Feast of the Holy Family

 It is interesting that for the wider world Christmas is all about family. Yet, for Catholics, there is a separate feast for the family in the Sunday after the Nativity of the Lord - the Feast of the Holy Family. I think that there is wisdom in this. Christ, Second Person of the Holy Trinity, precedes his earthly family, yet, born in time to the Virgin, he belongs, as all human beings do, to a family. He also unites, through the Cross, the human family so the distinctions and hostilities that divide us and originate from the chaos of Babel are done away with. It is in his flesh that we find harmony, peace and unity. These are all characteristics of the Holy Family in which Jesus grew to manhood in Nazareth. However, families, as we already know, do not possess peace. It must be founded on Christ. It is through God's grace that we can find the kind of family life for which we all long. Let us, therefore, pray that we can have some of that peace in our hearts and families this Christmas so that they will be the domestic church that testifies to the greatness of God's love in Christ Jesus. 

The Nativity of the Lord

 As I typed the heading to this blog entry I reflected briefly on why it might be better for Catholics and, indeed, other Christians to speak of this feat as the Nativity of the Lord rather than Christmas. The latter term seems to have been highjacked. Sadly, it also seems to have been objectified such that it is possible for someone to "steal Christmas" or to "cancel Christmas." The Nativity of the Lord is an irrevocable historical and cosmic event: "In the beginning was the Word, and he Word was with  God, and the Word was God... The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. he was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him... But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or the will of the flesh or of the will of man but of God." (Jn 1: 1, 9-10, 12-13) It is impossible for the world to go back to a time when Jesus was not born. he has changed the whole nature of our reality through his incarnation. This is the source of our joy - that we know him and believe in him and that his life is in us. His glory, which has existed eternally in the life of the Holy Trinity, is shone into our hearts and no-one can steal it away from us: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope .through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls". (1 Pt 1: 3-5, 8-9) 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers of this blog a happy Nativity of the Lord and a blessed New Year. 

4th Sunday of Advent

 Today we have the delightful encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. The child in Elizbeth's womb joins in the joy both women feel as they marvel at how God has been at work in their lives. It would also have been some reassurance for Our Lady that an older woman would congratulate her on what was a controversial pregnancy. There is one person missing! That is Zechariah. At this point he is still struck dumb due to his disbelief at the angel's message. This is six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy and he still won't budge. He must have been very stubborn! It is only when the son is placed in his arms that he will give voice to faith. For the moment he is sulking. When we consider our own spiritual state at this point of Advent are we sulking? Are we being overwhelmed by the materialism and banal commercialism that surround us? Or, are we like Elizabeth and Mary, able to give voice to the blessings that God has bestowed on us since last Christmas and, in doing so, open ourselves up to the blessings he has in store for us in the weeks to come.

3rd Sunday of Advent

What strikes me about today's gospel is the contrast between John the Baptist's radical message and lifestyle compared to the advice he gives to those who ask him: "Teacher, what should we do?" (Lk 3: 12) Critics of religion often focus on the radical or weird phenomena that can manifest itself when people encounter the divine. However, like the advice given by Elisha to Naaman the Syrian (2 Kgs 5: 10) there is nothing extreme here. Thus, the road to conversion and holiness is to be found in a changes of behaviour that lead us to transform ourselves in the ordinariness of daily life. Let us, therefore, hanker after the miraculous or strange but dedicate ourselves to incremental improvements in our following of the gospel so that over time we may know and love the Lord more and more. In this way we will come to experience the joy of those who know the gospel to be true and the power of God to be real: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4: 4-7)