Feast of the Holy Family

We are accustomed to hearing about different types of families: blended families, broken families, happy families, etc. Today is when we hear about and celebrate a Holy Family. It only takes a cursory glance over the programmes on television for the last couple of decades to see that functional families do not make for great ratings. The Simpsons we have to be one of the few to have a father and mother who are on their first marriage and despite all the challenges stay together. Although we know little of the early years of Jesus I think most people would be correct in guessing that they would have had financial, health and relational challenges. Jesus getting left behind during the visit to Jerusalem tells us that the family was holy but it wasn't perfect in terms of never having to face up to the challenges or ordinary people. This is why despite the exceptional individuals who made up the family unit we can still have the Holy Family as a model for our own families and strive to be loving, peaceful and forgiving after the example and teaching of the Lord. After all, his first human experiences of the Father's love would have been in the arms of Joseph and on the knee of Mary. It is easy, on occasion, to get cynical about families whether it is our own or in general. In this Year of Mercy there is a fresh opportunity to look anew with loving and compassionate eyes at our relations see in them the workings of grace. 

Welcome to Saint Mary's parish for Christmas. We have a number of communities within the parish who will celebrate Christ's birth each in a different way. There are the Masses in English at St Columba's and St Mary's as well as in Malayalam for the Syro-Malabar community and the Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) which is also at St Columba's. The multi-ethnic community of all these Mass times speaks of the universal significance of the birth of Jesus Christ and the potential of faith in him to unite the whole human family.   This holiday, however, can mean many things to different people as you will all be aware. Yet, here we are to participate in the Catholic Mass. God can be frightening. Religion, too, can fill people with trepidation. Spiritual realities are beyond our control and yet they stir up great passions and convictions - even terrorism and violence. Not only that, most of the time, these personal or collective experiences of the spiritual such as awe, love and beauty are conveyed in stories and literature from long ago by people who themselves were caught up in the awesome mystery of life. This can be diifficult to comprehend especially in a context of loss, evil or suffering.  One option is to turn away or even to label anything to do with faith and things unseen as a delusion. Richard Dawkins famously wrote a book entitled The God Delusion. Nevertheless, having mocked the attempts of others to articulate their experience of the transcendent and what it means to be human he, in turn, has the temerity to write his autobiography! I hope he has a scientific experiment to prove every element of his life story and can point to the genes that obliged him to write about it! This includes the gene that told him to marry his wife or to tell others they are deluded in believing that God exists or indeed the opposite. I wonder what she thinks? How do I/we give voice to our faith and experience of God, family, life, faith death, suffering, gratitude, etc? Are we deluded? I say we are not deluded but at the same time we know we are limited. It is only through prayers, songs, symbols, gifts, decorations, meals and other activities that we can give voice to our inmost longings and our shared hope with others. participation in the Eucharist is one of these moments. The desires, placed in our hearts by the One who summoned us into existence, therefore find a moment of fulfilment in our Christmas worship. In the end it is all about the desire to love and be loved as well as the infinite generosity of the God, revealed to us in Jesus, as Abba - Daddy. .  The wonderful thing about the Mass is that it is not our prayer only above all it is the prayer of Christ. We cannot and need not plumb the depths of the mystery of Emmanuel - God with us. I invite you this Christmas simply to raise your hearts and minds to God and let him do the work. We are, after all, saved by grace. In our weakness and frail humanity we can trust that God still has the power to work in and through us, even as he did with the shepherds, to give glory to God on this sacred night. "Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. " (Rom 8: 26-27)  Click here to Reply, Reply to all or Forward 2.59 GB (17%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 21 minutes ago Details People (2) St Mary's parish stmaryspalmy@inspire.net.nz Show details    Click here to Reply, Reply to all or Forward 2.59 GB (17%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 21 minutes ago Details

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Fourth Sunday of Advent

The encounter between Mary and Elizabeth is one of the few times we see women in the Bible relating to each other. In the Old Testament Ruth pledges her loyalty to the older Naomi. Today Elizabeth acknowledges the younger Mary to be her superior. Both rejoice in what God has done and is doing for them. The role of women in spreading the faith and handing it on to their children is crucial to the life and mission of the Church. The courage of Elizabeth and Mary is replicated many times over not only in the lives of the great saints but also of our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and female religious who have nurtured us and shown us the meaning of faith in a sometimes hard and unforgiving world. We can also think of ourselves as bearers of the Word sown in us and that when we yield the fruit of the Word we also honour the memories of those women who have cared for us and loved us so much even through times of suffering and hardship. After all, Elizabeth has a husband who had been struck dumb and Mary was indanger of being stoned to death by having committed adultery.  

Third Sunday of Advent - Beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy

The crowds ask John the Baptist: "What should we do?". Similarly, at the beginning of the Year of Mercy in Rome the members of the Church ask "What should we do?". As in the Gospel the answer will differ according to the occupation, state of life, age, sex, etc of the individual. Nevertheless, it is possible for everyone to participate in the Jubilee of Mercy and to be agents of mercy. Examples of what can be done are enumerated but not exhausted in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Whatever my stage of life I am able to cooperate with grace to bring mercy to others. This is because I am conscious that God has been merciful to me and in doing so there is a new reality where sin and death do not have the last say. Saint Paul wrote: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has givenn us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to GOd. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5: 17-21) 

2nd Sunday of Advent

I am curious about the life of John the Baptist. When did he have his own moment of conversion or repentance? We know from the Gospels that he was destined to give glory to God from his conception nevetheless when did he decide to dress as an old time prophet and to go into the wilderness? When did he start baptising and did someone baptise him first? We cannot know these things. Yet, the call to repentance ( Hebrew: Shuv - meaning to turn around or take a decisive, new direction) from John echoes down the centuries and challenges us today. What parts of my life keep me from seeing God? Do I need a moment of conversion to give me the strength to turn my back on addictions or bad habits? Sometimes we need prophets to stir us from our complacency so that our focus will be taken away from our disordered desires and put back on God and his plan for us.

1st Sunday of Advent Year C

Fear can come in different forms: anxiety - unspecified fear or fear of the unknown; phobia - irrational fear of a thing or situation; awe - fear in the presence of the Lord; fright - being startled, etc. My question for today is what will I feel in the presence of the Lord when he comes? Maybe I will die first and come into his presence or maybe the world will end and he will come to me? Either way I will encounter "the one whom they have pierced" and in his light I will see light and know the truth. What advice does the Scripture have for us?: "Be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day will not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Lk 21: 34-36)

Feast of Christ the King

What we have today is the encounter between two judges: one, representing this world, is Pontius Pilate; the other, representing the world to come, is Jesus of Nazareth. The former is a Roman upwardly mobile careerist the latter is a Galilean peasant. Pilate sees Jesus as an inconvenience and is ready to mock him. Jesus, as he does with all of us, sees into our souls. He informs Pilate and through him the Roman Empire that whatever power he/it wields has been given him/it by the Father. The power that Jesus possesses is not that of the sword rather it is the truth. In the final analysis it is Pilate who is on trial here - he is found wanting. The Church does not give us today the question uttered by Pilate: "What is truth?" (in Latin: Quid est veritas?) This, however, is as relevant to today's society as it was for Pilate. Blinded by power and insecurity he is nevertheless, in his own way, desirous of knowing the meaning of life and what it means to please God.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do you remember the television series and book: The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy? The main selling point of the book was that, at the back of it, there was a page with "Don't Panic" in large, red letters. Today's gospel likewise, tells us not to panic. We can see, even from the Y2K bug at the turn of the century that people will so often look for reasons to be afraid. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega and has won the victory over sin and death. We still need patience and perseverance, nevertheless, the victory is our too: "... so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." (Heb. 9: 28)

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

The widow who contributes her "mite" in today's Gospel lived in a time when the hardship of widows, together with orphans, was proverbial. Yet, she is giving out of her meagre resources to the Temple. In doing so she, among other things, demonstrates her trust in Providence. How many of us are so brave as we give from our plenty? God does not need our resources  however he wants our faith and our love by which we show that we rely on him and not on ourselves. In what ways or on what occasions in my life have I shown my trust in God? Do I pray and act in accord with my prayer? Or, do my prayers say one thing and my actions another?

All Saints

The Catholic Church teaches that saints, canonised or otherwise, are not simply role models or exemplars. They are the great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12: 1) "on whose constant intercession in your  (God's) presence we rely for unfailing help." (Euch Prayer III) Our God is the God of the living (Mk 12: 27) and the saints are alive to him and in him. Together with us in the liturgy we sing the "Holy, holy" as the Church spans the divide in space and time to be united in giving God praise. In this way we can be confident that the saints are close to us and assist us in our prayers. They are not distant to us but call us on so that we may join them in the heavenly courts to sing forever of the marvellous love and mercy of the God revealed to us in Christ Jesus.

 

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The thing that strikes me about Bartimaeus in the Gospel today is his energy. We don't know how long has has been blind or how old he is but it is clear that he is an blind, adult male who has to survive by begging alms from others. Despite their attempts to marginalise and silende him he is determind to encounter Jesus. He "shouts" and he "cries out even more loudly." When Jesus asks for him he throw off his cloak, springs up  and goes directly to the Lord. In other words he will let nothing get in his way as he rushes out to the one he knows as the "Son of David." The onlookers see Jesus as some kind of celebrity. To Bartimaeus Jesus is his only chance to regain his sight. Not only does he receive that he also gets to follow Jesus "on the way." This is the way that leads to the Cross but it also leads to salvation. Bartimaeus takes up his own life. He no longer needs to rely on others as he has Jesus who rewards his faith and leads him to the future with eyes opened to the glory of God. 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It is interesting that in the Gospel of Matthew the episode in today's Gospel reading has the mother of James and John making the request instead of the men making the petition themselves. Was it embarrassing to the Matthean community that the naked ambition and jealousy among the Apostles should be exposed in this way? Saint Mark has no such qualms. He not only speaks of the power  grab of the two brothers but also of the indignation of the other ten Apostles. In other words Saint Peter was one of those unhappy at this attempt to unseat him. Jesus challenges all of them and in doing so he instructs us too. Isn't it excellent that the Early Church had the honesty to record these less than edifying moments among the first disciples? Otherwise, we could be fooled into thinking that just because these men later became great saints and martyrs that somehow they did not experience the weaknesses and sinful promptings that afflict us too. May we all grow in faith as the Apostles did so that when people speak of us at the end of our lives they too will give thanks to God for a life of faith and good works.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Gospel today the rich young man asks: "what must I do to inherit eternal life." In saying this he seems to regard the Kingdom of Heaven in worldly terms. Perhaps he became rich by inheriting a fortune in the first place? All he needs to do to participate in God's reign is to be a good boy and keep his nose clean. This impression is intensified when he replies to Jesus that "I have kept all these (the commandments) since my youth." He is well intentioned but remains at the centre of his own world. Jesus, who looks at him with love, challenges his to put the Kingdon at the centre, to go out of his comfort zone and engage with God's reality which entails detachment from material success and riches. The young man is sad. He thought that his riches were a sign of favour and not a hindrence to action. The question I can ask myself is: what attachments do I have that prevent me from being an effective disciple serving the Gospel in my daily life?

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

How I dread it when I get the Gospel reading for today on a weekday when the school children are in the church for Mass! Many of them have parents who are remarried divorced or living in all sorts of family arrangements. The children listen to the reading and with the simplicity of the young immediately put 2 and 2 together to make 4. Does this mean my mother is committing adultery? Is my father breaking God's law by living with his new girlfriend? For children who are yet to encounter the complexities of life the Word speaks directly to them. They trust implicitly in what the Lord says and listen with open minds. I cannot deal with the issues they raise apart from their parents and the circumstances of their lives. Nevertheless, their attitude remind us why Jesus can say at the end of the passage the Church gives us: "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it" (Mk 10: 14)

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Moses says to Joshua: "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit on them." (Num 11: 29) Moses obedient to the LORD  called seventy men from Israel. Two men, who remained in the camp, prophesied in the camp not in the Tent of Meeting. Can we think of the Sunday Mass as the Tent of Meeting? It is there we encounter the Lord and, indeed, receive him in the sacrament. It is the Spirit who gathers us, speaks to us through the Word and works the transformation that makes what was previously bread and wine the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that in that moment we receive an outpouring of the Spirit and the guarantee of God's presence in our lives. This does not mean however that God is restricted in his saving action to us. We are dependent on him however he does not rely on us. His power and his Spirit extend throughout the world in ways unknown to us. If we cooperate with his grace, however, we know that we shall experience his power and encounter him in all that is good.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

James writes in today's Second Reading: "You do not have, because you do not ask." How many of us are too afraid to ask God in prayer for what we really need? Do we forget that our God is a Father who knows our needs better than any earthly parent and is always ready to give? (cf. Mtt 7: 7-11) Prayer, raising our hearts and minds to God, means that we need to trust God and allow intimacy (into-me-see) with Him. This entails that God sees the whole of me including my desires for things or outcomes which are close to my heart. James warns us however: "You ask and you do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasure." God knows that self-indulgence and excess are harmful to us as are selfishness and greed. As Father he will not give us what is toxic. It is our flawed nature that distorts our appreciation of our own good. The conversation of prayer helps purify our heart and clear our vision to what God wants and therefore what we really need: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God." (Mtt 5: 8)

Have you ever been Satan to someone - the "Tempter" - thinking not in God's ways but man's? Often we are called upon to give advice. It can be casually or, in my case, sometimes as a professional. The person seeking my counsel could be a friend, parishioners or workmate. Regardless of who it is I am called upon in some way to witness to my faith and the confidence that I have in it. If I take the easy option or omit some of the teachings of the Church which I feel are unpalatable am I not becoming a stumbling block to the one being counselled. I damage not just him or her but my own faith. I need not speak immediately, unlike the impetuous Saint Peter, since I can, as he did, go from hero to zero. Sometimes the best option is not to wait. I might need to pray over my response and ask of the Spirit or recommend the person who is better qualified than me. In any event I need to tell the truth and listen to what God's plan is rather than to serve my own.