FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING - A

Is there any institution, in its bureaucratic organs, we are able to trust completely? Even in the Church itself! Do we trust each and every exercise of power and authority from each and every curial member and office? What about our national government, local provincial or municipal institution? Then, what about our civil courts and judges? Have we an unqualified faith in their judgement and dispensation of justice? Is it really possible, in the light of experience and reality to trust all kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers?

So, what about the ‘kingship’ of Christ?! Do we truly recognise his ‘lordship’, governance, authority and power? DO WE TRUST IT? At the end of the day, at the end of our liturgical year, is this ‘feast’ a genuine cause for celebration or is it an anachronism in the age in which we live?

The focus of this Sunday’s Opening Prayer tells us that we pray "that all people will acclaim Jesus as Lord." This, I believe, provides us with a start to answering the questions posed. The moment we start thinking of Jesus Christ in with images of crowns, robes, regalia, power to impose his will with might of strength and agencies of institution we are on the wrong track. Christ’s kingship is not of this manner. We need to remember two specific things Jesus said. Firstly, "in the world, kings lord it over .... this is not to be with you," [LUKE 22:23], and then:"my kingdom does not belong to this world." [JOHN 18:36]

It should be enlightening to note that if we do acknowledge Jesus as Lord, then we are proclaiming "the Lord is my shepherd." These words come from today’s Responsorial Psalm [22 or 23] Let’s face it. There IS an enormous difference in all of image, understanding and appreciation! A king and lord who is a SHEPHERD!

At this point we should take a look at the Gospel [MATTHEW 25: 31 - 46]. Here the scene of the Lord’s judgement of his flock is enormously instructive. In some strange but real way it is not HIS judgement but the public ratification of the judgement some men and women have already pronounced on themselves. The law of the Gospel which is the law of the shepherd is abundantly clear and it has been accepted by all those who freely choose to be a part of this flock. It is, in fact, a norm on which the whole law and prophets rest. Judgement is intimately linked with the manner, the life style of those who have proclaimed themselves as members of the flock. If you want to be a ‘goat’ and have acted like one, then you are a goat. You have proclaimed yourself, ‘GOAT’! On the other hand if you have chosen to be a sheep and have genuinely striven to be one, then you are a ‘SHEEP’! We know from a number of Gospel references that the Christ who is the Shepherd-Lord is able to recognise the sheep of HIS flock. The judgement scene is nothing more than the recognition of the shepherd of who is who!

Saint Paul in the second reading [1 CORINTHIANS 15: 20 - 26.28] reminds us of the basic Christian tenet that this SHEPHERD of ours becomes the Lord-Shepherd because of his death and resurrection. AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS DEATH-RESURRECTION that we have been brought to LIFE!

It is a life which is supposed to be lived in a particular way. We freely choose to do so and in so doing discover that God is all in all. It is this discovery which enables us to believe in and proclaim that Jesus is king.

Now reflect on the Old Testament reading [EZEKIEL 34: 11 - 12. 15 - 17]. Have I been exaggerating? If you think so note how the "the Lord says this: I am going to look after my flock myself ..... as a shepherd keeps all his flock."

Last but by far not the least each one of us should be enormously encouraged by the closing sentences of Ezekiel: "I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. I shall watch over the fat and healthy. I shall be a true shepherd to them."

Sometimes we are all goats but the kingship and lordship of our shepherd is not of this world. He seeks us out again and again so that we end up as sheep!

 

Well, here we go again! A new year and I will have, by Easter, completed a full three-year cycle with the original group. So, once more I have changed the type fonts and the cover of the printed edition. WELCOME!

Do not tell me that Advent has caught you by surprise and you cannot believe Christmas is only four weeks away. I warned you some weeks ago to BE PREPARED! If you are prepared then you will not find the focus of this Sunday’s opening prayer difficult: that we may take Christ’s coming seriously.

Here is the key to all the busy schedule which faces most of us. In the face of everything we must take our celebration of Jesus’ birth SERIOUSLY! It is no-good being haphazard and disorganised. We have to plan carefully. I am not talking about the menu for Christmas dinner or luncheon nor the list of cards and gifts. We have to plan our faith-religious-spiritual preparation. It should not be left to chance.

By the time you read and reflect on this I would have completed the preaching of an Advent Retreat with the theme SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME. Keep this phrase right in front of you all through Advent. What about writing it down on a piece of hard paper and sticking it up near the bathroom mirror - where you will see it at the beginning of each day? God our Father took Jesus’ birth seriously. It was a planned happening. There was no question of a haphazard, off the cuff decision. Right from the very beginning, from the dawn of time the word was with God, and the prophets consistently referred to the time, a new age, of the Christ’s birth. For centuries the Father worked and planned for the coming of his Son. He did not take it lightly. Neither should we!

However, in addition to the plan the Father was also working away like a potter with clay, forming, creating. This is the message of our Old Testament reading [ISAIAH 63:16 - 17; 64:1.3 - 8.]. Try to see these Advent weeks as a time when we are clay. Then we should willingly place ourselves on the potter’s wheel and allow ourselves to be shaped. You may well know that the potter throws the clay! Are we prepared during this Advent time to be thrown and then shaped by God? This will not be all that difficult if we will keep his ways in mind and are prepared to act with integrity. We have to be serious about Advent. Otherwise, we cannot possibly be serious about Christmas. If not serious then, quite possibly, we will find ourselves blown away like the wind. In Advent we need to catch hold of our God.

You really should not rush the potter, and in the N T reading [1 CORINTHIANS 1: 3 - 9] Saint Paul reminds us of the need for us to WAIT, wait on God. Of course we are all ‘programmed’ to rush around in Advent but I, for one, hate to be programmed. So stand up and be counted this Advent!. Paul tells us that we "will not be without any of the gifts of the Spirit while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." It is, I am convinced, that it is a question of TRUST. Do we trust the Spirit sufficiently to take Christ’s coming seriously and schedule some time and some specificthings as a part of our Advent activities?

So we come to this Sunday’s Gospel extract [MARK 13: 33 - 37]. Three times Jesus says "STAY AWAKE." IN such a short extract there really must be a message for us.

I do not for one moment believe that Jesus was speaking about refusing to nod off, go to bed early or refrain from the afternoon siesta. I am convinced he is saying be alert, recognise the signs of the times, do not bury your head in the sand. If we are to achieve this sort of thing we need to accept that very often we need to swim against the tide - otherwise we will be swept away. In these coming weeks of Advent I, surely, do not have to elaborate on this image?

If we do not recognise the importance of his and just drift along then we will be taken by surprise. Christmas will take us by surprise! It should not do so.

It will not do so if we plan, wait, have a specific faith schedule, and allow ourselves to be thrown by the potter. In addition we should accept that the Lord will speak to us at unexpected times. We need to be alert, then stop, wait and LISTEN!

As the Psalm [79 or 80] tells us we need the Lord to visit and protect us. He has planted us since the dawn of time!

 

Last week the need for us to be alert was emphasised - the need to recognise the signs of the times. In addition we were asked to ensure that we made a plan for Advent, drew up some sort of simple schedule. This week there are clear, specific, signs for us to recognise as well as indications for specific action.

To begin with the Old Testament reading [ISAIAH 40: 1 - 5. 9 - 11] tells us that there is a voice crying in the wilderness. Now this crying is not the cry of tears but rather a loud proclamation - rather like the town crier of old who walked about shouting ‘Hear ye! Hear ye!

The wilderness?! I believe it is important for each one of us to recognise that somewhere in our individual lives there IS a wilderness! A rupture in one of our relationships, a baggage of bitterness, a real lack of prayer, an unwillingness to apologise - the list is endless. These are also signs of the times and should not be ignored. The Advent proclamation is specific: do something about it: make it straight and bring it low. This, surely, is a great plan of action? The question is: do we want to act?

Why should I? Isaiah provides a very good reason with the words: "Here is your God." Also, he informs us that "the Lord is coming with power." Too often we kneel at crib of Christmas and fail miserably in the acceptance and appreciation of two essential points. First of all, the Child is your God! Then, this Child comes into our lives with power! The cuddlesome little baby syndrome of Christmas might well have some sort of significance in particular, limited circumstances but for adult Christians striving to live adult lives of genuine discipleship it can, too often, be an escape mechanism. We need to have an adult faith which includes an adult recognition of a Child who is GOD, a God of POWER! We should not approach the Christmas Crib in disguise, and we will be in disguise unless we hear the cry of Advent and the challenge to do something positive about the wilderness areas of our living.

Now, there may be some of you who in the face of this challenge simply despair. You become discouraged. You have tried SO hard before and nothing ever really seems to work. Well, read the closing stanza of the Isaiah extract. This powerful Child-God is "like a shepherd ..... gathering his lambs in his arms, holding them .... leading to their rest." Then, see some words in the second reading [2 PETER 3: 8 - 14] which tells us that "the Lord is not being slow ..... he is being patient with you all, wanting nobody to be lost and everyone to be brought to change his ways." So, courage - do not be afraid, discouraged or dispirited. Saint Peter tells us to "do your best ..... so that he will find you at peace." Your best may not always be good enough but it should be your best! The Lord does not ask for more. Then, make no mistake about it. You will have to do you best again next year, next Advent. Nevertheless we have to hear this year’s proclamation and do something about our wilderness areas.

In all this do not overlook the phrase from this Sunday’s Psalm [84 or 85] which tells us "I will hear what the Lord God has to say ..... his help is near." Make up your mind to hear what your God is saying TO YOU! Then, never forget that his help is NEAR!

At the risk of sounding repetitive I feel the particular insight provided by the Sunday’s Gospel [MARK 1: 1 - 8] needs to be highlighted.

Mark tells us that this is THE BEGINNING of the Good News! Well, the very beginning is the announcement of a messenger who cries out - proclaims in the wilderness (as we have understood it!) that we "must prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight." What has been said belongs to the very core of the Gospel. This is why Advent is so important. We are called, before (as it were) the birth of Jesus to take specific, positive action about our lives, about the wilderness areas.

There is an additional aspect which should not escape us. John the Baptist was a messenger, sent by God to assist men and women to recognise and accept the one who was to follow the Baptist.

For us, Advent is the messenger as well as the message. It comes to us to assist us in a proper recognition and acceptance of the Christ Child - who and what he really is!

Are we listening to the messenger? Are we hearing the message?

 

 

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT - B

 

I am sure there is a small but definite, devious streak in my personality!? I enjoy uncovering secrets, solving mysteries (I am a Sudoku and X-word - cryptic, of course, puzzle addict!), and finding out! Now that my Mother has died (April this year at the age of 96!) I feel free to reveal that once I had stopped believing in Father Christmas . As a child, I made an effort every year to FIND where Mother Dear had hidden the gifts!! I never was successful. Mother Dear was, obviously, more devious than I!

What has remained with me is the exciting thought that Advent (and Christmas!) is a time for DISCOVERY! Then, I become aware of an EXCITEMENT! I urge each one of you to flame the fires of both - discovery and excitement. We have to feel some sort of excitement when we are searching (eager to discover), waiting for a ‘happening’ which we KNOW will be something very special and particular: when we know we are going to RECEIVE!

Here is the crux of the matter. In Advent we have to prepare ourselves to receive! It must be a time of excitement because we are going to discover. Each Advent, each Christmas, I must WANT to discover, uncover, something new, special and particular about Christ and about ME! WHY DID MOTHER AND FATHER WANT, DECIDE, TO GIVE ME THIS?

Yet, as a child, I was always happy about the fact of the gift I did receive. I was always happy! At this very of the moment in time, on this third Sunday and week of Advent, I have to be happy! I must be happy in my doing of the ‘things’ of Advent. This is what we are told right at the start of this Sunday’s New Testament reading [1THESSALONIANS 5: 16 - 24]. Saint Paul writes: "be happy at all times ..... pray ..... give thanks ..... this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus." We should not wait until Christmas morning to ‘feel’ happy, joyful. If we do, believe me, nothing is going to happen and we will not really ‘feel’ anything! Joy and happiness are not emotions which we are able to switch on and off at will. Each has to be developed through a willingness to achieve them, want, discover, and retain them in our lives. Advent provides such a wonderful opportunity for us to discover or rediscover a strong element of happiness and joy in our lives and living. Advent should also be a firm reminder of the fact that, as Paul says, "God has called you and he will not fail you."

It is with this in mind that we should pray the convictions that appear in Mary’s Magnificat [LUKE 1: 46 - 50. 53 - 54] which appear as our Responsorial this Sunday: "my spirit rejoices ..... the Almighty works marvels for me ..... his mercy is from age to age ..... he protects."

It may well be that you have had a difficult, stressful, sorrowful, or disappointing year: the now famous annus horribilis! Now is the time for you to hear loudly and clearly the words from this Sunday’s Old Testament reading [ISAIAH 61: 1 - 2. 10 - 11]. You are not alone and are not forgotten by our living-loving Lord. "The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me ..... the Lord has anointed me."

Have you ever noticed how, when facing some suffering, we often feel isolated from God? We forget and/or fail to take into account that our God never deserts us. He is always there - from the moment of our Baptisms we are anointed by and with the Spirit. So unless we confront the issues WITH THE SPIRIT, in full faith of our anointing, we will certainly feel isolated and alone.

Advent is not a time for us to harbour feelings of isolation. Read more of the Isaiah extract which informs us: "I exult for joy in the Lord ..... for as the earth makes fresh things grow, as a garden makes seeds spring up ....." These are weeks for planting and gardening!

We take all of what has been said so far as a background for reflection on this Sunday’s Gospel [JOHN 1:6 - 8. 19 - 28]. We can profitably see our Advent process as something which we conduct as a witness who has been sent! We have all been SENT and are supposed to give WITNESS! If we are taking some sort of action with the wilderness areas of our own lives, we could also give attention to at least one wilderness area in our own family or community. We really should try to shed a little light!

Questions were asked about the Baptist’s identity! Will, this Advent and Christmas, any questions be asked about ours?

 

 

There are, including Sunday, only four days before we face Christmas Day itself. Many of us will have fairly tight schedules or, perhaps we will be travelling - there will not be much time for in-depth reflection. So, I propose that we limit ourselves to thinking about the similarities and differences between king David and Mary. These come to us through an examination of this Sunday Old Testament scripture [2 SAMUEL 7: 1 - 5. 8 - 12. 14. 16] and Gospel [LUKE 1: 26 - 38].

We know that Mary was of relatively ordinary stock and background. Very little, if anything, is known of her parents. There is nothing to suggest that the family were either poverty-stricken or well-to-do. Her relationship to Elizabeth suggests that she and her family were devout, orthodox and practising Jews. Mary had no claim to fame which only came after she had accepted the call of God and submitted herself to its execution.

As far as David was concerned, it is a similar story. He was the youngest son, and so fairly low down in family importance. He was a shepherd. The story of his call indicates clearly that while his family may have been higher up the social ladder than Mary’s it would not have been especially wealthy but was Jewish and orthodox in their faith. It was a large family and must have been expensive to maintain. David had no particular claim to fame. Like Mary, his fame came about as a result of his obedience to and execution of God’s call. Both Mary and David were ordinary, simple folk who were both called and empowered by God to become involved with and in the execution of HIS plan for and of salvation.

After the call their lives begin to take on a very different shape and purpose. David became famous during his life. He was talked about, idolised by his followers and performed visible, amazing things. However, like all great people performing splendid things and taking the central role his weaknesses were highlighted and became vulnerable to both temptation and sin. David was not a saint in the accepted sense of the word. I suspect his cause for canonisation would encounter major difficulties!

Finally we should notice from our reading of the two scriptural extracts that David was not chosen as the one to build his God’s temple. Mary, on the other hand, was to become a temple itself!

There is a clear message in all this for every one of us, and it IS an ADVENT MESSAGE! First of all we do not have to be ‘famous’ in order to be called and chosen by the Lord. We are called, each one of us, to make ourselves ‘famous’ in the sense of being effective messengers and witnesses. We need to accept the Advent call to be effective in our own small, limited, particular world - on our families, our parishes, workplaces and general living of our lives: EFFECTIVE MESSENGERS AND WITNESSES THIS ADVENT, THIS CHRISTMAS.

In some real way each one of us should strive to become a ‘temple’ for the Lord - not merely as a place for him to be but also a place where others may approach and experience him. This we will not achieve if we allow the side issue of achievements in our basic call to make us too vulnerable to temptation and sin. We have to keep our feet on the ground and simply get on with the job in hand: prepare ourselves, and help to prepare others, for THE birth, for Christmas.

Perhaps a few will be called, this Advent, to do strange and amazing things. Most of us, however, are called to do the ordinary - and to do these ordinary things as extraordinarily as possible.

It is within the context of this ordinary witness and doing that we should hear and understand the opening phrases of our New Testament reading [ROMANS 16: 25 - 27]: "glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News."

In, through and with our own small witnesses and messages it is possible for us in these closing days of Advent to be an instrument of making the Good News of Jesus’ birth just a little more relevant to the world in which we live. The "mystery kept secret" can now be "broadcast."

Even if we only influence one person who has, previously, only suspected a secret but who is now empowered to say: "WOW! There is something real happening after all!"