Sunday, December 28, 2008

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Hebrews 11: 8, 11-12, 17-19; Luke 2: 22-40
A celebration of family today, and look at what families we have. Abraham, Sarah, & Isaac: two old sterile people and a son offered up in sacrifice. Joseph, Mary, & Jesus: an old man, his young virgin bride, and the Son of God (also to be offered up in sacrifice). So much for traditional family values! We are given a sign here of what it means to be true family: obedience to the will of God. It is not genes, law, or ritual that makes us family, it is faithfulness to that which is our true mother and father. Above all, it is faithfulness to love.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Isaiah 9: 1-6; Titus 2: 11-14; Luke 2: 1-14
Rejoice my friends, for tonight love comes into the world once more. Did you think that the nativity was a one time event? Did you think that Jesus only came once, and now we must patiently await his return? Fools! Jesus never left us, because love never leaves us, we just forget about it for awhile. Tonight is a moment when we are called to remember that God comes to us each day in love. We are his beloved children, not just in some symbolic sense, but in a real and true way. So let us celebrate not just the divine birthay of our Brother, but also our own. Have a very merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Luke 1: 26-38
To you devotees of natural law and logic, I say this: just how natural and logical was it for God to use a virgin to bring Jesus into this world? My father does not operate by your rules, you operate by hers. What you see as natural is but a moment of order in the grand chaos of love. Just because you understand the mechanics behind a small portion of life, does not mean that you know life itself. There are grander things in this universe than you can possibly dream of, and they all fail to follow your natural law and logic. God has but one law: love.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Third Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 61: 1-2a, 10-11; 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24; John 1: 6-8, 19-28
My friends, I struggle to find my voice today. (Who am I kidding, this is my constant struggle.) How do I share all the "glad tidings" that our Father has shown to me? How can I "not quench the Spirit" that moves inside of me? How can I "not despise prophetic utterances" when I fear the consequences of my own words? How I long to "testify" like my brothers and sisters before me. This is what I pray for this Advent, this is what I cry out to my God for: the grace to speak his truth boldly and clearly, so that I may be truly worthy of her anointing.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Second Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11; 2 Peter 3: 8-14; Mark 1: 1-8
Why do you await the arrival of my Brother like some celebrity red carpet event? Don't you know that he'll sneak in through the back door and tap you on the shoulder when you're not looking? Maybe he's already here! Stop looking for signs of something better and embrace the Spirit that is already present. She's tired of being ignored.