“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22).

Why are we talking about being hated the day after Christmas? Because Jesus, this baby whose birth we just celebrated is “the light that shines in the darkness” (Jn 1:5). Jesus is the Love that exposes hatred.

Jesus did not just come into the world as light to a world of darkness, he came to each and every individual person then and now to reveal the truth of those dark places within our own hearts, minds, and the very depth of our being. Yet many of us turn away or reject the light. The intimacy of what his light and love reveal within us, we often are not ready to face. Yet this baby invites us to be healed. When we are open to his healing and come to an openness to receive the gift of Jesus in our life, our natural response is to want to share the gift. But as we begin to share, let us do so through invitation and not imposition. As we in our woundedness said no to the healer, we need to be understanding of those who may not yet be ready to receive the gift of the baby Jesus.

Just as Jesus was rejected, so too will we be who embrace his message, then live and speak it. We will be labeled crazy, out of step, simple minded, and worse, yet we are to endure opening our being, our whole self each day to the transformative mercy, love, and forgiveness of Jesus and so reflect that to others, even those who persecute us.

Change, maturation, and growth is not easy. That is why we are called disciples. We are to be disciplined and to persevere. But we need to remember that our redemption does not come from our own doing or willing it to be so, our restoration and transformation comes first and foremost from an invitation to receive the blessing of Jesus, an invitation to receive the healing salve of his love, mercy, and forgiveness. May we be willing to be healed from our bias, prejudice, hatred, and selfishness. May we be willing to step out of our comfort zone and with courage be more loving, merciful, and forgiving with our family, friends, and enemies.

Christmas is not just a day, it is not just a season, Christmas is a way of allowing the baby Jesus to transform our lives. When we are tempted with impatience, call on the name of Jesus and take a few deep breaths. Be open instead to receive his patience that we may be present to the need of another. When we are tempted to judge, may we see the baby Jesus in the manger, weak, vulnerable and in need, so to see the one we are about to judge with understanding, mercy, and a love that wills their good. When we are tempted to disagree, let us visualize ourselves kneeling before the Christ child as we surrender our will, our ego, so to share our point of view, but allow the other to do the same. May we be able to disagree while at the same time respect the dignity of the person that we converse with.

May each day going forward be a new beginning committed to serving Jesus, as well as seeing Jesus in one other. Let us persevere in the love, mercy, and forgiveness that Jesus has given us. Let us endure to the end!

Photo: Crèche from St Augustine parish

Link for today’s Mass readings for Tuesday, December 26, 2017:

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122617.cfm

“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14).

May we take time to meditate upon these words. We need to resist becoming complacent or indifferent to the reality that are in them, or to the idea that this is just another Christmas Day that we celebrate today. Instead may we embrace the promise to our person and our world that they embody. The Word, the Logos in the Greek, who was, who is, and who always will be, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, has become one with us. We, if we think beyond ourselves for just a minute, are the minutest of minutest speck of specks present in the whole of the cosmos. And yet, we have been graced by the presence of God who became man for each one of us, each individual person, so we can be one with him. He became human that we might be invited to become divine.

God took on flesh, he really did become a human being, while at the same time, not diminishing in any way his divinity. He did not just appear to be a man for a time and cast off his humanity like a coat. The Son was conceived in the womb of Mary, developed as you and I did, and when born let out a gasp and scream (just like a baby that just emitted a joyous cry a few seats behind me and JoAnn) that brought joy to Joseph and Mary, as they stared down at the new life before them.

The baby sitting behind us and his or her articulation that he or she is also alive and doing well echoed through the cabin as I was typing about Jesus’ birth. He or she helped me to pick up on something that had eluded me. We were en route to Los Angeles – the city of the Angels – on the airline, Virgin America, two days before Christmas. Not a bad way to be closing out the Lenten Season and beginning to think about the meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Day is a celebration of new life. Not just the birth of any baby, but through his coming into the world, a new beginning for creation and humanity. Today we celebrate the reality and the hope that we are not totally destroyed. We have not been totally undone by Original Sin. Yes, we have been wounded, we have been broken, but not undone.

Though darkness may appear to reign and their may be a temptation to buy into fear and desperation, today we celebrate that “A light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it” (Jn 1:5). This is a day to rejoice, a day to recommit to the light, to the baby who would later call himself, “the way, and the truth, and the life” (cf. Jn 14:6).

Today, may we kneel before this baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, for he shows to us the truth and realization that: “We cannot save ourselves. We can only open ourselves to the hope that comes to us from without, from others, ultimately from one Other” (Lohfink, 255). The One whose birth we celebrate today: “The Light of the human race” (Jn 1:4).

My prayers are with all of you who are reading these words. May God bless you and all you hold close this day. Merry Christmas!

Photo: St Augustine Church, Culver City, CA – Sunday Mass, Fourth Week in Advent.

Lohfink, Gehard. No Irrelevant Jesus: On Jesus and the Church Today. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2014.

Link for today’s Mas readings for Monday, December 25, 2017:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122517-day.cfm

Today, on the fourth Sunday of Advent, we return to the Annunciation. Gabriel, an angel, a messenger of God, a spiritual being, interacts with a human being; though Mary is not the first one to experience such an encounter. There are personal encounters with God and his messengers throughout the Bible. This is how the God of Israel, the God of Jesus Christ acts, person to person through invitation, either directly himself or indirectly through one of his angels. We saw examples of such encounters during this week’s readings with the mother of Sampson, Hannah, the mother of Samuel, and Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. Going back to Genesis we can see where God originally called a people to himself through his invitation to Abraham, and similar to Elizabeth and Zechariah, he and Sarah would give birth to a son, Isaac, past the time of child bearing years. Moses, the judges, David, and the prophets all would hear and answer God’s invitation. God communicates, reaches out to his created beings in history, in time.

But with Mary this announcement is different, for at this appointed time, the Son of God himself would become, while remaining fully divine, a human being in the womb of Mary. The God who is. Period. Full stop. He is not a being, not a human or even a supreme being. He is Infinite Act of Existence, and he the totally Transcendent will take on flesh and dwell among his created beings. This is the message that Mary receives, and we can understand why Gabriel would say to her:

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Lk 1:30).

Mary, who knew the arch of salvation history, knew of the encounters God had with his people, her ancestors, knew of the promised coming of the Messiah, would now be the bridge between heaven and earth, the bridge between the old and the new covenant, the bridge between a people lost and a people found. Mary in her fiat, her yes, would become Theotokos, the God bearer.

This is what we prepare to celebrate tonight and tomorrow: The Son of God will be born to us because Mary said yes. Yet, her yes is not in isolation. It is made possible by so many who had gone before her. Joachim and Anna, Mary’s parents who provided care and guidance, as well as the many named above and not named though out the Biblical tradition who said yes to God and played a part in making this moment possible. Mary is not alone in the Annunciation, not alone in this definitive moment. This is the distinctive feature of Judaism and Christianity: We cannot save ourselves. We are not God. Our very life as created beings are a gift from God and we are in need of constant help and support from God and one another (cf. Lohfink, 254).

Now the invitation comes to us. Christmas is not just another day, even another holiday. It is a day to ponder, to wonder, to be still, to be in awe. The Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, loved us so much, more than we can imagine, more than we can ever even begin to conceive, that he became one with us. Us, you reading this, me writing this, and each unique person taking a breath on this earth. No matter how much we have messed up, no matter how distant we feel we may be from him, no matter how confused, overwhelmed, disillusioned, he is present for and with us. We are going to be invited tomorrow to play our part in the ongoing wonder of salvation history. Mary’s answer: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38) is a definitive yes. What will our response be?
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Painting: Henry Oswana Tanner, The Annunciation, 1898

Lohfink, Gerhard. No Irrelevant Jesus: On Jesus and the Church Today. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2014.

Link for today’s readings for Sunday, December 24, 2017:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122417.cfm

Upon the eighth day Elizabeth and Zechariah brought their infant to be circumcised. Their family members and neighbors who gathered with them expected that the child would be named after his father, but Elizabeth spoke up: “No. He will be called John” (Lk 1:60). The family members deferred to Zechariah. Zechariah affirmed Elizabeth’s pronouncement as he wrote on a tablet that: “John is his name” (Lk 1:63).

John was a common name, usually associated with the priesthood, and comes to us today from the Greek Iōannēs which is derived from the Hebrew yôḥānān meaning God is or has been gracious. The people were amazed because the parents were stepping out of the tradition of naming a first born after the father or grandfather. When Zechariah’s voice returned and he was no longer mute, he began to praise God. Those gathered became afraid. The terms amazement and fear, used throughout the Bible, were expressions or reactions to the working or presence of God. The hand of God was believed to be with this child.

Elizabeth and Zechariah model for us the path of faithfulness. Despite opposition they followed the will of God and named their child John as he directed. How many times do we face pressure or direct opposition from friends, family, colleagues, classmates, and neighbors to do what God would have us do or to speak what he would have us say? The opposite may also be true, are we open when God is speaking through these same people when they are seeking to guide us to make healthy choices for change?

God is gracious, he seeks the best for us. That is why he sent John to prepare the way for his Son, “to testify to the light, so that all might believe though him” (Jn 1:7). We are drawing ever closer to Christmas, now only a day away. We have the opportunity to prepare, to turn away from our selfishness and sin, to give the gift of God’s grace given to us, the presence of his Son among us, the light that shines in the darkness, the light that fills our heart with fulfillment, joy, and love.

May we continue to prepare our hearts and minds to receive the baby Jesus this Christmas and remember the gift we have been given, our redemption. We have been redeemed, we have been saved. This is our hope, this is our gift to share with the world, this is the story that must be told. As the moon reflects the rays of the sun, may we be not afraid to reflect the light of Jesus the Christ that shines in the darkness. May we embrace the warmth of his love as Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, and John had done, and may that embrace melt away any anxiety or fear that we experience, and so like them, no matter the opposition, may we radiate his love and joy in all our interactions, so to prepare a way for the Lord to come into other’s hearts and minds.
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Photo: Cardinal Newman Chapel

Link for today’s Mass readings, for Saturday, December 23, 2017.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.” (Lk 1:46-49).

These verses from Luke are the beginning of the Canticle of Mary or the Magnificat. These words are recited or chanted daily each evening for those who pray Vespers or Evening Prayer for the Liturgy of the Hours. We are still able to read and recite these words again and again, generation after generation, because Mary and Elizabeth were moved by the Holy Spirit and acted upon his leading. They did not remain silent, they did not hold back their words for fear of being rejected. Mary went in haste to come to be with Elizabeth, she did not hesitate and think things over. She was clear and she went.

Mary’s words of greeting were heard by John and he leapt in her womb, Elizabeth then moved by the Holy Spirit confirmed the encounter of the Ascension before Mary ever even told her anything about it, when she said: “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1:42). Mary then responded glorifying the Lord for what he had done for her, for us, for the whole created order of existence.

Present in this hymn of praise, thanksgiving, and hope, are words that we can make our own. We too can proclaim “the greatness of the Lord”. We can do so by thanking God for what he has done in our lives. St Irenaeus did so when he recognized that God sent his Son to open up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed.

Mary is called blessed because she has followed the will of God and points all generations to her Son, directing not only the attendants at the wedding of Cana, but us as well to “do whatever he tells you” (cf. Jn 2:5).

May we rejoice with Mary today as we prepare to remember and celebrate the birth of her Son, only now a few days away. May we be willing to hear and do whatever he tells us, such as: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mk 12:30-31).

Loving our neighbors includes loving our enemies. This includes anyone that really gets under our skin. We need to learn again how to have civil and respectful dialogue. We can disagree but still respect one another. We can listen to one another’s points of view, without shouting over one another, and maybe we can learn from one another again. Wouldn’t that be a nice gift to wrap, place a nice bow on, and put under the tree this Christmas?

Icon image of Elizabeth and Mary source:

http://ourladyofthevisitation.diocs.org/Portals/6/Information%20on%20the%20Icon%20of%20the%20Visitation%20(2015).pdf?ver=2015-08-17-185502-427

Link for today’s Mass readings for, Friday, December 22, 2017:
http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122217.cfm

Mary “traveled to the hill country in haste” (Lk 1:39) and when she and Elizabeth got together they rejoiced in the gift of new life that God had blessed them both with. We are to rejoice too! Advent is a season of preparation, a time of coming. What are we preparing for, what is coming? Our new life in Christ. What we are about to celebrate in a few days had never happened before in human history. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, fully divine, entered into our humanity. He became a human being, fully human, just like one of us. That affirms that we are not junk, not someone’s trash to be kicked around. Our life has purpose and meaning, because we are loved by God more than we can ever imagine! That’s something to get excited about.

We are all invited to be recreated, each and every day. Have you ever wanted a fresh start, a do over? Well here you go. Don’t believe the mind noise or other people who will actually tell you overtly or covertly that you are worthless or nothing. Not true! Through our very being, we are created in the image and likeness of God, we have been created by Love, to receive and to share love. We are a living craving hunger and desire to be in communion with God and one another. This is true for the atheist and the believer alike. We are called to will the good of the other as other as they are, unconditionally. If we haven’t been so loving lately, today is a new day to take Jesus’ hand and begin anew.

We are about to celebrate a baby’s birth. Not just any baby, but he who has always been, is, and will be, became the most vulnerable, as an embryo, as an unborn fetus, and as an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. Mary’s Son would continue to grow, mature, and thirty three years later, return to an even more vulnerable postition on the Cross, beaten, scourged, naked, and crucified. He was born and tabernacled among us, to be one with us, so that when he died he could take our sin upon himself. Original Sin did not destroy us. We were wounded, but by His stripes, the scourging Jesus endured for us, we have been healed. He conquered even death, that we would have life and have it to the full, now and throughout eternity.

May we not take the birth of this child for granted. Jesus was born for us, he lived that we might not only be shown a better way, but he is the Way. Jesus became vulnerable for us, a key ingredient in unconditional love: to be willing to risk being authentic to who God called him to be, even to being willing to be rejected, even if that meant that all might walk away from him. May we be willing to be vulnerable, to risk, to share with others who we are, free of masks and pretense. May we be present, and also walk and accompany one another. Being there for our family and friends is important, and if we take our Christianity seriously, we must come to acknowledge, in concrete ways, person to person, that we are all brothers and sisters. Just as the sun shines on the good and the bad alike, Jesus died for us all. After his Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit, the Love shared between the Father and the Son, to empower us to live as he did, in communion with his Father, so to better actualize our communion with one another.

We started this reflection with the celebration of new life with Mary and Elizabeth, who rejoiced at the announcement of their babies birth. The other message they can share with us, because they realized it all too soon, is that life goes by too fast. But each of their son’s deaths meant a new beginning for humanity. Let us not take this life we have been given, any moment we are given, for granted. May we let those we care about know that we love them. Make that call, send that card, invite that person for a walk. For all we encounter, let us respect, be kind, and care for one another. If you catch the eye of another, smile. In that simple gesture we say to another that we care enough about them to acknowledge that they exist. These are some of the best gifts we can give to one another this Christmas.

Painting of Elizabeth and Mary in the church of El Sitio, Suchitoto, El Salvador

Accessed from:

The solidarity of Mary and Elizabeth

Link for today’s Mass reading for Thursday, December 21, 2017.

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122117.cfm

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Lk 1:38).

How many times have we read or heard these verses? Maybe this could actually be your first time. Either way, whether it is your first or thousandth time, the more important question is how many times have you said to God, “May it be done to me according to your word”? How would that be for a prayer to begin each day with and then at the end of the day reflect on how well you have heard and answered yes to God’s will?

Mary’s yes changed the course of human history. Her willingness to bear the Son of God who dwelt among us in our humanity, in our wounded condition, was for the purpose to heal us, and to lead us home to communion with his Father. Jesus is the gift that keeps giving – through our yes. Each time we say yes to Jesus, so that we become less, as he becomes more, the kingdom of God continues and spreads.

Along with Mary our yes that we make is not to be a one time yes, but we are to make a daily, moment by moment yes. As St Paul wrote to the Church of Thessalonica. We are to: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 16-17). We are able to rejoice always and pray without ceasing when we say yes to God. This does not mean that we rejoice in our pain, suffering, and struggles, but we rejoice in the hope, trust, and experiences that Jesus is present with us in and through our suffering. He does not abandon us to random fate. He is our source, our refuge, and our strength.

Our prayers of petition for ourselves and intercessions for others are another yes to his will, because they are an “admission of one’s own helplessness” (Lohfink, 240). Prayer is a no to pride. There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto, so they went to by two, as Jesus sent his disciples, but I digress. Prayer is a yes to our acknowledgement that we need Jesus to guide and help us. May we continue to rejoice this week as we draw ever closer to celebrating the birth of Jesus who is Emmanuel, God with us, made possible by the handmaid of the Lord. Say yes to Jesus and rejoice!

Photo: Graduation from the St Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary 2013

Link for today’s Mass readings for Wednesday, December 20, 2017:

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122017.cfm

The Gospel of Luke and today’s first reading from the Book of Judges both continue the theme of divine intervention through angelic messengers and the message they convey is new life. The wife of Manoah, she is not named, and Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth, both receive the message of an impending birth. The miraculous claim here is that both women are beyond bearing age.

For women of ancient Israel, this was a tremendous cause for shame; for many women their worth was defined by their ability to bear a child. This was in evidence in the words of Elizabeth. When she conceived she said, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.” (Lk 1:25). Her shame and anguish would now be gone, her long period of barrenness was coming to an end.

Many women today feel this same anguish and shame, as Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth did, in that they desire to have a child and are not able to.  There are many reasons this may be, but there may also be a plan that God has in place that is not readily apparent at the time. One may be God’s timing, for Mary it was too soon! For Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth it was about time! But in each case God had his plan and timing in mind. For some women there may be another way of serving other than being a birth mother.

Adoption or foster parenting of children who are in desperate need of safe, stable homes are direct options. Some more indirect ways could be assisting in caring for nieces and nephews, cousins, teaching catechesis or working with youth groups. Other ways to serve could be through more time consuming active ministries, vocations, or jobs. I cannot imagine wanting to give birth to my own child and not be able to do so, nor can I imagine the inner anguish that may cause. I do believe God has a plan for each of us and when we align ourselves with his will we will truly be happy and fulfilled.

I do have a certain perspective on this in that I have been blessed with the gift of being a step-father to JoAnn’s three children, Mia, Jack, and Christy. This was not the plan I foresaw before meeting JoAnn, in fact about a year before we met, I was in a consignment shop and saw a jean jacket for an infant. I bought it thinking it would look good on my future daughter or son. When JoAnn and I were married the kids were no longer infants, so, I am guessing the jacket will look good on our granddaughter or grandson, God’s timing! I do believe this has been God’s plan and I am truly thankful to be sharing my life with these four wonderful human beings, all gifted in their own unique and special ways. It has been a great journey thus far, and I look forward to what God has planned for the future!

There are periods of waiting in all of our lives and we can certainly be impatient with God and ourselves. We have certain plans and intentions that we want to accomplish, but often are not capable of seeing far enough down the road to notice if those plans are apparent or actual goods. That light at the end of a tunnel could actually be a train! When we remain faithful like Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth and Mary, and resist the temptation to go off on our own, while seeking to understand his will, we will find fulfillment and joy. Each of us are called to be Christ bearers to a worn and weary world desperately in need of new life! We will also enjoy the time of waiting more when we are trusting that God is preparing us for what we seek or something even greater than we could have ever imagined! He did and continues to do so for me and my family, trust in Jesus, he’ll be with you to guide you too!

Photo: Our tenth anniversary and Convalidation celebration officiated by Fr. Don – Christy, Mia, Fr. Don, me, JoAnn, and Jack.

Link for today’s Mass readings for Tuesday, December 19, 2017:

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121917.cfm

Joseph heard the news that Mary, his betrothed, was with child. He clearly knew the child was not biologically his. I can only imagine the thoughts that came to his mind, the anxiety and internal contortions his abdominal region went through. Yet, Joseph worked through the inner turmoil and came to a decision. He was not going to make a public spectacle of Mary, but he was going to divorce her quietly. Before he made the decision final though, Joseph made an excellent choice when discerning serious matters. He slept on the idea before acting on it.

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home (Mt 1:24). During Joseph’s sleep, the angel of the Lord delivered a similar message to Joseph that Mary received. From their encounter with God’s messengers, both Mary and Joseph trusted in God’s will and to quote Robert Frost’ poem, The Road Not Taken, “that has made all the difference.” Because of Mary and Joseph’s yes to God and to family, the Son of God became man and opened up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed.

God often works in the same way with us. What may appear to be absurd, unimaginable, or downright impossible, is indeed possible when we align our will with God. This is the week of Joy in Advent. Joy is more than pleasure or happiness. Pleasure ends when the sensate experience ends. Happiness is experienced with pleasure and can last longer, in that we can recall the pleasurable experiences for a time, but happiness too will fade. Joy, though, like hope, is a gift of the Holy Spirit that wells up from within, from our soul.

The source of joy does not come from external experiences, but from an encounter with and acceptance of God’s invitation. Joy is an experience of communion with the love of God. This has been given to us in greater measure because Jesus became one with us, and so upon his ascension into heaven, we too can experience the loving communion he experiences with his Father who is the Holy Spirit. This is the experience of family, those who bond and give of themselves to one another.

Mary and Joseph both received incredible news, that neither of them fully comprehended. They could have easily responded in a different way to the message that Mary would conceive of the Holy Spirit, and would have a Son who would be called Jesus, his name meaning God Saves. But they didn’t. They trusted, they chose family, and because they did so, we can rejoice this week and all days.

Because of Mary and Joseph’s yes, even in the midst of our trials we can rejoice, not in the fact that we suffer, but because we are not alone in our present situations. We may see no way out, see no cure in sight, no help on the horizon, but Jesus, the Son of Mary, the Son of God, is with us, present and accompanying us. Our family members are there also. We are invited to follow Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and resist the temptation of taking each of our family members for granted, but instead choose to be thankful that we have one another. The gift of communion between God and one another is the gift the Holy Family shares with us, and so we can rejoice in our families, even with all the chaos that entails, and feel the joy of being there for one another, through thick and thin.

We have a choice each day, each moment. We can go it alone, push others away, distance ourselves, and trudge through life with blinders on, or we can seek the path of communion with God and one another. Mary and Joseph chose to trust in the invitation of communion, they were open to family. Was their life easier, not in the least. Did they experience more joy and fulfillment? I would say yes, and about twenty one years ago I followed Joseph’s yes, with a yes of my own, a yes to JoAnn, Mia, Jack, and Christy, a yes to family, “and it has made all the difference!”

Photo: Christy, Jack, JoAnn, and me a few years ago. Looking forward to seeing them in less than a week in California for Christmas with Mia and Ariel too!

Link for today’s reading for Mass, Monday, December 18, 2017.

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121817.cfm

“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,'”as Isaiah the prophet said” (Jn 1:23).

These are the words that John the Baptist pronounced in response to the priests, Levites, and Pharisee’s question, “Who are you?”. John was preparing the way for the Lord, which he had been doing since his time in the womb of his mother Elizabeth. John leaped for joy at Mary’s greeting, the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth and she proclaimed: “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (cf: Lk 1:42-45). John began his ministry in the womb.

John continued to do so in this present scene by calling people to repentance through baptism with water so that Jesus “might be known to Israel” (Jn 1:31). John following the tradition of the prophets was calling his people back to God. Time and again, many of the people had gone astray, like lost sheep without a shepherd, and God called the prophets to rise up and speak on his behalf. John was shepherding as he preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 3:2). He was calling the people of God back into the fold. The sign the people heeded that call and were willing to repent was in their willingness to submit to baptism.

Through this baptism of water, the people would readily have recognized the correlation with the freedom of their people from their time as slaves in Egypt when Moses led them to freedom through the parting of the waters of the Red Sea. Their ancestors left their old way of life of slavery under the Pharaoh behind and were invited to begin a new life. The people who responded to the call of John were called to repent, to turn their mind from their old ways of separation from God, and prepare for a new life of communion with God that would be brought on by the coming of him who “will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire” (cf. Mt 3:11).

Jesus would be he, and today we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means rejoice. We are rejoicing in the retelling of the story of our salvation. John prepared the way for Jesus to be revealed as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29). Jesus participated in the same baptism of John just as others had. Jesus showed in that act of humility how he, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14). He the Son of God became fully human to be one with us in our fallen nature of sin, he entered our humanity to walk and accompany us, to lead us, like Moses led the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt to a new life in the Promised Land. Jesus leads us to the Promised Land of the kingdom of Heaven.

Each time we enter the sanctuary as Catholics we dip our fingers in holy water and make the Sign of the Cross. We do so because in that simple act we remember our baptism in whose name we have been baptized: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the Sacrament of Baptism, our sins were burned away through the transforming fire and love of the Holy Spirit. We were indelibly marked, branded by that fire, meaning our baptism cannot be undone. We were marked by Christ, conformed to, grafted to, the Body of Christ. We were changed for eternity. This means we are also able to participate in the life and love of the Trinitarian communion now. The same Love that the Father and Son share between one another who is the Holy Spirit we share in and are called to share with others.

Let us rejoice this Gaudete Sunday for the gift of our baptism, the gift of repentance, the gift of being able to recommit our lives to Jesus, to each day being able to begin our life anew in Christ. May we bring this joy that we have experienced to all we meet this week, to prepare a way as John did for others who are wounded and hurting that they too may receive the light and life of Christ in their life.

Photo: One of the greatest joys of being a deacon is the grace to be able to administer the Sacrament of Baptism! I believe I am baptizing Connor and his baptismal garment is over 100 years old!

Link for today’s Mass readings for Sunday, December 17, 2017:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121717.cfm