To: all of my friends
One of my Advent saints is Charlie – and Linus – also – and the name for a scrawny Christmas tree will always remain a Charlie Brown tree – that just needs a little love – and sometimes brings love into a household. Charlie Brown will always be one of my favorites – I am certain that Charles Shulz is up with the Lord, presenting various takes on human life.
No, I haven’t been out looking for a tree – actually, last year we decided to switch to an artificial tree for the Church – I think that it looked okay – although – it was a little too perfect – I remember in the old days spending at least a day, turning the tree – it seemed like thousands of times – to find the right side to place forward. With the artificial ones – every side looks the same.
Today, I celebrated Mass with the children from School – Advent is not an easy idea for them to understand – they are barraged by Christmas stuff everywhere except at Church – they are making Christmas cards, learning Christmas songs, hearing Christmas stories – so it was not easy to make them understand that here in Church at Mass – we were in an Advent mode.
At the time of the homily – as I sort of dialogued with the children – we spent a bit of time on patience. A couple of them – sincerely – told me that they didn’t mind waiting and were good to patience. I, of course, shared with them – that I was not good at waiting – and patience was difficult for me. I asked them what they did while they waited – they had not really thought about this – so I told them – and this is true – that I hum when I am waiting in line – no matter where. Well, I got some startled looks – but you may start to hear some humming at Walmart tonight.
The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent presents us with the ministry of John the Baptist – that strong preacher and teacher – who was described by Isaiah centuries before – as the one who would “prepare the way of the Lord.” “A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” These powerful images speak of more than the landscape; they announce the straightening of the human spirit, the filling of empty hearts, the smoothing of the way that leads to healing and reconciliation.
John comes to prepare the way for Christ – by his call for repentance for forgiveness of sins – make yourselves new – change what has to be changed – don’t just prepare your homes for Christmas – prepare your hearts and souls – your very being – John the Baptist – that dramatic preacher of old – had a very impressive way to remind his listeners of their moment of conversion – he would baptize them in the River Jordan – can you imagine it – when someone would approach John and express their readiness to change – he would march them into the river and baptize them – push them under the water – from that moment on – when that person would think of living a better and new life – he would call to mind that time when John baptized them in the Jordan.
So, Advent is our time to renew our Baptism – to again make our commitment to living in the spirit of Our Savior, who was born on Christmas Day – and the question we have for you today ---What is being healed, forgiven and restored in you as you prepare the way this Advent.
LET US PRAY
My prayer today – comes from Sunday’s Second Reading from Philippians – Paul’s prayer for us:
“That your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ – filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”
Amen.
Please join me as we say together the Lord’s Prayer.
One of my Advent saints is Charlie – and Linus – also – and the name for a scrawny Christmas tree will always remain a Charlie Brown tree – that just needs a little love – and sometimes brings love into a household. Charlie Brown will always be one of my favorites – I am certain that Charles Shulz is up with the Lord, presenting various takes on human life.
No, I haven’t been out looking for a tree – actually, last year we decided to switch to an artificial tree for the Church – I think that it looked okay – although – it was a little too perfect – I remember in the old days spending at least a day, turning the tree – it seemed like thousands of times – to find the right side to place forward. With the artificial ones – every side looks the same.
Today, I celebrated Mass with the children from School – Advent is not an easy idea for them to understand – they are barraged by Christmas stuff everywhere except at Church – they are making Christmas cards, learning Christmas songs, hearing Christmas stories – so it was not easy to make them understand that here in Church at Mass – we were in an Advent mode.
At the time of the homily – as I sort of dialogued with the children – we spent a bit of time on patience. A couple of them – sincerely – told me that they didn’t mind waiting and were good to patience. I, of course, shared with them – that I was not good at waiting – and patience was difficult for me. I asked them what they did while they waited – they had not really thought about this – so I told them – and this is true – that I hum when I am waiting in line – no matter where. Well, I got some startled looks – but you may start to hear some humming at Walmart tonight.
The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent presents us with the ministry of John the Baptist – that strong preacher and teacher – who was described by Isaiah centuries before – as the one who would “prepare the way of the Lord.” “A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” These powerful images speak of more than the landscape; they announce the straightening of the human spirit, the filling of empty hearts, the smoothing of the way that leads to healing and reconciliation.
John comes to prepare the way for Christ – by his call for repentance for forgiveness of sins – make yourselves new – change what has to be changed – don’t just prepare your homes for Christmas – prepare your hearts and souls – your very being – John the Baptist – that dramatic preacher of old – had a very impressive way to remind his listeners of their moment of conversion – he would baptize them in the River Jordan – can you imagine it – when someone would approach John and express their readiness to change – he would march them into the river and baptize them – push them under the water – from that moment on – when that person would think of living a better and new life – he would call to mind that time when John baptized them in the Jordan.
So, Advent is our time to renew our Baptism – to again make our commitment to living in the spirit of Our Savior, who was born on Christmas Day – and the question we have for you today ---What is being healed, forgiven and restored in you as you prepare the way this Advent.
LET US PRAY
My prayer today – comes from Sunday’s Second Reading from Philippians – Paul’s prayer for us:
“That your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ – filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”
Amen.
Please join me as we say together the Lord’s Prayer.
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