Daily Reflection January 1st, 2009

Daily Reflection January 1st, 2009

by Eileen Burke-Sullivan

Theology

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

World Day of Prayer for Peace

The Naming of Jesus: Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus

Numbers 6:22-27

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:16-21

During the Fifth Century, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was accorded the title of “Mother of God” (Theotokos) as a way of reaffirming the unity of Jesus’ personhood. Throughout the Fourth Century the whole Church, East and West, struggled to find vocabulary that adequately named the experience of Jesus’ human presence and the powerful post-Resurrection experience of his divine presence. What did it mean for God to become human? One of the ideas that emerged was that Mary of Nazareth, his human Mother was mother of his humanity only, but if that was asserted, then Jesus’ two natures would be seen to divide his personhood. The title of Mother of God became a way of appreciating a profound unity in Jesus, as well as the wonder of what God was doing within a human person, Mary and all other human persons by extension. As with all the feasts in the Christmas season, this wonderful celebration invites us to keep the mystery of God becoming human in our hearts and reflect carefully on what we have been told.

God, by entering into historical reality and participating in human time and place as a specific human, is blessing and keeping us. By living with human limitations and striving with human challenges he is letting his face shine upon us, and by giving his life to us and for us he is giving us peace, itself. Our response to these overwhelming gifts can only be praise and gratitude if we have any humanity within us.

As with all feasts of Mary, this is an ecclesial feast and points us to the meaning of the Incarnation for the life of the Church. In the second reading today, Paul assures us that by entering human life through birth from a human mother, Jesus takes each of us into a relationship of sibling with his humanity and his divinity which are inseparable.

At every celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy, the presiding priest mixes water with wine during the preparation of the gifts. This simple action is a symbol of the “great exchange” that the early Fathers of the Church understood that by God becoming human each human who enters sibling relationship with Jesus becomes divine. He took on our human nature so that we could receive his divine nature.

The Eucharist is one of the primary actions of God’s Spirit to carry out this great exchange. We think of the bread and wine being consecrated into the Body and Blood of the Lord, but we must see beyond that to understand that the bread and the wine are ourselves. For this reason they (the gifts) must come from the assembly. By giving them over we give ourselves over, and God takes the gift of bread and wine (ourselves) and changes the very substance of the gift and the giver into divine life. We seal the gift with the enactment of eating what we have offered – we bond it to ourselves so that the gift we have given is truly ourselves and therefore we truly have become recipients of divine nature.

The Word, of God, the Second Person of God, was conceived in the body of a human woman taking on all the dimensions of humanity that belong to human nature as God created it, without the broken addition of sin which human failure added on, so that he could reconcile us perfectly to the Father and make us heirs to divine life. Dare we ponder this as Mary did in our hearts? Dare we believe that Christ lifts us into a familiar relationship with God, so that we can address the creator of heaven and earth as “Abba” or papa? Dare we consider that God has indeed let his face – his whole being - shine upon us and be gracious to us?

What word can we utter but . . . thanks?

Daily Reflection December 28th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 28th, 2008

by Larry Gillick, S.J.

Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality

Feast of the Holy Family

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 or Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3

Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19

Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22, 39-40

We have celebrated the days of preparing for Christmas; there is little need to prepare for this-weekend’s liturgy. Some might be saying under their voices, “Do we have to go to church again? We just went!” It is not so much fun to do the “have-tos”, and preparing for them is a dutiful process. In family life, the business world, and even in the social-relationships of our lives, there are many “have-tos” and we do them, even when we “just did them” recently. These few days between Christmas and this liturgy, we might reflect on the spirit with which we do the dutiful, the required, and the expected. We may even ponder how we experienced the “have-tos” of Christmas. God has-to, because God cannot be God. We do not have-to and that is what changes “dutiful” to “beautiful”.

REFLECTION

Our First Reading is an instruction from a “Wisdom Figure” speaking to his son concerning his, the son’s, relationship with God, not directly about his relationship with his parents. The first seventeen verses of this chapter deal with reverencing God through reverencing parents. This is central to the spirituality of ancient Israel. Begetting human life is experienced as a participation in Divinity from Whom all life ultimately flows and returns. Mothers and fathers are revered for their being instruments of sharing God’s Life by bringing forth life.

Children are encouraged to relate with God in many earthly ways, but prime among them is honoring, not shaming their parents. This is in no way a “power-proof” text. This is a “Wisdom” text by which the solidity of family life will assure the religio-social life of the nation. The duty of the parents is to acculturate their children into this way of relating with God. The duty of the children is to incarnate the teachings as a spirituality lived into their being parents themselves some day and givers of life.

The Gospel is centered around the holiness of the “New Family” which holiness is their exact compliance with the Law and traditions of their faith. To better understand the presenting of Jesus in the temple and the offerings of little birds, one must read from the Book of Leviticus, chapters twelve and fifteen. These chapters might give the impression of being up-tight about sexuality, but the contrary is true. A couple becoming pregnant and their giving birth is so related to God’s promise of fertility and to the divine power of giving life, that there is a mysterious human experience of humanly being that close to God.

The divine is so ultimate, transcendent, other-than-ugly that sexual activity is not unclean, but rather the human, who by entering into the birth-adventure, is experienced as unclean compared with God. Proper sexual activities of the body and within human relations are sacred, because it participates and continues the experience of God’s fidelity to the Covenants. The Laws protect the sacredness of living within the covenanted community of Israel.

Luke presents Joseph and Mary as being faithful Jews. Mary has no physical reason to present herself for purification. A lamb is to be offered for the ritual sacrifice of atonement, but in the case of a poor couple, two turtledoves and two pigeons would do. The first child to be born is sacred and presented to the Lord, because that child opened the womb so that other children may also take their turn in being born. The ritual is complete, but two elders of the temple become witnesses and like the Magi and shepherds, they become early prophetic figures in accepting and proclaiming that Jesus, the One-Waited-For has come.

Simeon and Anna say some powerful words to Mary and Joseph about their Child. For Mary some are becoming familiar. The angel Gabriel, the shepherds, the Magi had all indicated the something special about the birth and the life He would live. Mary also heard for the first time that a suffering was going to be a part of her life as well. She took this all in and it matured in her heart and soul as Jesus matured in Galilee. Pondering is not the same as worrying; pondering leads to maturing, worrying leads to more worrying.

The Holy Family was a law-abiding group. This is a good model for Catholic and Christian families. We do not observe all the Jewish rituals, but we are invited to experience sexuality, birth, life, family-relations in the same spirit of sacredness. Original sin did not have its origin in our families-of-origin, though it was the place of our first experiencing its effects in the lives of others in our families. In my family, we never prayed Grace before meals, unless a Jesuit had been invited. We seldom went to Sunday mass together, though we all went faithfully. My parents never attended “devotions” or special parish activities, except “Sports nights”. We did not say a prayer upon beginning a long trip, though I think I heard my father mention the Lord’s Name during the trip now and then. I learned night-prayers kneeling as a child at my mother’s chair, but faith and love were lived by my parents and that is how we learned about God and church and Jesus.

For all the experiences of Original and actual sin in the life of my family, all six of us siblings knew more and more as we grew up, that our parents absolutely loved each other and that was the Law! They would kiss, three! Times! upon leaving each other and returning. They would lie together on the couch in our living room and “fool around” and we would laugh, be embarrassed, and stand in awe and amazement. The roof could be figuratively falling in, and at times, did, but we stood it all, because we knew that we were participants in their love. That was the Law!

“Our God has appeared on earth, and lived among men.” Bar. 3, 38

Daily Reflection December 27th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 27th, 2008

by Pat Callone

Institutional Relations

Feast of St. John

1 John 1:1-4

Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

John 20:1a and 2-8

1 Jn 1: 1-4

Beloved:

What was from the beginning -- what we have heard -- what we have seen with our eyes -- what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life; for the life was made visible;We have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us; what we have seen and heard – we proclaim now to you, So that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.We are writing this so that our joy may be complete. (My punctuation)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

St. John’s First Letter tells us exactly why he is writing: “… so that you too may have fellowship with us… so our joy may be complete”.

Two days ago, the Christian nation celebrated the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, from the womb of Mary. The world rejoiced and rejoices.

Today, St. John reminds us that the only Truth the world needs to know is that the Savior has come and that we -- brothers and sisters together -- are to live in fellowship with him and the Father…through the Spirit.

A New Year approaches…a new Presidential Team for the USA takes office in January 2009. Once again we have opportunities to make resolutions to help bring God’s peace and fellowship into our lives and the lives of others.

Again, we have opportunities to propose new ways to bring real peace and fellowship into the world by our sacrifices, words, actions, and prayers. Can we do it? Yes, we can! Will we do it?

It is not enough to make resolutions or to propose new ways. We must act in the Spirit of Jesus and DO more to bring peace and justice to our families, communities, countries, and world.

Dear God -- Father, Son, and Spirit -- help us answer Your daily invitations of how we can serve You in our brothers and sisters. Empower us to make Your world a better place for all in 2009. Amen

Daily Reflection December 26th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 26th, 2008

by Jeanne Schuler

Philosophy Department

Feast of St. Stephen

Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59

Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17

Matthew 10:17-22

Full of Grace

Yesterday we celebrated the light that came into the world.

Today we remember Stephen, the first martyr.

Did some gloomy cleric slip this saint into the liturgical calendar right after the Nativity?

As if Christmas cheer were a bubble that must pop. Back to work. Back to this dreary world. The Gloria already is fading.

Stephen was among the first deacons commissioned to serve the fractious community in Jerusalem. The patron of bricklayers and headache sufferers, Stephen was known for his eloquence, healing powers, and his challenge to the Mosaic tradition. He forgave his indignant brethren even as they stoned him for impiety.

Stephen lived in the light. In the midst of factions and mistrust, he didn’t give up on this world. The spirit that moved through him was not disdainful. Stephen didn’t seek suffering as a sign of holiness. He shared his glimpse of God’s glory as a farewell gift. Stephen is remembered for joy.
The stable in which Jesus was born seems nearer this year. Many face the loss of their home or jobs. In frustration, we may be tempted to pick up a stone, but where do we throw it? We remember a savior who was homeless and at the mercy of strangers. Like Stephen, we are accompanied through the time of troubles. Again and again we realize how we are not alone. We are surprised by a joy that does not make us forget.

Daily Reflection December 21st, 2008

Daily Reflection December 21st, 2008

by Larry Gillick, S.J.

Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality

Fourth Sunday in Advent

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16

Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29

Romans 16:25-27

Luke 1:26-38

PRE-PRAYERING

Finding presents to give is a great adventure, if you love the one to whom you will give the gift. The degree of difficulty depends on the depth of love. A gift for the mailman or business associate is no problem. When we get down the list to family members and then those who are so close to our hearts we don’t know where they begin and we end, well that is more than a problem.

Gifts are expressions of a kind of poverty. The greater the love, the less the gift says it. The greater the love, the longer one looks for and can never find. The greater the love, the more imperfect the gift and accompanying card can say.

These last few days of Advent we can pray while making lists and checking them twice find out whose more than nice. We can pray with the poverty of our gestures of love and smile at the impossibility of our being God. This Thursday, the Feast of the Nativity of the Divine Gift, we will celebrate the Perfect Gift Whom the Giver gives again and the Gift does say it all. We can pray with our being the recipients of that Love wrapped in poverty bundled in abundance. We can pray as well with the reception of love expressed in cards, emails, notes and smiles which are little sacraments preparing us to be more receptive within our own stables.

REFLECTION

King David has a bit of a “housing crisis” in today’s First Reading. He is back from the wars, living in luxury while the “Ark of God’ is in a portable container. David has returned the Ark to Jerusalem in a great procession as related in the previous chapter from which our reading is taken. Jerusalem is now the Holy city because of this presence.

David begins thinking that a temple ought to be built expressing this holy presence. Nathan, David’s “private-eye”, receives a message from the Lord. We hear what Nathan heard from God.

There is a significant word-play or double-meaning embedded in this reading. David talks about “house” in terms of building and the Lord speaks of “house” in terms of “descendants” of David. God scoffs at the poverty of David to build a place; God is not localized. There is a prophetic twist then, the “House of David” the family line will bring forth a special personal presence. “When David comes to die God “will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. The “house” then is to be the family down through the ages until this special person (the Messiah) takes up residence in the world and forms us into His House.

The Gospel is familiar to us. Jesus takes a fleshly position in favor of Mary and as a favor for us. Mary has a most human response; she is troubled and frightened. As with most of the “call narratives” in scripture, Mary has the perfect excuse in response to the invitation to be a mother. She is not married. The visitor has the perfect solution around her excuse. God will do something that involves faith. She is aided by a pregnant bit of news that her cousin, who herself is advanced in age, is going to have a child as well. Mary’s response to all this is a kind of, “Well, if Elizabeth can then so can I, by the favor of God.”

The messenger shares with Mary the name and mission of this child-to-be. We hear that He will be from the “House of David”. He will be “Joshua” or “He Who Saves”. His kingdom will never end, which fulfills the prophesy of Nathan in our First Reading. The stage is set then. All the ancient prophetic roads lead directly to Nazareth.

I would say that having a visit from an angel with high praise for her and an exact part to play would make it somewhat easy to decide to go along with the program. WE all have had experiences of having to make decisions angelically-unaided. WE get senses or little urgings to move on down the road of faith and we wonder why Mary gets lots of credit, but are not our faith-jumps even more of trust. WE do move though and it is this life-walk, faith-leap that allows for the angels’ visits.

Mary went to visit Elizabeth after Mary had agreed, submitted, responded or simply believed. She took the road home and then in time took the road to Bethlehem where there were angels again and she heard about them from the shepherds. All the time Mary was pondering, listening, reflecting, discerning not only what had been said months before, but what was being offered, revealed, given, and created for her and through her.

This is our pattern as well. Discernment does not lead to decision, that is only the beginning. The God Who calls is faithful and so we are invited to ponder, reflect and sense, as the road unfolds before our feet or wheels. There are “angel-moments” which are real, but not winged and feathery. They are faith-charged with a glimmer of light which indicates and urges gently.

I would like some kind of God-o-gram reassuring me that I am doing God’s Will by being a Jesuit priest in Omaha, at Creighton University and the this-and-that’s of my life are, well what is best, whatever that means. There are little “angel-moments”; I want bing-bang biggos though. The whole problem for me and us and was even for Mary, is that we want certainty, “Gabriel-moments” and more than once. We want map-quest clarity and GPS guidance and then call that journey, FAITH. David wanted to build a house for God. God wanted to build a house among us and did so by entering the house of Mary, taking up residence in the house of her womb, and now pitches His Tent among us as we walk the road of watching.

“The virgin is with child and shall bear a son, and she will call him Emmanuel.” Is. 7, 14

Daily Reflection December 9th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 9th, 2008

by Deb Fortina

Academic Affairs

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Isaiah 40:1-11

Psalm 96:1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12, 13

Matthew 18:12-14

Isaiah 40: 1-11 “…Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God!...”

Psalm 96: 1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12, 13 “…The Lord our God comes with power.….”

Matthew 18: 12-14 “…In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

Saint Juan Diego (1474-1548) was a deeply spiritual man who was drawn to our Lord in the Eucharist. So much so, he traveled 15 miles on foot to go to daily Mass, and on this day 477 years ago in 1531 he was visited by Mary, later called Our Lady of Guadalupe. As he was about to pass Tepeyac Hill in Mexico, he heard music and saw a “glowing cloud” as well as a woman’s voice who beckoned him to come to the top of the hill. There he saw Mary and she gave him this instruction, she said "I vividly desire that a church be built on this site, so that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense, for I am your most devoted mother . . . to hear your laments and to remedy all your miseries, pains, and sufferings." Juan told the Bishop who of course wanted some kind of proof. The proof came in threes, while enroute to meet Blessed Mary, Juan found out his uncle was dying so he missed that meeting with Mary, to go get a priest. But Mary met him on the road and told him his uncle had been cured. Then she told him to climb to the top of Tepeyac where he found Castilian roses growing out of the frozen ground (unusual since they didn’t grow in that area even during the summer). He gathered these up to take to the Bishop, and when he opened his cloak to show him the roses, a glowing image of Our Lady was revealed on the inside of Juan’s cloak. The Bishop gave Mary her church, and thousands converted to Christianity. Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared the patroness of the Americas.

This is a beautiful feast day in the midst of Advent, as we await the coming of our Saviour; so too many people received the Lord for the first time way back in the 16th century. Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in no less need for our Saviour Jesus Christ, than the people who lived in Juan’s day and age. And so every year, we start over again in the season of Advent; we retell the story and relight the fire within us.

In the first reading in Isaiah we are encouraged to cry out from a mountain top, “Here is your God”. He is both powerful and compassionate as he gathers his lambs in His arms. From the Psalmist we sing about how all the earth rejoices at His coming, and that God will rule the earth with justice and constancy. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus talks about how faithful is God’s love, because not only does God not give up on us, He goes in search of those who stray; and He rejoices when that one who has been lost is returned to the fold. So we go through the dark time of the year, with shorter days and longer nights, and we listen to our story again, in the hopes that our hearts will be ready to receive the precious gift. The story is told over and over, so as to light our lights, in order to be light to others.

One day we pray, the light will stay lit, and there’ll be no questions, for they will know we are Christians by our Love. St. Juan Diego, pray for us.

Daily Reflection December 8th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 8th, 2008

by Dick Hauser, S.J.

Theology Department

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Luke 1:26-38

Listen to Paul attempting to articulate the unfathomable mystery of God’s love for us: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.”

Today we celebrate the feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception: from the first moment of her existence Mary is sinless, the single member of our race conceived without original sin.

How over-whelming for Mary! Before the foundation of the world God chose Mary and gave her every spiritual blessing — and chose her to be mother of God’s Only Son. Mary, this young, unknown, and already betrothed peasant virgin!

But how over-whelming for Paul also! Before the foundation of the world God chose Paul and gave him every spiritual blessing —and chose him to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul, this former Pharisee and intrepid persecutor and slaughterer of Jesus’ followers!

And how over-whelming for us. Before the foundation of the world God chose us and gave us every spiritual blessing — and chose us to be God’s own dwelling place and the Body of Christ on earth. Ourselves, so ordinary, unworthy and flawed!

How can we respond adequately to God’s choice of us?

From generation to generation we have looked to Mary as our model: “May it be done to me according to your word – Fiat!”

Mary — model, mother, advocate — help us with our Fiat! On your feast we beg for your intercession that your son may be born anew in us this Advent!

Daily Reflection December 7th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 7th, 2008

by Larry Gillick, S.J.

Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality

Second Sunday in Advent

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Psalm 85:9-10-11-12, 13-142

Peter 3:8-14

Mark 1:1-8

PRE-PRAYERING

When there is a messiness around us it is hard to know just where to begin the cleaning. Beginnings are not easy all the time. How to begin a speech or important paper, how to begin a conversation with the passenger seated next to you on a plane or bus, how to begin preparing for Christmas, how to begin praying, are all such human struggles.

Advent is a beginning of the liturgical year and the beginning of our learning about this person of Jesus. The feast tomorrow of the Immaculate Conception is the dramatic and unusual continuation of the divine beginning. Grace is always taking new places within us and so our little lives are seemingly always beginning. We had Advent last year and the year before and we are not sure that did any good.

We prepare to celebrate this Second Sunday of Advent by allowing grace into the mess, into the wonderings of how to enter into the always-conversation which God began by being seated next to us on this flight of life. We have to make room, not easy. God desires gracefully to sit right down in the mess and bless us by our getting to know the Word of God spoken once and for all. This week as we prepare for the liturgy, could we pause at the most messiness-time, and listen to hear if we are really alone in it.

REFLECTION

We hear a familiar passage from the prophet Isaiah in our First Reading. This begins a sixteen-chapter section of this book, known as The Book of Consolation. Israel has been exiled in Babylon for a long time, because of their sin. It opens with a poetic calling from God to the prophet. The entire book of Consolation is a preparation of the people, through the words of the prophet, to be ready for the return trip home.

The prophet receives his call and his duties or mission. He is to speak tenderly to the inhabitants of Jerusalem that their time of punishment is soon to be over. We can read this whole section as a “new exodus”. They will be forgiven as God passes beyond the remembering of their guilt and shame. They will pass beyond the mountains which will be leveled and the valleys which will be filled-in. They are to be readied to go beyond what they fear from God and beyond what they remember of their pasts.

There is a quieting pastoral image at the end of the reading presenting God as the shepherd who will lead the flock back carrying them armfully.

This is a prophecy of hope. They hear it all as the word of God, but as they listen, they are still in bondage; nothing has changed, except that this is all from God Whom they failed to trust in their pasts. They are beginning to learn all over again, beginning with the Great Exodus by which they entered their identity as God’s people. They hope it is all going to come true and as long as the prophet sings his songs, they will grow in trust until they return, and they do.In Arthur Miller’s play, “The Death of a Salesman” the title gives a hint to the audience that Willy Lowman, the salesman, is going to die. During the action we understand that maybe the death is not physical, but of Willy's salesmanship. Only near the end of the play do we find out exactly what “death” means.

In today’s Gospel, which is composed of the opening verses of Mark’s account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the surprise is taken away. The play-goer might ask, “What is this play actually all about?” The very first line of Mark’s Gospel tells the reader, that this whole Gospel is about Jesus the Christ or messiah, who is the Son of God. It is as if Mark comes out on the stage and clarifies and highlights that Jesus is the main character and He is the Son of God and if you watch the whole play, (read the Gospel) you will come to the knowledge and acceptance of these beliefs.

We are beginning then in these early days of the new liturgical year to be open to the on-coming of Jesus.

We can hear the words as addressed to us that we should “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.” We know these words from the First Reading. Here’s the reversal. We can think that Advent is the time for us to shape up, straighten up, and get rid of our ways to make a place for Jesus. That is very nice, but not exactly what is meant. The prophet Isaiah images God as predicting that God will do this for the people. God will straighten and level the way for the people’s return.

We can picture John the Baptist’s shouting at the people that they should clean up their acts. This does not sound anything like “Speak tenderly” from the prophet. The people have come for cleansing according to their Jewish tradition. John calls to them about something new. We know, because Mark has told us, exactly what’s so new. The New is the awaited-for Messiah and He will cleanse, (baptize) with water, but with a gift, the Holy Spirit who will tenderly, gently, straighten and level. The “gospel” is the “Good News” that the Son of God and the Holy Spirit of God has embraced our human condition. We do not, all by ourselves, have to clean up our acts so that God will free us and tenderly bring us back.

Advent is not the waiting for Christmas, nor the celebration of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, but the time we give to letting Jesus come closer and closer to us and our unstraightened and roughness. The closer we allow His birth in us, the straighter and smoother our ways become. It is all very good news.

“Rise up Jerusalem, stand on the heights, and see the joy that is coming to you from God.” Bar. 5.5

Daily Reflection December 6th, 2008

Daily Reflection December 6th, 2008

by Eileen Burke-Sullivan

Theology Department

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26

Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8

As we bring the first week of Advent to closure there is a conjoining of the season of Advent with the traditional feast of St. Nicholas – from whom the tradition of Santa Claus is at least partly derived. The figure of Nicholas as gift giver and generous servant of the poor is the background to the medieval tradition of giving treats to children and gifts of food to those who are especially hungry in the early days of December – finally settling on December 6. Various accounts about Nicholas indicate that he was a passionate, even hotheaded, defender of the faith when he knocked Arius to the ground with a physical blow during a session the Council of Nicaea, defender of the poor and powerless when he prevented an imperial servant from carrying out a sentence of capital punishment on three poor aliens, and intervened on behalf of poor families with the Emperor Constantine, whose taxes were crippling the city of Myra.

Nicholas has come through the tradition as a gentle and generous gift giver, but the true story makes him much more of an Advent figure in the tradition of Isaiah. Today’s first reading, taken from the “second Isaiah” or the Isaiah of the early Babylonian Exile, presents the Reign of God as the reason for our hope. In this time of the onset of winter (in the northern hemisphere where the liturgical year was formed) as the darkness lengthens and the cold intensifies, we are invited to pray with those who feel a sense of despair about their lives or their futures, and to recognize where all of our hope comes from. The prophet reminded those exiled far from home and without the security of needs being met, that God alone will bring them relief. If they will count on God, their physical and spiritual needs will be attended to. Water , the sign of human flourishment, will flow, bread, staff that upholds human life, will be abundant, the guiding hand of God will remain ever vigilant for God’s people. The prophet does not promise that it will ever be as it was – but rather that it will be better. If we but claim God as our Lord, and live justly as God has instructed, we will not only be provided for, we will flourish in a rich and delightful way.

The promise of God’s reign is, for us Christians at least, assumed to be fulfilled in the coming of Christ. But the liturgy challenges us to ask why God’s reign remains unavailable to many - perhaps even ourselves today? Are we terrified by this economic crisis? Are we brought low by the specter of not enough food to eat? Are we afraid about tomorrow’s wounds or the economic blows that we will suffer? Then let the prophet’s voice ring out in genuine hope and consolation: “No more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you.” Further – let us hear Jesus tell us in the Gospel for today that God will accomplish this by the cooperation of those who believe in Him. God will respond to the suffering of those brought low by the various blows of human life, through the agency of the disciples of Jesus. We are challenged today to pray for laborers in the field of the harvest of God’s reign. For many years, this passage has been quoted as reason to pray for vocations to the priesthood and/or vowed religious life, but what if we hear it this Advent as an invitation to pray for bankers who believe in Jesus and practice just banking practices, or automakers who believe in God’s reign and are committed to the service of humankind rather than taking people for all they are worth. What if we prayed for employers and employees, for legislators and governors, for teachers and scientists, for doctors and lawyers and farmers all committed to proclaiming God’s reign in their own “fields” of endeavor – establishing a rich harvest of promise at least partially fulfilled within the human community on earth, “as it is in heaven.”

That would be a gift to the world worthy of Christ – and of his servant St. Nicholas!