Immediately after the festivities of Christmas the Church celebrates the martyrdom of St. Stephen. It seems like an odd sequence to us who are amazed when “bad things happen to good people.” If God is on our side, shouldn’t only good things happen to us? That was certainly not the expectation of Jesus nor of… Read More »
DECEMBER252022
Christmas is a big deal. In society, the stores have been dedicated toward it for months. Some radio stations play Christmas music 24/7. There have been a series of TV Christmas specials. The Church makes Christmas a big deal. There are three different masses possible on this day. There is a whole season of preparation… Read More »
DECEMBER242022
We probably have all had an embarrassing moment when we have received a gift from an unexpected quarter and we have no gift to give in exchange. Even though a gift is, by definition, something freely given, we have grown up with an expectation that gifts should be reciprocated. I wonder if King David had… Read More »
DECEMBER232022
On the eve of the Eve the scripture readings provide a vivid contrast in how to think about God. The prophet Malachi, the last of the canonical prophets, speaks of God who is swinging a baton and taking names: he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. Shape up or God will strike… Read More »
DECEMBER222022
During Advent the scripture readings have shown parallels between the Old and New Testament. For the evangelists to understand what was happening in their time, they looked to salvation history to see how God had acted in the past. Hannah was an antecedent for Mary, Samson for John the Baptist, the prophecies of Isaiah for… Read More »
DECEMBER212022
The question of identity is a perennial throughout human history. Who am I? Elizabeth confronts that question during Mary’s visitation. How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Like Elizabeth all too often we can’t imagine ourselves as worthy of the presence of God in our lives.… Read More »
DECEMBER202022
We are told that when the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said. You would think hearing that you were “full of grace” would be welcome news instead of troubling. But maybe it was kind of like… Read More »
DECEMBER192022
Today’s readings use the story of the birth of Samson as the prototype of the birth of John the Baptist. There is one major difference. In the Old Testament story the most important character is not named!. She is called “the wife of Manoah,” a woman, a mother, but never called by name. A recent… Read More »
DECEMBER182022
Society sends us a mixed message about dreams. On the one hand we are warned that dreams are illusions and not a firm enough foundation on which to build. There is a country song with the line, “Don’t fall in love with a dreamer ‘cause he’ll break you every time.” Fantine in the play Les… Read More »
DECEMBER172022
St. Matthew begins his gospel with “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.” Genealogy can be very moving. When I saw the ship manifest with my grandparents name on it from 1912 I was inspired by their courage and perseverance in coming to a new world. Genealogy can also be very sobering. Finding the… Read More »
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