Saturday 2nd. Week of Advent

 Elijah and the Messiah. Sirach 48:1-11

In the days of Elijah the prophet

All of Israel had turned away from the Lord.

He was the last prophet standing.

But through him,

The Faith was restored on Mount Carmel.

And then He was taken up into Heaven in a Fiery chariot.

Ever since then,

It has been believed that Elijah would return one day,

And bring the people back to the Lord

And prepare them for the Messiah.

Jesus tried to tell the scribes that Elijah had indeed returned in John the Baptist,

But they refused to believe.

Only those who heed the words of John the Baptist

And repent and prepare,

Will be ready to see the Lord when He comes.

Friday 2nd Week of Advent

 

Our Lady of Loretto

Legend has it that angels took the house where Mary lived in the Holy Land and carried it to Loretto in Italy.

This may seem hard to believe,

But St. Joseph of Cupertino a Conventual Franciscan

Would look out of his window,

And he would see angels going up and down from heaven

Where the shrine was.

If Mary is in our hearts,

Then there will be angels surrounding us

And going up and down from heaven,

For Mary is the Queen of Angels,

And wherever she is,

Angels are always found.

Thursday 2nd. Week of Advent.

 

St. Juan Diego

The Blessed Mother one day appeared to Juan Diego and told him to pick some roses and carry them in his cloak to the bishop.

When he opened up his cloak and the roses fell to the ground,

On his cloak was the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The image of the Blessed mother may not be on our coats or our clothes.

But that is okay,

Because it is far better to have her image on our hearts!

So that our hearts reflect her to all we meet

And bring others to believe in Jesus.

Immaculate Conception

 

The Immaculate Conception

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception teaches us that through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus,

Mary was conceived in the womb of St. Anne her mother without Original Sin;

That Mary never committed any personal sin;

And that she is full of grace.

What a wonderful blessing for Mary.

But how can we relate to someone who is so holy?

What does the Immaculate Conception mean for us

We Who were conceived in Original Sin;

We Who struggle with our own personal sins everyday of our lives

And we who do not feel or appear to be full of grace;

In Baptism we were washed clean of Original Sin.

In Confession our personal sins are forgiven.

And in communion, we receive the fullness of grace in the Eucharist.

So through the Sacraments

We are washed clean of Original Sin;

Our personal sins are forgiven;

And we become full of grace.

So through the Sacraments, we can become like Mary.

We can begin to become Immaculately conceived in this world

And reach its fullness in the Kingdom of Heaven where we too like Mary will be without sin and full of grace in the eyes of God.

Tuesday 2nd. Week of Advent

 

Speak Tenderly Is. 40:1-11

When people think of prophets they often think of Firebrands.

Pointing out sins and condemning sinners.

Isaiah the prophet however was told by God today

to speak “tenderly.”

To “Give Comfort.”

Sometimes a “tender” word dials down the temperature and the emotion so that people will stop and listen.

After all, who likes to be yelled at!

Monday 2nd Week of Advent

 

Your sins are Forgiven Lk. 5:17-26

A paralyzed man was brought to Jesus

And everyone was expecting Him to heal him.

But instead Jesus forgave Him his sins.

And everyone was shocked.

But Jesus knew that the sins in one’s heart

Was more paralyzing than the man’s body was.

So often we walk around looking fine on the outside,

But the inside is what needs healing.

2nd Sunday of Advent.

 

What was John doing in the desert proclaiming

“Prepare the way of the Lord.”

There was no one there!

Why not go to downtown Jerusalem where all the people are?

Because there was too much noise in Jerusalem to be heard.

Shop keepers screaming at the passers by

To buy their products

Because it will change their life.

Zealots telling others to overthrow the Romans.

Because their government is corrupt and oppressive.

Religious leaders telling everyone how to live,

When they don’t practice what they preach themselves.

There was just too much noise to be heard.

Instead John went out into the desert.

Where the only noise was the sound of the wind blowing across the sand.

And Where His voice would echo in the Judean hills.

If we want to hear God’s voice then we must prepare our hearts to hear him.

We must go out into the desert and leave everything behind.

Phones; TV; Social media;

Leave behind the thoughts in our own head.

Our anger and opinions and comments.

So that we can hear the Voice of God blow across the emptiness of our hearts.

We live in deserted places;

In open spaces;

How blessed we are

But do we take advantage of them?

God gives us the quiet of winter.

The open spaces of the farmland

To prepare for for His coming.

There are no hills or valleys to get in the way.

No hustle and bustle

No traffic and city lights.

But do we take advantage of it?

God speaks in the deserted places.

In the empty spaces.

This is holy ground where we live.

And God is speaking.

But are we listening?

Saturday 1st. Week of Advent.

St. John of Damascus 675b. 

St. John lived under Muslim rule but was able to write many books inn defense of the Faith and Sacred Icons and Images. 

From his writings come the following quotes. 

How can this come about?" Mary asked. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you," the angel answered, "and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow." And now you are the one who puts the question: "How can bread become Christ and wine His Blood?" I answer: "The power of the Holy Spirit will be at work to give us a marvel which surpasses understanding.

Devotion to you, O Blessed Virgin, is a means of salvation which God gives to those whom he wishes to save.

O Mother of God! If I place my confidence in thee, I shall be saved; if I am under thy protection, I have nothing to fear; for the fact of being thy client is a possession of a certainty of salvation which God grants only to those whom He intends to save.

Friday 1st. Week of Advent

St. Francis Xavier

St. Francis Xavier was considered the greatest missionary next to St. Paul. 

He travelled the world to bring the Gospel of Jesus to others. 

He once said. 

“Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians.”

The only way to “make” another person Christian, is by one’s way of life. 

Does our life speak to others?

Does our life reflect the Life of Jesus so much,

That it inspires them to become Christian;

And join the parish!

Thursday 1st. Week of Advent

Only those who do the Will of God Mt. 7:21

Only those who do the Will of God will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Mt. 7:21

This is why St. Francis would pray everyday. 

“Most High and Glorious God. 

Bring Light to the Darkness of my heart. 

Give me right Faith;

Certain Hope;

And Perfect Charity;

Lord give me insight and Wisdom;

So I might always discern,

Your Holy and True Will.”

Everyday He sought to Know and Do the Will,

And because he did,

He entered the Kingdom of Heaven!

Wednesday 1st. Week of Advent

The Lord is my Shepherd Ps. 23

If Jesus is our Shepherd there is nothing we shall want. 

Nothing we shall lack. 

He will provide for all we need. 

If Jesus is our shepherd 

he will guide us through our dark valleys 

If Jesus is our Shepherd 

We shall not fear any evil,

For His rod and staff will protect us. 

There are many who claim to have our best interest 

But they are only wolves in sheep’s clothing,

Seeking to devour us and all we have. 

Only Jesus is the Good Shepherd 

And those who follow Him,

Will dwell in His house forever. 

Tuesday Feast of St. Andrew.

Andrew was born in Bethsaida by the Sea of Galilee. 

His brother was Peter,

And he was a fisherman. 

Nothing extraordinary or noticeable 

Until Jesus called Him to come and follow him. 

Then everything changed. 

He became a fisher of men. 

He was later crucified on a cross in the form of an X

Many of us were born in small towns. 

Surrounded by farms and some farmers. 

And Jesus calls us to sow the seed of the Gospel. 

Fishermen or Farmers. 

It matters not.

All that matters is following the Lord,

And then the catch and the harvest will be Great

Monday 1st week of Advent

 

They shall beat their swords into plowshares Is. 2:4

Isaiah prophesied that one day,

Swords will be beat into plowshares,

And spears into pruning hooks. Is. 2:4

But before that happens,

The words that we speak must be changed. 

And the anger and revenge in our hearts must end. 

we do not have to wait for governments to put an end to war. 

Because it begins at home, in our neighborhoods and in our city. 

We must first speak words of Peace,

And have Forgiveness in our hearts. 

Only then will we have no need for swords and spears!

1st. Sunday of Advent

Things were looking pretty bleak for Israel. 

About 150 yrs earlier the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel were carried off by the Assyrians

Never to be heard from again. 

Now the Babylonians have come for the last two, Judah and Benjamin. 

Soon Jerusalem will be conquered. 

And they will all be carried off  into exile. 

And in the face of such despair and destruction,

Jeremiah the prophet tells them, 

That God will raise up from the House of David,

A shoot from the tribe of Judah,

And Judah will be safe from harm,

And Jerusalem will be secure in Peace. 

Sort of hard to believe at first. 

Its like being on the Titanic as it is going down,

And someone saying everything will be fine. 

This is why prophets are hard to believe. 

They see things no one else can see. 

But it was fine 

Israel was set free from slavery in exile. 

Jerusalem came back to life

And the Temple was rebuilt. 

When troubles are breaching the walls of your life. 

When you feel as if you are being carried away by fear, suffering or whatever. 

When you worry where is the country going. 

What is going to happen to our small towns. 

And how is our parish going to survive. 

There is Hope. 

Advent is a time of Hope. 

Hoping against Hope 

For God is sending us Someone who will save us and bring us Peace. 

from the House of David

And the tribe of Judah. 

And His name is Emmanuel 

Saturday 34th week of Ordinary Time

Be Vigilant!  Lk. 21:34-36

Soldiers are vigilant as they stand guard. 

Shoppers are vigilant as they watch for sales. 

Athletes are vigilant as they wait for their opportunity to score. 

Actors are vigilant as they wait for their big break. 

Everyone is vigilant for something. 

As Christians we are vigilant waiting for the Lord’s return. 

The way we are vigilant is by not becoming drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life. Lk. 21:34

Instead keep one’s heart alert through love for neighbor 

And longing for God. 

This is not difficult and should be a daily thing. 

So that the Lord can come at anytime,

And our hearts will be ready. 

Friday after Thanksgiving

Don’t stop now!

Keep giving Thanks. 

Thanks for leftovers;

Thanks for elastic;

Thanks for sales;

Thanks for family;

Thanks for freedom;

Thanks for football;

Thanks for yesterday;

Thanks for today;

Thanks for Faith;

The more one gives Thanks for everything great and small,

The lighter one’s heart becomes so that nothing can ever weigh it down.

Thanksgiving

Before the Great Eucharistic Prayer at Mass,

The Preface is prayed. 

And each preface begins with 

“It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

ALWAYS and EVERYWHERE to give you thanks.”

We are called to give thanks,

Not just in good times, but in bad. 

Not just in plenty but in empty.

Not just in joy but in sorrow.

Give Thanks therefore this Thanksgiving 

ALWAYS and EVERYWHERE. 

For those who do,

Will See that everything works out for the Good in the end,

For those who love God.