November 27, 2022: First Sunday of Advent

Happy Advent! Happy (Liturgical) New Year!

In a spirit similar to our recent celebration of Jesus Christ the King, Who rules over all time and space, we reflect on His coming again at the End of Time.

Jesus makes clear we don't know when that Second Coming will happen, so we must live in a state of readiness.  We realize our salvation is coming nearer and nearer, so we throw off the works of darkness and walk in the Light that is already ours because Christ came into the world in the Incarnation.

We walk in His light, centering our lives on Him and being present to Him Who has made Himself present to us, as symbolized of Mount Zion rising above all other heights, a focus point for God's presence among us.  In so doing, may we be transformed to always walk in that light, living in a state of peace deep down, and living in a way that reflects that Light in all we do, being ready to welcome Him as He comes to us now.

November 20, 2022: Solemnity of the Sunday of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Earlier this month in the United States of America was Election Day, when we made decisions about who would get authority to govern.

On this great and Solemn Feast Sunday, we recall that Jesus Christ is the Great King, not just because of what He has, but even more so, because of what He gives.

He created all in the Heavens and the Earth, sustaining everything.

When Creation was broken by the disobedience of humans, God showed us the full extent of His Love by sending His Son, Christ, Who emptied Himself so that He could reconcile us back to God.

It is in the same spirit of David, who united the tribes of Israel and was anointed King to lead the people to God.

Christ, indeed, is our great Shepherd, Who lay down His life for us on the Cross.

When people around the Cross mocked Him, saying He should demonstrate that He's a King by saving Himself, He instead demonstrated the power of His Kingship by laying down His life.

A thief beside Him acknowledged His innocence, and His power restore Him and bring him into the Kingdom, so that he prayed, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom".  Jesus immediately answered the prayer, guaranteeing that he would enter Paradise.

We share in that Kingdom, because, as St. Paul writes, the One Who created and sustains all things, especially through reconciliation, brought us from darkness into the Kingdom to live in the light with all the saints.  

As we end one liturgical year and enter a new year, we follow our great King and advance His Kingdom as we give of ourselves to edify others, with gifts of peace, light, and love that Christ gave us.  Indeed, He has demonstrated that He is a Mighty King because of what He has given to bring life to all the world.

November 13, 2022: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Drawing near to the end of the liturgical year, we focus more closely on the last things.

As people admire the impressive structure of the Temple, Jesus offers what are surely shocking words when He says it will be destroyed.  Furthermore, He talks about the great tumult that will accompany the transition of this world to the next.

That's why we, His people, should cling closely to what we realize by faith, that God accompanies us in all circumstances and will strengthen us in the face of whatever opposition we encounter because of our faith.  Jesus even goes so far as to say that we don't need to prepare a defense beforehand because He will give us "wisdom".

Ultimately, God will triumph over wrong, like the reading in Malachi describes, with the fiery destruction of those who reject God.  For us, the sun will bring us healing rays in the restoration of all that is good.

So let us work diligently, holding ourselves to high standards, and not getting caught up in others' business.  We strive to do our work well in these days as we await God's plan to unfold.

We who are people of faith can take comfort in the reality that God is unveiling for us, just as the word apocalypse refers to an unveiling.  He is pointing us to a greater Power at work in our world, even over what we would consider powerful.  And by faith, we will experience it fully, even as we get glimpses of it now to encourage and strengthen us.

Today marks the end of the jubilee year for the canonization of St. Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, and it's also the birthday of St. Augustine.  Both of these saints had great visions from God that compelled them to proclaim the power of God through their lives.

November 9, 2022: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

God came to dwell among us through Christ, the Word Made Flesh.

He continues to abide with us through the Holy Spirit, and He makes us a dwelling place for the Spirit as a Temple, the mystical body of Christ.

He has given us His glorious presence, which calls us to grow closer to God so we may reveal His presence to the world, and the reality that Christ died and rose again to choose a people to be in relationship with God.  And so, we are made holy, too.

November 6, 2022: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The fulcrum of the Christian faith is belief in the Resurrection, that we will die with Christ and rise with Him to new Life.

It is something we experience even now, which gives us strength.

A good case in point is the story from 2 Maccabbees.  The brothers and their mother can stand strong in the face of intense torture because they look ahead to post-Resurrection life.  It's remarkable they express such strong beliefs even before Jesus came, died, and rose to new life.

Furthermore, we believe in the God of the living, Who truly demonstrates His power over death through the Resurrection of Christ.  All of us who hold to this belief share in the great communion of saints, which keeps us connected with all those who have gone on before us.

Through belief in the Resurrection, they are more fully alive now, in a new state of being that transcends this world.

Our hope in this reality that we will one day experience in its fullness gives us reason now to live with purpose.  We face our difficulties with encouragement as we continue strong in the beliefs that God has revealed to us through His Word and the teachings of the Church, made alive through the Resurrection.  We are alive abundantly by faith, sustained by the Love that God reveals through the Paschal Mystery, and we go forth to share this life and love with the world, so they may join us in upholding the hope that comes through the Resurrection.

November 1, 2022: Feast of All Saints' Day

A constant theme in the readings for today's Feast is this idea of purity.

We gain purity not of our own accord, but through God, Who sent His Son Jesus as purification for our sins, and so that we may be more conformed to His Son, reflecting the image of God Who created us.

We furthermore demonstrate that purity by the way we live our lives, in humility that points others to the reality of God at work in us, who He calls and equips for sainthood in this world.