Australia Day Homily

Australia Day -   26^th January, 2008.

 

Even though I really enjoyed my sabbatical time away, and it was amazing to see different countries and experience different cultures. One of the most striking things about the experience is how much it made me even more grateful for living in Australia.

 

In so many ways, we truly are the lucky country. True, no country is perfect, and each country and culture has its own blessing, but it is always nice to know where home is….   and there is so much to be grateful for in this country, the comparatively beautiful weather, the mild winters and the not-too-hot summers, the democratic freedom, relative freedom from overcrowding, a high  standard of living, our natural resources, and any problems we might think we have in relation to overcrowding and pollution, has nothing on some of the countries I visited, not to mention the situation of health and unemployment support in some of these countries.

 

Today, we give thanks to God for the many gifts we have been given, and we are reminded that we live in a commonwealth… and that this commonwealth is for the common good…. the gifts we have are gifts to share for the benefit of each other…..  

 

We pray that people everywhere will deepen their sense of belonging to a commonwealth for common good…. that there will be peace, respect, harmony and care for others in our society…. that we might always spare a thought for the person less fortunate, whether they be next door or in the next country……  

 

And today, (as every day) we pray that our nation and its people, develop deep within ourselves a yearning for the values of Jesus’ beatitudes…..   // humility,// gentleness, //passionate about ..and working for justice, //peacemakers,// single minded in serving God’s good vision for the world….. 

 

it is good for us to stop and give thanks for God’s many gifts to us in this blessed Southern land of the Holy Spirit…..

 

 

(updated) Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A

(This is the updated version of last Sunday’s homily with a couple of key lines added)

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.. Year A 20th Jan 2008.

There is a line in today's gospel that John the Baptist keeps repeating… and it is an intriguing one…. Twice John the Baptist says "I did not know him….but…."…. what is the meaning of this line…… why have I never noticed it before???/

Its mysterious…

John the Baptist is the cousin of Jesus…. He certainly would have known who he THOUGHT Jesus was, but now he was seeing a new side of him…. Someone much more significant…. The one who would carry the sins of the world on his back and through whom the world would be saved……. Its almost too enormous for comprehension…… John the Baptist has very clear and strong ideas about what the Mesiah would be like… and although it was his role to proclaim his coming, the really ironic thing is that John the Baptist really got it wrong…… his concept of what the messiah would be like…. Was not anything like what Jesus turned out to be…. Jesus turned on its head the concept of what a messiah was like…. Instead of judgement… he brought a time of God's favour….. instead of retribution… he brought freedom from prison, and cancellation of indebtedness……… absolutely amazing….. john the Baptist had to really swallow his pride and do a backflip in order to understand what Jesus was showing him and all who had the eyes of faith……

John the Baptist keeps repeating… I did not know him, but he is the one I was preparing the way for,,,,,,,,

it is also a reminder … we cannot just rely on the testimony of others about Jesus….. we must eventually testify to him in our own lives too…. to testify to the person and message of JESUS as we encournter it in our daily lives too..

There is something reassuring about this for you us… who live two thousand years later… we believe in jesus as the Lamb of God… and the messiah….. each of us here is committed to following Jesus. However, we are in good company if we don't fully comprehend the significance of who jesus is for us …… if we don't yet fully appreciate the radical call that Jesus is asking of us…… the world-changing values Jesus has come to bring us…..

I always have a soft spot for the poor disciple of Jesus… they followed Jesus wherever he went…. They saw themselves as his disciples….his faithful……. They knew their master, Jesus, had the words of everlasting life…. But time and time again.. they 'didn't get it' they missed the point of what jesus was trying to tell them. Jesus was often quite exasperated with his disciples, saying… 'you have been with me all this time and still you do not KNOW me?" they often didn't have a clue….. but still the kept following.. and slowly…. Little by little… they began to understand who he was…. And what the meaning of his message was….

There are some other lines from this weekend's readings that really strike me……

It is from the psalm: 'he put a new song in my heart… a song of praise to our God"….. and also "I have told the glad news of our deliverance in the great congregation, see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O, Lord."

It reminds me…. there are so many things we can focus on in life…. So many words we can use…… so many things happen to us in life… some are good…. Some are awful….. some are hurtful and some are upbuilding…. The words of scripture encourage and remind us that… it is so important to notice and give voice to all the positive and life-giving things that are going on. Even in the midst of hard times, there are so many things we can still give thanks for…. That can still fill us with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving… fill us with a new song….

While I was on my sabbatical time… one of our presenters Fr John Fuellenbach, a Divine Word Missionary from the same order as FR Gerard Mulhollans, said that there are different types of prayer… prayer of petition, where we ask for what we need… prayer of penance..where we ask for forgiveness… ; prayer of lament.. where we cry out for what is hurting us.. or worrying us, a prayer of complaint and grumbling so to speak…. Fr Fuellenback told us that ‘there is nothing wrong with a prayer of complaint… pouring out our hearts to God about all that we are upset and unhappy about and even grumbling about what God is apparently doing in our lives…. he said, that this is okay in prayer as long as at the end you leave a time for God to complain about YOU! That is, prayer is a two-way conversation, and we need to give God a chance to complain about things in the world and evenj with us that God is unhappy and worried about…..!!! ……..and finally but very importantly….. there is also….prayer of worship and thanksgiving…where we give voice to all the gifts and wonders that surround us… that we can be tempted to take for granted… our presenter said… 70 percent of our prayer should be prayer of thanksgiving.. that still give us 30 percent for asking for things.. or voicing grievances and hurts….. this is not suggesting that we go on talking about everything being rosy when its not…. But even when we take the rose coloured glasses of… even when we are brutally honest… there is still so much to be positive about… so much to be profoundly grateful for…. So many opportunities to see Jesus vision for the world which is so radically different from the logic of this world… and yet… we still struggle to understand the meaning of it…. But we never stop trying…..

Daily, we keep following Jesus, even though we (even now) don't full understand his ways….. but we believe in them…. We follow him into the unknown…..….. trusting in his guidance along the path he leads us…….because he promises to be with us always….. in with a new song on our lips… a song of praise…. And thanksgiving…

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time. Year A. 20th January, 2007.

There is a line in today's gospel that John the Baptist keeps repeating… and it is an intriguing one….   Twice John the Baptist says "I did not know him….but…."….    what is the meaning of this line……   why have I never noticed it before???/ 

 

Its mysterious…

 

John the Baptist is the cousin of Jesus….   He certainly would have known who he THOUGHT Jesus was, but now he was seeing a new side of him….  Someone much more significant….  The one who would carry the sins of the world on his back and through whom the world would be saved…….   Its almost too enormous for comprehension……    John the Baptist has very clear and strong ideas about what the Mesiah would be like… and although it was his role to proclaim his coming, the really ironic thing is that John the Baptist really got it wrong……  his concept of what the messiah would be like…. Was not anything like what Jesus turned out to be….   Jesus turned on its head the concept of what a messiah was like….  Instead of judgement… he brought a time of God's favour….. instead of retribution…  he brought freedom from prison, and cancellation of indebtedness………    absolutely amazing…..  john the Baptist had to really swallow his pride and do a backflip in order to understand what Jesus was showing him and all who had the eyes of faith……

 

John the Baptist keeps repeating… I did not know him, but he is the one I was preparing the way for,,,,,,,,

 

There is something reassuring about this for you us… who live two thousand years later…  we believe in jesus as the Lamb of God… and the messiah….. each of us here is committed to following Jesus. However, we are in good company if we don't fully comprehend the significance of who jesus is for us ……   if we don't yet fully appreciate the radical call that Jesus is asking of us……    the world-changing values Jesus has come to bring us…..

 

I always have a soft spot for the poor disciple of Jesus… they followed Jesus wherever he went…. They saw themselves as his disciples….his faithful……. They knew their master, Jesus, had the words of everlasting life…. But time and time again.. they 'didn't get it' they missed the point of what jesus was trying to tell them.  Jesus was often quite exasperated with his disciples, saying…  'you have been with me all this time and still you do not KNOW me?" they often didn't have a clue….. but still the kept following.. and slowly….   Little by little… they began to understand who he was…. And what the meaning of his message was…. 

 

There are some other lines from this weekend's readings that really strike me…… 

 

It is from the psalm: 'he put a new song in my heart…  a song of praise to our God"…..   and also  "I have told the glad news of our deliverance in the great congregation, see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O, Lord."

 

It reminds me….  there are so many things we can focus on in life….  So many words we can use……  so many things happen to us in life…  some are good…. Some are awful…..   some are hurtful and some are upbuilding….   The words of scripture encourage and remind us that…  it is so important to notice and give voice to all the positive and life-giving things that are going on. Even in the midst of hard times, there are so many things we can still give thanks for….  That can still fill us with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving…   fill us with a new song….

 

While I was on my sabbatical time…  one of our presenters said that there are different types of prayer…  prayer of petition, where we ask for what we need…  prayer of penance..where we ask for forgiveness…  ; prayer of lament.. where we cry out for what is hurting us.. or worrying us……..and also….prayer of worship and thanksgiving…where we give voice to all the gifts and wonders that surround us… that we can be tempted to take for granted…  our presenter said…  70 percent of our prayer should be prayer of thanksgiving.. that still give us 30 percent for asking for things.. or voicing grievances and hurts….. this is not suggesting that we go on talking about everything being rosy when its not…. But even when we take the rose coloured glasses of… even when we are brutally honest… there is still so much to be positive about… so much to be profoundly grateful for….  So many opportunities to see Jesus vision for the world which is so radically different from the logic of this world… and yet…   we still struggle to understand the meaning of it….  But we never stop trying…..

 

Daily, we keep following Jesus, even though we (even now) don't full understand his ways…..  but we believe in them….  We follow him into the unknown…..…..   trusting in his guidance along the path he leads us…….because he promises to be with us always….. in with a new song on our lips…  a song of praise…. And thanksgiving…

 

 

 

 

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Year A

BAPTISM OF OUR LORD JESUS – YEAR A – 13^TH JAN. 2008.

 

(Saturday night mass: 

 

It is quite nice that tonight’s mass features a Baptism… the baptism of Mikayla……….for, tonight, we are celebrating the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord…  and…..)

 as the preface of today’s mass says… we praise God the Father saying….

Father, You celebrated your new gift of baptism

by signs and wonders at the Jordan. 

 

So, Jesus’ own baptism in the waters of the River Jordan was the introduction to how Baptism would become for all of us the means by which we are joined (in a special way) to Jesus’ life and, therefore, joined to God’s family.. // sharing life in God’s own love…..

 

SO, as we celebrate the wonderful event of Jesus’ Baptism, it is always a time for us to renew the promises made at our baptism, and to celebrate the gift of baptism for others too.

 

Initially, it seems strange that Jesus needed to baptized at all. John was offering a baptism of repentance…   for the forgiveness of sin…. Jesus didn’t need that, and John the Baptist realized this, and so did Jesus…  but it was really important, nevertheless that Jesus did this….. 

It is not easy to understand why Jesus accepted baptism. For you and for me, baptism is our initiation into Christ. We “put on Christ” at baptism like we put on a new set of clothes. We become Christ-like at baptism. We are made one with God through our baptism and our sins are taken away (not only personal sin, but also the overall experience of alienation and “not-at-oneness” that we humans experience in this world….). Jesus was already God and Christ and perfectly “one with the Father.” Jesus had not sinned. So why is He baptized??

For some of the early Christian writers, the baptism of Jesus is best seen as Christ making holy the waters of baptism. We can understand that Christ going into the Jordan makes holy all the water of the earth. The Lord brings holiness to all that He touches. ( JESUS, by undergoing Baptism, was bringing to this beautiful action of repentance and forgiveness  a new, deeper and divine meaning and divine POWER… Jesus was, (so to speak)..  “electrifying the waters” with God’s transforming power to makes us God’s children and brothers and sisters in Jesus…)

At another level, Christ being baptized is showing us that He takes very seriously his desire to share in our human nature, to be in solidarity and in perfect union with his people…..    God takes on ALL of our humanity and shows us the way to live our lives. Baptism, the Scriptures tell us, is a baptism into Christ’s life and his way of living…  his self-emptying way of loving….   a love that gives everything… even unto death, (on a cross). Jesus invites us, by going into these water, to follow him into the waters that are the daily living of his good news…. the daily living of the sometimes difficult challenges of loving as Christ loves..

….

Jesus the suffering servant, subjects himself to his human condition out of love and service…….so that he is "a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness." (Abbot’s Homily, Monastery of Christ in the desert).

 

++++++

 

It has also been said that, at his Baptism, Jesus definitively begins to SHOW AND TO ACT according to what he always was and always was called to be….  Jesus baptism is the  this official manifestation of him living this reality in public ministry….being anointed by the Spirit with the oil of gladness to bring us light and hope and forgiveness…. (notes from 366 Days with the Lord)

 

Jesus shows us that discipleship is not merely a personal thing…  not just a private thing……   Being part of Christ’s good news is a participation in a very public ministry of Christ himself……..

 

Christ’s Baptism – signals the Commencement of his PUBLIC ministry. He has come from quiet and humble obscurity – from 30 or so years of everyday living, and now is dramatically appearing on the public scene…  revealed at last as the messiah, the chosen one……   the suffering servant of the Father…. and the son of God……with whom the Father is well pleased.

 

Jesus’ baptism is an invitation for us to reflect on the public and communal dimensions of our baptismal call…………. it is a good time to ask ourselves “in what ways do I step forward publicly as Jesus did, as a way of announcing and living practically the new reality represented in Baptism; 2. what can I do to live out my baptismal commitment more openly, more publicly, more consistent with the fact that Christianity is a distinctly communal religion never solely a private devotion……., what will I do?...….. one thing we can do.. is to encourage someone whom we notice has intentionally changed his/ her way of life for the better, // (Notes also taken from: Prayer Time, Cycle A. Robert J. Heyer, ed. 2007)

 

we can Pray for candidates in the Rite of Christian initiation of adults programme here in parishes around the world…..   here in our parish we have Juanita, Judy, Mary, Yvette debbie, and others who are prayerfully discerning their call to baptism, to initiation, reception and membership in this Christian community….   we will be having a chance to give them a special blessing in coming weeks as they prepare for easter sacraments……  We can pray for and give thanks to people involved in the Rcia – leader – Gerard O’connell, people who are sponsors, catechists, we can pray and give thanks for people involved in our monthly infant baptismal preparation meetings… our children’s liturgy leaders, our ministers, our teachers, catechists….  our visitors to the sick and housebound… and so many more…  we can join in on one of more of these and so many other ministries..  if we are not already ….  and also…. very important too…..everyone who conducts their daily lives, their family life, their jobs in the intentional spirit of Jesus’ good news – is living out their Baptismal calling in a very practical way…..

 

May the lord who calls us to follow him into the waters of Baptism, raise us to newness of life, so that, united with Jesus, we may serve Christ by living our discipleship in everything we do and say…..   giving public witness by our love and service to all…

 

 

Epiphany

Epiphany Year A – 6^th January, 2008. 

 

Whenever I read this gospel passage…   I can’t help but be struck by the disturbing irony in it…..    King Herod summons the Wise men from the East…  they come to listen to him…. they don’t know him,….. they know he is a King… they would probably assume he was a noble and gracious King…. but he is not… he is filled with hatred  and jealousy…. and murderous intentions…. herod manages to control his emotions while he is consulting with the Wise men….. he seems genuinely interested in the Star, and the possibility of a king being born………  I almost imagine he is choking on his words when he says…  “when you find him,,, tell me too…  because I too want to go and …..   do….. him……… ‘homage’…… “ (more like ‘do him in’ !!!). Herod wants nothing more than to Kill Jesus ! he is a liar !    He wants to tear down, not to build up ! …. to destroy and blot the ‘Light for all nations’…..  Can there be any hatred greater than  one that wants to blot out HOPE from the earth……??  It is fitting that the Wise Men, after having met Jesus, ‘go home by another road’ – they have been converted… they are different….  changed……. converted….   They will not go and tell hateful Herod about what they have seen… but go home by a new pathway….   (their lives changed) to live the new reality of what they have experienced……

 

In the gospel today, the Wise Men from the East ultimately FIND the King for whom they had searched so diligently ……..   Jesus ! ….   a humble baby lying in the manger… is found to be the revelation of God to the world…….  the LIGHT of revelation for all.

 

The gospel today uses the quote from Micah…. “you Bethlehem are by no means the LEAST”…. this is really important……    not only is Bethlehem FAR FROM BEING the LEAST of all cities… but this humble baby in a humble manger is not by any means the LEAST of all babies….  and the shepherds are not anywhere near the least of all people……   there is more than one REVELATION going on here (for the eyes of faith to see!)…   The message is repeated in later sections of Matthew’s gospel: (The wise men, and us too…  are being shown something deeply important…..) 

….. at first sight, the ‘poor and forgotten’ of our society are insignificant….  but this is WRONG….  they are in fact GREAT… because it is THROUGH THEM.. that that the Lord is coming to us…….   

 

The reaction of the Magi is interesting too……    when they enter the presence of God…  revealed in his humble baby in a manger… they immediately open up treasures chests filled with gifts…… 

 

this must be our reaction too, in the presence of God…..    when we come before the presence of Jesus… we too must open up our hearts and offer God our gifts……   the response of a person to the revelation of God’s presence is one of openness, generosity and service………   

 

The Magi… offered Jesus gifts of Gold (for Kingship), Frankinsense (acknowledging Jesus as Priest and sacrifice) and Myrrh (for burial- looking to the eventual death of the Lord on the Cross)…….  we too come before Jesus and we too offer our gifts to the Lord…..  what is it that WE are laying before the Lord…….   let us think about what gifts we are presenting to Jesus for him to make use of…….

 

let us take some time, at the start of this new year… to come into the presence of Jesus……   the Light to all nations….. and think about what gift (individual to each of us)……that we are called upon to present before the Lord …..for the Lord to use and transform….. that great first reading, from Isaiah, also shows something interesting…  ‘what is our response to seeing the revelation of Christ… who is a light shining in the darkness of the world……”…  our response must be this… “arise…  shine… for your light has come,.. and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us…”….   so when we encounter Christ..  we must become lights ourself….  going out… to radiate Christ’s light to everyone  we meet……   

 

this message reminds us…  ‘we must believe so that the world can begin to believe’   -  WE must radiate christ’s light to the world.. and to all peoples…. so that people can experience Christ’s light shining through us too….

 

Today…  we kneel before the Christ child…  we bow… and we open up our treasure box… what gift is it that we lay before our Lord…???? 

(Reflection:  Paul Kelly/ ; also Mark Link: Vision – Year A/ ; Gustavo Gutiererez: Sharing the Word through the Liturgical Year / ; and Abbot’s homily: http://www.christdesert.org/)/

 

1st January, 2007 - Feast of Mary the Mother of God

It is a really nice thing to do to start the year with Mass….  in this mass… we offer all the joys and sorrows of last year to God, and we also stand at the start of a new year… and through the intercession of Mary, the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus, we offer this new year to God…… 

we ask that God will bless us and all we meet this year….   we offer up our work and our selves in this new year… and ask God to make use of our humble offering to help bring God’s Kingdom ever more to birth amongst us….

 

it is a good thing for us to make new years resolutions, knowing that only with God’s grace and guidance can these resolutions bear much fruit…

At the start of 2008 we wish each other and the whole world a Happy New year and we pray that 2008 will be a year filled with grace and happiness and peace….   and when we speak of a happy new year..  we know that God’s idea of happiness is a fresh and challenging one… it is this TRUE happiness we are really seeking….  it is God’s idea of happiness that we desire……

“look at Mary and Joseph kneeling before the manger. They must be tired. They have traveled 75 miles or so from Nazareth to Bethlehem on foot and on the jolting back of a donkey. They must be very hungry. They haven’t had a real meal since they left Nazareth some 3 days ago. They must be cold in this damp cave in the midst of winter. It must have been very humiliating for them to discover no room among their relatives in their ancestral home or at the village Inn.

Yet in the midst of all of this, Mary and Joseph are the happiest people to walk the face of this earth. Here in Bethlehem they are teaching us the amazing paradox that it is only when we lose ourselves in the love and service of Jesus do we find happiness. Happiness that this world can never give and no one can take from us. But how can we lose ourselves in the love and service of Jesus? Jesus has made it very simple, “Whatever you do for one of these least brethren you do for me.”

So on this first day of the New Year let us ask for the grace to know Jesus more intimately, love him more and more fully… and follow him more closely” ((quote from Fr Rodney Kissinger, S.J.)

so that this may be a truly Happy New Year according to God’s vision for the world.