We belong to two families, a natural and supernatural family

Homily for Holy Family Year C 2015-2016

Sirach 3:2-6,12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Luke 2:41-52

Introduction

In most African communities, the concept of family is very fluid.  For example:

·        Your father's brothers, are not called "uncles," but simply "fathers."

·        Your mother's sisters, are also not called "aunts," but are your mothers too.

·        And their children are not cousins, but are your brothers and sisters.

And so, one has other brothers and sisters, other fathers and mothers, who you have to treat exactly as you would, your real parents and siblings.  Now if you thought having one mother nagging you all the time was bad, imagine what it is like having seven mothers behind you all the time!

Jesus too seems to be in a similar situation of having, not just one father, Joseph, but another father, the heavenly Father.  Although he was the Son of God and so belonged to the supernatural family of the Trinity, Jesus also belonged to the human family of Joseph and Mary.

Scripture and Theology

Sometimes we forget that the Holy Family was a natural family of father, mother and child. Perhaps it is because some paintings and holy cards of the Holy Family depict them in a super-pious and unrealistic way.  But Joseph, Mary and Jesus were real human beings, living in a real family with all its joys and its difficulties.  That Jesus was sinless, that Mary did not have original sin and that Joseph is a saint, did not protect them from the struggles of family life.

That is why in the gospel, when Jesus remains behind at the Temple in Jerusalem, Mary scolds the twelve-year old saying: “Son, why have you done this to us?  Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”  Is this not what you would say to your child, when he runs away from you at the Mall or at some park?  Just like any mother and father, Mary and Joseph were anxious and worried about their son.

Even the way Jesus responds to Mary should be familiar to any mother with a teenager.  “Why were you looking for me?" Jesus asks.  "Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  That doesn't sound like an apology, does it?  Jesus doesn't apologize for going off on his own without telling his parents, perhaps causing even more distress to his mother.  But unlike your typical teenager, Jesus has a good reason for his action; he was attending to the business of his Father, his other Father, his heavenly Father.

And yet his membership in the heavenly family did not absolve Jesus from his family obligations.  That is why we heard that eventually: "He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; . . . And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man."  In other words, Jesus as a son needed his family, to grow in his humanity and in his faith.

·        His mama had taught him how to walk, how to speak and how to say "please" and "thank you."

·        The teenage Jesus probably worked with his dad in the carpentry workshop and learned from him how to be a man.

·        Jesus had to learn how to read and especially how to read the Scriptures and to pray, so that when he left home, he knew the Jewish Bible well and he knew his Jewish faith well.

And so, Jesus takes seriously his obligations to both his families, the natural and the supernatural, listening to and obeying both his earthly and heavenly parents.  And when by virtue of our baptism Jesus invites us into his supernatural family, as his brothers and sisters, he asks us to be equally committed to both families.

Christian Life

That is why the Church is a strong promoter of the family.  We Christians must take our natural families very seriously, in whatever form they come.  Most of us are fortunate to belong to a family with a father and a mother, the unit in which God intended children to be raised, life to be lived.  Others, especially widows and orphans, the separated and divorced, the single and strangers, have to make do with a different kind of family.  Whatever family we have, like the Holy Family was for Jesus, our family is the school of learning the faith and living out our Christian life as the Catechism teaches us.  "Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous - even repeated - forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one's life” (CCC 1657).

As the saying goes, charity begins at home.  Fulfilling our family responsibilities is the first way to live and grow as Christians.  In the family, husbands and fathers fulfill their roles, wives and mothers play their part, and like Jesus, children advance "in wisdom and age and favor before God and man."

But although charity begins at home, it must not end there.  The heavenly family to which the Lord has invited us includes more than mom, dad and children and siblings; it is like the African family.  

On this Holy Family Sunday, Pope Francis has asked the Church to celebrate the Jubilee of mercy for Families.  He wants families to use this occasion to rediscover that their vocation and mission includes stepping out of our small family circles. to extend our understanding of family.  In his own words, he wants families "to go out, to cross the thresholds of our doors and to meet the whole of society, to meet all people, 'especially poor people in order to be able to give to them the strength of brotherhood and solidarity, in order to transform our society into a real family of peoples.'"

This Pope's request is actually quite reasonable.  If we call Jesus our brother, we must then call his other brothers and sisters, our brothers and sisters too; if we call God our Father, we must then call his other children our brothers and sisters.

Let me offer a few ways in which we can experience not only our family life but also the supernatural family of God.

1.    My presence among you is already shows that we belong to this supernatural family.  We don't share any blood kinship and yet at Mass several times, I call you "brothers and sisters."  And even outside Mass, some of you consider me your brother and some your son.  In my seven years here in New Orleans, I have never felt like an orphan.  On Christmas day I was invited to so many families for lunch, that I had to stagger them two hours apart.  My mom should not worry about me being fed and being kept on the straight path; for among you I have many other mothers to do that.

2.    I also know that many of you have taken in other vagrants like myself.  Sometimes you take cousins, nephews, nieces, parents, siblings and friends who are down on their luck and expand your family.  But you don't have to live with someone to make them a part of your wider family; just treating them as if they were your brother or sister in Christ is sufficient.

3.    One of the families with whom I had Christmas dinner have an adopted daughter.  What better way to be pro-life and at the same time extend your family than by giving a home and family to a child by adoption or foster-parenting, like Mary and Joseph opened their home to the child Jesus.

Conclusion

And so our families are called to live this year of mercy in two main ways.

·        Let us be more committed to the obligations of our natural families and bring reconciliation there if some healing is needed.

·        But let us also bring that mercy and love beyond the thresholds of our homes, to include God's wider family of the Church and of the world.

For when at last we get to heaven, membership in our natural family will cease to matter and we shall all belong to that wider family of God's Kingdom, where we shall all be brothers and sisters, for we shall all live with One Father.

Wrapping the Christmas message

Homily for the Nativity Year C 2015

Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; LK 2:1-14

Introduction

Good morning and welcome to this Christmas celebration.  Giving gifts is one of the typical ways people celebrate Christmas.  Even in Uganda when I was growing up, although our parents did not have much, it was at Christmas that they bought us new clothes and new school uniform; it was at Christmas that we shared food and drink with our neighbours, even our Muslim neighbours.

But I have noticed that here in America, people don't just give gifts; they make the effort to wrap the gift well.  Perhaps this is because they want to show their love, not just by what the gift contains, but also by how they present the gift.

That is why I would like us to reflect on the meaning of Christmas, by looking not just at the Christmas message, but also at how the gospels presents it.

Scripture and Theology

Luke's gospel, from which we have just read, tells the Christmas story as witnessed by the shepherds.

·        It is to the shepherds, that the angel announced the "good news of great joy that will be for all the people, [that] in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord."

·        It is to the shepherds, that the angel gave directions on how to find the Savior, "an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

·        It is to the shepherds, that the multitude of angels sung and praised God saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

But why the shepherds, why these poor men, some of whom were known to be thieves? Why not announce the Saviour's birth to the priests down at the Temple or the political leaders at City Hall or the traders on Main Street?

·        Can you imagine the shock these poor shepherds received, when not one angel, but a multitude of angels appeared to them?

·        Can you imagine these uneducated men trying to find this one infant in a crowded city, much like New Orleans during Mardi Gras time?

Luke's gospel tell us that the shepherds actually made it down to Bethlehem.  And just like the angels had described, they found "Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger"; he was born not at the teaching hospital but in a dirty cowshed.  But regardless of the poor conditions of his birth, the shepherds went about sharing this breaking news about the birth of the Saviour, news that they had heard and now had seen with their own eyes.

Doesn't this story of the shepherds remind you of the Easter story?  That when the Lord rose from the dead, he first appeared to simple women and to humble fishermen, people who were not considered important in society?  Perhaps the similarity is not by accident – perhaps the Lord is simply being consistent in the way he operates; choosing to work with the poor and lowly.

In fact the Catholic faith we profess every Sunday when we recite the Creed, hinges on these two great mysteries of Christmas and Easter: that the Son of God became man and that the Son of God redeemed man.  Only Christmas and Easter are celebrated not only with great solemnity, but also for a whole eight days, an Octave – it is like a week's worth of tailgating.  And yet, those who were chosen to be witnesses to these two great events of our salvation, were the lowly, shepherds for the Christmas event and fishermen for the Easter event.

And so, reading and reflecting on the story of the shepherds tells us what, for the Christian, for the Catholic, Christmas is really about:

·        That the Saviour and Lord of the world is born.

·        That his birth brings Good News of great joy to all people.

·        That all people upon whom God showers his favour, all the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Christian Life

And so, one might say that all our Christmas celebrations and symbols are the wrapping paper containing this simple Christmas message.

·        The Christmas bells and carols, the wreaths and mangers, the lights and stars, are our way of professing that the child born into this world is God's Son, our Saviour.

·        The mistletoe and poinsettia, the holly and trees, express our belief the in eternal life, that this new born baby came to bring about.

·        The Christmas gifts and cards, the meal and drink, even Santa Claus reflect our joy that the birth of this infant brings glad tidings to the poor.

And so the point of our Christmas celebration and festivity is really the simple message that the Saviour of the world is born, a message first delivered to humble shepherds, and yet a message of great importance for us and for the world.  Let me suggest how we could to live out the Christmas message in three ways: by conversion, by compassion and by consideration.

The Lord's birth invites us to conversion.  In calling the Jubilee year of mercy, Pope Francis is inviting us to approach the fountain of mercy that this new born infant came to bring for the world.  When the angels sung "peace on earth to those on whom his favour rests," they were singing about us, upon whom God has showered his bountiful mercy.  But for this favour to benefit us personally, we must experience conversion of heart and life, leaving behind whatever separates us from God, and turning to him, who alone can save us in Jesus.  Has the Christmas spirit inspired you to pick an activity of the Jubilee of Mercy, perhaps a pilgrimage, regular confession, going through the Holy Door?

Secondly, the Lord's birth invites us to compassion. As we tap into the Christmas treasury of mercy for ourselves, we must share the Christmas cheer with others, especially those at the bottom of society.  Think of the children who are attacked inside the womb and those like the infant Jesus attacked outside the womb!  Think of the immigrant and the homeless, who like the Holy Family, cannot find a place to lay their head.  Think of the poorest social and economic classes of our society, who like the shepherds and their smelly sheep, struggle to scrape together a living.  Is there one thing that the Christmas spirit inspires you and me to do, so that we can show compassion to others?

Thirdly, the Lord's birth invites us to be considerate of all people.  Our country faces a crisis as we experience terrorist attacks and racial tensions, and as we go through an election cycle to choose leaders who can guide and lead us.  The Christmas message should inspire in us a Christian response to this crisis; a response that is considerate and civil, reasonable and sensible.  If we are to live out the Christmas message of joy and peace for the world, our discourse and actions must be inspired by God's truth, by courtesy, by fairness, rather than by falsehood, hatred and prejudice.  Today at Christmas dinner, how will the Christmas spirit inspire what you and I say, especially when talking with family members whose views I don't agree with?

Conclusion

My friends, the Christmas message of the Lord's birth needs wrapping.  God wrapped it in the gospel story of the shepherds and the manger.  God invites us to wrap this message too, not just in our Christmas Mass, celebrations and festivities, but especially in the way we live the Christmas spirit in our lives, particularly through conversion, compassion and consideration for all people.

Your special calling from God

Homily for 4^th Sunday of Advent Year C 2015

Micah 5:1-4; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-44

Introduction

A friend of mine, who works at one of the large area hospitals, recently received a letter from the CEO of the hospital.  He was congratulating and thanking her for her service of 25 years.  But my friend was not entirely excited by this letter.

It was a form letter that, besides her name, said nothing personal about her.  In fact, the CEO did not seem to know for what job he was thanking her.  He said something like "you are one of the most important people who make a difference to our patients, whether you work in the clinical or non-clinical area."  And so, rather than rejoice that her employer appreciated her contribution, my friend realized that she was just one more cog in the wheel of this large organization.

Thankfully, when God calls a person for a mission, he is very specific and knows each person already from their mothers' wombs (cf. Jer. 1:5, Gal. 1:15-16).

Scripture and Theology

In today's readings we see how God calls people for his missions.

·        God calls Bethlehem-Ephratah, the smallest of the clans of the tribe of Judah, to be the clan from which the Messiah will be born.

·        God calls Elizabeth, a woman who today would already be drawing social security, to be the mother of the forerunner, John the Baptist.

·        God calls Mary, to be the mother of the Messiah himself, Jesus the Christ.

For today's homily, let us reflect on the special calling of Mary.

Did you notice that Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, inspired by the Holy Spirit, called Mary "blessed" two times in today's short gospel passage.

·        "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."

·        "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

With these words, Elizabeth not only congratulates Mary about her special role, but she is also very specific, unlike my friend's boss.

The first reason for which Elizabeth congratulates and calls Mary "blessed," is because of what Mary is carrying in her womb, Jesus the Son of God.  She recognizes that God has blessed Mary among all women by tapping her to be the vehicle that brings his Son into the world.

This reminds me of a custom back home in Uganda of calling mothers not by their own names or even the names of their husbands, but by name of what comes from their womb, their children.  And so, in everyday conversation, a mother would be referred to by a phrase that roughly translates as “mother of so-and-so.”  My mother, for example is rarely called by her name "Josephine," but is referred to by everybody as “Mama Deo,” my name.

This custom works quite well for the most part, since it honours the motherhood of these women, especially if their children are well-behaved.  But spare a thought for the mother whose child turns out bad.  Surely no woman would like to be referred to as the "mother of so-and-so," the school bully or the thief or drug-dealer.  In other words, children can bring honour or dishonour to their parents, they can be a blessing or a curse to them.

Thankfully for Mary she is in the blessed situation of having a son who brought her honour and with whose name she is proud to be associated till today.  That is why Elizabeth calls Mary "blessed," because the son Mary carries in her womb is blessed and makes Mary “the mother of my Lord.”

A few weeks ago we celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, where we again acknowledged that Mary is Blessed among women, because God gave her a singular gift of being conceived without sin, so that she would be a worthy vehicle for her son.  In the gospel of that day, the Angel Gabriel also pointed out Mary's special status when he said: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you," the first part of our prayer, the Hail Mary.  In today's gospel, Elizabeth provides the remaining words of that prayer, when she says: "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus."

But is this reason enough to honour Mary?  After all she did nothing to earn the blessing of being the mother of God; God simply chose her, without so much as an audition.  In fact, one might say that like the Ugandan mother, Mary seems to be riding the coattails of her son’s good name.  But that is not the case, as Elizabeth tells us the second time she calls Mary 'blessed."

She says: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”  Yes, it is true that God chose Mary in a special way, but it is equally true that Mary believed what the Angel Gabriel told her and said “Yes.”  In other words Mary earned her own good name, by actively cooperating with the blessing she received from God.  She told the angel Gabriel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”  She took the slightly modified words of Spiderman very seriously: "with great privilege comes great responsibility." Mary did not take her privilege for granted, but used it to bring God's Son into the world, an event we celebrate at Christmas.

Christian Life

You and I have also been specially called and specially graced by God.  In God's grand plan for the world, there is a specific role for each of us.

On a broad level, we are each called to live out God's plan in a particular state of life, some as married people, others as single people, some as priests, others as religious.

And then within these four broad callings, God graces each of us for a specific task.  What God wants you and that handsome man sitting next to you, is different from what God wants that other couple in the next pew to do.  Perhaps he has given you children, but has not the next couple.  Perhaps he has placed different people in the path of your life, so that you might share the Good News with them, but has placed another whole set of people in your neighbour's path.

Of course we can only respond well to our calling, if we know what it is.  Unlike Mary whose calling was very clear because an angel told her, for us it is primarily through prayer that God tells us what we must do.  But God also sends angels to us, not angels with wings and a shining light, but the people around us, like our parents and teachers, our priests and fellow parishioners.  Many young men who come to the Seminary often say that they did so, because someone tapped them on the shoulder and said: "Have you considered a call to the priesthood?"

Conclusion

This Last Sunday of Advent is always dedicated to Mary, to remind us that without her there would be no Christmas.  God placed the responsibility of this great event of our salvation, in the hands of a poor teenage girl; but she rose to the occasion and played her part.  And so we call her "blessed."

You and I are also called to be "blessed", as long we don't simply ride the coattails of the name of Christian, but like Mary we embrace our specific calling and especially its smallest tasks.

Christmas time is an especially wonderful opportunity to live out our various callings.  So in this last week of Advent preparation for Christmas, we must ask ourselves: "Have I played my part, have I made my small contribution to God's grand plan of salvation, or am I just a cog in taking up space in God's machine?"

What should we do: Seek and Share God's mercy

Homily for 3^rd Sunday of Advent Year C 2015

Zephaniah 3:14-18; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18

Introduction

Why do we remember Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg speech, the Inauguration speech of President Kennedy, and the “I have a Dream" speech of Martin Luther King?  Perhaps these speeches are memorable because they moved people and led them to some action.

Scripture and Theology

There are two speeches in the New Testament that also lead people to action.

·        One is the speech of Peter on Pentecost, when filled with the Spirit, he described for the crowds, who Jesus was, what he said and did for their salvation.  The people were greatly moved and asked: "What are we to do, brothers?’’  We shall hear more about that speech at Easter.

·        The speech that concerns us today is that of John the Baptist, which concludes with today’s gospel reading.  After he has told the people to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah by repenting and by being baptised, they too were moved to ask: "What should we do?"

To the different groups asking this question, John gives very practical answers:

·        What should the crowds in general to do?  He suggests charity and generosity: "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise."  In other words, if they want to show that they are truly sorry for their sins, that they have left their old lives behind, they will treat others, even strangers, as brothers and sisters, sharing the basic needs of food and clothing with them.  Is this not what we too do always, but especially at Christmas?

·        For the tax collectors he challenges them to be just and fair: "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."  Tax-collectors were known to be corrupt, taking bribes, collecting more than was stipulated and keeping the difference for themselves.  To show their conversion, they must stop this.

·        And to the soldiers John suggests kindness and truth: "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."  Soldiers could be tempted to use their military power wrongly, especially by extortion and cruelty.  They must stop doing these things immediately.

And so, to all three groups who ask: "What should we do?", John's answer is simple: show your inner conversion through practical actions.

Christian Life

Pope Francis (and indeed all popes) might be considered today's John the Baptist.  Pope Francis too has been teaching Catholics to put their faith into action.  Catholics, moved by his teaching have been asking him: "What should we do?" To this question he has given many practical answers.

But this year, Pope Francis has in a special way, answered the question of "what should we do?" by declaring a Jubilee Year of Mercy.  He has told us that during  this year of mercy which began on Tuesday: Seek and Share God's mercy.

Throughout this year, we shall reflect on various aspects of God's mercy.  But today I want to offer two thoughts: "What is God's mercy that we should seek" and "How can we share it?"

Mercy is treating someone better than they deserve.  And surely God treats us better than we deserve in two ways: by creating us and by forgiving us.

Think of a young man in high school, let's call him Michael.  He is unremarkable, not particularly athletic, not very smart in class either, and scores average or lower on all the kinds of things young ladies would look for in a potential date.  Then out of the blue, Rachel begins to show him some attention.  She is not only really beautiful, she’s also the head cheerleader and valedictorian of her class, to say nothing about all the good work she does at Church.  She is the kind of daughter every parent wants to have.  True to her kind nature, she asks our nondescript Michael to be her date for the Prom.  Now perhaps most of the guys here are probably thinking “no way this could never happen in real life.”

But this is exactly what God did when he created us.  He had no need of human beings, but still he created us and shared with us human beings more than we deserve – he gave us life, his life.  We probably don’t think of God creating us as a form of divine mercy; but do we realize that we didn’t have to exist?  Like Michael was out of Rachel's league, we too as human beings are out of God's league.  But in his mercy, he creates us and invites us be like him.

If the first form of God's mercy has to do with our lower nature, the second has to do with our sinful nature.  Let’s return to our high school friends Rachel and Michael.  They actually go to the Prom together.  And then even better, they eventually fall in love, begin dating and get married a few years later.  We would all agree that Michael has won the jackpot.  Unfortunately, after they have been married for a couple of years, he begins to take her for granted; he begins to forget how lucky he is.  And then he cheats on his wife.

Fortunately for Michael, after she does some tearful agonizing and serious praying, Rachel forgives him and takes him back.  Being the truly good woman that she is, she treats him better than he deserves.  If dating him in the first place was an act of mercy because he was out of her league, now forgiving him is an act of mercy because she does not punish him as he deserves.

In the same way God is not only merciful in creating us, he is merciful in forgiving us.  Yes, he punished the Jewish people sometimes; but he was quite lenient.  The punishment for sinning against God, who is all good, is eternal separation from God.  But that is not the punishment that God meted out to Adam and Eve, to Cain, to the children of Israel and subsequent generations.  In his mercy he not only forgave them, but he also sent them prophets, priests and kings, to help them get back on the right track.  Moreover, he sent his Son to be the final and lasting instrument of forgiveness and mercy.

That is why Pope Francis invites us to seek this mercy for ourselves.  Some of us are carrying heavy burdens; some of us are oppressed by the sins of our past lives.  We must go to the fountain of God's mercy, especially the sacrament of confession and the other sacraments as well.  During this year of mercy, let us make use of all the tools that God gives us through the Church, to drink from his bottomless spring of mercy.

Having sought and received God's mercy, there is something else that we should do: “Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful” (Lk. 6:36), Jesus says.  We must share God's mercy.  It would be unfortunate for Michael, if after he had been forgiven so much by Rachel, he himself does not forgive others who sin against him: his children, his co-workers, even his relatives.

Similarly, during this Jubilee Year of Mercy, as we ourselves take a bite out of God's mercy, we must share it with others.

·        Are there people who have hurt us that we must forgive as Jesus teaches, not seven times, but seventy-seven times?

·        Are there people we have hurt, so that we too must seek their mercy and repair the damage we have caused?

·        Do we know the several corporal works of mercy and the seven spiritual works of mercy and do we carry them out?

Conclusion

"What should we do?"  On this Gaudete Sunday, we receive Good News: "Seek and share God's mercy."  This is our answer.  This is our clarion call to action.  This is our way to heaven, not just in Advent, but throughout our lives."

Preparing the Way with Pope Francis

Homily for 2^nd Sunday of Advent Year C 2015

Baruch 5:1-9; Philippians 1:3-6,8; Luke 3:1-6

Introduction

This year I have had the privilege of having Pope Francis visit both the USA my adopted home, and Uganda my original home.  Watching the Ugandan visit on TV last week, I noticed how many places had been spruced up.  Roads that I know to be unpaved, were paved; churches that I know to be in disrepair were renovated; even the airport received a touch of paint.  All these preparations were made, because of the high esteem in which the Ugandan people hold their guests, especially the Pope.

Scripture and Theology

No wonder then that John the Baptist uses the same image of preparing roads, to teach about the coming of the Messiah.  Quoting from the Prophet Isaiah, John speaks of himself as the voice crying out in the desert, telling people to prepare the way for the Lord, to make straight his paths, to fill in every valley and level every mountain.

They are to do this preparation by repenting of their sins and coming to him for a baptism of repentance; this baptism would be the visible sign of the change happening in their hearts.  And indeed many people heard the message of John, left behind their evil ways and came to be baptized.  So when Jesus the Messiah finally showed up they were ready to become his disciples.  In fact, some of the close disciples of Jesus like Andrew, were first disciples of John the Baptist.

We read this passage about John the Baptist during Advent, because its message is relevant for our Advent celebration.  While John's message prepared the people for the First Coming of Jesus, this same message should prepare us for the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time.  We too must prepare the way for the Lord, make straight his paths, fill in the valleys and level the mountains in our lives.

The people in Africa who were making preparations for the visit of Pope Francis perhaps did not realize that he was coming to them, to help them make preparations for the arrival of an even greater guest, Jesus Christ Our Lord.  I would like to suggest that like John the Baptist, the Pope, wherever he goes, teaches people to prepare the way for the Lord.  I would like to share the three messages that Pope Francis preached in each of the three African countries that he visited, messages that can also help us prepare us for the Coming of the Lord.

The first stop for Pope Francis was Kenya, which happens to be where my mother was born.  Perhaps you know about Kenya because of the great long-distance runners that come from there; I am not one of them.  The Pope described Kenya as a country blessed with great human and natural resources. And to them, his message was: “Be strong in the faith, do not be afraid.”

This was a welcome message for a country that has faced terrorists attacks over and over again: the bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi in 1998, the attacks at a shopping Centre two years ago, and the attack at a University earlier this year in which nearly 150 students were killed.  But he told the Kenyans that being strong in the faith also meant protecting the environment and carrying out economic development that is fair, inclusive and sustainable, and for the young people, growing in peace and fraternity.

The next stop for the Pope was Uganda, my home country.  Most Americans of a certain age know about Uganda because of the notorious dictator Idi Amin.  But the Pope was there to focus on another group of famous Ugandans, the twenty-two martyrs who gave up their lives for the faith 130 years ago.  That is why his message for Ugandans was: “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

As he challenged Ugandans to be witnesses like the martyrs, he also thanked them for their witness: the witness of catechists who teach the faith; the witness of charity seen in the many communities that serve the poorest, the disabled, to the sick; the witness of the young who, despite their difficulties, guard the gift of hope and seek to live according to the Gospel and not according to the world; the witnesses of priests and the religious who give themselves completely to God and his people; and of course the witness of the missionaries who brought the faith in the first place.  This witness had become the leaven for the entire society, as seen in Uganda's successful fight against AIDS and Uganda's welcoming of refugees from neighbouring countries over the last seventy years.

The last stop of the Pope's African voyage was the Central African Republic, a country which gets its name from its location in the heart of the continent.  It is also a country experiencing internal conflicts and great suffering; where Catholic priests have had to protect Muslim refugees in the Church compounds as their parishioners tried to storm the gates.  That is why his message for them was: “Let us go over to the other shore” (Lk 8:22), words that Jesus used in the gospel to invite the disciples to cross the lake with him.

With these words Pope Francis invited the people to leave behind war, divisions, misery, and cross over to the side of peace, reconciliation, development, a journey that starts in people's consciences, attitudes and intentions.  And the Pope himself walked the talk, by visiting an Evangelical community, a mosque and a refugee camp for Muslim refugees.  It is in this war-torn country that, albeit a week early, the Pope opened the first Holy Door of the Jubilee of Mercy, as a sign of faith and hope for that country, for Africa and for the world.

Christian Life

Like John the Baptist, Pope Francis thus became for the people of these three countries, a voice crying out in the desert:

·        "Be strong in the faith, do not be afraid” – a message of faith and hope

·        “You will be my witnesses” – a message of faith and charity

·        “Let us go over to the other shore” – a message of conversion.

Just as they had prepared the roads for his visit, with these messages the Pope prepared the roads of their hearts for the Lord Jesus Christ, who comes to us at Christmas but more importantly will come again at the end of time.

But these messages are not just for the Kenyans, Ugandans and the Central Africans.  These messages are relevant to us too, as we go through Advent.

·        As we prepare for the Second Coming, we too need to be strong in the faith, especially in view of terrorist attacks, both domestic and foreign, against this country and the world at large.

·        As we prepare for the Second Coming, we too need to be witnesses of the Lord, especially to our families and co-workers and indeed to the society at large.

·        As we prepare for the Second Coming, we too need to go over to the other shore – the shore of faith rather than doubt, hope rather than despair, love rather than hate.

Conclusion

As we continue into the second week of Advent, each of us should ask ourselves: "What concrete thing am I doing to prepare not just Christmas but also for the Second Coming?"  There is going to confession, reading the Bible and the Catechism, extending the joy of Christmas to those who might not have any.

May the things we do, prepare the way for the Lord and make straight his paths, so as we fill in every valley and level every mountain of our lives, he can come into our lives and the lives of all.

Learning Patience and Preparation through Advent

Homily for 1^st Sunday of Advent Year C 2015

Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28,34-36

Introduction

None of us likes waiting.  We don't like waiting in line at the Post-Office, the Doctor's Office or the Motor Vehicle Office.  We don't like waiting in traffic, at the Black Friday sales, or getting on a plane.  When Children travelling on a long family trip keep asking "are we there yet," "are we there yet," they are speaking for us all.  We want things to happen by yesterday and not in the future.

And yet today we begin the season of Advent, which is basically a four weeks of waiting.  What are we waiting for and how we should wait?

Scripture and Theology

You know that you are in Advent when the first reading says: "The days are coming," says the Lord.  And the rest of the reading is in the future tense:

. . . I will fulfill the promise . . . .

I will raise up for David a just shoot ;

he shall do what is right and just . . . .

. . . Judah shall be safe

and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;

this is what they shall call her:

Jeremiah wrote these promises, these things about the future, for the Jews of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, a nation that had lost hope.

·        Their neighbour, the northern kingdom of Israel had already been destroyed by the Assyrian empire.  The people were taken into exile, scattered all over the empire, assimilated into the pagan populations, and to this day, have never returned; these are the ten lost tribes of Israel.

·        The southern Kingdom of Judah, have now also been conquered by the Babylonians and their capital Jerusalem has been overrun.  The people have all been taken into exile to become slaves, men, women and children.  They have lost their identity and their nation.  But most of all, they have lost hope that the Lord would come to rescue them, as he had promised.  Their punishment was taking too long.  Like the child in the car, they were tired of waiting and were asking: “are we there yet?”

Today's first reading is Jeremiah's answer to them.  That but soon and very soon, the Messiah would come and fulfil the promises of the Lord.

If Jeremiah wrote to the Jews waiting for the First Coming of the Messiah, Luke writes the gospel passage of today to Christians, who are tired of waiting for the Second Coming.  In the years following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the disciples believed that he would return within their lifetime.  But now it was about 50 years, but Jesus had not yet returned.  The waiting is too long and they are losing patience.  The Christians are also asking: “Are we there yet?”

Like Jeremiah did for the Jews, Luke also renews the hope of the Christian community by recalling what Jesus had said about his return.   Jesus had warned Christians to be vigilant and prepared, so that his return would not catch them unawares.  In particular he warned them against becoming "drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life," conditions that would lead them to be caught unawares. Basically Luke tells Christians to focus not so much on the "when" of his return and but rather on being prepared.

When I go to my doctor's office, the average wait-time is about an hour or two. And so I go prepared with a book to read or some work on the laptop.  Sometimes, I spend the time chatting with my fellow patients in the waiting room.  When they see I am a priest, they often have lots of questions, lots of ideas to share.  And eventually when the doctor sees me, he treats me like I am his only concern in the world.  The treatment is really worth the wait.

Christian Life

For us too, the waiting of Advent, will perhaps be bearable if keep our eye on the goal, what awaits us at the end.  Let me suggest three goals for this season of Advent: an immediate goal, an intermediate goal and a long-term goal.

Advent prepares us to celebrate the First Coming of the Jesus into this world at Christmas.  During these four weeks of the Advent season, we have many tools to help us focus our minds on celebrating what Jesus did when he first came.

·        There is the Advent wreath, the empty manger and the Jesse tree, all preparing us for the birth of the Lord at Christmas.

·        We also have some customs for the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6, the feast of St. Lucy on December 13th and of course the feasts of Our Lady on December 8 and on December 12.

·        Even at Mass, you will notice a few Advent things: the vestments are of penitential colour of purple, we don’t sing the Gloria – the song sung by the Angels when they announced the Lord's birth to the shepherds, and the wreath has five candles which we keep lighting one by one until Christmas Day when we light the big white candle in the middle.

It is unfortunate that today, even some Catholics completely skip over Advent.  We move from 

Thanksgiving straight on to Christmas, without the preparation of Advent.  Is it any wonder then, that sometimes Christmas feels empty?  As we try to keep Christ in Christmas, can we first try to keep Advent in Advent?

But Advent also has a long-term purpose, preparing us for the Second Coming of the Lord.  Luke and all the other New Testament writers were not writing about preparing for Christmas; it is the Second Coming they were writing about.

If you think about it, our focus for Advent should be the Second Coming, because at that time, our eternal fate will be determined.  Like Jeremiah encouraged the Jews to wait for the first coming of the Messiah, his words should encourage us to wait in hope and expectation for the Second Coming.  Unlike the first Christians, we seem to have given up on waiting at all, perhaps because it has been two thousand years.

Our waiting must be like that of the child who just can't wait to get to their destination.  I am sure that most parents would rather have their child repeatedly asking “are we there yet,” rather than sitting in back with the ipod or DVD earphones in their ears, oblivious to what else is going on during the trip, much less where they are going, or even sulking for going on this journey.  That is why our waiting must be filled with actions of love for God and for our neighbour, as St. Paul told us in today's second reading.  In that way, when the Lord comes, he will find us at work.

Conclusion

The third purpose of Advent is intermediate and is the fruit of preparing for the First and Second Comings of the Lord.  In a world that is always in a hurry, that lacks patience, celebrating Advent well allows us to develop the virtue of patience.

Have you observed how at the airport, people just cannot wait to get onto the plane?  And then as soon as the plane lands, everybody jumps and wants to get off, even the person in row 35 way at the back? Even here in Church, sometimes we just can't wait to leave even before Mass ends. 

If we can learn to wait patiently for Christmas and if we can learn to think about the end times in a healthy manner, perhaps we can live the present life with patience and make living life itself meaningful.

May this Advent, by teaching us to wait for the Lord at the end of time, make us more patient to one another.

Christ – a King whose Truth sets us free

Homily for Christ the King Sunday Year B 2015

Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33-37

Introduction

Why "Christ the King" Sunday?  Aren't kings out of fashion?

·        Kings remind us about oppression, brutality, unfair taxes.  Just think of the bad kings of the Bible like Ahab!  Or the kings of the Middle Ages! Or King George of England, against whom this country fought for its independence!

·        The only royalty we seem to keep around are the fake kings: The Prom King and Queen, the Mardi Gras Kings, Rex and Zulu, and of course the King of Rock and Roll.

If kings today are either villains or comedians, why call Christ a King?

But I think we are going about this the wrong way.  Instead of seeing the kingship of Christ through the lens of these imperfect kings, we should start from Jesus Christ himself, the standard of what a true king is.

Scripture and Theology

In today's gospel, when Pilate interrogates Jesus about his kingship, he not only reveals that he is a king, he also reveals two important qualities of his kingship.

·        First, he says, "My kingdom does not belong to this world." His Kingdom is a spiritual one.  He is not the kind of King we know, one with armies, courtiers and servants.  His Kingdom is in heaven, where as Daniel said, he presides over "all peoples, nations, and languages."

·        Secondly, Jesus says that he is a King who has come to testify to the truth.  "For this I was born and for this I came into the world . . ." he says.  Speaking God's truth is so important for his kingship and his kingdom, that he is even ready to die for it.  Those who don't like the truth of the gospel that he teaches will condemn him to be killed on the cross.  But those who listen and act on his truth will become a part of his Kingdom.

If we need the Kingship of Christ all the time, a spiritual Kingship of truth, we need his kingship even more in times of crisis.  That is what both our first reading from Daniel and our second reading from Revelation do, during a time of crisis.  They both point to Christ as the true King who brings hope and victory.

·        Daniel was written during the reign of King Antiochus who desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem.  He forced the Jews to adopt pagan customs and to abandon the Law of Moses. Those who resisted were tortured and killed.  Daniel writes to the Jews to give them hope and assure them that this evil will be pass, because a Redeemer will come in the future. He writes: “I saw one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven.”  We Christians believe that this Son of Man is Jesus Christ.

·        The Book of Revelation, for its part was written when Christians were facing fierce persecution from the Roman Emperor. Like the Jews of Daniel's time, many were being arrested and killed, while others were driven underground. This book is therefore written, especially for the underground Church – that is why it speaks in symbols or secret codes that would be understood only by the Christians.   Revelation also points these suffering Christians to the Christ, as the King who will save them.

Christian Life

This feast of Christ the King, is therefore, not about a tyrant with too much power or a comical King with no power.  Christ King has true power, the Truth and the key to Heaven.  This feast could not have come for us at a more opportune time.

·        As faithful Christians in this country and in the world, we are facing much persecution for our beliefs and practices.

·        As peace-loving citizens in this country and in the world, we are facing terrorist threats to our way of life, as happened in France last week and in the West-African country of Mali this past week, and all over the world.

Like Daniel and Revelation pointed to Christ, as the solution for their crises, should we not look to Christ the King to guide us, as we deal with our crisis?  Christ can be our King today, if we listen to and live by the truth, which he teaches, truth that can guide our response to this crisis.

In 1993, only two years after Nelson Mandela had just been released from prison, one of the top black leaders, Chris Hani, was assassinated.  At a time of very delicate relations between Blacks and Whites in South Africa, this assassination was the catalyst extremists on both sides needed to start a full blown civil war.  But Mandela, not even president yet, just a respected leader of his people, went on radio, and appealed for calm.  And he made his appeal, not using ideology, prejudice, or emotion, but simply the truth.

First he acknowledged that the prejudice and hate in the white man, who had killed Hani had left the nation teetering on the brink of disaster.  But then he quickly reminder his black listeners, that the criminal had been immediately arrested, because a white woman had risked her life and called the police, so that the assassin would be brought to justice.  And he went on to appeal to his people, that despite their pain, grief and outrage, they must exercise restraint, discipline and courage.  And most people in South Africa believe that this one address of Mandela, perhaps singlehandedly averted a national disaster, and paved the way for peaceful elections and the end of apartheid.

Today as we fear for our nation and our children, in our search for security and for justice, we too must not set aside the truth, even for a moment.  As Christians we must remember what Jesus teaches us: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:31-32).

I am always proud to be a Catholic, but I could not have been prouder this week, when in a sea of illogical, prejudicial, hateful noises, perhaps among the few voices of reason and truth were our Catholic bishops, both at home and abroad.

Immediately after the savage atrocity in Paris, the Archbishop of Paris, appealed to Catholics and others, to respond in a Christ-like manner.  He said:

Faced with the violence of men, may we receive the grace of a firm heart, without hatred.  May the moderation, temperance and control that has been shown so far, be confirmed in the weeks and months to come; let no one indulge in panic or hatred.  We ask that grace be the artisan of peace.  We need never despair of peace if we build on justice.

Our own Archbishop of New Orleans, reading from the same song-sheet, the gospel of Jesus Christ, called for the same balanced response that does not condemn people just because of their nationality and religion.  He reminded us of what Pope Francis said to Congress about this kind of situation, when he said:

To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject. Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice.

Conclusion

Jesus said of himself: "My kingdom does not belong to this world" (Jn. 18:36).   He said the same thing about us Christians: "They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world" (John 17:16).

And so, while we share the fears and hopes, the sorrows and joys of our fellow citizens of this world, as true followers of Jesus we are in this world, but we are not of this world.  We must strive to conform our thoughts and values, our words and actions, to Kingdom thoughts and values, Kingdom words and actions.

Especially in times of darkness, our light must shine before men, and seeing our good works, they will give glory to Christ our King (Mt. 5:16).

The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell

Homily for Ordinary Time – 33^rd Sunday Year B 2015

Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-14,18; Mark 13:24-32

Introduction

In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes, so said Benjamin Franklin.

With all due respect to Franklin, Catholics have a lot more to expect than death and taxes.  Catholic tradition teaches Four Last Things that are certain and about which today's readings speak: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.

Scripture and Theology

The first one, death, brings an end to human life as we know it.  At death we come to the end of that time, which God gives us to either accept or reject his love in Christ (CCC 1021).  The time while we are on earth is the time to choose, to be with God or against him.  In fact, that is the only reason God created us, to share his love with us, so that we can then love him back in this life and in the life to come.  With death, this opportunity of choosing ends.

That is why the second thing is judgment, when we are judged on the choices we have made before our death.  There are two kinds of judgments that await us: the Particular Judgment we receive immediately after we die and the Last Judgment that will come at the end of time.

1.    In the Particular Judgment right after we die, we are rewarded immediately in accordance with our faith and works.  In parable of Lazarus, for example, as soon as the poor man dies, he is judged and found worthy and therefore rewarded with a place in the bosom of Abraham in heaven.  The rich mean man, however, is judged and found unworthy and is therefore punished with a place in the fires of hell.

2.    The Last Judgment will come at the end of time, when Christ will return and assume kingship of the whole universe.  Jesus describes this judgment in the story of the sheep and goats, when he will separate the sheep to one side and the goats to other.  The sheep will be those who were kind to him in the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and prisoners, while the goats ignored him.  This Last Judgment will restore the world to God and reveal to us the ultimate meaning of God's plan (CCC 1040).

And so death brings about judgment and at judgment God assigns a place of final abode, Heaven or Hell, depending on how we lived.

The Bible describes Hell as a place of fire, perhaps because being burnt is one of the things we human beings fear most.  It is a place of punishment for those who rejected God; the punishment is essentially that one is cut off from God.  As much as he wishes that everyone would go to heaven, Jesus warns that he "will send his angels, and they will gather . . . all evil doers, and throw them into the furnace of fire," (Mt 13:41-42) and that he will pronounce the condemnation: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire!’ (Mt 25:41)” (CCC 1034).

As for heaven, the Bible describes it in terms of a beautiful paradise, a lavish banquet, astounding garden.  These marvelous images of heaven are really trying to describe the indescribable.  How could you describe life with God, true happiness (CCC 1024)?  In heaven we get to fulfill our destiny and live as God created us to be, sharing in his life and love forever.

And so for Catholics, the four Last Things that are certain in life are Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.

But actually only three of them will affect each us personally.  While death and judgment await us all, our final destination will either be heaven or hell, depending on how we have lived our lives.

Christian Life

Unfortunately some Catholics have further reduced these four things to just two: death and heaven.  They keep death because it is unavoidable; but they assume that heaven has an open door policy with no cover charge or requirement.  They ignore judgment and hell, because they are too unpleasant to speak about.

And then those who do not believe in God have reduced the Last Things to just one, death – because it is inevitable.

If April is the month that reminds us about the taxes that Franklin spoke about, November is the month that reminds us about death and these Last Things.

·        Coinciding as it does with the season of Fall, November has nature adding its gloomy reminder of death in the shedding of falling leaves.

·        Some of us began this month by celebrating Halloween, the secular holiday of the condemned dead, who have failed to make it to heaven.

·        But most of us began this month by celebrating All Saints Day, the Catholic holiday of the blessed dead, who have made it to heaven

·        On November 2^nd, we then celebrated All Souls Day, praying for the faithful departed, who are still on their way to heaven, having made a brief detour in purgatory, to take care of some unfinished business.

It is no wonder then, that the readings of November should remind us of the Last Days and help us to face our own mortality and what is beyond it.

The ominous things that we heard about in the readings are not meant to scare us, especially in view of what happened recently in Paris and elsewhere in the world.  The readings are simply reminding us to set our sights on what will count in the final analysis, life with God.  We should respond to this message not in fear and despair, but in hope and readiness.  Let these last things frame the way we live.  Just like any student goes about his studies with the final exam in mind, so should we also live our lives in view of these four Last Things, that will surely come.  If we let these things frame the way we live today, we will focus on what is really important in the wider scheme of things, like faith in God and love of neighbor, rather than merely focusing on our own passing pleasures and our earthly well-being.

When I was learning Spanish, I missed class during the lessons on the future tense.  And so, when I speak the little Spanish that I know, I cannot express myself well concerning things of the future.  I say things like, "tomorrow I celebrate Mass," "next year, I visit my mother to Uganda."  Unfortunately,  I can't use the future tense in Spanish.  But our Christian lives cannot live just in the present tense; they must consider the future tense, the Last Things that will come. 

Perhaps we will be more faithful Christians if we realize that this life of ours is not the real thing, but is only a temporary passage; the real thing awaits us in heaven.  The inadequacy of our lives here on earth, even the best lives of those who have it all, should tell us that this surely cannot be all that life is; there must be much more.  That is what God in his Son Jesus has revealed to us and invited us to be a part of.

Conclusion

You perhaps remember those long road trips you took as a family for vacation or to visit the grandparents.  Your kids kept shouting from the back seat: “are we there yet? are we there yet?”  Of course when asked every five minutes, these questions can be annoying.  But there is something to be said for this enthusiasm of children, who look forward to where they are going, the destination.

May our reflection on the Last Things, make us as enthusiastic about where we are going, about heaven, the destination prepared for us by God.  And may this enthusiasm for heaven push us to begin living today with one another, the kind of love we hope to share with God in heaven forever and ever.