Friends in Christ, we often ponder the events of Jesus’ birth, of Mary’s encounter with the Angel, her ‘Fiat,’ her ‘yes’ to God’s plan; we think of these events often.
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But at the same time, there was someone else who had an important role to play in God’s plan, and that was St. Joseph.
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When Joseph heard that his betrothed was with child, what was his reaction? Was he angry, as if he thought she had sinned? No.[i] The angel told him, ‘don’t be afraid Joseph.’ So he was not angry, rather, he was afraid.
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What was he afraid of? He was afraid that he was not worthy to be part of this great Mystery. God had before brought about remarkable conceptions, such as with Sarah who was old, and Hannah who was sterile; and Joseph had recently learned that God was doing something new, in that Elizabeth had conceived, who was very old.
So Joseph saw this event with Mary as something also of God, and felt that he should break off the engagement and get out of God’s way. But the angel assured him that he should proceed. And so he did.
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St. Joseph is a model for us, in our approach to Christ in our life. He was a man of a deep interior life. He was a man of few words; not one word of Joseph is recorded in the Holy Gospels.
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St. John Paul II[ii] tells us that Joseph would be in daily contact with the Mystery of God-made-Man under his own roof, at his kitchen table, with the God-made-Man. As we see today, St. Joseph surrendered all his plans; he calmly took a new path, along with all the challenges of welcoming the Son of God into his home. His actions can only be understood in light of his profound interior life, his life of prayer. Nothing can explain Joseph’s quiet ability to make difficult decisions with the courage of a simple soul, except his interior life of devotion.
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But the Word was made flesh, not only 2000 years ago, but still today at every Mass. Christ comes down from heaven to us daily, to be a part of our own life. Would that our own interior life of prayer be as ready to welcome Jesus, as was that of St. Joseph.
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[i] If Joseph were a ‘just man’ as it says, he would want justice to be done, and not disobey the Law, which would require stoning of an unfaithful woman. A ‘just man’ would not skirt the Law.
[ii] 1989 apostolic exhortation on St. Joseph, Redemptoris Custos.
Friends in Christ, in the 4th century, there lived a young woman named Paesia whose parents had died, leaving her their large home. For a while she made her home available for the local priests as a place for them to pray and live, but in the course of time her resources were exhausted.
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Some wicked men came to see her and turned her from the Godly way, and she began to live an evil life to the point of becoming a prostitute. The fathers, learning of this, were deeply saddened and so they consulted a holy priest they knew named John the Dwarf. To him they said ‘We have learned that this sister is living an evil life. While she could, she gave us charity, so now it is our turn to help her.’
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So abba John went to see her and said to the doorkeeper, ‘Tell your mistress I am here.’ At first she told him to go away, but he said that he has something that will be very helpful to her. The old woman went up and told her, and Paesia said, ‘yes, bring him to me.’
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Entering and sitting beside her, abba John looked into her eyes and said, ‘What have you got against Jesus?’ When she heard this she became completely rigid, then abba John began to weep profusely. ‘Why are you crying father, she asked. ‘Because I see Satan playing in your face, how should I not weep?’
Hearing this she said, ‘Father, is it possible to repent?’ He replied, ‘yes.’ ‘Then take me wherever you wish.’
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Without hesitation, she went with him, and when they reached the desert and night was near, he made a little pillow in the sand and marked it with a cross, saying, ‘Sleep here.’ Then he did the same for himself further on.
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That night, he saw a shining path reaching from heaven to Paesia, and angels bearing away her soul. He saw that she was dead, and then he heard this: ‘One single hour of true repentance has brought her more than the penances of many others.’
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Friends, today Jesus tells us a parable that warns us about those who start with good intentions, but end badly. He also tells us that even those who started badly, if they change their mind and follow the Lord, they can become saints.
‘Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you.’
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As long as we live, it is never too late to follow Christ, to give him our whole heart. This is the season to begin again, to follow Him.
Friends in Christ, we have seen before how Jesus’ coming fulfilled the so-many-hundreds of prophecies of the Old Testament.
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Today we encounter something quite unique. In the first reading from the Book of Numbers, we meet a man named Balaam, who knew nothing of the True God of Israel nor of any Messiah. Yet God uses even this pagan man as a prophet to predict Jesus’ coming.
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During the journey of Israel through the desert, they came to the land of Moab. The King of Moab was afraid of them; he had heard that their God had done miracles, they had passed through the Red Sea, and others – and so he wanted to put a curse on them. For this reason, he called his expert soothsayer and asked him to put a curse against Israel. This seer, or magi, or some kind of astrologer, was named Balaam. Now Balaam had felt that God did not want him to curse Israel, but nevertheless, the King had offered him good money if he did, and so he planned to do it.
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As Balaam was riding on his donkey, his donkey suddenly stopped. ‘What is wrong with you? he said, and he began to beat him, ‘go! go!’ but he would not. Now the donkey would not move because an angel stood in front, blocking the way. The donkey was able to see the angel, but Balaam could not. ‘If I had a sword I would kill you, said Balaam.’ Then suddenly, the donkey talked ! ‘What have I ever done to you Balaam? I have been your good donkey all these years, why do you beat me?’ This is the only case I know of – of a talking donkey!
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Now at that moment, God allowed Balaam to see the angel, and then he repented of his foolish ways. When he arrived to meet the King, despite having been ordered by the king to curse Israel, this pagan man Balaam, made a remarkable prophecy: He predicted that a great leader would come out of Israel, and that a Star will signal his coming.
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This prediction of the Star of Bethlehem was made therefore, not by a religious person, but by a pagan man, Balaam. It was remarkable prophecies such as this and a thousand others, that led the early Christians to conclude that the Messiah had arrived.
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It is also interesting to note, that according to an ancient tradition, the 3 Kings, or astrologers who came to visit the newborn Savior – they knew about the Star; it is said that they knew about it, because they were descendants of Balaam.
Friends in Christ, today Our Lord says: ‘the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.’ What does he mean?
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There are two senses, in which Jesus is speaking. In the first place, he speaks about what is happening at that time. The Pharisees were not open to the gospel, in fact, they resisted and put up roadblocks for others. Christ said of them, ‘you have taken away the key of knowledge, you yourselves do not enter and you prevent others from entering.’
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John the Baptist was calling the people to repent of their sins, and even though the Jewish leaders tried to dissuade them from listening, they went in droves to repent and change their life. ‘And all the people heard him, and justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John’ – but the Pharisees rejected all of this and did not repent. The devil was trying to prevent people, but the they wanted salvation, they really wanted it. ‘The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, but the violent are taking it by force.’
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But Our Lord did not speak only of the events of that time, his words would always be applicable, even today. There are many lukewarm Catholics and other Christians in the world; in our homes, our workplaces, our schools. Many live as the pagans, just the same way, same ideas. The majority. But then there are those who are really living the kingdom of heaven, living out the Christ-life; there are not many.
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A man I spoke to recently said, that at his office, whenever a moral question arises, or a hot-button social issue, or a religious question, everyone knows who they are going to ask: him. He’s the ‘resident Catholic.’ If someone has a serious personal concern, and needs to talk to someone of Faith, they say, ‘you should talk to Joe, he’s close to God.’ There are other Catholics where Joe works, but they are lukewarm, and everyone knows it. They go along with the crowd, and so they are not witnesses to the gospel at all.
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‘Strive to enter the narrow gate, says the Lord; many will seek to enter but will not be able.’ The Faithful Christians are small in number, but they actually believe, and they will stop at nothing to follow Jesus Christ, and bring others along too.
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Recently a young woman in our RCIA class was quite sick, but she dragged herself to class anyway. I told her ‘go home and rest, just read the class notes.’ But I knew why she had forced herself to come: She wants in – she wants baptism – very much, she wants in, to the kingdom of God.
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We should want it that bad as well, if we are real Christians.
Friends in the Lord, we are here in the 2nd week of Advent, preparing for Christmas. So let us ponder the event that we are preparing to celebrate: God entering the world as a child. St. Augustine says, God came to earth mainly for one reason: so that we might know how much God loves us.
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Jesus could have saved us without dying on the cross. One drop of his Divine blood would have been sufficient for our redemption. As St. Alphonsus says,[i] he could have saved us without suffering, or humiliation, or the mockery he received. The Son of God could have merely offered a little prayer to the Father and we would be saved.
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The Lord could have saved us without becoming a shivering child in a manger, and hungry and crying. The Son of God did not need to grow up as a youth, carrying tools for Joseph as if a servant-boy, stumbling on his first little steps, stuttering in his baby words, and carrying firewood for Mary – God did not need to do this, to share our human life. But he did.
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What if Jesus Christ had asked us: What proof of my love do you want to see from me? And if a person would have been so bold, as to tell Christ, that to be convinced of your love, we would like to see the Son of God become a child like us, embrace our sufferings and fears, and be born very poor; to prove your love for us, we would like you to be despised and hated and put to death amidst curses and slander, and forsaken by all – who would dare to say this to Jesus Christ – that this is what we want, in order to know that you love us?
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But that which we would not have even dared to think of saying, he has not only thought of, but has done it, for love of us!
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St. Francis of Assisi so often thought about what Christ has done for us – coming to earth and dying, that in his frequent weeping over this, he became nearly blind. Being found one day weeping before a crucifix, he exclaimed: I weep over the sufferings of Christ, but even more, over those who forget him and do not love him.
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The Son of God might have appeared in the world at the age of a perfect man, but because little children attract to themselves greater love, Jesus therefore chose to appear upon earth as the poorest infant that was ever born. Why? So that we would love him.
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[i] See Sermons of Alphonsus Liguori, p. 52; also, The Incarnation, birth, and infancy of Jesus Christ, p. 294.
Friends in the Lord, as we begin this Advent season, Mother Church gives us to read from Isaiah the prophet. ‘On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from it’s roots a bud shall blossom, and the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him.’
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Isaiah is a remarkable book, that in so many ways he foretells the coming Messiah, Jesus. Our Lord will be a descendent in the line of David, whose father was Jesse. So it DID come to pass, that a ‘shoot’ sprouted from the stump of Jesse.
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At the time of Isaiah’s writing, this passage had a reference to the fact that Assyria had caused a massive, wide-ranging destruction by it’s war-machine, leveling the entire world they knew. All that remained was Jerusalem, the ‘stump;’ this ‘stump,’ Jerusalem, was the one sign of life that survived the near-total destruction, bringing hope to the world.
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But the pen of Isaiah was guided by the Holy Spirit, and whether Isaiah knew it or not, he was also writing a prophecy of a coming Savior, who would come forth from this ‘stump,’ the line of David.
This is the 3rd Emmanuel prophecy, and it tells us some things about the coming Savior. He will have exceptional qualities, thanks to the Holy Spirit who will descend upon him.
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Here we find the list of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Jesus will have the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s Gifts, and as we know, he will in turn impart these Gifts on us when we become his disciples.
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The Hebrew version of Isaiah lists only 6 Gifts, but the Greek Septuagint which was used by the early Church lists the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit. (The Septuagint divides the Gift of Fear into two: Piety and Fear of the Lord)
Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
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The Messiah who will be born will usher in a new era of peace. The Kingdom of the Christ will have the harmony that was first seen in the Garden of Eden, in paradise, which was broken by the wound of sin. Even violence in the animal world will disappear. ‘The wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.’ Such a peace, is the Kingdom of Christ, this is the harmony that we seek, and will find in heaven.
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I once asked the school children, ‘What kind of world would it be if everyone lived the way Jesus wanted us to: No anger or hatred, no hurting or lies; only goodness and kindness everywhere?’ One child said: ‘it would be paradise.’
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And that is what this Savior wants to bring us to.
Friends in the Lord, today we continue to read from the Book of Revelation, about the mysterious signs and symbols described by St. John.
John says that he saw an Angel come down from heaven who seized the serpent who is the Devil, and tied him up with a chain – for a thousand years. He says the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.
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These texts have made many people wonder over the centuries, they are symbolic, and mysterious.
Our Lord describes the establishment of his kingdom as happening in two stages – his first coming when he demonstrates his power over the devil, and his second coming at the end of time, when that kingdom will be established in its finished form.
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Now there are some who read this at face value only, and say that Christ will return to rule the earth for a thousand years; this is called millenarianism, but this is a false interpretation. Like other numbers mentioned in scripture, this number is highly symbolic.
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St. Augustine explains it this way: According to him, this thousand years, or ‘millennium,’ covers the time between the incarnation of the Son of God, and his coming at the end of the world. So this is the time we are in now, awaiting the 2nd coming of Christ.
During this period, this millennial period of God’s kingdom, the activity of the devil is to some degree restricted, he is chained up. The devil is chained up, but like a mean, nasty, dog, he still lures us with his puppy eyes, lures us to come close to pet him. If we are foolish we will get bitten, and sometimes we do. But if we take care, and hold fast to the grace of Christ, and try to live a holy life, that chained devil cannot bite us.
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In the End he will be ‘let loose,’ and that will be the great tribulation of the Church before the end of the world. Christ reigns fully in that part of the Church already in heaven, the Triumphant Church, but he only reigns incompletely, in the Church on earth. The devil here is chained, but he still causes us some trouble. He will be unchained for the great tribulation, the great persecution by the Anti-christ, and many will be weak and turn from God;
but God-willing, We will stand firm in our Faith, and then will occur the glorious 2nd coming of Christ, and his final victory over the Enemy
Friends in Christ, today our country celebrates Thanksgiving. A number of people recently have complained about stores being opened and the mad shopping frenzy beginning today. The most often heard comment is: ‘It’s a day for families!’
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It is true that in this busy world, Thanksgiving seems to be a day when families actually are all home for a meal. The modern American household often has so many activities – kids sports, choir practice, night classes, bowling league – sometimes people say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ as they are grabbing a sandwich or a leg of chicken, and out the door!
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Today is an opportune day for us to ask the question: ‘Are we valuing the members of our family and nurturing our family in the way that God wishes?’
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Jesus says, ‘Your treasure is where your heart is.’ Well, if our family is our treasure, are we nurturing it rightly? Father Fernandez[i] says that to live family life properly we must spend time:
– Try to protect the family meal-time, so that every one can be together and speak in a relaxed way about everything.
– Take the time to celebrate family occasions and anniversaries.
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It isn’t enough to only have general good-will toward our family members, we must make it overt, we must SHOW our love for our children, spouse, and siblings. A home should not be lacking in hugs and kisses, and opportunities to just sit and talk.
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If you haven’t noticed, the family is under attack these days. The spirit of the world is trying to undermine the family. This is why the Holy Father is having a double-synod – on the family. It is why in the United States, we are hosting the World Meeting of Families. Mother Church knows that the family is the most critical foundation of society, and it is suffering. The best way of defending our family is by means of lots of human affection, and by making God present in our home.
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An extended family was having a very large celebration at a restaurant, their little girl goes to our school. The mother told me, ‘Father, I was so proud of my daughter. The waitress was bringing the food and everyone was starting to eat, when our 6 year old stood up and yelled ‘Stop!’ Everyone looked at her, and she said, ‘We have to pray.’
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Our children sometimes remind us, but really, we are supposed to be reminding them, to pray in the morning, at every meal, and how beautiful for a family to pray night prayers together at a home-altar shrine.
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Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton was known as the Rosary Priest, promoting the family rosary as a means of sanctifying the home. It was he who always said: ‘The family that prays together stays together.’
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Perhaps this Thanksgiving Day we can think of how we can bring the love of God, and a lot more affection into our home.
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[i] Conversation with God, V3, p. 630
Friends in Christ, today and in recent days, we have been reading from the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation is many things, but one thing it is: it is liturgical. It is a vision by St. John on the Lord’s Day – Sunday. This is a vision he had, of what is happening in heaven – on Sunday. He describes 7 lampstands, that is, candlesticks – there were 7 lampstands in the temple; how is it that he sees elements of the temple, yet he is looking into heaven – on Sunday? He is seeing the true temple, the true worship of God, which is in heaven.
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St. Paul says[i] that the temple on earth was only a copy, an image, of the true temple in heaven, where God is worshipped. At Mass we are as it were, ‘acting out’ the heavenly worship of God, participating in this heavenly worship. The book of Revelation was influenced by the Mass, and the Mass likewise, has been influenced by the Book of Revelation.
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Think about a big Mass, with the bishop and many priests concelebrating around the altar – in vestments. There are 7 candles as in the temple; the choir, up in the choir loft sings as if angels in heaven. John says: I looked up, and behold, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and a voice that said- on Sunday: ‘Come up here!’ There in heaven, is One sitting on a great throne in marvelous beauty – it is God. He sees 24 presbyters – that is, priests. They are worshipping God, and they are clothed in vestments.
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So we see the priests, 12 of the Old Law, and 12 of the New Law, worshipping God. We see One like a son of man, clothed with a garment reaching to the ankles and girt about with a golden sash.
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Also, four living creatures are worshipping God: one looking like a lion, one like an ox, one like a man, and another like an eagle. These come from Ezekiel, but the ancients also saw these figures, as symbolizing the four evangelists, authors of the Gospels.
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At Mass we have the reading of the Gospels: ‘Worthy are you to receive the scroll and break open its seals. The Book of the Gospel is opened. Servers are there with incense: ‘And the bowls filled with incense are the prayers of the holy ones.’
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On our altar, we see the ‘Lamb, standing yet slain.’ Jesus is slain, yet he lives, as we offer the ‘Living Sacrifice of Praise.’
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In 987, a Russian Prince sent out envoys to find the most noble religion they could. Having attended Holy Mass at the great Church of Hagia Sophia, they reported back to him: ‘In that place, we did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth.’
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At Holy Mass, we really approach heaven, and are invited in: ‘And I looked, and behold a door was standing open in heaven, and the voice said: Come up here!
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[i] Hebrews 8:5, 9:24
Friends in Christ, a group of young people I know went on a trip to India to work with the poor; one of the boys was – well, a pretty big guy – he said, ‘when the locals saw my stomach, it was as if they had seen someone from another planet – they were starring at it!’
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St. Paul says today, ‘Many conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ, their end is their destruction, their god is their belly.
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Gluttony[i] is excess in eating and drinking; it is an immoderate indulgence in the delights of the palate. While it is usually not a mortal sin, Thomas Aquinas says that it becomes mortal if the person makes such pleasures their goal in life, having contempt for God – if their god is their belly!
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Gluttony is not always about quantity; eating in a rush, shoveling food in in the manner of an animal is not the way of virtue; if a person loves delicate and expensive foods, is overly choosy regarding the quality or preparation of food or the vintage of wines – this is gluttony of delicacy. Of course this does not apply to a chef whose livelihood demands that he be very concerned with the quality of food.
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Gluttony is a Capital Sin because it can lead to many others. Excess in eating and drinking leads to a dullness of mind; it leads to foolish, excessive talk, or boorish or uncouth behavior. People who have no restraint at table will often display ill manners and a lack of virtue.
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It is widely known that gluttony is related to sins of impurity; St. Gregory says, ‘When the belly is distended by gluttony, the virtues of the soul are destroyed by lust.’
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Now God commands that we care for our body which is a temple of the Holy Spirit, but gluttony can lead to the damage and disfigurement of this temple. Doctors are often frustrated that the health of their patient would be much better, saving his addiction to food and drink.
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St. Josemaria recommends that at every meal we make a small sacrifice – an offering to God. Skip the salt, or choose a dish we prefer less, or take water instead of milk….. A small sacrifice at every meal pleases God, brings grace from heaven, and produces an almost automatic temperance in our eating.
Why don’t we all try to do this a little more, so that our god is not our belly.
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[i] See Tour of the Summa, Paul Glenn
