Thursday Reflection: December 27, 2007 St. John the Evangelist

Reading the selections from Scripture for today's liturgy I recalled a moment when a nephew was looking at several pictures put up for a family celebration. One was of yours truly atop the famous palomino horse that was dragged door to door for pictures with youngsters. The picture was taken in 1946. After his looking at the picture, the small house, the lawn that did not exist, I asked him "Do you think that was a future Lone Ranger atop the horse?" He stared a little longer and then replied, "Were you guys poor when you were little?" After attempting to tell him what life was like in Mt. Rainier, MD immediately after WWII, I was completely floored by his next question: "Who was the Lone Ranger?"

The readings today teach us much about Jesus, much we would never have learned had John not share with us his own faith experiences and the things he saw of Jesus in his later years. Surely John was not at Bethlehem ... nor were any of the other Evangelists.

Tradition, tradition, tradition has handed much of what happened that first Christmas morning. The early Christian communities, Mary and other OT writers provided insights for all who take the time to understand God speaking to us through the OT and NT authors.

If you stop and consider how the information was handed down to us, it is a remarkable faith that we have. Surely St. John would want us to see with the eyes of faith, helped by his writings. Knowing that what actually happened may have had a few different presentations over the years, we have Isaiah among several OT authors who foretold what would happen.

It is for us to use the writings of authors like St. John to strengthen our faith in the OT and NT writings.

Monday Reflection: St Stephen, Marty, December 26th

Why a martyr's feast the day after the celebration of the Christ Child's birth? The answer is as profound as it is simple. During the last few days of Advent this blogger was address to issue of journey's and what they might cost anyone.

Stephen was a man who followed the "new religion" proposed by Jesus and the Apostles in their preaching. Just as a journey requires a definite commitment on the part of a traveler, so too the follower of Jesus is expected to make a definite commitment to Jesus.

Stephen is an excellent example of someone who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his commitment. He accepted the call of the Lord Jesus in his life as is described in the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 6 and 7. It is worth the read.

A Jewish man by birth, Stephen became a convert. His death occurred in 35 AD. He was stoned to death, as an artist's rendition shows. It was an irony of the early Church that Stephen was appointed the patron saint of all stonemasons!!! Surely someone had a wry sense of humor.

Christmas Reflection

From the pen of St. Leo the Great about the birth of Jesus Christ

Beloved,

let us give thanks

to God the Father,

through his Son,

in the Holy Spirit,

because in his great love of us

he took pity on us,

and when we were dead in our sins

he brought us to life

with Christ,

so that in him we might be a new creation.

Le us throw off our old nature and all its ways and,

as we have come to birth in Christ,

let us renounce the works of the flesh.

Merry Christmas to each of you!

You are in my prayers in a special way this Christmas

and my intention is to ask the Lord God

to make the new year

2008

a period of twelve months

when you find peace to any problems that arise in your hearts

good health through all the sicknesses that might beset your body

and happiness in all that you do.

Reflection for Christmas Eve morning, 2007

Are you ready? Seems that just yesterday or maybe the day before we were initiating another Advent season. Suddenly we are ready to open the door on the Christmas season. What has become so important is the giving and receiving. If you received a gift from a friend, not necessarily a very close friend, but one who did not receive a gift from you, do you run out to the nearest mall or take that extra unused gift or even a regift to prepare a gift for this friend? I suspect many people today would be at the mall!

In the first reading from 2 Samuel we have a similar situation. David has been gifted by Yahweh in many ways. After he has built his own home, he has feelings that he should build something for the "ark of God." God speaks to David through Nathan reminding him that he has always been there for David. Yahweh does not need David to try and equal or match the divine assistance. What is clear is this: Yahweh wants of David a personal relationship. He wants David to open his heart so that God can continue the work he has begun in him. Advancement with God is not something that can be bought.

As we make final preparations for another celebration of Christmas, let us not worry about what I give back to God for his goodness to me in my life. Rather, let me make the effort to open my heart in a deeper way when you have some time with the Christ Child on Christmas day. That is the gift that God wants from all of us.

Let us open our hearts and give birth to a renewed love for and following of Jesus ... trying to see, as best as we can, where God is calling us for the year 2008.

Merry Christmas. God bless you.

Many have asked "When? When is "he" coming back to OLV? Is he coming back to OLV?"

Well, here are the answers. On Christmas Eve Fr. Jordan will be the principal celebrant at the 9:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass.

The Pastor will return early in the first week in January, relieving Msgr. Duffy from the duties of the Pastor's office.

Of course I am most thankful to Monsignor for immediately taking the reigns when I made the sudden move to Suburban Hospital and what I have come to know as its excellent Heart Clinic.

What I have noticed is how happy the good Monsignor has been returning to the leadership role. I think he misses being a Pastor. But, we have been blessed by his presence with us.

Once back in the Pastor's office, my work will be monitored, I know, by many, perhaps hundreds, making sure that I don't over work, don't pick up boxes that are too heavy, don't get enough rest, don't, get enough proper exercise, don't get , don't do, don't, etc. I do know that I will have to report to Suburban Hospital each Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons for the next 12 weeks to participate in the cardiac rehab program.

I want to thank all who have sent me cards, flowers, notes, made calls, and visited (when you were able to get passed the "guards" at the reception desk here at St. Jane's).

Yes, I am getting somewhat itchy continuing this life of R&R that my doctor insisted upon. I look forward to the 3rd of January when I move back. As well I do look forward to Christmas Eve Mass with you. If you see me, please, refrain from the hugs!!! The chest is still healing! And, no, I will not be showing my chest to reveal the scars!

Enough for now. This has been quite a morning of postings. Should I not see you on Christmas Eve, please accept my greetings and best wishes for a Merry Christmas and all the best hopes for a good and HEALTHY new year.

Fr. Jordan

Interior Life of Prime Importance

On Friday, December 21st, Pope Benedict met with the Roman Curia to extend to each of the members his Christmas greetings. However, the Holy Father surprised them with the gift that he gave to them: You are to be missionaries in our times!!!!

Part of the surprise was his reference to his presence and meetings in Brazil earlier. "In Brazil the bishops of Latin America were meeting to discuss their role as missionaries and disciples of Christ. Turning to his main theme, he noted that some people felt that theme was "perhaps excessively concentrated on interior life at a time in which the great challenges of history" require a more active response.
But in fact, the Pope argued, the proper responses to historical crises require a commitment that can only come from interior life in Christ. This was "borrowed" from the Catholic World News publication of Friday, December 21st.

Surprise, You Romans! You Have Ascendeth!!!

A very interesting article today on Rocco Palmo's blog, Whispers in the Loggia. See the link to his blog to the right of this column.

The Roman Catholic Church membership has exceeded the Church of England to become the largest faith community in England.

The sun has set on the British Empire for a number of years. Now, it seems, the Catholic population has become the majority in England. What must her Royal Highness and the Lord Archbishop be saying over tea these days ... especially with the most recent Prime Minister shedding the Church of England vestige for the Roman Catholic faith ... even some talk in Church circles that the Honorable Mr. Blair has been considering the office of Permanent Deacon!!!

Read Whispering Rocco's article. You can learn much about what has and is happening in England. I know my cousins in Northhampton must be chatting about this with the neighbors there. My mother's parents and my dad's father are families that came out of England. Of course I will me emailing Northhampton sometime this week!

Weekend Reflection: December 22 and 23, 2007

We are but three or two days away from the celebration of Christmas. I would like to offer only one reflection for this weekend ... there will be enough material for more than two days of reflection and prayer. As the sunrise picture above takes your attention, the theme of this meditation is "making a journey."

Already millions of Americans have been unpacking in a different city, state or country. Many more will travel to new places to celebrate Christmas today and tomorrow. Wherever we might be for Christmas, what is involved for all of us ... travelers or stay-at-homes ... is the making of a journey.

Like most journeys, the days leading up to Christmas and the Christmas season itself, offer each of us the opportunity to answer a call. When we get ready for a journey to visit a far-away land or relatives living a distance from our home, we are usually responding to an inner yearning either to learn more, to experience a new culture or to answer the inner feelings that drive us to want to be with loved ones.

If you were asked the question "What is the call you have been asked to answer in the Advent and Christmas seasons?" how readily would you be able to answer the question? In a way this may be a trick question so consider carefully. Where does that inner voice calling you find its fulfillment?

Some might respond simply "To prepare for Christmas." Others might say, "Well, I really have not felt at particular 'call' in my heart from the Advent or Christmas seasons. As with any journey, seeds were planted in our hearts. It's time to visit the cousins. We should visit Grandma and Grandpop before they grow much older. That movie we saw made Italy so attractive. The Travel Channel presentation about the Grand Canyon has stirred my interest in seeing that part of our country. The first trip to Hawaii surely has set me up for future visits.

But, again, what about Advent? The upcoming Christmas season? Do you even think of those times as journeys? I propose to you that they are indeed seasons that invite you and me to set out on a journey. "But," you might ask, "where to?" Certainly not the malls! Advent and the Christmas season are journeys that do not necessarily give you, as the Latin scholars would write, a terminus ad quem, a point to which we might set out. The journeys of these two liturgical seasons offer us journeys without a known destination. As Joseph Dispenza quoting Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu, "A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving."

The seasons mentioned are inviting us on a journey of self-discovery. This is for sure a journey without fixed plans or ends. A journey of self-discovery is a genuine experience in process. This is a journey traveled in search of God's calling to us each day of our lives. Each day, reading and praying the words of the readings for the liturgy, you discover more about yourself, the self that may not be so evident to others or yourself.

We are initially invited on a journey we make each year. However, each year we are, all of us, a little older and, hopefully, a little wiser. So we bring a somewhat different self to the readings. We have come to know some things about ourselves we did not know last year.

This year, for example, the joy of Isaiah's prophetic promises to the Jewish people about a Messiah who would become their savior, their redeemer, became real for me. Though I have read through the Isaiah readings for more years that I care to admit, it was not until this year that the prophet's joy became a part of my own prayer during this Advent season. In his words the prophet was attempting to bring the people of Israel to a new level of understanding the wonders of their Yahweh. Many moons later the prophets words and sentiments really hit home. Be joyful because this child that will be born, this child to be called Emmanuel, has come among us to be our redeemer. Rejoice. That is why we sing an Alleluia chorus.

Friday Reflection: December 21, 2007

Today's readings are about the true joy of the season of preparation. The words from the Song of Songs, a poetic expression of excitement and joy speak the spirit Advent offers to anyone seriously preparing for the birth of the Child Jesus. Mary's visit to Elizabeth likewise invites us to experience the joy and excitement a cousin experiences with Mary's visit as well as the obvious happiness experienced by the child she (Elizabeth) is carrying in her pregnancy.

For us today Advent has become a period of time when Santa Claus, vacations, buying and wrapping have become the excitement of the season. Naturally the commercialism of our times fosters excitement but in all the natural, purchasing moments only. We are programmed to prepare for Santa's arrival with his bags of goodies and then the visit of families and friends. To a certain level all of this brings a sense of joy and excitement that helps all of us.

Take a "normal" day following Thanksgiving ... more particularly one of the days between December 14 and 24. Examine it carefully as to the use of your time. Most likely a time of much Christmas preparation ... writing cards (to many people we will share moments on Christmas Day or the day or two afterwards) buying and wrapping gifts etc. How much time is given to the spiritual preparation really needed to bring Christmas to its fullest in our hearts? How much true excitement is there for the beginning of the greatest gift God has given us ... the gift that is given everyday of your life? The gift of redemption!

A quote I recently discovered in seeking to know how to "interpret" my recent medical situation seems to speak to me about the potential treasures and gifts available to me and to you , dear reader, if I/we make time during the Advent days to spend some serious time praying about the upcoming celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Here it is.
"Leaving home in a sense involves a kind of second birth in which we give birth to ourselves." Robert Neely Bellah, Habits of the Heart, as cited in The Way of the Traveler, Joseph Dispenza.

Leaving the "home" of contemporary pre-Christmas rush and pressures for some time of reflection offered bu Isaiah, for example, can help us discover a new birth in Jesus' birth ... the discovery and birth of our true selves.

Interesting Reading

My Philadelphia friend has surely been producing some very interesting reading. I hope you have been taking the time to visit Whispers in the Loggia. Soon he will be announcing the annual "Churchman of the Year." He is inviting you, as one of his more than 100,000 readers to nominate a person for the award (no Oscar statue, however). The picture to the left is from the Whispers in the Loggia blog front piece. Show a man who had just be elevated to the "red hat" that he is carrying in his left hand ... several consistories ago! Look around there are a few genuinely good candidates.