Sorry to be late. The first reading Jeremiah is speaking about a frequently used theme in Old Testament writings: the Exodus theme. He proclaims a new exodus. We have to see beyond the Old Testament story. Exodus occurs in our lives so many times, perhaps even in one day. In the gospel today, we read that Joseph is called a righteous man. Why? Because he was one who made an exodus from the law. Remember according to the Jewish law he was obligated to expose Mary. He was to make her pregnancy known and thereby subject her to stoning. There was another event, the very Advent event, that few think of as an exodus. Jesus, son of God, leaving his Father to come among us, to save us, to bring us back to his Father. Consider your life. Are there exodus themes? I am willing to say there most likely are. Did you ever change career? Did you experience a marriage that failed? Have you buried both your parents? How about those alienated Catholics I mentioned in Sunday's homily? Isn't their departure from the Church a kind of exodus? Are we going to bring them home? Just as Jesus came to bring us home to the Father? Play with the exodus theme. You will find it in many corners of your life.
