Third Sunday in Ordinary Time B 2009
First Reading: Jonah 3:1–5, 10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4–5, 6–7, 8–9
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29–31
Gospel: Mark 1:14–2
There was a farmer by the name of Muldoon. His beloved dog died and Muldoon went to his parish priest to make funeral arrangements. "I'm sorry, Muldoon," says the priest. "I can't be having the animal's funeral here, but there's a new church down the road that might be helping you." "Thanks, Father," says Muldoon. "And do you think that $50.000 will be enough for a funeral donation?" "Why, Muldoon," says the priest, "you didn't tell me the dog was Catholic."
The common theme of all three readings today could be summarized by the phrase: TIME OF FULFILMENT. In other words: What must we do with our life before our funeral, before the time of fulfilment? The story of Jonah is fascinating. It is not only about Jonah escaping to the belly of a whale for three days so he would not have to go to Nineveh. Nineveh was considered the most brutal of all the Mediterranean Middle Eastern countries that had ever existed. Nineveh became a example for the scariest place on earth. Parents would threaten to send their children to Nineveh if they did not behave.
But God had something else in mind for the people of Nineveh. But it is to this place that God sent Jonah to tell them that they had to ask for forgiveness. They fasted in sackcloth and ashes, and God had mercy on them. Amazingly the people of Nineveh changed their ways when they heard Jonah. This story teaches us that God is radically different from us. His ability to forgive is beyond our imagining.
In our second reading St. Paul is reminding us that lifetime is short. It may be hard for us to realize this especially if you are a young person. But our reading reminds us that it is really God who keeps us around. Paul is telling us that the amount of time we have to get it right is limited. Paul tells us that time is running out.
On the other hand there were those who stopped working and did nothing just in case they might be doing something bad when God called them. Paul had to scold them. Paul decided that those who do not work should not eat. Knowing this, we realize that we walk with a foot in two worlds, the world of the present and the world to come, and we have to live for both of them simultaneously.
The response to the psalm today is a prayer: ''Teach me your ways, O Lord.'' We should want to know how God wants us to live. We understand the expression, ''Pay now or pay later.'' What many fail to understand is that, when we choose to ''pay later,'' it is always more expensive.
Our last reading tells us the story that Jesus began his public life after the arrest of John the Baptist. Jesus begins his public life with a summary of what he is about. The first example we are offered is the calling of Jesus' closest followers or disciples. Mark's gospel is very much the gospel of action, so here too we see no questioning of destiny but an immediate response. Jesus tells about calling his helpers whom we call apostles. These were good fisherman, but they were not saints nor persons who knew the Bible very well, nor the type of persons on whom you would build a world wide religion. But Jesus took them, and knew they could be changed if only they listened to him and believed in him. When Jesus comes to Simon and Andrew, James and John they don't utter a word. But at once they leave both their livelihood and their families and follow Jesus.
In a similar way Jesus comes to each of us here on this Saturday, January 24,2009 (Sunday, January 25, 2009) and invites us to reform our lives and to believe in the good news. Reform means to turn our lives around if that is necessary. If we have been going away from God, it is now time to turn to him.
Jesus comes along the shores of our lives, calling out to us as he did to Andrew and Peter in their boat. He calls us by name, inviting us to repent and believe in the Bible. Maybe at times from where we are in our busy days we may have to squint against the glare of the world’s attractions to see Jesus. But in the next step we ask ourselves: Are we willing to let go and let God really happen in our lives? Today Jesus calls each of us. Yes, we have often been called, but today there may be some part of our lives, or some events in our life that conflicts with that of Jesus. However, no matter how many times we choose to ignore God's call, God is always there. God never gives up. God doesn't become impatient or frustrated with us. God never reminds us about all God has done for us. Like Jonah, we are called a second time.
There are many who want to set themselves up as Jesus the Savior and invite you to join them. Some are well intentioned; others want numbers. We are given the opportunity today to again listen to God’s call to reform our lives. God is in our midst, but we cannot never respond to Him, if we are looking somewhere else. But we are also called to see and to love this God who freely gives us mercy., But our God also demands that we walk where there is evil, he demands that we put away hate and all desires of retribution, and seek the love of forgiveness.
Our first reading and the Gospel speak to us of discipleship. We are all invited to be a disciple which means to be a ''student'' or ''learner.'' As disciples of Jesus we want to learn His ways.
We are called to please God in all that we think, say or do. I know of no better way of having happiness in this life, and of course, being able to enter into everlasting life. And this is faith. Faith, as I have so often preached, is not a fear of God, but knowing that God loves me regardless. But, love of God, as any love, requires us to talk and listen to God, which is prayer.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Homily for the Week of January 18, 2009
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2008
1 Samuel 3:3-10.19
Psalm 39
1 Corinthians 6:13-15.17-20
John 1:35-42
Most of you probably have never heard of John Ruskin. Ruskin lived in England about 100 years ago. He believed that a building or a table or a chair or a house was an expression of the faith and goodness of the one who built them. One day Ruskin was sitting near a window in his home in London starring in the distance, watching a lamplighter ignite street light after street light. Because it was dark, he couldn't see the lamplighter. He only saw the trail of the lights he lit. Turning to a friend, Ruskin said: That’s my image of a Catholic. You may not have seen the Catholic, but you know a Catholic passed by from the trail of light left behind. Can that be said of each of us?
That is the meaning of all of our Bible readings for today. With today’s first reading we are back in the generation immediately preceding the birth of David. There was a place where Jews would come every Saturday to worship God. In it was the ark of the covenant much like our tabernacle. In the church this day was a teenage boy named Samuel. His mother was Hannah who had prayed a long time to have a child. In gratitude to God for giving her a son she dedicated him to the exclusive service of God. One night God calls Samuel. Samuel did not understand what God wanted from him. God calls to him two more times. And then Samuel says to God: Speak God, I am listening.
In the gospel Jesus invites two of his most important disciples, Andrew and his brother Peter. Peter doesn't seem to understand what Jesus wanted until his brother Andrew says: we are going to work for Jesus.
Throughout our lives, all of us meet a variety of people. Most of these meetings have very little significance and are soon forgotten. Some people we see every day but we never get close to them. With these types of people, we never reveal any of our true self to them. These people often work with us and live near us and go to the same church as we do.
But, on the other hand, some of the people we meet turn out to be of great significance. They enrich our lives and, sometimes, they change them completely. A bond is formed and we are able to reveal our true and inner self to them. This, to be sure, is one of the most delightful and rewarding experiences of our lives. Think about the first time you met your future husband or wife or the person you plan to marry. For many people, it was a magic moment. You remember every detail of that first meeting.
Since I have been here at St. James I have had the joy of helping to prepare nearly 50 couples to be married to each other. Each of them had different and special story of how they met each other. Some may have gone to the same school or college; others may have worked in the same place; others may have been in the Navy together; others may have been a first responder at an accident. Some have told me that they thought they would never get married, until.... Each of you who are married have your own story. But in all cases, whether they knew it or not, God was involved. It was a spiritual call and mystery. The same situation takes place when a man or woman are feel a call to become a priest or a nun. We call it vocation.
And so it was with the two disciples who met Jesus in our gospel reading. It’s clear that Peter, Andrew and John had a wonderful first meeting with Jesus. In fact, many years later, when John was writing his gospel, he remembered that it was at 4:00 PM that they met.
These 3 men felt peace in His presence. They also felt that their contact with Jesus could help them become closer to God. They could feel the influence of Jesus over them. Jesus did not try to convert them or control them. But his influence was so great that that first Peter and Andrew were changed for life.
So, what are you looking for? Why have you come to church today? Did you come to fulfil some sort of obligation—like getting your card punched every week? And when you get the right number of marks on your card you will get you to heaven.
Do you know what you are really looking for? What was Samuel looking for? What were Peter and Andrew looking for? To me, all of us are looking for the one basic thing that only God can give us: love—true love--unconditional love. What really unites the people is that they are listening. They have put themselves in the place where they will be most able to respond to God’s call. Like the young couple preparing for marriage, we are looking for a love that will never cheat on us or deceive us or frustrate us. We want a love that will fulfil the deepest longings of our heart and mind and soul. That is what we are looking for.
Maybe we have grown tired of looking for love in all the wrong places. There is someone who can satisfy those deep longings within us. And, you know His name—Jesus Christ. Right now, He is challenging us like He did Peter and Andrew. “What are you looking for”? So often we may expect God to call others, and not us. We look around and see others who seem to be easy to speak to, or are smart and know a lot about their faith. We expect God to call them. But actually no where in the Bible do you hear that God calls the talented. In fact, the opposite is true. He calls slaves and street people and sinners and tax collectors.
God’s call can take many forms and come to us in many different ways. Maybe it’s through a direct contact, like He did with Samuel in our first reading. Maybe it’s much more subtle—perhaps through a friend or co-worker or a family member. Maybe it’s just a tug at our hearts that we often feel during the quiet moments in our lives.
Each of us who is baptized have been called to follow Jesus. You and I have also put ourselves today in the place where we can best hear God’s call. Here we are in God’s dwelling place. Today we all have listened to his Word from the Bible. We will soon be invited to share in the same meal. Today you and I have answered God’s call to follow him. We have come to church.
Each and every one of us is called to some specific work for God in this world. Some are called to be married; some are called to stay single; some are called to be priests or nuns or deacons. But in each of these the call is the same. It is an invitation to bring God’s love to others as a practicing Catholic and Christian. And as John Ruskin said: You may not have seen the Catholic, but you know a Catholic passed by from the trail of love left behind.
1 Samuel 3:3-10.19
Psalm 39
1 Corinthians 6:13-15.17-20
John 1:35-42
Most of you probably have never heard of John Ruskin. Ruskin lived in England about 100 years ago. He believed that a building or a table or a chair or a house was an expression of the faith and goodness of the one who built them. One day Ruskin was sitting near a window in his home in London starring in the distance, watching a lamplighter ignite street light after street light. Because it was dark, he couldn't see the lamplighter. He only saw the trail of the lights he lit. Turning to a friend, Ruskin said: That’s my image of a Catholic. You may not have seen the Catholic, but you know a Catholic passed by from the trail of light left behind. Can that be said of each of us?
That is the meaning of all of our Bible readings for today. With today’s first reading we are back in the generation immediately preceding the birth of David. There was a place where Jews would come every Saturday to worship God. In it was the ark of the covenant much like our tabernacle. In the church this day was a teenage boy named Samuel. His mother was Hannah who had prayed a long time to have a child. In gratitude to God for giving her a son she dedicated him to the exclusive service of God. One night God calls Samuel. Samuel did not understand what God wanted from him. God calls to him two more times. And then Samuel says to God: Speak God, I am listening.
In the gospel Jesus invites two of his most important disciples, Andrew and his brother Peter. Peter doesn't seem to understand what Jesus wanted until his brother Andrew says: we are going to work for Jesus.
Throughout our lives, all of us meet a variety of people. Most of these meetings have very little significance and are soon forgotten. Some people we see every day but we never get close to them. With these types of people, we never reveal any of our true self to them. These people often work with us and live near us and go to the same church as we do.
But, on the other hand, some of the people we meet turn out to be of great significance. They enrich our lives and, sometimes, they change them completely. A bond is formed and we are able to reveal our true and inner self to them. This, to be sure, is one of the most delightful and rewarding experiences of our lives. Think about the first time you met your future husband or wife or the person you plan to marry. For many people, it was a magic moment. You remember every detail of that first meeting.
Since I have been here at St. James I have had the joy of helping to prepare nearly 50 couples to be married to each other. Each of them had different and special story of how they met each other. Some may have gone to the same school or college; others may have worked in the same place; others may have been in the Navy together; others may have been a first responder at an accident. Some have told me that they thought they would never get married, until.... Each of you who are married have your own story. But in all cases, whether they knew it or not, God was involved. It was a spiritual call and mystery. The same situation takes place when a man or woman are feel a call to become a priest or a nun. We call it vocation.
And so it was with the two disciples who met Jesus in our gospel reading. It’s clear that Peter, Andrew and John had a wonderful first meeting with Jesus. In fact, many years later, when John was writing his gospel, he remembered that it was at 4:00 PM that they met.
These 3 men felt peace in His presence. They also felt that their contact with Jesus could help them become closer to God. They could feel the influence of Jesus over them. Jesus did not try to convert them or control them. But his influence was so great that that first Peter and Andrew were changed for life.
So, what are you looking for? Why have you come to church today? Did you come to fulfil some sort of obligation—like getting your card punched every week? And when you get the right number of marks on your card you will get you to heaven.
Do you know what you are really looking for? What was Samuel looking for? What were Peter and Andrew looking for? To me, all of us are looking for the one basic thing that only God can give us: love—true love--unconditional love. What really unites the people is that they are listening. They have put themselves in the place where they will be most able to respond to God’s call. Like the young couple preparing for marriage, we are looking for a love that will never cheat on us or deceive us or frustrate us. We want a love that will fulfil the deepest longings of our heart and mind and soul. That is what we are looking for.
Maybe we have grown tired of looking for love in all the wrong places. There is someone who can satisfy those deep longings within us. And, you know His name—Jesus Christ. Right now, He is challenging us like He did Peter and Andrew. “What are you looking for”? So often we may expect God to call others, and not us. We look around and see others who seem to be easy to speak to, or are smart and know a lot about their faith. We expect God to call them. But actually no where in the Bible do you hear that God calls the talented. In fact, the opposite is true. He calls slaves and street people and sinners and tax collectors.
God’s call can take many forms and come to us in many different ways. Maybe it’s through a direct contact, like He did with Samuel in our first reading. Maybe it’s much more subtle—perhaps through a friend or co-worker or a family member. Maybe it’s just a tug at our hearts that we often feel during the quiet moments in our lives.
Each of us who is baptized have been called to follow Jesus. You and I have also put ourselves today in the place where we can best hear God’s call. Here we are in God’s dwelling place. Today we all have listened to his Word from the Bible. We will soon be invited to share in the same meal. Today you and I have answered God’s call to follow him. We have come to church.
Each and every one of us is called to some specific work for God in this world. Some are called to be married; some are called to stay single; some are called to be priests or nuns or deacons. But in each of these the call is the same. It is an invitation to bring God’s love to others as a practicing Catholic and Christian. And as John Ruskin said: You may not have seen the Catholic, but you know a Catholic passed by from the trail of love left behind.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Homily for the Week of January 11, 2009
Baptism of the Lord, 2008
First Reading: Isaiah 55:1–11
Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2–3, 4bcd, 5–6
Second Reading: 1 John 5:1–9
Gospel: Mark 1:7–11
A farm boy had the fear of the dark. One night his father told him to go out to the barn and feed the horses. The boy turned pale and anxious. When his father saw this, he stepped out into the darkness, lit a lantern, held it up, and said, How far can you see? The boy said I can see halfway to the barn. The father said, Good, go halfway. When the boy reached the halfway point, the father shouted, Now how far can you see? The boy called back, I can see the barn. The father said, Good. Walk to the barn door, open it, and tell me what you see. The boy shouted back, I see the horses. The father said: Good! Now feed them.
The lantern did not light up the whole barnyard. It lit only a part of the path leading to the barn. But this was enough to get the boy started. That is the same with baptism. It doesn't light up our religion for a lifetime, but enough to get started.
I sometimes ask Catholics if they know sign language and most respond by saying "No." I then
proceed to silently make the Sign of the Cross; to genuflect; to bow; to use my thumb to trace the cross on my forehead, lips and chest; and to extend my hands in the prayer position, Then they quickly recognize that they do know sign language. We are a sacramental people, expressing ourselves beyond words and relying on signs, symbols and gestures. Words alone are not enough. We use our entire body in expressing ourselves to God.
The sacraments of our church use signs to express our encounter with God. When we encounter God through the seven sacraments we use ordinary things such as water, oil, fire, bread, wine and wedding rings. We are also very comfortable in our prayers and devotions in using images to assist us in prayer. For Catholics, statues, holy cards, icons, rosaries, crucifixes are sacramentals that draw attention to God. When we pray before a statue we know that we are not praying to the statue, but it reminds us of God's presence in the world.
Our life is delicate and can easily get snagged, even to the extent that some lives can become broken. But we are not alone in this story. That story began hundreds of thousands of years ago with our first parents known as Adam and Eve. The actions of Adam and Eve have affected all of us, just as the coming of Jesus as a little baby and child has affected all of us. Isaiah tells us that God chose someone to whom he would place his spirit and love. Jesus showed us how to live good lives even to the point of being told by God: You are my son and I am happy with you.
God has provided us with the opportunity to overcome and repair the damage done by Adam and Eve which is known to us as original sin. Whenever evil is done we are all affected, and whenever good takes place we are all affected. In a sense we need to be reborn.
We can also compare sin as getting spiritually dirty. We usually use water to wash away dirt. In the same way the Bible uses the image of water as a way of purifying and cleaning ourselves. It does that through the story of Noah's Ark in which 8 persons were saved from a flood. At another time the Jewish people were saved from slavery when the waters of the Red Sea separated so that the Jews could go back to their homeland.
The early Christians dramatize this dimension of Baptism in a spectacular way. Every church had a place for baptism in the floor of the church looking something like a tomb. There were three steps going down into the water reminding them of the three days that Jesus was buried in the tomb. So when a person was baptized they walk down the three steps into the water. This symbolized dying with Jesus. Then coming out of the water it symbolized rising with Jesus. That was very much like John the Baptist did when he baptized Jesus as we just heard from our Gospel today. As I baptize a child we are reminded of these days when I pour water over the baby's head three times saying: I BAPTIZE YOU IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. While baptism by immersion is for adults, there is evidence that from the second century infants were also baptized. It was very common for a whole family to be baptized at one time. Of course, this included children.
Since the early church we use water not only for baptism but to remind us of our baptism. When you enter the church you look for and dip your fingers into the holy water dish and make the sign of the cross. So often you may be busy looking around for a seat or even whispering to someone that the words of the sign of the cross are not said. At the beginning of a funeral the casket stops at the door of the church and the priest blesses the body with holy water. And then a covering is placed on the casket. All of this is a reminder of the day the person was baptized. The covering of the casket is in memory of the baptism dress in which this person was baptized.
Our church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation. But the church has always taught that those who are not baptized but die because of their faith have baptism of blood, and those who would be baptized if they knew about it have baptism of desire. Children who die without baptism are entrusted to the mercy of God.
It is important for parents to realize that baptism opens the door to salvation. Parents and the adults around the child must also show and teach the child what is spiritually good and bad. The baptism of a baby places a tremendous responsibility upon the child's parents, the older brothers and sisters, the in-laws, the relatives and the God parents. The spiritual formation of the newly baptized baby is completely in the hands of these persons.
We should also take this day of the Baptism of Jesus to celebrate our own Baptism. It is unthinkable for a person not to known their birthday. Even rather young children anticipate the cake and gifts that come with their birthday celebration. Baptism is our spiritual birthday. But very few of us know the date of our Baptism. That is because parents do not talk about it to their children, they do not celebrate it. At the Baptisms with which I have been involved I suggest that parents make Baptism an important celebration in the life of their children like they do for their natural birthday. Baptized persons have two birthdays.
Baptism is the light that shows us the way to be good and holy. But be faithful to the spiritual demands of that Baptism.
First Reading: Isaiah 55:1–11
Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2–3, 4bcd, 5–6
Second Reading: 1 John 5:1–9
Gospel: Mark 1:7–11
A farm boy had the fear of the dark. One night his father told him to go out to the barn and feed the horses. The boy turned pale and anxious. When his father saw this, he stepped out into the darkness, lit a lantern, held it up, and said, How far can you see? The boy said I can see halfway to the barn. The father said, Good, go halfway. When the boy reached the halfway point, the father shouted, Now how far can you see? The boy called back, I can see the barn. The father said, Good. Walk to the barn door, open it, and tell me what you see. The boy shouted back, I see the horses. The father said: Good! Now feed them.
The lantern did not light up the whole barnyard. It lit only a part of the path leading to the barn. But this was enough to get the boy started. That is the same with baptism. It doesn't light up our religion for a lifetime, but enough to get started.
I sometimes ask Catholics if they know sign language and most respond by saying "No." I then
proceed to silently make the Sign of the Cross; to genuflect; to bow; to use my thumb to trace the cross on my forehead, lips and chest; and to extend my hands in the prayer position, Then they quickly recognize that they do know sign language. We are a sacramental people, expressing ourselves beyond words and relying on signs, symbols and gestures. Words alone are not enough. We use our entire body in expressing ourselves to God.
The sacraments of our church use signs to express our encounter with God. When we encounter God through the seven sacraments we use ordinary things such as water, oil, fire, bread, wine and wedding rings. We are also very comfortable in our prayers and devotions in using images to assist us in prayer. For Catholics, statues, holy cards, icons, rosaries, crucifixes are sacramentals that draw attention to God. When we pray before a statue we know that we are not praying to the statue, but it reminds us of God's presence in the world.
Our life is delicate and can easily get snagged, even to the extent that some lives can become broken. But we are not alone in this story. That story began hundreds of thousands of years ago with our first parents known as Adam and Eve. The actions of Adam and Eve have affected all of us, just as the coming of Jesus as a little baby and child has affected all of us. Isaiah tells us that God chose someone to whom he would place his spirit and love. Jesus showed us how to live good lives even to the point of being told by God: You are my son and I am happy with you.
God has provided us with the opportunity to overcome and repair the damage done by Adam and Eve which is known to us as original sin. Whenever evil is done we are all affected, and whenever good takes place we are all affected. In a sense we need to be reborn.
We can also compare sin as getting spiritually dirty. We usually use water to wash away dirt. In the same way the Bible uses the image of water as a way of purifying and cleaning ourselves. It does that through the story of Noah's Ark in which 8 persons were saved from a flood. At another time the Jewish people were saved from slavery when the waters of the Red Sea separated so that the Jews could go back to their homeland.
The early Christians dramatize this dimension of Baptism in a spectacular way. Every church had a place for baptism in the floor of the church looking something like a tomb. There were three steps going down into the water reminding them of the three days that Jesus was buried in the tomb. So when a person was baptized they walk down the three steps into the water. This symbolized dying with Jesus. Then coming out of the water it symbolized rising with Jesus. That was very much like John the Baptist did when he baptized Jesus as we just heard from our Gospel today. As I baptize a child we are reminded of these days when I pour water over the baby's head three times saying: I BAPTIZE YOU IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. While baptism by immersion is for adults, there is evidence that from the second century infants were also baptized. It was very common for a whole family to be baptized at one time. Of course, this included children.
Since the early church we use water not only for baptism but to remind us of our baptism. When you enter the church you look for and dip your fingers into the holy water dish and make the sign of the cross. So often you may be busy looking around for a seat or even whispering to someone that the words of the sign of the cross are not said. At the beginning of a funeral the casket stops at the door of the church and the priest blesses the body with holy water. And then a covering is placed on the casket. All of this is a reminder of the day the person was baptized. The covering of the casket is in memory of the baptism dress in which this person was baptized.
Our church teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation. But the church has always taught that those who are not baptized but die because of their faith have baptism of blood, and those who would be baptized if they knew about it have baptism of desire. Children who die without baptism are entrusted to the mercy of God.
It is important for parents to realize that baptism opens the door to salvation. Parents and the adults around the child must also show and teach the child what is spiritually good and bad. The baptism of a baby places a tremendous responsibility upon the child's parents, the older brothers and sisters, the in-laws, the relatives and the God parents. The spiritual formation of the newly baptized baby is completely in the hands of these persons.
We should also take this day of the Baptism of Jesus to celebrate our own Baptism. It is unthinkable for a person not to known their birthday. Even rather young children anticipate the cake and gifts that come with their birthday celebration. Baptism is our spiritual birthday. But very few of us know the date of our Baptism. That is because parents do not talk about it to their children, they do not celebrate it. At the Baptisms with which I have been involved I suggest that parents make Baptism an important celebration in the life of their children like they do for their natural birthday. Baptized persons have two birthdays.
Baptism is the light that shows us the way to be good and holy. But be faithful to the spiritual demands of that Baptism.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Homily for the Week of January 4, 2009
The Epiphany of the Lord, 2008
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
Manhattan College is one of the oldest Catholic Colleges. It is located in New York City. It was started by a group of Christian Brothers in the 19th Century. It athletic teams are called the Jaspers after Brother Jasper. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. During one particularly warm and humid day when Manhattan College was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy as Manhattan came to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called time-out and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed.
Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the seventh inning stretch spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
In the Catholic Church this weekend is like the seventh inning stretch. It is towards the end of the spiritual season of Christmas, and today is THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. As the song goes: on the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming. Today is the twelfth day of Christmas, or what we call Epiphany.
I just read in today’s Gospel about Wise Men from the East arriving in Jerusalem, saying Where is the new born king of the Jews. We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. Many people have various opinions about the events of Epiphany, and they are opinions. About all we know of this feast is from the reading I just read from St. Matthew. Matthew is not recording precise historical events. Matthew is making a profession of faith. What matters is not so much the story as the message it conveys. It's possible to get lost in questions, such as:
how many Magi or Wise Men were there (Matthew doesn't say other than there were three gifts) where exactly did they come from ("from the east" is not very helpful and probably from Persia)
what kind of star was it that guided them to the stable? (was it a comet, an asteroid, a supernova -- did it really exist?)
The real message of Epiphany is about a gift: about the gift of God to each of us through the baby Jesus. On Epiphany we are invited to recall our image of God.
Sometimes we read the newspaper, listen to the news on the radio, watch current events on television and we wonder where is God in this world of ours. In the long daily litany of pain, sorrow, suffering, dishonesty, death, greed…where is God? Where is God among leaders of nations that call up their soldiers to fight a war? Where is God in the earthquakes, the hurricanes, the mud slides? Where is God in poverty? Where is God in a hurting relationship or marriage? And I could go on and on.
But God is there because we have Epiphany. Epiphany means to reveal, to show, or to make known. The enduring insight from the earliest days of Israel to our own modern Christianity is that God is not remote from us; God is actively involved…God cares…God is concerned. So where’s God? God is present in the epiphanies of our life each day.
Perhaps we think of these epiphanies only in way one – the good and nice events of our day.
I stand on the banks of the Saranac and watch a perfect sunset and say to myself “yes, there is a God”.
I receive a gift of forgiveness from a friend and say to myself “yes, there is a God”.
A wife and husband look into each other’s eyes and say: “yes, there is a God.”
However, as believers we know that God comes to us in many ways. Spiritually God is revealed in the mystery of the crib in a stable, and a grown up man killed on the cross. The depth of God’s being is made visible in the vulnerability of a child and in the perfect weakness of a man on a cross.
We find God in the sacrament of everyday life. We encounter God in trials, sufferings, joys, triumphs, hopes, fears, defeats and successes that come to us each day.
when our best efforts at work go unappreciated, God is present.
when we make an “A” in a difficult class at school, God is present.
when our child is born, God is present.
when our parent dies, God is present.
On those mornings when we wake up, sit on the edge of the bed, rub our eyes, think of the problems we face, worry whether our life has any real meaning, and wonder if there is even really a God…God is present.
The epiphanies of life are not just about us. God is present in the way we serve our neighbor. God is forever the beggar outside our gate, the victim left on the side of the road and the voice of those who have no one to plead for their needs. We are not just called to be sensitive to God’s presence within our own lives but we are also called to extend God’s presence through our care for others. Each of us is called to be a living epiphany and a sacrament of God’s love to the world around us.
when we reach into our pocket and give to the poor, God is present.
when we hug our child, God is present.
when we take time to listen to a young person who seems to have lost their way, God is present
when we work to correct an injustice, God is present.
when we pray with a friend in the hospital, God is present.
in the seventh inning stretch God is present.
God is with us. Sometimes all we have to do is take the time to open our eyes and see…open our ears and hear…open our hearts and feel the presence. May we all see and hear and feel the epiphanies of God in our lives this day and in each day to come.
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
Manhattan College is one of the oldest Catholic Colleges. It is located in New York City. It was started by a group of Christian Brothers in the 19th Century. It athletic teams are called the Jaspers after Brother Jasper. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. During one particularly warm and humid day when Manhattan College was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy as Manhattan came to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called time-out and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed.
Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the seventh inning stretch spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
In the Catholic Church this weekend is like the seventh inning stretch. It is towards the end of the spiritual season of Christmas, and today is THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. As the song goes: on the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming. Today is the twelfth day of Christmas, or what we call Epiphany.
I just read in today’s Gospel about Wise Men from the East arriving in Jerusalem, saying Where is the new born king of the Jews. We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. Many people have various opinions about the events of Epiphany, and they are opinions. About all we know of this feast is from the reading I just read from St. Matthew. Matthew is not recording precise historical events. Matthew is making a profession of faith. What matters is not so much the story as the message it conveys. It's possible to get lost in questions, such as:
how many Magi or Wise Men were there (Matthew doesn't say other than there were three gifts) where exactly did they come from ("from the east" is not very helpful and probably from Persia)
what kind of star was it that guided them to the stable? (was it a comet, an asteroid, a supernova -- did it really exist?)
The real message of Epiphany is about a gift: about the gift of God to each of us through the baby Jesus. On Epiphany we are invited to recall our image of God.
Sometimes we read the newspaper, listen to the news on the radio, watch current events on television and we wonder where is God in this world of ours. In the long daily litany of pain, sorrow, suffering, dishonesty, death, greed…where is God? Where is God among leaders of nations that call up their soldiers to fight a war? Where is God in the earthquakes, the hurricanes, the mud slides? Where is God in poverty? Where is God in a hurting relationship or marriage? And I could go on and on.
But God is there because we have Epiphany. Epiphany means to reveal, to show, or to make known. The enduring insight from the earliest days of Israel to our own modern Christianity is that God is not remote from us; God is actively involved…God cares…God is concerned. So where’s God? God is present in the epiphanies of our life each day.
Perhaps we think of these epiphanies only in way one – the good and nice events of our day.
I stand on the banks of the Saranac and watch a perfect sunset and say to myself “yes, there is a God”.
I receive a gift of forgiveness from a friend and say to myself “yes, there is a God”.
A wife and husband look into each other’s eyes and say: “yes, there is a God.”
However, as believers we know that God comes to us in many ways. Spiritually God is revealed in the mystery of the crib in a stable, and a grown up man killed on the cross. The depth of God’s being is made visible in the vulnerability of a child and in the perfect weakness of a man on a cross.
We find God in the sacrament of everyday life. We encounter God in trials, sufferings, joys, triumphs, hopes, fears, defeats and successes that come to us each day.
when our best efforts at work go unappreciated, God is present.
when we make an “A” in a difficult class at school, God is present.
when our child is born, God is present.
when our parent dies, God is present.
On those mornings when we wake up, sit on the edge of the bed, rub our eyes, think of the problems we face, worry whether our life has any real meaning, and wonder if there is even really a God…God is present.
The epiphanies of life are not just about us. God is present in the way we serve our neighbor. God is forever the beggar outside our gate, the victim left on the side of the road and the voice of those who have no one to plead for their needs. We are not just called to be sensitive to God’s presence within our own lives but we are also called to extend God’s presence through our care for others. Each of us is called to be a living epiphany and a sacrament of God’s love to the world around us.
when we reach into our pocket and give to the poor, God is present.
when we hug our child, God is present.
when we take time to listen to a young person who seems to have lost their way, God is present
when we work to correct an injustice, God is present.
when we pray with a friend in the hospital, God is present.
in the seventh inning stretch God is present.
God is with us. Sometimes all we have to do is take the time to open our eyes and see…open our ears and hear…open our hearts and feel the presence. May we all see and hear and feel the epiphanies of God in our lives this day and in each day to come.
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