Merry Christmas, everyone! As we know, society has seemed to shut down Christmas already, but thankfully, our Christmas season in the Church is just beginning. As the mystery of the Christmas season continues, we will celebrate a few important feasts within the next twelve days. Today (Dec. 28th) is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. This feast, while sad in nature because it honors the baby boys that King Herod killed out of fear of Jesus, encourages us to see the purity and power that children have to unite people together. I believe this unifying ability is the reason why God entered into the world as a child.
Rather than elaborate further on this feast, myself, I encourage you to read an article by a friend of mine, Daniel Horan, o.f.m., connecting the Feast of the Holy Innocents with the Newtown, CT, shootings of two weeks ago and other similar losses. He really helps us understand how relevant this feast still is in our world today. Enjoy.
Daniel Horan's Huffington Post Article
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Where is the Spirit?
Rejoice!
This is the command that we receive from the Third Sunday of Advent. The Church refers to this Sunday as Gaudete Sunday. Under "normal" circumstances, this may be easy to do this time of year. However, in light of the tragic events in Newtown, CT, recently, finding anything rejoice-worthy becomes extremely difficult. I can only imagine the challenge that the priests, ministers, and rabbis had this weekend trying to proclaim hope to their congregations. This Sunday at the Catholic Center at UGA, Fr. David challenged all of us to be "Advent people." I had never heard things phrased this way, but I really like it. He urged us to recognize that the season of Advent is not simply one of waiting and hoping on the Lord, but it is a season of action! What are we doing to help bring Jesus into the lives of others so that they can fully rejoice at Christmas? As we wonder what we can do to help the people in Newtown, CT, we need look no further than the gospel from Sunday (Luke 3:10-18). The people, tax collectors, and soldiers asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" He tells them that they should do that which they are supposed to do. He does not tell them to do anything extraordinary, but rather, they should just treat people justly and fairly. We can do this, can't we? I think so. By taking action in just and fair ways (i.e. raising political awareness, protesting injustice, creating avenues for dialogue), we are, in essence, showing that God is ever-present.
This is the command that we receive from the Third Sunday of Advent. The Church refers to this Sunday as Gaudete Sunday. Under "normal" circumstances, this may be easy to do this time of year. However, in light of the tragic events in Newtown, CT, recently, finding anything rejoice-worthy becomes extremely difficult. I can only imagine the challenge that the priests, ministers, and rabbis had this weekend trying to proclaim hope to their congregations. This Sunday at the Catholic Center at UGA, Fr. David challenged all of us to be "Advent people." I had never heard things phrased this way, but I really like it. He urged us to recognize that the season of Advent is not simply one of waiting and hoping on the Lord, but it is a season of action! What are we doing to help bring Jesus into the lives of others so that they can fully rejoice at Christmas? As we wonder what we can do to help the people in Newtown, CT, we need look no further than the gospel from Sunday (Luke 3:10-18). The people, tax collectors, and soldiers asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" He tells them that they should do that which they are supposed to do. He does not tell them to do anything extraordinary, but rather, they should just treat people justly and fairly. We can do this, can't we? I think so. By taking action in just and fair ways (i.e. raising political awareness, protesting injustice, creating avenues for dialogue), we are, in essence, showing that God is ever-present.
Now, whenever we become aware of tragedy and violence in our world, people wonder, "Where was God in the midst of these horrible things?" Some even go as far as to say that God is bringing punishment upon people for their wrongdoing. Let's be clear, though, that God does not pick and choose when and where to show up. God is ALWAYS present in ALL situations. Only that which is good comes from God because we know that God is love (1 John 4:8), and love is a very good thing. Let me use a classic Christmas movie to expand on this a bit further.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) tells the story of George Bailey, a compassionate, driven, young man, who gives up his dreams of travelling the world in order to be an "Advent person." George chooses first to stand up for what is right and treats people justly and fairly before pursuing his own goals and dreams. Along the way, George leaves a wake of positive influences on others that ultimately transforms his local and national communities. However, at some point, George faces his own tragedy when it seems that he will lose everything in his life. Here, George wonders where God is and if God will help him. Well, God sends an angel to help George realize that God had been present in his life every moment up to that point through the love he gave and received so many times and God would continue to be there every moment from then on. When we learn to recognize God in everything and everywhere through lenses of love, we more effectively prepare ourselves to face major tragedy if and when it comes. So, rather than waiting to call on God when we need God, let us be people of continued faith, hope, and love. Let us be "Advent people!"
I leave you with a couple of songs that pose the question "Where is Love?"
Be the answer.
Be the answer.
Where is the Love? - Black Eyed Peas - 2003 (Lyrics)
May we be ever-faithful, every-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
"Advent"urous Spirit
While the world or commercialism and consumerism has been telling us it's Christmas time, it's not. Not yet, anyway. Let's remember that the Church has designated a time for us to get ready for the Lord. We call this time Advent. Recently, a couple of different sources reminded me that the word "advent" comes from the Latin words ad (meaning "to" or "toward") and venio (meaning "come" or "coming"). By simply combining the two words we create a word implying that which is "to come" or "coming towards." So, naturally, we understand that this four week season in the church year is a very special time we should spend preparing, reflecting, and waiting on the coming of God into the world as a baby (because God was already active in the world as we know from the Old Testament).
However, I have not heard anyone really use another English word that looks very similar to advent: adventure. This may be because we have come to associate adventures with grand journeys full of challenges and obstacles ultimately culminating in some kind of triumph. We may see this as inappropriate for such a joyful and peaceful time of the year. Well, I'd like to think that viewing Advent as a time of adventure is not far from what we should attempt to experience during this season. By virtue of being alive, we are constantly on a journey as it is, so Advent, then, challenges us to continue to faithfully work our way through the "wilderness" of our journey as both the prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist mention. This wilderness includes all of the challenges and obstacles that may prevent us from preparing ourselves fully for the coming of Lord at Christmas. Then, as we begin to come out of the wilderness, we should be better prepared to receive the joy and peace that is Emmanuel (God with us).
As I reflected more on this season of preparation, I thought about a story that is very popular this time of year: The Christmas Carol. Now, I know it's not Christmas yet, but this story is a prime example of someone (Ebeneezer Scrooge) forced to acknowledge the wilderness he lives in and has created for himself so that he may fully receive the joy of Christmas. I'll leave you with a song from my favorite version of this story: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). This song represents the triumphant culmination of Scrooge's journey and the "Thankful Heart" he receives as a result. Enjoy!
"A Thankful Heart"
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
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