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Homilies are posted no later than during the week
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Christmas
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The owl asked the dove, "What does a snowflake weigh?"
"Nothing," said the dove. "Well," the owl replied, "let me tell you
what happened to me one Christmas. I was perched on the branch of an
evergreen when it began to snow heavily. I began to count the
snowflakes falling on my branch. The number was 3,742,356. When the
next snowflake, which you claim weighs nothing, fell on the branch, it
broke off and fell to the ground." The owl flew off.
The dove reflected for a time. Finally she said, "No one
can do everything, but, like that last snowflake, everyone can do
something. Perhaps it's just my voice that is needed to bring about
peace among my family." I can be that last snowflake.
The regrettable part of Christmas, as someone has
remarked, is that there is so little of it. It takes us four weeks to
prepare for Christmas day. Yet in twenty-four hours it is history.
But, while we still have it, we rush to church to mark the
birth of the Colossus who is Christ - this hero no one could ever
invent. (Robert Griffin)
Much of our world finds it impossible to believe in the
birth of the God-Man, but that same world is most loath to turn its
back on the birth either. Many people want some share of its magic no
matter how tiny their portion might be.
Others feel themselves too sophisticated to accept the
simple lines of the oft-told Christmas Gospel, but there is a force in
them which will not allow them to let it go entirely.
Almost everyone wishes to believe with a passion that the
last words God spoke to His Son immediately before His birth were, "Be
sure to give everyone down there my love." (Unknown)
But the Christmas story is deserving serious study by the
fact that it is so unbelievable. If you wished to spin a tale about the
Creator that would fool people, you would hardly dress your God in
diapers and have Him sleeping fitfully in a crudely crafted trough -
all the time bothered by flies and tics. You would not be that stupid.
(Griffin)
If you really wanted to deceive, would you be so obtuse as
to think that your scam victims would accept your inference that the
oak was already growing that would be axed down to make the cross?
Would you expect them to allow that God would permit His only Child to
be whipped and spat upon, stripped naked before jeering and lustful
eyes, and then be crucified? (Ibid)
When this scarred and wounded globe is scheduled to
spin
about for its last time, people will still be discovering fresh points
to make regarding this most extraordinary of births. There is a depth
to the story of the birth of Jesus, it has been said, which no one of
us will ever exhaust. It is a tale that will never have an ending. New
pages are forever being written. The busy pens never stop.
This feast reminds each of us that God lit up a star to
break through the darkness. Each year at this time, He reminds us it is
better to light a star than to curse the darkness. (Ibid)
What will be our gift to Him? What good news can you bring
to the world around you today?
No one can do everything, but each of us can do something.
Perhaps, as the dove has taught us, it is just your voice that is
needed to bring peace among your family or friends. Let that beau geste
be your gift to the colossus who is Christ - this hero you could never
invent.
You may say, "I have tried to be a peacemaker, but I have
failed. So, I do nothing." Michael Jordan, the 20th century Babe Ruth
of basketball, replies to you. "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my
basketball career. I've lost more than 300 games, and 26 times I've
missed the game-winning shot. Throughout my career I've failed and
failed again. I kept trying. That's why I succeed."
At this season where gifts hold sway in our
thinking, it is so refreshing to believe that I myself am a gift. To
this world, God sends me. In this world, I have a mission to complete,
a task to fulfill. And this is only possible if I make a total response
to God's spirit within me. (James Tahaney)
If you wish to give yourself, says the monk, here's
your gift list: the gift of listening, the gift of an embrace, the gift
of laughter, the gift of a letter, the gift of a compliment,the
gift of a kindness.
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http://www.st.ignatius.net/pastor.html
Christmas
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Merry Christmas, everyone.This is a beautiful time of the year.
It is a time to celebrate family and friends, it is a time of warmth, a
time of peace.
Like
most of you, I like driving at night through the subdivisions looking
at Christmas lights.Although many people are trying to eliminate
the religious significance of Christmas, the very existence of all the
lights points to Jesus Christ.He is the Light of the
World.The Christmas colors of green and red point to the hope in
the Lord attained through the sacrifice of his life.
Both
the ancient Jews of the East and the pagan Romans of the West
celebrated light at this time of year.The Jews celebrated the
restoration of the Temple from the Syrians by lighting a candle on the
Menorah for each day of the celebration now called Hanukkah. The pagan
Romans celebrated the sun-god Apollo’s conquest of night on the Winter
solstice.Christians trumped these feasts by celebrating the
Nativity of the Lord.
We
are people of light, but we are also people who find light in a world
of darkness.
John
Shea tells the wonderful story of how he took a group of children on a
camping trip when he was a young man.I did the same thing many
times when I was a Salesian of St. John Bosco.Being with
children in the woods at night is always an experience to remember, or
try to forget. In Shea’s account, the children woke up in the middle of
the night when the fire went out.It was a cloudy, moonless
night.The total darkness evidently scared those who were used to
some sort of light, perhaps a nightlight, when they went to
sleep.Shea was awakened by one of the children crying and then
the rest calling for help.He told them all to be still, stay
where they were and just wait for a little while.As if on cue,
the clouds must have been blown away, because the stars came out.
With their eyes adjusted to being in pitch black, the stars absolutely
lit up campsite.The children ran around the campsite and to the
nearby stream.They laughed as only children at play
laugh. They laughed at the experience of seeing a world lit
up by Starlight.
This
is the light that we, People of Light, experience.Jesus Christ,
the Light of the World has come, but the world is still in
darkness.Those who are attune to the Light of the Lord, though,
those who are capable of being guided by His light, we, are people of
Starlight.
We
need to adjust our eyes to the Lord’s starlight.
This
is all poetic, but how do we attain the focus we need in a world of
chaos, confusion, in a world of darkness?
The
answer is Jesus.For a Christian, the answer to all questions
about life is Jesus.
We
look at his life.Born in poverty.Hunted as an
infant.Mocked as an adult and crucified for loving others, he
brought kindness and peace to those who allowed him into their
lives.He would not allow darkness to overcome him.He
would not become cynical.He would not succumb to hatred.
He would not let selfishness determine his choices.He lived to
love.He would not give up on love or give up on anyone for that
matter.His love turned the darkness of the Good Thief crucified
next to him into light.The former criminal was attune to the
presence of God’s love, his eyes were adjusted to Divine Starlight.
Many
people will be visiting each of us during the Christmas
celebrations.Let’s be frank, we really do not want to see some
of these people.They will conveniently forget their nastiness
over the years and walk into our homes saying “Merry Christmas.” They
will act as though nothing negative has transpired. We are upset, not
just because we were hurt, but because they have hurt someone we
love.
We
have a golden opportunity here, though. We can turn the typical
Christmas phoniness into an experience of the Lord if we make the
determination right now to love them, to be kind to them and not to be
concerned with whether or not we will be hurt once more.If we
are sincere, they just might catch a glimpse of starlight in muddle of
Christmas sentimentality.
That
is how the Tremendous Lover would act. That is how we act as people of
Divine Starlight.
To
be people of Divine Starlight our focus must be on Jesus.This is
deeper than the old WWJD, What would Jesus do? Instead of WWJD, I want
to give you new letters, a new thought.Instead of WWJD, what
would Jesus do? we should be concerned with WWJBL. What Would Jesus be
Like? When he sacrificed so much of himself for others, when he dropped
everything to heal a man’s dying servant, to raise a widow’s son, to
restore dignity to a prostitute and integrity to a thieving tax
collector, when he gave and gave until he had not more life to give, he
did all in a loving way, a kind way.There is no evidence of him
ever being mean, cold or nasty. That is what Jesus was like.
That’s how we who call ourselves Christians must be.
In
fact, the greatest compliment that anyone could ever say to any of us
is “When I am with you, I know what Jesus must be like.”
When
we try to be like the Lord, we will see the Divine starlight in the
middle of the darkness.When we are like the Lord, we will be the
Divine starlight in the middle of a dark world.
For
many, Christmas is a time of sadness, a time of more intense
darkness.Some of us have lost loved ones and miss them intensely
during the holidays.What would Jesus be like if he was there,
with the grieving spouse, the stricken parent?Would he say, “Get
over it, move on with life.” I don’t think so.What would Jesus
be like?Well, he wept at Lazarus’ tomb, didn’t he.He
would cry, and hug, and love and not be concerned with the words he
said, just with being present supporting and loving those whose grief
is intensified at Christmas.If we can be loving in this way, if
we can be like the Lord in this way, then we will be Divine starlight
in the middle of a dark world.
For
some Christmas is a time of deep sadness because their lives have not
followed the plan they set out for themselves and their children.
Marriages have failed, careers have been disrupted by sickness or
sudden unemployment, families have been wounded by addictions, and good
people have suffered.What would Jesus be like if he were to
spend time with these
people, in their families?Would he be prying, “What really
happened?” accusatory, “Couldn’t you have done more?”or would he
be supportive of the new direction taken, marveling at the sacrifices
made, happy for the strength of love that has withstood unforeseen
changes in life.When we are loving instead of judgmental, we are
being like the Lord. We will be Divine starlight in the middle of a
dark world.
Some
are convinced that the darkness they feel at Christmas or throughout
the year for that matter is self-inflicted.How many girls suffer
at Christmastime because they were persuaded by those older than them
or supposedly wiser than them to terminate a pregnancy?
Absolution might remove the sin, but it does nothing for the
pain.Some of these girls are in your families. Some of these
girls are here right now.What would Jesus be like for these
victims of an immoral society?He would be warm, loving, and He
would become a baby for them to hold and rock.
And
in fact, He did. He did become a baby not just for these suffering
girls, but for all of us, and particularly for all who hurt.He
became a baby for us to hold and rock and love and gaze at and wonder
at and realize that, perhaps, after all, all is well in this dark old
world of ours.
When
we hold Him, when we treasure the Presence of God as one of us, the
Gift of Christmas, we begin to see clearly. And the Divine Starlight
shines through the darkness.
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http://www.geocities.com/seapadre_1999/
* available in Spanish - see Spanish
homilies
Christmas
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http://www.agreeley.com/homilies.html
Christmas
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http://www.ctk-thornbury.org.uk/
Christmas
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http://www.saintvincentarchabbey.org/homilies/index.lasso
Christmas
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http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/lowhome.html
Meeting Christ in the Liturgy
Christmas
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Contact Father at cbonar@cfl.rr.com; information about his book of homilies is available at www.clydebonar.com.
Christmas |
The Christmas Creche at Greccio
Preparing the Creche
One December, in the year 1223, Francis of Assisi had traveled to the
little village of Greccio to pray. High up, on the mountain, Francis
had a hermit's cave. How Francis loved this quiet spot. He could be
alone with God.
Toward evening, Francis heard music being played in the village below.
Villagers sang old, joy-filled songs, Christmas was just a few days
away. The Son of God, Jesus, would return to earth, a baby, little and
poor, to be held in the arms of Mary, his mother. The songs sang of
this great event, the birth of Christ.
So full of joy himself, Francis had an idea. He wanted to do something
to recall to memory the little Child who was born in Bethlehem. To let
people see with their our eyes how Jesus lay in a manger, with cows and
donkeys standing by, the baby laying upon the hay where he had been
placed.
Remember, when Francis of Assisi lived, there were no photographs, no
movies, no television, no video games, no photocopiers, no cell phones
which took pictures. The printing press had not yet been invented.
Books were rare and had to be copied by hand, almost nobody could read.
No greeting cards arrived in the mail, showing Mary and Joseph with the
baby Jesus. Constructing a real life picture seemed a good idea to
Francis.
Living in Greccio was a good friend of Francis, Giovanni Vellita.
Giovanni was a very holy and good man, a knight, a man of some wealth.
Francis told Giovanni his idea for a Christmas creche, and Giovanni
loved the idea of a living nativity scene. He promised to help.
The work began, on a level piece of ground, near the hermit's cave
where Francis had come to pray. Franciscan brothers and people from the
village pitched in to help.
A manger was placed in the middle. A manger is another name for an
animal's feed box. Hay was put into the feed box, as it would be for
the animals to eat. Cows and donkeys were placed around the manger.
Horses and mules brought close by. Surrounding this manger, just as in
Bethlehem, was to be a stable, a barn, where animals were kept.
At last, all was complete. The creche at Greccio looked like a new
Bethlehem. The baby Jesus would be placed in the manger at Midnight
Mass. Francis was very happy.
Midnight Mass
Toward evening, snow began to fall. The ground covered by an immense
whiteness in the calm and peaceful night. If you listened carefully,
from far off unseen bells rang out "Peace on earth, good will to all."
From the valley, streams of light began to move their way up the hill.
Villagers, carrying torches, formed the trails of light, coming for
Midnight Mass. Singing as they came. A thousand torches ablaze in the
darkness, joyous moving lights, arising to fill the darkness. All the
while, the snow falls, thick, wet flakes. Crackling bonfires add their
light. People who were there say the night was lighted up like the day.
Just like the light of Christ shining in the darkness, awaiting the
birth of Jesus.
Franciscan friars, kneeling, began to sing, "Let the heavens be glad
and earth rejoice, Christ the Lord is born tonight." Vested in a gold
chasuble, the priest entered to celebrate Mass. The altar all aglow
with candles, the servers in pure white surplices. The angels seemed to
join in the jubilant celebration.
Francis, himself a deacon, sang the Gospel, "She gave birth to her
first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a
manger." The voice of Francis rang like heavenly music. "A strong
voice, a sweet voice, a clear voice, a sonorous voice." Hearing Francis
preach, everyone knew Francis had a special love for God. Francis spoke
charming words about the nativity of the poor King and the little town
of Bethlehem. His words brought tears, Francis himself filled with a
wonderful happiness. The priest celebrating Mass felt touched with such
consolation he had never known before.
Francis stood beside the crib, his heart overflowing with tender
compassion. Overcome with joy, tears flowed down his cheeks. His friend
Giovanni saw a beautiful child asleep in the crib, and saw Francis take
the child into his arms. The baby Jesus roused himself, as a child does
from a deep sleep. Giovanni saw it. Everyone could feel it, the Child
Jesus, long forgotten by many, now so close to the hearts of all at
that special Midnight Mass.
When Mass ended, everyone returned home feeling holy joy.
The hay from the manger was kept. Little miracles began to happen.
Farmers noticed, as animals with various illnesses would eat the hay,
the animal was cured. Indeed, stories were told of how pregnant women
laboring with a difficult birth would deliver safely when some of this
hay were placed upon them. People who were sick did the same, and their
health returned.
Commentary
Thus began the tradition of the Christmas creche. The tradition
continues. We have one, here at St. Francis of Assisi Church. Most
churches do.
We've seen the creche over the four weeks of Advent. First, just the
stable. Then, some sheep and cows. After that, the shepherds were
placed. The manger, the feed box, stayed empty. Until Mass on
Christmas, when we placed the baby Jesus on the hay in the manger, just
like Mary first did, and just like Francis did at Greccio.
With the nativity scene we remember the poor king, no room at the inn,
born in a barn. The Savior of the world laid in a manger.
Conclusion
By the first creche at Greccio, Francis of Assisi gave us a living
picture of where Jesus was born.
Francis also gave us a challenge: to prepare a crib in our hearts,
ready to welcome Christ into our lives. Each of us is to give birth to
Christ by how we live our lives. We are to empty our hearts of anger or
hated, and live by faith, hope, and love. We are to obey God's
commandments, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Each of us is
to open a door in our hearts and let the Christ child come in.
In his prayer, Francis prayed as Jesus prayed.
Jesus said and Francis said:
make me an instrument of your peace.
where there is hatred, let me sow love.
where there is despair, let me bring hope;
where there is darkness, let me bring light;
and where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
Jesus said and Francis said: let me be the one who consoles and
understands and loves.
Francis knew: "It is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that
we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
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These
homilies may be copied and adapted for your own use; however, they may
not be
commercially published without permission of the author.
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