Fourth Sunday of Advent

Today's readings can be found here.

The tale of Mary visiting her sister Elizabeth is probably one that rings true for so many women who are pregnant, or who have a friend who is pregnant. The intimacy of that time is an amazing treasure. The miracle of life, the pulse of creation flows around a pregnancy. I imagine that the gestating Jesus Christ's energy was amazing. It was so powerful that Elizabeth felt the Spirit move within her and tell her that Mary was pregnant and with God's child, the Messiah. How wonderful it must have been for Mary to have heard this. Elizabeth's greeting confirmed what the angel had told her at the Annunciation.

The longing of a pregnant woman is intense. The head of a pregnant woman is full of questions, wonders, fears, hopes, and anticipation. It is amazing that a pregnant woman can do anything but think about the baby! The anticipation of the child is intensely overwhelming. It is with this intensity that we should be awaiting the second coming of Christ.

Unfortunately, the typical Advent longing is for things, food, or parties. The energy of the season is often inappropriately funneled into things that do not last, and things that do not satisfy. The platters will be put away, the ribbons and paper in the trash, the ornaments in the attic. Even worse, on December 26th, people say, “Christmas is over.” Christmas begins on the 25th and ends with the Epiphany 12 days later.

We have five days between today, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and Christmas. Today's reading features the second joyful mystery, the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Perhaps the better way to prepare for Christmas, better than shopping, cooking, or addressing envelopes, would be to pray.

Pick up the rosary. Meditate and pray over the Joyful Mysteries. The Annunciation announces Christ's conception in Mary's womb, the Visitation brings us to the union of Elizabeth and Mary, but also Jesus and John the Baptist, the Nativity celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas, the Presentation commemorates Jesus' Jewish origins and the fulfillment of a vision for Simeon who had been anticipating the Lord's coming, finally the fifth mystery reminds us of the time that Joseph and Mary thought Jesus was lost and found Him in the temple. I pray that these mysteries remind us of the true reason for anticipation this time of year, and give us the same spirit of longing and anticipation as Simeon, Elizabeth and Mary had for the coming Messiah.

Third Sunday of Advent

Today's readings can be found here.


We have so many things to celebrate. God has been so good to all of us. He has provided us with the very lives we live, and provided us with food, shelter, and a place to lay our heads right up until this very night. Times may not have always been easy, but all along God was with us. God is with us.

As we celebrate the moment when God sent down his Son to walk among us, we celebrate the promise that God would always be accessible to us. Before Jesus came, to be with God the priest had to enter the temple. But he could only do it once a year, and he had to have a rope tied around him in case he died of shock just by being in God's presence. If he died, they could pull him out by the rope! Before the temple, Moses had to go up onto the mountain just to speak to God. While he was up there, the people grew tired of waiting for God's message and started making a golden calf to worship instead. Jesus' advent on this earth said, “I am here with you.” Jesus did die and leave the earth, but his resurrection said, “I will always be with you.”

Our first reading from the book of Zephaniah is a celebration of God and his love. It says, “Shout for joy... Sing joyfully... Be glad and exult with all your heart!” I believe this is the message of Christmas. The message that people try to convey in gifts wrapped and topped with pretty bows. This is the message that the Christmas Tree tries to invoke: joy and gladness with shiny bulbs and tinsel. Zephaniah isn't writing about a tree and a present though. He proclaims joy because “The Lord has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies... You have no further misfortune to fear.... Fear not... be not discouraged! The Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty savior, he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love.”

Zephaniah rejoices because God is in the midst of the people. When God is in our midst he removes judgment, foes, fears, discouragement. God brings peace, joy, gladness, and love. The apostles knew this, Paul especially did. He wrote a letter to the Philippians, which we also read today. He says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again rejoice.” He knew the joy of the Lord. I pray we all do. In this season of Advent, as you bustle about with the tree and the presents, ask yourself, “Am I rejoicing?” You should be. Christ is with us, ever present in the Eucharist and our hearts. This is the advent of our Joy. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, “rejoice”

First Sunday of Advent

Today's readings can be found here.

In advent, we remember the first coming of Jesus, (the just shoot from the house of David) and we anticipate the day when He will come again. Jesus came to answer the psalm, “Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me” In His life on Earth, Jesus succeeded in teaching us His paths, and guiding us to the truth. One of His most important teachings we call the Greatest Commandment, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' and to 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matt 22:37,39)

The theme of loving God and neighbor runs throughout the Bible. Our Old Testament heroes often were faced with challenges to their faith be it: following Gods will (Abraham), leading others to follow God (Moses), or not honoring other Gods (Daniel). We consider them our heroes because they chose to love and obey God even thought it meant they might die, lose their families, homeland or security.

The New Testament features this theme as well, but usually as encouragement to a community who was struggling to love God and neighbor. The second reading from the first book of Thessalonians says, “ May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all..so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God… you should conduct yourselves to please God” The scripture is a prayer for the community to love others better to please God. Loving others is a way to increase holiness and to honor the Greatest Commandment.

The Gospel, of course, features the theme of loving God and neighbor again and again by Jesus' teachings and actions. In today's readings, however, Jesus speaks of His second coming and what His followers can expect. When the signs happen, people who have obeyed the Greatest Commandment should, “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” Even with the world crashing around us, we should be reassured that loving God and loving our neighbor the ultimate thing we can do.

Jesus gives us a little warning, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing ...and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” We need to be prepared at any moment, so we need to be loving in every moment. We do not know when we will take our last breath, so every breath should be for love. We do not know our last word, so every word should be of love. He is coming. One day, near or far, we will meet Him. We have to be aware of opportunities to follow the path that God laid out and Jesus showed us how to walk on. This is the advent of our King.