Daily Retreat 01/02/08

2008 Jan 2 Wed: Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bps, drs M
1 Jn 2: 22-28/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Jn 1: 19-28

From today’s readings:  “Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well....  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God....  I baptize with water; but there is One among you whom you do not recognize, the One who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

Lies and deceptions

The moral implications of Christian faith are pretty clear - we can hardly call ourselves Christians if we don’t pursue righteousness of action.  But faith is also a call to embrace the fullness of Truth - in our pluralistic society, we forget that we can stray from our faith not just by implicating ourselves in evil actions, but also by embracing false teachings.

St. John is particularly emphatic in warning readers against errors in teaching.  In his day, as in ours, many compromise orthodox belief in Jesus in order to harmonize with other popular opinions.  For instance, there is the false notion that Jesus is just one of many ways to salvation - those who hold this notion, have little zeal in sharing their faith because they think that an atheist or pagan can be saved without Christ.  While Jesus Himself taught that it is possible to attain eternal life without explicit knowledge of Him (cf. Matthew 25), such people are nevertheless still saved through Christ’s merit, so leading atheists and pagans to the awareness of Christ is still the most invaluable assistance to salvation.

That’s just one common error leading people astray - there are many such “antichrists.”  How do you and I avoid falling into such errors?  The Splendor of the Truth of our faith calls for constant effort on our part - ongoing prayer, meditation, and study, so that our personal understanding of our faith is continually enriched and kept pure from the dross of all error!

Daily Retreat 01/01/08

2009 Jan 1 Thu: MARY, MOTHER OF GOD S (Octave of Christmas). Holy Day of Obligation.
Nm 6: 22-27/ Ps 66(67): 2-3. 5. 6. 8 (2a)/ Gal 4: 4-7/ Lk 2: 16-21

From today’s readings:  “The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you....  May God bless us in His mercy....  When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman....  When eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”

Best Place to Start

Today, the beginning of the civil new year, is also the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God - her most exulted title!  A most festive feastday throughout the world, not because of this date’s position at the head of the civil calendar, but because of it’s status as the octave day of Christmas (cf. Luke’s gospel: “When eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”  Although we would refer to today as the seventh day after Christmas, the ancient tradition of counting days always included the day of reference as the first day, so January 1st is the “8th day” - “octave” of Christmas).

This raises the question of what we recognize as our own central point of reference: the birth of our Lord, or merely the civil tradition.  The Church calls us to celebrate this day in the context of Christmas, recognizing Mary as not just the mother of Jesus’ human nature, but the mother of His entire person (including His divine nature) and therefore, veritable Mother of God.  So the festivities of this day need to focus on these religious reasons.  There’s nothing wrong with  festive New Year’s Eve/Day activities, but if champagne and party hats and football games are all that you think of today, then your most crucial resolution should be to realize what it’s all about:   the mystery of God made man, through the loving cooperation of Mary, Mother of God.

Daily Retreat 12/31/07

2007 Dec 31 Mon:Christmas Weekday/ Sylvester I, pp
1 Jn 2:18-21/ Ps 95(96):1-2. 11-12. 13/ Jn 1:1-18

From today’s readings:  “Children, it is the last hour....  The LORD comes, He comes to rule the earth....  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The Last Hour

There seems to be a deliberate contrast between St. John’s letter with the sober reminder, “Children, it is the last hour!”  and the gospel overture, “In the beginning was the Word....”

What are you going to do with this last day and hour of 2007?  This day and hour have been given to you and me by God for the same reason He gives us every other day and hour: so that we choose Him!  So that we can say, “This moment is to be the end of the reign of sin in my life, and my welcome to the new beginning incarnated in the Word made flesh.”

Daily Retreat 12/30/07

2007 Dec 30 SUN:HOLY FAMILY F
Sir 3:2-6. 12-14/ Ps 127(128):1-2. 3. 4-5/ Col 3:12-21/ Mt 2:13-15. 19-23

From today’s readings: “Kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins....  Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways....  Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do....  Rise, take the Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you....”

50% off Christmas?

Right after Christmas, stores start putting away their holiday displays, and advertise 50% off of Christmas merchandise.  Too many Christians take the lead from such commercial standards and concur that Christmas is over for another year - but thus, they allow themselves to be gypped in their celebration of Christmas!

For December 25th is the beginning, not the end, of the Christmas season, which extends beginning with a great octave from the great solemnity yesterday, all the way through the Epiphany (feast of the Three Kings) and up to the commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord (celebrated January 13th this year).

So, really today is an integral part of our Christmas celebration, a continuation of our holy day festivities, and not a day to start packing things away!  How appropriate that the first Sunday after Christmas centers on the Holy Family - Mary and Joseph certainly didn’t let their joy at the birth of Christ fizzle out right after His birthday, and neither should we!

Daily Retreat 12/29/07

2007 Dec 29 Sat:Christmas Weekday/ Thomas Becket, bp, mt
1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 95(96):1-2a,2b-3,5b-6; Lk 2:22-35

From today’s readings:  “The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep His commandments....  Sing to the LORD a new song....  My own eyes have seen the salvation which You prepared in the sight of every people.....”

Do You Know Jesus?

Our Christmas celebration ought to be tempered by Christmas meditation, and so the question, “Do you know Jesus?”  In other words, was your Christmas party a mere toast to a famous figure of the past, or was it truly a family festivity in honor of, and in gratitude for, and in the presence of your beloved Brother?

St. John bluntly helps us determine the answer:
“Beloved: The way we may be sure that we know Jesus  is to keep His commandments.  Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.”

Do you know Jesus?  Do you keep His commandments?  Do you see the connection?  St. John is an excellent guide who wrote his first letter to help us answer “YES!” to all these questions.

Daily Retreat 12/28/07

2007 Dec 28 Fri:Holy Innocents, mts F
1 Jn 1:5 – 2:2; Ps 123(124):2-3,4-5,7b-8; Mt 2:13-18

From today’s readings:  “If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,’ while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth....  Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare....  A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more..”

The Slaughter of Infants

Today’s feast of the Holy Innocents has taken on a new significance in the last decades since the legalization of abortion.  King Herod saw the Babe of Bethlehem as a threat to his throne; likewise, it is a chilling fact that those who turn to abortion most often do so because they see their baby as something that would upset the security of their own enthroned lifestyle.  

By itself, the Gospel has no words of comfort to address the slaughter of the innocent infants.  However, the Church, malcontent with Matthew’s muteness, presumes to proclaim this poignant passage in the context of the joyful octave of Christmas; moreover, the Church even honors the Holy Innocents as glorious martyrs, since they truly bore witness to Christ with their own life’s blood.

Now the Church does not deny that every martyr’s death is a tragic consequence of unfettered evil - this is certainly true about the senseless slaying of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem, and the senseless slaying of the unborn innocents looms as the most gruesome tragedy of our day.  But in focusing on the witness of martyrdom instead of the senselessness of death, the Church affirms that evil does not have the final word!  God only allows evil so that ultimately a greater good may come from it; thus, the eternal glory of martyrdom can arise from even the evil slaying of innocents, and the modern holocaust of legalized abortion will also be inevitably consumed by undying Christian commitment to God’s Gospel of Life!

Daily Retreat 12/27/07

2007 Dec 27 Thu:John, ap, ev F
1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 96(97):1-2,5-6,11-12; Jn 20:1a and 2-8

From today’s readings:  “Beloved: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands....  The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice....  On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved....”

The Perfect Christmas Card

Although it’s easy to forget, the New Testament epistles are indeed letters, written by the Apostles to friends and Church communities in order to assist them in their faith.  The First Letter of John (the first chapter in particular!) perhaps could be considered the earliest Christmas correspondence, for St. John writes so joyfully about how the Incarnation of Christ has made such a difference in his own life, and in the life of all who welcome the Son of God.

The ecstatic opening verses are among my favorites in the whole Bible.  St. John marvels at the palpable Real Presence of God with us, a Presence that can actually be seen and felt.   If you and I have even an inkling about the true meaning of Christmas, then these words cannot fail to stir up within us the similar sentiments of enduring joy and thanksgiving for our fellowship with God made man!

Daily Retreat 12/26/07

2007 Dec 26 Wed:Stephen, protomartyr F
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Ps 30(31):3cd-4,6 and 8ab,16bc and 17; Mt 10:17-22

From today’s readings:  “As they were stoning Stephen, he called out ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit....’ Into Your hands I commend my spirit; You will redeem me, O LORD....  you will be led before governors and kings for My sake as a witness before them and the pagans.”

The Crown of Martyrdom

The day after Christmas is, for so many, such a chaotic day: fighting crowds at the mall to return defective merchandise, cleaning up the bedlam created by the Christmas gift exchange, writing thank you notes, etc.  The peace promised to come with the newborn Prince of Peace can seem rather short-lived!

Surprisingly, the Church concurs that this day after Christ’s nativity is indeed a chaotic day (even rightfully so!) that deliberately contrasts with the peace of Christmas.  For on this day, we celebrate the martyrdom of St. Stephan, the first to lay down his life in witness to the Resurrected Christ.  

We might protest: wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to avoid puncturing Christmas serenity with the recollection of Stephan’s martyrdom on this date? Ah!  but the clash is actually intentional - the Church insists that the birth of Christ is celebrated in the context of the mission of Christ - to lay down His life for all, that we may share in His divine life!  If we faithfully welcome Christ at His birth, we must be ready, as was Stephan, to faithfully follow Him unto death, giving witness to Him with our whole lives!

Daily Retreat 12/25/07

2007 Dec 25 Tue:THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD S. Holy Day of Obligation.

Midnight Mass: Is 9:1-6/Ps 95(96)/Ti 2:11-14/Lk 2:1-14.
Mass at Dawn: Is 62:11-12/Ps 96(97)/Ti 3:4-7/Lk 2:15-20.
Mass During the Day: Is 52:7-10/Ps 97(98)/Heb 1:1-6/Jn 1:1-18

From today’s readings: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.....”

For some people in our “camera-phone” culture, one of the disappointing things about the four Gospels is the fact that nowhere in their pages is there any description of what Jesus Christ looked like.  Everything we know about Jesus is presented only in the written word:  what He said, and what He did.  Yet think about it:  without a single picture, we bond with this individual Who significantly and substantially, uniquely and ubiquitously changed the mental and moral climate of twenty centuries of civilization.   

Perhaps the best way to appraise and appreciate the unparalleled influence of Christ is to try to imagine the world without Him, to picture, if you can, what the world would be like if He had not been born that first day we now call Christmas!  For if a person wanted to escape the influence of Christ, he would have to shy away from the shadows of all the colossal cathedrals, leave untouched shelf after shelf of illuminating literature, shield the eyes from the gaze of the most famous paintings, and plug the ears to all the magnificent music inspired by Christ Himself.  One would have to blot out the great names whose ingenious minds were shaped by the Light of the Galilean carpenter, and never cross the threshold of all the institutions of compassion and the many universities of learning that were erected on the premise of Christian ideals.  As a matter of fact, such a person could not address a letter, write a check or sign a contract without referring to how many years have passed  since the birthday of Jesus Christ, for  history, whether pagan or religious, was split in two on the roof of a Bethlehem barn!

Potent and powerful, inconceivable and incredible are words that describe the influence of Christ on civilization.  Who in the world, in fact, is there that can completely escape the full gravity of His divinely dynamic influence? As committed Christians,  we think as we think,  we believe as we believe, and we behave as behave because Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day.  

But what I want to emphasize today is not the fact of it, but the force of it; not the mystery, but  the means and the method of His influence.  For it was a miracle of modesty that God should use the way of humility and lowliness to come to humankind!   Talk about a “low profile” - God made absolutely no frontal assault on the minds of men,  nor did He employ His power to bring pressure upon anyone. As it has been poetically pointed out in the past, He was born in obscurity with neither wealth or prestige, He never traveled more than a few hundred miles in any direction,  His recorded words can be read in less than one hour, He was deserted by His closest friends, and He was executed by his enemies as a common criminal. God’s method was more miraculous than mysterious, for it is contrary to all the rules of common sense that Jesus Christ should ever wield any influence on earth at all!

Certainly, had God consulted us first in His plan to send the Messiah,  a military man would have briefed Him on a different strategy,  a public relations expert would have organized a more effective campaign,  a Madison Avenue advertiser would have arranged a more successful approach.  At the very least, we would have had Him born in a better place than on the edge of the Sinai Desert  - how about a plush promontory on the French Riviera?  or in Rome, with its imperial palaces, suburban villas and helmeted legions?  or in Athens, with its profound philosophies and marble art?  or in Alexandria, with it busy bazaars and colorful harbor?  If God would have only waited for world-wide cable television or internet to carry His dramatic arrival in Bethlehem live and in color!  And to be truly effective, God should have proclaimed His Divinity in tones of unmistakable clarity and unambiguous transparency in order to apprehend and arrest the world’s attention and to demand and command the world’s respect and regard.  If only God would have moved in the right circles . . .

But instead, what do we have? We have omnipotence in bonds, and divinity in chains! We have a delicate and fragile baby!   We have an apprentice carpenter in his dad’s woodshop!  We have a penniless prophet surrounded by Palestinian  peasants!  We look for the power of God, and we see a helpless infant in the straw...

All the anxious hopes of recorded history, all the trembling predictions of gray-bearded prophets, all the yellowed parchments of inspired Old Testament scripture, all the centuries of waiting, watching and wondering - to think it should all finally leads to a straw-filled manger in a midnight cave in the middle of a rejected Roman Province!

It is really difficult to believe, isn’t it, that one little “Stranger in a Manger” should hold so much influence . . . and to think this influence has traveled the centuries of time and has enriched even our area in space.  Has their ever been anyone else like Jesus Christ for whom the royalty and majesty of the distant East tip-toed into a stable and presented treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh at the foot of a baby’s crib?  

In the Garden of Eden, man was made in the image and likeness of God.  In the cave of Bethlehem, God was made manifest in the image and likeness of man.  God could not make Himself greater to impress us,  so, paradoxically, He made himself smaller to attract us.  Who could help loving a defenseless Infant?  Nobody now has a valid reason for running away from God, so let us come and adore Him, for even at this late date, the influence and the light from Jesus Christ can lighten our burdens and brighten our days and can illuminate thoughts and motivate our lives as the mystery and miracle continues....

Daily Retreat 12/24/07

2007 Dec 24 Mon:Advent Weekday
Morning:  2 Sm 7:1-5.8-11.16/Ps 88(89):2-3. 4-5. 27 and 29/Lk 1:67-79
Vigil of Christmas: Is 62:1-5/Ps 88(89):4-5, 16-17, 27, 29/Acts 13:16-17.22-25/Mt 1:1-15

From today’s readings:  “The LORD also reveals to you that He will establish a house for you.....  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord....  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for He has come to His people and set them free.”

Of the House of David

The promised Messiah is hinted at in earlier verses of scripture (such as Genesis 3:15, known as the “proto-evangelium,” the first announcement of the good news of Christ’s coming), but the divine promise which most inspired the Israelites to look to the coming Messiah was the one delivered by the prophet Nathan to King David.  In answer to the king’s plan to build a house (temple) for God, instead, God opts to raise a house (dynasty) for David - to establish his heir (who will be Son to God) as the One who would rule forever.  Each of the Gospels (particularly Matthews!) takes pains to demonstrate Jesus as “born of the house of His servant David” (see today’s Gospel, Luke 1:69) and therefore, the longed-for Messiah!

Daily Retreat 12/23/07

2007 Dec 23 SUN:FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (O Emmanuel)
Is 7:10-14/ Ps 23(24):1-2. 3-4. 5-6 (7c. 10b)/ Rom 1:1-7/ Mt 1:18-24

Yet Advent

It is so easy to shortchange our celebration of this fourth Sunday of Advent.  Caught in the whirlpool of the commercial holiday rush, you and I find ourselves wondering how we'll manage to get all the THINGS ready in time.  Children, tantalized by brightly wrapped presents already piled under the tree, start begging, "Can't we open just one present today?"  And here I'm talking about the big kids, you know, the 45 year olds - sometimes, the little kids are even worse!

Already exhausted from the holiday rush, poor pressed parents might even find themselves secretly wishing the big day were already over and done with.  Even the Gospel of this fourth Sunday of Advent suspiciously is beginning to sound a lot like Christmas, as if the Church herself were admitting that the holy birthday party has already begun.

Yet today's Gospel passage is not the Christmas reading.  True, on Christmas eve, this same passage is read, but with the addition of one more verse, an all important verse that is deliberately omitted for today's celebration, deliberately omitted so that today you and I can focus clearly on the common refrain of all of today's scripture readings:

From the prophet Isaiah:  Listen, o house of David...

From St. Paul's Letter to the Romans:  His Son, of the seed of David, according to the flesh...

From St. Matthew's Gospel:  An angel appeared to him saying, "Joseph, son of David..."

Why do you suppose the son of Jesse, good King David, gets mentioned so often in this weekend edition of the holy press?  Clearly, the Church wishes to remind us that Jesus is of the house and lineage of David.  And, because of this, in Jesus, all the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, which spoke of the Anointed Descendent of David, are now to be fulfilled.  Throughout this season of Advent, the liturgical readings have cycled through these prophecies, piling them up from the first Sunday of Advent.  And now, we're reminded, these prophecies, these hopes, these prayers for salvation, are about to be fulfilled!

Advent, as we all know by now, means "coming" - doubtlessly, you all have many THINGS to prepare yet for Christmas, but above all, you and I can be inspired on this fourth Sunday of Advent, to spend these final hours of Advent preparing OURSELVES for the coming of Christ, thereby gaining a new wonder, appreciation and awe for the Lord Jesus' coming in history in fulfillment of the promises to the house of David, making room in our hearts and lives so that the Lord Jesus can come there today, and joyfully praying for the new coming in glory of the holy Shoot sprung from the root of Jesse.

Daily Retreat 12/22/07

2007 Dec 22 Sat:Advent Weekday (O Rex Gentium)
1 Sm 1:24-28/ 1 Sm 2:1. 4-5. 6-7. 8abcd/ Lk 1:46-56

From today’s readings:  “I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD....  My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God....  My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior!”

O Rex Gentium - O King of the Nations!

In one of the most poignant passages in all the Bible, Hannah, who had prayed so fervently for a child, having finally received that blessing from the Lord, after a few short years, returns with her husband Elkanah to the temple and there, in the presence of God’s priest Eli, they return their small son Samuel to the Lord.  Humanly speaking, what sadness must have tugged at Hannah’s heart as she handed her son over to God (not just figuratively, but literally!), yet in her prayer (used as today’s responsorial psalm), her heart exults and rejoices, because she realizes why God gave her a child - she understands that all blessings are given so that they can be given again and shared and consecrated in God’s service!  Hannah’s prayer and Mary’s Magnificat are so similar because they both were able to see the bigger picture of their lives and all lives in the context of God’s plan.

What are the most precious gifts you have received from God and others?  Have you nervously or selfishly hoarded these gifts, or, like Hannah and Mary, do you exult and rejoice in the Lord’s goodness as you discover the joy and peace of sacrificially sharing especially the most precious gifts, and freely placing them back in God’s hands?  Remember, that’s what God did for us in the gift of His Son, the King of the Nations!

Daily Retreat 12/21/07

2007 Dec 21 Fri:Advent Weekday (O Oriens)/ Peter Canisius, p, dr
Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/ Ps 32(33):2-3. 11-12. 20-21/ Lk 1:39-45

From today’s readings:  “Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come....  Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior....  Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to Him a new song....  Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled!”

O Oriens - O Dawn!

The lectionary today presents a choice for the first reading: either 3:14-18 from the prophet Zephaniah or 2:8-14 from the Canticle of Canticles (a.k.a. the Song of Songs, or the Song of Solomon).  Which do I recommend?  Why, both, of course!

Both readings depict a profound joyful change for the better, from the wintery cold and damp to the beauty of the flowers of spring, from a time of fear to a time of fulfillment.  In the Song of Songs, the glad tidings are presented as the intimate whispering of a Lover to His beloved; in the prophet Zephaniah’s words, the good news rings as a trumpet fanfare for all peoples to hear.

And that’s because the Gospel tidings of the birth of Christ are both - both very personal, directed to each man, woman, and child intimately and individually, but also to all people together of all ages and places.  All darkness is to be vanquished by the blessed birth and radiant dawn from on high!

Daily Retreat 12/20/07

2007 Dec 20 Thu:Advent Weekday (O Clavis David)
Is 7:10-14; Ps 23(24):1-2,3-4ab,5-6; Lk 1:26-38

From today’s readings:  “Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky....  Such is the race that seeks for Him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob....  Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

O Key of David!

The virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and name Him Emmanuel

The most sublime prophecy about the birth of the Messiah is found in Isaiah 7:14  - “The virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and name Him Emmanuel.”  St. Matthew’s Gospel insists that this verse is the very denouement of the mysterious events leading to the birth of Christ (cf. Matt 1:22-23) and St. Luke patently alludes to the same verse when he repeatedly emphasizes Mary’s virginity (cf. Luke 1:27, 1:34).

No wonder then that, for most of us Christians, Isaiah’s prophecy is more than vaguely familiar.  If anything, the surprise comes in realizing that the earlier Advent scriptures had not yet included this constitutional passage.  Why then did the Church arrange for this reading so late in the Advent season?  Your careful overview of the Advent lectionary should lead to the insight that attention and meditation on the earlier Advent readings is needed to best appreciate the significance of this prophecy!

Sometimes people wonder why, in the prophecy from the Book of Isaiah, it is clearly stated that the Virgin’s Son will be named “Emmanuel,” (meaning “God with us”)_whereas in the Gospel of Luke (and Matthew), the angelic command is for the Child to bear the name “Jesus” (meaning “Savior” or “God saves”).  Clearly, the Son of Mary is both “Savior” and “God with us,” so we can call upon Him using either name.

Daily Retreat 12/19/07

2007 Dec 19 Wed:Advent Weekday (O Radix Jesse)
Jgs 13:2-7,24-25a; Ps 70(71):3-4a,5-6ab,16-17; Lk 1:5-25

From today’s readings:  “An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son...  On You I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb You are my strength.....  The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John....”

O Radix Jesse, O Root of Jesse!

As part of the structured scriptural “mini-series” presented in these last days of Advent, miraculous births of the Old Testament are recounted in the first readings, such as that of Samson, recorded in the book of Judges.  The parallels between Samson and John the Baptist are very clear: the births of both were announced by an angel, both were born of barren mothers, both were given a clear divine mission which was first explained to the parents, both had a mission which preluded an even greater mission of their greater successor (Samson began the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines, David completed the task; John the Baptist was the voice crying in the wilderness, Jesus is the Word of God Himself).

The consideration of these miraculous births is also meant to highlight the even more miraculous and marvelous nature of Christ’s birth (the contrast will be shown clearly in the Gospel details - for example, Samson’s and John’s birth of barren mothers clearly shows God’s intervention, but even more so does Christ’s birth of the Virgin Mary).  The symmetrical convergence of Old Testament typology, prophecy, and preparation is clearly coming to fulfillment and climax!

Daily Retreat 12/18/07

2007 Dec 18 Tue:Advent Weekday (O Adonai)
Jer 23:5-8; Ps 71(72):1-2,12-13,18-19; Mt 1:18-25

From today’s readings: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David....  Justice shall flourish in His time, and fullness of peace for ever....  Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home....”

O Adonai!

An Historical and Prayerful Perspective

Jesus was an historical person, but our preparation and celebration of His historical birth is much more than a mere historical commemoration or even re-enactment.  Our celebration of His birth is enshrined in thanksgiving for His present presence, and our celebration is additionally gilded in anticipation of His future presence, which will be even more intense.   This was the Lord’s message through Jeremiah’s prophecy that instead of merely focusing on what God had done in the past (such as the liberation from the slavery of Egypt), the Lord’s chosen people would also come to celebrate His present and even future mercy.

As Christmas draws ever nearer, this is the time to make sure our festivities in honor of our Sacred Lord are three-dimensional, reflecting an awareness of the loving and merciful presence in the past, present, and future of our sacred Lord.

Daily Retreat 12/17/07

2007 Dec 17 Mon:Advent Weekday (O Sapientia)
Gn 49:2. 8-10/ Ps 71(72):1-2. 3-4ab. 7-8. 17/ Mt 1:1-17

From today’s readings:  “The scepter shall never depart from Judah....  In Him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim His happiness....  Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary - from her was born Jesus, called the Christ.”

O Sapientia, O Wisdom!

A marked shift occurs today, December 17th, in the tone of the liturgical texts - as we begin the countdown week to Christmas, the scripture readings finally turn from texts recalling remote preparation to passages detailing the more immediate preparations for the birth of the Messiah.  

This is most apparent in the Gospel readings: you may have noticed that all of the Advent Gospel readings until today (including yesterday’s!) have presented Jesus in His adult years. This may have seemed out-of-place, since Advent is the season of preparation for celebration of His birth.  But there’s a simple explanation:  there just are very few Gospel verses that treat of the time before the birth of Christ!  So for the next week, the lectionary will systematically draw from the first chapter in Matthew, then in Luke, leading up to the verses that treat of the birth of Christ (which naturally, are saved for Christmas!).

While the Gospel passages will thus be sequential, the first readings will seem to jump around wildly, since they will be intentionally chosen to highlight an Old Testament prophecy that is fulfilled (or at least alluded to) in the Gospel.  So, as the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel traces the genealogy of Jesus, the first reading recalls Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis that the tribe of Judah would be preeminent, for from his lineage would come the Messiah, the incarnation of Wisdom!

You might be tempted to skim quickly through the Lord’s genealogy presented at the beginning of the New Testament, but consider this:  St. Matthew’s gospel begins with the phrase “The book of Genesis.” It’s translated different ways – some versions read “the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ,” some say “the family history,” because that’s the literal meaning of  the Greek word Matthew chooses,  “Genesis.”  So the concept of family history is something that is fundamental in the Bible (at the beginning of both the Old and New Testament!), and that’s how we have to read everything that happens in the Bible –  as family history! As something that applies to us and to all our ancestors, and will be just as important to those that come after us.

Daily Retreat 12/16/07

2007 Dec 16 SUN:THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Is 35:1-6a. 10/ Ps 145(146):6-7. 8-9. 9-10/ Jas 5:7-10/ Mt 11:2-11

From today’s readings: “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom....  Lord, come and save us....  Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand....  Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.”

An Advent Oasis

The third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday” - the Latin word “gaudete” means “Rejoice!”  Up to this point, the liturgies and tone of the Advent season have been more pensive and somber, carefully reining in the joyful overtones of this time of year.  That’s not to suggest that this is supposed to be a gloomy time of the year!  But, like a composer who sneaks a subtle diminuendo in right before the climatic crescendo of the finale, so the Church helps us pace our holiday excitement to lead up to Christmas!

In that context, Gaudete Sunday is a playful preview of the finale.  In the first reading, Isaiah’s prophecy paints a picture of everything gone right - even the desert and wastelands can’t resist the transforming joy of the Messiah’s mission!  St. James reminds us to be patient and wait - the Coming of the Lord will fulfill all divine promises.  In the Gospel, our sneak preview focuses on that moment in the life of Christ when everyone (even those in prison like John!) were just starting to grasp the implications of Emmanuel - what it means to have “God with us!”  Even the damp and darkness of John’s prison could not shut out the transforming joy of the Messiah’s mission!

All of us know too well life’s deserts and wastelands, the damp and darkness of disappointments and despair, the cruel confinement of bitter fate.  And yet every shadow and sterility (even those which weigh on us the most right now!) can be overcome by the transforming joy of the Messiah’s mission, for blessed is the one who takes no offense in Emmanuel!

Daily Retreat 12/15/07

2007 Dec 15 Sat:Advent Weekday
Sir 48:1-4. 9-11/ Ps 79(80):2ac and 3b. 15-16. 18-19/ Mt 17:9a. 10-13

From today’s readings:  “You were destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD....  Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved....   I tell you that Elijah has already come....”

Baptist Basics

NB:  The first reading book of Sirach is also sometimes titled “Ben Sira” or “Ecclesiasticus,” and can be found in your Bible right before the book of the prophet Isaiah (but not included in most protestant translations).

In Mark 1:6, John the Baptist is described as “dressed in camel hair and wearing a leather belt around his waist,” which, not coincidentally, closely mirrors the prophet Elijah’s clothing as described in 2Kings 1:8.  In today’s Gospel verses, re-affirming Matthew 11:14, Jesus explicitly states that John the Baptist is indeed the fulfillment of the prophecy of the return of Elijah (today’s first reading and Malachi 4:5).

Are you starting to appreciate the importance of John the Baptist and his mission?  And have you reflected on his significance not just in the past, but for our advent meditations and preparations in our own day?  (Cf. last Sunday’s meditation).

Daily Retreat 12/14/07

2007 Dec 14 Fri:John of the Cross, p, dr M
Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-2,3,4 and 6; Mt 11:16-19

From today’s readings:  “I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go....  Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life....  wisdom is vindicated by her works...”

For Your Own Good

So often, you and I resist God’s teachings and His will in our lives because it somehow seems distasteful, demanding, or detrimental to our own sense of happiness.  But our resistance is illogical and often tragic because, intellectually, we know well that God knows best what IS best for us; and, since He is all-good, He ONLY wants the best for us; therefore, simply following His will and teachings will always be best for us!

Temptations, though, make us get mixed up: we stop seeking what God wants (viz., what objectively is best for us), and instead, start desiring what God doesn’t want for us  -  that which  He knows is NOT good for us!  So we end up being like the cranky child who wants to stay up late even though his mother, who knows how tired he really is, tells him it’s time for bed!

In the book of Isaiah, God reminds us, “I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.” You and I can best use the rest of these days of Advent to put to rest our disordered resistance to His will, simply remembering that God always knows best!

Daily Retreat 12/13/07

2007 Dec 13 Thu:Lucy, v, mt M
Is 41:13-20/ Ps 144(145):1 and 9. 10-11. 12-13ab/ Mt 11:11-15

From today’s readings: “Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel....  The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness....   From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force....”

Worms and Maggots

Children are taught not to insult others by calling names, and it’s generally a sign of immaturity when adults stoop to that level.  So it comes as a bit of a shock to pious ears when God Himself inspires prophets to say such things as “Fear not, O worm Jacob!”

Since it comes from God, we can rule out such divine designations as mere immature slurs.   And the context confirms this: God is not intending to degrade the people of Jacob and Israel, but He is making a point about their helplessness and His own omnipotence.

It’s hard sometimes to settle on a healthy harmony between our dignity yet utter dependency as children of God.  It’s wrong to think of ourselves as worthless worms - if that were truly the case, that would call into question God’s job of creation and commitment to redeem and sanctify us.  Yet the other extreme is the more common temptation: to overestimate our own merits and abilities at the expense of giving proper credit to God’s grace.  Instead of worrying about whether our self-esteem is too low or too high, the better approach is to seek to grasp how God esteems us!

Daily Retreat 12/12/07

2007 Dec 12 Wed:Our Lady of Guadalupe F
Readings from Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab/Judith 13:18bcde, 19/Lk 1:39-47 (Guadalupe)

From today’s readings: “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet....  You are the highest honor of our race....  Hail, full of grace!”

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe is not only the patroness of Mexico, but of all the Americas as well.  Many people are only vaguely aware of the details of this Marian apparition in 1531.  I encourage you to check out a website for more information such as  www.sancta.org or www.catholic.org/about/guadalupe.shtml (or search the net for “Guadalupe”).

Modern technology and science has brought to light fascinating insights about the miraculous imprint of Mary on the tilma (cloak) of Juan Diego.  I’m particularly impressed by minute details seen in the eyes of Mary (discernable as human reflections!) and the positioning of the stars on her cloak, which align precisely with the major constellations and have thus be used by astronomers to pinpoint the exact hour of the apparition!  To imagine that a 16th century forgery could have been clever enough to include such details is preposterous, so the inevitable conclusion is that the image is indeed a very inspirational sign from Heaven.

Daily Retreat 12/11/07

2007 Dec 11 Tue:Advent Weekday/ Damasus I, pp
Is 40:1-11/ Ps 95(96):1-2. 3 and 10ac. 11-12. 13/ Mt 18:12-14

From today’s readings:  “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God....  Tell His glory among the nations; among all peoples, His wondrous deeds....  In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost....”

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Chapter 40 begins a new section in the long book of Isaiah with some of the warmest and most tender words in the entire Bible: "Comfort, give comfort to My people," says your God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem...." This is followed by the familiar prophecy of John the Baptist, the one who cried out "Prepare the way of the Lord!"

The Advent themes all come to a mighty crescendo in this symphonic first reading. Clearly, the insistence is on "Gospel" which literally means "good news" and "glad tidings." What is the good news? Not just the saving actions of God, but His very presence: "Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God!"

ALL of our Advent activities and Christmas preparations need to be imbued with this gospel of the proximity and presence of our God. Why waste your time buying into commercial themes and activities at this time of year, when what you, and your family, and your friends, and the whole world really want and need are tidings of comfort and joy, which you can give by joining Isaiah as herald of glad tidings, crying out at the top of your voice as herald of good news!

Daily Retreat 12/10/07

2007 Dec 10 Mon:Advent Weekday
Is 35:1-10; Ps 84(85):9ab and 10,11-12,13-14; Lk 5:17-26

From today’s readings:  “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom....  Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from Heaven....  Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today....”

Advent Transformation

Yesterday, the Gospel focused on John the Baptist, the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord!”  Today, in the first reading, the prophet Isaiah reflects further on how even a desert wasteland is to be transformed by the coming of the Lord: “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song!”  What a difference the advent of Christ makes!

But Isaiah’s point, of course, is not about God’s ability as a landscape engineer to transform a desert into a field of flowers - rather, that’s just a vivid metaphor to help people understand God’s ability as engineer of salvation to transform even the most parched soul into a fruitful, joyful and radiant child of God!

Since we all have barren areas of our lives, wastelands of unrealized hopes and dreams, deserts of despair and burning sands of disappointments and pulverized love, Isaiah’s prophecy is for all of us who turn to the Lord for ransom,  redemption, and transformation - what a difference the advent of Christ makes!

Daily Retreat 12/09/07

2007 Dec 9 SUN:SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Is 11:1-10/ Ps 71(72):1-2. 7-8. 12-13. 17/ Rom 15:4-9/ Mt 3:1-12

From today’s readings: “On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse....  Justice shall flourish in His time, and fullness of peace for ever....  Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope....  Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

The Baptist’s Cry

The voice of one crying out in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His pathways." Isaiah the prophet clearly indicates that it shall not be in Jerusalem, the holy city, where this prophecy shall be fulfilled; rather, in the desert: the manifestation of the glory of the Lord and the announcement of God’s universal salvation occurs in the desert, in the wilderness.

These things were literally fulfilled in history when John the Baptist preached in the desert about the imminent coming of the reign of God. It was in this desert that God’s salvation was revealed when Christ and His glory were made manifest to all when He was baptized, and the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit, descending in the form of a dove, rested upon Him, and the Father’s voice rang from heaven, "This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased!"

The wilderness setting for the preaching of John the Baptist and the Baptism of the Lord is no accident, and in fact, deeply symbolic. Before John, prophets generally proclaimed their message in cities, so it could be heard by as many people as possible. Only when fleeing for safety did the prophets retreat to the desert. But John went directly to the desert, as a sign that God’s salvation was about to reach even to the wilderness, to lands and hearts dry and formerly inaccessible. Remember, at that time, except for the Jews, every nation had been deprived of knowing God’s revelation, and there was little hope for change, since the prophets of the Old Testament directed their message to the chosen people, even though these same messages often had hints, as in the case of Isaiah’s, of God’s plan of universal salvation.

So for this reason, John was sent by God, crying out in the wilderness, that voice that still echoes today, "Prepare the way for the Word of God - make straight His pathways to your heart, clear away any and all obstacles, so that the stubbornness of selfish wills and the hardness of cold hearts doesn’t slow Him down!"

Prepare the way of the Lord! This "way" is the proclamation of the Gospel with our lives! This "way" is the revelation that the Good news is meant to, and in fact, must be shared: all nations must know, all of our friends and neighbors and enemies need to know the saving power of our God! So that leaves an awesome question for you and me to answer: During this Advent season, how will the coming of the Lord be proclaimed to the people who hear your voice crying out in your desert?

Daily Retreat 12/08/07

2007 Dec 8 Sat:IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY S. Holy Day of Obligation.
Gn 3:9-15,20; Ps 97(98):1,2-3ab,3cd-4; Eph 1:3-6,11-12; Lk 1:26-38

From today’s readings:  “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers....  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God....  In love He destined us for adoption to Himself through Jesus Christ....  Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!”

The Knight of the Immaculata

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe had a particular devotion to Mary, the Immaculate Conception, and so he devoted much of his preaching and publishing to helping others understand the reasons for today’s solemnity.  Here are a few excerpts from his writings:

Immaculate One, Virgin Mother, to Thee I turn in humble prayer: "Grant that I may praise Thee, O holy Virgin; give me strength against Thine enemies!" (Bl. John Duns Scotus)

The Immaculate One appears in this world without the least stain of sin, the masterpiece of God's hands, full of grace. God, the Most Holy Trinity, beholds the lowliness (that is, the humility, the root of all Her other virtues) of His Handmaid, and does great things for Her, He the Almighty (cfr. Lk. 1,49). God the Father gives Her His own Son to be Her Son; God the Son descends into Her womb; and God the Holy Spirit forms the body of Christ in the womb of this pure Virgin. And the Word was made flesh (Jn. 1,14). The Immaculate One becomes the Mother of God. The fruit of the love of God in his Trinitarian life and of Mary the Immaculate One is Christ the God-Man.

Who is the Immaculate One? To this abrupt question it is not possible to give a satisfactory answer because this mystery transcends our human intelligence. She is the Mother of God, and Her name is the Immaculate One. When God showed Himself to Moses, He said of Himself: I am the One who is (Ex. 3,14)—in other words, I am Being itself. When St. Bernadette asked the most blessed Mother Her name, Mary replied: I am the Immaculate Conception. Such is the Immaculate One defined by Her own words.

But what does the expression Immaculate Conception mean? The word conception tells us that She is not eternal, that She had a beginning. Immaculate tells us that from the first instant of Her existence there never was in Her the least conflict with God's will. The Immaculate One is the most perfect of all creatures...She was immaculate because She was to become the Mother of God; She became the Mother of God because She was immaculate.

Mother of God! The human mind cannot grasp what God is. Neither can we comprehend the dignity of the Mother of God. It is easier to understand a title like servant of God; daughter of God is more difficult to grasp; but Mother of God transcends our minds completely.

God calls creatures into being when He creates them. Then, in their movement of return to God, these creatures draw near to Him and come to resemble their Creator more and more. God comes to this most perfect Creature, the Immaculate One; and the fruit of Their love is Jesus Christ, the Mediator between the Creator and all creatures...

True knowledge of the Immaculate One can only be acquired in prayer. The purer a soul is, the greater efforts it makes to avoid sin; and if it does happen to sin, it tries its best to rise from sin and to make up for its fault by love. The more humble it is, and the more spirit of penance it shows, the more and better it will get to know the Immaculate.

Quoted from http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/IC-MAX.HTM

Daily Retreat 12/06/07

2007 Dec 7 Fri:Ambrose, bp, dr M
Is 29:17-24/ Ps 26(27):1. 4. 13-14/ Mt 9:27-31

From today’s readings:  “And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see...  The Lord is my light and my salvation....  Then He touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened....”

The Lord is my light and my salvation

As the nights grow longer and the light grows scarcer, the reminder comes clearly to us:  The Lord is my light and my salvation!  The “Lord as Light” is one of the most vivid metaphors utilized in Advent and Christmas scripture and liturgy to describe the coming of the Lord and the difference that is meant to be in our lives - the end of the darkness of sin and error.

Perhaps a power outage has recently reminded you of your dependence on your household lights.  That image sparks a comparison: how dark would life be without the light of Christ?  
His light illumines our life with
    His presence when we’re lonely,
    His joy when we’re gloomy,
    His hope when we’re despairing,
    His forgiveness when we’re erring,
    His comfort when we’re ailing,
    and His love when we’re failing!

Daily Retreat 12/06/07

2007 Dec 6 Thu:Advent Weekday/ Nicholas, bp
Is 26:1-6; Ps 117(118):1,8-9,19-21,25-27a; Mt 7:21,24-27

From today’s readings: “Trust in the LORD forever!...  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord....  Everyone who listens to these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock....”

The Lord is a Rock!

More than once, the Bible poetically refers to God as a rock, thereby illustrating His constancy, strength, and reliability.  Borrowing from and extending this metaphor, Jesus also pointed out that he who hear His words and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the solid foundation of a rock.

The difficulties we encounter in our lives relentlessly expose whether our lives are well-grounded in firm faith and total trust in God, or whether we’ve opted for a shifty, sandy foundation of earthy stuffs and our own make-shift construction.  Advent is an ideal time to investigate the general groundwork on which we have based our own lives.  Do we see God as big enough to be the true and personal rock-solid foundation of our entire lives, or do treat Him as merely a partial footing added to a shaky substructure relying mainly on the things of this world and our own abilities?

Daily Retreat 12/05/07

2007 Dec 5 Wed:Advent Weekday
Is 25:6-10a; Ps 22(23):1-3a,3b-4,5,6; Mt 15:29-37

From today’s readings: “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines....   I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life....   I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way....”

Hunger Pangs

Feeling pangs of hunger is part of the human condition.  But, fortunately for many of us in the modern world, the means of food production are more than sufficient to meet the needs of all peoples, so those of us with surpluses need to have a commitment to share with the hungry throughout the world.

We have a good example to follow, for all of the readings today mention the Lord’s readiness to share His heavenly food with all peoples.  For impoverished people with simple diets, the Lord’s words must have been appetizing indeed, that promise of “a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.”

But for those of us well accustomed to regular meals and even occasional feasts, for those of us who routinely walk through the aisles of supermarkets shelved with so much food, for those of us who often find more food on the plate than should be eaten, the words of scripture might unfortunately sound a bit bland.....

Despite the fact that every day brings us too many words and too much food for our own good, our hunger for God’s word and God’s food is something altogether different, and cannot be satisfied by worldly means.  Many, it’s true, still go hungry, but that need not be,  thanks to the God who does not want to send His people away hungry, but would rather we partake of His feast - and be more than satisfied!

Daily Retreat 12/04/07

2007 Dec 4 Tue:Advent Weekday/ John of Damascus, p, r, dr
Is 11:1-10/ Ps 72:1-2. 7-8. 12-13. 17/ Lk 10:21-24

From today’s readings: “On that day, A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse....  Justice shall flower in His days, and profound peace....  Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Unfinished Business

Jesus Himself emphasized that His coming is the fulfillment of the Old Testament messianic prophecies.   Yet, when reading Isaiah’s idyllic verses which tell of the messianic day when ferocious animals like lions and bears will one day be as tame as sheep and cattle, we can wonder how Jesus fulfilled that prophecy, how He lives up to the psalms claim that “justice shall flourish in His time, and fullness of peace for ever.”

But we must remember that the advent, the coming of Christ has a past, present, and future dimension.  For in the past, in His earthly lifetime, Jesus worked many miracles that gave people the foretaste of the fulfillment of scripture and the blessings of His kingdom, but He still never made such miracles the new general norm of life on earth.  In the present, the track record of our own life and times proves that following Christ does lead to justice and peace, but then conversely, rejecting Christ still leads to the breakdown of justice and peace.  So, based on what can be learned from the past and present, it’s obvious that the scriptural fulfillment is a work in progress - we didn’t miss the fulfillment in the past; rather, through the grace of God, we’re part of the fulfillment plan, so  we must still pray and work for the Messiah’s future coming in glory, for which we cry, “ Thy Kingdom Come!”

Daily Retreat 12/03/07

2007 Dec 3 Mon:Francis Xavier, p, ms M
Is 4:2-6/ Ps 121(122):1-2. 3-4b. 4cd-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Mt 8:5-11

From today’s readings: “For over all, the LORD's glory will be shelter and protection....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven....”

I say, Isaiah!

Since yesterday, the first Sunday of Advent, was the  beginning of the Church's new liturgical year, it seems  appropriate to suggest a New Year's resolution - read the  Bible more! In particular, I know that some of you who read  this Virtual Retreat don't always get to reading the  lectionary scriptural passages on which the reflections are  based (chapter and verse references are given at the beginning  of the reflection), but obviously, it would be a much better  choice to read God's word first, and then turn to this humble  meditation if there's time.

Isaiah is the prince of the prophets - his Bible book is longer (66 chapters!) than any other prophetic book, and his poetic  imagery is most memorable and developed (e.g. yesterday's verse,  "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears  into pruning hooks"). The New Testament authors quote Isaiah more  than any other Old Testament book except for the Psalms. In the  Church's lectionary, Isaiah appears especially during the season  of Advent (right now!) and Lent (the time before Easter!).

As you can see, there's some good reasons to get more familiar with his writings. So, read today's verses, or better yet, start from  the beginning of the book and read up to today's verses. Note how  Isaiah 1:3 is generally depicted in our Nativity scenes!

Daily Retreat 12/02/07

2007 Dec 2 SUN:FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Is 2:1-5/ Ps 121(122):1-2. 3-4. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Rom 13:11-14/ Mt 24:37-44

From today’s readings: “Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may instruct us in His ways, and we may walk in His paths....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy....  Stay awake, for you do not know on which day your Lord will come....”

The Rapture Racket

"One will be taken, and one will be left!" These ominous words of scripture and a few other verses picked out of the New Testament are claimed as the inspiration for the popular "Left Behind" fiction series and other Fundamentalist discussions about the "Rapture" and the "Tribulation." However, the Catholic Church (as well as a solid historic majority of Protestants) finds that these alarmist and imaginative interpretations not only lack a solid biblical basis, they simply contradict the actual scriptural prophecies about the Second Coming of Christ!

Here are the pieces of this puzzle: Toward the end of the Book of Revelation, a verse tells that the Devil will be bound for a millennium, a period of a thousand years. Elsewhere in the New Testament, Jesus (and His Apostles) warns of a period of Great Tribulation on earth, which is to precede the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment, the ultimate End of the World. The disagreements derive from different interpretations of these key terms.

First of all, is the biblical millennium literally one thousand years, or is that cipher to be interpreted symbolically as an indefinite substantial number, as is commonly done, for instance, when a parent complains, "I’ve told you a thousand times not to do that!" And then, symbolic or literal, is the millennium strictly a phenomenon of a future time when Christ will establish an earthly kingdom in a global period of Christian peace and virtue, or is this millennium already actually being lived out in the present Christian era, in which Christ offers His sacramental presence as the invincible antidote to all evil, even though He refrains from robbing us of the freedom to refuse Him and His Church?

Second, will Christ come secretly right before (or perhaps in the middle of) the worldwide period of Great Tribulation to "rapture" up and rescue faithful members of His Church before His definitive coming at the end of time? Or, will that Tribulation happen before Christ comes again, so consequently, that will be a time of trial for all people, whether faithful Christian or not?

An essential key to any defensible interpretation of scripture is to never isolate verses from the larger context of paragraphs, chapters, books, and the whole bible - always, always, read things in context! The Book of Revelation is clearly a very symbolic book which invites the reader to contemplate Heavenly realities through means of earthly images. St. John, the author of the book, repeatedly uses numbers in a symbolic sense - consider, for example, the numerous series of "sevens ," understood as a harmonious number of perfection and completion, evocative of the seven days of God’s week of creation. In contrast, the mysterious "666" mark of the Beast thus can be understood as emphatically imperfect. So, the thousand years of the millennium are justifiably interpreted symbolically.

Likewise, if a person merely focuses on the isolated verse Matthew 24:40 "One will be taken, and one will be left," it would be possible to postulate some "Rapture," a secret coming of Christ. But when the whole Chapter 24 is read, ideally along with Chapter 25 and all the other passages in which Christ talks about a period of Great Tribulation, it’s clear that He speaks of this tribulation as a prelude to His glorious Second Coming and the Last Judgment. He specifically warns His followers that they will have to endure much for His sake, and that we must always be vigilant in our conduct, for no one knows the day or hour of His Coming, when the Last Judgment will definitively divide all of mankind between those who are taken into Heaven, and those who are left.

For more details about the biblical, historical deficiencies of the "Rapture" racket, check out http://www.catholic.com/library/rapture.asp