Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Here are the readings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 2, 2014:
Malachi 3: 1-4
Psalm 24: 7-10
Hebrew 2: 14-18
Luke 2: 22-40

An older name for this feast is Candlemas- and the tradition held that people would bring their candles to be blessed.  The candles refer to Simeon's words in the Gospel, referring to Jesus as the light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for the Israelite. It is only at this time that people other countries, e.g. Italy, take down their Christmas decorations (hey, Winter darkness is still in full swing, we still need to be reminded of the joy brought to us by the Light of the World!).

Above all, these readings speak to us of the strength of well-placed hope. God does not disappoint. God may not work according to OUR timeline, but God remembers God's promises.  In what or whom do YOU place your hope?

Another Catholic tradition that will be celebrated in many parishes this weekend is the Blessing of the Throats in commemoration of the feast of St. Blase on February 3. For more information about this tradition, please click here.

The topic for the Catechumenate this Sunday is Tradition and traditions.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 26, 2014:
Isaiah 8: 23 - 9: 3
Psalm 27: 1, 4, 13-14
1 Corinthians 1: 10-13, 17
Matthew 4: 12-23

How do you respond to uncertainty? In the Gospel this week, Jesus' cousin John, the one to whom Jesus went to mark the beginning of his public ministry (and of whom Jesus was probably a follower), has been arrested (soon to face the fate of most effective prophets). In Matthew's account, John's arrest happens immediately after Jesus' 40 days of temptation in the desert, time during which he clarified the nature of his own mission.

I'd venture that it was as a result of that time of reflection that gave Jesus the courage and motivation for his reaction to John's arrest. He didn't go into hiding. On the contrary, he moved to a bigger town (Capernaum) and began to gather followers of his own. Convinced of the truth of his message, Jesus begins the process of transforming the world, person by person. And for those fishermen to drop their nets and change their lives from a simple yet clear invitation, there must have been some hole in their spirit and/or something deeply attractive about Jesus.

The story of the Gospel is about real people. It tells us how God's love for us, encountered in a special way through the person of Jesus, can call us --- not so much OUT of ourselves--- as INTO our true selves.

• Who in your life is an inspiration, who cause you to want to be your best self?
• When have you felt called to change your life? Why? Where did/do you find support?
• In what ways can you help Jesus 'catch people' ?

The topic for the Catechumenate this Sunday is "Being Called"
The next Inquiry session is Tuesday, January 28.
The final Mystagogia Session will be Sunday, February 9.

"Countdown to Christmas"- the O Antiphons

Here is a blog post that explains the ancient tradition of the "O Antiphons" that cover Dec. 17-23.

If you'd like a more local treatment of it, too- you can reference THIS blog's posts from a previous year:

Intro

December 17: O Wisdom

December 18: O Lord

December 19: O Flower of Jesse's Stem

December 20: O Key of David

December 21: O Radiant Dawn

December 22: O King of All Nations

December 23: O Emmanuel

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Here are the readings for the Last Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, November 24, 2013:

2 Samuel 5: 1-3
Psalm 122:  1-5
Colossians 1: 12-20
Luke 23: 35-43

 It is jarring to switch from the triumphalistic title of today's solemn feast (can't you even hear the royal brass blaring?) to the crucifixion scene in this week's Gospel.  And indeed, the early Christians had to grapple with the absurdity that the one they proclaimed as Messiah had been executed as a criminal. The resolution, of course, is in the glorious reality of Jesus Christs' victory over the ultimate foe-- even death is not strong enough to defeat God. 

Jesus, the 'image of the invisible God', the head of the Church, the Body of Christ.... the one who leads us to eternal life because of the power of  love. As we move toward the new liturgical year and into the season of Advent, we begin to reflect on the incarnation (God's desire to be one with us made flesh in Jesus) and on the second coming of Jesus as well. As Christians, we follow Jesus' example of loving service and sacrifice, knowing that by doing so, we become more fully the person God created us to be: a man or woman made in the Divine image and likeness. As we acclaim the dignity and sovereignty of the Lord, we can't help but evaluate how well we as the Body of Christ are living as the Body of Christ.

The Catechumenate meets this Sunday.
Inquiry may meet this Tuesday evening.

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2013:

Malachi 3: 19-20a
Psalm 98:  5-9
2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12
Luke 21: 5-19

The readings during these final weeks of the church year certainly are attention-grabbing! Over the centuries these 'in those days...' readings have inspired some people to focus their lives on looking for clues as a way to predict the coming of the end-times.  Many have withdrawn from engagement with the world out of certainty that they can hear those final trumpets warming up, that the rapture is nigh.  What are we, as Catholic Christians, to make of this Gospel?

I asked that question of our elementary formation director today. Well, not exactly. Knowing she was preparing for Sunday's children's liturgy of the word, I asked her what she was going to tell very young children about this Gospel. "Jesus says, 'don't be afraid'," was her reply.  Of course! When news of destructive typhoons or scary strangers down the street or around the world can enter our homes (TV, internet, papers, etc) nearly immediately, there is a lot to be concerned about. But who is stronger than any bad thing or person, who REALLY wins in the end? Jesus.

I think I would add that Jesus is telling us not to be distracted. After all, the Gospel starts with Jesus' audience obsessing about the costly decorations of the temple, and he reminds them that as wonderful as they are, buildings are only temporary  So- they miss his point. THEN they start obsessing about WHEN the temple might be destroyed! It feels that Jesus goes overboard in piling on the predictions of woes.  Actually, when Luke wrote these words, many of these things had already happened- so he was putting them in the context of the need for perseverance and faith.  Luke's Jesus reminds his followers not to be distracted from the Good News of the Gospel by present or anticipated hardship and persecution.

Don't be afraid, don't be distracted, either by opulence or poverty, by praise or insults... remember your calling as a member of Christ's body- to love and serve one another, as Christ example leads us.

There are no RCIA meetings this Sunday. You are encouraged to participate as fully as possible in the parish Year of Faith Mission on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30pm. Please click here for more details. 
NOTE: There was an unexpected death in ValLimar Jansen's family, and the Year of Faith Mission is canceled and will be rescheduled after the holidays.

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 10, 2013:

2 Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-14
Psalm 17:  1, 5-6, 8, 15
2 Thessalonians 2: 16 - 3: 5
Luke 20: 27-38

The Catechumenate and Mystagogia groups both meet this Sunday, and Inquiry will be this Tuesday!

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 3, 2013:

Wisdom 11: 22 - 12: 2
Psalm 145:  1-2, 8-11, 13-14
2 Thessalonians 1: 11 - 2: 2
Luke 19: 1-10

Many of us are fairly familiar with the Gospel story of Zaccheus: the man who was so eager to glimpse Jesus that he climbed a tree - and unexpectedly found himself hosting Jesus that night for dinner... and changing his ways from that encounter.


But let's focus on these beautiful words from the Book of Wisdom:

For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O LORD and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!

Motivations abound.  We might obey, or agree, or go along simply out of fear. Maybe out of indifference. Possibly to be thought well of. While those motivations might affect our actions, our deepest beliefs and inclinations could remain untouched.

But if we can believe, truly believe that God loves us to our very souls, that God's spirit is WITH us and wills for us to succeed in being utterly and simply ourselves (fully human, one made in the image and likeness of God)- oh, what a difference that would make! Armed with that courage, with the certitude of being loved and accepted, it becomes easier to admit our failings, to take that first step (either up, or out of, the tree) to letting God's spirit transform our lives.

• Spend some time this week contemplating the gift of YOUR life. 
• How well can you accept that God is in love with you?
• In what ways do you need God's spirit to strengthen your will to be fully human?