Dec. 31st - The Word Made Flesh

 And the Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us!

The first chapter of the Gospel of John, describes the Eternal Word, who is Jesus, come into flesh to dwell among us. The angel Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary, announcing She would conceive and bear a Son and name Him Jesus. Immediately after the Blessed Virgin gave Her fiat, the Holy Spirit descended upon Her and Jesus the almighty, infinite, all-powerful God, who is the Son of the Eternal Father and called the Eternal Word, took upon flesh in Mary’s womb. From Mary’s womb, Jesus received His flesh and blood, that would become His body, with hands, feet and a beating Heart, which would be pierced on the Cross.

On Christmas day, and throughout the Christmas Season, we celebrate the birthday of Jesus, when His flesh became visible for all mankind in the arms of the Perpetual Virgin Mary, His Mother.

The Eternal Word, became flesh in the womb of Mary, born in Bethlehem, and was placed in a manger in swaddling clothes, now becomes present on the altar, here and in every Catholic Church in the world.

Dear friends, the Eucharist is the Light of the World. The Eucharist is the Life. The Eucharist is the Lamb of God. The Eucharist is the Eternal Word, which becomes flesh and dwells among us! In the Eucharist, we can see the glory of the only-begotten Son, which is the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth. So today, let the Heavens Be Glad and the Earth Rejoice, because the Eternal Word has come to dwell among us in the Eucharist. And let us come to Our Eucharistic God, so that we live in His Life, walk in His Light, in the arms of His Mother Mary!

Dec. 30th - St. Anna

 

Due to Anna’s faithfulness, she received the most beautiful gift of seeing the Christ Child in temple. She was 84 years old and a widow. Perhaps because she no longer had a husband and family, she spent night and day in the temple worshiping and fasting and was greatly rewarded. Like Simeon, she had been holding vigil in fasting and prayer in anticipation of the promise of her seeing the Messiah being presented in the temple.

After she saw the baby Jesus and heard what Simeon had said, she gave thanks to God and then spoke about all who were awaiting the redemption. You can just imagine her happiness when she finally recognized the coming of the Messiah being carried by His parents, Joseph and Mary.

Like any other Jew, they were longing for His coming not only for their own peace but also for Israel. While many Jews saw the coming as freedom from foreign rule, Anna (and Simeon) saw deeper. It was not a coming to address Israel’s captivity and enslavement. It was a coming to save mankind from the bondage of sin. Indeed, it is a cause of great joy and fulfillment.

Her faithfulness is a lesson for all of us. Many of you who come to daily Mass are very faithful and Our Lord rewards you every time you come to church, by giving Himself to you in Holy Communion, which Anna, the prophetess was never able to do.

She saw Him and held Him in her arms. We are unable to see Him in the Eucharist, and we are able to receive Jesus into our hearts, which Anna was not able to do.

Today, after we receive Holy Communion, let us close our eyes and gaze upon the infant Jesus, who has come inside and may we like Anna, thank Him and then when we leave Mass –go out and speak about Our Lord’s redemption to others. In this way, we can bring the Infant Jesus to everyone we meet.

Thomas Becket Dec. 29th

Today is the memorial of St. Thomas Becket. He was born of parents who came from Normandy, and then they settled in England. He learned to read at Merton Abbey and then studied in the parish. On leaving school he employed himself in secretarial work. Somewhere about the year 1141, he entered the service of Theobold, Archbishop of Canterbury, and in that household he won his master's favor and eventually became the most trusted of all his clerks. Theobald recognized his capacity and after allowing him to go for a year to study civil and canon law, he ordained him a deacon in 1154. During this time, King Stephen died and the young monarch Henry II became master of the kingdom. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry’s intrusions into Church affairs. Nevertheless, in 1162 he was made archbishop, resigned his chancellorship, and reformed his whole way of life!

Troubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time, supposing some conciliatory action possible, Thomas came close to a compromise. He momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety, and remained in exile for 7 years. When he returned to England he suspected it would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favored by the king, Henry cried out in a rage, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights, taking his words as his wish, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral on December 29^th, 1170. Thomas Becket remains a hero-saint down to our own times.

Oh if only bishops today would stand up against government authorities who try to take away the rights of the Church. Thomas Becket pray for our bishops, that they imitate you in your courage and your faith.

Holy Innocents - Memorial Mass for Infants

 

Tonight, this memorial Mass we pray will give healing and consolation to those who have lost a child and we pray for the souls of all children, who did not have the opportunity to spend much time on earth.

When a parent loses a child, their heart is broken and nothing can ever take away that brokenness. However, their heart will be able to experience God’s love and healing graces because the Lord is with us, cares about us and by His mercy, we can move forward in hope.

If you recall the pain you felt the moment when you discovered your baby died, you certainly would have felt shocked, angry and sad. A whole mix of emotions. There is a way to find healing which is to come to know what is true –Jesus was there for you and the baby. Jesus held the child in His hands when his or her soul departed from their body. And though you may not have felt it at the time, Jesus had His arms wrapped around you as you wept. And He wept with you. As your heart was broken, so was His Heart broken.

A few years back, I prepared a couple for marriage and after they were married, the wife became pregnant. The doctor gave them their due date and as the baby began to grow and develop they were so excited. They had dreams of doing so many things with their child. 9 months later, on the scheduled day the child was to be born, the child died while still in the womb. The couple was crushed and no words could console them. We had little Emma’s funeral a few days later. The couple moved to Oklahoma and a several years later, I baptized their infant twins. As we left the church after their baptism, the couple stopped by the cemetery to pay a visit Emma’s grave. It touched my heart to see how they remembered Emma.

Some of you may have a grave for your child or children and some may not. But, I encourage you to celebrate the life of your child or children once a year. Just as we celebrate the conception day of Jesus and Mary, you can celebrate the conception day of your child or children. Since you most likely don’t know the conception day, you can choose any day (perhaps a feast day in the Church) and let that day be your special day to visit the grave or if you don’t have a grave, to celebrate the day as you would a child’s birthday with cake and ice cream or may be let it be a day you will take the day off of work and go to Mass and go out to eat. You don’t need to tell others why you do what you do.

If you have not yet named your child or children, I encourage you to do it. If you don’t know your child’s gender, you can choose a name such as Peace, Angel, or Heaven or Star. As soon as Mass is over, you will have the opportunity to write your child’s name in the book and if you don’t have a name picked out, you can write something like mamma and daddy’s baby.

We believe the Holy Innocents, who were never baptized are saints in heaven and can intercede for us especially since they died in place of the Infant Jesus. When it comes to our infants, were not supposed to pray to the dead unless they are saints or blesseds or on their way to becoming saints. But what we can do-- is pray to Jesus and ask Him to tell the child something. For example, you can say a prayer like this, “O Jesus, would you tell little Emma, Mommy or Daddy loves her.” or “O Jesus, tell baby Emma to pray for me.” or “O Jesus tell my baby, I am sorry your life on earth was short and I hope we will be together heaven.”

For those of you who are concerned about your child not receiving baptism, “Trust in the mercy of Jesus”. Don’t let it be a concern of yours-- because back then--- it was out of your hands and God always brings good out of bad circumstances. You can pray that God in His mercy-- will allow your child to enjoy enteral life. The child never sinned and its through no fault of his or hers, the child wasn’t baptized. As Catholics we believe baptism is necessary for salvation. However, “there are many factors that give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the Beatific Vision”. In fact the Catechism gives us consoling words, it states, “the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.”

Today, allow Jesus to touch and soothe your broken heart. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who holds His little lambs in His arms next to His beating Heart.

And let us rejoice in God giving life to all infants and though their life was cut short, we have hope of to someday be with them. May this Holy Mass grant them the gift of the light of heaven and console you and give you peace. And May Mary, who held Her Child in Her arms when He was born and at the foot of the Cross, when He died, give strength to those who have lost their child.

Holy Innocents - Abortion

 

During the Jubilee Year 2000, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Holy Land. Though I had little money, I asked Our Blessed Mother if She would help me to go to the Land in which Jesus lived and walked. To my surprise, I was offered a free trip in exchange for being the spiritual director of a tour group. Wow! What an opportunity! While in Bethlehem, our group visited the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus was born. And since, our group was small, I wasn’t permitted to offer Mass at one of the main altars, but rather, on an altar in what is called St. Jerome’s cave. St. Jerome lived in a cave very close to the cave in which Jesus was born. There in his cave, he translated the entire bible from Greek into Latin. Because of the large size of the Church of the Nativity, it was built on top of the cave where Jesus was born and laid in a manger, but also built over the cave where St. Jerome lived. While offering Mass there, on the altar in the cave of St. Jerome, I decided to offer a Mass for an end to abortion. Just after the Mass, as our group was leaving, to my surprise, the tour guide pointed out to me, that just behind the place where I offered Mass, was the place where the Holy Innocents were originally buried. I was stunned! As I knelt down to pray before the burial site, I thought of all the children who have died at the time of Herod and all their parents who wept so bitterly over the death of their children. I thought of Herod, who wanted to kill the children---. I thought of abortionists, who kill unborn children today, and political leaders who promote the killing of the unborn, and push for embryonic stem cell research. It was a very somber moment.

It is believed that anywhere from 15 to 25 boys about the age of 2 years old, were killed by Herod’s soldiers. When the wise men had arrived from following the star, they met Herod. Because it was announced that Jesus would be king, Herod saw the newborn King, as a threat and so he immediately began a plot to kill him.

After the wise men had left from paying Jesus homage, an angel of the Lord warned Joseph in a dream to take the Child and His Mother into Egypt. Terror gripped the people of Bethlehem as soldiers arrived and sought to kill every boy, 2 yrs and younger. How horrible and shocking, to have children torn out of the arms of their mothers and killed right in front of the parents.

These Holy Innocents are considered martyrs, because they died directly for Christ, in place of Jesus, whom they intended to kill. Their feast is celebrated in the Octave of Christmas because they gave their life for the newborn savior.

Today, let us ask these Holy Innocent Martyrs, who died for Christ, to intercede for us. We pray that the Newborn Divine Infant Jesus, will touch the hearts and change the minds of doctors who perform abortions. And let us pray for those who have had an abortion, may they discover the infant mercy of Jesus and come to know God loves them.

Dec. 27th John the Apostle

Within the midst of the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate the feast of St. John the Apostle.  John was called to follow Jesus while mending his nets. He and his brother James were called by Jesus to follow Him. The two brothers were called “Sons of Thunder”, most likely because both had a temper.

Peter, James and John, were chosen to follow Our Lord in a closer way, than the other disciples. For example, the three were taken to the top of Mount Tabor to witness Our Lord’s transfiguration and be close to Our Lord during His agony in the garden. At the Last Supper, John rested his head against the chest of Jesus. He believed he was loved more than the other disciples, and so, called himself the “beloved disciple”.

John was the only apostle to stand at the foot of the Lord’s cross. On the Cross, Jesus gave His Mother to John and so from that moment, he took Her into his home and would have offered Mass for Her and gave Her Holy Communion.

Tradition states Mary went with John to Ephesus, where they both lived. Prior to going to Ephesus, he was primarily in Jerusalem, and founded many churches in Asia Minor. After the resurrection, John ran to the tomb, with Peter, only to see the linen wrapped up by itself, and he believed. Recall that after, Our Lord appeared to the apostles on the Lake. And it was John who first recognized Jesus on the shore, as he said, “It’s the Lord!”

John wrote, the Gospel of John, three epistles and the book of Revelation.

John was taken to Rome by the order of the Emperor Domition, who cast John into boiling oil, but he came out miraculously unhurt, and was banished to the island of Patmos for a year.

Living to be about the age of 100, and he died about the year 110 in Ephesus. He was the only apostle, who wasn’t martyred. In Ephesus, a beautiful church was erected over his tomb, but Muslims later converted it into a mosque.

Today, let us imitate St. John the Apostle, by growing in our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whom John rested, and saw pierced. By pondering what John saw, the Crucified Lord on Calvary, it will inspire us to love Jesus, as John did. And may we too take Mary into our home. St. John, the apostle, pray for us, that we may worthily imitate you!

Feast of the Holy Family- Alcoholism, Mental Illness & Drugs that Plague Families

 

 Today is the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Today’s Gospel of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple is both a sorrowful and joyful event.

In the Gospel today, we see a moment of tension in The Holy Family-- as Jesus is lost and then three days later is found in the Temple. Joseph and Mary did not know where Jesus was-- and had been sorrowing for three days. When they found the Child Jesus in the temple, they are filled with joy and relieved to have their family crisis resolved.

At the time of Christ, all Jewish men were required to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. The men often brought their families, with men and women traveling in separate group. So a child may be with the mother’s group or with the father’s group. Because of these separate groups, the absence of Jesus in the caravan was not immediately noticed. Mary would have thought Jesus was with Joseph and Joseph may have though He was with Mary.

In this event Jesus was not disobedient to Mary and Joseph. Nor did He sin by remaining behind. Mary and Joseph didn’t sin either. Jesus’ greatest duty was to His heavenly Father, which surpasses His duty towards His earthly parents. If the Holy Family suffered from misunderstandings, from trials, sorrows, and difficulties that had nothing to do with sin, how much more do our families suffer from these sorts of things, which include sin.

Every family has times when it’s difficult to forgive someone, or when there is great anxiety and worry. Sometimes family members can very much hurt each other. There can be jealousy and unhealthy competitions. Children get caught in parental fighting. Someone may spend money irrationally. Maybe one parent favors one child over another. Or a parent spends too much time at work. One person’s unforgiveness towards another-- affects the entire family. Sometimes a family member will refuse to talk to others, or won’t show up for family gatherings. I heard a priest one time say, the definition of a family, is “a bunch of sinners, who try to live together in love.”  St. Paul tells us how to live together in love: with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving one another.

Today, there are so many different things that can cause stress in the family. I would like to focus today on alcoholism, mental illness and drug addiction.

My father and grandfather were alcoholics. My father eventually went to a treatment center, and attended AA meetings. He was very well known throughout Kansas helping lots of alcoholics attain sobriety. He was the best father anyone could have. I am proud how my father carried his cross. But his alcoholism was one of the family crosses. Alcoholics can become saints by striving to a live a life of virtue. St. Monica was an alcoholic and so was venerable Matt Talbot.

With regard to mental illness, it can be caused by a head injury or a traumatic accident, or the use of medications or illegal drugs and sometimes its unknown what causes it. My brother is mentally ill due to a traumatic brain injury. He was attacked when he was a security guard. Those who are mentally ill or often misunderstood feel alone and unable to fit into society. St. Benedict Joseph Labore was mentally ill and he became a saint.

Alcoholism and mental illness can be inherited and so there is really nobody to blame.

There is also drugs. High school youth can be tempted by friends to take marijuana. Its sinful to take marijuana and drugs because they can influence our ability to think rationally and make moral choices. Some may say well its legal. But not all laws are good moral laws. Taking marijuana just one time-- can start an addiction, which can lead to fentanyl, cocaine or heroine addiction. In a short period of time-- he or she can accidentally over dose and die. Did you know the number one killer of people between ages 18 and 45 is accidental overdosing on drugs. These drugs are not made in laboratories, but in the homes of drug addicts or drug lords. Young people, don’t take marijuana or any drug, not even just once, because you can become addicted for the rest of your life-- by taking it just one time. Just say no!

I did hospital ministry for 4 years and everyday I saw the mentally ill and patients addicted to drugs and alcohol. Some mental illness is caused by drugs, which damages the brain and so their life can end up ruined. They can’t hold down a job. Their marriage will fail. They can end up homeless.

A high school altar server in a previous parish was an outstanding young man. He excelled in sports and academics. Some of his friends gave him some marijuana and now at 19 years old, he’s addicted to marijuana and fentanyl. This past November, he overdosed twice. His mother found him unconscious and barely breathing. She did CPR and saved his life. He was in ICU and now is in a drug rehabilitation center. Its his second rehab center. Often times, I see people in and out of rehab. This would be the last family, I ever thought this would happen. But the devil is wicked and he tempts us through friends to do something evil and lead us in the wrong direction.

To be addicted to drugs and end up homeless, what a terrible sorrow for the addicted person and the family. Imagine the parents not knowing where their child is, under a bridge, in an abandoned shed, if he or she dead or alive. Truly a nightmare for everyone involved.

We should never judge others. Its easy for us to say, why don’t you just stop drinking, or stop taking drugs or why don’t you join in with everyone else. But they try and try and try and just can’t help their condition. But if they embrace their cross, even though they may drop it frequently, they will have a glorious crown in heaven. St. Mark Ji Tianxiang a doctor in 19th century China became addicted to opiates after taking them to treat a stomach ailment and by his virtous perseverance, he’s now a saint.

On our part, we should support them and help them to carry their cross, which becomes a family cross. And all must learn to do our part to carry it. Its not just their cross. Its our cross, our family cross. We are all in it together. Each of us can have a different role. 1. One who listens 2. One who prays 3. One who encourages.

There is hope for alcoholics and drug addicts. There is a fantastic drug and alcohol organization called Cenaculo. Surprisingly it is free. It costs nothing. Cenaculo relies on the generosity of donors. It can help both alcoholics and drug addicts to live normal lives. They have the highest success rate. It’s Catholic, they have Mass, Confession, Adoration, the Rosary, and they work together.

Because we are all human, and because all of us sin, there will always be difficulty or strife to endure. Every family has particular graces and blessings and joys and every family also has difficulties, crosses and sorrows.

Fr. Peyton, the famous television priest, used to say, “The family that prays together, stays together.” To attend Mass together, to go to confession together as a family and to pray every night helps the family to stay together.

All we have to do is ask each person what they want to pray for, or what they are thankful for and then close with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory and eventually maybe work up to praying the Rosary together.

Today, may we imitate the Holy Family, and ask them to help our families persevere through trials, every difficulty and protect our families.

Christmas Morning

“…Today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

What Child is this? Mary knew Her Son was the Messiah, was King, Lord and God. From the moment She was pregnant, She must have longed to see God, Her Son. She was first to pray to God dwelling within Her. Surely, She pondered, what He would look like? And when He was born, She was the first to kiss the face of God. To first to see the smile of God. She held God in Her arms, ate meals with Him, and walked side by side with Him. She heard the words of God, comforted Him in His passion and was first to see Him resurrected. And Mary knew more than anyone what would become of the Child. She knew the scriptures better than anyone, because Her intellect and memory didn’t suffer from original sin.

Every day in hospitals including Christmas children are born in the Labor and Delivery unit. Fathers of the children wait in eager longing to see their new born child. Grandparents of the children wait to hear the good news. Will it be a boy or girl, they wonder? As the parents hold their child for the first time, perhaps they wonder, “What will become of my child? And whose lives will my baby touch in the future? What will my child do?”

If the infant child is a girl, will she someday become a cheerleader or play volleyball? Will she sing like an angel? Who will she marry? How many children and grandchildren will she have? What college will she attend, what will be her major? Or will she become a nun and live in a convent and so become a spouse of Christ?

If the child is a boy, will he be a future quarterback or be an outstanding basketball player? Will he become a scientist and discover a cure for cancer? Will he become a fire fighter or a policeman and if so, whose lives will he save? Will he become a farmer, till the soil and raise cattle? Will he become a soldier? What girls will he date?

What hardships and difficulties will he face? What illnesses will he endure? Will the boy go to seminary and one day be ordained as a priest? These parents may wonder, “What will become of my child?”

The night Jesus was born, it was revealed to the humble, poor shepherds what would become of the Child born in Bethlehem and where they would find Him. The angel said to the shepherds, “….today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

Because of the angel, the shepherds came to know who He is and what He will do. He will be the savior. He is the Messiah, who is the Christ. He is Lord, who is God.

The wise men came to Jerusalem seeking the newborn King of Jews, and this is how Herod came to know, the baby born in Bethlehem is a King. Yet because He is king, because He is Messiah, because He is Lord, some of the words from the Christmas Hymn, “What Child is This?” remind us of the future destiny of the babe. “Nails, spears, shall pierce Him through; the Cross be borne for me for you…” What a horrible way to treat the King of heaven and earth. Who could imagine the Child, born in poor and humble conditions would be hung on a Cross?

Jesus allowed this to happen because He is Savior, who saves us from our sins. Just as in the time of Jesus, we too are able to come to Jesus and have our sins forgiven. Back then, Our Lord saved: the woman who committed adultery, the woman who washed His feet with her tears, the tax collector and the good thief from their sins, so today, Our Lord saves us by forgiving our sins through baptism and confession.

Once when I was in a nursing home, I noticed a woman dying. She wasn’t Catholic. Desiring to comfort the family, I came to her room and asked if I could pray for her. I discovered she wasn’t baptized and the family said she wanted baptism. I baptized the 95 year old woman and she died the next day. The Child born of Mary saved her from all her sins.

Once I was walking through a rehab center in Wichita. One person asked me to hear their confession, and as I was walking down the corridor another person asked me hear their confession. Within 15 minutes, I heard the confessions of two people and Jesus washed away the combination of 75 years of sins. Today, Jesus saves us from our sins.

What will become of this Child? What Child is this? The Jews who knew scripture, would have known the Messiah would heal the sick, give sight to the blind, to bring liberty to captives. He would be the Savior.

Jesus not only healed the lepers, the blind men, the paralytic and even raised the little girl from the dead, He heals the sick in every age including our own.

At my last parish of Sacred Heart in Halstead Kansas, the parents of a one year old child and I prayed to Jesus through the intercession of Fr. Emil Kapaun, a priest from the Diocese of Wichita who was killed in the Korean war, to heal the baby boy who had Leukemia. When the child was taken to the doctor, the doctor was astounded that the child no longer had Leukemia.

Jesus comforted the people in His day and He has comforted all who turn to Him including our generation. A woman with tears in her eyes, came out of an adoration chapel in Kansas and said, “Father, I just had the neatest experience. I felt the arms of Jesus around me.”

From the time of Jesus unto today, Jesus helps many to forgive others, including those who suffer from horrible injustices. I know a woman who could not forgive the man who killed her son. Until one day, she went to an adoration chapel and asked Jesus for help. Within a few minutes, her heart melted and she was able to forgive and pray for him.

What Child is This? Who can help each person in every generation, no matter their circumstances, no matter their life situations? Who can heal, forgive, give us comfort and peace?

What will this Child do for you? What I encourage you to do, is pick up the baby Jesus from your manger, and hold the baby Jesus in your arms and pray: I love you baby Jesus. I adore you baby Jesus. Baby Jesus you are the Lord of my life. You are the king of my heart and of my family. You are my best friend. To you I can confide everything. You will heal me. You will comfort me and wipe away my tears. You will give me strength to carry my cross. You will help me love others, especially those most difficult to love. I want to be with you in heaven. O Child Jesus, my savior, save me from my sins. Help me to come to Confession often. Give me the desire to come to Mass as often as possible, so that you may dwell within my soul and give me graces to reach my eternal home in heaven. I know what Child is this…. O Savior, Son of Mary, my King, my Lord and my God. Amen.

Christmas Night

 

In a cave, over 2000 yrs., ago, in the little town of Bethlehem, on a cold winter night, the Savior of the world, was miraculously born of a Virgin, in a stable with animals, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger, because there was no room for Him, in an Inn.

In a Cave—most of us were born in a hospital, but some of our parents and grandparents may have been born in homes, but no one here tonight would could imagine being born in a cave. Surely, Jesus deserved to born in the greatest of all places. But God Himself chose to be born, not in a palace for King, or the temple to be worshiped, or even the finest home, but born in a cave.

2000 yrs. ago. Tonight’s Gospel lists all the ancestors from Abraham to David and from David to Jesus. Thousands of years before Jesus in an unbroken line, the Jews waited for the Messiah until He would come to us born in Cave. And now, more than 2000 yrs. after the birth of the Christ, the Messiah, we ponder at the ancestral line of Jesus. Many of us can trace back our family line by way of a family tree. We do so to show our connection with our relatives—who are family. St. Matthew traces back the genealogy of Jesus, because He is the Son of the David, the expected King who was to come, as St. Luke states, “The Lord God will give Him the throne of David His Father.” He will rule over the House of Jacob and His reign will be without end.” The infant Jesus established His kingdom 2000 yrs, ago. His kingdom will be without end, because it will last forever.

In the little town of Bethlehem--- Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling the prophesy of the prophet Micah who said, “And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Bethlehem was the ancient city of David, the city in which the Messiah would come! Bethlehem was little, and so it was insignificant, perhaps something like Little River. But from the little town would come a ruler who would be a shepherd of the people Israel. From the little town would come a shepherd, who would guide the sheep to verdant pastures of heaven. The word “Bethlehem” means, “house of bread”. Jesus would someday say, “I am the living bread come down from heaven.” The little town of Bethlehem, by its very name would become symbolic with regard to how Jesus would shepherd His people—which would be by way of the Eucharist, the Bread of Life.

On a cold winter night--- Jesus was born on a cold winter night. The cold winter night represents the coldness of the hearts of mankind, who failed to give God the warmth of their love. The world had grown cold from sin. But in the dark winter night, a warm little babe was born who would melt the hearts of sinners and give meaning to suffering.

The Savior of the world---was born. Jesus Christ, who is Emmanuel, God with us—has come to save the world. When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, the angel said this about Mary, “She will bear a son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Our Lord would come as an infant Child, only to be later crucified on the Cross and rise from the dead, so that He could save His people from their sins. Before He died He established baptism and confession to save people from their sins in every day and age

Miraculously born of a Virgin--- When Mary was found with Child, the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall name Him, Emmanuel, which means God is with us.” How could a Virgin give birth to a child? It was through the power of the Holy Spirit, that Jesus would come down from heaven in Her womb. Because Mary was not subject to original sin, as a Virgin, She gave birth without any labor pains and in a miraculous manner, without the normal opening of Her womb and so Her virginal integrity was kept intact. Blessed Catherine Emmerich saw in a vision the miraculous birth of Jesus: “I saw the radiance round the Blessed Virgin ever growing greater…. At midnight she was wrapt in an ecstasy of prayer. I saw Her lifted from the earth, so that I saw the ground beneath her. Her hands were crossed on her (chest). The radiance about her increased…. Then I no longer saw the roof of the cave; a pathway of light opened above Mary, rising with ever-increasing glory towards the height of heaven…. Meanwhile the Blessed Virgin…. in ecstasy, was now gazing downwards, adoring her God, whose Mother she had become and who lay on the earth before her in the form of a helpless new-born child. I saw our Redeemer as a tiny child, shining with a light that overpowered all the surrounding radiance…..” This vision is something for all of us to ponder.

As Catholics we believe Mary had no children before or after Jesus was born. Our Lord chose Mary above all the women in the world to be His Mother, and the Mother of all mankind, the Mother of each of us.

Jesus was born in a stable with animals. Our Divine Lord chose to be born with smelly animals. An ox, some sheep, and a donkey huddled in the stable where Jesus was born. The stable would have smelled from the manure of the animals and from the dirty animals themselves. But at least Our Savior received some warmth by His creatures.

Wrapped in swaddling clothes--- Jesus had no pajamas, no clothes to wear, and so the Blessed Virgin Mary wrapped the Savior in long strips of cloth-- to keep Him warm. At least these cloths kept His little body warm. The cloths remind us of the cloths, which bound Jesus at His burial, when He would be placed in a cold tomb.

Jesus was laid in a manger—Away in a manger, with no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus, laid down His sweet head. As a newborn Infant, He was laid in a feeding trough for animals. The manger would become symbolic of His desire to feed us with His body and blood in the Eucharist. He chose to be born in poverty, to suffer from hunger, that we way may become rich in His love and satisfied with His every gift—especially His gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

There was no room for Him, in an Inn. On the night Jesus was to be born---when Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem they knocked on door to door, to find a place to stay. No one would receive our Savior, no one would let Him in.

Today, will we let Jesus into our life? Will we allow Him to save us-- by coming to Mass and receiving Him in Holy Communion by going to confession at least once a month?

In a cave, over 2000 yrs., ago, in the little town of Bethlehem, on a cold winter night, as Savior of the world, miraculously born of a Virgin, in a stable with animals, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger, because there was no room for Him, in an Inn.

Remember:

Twas the night before Christmas—at David’s House of Bethlehem.

Joseph and Mary arrived--- to find no room at the Inn.

Not a creature was stirring except those in a stable—a donkey, an ox, & some sheep.

In the silent night—not a whisper could be heard—no---not even a peep.

Miraculously born of a Virgin,

In a cold cave, in the middle of the winter,

A little Child was born to save all men.

When suddenly there arose such a clatter.

The shepherds were afraid to see what was the matter.

The glory of the Lord shone around them.

An angel appeared to them:

“I have come to bring good news to you.

Tidings of great joy.

This Day in David’s City.

A Savior has been born,

the Messiah the Lord.

Let this be a sign to you!

You will find an Infant wrapped in Swaddling Clothes

And lying in a manger.

Tonight, in your arms, take the Infant Child.

Although He is poor.

When He knocks, Open the door.

If you open,

He will give you infinitely more.

In your life, let Him in.

So as not to be closed, like that Inn of Bethlehem.

Come to Mass every Sunday.

Once a month confess your sins.

And you too will be filled with tidings of great joy.

Because that little boy,

Born 2000 yrs ago will save you from your sins!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Christmas

 

Caesar Augustus sat in his palace by the Tiber. Before him was a map. He was about to issue an order for a census of the world; for all the nations of the civilized world were subject to Rome. There was only one capital in this world: Rome; only one official language: Latin; only one ruler: Caesar. To every outpost, to every satrap and governor, the order went out: every Roman subject must be enrolled in his own city. On the fringe of the Empire, in the little village of Nazareth, soldiers tacked up on walls the order for all the citizens to register in the towns of their family origins.

Joseph, the builder, an obscure descendant of the great King David, was obliged by that very fact to register in Bethlehem, the city of David. In accordance with the edict, Mary and Joseph set out from the village of Nazareth for the village of Bethlehem, which lies about five miles on the other side of Jerusalem.

Joseph was full of expectancy as he entered the city of his family, and was quite convinced that he would have no difficulty in finding lodgings for Mary, particularly on account of her condition. Joseph went from house to house only to find each one crowded. Up a steep hill Joseph climbed to a faint light which swung on a rope across a doorway. This would be the village inn. There was room in the inn for the soldiers of Rome who had brutally subjugated the Jewish people; there was room for the daughters of the rich merchants of the East; there was room for those clothed in soft garments, who lived in the houses of the king; in fact, there was room for anyone who had a coin to give the innkeeper; but “There was no room in the inn.” for the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Out to the hillside to a stable cave, where shepherds sometimes drove their flocks in time of storm, Joseph and Mary went at last for shelter. Joseph began removing manure with a shovel, laying down straw and starting a fire.

At the moment of His birth, Mary didn’t suffer labor pains because She was preserved from original sin. One of the punishments for original sin was labor for women giving birth. It is a dogma of the faith, the birth of Jesus was miraculous. St. Ambrose said, “Mary is the gate through which Christ entered this world, when He was brought forth in the virginal birth, and the manner of His birth did not break the seals of virginity.” As light passes through glass without harming the glass, so too Jesus passed through the womb of Mary in a miraculous manner without any harm to Mary’s physical virginity. When He was born, there the God-Man lay, utterly clean and pure. And from Him radiated such marvelous light and splendor that the sun could not be compared to it.”

In the filthiest place in the world, a stable, Purity was born. He, Who was later to be slaughtered by men acting as beasts, was born among beasts. He, Who would call Himself the “living Bread descended from Heaven,” was laid in a manger, literally, a place to eat. Centuries before, the Jews had worshiped the golden calf, and the Greeks, the ass. Men bowed down before them as before God. Now the ox and the ass are present to make their innocent reparation, bowing down before their God.

There was no room in the inn, but there was room in the stable. The inn is the gathering place of public opinion, the focal point of the world’s moods, the rendezvous of the worldly, the rallying place of the popular and the successful. But the stable is a place for the outcasts, the ignored, the forgotten. A stable would be the last place one would have looked for Him.

No worldly mind would ever have suspected that He Who could make the sun warm the earth would one day have need of an ox and an ass to warm Him with their breath. His birthplace dictated by an imperial census; that He, Who clothed the fields with grass, would Himself be naked; that He, from Whose hands came planets and worlds, would one day have tiny arms that were not long enough to touch the huge heads of the cattle; that the feet which trod the everlasting hills would one day be too weak to walk; that the Eternal Word would be unable to speak; that Omnipotence would be wrapped in swaddling clothes; that Salvation would lie in a manger; no one would ever have suspected that God coming to this earth would ever be so helpless. And that is precisely why so many miss Him.

Now the infant Child lays on the lap of the Virgin, She kisses the face of God never seen before. A Mother’s heart races with love. She touches His fingers and He in turn smiles. Angels are heard in the distance singing Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth.

The manger and the Cross thus stand at the two extremities of the Savior’s life. He accepted the manger because there was no room in the inn; He accepted the Cross because men said, “We will not have this Man for our king.” Disowned upon entering, rejected upon leaving, He was laid in a stranger’s stable at the beginning, and a stranger’s grave at the end. An ox and an ass surrounded His crib at Bethlehem; two thieves were to flank His Cross on Calvary. He was wrapped in swaddling bands in His birthplace, He was again laid in swaddling clothes in His tomb — clothes symbolic of the limitations imposed on His Divinity when He took a human form.

The greedy and the prideful cannot grasp that “a rich man becoming poor that through His poverty, we might be rich.”

Only two classes of people found the Babe: the shepherds and the Wise Men; the simple and the learned; those who knew that they knew nothing, and those who knew that they did not know everything. Only the humble can find God.

In His First Advent, He took the name of Jesus which means “Savior”; it will only be in His Second Coming He will take the name of “Judge.” Jesus was not a name He had before He assumed a human nature; it properly refers to that which was united to His Divinity, not that which existed from all eternity. The name given to Him by the angel and conferred on Him by Joseph, Jesus means Savior, because “He will save the people from their sins.”

And when we look into the manger at the tiny Babe, how in the world could anyone ever say, “God does not love us”. For truly, when we see the face of God as a Child, we see in His face a God who loves us, so much He became one of us for us.

Mostly taken from Bishop Fulton Sheen

Dec. 22nd - My Soul Magnifies the Lord

Today’s Gospel is Mary’s Magnificat. The very first line says, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Another translation says, “My soul magnifies the Lord”.

At times some people have difficulty praying to Mary because they think when they pray to Her, She takes away from Jesus and that they ignore Him when they pray to Her. But She in no way takes anything from Jesus, but only brings Him into greater focus.

For truly Mary’s soul magnifies Lord. She makes clearer who He is and all that He does for us. When we pray to Her, She magnifies our prayers when She presents them to Jesus, She takes our weak and imperfect words, sort of like a dish with radishes and onions and she dresses up the dish to make it look like a plate full of food dazzling to the eyes and delicious for the stomach.

When anyone has difficulty reading if we take a magnifying glass, we see more clearer the words and so Mary, makes clearer Jesus, the Eternal Word.

What all of us should do is to draw ever close to Mary, by consecrating our selves to He often and by praying to Her frequently, for by doing so, our soul will become more and more like Mary’s soul. Our soul will too magnify the Lord, so that when people see us, they will see Jesus more clearly. And all will come to know that He who is mighty has done great things for us, and holy is His name.

Dec. 21st Advent - Visitation

Today the Gospel shows the marvels that God has done in two unborn children.

When the angel revealed his message to the Virgin Mary, he gave Her a sign to win Her trust. He told Her of her cousin’s new motherhood, who had been old and barren, to show that God is able to do all He wills. Believing the words of the angel, Mary sets out for the hill country hastening with joy.

As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the child leapt in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Notice the choice of words here. Elizabeth was first to hear Mary’s voice, but the unborn John is the first to be aware of grace. She hears with the ears of the body, but he leaps for joy at the meaning of the mystery. She is aware of Mary’s presence, but the unborn John is aware of the Lord’s presence. John, the forerunner is the aware of Jesus, the pledge for our salvation. The women speak of the grace received while the children are active in secret, unfolding the mystery of love with the help of their mothers, who prophesy by the spirit of their sons.

The child leaps in the womb, and his mother, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but not before her unborn son is filled with the Holy Spirit. Once her son has been filled with the Holy Spirit, he fills his mother with the same spirit.

John leaps for joy, and the spirit of Mary rejoices in Her return. When John leaps for joy, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but we know that that though Mary’s spirit rejoices, She does not need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. After conceiving John, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but Mary is already filled with the Holy Spirit before conceiving the Lord.

Let us ponder the marvels God has done in the unborn children ----and through the children ----to their mothers. May every mother’s soul, like that of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s, proclaim the greatness of the Lord. May their spirit rejoice in God in their savior, who has done good things within them, and so value each child as a marvel, which God has done for them and for the world.