1st Reading: 1 Jn 5:5-13
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 147:12-13,14-15,19-20
Gospel: Mk 1:7-11
During the season of Christmas the infancy narratives are important. In Luke we have the story of shepherds coming to visit the Christ child. It is in Matthew that we are told about magi who travel to the manger to bring gifts to the Savior of the World. It is from these stories that we have constructed nativity plays during the Christmas season. The Gospel of Mark is the only one of the synoptic Gospels that lacks an infancy narrative. With Mark we do not get a glimpse into Christ's life and childhood. The first appearance of Christ for this Gospel is when Christ appears at the scene of the baptism.
Thankfully we have the Gospels of Matthew and Luke to surround the Gospel of Mark. If Mark's Gospel was the only account that we have access to we would be forced to question the divinity of Christ. We would have to ask ourselves when did He become divine. In the account of Christ's baptism we are told: "And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Is this the moment that Christ took on His divine nature? We would have no other stories to elaborate on Christ's birth and thus we could easily fall into this trap. Despite being placed after Matthew inside of the Bible this book was probably written first. I am sure the authors of Matthew and Luke who came after the writing of this Gospel saw the need of showing us what took place during the nativity of the Lord and to point out that this child was both fully human and fully divine.
May each of us who are gathered here today continue to trust in the Son of God. May we allow Him to come to us through the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar giving us the strength to endure all that we will face inside of this world. Christ was a man who came into this world and felt the weight of sin upon Him. Christ was the divine Son of God who was sent to overcome sin and death. May we allow the Son of God to dwell within our hearts that we may trust in Him at every moment of our lives.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Solemnity of Mary Mother of God Homily
It was only a few days ago that I was laying back in my bed flipping through the channels on the television. As I was flipping through I stopped on one of the religious channels where a preacher was giving his Christmas message. He was at the part where he was giving his warning to the Roman Catholics who might be watching. His warning was that Mary was not the mother of God. He agreed that she gave birth to Christ, but said the child was wrapped within her womb and thus protected from the effects of sin that existed within her soul. He believed that Mary was only the mother of his humanity and had nothing to do with His divinity. It is due to thinking in this manner that the day we now celebrate came into existence. Today we celebrate Mary the Mother of God because that is exactly who this woman was.
In Greek Mary is known as being the theotokos which in English means the god-bearer. This term was accepted in 431 at the Council of Ephesus in order to assert the divinity of Christ. Jesus is the Son of God and was chosen to be born to Mary. Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. Mary could not give birth to only Christ's humanity because at that brief moment of birth he would cease to be God. This is an impossibility because Jesus is both human and divine and can never cease to be one of these persons. Therefore it is possible for us to proclaim that Mary is the god-bearer without falling into thoughts and actions which are contrary to the scriptures. It is through each and every time that we speak about the Blessed Virgin Mary that we acknowledge and are drawn towards the Christ child. Through the acceptance of Mary as the Mother of God we welcome her into our lives and ask her to draw us closer to her son.
As we enter into this new year may we do so through peace. In 2011 we have seen many examples that go against the peace that we should be in search of, but may we not lose hope. Instead may we continue to pray that peace may enter into the world. On Christmas morning the perfection of this peace entered the world through the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mother of God brought the Christ child into a world that had been infected with sin and finally there was hope of peace. Within the walls of the manger the Lord was present ever giving his rays of love to each and every person inside of the world. Each visitor that would be drawn into the manger would be welcomed by His Mother who was filled with joy because she was able to welcome the world into the great moment of peace and joy.
In today's second reading Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians reminding them that Christ was born to a woman. Mary is thus honored because it was through her that Christ was born. It was through her that Christ became present in our world as being fully human and fully divine. She was a great vessel which was set aside from the sin of Adam and Eve in order to bring forth the Christ child into the world. Through this great moment in the life of the world we can finally draw closer to God the Father. Before we were separated due to sin, but now through these events the baptism of Christ will take place which will wash away all of our sins. Our Blessed Mother remains by the side of her son and desires to bring each of us to His Side. Turning towards her great love will not lead us astray, but will forever draw us closer and closer into the mystery of faith.
Today's Gospel passage brings us to the manger where Christ came to dwell. It was here that He was born to a woman. It was here that all hope for peace entered into this sinful world. It is here that His mother and father were present. They both remained by the side of their child as He laid inside of the manger. Mary was present inside of this dwelling place as the shepherds and other visitors stopped by to visit the Savior of the World. She was here as the Mother of God as these people came to visit her son and she was filled with much joy. This is the same joy that she shares with each of us as she draws us closer and closer to her Son. May we allow the Blessed Virgin Mary to welcome us into the dwelling place of this manger, so that we may be given the strength to endure a life of peace and joy.
No matter what accusations people may make about Mary the fact remains that she is the one who was chosen to bring Christ into the world. Christ came into the world through this woman and was always both fully human and fully divine. This humble servant of the Lord always points us towards her son. Trusting in her love and care will never led us away from God, but will always draw us closer and closer into His love. No matter how hectic our lives may become in this upcoming year Mary remains in the peace and quiet and desires to bring us to her Son. This new year will be filled with many joys and sorrows, but Mary still desires to enter into all of these moments. In the good and the bad it is her desire to be here for each of us to intercede for us and to always draw us closer to the peace that can be found inside of her Son.
I now close this homily with the same words that Pope Benedict XVI used during his homily for this solemnity and for the upcoming new year. "May the Virgin Mary give us her Son, may she help us to remain in the light of his face that shines upon us, in order to rediscover all the tenderness of God the Father, may it be she who supports us in invoking the Holy Spirit, so that he will renew the face of the earth and transform hearts, dissolving their hardness in the face of the disarming goodness of the Child who was born for us. May the Mother of God accompany us in this New Year; may she obtain for us and for the whole world the desired gift of peace."
In Greek Mary is known as being the theotokos which in English means the god-bearer. This term was accepted in 431 at the Council of Ephesus in order to assert the divinity of Christ. Jesus is the Son of God and was chosen to be born to Mary. Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. Mary could not give birth to only Christ's humanity because at that brief moment of birth he would cease to be God. This is an impossibility because Jesus is both human and divine and can never cease to be one of these persons. Therefore it is possible for us to proclaim that Mary is the god-bearer without falling into thoughts and actions which are contrary to the scriptures. It is through each and every time that we speak about the Blessed Virgin Mary that we acknowledge and are drawn towards the Christ child. Through the acceptance of Mary as the Mother of God we welcome her into our lives and ask her to draw us closer to her son.
As we enter into this new year may we do so through peace. In 2011 we have seen many examples that go against the peace that we should be in search of, but may we not lose hope. Instead may we continue to pray that peace may enter into the world. On Christmas morning the perfection of this peace entered the world through the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mother of God brought the Christ child into a world that had been infected with sin and finally there was hope of peace. Within the walls of the manger the Lord was present ever giving his rays of love to each and every person inside of the world. Each visitor that would be drawn into the manger would be welcomed by His Mother who was filled with joy because she was able to welcome the world into the great moment of peace and joy.
In today's second reading Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians reminding them that Christ was born to a woman. Mary is thus honored because it was through her that Christ was born. It was through her that Christ became present in our world as being fully human and fully divine. She was a great vessel which was set aside from the sin of Adam and Eve in order to bring forth the Christ child into the world. Through this great moment in the life of the world we can finally draw closer to God the Father. Before we were separated due to sin, but now through these events the baptism of Christ will take place which will wash away all of our sins. Our Blessed Mother remains by the side of her son and desires to bring each of us to His Side. Turning towards her great love will not lead us astray, but will forever draw us closer and closer into the mystery of faith.
Today's Gospel passage brings us to the manger where Christ came to dwell. It was here that He was born to a woman. It was here that all hope for peace entered into this sinful world. It is here that His mother and father were present. They both remained by the side of their child as He laid inside of the manger. Mary was present inside of this dwelling place as the shepherds and other visitors stopped by to visit the Savior of the World. She was here as the Mother of God as these people came to visit her son and she was filled with much joy. This is the same joy that she shares with each of us as she draws us closer and closer to her Son. May we allow the Blessed Virgin Mary to welcome us into the dwelling place of this manger, so that we may be given the strength to endure a life of peace and joy.
No matter what accusations people may make about Mary the fact remains that she is the one who was chosen to bring Christ into the world. Christ came into the world through this woman and was always both fully human and fully divine. This humble servant of the Lord always points us towards her son. Trusting in her love and care will never led us away from God, but will always draw us closer and closer into His love. No matter how hectic our lives may become in this upcoming year Mary remains in the peace and quiet and desires to bring us to her Son. This new year will be filled with many joys and sorrows, but Mary still desires to enter into all of these moments. In the good and the bad it is her desire to be here for each of us to intercede for us and to always draw us closer to the peace that can be found inside of her Son.
I now close this homily with the same words that Pope Benedict XVI used during his homily for this solemnity and for the upcoming new year. "May the Virgin Mary give us her Son, may she help us to remain in the light of his face that shines upon us, in order to rediscover all the tenderness of God the Father, may it be she who supports us in invoking the Holy Spirit, so that he will renew the face of the earth and transform hearts, dissolving their hardness in the face of the disarming goodness of the Child who was born for us. May the Mother of God accompany us in this New Year; may she obtain for us and for the whole world the desired gift of peace."
Friday, December 23, 2011
Fri 4th Week of Advent Homily
We have finally arrived to the end of the season of Advent. This will be the final time that a service will be held inside of this Church during this Advent season. We will soon begin to prepare the inside of this Church for the Christmas season. This Advent wreath and these purple banners will soon be taken down and in their place will be white banners and the manger scene. At the middle of the manger scene will be placed the Christ child and he will be surrounded by Mary and Joseph. Our whole attention will be placed upon Christ who is at the center of this image.
The readings for this past week have allowed us to journey with Mary as she prepares for the birth of her son. We were able to be present with her when the angel Gabriel arrived to announce to her that she would bear a son. We were with her as she journeyed to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was to bear a son in her old age. We were present with Mary as she humbly cried out in thanksgiving for all that was bestowed upon her through the use of the Magnificat. Mary has now journeyed back home and is preparing for the birth of her son. We are left with Elizabeth who has given birth to John the Baptist. This is the child who is to point the way towards Christ. He is the one to inform us that we need to be alert and awake because the Lord is coming soon. All things that John would do would help us to place Christ at the center of our lives.
May we join with John today and begin to place Christ at the center of our lives. Christmas is coming soon and at the heart of this season is Christ who lays inside of the manger. In order to be prepared to be with Christ around this manger scene may we continue to prepare our hearts and souls to dwell with Him.
The readings for this past week have allowed us to journey with Mary as she prepares for the birth of her son. We were able to be present with her when the angel Gabriel arrived to announce to her that she would bear a son. We were with her as she journeyed to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was to bear a son in her old age. We were present with Mary as she humbly cried out in thanksgiving for all that was bestowed upon her through the use of the Magnificat. Mary has now journeyed back home and is preparing for the birth of her son. We are left with Elizabeth who has given birth to John the Baptist. This is the child who is to point the way towards Christ. He is the one to inform us that we need to be alert and awake because the Lord is coming soon. All things that John would do would help us to place Christ at the center of our lives.
May we join with John today and begin to place Christ at the center of our lives. Christmas is coming soon and at the heart of this season is Christ who lays inside of the manger. In order to be prepared to be with Christ around this manger scene may we continue to prepare our hearts and souls to dwell with Him.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Tues 4th Week of Advent Homily
This is the fourth time that we have heard this Gospel reading during the season of Advent! On December 8th we heard it for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We heard it again on December 12th for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.We heard it this past Sunday for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and finally we heard it again today. Seeing that this reading has appeared to us on four occasions now in only a matter of weeks this Gospel passage must be very important for us to hear and to understand.
Today's reading from the Prophet Isaiah goes perfectly with this Gospel passage and helps to shed some light upon it. In this reading we are told that "the virgin shall conceive a son and shall name him Emmanuel." The Book of the Prophet Isaiah is located inside of the Old Testament which means that it was written long before the events of the Annunciation. Despite being written prior to this great event it foretells what is to come. In this passage from the Gospel of Luke we see that what was proclaimed by the Prophet Isaiah came to it's fulfillment. Through the events of the Annunciation all that the prophets had proclaimed and pointed towards had come to it's fulfillment. Therefore we are not following some new movement, but something that has been pointed to since the beginning of time.
Mary was the woman who was being revered in Isaiah's passage. She was the one who was chosen by God to be the virgin that would bear a son. In the Gospel reading she humbly accepted what had been bestowed on her from God. This humble woman is the perfect example for us today because she will lead us closer to her son. May we allow Mary to extend her hand to us; as she accepted Gabriel's greeting. She will take us by the hand and will lead us to the peace and tranquility that Is found around the manger of her son.
Today's reading from the Prophet Isaiah goes perfectly with this Gospel passage and helps to shed some light upon it. In this reading we are told that "the virgin shall conceive a son and shall name him Emmanuel." The Book of the Prophet Isaiah is located inside of the Old Testament which means that it was written long before the events of the Annunciation. Despite being written prior to this great event it foretells what is to come. In this passage from the Gospel of Luke we see that what was proclaimed by the Prophet Isaiah came to it's fulfillment. Through the events of the Annunciation all that the prophets had proclaimed and pointed towards had come to it's fulfillment. Therefore we are not following some new movement, but something that has been pointed to since the beginning of time.
Mary was the woman who was being revered in Isaiah's passage. She was the one who was chosen by God to be the virgin that would bear a son. In the Gospel reading she humbly accepted what had been bestowed on her from God. This humble woman is the perfect example for us today because she will lead us closer to her son. May we allow Mary to extend her hand to us; as she accepted Gabriel's greeting. She will take us by the hand and will lead us to the peace and tranquility that Is found around the manger of her son.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
4th Sunday of Advent Year B Homily
I always enjoyed getting to use the computers that were at school because somebody would always have some pretty interesting games loaded upon them. Sim City was a true find during middle school and the Sims was the game of choice during high school. Sim City allowed you to take control of building your own city and properly running it so that the residents would have enough cops, teachers, water, electricity, hospital workers, and more. The Sims was a lot of fun because it gave you the opportunity to build your own home and place the furniture that you want into it. Plugging in a simple code would give you unlimited money and you were ready to build to your heart's content. With unlimited money the house could be as huge as possible and could have the most elaborate of furniture.
During this Advent season we have been preparing our own hearts and souls for the coming of Christ. For the past three weeks we have been preparing to come into contact with the light of Christ and invite Him into the home of our souls. If we still find that work needs to be done and room needs to still be made we still have one week to work with. May we use the remainder of this week making an innovatory of our lives and ask ourselves what we need to clean away from our souls if Christ is to come to dwell with us. This Tuesday will be the perfect opportunity for ourselves to prepare ourselves because on this day we will hold our Penance Service. We will have six priests who will be with us that evening and will be prepared to hear our Confession and to aid us in the building up of virtue within our lives.
In today's first reading from the second book of Samuel we encounter David wanting to build a house for God. For David this seemed to be the perfect plan, but God saw things otherwise. Instead of the building up of a physical home it was the desire of God to build up a home for the people of Israel. The line of David will be made as numerous as the stars of Heaven and will await the coming of the Messiah. This episode between God and David is not different from our everyday encounters with God. We often believe that we have everything figured out for ourselves and thus don't need to allow God into our lives. It is only when things begin to go horrible that we realize that God is all that we have to call upon. This lesson is perfect to carry over into our everyday life because it makes us realize that we are nothing without God.
Today's Gospel reading gives us the perfect example of how we can be made available to the will of God. Mary is the perfect example for us because the Angel Gabriel came to greet this humble woman and invite her to bear the Messiah. She was a young woman and was filled with fear. She voiced her opinion concerning how this could be possible seeing that she has not had any relations with a man, but remained open to the will of God. Despite the fear and mixed emotions that she might of had she was open to this invitation and accepted to enter into it by working alongside divine will. She is the perfect example of humility for each and every one of us. May we be inspired by this same act of humility and be willing to allow God to enter into the deepest spaces of our hearts, so that we may be transformed.
On the day that Mary gave her yes to the the angel Gabriel a home was prepared which is far superior to any temple that can be built. It is the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary that becomes the greatest palace that was ever built. It was through this humble acceptance of the Christ child into her womb that the death that was caused by original sin started to be overcome. Mary would have been content living a quiet and unknown life, but she was willing to be transformed through the actions of the Annunciation. We act in similar ways because our own plans are fragile compared to the will of God. This season of Advent therefore is the perfect time to prepare ourselves to hear God calling out to us wanting to grow closer and closer into relationship which each of us. May we be able to hear His cries and make room within our homes, so that we will be receptive to His will.
All of us live in a world that presents us with many challenges. When we turn on the news or open the newspaper we are left scratching our heads concerning what is going on in the world around us. At any moment our life can change for the better or for the worse. The only thing that we can be sure of is the love that Christ has for each of us. At this moment we may be happy and excited, we may be angry at someone, or scared for our future, but even among these different emotions Christ is present. He desires to extend his hand to us as Gabriel extended his hand to Mary. If we accept this hand that is extended to us we will welcome Christ into our hearts and homes. He will transform them and make them objects of great beauty because we have cast the darkness of sin away and have accepted the light of Christ into our lives.
Therefore my brothers and sisters in Christ may we allow "God to strengthen us" through the remainder of this Advent Season. May we be prepared to open the doors of our souls ridding ourselves of all evil inclinations in order to make room for the Christ child in our hearts and homes. No matter what struggle or joy that we may find ourselves in today Christ is present and desires to enter into our lives if we are willing to allow Him. With our desire to enter deeper into relationship with God we will begin to resemble the beauty that can only be found through this relationship. Through this relationship every crevice of our hearts and souls will resemble the beauty that was found inside of the dwelling place of Christ while He was in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us therefore fashion all that goes on inside of us after this great example, so that we may be strengthened through the Gospel and through the proclamation of Jesus Christ.
During this Advent season we have been preparing our own hearts and souls for the coming of Christ. For the past three weeks we have been preparing to come into contact with the light of Christ and invite Him into the home of our souls. If we still find that work needs to be done and room needs to still be made we still have one week to work with. May we use the remainder of this week making an innovatory of our lives and ask ourselves what we need to clean away from our souls if Christ is to come to dwell with us. This Tuesday will be the perfect opportunity for ourselves to prepare ourselves because on this day we will hold our Penance Service. We will have six priests who will be with us that evening and will be prepared to hear our Confession and to aid us in the building up of virtue within our lives.
In today's first reading from the second book of Samuel we encounter David wanting to build a house for God. For David this seemed to be the perfect plan, but God saw things otherwise. Instead of the building up of a physical home it was the desire of God to build up a home for the people of Israel. The line of David will be made as numerous as the stars of Heaven and will await the coming of the Messiah. This episode between God and David is not different from our everyday encounters with God. We often believe that we have everything figured out for ourselves and thus don't need to allow God into our lives. It is only when things begin to go horrible that we realize that God is all that we have to call upon. This lesson is perfect to carry over into our everyday life because it makes us realize that we are nothing without God.
Today's Gospel reading gives us the perfect example of how we can be made available to the will of God. Mary is the perfect example for us because the Angel Gabriel came to greet this humble woman and invite her to bear the Messiah. She was a young woman and was filled with fear. She voiced her opinion concerning how this could be possible seeing that she has not had any relations with a man, but remained open to the will of God. Despite the fear and mixed emotions that she might of had she was open to this invitation and accepted to enter into it by working alongside divine will. She is the perfect example of humility for each and every one of us. May we be inspired by this same act of humility and be willing to allow God to enter into the deepest spaces of our hearts, so that we may be transformed.
On the day that Mary gave her yes to the the angel Gabriel a home was prepared which is far superior to any temple that can be built. It is the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary that becomes the greatest palace that was ever built. It was through this humble acceptance of the Christ child into her womb that the death that was caused by original sin started to be overcome. Mary would have been content living a quiet and unknown life, but she was willing to be transformed through the actions of the Annunciation. We act in similar ways because our own plans are fragile compared to the will of God. This season of Advent therefore is the perfect time to prepare ourselves to hear God calling out to us wanting to grow closer and closer into relationship which each of us. May we be able to hear His cries and make room within our homes, so that we will be receptive to His will.
All of us live in a world that presents us with many challenges. When we turn on the news or open the newspaper we are left scratching our heads concerning what is going on in the world around us. At any moment our life can change for the better or for the worse. The only thing that we can be sure of is the love that Christ has for each of us. At this moment we may be happy and excited, we may be angry at someone, or scared for our future, but even among these different emotions Christ is present. He desires to extend his hand to us as Gabriel extended his hand to Mary. If we accept this hand that is extended to us we will welcome Christ into our hearts and homes. He will transform them and make them objects of great beauty because we have cast the darkness of sin away and have accepted the light of Christ into our lives.
Therefore my brothers and sisters in Christ may we allow "God to strengthen us" through the remainder of this Advent Season. May we be prepared to open the doors of our souls ridding ourselves of all evil inclinations in order to make room for the Christ child in our hearts and homes. No matter what struggle or joy that we may find ourselves in today Christ is present and desires to enter into our lives if we are willing to allow Him. With our desire to enter deeper into relationship with God we will begin to resemble the beauty that can only be found through this relationship. Through this relationship every crevice of our hearts and souls will resemble the beauty that was found inside of the dwelling place of Christ while He was in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us therefore fashion all that goes on inside of us after this great example, so that we may be strengthened through the Gospel and through the proclamation of Jesus Christ.
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