Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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When the English author G.K. Chesterton was asked, “What is wrong with the world?”
He replied, “I am.”
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Most of us would answer differently.
What’s wrong with the world?
Politics. Greed. Terrorism. Corruption. Racism. COVID. Wildfires. The flu.
Anything – and anyone – but me.
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Why would Chesterton, a devout Christian, say he’s part of what’s wrong with the world?
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He wasn’t taking personal responsibility for all of the world’s problems. But he was acknowledging the role he’s played in perpetuating them.
Like the first son in today’s Gospel, Chesterton admits to ignoring his conscience at times, to saying “no” to doing his Father’s will.
Whether that meant clinging to a grudge; indulging in food or drink; being selfish; gossiping; or whatever his sins may have been.
But, like that first son, Chesterton also repented – and tried to be better.
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That’s an important part of our Advent journeys – acknowledging those areas where we’ve fallen short. Or, you might say, have been part of the “problem.”
We acknowledge our shortcomings, repent, and strive to be better.
So, what’s wrong with the world?
At times, I am. But Advent is an appointed time for all of us to change.
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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This is the only Gospel where two women appear… and they’re both pregnant. It’s what we celebrate today, “motherhood.”
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We’ve all had mothers. Some of us are mothers. We celebrate them because you cannot be a mother to yourself. You’re always a mother in relation to someone else – offering life, protection, nourishment, and love.
Mary was the mother to Jesus. Elizabeth, the mother to John. And Our Lady of Guadalupe, a mother to Saint Juan Diego.
She appeared to him in his native Mexico over the course of 4 days in the year 1531. During these appearances, she said to him, “Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection?”
Her message converted 8 million natives, and through the centuries, millions more.
It’s why the Blessed Mother was featured on the cover of National Geographic Magazine a few years ago. They named her the most powerful woman in the world because of our universal Catholic devotion to her.
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Mary offers each of us what she offered Saint Juan Diego – the assurance of her prayers and the comfort of her embrace. Do we feel it?
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We turn to her today in hope, that she will intercede on our behalf before Jesus as we pray, Hail Mary, full of grace…
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Image credits: (1) Our Lady of Guadalupe (2) Our Lady, cover of National Geographic (3) Our Lady Queen with Child Jesus, Etsy
“Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
The Word of the Lord.
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Christmas is only two weeks away!
For many of us, our trees have been decorated, most of our gifts have been wrapped, and our ugly Christmas sweaters have returned.
Soon enough, empty nests will be filled with kids returning from college, relatives from out of state, or friends we’ve finally made the time to reconnect with.
It truly is a blessed time of year.
But I wonder, can we keep this holiday spirit going year-round? Or is Christian joy something seasonal?
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Saint Paul says, “Rejoice always!” Not, “Rejoice during the month of December.”
Or, “Rejoice until Christmas.”
But, “Rejoice always!”
God calls us to be happy year-round! That’s partly what we celebrate today on Gaudete Sunday, the truth that Christians are called to be joyful people.
But honestly, how can we translate this holiday cheer into being joyful year-round?
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Let me offer four simple tips. Perhaps one or two might stick and become a New Year’s resolution.
1.) Give more gifts.
Every Christmas we’re called to be generous. But don’t stop giving on December 25th.
Keep giving. In fact, give more.
But instead of giving Apple’s AirPods or a smart watch, give the gift of yourself. Don’t let any commercial or advertisement convince you otherwise.
Most of the gifts we buy this Christmas will be out of style next year.
But you never will be. What your family and friends need more than material things is you. You are the greatest gift of all.
If we focus on the giver – not the gift – then Christmas joy will be ours year-round.
2.) Spend more time with God.
For some of us, God gets more time during Advent than other times of the year.
In preparing for the birth of Christ, we may have attended daily Mass, said an extra rosary, attended an Advent bible study, or spent a few extra minutes in prayer.
But when the anxiety and busyness of life returns, these routines shouldn’t stop; our relationship with God should never be seasonal.
The formula — before, during, and after Christmas — is always the same:
More God equals more joy.
3.) Keep your eyes on Christ.
During the Christmas season, most of us fill our homes with Nativity sets, Advent wreaths, and angels atop our Christmas trees.
All those little bits of Christmas décor are reminders of God’s presence in our lives. We need these reminders.
But not just during the month of December. We need them year-round. When the Christmas decorations come down, put other reminders of Christ up.
Replace the Christmas tree with a family altar, the Advent wreath with a crucifix, or the Nativity scene with a statue of Jesus, Mary, or a favorite Saint.
Keep some physical sign of your faith in view for yourself, your children, and for all who enter your home, and the true source of Christmas joy – Jesus Christ – will be with you always.
4.) Go the extra mile.
The holidays often inspire us to be a little more generous with our treasure and time.
For example, how many of have written Christmas cards, made an extra phone call, or purchased a gift from the giving tree?
When the holidays conclude, keep it up. Keep sending cards, keep making phone calls, keep making time to reconnect. It never hurts to remind people how important they are in your life.
And beyond the calls and cards, how many of us made time to bring communion to the homebound, visit the sick, or serve the poor among us?
Keep it up. Stay involved. Go the extra mile.
Strangely enough, the more we give ourselves away, the happier we become.
Make loving your God and your neighbor your top priority in 2023 and you’ll experience Christian joy year-round.
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In two weeks we will celebrate Christmas. Holiday cheer is everywhere. But it doesn’t have to end on December 25th.
In fact, it shouldn’t.
In order to keep it going, however, we must give more gifts – particularly, the gift of ourselves. Keep our eyes fixed on Christ. And make loving our God and neighbor our top priority in 2023.
Then Christian joy will be ours year-round.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, Merry Christmas and God bless you.
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Images: (1) We Sell Pictures (2) Bethel Place (3) The Printery House
