

First reading, Isaiah 62:11-12: Around 600 BC, the Babylonians took the Jews out of the Promised Land and kept them in exile (the Babylonian Captivity), for about 70 years. When Cyrus, the new  Persian emperor and God’s chosen instrument, conquered Babylon,  by God’s inspiration,  he sent the Jews home. This reading is set in that troubled period, when Judah was trying to put herself back together after returning from Exile. Daughter Zion means (the people of) the city Jerusalem. This was Judah’s capital, in the center of which stands Mount Zion where the Temple had been built. The gist of this short passage is that the people should keep up their spirits because soon they and their city will enjoy prosperity and international renown again, and their city will frequently be visited by tourists instead of remaining a ghost city. In other words, God’s own people will experience the saving and providing love of their God.

Second Reading, Titus 3:4-7: This passage is classic Pauline teaching, showing us that God saves us by incorporating us into Christ, which is the real cause of Christian, and Christmas, joy. Among the congregation served by the early bishop Titus were Christians who believed they had to practice the laws of Judaism and to impose those laws on pagan converts to Christ. Paul reminds them that God saved us “not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of His mercy.” In other words, law-driven righteous deeds don’t win our salvation; God gives it to us freely. We accept that gift by taking the bath of rebirth, Baptism, during which the Spirit is richly poured out on us. This, not our observance of laws, makes us justified (right with God) and gives us a starting place for living the Christian life from which our good works will flow; it is this “justification” which gives us the hope of eternal life.

Gospel exegesis: The shepherds — the first visitors and the first missionaries: The orthodox Jews in Jesus’ time despised the shepherds because these men were quite unable to observe the ceremonial laws in all their details. In addition, shepherds had no spare time to take part in synagogue services nor to study Torah because shepherding was a full-time job. Further,  shepherds  were the ones charged with the year-round care and nurture of the Temple sheep which were set aside for the daily morning and evening sacrifice of unblemished lambs. Fittingly, the Infant Jesus chose to share His love on Christmas day with shepherds, for Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The chosen  shepherds responded to this great privilege by bearing witness to God, praising Him and spreading the news of the birth of a Savior. “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.” Christmas, the feast of Emmanuel – God is with us – challenges us to be like the shepherds who overcame fear to find Him, or like the Magi who traveled and searched for Him. We should have the generosity and good will to search for Him and find Him in unlikely places and persons. That is made possible for us only if we welcome Jesus of Bethlehem into our lives by allowing Him to be reborn in us. Then we will have the real experience of Christmas – and the joy of the Savior.

 The angelic choir and their angelic message: Normally when a boy was born into a Jewish family, the local musicians congregated at the house to greet him with country music. Since Jesus was born in a stable, the angels sang the songs for Jesus that the earthly singers could not sing. The angel told the shepherds to rejoice because the Savior had come:  “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior Who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11; RSV 2 Catholic). We rejoice today with those shepherds because we have a Savior who can free us from the bondage of sin.   We have a Savior who liberates us from our slavery to impure, unjust, and uncharitable thoughts, desires, and habits.   We have a Savior Who can, and will, release us from our evil addictions, heal our physical and mental diseases, and free us from hatred, enmity, jealousy, and bitterness.

Saviors and the Savior:  History tells us that there has been no shortage of false liberators and pseudo-saviors, who have deceived generations of people all around the world.   The Greek philosophers believed that education and knowledge would liberate the world.   Later, rationalists like Voltaire and Rousseau taught that mere human reason, alone, provided an antidote for all human ills.   Revolutionary movements, such as Communism, have offered mankind the dream of an earthly paradise.   Today, many people   advocate science as the solution for all human problems, while others turn to liquor, drugs, or other pleasures to escape their troubles.   Our century has witnessed the uncontrolled use of sex as a false liberating instrument, and has turned to Eastern mystical experiences and modern psychological techniques as routes to peace of mind and heart.   Despite the claims of these various panaceas, however, the true remedy for our ills, as every Christmas reminds us, is Jesus, our Divine Savior Who, alone, can give us both true liberation and lasting peace and joy.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.” Christmas gives us the message of lasting peace, which we can possess only by sharing our blessings with others.  This is the message contained in the celestial song of the angels, reported in Luke’s Gospel:   “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will.”   Christmas reminds us that God shared His Love by giving us His Son.  We respond to His love joyfully by using our health, wealth, talents, and blessings for Him as He dwells in everyone we encounter. Just as Jesus shared His love with the poor shepherds and the humble Magi, we, too, are called to share our love with the less fortunate people around us. Sharing with love is the sign that one has the “good will” of which the angel spoke. The peace of Christmas is promised only to such large-hearted people, for only they are able to receive it.

 Life messages: 1) We need to become Christ-bearers and Christ-givers:  Since it is Jesus Who gives real meaning to our celebrations, Jesus must be reborn in us each time we celebrate Christmas.   Hence, let us leave “room in the inn” of our hearts for Jesus to be reborn in our lives. Let us remember the famous lines of Saint Augustine, quoted by Meister Eckhart: “What do I profit if Jesus is born in thousands of cribs all over the world during this Christmas, if He is not born in my heart?”  So let us pray for the grace of Jesus’ birth in each one of us today, bringing us love, mercy, kindness, and compassion to give away.  Let us help all those around us to experience the newborn Savior – Jesus within us – as sharing love in the form of compassionate words, unconditional forgiveness, selfless service, merciful deeds, and overflowing generosity.

2) We need to listen to God speaking to us every day and to respond promptly, as the shepherds did: There isn’t one of us in this Church this morning who hasn’t had God speak to him or her in some personal way. It may not have happened as dramatically as it did to these shepherds, but God has indeed spoken to our soul and spirit. Too often, however, we have chosen not to listen. Have we ever had an argument with a member of our family, heard that voice deep down within us telling us to stop, and we knew we should stop? Have we ever had that same inner sense of knowing we needed to do something or to avoid doing something? That was the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us, the Spirit sent to us by the Father at the request of Jesus our Savior. Whether or not we chose to listen in those cases really isn’t the point. The point is that God has indeed spoken to us, and He continues to speak to us right now. How are we going to respond? Will we respond as Mary did, as the shepherds did and as the magi did? Or not?

JOKE OF THE DAY

• A four-year-old girl went with a group of family and friends to see the Christmas lights, displayed at various locations throughout the city. At one Church, they stopped and got out to look more closely at a beautiful nativity scene. “Isn’t that beautiful?” said the little girl’s grandmother. “Look at all the animals, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.” “Yes, Grandma,” replied the granddaughter. “It is really nice. But there is only one thing that bothers me. Isn’t Baby Jesus ever going to grow up…? He’s the same size he was last year!”
• Some children were asked what love is. The responses were quite interesting and instructive for us adults. One said, “Love is when my mommy makes a cup of coffee for my daddy and takes a little taste before she gives it to him to make sure it tastes okay.” Another said, “Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you’ve left him alone all day.” Another response was, “You really shouldn’t say, ’I love you’ unless you really mean it, but if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” One boy said, “When someone loves you, the way they call your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” And finally, seven-year-old Bobby said, “Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.”
• Typical of last-minute Christmas shoppers, a mother was running frantically from store to store. Suddenly she became aware that the pudgy little hand of her three-year-old son was no longer clutched in hers. In a panic, she retraced her steps and found him standing with his little nose pressed flat against a frosty window. He was gazing at a manger scene. Hearing his mother’s near hysterical call, he turned and shouted with innocent glee, “Look Mommy! It’s Jesus – Baby Jesus in the hay!” With obvious indifference to his joy and wonder, she impatiently jerked him away saying, “We don’t have time for that!”

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7c by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com

Christmas Day Holy Mass: (Jn 1:1-18) One- page summary

Introduction: While Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus goes back to Abraham and Luke’s genealogy to Adam, John’s genealogy goes back to God Himself. John travels to eternity to reveal to us the theology of Christmas. He presents the Creation story as the framework for announcing the Incarnation. Viewing Jesus’ birth from God’s perspective, he clarifies the truth that Incarnation of God to save mankind was the Divine intention from the very beginning, from before the moment of Creation.  While the synoptic Gospel selections for the Vigil, Midnight and Dawn Masses describe the history of Christmas and Jesus’ infancy narratives, the selection from John’s Gospel for this Daytime Mass lifts us out of history into the realm of mystery—His wonderful Name is the Word. The reading tells us that the Baby in the manger is the Word of God, the very Self-expression of God.

Scripture lessons: The first reading gives us the assurance that, just as Yahweh restored His Chosen People to their homeland after the Babylonian exile, Jesus, the Savior, will restore mankind to the Kingdom of God. In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 98), the Psalmist reminds us that the Kingdom includes everyone, not just the Chosen People, singing, “All the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation by our God!”  In the second reading, St. Paul tells us how God, Who had conveyed  His words to us in the past through His prophets, has now sent His own Son so that He might  demonstrate to us humans, by His life, death and Resurrection the real nature of our God.  John’s Gospel gives us a profoundly philosophical and theological vision of Christ, the result of John’s years of preaching and of meditating on this wondrous mystery of God’s love. John presents Jesus as the “Word of God.” In Jewish thought, this phrase describes God taking action as in His act of creation of the world. The Greeks understood “logos,” or the Word of God, as an intermediary between God and humanity. In Biblical Christian theology, the word Logos came to be equated with the Second Person of the Trinity.  While stressing the Divinity of Christ, John leaves no doubt as to the reality of Jesus’ human nature.  In the Prologue of his Gospel, John introduces the birth of Jesus as the dawning of the Light Who will remove the darkness of evil from the world. He records later in his Gospel why light is the perfect symbol of Christmas:  Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” (Jn 8:12) and “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:14-16). John tells us that God pitched His tent among us, meaning that God makes his home with us, He accompanies us, He lives with us, He shares our joys and our struggles, He eats with us, He becomes a meal for us in the Eucharist. The God who “pitched His tent” among us in Bethlehem and continues to live with each of us in our home, our apartment, our religious community, or our retirement home, and continues to dwell within us. That is why we rejoice, celebrating Christmas. A student came to a rabbi and said, ‘In the olden days there were people who saw the face of God. Why don’t they anymore?’ The rabbi replied, ‘Because nowadays no one can stoop that low.’ God keeps company with us. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and Truth.” (Jn 1:14; RSV 2 Catholic).

 Life messages: 1) A day to remember and a day to wait for:  Today, while we remember and celebrate God’s first coming into our world in human form, we also look forward, because the liturgy we celebrate reminds us that the Lord is going to return in his Second Coming.  The liturgy calls on us to prepare His way, to be ready to be judged by Him.  In addition to these two “comings,” the Church teaches us that Christ comes to us every day through the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Bible and the worshipping community. We are asked to inaugurate Christ’s Kingdom in our lives by allowing Him to be born in us, by recognizing Him in others and by courageously going forth to build His Kingdom of love, justice, peace and holiness in our world. 2) We need to remember that there is no room in the manger except for Jesus and us: There isn’t room in the manger for all the baggage we carry around with us.  There’s no room for our pious pride and self-righteousness.  There’s no room for our human power and prestige.  There’s no room for the baggage of past failure and unforgiven sin.  There’s no room for our prejudice, bigotry and jingoistic national pride.  There’s no room for bitterness and greed.  There is no room in the manger for anything other than the absolute reality of who and what we really are: very human, very real, very fragile, very vulnerable beings who desperately need the gifts of love and grace which God so lavishly gives us through the Sacraments, through the Holy Bible and during our prayers.

CHRISTMAS DAY (Full text): Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14  

Homily starter anecdotes: 1) A vision test: Once there was a Rabbi who asked his disciples the following question:  “How do you know when the darkness has been overcome, when the dawn has arrived?”  One of the disciples answered, “When you can look into the distance and tell the difference between a cow and a deer, then you know dawn has arrived.”  “Close,” the Rabbi responded, “but not quite.”  Another disciple ventured a response, “When you can look into the distance and distinguish a peach blossom from an apple blossom, then you know that the darkness has been overcome.”  “Not bad,” the Rabbi said, “not bad! But the correct answer is slightly different.  When you can look on the face of any man or any woman and know immediately that this is God’s child and your brother or sister, then you know that the darkness has been overcome, that the Daystar has appeared.”  This Christmas morning when we celebrate the victory of Light over darkness, the Gospel of John introduces Jesus as the true Light Who came from Heaven into our world of darkness to give us clear vision. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all:  Eight-year-old Benny died of AIDS in 1987. CBS made a movie drama about the trauma called Moving Toward the Light. As Benny lies dying in his mother’s arms, he asks, “What will it be like?” His mother whispers softly in his ear, “You will see a light, Benny, far away — a beautiful, shining light at the end of a long tunnel. And your spirit will lift you out of your body and start to travel toward the light. And as you go, a veil will be lifted from your eyes, and suddenly, you will see everything … but most of all, you will feel a tremendous sense of love.” “Will it take long?” Benny asks. “No,” his mother answers, “not long at all. Like the twinkling of an eye.” Many families have been devastated by AIDS. Amid the darkness and despair an eight-year-old boy and his mother witnessed to the sustaining power of the Light of God’s presence. They have touched the lives of a multitude of people. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is Light and in Him, is no darkness at all” – (1 John 1:5) (RSV 2 Catholic)(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) Jesus pitched his tent among us: The custom of placing lighted candles in the windows at Christmas was brought to America by the Irish. When religion was suppressed throughout Ireland during the persecution by the Protestant English, the people had no Churches. Priests hid in the forests and caves and secretly visited the farms and homes to say Mass there during the night. It was the dearest wish of every Irish family that at least once in their lifetime a priest would arrive at Christmas to celebrate Mass. For this grace they hoped and prayed all through the year. When Christmas came, they left their doors unlocked and placed burning candles in the windows, so that any priest who happened to be in the vicinity could be welcomed and guided to their home through the dark night. Silently the priest would enter through the unlatched door and be received by the devout inhabitants with fervent prayers of gratitude and tears of happiness that their home was to become a Church for Christmas. To justify this practice in the eyes of the English soldiers, the Irish people explained that they burned the candles and kept the doors unlocked so that Mary and Joseph, looking for a place to stay, would find their way to their home and be welcomed with open hearts. The candles in the windows have always remained a cherished practice of the Irish, although many of them have long since forgotten the earlier meaning. (William Barker in Tarbell’s Teacher’s Guide; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction: While Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus goes back to Abraham, the father of God’s people, and Luke’s genealogy of Jesus’ ancestry goes all the way back to Adam, thus embracing the whole human race, John’s goes back to God Himself. John is the only Gospel writer who does not stop at Bethlehem to explain the “reason for the season.” John is more concerned with the WHY and WHO of Christmas than with the WHERE of Christmas. So he travels to eternity to reveal the Person of Jesus Christ. This is a great passage because it gives us the theology of Christmas. While the Gospel selections for the Vigil, Midnight, and Dawn Masses describe the history of Christmas, the selection from John’s Gospel for this Daytime Mass lifts us out of history into the realm of Mystery—His wonderful Name is the Word. The reading tells us that the Baby in the manger is the Word of God, the very Self-expression of God. He was present at creation; He is actually the One through Whom all things were made. The Prologue to the Gospel of John and the prologue to the Letter to the Hebrews in the second reading are superb affirmations of the Person of Jesus Christ, expressed in beautiful theological words and metaphors.  The first reading gives us the assurance that just as Yahweh restored His chosen people to their homeland after the Babylonian exile, Jesus the Savior will restore mankind to the kingdom of God.  In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 98), the Psalmist reminds us that the Kingdom includes everyone, not just the Chosen People, singing, “All the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation by our God!” In the second reading, St. Paul tells us how God Who conveyed His words to us in the past through His prophets has sent His own Son so that He might  demonstrate to us humans, by His life, death and Resurrection, the real nature of our God.  John’s Gospel gives a profoundly theological vision of Christ, the result of John’s years of preaching and of meditating on this wondrous mystery of God’s love. While stressing the Divinity of Christ, he leaves no doubt as to the reality of Christ’s human nature.  In the Prologue of his Gospel, John introduces the birth of Jesus as the dawning of the Light Who will remove the darkness of evil from the world. He records later in his Gospel why Light is the perfect symbol of Christmas:  Jesus said “I am the Light of the world,” (Jn 8:12) and “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:14-16).

First reading, Isaiah 52:7-10: This prophetic passage dates from the return of the Jews to their homeland at the end of the Babylonian Captivity.  The setting is the desolate city, Jerusalem, awaiting the return of the exiles from Babylon.  The city is personified; rhetorically, it is called “Zion,” after the hill in its midst where the Temple stood.  Isaiah first imagines that the city can hear, even at a distance, the footsteps of her returning children.  The returnees are pictured as singing exultantly, “Your God is King!”  Then Jerusalem’s sentinels raise the cry of recognition and join in the praise of God.  Finally, the joyful people declare that all the earth will recognize the hand of God at work in their restoration.  This return to Jerusalem, like the Exodus from Egypt centuries earlier, was a type or a foreshadowing of the greater redemption that was to come through Jesus the Messiah.  The re-possession of the land of Canaan for a few years and the restoring of Jerusalem and Judah were but pale shadows of the great restoration and the possession of our eternal promised land which were to be given by the Messiah in the days to come, not only to Israel but to all nations. “Today’s feast celebrates the Christ-event. In fact, the glad tidings of the Deutero-Isaiahan messenger were only fully actualized, only fully heard and made comprehensible in the event of Jesus Christ. In the event of the Incarnation, Yahweh truly returns and restores Jerusalem; in the event of the Nativity, Yahweh draws near to comfort and console his people. In the event of Christ-made-flesh, God’s message of salvation achieves its utmost clarity.” (Celebration).

Second Reading, Hebrews 1:1-6: The addressees of the Letter to the Hebrews were Christian Jews who were beginning to feel the pain of separation from their fellow-Jews who had refused to see Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.  The Christian Jews needed to be reminded that their relationship with Jesus more than filled the gaps in their religious lives caused by the loss of Temple ritual and the like, particularly as they were suffering the temptation to change back to the old Law and the Jewish religion because of persecution from Judaizers. In the Letter to the Hebrews, St. Paul explains to them how superior the New Covenant is to the old.  The letter begins with a comparison of how God formerly spoke to their ancestors and how God has now definitively spoken to them through Jesus.  These six verses from the Letter’s first chapter were chosen for today’s reading because of the clear, definite and emphatic declaration of the Divinity of Christ and His equality with God, which they contain.  Paul asserts that the Baby who was born in a stable in Bethlehem, lived and died in Palestine, rose on the third day from the grave and ascended to Heaven forty days later, was also God, equal to the Father in all things.  This is a mystery beyond our human comprehension, yet it is a fact, stated by Christ Himself, believed and preached by the Apostles,  and accepted by the Church for two thousand years.  The whole reading is about the superiority of Jesus to everything and everyone else and the superiority of Jesus, Who IS God’s final Self-Revelation to all mankind forever, to the Old Testament Revelation of God to His Chosen People.    Specifically, the reading  declares that Jesus is superior to angels.  That Jesus is also, necessarily, superior to the institutions of Judaism, from which the Hebrew Christians were cut off and for which they were feeling nostalgic, is  implied in the passage.

Exegesis: The prologue of John’s Gospel: From the time of the earliest lectionaries, the Prologue to John’s Gospel (Chapter 1) was the traditional assigned Gospel for Christmas Day because it is one of the most magnificent (and theologically profound) passages in the entire New Testament. For several centuries, this passage was familiar to Catholic parishioners as the “Last Gospel,” since it was directed to be read at the conclusion of each Mass, as the final thought that would accompany God’s people as they left the Church and returned to their homes and daily occupations. It has been taken as the litmus test of theological orthodoxy regarding the reality of Christ’s Incarnation, and lies behind some of the wording of the Nicene Creed. “John’s Gospel highlights the Deity of Jesus Christ, without minimizing His humanity.” (Rev. Bob Deffinbaugh; online at www.bible.org). Many scholars believe that the Prologue is an insistent rebuttal of certain Gnostic ideas, which denied the reality (or the possibility) of a Divine Incarnation. This Gnostic idea was later condemned as a heresy, called Docetism, which taught that the physical reality of Jesus was merely an “appearance” or a “façade,” and not inherent in who and what Jesus was.

The paradox of the Incarnation: Against later theories that Christ was somehow merely a “super-creature,” or an exemplary human being who had simply been subsequently “adopted” by God, John wants to make clear that the Son—unlike every creature born in time—pre-existed all things, and was, in fact, an active part of the Divine creative process. John the Evangelist proclaims the Incarnation of God, the most fundamental truth of Christianity, in the immortal words of his Prologue, making the connection between Jesus Christ and the Logos of God. Unlike most Jewish genealogies, this one traces Jesus’ origins to the Eternal Divinity. Between the beautiful Nativity stories of Matthew and Luke and the Gospel of John, there lies the great paradox of the Christian Faith, the paradox of the Incarnation, the entering of God into the human story, in human form.  The Prologue of John’s Gospel (1:1-18), can be divided into three sections: a) the Word’s relationship to the Creator and Creation (1:1-5), b) the Word’s relationship to John the Baptist (1:6-9) and c) the Word’s relationship to the world (1:10-18).

The theology of the Word made flesh:  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14; RSV 2 Catholic).  According to almost all interpreters, this is the climax of John’s poetic Prologue—the culmination of his gradual theological “crescendo,” and the “key” to everything else in the Gospel. It is such a simple phrase, and yet is contains within it the promise, hope, and challenge of Christianity in a nutshell!  Within thirty years of Jesus’ death, the Christian Faith had traveled all over Asia Minor and Greece and had arrived in Rome.  By AD 60, there must have been a hundred thousand Greeks in the Church for every Jew who had become a Christian.  But Jewish ideas like the Messiah, the center of Jewish expectation, were completely strange to the Greeks.  Hence, the very category in which the Jewish Christians conceived and presented Jesus meant nothing to the Greek Christians.  The problem which John faced was how to present Christianity to the Greek world around him in the Greek city of Ephesus where he lived.  He found that, in both Greek and Jewish thought, there existed the concept of the “word.”  For the Eastern peoples, words had an independent, power-filled existence.  The Greek term for word is Logos which not only means word, but also reason.  Hence, whenever the Greeks used Logos, the twin ideas of the Word of God and the Reason of God were in their minds. That is why John introduces Jesus to the Greeks as the Eternal, Light-giving and creative power of God, or the Mind of God in poetical prose, in the very beginning of his Gospel.  In his Prologue, John deals with the major themes like the pre-existence of the Word, God/Word and Father/Son as distinct Persons, but, at the same time, one God; of Jesus as God, Life and Light; of the struggle between Light and darkness; of the power of the Light over darkness.  According to John, the Word of God (Jesus,) gives Life and Light.  Thus, the Prologue of John’s Gospel summarizes how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly disclosed.  One of the Fathers of the Church (St. Irenaeus) once said, “Gloria Dei, homo vivens,” (“the glory of God  is a person fully alive”).  If that can be said of any of us, how much more must it be true of the Word made Flesh? Here in this Prologue, the evangelist enunciates Christ’s superiority, not only to everyone else as the One mediator between God and humanity, but also to the Law.

John the Baptizer’s role: John the Baptizer’s coming renewed Israel’s prophetic tradition after four hundred years of silence.  Since John’s ministry was so powerful, some people thought of him as the Messiah.  Hence, John’s Gospel makes a number of references to John the Baptizer, always clearly establishing that he was subordinate to Jesus.  John, the Baptizer, was not the Light, but came to bear witness to the Light (vv. 7-8).  John’s mission was to bear testimony to the Light (Jesus) — to serve as a witness to the Light (v. 7).  John died as a martyr because he showed the courage of his prophetic convictions by correcting Herod the king for his immoral life.

The Messiah rejected by his own people: “He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not” (1:11; RSV 2 Catholic).  Jesus “came home” to Israel, where the people should have known Him.  And it was the homefolk, “His own,” the Israelites, the Chosen People, who did not receive Him.  God had prepared them for centuries to receive the Messiah into their midst, but they rejected Him.  This rejection of the Word by Jesus’ own people is restricted neither to the time of Jesus nor to that of the Fourth Gospel. Much of the world today is still in rebellion, “preferring darkness to Light, because its deeds are evil” (3:19-20).  That is true of all of us at certain points in our lives, but we are not imprisoned in those moments. We can, as long as we are alive, turn to Him, repentant and believing, and become His own again.  “But to all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God” (v. 12).

 “The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us” (v. 14; RSV 2 Catholic): The Word becoming flesh is the zenith of God’s Self-revelation.  God Who spoke earlier through the prophets now speaks through His Son (Heb. 1:1-2), and lives among us.  The Word Who dwelt with God now dwells “with us,” becoming a human being like us and thus bridging the great chasm between God’s world and our world.  Verse 14 declares that the God Who once dwelt among them in the Tabernacle and the Temple, now chooses to dwell among them in the Person of Jesus.  In the Old Testament, Moses was not allowed to see the face of God.  Now, however, we are allowed to see Jesus’ glory — and His face. Thus, the Father is fully revealed to us, because, “…he who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9).  The other Gospels depict the glory of God coming upon Jesus at the Transfiguration.  John does not relate this incident, both because he sees the glory of God in all Jesus says and does, and because the hour for Jesus to be glorified is the crucifixion.

“And from His fulness, we have all received, grace upon grace.” (v. 16):  The Word is full of grace and truth – attributes of God – attributes that the Word shares with God as the “Father’s only Son” (v. 14b).  It is from this One Who is “full of grace and truth” that we receive “grace upon grace.”  In other words, we draw grace from the total resources of God, an inexhaustible storehouse.  Regardless of our need for grace, the supply is greater.  Let us imagine ourselves standing on the seashore, watching the waves roll in.  They come every few seconds, and the supply never fails. That is how God’s grace comes to us. Let us at this Christmas time try to count just some of those “graces showered on us.” Verse 17 identifies the Word as Jesus: “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”(RSV 2 Catholic).  The gift that is the Truth surpasses and perfects the former gift of the Law given through Moses.  Note the contrasts between Moses and Jesus: We received the law through Moses, but we receive grace and truth through Jesus Christ (v. 17).  John’s Prologue begins by declaring that that the Word was God (v. 1), and concludes (v.18), by proclaiming that the Son is God.
Life messages: 1) A day to remember and a day to wait for:  Today, while we remember and celebrate God’s first coming into our world in human form, we also look forward, because the liturgy we celebrate reminds us that the Lord is going to return in his Second Coming.  However, Christ is not going to return as a Child but as a Warrior, a Judge, a mighty Savior.  The liturgy calls on us to prepare His way, to be ready to be judged by Him.  So we are looking back and remembering the past coming of Jesus as our Savior, and looking forward and preparing for His future coming in glory as Judge to reward and punish.  In addition to these two “comings,” the Church teaches us that Christ is here now, Christ is present, Christ comes to us today,  and Christ comes to us every day.  Christmas is actually a celebration intended to heighten our awareness of the fact that Christ has been born, Christ lives, and Christ is present now in our souls and in our lives. Christmas reminds us, through the lives of the people in the Christmas narrative, of the importance of helping to bring the presence of Christ to the world around us and of being sensitive to that presence when the Lord comes to us in the least expected people, and in unexpected places and situations.  We are asked to welcome Christ’s Kingdom into our lives by allowing Him to be born in us, by recognizing Him in others, and by courageously going forth with His grace to build His kingdom of love, justice, peace, and holiness in our world.

2) We need to remember that there is no room in the manger except for Jesus and us: There isn’t room in the manger for all the baggage we carry around with us.  There’s no room for our pious pride and self-righteousness.  There’s no room for our human power and prestige.  There’s no room for the baggage of past failure and unforgiven sin.  There’s no room for our prejudice, bigotry, and jingoistic national pride.  There’s no room for bitterness and greed.  There is no room in the manger for anything other than the absolute reality of who and what we really are: very human, very real, very fragile, very vulnerable beings who desperately need the gift of love and grace which God so powerfully desires to give.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

1) It was Christmas Eve in a supermarket and a woman was anxiously picking over the last few remaining turkeys in the hope of finding a large one. In desperation she called over a shop assistant and said “Excuse me. Do these turkeys get any bigger?” “No” he replied, “They’re all dead”.

2) Just before Christmas, an honest politician, a generous lawyer and Santa Claus were riding in the elevator of a very posh hotel. Just before the doors opened, they all noticed a $20 bill lying on the floor.  Which one picked it up?
Santa of course, because the other two – an honest politician, a generous lawyer – don’t exist!

3) To avoid offending anybody, the school dropped religion altogether and started singing about the weather. At my son’s school, they now hold the winter program in February and sing increasingly non-memorable songs such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman” and–this is a real song–“Suzy Snowflake,” all of which is pretty funny because we live in Miami. A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged to the Church of Meteorology. (Chicago Tribune Magazine, July 28, 1991). LP/22

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7d by Fr. Tony   (akadavil@gmail.com)

Christmas- 4 Lectionary–based Homilies– 2023

Christmas Vigil homily in one page: Is 62:1-5; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25 [1:18-25] (1-page summary) Introduction: The Scripture readings for the Christmas Vigil Mass remind us  how God showed His Mercy to the mankind  by choosing Abraham and adopting his descendants as His Chosen People, disciplining them by slavery in Egypt and later in Babylon, making them a prosperous nation under God-fearing kings, then disciplining them again, by Greek and Roman conquerors, when they turned unfaithful, and finally by giving them the promised Savior-King in the form of Baby, Jesus, in Bethlehem.  Thus today, at this Christmas Vigil Mass, we are celebrating the fulfillment of our God’s prophecies about sending His own Son to save a sinful world.

Scripture lessons: In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies how the God of Israel will honor the desolate and forsaken Jerusalem and land of Israel by espousing her as a man marries a virgin and makes her a mother. Yahweh does this by sending His long-awaited Messiah into Israel to possess it and rule over it.  The Messiah will vindicate Israel and save her. Through His prophet Isaiah, the Lord God wished to inspire the hopeless Israelites, returned from the Babylonian exile, to plant crops and make their desolate land fertile and prosperous so that she might be able to hold up her head again among the other nations.   In the second reading, St. Paul recounts the history of God’s mercy to Israel, His chosen people. God showed His mercy to His chosen people of Israel by fulfilling the prophecy about His long-awaited Messiah. He sent His Son as the Savior and the descendant of David. The Gospel reviews the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17), tracing his descent from Abraham through David as foretold by the prophet, then describing his birth as our Savior at Bethlehem (1:18-25), through the working of the Holy Spirit.   The Gospel also shows how God resolved the doubts of Joseph by sending His angel, first to reassure Joseph, then to instruct him to name the child Jesus. The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yehosua, which means ”Yahweh is salvation.” Just as the first Joshua (the successor of Moses), saved the Israelites from their enemies, the second Joshua (Jesus) would save them from their sins. Life messages: 1) We need to allow the Savior to be reborn in our lives.   Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius).   So, let us allow Him to be reborn in our lives during Christmas 2020 and every day of the New Year 2021. Let us also show the good will and generosity of sharing Jesus, our Savior, reborn in our hearts, with others as love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and humble service. 2) We need to experience Christmas as it takes place at Christ’s Mass on our altars. Jesus becomes present on our altars to become our spiritual food, to nourish our souls so that we may become his healthy children. Let us worship him by our active participation in the Holy Mass as the angels, shepherds and wise men did in the Gospel story. 3) We need to have a Christmas gift for the Christ-Child because we are celebrating his birthday. Hence, instead of focusing our full attention on giving Christmas gifts to family members, let us give our hearts to Jesus today, filled with sacrificial love, overflowing mercy, selfless caring, and unconditional forgiveness for others.

CHRISTMAS VIGIL(Full text): Is 62:1-5, Acts 13:16-17, 22-25, Mt 1:1-25 [1:18-25]

Anecdotes: 1) Consider Christmas Again: When Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in AD 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today? In 1223 when St. Francis of Assisi used a nearby cave to set up a manger filled with straw, and his friend, Vellita, brought in an ox and a donkey, just like those at Bethlehem, nobody saw how that novel idea was going to evolve through centuries. When Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, who would have ever thought that the decorations would become as elaborate as they are today? There is an unproved legend that Martin Luther is responsible for the origin of the Christmas tree. This story says that one Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through the snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of the snow glistening on the trees. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a small fir tree and shared the story with his children. He decorated the Christmas tree with small candles which he lighted in honor of Christ’s birth. In 2020, as, burdened by Covid-19 and its effects and limits,  we walk through Advent again in the midst of all the excitement, elaborate decorations and frantic commercialization which surround Christmas, we are given another opportunity to pause, and to consider again the event of Christmas and the Person whose birth we celebrate. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) Kierkegaard has a fable of a king who fell in love with a maid. A king fell in love with a poor maid. The king wanted to marry her. When he asked his counselors, “How shall I declare my love?” they answered, “Your majesty has only to appear in all the glory of your royal raiments before the maid’s humble dwelling, and she will instantly fall at your feet and be yours.” But it was precisely that which troubled the king. He wanted her glorification, not his. In return for his love, he wanted hers, freely given. Finally, the king realized love’s truth, that freedom for the beloved demanded equality with the beloved. So late one night, after all the counselors of the palace had retired, he slipped out a side door and appeared before the maid’s cottage dressed as a servant to confess his love for her. Clearly, the fable is a Christmas story. God chose to express His love for us humans by becoming one like us. We are called to obey, not God’s power, but God’s love. God wants not submission to His power, but in return for His love, our own(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 3) Gospel Infancy Narratives: In Scripture, the birth of Jesus is only of secondary importance to his death and Resurrection. The meaning of his birth is understood properly only in the light of his life, death, and resurrection.  Luke begins with two Annunciation stories. First, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, an old man whose wife was beyond the age of childbearing, to tell him that Elizabeth would conceive a son. The Old Testament often used the literary technique of saying that someone was conceived of a mother beyond childbearing years to highlight that this person was called by God to a special mission. But if being born of a woman beyond child-bearing years was remarkable, how much more extraordinary, and how much greater the person must be destined to be, who is born of a mother without the intervention of a human father! The story of the two annunciations is a way of highlighting the dignity and importance of Jesus.  St. Luke tells us (2:7) that Mary “gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.” The thrice-repeated word manager is the most important word in this account. The child will be found in the manger because it is in the person lying there that people will find the sustenance of God. The finding of the child in the manger is a sign that God wants to be found by his people again and to be recognized once more as the people’s sustenance. The Child was wrapped in swaddling clothes that suggest a royal child, a son of King David. Very often the shepherds are presented as devout people who spent their time praying for the coming of the Messiah while tending their flocks. Actually, in the literature of the time, they were looked down on by society and often mentioned with tax-collectors and whores! So, God’s choice of these lowly, despised shepherds for the first  the visitors to the manger tells  us that the Savior of sinners and outcasts has been born. He is a Savior who makes the last become first and for Whom there are no outcasts. The angels’ song, “Glory to God in the highest and peace to men with whom He is well pleased,” [“of good will”] is a way of saying that God was present at the birth of Christ who would bring salvation to all people. (Bible Claret) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

4) “Does your master have anything to declare?”  In the movie, The Greatest Story Ever Told, King of Kings, there is another scene which attracts our attention. Jesus, after he began his public ministry, had called a few people to become his Apostles. First, he called Peter and Andrew, and James and John. In this scene we see Jesus walking with them and some of his other followers. As they pass by tax collector Mathew, he asks Jesus, “Do you have anything to declare?” But because of the noise of the crowd Jesus does not hear it. Hence, Mathew asks John, “Does your master have anything to declare?” Immediately John replies, “Yes, his love for you!” As Jesus told Mathew, Jesus has something to declare to us during this Christmas season, and it is his love for us. Yes, Jesus loves each one of us dearly. That is why he was born in Bethlehem and later died for us on the cross in Jerusalem. It is because he loves each one of us very much that he remains with us even today in the form of the Eucharist. Remember, Jesus has another name – Emmanuel which means God is with us. (Fr. Jose Panthaplamthottyil CMI).

Introduction: The Scripture lessons for today focus on the first Christmas. In the first reading, Isaiah shows us the vindication of Israel by the Lord God. This vindication has found its fulfillment, for all of us, in the coming of Jesus as our Savior. The  Refrain for tonight’s  Responsorial Psalm (Ps 89), has us sing  gratefully of this Salvation,  “Forever I will sing the Goodness of the Lord!” In the second reading, St. Paul recounts the history of God’s mercy to Israel, His chosen people. That mercy has culminated in the birth of Jesus, the Messiah for Whom the Jews have been waiting for centuries. The Gospel reviews the genealogy of Jesus, tracing His descent from David, then recounts the story of His birth in Bethlehem as our Savior.

The first reading, Isaiah: 62:1-5 explained. After their exile in Babylon, the Jews returned to Judah where they had a difficult time restoring their old institutions, their economy, their capital Jerusalem, and their Temple on Mount Zion. They were quite discouraged when the prophet Isaiah received this prophecy from God to restore their fallen spirits (Chapters 56-66.)   Just as we look forward to the celebration of the birth of the Messiah, so Isaiah looked forward to God’s ending of Israel’s shame, and the coming of the Promised Redeemer (though, in God’s plan, the second event would follow the first only after a silence of some 400 years). In today’s text, Isaiah uses imagery to describe the conversion of Israel from gloom to joy. Isaiah compares the dispirited Jewish people to a woman who had thought she would never marry. But she suddenly has found a suitor! It’s Israel, the land of the Jews that the Lord proposes to marry, and, by extension, to make fertile. The prophecy’s goal has been to inspire the hopeless people to plant crops and make their desolate land fertile.   Now, the Lord God says through Isaiah, Israel will be able to hold up her head again among the other nations, who will see her vindication.

Second Reading, Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 explained: This reading is taken from the account of Paul’s first missionary journey, which began in Syria and took him to Antioch in Pisidia.  This is the first of the several speeches of St. Paul in which he tells   the Jews that the Christian Church is the logical development of Judaism.  When St. Paul delivered this speech, the Jews had 1800 years of history behind them. Paul takes advantage of their knowledge to show that the coming of Jesus was the fulfillment of all history.

Exegesis: The genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:1-17):  While Paul presents Jesus as  a descendent of David in our second reading, Matthew traces Jesus’ genealogy from Abraham. This genealogy not only shows Jesus’ human ancestry, but also indicates that salvation history has reached its climax with the birth of the Son of God through the working of the Holy Spirit. Though we often skip over these lists of names, the Gospel writers took great pains to compile the genealogies and to make several theological points in the process. Our Lord Jesus Christ was born of a line of ancestors whom Matthew arranges into three groups, of 14 patriarchs, 14 kings and 14 princes. The three groups are based on the three stages of Jewish history: i) the rise of Israel to a great kingdom by the time of David, ii) the fall of the nation at  the time of Babylonian exile and iii) the resurrection of the nation after the exile. Strangely enough, the list includes a number of disreputable characters, including three women of bad reputation: Tamar, Rahab and Bathsheba. Perhaps the Lord God included these women in His Son’s human genealogy to emphasize God’s grace, to give us all hope, and to show us that Jesus is sent to save sinners.  Thus, God’s powerful work of salvation comes to us under the appearance of weakness. From the beginning, Matthew’s account challenges our human expectations as to how God will fulfill our hopes for endless peace, justice, and righteousness. Luke’s account shows us another example of this kind of challenge. The royal child, heir to King David’s throne and bearer of wonderful titles, is born in poverty. He is laid in a manger because there is no room in the inn.

The three-step marriage:   Engagement, betrothal and marriage proper were the three stages of the Jewish marriage ceremony.   The engagement was often made through the parents when the couples were only children. The betrothal was the ratification of the engagement into which a couple had previously (been) entered.  It made the young man and woman husband-and- wife, — legally married, but without cohabitation and conjugal rights for one year. The third stage was the marriage proper, which took place at the end of the year of betrothal. It was during the betrothal period that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus. The essence of God’s story in Matthew is that, in the birth of Jesus, the Spirit of God was seen operating in the world as He had never done before.

Joseph the “father” of Jesus (Mt. 1:18-25): While Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the role of Mary, Matthew’s brings Joseph to the forefront.  Joseph is important to Matthew’s Gospel, because Jesus came from David’s lineage through Joseph (1:1-17).  The Davidic descent of Jesus is shown as both legal and natural. In other words, Jesus is  descended from Abraham and David not only by physical descent but also by God’s supernatural action. The Davidic descent of Jesus is transferred not through natural paternity but through legal paternity. Matthew carefully constructs verse 1:18 to avoid saying that Jesus was the son of Joseph. As Mary’s legal husband, Joseph became the legal father of Jesus. Later, by naming the child, Joseph acknowledged Him as his own. The legal father was on par with the biological father as regards rights and duties.  Since it was common practice for couples to marry within their clan, probably Mary also belonged to the house of David. Several early Church Fathers, including St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Irenaeus, St. Justin, and Tertullian, testify to this belief, basing their testimony on an unbroken oral tradition. Joseph is presented as a righteous man (v. 19), who chose to obey God’s command rather than to observe rigidly a law that would have required him to divorce Mary publicly.   He resolved to divorce Mary quietly in order that he might not cause her unnecessary pain.  In this resolution,  Joseph serves as a model of Christ-like compassion.  He also demonstrates a balance between the Law of Torah and the Law of Love. While Luke tells the story of the Archangel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), Matthew tells us only that the Child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

The Divine intervention through the angel: Luke tells us of Mary’s obedience (Luke 1:38), and   Matthew tells us of Joseph’s obedience.  This is the first of three occasions on which an angel appears to Joseph in a dream.  In each instance, the angel calls Joseph to action, and Joseph obeys. He is told   not to be afraid of his fiancée’s pregnancy, nor of the opinion of his neighbors, nor even of the requirement of the Torah that Mary be punished.  He is not to hesitate, but is to wed Mary. “She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Mary’s role is to bear a Son, and Joseph’s role is to name Him.  By naming Him, Joseph makes Jesus his Son and brings Him into the house of David.

Jesus the Savior as the fulfillment of prophecy: The name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehosua, which means “YHWH is salvation.” Just as the first Joshua (successor of Moses), saved the Israelites from their enemies, the second Joshua (Jesus) will save them from their sins.  The Jews, however, did not expect a Messiah Who would save them from their sins, but one who would deliver them from their political oppressors. Matthew stresses the fact that the birth of Jesus as Savior is the fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah (7:14): “’Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall name him ‘Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.'” The fulfillment of the prophecy is important to Matthew’s first audience, Jewish converts, which is why Matthew mentions the fulfillment of eleven prophetic statements about Jesus in his Gospel.  The context of the verse taken from Isaiah is the dilemma of King Ahaz in the eighth century BC.  Jerusalem was under siege, and it appeared that both the city and the nation might be destroyed.  Isaiah’s prophecy was that a boy-child would be born and that, by the time he reached maturity, the threat from the enemy would have passed.  We do not know that boy’s identity, but the city and nation were both spared. Some scholars suggest that King Ahaz’s successor in Judah, King Hezekiah, who was faithful to the Lord God as his father had not been, was the partial fulfillment of this prophecy. “The Church  has always followed St. Matthew in seeing the transcendent fulfillment of this verse in Christ and His Virgin Mother,” declares the NAB note on this verse.

Emmanuel born of a Virgin: The NRSV correctly translates ho parthenos as “the virgin” rather than “a virgin.”  In other words, the original uses the definite article.  Isaiah referred to a young woman (almah), but Matthew’s ho parthenos clearly refers to a virgin.  That is why the Church has always taught Mary’s perpetual virginity. “‘They shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.'” In Hebrew, El is a short form of Elohim, a name for God.  Immanu-El, therefore, means “God with us,” a meaning which Matthew spells out for non-Hebrew readers.  Emmanuel is not a second name by which friends and neighbors will know Jesus.  “Jesus” is Our Lord’s true name, and   Emmanuel describes his role.  Thus, Matthew begins his Gospel with the promise that Jesus’ role-name means “God-with-us.”  He will end his Gospel with Jesus’ own promise that He will be with us “always, to the end of the age” (28:20).

Life messages: 1) We need to look for Jesus in unlikely places and persons.   During the Christmas season we, like the Magi, must give our most precious gift, our life, to Jesus.  We will learn to discover Him in the most unlikely places and in the most distasteful people –- in those who live in suffering or in distress,  in poverty, or in fear. The message of Christmas is that we can truly find Jesus if we look in the right places –- in the streets, in the slums, in the asylums, in the orphanages, in the nursing homes –- starting in our own homes, workplaces, and town. We need to look for Him in people that we might otherwise ignore: the homeless, the sick, the addicts, the unpleasant people, the rebels, or the people of different culture and lifestyle from us.  True Christmas is about celebrating the coming of God among the poor, the homeless, and the disadvantaged, with a message of hope and liberation for these sufferers in our world.  It is about our responsibility to be part of that liberating process.  It is about working to remove from our world the shameful blot of poverty, discrimination, and exploitation that is the lot of too many in our environment of prosperity. God challenges us to be like the shepherds who overcame their fear in order to seek out Jesus, or like the Wise Men who traveled a long distance to find Him. Then we will have the true experience of Christmas – the joy of the Savior.

2) We need to allow the Savior to be reborn in our lives.   Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius).   So, let us allow Him to be reborn in our lives during Christmas 2020 and every day of the New Year 2021. How should we prepare for Christ’s rebirth in our daily lives? As a first step, John the Baptist urges us to repent daily of our sins and to renew our lives by leveling the hills of pride and selfishness, by filling up the valleys of impurity, and by straightening the crooked paths of hatred. Our second step in preparing for Christ’s rebirth in our daily lives is to cultivate the spirit of sacrifice and humility.   It was by sacrifice that the shepherds of Bethlehem and the Magi were able to find the Savior. They were humble enough to see God in the Child in the manger.   We, too, can experience Jesus by sharing Him with others, just as God shared His Son with us.  Let us remember that the angels wished peace on earth only to those able to receive that peace, those “people of good will,” who possessed the good will and largeness of heart to share Jesus, our Savior, with others in love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness and humble service.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

1) A 4-year-old boy was asked to give the blessing before Christmas dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes– even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited–and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t He know that I’m lying?”

2)  Mrs. Oppenheimer decided to get away from the often inclement weather of New York and spend Christmas in the Deep South. Being unfamiliar with that part of the world she wandered into a “restricted” hotel and said “Hi. I’m Mrs. Oppenheimer and I’d like a room for the next week.” “I’m very sorry,’ said the manager, “but all our rooms are taken.”  Just as he said these words a customer came to the desk and unexpectedly checked out. “How lucky!” responded Mrs. Oppenheimer, “Now you have a room for me.” “Look, I’m very sorry,” said the manager, “but this is a restricted hotel. Jews are not allowed here.” “Jewish! Whaddya mean Jewish? I am a Catholic.” “That takes some believing,” said the manager. “Tell me, Who was the Son of God?” “Jesus.” she replied “Where was he born?” “In a stable in Bethlehem….. simply because some bigot like you wouldn’t rent a room to a Jew.”

3)  A family celebrated Christmas every year with a birthday party for Jesus. An extra chair of honor at the table became the family’s reminder of Jesus’ presence. A cake with candles, along with the singing of “Happy Birthday” expressed the family’s joy in Jesus’ presence. One year on Christmas afternoon a visitor to the home asked the five-year-old girl, “Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?” After a moment’s hesitation, she answered, “No, but it’s not my birthday, It’s Jesus’ birthday!”

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7a by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com)

 Midnight Mass: 1-page summary: Is 9:1-6; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 

Introduction: Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, which occurred some 2,000 years ago.  Looking through the telescope of Christ’s Resurrection, the New Testament authors, as well as the Fathers of the Church, reexamined foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, in the writings of the prophets, and they identified Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.

Scripture readings: Following the death of the Assyrian monarch in the late 8^th century B.C., the Lord God, through  His prophet Isaiah, promises relief for both the northern and the southern kingdoms of Israel through a new king and his descendant in the line of David, in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the child Isaiah’s prophesy calls the “prince of peace.” “Sing to the Lord a new song!” the Psalmist urges us in the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 96). The second reading, taken from the “pastoral letter” of Paul to Titus, tells us that it is only by the saving power of God in Christ that we are enabled to live virtuously in the present with hope for the future.  The Gospel for the midnight Mass tells us how Jesus was born in Bethlehem and how the news of His birth was first announced to shepherds by the angels.  Since David was a shepherd, it seems fitting that the shepherds were given the privilege of visiting David’s successor in the stable. Further,  since shepherds cared year-round for the Temple sheep and lambs meant for daily sacrifice in the Temple of Jerusalem, how suitable it is that shepherds were the first to see the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!

Life messages: We need to reserve a room for Jesus in our heart: Christmas asks us a tough question. Do we close the doors of our hearts to Jesus Who is looking for a place to be reborn in our lives? There is no point in being sentimental about the doors slammed by the folk in Bethlehem, if there is no room in our own hearts for the same Jesus coming in the form of the needy.  We need to reverence each human life, and to treat others respectfully as the living residences of the Incarnate God.  To neglect the old, to be contemptuous of the poor, or to have no thought for the unemployed and the lonely, is to ignore those individuals with whom Christ has so closely identified Himself.  Hence, we all need to examine ourselves daily on the doors we close to Jesus.

2) We need to experience Jesus as Emmanuel: Actually, the  real meaning of Christmas is Emmanuel, God-with-us – God coming down to us; God seeking us out;  God coming alongside us; God revealing Himself to us; God bringing us forgiveness, healing, comfort, moral strength, and   guidance — God dwelling within us. Each one of us has, deep down in our soul, an incredible hunger: a hunger for purpose and meaning; a hunger to feel and celebrate the redeeming, forgiving, sustaining love of God; a hunger to be in the presence of God. Christmas is special because it reminds us concretely that God is, indeed, with us. In every circumstance of life, even when we are frightened or lonely or in sorrow, God is with us. So, let’s go home to the heart of Christmas and embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT: Full text:  Is 9:1-6; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14 

Homily starter anecdote: 1) “Don’t go! You can have my room.” Nine-year-old Wally was in second grade when most children his age were fourth graders. He was big for his years, a clumsy fellow, a slow learner. But Wally was a hopeful, willing, smiling lad, a natural defender of the underdog, and he was well-liked by his classmates. His parents encouraged him to audition for the annual parish Christmas play. Wally wanted to be a shepherd. Instead, he was given the role of the innkeeper. The director reasoned that Wally’s size would lend extra force to the innkeeper’s refusal of lodging to Joseph. During rehearsals, Wally was instructed to be firm with Joseph. When the play opened, no one was more caught up in the action than Wally. And when Joseph knocked on the door of the inn, Wally was ready. He flung the door open and asked menacingly, “What do you want?” “We seek lodging,” Joseph replied. “Seek it elsewhere,” Wally said in a firm voice. “There’s no room in the inn.” “Please, good innkeeper,” Joseph pleaded, “this is my wife, Mary. She is with child and is very tired. She needs a place to rest.” There was a long pause as Wally looked down at Mary. The prompter whispered Wally’s next line: “No! Be gone!” Wally remained silent. Then the forlorn couple turned and began to slowly move away. Seeing this, Wally’s brow creased with concern. Tears welled up in his eyes. Suddenly, he called out, “Don’t go! You can have my room.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 Introduction: The season of Advent is past, and the period of anticipation is complete.  Now it is time to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, which occurred some 2,000 years ago.  Looking through the telescope of Christ’s Resurrection, the New Testament authors, as well as the Fathers of the Church, reexamined the writings of the prophets to discover foreshadowings of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.  Today’s first reading is one of these, taken from one of the greatest of the prophets, Isaiah. “Sing to the Lord a new song!” the Psalmist urges us in the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 96).  The second reading, taken from the “pastoral letter” of Paul to Titus, tells us that it is only by the saving power of God in Christ that we are enabled to live virtuously in the present with hope for the future.  The Gospel for the midnight Mass tells us how Jesus was born in Bethlehem and how the news of his birth was first announced to shepherds by the angels.

First reading, Isaiah 9:1-6, explained: In the late eighth century BC, God’s people in the Promised Land had become divided into a northern kingdom, Israel, and a southern kingdom, Judah.  Assyria was the dominant power in the region, particularly oppressing the northern kingdom.  In the eighth century BC, the source of the “darkness” was the Assyrian invasion under Tiglath-Pilesar III.  But following the death of the Assyrian monarch, the prophet declares that in the darkness, Light has shone!  Hope for endless peace, justice, and righteousness has been kindled and burns brightly.  Isaiah prophesies relief for both northern and southern kingdoms in the person of the new king who will come to the throne in the southern kingdom, Judah, and will see to the reunion of the north and south and the expulsion of the Assyrians from the north.  The king whom Israel saw as fulfilling the prophecy is, interestingly, Hezekiah, the successor of King Ahaz.  So “the people once in darkness” are the dwellers in Israel oppressed by Assyria.  The “child/son born to us” is the new king in Jerusalem in Judah.  Hezekiah inherited the throne of David whose glorious reign, roughly four centuries earlier, was still the source of national pride and hope. Some 2700 years later, we see Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God and Son of David, the Redeemer and Savior of the world, as the final fulfillment of the prophecy of this promised King.

Today’s passage in Isaiah 9 completes a prophecy begun in Isaiah 8:1.  In spite of all the doom and gloom that surround Israel and the evil that darkness portends, there will eventually be Light and restoration for Israel.  The yoke and bar, (verse 4), represent enslavement and oppression.  Those will be cast off vigorously as in the days of Gideon and the Midianites (Jgs 8:10-12; Ps 83:9-11).  The prophecy concludes with the now-famous words: “For a child has been born for us, a son given for us…..”  What follows is a description of the yet-to-be-realized Kingdom of Christ (verse 6).  Notice the many titles given to the coming child: Wonderful Counselor — counsel, as in advice; Mighty God — an image of power and majesty; Everlasting Father — one Who will not diminish, expire, or fade away: an eternal relationship of nurture and trust; Prince of Peace — not war-like, but reconciling.

Second Reading, Titus 2:11-14:  The books of Titus and 1^st and 2^nd Timothy are called “pastoral letters” because they are instructions to the pastors dealing with Church life and practices.  This reading is an interesting choice for Christmas Midnight Mass because it focuses on the other coming of Jesus, at the end of time, and on the changes that we are called to make in our lives.  It reminds us that we are enabled to live virtuously in the present with hope for the future by the saving power of God in Christ.  The theological plainness and moral starkness of this letter make it a worthy counterpoint to the sentimentality that dominates Christmas.

Exegesis: The origin of the Christmas celebration: Many scholars believe that Christmas came to be placed on December 25^th in order to counteract a pagan celebration called the Birth of the Unconquered Sun, a feast established by the Roman Emperor, Aurelian, in AD 274.  Since December 25^th was near the date of the winter solstice (the year’s shortest day, after which the days begin to lengthen again, showing the victory of the sun over darkness), it was chosen as the date of rejoicing.  When Christianity was approved as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Church chose this day to celebrate the birth of the true Sun – the Son of God Who conquers the power of darkness.  Another theory gives Biblical support for celebrating Christmas on the 25^th of December.  It claims that the Annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah occurred during the feast of Yom Kippur, around September 25^th, placing the birth of John after nine months on June 25^th.  Since the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth is in the sixth month of her pregnancy, the Annunciation event and the conception of Jesus took place around March 25^th, leading to Jesus’ birth after nine months, around December 25^th.

The Christmas event: While Matthew places the birth of Jesus against the background of Herod’s reign, Luke places it against the background of the Roman Empire.  It is generally accepted that Jesus was born in 4 B.C.  Luke begins by making a subtle contrast between Caesar Augustus who failed as an inaugurator of peace, and Jesus the Savior and bringer of peace.  Both Tertullian and Justin Martyr (c. 165) state that in their time the records of the 4 B.C. census still existed along with those of 28 B.C., 8 B.C. and 14 A.D.  In the Roman Empire, a census was taken periodically with the double object of assessing taxation and of discovering those who were subject to compulsory military service.  Another hidden aim was to find out the true descendants of King David who had a claim to the throne as the king of the Jews.  Luke’s purpose in mentioning the census was to provide God’s reason for, and means of, getting Mary and Joseph the roughly eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David, wherein the promised heir of David was to be born, as prophesied by Micah (5:1).  Bethlehem was commonly thought of as the city of David because of David’s birth and childhood there. Since travelers brought their own food, the innkeeper provided only fodder for the animals and a fire for cooking along with a spot to sleep within his walls.  A manger is a feeding trough (food box), and it symbolizes the sacrificial meal that Jesus becomes, which provides sustenance for the whole world. Father Raymond Brown in his masterful book on the Infancy Narratives says that these stories are theologumena, not so much literal history as stories with a theological point – the other gratuitous and revolutionary impact of Jesus’ birth, life, and death. The important thing to remember is that they are stories of God’s love and Jesus’ role in history and that’s what counts, not historical details.

 The first visitors:  Since David was a shepherd, it seems fitting that the shepherds were given the privilege of visiting David’s successor in the stable. The Temple sheep and lambs, were meant for daily sacrifice in the Temple of Jerusalem,  were under the care of shepherds year-round. How suitable, then, that despised shepherds were the first to see the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!  Shepherding was a lonely, dirty job, and shepherds found it difficult to follow all the obligatory religious customs.  Hence, they were scorned as non-observant Jews.  So Baby Jesus selected these marginalized people to share His love at the beginning of his earthly ministry.  The shepherds expressed their joy and gratitude by “making known what had been told them” (v. 17).  Just as very ordinary people would later become witnesses to the Resurrection, very ordinary shepherds became witnesses to the Incarnation.  Other than the angels, they were the first to proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ birth.  Once we have been privileged to experience God’s presence, we, too, have the responsibility and the privilege of sharing that experience with other people – of spreading the word – of proclaiming the Gospel.

Good News of great joy: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is the Messiah, the Lord.’”  Perhaps because Luke was a Gentile convert, he establishes at the beginning of this Gospel that Jesus is for all the people — not just for the people of Israel:  “… a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (v. 11).  The Romans thought of Augustus as savior.  However, Augustus’ peace was fragile.  After his death, other men would assume power — men like Nero and Caligula whose names would be synonymous with treachery and cruelty.  The angels introduced a different kind of Savior — a Savior who would continue His saving work throughout human history.  The Savior of the First Century is also the Savior of the Twenty-first Century.  The Savior of Israel is also the Savior of the World.

 Glory to God and peace on earth: The angels welcomed Jesus’ birth singing: “Glory to God in the highest heaven” (v. 14).  Later, the crowds would welcome Jesus to Jerusalem, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38 (RSV 2 Catholic). That peace is the shalom of God – the life of grace experienced in all its fullness, richness, and completeness, in accord with the will of God.  The angelic song conveys the message that true peace on earth is available only to those able to receive it, that is with the good will to do the will of God, and thus to give Him glory.

Christmas is not just one day, but a season which lasts for twelve days, concluding on Epiphany (Twelfth Night). The extension of the feast should remind us to continue to share our joy at the comings of the Messiah – the first some 2000 years ago, the last at our death or at the Parousia, the “Second coming,” for which we all pray  at Mass (Eucharistic acclamation – “We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, and profess Your Resurrection, until You come again”), and all those occurring between the two, as we live our daily lives.  As we celebrate the Incarnation of the Word of God this Christmas, we might make a conscious effort both to remember that Jesus is always with us in our hearts and in the Eucharist and to share our joy in His presence with others.

Life messages: 1) We need to reserve a room for Jesus in our heart: Christmas asks us a tough question. Do we close the doors of our hearts to Jesus looking for a place to be reborn in our lives? There is no point in being sentimental about the doors slammed by the folk in Bethlehem, if there is no room in our own hearts for the same Jesus coming in the form of the needy.  We need to reverence each human life and to treat others respectfully as the living residences of the incarnate God.  To neglect the old, to be contemptuous of the poor or to have no thought for the unemployed and the lonely is to ignore those individuals with whom Christ has so closely identified Himself.  Hence, we all need to examine ourselves daily on the doors we close to Jesus.

2) We need to experience Jesus the Emmanuel: The real meaning of Christmas actually is Emmanuel, God-with-us – God coming down to us; God seeking us out;  God coming alongside us; God revealing Himself to us; God bringing us forgiveness, healing, comfort, moral strength, guidance; — God dwelling within us. Each one of us has, deep down in our souls, an incredible hunger: a hunger for purpose and meaning; a hunger to feel and celebrate the redeeming, forgiving, sustaining love of God; a hunger to be in the presence of God. Christmas is special because it reminds us concretely that God is indeed with us. In every circumstance of life, even, perhaps especially, when we are frightened or lonely or in sorrow, God is with us. So, let’s go home to the heart of Christmas and embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

JOKES OF THE WEEK

1) A few days before Christmas, two young brothers were spending the night at their grandparent’s house.  When it was time to go to bed, anxious to do the right thing, they both knelt down to say their prayers. Suddenly, the younger one began to do so in a very loud voice. “Dear Lord, please ask Santa Claus to bring me a play-station, a mountain-bike and a telescope.”             His older brother leaned over and nudged his brother and said, “Why are you shouting your prayers?  God isn’t deaf.”   “I know,” he replied.  “But Grandma is!”

2) The 3 stages of man: a) He believes in Santa Claus.
b) He doesn’t believe in Santa Claus.
c) He becomes Santa Claus.

3) A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He noticed a young man who showed up in the Church for Christmas and Easter as Poinsettias and Easter Lilies do.  He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. Pastor said, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” My friend said, “I’m already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned, “How come I don’t see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I’m in the Secret Service.”

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7b by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com)

Christmas Dawn Holy Mass (Lk 2:15-20)- One-page summary

Introduction: The main theme of this Mass at dawn is an invitation to savor, by a life of sharing love, the lasting peace and celestial joy brought by the Divine Savior.  St. John gives the main reason for our Christmas joy in his Gospel (3:16): “For God loved so loved  the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (RSV 2 Catholic) God showed His love for sinful man by sharing His love with us in His Son, Incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus,  in turn, saved us by His suffering, death and Resurrection.

Scripture lessons: In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah shows the Jews that their God is a saving God Who will extend His redemption to His holy city. In the second reading, St. Paul tells Titus that God saves us through His Son Jesus, not because we have deserved it by our good deeds, but because of His mercy. Jesus continues His saving mission by allowing us to be reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, thus enabling us to become God’s children and heirs of eternal life.  Describing the response of the shepherds to the angelic message, today’s Gospel invites us to offer ourselves as a gift to Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and to bear witness to Him through our lives, by sharing His love with others.

Life messages: 1) We need to be Christ-bearers and Christ-givers:  Since it is Jesus Who gives real meaning to our celebrations, Jesus must be reborn in us each time we celebrate Christmas.   Hence, let us leave “room in the inn” of our hearts for Jesus to be reborn in our lives. Let us remember the famous lines of  St. Augustine, quoted by Meister Eckhart: “What do I profit if Jesus is born in thousands of cribs all over the world during this Christmas, if He is not born in my heart?”  So let us pray for the grace of Jesus’ birth in each one of us today, bringing us love, mercy, kindness, and compassion to give away.  Let us help all those around us to experience the newborn Savior – Jesus within us – as sharing love, in the form of compassionate words, unconditional love and forgiveness, selfless service, merciful deeds, and overflowing generosity.

2) We need to listen to God speaking to us every day and to respond promptly, as the shepherds did: There isn’t one of us in this Church this morning who hasn’t had God speak to him or her in some personal way. It may not have happened as dramatically as it did to these shepherds, but God has indeed spoken to our soul and spirit. Too often, however, we have chosen not to listen. Have we ever had an argument with a member of our family, heard that inner voice deep down within us telling us to stop, and we knew we should stop? Have we ever had that same inner sense of knowing we needed to do something or to avoid doing something? That was the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us, the Spirit sent to us by the Father at the request of Jesus our Savior. Whether or not we chose to listen in those cases really isn’t the point. The point is that God has indeed spoken to us, and He continues to speak to us right now. How are we going to respond? Will we respond as Mary did, as the shepherds did and as the magi did? Or not?

MASS AT DAWN ON CHRISTMAS: Full text: Is 62:11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20

(The theme: The joy and peace of the Savior through sharing love)

 Homily Starter Anecdote:  Sharing the sorrow of chemotherapy: An 11-year-old boy with cancer lost all the hair on his head as a result of chemotherapy.  When the time came for him to return to school, he and his parents experimented with hats, wigs, and bandanas to try to conceal his baldness.  They finally settled on a baseball cap, but the boy still feared the taunts he would receive for looking “different.”  Mustering up courage, he went to school wearing his cap – and discovered to his great surprise that all of his friends had shaved their heads to share their solidarity with their friend.   It was their way of expressing their love and sympathy. No wonder God became man to express His love for mankind! (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction: The main theme of this Mass at dawn is an invitation to savor, by a life of sharing love, the lasting peace and celestial joy brought by the Divine Savior.  St. John gives the main reason for our Christmas joy in his Gospel (3:16): “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son,  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”(RSV 2 Catholic). God showed His love for sinful man by sharing with us His only begotten Son, Incarnate as Jesus and born in Bethlehem. Jesus, in turn, saved us by His suffering, death and Resurrection. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah shows the Jews their God as a saving God Who will extend His redemption to His holy city.  The  Refrain for the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 97) reminds us,  “A Light will shine on us this day: The Lord is born for us!” In the second reading, St. Paul tells Titus that God saves us through His Son Jesus, not because we have deserved it by our good deeds, but because of His mercy. Jesus continues His saving mission by allowing us to be reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, thus enabling us to become God’s children and heirs of everlasting life.  Describing the response of the shepherds to the angelic message, today’s Gospel invites us to offer ourselves as a gift to Jesus, our Lord and Savior and to bear witness to Him through our lives, by sharing His love with others.

First reading, Isaiah 62:11-12: Around 600 BC, the Babylonians took the Jews out of the Promised Land and kept them in exile (the Babylonian Captivity), for about 70 years. When Cyrus, the new  Persian emperor and God’s chosen instrument, conquered Babylon,  by God’s inspiration,  he sent the Jews home. This reading is set in that troubled period, when Judah was trying to put herself back together after returning from Exile. Daughter Zion means (the people of) the city Jerusalem. This was Judah’s capital, in the center of which stands Mount Zion where the Temple had been built. The gist of this short passage is that the people should keep up their spirits because soon they and their city will enjoy prosperity and international renown again, and their city will frequently be visited by tourists instead of remaining a ghost city. In other words, God’s own people will experience the saving and providing love of their God.

Second Reading, Titus 3:4-7: This passage is classic Pauline teaching, showing us that God saves us by incorporating us into Christ, which is the real cause of Christian, and Christmas, joy. Among the congregation served by the early bishop Titus were Christians who believed they had to practice the laws of Judaism and to impose those laws on pagan converts to Christ. Paul reminds them that God saved us “not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of His mercy.” In other words, law-driven righteous deeds don’t win our salvation; God gives it to us freely. We accept that gift by taking the bath of rebirth, Baptism, during which the Spirit is richly poured out on us. This, not our observance of laws, makes us justified (right with God) and gives us a starting place for living the Christian life from which our good works will flow; it is this “justification” which gives us the hope of eternal life.

Gospel exegesis:

The shepherds — the first visitors and the first missionaries: The orthodox Jews in Jesus’ time despised the shepherds because these men were quite unable to observe the ceremonial laws in all their details. In addition, shepherds had no spare time to take part in synagogue services nor to study Torah because shepherding was a full-time job. Further,  shepherds  were the ones charged with the year-round care and nurture of the Temple sheep which were set aside for the daily morning and evening sacrifice of unblemished lambs. Fittingly, the Infant Jesus chose to share His love on Christmas day with shepherds, for Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The chosen  shepherds responded to this great privilege by bearing witness to God, praising Him and spreading the news of the birth of a Savior. “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.” Christmas, the feast of Emmanuel – God is with us – challenges us to be like the shepherds who overcame fear to find Him, or like the Magi who traveled and searched for Him. We should have the generosity and good will to search for Him and find Him in unlikely places and persons. That is made possible for us only if we welcome Jesus of Bethlehem into our lives by allowing Him to be reborn in us. Then we will have the real experience of Christmas – and the joy of the Savior.

 The angelic choir and their angelic message: Normally when a boy was born into a Jewish family, the local musicians congregated at the house to greet him with country music. Since Jesus was born in a stable, the angels sang the songs for Jesus that the earthly singers could not sing. The angel told the shepherds to rejoice because the Savior had come:  “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior Who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11; RSV 2 Catholic). We rejoice today with those shepherds because we have a Savior who can free us from the bondage of sin.   We have a Savior who liberates us from our slavery to impure, unjust, and uncharitable thoughts, desires, and habits.   We have a Savior Who can, and will, release us from our evil addictions, heal our physical and mental diseases, and free us from hatred, enmity, jealousy, and bitterness.

Saviors and the Savior:  History tells us that there has been no shortage of false liberators and pseudo-saviors, who have deceived generations of people all around the world.   The Greek philosophers believed that education and knowledge would liberate the world.   Later, rationalists like Voltaire and Rousseau taught that mere human reason, alone, provided an antidote for all human ills.   Revolutionary movements, such as Communism, have offered mankind the dream of an earthly paradise.   Today, many people   advocate science as the solution for all human problems, while others turn to liquor, drugs, or other pleasures to escape their troubles.   Our century has witnessed the uncontrolled use of sex as a false liberating instrument, and has turned to Eastern mystical experiences and modern psychological techniques as routes to peace of mind and heart.   Despite the claims of these various panaceas, however, the true remedy for our ills, as every Christmas reminds us, is Jesus, our Divine Savior Who, alone, can give us both true liberation and lasting peace and joy.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.” Christmas gives us the message of lasting peace, which we can possess only by sharing our blessings with others.  This is the message contained in the celestial song of the angels, reported in Luke’s Gospel:   “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will.”   Christmas reminds us that God shared His Love by giving us His Son.  We respond to His love joyfully by using our health, wealth, talents, and blessings for Him as He dwells in everyone we encounter. Just as Jesus shared His love with the poor shepherds and the humble Magi, we, too, are called to share our love with the less fortunate people around us. Sharing with love is the sign that one has the “good will” of which the angel spoke. The peace of Christmas is promised only to such large-hearted people, for only they are able to receive it.

 

Life messages: 1) We need to become Christ-bearers and Christ-givers:  Since it is Jesus Who gives real meaning to our celebrations, Jesus must be reborn in us each time we celebrate Christmas.   Hence, let us leave “room in the inn” of our hearts for Jesus to be reborn in our lives. Let us remember the famous lines of Saint Augustine, quoted by Meister Eckhart: “What do I profit if Jesus is born in thousands of cribs all over the world during this Christmas, if He is not born in my heart?”  So let us pray for the grace of Jesus’ birth in each one of us today, bringing us love, mercy, kindness, and compassion to give away.  Let us help all those around us to experience the newborn Savior – Jesus within us – as sharing love in the form of compassionate words, unconditional forgiveness, selfless service, merciful deeds, and overflowing generosity.

2) We need to listen to God speaking to us every day and to respond promptly, as the shepherds did: There isn’t one of us in this Church this morning who hasn’t had God speak to him or her in some personal way. It may not have happened as dramatically as it did to these shepherds, but God has indeed spoken to our soul and spirit. Too often, however, we have chosen not to listen. Have we ever had an argument with a member of our family, heard that voice deep down within us telling us to stop, and we knew we should stop? Have we ever had that same inner sense of knowing we needed to do something or to avoid doing something? That was the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us, the Spirit sent to us by the Father at the request of Jesus our Savior. Whether or not we chose to listen in those cases really isn’t the point. The point is that God has indeed spoken to us, and He continues to speak to us right now. How are we going to respond? Will we respond as Mary did, as the shepherds did and as the magi did? Or not?

JOKE OF THE DAY

• A four-year-old girl went with a group of family and friends to see the Christmas lights, displayed at various locations throughout the city. At one Church, they stopped and got out to look more closely at a beautiful nativity scene. “Isn’t that beautiful?” said the little girl’s grandmother. “Look at all the animals, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.” “Yes, Grandma,” replied the granddaughter. “It is really nice. But there is only one thing that bothers me. Isn’t Baby Jesus ever going to grow up…? He’s the same size he was last year!”
• Some children were asked what love is. The responses were quite interesting and instructive for us adults. One said, “Love is when my mommy makes a cup of coffee for my daddy and takes a little taste before she gives it to him to make sure it tastes okay.” Another said, “Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you’ve left him alone all day.” Another response was, “You really shouldn’t say, ’I love you’ unless you really mean it, but if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” One boy said, “When someone loves you, the way they call your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” And finally, seven-year-old Bobby said, “Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.”
• Typical of last-minute Christmas shoppers, a mother was running frantically from store to store. Suddenly she became aware that the pudgy little hand of her three-year-old son was no longer clutched in hers. In a panic, she retraced her steps and found him standing with his little nose pressed flat against a frosty window. He was gazing at a manger scene. Hearing his mother’s near hysterical call, he turned and shouted with innocent glee, “Look Mommy! It’s Jesus – Baby Jesus in the hay!” With obvious indifference to his joy and wonder, she impatiently jerked him away saying, “We don’t have time for that!”

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7c by Fr. Tony (akadavil@gmail.com

Christmas Day Holy Mass: (Jn 1:1-18) One- page summary

Introduction: While Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus goes back to Abraham and Luke’s genealogy to Adam, John’s genealogy goes back to God Himself. John travels to eternity to reveal to us the theology of Christmas. He presents the Creation story as the framework for announcing the Incarnation. Viewing Jesus’ birth from God’s perspective, he clarifies the truth that Incarnation of God to save mankind was the Divine intention from the very beginning, from before the moment of Creation.  While the synoptic Gospel selections for the Vigil, Midnight and Dawn Masses describe the history of Christmas and Jesus’ infancy narratives, the selection from John’s Gospel for this Daytime Mass lifts us out of history into the realm of mystery—His wonderful Name is the Word. The reading tells us that the Baby in the manger is the Word of God, the very Self-expression of God.

Scripture lessons: The first reading gives us the assurance that, just as Yahweh restored His Chosen People to their homeland after the Babylonian exile, Jesus, the Savior, will restore mankind to the Kingdom of God. In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 98), the Psalmist reminds us that the Kingdom includes everyone, not just the Chosen People, singing, “All the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation by our God!”  In the second reading, St. Paul tells us how God, Who had conveyed  His words to us in the past through His prophets, has now sent His own Son so that He might  demonstrate to us humans, by His life, death and Resurrection the real nature of our God.  John’s Gospel gives us a profoundly philosophical and theological vision of Christ, the result of John’s years of preaching and of meditating on this wondrous mystery of God’s love. John presents Jesus as the “Word of God.” In Jewish thought, this phrase describes God taking action as in His act of creation of the world. The Greeks understood “logos,” or the Word of God, as an intermediary between God and humanity. In Biblical Christian theology, the word Logos came to be equated with the Second Person of the Trinity.  While stressing the Divinity of Christ, John leaves no doubt as to the reality of Jesus’ human nature.  In the Prologue of his Gospel, John introduces the birth of Jesus as the dawning of the Light Who will remove the darkness of evil from the world. He records later in his Gospel why light is the perfect symbol of Christmas:  Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” (Jn 8:12) and “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:14-16). John tells us that God pitched His tent among us, meaning that God makes his home with us, He accompanies us, He lives with us, He shares our joys and our struggles, He eats with us, He becomes a meal for us in the Eucharist. The God who “pitched His tent” among us in Bethlehem and continues to live with each of us in our home, our apartment, our religious community, or our retirement home, and continues to dwell within us. That is why we rejoice, celebrating Christmas. A student came to a rabbi and said, ‘In the olden days there were people who saw the face of God. Why don’t they anymore?’ The rabbi replied, ‘Because nowadays no one can stoop that low.’ God keeps company with us. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and Truth.” (Jn 1:14; RSV 2 Catholic).

 Life messages: 1) A day to remember and a day to wait for:  Today, while we remember and celebrate God’s first coming into our world in human form, we also look forward, because the liturgy we celebrate reminds us that the Lord is going to return in his Second Coming.  The liturgy calls on us to prepare His way, to be ready to be judged by Him.  In addition to these two “comings,” the Church teaches us that Christ comes to us every day through the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Bible and the worshipping community. We are asked to inaugurate Christ’s Kingdom in our lives by allowing Him to be born in us, by recognizing Him in others and by courageously going forth to build His Kingdom of love, justice, peace and holiness in our world. 2) We need to remember that there is no room in the manger except for Jesus and us: There isn’t room in the manger for all the baggage we carry around with us.  There’s no room for our pious pride and self-righteousness.  There’s no room for our human power and prestige.  There’s no room for the baggage of past failure and unforgiven sin.  There’s no room for our prejudice, bigotry and jingoistic national pride.  There’s no room for bitterness and greed.  There is no room in the manger for anything other than the absolute reality of who and what we really are: very human, very real, very fragile, very vulnerable beings who desperately need the gifts of love and grace which God so lavishly gives us through the Sacraments, through the Holy Bible and during our prayers.

CHRISTMAS DAY (Full text): Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14  

Homily starter anecdotes: 1) A vision test: Once there was a Rabbi who asked his disciples the following question:  “How do you know when the darkness has been overcome, when the dawn has arrived?”  One of the disciples answered, “When you can look into the distance and tell the difference between a cow and a deer, then you know dawn has arrived.”  “Close,” the Rabbi responded, “but not quite.”  Another disciple ventured a response, “When you can look into the distance and distinguish a peach blossom from an apple blossom, then you know that the darkness has been overcome.”  “Not bad,” the Rabbi said, “not bad! But the correct answer is slightly different.  When you can look on the face of any man or any woman and know immediately that this is God’s child and your brother or sister, then you know that the darkness has been overcome, that the Daystar has appeared.”  This Christmas morning when we celebrate the victory of Light over darkness, the Gospel of John introduces Jesus as the true Light Who came from Heaven into our world of darkness to give us clear vision. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all:  Eight-year-old Benny died of AIDS in 1987. CBS made a movie drama about the trauma called Moving Toward the Light. As Benny lies dying in his mother’s arms, he asks, “What will it be like?” His mother whispers softly in his ear, “You will see a light, Benny, far away — a beautiful, shining light at the end of a long tunnel. And your spirit will lift you out of your body and start to travel toward the light. And as you go, a veil will be lifted from your eyes, and suddenly, you will see everything … but most of all, you will feel a tremendous sense of love.” “Will it take long?” Benny asks. “No,” his mother answers, “not long at all. Like the twinkling of an eye.” Many families have been devastated by AIDS. Amid the darkness and despair an eight-year-old boy and his mother witnessed to the sustaining power of the Light of God’s presence. They have touched the lives of a multitude of people. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is Light and in Him, is no darkness at all” – (1 John 1:5) (RSV 2 Catholic)(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) Jesus pitched his tent among us: The custom of placing lighted candles in the windows at Christmas was brought to America by the Irish. When religion was suppressed throughout Ireland during the persecution by the Protestant English, the people had no Churches. Priests hid in the forests and caves and secretly visited the farms and homes to say Mass there during the night. It was the dearest wish of every Irish family that at least once in their lifetime a priest would arrive at Christmas to celebrate Mass. For this grace they hoped and prayed all through the year. When Christmas came, they left their doors unlocked and placed burning candles in the windows, so that any priest who happened to be in the vicinity could be welcomed and guided to their home through the dark night. Silently the priest would enter through the unlatched door and be received by the devout inhabitants with fervent prayers of gratitude and tears of happiness that their home was to become a Church for Christmas. To justify this practice in the eyes of the English soldiers, the Irish people explained that they burned the candles and kept the doors unlocked so that Mary and Joseph, looking for a place to stay, would find their way to their home and be welcomed with open hearts. The candles in the windows have always remained a cherished practice of the Irish, although many of them have long since forgotten the earlier meaning. (William Barker in Tarbell’s Teacher’s Guide; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Introduction: While Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus goes back to Abraham, the father of God’s people, and Luke’s genealogy of Jesus’ ancestry goes all the way back to Adam, thus embracing the whole human race, John’s goes back to God Himself. John is the only Gospel writer who does not stop at Bethlehem to explain the “reason for the season.” John is more concerned with the WHY and WHO of Christmas than with the WHERE of Christmas. So he travels to eternity to reveal the Person of Jesus Christ. This is a great passage because it gives us the theology of Christmas. While the Gospel selections for the Vigil, Midnight, and Dawn Masses describe the history of Christmas, the selection from John’s Gospel for this Daytime Mass lifts us out of history into the realm of Mystery—His wonderful Name is the Word. The reading tells us that the Baby in the manger is the Word of God, the very Self-expression of God. He was present at creation; He is actually the One through Whom all things were made. The Prologue to the Gospel of John and the prologue to the Letter to the Hebrews in the second reading are superb affirmations of the Person of Jesus Christ, expressed in beautiful theological words and metaphors.  The first reading gives us the assurance that just as Yahweh restored His chosen people to their homeland after the Babylonian exile, Jesus the Savior will restore mankind to the kingdom of God.  In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 98), the Psalmist reminds us that the Kingdom includes everyone, not just the Chosen People, singing, “All the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation by our God!” In the second reading, St. Paul tells us how God Who conveyed His words to us in the past through His prophets has sent His own Son so that He might  demonstrate to us humans, by His life, death and Resurrection, the real nature of our God.  John’s Gospel gives a profoundly theological vision of Christ, the result of John’s years of preaching and of meditating on this wondrous mystery of God’s love. While stressing the Divinity of Christ, he leaves no doubt as to the reality of Christ’s human nature.  In the Prologue of his Gospel, John introduces the birth of Jesus as the dawning of the Light Who will remove the darkness of evil from the world. He records later in his Gospel why Light is the perfect symbol of Christmas:  Jesus said “I am the Light of the world,” (Jn 8:12) and “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:14-16).

First reading, Isaiah 52:7-10: This prophetic passage dates from the return of the Jews to their homeland at the end of the Babylonian Captivity.  The setting is the desolate city, Jerusalem, awaiting the return of the exiles from Babylon.  The city is personified; rhetorically, it is called “Zion,” after the hill in its midst where the Temple stood.  Isaiah first imagines that the city can hear, even at a distance, the footsteps of her returning children.  The returnees are pictured as singing exultantly, “Your God is King!”  Then Jerusalem’s sentinels raise the cry of recognition and join in the praise of God.  Finally, the joyful people declare that all the earth will recognize the hand of God at work in their restoration.  This return to Jerusalem, like the Exodus from Egypt centuries earlier, was a type or a foreshadowing of the greater redemption that was to come through Jesus the Messiah.  The re-possession of the land of Canaan for a few years and the restoring of Jerusalem and Judah were but pale shadows of the great restoration and the possession of our eternal promised land which were to be given by the Messiah in the days to come, not only to Israel but to all nations. “Today’s feast celebrates the Christ-event. In fact, the glad tidings of the Deutero-Isaiahan messenger were only fully actualized, only fully heard and made comprehensible in the event of Jesus Christ. In the event of the Incarnation, Yahweh truly returns and restores Jerusalem; in the event of the Nativity, Yahweh draws near to comfort and console his people. In the event of Christ-made-flesh, God’s message of salvation achieves its utmost clarity.” (Celebration).

Second Reading, Hebrews 1:1-6: The addressees of the Letter to the Hebrews were Christian Jews who were beginning to feel the pain of separation from their fellow-Jews who had refused to see Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.  The Christian Jews needed to be reminded that their relationship with Jesus more than filled the gaps in their religious lives caused by the loss of Temple ritual and the like, particularly as they were suffering the temptation to change back to the old Law and the Jewish religion because of persecution from Judaizers. In the Letter to the Hebrews, St. Paul explains to them how superior the New Covenant is to the old.  The letter begins with a comparison of how God formerly spoke to their ancestors and how God has now definitively spoken to them through Jesus.  These six verses from the Letter’s first chapter were chosen for today’s reading because of the clear, definite and emphatic declaration of the Divinity of Christ and His equality with God, which they contain.  Paul asserts that the Baby who was born in a stable in Bethlehem, lived and died in Palestine, rose on the third day from the grave and ascended to Heaven forty days later, was also God, equal to the Father in all things.  This is a mystery beyond our human comprehension, yet it is a fact, stated by Christ Himself, believed and preached by the Apostles,  and accepted by the Church for two thousand years.  The whole reading is about the superiority of Jesus to everything and everyone else and the superiority of Jesus, Who IS God’s final Self-Revelation to all mankind forever, to the Old Testament Revelation of God to His Chosen People.    Specifically, the reading  declares that Jesus is superior to angels.  That Jesus is also, necessarily, superior to the institutions of Judaism, from which the Hebrew Christians were cut off and for which they were feeling nostalgic, is  implied in the passage.

Exegesis: The prologue of John’s Gospel: From the time of the earliest lectionaries, the Prologue to John’s Gospel (Chapter 1) was the traditional assigned Gospel for Christmas Day because it is one of the most magnificent (and theologically profound) passages in the entire New Testament. For several centuries, this passage was familiar to Catholic parishioners as the “Last Gospel,” since it was directed to be read at the conclusion of each Mass, as the final thought that would accompany God’s people as they left the Church and returned to their homes and daily occupations. It has been taken as the litmus test of theological orthodoxy regarding the reality of Christ’s Incarnation, and lies behind some of the wording of the Nicene Creed. “John’s Gospel highlights the Deity of Jesus Christ, without minimizing His humanity.” (Rev. Bob Deffinbaugh; online at www.bible.org). Many scholars believe that the Prologue is an insistent rebuttal of certain Gnostic ideas, which denied the reality (or the possibility) of a Divine Incarnation. This Gnostic idea was later condemned as a heresy, called Docetism, which taught that the physical reality of Jesus was merely an “appearance” or a “façade,” and not inherent in who and what Jesus was.

The paradox of the Incarnation: Against later theories that Christ was somehow merely a “super-creature,” or an exemplary human being who had simply been subsequently “adopted” by God, John wants to make clear that the Son—unlike every creature born in time—pre-existed all things, and was, in fact, an active part of the Divine creative process. John the Evangelist proclaims the Incarnation of God, the most fundamental truth of Christianity, in the immortal words of his Prologue, making the connection between Jesus Christ and the Logos of God. Unlike most Jewish genealogies, this one traces Jesus’ origins to the Eternal Divinity. Between the beautiful Nativity stories of Matthew and Luke and the Gospel of John, there lies the great paradox of the Christian Faith, the paradox of the Incarnation, the entering of God into the human story, in human form.  The Prologue of John’s Gospel (1:1-18), can be divided into three sections: a) the Word’s relationship to the Creator and Creation (1:1-5), b) the Word’s relationship to John the Baptist (1:6-9) and c) the Word’s relationship to the world (1:10-18).

The theology of the Word made flesh:  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14; RSV 2 Catholic).  According to almost all interpreters, this is the climax of John’s poetic Prologue—the culmination of his gradual theological “crescendo,” and the “key” to everything else in the Gospel. It is such a simple phrase, and yet is contains within it the promise, hope, and challenge of Christianity in a nutshell!  Within thirty years of Jesus’ death, the Christian Faith had traveled all over Asia Minor and Greece and had arrived in Rome.  By AD 60, there must have been a hundred thousand Greeks in the Church for every Jew who had become a Christian.  But Jewish ideas like the Messiah, the center of Jewish expectation, were completely strange to the Greeks.  Hence, the very category in which the Jewish Christians conceived and presented Jesus meant nothing to the Greek Christians.  The problem which John faced was how to present Christianity to the Greek world around him in the Greek city of Ephesus where he lived.  He found that, in both Greek and Jewish thought, there existed the concept of the “word.”  For the Eastern peoples, words had an independent, power-filled existence.  The Greek term for word is Logos which not only means word, but also reason.  Hence, whenever the Greeks used Logos, the twin ideas of the Word of God and the Reason of God were in their minds. That is why John introduces Jesus to the Greeks as the Eternal, Light-giving and creative power of God, or the Mind of God in poetical prose, in the very beginning of his Gospel.  In his Prologue, John deals with the major themes like the pre-existence of the Word, God/Word and Father/Son as distinct Persons, but, at the same time, one God; of Jesus as God, Life and Light; of the struggle between Light and darkness; of the power of the Light over darkness.  According to John, the Word of God (Jesus,) gives Life and Light.  Thus, the Prologue of John’s Gospel summarizes how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly disclosed.  One of the Fathers of the Church (St. Irenaeus) once said, “Gloria Dei, homo vivens,” (“the glory of God  is a person fully alive”).  If that can be said of any of us, how much more must it be true of the Word made Flesh? Here in this Prologue, the evangelist enunciates Christ’s superiority, not only to everyone else as the One mediator between God and humanity, but also to the Law.

John the Baptizer’s role: John the Baptizer’s coming renewed Israel’s prophetic tradition after four hundred years of silence.  Since John’s ministry was so powerful, some people thought of him as the Messiah.  Hence, John’s Gospel makes a number of references to John the Baptizer, always clearly establishing that he was subordinate to Jesus.  John, the Baptizer, was not the Light, but came to bear witness to the Light (vv. 7-8).  John’s mission was to bear testimony to the Light (Jesus) — to serve as a witness to the Light (v. 7).  John died as a martyr because he showed the courage of his prophetic convictions by correcting Herod the king for his immoral life.

The Messiah rejected by his own people: “He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not” (1:11; RSV 2 Catholic).  Jesus “came home” to Israel, where the people should have known Him.  And it was the homefolk, “His own,” the Israelites, the Chosen People, who did not receive Him.  God had prepared them for centuries to receive the Messiah into their midst, but they rejected Him.  This rejection of the Word by Jesus’ own people is restricted neither to the time of Jesus nor to that of the Fourth Gospel. Much of the world today is still in rebellion, “preferring darkness to Light, because its deeds are evil” (3:19-20).  That is true of all of us at certain points in our lives, but we are not imprisoned in those moments. We can, as long as we are alive, turn to Him, repentant and believing, and become His own again.  “But to all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God” (v. 12).

 “The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us” (v. 14; RSV 2 Catholic): The Word becoming flesh is the zenith of God’s Self-revelation.  God Who spoke earlier through the prophets now speaks through His Son (Heb. 1:1-2), and lives among us.  The Word Who dwelt with God now dwells “with us,” becoming a human being like us and thus bridging the great chasm between God’s world and our world.  Verse 14 declares that the God Who once dwelt among them in the Tabernacle and the Temple, now chooses to dwell among them in the Person of Jesus.  In the Old Testament, Moses was not allowed to see the face of God.  Now, however, we are allowed to see Jesus’ glory — and His face. Thus, the Father is fully revealed to us, because, “…he who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9).  The other Gospels depict the glory of God coming upon Jesus at the Transfiguration.  John does not relate this incident, both because he sees the glory of God in all Jesus says and does, and because the hour for Jesus to be glorified is the crucifixion.

“And from His fulness, we have all received, grace upon grace.” (v. 16):  The Word is full of grace and truth – attributes of God – attributes that the Word shares with God as the “Father’s only Son” (v. 14b).  It is from this One Who is “full of grace and truth” that we receive “grace upon grace.”  In other words, we draw grace from the total resources of God, an inexhaustible storehouse.  Regardless of our need for grace, the supply is greater.  Let us imagine ourselves standing on the seashore, watching the waves roll in.  They come every few seconds, and the supply never fails. That is how God’s grace comes to us. Let us at this Christmas time try to count just some of those “graces showered on us.” Verse 17 identifies the Word as Jesus: “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”(RSV 2 Catholic).  The gift that is the Truth surpasses and perfects the former gift of the Law given through Moses.  Note the contrasts between Moses and Jesus: We received the law through Moses, but we receive grace and truth through Jesus Christ (v. 17).  John’s Prologue begins by declaring that that the Word was God (v. 1), and concludes (v.18), by proclaiming that the Son is God.
Life messages: 1) A day to remember and a day to wait for:  Today, while we remember and celebrate God’s first coming into our world in human form, we also look forward, because the liturgy we celebrate reminds us that the Lord is going to return in his Second Coming.  However, Christ is not going to return as a Child but as a Warrior, a Judge, a mighty Savior.  The liturgy calls on us to prepare His way, to be ready to be judged by Him.  So we are looking back and remembering the past coming of Jesus as our Savior, and looking forward and preparing for His future coming in glory as Judge to reward and punish.  In addition to these two “comings,” the Church teaches us that Christ is here now, Christ is present, Christ comes to us today,  and Christ comes to us every day.  Christmas is actually a celebration intended to heighten our awareness of the fact that Christ has been born, Christ lives, and Christ is present now in our souls and in our lives. Christmas reminds us, through the lives of the people in the Christmas narrative, of the importance of helping to bring the presence of Christ to the world around us and of being sensitive to that presence when the Lord comes to us in the least expected people, and in unexpected places and situations.  We are asked to welcome Christ’s Kingdom into our lives by allowing Him to be born in us, by recognizing Him in others, and by courageously going forth with His grace to build His kingdom of love, justice, peace, and holiness in our world.

2) We need to remember that there is no room in the manger except for Jesus and us: There isn’t room in the manger for all the baggage we carry around with us.  There’s no room for our pious pride and self-righteousness.  There’s no room for our human power and prestige.  There’s no room for the baggage of past failure and unforgiven sin.  There’s no room for our prejudice, bigotry, and jingoistic national pride.  There’s no room for bitterness and greed.  There is no room in the manger for anything other than the absolute reality of who and what we really are: very human, very real, very fragile, very vulnerable beings who desperately need the gift of love and grace which God so powerfully desires to give.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

1) It was Christmas Eve in a supermarket and a woman was anxiously picking over the last few remaining turkeys in the hope of finding a large one. In desperation she called over a shop assistant and said “Excuse me. Do these turkeys get any bigger?” “No” he replied, “They’re all dead”.

2) Just before Christmas, an honest politician, a generous lawyer and Santa Claus were riding in the elevator of a very posh hotel. Just before the doors opened, they all noticed a $20 bill lying on the floor.  Which one picked it up?
Santa of course, because the other two – an honest politician, a generous lawyer – don’t exist!

3) To avoid offending anybody, the school dropped religion altogether and started singing about the weather. At my son’s school, they now hold the winter program in February and sing increasingly non-memorable songs such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman” and–this is a real song–“Suzy Snowflake,” all of which is pretty funny because we live in Miami. A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged to the Church of Meteorology. (Chicago Tribune Magazine, July 28, 1991). L/23

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.7d by Fr. Tony   (akadavil@gmail.com)

On this Christmas Day, May God put the Spirit of the Shepherds and the Spirit of the Wise Men and the spirit of Mary and Joseph in us. But, most important of all, May God put the Spirit of Jesus in us. He wants to do that…. He wants to come into our hearts, but we have to let Him in

Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under CBCI or  Fr. Tony for my website version. (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website– http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020) Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph  M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507

58- Additional Christmas anecdotes (L-23)

1) Origin of the Christmas celebration: Many scholars believe that Christmas came to be placed on December 25^th in order to counteract a pagan celebration called the Birth of the Unconquered Sun. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring the god of agriculture, Saturn. Later the Kalends of January were observed to celebrate the triumph of life over death. The entire season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun., or Saturnalia.  Since December 25^th was around the date of the winter solstice (the year’s shortest day, after which the days begin to lengthen again showing the victory of the sun over darkness), it was chosen as the date of rejoicing.  When Christianity was approved as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Church chose this day to celebrate the birth of the true Sun – the Son of God Who conquers the power of darkness.  Another theory gives Biblical support for celebrating Christmas on the 25^th of December.  It claims that the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah occurred during the feast of Yom Kippur, around September 25^th, placing the birth of John after nine months on June 25^th.  Since the angel tells Mary that Elizabeth is in the sixth month of her pregnancy, the Annunciation event and the conception of Jesus took place around March 25^th leading to Jesus’ birth after nine months, around December 25^th.    Where did the name Christmas originate? In medieval times, the celebration of Christmas took the form of a special Mass said at midnight on the eve of Christ’s birth. Since this was the only time in the Catholic Church year when a midnight Mass was allowed, it soon became known in the Old English as Christes Masse (Christ’s Mass), from which is derived Christmas. (Fr. Tony Kadavil) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

2) Thanks for listening: In the Cable TV episodes Inside the Actor’s Studio, James Lipton invites celebrities – famous actors, writers and directors – to talk about their careers and how they do what they do. And he always ends each episode the same way, with one particular question: “If you believe that God exists, what do you think He will say to you when you finally see Him?” It’s a good question, by the way, to ask ourselves periodically. It can make for an interesting examination of conscience. Anyway: on this episode, the person James Lipton was interviewing was Steven Spielberg. Lipton asked him that final question: “What do you hope God will say to you when you finally see Him?” And Spielberg thought for a moment and smiled. He replied: “’Thanks for listening.”  — So much of the Christmas story is, truly, about listening. When Gabriel arrives to bring Mary the news that she will bear a child…she listens. When the angel tells Joseph in his dreams what is about to happen…he listens. The shepherds listen when the angel announces the “good news of great joy.” Two thousand years later, we confront this stunning message – “tidings of comfort and joy,” as the carol describes it – and our hearts swell with the sentiment of the season. We hear. But are we paying attention? Are we listening? Christmas invites us to listen. (Deacon Greg Kandra). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

3) “Man, you don’t mess around when you’re hungry!” Have you heard about the little boy who loved going to Church? He enjoyed the music, the stained-glass windows, the homily, and the fellowship. The only part about going to Church that the little boy didn’t like, were those long personal prayers which the pastor added to the intercessory prayers! Then on Christmas, the little boy’s parents invited the pastor home for lunch… and would you believe it, his mom asked the pastor to pray the prayer of thanksgiving before the meal. “Oh, no,” thought the little boy, “We will never get to eat. I am starving, and he will pray forever.” But to his surprise, the pastor’s prayer was brief and to the point. He said, “O Lord, bless this home. Bless this food, and use us in your service, in Jesus Name. Amen.” The little boy was so astonished by the pastor’s short prayer that he couldn’t help himself. He looked at the pastor and blurted out what he was thinking: “Man, you don’t mess around when you’re hungry!” — Well, I don’t want to “mess around” on this Christmas Day because I know that whether we realize it or not… we are hungry. We are all hungry for God. We are all hungry for our Savior. We are all hungry for Christmas… because, you see, this is precisely what Christmas is all about. We need a Savior, we are starved for a Savior, a Savior is given in Jesus, and the name “Jesus” means literally “The Lord is Salvation,” or “Yahweh Saves,” or “Savior.” Jesus came at Christmas to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He came to save us from our sins. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

4) “And all mankind will see God’s salvation.” Every year, the former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura used to send out a Christmas card with a Bible verse on it. For Christmas 2001, when the country was still coming to terms with the September 11th attacks, the Bushes decided to choose a verse that conveyed their Faith and Hope. They picked this verse from the Psalms: “I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” [An interview with First Lady Laura Bush by Ellen Levin, Good Housekeeping (Jan. 2002), pp. 105, 130.] That is the promise of Christmas. Isaiah put it like this: “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.'” –That is the hope that sustains us in good times and bad. We shall see God’s salvation. Christ came because the world needed saving. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

5) “We’ll all be home for Christmas.” Senator John McCain spent 5½ years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam in the 1960s. During that time, he was frequently tortured or held in solitary confinement. He reports that his lowest point came on Christmas Eve 1969. McCain was giving up hope of ever getting out of Vietnam alive. To compound his homesickness, the captors played the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” over the PA system. Just then, McCain heard tapping on his cell wall. This was the communication code the POWs used to communicate with one another. On the other side of the wall was Ernie Bruce, a Marine who had been imprisoned for four years already. In spite of his dire situation, Bruce was tapping out, “We’ll all be home for Christmas. God bless America.” These simple words of comfort restored John McCain’s hope. [Senator John McCain, “The tapping on the Wall,” Ladies’ Home Journal (July 2002), pp. 107-111.] — The message of Christmas is always one of Hope. This world needs saving, but God began that process of salvation two thousand years ago with the birth of a Baby in Bethlehem. There’s something about Christmas that elevates us. Christmas is about hope of a better world to come. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

) Camel on the roof of royal palace: The king of Balkh (northern Afghanistan) named Ebrahim ibn Adam was wealthy according to every earthly measure. At the same time, however, he sincerely and restlessly strove to be wealthy spiritually as well. One night the king was roused from sleep by a fearful stumping on the roof above his bed. Alarmed, he shouted: “Who’s there?” “A friend,” came the reply from the roof. “I’ve lost my camel.” Perturbed by such stupidity, Ebrahim screamed: “You fool! Are you looking for a camel on the roof?” “You fool!” the voice from the roof answered. “Are you looking for God in silk clothing, and lying on a golden bed?”  The story goes on, according to Jesuit theologian Walter G. Burghardt, to tell how these simple words filled the king with such terror that he arose from his sleep to become a most remarkable saint. — Every Christmas Jesus asks the same question to each one of us: “Where are you looking for Me? In the majestically adorned and illuminated cathedrals or in the stables of the poor and the needy?” Tonight’s Scripture readings tell us where to look for Christ the Savior. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

7) “No Room in the Inn:” The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful and costly tombs ever built, but there is something fascinating about its beginnings. In 1629, when the favorite wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan died, he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built as a memorial for her. The Shah placed his wife’s casket in the middle of a parcel of land, and construction of the temple literally began around it. But several years into the venture, the Shah’s grief gave way to a passion for the project. One late evening while he was surveying the sight, he reportedly stumbled over a wooden box in the dark , and he had some workers to remove it and put it in a common storehouse. It was months before he realized that his wife’s casket that had been carelessly kept in a common store along with useless articles.  The original purpose for the memorial became lost in the details of construction. [Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families (Tyndale House: Wheaton, 1998), 122, & “Story of Christless Christmas,” taken from Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven, pp. 131-132.] –This seemingly unrealistic ancient legend is a painfully relevant parable of the way some people celebrate Christmas today.   Sometimes we become so involved in the tasks and details of Christmas that we forget the One we are honoring.  Five little words in the Gospel of Luke say it all: “No Room in the Inn.” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

8) The golden rice grains: There is a beautiful poem by the mystic poet of India, Rabindra Nath Tagore, extolling the reward of generous giving.   It tells the story of a king who regularly visited his people, passing through the streets in a chariot.  One morning as the king was passing by, a beggar woman who planned to ask him for alms, stood on the roadside with her begging bowl.   As the king approached her, however, he descended from his chariot and stretched out his hand as though he was expecting a gift from the woman.   Excited and surprised, the woman put her hand in the cotton bag on her shoulder, took out a pinch of rice, and with trembling hands gave it to the king.  The king was well pleased; he smiled at her put her offering in his pocket and gave her back a pinch of grains from his other pocket.   When the woman returned to her small hut that evening and examined the grains, she had gotten that day, she was surprised to find a few grains of gold in the rice.   You can imagine both her surprise and despair when she realized she should have given all her rice grains to the king. — We are here to offer our gifts to Child Jesus in the manger as His birthday gift.  Let us remember that Jesus does not want our material gifts as much as He wants ourselves, with all our weakness and temptations, our merits and demerits. Let our Christmas gift to him be a heart full of love and a strong and sincere resolution to share it generously with others. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

9) “I want somebody who has skin on.” Leonard Griffith, the outstanding pastor in Toronto, tells the story of a mother who was putting her little daughter to bed in the midst of a thunderstorm. She told her daughter that she did not need to be frightened, that her mother and father were close by in the living room. The girl replied to her mother, “Mommy, but when it thunders this way, I want somebody who has skin on.” — This simple, homely story, in essence, is the essential truth of our text. The invisible spirit of God did clothe himself in skin, flesh, and blood and came to dwell among us with grace and truth. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

10) God’s Christmas Gift:  Would you like to know what is on record as the most expensive Christmas gift in the world? It is the Phoenix 1000. This is a 213-foot personal luxury submarine. Maybe there is a couple out there that lives on Lake Lanier and this is something you could buy to impress all of your friends. This is the single largest private underwater vehicle ever built that has a total interior area of 5000 square feet. It can make transatlantic crossings at 16 knots. A small automobile can be kept in the aft section of this submarine; it even has a mini sub complete with its own docking area that can take your guests down to 2000 feet. Wrap it up and bring it home for only $78 million dollars! — The Phoenix 1000 may be the most expensive Christmas gift in history, but it is not the most valuable Christmas gift, nor even is it the costliest. The Christmas gift that I want to talk about tonight is God’s Christmas Gift. It is His Son Jesus as our Savior. Though it is the most valuable and most costly gift ever given – get this – it is absolutely free. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

11) A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is all about Ebenezer Scrooge, the mean banker who hoards all his money, and goes around saying, “Bah! Humbug!” On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future. Then he wakes up on Christmas morning, and finds out he’s been given a second chance. He buys the biggest goose for Bob Crachett and Tiny Tim, is reconciled with his family, serves everyone, and loves everyone for the rest of his life. — What makes this such a great story is that Scrooge wakes up on Christmas and decides to spend his life consciously loving and serving others, to live every day as if it were Christmas, loving and serving Christ in everyone. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

12)  “I Wish I could Be a Brother Like That:” Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked. Paul nodded. “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was astounded. “You mean your brother gave it to you, and it didn’t cost you nothing? Boy, I wish…” He hesitated. Of course, Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels. “I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.”          Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?” “Oh yes, I’d love that.” After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?” Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again. “Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. “There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And someday I’m gonna give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.” Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. — That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he had said: “It is more blessed to give…” [Dan Clark. From Chicken Soup for the Soul (1992), pp. 25-26.] Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

13) Erik’s Jesus in rags: A Christmas story: [“Erik’s Old Man,” by Nancy Dahlberg. From Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul (1997), pp. 307-309.] It was Sunday, Christmas Day. After the holidays in San Francisco we were driving back home to Los Angeles.  We stopped for lunch in King City.  The restaurant was nearly empty.  We were the only family and ours were the only children. I heard Erik, my one-year-old, squeal with glee.  “Hithere,” the two words he always thought were one.  “Hithere,” and he pounded his fat baby hands- whack, whack, whack – on the metal highchair.  His face was alive with excitement, his eyes were wide, gums bared in a toothless grin.  He wriggled and giggled. Then I saw the source of his merriment: an old, dirty smelly bum in rags.  He spoke to Erik:  “Hi there, baby. Hi there, big boy, I see ya, Buster.”  My husband and I exchanged a look that was a cross between “What do we do?” and “Poor devil.”

Our meal came, and the banging and the noise continued.  Now the old bum was shouting across the room and Erik continued to laugh and answer, “Hithere.”  Every call was echoed.  Nobody thought it was cute.  The guy was a drunk and a disturbance.  I was embarrassed.  My husband, Dennis, was humiliated. Dennis went to pay the check, imploring me to get Erik and meet him in the parking lot.  “Lord, just let me get out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,” and I bolted for the door.  It soon was obvious that both the Lord and Erik had other plans. As I drew closer to the man on my way out, Erik, with his eyes riveted on his new friend, leaned over my arm, reaching up with his in a baby’s “pick-me-up position.”  In the split-second of balancing my baby, I came eye-to-eye with the old man. Erik was lunging for him, arms spread wide.  The bum implored me:   “Would you let me hold your baby?” There was no need for me to answer since Erik propelled himself from my arms into those of the bum. Suddenly a very old man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship.

Erik laid his tiny head upon the man’s ragged shoulder.  The man’s eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath the lashes.  His aged hands, rough and worn from hard labor, gently cradled and stroked my baby.  I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment.  Then he opened his eyes, looked into mine, and said in a firm voice: “You take care of this baby.”  And somehow, I managed to say, “I will.” At last the bum handed Erik to me.   As I held my arms open to receive my baby, the old man said, “God bless you, Ma’am. You’ve given me my Christmas gift.”  I said nothing more than a muttered “thanks.” With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car.  Dennis wondered why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly.  And why I was saying, “My God, forgive me.  Forgive me” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

14) Will you take Christ home with you this Christmas?  When a little boy named Davis came to Christmas morning Mass with his parents, he was surprised to find that baby Jesus was not in the Nativity Set. His parents immediately went into the sacristy and asked the pastor who had removed the Baby Jesus. The pastor rushed to the crib only to realize that some miscreants had stolen the Baby from the manger after the Midnight Mass.  Later, during the morning Mass, the pastor informed the congregation of the theft and told them that he couldn’t understand the motive behind such a callous act. Then, he asked them to see that the Baby Jesus was returned. The manger, however, remained empty.

Later that afternoon, depressed and sad, the pastor was walking through the wintry streets when he saw his neighbor, little Tommy. Shabbily dressed against the cold, Tommy was proudly walking with a new, bright red wagon.  The pastor knew how much his parents must have scrimped and saved to buy him the wagon.  With a surge of Christmas spirit, the pastor wished Tommy a Merry Christmas and congratulated him on his beautiful Christmas gift. It was then that he noticed that Tommy’s new red wagon wasn’t empty. The Baby Jesus stolen from the church lay on a pillow in the wagon. The pastor was disappointed. He told Tommy that stealing was wrong, and that the entire parish had been hurt by his action. Wiping from his cheeks the flowing penitential tears, Tommy said, “But, Father, I didn’t steal Jesus! It wasn’t like that at all.  I’ve been asking Jesus for a red wagon for Christmas for a long time, and, you see, I promised Him when I got it, He’d be the first one I took out for a ride. I kept my promise and now I am on my way to the church to bring Baby Jesus home!” —  Each Christmas invites us to take Jesus to our home, because the only inn where He cares to find shelter is the inn of our hearts.   If, like the pastor in our story, we have misjudged others, we can take Jesus home with us by asking their forgiveness. If   someone has hurt us, we can forgive him or her. Let’s make this a Christmas of reconciliation, love, peace and joy. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

15) O Henry’s story of sacrificial Christmas sharing: “Gift of the Magi”:   A brief retelling of this old, but touching story is as follows:   It was Christmas Eve, during the days of the Depression of the 1930’s.  Della and James, a newly married couple, were very poor.  They loved each other dearly, but money was hard come by.  In fact, as Christmas approached, they were unhappy because they had no money to buy presents for each other. They had two possessions that they valued deeply:  James had a gold watch which had belonged to his father, and Della had long and beautiful brown hair.   Della knew that James’ watch had no matching chain–only a worn-out leather strap.  A matching chain would be an ideal gift for her husband, but she lacked the money to buy it.

As she stood before the mirror, her eyes fell on her long tresses.  She was very proud of her beautiful hair, but she knew what she had to do.  She faltered a moment, but nothing could stand in the way of love.  She hastened to the “hair-dealers,” sold her hair for twenty dollars, and went around shop after shop, hunting for the ideal gift.  At last she found it: a matching chain for her husband’s watch.  She was very happy and proud of the gift.  She knew he would love it, the fruit of her sacrifice.

James came in, beaming with love, proud of the gift he had bought for Della.  He knew she would be very happy with the gift.  But when he saw her, his face fell.  She thought he was angry at what she had done.  She tried to console him by saying that her hair would grow fast, and soon it would be as beautiful as before.  That is when he gave her his gift.  It was an expensive set of combs, with gem-studded rims.   She had always wanted them for her hair!  She was very happy, but with a tinge of sadness.  She knew it would be some time before she could use the precious gift.

Then, with tears in her eyes, she presented him with the gift she had bought.  As he looked at the beautiful chain, he said with a sigh: “I guess our gifts will have to wait for some time.  The combs were very expensive; I had to sell my watch to buy the combs!” –These were the perfect gifts:  gifts of sacrificial love.  Both James and Della were very happy for, like the Magi, they had discovered LOVE through self-sacrifice. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

16) Two babies in the manger?  In 1994, two Christian missionaries answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics in a large orphanage.  About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. It was nearing Christmas and the missionaries decided to tell them the story of Christmas.  It would be the first time these children heard the story of the birth of Christ.  They told the children about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem.  Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the Baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.  Throughout the story, the children and the orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened.  When the story was finished, the missionaries gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger.  Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins that the missionaries had brought with them since no colored paper was available.  Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown discarded by a tourist, were used for the baby’s blanket.  A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt which the missionaries had also brought with them.  It was all going smoothly until one of the missionaries sat down at a table to help a 6-year-old boy named Misha.  He had finished his manger.  When the missionary looked at the little boy’s manger, she was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger.  Quickly, she called for the translator to ask Misha why there were two babies in the manger.  Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, Misha began to repeat the story very seriously.  For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately until he came to the part where Mary put the Baby Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib.  He made up his own ending.  He said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him, ‘I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don’t have any place to stay.  Then Jesus told me that I could stay with Him.  But I told him I couldn’t, because I didn’t have a gift to give Him like the shepherds and the magi did.  But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift.  I thought maybe if I kept Him warm, that would be a good gift.  So I asked Jesus, “If I keep You warm, will that be a good enough gift?”  And Jesus told me,  ‘If you keep Me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave Me.’  So I got into the manger and then Jesus looked at me and He told me I could stay with Him – for always.”

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that
splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found Someone Who would never abandon nor abuse him, Someone who would stay with him – FOR ALWAYS.  — Today we celebrate the great feast of Jesus the Emmanuel – “God with Us. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

17) A Christmas Parable written by Louis Cassels:  Once upon a time there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn’t a Scrooge. He was a kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men. But he didn’t believe all that stuff about Incarnation which Churches proclaim at Christmas. And he was too honest to pretend that he did. “I am truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. “But I simply cannot understand this claim that God becomes man. It doesn’t make any sense to me.” On Christmas Eve his wife and children went to Church for the midnight service. He declined to accompany them. “I’d feel like a hypocrite,” he explained. “I’d rather stay at home. But I’ll wait up for you.”

Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. “If we must have Christmas,” he thought, “it’s nice to have a white one.” He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. A few minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another. He thought that someone must be throwing snowballs at his living room window. When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the storm. They had been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. “I can’t let these poor creatures lie there and freeze,” he thought. “But how can I help them?” Then he remembered the barn where the children’s pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter.

He put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the door wide and turned on a light. But the birds didn’t come in. “Food will lure them in,” he thought. So, he hurried back to the house for breadcrumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored the breadcrumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction – except into the warm lighted barn. “They find me a strange and terrifying creature,” he said to himself, “and I can’t seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety. . . .” Just at that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood silent for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. “Now I do understand,” he whispered. “Now I see why You had to do it.”  (Quoted by Fr. Tommy Lane) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

18) Did you see the queen? Remember that nursery rhyme?

“Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?”

“I’ve been to London to look at the queen.”

“Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?”

“I frightened a little mouse, under her chair.”

The pussy cat went to see the queen, but it saw only a mouse. — We have come to Christmas to see Jesus coming to our lives as our Lord and personal Savior. But do we see only the lights, the statues in the manger scene and the poinsettias around the altar? We have come to experience the Light of the world shine on us. But do we see only the darkness of our lives and that of the world? God has communicated His love for us and His desire to be with us through the Babe in the manger. Do we get the Message? Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

19) Christmas Reconciliation.  A young woman drove a rented car slowly up a snow-covered mountain road on a cold Christmas Eve.  She was going to see her father, whom she had not seen in twelve years.  She had been sixteen when her father and mother divorced after his affair with a woman at work.  Neither she nor her mother had ever been able to forgive him.

The affair had not lasted, and her father had soon given up his corporate job in an eastern city and moved to Colorado — “to rest my weary soul in the solitude of the mountains” was what he had written in the first letter he sent after he left home.  He had taken a job with the National Park Service for the summer and hoped he might find something at a ski resort in the winter.  That was all she knew about his life for all of those years.  Letters had come regularly from the same address in a town called Ward, and she had carefully saved each one, unopened, in a cookie tin on the back shelf of the large walk-in closet in the bedroom of her townhouse. She had done well for herself, ironically, in the same company that had once employed her father.

The last line of that one letter she had read flashed into her mind, as it had so many times before, as she saw the road sign for Ward with an arrow pointing to the right.  “I hope you will be able to forgive me some day, Gracie.  I love you.” Could she forgive him?  Was that why she had come?  Even after the long flight and the equally long drive from the airport on unfamiliar mountain roads, she still didn’t know.

Grace and her mother had always spent Christmases together, vacationing in Florida or the Caribbean.  It was a way of distracting themselves from what they had lost.  Now that her mother was remarried, there was no place to go.  They had invited her for Christmas, her mother and Ted, but she hadn’t wanted to intrude on their first holiday together.  So, here she was on the road to Ward.

Grace could see the lights of the little town shimmering below her, shiny and yellow against the snow, like the gold that had once been mined from the mountain.  She turned off the main highway and shifted into low gear.  The road down to the village was steep and narrow and snow-covered.  Sand had been spread on the curves, but she still had to go slowly.  She wondered in which of the thirty or forty houses and old miner’s shacks she would find her father.  She pulled up in front of the general store.  The porch light was on and the door was open.  A young woman about her own age, dressed in bib overalls with braided hair hanging down to her waist, was crocheting behind the counter near a small wood-burning stove.  Candy bars, cigarettes, and several brands of cough medicine lined the shelves behind her.  The woman smiled at Grace and said, “Good evening.  What can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for my father,” Grace said.  The plaintive tone of her own voice surprised her.  She told the woman her father’s name and immediately saw a knowing look of recognition.  “Old Jim.  He comes in here all the time.  You must be Grace.  He told me about you.”  It seemed strange to hear her father called old.  Grace remembered him as middle-aged. Of course, he would be older now, in his late sixties.  It pleased Grace to know he had spoken of her.

“Almost everybody is up at the Church,” the woman said.  “I saw your dad go up about a half-hour ago. A retired preacher comes up from Nederbet every Christmas Eve.  It’s about the only time they have services here.  You can leave your car out in front.  It’s easier to walk from here.” Grace slowly made her way over the footbridge spanning the ice-covered stream that wound through the center of the town.  She could see the small clapboard Church about 200 yards up the mountain.  On top of the steeple there were green, blue, and red Christmas lights flashing in the form of a star.  They appeared to be attached to the cross.  Her hands trembled as she opened the door of the Church.  Would her father be glad to see her after all these years?  Would he recognize her?

She spotted him, sitting by himself in one of the back pews.  “Old Jim.”  The woman at the store was right.  His hair was thin and completely gray.  He was much heavier now. He looked tired, and, the thought pained her, very much alone. The congregation stood up to sing “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”  The words of the familiar carol rang in her ears as she slipped into the pew beside her father.  “Glory to the newborn King, Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.” She squeezed her father’s hand and a smile came over his face in the same instant he turned to see her.  “Grace,” he said, “I’m so glad to see you.”

“Daddy,” was all she was able to say. When the pastor gave the invitation to come forward for receiving Jesus in the Christmas Holy Communion, Grace and her father walked up the aisle hand in hand.  Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

20) “God has revealed Himself in his Son.” Theologian Karl Barth stood before students and faculty at Princeton in 1963 during his Princeton Lectures. A student asked: “Sir, don’t you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only Christianity?” Barth stunned many who were present when he thundered, “No, God has not revealed himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed himself in his Son.” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

21) Christmas trees are a big business (as you can imagine) in this country. Thirty-six million Christmas trees are produced in this country every year and more than one million acres of land have been planted in Christmas trees. Over 100,000 people work full time in the Christmas tree industry. More than 1 million acres of land in this country are dedicated just to planting Christmas trees. Roughly 21% of United States households will have a real tree in their home this year versus 48% that will have a fake tree. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

22) Shuttle service to Heaven: The brilliant writer, C. S. Lewis, wrote a thought-provoking book called The Great Divorce. It is not about the divorce that occurs between husband and wife. It is about the divorce that occurs between our souls and God. In this book, C. S. Lewis gives us a picture of Hell as a big city, with all its pressures and problems. In this big city, the weather is always cold and wet with a heavy rain. The light is always grey and murky. The people in this city of Hell become more and more aware of the great divorce that has taken place between their soul and God, and they sink deeper and deeper into their dismal surroundings. Except … there is a way out! There is a way out of this terrible condition! God has provided a shuttle-bus service from Hell to Heaven: regular bus service. All you need to do is get on the bus and let the power of God carry you into the light. The incredible thing about the story is that very few people get on board the buses, even though they are arriving and departing all the time. The people find all kinds of excuses for putting the journey off to some vague future time — and they miss the opportunity to be carried by the power of God from death to new life; from the misery of being estranged from God to the joy of being in union with God. —  Though we may stand in the darkness of the “great divorce,” the Christmas Promise of God is that He will carry us into the light if only we are willing to get on the bus. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

23) Jesus sells: One never tires of Jesus as a subject. The cover stories of Time, Newsweek, and US News & World Report regularly mark His nativity. One reason for featuring Him so often is that their circulation invariably increases. Born twenty centuries ago, Jesus still sells. Mel Gibson broke all records with his DVD version of The Passion of the Christ. He sold nine million copies in three weeks at $22 a clip. The first book published by Pope Benedict XVI is called Jesus of Nazareth. It quickly found a home on the Best Seller list of The New York Times. Artists at their easels struggle to paint His portrait again. Have you seen Andy Warhol’s Nativity? Composers struggle to salute Him with a fresh musical score. — Will it ever be otherwise? I believe not. Tell others of Jesus. But first, allow Him to be born in you. He can’t be born again, but we can. (Fr. James Gilhooley). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

24) “But I did show up”:  A story is told of an old woman who lived all alone. Each year as Christmas drew near, she would sigh and lament her loneliness, wishing that some people would visit her. Since nobody would visit her, she decided to pray to the Baby Jesus and His mother requesting that they pay her a visit. Finally, the baby Jesus appeared to her in a dream and told her that her prayer had been heard and that the Holy Family would visit her on Christmas Day. Oh, how excited she was! She began cleaning and polishing everything in her house squeaky clean in preparation for the Divine visitor. She cooked her best dish and baked her best cake in readiness for the visit of Jesus and his mother. Who knows, maybe if she pleased them well enough, they might decide to stay on and live with her!

When Christmas Day finally arrived, her house was squeaky clean. Everything was in place to give her sacred guests a befitting welcome. She sat by the door and read a book, just to make sure the visitors would not have to ring the doorbell twice before she would open the door and let them in. It was a cold and rainy day. At about noon she spotted a gypsy couple in the rain making their way to her house. The man was dirty and disheveled. The thinly clad woman was nursing a baby who was crying in the rain. “Why can’t these gypsies just get a decent job,” she said to herself. Then she screamed at them, “Turn back, turn back immediately. Come another day if you like. Today, I am expecting very important visitors.” The gypsy family turned back and left. The woman continued to wait. She waited all day and no divine visitors showed up. At sunset she fell asleep on the chair, and there in her dream was Jesus. “Jesus,” she screamed, “how could you disappoint me? You said You were coming to visit me for Christmas, and I waited all day, and You never showed up.” “But I did show up,” replied Jesus. “I came with My father and mother in the rain, and you turned us away.” Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

25) “You’re a good man.” In Alan Paton’s beautiful novel, Cry the Beloved Country, there is a young man who was born late in his parents’ lives. He left his home in the hill country and went down to the city. He never wrote or sent back news. Finally, his elderly father decided to go to the city to find his boy. Because he hadn’t spent much time in the city, the father had a hard time of it there. He was bewildered and confused, and he didn’t know where to begin. Then he was befriended by a city minister who heard his story and resolved to help him. The old man moved in with the minister who went out of his way, spending time trying to help the father pick up clues, to get on the trail of his son. And when they seemed to be making progress, the old man, with tears in his eyes, was trying to thank the minister for all he had done. He couldn’t quite find the words and said simply, “You’re a good man.” The minister replied, “I’m not a good man. I am a sinful and a selfish man. But Jesus Christ has laid His hands on me, that’s all.”–  A good man is hard to find. But God sent one — one good Man — to show us the answer to the supreme riddle of life. One good Man who will never fail us. For, as St. Paul has written, “Love never fails” (I Cor. 13:8). (Voicings.com). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

26) Your God Is Too Small. JB Phillips authored a book entitled Your God Is Too Small. One of the great reasons for Advent is to celebrate the birth of Jesus and explore the BIGNESS of our GREAT God. The irony of Christmas is this: the bigness of God can be seen in a tiny Baby. According to Paul in Colossians 1:15-23 this tiny Baby is the dynamic, omniscient, omnipotent Creator of the universe! Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 27) He jumped into the hole: A student asked a Christian professor how Confucius and Buddha would differ from Christ. He responded with a parable. A woman fell into a deep hole. Try as she might, she could not climb out. Confucius looked in. He told her, “Poor woman, if you had paid attention to me, you would not have fallen in there in the first place.” Then he disappeared. Buddha approached. He too spotted the woman. He said to himself, “If she can just manage to get out of that hole, I can give her genuine aid.” He continued his journey. Along came Jesus. He spotted the woman. He was moved with pity. He jumped into the hole immediately to assist her out. — This story illustrates the Incarnation. We gather here to celebrate the concern of God for each of us. His willingness to parachute into enemy-occupied territory in human form for our sakes is illustrated by the birth of His Son today. (CS Lewis). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

28) Ancient Christmas reading from the Roman Martyrology: Pope Gregory XIII in 1584 brought together the Roman Martyrology. “The customary reading for Christmas from the Roman Martyrology, often proclaimed prior to the celebration of Christmas Mass at Midnight:  In the year 5199 since the creation of the world, when God made Heaven and earth; in the year 2759 since the flood; in the year 2015 since Abraham’s birth; in the year 1510 since the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt under the guidance of Moses; in the year 1032 since David was anointed king; in the 65th week of years according to Daniel’s prophecy; in the 194th Olympiad; in the year 732 after the building of Rome; in the 42nd year of the reign of Octavian Augustus, when there was peace in the whole world; in the 6th era of the world’s history; Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desired to sanctify the world by His gracious coming. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and now after nine months (all kneel) He is born at Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah as Man from the Virgin Mary. THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE FLESH. (Fr. Cusick). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

29) The face of God: I heard the story once of a great Cherokee wood carver. He took a log and sat it on a stump outside his back door and sat in front of that log sometimes for hours just staring at it. Finally, he would pick up his carving tools and start carving the most beautiful of things out of the wood. He was known for his intricate details in feathers of eagles, or the look of sadness in the eyes of the faces he carved. A tourist once asked him how he decided what to carve, and the young man said that he looked for the picture that is already in the wood, then just took the excess wood away, leaving the beautiful finished image. He said people would continually ask him how he came up with the ideas as to what he was going to carve. — People are curious about everything. For hundreds of centuries, people wanted to know what God looked like, too. Many thought He might have the face of a demanding judge or strict disciplinarian. It seems we always put the face on God that we fear the most. On a Christmas Eve, some 2,000 years ago, God took off His mask and showed the world what He looked like. He let us see Him how He really looks. We have all heard what we call “the Christmas Story”, and we all feel very comfortable with Jesus in a manger, don’t we? (Rev. Diane Ball). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 30) But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of all:  Take the year 1809. The international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely. Nobody then cared about babies. But the world was overlooking some terribly significant births. For example, William Gladstone was born that year. He was destined to become one of England’s finest statesman. That same year, Alfred Tennyson was born to an obscure minister and his wife. The child would one day affect the literary world in a marked manner. On the American continent, Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And not far away in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe began his eventful, albeit tragic, life. It was also in that same year that a physician named Darwin and his wife named their child Charles Robert. And that same year produced the cries of a newborn infant in a rugged log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby’s name? Abraham Lincoln. If there had been news broadcasts at that time, I’m certain these words would have been heard: “The destiny of the world is being shaped on an Austrian battlefield today.” But history was actually being shaped in the cradles of England and America. — Similarly, everyone thought taxation was the big news–when Jesus was born. But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Savior. Adapted from Charles Swindoll. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

31) You left your palace and your glory to visit me:  Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often, he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, “I am your king!” The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!” — The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls Him, “the unspeakable gift!” Source Unknown. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

32) Christ is born anew within. On the wall of the museum of the concentration camp at Dachau is a large and moving photograph of a mother and her little girl standing in line leading to a gas chamber. The child, who is walking in front of her mother, does not know where she is going. The mother, who walks behind, does know, but is helpless to stop the tragedy. In her helplessness she performs the only act of love left to her. She places her hands over the child’s eyes so she will at least not see the horror to come. –When people come into the museum they do not whisk by this photo hurriedly. They pause. They almost feel the pain. And deep inside I think that they are all saying: “O God, don’t let that be all that there is.” — God’ hears those prayers, and it is in just such situations of hopelessness and helplessness that His almighty power is born. It is there that God leaves His Treasure, in Mary and in all of us, as Christ is born anew within. (Sermon Illustrations, 1999). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

33) Jesus pitched his tent among us: The custom of placing lighted candles in the windows at Christmas was brought to America by the Irish. When religion was suppressed throughout Ireland during the English persecution, the people had no Churches. Priests hid in the forests and caves and secretly visited the farms and homes to say Mass there during the night. It was the dearest wish of every Irish family that at least once in their lifetime a priest would arrive at Christmas to celebrate Mass. For this grace they hoped and prayed all through the year. When Christmas came, they left their doors unlocked and placed burning candles in the windows so that any priest who happened to be in the vicinity could be welcomed and guided to their home through the dark night. Silently the priest would enter through the unlatched door and be received by the devout inhabitants with fervent prayers of gratitude and tears of happiness that their home was to become a church for Christmas. To justify this practice in the eyes of the English soldiers, the Irish people explained that they burned the candles and kept the doors unlocked so that Mary and Joseph, looking for a place to stay, would find their way to their home and be welcomed with open hearts.  — The candles in the windows have always remained a cherished practice of the Irish, although many of them have long since forgotten the earlier meaning.
(William Barker in Tarbell’s Teacher’s Guide; quoted by Fr. Botelho) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

34) A Legend from Russia: “A Legend from Russia” is a poem by Phyllis McGinley about Christmas. The poem begins as the old grandmother, Babushka, is about to retire for the evening: “When out of the winter’s rush and roar, /came shepherds knocking upon her door. /They tell her of a royal child a virgin just bore/ and beg the grandmother to come and adore.” Babushka is good-hearted, but she likes her comfort, and so her reaction is to go later: “Tomorrow,” she mutters. “Wait until then.”/ But the shepherds come back and knock again. /This time they beg only a blanket “with comforting gifts, meat or bread,”/ and we will carry it in your stead.”/ Again Babushka answers, “Tomorrow.” And when tomorrow comes, she’s as good as her word. She packs a basket of food and gifts: “A shawl for the lady, soft as June, /For the Child in the crib a silver spoon,” Rattles and toys and an ivory game.  / but the stable was empty when she came.” (Anonymous. Quoted by Fr. Botelho) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

 35) Every one of us is going to have a Baby this Christmas! During a pastoral call, a three-year-old boy climbed in the lap of a pastor and whispered confidentially, “I know a secret!” The pastor asked, “Will you tell me your secret?” “Yes,” the little fellow giggled delightedly, “but you mustn’t tell my mamma.” When the pastor promised not to tell, the boy continued, “My mamma’s going to the hospital to have a baby. But don’t tell her. Me and Daddy want her to be surprised!” — Would you be surprised if someone told you that you were going to have a baby? Women over 50 would say, “Who do you think you are kidding?” When an angel came to the Virgin Mary, it was a surprise when he told her that she was to have a baby. The fact is that regardless of sex or age, every one of us is going to have a Baby this Christmas! (Fr. Tony Kadavil) (Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

36) Christmas gift of the first ride for Baby Jesus: Once, the people of a very poor parish set their hearts on acquiring an expensive set of figures for their Christmas crib. They worked hard and managed to get a set of rare porcelain for their crib. The Church was left open on Christmas day so that the people could visit the crib. In the evening when the parish priest went to lock up, to his consternation he found the baby Jesus was missing. As he stood there, he spotted a little girl with a pram entering the Church. She made straight for the crib, took the baby Jesus out of the pram and put him lovingly in the crib. As she was on her way out the priest stopped her and asked her what she was doing with the Baby Jesus.  She told him that before Christmas she had prayed to baby Jesus for a pram. She had promised Him that if she got the prom, he would have the first ride in it. She had got her pram so she was keeping her side of the bargain. –Christmas evokes generosity in all people, especially in children. What is our gift to him? (Flor McCarthy in New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

37) Christmas in the Vietnam jail: In 1967, during the Vietnam War, John McCain was captured by Vietnamese Communist forces and spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war. He survived beatings, malnutrition, and torture, and was eventually released. McCain went on to great success in life and became a U.S. Senator in 1986. In an interview with television host Larry King, Sen. McCain told about his experiences in the Vietnamese prison camps. One year, the American prisoners wanted to celebrate Christmas. McCain secured a Bible and found another prisoner who could sing some Christmas hymns. The prisoners gathered together to hear Scripture passages about the birth of Jesus and to sing a few hymns together. As John McCain looked around, he saw tears of joy and tenderness in the men’s eyes. In the midst of this hellhole of a prison camp, these men still found hope in the story of Jesus. [Larry King with Rabbi Irwin Katsof, Powerful Prayers (Los Angeles: Renaissance Books, 1998), pp. 213-214.] — And why shouldn’t they find Hope in Christmas? They were celebrating the birth of One Who knew what it was like to be a prisoner–Who knew what it was to be beaten–Who knew what it was to die for others. People of every generation of every imaginable condition have found a soul-mate in the Baby in the Manger. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

38) The heart and soul of Christmas: Each Christmas season, Charles Krieg, a pastor in New Jersey, takes his mother into New York City to look at all the decorations and to visit Santa at Macy’s Department Store. The windows of the department store were unforgettable one year. The first window had a scroll which read, “The Smell of Christmas is in the Kitchen.” The scene was an old-fashioned kitchen with a black stove and food cooking on it; it was so life-like you could almost smell the food. The second window was titled, “The Taste of Christmas is in the Dining Room.” There was a long table laden with food. The third window showed a beautiful tree decorated with ornaments and lights, little toys and popcorn strings. The scroll read, “The Color of Christmas is in the Tree.” The fourth window scroll said, “The Sound of Christmas is in the Carols.” This scene was a group of animated figures singing Christmas carols. Then came the store’s main entrance. If you ignored the entrance and kept on going, you would have seen one more window. The scroll in this window proclaimed: “But the Heart and Soul of Christmas is Here!” In this window was a stable with shepherds, wise men, Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus lying in a manger. (Source unknown). — Here is not only the heart and soul of Christmas. Here is the heart and soul of the universe. God knows what it is to walk where we walk. God offers us new life in Him by Faith in Jesus Christ. It is the most remarkable story ever told: The Great Physician who took all humanity’s infirmities upon himself, that by his stripes, we might be healed. (Fr. Tony Kadavil) Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

39) A metronome at Christmas-rush aerodrome security check-in: Tom Ervin, Professor of Music at the University of Arizona was attending a conference for music teachers in New York. While at the conference he purchased a talking metronome. A metronome is a device for counting the beats in a song. Before Tom and his son boarded their flight home, Tom hefted his carry-on bag onto the security-check conveyor belt. The security guard’s eyes widened as he watched the monitor. He asked Tom what he had in the bag. Then the guard slowly pulled out of the bag this strange looking device, a six-by-three-inch black box covered with dials and switches. Other travelers, sensing trouble, vacated the area. “It’s a metronome,” Tom replied weakly, as his son cringed in embarrassment. “It’s a talking metronome,” he insisted. “Look, I’ll show you.”  He took the box and flipped a switch, realizing that he had no idea how it worked. “One . . . two . . . three . . . four,” said the metronome in perfect time. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.  As they gathered their belongings, Tom’s son whispered, “Aren’t you glad it didn’t go ‘four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . . ‘?” (Timothy Anger) —  For the past few weeks we have been counting down the days until Christmas. Now we could count the hours until the dawning of a New Year. But we need to linger with Mary and Joseph for a little while longer, because what happened immediately after Christmas is a stark reminder of the world in which we live. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

40) “Would you hold my baby for me, please?” Years ago a young man was riding a bus from Chicago to Miami. He had a stop-over in Atlanta. While he was sitting at the lunch counter, a woman came out of the ladies’ rest room carrying a tiny baby. She walked up to this man and asked, “Would you hold my baby for me, I left my purse in the rest room.” He did. But as the woman neared the front door of the bus station, she darted out into the crowded street and was immediately lost in the crowd. This guy couldn’t believe his eyes. He rushed to the door to call the woman, but couldn’t see her anywhere. Now what should he do? Put the baby down and run? When calmness finally settled in, he went to the Traveler’s Aid booth and together with the local police, they soon found the real mother. You see, the woman who’d left him holding the baby wasn’t the baby’s real mother. She’d taken the child. Maybe it was to satisfy some motherly urge to hold a child or something else. No one really knows. But we do know that this man, breathed a sigh of relief when the real mother was found. After all, what was he going to do with a baby? — In a way, each of us, is in the same sort of situation as this young man. Every Christmas God Himself walks up to us and asks, “Would you hold My Baby for Me, please?” and then thrusts the Christ Child into our arms. (1) — And we’re left with the question, “What are we going to do with this Baby?” But an even deeper question is, just “Who is this Baby?” If we look at Scripture, we find all kinds of titles and names for this baby we hold in our arms. Emmanuel, “God with us;” Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Christ the King, Jesus. (King Duncan). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

41) Where Does God Fit In? I just read a story about a schoolteacher in England who supervised her students’ construction of a manger scene in a corner of her classroom. The students were excited and enthusiastic as they set up the little barn and covered the floor with real straw and then arranged all the figures of Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and the Wise Men and all the animals. The students had all the characters facing the  little crib in which the tiny Infant Jesus lay. One little boy just couldn’t get enough. He was absolutely enthralled. He kept returning to it, and each time stood there completely engrossed but wearing a puzzled expression on his face. The teacher noticed him and asked, “Is anything wrong? Do you have a question? What would you like to know?” With his eyes still glued to the tiny manger scene, the boy said slowly, “What I’d like to know is, it’s so small, how does God fit in?” (Rev. King Duncan). == God fits in because, no matter how hard we try, no matter how hard we work, no matter what our intentions in life are, somehow, we just get it wrong. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

42) Early American Christmas Celebrations:  Back in the early 1700s, when the United States were the Colonies, the settlers in Williamsburg, capital of Colonial Virginia, celebrated Christmas with customs they had brought from England. They had no Santa Claus (a Dutch tradition), no Christmas trees (a German tradition), no Nativity crèche (an Italian tradition), and no chimney stockings (an American tradition).  Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg was primarily a holy day, but the atmosphere was not solemn. Churches and homes were decorated with greens, while candles burned in all the windows to welcome carolers.  There was a public celebration, too. Musicians played special concerts, and fireworks were set off and cannon were shot to heighten the general merriment. Feasting was in order with dishes of roasted fowl and hare, marrow pudding, ham, oysters, sausage, shellfish, often capped by whole roast boar on a platter. Some gifts were given then as part of the Christmas celebration, but not nearly on the present-day scale. (Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

43) “How could I possibly leave them? I was a part of them.”: In Tom Brokaw’s book The Greatest Generation, a story is told of Mary Wilson, presently of Dallas, Texas. You would never know by looking at this modest woman that she was the recipient of the Silver Star and she bore the nickname “The Angel of Anzio.” You will recall that when the Allies got bogged down in the boot of Italy during World War II, they attempted a daring breakout by launching an amphibious landing on the Anzio Beach. Unfortunately, the Allies got pinned down at the landing site and came dangerously close to being driven back into the ocean. It looked like another Dunkirk was in the making. Mary Wilson was the head of the fifty-one army nurses who went ashore at Anzio. Things got so bad that bullets zipped through her tent as she assisted the surgeon in surgery. When the situation continued to deteriorate, arrangements were made to get all of the nurses out. But Mary Wilson would have none of it. She refused to leave at the gravest hour. As she related her story years later, she said: “How could I possibly leave them. I was a part of them.” — Our God is a good God. He does not desert us in our hour of need. He hears the cries of Israel. He hears the cries of the Church. He hears the cries of His children. Christmas is about God’s eternal identification with the human dilemma. (Staff, www.Sermons.com). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

44) The Harvest of Love by Helen Keller: Helen Keller once wrote: “Christmas is the harvest time of love. Souls are drawn to other souls. All that we have read and thought and hoped comes to fruition at this happy time. Our spirits are astir. We feel within us a strong desire to serve. A strange, subtle force, a new kindness animates man and child. A new spirit is growing in us. No longer are we content to relieve pain, to sweeten sorrow, to give the crust of charity. We dare to give friendship, service, the equal loaf of bread and love.”  — May His peace, His power and His purpose dwell in our hearts. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

45) How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Although I’ve never read the tale or seen the film, reliable sources tell me that Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is about a jealous critter, posing as Santa Claus, who steals all the gifts set aside for children. A little girl spies the theft; the rest the children, undaunted by their loss, celebrate Christmas anyway. — There are all sorts of Grinches who steal Christmas. Just think of the moves to call it “Xmas” or of Christmas stamps without the Madonna and Child. Less overtly, we are treated to phrases like “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings.” In a way, that’s robbery. After all, the only reason we are celebrating is a Baby whose birth changed the course of history. Even some theologians seem to steal Christmas away with pronouncements that such a miracle could never have happened. If the Roman emperor insisted on having his birthday celebrated, the little people decided that they would celebrate the birth of Jesus. If the cultural powers worshiped the sun god at the year’s end, Christians would exalt the Son of God. The high and mighty eventually caught on. By the year 500, the church made Christmas a special feast. Three decades later, the Roman Empire followed suit. Commemorating the birth of Jesus spread throughout Europe. By the sixteenth century, however, with its political, national, and ecclesiastical wars, Christmas was disappearing from many places. The Puritans condemned and abolished Christmas as something pagan and idolatrous. They even tried to make observing it a sin. In 1642 services were banned. No decorations were allowed. Two years later Christmas was declared a time of fast and penance. In 1647 the British Parliament, that corporate Grinch, totally banned Christmas. Although Christmas was outlawed in New England until 1850, and people were forced to work that day while their children were ordered to school, subversive practices from olden times persisted. Like the young girl and all her friends in the story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the little ones—the little people—somehow celebrate Christmas anyway. Perhaps that’s how Christmas celebrations actually got started in the early fourth century. (John Kavanaugh, SJ). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

46) The Inner Galaxy: The story is told of Franklin Delano Roosevelt entertaining guests at the White House. After a late dinner he invited his guests outside to walk beneath the brilliant nighttime sky. After a silent, reverent stroll Roosevelt said, “I guess we’ve been humbled enough now. Let’s go inside.”  — And that’s what Christmas Eve is all about: stargazing toward the Infinite to be humble in our finiteness. So in response to the angel chorus and the angel announcement, the simple, rustic, stargazing shepherds said, “Let us go even now into Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened….” And they went inside the stable and beheld in the manger the inner galaxy — the interior meaning of the universe. And what did they experience? (Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

47) Our Greatest Need: If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; but our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

48) Next Time It Will Be Different

The First Time Jesus Came
He came veiled in the form of a child.
A star marked His arrival.
Wise men brought Him gifts.
There was no room for Him.
Only a few attended His arrival.
The Next Time Jesus Comes
He will be recognized by all.
Heaven will be lit by His glory.
He will bring rewards for His own.
The world won’t be able to contain His glory.
Every eye shall see Him.
He will come as Sovereign King and Lord of all.
– John F. MacArthur Jr. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

49) St. Augustine’s Reflections: In this poem written some fifteen centuries ago, Augustine, the great theologian,  tried to capture the mystery of the Incarnation:

Maker of the sun,
He is made under the sun.
In the Father he remains,
From his mother he goes forth.
Creator of heaven and earth,
He was born on earth under heaven.
Unspeakably wise,
He is wisely speechless.
Filling the world,
He lies in a manger.
Ruler of the stars,
He nurses at his mother’s bosom.
He is both great in the nature of God,
And small in the form of a servant. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)

50) Some Christmas Reminders

* May the Christmas GIFTS remind us of God’s greatest gift, His only Son.
* May the Christmas CANDLES remind us of Him who is the “Light of the world.”
* May the Christmas TREES remind us of another tree upon which he died.
* May the Christmas CHEER remind us of Him who said, “Be of good cheer.”
* May the Christmas FEAST remind us of Him who is “the Bread of Life.”
* May the Christmas BELLS remind us of the glorious proclamation of His birth.
* May the Christmas CAROLS remind us of the song the angels sang, “Glory to God in the Highest!”
* May the Christmas SEASON remind us in every way of Jesus Christ our King! Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

51)  The Christmas Problem: Once upon a Christmas Eve, a man sat in reflective silence before the fireplace, pondering the meaning of Christmas. “There is no point to a God who becomes man,” he mused. “Why would an all-powerful God want to share even one of His precious moments with the likes of man? And even if He did, why would He choose to be born in an animal stall? No way! The whole thing is absurd! I’m sure that if God really wanted to come down to earth, He would have chosen some other way.” Suddenly, the man was roused from his reverie by a strange sound outside. He went to the window and saw a small gaggle of blue geese frantically honking and aimlessly flopping about in the snow. They seemed dazed and confused. Apparently they had dropped out in exhaustion from the flight formations of a larger flock on its way from the Arctic Islands to the warmer climes of the Gulf of Mexico. Moved to compassion, the man tried to “shoo” the poor geese into his warm garage, but the more he “shooed” the more they panicked. “If they only realized I’m only trying to do what’s best for them,” he thought to himself. “How can I make them understand my concern for their well-being?” Then, this thought came to him: “If for just a minute, I could become one of them, an ordinary goose, and communicate with them in their own language, they would know what I am trying to do.” — And suddenly … suddenly, he remembered Christmas and a smile came over his face. Suddenly, the Christmas story no longer seemed absurd. Suddenly, he pictured that ordinary-looking infant, lying in the manger, in that stable in Bethlehem, and he knew the answer to his Christmas problem: God had become one of us to tell us that He loves us. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

52) Some Gifts to Give: Some gifts you can give this Christmas are beyond monetary value: Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion, tell someone, “I love you.” Give something away–anonymously. Forgive someone who has treated you wrong. Turn away wrath with a soft answer. Visit someone in a nursing home. Apologize if you were wrong. Be especially kind to someone with whom you work. Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, or announcement, or reservation, or hypocrisy. – Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong, pp. 400-1. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

53) The Ten Commandments for Christmas: The following item appeared in a church newsletter and contains some good advice that will help us keep selfishness in check this Christmas:

1. Thou shalt not leave “Christ” out of Christmas, making it “Xmas.” To some, “X” is unknown.
2. Thou shalt prepare thy soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that thy soul is forgotten.

III. Thou shalt not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality.

1. Thou shalt not burden the shop girl, the mailman, and the merchant with complaints and demands.
2. Thou shalt give thyself with thy gift. This will increase its value a hundred-fold, and he who receives it shall treasure it forever.
3. Thou shalt not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.

VII. Thou shalt not neglect the needy. Share thy blessings with many who will go hungry and cold unless thou art generous.

VIII. Thou shalt not neglect thy church. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.

1. Thou shalt be as a little child. Not until thou hast become in spirit as a little one art thou ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
2. Thou shalt give thy heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of thy Christmas list. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

54) “One Solitary Life” He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of these things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only 33 when public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to His enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. When He was dying, His executioners gambled for His clothing, the only property He had on earth. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. — Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race, the leader of mankind’s progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on earth as much as that One Solitary Life. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

55)  Born for what? In his depiction of the Nativity, the 16th-century Italian artist Lorenzo Lotto painted a crucifix into a niche in the background behind the kneeling figure of St. Joseph. Christ was born for this, Lotto seems to tell us — for the Cross. In Liz Lemon Swindle’s beautiful Madonna and Child — titled “Be It Unto Me” — Mary looks out with a certain apprehension into a future beyond the viewer’s sight, while the Child’s raised eyebrows wrinkle his forehead. One artist’s crucifix in the niche parallels the other’s Cross on the horizon. For over the peaceful scene of the Nativity falls the shadow of the Cross. The Christian tradition has almost universally seen in the harsh circumstances of Christ’s birth “at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold” a prefiguring of the brutal circumstances of his death on the Cross. “Ox and ass before him bow; and he is in the manger now.” But in the future the wood of the Cross will take the place of the wood of the manger.– Be it done unto to me, indeed. He willingly embraces the Cross for our sakes, by His perfect obedience erasing the deadly effects of our disobedience. “He hath opened heaven’s door, and man is blest forevermore.” “Christ was born for this,” we sing, “Christ was born for this.”(Archbishop J. Augustine DiNoia). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).

56) Bad timing for delivering Good News: A married woman who decided to go on her own private vacation to Europe. She went from the Midwest to London, and then she was planning to go to Paris, Rome, and Vienna. When she got to London she called her husband back home in the Midwest and said, “How are you doing?” Her husband said, “I’m doing fine but our cat Lucy died.” So his wife starts bawling her eyes out on the phone. But when she regains her composure, she says, “You insensitive brute of a man, why did I ever marry someone like you? You just have no concern about my feelings.” The husband said, “Well, what was I supposed to have said?” The wife thinks for a moment and she says, “Well, when I got to London and I called you as I just did, you could have said, ‘Lucy, our cat is on the roof.’ When I got to Paris you could have said, ‘Lucy, our cat fell down from the roof.’ When I got to Rome you could have said, ‘Lucy’s not doing so well.’ When I got to Vienna you could have said, ‘Lucy died.'” Then the wife said, “By the way, how is mother?” The husband responded, “She’s on the roof.” That wife thought her husband had bad timing  in delivering news. (Rev. Haddon Robinson)

57) The Santa Claus story: The parents of Nicholas were wealthy as well as kind and generous. Their kindness and generosity began to be reflected in Nicholas ever since he was very young. There was a plague in his village of Demre on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. As a result, both his parents died before reaching a ripe old age. Nicholas was crestfallen when his parents passed away unexpectedly. However, he never lost his faith in God. On the contrary, he turned to God more and more for solace and support.

In his village lived a man with his three grownup daughters. Though belonging to an aristocratic family, he had fallen on hard times. No matter how hard he tried, he could never find a job that would meet his family’s needs. Very often, they were starving. One day the girls approached their father and said, “We will also go in search of jobs. If we cannot find any jobs, we will go for begging.” Not knowing what to do, he said to them with his eyes welling up, “Please wait to make a decision. Today let us pray to God earnestly. He will surely show us a way.” While they were conversing like this, Nicholas happened to overhear their conversation as their house was on the roadside. Immediately he felt the urge to help them. But he didn’t want to barge in and offer them help as he thought it would be embarrassing to them. Hence, he returned home and fell on his knees, asking God to show him a way to help them. Immediately, it dawned on him that he could help them by secretly dropping a gold bar at their home. He had three gold bars which he had inherited from his parents. Taking a gold bar, he went back and quietly dropped it inside the house through a window while the man and his daughters were praying. When they got up after the prayer, the man immediately noticed the gold bar and said, “God has heard our prayers. He has given us a gold bar. Thanks be to God.” The following day the man sold the gold bar and got a good amount of money. While he used a portion of it for food, he used most of it to give away his first daughter in marriage. When Nicholas found out how his gift When Nicholas saw what happened, he decided to gift his third gold bar to the same family. However, this time the man saw Nicholas dropping the gold bar. Nicholas begged him to keep everything secret which he did. Once again, the man used the gold bar to get his third daughter married. It was this Nicholas who became the bishop of Myra and was later canonized as St. Nicholas. His gift-giving habit made him a symbol of Christmas, and now he is popularly known as Santa Claus worldwide.

God saved the world by sending his Son Jesus, and it was an immense gift of himself to the world. Since Santa Claus saved a man and his three daughters by donating his gold bars, he became a symbol of the self-giving of God. That is why Santa Claus gets so much attention and publicity during Christmas. The generosity and kindness of St. Nicholas really deserve our praise. Nevertheless, they are nothing compared to the generosity and kindness of God, who sent his Son Jesus for the salvation of mankind. Yet, the story of Nicholas strikes a chord with us as it reminds us of the great gift we have received from God on Christmas day, which is Jesus himself. It was because the man in the above story was willing to accept the gift of St. Nicholas that he succeeded in making his life and the life of his family happy and peaceful. In the same way, it is only when we accept Jesus, who is the supreme gift of God, into our lives that we too will find real happiness and peace in our lives. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, angels appeared in the skies and sang, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth with those whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). When we receive Jesus, who is the gift of God, into our hearts, God will become pleased with us, and the presence of Jesus in our hearts will bring us immeasurable joy and peace. Merry Christmas, everyone. (Fr. Jose P CMI).

Uniqueness of Christ & Christmas:  Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty, Aristotle for forty, and Jesus for only three. Yet the influence of Christ’s three-year ministry infinitely transcends the im­pact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet, some of the finest paintings of Raphel, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their in­spiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfec­tion of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble carpenter of Nazareth.

“His unique contribution to the human race  is the salvation of the soul. Philosophy could not accomplish that. Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead.”

The life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ are a standing rebuke to every form of pride to which men are liable.

Pride of birth and rank:—”Is not this the carpenter’s son?”

Pride of wealth—”The Son of man hath no where to lay His head.”

Pride of respectability—”Can any good come out of Nazareth?’

Pride of personal appearance—“He hath no form or comeliness.”

Pride of reputation—“A friend of Publicans and sinners.”

Pride of learning — “How knoweth this Man letters, having never learned?”

Pride of superiority — “I am among you as He that serveth.”

Pride of success — “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” “Neither did His brethren believe in Him.” “He is despised and rejected of men.”

Pride of ability — “I can of mine own self do nothing.”

Pride of self-will — “I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.”

Price of intellect — “As nay Father hath taught me I speak these things.”

Pride in death — “He . . . became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Sermon’s.com) quoted bt Fr. Kayala .L/23

Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under CBCI or  Fr. Tony for my website version. (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website– http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020)  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph  M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507

 (“Scriptural Homilies” no.6-C by Fr. Tony   (akadavil@gmail.com)

 

 

On this Christmas Day, May God put the Spirit of the Shepherds and the Spirit of the Wise Men and the spirit of Mary and Joseph in us. But, most important of all, May God put the Spirit of Jesus in us. He wants to do that…. He wants to come into our hearts, but we have to let Him in

Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under CBCI or  Fr. Tony for my website version. (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website– http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020)  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Joseph  M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507

May the LORD bless you and keep you!

May the LORD let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!

May the LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

(Book of Numbers 6: 24-26)

Christmas- a thematic homily (1-page summary)L/23

Why do we celebrate Christmas with great rejoicing?

1: First, Christmas is the Feast of God’s sending us a Savior: God undertook the Incarnation of Jesus as True God and true man to save us from the bondage of sin. The Hindus believe in ten incarnations of God. The purpose of these incarnations is stated in their Holy Scripture, Bagavath Geetha or Song of God. “God incarnates to restore righteousness in the world whenever there is a large-scale erosion of moral values.” (“Dharma samstaphanarthe sambhavami yuge yuge.”). But the Christian Scriptures teach only one Incarnation, and its purpose is given in John 3:16: “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” We celebrate the Incarnation of God as a Baby today as Good News because we have a Divine Savior. As our Savior, Jesus liberated us from slavery to sin and atoned for our sins by his suffering, death and Resurrection. So, every Christmas reminds us that we need a Savior every day, to free us from our evil addictions and unjust, impure and uncharitable tendencies. Christmas 2019 also challenges us to accept Jesus in the manger as our saving God and personal Savior and to surrender our lives to him, allowing him to rule our hearts and lives every day in the New Year.

# 2: Second, Christmas is the Feast of God’s sharing His love with us: Jesus, as our Savior, brought the “Good News” that our God is a loving, forgiving, merciful, rewarding God and not a judgmental, cruel, punishing God. He demonstrated by his life and teaching how God our Heavenly Father loves us, forgives us, provides for us, and rewards us. All his miracles were signs of this Divine Love. Jesus’ final demonstration of God’s love for us was his death on the cross to atone for our sins and to make us children of God. Each Christmas reminds us that sharing love with others is our Christian privilege and duty, and every time we do that, Jesus is reborn in our lives. Let us humbly admit the truth with the German mystic Angelus Silesius “Christ could be born a thousand times in Bethlehem – but all in vain until He is born in me.”( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Angelus_Silesius) Hence, let us allow Jesus to be reborn in our hearts and lives, not only during Christmas, but every day, so that he may radiate the Light of his presence from within us as sharing and selfless love, expressed in compassionate words and deeds, unconditional forgiveness, the spirit of humble service and, overflowing generosity.

# 3: Third, Christmas is the Feast of the Emmanuel (God living with us and within us): Christmas is the feast of the Emmanuel because God in the New Testament is a God Who continues to live with us in all the events of our lives as the “Emmanuel” announced by the angel to Mary. As Emmanuel, Jesus lives in the Sacraments (especially in the Holy Eucharist), in the Bible, in the praying community, and in each believer as the Holy Spirit, residing in us, makes us His “Temples.” Christmas reminds us that we are bearers of God with the missionary privilege and duty of conveying Jesus to those around us by loving them as Jesus did, through sacrificial, humble, committed service. Sharing with others Jesus, the Emmanuel living within us, is the best Christmas gift we can give, or receive, today.