Blessed Christmas

Blessed is He

who took up residence

in the womb

and built there a temple

wherein to dwell,

a shrine in which to be,

a garment in which

He might shine out. 

--St. Ephrem the Syrian,

Hymn 3, Hymns on the Nativity

4th Sunday of Advent

When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;…behold, I come to do your will, O God.” --Heb. 10: 5, 7

The Letter to the Hebrews is one of my favorite books of Scripture. The passage that is read today is particularly fraught with meaning, as it summarizes in a few verses the great mystery that we are about to celebrate: God’s desire to come among us, to be one of us, to assume human flesh, blood, and bone—to become fully human. And all of this out of one motive: love. “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son,” as St. John has written.

Far too often the term “flesh” has been interpreted in a negative way in the Christian tradition and this has led to all manner of distortions: extreme asceticism, hatred of the body, abuse of the body, the denigration of sexuality. There is nothing wrong with the flesh when it refers to our bodies or our bodily condition. Created by God, our bodies are good and we have a responsibility to respect the body and to care properly for it. Similarly, the same mistake has been made with regard to the term “world”. The world is good, as it too was created by God. Yet, we are called to be in the world, but not of the world. So what does that mean? “Of the world” refers to worldliness—which is the seeking after power, prestige, fame, fortune, and all the fleeting things that we are tempted to grasp in order to ensure our own standing and security in this life. All of which serves only to distract us from “the one thing necessary”.

The one thing necessary is to do the will of God. It was for this that Christ came into the world: “Behold, I come to do your will, O God.” But, we struggle with knowing and doing the will of God. What is the will of God, for us, here, now? The trouble is no angel appears to us to tell us, as happened to Mary. Unlike her, we are left to figure it out for ourselves. But, is it really all that difficult to know the will of God? Perhaps we have only to look to Jesus to learn what the will of God is and how to do it.

Blessed 4th Sunday of Advent!

Sandy Hook

“And Jesus wept.” John 11:36

Third Sunday of Advent

“The crowds asked John the Baptist, ‘What should we do?’ He said to them in reply, ‘Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.’”  --Lk. 3: 10-11

Can any plainer words be spoken? John the Baptist went to the very heart of the matter. He pointed out that having come and turned back to God, having repented, one must then bear fruit in daily life. Notice that it’s not a matter of doing these acts of charity and justice that come first. No, these actions flow from the act of turning back to God. They flow from knowing that one is accepted, loved, and forgiven. They are acts of gratitude, not obligation. They flow from an inner joy that knows no bounds. These acts are not done to gain acceptance, love, or forgiveness. For John the Baptist, there was no basking in warm, fuzzy feelings. Rather, one must evidence repentance by actions.

Notice John the Baptist never says, “Look, you earned what you have and you have every right to keep it.” What would it be like in our world today if the most wealthy among us adopted the attitude and the counsel of John the Baptist? If you have more than you need, give. Share what you have with those less fortunate than yourselves. Don’t bother to determine if that person deserves it, leave that to God. The person needs it. That is enough. Rejoice, rather, that you have been so richly blessed.

Somehow it has escaped many of us that perhaps that is part of God’s design: that some would have more than enough and some less, so that those with much could be blessed in the giving and those with less could be blessed in the receiving. This design is thwarted, however, when those with much hoard their wealth. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy. There is everything wrong with hoarding it to the detriment of your brothers and sisters in need. There is everything wrong with sitting in judgment, as to who or who does not deserve to receive assistance, while ignoring the obvious fact that one has done nothing to deserve wealth. This is just a wealthy person’s version of ‘entitlement’.

Blessed third week of Advent!  

Second Sunday of Advent

“And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and in every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ...”  --Phil. 1: 9-10

What does it mean to discern what is of value? In a way, is that not what the season of Advent is about? When all is said and done, what really matters in life? It’s ironic that in the most affluent country on earth, people easily lose sight of the things that really matter. We can get so caught up in worries and problems, hopes and fears, that we take for granted the gifts we rely on every day: health, family, friends, and faith--to name but a few. When we take these gifts for granted, our priorities go askew. Particularly during this season, we can become so distracted by all the myriad of things that need to be done and the things that money can buy. Patience and tempers grow short. Our minds and attention are scattered. We fell pressured in so many ways by so many things. It’s no wonder that automobile accidents spike during this season, as do family disturbances, suicides, and other tragedies.

We would do well to remember, as a MasterCard commercial so aptly relates, that some things in life are priceless. Some things are of such great value that all the wealth in the world cannot purchase them. Have you ever found yourself realizing that the thing you most wanted was something money could not buy? It is a gift and a grace to find ourselves in such a position. Our hungry hearts will not be satisfied by the things that money can buy. Our hearts can only be satisfied by things of true and lasting value: an expression of gratitude, an email or a letter from a loved one, a smile on the face of a child, an expression of forgiveness. It is love that sees and discerns the true value in life. And it is Love and Forgivenness, come down to us in the form of a child, that genuinely satisfies the hungry heart.

Blessed second week of Advent!   

First Sunday of Advent

We begin Advent with a focus on the coming of the Lord at an unknown, future time. We are called to wake up, to be always on guard, to be alert and not sleepy. As the weeks progress, the focus will shift ever more toward the coming of the Lord in history--the event that we commemorate on Christmas Day.

For more than a week now, the world around us has been in full swing for the Christmas season. Merchants are flooding us with sales and email offers. Christmas carols are playing in the background in stores and offices. Christmas trees and buildings are lighted in our cities, towns, and neighborhoods. All of this is well and good as we prepare for Christmas Day. However, the Church in her wisdom invites us to step back from all of this hustle and bustle. For the next four weeks, we are asked to make a space in our busy lives for emptiness and silence. We are invited to reflect on what the coming of the Lord means for us: then, now, and in the future. We are invited to prepare a space within for the greatest gift of all. A gift that only God can give and the only gift that really matters.

Let us cherish these days of Advent and this opportunity to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord.

Blessed Advent!

Advent

The first Vespers of Advent has been sung. The first candle on the wreath has been lighted. Yes, Advent has begun. I love this liturgical season. If you wish to enter into the spirit of the season, listen to our monastery podcast of lauds and vespers: Monastery Podcast

V. Ask Something of Me

Will God, then, grant any and all requests like a genie in a fairy tale? All of us who pray know that some prayers go unanswered. If the hero of a fairy tale asks for something foolish or makes a frivolous request, the genie grants it and the hero must suffer the consequences. God, however, is not an indiscriminate genie. God exercises as much judgment and discernment as any good, wise, and loving parent would. If what we request is not good for us, God will not grant it. God will give us only good gifts--gifts that lead to a deepening and strengthening of our divine-human relationship: gifts that lead to growth and maturity; gifts that can be put to use in the service of God and God's people.

Both the prayer of Jesus and the prayer of Solomon can be models for us. The prayer of Solomon is the prayer of a youth mature in the ways of prayer. Solomon's prayer is heroic. Solomon acknowledges his relationship with God humbly, reverently. He keeps his request simple and to the point. He asks for what he genuinely needs, acknowledging that all is God's. And, finally, he pleases God by having the courage to ask for one of the greater gifts.