Year in Review

Mary Mother of God | Luke 2:16-21

A priest was about to baptize a baby. Turning to the parents, he says asked them, “what name have you given your child?” The parents proudly responded: Michael Jonathan Alexander Patrick Smith III. Hearing this, the priest turned to his altar server and said, “please bring a larger container - with a name like that, we’re going to need some more water!”  Usually, the name that a child is given is very significant. This is certainly the case in the Bible.

The name “Jesus” that Mary’s son is given is highly significant since it tells us something about his identity and mission. In the Gospel today, we hear the report that, after eight days, the child born to Mary was named Jesus, the name given to him by the angel Gabriel (Luke 2:21). The name “Jesus” is composed of two parts: 1) an abbreviation of God’s name YHWH, and 2) the  semitic verb (Hebrew: ישע‎) meaning “to save/rescue”. Therefore, In 1st c. Judaism, the name “Jesus” was interpreted to mean YHWH saves or YHWH helps. The name given to Mary’s child tells us the he is the one through whom God saves and delivers his people. Wherever Jesus is present, God is saving and helping us. Although Jesus no longer physically walks the earth as he did some 2000 years ago, the texts of the New Testament tell us that Jesus is still present to us in various ways: in the Sacraments (especially the Eucharist), in the Bible, in community, that is, our relationships with others, in prayer, and in the poor. Wherever Jesus is, God is with us, helping us.

[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

It is, however, all too easy to miss the ways that Jesus is present to us. As a result, we are often unable to appreciate how God is helping us each and every day. Think about these questions for a moment. At the end of the day, when you look back at all that has happened, is it easier to see the good that has occured or the bad? When you consider the relationships you have in your life, especially those closest to you, is it the positive or negative qualities of the person that most readily stand out? When you consider the possessions that you own, the car you drive and the place you live, what comes to mind first, the good things that you do have, or the things that other people have which you do not? I find that it is all too easy to focus on the bad things that happen in each day, the negative qualities of people I am close to and the things or opportunities that I do not have in my life. For example, the other day I saw a chrome Lamborghini driving down 41st street and, after wondering why anyone would pay to have their Lamborghini chromed, I started to think less of the car that I drove. This is a dangerous thing because, In reality, the car I have is a great blessing. I can easily forget the many blessings I have: the relationships in my life, the talents God has given me, the great comfort in which I live. It is through these blessings that Jesus is present to us each and everyday.

From Mary, we can learn how to reflect on our lives so that we can become more aware of the various ways in which Jesus is active in our lives. In the Gospel, we read that after the shepherds reported what the angels had told them about her child, she “pondered all these things in her heart”. It seems that Mary needed to take the time to reflect on who her child was, to better appreciate his mission. Taking the time to reflect on our own lives in order to better understand what Jesus is doing is an important trait of Mary that we should imitate. St. Ignatius of Loyola promoted a type of prayer called the examen. After the Mass, this prayer was the most important spiritual practice for this saint. The examen is somewhat different from an examination of conscience that we do before confession. In an examen, we take a moment to look back on our day and to see the different blessing we have received. These can be very simple things. Someone said something kind to us. We were able to help somebody. We read something inspiring in the Bible or spiritual book. In these simple blessings, Jesus is present to us. The more that we can become aware of these blessings, the greater sense we have of Jesus helping and saving us. From the Gospel, we see that for Mary this practice of prayerfully reflecting on what was happening around her was very important.

As an old year ends and a new year begins, we read in the media many “year in review” articles. The ten best movies of the year. The five most popular books of 2018. It might be helpful to do a short examen of 2018 in order to create our own year in review list. Perhaps we could call it, “my greatest blessing of 2018”. Creating such a list would help us grow in an appreciation of how Jesus was active in our lives in this past year. This would allow us to enter 2019 with a greater sense of hope and confidence in Jesus’ support. What is something that happened in this past year that you are particularly grateful for?

The beauty of imperfect families

Feast of Holy Family | Col 3:12-21; Luke 2:41-52

A quick search on youtube or google shows that there are a number of people who attempt to drive a car around the world (or a good part of the way!). A common factor among these adventurers is the terrible shape that their cars are in. Even if they start their journey with a new car, over time the vehicle requires numerous repairs. By the end of the journey, the car is often held together with little more than duct tape! In spite of this, with proper maintenance, the car often makes it to its destination. In addition, the owner of the vehicle even develops a real attachment to their worn-down car.

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Each of our families are like flawed car used to drive around the world. All of us have imperfect families which are still wonderful and will get us to our destination: union with God. Every so often, someone will say something to me like this: “since you are a priest, you must have come from such an amazing and pious family”. To this, I try to offer two clarifications. First, I explain that although I love and am grateful for my vocation as a priest, it is not superior to other vocations. Second, I want the person to understand that my family is very normal. I love my family and I think my family is wonderful, but it is not perfect. We have struggles and need to work at things like all families. There is no perfect family. Even in the Gospel (Luke 2:41-52), we see that the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, had their struggles. The 12 year old Jesus goes to the Temple, without telling his parents. He causes them real anxiety. Mary and Joseph cannot understand their child. No family is perfect but it is the vehicle God has given us to reach our destination, union with Him in heaven.

In the second reading from the letter to the Colossians, Paul recognizes the imperfect nature of families at his time (Col 3:12-21). Was there any part of the reading that stuck out to you? Perhaps the part at the end where it states that wives should be “subordinate to their husbands”? To properly interpret this text, it is important to realize that in Colossians we have an example of a specific type of writing called a “Household Code” (Col 3:18-25). Such codes are found in other Greco-Roman writing (e.g. Aristotle) as well as elsewhere in the New Testament (e.g. Ephesians 5-6). Household codes, like that in Colossians, have a threefold structure that describes three types of relationships that were normative in a family at that time: wife/husband, children/parents and slave/master (which is omitted from the reading at Mass). In each of these three relationships, the duties of what was seen as the inferior in the relationship was always described before the superior. Wives are to be subordinate to their husbands. Children are to obey their parents. Slaves are to obey their masters in everything. In Colossians, Paul takes this current family structure, which is not Christian, for granted. He does not approve of it. Paul wants to show how this imperfect family structure can be gradually transformed because of faith in Jesus. In important ways, families have improved since Paul’s time. Slavery is generally outlawed. The relationship between husband and wife is understood as an equal partnership. It would be wrong to use Colossians as an argument to re-establish what was a broken family structure. Hopefully, no Catholic would use Paul’s Household as an argument for slavery. Hopefully, no Catholic would use Paul’s Household as an argument for a patriarchal marital relationship. In Colossians, Paul takes an imperfect family structure for granted.

Paul wants to show how our relationship with Jesus can slowly transform this existing family structure. If the family is the flawed car, Paul is trying to demonstrate what kind of maintenance and care is required to get the car to its destination, perhaps in a better shape than it started off with. Paul gives a long list of behaviours that should be found in a Christian family: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness. It is important to note how practical Paul’s advice is. Faith in Jesus should concretely affect daily family interactions. We can at times lose sight of this connection, as the following story illustrates. After Church one day, a young girl named Anna was driven home by her dad and mom. When they got home, her mom prepared a meal for the family. As was usual, Anna’s dad complained about the food and then went on to say grace, asking God to bless the food. Anna was confused and asked her dad, “daddy, does God hear us when we pray?” Her dad responded, “of course, Anna, he hears us every time we pray.” “And,” Anna asked, “does he hear everything we say the rest of the time?” “Yes, every word,” her father answered. To this, Anna innocently blurted out, “then which does he believe?” Faith in Jesus should impact daily interactions in the family. How we speak to one another. The patience we show. This behaviour has the ability to gradually transform families and, like a car which is given the proper maintenance, get us where we we to go: heaven.

Living in a family is like driving a far from perfect car around the world. Things break down. At the same time, our families are an incredible gift. With proper maintenance, especially showing patience and kindness in everyday interactions, our family can make it to its destination, union with God. Like those adventurers who grow attached to their long-suffering cars, we come to see that our imperfect families are actually a thing of beauty. Like those driving around the world in a clunker of a car, in a family we share wonderful experiences. We give thanks for our families today and pray that we never stop maintaining them.

Christmas makes us one family

Christmas Mass during the Day | John 1:1-18

Say what you will about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s song “Jesus Christ Superstar”, but the refrain of this song poses very important questions to Jesus that are well worth considering on Christmas: “who are you? What have you sacrificed?” Who is Jesus? What has he sacrificed? What does he do for us? These questions are at the core of Christmas and the mystery of the Incarnation, the mystery of God becoming man that we celebrate today. If we pay close attention to John’s prologue which we heard today at Mass, we can get some answers to these questions. This beautiful and poetic text is saturated with important theological insights. Let us look at three.

First, by calling Jesus “the Word” (in Greek “logos”) John is linking Jesus to creation. The start of John’s prologue “in the beginning” is the same as the very first verse in the Bible (Gen 1:1), which tells how God created the word. We remember that in this story from Genesis, God creates by speaking. God said, “let there be light”, and there was light. God’s creates through his word. In his prologue, John is telling us that Jesus is this word through whom God made all things. Living in Vancouver, we are blessed to be in a place of great natural beauty. The mountains and the ocean are all something we appreciate (when it is not raining!). Most Vancouverites enjoy being outside and spending time in nature. A good number of them would probably describe their time being immersed in natural beauty as a kind of spiritual experience. John’s prologue would agree with this. Jesus is the word through whom God created all things. Nature, therefore, reflects something of Jesus. When we notice the beauty and power of nature, we can catch a glimpse of Jesus, the word.

Second, in his prologue, John is saying that it is through Jesus that God is presence on earth. Although the divine is perceptible in nature, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, God became a fragile human being. It is in Jesus where God is present in an incomparable way. This comes across clearly in the famous expression “the word became flesh and dwelt among us”. In the original Greek, the word we translate as “to dwell” literally means “to pitch its tent”. John probably chose this specific verb in order to make a link to the Tabernacle. When we think of the word “Tabernacle”, we probably think of the object in the Church in which the Blessed Sacrament is reposed. John, however, is thinking of the Tabernacle in the book of Exodus. After God had freed his people from slavery in Egypt, he instructed Moses to create a tent or Tabernacle. This was a special, portable sanctuary that followed the people as they journeyed through the desert to the promised land. It was in this tent sanctuary that God dwelt among his people and was close to them, especially during times of difficulty. By saying that the word - Jesus - became flesh and “pitched its tent” among us, John is making the point that just as God was present to the people in the desert Tabernacle, so God is now present to us in the person of Jesus Christ. He accompanies us throughout our lives, especially at difficult times.

Third, John explains that the mission of Jesus is to make us a part of God’s family. To all who receive him, John explains, Jesus gives the power to become sons and daughters of God. Jesus has made us all one family. This should have important implications for our life. Many of us are probably familiar with the famous “Christmas truce” that happened during WWI. The story is often seen at this time of year depicted in TV commercials (e.g. this one from Sainsbury). For about a week around Christmas during 1914, fighting along the front lines ceased and German, French and British troops met in the no-man’s land between the opposing trenches to exchange greetings, socialize and play soccer. What makes this story beautiful is that it was a moment in which these warring factions, who were mainly Christian, remembered the truth that they were all one family. Since it was Jesus who made them one family, it was right for them to cease fighting on his birth. What makes this story tragic is that the truce was short-lived. The truce happened at the relative start of WWI. Fighting continued for some years and the death toll was tragic. How different would the world be today if people could have held to the truth that they were family and the truce was maintained?

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There is a special custom that happens in Rome every Christmas. Around noon, the Pope appears on the balcony that looks out upon St. Peter’s Square, delivers an address to the thousands of people that have congregated and gives them a special blessing. This is called the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi address, “to the city and to the world”. This year, Pope Francis chose to highlight the theme of fraternity. He prayed that people all over the world would more and more see their differences not as a danger or a risk, but as a source of richness. John’s prologue encourages us to recognize that our family is greater than simply those with whom we have genetic ties. This truth is comforting. We share so much that binds us together. We have a great unity. At the same time, the truth is a challenge. We are called to treat everyone like our brother or sister. How much would the world change if we truly believed that all other people are our brothers and sisters?

Christmas turned things upside down

Christmas Mass During the Night | Luke 2:1-14

When Jesus entered the world, he turned it upside down. Things on the top were brought to the bottom and things on the bottom were brought to the top.

The Gospel that we heard from Luke (Lk 2:1-16) shows how Jesus has turned the idea of kingship upside down. With the birth of Jesus, the ruler of the world is dethroned. The message of this Gospel is in fact very politically subversive. At the start of the Gospel, we hear about the census initiated by Caesar Augustus. This was the reason why Joseph and Mary made there way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The reference to the census is a brutal reminder of the sovereignty that the Caesar and the Roman empire exercised over the Jewish people. The census was a way to enforce taxation, military service and allegiance to Rome. At the time of Jesus, the Caesar was so much more than a ruler. Coins and inscriptions refer to Caesar as Lord, Saviour and Son of God. The Caesar was seen as the guarantor of peace throughout the empire. The birth of a Caesar was heralded throughout the empire and called “Good News”, or, more literally, “Gospel”. In Luke, it is clear that who Jesus is is in direct conflict with Caesar. Notice the message of the angels to the shepherd. The birth of Jesus is called Good News. Jesus is called the Saviour and Lord. The birth of Jesus brings about peace on earth. This newborn baby dethroned Caesar, yet Jesus is nothing like the Roman ruler. Whereas Caesar demanded taxation from the people, Jesus is poor and humble and born in a manger. Whereas Caesar maintained “peace” through military might and the shedding of soldiers’ blood, Jesus created peace through the sacrifice of his own life. The swaddling clothes in which the baby Jesus is wrapped anticipates the linen in which the dead body of Jesus will be wrapped when he is placed in the tomb (Lk 23:53). Jesus dethrones Caesar yet is an entirely different kind of ruler. Jesus turns the idea of kingship upside down.

The birth of Jesus also turns social structures upside down and forces us to rethink who we imagine the “important” people in our world are. Recently a number of series and movies that describe the life of royalty have become popular (e.g. The Crown). Some of these shows depict the birth of a royal and its aftereffects. These births are a huge deal for the entire nation. After the birth of a royal person, this birth was announced to the important people in society: the aristocracy, the nobles, the law makers. The same practice would have held at Jesus’ time. When Jesus is born, however, something entirely different happens. The birth of Jesus is not announced to those on the highest levels of society, but to those on the bottom of the social spectrum, to the shepherds. The birth of Jesus redefines who important people are. Those with power are not the important people but rather the poor and the marginalized. These are the people to whom we should assign the greatest value. In various ways, Pope Francis has been putting this into practice. For example, he has a wonderful custom each year that usually happens on the day after Christmas. On December 26th, the Pope will usually invite a great number of the poor who live in Rome to the Vatican where they eat a meal together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Some of the first people that the Pope celebrates Christmas with are not the rich and prestigious but he poor and marginalized. The birth of Jesus has turned social structures upside down.

Christmas invites us to imagine a world that is upside down and to live in this world. When I was a kid, I went to an exhibition at a museum in which you could walk into a room where everything was turned upside down. The tables and chairs were suspended from the ceiling. You walked on the floor. I remember being really interested by that room. There was something magical and joyful about imagining the room in a different way. The celebration of Christmas invites us to look at the world in a new way. The “normal way” that the world operates can at times get us down. Rulers are corrupt. Those with wealth exercise great power and seem uninterested in peace. The concerns of the poor and marginalized seem secondary. There can seem like no changing the status quo. Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to bring about a different world, one in which things are upside down. Jesus is the king of this world who gives us everything, including his very life. According to Jesus, it is the poor and needy who should come first. Christmas invites us to view this upside down world. More than this, it invites us to enter this world by living humble lives in which we try to help the needy and bring peace, joy and kindness to those we come in contact with.

Giotto di Bondone [Public domain]

According to tradition, the nativity scenes which we find in all our Churches was first invented by St. Francis of Assisi. This saint lived a life of simplicity and of service to the poor. He seems to have loved Christmas and is known for the great joy with which he lived. In a famous biography of St. Francis (by G. K. Chesterton), the author describes that Francis’ joy came from the fact that “he saw the world upside down, hanging from a thread of God’s mercy”. This Christmas, let us ask ourselves a simple question. What would change in our lives if we chose to see the world upside down?

Extending welcome at Christmas

On Boxing Day in the United Kingdom, there was a tradition where, for this one day, superiors would change places with their inferiors. Bosses would serve their underlings. This is, in fact, an ancient custom. A similar practice occurred in Ancient Rome on the feast of Saturnalia, which was celebrated on December 17th. It seems that early Christians borrowed this custom from the pagan feast since they thought that it well expressed what Jesus came to do. In the Gospel of Luke in particular, Jesus’ mission is portrayed as bringing about an inversion. Those who are seen as superior in society are brought down low and those who are seen as inferior are raised up. As Mary expresses in her Magnificat, “the Lord has brought down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly”. Christianity is supposed to turn the world upside down.

Raphael [Public domain]

The Gospel today, which tells the story of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth, is a clear example of how Jesus brings about an inversion of social, religious and political structures. We hear that Mary, after having heard from Gabriel that she would bear a child, went in haste to the hill country of Judea. According to the customs of the time, Elizabeth was clearly the superior and Mary the inferior. Not only was Elizabeth above Mary in age, but Elizabeth was from a rather important religious cast in society. She was a daughter of Aaron. She was married to a priest. Mary, on the other hand, is comparatively a nobody. In the Gospel of Luke, we hear very little about her background. Her place of inferiority is reinforced by the fact that it is she who goes to visit Elizabeth. The inferior visits the superior. By the end of the Gospel, however, a great inversion has occurred. Elizabeth, who is supposed to by above Mary, declares that it is Mary who is truly blessed. Elizabeth has raised Mary up on a pedestal. What has happened to bring about this inversion? Jesus has entered the picture. John the Baptist, who Elizabeth carries in her womb, alerts his mother to the presence of Jesus by leaping in utero. John’s entire mission is to point out to people that Jesus is the Messiah. He starts this mission before he is even born. Elizabeth is made aware by her son that the child Mary carries is greater than her own. Although Elizabeth has received a great gift from God to bear a child in her old age, she realizes that Mary had received an even greater gift. She is the mother of the Lord. Because of Jesus, Mary, who should have been inferior to Elizabeth, has been raised higher.

This Christmas we will have a very practical opportunity to participate in Jesus’ mission of inversion, of raising up the lowly. Can you remember the last time that you were in a group of people and you felt somewhat out of place? I know that when I am with a group of people I do not know, I usually feel nervous and uncomfortable. It is scary to go and speak to new people. I am often unsure of how I should behave. What is the most helpful thing when you find yourself in a situation where you feel out of place? For me, it is when someone from that group comes and speaks to me and makes me feel welcome. Every Christmas, many people come to Mass who do not regularly attend. Now, I know, this can be somewhat inconvenient for us “regulars”. Parking might be a little more difficult to come by. Someone might sit in our regular pew. At the same time, we have a great opportunity to welcome people who might be feeling somewhat out of place coming here at Christmas. A kind smile or simply saying hello to someone who looks a bit new is a wonderful way to make someone feel comfortable. Perhaps if those who come less regularly to Mass feel at home, then they might choose to come more regularly. When we who are perhaps more regular Mass-goers make those who do not come as often like honoured guests and truly welcome, then we are helping to carry out Jesus mission of inversion, of raising up the lowly.

Christmas Mass is just around this corner. What better way can we celebrate the birth of Jesus than by helping to carry out his mission of “raising up the lowly”? One simple and concrete way we can do this is by being welcoming to those who may be new to our Church or may come less frequently.

 

How to welcome Jesus at Christmas

3rd Sunday Advent | Luke 3:10-18

We’ve all probably seen a live action nativity play. Maybe we’ve been part of such a play. It seems that one of the least popular roles in a nativity play is that of the innkeeper. Afterall, who would want to have to close the door to Joseph, Mary and her unborn child Jesus? We all want to welcome Jesus. That is what we are trying to do during this season of Advent. We want to better prepare to welcome Jesus. What, however, is the best way of doing this? In the Gospel today (Luke 3:10-18), John the Baptist gives us some important pointers.

Jan Matsys [Public domain]

Above all, John teaches us that talk is cheap. Just saying that we want to welcome Jesus is not sufficient. Words are not enough. Here I am cheating a little bit because John makes this point in the verses immediately preceding the portion of Luke that we heard in the Gospel. There, John chastises those coming to receive his baptism of repentance, which is meant to prepare for the coming of Jesus, without making an attempt to change their lives. These people suggest that it is enough to merely say that “Abraham is our Father”. John explains that just saying these words is not enough to prepare to receive Jesus. “God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones”, John explains. Just saying the right words are not enough to to prepare for Christmas. Every year around this time there is a recurring debate. Should people say “merry Christmas” or something more religiously neutral like “happy holidays”? Last year at a news conference, President Trump exclaimed that since he became president, “we’re saying merry Christmas again”. As John teaches us in Luke’s Gospel, talk is cheap. Though we say “merry Christmas”, our actions may shut Jesus out of our lives. Merely saying the right words does not mean that we are ready to welcome Jesus.

John the Baptist makes it clear that we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus by producing “fruits of repentance”, that is, good deeds. After being rebuked by John for thinking that it is enough to simply say that they are the sons of Abraham, the people ask John what they must do in order prepare for the coming Messiah. In response, John gives a list of the “fruit of repentance” that they should produce in their lives. They must share with those in need. Whoever has two cloaks must give one to the one who has none. They should carry out their professions honestly and not cheat or treat anyone unfairly. Tax collectors should only take the stipulated amount. Soldiers should not practice extortion. By changing their actions and performing good works, the people will then be ready for the coming Messiah. We can hear John’s words ringing out in our word today. Do you want to welcome Jesus at Christmas? Share your possessions with those in need, those who cannot give you anything back in return. Saying “merry Christmas” is fine, but unless you give to the poor and help those in need, then these words may not ring true. If you don’t have money or possessions to share, then give of your time. Visit or call an elderly friend or relative who may be lonely at this time. By producing these “fruits of repentance”, we can prepare to welcome Jesus at Christmas.

By sharing what we have, whether it be time or possessions, with those in need, we can ensure that we experience joy at Christmas. Joy is something we all probably want to experience as we get ready for Christmas. Today’s liturgy is an important reminder of this. This Sunday, the 3rd Sunday of Advent, is traditionally called “Gaudete” Sunday, which means “Rejoice!” The first and second readings are both an invocation to rejoice. In the first reading we heard, ”Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!” In the second reading, Paul instructs us to “rejoice in the Lord always”. We have all probably experienced the joy that comes with sharing what we have with those in need. A while back, I read a news article that struck this point home. This article told the story about a four year old boy who used his allowance money to buy food for the poor in Birmingham, Alabama. The boy distributed this food to those in need by hand. To add to the excellence of his actions, he gave the food out while wearing a superhero cape! You just need to look at a few pictures of this young boy in action to see how utterly joyful he is while performing these acts of kindness and service. Likewise, when we share what we have with others, we are filled with joy.

This Christmas, do you want to avoid playing in real life the part of the innkeeper who fails to welcome Jesus? Do you want to experience joy as Christmas approaches? Then, in addition to saying “merry Christmas”, let us produce works of repentance by sharing our possessions and time with those who are in need.

Rethinking Repentance

2nd Sunday of Advent | Luke 3:1-6

You might remember that one of the earliest trips that Pope Francis took after becoming Pope was to Lampedusa. There, he gave a powerful message about the need to care for migrants. Although what Pope Francis said was important, the context in which he said it was arguably more significant. First, he gave his talk in the midst of the migration crisis in which thousands were dying trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea and enter Europe. We should remember that these deaths continue. In 2018, over 2000 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean. Second, the place where he gave his talk was highly significant. Lampedusa, an island in the Mediterranean, is often the first stop for migrants. It is a place where many wait to enter Europe. The context in which Pope Francis gave his speech was as important as what he said. Today in the Gospel (Luke 3:1-6), the mission of John the Baptist in introduced: “he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (v. 3). As was the case of Pope Francis in Lampedusa, the context in which John preached this repentance is highly significant and helps us better comprehend his message. In particular, the gospel helps us rethink the meaning of repentance.

Domenico Ghirlandaio [Public domain]

First of all, Luke carefully sets the scene of John’s preaching in order to impress upon us that the message of John the Baptist is of universal significance. In the very beginning of the Gospel (vv. 1-2), Luke give a list of the leaders, both secular and religious, who are active when John begins his preaching. With this list, Luke makes it clear that John’s message will be universal in two main ways. First, John’s message is meant to have universal significance in the geographic sense of the word. In addition to mentioning the local political leaders (Herod and Philip), Luke mentions the Caesar (Tiberius), the ruler of Roman Empire and, in a certain sense, of the entire world. John’s message is meant to affect people all over the world. Second, in mentioning the religious leaders of the time (Annas and Caiaphas), Luke makes it clear that John’s message will be universal in the sense that it will affect all realms of life whether is be religious, political or social. By listing these rulers, Luke is sending a simple message: what John the Baptist has to say is meant to apply to all people and it is meant to impact all areas of their lives.

Within this universal context, the message of repentance that John proclaims is supposed to apply not only to the moral lives of individuals, but also to the social and political institutions of the time. In calling for repentance, John says that the status quo of both people’s personal lives as well as the socio-political order is wanting. In both areas they are called to cling closer to what God wants. This is an important message for us as we can tend to compartmentalize our faith life, making it quite individualistic. When we talk about repentance, we can focus merely on reforming our personal failings. Repentance means stopping to lie, cheat, use bad language etc. This kind of repentance is of course necessary. It is not, however, enough. John’s preaching is meant to have a universal impact that affects all realms of life. Repentance, therefore, also means changing political and social structures in order to make them more just. The Church has always been clear on this point and has a rich tradition of social teaching. In addition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we also have a Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church. Although most Catholics have probably heard of, and perhaps own, the first document, I suspect that fewer are aware of, or have even seen, the second document. This is a problem. Because of the context in which Luke places John’s mission, his message of repentance should be understood as calling for change in the social and political order as well as in the personal morality of individuals.

More than this, the context in which Luke places John’s preaching helps us understand that the repentance that John calls for is closely connected to liberation. With his citation of Isaiah 40:3-5 in vv. 4-6, Luke explains that what John the Baptist is now doing is just like what the prophet Isaiah did. The passage that Luke quotes from Isaiah was uttered in the Exile in Babylon. At this time, the ruling class of Israel had been deported to Babylon after the Babylonian empire had utterly destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. The people to whom Isaiah (more specifically Deutero-Isaiah here) spoke in Exile were dejected and losing hope that they would ever return back to their land. Isaiah’s message was one of hope. He predicted that God would soon free them from Babylon. He preached that this act of liberation would be a kind of second Exodus. Just as God freed the people from slavery in Egypt, so he would liberate them now from Babylon. Isaiah tried to prepare the people for this great act of salvation. In like manner, John the Baptist’s call to repentance was preparation for and connected to the new act of liberation that God would work through Jesus. Jesus mission is a new Exodus and a new return of Exile. John the Baptist is preparing people for a new act of liberation.

As the Pope illustrated in Lampedusa, the context in which someone says something is as important as what that person says. In the Gospel today, Luke puts the preaching of John the Baptist in its proper context in order to better understand what what kind of repentance we are called to. In this way, the Gospel challenges us to broaden our idea of what repentance is. Repentance is not merely individualistic. Repentance is not something that applies to us when we are in Church or doing “Catholic stuff”. Quite simply, repentance is meant to liberate all people in all areas of life. Repentance applies to how we prayer and how often we go to Church as well as how we vote in local elections and what we think the minimum wage should be. On this second week of Advent, we are reminded that what Jesus does for us is meant to affect everything.

Advent: Preparing for Jesus' Three Arrivals

1st Sunday of Advent, year C | Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

Most Wednesday mornings in Rome the Pope gives an audience in St. Peter’s square. It is a highly anticipated event! People line up hours before access to the square is even possible in the hopes of securing a good seat. After they are seated, people wait in expectation for the Pope to appear on the raised platform at the head of the square. As they wait, the expectation of the people is palpable. They cannot wait for the Pope to arrive. Would you wait with this kind of expectation to meet the Pope? I certainly would! Now, consider this. Call to mind the great expectation of those people waiting to meet the Pope. Now, ask yourself, “am I waiting with the same attention and and excitement to meet Jesus?”

Source

The Gospel today speaks to us about the need to be ready to meet Jesus. At the start of the Gospel, Jesus uses apocalyptic, symbolic language in order to describe his future coming. Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, an enigmatic saviour-type figure that is described in the book of Daniel (c. 7). Jesus’ description of his coming is meant to evoke wonder and impress upon us the great importance of his coming. After his arrival, nothing will ever be the same again. Jesus predicts that some will respond to his coming with fear. For those who are ready and waiting for Jesus, however, their response will be quite different. They will hold their heads high. Jesus’ coming will be a moment of joy because he is their saviour. What is important, Jesus says, is that we are ready to meet him. We need to pray and stay sober and alert. We do not know when Jesus will come, but we want to be among those who meet Jesus with heads held high. We want to be ready to meet Jesus with joy.

The season of Advent, which we start this Sunday, reminds us that there are different ways that Jesus comes into the world. The words Advent comes from the Latin adventus and means “coming” or “arrival”. In one of his homilies, St. Bernard of Clairvaux says that there are three “arrivals” or “comings” of Jesus that Advent is meant to call our attention to. The first coming of Jesus was when he was born in Bethlehem. The third coming of Jesus is when he will come again at the end of time, bringing to completion his work of salvation and creating a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21). This is the coming of Jesus that the Gospel describes. The second and intermediate arrival - or more accurately arrivals - of Jesus is between this first and third coming. This second coming of Jesus is all the different ways that Jesus enters our life here and now: 1) in our hearts in prayer; 2) in the sacraments; and 3) in those who suffer and are in need (Matthew 25).

Advent is a time to train ourselves to be attentive to the different ways Jesus comes into our life. Some of you have probably watched the show “Undercover Boss”. In this show, a high-level executive leaves the comfort of his or her cushy office, puts on a disguise and goes to work in a low-level job. There, the executive tries to learn what things are really like in the company and what the rank and file think of him or her. Usually, the rest of the employees do not recognize their undercover boss. Jesus often comes into our lives as an undercover boss. Often we can miss him because the disguise that he wears is not what we expect. Perhaps we expect that Jesus will come in a glorious, wonderful and pleasing disguise. In describing her experience of working with the poor, Mother Teresa would often remark that Jesus is present in the poor in a “distressing disguise”. In the poor and suffering, Mother Teresa was able to see Jesus. She understood that the love and service she showed them, she was also showing to Jesus. Jesus can come to us in various distressing disguises: a coworker who is arrogant and difficult to get along with; the poor person we meet who asks us for some change; an acquaintance who constantly asks for one favour or another;  a family member or friend who is struggling with an addiction. Jesus often meets us in a distressing disguise. In showing patience, kindness and care to these individuals, we show love to Jesus.

As we start the season of Advent today, we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus. Not only do we want to get ready for Christmas, but we also want to become more attentive and capable of welcoming Jesus in the various ways that he comes into our life each and every day. Can you think of one individual in your life who may be Jesus in a distressing disguise?

An apocalypse of hope

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B | Daniel 12:1-3; Mark 13:24-32

I really like to watch “apocalyptic” movies (e.g. Mad Max, the Matrix, World War Z, Snowpiercer etc.). These movies describe a not too distant future in which the world as we know it has been destroyed by some plague, cataclysmic war, environmental destruction or zombie uprising . Although these movies often show a small group of people battling for survival in their new reality, overall these movies are rather grim and fear-inducing. Perhaps I need to reflect on why I like them so much! In the Bible, we find a significant number of apocalyptic texts. The first reading and Gospel today are two examples. Although these apocalyptic texts share some similarities with the movies I have mentioned, there are important differences with respect to 1) who is the main audience of the texts and 2) the emotional response that the works are meant to evoke.

Significantly, apocalyptic texts in the Bible are intended to inspire downtrodden people with a sense of hope. The purpose of apocalyptic movies seem to be quite different. These movies are aimed at a society that is relatively comfortable. The stories are meant to be cautionary tales or inspire fear by pointing out what could happen if suddenly all the things we have are taken away. The first reading today was from the book of Daniel. This text was written in response to persecution of the Jewish people by the Greek King Antiochus IV around the year 165 BC. At this time, Antiochus IV tried to impose Greek culture and religion upon the Jews. He forbade circumcision and Jewish worship. Many Jews were violently persecuted and killed. The book of Daniel was meant give hope to the suffering. Through the use of imaginative and figurative language, the text inspires readers to believe that God is in control. Texts describe battles in heaven which mirror the conflicts on earth. The first reading describes that Michael is a leader in these battles. Just as God triumphs in these heavenly battles, so will God ultimately liberate his people on earth. Elsewhere in the book of Daniel (e.g. chapter 7), an enigmatic figure called the Son of Man is presented. The Son of Man is described as coming on clouds. He receives the power from God - called the “Ancient of Days” - to conquer and rule on behalf of God’s people. The message that God will eventually triumph over all that oppresses his people is meant to fill the downtrodden with a sense of hope.

Coin depicting Antiochus IV

Similarly, the Gospel today is meant to inspire those who suffer with the truth that Jesus is in control and will ultimately save them from their tribulations. Like the book of Daniel, the Gospel of Mark was probably written for a community that was suffering persecution or a severe setback. In the portion of Mark we heard today, Jesus uses apocalyptic language. First, he paints a vision of the “times after the tribulation” in which the sun and moon are darkened and the heavens quake. This suggests an undoing of the creation of the sun and the moon that God accomplished on the fourth day of creation recounted in the first chapter of Genesis. The message here is that the current state of the world will come to an end. This does not refer merely to the end of the world, but also to the end of the suffering that the people are enduring now. God will overcome the circumstances that are pressing down on the people and create something better for them. This vindication will come through Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, the mysterious figure presented in Daniel. Jesus, like the Son of Man, will come on clouds. Since clouds are often associated in the Old Testament with manifestations of God (e.g. Exod 24:16), with this imagery, Jesus seems to be highlighting his own divinity. At the same time, just at the Son of Man received authority and a mission from the Ancient of Days in Daniel, so Jesus was sent by his Father to save humanity from their sorrow. Through the use of rich, biblical imagery, Jesus communicates a clear message. “I know you are suffering now but have hope! I am with you. The time is coming soon when I will overcome what is troubling you and create a new and better situation for you.”

Above all, this message from the Gospel should encourage us when we are in the midst of our own tribulations. Jesus’ apocalyptic language is meant to give hope. Jesus, the Son of Man, has been given power and authority over all things. He will tear down the situations that oppress us and create something new and better for us. He loves us and cares for us. Perhaps we are currently overcome with desolation or depression. The Gospel is an opportunity to remind ourselves that God will eventually bring some consolation into our life as He has done in the past. Maybe current events, whether in politics or within the Church, fill us with anxiety. Jesus’ words remind us that he is in control. He has the power to overcome discord and unjust structures. Perhaps you or someone you love is battling illness. The Gospel is a reminder that Jesus is close to you and that there is hope that he can bring healing. Finally, when we come face to face with the reality of death, Jesus words are meant to encourage. Even after death he creates for a new and better life.

Unlike apocalyptic movies which communicate fear, the apocalyptic language in the first reading and Gospel is meant to encourage us. What area is your life is causing you difficulty? Let us invite Jesus into our lives, confident that he can and will overcome our sufferings and bring about something better.