Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Luke 2: 1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, 
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth 
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, 
because he was of the house and family of David, 
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child, 
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, 
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields 
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them 
and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy 
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David 
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: 
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes 
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
    “Glory to God in the highest
        and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Merry Christmas!

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I’m just wondering, by a show of hands, how many of you have a nativity set at home?

We often display them to help us imagine that first Christmas night.

Here at St. Pius X, our main nativity set is located at the foot of the altar. It’s quite elaborate. There’s the baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary, an angel, the Magi, an ox, a donkey, a woman carrying a basket of fruit, even a reindeer!

This tradition dates back 800 years to Saint Francis of Assisi, who assembled the first nativity set. However, his was much simpler than ours. 

Francis only included three figures: Jesus, an ox, and a donkey. 

No Mary, no Joseph, no shepherds, no angels. Only Jesus, an ox, and a donkey.

Why was his so simple?

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Saint Francis boiled the meaning of Christmas down to its essence.

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We know why Jesus was placed in the scene. We’re celebrating his birth, which is nothing less than the miraculous arrival of God in the flesh.

But why the ox and the donkey?

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They are first mentioned by the prophet Isaiah, the greatest prophet of the Old Testament, who foretold the coming of the Lord.

In the opening lines of the Book of Isaiah, the LORD says, “An ox knows its owner and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know me; my people have not understood.”

What is it that our Hebrew ancestors did not understand?

Time and time again, they failed to “see”; they failed to recognize the LORD.

Animals instinctively recognize their master – it’s the one who feeds, nourishes, and shelters them. “But Israel does not know me,” the LORD says. “My people have not understood.”

This is why Francis placed the ox and the donkey in that first nativity scene, to encourage us to see what the animals see, to recognize that our master is lying in the manger.

This child Jesus is “Emmanuel,” God with us. He has come to usher in that kingdom of peace foretold by the prophet Isaiah in our first reading.

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There are two other aspects of our Lord’s birth that we are also invited to “see.”

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The Gospel tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means, “house of bread.” From the very beginning, he is setting the stage for what he will leave behind: his resurrected presence in the Eucharist.

This point is emphasized by the fact that Jesus is born in a “manger,” which literally means, “a feeding trough.” 

With hindsight, Christians can see that the Eucharist is, in fact, the LORD, the “bread of life.”

Born in “Bethlehem.”

Born in a “manger.”

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The other aspect of the nativity scene is what we don’t see: the closed door of the inn.

The Gospel tells us, “There was no room for them.” Anyone staying inside the inn was, literally and figuratively, distanced from Jesus.

But we who look upon the manger are near him. We are out in the elements, standing, gazing, pondering, what his birth means for us. Like the donkey and the ox, we recognize our Master and we want to “see” him.

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This is what brought each of us here – a desire to “see.” 

To “see” God fully alive in this child.

To “see” him fully present in the Eucharist.

To “see” him still working wonders in our lives today.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, may God bless you for being here, may he fill your hearts with joy and faith in his Son as we prepare for another year.

Again, Merry Christmas!

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Image credits: (1) Zicxa.com, Free Wallpapers (2) Perishable Items, WordPress, Fr. Victor Feltes (3) Deposit Photos

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Gospel: Luke 1: 57-66

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son. 
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her. 
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.” 
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
     and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born…and the day you know why.”

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In today’s Gospel, we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. From the moment of his birth, people were wondering, “Why was this child born? What will he become?”

They suspected John had a divine purpose. But they’d have to wait another thirty years to find out what it was. 

After entering into the desert, John builds up the kingdom of God by his preaching and baptism of repentance, preparing thousands to receive Jesus.

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John reminds us that we all have a “why,” a reason for our lives. My mother used to say, her “why” was simply becoming a mother.

My “why” has been being ordained a priest.

What is your “why”?

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Perhaps the answer changes, even simplifies, over time. 

But we can be sure of this: the same Lord who gave us life also gives a purpose to each day. 

May we find it – and live out with love.

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Image credits: (1) Quoteistan, Mark Twain (2) Keesler Air Force Base (3) MTD Training

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Gospel: Luke 1: 46-56

Mary said:

    “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
        my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
        for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
    From this day all generations will call me blessed:
        the Almighty has done great things for me,
        and holy is his Name.
        He has mercy on those who fear him
        in every generation.
    He has shown the strength of his arm,
        and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
    He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
        and has lifted up the lowly.
    He has filled the hungry with good things,
        and the rich he has sent away empty.
    He has come to the help of his servant Israel
        for he remembered his promise of mercy,
        the promise he made to our fathers,
        to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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This is the longest set of words ever spoken by a woman in the New Testament, words spoken by Mary shortly after conceiving Christ in her womb. 

What do they reveal about her?

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Mary is often depicted as a young girl – humble, her eyes cast down, a peasant living on the fringe of society.

While there’s truth in that, there is something else about Mary that’s rarely depicted, something we discover in today’s Gospel.

Mary’s prophetic role. 

All of the words she speaks are in the past tense. God, “has cast down the mighty from their thrones; he has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.”

For a moment, Mary sees as God sees, into a new world being ushered in by Jesus – a world of justice, love, and peace. 

For this reason, she becomes like figures from the Old Testament, playing the role of prophet.

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Take a moment today to imagine the world Mary envisioned – a world where swords are beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.

Then, in some small way, work to achieve it.

Mary, Mother of God and prophetess, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) Our Lady of Guadalupe (2) We Dare To Say (3) The School of Mary