Understanding Antisemitism

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Antisemitism has been a problem for a long time.  It is hostility and/or prejudice against Jews.  With the present fighting between Israel and Hamas, the news reports that antisemitism is rising across the world.  The increase is likely a reaction to the military action by Israel in the Gaza strip.  The U.N. currently reports that about 90% of those living in Gaza have been displaced in the recent attacks (Ramy Inocencio and Tucker Reals, “U.N. says Israel-Hamas war causing “unmatched” suffering in Gaza, pleads for new cease-fire, more aid.”  CBS News, 12/11/23, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-un-gaza-unmatched-suffering-calls-new-cease-fire-aid/.)  (For an understanding of Israel’s actions in light of just war theory, please the list of my recent articles regarding this at the end of this article.)

To be fair, there are also attacks against Palestinians outside the Middle East such as the murder of three Palestinians in Vermont in November.

What is the reason for the conflict between Jews and Muslims?  We could also include Christians here.  Jews, Christians, and Muslims all share a common origin.  All three name Abraham as their father in faith.  Sharing a common beginning, one would think we could “get along.”

Jews and Christians share a common history until Jesus Christ came into the world.  Jesus himself was a faithful Jew.  Mary and Joseph saw that He kept all the Jewish customs growing up.

Muslims share Abraham as their father in faith.  However, unlike Jews and Christians who trace their heritage through Abraham’s son Isaac, Muslims trace their heritage through Ishmael, born of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah’s slave.

Many see the blame for the conflict between the Muslims and the rest of the world as rooted in the Quran’s (the holy book for Muslims) call to kill all infidels.  The world does not approve of this but before we rush to condemn all Muslims for this, we should realize two things.  First, not all Muslims today believe non-Muslims should be killed.  In fact, most don’t.  Secondly, Jews and Christians should not forget our own past.  How many non-Jews were killed when the Israelites entered the promised land under the leadership of Joshua (see chapters 7-12 of the Book of Joshua)?  Led by the Holy Spirit, we have changed.  We pray for the same for Muslims (and anyone else) who seek to kill in the name of religion.

While the current conflict in the Middle East is between Jews and Muslims, Christians should not forget our contribution to antisemitism.  It is unfortunate that for centuries, Christianity were guilty of despising the Jews.

Why?  There are two reasons that I will mention here.  First, we need to ask the question, “Who had Jesus killed?”.  It was some Jews who had Jesus arrested and handed him over to Pilate.  Thus, the death of Jesus is often blamed on the Jews.  Some blame the Romans because the Crucifixion happened at Pilate’s command.

Who really is responsible for the death of Jesus?

We are, that is, those of us who are sinners.  Jesus’ life was not taken from him.  He freely sacrificed his life for us on the Cross.  If there was no sin, Jesus would not have been crucified.  Don’t blame the Jews.

The second reason for antisemitism among Christians ties to the first.  In reading the Gospel of John, the Jews are blamed for the persecution and death of Jesus.  However, we must realize that not all Jews persecuted Jesus and his followers.  Many of the Jews in Jesus’ time on Earth did become Christians.  We need to look no further than the Apostles to see this.  We must not blame all Jews.  Now, on every Good Friday, every Latin rite Catholic Church in the world offers the following prayer for Jews.

For the Jewish people
Deacon/:         Let us pray also for the Jewish people,
Lector             to whom the Lord our God spoke first,
                       that he may grant them to advance in love of his name
                       and in faithfulness to his covenant.

Prayer in silence.  Then the Priest says:
Priest:              Almighty ever-living God,
                        who bestowed your promises on Abraham
                                    and his descendants,
                        graciously hear the prayers of your Church,
                        that the people you first made your own
                        may attain the fullness of redemption.
                        Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Muslims may hold Jews in some disregard since the Jews follow the line of Isaac rather than Ishmael.  There are other differences that are beyond the scope of this article.

Returning to the present conflict, when did the conflict between Israel and Hamas start?  David Remnick dates the beginnings of Hamas to 1967 when Israel invaded the Gaza strip (page 33, David Remnick, “Letter for Israel, In the Cities of Killing.”  The New Yorker, November 6, 2023, pages 29-41.  My references are to the print edition.  The article is available online at https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/11/06/israel-gaza-war-hamas).

Remnick tells us that “Hamas’s fight was with Zionism, not with the Jewish people as such, but it unhesitatingly reaffirmed its ultimate ambition of eliminating the “Zionist entity””(34).  Zionism began as a movement to establish a Jewish nation and continues today to work to ensure Israel continues as a Jewish nation.

The conflict today has much older roots.  Why did Zionism claim the Jews should have a nation of its own?  One can find a reason for this in the Bible.  The Israelites were given the land by God.  Does this make it a religious war?  Religion is one of the reasons but it is not the sole reason.  How many times was the nation of Israel overcome by its enemies?  There was Persia (the fall of the northern kingdom), Babylon (the fall of the southern kingdom), the Greeks (see 1 & 2 Maccabees in the Bible), and the Romans.  However, I don’t think any of these wars were strictly for religious reasons.  They involved religions as the invaders were all non-Jews who expected the Jews to convert.  However, they did not attack for religious reasons.  They attacked for political reasons.  They wanted to expand their kingdom.

Having once ruled in the Holy Land, Jews have a political reason to seek to live there.  So do the Palestinians who have lived there for centuries.  In religious terms, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claim holy sites there. 

How do we all get along?  Remnick quotes Sari Nusseibeh, “We have made so many advances-in technology, A.I., medicine, everything except human relations” (38, my emphasis). 

If we want to end war, we need to learn how to get along.

When will the cycle of violence end?  Israel says it is defending itself.  Is their response in proportion to the attack by Hamas that started the immediate conflict?  This is not a conflict that began in October of this year.  This is a conflict that has been going on for centuries.

A parishioner asked me on Sunday if I would consider doing a presentation on the historical issues in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.  I was already working on this article but I have expanded it to incorporate her question.  However, I know this article does not fully address her question.  This article doesn’t even address all my concerns.  Presently, I don’t have the knowledge to fully address her concern or mine.  I wish I did because what is going between Israel and Muslims doesn’t make sense to me.  How much of it is about religion?  How much is politics?  What will it take to change things?

Jesus tells us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, 35).

Violence begets violence.  If you want to change the world, then respond to hate with love.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Here are the recent articles I have written applying Just War Theory to the present conflict between Israel and Hamas:

10/10/23 – “Escalating Conflict” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/escalating-conflict/

10/17/23 – “The Importance of Building Relationships” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/the-importance-of-building-relationships/

10/24/23 – “Is Life Being Respected?” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/is-life-being-respected/

10/31/23 – “Two Things” – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/two-things/

The following articles are not specifically on the present conflict between Israel and Hamas but they do apply to the situation.

11/7/23 – “What’s It Going to Take to End the Violence?” https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/whats-it-going-to-take-to-end-the-violence/

11/14/23 – “What’s It Going to Take for People to Realize the State of Things? – https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/whats-it-going-to-take-for-people-to-realize-the-state-of-things/

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B – Homily

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2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B
Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (8)
2 Peter 3:8-14
Mark 1:1-8

December 10, 2023

Isaiah the prophet speaks of a voice that cries out.  Today’s gospel speaks of a voice crying out in the desert.

Isaiah prophesizes at a time when the nation of Israel had been defeated and many of the Israelites are in exile.  The voice cries out, “In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!  Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!”

God is preparing to end the exile and to bring his people back to Israel.  They need to prepare for the day when “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low, the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.” 

These were words of comfort to his people, that their exile was at an end, their guilt expiated.  Those delivering these words would be seen as heralds of “glad tidings” and “good news.”  God has not abandoned them.  He is about to save his people.

God did indeed set the Israelites from exile in Babylon just as He had set them free from slavery in Egypt.

However, the Israelites continued to wait for the promised Messiah.  The wait seemed very long.  The Lord is patient for “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.”

600 years later Jesus came as the long-expected Messiah.  Now we wait for the Second Coming of Jesus.  It may seem delayed but that is because The Lord is patient and giving us plenty of time.

Plenty of time to what?

To repent and seek the forgiveness of our sins.

John the Baptist came as “a voice of one crying out in the desert.”  He proclaimed “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Hearing his voice, many “acknowledged their sins” and were “baptized by him in the Jordan River.”

John performed a great task for the Lord but he knew that one mightier than him was coming.  John baptized for the forgiveness of sins.  Jesus comes to offer a baptism with the Holy Spirit. 

In the Baptism that Jesus brings an indelible mark is placed on us.  We are forever changed if we allow our baptism to be fruitful within us.  At Mass the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Jesus.  Do we let God transform us?

Part of what we need transformed within us is our sins.  How are our sins removed? 

They are removed by the sacrifice that we celebrate at the altar.  It is not a new sacrifice.  It is the same sacrifice that Jesus offered 2,000 years ago on the Cross when He freely gave his life for us so that our sins might be forgiven.  God makes this sacrifice present for us today.

The world needs to know this. 

How many people don’t know significance of Jesus offering himself as a sacrifice on the Cross and that it is the same sacrifice that we celebrate here at this altar.  What Jesus offered for us, we offer up to God. 

Even today the world needs to hear a voice that heralds the good news that Jesus died for us. 

Do you realize what it means that Jesus gave his life for you?

I try to be a voice of good news to you of what Jesus does for us.  Are you willing to be a voice to the world?

I love teaching about our faith.  I feel called to be a voice crying out to the world.  Yet, at times I wonder if anyone is listening.

Do you listen and embrace what you hear?  When our faith teaches that Jesus died for us, do you receive this as anything more than one historical fact among many? 

When we hear that good news that Jesus died for us, if we understand the significance of this, it becomes not just something we learn.  It is meant to be an encounter with the Lord.  And we are to be transformed by the encounter. 

Jesus’ death is an act of love.

In dying for us, Jesus wants us to have personal relationship with him.  God is not some remote being that shows up just in time to save us.  God wants us to have a personal relationship with him where He is part of our lives everyday.

This is the good news that I share with you.  In turn, are you willing to let God use your voice to tell the world that Jesus has died for us?

As we remember the First Coming of Jesus at Christmas and look forward to the Second Coming at the end of the ages, know that Jesus wants to come into your hearts at this very moment.  Make room in your life for him and share the good news with others.

The Immaculate Conception of Mary

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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

You will not find a story of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in the Bible. The Bible does not tell us much about Mary. What the Bible does tell us about Mary points us to Jesus.

Just because the Bible does not include a story of Mary’s conception does not mean it didn’t happen. In fact, we know that Mary had to have been born just like us. To be born, she first had to be conceived in her mother’s womb. There can be no doubt that this happened.

So how do we know that Mary was immaculately conceived?

While we do not find in the Bible explicit words telling us that Mary was immaculately conceived, using the faith and reason that God has given us, it flows from the words that we do find in the Bible that Mary was conceived without sin.

How so?

In today’s gospel, we hear the story of the Annunciation when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. This story happens at the time of Jesus’ conception. (This leads some people to think that it is Jesus’ conception that we celebrate today. His conception we celebrate on March 25th, nine months before his birth on Christmas.)

Yes, Jesus, as the Son of God, was conceived without sin. For Mary to be worthy to carry the Son of God in her womb, she had to be conceived without any sin. In today’s gospel, Mary asks how she could be with God since she has had no relations with a man but she does not doubt. She trusts. Ultimately, she says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Mary says yes to being the mother of Jesus. For this she is abundantly blessed.

For this, she is immaculately conceived. But wait! How could she have been conceived without sin through God’s grace before she said yes at the Annunciation?

God is not bound by time. He knew from the very foundation of the world that Mary would say yes. Thus, when the time came for Mary to be conceived in her mother’s womb, God bestowed prevenient grace upon her to be conceived without sin. Prevenient Grace is a special gift given by God before the event, in this case Mary’s yes, that leads to the grace.

God has always known the role Mary would willingly play in his plan for our salvation. Even as Adam and Eve committed the first sin, the original sin, by eating the forbidden fruit, God knew how He would redeem the human race. Our redemption would come from Jesus sacrificing his life for us on the Cross. As Eve “became the mother of all the living,” God knew our redemption would come in Jesus, born of Mary would become our mother.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Video for Part 3 of “Made for Discipleship” Series.

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Yesterday I completed my series, Made for Discipleship. My website is presently undergoing an overhaul, leaving me unable to update it for a few days. So, here is a link to watch the video recording of yesterday’s webinar on my YouTube Channel.

https://youtu.be/9NdMjJK_nLc?si=mc_TbcrUjpWGnZzf

I do have the slides available as a PDF but I do not find a way to attach them here. If you click on the the comment link at the bottom of this post, enter your name, email address, and a short comment requesting me to email you the slides I can do that. Please note that no one will see your email address except me. If your comment only asks for me to email you the slides, I will email you without approving the comment. So, your comment will not publicly appear on my blog.

If you watch the video in the next few days, you can complete the online evaluation of the webinar at:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdIinC7Fwqrp1baPZ_d6MnNZ5GdWG62h9_fpTaVuCIEagC4UQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

I welcome suggestions for future topics for presentations.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

The Hidden Depths of the Mass #18

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The Liturgy of the Eucharist – The Offertory

The first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the Offertory.  At a Sunday Mass, two things happen concurrently while the offertory hymn is song.  The altar is set and a collection is taken.  The collection is not simply the church wanting money to pay its bills.  Yes, we need the money but it is not about money.  It is about doing the work of Christ.  In today’s world, that requires money. 

The offertory collection is a way of each family participating in the work of the church.  It is part of your contribution to our mission.  It is part of your sacrifice.  The priest will say, “Pray, my brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.”  What sacrifices do you offer to God?

Are You Too Busy to…

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If you hear a homily that speaks about spending more time in prayer, do you immediately dismiss it because you are too busy?

If you read in the bulletin that your parish is looking for more volunteers, do you immediately dismiss it because you are too busy?

If someone asks you to do something, whether it be for work, fun, or service to others, do you immediately say no because you are too busy?

Why are you so busy?

Of course, there really are times that we are very busy. Sometimes it is at work when we are given a big project with a looming deadline. Perhaps it is a project at home that needs to be done to repair something that is broken. These are real things that happen.

On the other hand, maybe you aren’t that busy. You just say you are to get out of something you don’t want to be involved in. Are we being honest with others? Are we being honest with ourselves?

Another reason that we find ourselves too busy is because we make ourselves too busy. Why? For some, it is because they can’t say no. We do not have to say yes to everything. To discern a response of yes or no, we should ask ourselves if we have the gifts to help and does God want me to do it.

Sometimes parents become busy because their children are involved in a lot of activities. There I ask why are the youth involved in some many activities? There seems to be an expectation for youth to be involved in as many activities as humanly possible? Why? At other times, some people seem to say yes to being on several different committees at the same time. Why?

I offer one other reason why we might choose to make ourselves busy. We are avoiding something. We fill our time up so that we don’t have to say yes to something. It may be an unpleasant task. It might be dealing with a problem that we don’t want to face. Is there something you avoid by filling your time with other tasks.

Is it better to be involved in a number of different activities and do a so-so job at them (quantity) or is it better to be involved in a small number of activities and do them well (quality)?

One might say isn’t it better to be busy. After all, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” right? It may be true that too much free time can lead us in trouble. For instance, in 1 Timothy 5:13 we read, “And furthermore, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers but gossips and busybodies as well, talking about things that ought not to be mentioned.”

There are finite number of hours in a day. How do you establish your priorities? Is your career your primary focus? Do you work long days to get your career established? Do those long days at work ever end? Is your family your priority? Your family should be a priority but what does that mean in terms of number of activities? Where does God fit into your priorities? You may be busy but is there something you should give up to make room for God?

Ecclesiastes 5:19 speaks of busying ourselves with the joy of our hearts. Is God the joy of your heart? He should be but sometimes we let earthly joys get in the way. Why wait for heavenly joy when we can have immediate pleasure from earthly things? That’s simple! Because earthly pleasures last but a moment. The joy we will know in Heaven if we follow Jesus as the way and the truth and the life lasts for eternity.

Paul writes, “Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). What is unseen in this world is what we are created for. It is where we find eternal joy. It should be our priority.

Why do we forget this? Why is it so hard to make our relationship with God our priority? For whatever reason, we become busy, so busy that we forget about God. We did not allow ourselves a true Sabbath. God rested on the seventh day. Do you rest on the Sabbath or do you busy yourself on the Sabbath too?

I end with the words of Psalm 131.

“Lord, my heart is not proud;
    nor are my eyes haughty.
I do not busy myself with great matters,
    with things too sublime for me.
Rather, I have stilled my soul,
Like a weaned child to its mother,
    weaned is my soul.
Israel, hope in the Lord,
    now and forever.“

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

First Sunday of Advent, Year B

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Defeated by their enemies, their nation and temple destroyed, many scattered in exile, the Israelites cry out to God, “Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?”

They had come to realize that it was their own fault that led to their defeat. It was not God who abandoned them. It was they who had abandoned God, wandering from his ways. Now, they seem to want to blame God for letting them wander and hardening their hearts.

Do you remember how Adam blamed God for the sin of eating the apple in Genesis 3:12, “the woman whom you put here..“? We need to take ownership for our sins. God does not cause us to sin. He only delivers “us up to our guilt,” meaning He allows us to face consequences of our sins.

So why does God “let us wander“?

It is not because He decided to abandon us. He has not. He is always present with us. God does not want us to wander but He wants us to have “free will.” Why? Because He wants us to be able to love. Free will is necessary for love. For “love” is to will the good of the other. If we don’t have free will, we can’t will the good of the other.

Why do we wander?

We prefer pleasure and happiness that is immediate. We are often unwilling to wait for the entire joy of Heaven. God has good things in store for us. We need to be willing to wait. “We are sinful…all our good deeds are like polluted rags.” We need the Lord to fix us, to cleanse us of our sins by the power of Jesus’ death on the Cross for our sins.

Knowing our sins and need for God’s help, our responsorial psalm verse today begins, “Lord, make us turn to you.” God will not take our free will from us because He wants us to be able to love. However, that does not stop us from handing our free will over to him, “Lord, make us turn to you.” St. Pope John Paul II once said, “Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought” (Pope John Paul II, “Homily of his holiness John Paul II” during his Apostolic Journey to America. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore. October 8, 1995.  https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/1995/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19951008_baltimore.html. 7. ) We make the best use of our freedom when we hand it over to God.

God is the one who has the power to save us. He is the one who always takes care of what He has created if we let him. Don’t let your desires for immediate earthly pleasures stand in the way of what God has planned for you (Jeremiah 29:11), “a future of hope.”

We need to be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus. Jesus tells us, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come…you do not know when the lord of the house is coming.” How can we be ready if we do not know the time? The time does not matter if we always live as the Lord teaches. If we truly desire to give our free will over to him, the Lord will keep us “firm to the end.” He is the potter. We are but the clay. We must allow him to form us into what He has created us to be.

I close with these words from the opening prayer for this 1st Sunday of Advent, “Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.“

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

The Hidden Depths of the Mass #17

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The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Last week we ended our discussion of the Liturgy of the Word with the Prayers of the Faithful.  Now, we turn to the second half of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

After Jesus’ Resurrection, in Luke 24:13-35, we hear of two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  There they encounter Jesus but do not recognize him.  He first spoke of what the scriptures foretold about the Messiah.  This parallels the Liturgy of the Word at Mass today.  Then Jesus broke bread with them.  This symbolizes the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

It is in the Liturgy of the Eucharist that God makes present the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for us as the bread and wine are turned into the Body and Blood of Jesus.  Jesus gives us his very self on the Cross and in the Eucharist.

(In the past I have placed each week’s article on my website. Working with my webhosting company, a major overhaul of my website has just begun.  During this time, you can still see everything on my website. but I cannot add to it.  As soon as the overhaul is complete, I will update these articles there.)

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

What Are You Doing for New Year’s

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With the new year just five days away, have you made plans for how you will celebrate the beginning of the new year?  Will you make any new year’s resolutions?

The new year begins on Sunday, December 3rd.  I will celebrate it the same way I celebrate the beginning of every new year, by celebrating Masses (a vigil Mass at 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday morning Masses at 8 and 10 am).

The beginning of a new year is seen as a time for new beginnings.  The secular new year falls on January 1st every year.  It will be celebrated across the world by individuals and in huge groups.  It is seen as a time to cast off anything bad in the past year and to make needed changes in our lives.  That’s why people make new year’s resolutions.  Unfortunately, most people are unsuccessful in keeping their new year’s resolutions.  I think part of this is a lack of resolve.  We would like to change a behavior but we aren’t really committed to doing it.  I think another part of it is that we try to do it on our own.  If we truly want to make a change for the better in our lives, we will likely need help.  Who better to ask for help than God?  To seek God’s help, one might seek the intercession of a saint, particularly if there is a patron saint for what you are trying to change.

When we realize that we need God’s help to make the change, then the beginning of a new year in the church can be a great time to make the change.  This is the new year we celebrate this coming Sunday, December 3, 2023.  Last Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe.  This celebration is always celebrated on the last Sunday of the church liturgical year.  Through this week we remain in the current year as we celebrate the 34th week in Ordinary Time.  Then on Sunday (including the Saturday night vigil Mass), we will begin the new church liturgical year with the 1st Sunday of Advent.

I spoke of a new year as a time for new beginnings.  For a great new beginning in the history of Christianity, we look to the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior that we celebrate at Christmas.  The birth of Jesus, God becoming man, marked a new beginning.  Jesus “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Jesus became man to save us!

While Christmas marks a new beginning for us, we need time to prepare ourselves.  When I say, “prepare ourselves,” I am not thinking of shopping and decorating.  Done with the right attitude in our hearts, there is nothing wrong with presents and decorating.  However, when I speak of preparing ourselves, I am referring to our heart and soul.  Are we ready spiritually for the coming of Jesus? 

To prepare ourselves, our Catholic faith gives us the season of Advent.  As we begin Advent, our readings are selected to help discern our readiness for the Second Coming of Jesus.  As Advent progresses, the readings will shift to the time just before Jesus’ First Coming and his birth.

Are you ready for Jesus to come into your heart and soul?

What do you need to change to be ready?  Are there sins you need to be freed from?  In Advent, generally extra times are offered for the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we may allow God to cleanse us of our sins.

The church liturgical year always gives us four Sundays in Advent.  Christmas is always celebrated on December 25th.  To determine when Advent begins, simply count out four Sundays before Christmas.  This year this puts the beginning of Advent on December 3rd.  It is the 1st Sunday of Advent that begins a new year in our church.

If you would like to learn more about the church liturgical year, please see the “The Liturgical Year” page on my website.

Before I conclude, I would like to take a moment to speak about January 1st in the church.  January 1st marks the beginning of the new secular year.  We celebrate January 1st as a Holy Day but it is not because it is the beginning of the secular new year.  It is the eighth day of Christmas.  It is the day when we celebrate Mary as the Mother of God.  This is why it is a holy day.  Many homilies that day (including my own sometimes) will refer to the beginning of a new year.  That is fine.  God offers us a new beginning in Jesus through Mary’s yes to being his mother.

Now, I invite to you pray about what God is calling you to do to prepare you heart and soul for the coming of Jesus.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, Year A – Homily

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Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, Year A
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6 (1)
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
Matthew 25:31-46

November 26, 2023

The Lord speaks through the prophet Ezekiel in a time when those who had been appointed shepherds over the people would not fulfilling their calling.  This included both kings and religious leaders.

Seeing their failure to answer their call as shepherds, The Lord declares, “I myself with look after and tend my sheep.”  God will not abandon his people. 

In the 23rd Psalm, the writer professes, “The Lord is my shepherd.” 

What is the role of shepherd that kings and religious leaders have failed to do?

The 23rd Psalm says the Lord will feed us in verdant pastures.  Both Psalm 23 and Ezekiel assure us that the Lord will give us rest.  Psalm 23 professes that the Lord will guide us.  The Lord himself assures us through Ezekiel that He will pasture his sheep.  He will seek out the lost and bring back those who have strayed.

Through Ezekiel the Lord promises, “I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered.”  In the time of Ezekiel, the kingdom of Israel had fallen and the people scattered.  The Lord promises to bring them back together. 

For us, the Lord’s promise of rescue can point to Jesus who rescues us from our sins.  Sin began in Adam.  In sin came death.  Through Christ will come life.

As the Lord speaks through Ezekiel, promising to shepherd them, He also says He will judge between them.

Last week we heard that God sees how we use the gifts we have been given and will treat us accordingly.

This week Jesus specifically tells us how we will be judged.  Have we cared for our neighbors?  Have we fed the hungry and given drink to the thirsty?  Have we clothed the naked and cared for the ill?

From the criteria of our judgment, we have what are known as the Corporal Works of Mercy.  The word “corporal” refers to our bodily needs.  Loving our neighbor must start here.  Why?  Because if a person is starving in physical hunger or without clothing, spiritual things may not matter much.

As a parish, do we answer Jesus’ call as our shepherd king to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty?  We offer a weekly meal at the Community Table and support the Schuyler Outreach Food Pantry. 

Do we welcome the stranger?  You are part of the parish.  When you see an unfamiliar face in church, do you welcome them?

We try to visit the sick but we need to do better on this.  Who can help?

We start with the Corporal Works of Mercy but we shouldn’t stop there.  When we have helped others in physical hunger, we can ask do we offer them spiritual food?  Do we point them to the Eucharist?

If we have helped them find clothes, do we then point them to being clothed in Christ?

When we care for the ill, do we bring Christ to them?

Do we care for those in prison?  Do we point people to Jesus who can set them free from their sins?

These are questions we can ask ourselves individually.  Of course, no one person can do all of these.

We need to ask ourselves these same questions as a parish.  What is Jesus our king calling us to do?

Both our Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council have been looking at how we are doing.  For the Parish Pastoral Council, discussion has centered on how many less people come to church and how to lead people closer to Jesus. 

Our Finance Council has responsibilities for the budgets.  Both parishes have shortfalls in their budgets this year.  But our Finance Council realizes this isn’t all about money.  If we had more people coming to church, then we would have more money.

Look around you.  How many empty seats do you see?  Who used to sit around you who is still alive?  Is there someone you could invite back to church to know Jesus as their king?

If they are no longer able to come to church because of health, do you visit them?  Is there something Jesus your king wants you to do to help them?  How can we help them as a parish?

After all our Masses this weekend, our Parish Pastoral Council is hosting coffee hours.  Come, have something to eat, share fellowship, and talk with some of the council members.

As to Jesus our king, in the Lord’s Prayer we pray “thy kingdom come.”  His kingdom is one of “truth and life…holiness and grace…justice, love, and peace.” 

What is Jesus calling you to do to help spread his kingdom on earth?

What is Jesus calling our parish to do to help spread his kingdom on earth?