His Word Today: Some key questions

Good morning everyone,

Today, the first Letter of John challenges us to ask ourselves: what's the most important relationship that I have right now, and how can I make it even better?

Remember that Saint John, the writer of the letter, was a very young man when he was one of Jesus' disciples.  Young men and women can be very impressionable, but I think that Jesus helped John to ask himself some very difficult but important questions and most of all to be honest with himself.  If we are honest with ourselves, then we too will take the time to ask ourselves the questions that truly matter, the questions that have the power to change the person we are.

Based on John's reflections (cf 1 Jn 2:12-17) here are a few questions we may want to ask ourselves:  Do I truly believe that God loves me enough to forgive any sins I may have committed?  Have I ever loved another person so much that I would be willing to forgive anything that person had done simply because I love him or her so much?  Can I remember the first time that I was aware of God's presence in my life?  Do I truly believe that the word of God remains in me and is actively at work, helping me to stay close to him?  If we have experienced God's closeness to us, if we have encountered his Word and seen its power at work in our lives, we will see the world around us differently.

In the coming days, we will begin a new calendar year.  May we do so with the resolve to look for God every day, to recognize Jesus in the people we meet and to give thanks for the Holy Spirit who is God's presence living and working in our world.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: the wisdom of Simeon

Good morning everyone,

Today's gospel passage places us with Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem where they were presenting their son Jesus to the Lord.  This was to fulfill the religious observance which required them to fulfill the law of the Lord.  Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and his parents will offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons (Lk 2:23-24).

What they could not predict was that there was a blessing waiting for them there.  Simeon, a righteous and devout man ... came into the temple and when the parents brought the child Jesus ... he took him into his arms and blessed God (Lk 2:25-28).  This encounter with the elderly Simeon shows us the importance of maintaining relationships with the elderly who Pope Francis refers to as the guardians of memory.

Pray today that the holy man Siimeon may inspire us to spend some time with the elderly among us, or to call them, or perhaps to write a note to them, telling them how much they are loved and appreciated.  They have such wisdom to offer that it would be a shame for us to miss out on encountering this treasure ... it's still not too late.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: the Holy Innocents

The Holy Innocents (1898)
Oil on canvas by William Charles Thomas Dobson

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Innocents.  Who, you may ask, were these holy people.  To find the answer, we need to look at today's gospel passage (Mt 2:13-18) and some other references to the appearance of the Magi.  After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?' (Lk 2:1-2).  When Herod heard about this, he was afraid because he thought that his position was being threatened.  Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.'  (Lk 2:7-8).  In reality, Herod had no intention of worshipping this new King.  Rather, he felt threatened and wanted to get rid of him.

After the Magi had found the child, visited with him and presented their gifts, they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they left for their own country by another road (Lk 2:12).  The angel of the Lord then appeared to Joseph (for the second time) in a dream and instructed him:   'Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you' (Lk 2:13).  Meanwhile, when Herod realized that the Magi were not coming back to report about the newborn king, he became furious.  He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under (Lk 2:16).  These unknown children are known as the Holy Innocents.  The Church celebrates their heroic sacrifice as a reminder to all of us that Jesus was born into dangerous times, but I wonder whether times have really changed.

Herod was a very powerful man who would stop at nothing to ensure that his will was accomplished, including the slaughter of countess innocent children.  In our day, how many children find themselves in situations beyond their own control and all because someone else seeks to exercise power and control over them.  This includes those whose lives are taken away through abortion, child slaves, workers, soldiers, even those who find themselves caught between fighting parents or used as pawns in so many different ways.  It also includes the elderly and the frail who are cast aside and forgotten by society.  This Christmas season, let us do what we can to change the way we see these holy innocents of our time.  Let us thank God for the example of their lives and ask him to inspire us to do what we can to help them.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: the youngest apostle

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast day of Saint John, the apostle and evangelist.  Saint John was among the youngest of Jesus' apostles: the one referred to as the apostle that Jesus loved (Jn 20:2).  This same disciple is the one credited with the writing of the fourth gospel and the one believed to have written three of the letters which are included at the end of the New Testament.

John was one of the disciples who went running to the tomb on that first Easter morning.  Having heard from Mary Magdalene that the tomb was empty, Peter and the other disciple ... both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first.  He bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in (Jn 20:3-5).  What was it like to hear such surprising news?  They ran to the tomb to see for themselves.  And what about us?  Have we known the excitement of hearing such news?  Have we had the experience of hoping against hope that the nightmares of unspeakable events that take place in our lives might truly have happy endings?

We hear the excitement in John's writings as he tells the story in his own words: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life — for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us (1 Jn 1:1-3).  Let us pray today that Saint John may inspire such excitement in our hearts and that through his prayers, we may know the great gift of being excited about sharing the good news of faith that we have heard and seen with those we meet.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Stephen

Good morning everyone,
Merry Christmas!

On the day after Christmas day, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Stephen the first martyr of the Church.  The Acts of the Apostles give us some details about this holy deacon.  He was filled with grace and power, and was working great signs and wonders among the people (Acts 6:8).  These teachings and his vehement insistence on continuing them caused him to be seen as a threat to the Romans.  Many other Jews also tried to refute his teachings but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke (Acts 6:10).

We have just celebrated the great feast of Our Saviour's birth.  Filled with this joy, we want to share the good news.  Perhaps therefore we have some understanding of Stephen's enthusiasm, but Jesus warned his followers that others would not be quick to accept the words and witness of faith.  Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them (Mt 10:17-18).  Then he goes on to say: When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you (Mt 10:19-20).  Stephen remembered these words.  In fact, he made a very long speech in which he explained all that he had come to know about Jesus and in reply, Stephen was driven out of the city and stoned to death (cf Acts 7:58-59).

Telling others about our faith and our belief in Jesus has never been easy.  There have always been those who refuse to welcome this message, but Saint Stephen and others like him can help us to find the courage to speak up.  Otherwise, the world around us will drown out the voice that needs to be heard and threaten to rob us of the reason for our Christmas celebrations.  Pray today for the gift of bravery so that we can all be joyful witnesses and share the joy of Christmas with others.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Surprises

Good morning everyone,

We're only days away from celebrating Christmas, and the prophet Malachi reminds us today that the Lord whom we seek will suddenly come to his temple (Mal 3:1).  In other words, the time is fast approaching.  It won't be too long now.

In case the excitement is getting to be a bit much, let's not forget that there were other characters in the story too.  Today's gospel tells the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth at the time of John the Baptist's birth.  Elizabeth's neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her (Lk 1:58) but Zechariah and Elizabeth had a secret, one that would only become known at the time of John's circumcision (the day on which he would be named).  It was on that day that Zechariah and Elizabeth both stunned their fellow Jews by proclaiming: His name is John (Lk 1:60, 63).

Zechariah and Elizabeth had discovered this truth thanks to the messages that had been shared with them by the angel.  They held this truth within their hearts and only revealed it when the time was right.  Their story reminds us to pay attention to the truth that resounds in our own hearts, born of the conversation that takes place only in the intimacy of prayer.  God reveals himself to us there, and we would do well to listen for his wisdom.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Exceeding generosity

Good morning everyone,

The readings today tell the story of some very brave women.  In the first reading, Hannah, a woman who had been unable to have children all her life, but who had finally been granted that blessing (in the person of Samson) does something unbelievable.  Hannah brought Samson with her ... and presented him at the temple of the Lord (1 Sam 1:24) and she went even further: she left Samuel there (1 Sam 1:28).  Many other women may not have been as generous as Hannah was, but then again, not all people have experienced the profound generosity of a God who is willing to give everything in order for us to understand how much we are loved.

Even today, many in our world have not encountered the true depth of God's love.  If they had, perhaps more people would find it within their own hearts to be exceedingly generous in sharing what they have with others.  This is the miracle of love at work, it is the miracle of Christmas!  When Mary experienced the generosity of God, she was driven immediately to set out on the road so that she could help Elizabeth during the final months of her own pregnancy.  Mary's soul proclaimed the greatness of the Lord (Lk 1:45) and she put that great joy into action by doing what she could to bring comfort to Elizabeth who would most definitely have needed her help.

May the example of these holy women help us to prepare our hearts so that we can celebrate the great Feast of Christmas with a renewed appreciation for the gift that God has given to us, and with renewed dedication to sharing the good news of our faith with those we encounter: either in words or in actions that show them good news in action.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Sharing joy

Good morning everyone,

Today's liturgy includes two possibilities for the Old Testament reading.  The first of these is an extract from the Song of Songs that we hear most often during weddings.  The opening words of this particular passage evoke images of two young lovers who are playing: Hark, my lover, here he comes, springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills ... he stands behind our wall and gazes through the windows ... and says to me: 'Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come!' (Song of Songs 2:8-10).

These days that immediately precede the celebration of Christmas can seem to be overwhelming for many of us, so it might help to take just a moment to remember that in the midst of our busy-ness, God is springing across mountains, leaping across hills ... doing anything he can to get our attention, inviting us to be aware of the precious gift he has to offer: the gift of a personal loving and forgiving relationship for each of us with Him.  Once we have discovered the beauty of this gift, we are filled with joy and want to go running like Mary to share the good news that we have experienced with others.

Today, let us ask our Mother Mary and Saint Elizabeth to inspire within us the exceeding joy that they experienced in her respective encounters with God.  Mary's joy drove her to visit with her cousin, to help her with her own pregnancy, but together, they also shared the songs of praise that were in their own hearts with one another.  May Mary teach us to listen for the songs of praise that are echoing in our hearts, and may Elizabeth inspire us to be attentive to the joy that resides at our very core, at times even seeming to leap within us (cf Lk 1:41).

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Mary's encounter

Good morning everyone,

In these final days of Advent, excitement is building all around us.  Excitement is also apparent in the scriptures this week.  We have already heard about the extraordinary angelic encounters that Joseph and Zechariah experienced in order to help them to accept the great things that God wanted to do through them.  Today, the gospel presents the Virgin Mary: she who was foretold by the prophet Isaiah - The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means God with us (Is 7:14).

Today's gospel account tells the story of the encounter Mary had with the angel who announced God's plan to her.  Every time I hear this story, I remember the moment when I too heard God's call.  It is an invitation to be part of a much larger plan that is unfolding and God always begins with a word of encouragement.  In Mary's case, the angel said: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you ... do not be afraid (Lk 1:28, 30).  Saint Luke paints a scene that would have us believe that Mary's discernment about this decision took place all in one sitting.  Maybe that's the way it happens when someone is without sin, but in our case, discernment of God's will often takes a different path.  It can take years for us to get from the point of first hearing God's invitation to the point when we are willing to say: I am the servant of the Lord; be it done unto me according to your word (Lk 1:38).

Today, we can listen in faith for God's greetings and invitations.  The Lord sees each one of us as filled with grace and encourages us to not be afraid but rather to go out into the world and to be his instruments of peace and love.  Each in our own way, let us utter our own responses to this invitation: I am the servant of the Lord.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Angels

Good morning everyone,

The readings for today's liturgy focus on the foretelling of the birth of Samson (Judges 13:2-7, 24-25) and the announcement about the birth of John the Baptist (Lk 1:5-25).  In both these cases, it was angels who communicated God's plan to human beings.  Throughout the history of our faith, angels have been known by various names:  in the Book of Judges, the angel is referred to as a man of God, and the gospel account refers to the angel of the Lord.  In both cases, they are messengers.  Even today, angels are God's messengers. They communicate God's word to us and invite us to welcome that word in our hearts.

Couples who have been trying to have children can ask holy people like Manoah and his wife (the scripture does not specify her name), the parents of Samson, to intercede on their behalf.  Of course, Zechariah and Elizabeth also knew the anguish of trying to have children and not meeting with any success until the angel of the Lord appeared in the temple to bring the good news (cf Lk 1:11-13).

Angels proclaim good news from our God even today.  If the scriptures were being written today, they would also speak of people of prayer, people who are living with all kinds of hopes and dreams, even with disappointments but people who take time for prayer, to place their anguish in God's hands and learn day after day to trust that in God's time, our prayers will be answered.  In the meanwhile, the angels take our prayers to the throne of God and the Saints intercede on our behalf.  We would do well to be watchful for the angels who appear in our lives, bringing us the good news that comes from our God.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Joseph's dream

Good morning everyone,

There are not too many places in the scriptures where Joseph makes an appearance, but today he gets the starring role.  What we see in him is a man who loves Mary deeply but who is also a man of deep prayer.  The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream (Mt 1:20).  It's possible that such apparitions still happen today, but this very fact tells us that Joseph was a special person in the eyes of God.  What follows is the proof.

The angel went on to explain to Joseph the special role that he and Mary would have: that they were to be the earthly parents of Jesus, who was destined to save his people from their sins (Mt 1:21).  If any earthly voice would have shared this news with him, I'm sure he would have considered the news to be a rumour or part of some absurd plan, but when God speaks, we hear him at a level so deep within us that his words continue to resound in our hearts and his words fill us with a special joy that only he can give.  Knowing that we are cooperating with God, we find a special energy, renewed purpose and we want to cooperate with him because even if others around us don't understand, we do.

Joseph teaches us by his life and his example that it is possible to give of ourselves entirely for the love of our God.  He didn't need words to do this; having heard the words of the angel, he had all he needed.  Perhaps we have known such an experience in our lives.  Can we still hear those words echoing in our hearts?  Perhaps someone we know or someone we will encounter today can inspire us to ponder the fact that God has a plan for each of us, and all of us together are part of a plan that is greater than any of us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Looking for peace

Good morning everyone,

Anyone who has had the experience of teaching or trying to inspire a child knows what it's like to use various approaches in an attempt to communicate the wisdom that is ours to share.  Sometimes it takes many such attempts in order to succeed.  I sometimes think that Jesus must have thought of the disciples as we sometimes think of our children.  He had to try many different approaches before he found the way to reach out to them and to help them begin to understand the lessons he wanted to teach.

In today's gospel passage, he expresses his exasperation: This generation is like children ... who called out: 'We played the flute for you and you would not dance' ... John came neither eating nor drinking and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon' ... The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard' ... (Mt 11:16-19).  Can you hear the anguish in his words?  Can you identify with them?  Have you ever been the one to complain about the situations that you get yourself into?  Do you ever stop to think that God is right by your side, trying to help you to find your way out of confusion and into the depth of his peace?

Today, if you find yourself getting exasperated, ask the Lord to help you to find your way back to the peace, love and joy that are his gifts offered to us every day.

Have a great weekend.

His Word Today: Saint John of the Cross

Good morning everyone,

The temperature in Elliot Lake this morning is -24C but the wind chill makes it feel like -32C!  With temperatures that cold, everything is standing still.  Water that once flowed freely has been turned into ice and snow.  On mornings such as these, I am reminded of the prophet Daniel's hymn of praise to God: Ice and snow, bless the Lord (Dan 3:70).  The ice and snow will stay hard as iron until the temperatures rise again.  This hymn of praise is continually sung to God by His faithful people.  The prophet Isaiah reminds us today that our God will never forsake us; he will open up rivers on bare heights ... He will turn the desert into marshland and the dry ground into springs of water (Is 41:18).

These words of scripture and this understanding of the greatness of God are possible for us thanks to the treasure of our faith tradition which includes the example and writings of great figures such as Saint John of the Cross, whose feast day is observed today.  John was born near Avila (Spain) and became one of the most famous mystics in the Church's history.  Together with Saint Teresa of Jesus (also known as Saint Teresa of Avila), he helped to reform the Carmelite Order and to establish a branch of that Order known as the Discalced Carmelites.

May Saint John of the Cross intercede for us today, to help us look at the world through Jesus' eyes: to see people today with compassion, to recognize their joy and their suffering, and to be courageous enough to do what we can to help them.  Perhaps we too might discover in them the living examples of Jesus' presence among us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Lucy

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saint Lucy, who died a martyr in the fourth century.  Tradition says that she was from a wealthy family and lived in Syracuse (Sicily).  Her father was of Roman origin, but died when she was five years old, leaving Lucy and her mother without a protective guardian. Her mother's name - Eutychia - seems to indicate that she was of Greek origin.  Like many of the early martyrs, Lucy had consecrated her virginity to God, and she hoped to distribute her dowry to the poor. However, Eutychia, not knowing of Lucy's promise, and suffering from a bleeding disorder, feared for Lucy's future. She arranged Lucy's marriage to a young man of a wealthy pagan family.

Saint Agatha had been martyred fifty-two years before during the Decian persecution. Her shrine at Catania, less than fifty miles from Syracuse attracted a number of pilgrims; many miracles were reported to have happened through her intercession. Eutychia was persuaded to make a pilgrimage to Catania, in hopes of a cure. While there, Saint Agatha came to Lucy in a dream and told her that because of her faith her mother would be cured and that Lucy would be the glory of Syracuse, as she was of Catania. With her mother cured, Lucy took the opportunity to persuade her mother to allow her to distribute a great part of her riches among the poor.  Eutychia suggested that the sums would make a good bequest, but Lucy countered, ...whatever you give away at death for the Lord's sake you give because you cannot take it with you. Give now to the true Saviour, while you are healthy, whatever you intended to give away at your death.

News that the patrimony and jewels were being distributed came to Lucy's betrothed, who denounced her to Paschasius, the Governor of Syracuse. Paschasius ordered her to burn a sacrifice to the emperor's image. When she refused Paschasius sentenced her to be defiled in a brothel. The Christian tradition states that when the guards came to take her away, they could not move her even when they hitched her to a team of oxen. Bundles of wood were then heaped about her and set on fire, but would not burn. Finally, she met her death by the sword.

Lucy's testimony is not unlike that of many other Christian martyrs who were convinced of Christ's love for them because they had encountered him in prayer and come to experience the warmth of his love.  The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.  He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigour abound (Is 40:28-29).  Jesus promises that whenever we are feeling overwhelmed by the tasks that life places in our way, we can always come to him and he will give us rest (cf Mt 11:28).  This is the strength that Saint Lucy and Saint Agatha both knew.  May these two Sicilian saints intercede for us today and help us to be faithful witnesses of Christ's love.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Guadalupe

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the apparition of the Virgin Mary to a Mexican peasant by the name of Juan Diego.  The Virgin Mary appeared to him three times - on consecutive days - between December 9 and December 11, 1531.  On the first two days, she explained that she was the mother of the very true deity and asking for a church to be built on the hill of Tepeyac in her honour.  By the third day - December 11 - Juan Diego's uncle Juan Bernardino had fallen sick and Juan Diego was obliged to care for him.  In the very early hours of December 12, Juan Bernardino's condition had worsened, forcing Juan Diego to set out for Tlatelolco to fetch a priest to hear Juan Bernardin's confession and to administer the Sacrament of the Sick.

In order to avoid being delayed by the Virgin and ashamed at having failed to meet her on the Monday as agreed, Juan Diego chose another route around the hill, but the Virgin intercepted him and asked where he was going (fourth apparition); Juan Diego explained what had happened and the Virgin gently chided him for not having had recourse to her. In the words which have become the most famous phrase of the Guadalupe event and are inscribed over the main entrance to the Basilica of Guadalupe, she asked, ¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu madre? (Am I not here, I who am your mother?). She assured him that Juan Bernardino had now recovered and she told him to gather flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill, which was normally barren, especially in December. Juan followed her instructions and he found Castilian roses, not native to Mexico, blooming there. The Virgin arranged the flowers in Juan's tilma, or cloak, and when Juan Diego opened his cloak before archbishop Zumárraga on December 12, the flowers fell to the floor, and on the fabric was the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Juan's simple faith has inspired millions of people to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and to pray for her maternal protection.  Anyone who has ever visited that Shrine will testify to the fact that the crowds come and go all day long, in  a constant parade of song and rejoicing.  They know at the depth of their hearts that the Lord is coming to dwell among us (Zec 2:14).  Today also marks the National Day (in Canada) of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples of this country.  Let us pray today especially for the poor, for those whose voices are too often ignored by our society.  Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, may their prayers be whispered in the ears of the Lord who always welcomes the pleas of his beloved children.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Incredible things

Good morning everyone,

As we begin this second week of the Advent season, the scriptures speak of incredible things.  Saint Luke tells the story of a man who was paralyzed.  His friends were people of great faith; they brought the man on a stretcher and braved the gathered crowds in order to bring their friend to Jesus because they believed that he could do incredible things: that he could heal their friend (cf Lk 5:18-19).

The prophet Isaiah also speaks of incredible things happening: the desert will bloom (Is 35:1), the lame shall leap and streams will burst forth in the desert (Is 35:6).  If such unbelievable things were foretold, should we not believe that it is possible that we might see such prophecies fulfilled in our time?  When the pressures of life tend to weigh us down, let us dare to believe that incredible things are still possible: illnesses can be cured, struggles can be overcome, hardened hearts can and will be softened in God's time.

In the meanwhile, it might help to remind us that today, things are just the way they should be.  We are in the places where we need to be, encountering the people we need to meet and the situations that we need to experience in order to grow just a little bit today in our ability to say yes to God, and of course to be on the lookout for the incredible things that God is doing in and around us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: A special gift

Good morning everyone and Happy Feast day.

Today, the Church celebrates the great feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Don't be confused.  I always used to think that this was the day when we celebrate Mary's immaculate conception of Jesus - after all the gospel passage for today's Mass is the Annunciation (cf Lk 1:26-38), but it's really about Mary's own conception.  Fulton Sheen used to say that God prepared Mary from the moment of her own conception within the womb of Saint Anne by granting the special privilege of allowing her to be conceived without sin so that she in turn could conceivea the Son of God without sin.

Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians reminds us today to sing with joy and thanksgiving on this great day.  God chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish (cf Eph 1:4).

In the midst of your day, try to ponder this reality.  God chose us - each one of us (including Mary of Nazareth) from the foundation of the world and wanted us to be perfect in his sight.  Mary helps us each day to realize that it is possible to live in the light of this truth.  Ask her to help you too, to see others as holy and without blemish, worthy of love and walking in the light of faith.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Celebrating Saint Ambrose

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast day of Saint Ambrose, a well-known Bishop who was a the Shepherd of the Church of Milan (Italy).  He was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia (two regions in Northern Italy), headquartered in Milan, before being made bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Ambrose was a staunch opponent of Arianism (the belief that God the father is a separate person who created his son Jesus).  Ambrose taught that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all persons of the Trinity - one God made known to us in three persons.

In today's first reading, the prophet Isaiah speaks of a song hat God's people will sing when we realize what a strong city have we, our God sets up walls and ramparts to protect us (Is 26:1).

Our God is so good to us, and we have many ancestors in faith like Saint Ambrose who have helped us to know and to understand who God is. Today, let us give thanks for all those who have helped us to grow in faith, and let us pray for the courage to help others to grow in their understanding and love of God.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: More than we can ask for

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage proposed for today's meditation is one that is well known to us, yet I wonder if there is something new for us to see this time around. Great crowds came to him bringing with them the blind, the lame, the crippled (cf Mt 15:30). They came with great expectations. Perhaps they had heard of Jesus miraculous power and were hoping that he could cure their friends. What these people did not know was that when you ask God for something, he gives even more than you expected.

Matthew's account of this encounter explains that not only did Jesus cure the sick; he went on to feed the healthy as well (cf Mt 15:32-37). This gives us hope because none of us, even the ones who bring our sick to the Lord in prayer, are fully healthy. We all need the Lord to provide food for our souls, for our hearts, and even for a bodies.

We should pray today for those of our friends, relatives, and all of God's people who are blind, lame, crippled in so many different ways. And we should ask the Lord to surprise us. Because of his boundless generosity, he always wants more for us than we can ask.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: a new shoot

Good morning everyone,

It might seem like an odd time of year to be speaking about planting, but today's scripture readings remind me of a day when I tried my hand at planting an Amaryllis.  Actually, someone presented me with the bulb which had recently been nestled in some earth in a little pot.  My instructions were to keep the soil damp and to watch for any signs of growth.  Keeping the soil damp meant that I needed to be vigilant, keeping watch over the pot on a regular basis, and I must admit that at some point, I wondered whether anything was happening, because despite my daily (almost) checking, there didn't seem to be anything happening … until …  A very small shoot of green broke through the bulb and began to grow.

During the season of Advent, God is calling us to be vigilant about watering our souls with the freshness of his word.  We may not see anything happening at first, and we may even grow impatient about whether our regular tending to this task is worth the effort, but eventually a shoot shall sprout … and from its roots a bud will blossom (Is 11:1).

In these early days of Advent, begin the discipline of watering your soul with the word, and watch in anticipation.  The day will come when you will see the shoot break forth: perhaps in renewed patience toward others, perhaps in an abiding sense of joy and anticipation, perhaps in a new-found depth of faith.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Climbing the mountain

Good morning everyone,

So it begins!  Yesterday, we began the four-week liturgical season of Advent.  Actually, this year, it works out to be just three weeks because of the way the dates fall, but nonetheless, the Lord is inviting us to prepare a special place in our hearts to welcome him at Christmas.

Today's scripture reading from the Book of Isaiah gives us the image of the holy mountain.  From ancient times, the holy place where God's people have encountered him has been symbolized by a mountain - a place that draws us away from the regular routine of our daily lives, a place where we can be awakened (to use the imagery of yesterday's readings) to the presence of God.

In these opening days of the Advent season, let us dare to climb the mountain of the Lord (Is 2:3) so that we can encounter him, listen for his word, and allow our hearts to discover the joy of being in his presence.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: a wor

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage for today's Mass places us with Jesus at one of the moments when he was trying to teach something very important.  People who were listening would have been well aware of the changes in seasons.  They would have seen buds bursting forth on the trees year after year, and they would have known the joy of knowing that summer is near (Lk 21:30).

It might seem strange for those of us who are used to seeing the changing seasons to grasp the true lesson that Jesus is trying to teach: Even if heaven and earth should pass away, my words will not pass away (Lk 21:33).  This is good news.  The promise that Jesus gives us is meant for eternity.  He offers us the reward of everlasting life, eternal joy ... that will never pass away.

Be attentive today to the glimpses that God gives of the joy that he is preparing for us.  We might see it in the eyes of children, we might see it in the encouragement offered by a friend, we might see it in many different ways.  Treasure these moments and try to imagine what it will be like to be constantly surrounded by such celebration.

Have a great weekend.