January 27, 2019: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The first reading from Nehemiah speaks of a great assembly, just like where I was today, when attending the Closing Mass for World Youth Day in Panama City.  It was truly a day to rejoice in the Lord as we encountered the powerful manifestation of His Presence in our lives through God's Word, which is life-giving, restoring us when we have gone astray, and gives us a purpose.

It is through His Word that God's Spirit comes upon us so that we can go forth, with gifts specially suited to us.  And when we each join together to put our gifts to use, God is truly glorified.

As Pope Francis encouraged those gathered, let us say "Yes" to living for God now, so that God's Word may be truly fulfilled by our faithfulness to acting on it.

January 20, 2019: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

While we have gone from Christmas Season to Ordinary Time, we have the opportunity to continue marveling at the extraordinary works God does.

Indeed, God makes Himself manifest in the common circumstances of our lives, like Jesus did when He changed water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana.  The text doesn't really say how it happened, but describes that it happened.

God wants to make Himself known, and for us to experience the joy of being in relationship with Him.  And He continues to make Himself known as we use our gifts for His Glory, cooperating with His Grace.

January 13, 2019: Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

We conclude the Christmas Season with a wonderful feast, held on Sunday for the first time in three years, as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.

Jesus chose to be baptized as part of identifying Himself with humanity, while remaining fully God.

In Jesus, we now are able to have a relationship with God, and all of God, His goodness and glory, comes to dwell in us.  We take great comfort that God has lavished His love on us, and made us holy and pure, as He created us to be, through the washing by water and renewal by the Spirit that returns us to our state of divine dignity.

God is now pleased to call us beloved daughters and sons, as He so named Jesus at His baptism.

And now, God is truly present in us as we make Him known by our living out our Christian dignity and faith.

As was proclaimed at the March for Life Chicago 2019, we are each created unique for a purpose, and on this Feast of the Lord's Baptism, we celebrate how God manifests Himself as we live out the purpose to which He has called us and for which He has chosen as His own.

January 6, 2019: Epiphany Sunday

Here again is another feast to fire up the Christmas spirit.

We rejoice that God came to us in Christ, born of Mary--and that He came to bring salvation, through the nation of Israel, to all people.  (I think about how the reach of the Church has stretched throughout the vast world:  When Pope Francis visited Mexico three years ago, he celebrated Mass in Chiapas, with parts of it in an indigenous language.  His final Mass was held near the US-Mexico border, with people gathered in a stadium in El Paso, TX, watching the Mass live in Ciudad Juarez on a screen.)

He shines a great Light into all the world, which drew Magi to travel a long distance to worship and give gifts to the Christ Child.

He continues to shine a Light that draws all people to Himself, as they open themselves up to that Light, and follow it to where they shall truly encounter Christ, Who continually manifests God's presence to us.

And we sense God's Presence further when we share it with others, a sign of the transformation that comes because God has shined His Light on us, as He seeks to shine it on the whole world.

January 1, 2019: Feast of Mary, Holy Mother of God (and Naming of Jesus)

As we continue the celebration of the Word Made Flesh in this Christmas Season, and coming on the heels of the recent Feast of the Holy Family, we ponder the mystery of how God came to our world, born of a woman, Mary, to be the One Who saves, as is the meaning of His Holy Name.

Because God entered our world as a person, He was able to bring us salvation.  He could truly show His face to us, and bring the blessings and peace that come with His presence on Earth, by which we were saved.

It is truly a mystery for us to ponder and behold.  May it lead us to rejoice.