Jesus is speaking directly to you, right now (Sunday homily)

Notice what we just heard: Jesus went up a mountain; 
he sat down; and he began to teach. 
In these actions Jesus is showing himself to be the new Moses. 
Moses went up the mountain, he received the Law of God, 
and then he gave it to the people.

But here is a difference: 
Jesus does not receive anything on the mountain, 
because he already has it – because he is more than Moses. 
Moses received the Law from God. Jesus is God! 
That’s why Moses would say, “Thus says the Lord,” 
while Jesus simply says, “I say”!

This moment on the mountain is what Moses and the Prophets 
and God’s People all looked forward to.
And you and I are there with them, hearing Jesus speak to us.
He is speaking directly to each one of us.

So what matters here, right now,
 isn’t what Father Fox or anyone else says about this passage, 
but what Jesus says, to you and me, to our very hearts.

What is Jesus asking of you? 
How does your life measure up to these commandments of the New Law?

These words are like an examination of conscience for each one of us. 
Jesus tells us: this is what my Kingdom is like. 
Do you want to be part of my Kingdom? 
Or, to put it another way, do you want to go to heaven? 

Yes, Lord, we do, of course we do! 
This is how. These beatitudes – these ways of being – 
define what it means to be heavenly, to be citizens of heaven. 

If you and I want to be in heaven, live this way, now. 
Be these things, and you will fit into heaven; 
Ignore them, leave them aside, and heaven will be alien to you. 
You won’t go there, because you won't want to go there; 
It will be an alien place where you will be in torment.

These beatitudes define what it is to be happy in heaven – 
and it starts by living these laws here and now. 

“Poor in spirit” means living as one 
who is radically dependent on God, and knows it. 
Is that who I am? Is that how you and I live each day? Each hour?
Is each day “my” day? Or is it God’s?

Who does God ask me to mourn for? How far does my concern reach?
To put it another way: am I accepting my task, each day, 
of being my brother’s keeper? 
And do I know that every man and woman, without exception, 
is my brother and sister?

Am I meek, or am I proud? 
The proud inherit nothing – they have no share in the Kingdom to come.

Many of us live strongly by the hungers and thirsts 
we feel hour by hour – for food, for recognition, 
for entertainment, for getting our own way, for pleasure. 
We go to great lengths to satisfy these hungers, 
sometimes in shameful ways. 

Jesus says, hunger rather for righteousness. For justice. 
And not just for myself, but for my neighbor. 
Especially, above all, for the neighbor who looks different, 
acts suspiciously, isn’t welcome and is easy to condemn. 

What justice is owed to the stranger, the foreigner, the lawbreaker? 
Do I hunger and thirst that justice be done for them, too? 
Do I thirst enough for it to speak up when no one else will?

The merciful will be shown mercy, measure for measure. 
If I give only a thimbleful of mercy to others, 
that’s all I will get from God; 
but a good measure, pressed down, running over? 
What I give, will be given to me. 

Who will receive mercy from me – not because they deserve it, 
but simply because Jesus commands it? 
Will I work for my nation to be merciful, 
foreswearing torture and the death penalty, 
not for the sake of the one who deserves punishment, 
but for the sake of Christ, who asks it of me?

“Blessed are the clean of heart.”
Will I banish from my words, from my heart, from my entertainment, 
my computer, my phone, all that is not clean, so that I may see God? 
Teach us, Lord, to see each person, as made in your image; 
to see you, God, in every man and every woman, born and unborn.

What price will you and I pay for peace? 
Not only in faraway places, but at our jobs, in our homes, 
in our families? 
What words will I swallow, what pride will I set aside, 
How many extra miles will I walk, to bring peace?

Jesus has spoken to each of us today. 
He claims you and me as his own. 
How do we respond?
What are you, what am I, willing to let go of, 
to throw away and be rid of forever, 
to be empty of, so that we may be filled up with his word? 
To become those children of God 
whom Jesus calls “blessed, blessed, blessed”?

Being Christ's light: here are 3 ways (Sunday homily)

Every year at this time the Archdiocese kicks off 
its annual Catholic Ministries Appeal. 
The Archbishop sends out a recorded message, 
and invites pastors to play it at Mass. 
While I’m happy to help the Archbishop, 
playing a recording can be a little awkward, 
and sometimes, hard to hear. 

So what I’ve done in the past is to incorporate 
as much of the Archbishop’s homily into my own. 

The readings we heard today emphasize light and darkness – 
and the invitation for us is 
“both to follow the light and to be the light.”

“The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light.” 
This sentence from the Book of Isaiah in today’s first reading 
refers to a light much more profound than any torch or lamp. 

As the Archbishop explains, this passage, 
“Written more than eight centuries before Christ…
comes from a section of Isaiah 
known as the Immanuel Prophecies. 
In these twelve chapters the prophet of Israel looks ahead 
to a savior who will free His people 
from the yoke of oppression and bring great joy. 
The Church, beginning in the New Testament itself, 
has always seen the Immanuel Prophecies as applying to Jesus.” 
St. Matthew obviously makes that connection by quoting Isaiah.

We might recall what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount – 
speaking to all who follow him: 
“You are the light of the world . . . 
your light must shine before others, 
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” 
So the light is not Jesus alone, 
but Jesus with his mystical Body – all of us. 
Christ is light in us, and each of us bears that light to the world. 

Think about that: there are a lot of implications in that. 
If I am bearing the light of Christ, what makes it burn brighter? 
What will nourish that flame – and what dims it?

And, to quote the Archbishop again: 
“Who can doubt that our increasingly secular world today 
desperately needs that light? 
In the face of poverty, crime, addiction, ignorance, despair, violence, 
discrimination, and injustices of all kinds, 
we are all called to be disciples making disciples. 

“Tens of thousands of you throughout the Archdiocese 
do that every day by giving generously of your time and talent 
as volunteers in schools, parishes, athletic programs, 
hospitals, prisons, and other areas of need. 
This is both discipleship in action – letting your light shine – 
and good stewardship of God’s gracious gifts.”

Going beyond what the Archbishop said, there are two particular ways 
that task of being Christ’s light might stand out to us at this moment. 

Today is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, 
the 1973 Supreme Court decision that imposed abortion on demand 
on our country. 

On Friday, hundreds of thousands of Americans 
of all ages and backgrounds will go to Washington 
to bear witness to the urgency to protect all human life; 
including many from our area. 

Many more will take part in prayer vigils and gatherings 
around the country. 
There is a prayer vigil in Sidney on Sunday evening at 7 pm, 
at the courthouse, for example.

As important as this is, this task of light-bearing 
is needed every day, everywhere we go. 
One very powerful way you and I can be light and hope 
is to support and help to women who are facing difficult situations, 
to avoid making a terrible choice. 

Moreover, nothing is more Christ-like than when you and I 
wrap our arms lovingly around those who make this decision, 
and help them find God’s mercy and healing. 

If you know anyone bearing this burden, please tell them:
God’s mercy is without measure! 
Of course the sacrament of confession 
gives us this mercy from the source.
But also tell hurting people about Project Rachel,
Which exists to bring healing to wounded women and families. 

There’s another way our role as being light stands out today, 
and it’s in the context of a new president and a new chapter 
for our country. 

It’s our duty to give voice to values of human dignity, for all people. 
Important decisions will be made in the months ahead. 
Don’t be a spectator; it’s your task and mine 
to bring the word of God and the ways of God into those decisions.

By ourselves, each of us is limited, 
and perhaps you think you haven’t much to offer; 
you don’t have the time. 

This is where the Catholic Ministries Appeal is so powerful. 
It is the combined impact of hundreds of thousands of Catholics 
in 19 counties of the Archdiocese – that’s a mighty force! 

Let’s recall what the Catholic Ministry Appeal enables us to do:
• feed the poor 
• take care of retired priests 
• ensure a Catholic presence on local campuses, prisons, and hospitals 
• provide for evangelization efforts  
• help students at St. Rita School for the Deaf
• support vocations of priests, deacons, lay ministers

Let me conclude by quoting the Archbishop once more: 

“Those who carry out these ministries and programs 
are grateful on a daily basis 
for your participation in their work through your generous donations. 
As Archbishop, I share that gratitude. 
Thank you for being a light in the darkness.”

It's not a quick sale, it's about relationships (Sunday homily)

One of the jobs I had, when I was in my 20s, 
was as a salesman in a men’s clothing store. 
I had that job for about a year or so. 
It was a good job, and I learned some valuable lessons.
The way it worked was that as customers came in, 
each sales person on the floor would be “up” – 
meaning, your turn to wait on a customer. 
And, if you made a sale, you got the commission on that sale.

Of course, not everybody walking in would buy something; 
But a smart salesman knew that Mr. “I’m just looking today” 
might well come back a week later, or an hour later, 
and make a purchase. And, if you took good care of him, 
you’d see him again, and again. 

So, one thing I learned 
was that it wasn’t just about making a quick sale, 
but rather, about creating a relationship.
Someone has a need and comes to me.
If I can help them find what they need – that’s valuable.
That’s not just a good day’s work, 
it’s a good way to live your life
And all that came to mind as I thought about our parish patron, 
Saint Remy, whose feast day we celebrate today. 

Saint Remigius, as he would have called himself,
was a Roman; he lived in northern part of the province of Gaul,
in an area near the present-day border between France and Belgium. 
As a boy, Remy was very bright and well read; 
he was renowned for his learning and his holiness. 
When he was 22, he was recommended to be bishop – 
and he wasn’t even a priest!

Remy was born in AD 437. 
This was a time when Roman society was falling apart. 
Foreign peoples were moving across the borders,
Public order was breaking down,
And when people sent for help from Rome, little help came.

This is how the Kingdom of the Franks – what later became France – 
was established, with Clovis as the first King.
And Remigius, as Bishop of Reims, was in the middle of it all.

Remy had a choice. He might have wanted to stay away 
from these barbarians, and just stick with his fellow Romans.
That would have been a lot easier and more comfortable.

Instead, Remy sought out Clovis and his wife, Clotilda. 
While Clovis was a pagan, Clotilda was a Catholic. 
Remy was eager to share the Gospel with Clovis, 
but the king wasn’t very interested.

Remy wasn’t after a quick sale; 
he and the king and queen formed a friendship, 
despite all that separated him from them.

He may well have been influenced 
by Saint Paul’s words in the second reading: 
“I have become all things to all, to save at least some.” 

Because Remy made himself available to the Lord, 
not only was King Clovis baptized, so were many of his advisors. 
That set the whole kingdom on the path to becoming Catholic; 
and thus the future nation of France.

Now, in case it’s not obvious, let’s notice how our situation is similar.
Our society is in the midst of dramatic change. 
I don’t mean technology, I mean in values.

Some of us can remember taking for granted 
that our society around us knew who Jesus Christ is. 
If that was ever really true, it’s not true now. 

Like the situation in St. Remy’s time, 
you and I can retreat into what’s comfortable and familiar – 
or we can seek out relationships that take us outside our usual circle.
Those are our opportunities to share our Faith, 
and to make a difference in people’s lives.

Just as a practical step, ask yourself:
Do you know all your neighbors – say, on all sides of your house?
How about the next house, in each direction?

What about the other students in your grade at school?
Are there students you don’t know very well?
Maybe they don’t go to St. Remy – or maybe they aren’t Catholic?

As I said a moment ago, the point is not making a quick sale, 
But about being able to help people.

The call that God placed on Isaiah’s heart, and later, 
his call to Peter and Andrew, James and John, 
was to make a difference in people’s lives 
by helping them know who Jesus is 
and the life and hope Jesus gives.

And who does God send? He sent St. Paul; he sent St. Remy; 
and he sends you, and me.

The Maltese Straw that breaks the Church's back

Everyone knows about the debate over Pope Francis' Amoris Laetitia, and whether it is ambiguous in places, and whether it needs to be clarified. Many -- four prominent cardinals in particular -- have publicly asked for clarification, saying that without clarification, the ambiguities in the document will invite distortions or even implicit denial of constant Catholic teaching and practice. Others have responded by dismissing, and in some cases, ridiculing, this concern.

Well, it appears a document from the bishops of Malta may have gone exactly where Cardinal Burke and others' worst fears dreaded.

From the "Criteria for the Application of Chapter VIII of Amoris Laetitia,
just issued, we find this paragraph:
Paragraph 10: If, as a result of the process of discernment, undertaken with “humility, discretion and love for the Church and her teaching, in a sincere search for God’s will and a desire to make a more perfect response to it” (AL 300), a separated or divorced person who is living in a new relationship manages, with an informed and enlightened conscience, to acknowledge and believe that he or she are at peace with God, he or she cannot be precluded from participating in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist (see AL, notes 336 and 351).

If so, then why shouldn’t the following likewise be true:

If, as a result of the process of discernment, undertaken with “humility, discretion and love for the Church and her teaching, in a sincere search for God’s will and a desire to make a more perfect response to it” (AL 300), a separated or divorced person who is living in a new relationship same-sex attracted person who is living in a ‘same sex marriage’ manages, with an informed and enlightened conscience, to acknowledge and believe that he or she are at peace with God, he or she cannot be precluded from participating in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist (see AL, notes 336 and 351).

Or indeed, why not:

If, as a result of the process of discernment, undertaken with “humility, discretion and love for the Church and her teaching, in a sincere search for God’s will and a desire to make a more perfect response to it” (AL 300), a separated or divorced person who is living in a new relationship any person persisting in a state of mortal sin who manages, with an informed and enlightened conscience, to acknowledge and believe that he or she are at peace with God, he or she cannot be precluded from participating in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist (see AL, notes 336 and 351).

In short, doesn't this mean that all those who, in confession, says they are committing mortal sin of any sort, and because they believe they are "at peace with God" about it, they won't change that behavior, they are to receive absolution, and then can receive communion?

In other words, priests must grant absolution in such cases? What happens if a priest refuses to do so?

Are you telling me this isn’t a break from Catholic teaching?

Tell me what I'm missing here. Specifically, please explain how this is not in direct conflict with the Catechism, paragraph 1650, and the explicit teachings of Pope Benedict and Pope St. John Paul II.

(Note: I understand many people are upset about this, and are upset with Pope Francis over this. Injudicious comments will be deleted. Expressing unhappiness at the pope's decisions is one thing; calling the pope a heretic is something else. Be wise, be charitable, please.)

Update: I see my friend Father Zuhlsdorf has addressed this, and he links Canon Law expert Ed Peters.

'The Next Chapter' (Epiphany homily)

This feast of Epiphany may be more important than you realize. 

In many places outside the United States, 
the celebration of Epiphany is as special, if not more special, 
than Christmas. 

That may seem odd to us; but then, to these other Christians, 
who really enjoy celebrating this day, 
it may seem odd that we in the U.S. don’t make much of Epiphany.

Why is Epiphany important? 
Because it’s the next chapter. 

A lot of folks think of Christmas as the goal – 
the place to arrive, sort of like Joseph and Mary, 
who make their journey, and then the Magi make their journey too. 
Christmas becomes a destination. 
Isn’t it sort of like that? 
We have this great build-up to December 25, and then what? 
We have a food coma for a week!
The day after Christmas, everything is half-off!

But because that totally misunderstands Christmas, 
it also means we misunderstands Epiphany. 
Christmas is much more a beginning than an ending-point. 
After all, Jesus wasn’t born just to receive visits and gifts;
He came to do something. 

That’s the next chapter. The meaning of the Magi 
is that the light of Jesus is now beginning to reach out, 
beyond the stable, beyond Bethlehem, 
and beyond God’s Chosen People of Israel. 

As the first reading talks about, 
the light goes out to the nations, to all the world. 
That is symbolized by the arrival of these seekers from the east. 
They do not belong to Israel. 
They probably worshipped false gods; 
but they were looking for the truth, 
and they followed the light of a star till it led them to the Light itself.

There are several ways we could go with this, 
but at the head of the year of our Lord 2017, 
I want to talk about what this means for us as a parish. 
Very simply, what star will we be following, and where will it lead us?

As you know, I’ve been talking frequently 
about the mission of this parish, 
to share Christ with the people of this community. 
The Prophet Isaiah described how God wanted his holy people 
to be a light to the nations, to draw them to himself; 
so that, as we prayed in the psalm, 
“every nation on earth will adore” Him. 

That was Israel’s mission; and it is the Catholic Church’s mission. 
It is St. Remy’s mission. It is Father Martin Fox’s mission. 
And it is your mission; I mean, each person listening to me, 
however young or old. We all share it.

But how? What are you and I supposed to do? Is there a plan?

That’s something I’ve been working on with our parish staff 
and with the Pastoral Council. 
In a couple of weeks, the Pastoral Council and I hope 
to fine-tune some pastoral priorities. 
Then, we’ll share with the parish some concrete goals and tasks 
that will get us up and moving. 

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that we as a parish 
aren’t already “in motion.” A lot of good things are happening. 
There’s a lot of light in this parish, thank God.

But let me be very blunt. In recent decades, 
the Catholic Church in our country, 
throughout North and South America and in Europe, is in crisis. 
In so many places, the practice of the Faith has collapsed. 
Universities and high schools and hospitals, 
built over many generations with great love and sacrifice, 
have mostly or entirely lost their Catholic identity. 
And we all know people who have walked away from the Faith.

The natural question is, why did all this happen? 
I’ll save the longer answer for another time. 
But a partial but pretty good answer is that 
what worked 60 years ago isn’t working now.
The world has changed. So how you and I share the Faith – 
with our children and our community – likewise must change.

The good news is, that we are doing a lot of things right in Russia,
 thanks to the deep faith of our community 
and the leadership of others who have gone before us. 

My message isn’t meant to be negative but positive: 
We don’t have to watch and wait; 
you and I can do things to make a positive difference. 

This is what I’ve been discussing 
with our staff and our pastoral council, and now, in 2017, 
it’s time to start talking with you about it. 

You’ll hear more as the year goes along, 
but in one sense it’s really simple: 
how do you and I help each other deepen and grow in our Faith together? 
How do we invite others, and what might we do 
to ensure they feel welcome? 
And what do we do when they show up? 
And then, what do we do after that?

With God’s help, together, 
you and I are going to answer these questions, and more. 
There’s a star that is going to lead us, we can be sure of that. 
God will provide it. 
But with all that, there are two simple steps that must happen 
to make everything else happen: 
You and I have to look up and see the star, and then decide, 
“I think I’ll see where that will lead me.” 

In other words, as a parish, we can’t be content with where we are.
We’re in a good spot. 
But Jesus didn’t save us and call us and equip us
just to find a good spot; 
he called us to find souls and bring them in. 

As a parish, you and I have to want more; 
to be hungry and thirsty for it. 

God will send the star. It’s there already. 
Our decision is whether to get up, 
and follow it, wherever it may lead. 

The importance of your name (Mother of God homily)

If I were to give this homily a title, it might be, "what's in a name?"*

There are three things we emphasize on this feast day: 
Mary’s title as Mother of God; Jesus’ circumcision as a baby; 
and his naming. Let’s focus on the last one.

According to the law of Moses, 
a boy was to be circumcised on the eighth day; 
and at that time, he receives his name publicly. 

When you think about it, isn’t it obvious 
that one of the most consequential decisions parents make, 
is the name they give their child?

(Here I added something about how the Archangel Gabriel took the trouble to tell both Mary and Joseph that the Messiah's name would be Jesus -- so obviously, this was important to heaven. And I also explained the first reading; namely, that it recalls when the High Priest would invoke the Divine Name over the people, once a year, otherwise, the Name was never spoken. However, we are privileged to speak the name of God: Jesus!)

If you go through the Scriptures, 
you see many examples of the importance of names; 
so much so, that many times, God will change someone’s name. 
Abram becomes Abraham; Jacob becomes Israel; 
Simon becomes Peter.

Our name goes a long way in defining who we are.
The giving of a name is a great responsibility.
So I want to encourage our parents to consider carefully 
the names you give your child.

A few weeks ago, I read a story about a priest 
who was asked to baptize a baby with the name of Lucifer. 
That’s right, Lucifer!

Meanwhile, I’ve also heard about children being named for pagan gods, 
such as Thor, Jupiter or Aphrodite. 
Don’t forget about the famous tennis player whose name is Venus.

There’s no requirement to name your child after a saint, 
but I would like to encourage parents to do so – 
at least to have one of the names you give your child be that of a saint. 

Indeed, even before you choose a name, 
may I suggest that you pray about what to name your child? 
Ask the Holy Spirit, ask your child’s guardian angel, 
to guide your decision. 

And when I say, pick a saint’s name, 
that includes names from the Bible – 
that is, those who were exemplary.
Pilate, or Herod, or Ahaz are not names to pick!

Another point: when you pick a saint’s name for your child, 
you are giving your child a patron saint. 

A priest I knew some years ago 
told me about being called to the hospital for an emergency; 
when he got there, he found a child had just been born, 
and the boy wasn’t going to survive. 
So he only had a few minutes to baptize the baby. 
The parents didn’t have any name in mind, 
so the priest named him for the saint of the day: Polycarp!

I know, that sounds like a kind of fish! 
It doesn’t sound like a name we’d want.

But if you remember to do it, when you get home, 
look up Saint Polycarp. 
It’s an inspiring story of a faithful witness to Christ.
And when that child breathed his last a few minutes later, 
and went to heaven, he had a patron saint, waiting to meet him!
It’s a wonderful thing to have a patron saint 
who you know is praying for you throughout your life. 
Your patron saint becomes a special, spiritual friend and companion. 
I am so looking forward to meeting my patron, Saint Martin de Porres, 
and I am grateful my parents gave me someone to watch over me.

So that leads to another suggestion which might seem obvious:
Know what patron saint you have in mind – 
and teach your child about that saint. 
I’ve talked to a lot of kids over the years 
who had no idea who their patron saint was. No one had ever told them! 

Now, if you are listening, and you’re thinking, 
I have no idea who my patron saint is, that’s no problem.

First, of course, you can ask your parents. 
But if that’s not possible, you can still look up your name 
and see which saints have the same name. 
And if, after all that, you can’t find any saint with your name, 
then I suggest you simply pick a saint for yourself. 

Speaking of names, let me make a point 
about the name which the Church gave to Mary, 
and that is “Mother of God.” 

The point of this title isn’t primarily about Mary, but about her son: 
He is truly God, and so she is truly the God-bearer. 
And this title is one of the ways we express our joy
at what God has given us in his Son, 
and our gratitude to Mary for saying yes to God’s plan.

How fitting then that the Church grants a plenary indulgence 
to encourage us to recite on Dec. 31 the Te Deum, 
and on January 1, the Veni Creator. 

The indulgence is granted 
when we also make a good confession and receive holy communion – 
within eight days is a good rule of thumb –
and say a Hail Mary and an Our Father 
for the intentions of the holy father. 

So at the end of Mass, instead of the Saint Michael Prayer, 
we’ll pray the Te Deum/Veni Creator together, 
plus an Our Father and a Hail Mary. 
The prayers are in the books in your pews, and are in English.

* Additions during Masses today.

Why is Oregon Catholic Press ruining Christmas songs?

We had a beautiful Christmas in Russia, thanks to many people, including our music director and many wonderful helpers in the choir loft, and our many readers, ushers, altar servers and others who each contributed.

I was especially moved at Midnight Mass -- my favorite Mass of the year; so much so, that the sad bowdlerization of the great hymn, "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" did not much dim my joy.

Here is what I'm talking about.

In verse two, we hear:

Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Well, that is what you ought to hear -- and sing. But increasingly, the second-last line is changed to:

Pleased as man with US to dwell...

Grr! This is poetry, and that change wrecks it. But that, at least, doesn't render it potentially heretical. That prize goes to the change wrought in verse three. Again, the more traditional version first:

Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings;
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth.

Here's how the last few lines are changed:

born that we no more may die, 
born to raise us from the earth, 
born to give us second birth. 

Before I explain just why these changes -- the last one in particular -- are terrible, can you figure out the reason for them?

No? Try again. Just look at the words that were excised. Can you see a theme?

It's all about feminism; to be precise, a very narrow, humorless, insecure subset of feminism, with -- I have no doubt -- extremely few adherents. But they do get the ear of editors of music, hence these changes.

The second change I highlighted is especially bad, because it turns this great hymn from stoutly orthodox to vaguely Gnostic. That is to say, instead of singing of Christ redeeming and divinizing our humanity ("born to raise the sons of earth"), we sing of Christ coming to deliver us out of our earthiness ("raise us from the earth"). This is Dan Brown stuff. Remember the Da Vinci Code? It walked the same path, feeding the insecure fantasies of the same narrow, humorless crowd with claims of a conspiracy to keep women down by suppressing something he called the "divine feminine" and other claptrap. And in doing so, Mr. Brown drew directly from ancient, discredited Gnostic texts.

The irony of it all? Gnosticism was anything but pro women. In addition to the Gnostics thinking matter and humanity being evils we should escape from, they especially thought femininity was something to abhor. Here's one choice gem from the Gospel of Thomas:

Simon Peter says to them: "Let Mary go out from our midst, for women are not worthy of life!" Jesus says: "See, I will draw her so as to make her male so that she also may become a living spirit like you males. For every woman who has become male will enter the Kingdom of heaven."

The dis-incarnated text I quoted from, and which we sang at Midnight Mass came from Oregon Catholic Press, but similar poetry wrecking appears in other widely published hymnals. I was going to say the editors of these hymnals are theological nincompoops, but I don't know that. What I do know is that this is theological nincompoopery, and I am going to do what I can to stop it.

So I intend to contact someone at OCP and register my displeasure. I suspect that won't do much good, but I will try. And then, next year, regardless of what OCP does, we will sing a proper version of "Hark the Herald"; we will provide handouts if necessary.

Perhaps you know of similar mischief? Feel free to share in the comments.

'What is the point of Christmas?' (Christmas homily)

What is the point of Christmas? What does it really mean?

Something fascinating and bewildering has happened with Christmas,
down through the ages; it has spread throughout the world,
evolving and complexifying
and spawning endless knockoffs and variations throughout the world.

In Japan, Christmas has very little to do with Jesus,
but for whatever reason,
it has a great deal to do with Kentucky Fried Chicken!

In Thailand, elephants where Santa hats.
In Oman, there are very few Christians, but a lot of Christmas trees.
Maddening, and yet delightful, too,
as is the news that just days ago, Saudi Arabia –
which prohibits Christianity and confiscates Rosaries –
recently announced that it would begin using the Gregorian Calendar:
named for Pope Gregory,
and which marks time from the birth of…Jesus Christ.

There’s quite a lot of Christmas music, Christmas specials,
Christmas movies and Christmas shopping; but I ask again:
what does Christmas really mean? What is Christmas?

The answer starts with a child, born in a particular place and time.
But we need a clearer answer. Why a child? Why was that the plan?

Christmas only makes sense if we realize this is not just a child,
but God become a child. God become human, one of us. And why?
So that you and I could see God; know God; be friends with God.
“Friends with God” – that’s a challenging idea.
I’m a priest, I study theology, read Scripture,
and prayer is my profession; and even then,
the idea of being “friends with God” is daunting for me,
as maybe it is for you. How do I be friends with God?

But another human being? Someone who wakes and sleeps,
who works and gets tired, who has a family,
who has a people and a history,
who gets up each day and prays,
who goes to the synagogue each Sabbath –
I can be friends with that Man.

That’s why God became Man. That’s why, Christmas.

We call this a time of light in darkness, and its true:
the light that breaks into the darkness of man, closed in on himself.
Never has that been more needed.

You and I live in a time when many think God is a relic of simpler times,
when people needed a way to explain the movements of the stars
and the hidden structures of life on earth;
but now that we’ve travelled to the stars and mapped the genome,
we don’t really need “God.”

Except that in cracking all these other mysteries, one yet remains;
Indeed, it has grown ever more impenetrable;
And that is the mystery of our own selves,
Which is also the mystery of good and evil.

The Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn,
writing about his years as a prisoner in a communist gulag,
explained it perfectly:

“If only it were all so simple!
If only there were evil people somewhere
insidiously committing evil deeds,
and it were necessary only to separate them
from the rest of us and destroy them…”

[But] “the line separating good and evil passes not through states,
nor between classes, nor between political parties either –
but right through every human heart…”

“And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”*

Man can explore and build, and crack things open;
but we are no closer to solving this mystery within ourselves
than we have ever been.

Only God, who knows us better than we know ourselves,
can disclose man to himself.
This is what the Second Vatican Council said:
only in the mystery of God become human
“does the mystery of man take on light”;
only Christ, born this day,
“fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear.”**

So the joy and peace we talk about so much this time of year?
It only has meaning if we can bring it to that divided, human heart;
for that is where all wars begin and end.

Until there is a death of greed and wrath and envy and hatred
in human hearts, in our hearts, will war end – and not an hour,
not a minute, before.
That is the peace that Jesus came to give,
and he freely gives it to all who ask.

This is the real meaning of the sacrament of confession.
It’s not primarily about a box, or a ritual,
or formulas or prayers;
all these things serve a greater purpose:
to invite the Prince of Peace to reign in our hearts.
That is the where all the struggles that really matter happen.

So if you want to give yourself the best Christmas present,
if you want that peace and joy of the season,
nothing beats walking out of confession,
with a soul where all is calm, all is bright, within!

So what is Christmas? God came to make friends.
God took a human face so we could see it, so we could see him.
Talk to him. Know him.

He knows the path that is dark to us.
He penetrates what we cannot fathom in ourselves,
because he created us.
Nothing about us will make him ashamed to call us “friend.”
There is no one so low to whom he did not stoop to meet;
and there is no secret we need hide or fear to share,
for he knows it already, and died on the Cross to wash it all away.

And there is nothing that will keep him from our company,
if we will have him with us.

God was born one of us today
so that we could find him and know him as a friend.
There is no other real point to Christmas without this.
There is nothing worth doing this day as much as this:
To find him. Talk to him. Know him. Let him love you.
Let him explain you, to you. Let him be with you in struggle and strife.
Let him forgive you. Let him be your Savior.

Come, let us adore him!

* This is actually two quotes from Gulag Archipelago.
** Gaudium et Spes 22.

Recipe time: Chicken Salad for Lunch

One of my best friends drove up Monday for a visit, so I had to decide, what to do for lunch?

I thought soup and salad might be nice, so I found this recipe online. Before going with it, I read the comments; often other folks have made good suggestions. Based on the comments, I decided to add a bit of cayenne pepper (I didn't measure, but about 1/4 teaspoon), and I added a granny smith apple; I compensated by cutting back a little on the celery, almonds and grapes. Some readers suggested cutting back on the mayonnaise, so I did that as well. I forgot to buy fresh parsley, so I used dried.

While this salad could easily be made with chicken from a can, I got an idea from another recipe, which described how to poach chicken breasts. So I bought some boneless chicken breasts, and poached them in some chicken broth, with some dried parsley and thyme added, as well as a cut up carrot, onion and celery stalk. I saved the broth in the freezer for later.

With the chicken salad, I had some cheddar broccoli soup, which I picked up at Panera Bread. The soup was good, but pricey -- $15 for four servings. Four? More like two! As it turned out, I'd forgotten my friend can't eat broccoli, so...no problem!

Here's how I put it together. I had some boston lettuce, and I spread several pieces on the plate; then I put the chicken salad on top of that, with some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the side. Then I had some bacon, and some bread at the ready. My idea was that either this could be eaten as a salad, or easily turned into a sandwich. My friend and I opted for no bread. The bacon was good in the soup.

I had some leftover chicken salad that I shared with the staff, and one of them asked for the recipe, so I promised to post it here.

'Closed heart, open heart' (Sunday homily)

The theme of this homily could be summarized as, 
“Closed Heart, Open Heart.” 

In the first reading, we have a closed heart, in King Ahaz. 
The background is this: his country is in deep trouble, 
and he has set his mind on a course 
that Isaiah has come to talk him out of. 
That’s why Isaiah offers to give him a sign – any sign he chooses. 
But Ahaz refuses. A closed heart.

But Joseph, in the Gospel, has an open heart. 
Joseph has just found out something that is shocking: 
Mary, his wife-to-be, is expecting a child! 

Now, Joseph knew when he became engaged to Mary, 
that she had taken a vow of virginity. 
Their marriage was going to be different in that regard. 
Joseph was probably older, and it may be 
he was doing so as a way to provide her protection and security.

So when he heard about Mary being pregnant, 
Lots of things might have gone through his head.
Hurt, betrayal, anger.

Now, the question is, how do we have an open heart, 
rather than a closed one? And I’d suggest three things:

First, set aside anger and hurt. You may feel it, but move beyond it.
Second, fight the temptation to make rash judgments. 

For me, when I find myself playing that script in my head, 
trying to fill in all the blanks, I turn to some other project. 
Or, I start praying. It may take a while, but that helps.

Third, remind yourself – hourly, if necessary! – 
that God is in control, and you aren’t.

Let me say more about anger. 
This is something a lot of people struggle with, 
ranging from the little irritations and sharp words, 
all the way to really explosive anger. 

Let me suggest two major causes of anger – 
not the only ones, but two major ones.

First, we get angry when we feel we’re under attack. 
Think about how we respond if someone attacks us physically: 
the instinct is to defend ourselves, and, with a surge of adrenalin, 
we may suddenly strike back. 

Something similar happens when someone 
is criticizing an idea or project of ours; or kidding or mocking us. 
And it also happens when the attack isn’t on me, 
but on someone I care about.

The issue isn’t whether the criticism is fair or intentional; 
But whether getting angry is really the best move.
Most of the time, we regret it, because we lost control. 


So if that’s you, and if you want to do something about it, 
here’s my suggestion. 

Stop and really analyze the last few times you got angry. 
Look and see if it wasn’t a case of feeling attacked in some way. 
Making a habit of this kind of examination will help disconnect 
that button that other people always figure out how to push.

The other major reason we get angry is because we want control, 
and we don’t have it. 

Think of what happens when you’re a child, 
and the game doesn’t go your way; what do you do? 
You might cry, throw down the cards, scatter the pieces off the board, and stomp away. 
In a word: anger; and why? 
Because you’re not having your way.

Now consider what dad or mom does when driving somewhere. 

Someone is in the wrong lane; driving too slowly; doesn’t signal properly; 
doesn’t go on green soon enough. What do they do? 
Do they ever get red in the face? 
Shake their fist or say not-nice things about that other driver?
Try to get around that car, just to make a nasty face?

It’s the same thing. Anger, because we can’t get our way. 

And, if you think about it, it may explain a lot of the anger 
that shows up between spouses, parents and children, and so forth.

So if this is you, here’s the simple answer – 
simple, but not necessarily easy: 
accept that the things you can control are far, far, far fewer
than you think or expect. 
I say it’s not easy, because this isn’t something 
you just say to yourself one time. 
It’s a daily, even hourly confession: I am not in control. 
There is a prayer, many of us have heard of it, and it goes like this:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; 
The courage to change the things I can;
And the wisdom to know the difference.

This isn’t only a prayer, it’s a way of life. 
And I think Joseph must have understood it, 
because he was serene in the face of things he didn’t control, 
and that helped his heart be open 
to the message of the angel who came to him.

Behind this prayer – and behind Joseph’s whole story – 
is another saying you’ve heard: There is a God – and I’m not him. 
Recognizing, and trusting, that God is in control 
helped Joseph keep his gaze steady and his heart open, 
and the same is true for us.

Now, if you’re still with me on all this, 
and you would like to see these things happen in your life, 
then I have one more suggestion: Go to confession! 

And I don’t mean, go once.
I mean, if you aren’t in the habit of coming pretty regularly, 
make the decision that you will form a habit of coming to confession. 
How often is up to you, but a good rule of thumb is once a month.
And if you’re wrestling with some bad habits, 
you may need to come more than that in order to break them.

Some people are skeptical of this, and maybe that’s you, 
and you aren’t going to do it unless I can convince you. 
And I could spend the next few minutes offering several reasons. 
But I want to wrap this up. So let me say it this way.

If you asked me, how often should a field be plowed and fertilized, 
not being a farmer, I don’t really know. 
So I would call some of the farmers here, and ask them. 
And since this is what they do, I’d believe them.

Well, as a priest, confession and conversion are things I do know about. 
And I’m telling you, if you don’t turn over the soil of your heart 
often enough in the sacrament of confession,
your heart will be like soil in the ground that doesn’t get tilled: 
hard and resistant to change. 
But with regular confession, 
our heart becomes better ground for God’s word to grow, 
and grow well.

Going to confession isn’t the only thing we need 
in order to have open, receptive hearts – 
there are other steps needed as well – 
but it’s hard to get anything happening without regular confession.

This week, in preparation for Christmas, 
we’ll have extra confessions on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, 
as well as on Thursday and Saturday at the usual times. 
And then, after Christmas, 
we’ll still be having confessions every week, 
so we can keep tilling our hearts, 
and let the word of God take deep root.

Ohio Right to Life torpedoes prolife bill, then lies about it

This past week two prolife bills passed the Ohio legislature and reached the governor's desk at the same time. One was a ban on abortion after 20 weeks; the other was a ban on abortion after a heartbeat is detected. Governor John Kasich promptly vetoed the more prolife of the two bills, while signing the bill that would protect far fewer unborn children.

Here's the shock: he did so at the behest of Ohio Right to Life, which later tried to cover its tracks.

Now, it should be pointed out that neither bill is what prolifers want. It isn't prolife to say that some babies should die because of an arbitrary delineation by law; whether that's birth, "viability" (a moving target), 20 weeks, 10 weeks, upon hearing a heartbeat, or anything else. The only rational and morally defensible law is one that protects all life once conceived, without exceptions. (This is why many committed prolifers during the recent election raised concerns about Donald Trump -- precisely because he supported keeping it legal to kill babies whose fathers committed rape or incest.)

Here's what the Columbus Dispatch reported:

But in a bitterly divided "pro-life" movement, Ohio Right to Life opposes the Heartbeat Bill as likely to be held as unconstitutional in federal courts and possibly detriment to other recently passed laws paring back abortion rights. The group asked Kasich to sign only the 20-week abortion ban.

Further, on its Facebook Page, an unidentified representative of Ohio Right to Life made this claim:

...the Heartbeat Bill hasn't saved any lives anywhere it's been tried. The Supreme Court actually rejected the opportunity to hear the Heartbeat Bill earlier this year. The only thing that has changed since that time is the tragic passing of Justice Antonin Scalia. The Supreme Court is stacked against us--and Ruth Bader Ginsburg has already told reporters that she is itching for the opportunity to write an opinion worse than Roe. We don't want to give her that opportunity--an opportunity that could set the pro-life movement back decades and lead to more deaths.

Well, no.

As currently constituted, the U.S. Supreme Court has four justices that are entirely pro-legal-abortion: Ginsberg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan; plus one who waffles, Kennedy. There are three who are presumed to be votes to overturn Roe: Chief Justice Roberts, Thomas and Alito. Assuming President-elect Trump keeps his promise when he names a Supreme Court justice (and his pick is confirmed), that breakdown becomes 4-1-4.

So the reasoning of Ohio RTL seems to be that the Heartbeat bill loses Kennedy, but maybe he'll go for the 20-week ban, and it'll be upheld. However, this ignores two things:

1. Neither bill will reach the U.S. Supreme Court directly. The first challenge would happen in federal district court. The next stop would be the federal appeals court; and only then -- if the U.S. Supreme Court chooses to take it up -- would the case come before the High Court.

But that doesn't happen automatically. At least four members of the Supreme Court must agree to hear a case. Is that likely?

Probably not. The Heartbeat bills enacted in North Dakota and Arkansas were both struck down at the district level, and those rulings were affirmed by the appeals court.

But couldn't the U.S. Supreme Court still take up the case? Sure, anything's possible, but why would they? Assuming it's true that Justice Ginsberg is itching to do it, that's only one vote for review; she needs three others. In theory, the other pro-abortion justices would want to revisit the current precedents, but realize -- whatever outcome they hope for must win the vote of...Justice Kennedy; and to the extent anything is clear about Kennedy's position on...anything, it is that he doesn't want to go where Ginsberg presumably wants to go.

But here's the main thing: if five justices of the Supreme Court are eager to liberalize abortion law, why does it matter which of these bills reaches the court? Are we really to suppose that there are five justices, ready to issue a new, expansive pro-abortion decision...only to be deflated because, golly, the wrong anti-abortion law reached them? That's ridiculous!

So the claim by the unnamed Ohio RTL operative is false. A five-vote majority on the Supreme Court, eager to strike down prolife measures, will strike down either of these bills; and write whatever decision it wants.

On the other hand, if circumstances allow, either bill might be upheld. These cases take several years to work through the courts. Who knows if there will be yet another new justice on the High Court? Who knows but that our prayers for the conversion of those justices who have distorted our laws to protect killing unborn children may not work?

Ohio RTL's tactics drew a lot of protest from other prolifers, which may explain the attempt to cover it's tracks. On the same Facebook post cited above, someone acting for the organization posted this:

Ohio Right to Life was neutral on the Heartbeat Bill and supportive of the one strategy that could swing Anthony Kennedy to a pro-life decision. The Heartbeat Bill hasn't saved any lives anywhere it's been tried. Sadly, the Supreme Court actually rejected the opportunity to hear the Heartbeat Bill earlier this year.

Sorry, but backing a veto is hardly "neutral"!

The too-clever tactics of Ohio Right to Life are bad enough; but not being forthright about their actions make it worse. I'm sorry to see it.

Clericalism? Are the Traddies guilty?

I've been wanting to link to something by this admirable blogger priest, and I think this is it.

While there, be sure to browse around.

How you can be like John the Baptist (Sunday homily)

You probably didn’t notice, but a Gospel reading about John the Baptist 
comes up every year during Advent. 
We don’t know much about John, but we do know that at some point, 
John went out to live in the desert, 
wearing simple clothing and eating whatever he could find there. 
And he began preaching repentance, 
and he attracted a lot of attention; 
lots of people came out to the desert to be baptized. 

After this, John ends up in prison, 
because he publicly scolded King Herod for entering into marriage 
with his brother’s wife; and, finally, he is beheaded.

Now why would John even want to go out into the desert like that? 
Why would anyone?
And the answer is, for some people, that’s how they draw close to God. 
Getting away from noise, from distractions, 
from the world: alone with God.

This is an impulse many of us can’t understand; 
but I suspect there are many of us who do understand it – 
and we wish we could do it. 
But what holds us back are the obligations to our families, 
or to our businesses or farms; or fear of what others might say.

Maybe we put it off for another day.
Or, maybe we can’t bring ourselves to give up 
the creature comforts we like – 
like refrigerators full of food, and hot showers, 
and heat and air conditioning, and beds!
By the way, this is the value of making little sacrifices, 
like getting up early, or giving up chocolate and beer and cookies 
and video games – and I don’t mean just during Lent, either. 

I saw a program about Saint Thomas More the other day, 
and it mentioned that he wore something called a “hair shirt” – 
which was designed to be uncomfortable. 
That may seem odd, but when he ended up in prison 
because of his witness to the faith, 
I bet those little sacrifices he made, day by day, paid off – 
don’t you think?

The point is to free ourselves, so we can seek what really matters.

We might wonder why people go out into the desert like John.
There is a longing that some people feel – 
to put everything else aside so that they can draw closer to Christ – 
and for thousands of years, people have been going out into the desert, 
or into monasteries and cloisters, 
so that they could give themselves entirely to the Lord.

There may be some here who feel that longing, 
and you may not be sure what to do with it. 
If that’s you, you’re welcome to come see me, and we can talk about it.
But don’t simply ignore it; try to understand what it means.
It could mean many things.

Wherever it leads, don’t be alarmed, be grateful: 
because if you follow that longing, 
nothing will make you happier.
Now, back to John the Baptist. 
We know very little about what he did with his life, 
apart from a few details. So what makes him so great?
And the answer is really simple: he had a call from God, 
a unique role to play in God’s Plan, and he answered it. 

As measured by worldly standards, 
his accomplishments might not seem like much. 

Let me put this in modern terms. 
Suppose someone we knew decided to walk away from everything, 
and go out into the woods and build a shelter, and live there. 
Your friend, your relative, 
decides to live off of whatever he can find to eat there, 
and to wash his clothes in the creek. 

We all know what we’d think about that. 
Who wouldn’t try to talk our friend out of doing this?

There’s a funny detail that shows up over and over 
in the lives of the saints, whether it’s Thomas Aquinas, 
or Joan of Arc, or Francis of Assisi, or Dominic Savio, and hundreds more. 
There were family and friends who tried really, really, hard 
to talk them out of it.

And I’ve often wondered, what would it be like, 
to be that person who tried to talk a saint out of being a saint? 
Who wants to go down in history that way?


Picture the scene in heaven; you’re meeting people, 
and you ask this guy who is.
“I’m Thomas Aquinas; I was one of the greatest philosophers in Western Civilization.”

Nice! And you, who are you?

“Um, I’m his father. I tried to stop him.”

Chances are, God isn’t calling you to go live in a cave or up a tree; 
but he may be calling you to something very different 
from what everyone else thinks makes sense. 
He may call you to give your life totally to him 
as a sister, a brother, a priest. 

And if you wonder what difference it will make, 
think of John the Baptist. 
God chose him for one brief, shining moment in history: 
to be the voice who cried out, “Behold the Lamb of God.” 
It might not have been much, 
but it was enough for Jesus to say of John, 
“among those born of women 
there has been none greater than John the Baptist.”

Whatever our task may be, whatever sacrifice we might have to make, 
won’t it be worth it, to have Jesus speak words like that of us, 
when we stand before him some day?

Hail, Kecharitomene! (Immaculate Conception homily)

In what way does this depict the Immaculate Conception? See note below!

There is frequently confusion about what we are celebrating today. 
I am determined to correct this mistake every chance I get.

Pop quiz: whose conception – whose beginning of life – 
are we commemorating today? 
If you answer, “Jesus,” I’m sorry, that’s wrong.
Rather, it’s Mary’s conception; 
it’s Mary who is conceived immaculately, or, without sin.

We mark Jesus’ conception on March 25, 
nine months before Christmas.
Today we recall when Mary was conceived 
in the womb of her mother, Ann. 
Mary’s birthday comes nine months later, September 8.

So, again, the Immaculate Conception is about how Mary began her life. 

The mistake is understandable, 
in part because the Gospel reading 
talks mostly about Jesus being conceived. 
Even so, this Gospel reading is still the right one, 
because it is the place where the Bible 
most clearly points to Mary’s Immaculate Conception. 

First, we have a single, powerful word, in the original Greek: 
kecharitomene. This is the word we translate, “full of grace.”
Biblical scholars like to point out that kecharitomene
is a very unusual word – unique, in fact; 
it appears nowhere else in the Bible 
or even in secular literature of the period. 
That’s because it’s an unusual construction of the Greek verb 
meaning “to grace” or “to favor.”

Let’s notice a couple of things. First, it’s a greeting. 
This isn’t a statement about Mary; 
it’s the name Heaven gives to Mary; it’s who God says she is. 
And it isn’t something she did, but rather, something God did in her. 

So here’s the thing: “full of grace” is true, as far as it goes; 
but it doesn’t actually go far enough. 

Here’s a more literal sense of what the Archangel Gabriel said to Mary:
Hail, You who have been, and now are, 
perfectly, completely, and uniquely graced.
Get that? Mary was, and remains, 
perfectly, completely, and uniquely graced by God.

So here’s why that means Mary was untouched by sin, 
even from her first moment of existence:
Because if she had ever been touched by sin, even for a moment, 
it would not be true that she was “perfectly and completely” graced. For that to be true, she had to be completely free from sin, 
and completely full of grace, as full as full can be!

Then there is another detail in this passage that confirms this. 
Later, Gabriel says, “the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” 

This is an unusual phrase, used only a few times in Scripture, 
as  when the Glory of God overshadowed the tent of meeting, 
which was where God’s People gathered to worship the Lord. 
Let me quote a part of that:

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting,
and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Moses could not enter the tent of meeting,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:24-25)

Now, that primarily refers to Jesus being conceived in Mary, 
which, again, we commemorate on March 25. 
But here’s the thing. The tent of meeting, 
before it was filled with God’s Glory, 
was already perfectly prepared. 

In the chapters before this happened, 
God describes in great detail exactly 
how the tent of meeting was to be built 
by the artisans and craftsmen of Israel. 
Remember, Moses was up on the mountain for 40 days and this is why – 
God described everything in exact detail. It had to be perfect. 

So what Gabriel’s words mean is that Mary is that tabernacle, 
first made perfect by the Divine Craftsman, 
in preparation for being “overshadowed by the Most High.”

Here’s a beautiful quote by Blessed John Duns Scotus, 
who played a major role in understanding 
Mary’s conception without sin. He asked:

"Would the God of justice and mercy grant the first Eve, 
who He foreknew would betray Him, a greater glory in her creation 
than He would give the second Eve, 
who He foreknew would be His handmaid forever?"

And, of course, the answer is no!

St. John Chrysostom wrote a hymn about Mary; here are a few lines:

Hail, Kecharitomene, unreaped land of heavenly grain.  
Hail, Kecharitomene, virgin mother, true and unfailing vine.  
…faultless one carrying the immutable divinity.  
…habitation of holy fire. 
…golden urn, containing heavenly manna.  
…spiritual sea who holds Christ, the heavenly pearl.  
Hail, Kecharitomene, pillar of cloud containing God, 
and guiding Israel in the wilderness.

Yes, it can be a little confusing today, but it can’t be helped, 
because Mary’s creation, as the Immaculate Mother, 
is all about her Son. 
She was lovingly created, without any stain, 
in anticipation of the day she would give her loving consent 
to be the Mother of the Messiah.

Today is like a little Christmas.
Today, Mary begins her life, filled with light.
On Christmas, that light dawns into the world.

How does the image above depict the Immaculate Conception? I learned this when I was preparing a presentation for the people of Immaculata Church, in Cincinnati, about the lovely art that graces that church. This image is meant to show Mary's soul, at the instant of its creation.

From the cutting-room floor, some notes I didn't include in my homily, for the sake of brevity:


Contrast between first and second Adam:

1st Adam retreats from evil; 2nd Adam goes into battle against evil in the desert, and again in the garden.

1st Adam says nothing when enemy lies and seduces; 2nd Adam is always silencing demons.

1st Adam shrinks from fear of harm; 2nd Adam accepts the cup of suffering.

1st Adam lets his bride be ruined, and follows her; 2nd Adam sacrifices himself for his bride, and thus purifies her.

This doctrine and this feast is a powerful answer to all who demean women, or who think Christianity demeans women. It is not God, but sinful Adam, who demeans the woman. Notice how, when God confronts Adam about his failure, he doesn’t own up to it, but rather blames God and the woman for the catastrophe.

God puts a woman at the center of the drama of salvation, first in Eve; finally in Mary.

What is hope? Where is our hope anchored? (Sunday homily)

In the second reading, from Paul’s letter to the Roman Church, 
he said that the Scriptures were written for us 
“that we might have hope.”

What is hope?

Elsewhere in this same letter, Saint Paul explained that 
The gaze of hope is fixed on that which lies ahead--
it isn’t something you already have.
That’s why it’s true to say that in heaven, there is no hope!

Sounds strange to say, doesn’t it?
But it’s true: if we make it to heaven, and we have the fullness of life,
the enjoyment of God’s love and beauty and truth--
if we have all that, then at that point, what would we hope for? 
Heaven is the hope!

So: hope looks forward.

But then the question comes to mind:
just what do we fix our hope on?
Is it really true that heaven is what we are hoping for?

I think a lot of folks around us set their hopes a lot lower.
A few years ago, I saw a survey about the British people,
that something like a quarter of them say,
well, there might be a God,
but they don’t think they can know anything about God for sure.


I didn’t find a survey for the U.S.,
But lots of people here think the same thing, don’t they?

So what that means is that if we have
some hope of good after this life,
it ends up being pretty vague.

So let me ask you – is that really hope? 

In the meantime, what we see around us,
what we can obtain here, all that is pretty definite.
So that’s what a lot of people focus on.

Let me give some examples of how we do that.

When we look at what’s on TV, or in the movies, 
or in whatever else we turn to for entertainment: 
how much is about what heaven is like – 
versus, what your next meal, or your next vacation looks like?

How much of our time do we spend with reading or entertainment 
that turns our gaze to what ultimately matters?
How much of our time is about the ephemeral and not the eternal?

Hope is an anchor we cast forward. 
Where have we anchored our hope:
In our job? Our own abilities and plans? 
In political candidates and causes?


Without realizing it, we fix our hopes here, in this world..
We set our sights on finding happiness here.
And the more we do that, do you realize what that means?
We’re people without hope--
because, as Saint Paul said, hope is what we look forward to;
but if we have everything we think we want,
there’s nothing left to hope for.

Pope Francis, in the letter he wrote a few years ago,
called the “Joy of the Gospel,”
talks about the “great danger in today’s world,
pervaded as it is by consumerism,”
which leads to “the desolation and anguish
of a complacent yet covetous heart…

“Whenever our interior life becomes caught up
in its own interests and concerns,”
he writes--and with the “pursuit of frivolous pleasures,”
there is no longer “room for others,” for doing good;
and in fact, God’s voice is no longer heard.

This is where celibacy, in Christianity, is unique.
In other religions, it’s about denial.
In Buddhism, the goal is the negation of all desire.
But not in Christianity!

For us, celibacy is about the resurrection.
It’s about expectation--and hope!


If you’re on your way to a great dinner,
You don’t stop and eat on the way.

And therefore, when people see that you passed up
a really splendid, extraordinary dinner,
then that means
what you’re waiting for must be truly awesome!

That’s what it means for a brother, a sister and a priest 
who passes up marriage and family; 
it’s a sign that they’ve cast their anchor all the way to heaven.
Which reminds each of us to do the same in our own lives.

And, speaking of our religious sisters, 
remember them in the second collection next week; 
this is for their retirement fund, which needs bolstering. 

It isn’t for the parish – we have needs too, 
as I explained two weeks ago. 

It isn’t for priests of the archdiocese, 
it isn’t for my retirement; but rather, 
for those sisters and brothers 
who gave everything away to serve Christ. 
Many here were taught by nuns, 
including in Russia School at one time!
This is a way we can repay them.

But to return to the theme of hope, 
I want to say something about eternity.
It’s hard to know what eternal life might be like; 
it’s hard to visualize. 
But let me offer a theory: if we aren’t looking for something,
it’s a lot less likely that we’ll find it. 
Do you think that’s true? 
If we aren’t looking for something, we are far less likely to see it.

If someone told you there was a mineral, a rock, 
in the ground, around here, 
that’s very valuable – it’s needed for computers and medical research – 
and if you could find just small quantities of it, 
you would make a really big profit. 
And if you decided to go into that business, 
what would be the first thing you’d do?

Wouldn’t your first step be to find out 
what that mineral looked like?
In fact, wouldn’t you try to find out 
everything you could about it?

Well, there’s a place called heaven, 
and there’s a Savior named Jesus, 
whose our only sure way to get there. 
So our first step is kind of obvious, isn’t it?

Rorate Mass in Russia

An ancient tradition was revived in Russia, Ohio, this morning, at Saint Remy Church. I offered a Rorate Mass, although it was in the Ordinary Form, rather than the usus antiquor.

What is a Rorate Mass? Here's a nice explanation (pictures at the link):

The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion wherein the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before dawn. In many instances families and individuals travel an hour or more, rising and arriving very early for this stunningly beautiful Mass. The interplay of light and darkness speak to the meaning of Advent and the coming of the Light of the world.

The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli, from the first words of the Introit, which are from Isaiah 45:8:

“Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.”

“Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour.”

The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a votive Mass in Mary’s honor, white vestments are worn instead of Advent violet. In the dimly lit setting, priests and faithful prepare to honor the Light of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the gift of Our Lady. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our Faith is illumined by Christ.

We didn't need to have Mass at a special time; Mass on first Friday, during the school year, is always at 7 am, so I figured that would work. It was certainly before dawn. I told people ahead of time, of course, and I kept a few lights on in church before Mass. It would have been even nicer to have everyone enter church without lights, but that's a bit impractical.

We did use the proper chants, in English, which you can find here; our music director sang them beautifully, despite a nagging cold. I'm told the altar was lovely, light only with candles; it was striking to see everyone's faces, lit only by candlelight. I'm sorry I didn't think to ask someone to take a photo.

While this was a votive Mass for our Lady, I elected to use the readings of the day; they fit very well.

I pondered using incense, and maybe we'll do that next year; as well as trying it at the high altar (i.e., ad orientem).

Were you there? What did you think?

Fulfilled in your presence (Sunday homily)

In the first reading we hear a prophecy of Isaiah: 
all nations shall stream toward “the mountain of the Lord’s house.” 
And perhaps you’re wondering to what that refers.

Well, let’s figure it out.

It refers to the “Lord’s House” – that means the temple. 
And that Temple was built on Mount Zion; 
which is also where the city of Jerusalem is.
It was also on that mountain – in the city of Jerusalem –
that Jesus gathered with his Apostles on the night before he died. 
It was there that he completed his “Mass” 
with his suffering and death on the Cross.

So if you’re wondering how that prophecy is to be fulfilled: 
the answer is in the Holy Mass – what we are doing right now!

Isaiah said that the Word of the Lord would go forth from Zion – 
and it did, especially after the Day of Pentecost;
And that all the nations would stream to the Lord’s House –
And that, too, has happened; the Holy Mass 
is offered throughout the world, 
in every language and nation and tongue, 
even in places where it is extremely dangerous to worship Christ.

So it is wonderful to consider that this passage has been, 
and is being, fulfilled, even as we gather here for Holy Mass!

 Now, the emphasis in the Gospel is on watchfulness 
for the coming of Jesus.
But let’s not misunderstand that. 
Many people talk about Jesus’ coming, 
as if he’s now absent from the world. 
They’ll say, “he’s coming back – as if, he’s not here.
But Jesus IS here, and has been, 
ever since he was conceived in the womb of Mary!

When we talk about Jesus’ coming again, 
it might be better to think of it as his coming in full; 
his complete coming.
Pope Benedict made this point one time, 
when he explained that Jesus is constantly “coming” into the world, 
and what we will witness at the end of time 
is the completion of  his coming 

Jesus “comes” every time we mention his name – 
which is why it’s a praiseworthy custom 
to bow our heads at the name of Jesus.
Jesus “comes” when his people gather to pray; remember what he said: 
“wherever two or three gather in my name, 
there am I in the midst of you.”

Jesus “comes” when we proclaim the Gospel – 
which is why we stand for that reading, while sitting for the others.

Jesus “comes” whenever someone is baptized, 
someone receives absolution in confession, and in all the sacraments.
And, of course, he “comes” in such a wonderful way 
when the Holy Mass is offered, 
and he himself makes present his sacrifice at the altar.
So, realize, that what the Gospel promises 
is likewise fulfilled right here, before your eyes!

Yes, there is a complete fulfillment yet ahead, 
and we don’t know when that will happen.
But there is a way that you and I can live, 
so that we need not worry about it.

Every day we live, eager to speak his name, 
eager to see him, eager to hear him speak to us.
If you’re looking at the materials on prayer on Formed.org, 
you heard Dr. Tim Gray talk about prayer as a conversation with God, 
who speaks to us in the Scriptures.

We don’t have to wait to hear Jesus or to see him.
He’s here, speaking to us, giving himself to us.
Seek him in confession. Seek him in Scripture. Seek him in silence.
Seek him in the Holy Mass.
Then, there will never be an hour we are not ready.

'We have here no lasting city...' (Sunday homily)

I was reading an article this weekend by Father James Schall, commenting on the election last week. His summary of his own article was, "We have here no lasting city." That is also a good summary of today's Gospel.

Why did Jesus say about the Temple, "there will not be one stone left on another"? To scare people? No; rather, to make the same point as Father Schall: in this world, we have no lasting city.

For the people listening to Jesus, the destruction of the Temple was a horrible thought -- the end of the world. And when it happened 40 years later, it was pretty horrible. Scholars debate whether the rest of what Christ said in this passage was about events then, or at the end of time, but we needn't worry about that. The answer is both. Christians today are facing the same persecution as the early Church, which this Gospel describes well.

Now, this time last week, I think a lot of us were dreading this election. We had a pretty strong turnout for Monday night's prayer vigil, to pray for the nation and the election. And I know many think the results are the answer to our prayers. They may well be, but only time will tell. You and I have high hopes for President-elect Trump, but we had better keep praying hard. If the Gospel has one clear point, it is that what seems so solid is not solid at all.

Only one thing is truly solid, and that is Christ himself!

Now, I want to call your attention to the first reading. Did you notice the two ways it talks about fire? For the "proud" and "evil doers," it is fire that punishes; it "consumes" them. What does that sound like? It sounds like hell to me.

But for those who fear God's Name? It is a sun of righteousness with "healing rays." Healing? What does that sound like? Sounds like purgatory to me.

Yet it is the same fire; the fire of God's truth and love.

Think about that. God is the same. God is good to all. His mercy is readily available, even at the last moment, as with St. Dismas, the repentant thief on the cross next to Jesus. Yet, on the other side was another thief, who did not seek mercy. What was different? Same Jesus; same mercy; same peril for the two thieves.

Beware the sin of presumption! People think, "Oh, I can sin now, God will forgive me later." But that assumes something: that you will ask later. The reason the fire consumes the evil doers is that they were proud; they refused to ask.

The same fire that heals those open to God, will torment those whose hearts are closed.

This is a good time to remind you of our prayer project for Advent. Deepening our prayer is how we root ourselves in the one thing that is solid, Jesus Christ. The cards are in the pews, with how to sign up; it's free, no obligation, you can view the material online. This weekend will be the last time the cards are in the pews. Even if you don't want to join a group, we'd be grateful if you filled out the card, because that way we know people are taking advantage of this. This program costs money -- not a lot, but something -- and we want to know that it's worthwhile.

To circle back to where we began: in this world, we have no lasting city. But we do have a lasting hope: Jesus Christ! may he be praised, now and forever, amen!