3rd of Advent Year C Homily

Saint John the Baptist was asked on three occasions in the Gospel of Saint Luke, “What should we do?” His answer given to the these questions point the way towards the one who is to come and what they must do if they are to be found receptive of Him. Saint John the Baptist makes it clear that he is not the Messiah, but only the precursor of the one who is to come.

As he stated in this gospel, “one mightier than I is coming.” During this season of Advent we prepare ourself for this coming of the Lord. He comes to us as Word Made Flesh, He comes to us in the Eucharist, and He will come again at the end of time. For this encounter with Him we must be found prepared.

Therefore, we too must ask this question which was given to Saint John the Baptist. “What should we do? This season of Advent assists us in making these preparations which are necessary in order that we may come to receive Him with joy. Sadly, we often spend Advent chasing after other pursuits that make us ready for Christmas in a worldly sense instead of a spiritual sense.

Whenever something is being asked of us it can be easy to forget that we are being called to place our trust in the Lord. Those who came to Saint John the Baptist were called to undergo hardships which would cause them to grow in their love of the Lord once He came. We too must undergo such penances in order that we may grow in our love for Him.

When we are liberated from our passions which hold us captive we are able to see the life that has been given through such action. We should never act as slaves to our passions, but as those who have been given freedom. Saint John the Baptist’s words were invitation to those who heard them to be liberated from all that held them captive.

On this 3rd Sunday of Advent we are told in the words of Saint Paul to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Whenever we called upon to let go of that which is not necessary we are given reason to rejoice for we have been liberated. The world looks upon such acts of penance and is confused on why they would be a reason to rejoice.

We are able to rejoice for the Lord’s coming is nigh and through Him we have been given everything that we will ever need in order to be happy. Saint John the Baptist was giving aid to those who came to Him in order that they in due time could rejoice. So too by asking what we must do are we given reason to rejoice.

Let us dare to rejoice with the Lord always by doing whatever is necessary for us to receive Him at His coming. This is not a call to partially receive Him because we are found unwilling to to let go of something. This is a call to allow our whole to be lived in relationship with Him without compromise.

Immaculate Conception Homily

Today we observe the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the commemoration of the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

The Immaculate Conception is the infallible statement that Mary was conceived without the stain of sin which includes original sin. This is not an achievement made by her, but by God who worked on her behalf in order that she would be the pure and spotless vessel that would be the mother of Christ.

Theotokos is a Greek title given to Mary which means “God-bearer” or “Mother of God.” This is a statement which points towards the divinity of Christ. He is both fully human and fully divine. Through the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary He became flesh and made His dwelling place among us.

It is this womb which contained the very presence of God. In the Old Testament it was the Ark of the Covenant which held God’s presence. The ark had to be pure and spotless due to the one which it contained, God. Likewise, Mary becomes the New Ark of the Covenant for she is the God-bearer.

At the Annunciation the angel Gabriel came to Mary and exclaimed, “Hail, full of grace!” This salutation is significant for it conveys the truth that Mary was conceived without the stain of sin and was in the state of grace at this moment in time. This is so because she was filled with grace to its fullest degree by God for in the past as she was prepared for this role in salvation history.

In the Book of Acts we are told that Saint Stephen was “filled with grace.” Despite being the same word in the English language it is a different word in the Greek. What is being implied by its use in connection to Saint Stephen would be the same that could be used concerning us through our baptism or sacramental confession.

As we continue this Advent journey we must be concerned with opening our heart unto God in order that we may be found receptive to the gift of His grace. It is through our willingness to entertain temptation and fall into the occasion of sin that we turn away from such a reality. Where we have been thrust into darkness we must allow the Lord in His mercy to lift us out of it.

The Blessed Mother is often depicted standing on top of a serpent for in the words of the Book of Genesis, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.” Through her intercession may we come to more perfectly open ourself up to the grace of God and turn away from the assaults of the devil for she has already crushed him under her foot.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Anniversary of Dedication of Church Homily

Today our parish observes the Solemnity of the Anniversary of the Dedication of our Church. On this day in the year 2000 this Church was dedicated unto God that it may be set apart from the rest of the world as a place that is fitting for the celebration of the sacraments and that it may life up our heart to Heaven.

If we look inwardly upon what takes place within these walls we see people being dedicated unto God. They come here in order to pray, that their children may be baptized, that their marriage may be witnessed, that the soul of their loved one may be prayed for at their funeral, that their sins may be absolved, that they may be anointed at the danger death brought about due to sickness or old age, and that they may come to know and love Christ who dwells with us in the Eucharist.

As we are told by Saint Augustine, “just as this building has been made for us to gather in physically, so that building which we ourselves are is being constructed for God to live in spiritually. “For the temple of God,” says the apostle, “which is what you are, is holy.”

Therefore, as we continue our Advent preparations we prepare for the time when He will come again. Day by day we must be built up in order that we may live as a temple of God. We must be found prepared to meet Him at that moment when He comes again. Let this celebration assist us in coming to serve the Lord our God by our life.

1st Sunday of Advent Year C Homily

As each academic year would come to its end at Conception Seminary we were always reminded about the Blessed Last Things. These were placed before our sight in order that we would not grow slack in the final days, but finish well. After all, with the Christmas or summer vacation so close it would be easy to not treat those last days as if they were important.

Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent and very soon we will arrive at our celebration of Christmas. With all the preparations that we must make for this season of Christmas it would be so easy to overlook Advent. After all, there is a lot of shopping that must be done, decorations which must go up, and a never ending list of parties to attend. Let us remember that Christmas is not yet here.

In our Gospel we are warned that we cannot allow our heart to “become drowsy.” Therefore, we are called upon to remain “vigilant at all times” for the coming of Christ is nigh. This coming is made known at Christmas, but too in the Eucharist and at the end of time when He will come again. No matter when we encounter Him we must be found prepared.

Just as it is so easy to celebrate as if Christmas is already here, so would it be so easy to live our life as if we will never be called home to Him. This facade is one that cannot be sustained for there will come a point in time when we will stand face to face before Him. Will we be found prepared for such an encounter or squander the time that has been set before us?

Advent is a beautiful season of the Church that aids us in such preparations. We would notice that during this season the priest wears violet which serves as a reminder of our need to undergo penance. During this season we should focus on prayer and fasting in order that we may purify ourself of all that keeps us from being found prepared for the coming of Christ.

At the time of the Nativity it was said that there was no room in the inn. We too make no room within the inn of heart for the Lord to enter in and dwell with us. Use this time for prayer especially as a family. Use this time to study Sacred Scripture for in the words of Saint Jerome, “ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Use this time do acts of charity which send us outside of the doors of this Church in order to bring Christ into the world.

Also, if it has been a long time since your last confession I invite you to return to this sacrament. If we want nothing to do with this sacrament we have closed ourself from being found receptive of the gift of God’s grace. We must remember that the Lord is merciful with us, but we must first desire His mercy.

May we allow this season of Advent to assist us in remaining “vigilant at all times.” There is a lot that goes on around us especially at this time of the year. Let us take to heart the Blessed Last Things which are necessary (for we are not yet there) if we are to be found ready for the coming of Christ and the celebration of Christmas.

Last Sunday After Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Last Sunday After Pentecost which serves as the final Sunday of the liturgical year. Our Gospel stated to us, “Then if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ, or there; do not believe him: for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.”

These words calls us to remain on guard. There is a lot in our modern day culture that people get wrapped up in and so they begin to lose sight of Christ. Through the pursuit of money, social status, and pleasure people allow themself to get trapped and so they begin to follow after false prophets.

Each of these false prophets attempts to fill a void that exists within us that can only be filled by Christ. Without Christ we will constantly be longing for something more. It is only in Christ that we will come to find our fulfillment. Through Him we come to receive that which fills up to the fullest degree to the point that it is flowing over.

As we conclude this liturgical year and begin a new one as we enter into the season of Advent we come to place our sight upon His coming among us. Through His first coming He came out of love in order to save. As He comes among us today in the Eucharist He prevails Himself to us out of love. Also, He will come again at the end of time and we must be found prepared for this encounter.

To this encounter with Him we prepare as we continue to orient our sight towards Him in all things. There is nothing more important then assistance at the Holy Mass each Sunday for here we come to give thanks and to receive the outpouring of God’s grace that is being prevailed to us. We must make our homes places of prayer for in doing so we come to dedicate our life and families unto Him.

So often what is found within our homes is not a dwelling place for Christ to enter in and dwell with us. Instead families are separated from one another and never come together in order to pray. Time is spent pursing modern day culture alone while spending no time with the Lord. It is no wonder why so many choose not to pursue Him for He has never been made a priority in their life.

We must take it upon ourself to stir the flame faith into existence. False prophets will continue to give rise and attempt to pull us away from such practice. We cannot heed these voices and instead must remain sober and alert for the bridegroom will come soon. Let this time that has been set before us to not be squandered, but to live for Christ.