January 2, 2000 |
Readings for Sunday, January 2
This Christmas carol is a song with different levels of meaning. On the simpler level it refers to the twelve days from the Feast of Christmas to the Feast of the Epiphany, which formerly always occurred on January 6th.
Most of us today celebrate Christmas during Advent and end the celebration of Christmas on December 25th! And the Church, at least in this country, has placed Epiphany on the Sunday closest to January 6th so more people can celebrate the feast. We have lost a little of the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas.
Even so, the composer of this carol intended a deeper meaning of the Christmas carol than simply a twelve day celebration. I would like to encourage you to consider this meaning whenever you sing or hear this beautiful carol.
To understand the carol you need to understand some history. For almost three centuries, from 1558 to 1829, Catholics in England were persecuted and forbidden by civil law to practice their religion openly. During this period The Twelve Days of Christmas was written as a catechism song for the young Catholics. The hidden meaning of the song's gifts were intended to help the children remember lessons of their Faith.
The TRUE LOVE mentioned in the song refers not to some earthly lover or spouse but rather to God Himself. The ME who receives the present is every baptized person. The PARTRIDGE IN THE PEAR TREE is Jesus Christ. Our Lord is presented in the symbol of a partridge, a bird which gathers its own under its wing and even permits itself to be injured in order to decoy predators from its helpless nestlings.
The meaning of the other symbols are as follows:
Perhaps this carol would be good to help your own children to remember these truths.
By the way, in case you need a refresher, the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
taken from a Bulletin by Fr. Denis, OSB
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany. Next Sunday we will celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, close our Advent-Christmas liturgical season, and return to "ordinary" time. We began Advent in a soft but noticeable darkness. The light was always here, but we tried to stop running away and open our eyes wider and look harder. The following "Bread to Offer" from Grandma Judith brings many of the themes of our Advent-Christmas season together. The focal point is a baby. And more than that, the baby is named "Gabriel." It was the Angel Gabriel who was sent to Mary so that this whole season might begin. s/ Fr. Charles
by Grandma Judith Galas
In this season of love, I found myself asking questions about God's love. How does God love us, I wondered, and what does that love feel like? Through Gabriel, God has taught me a bit about divine love. The lessons have come to me as a grandmother gazing at this baby and also as the object of his gaze.
If you've had a baby in your family, you may recall those early months when you and others waited eagerly for you baby's first real smile. You longed for this little creature to notice you, to say with that purposeful, toothless grin, "Hi."
You were patient-although certainly eager-as you waited. but you trusted that in time, the child's eyes and face would say, "I know you," and then, "I love you." The smile might have been fleeting and unpredictable, for life's noises can distract the baby. But you happily waited for the next moment of recognition.
I think that's how God waits for us. Our Parent waits patiently and uncritically for our "I know you" smile. Like a baby's grin, our smiles for God may be just as brief, just as distracted, just as random. But God knows children take time to grow. You love them even as you wait for them to give you more.
Our baby has now mastered smiling. We rarely have to be patient to get not only smiles, but also non-stop grins that turn into giggles. His joy at seeing those he loves is so powerful that his body wiggles with that energy.
And what do we do to earn his joy? We do nothing. We simply exist in his world and our presence makes him happy. When Gabriel brims over with smiles for me, I catch a glimpse of God's spontaneous smile. I am reminded that God loves me simply because I am.
Like Omar of our Advent homilies, we leave our homes to search for answers; we come to church to search for God and for our Creator's love. But the very homes we leave may hold our deepest lessons about that love, and our greatest teachers may be our babies. For when we look into those sweet, soft faces and well up with emotion, we will surely feel in our hearts how God loves us. And when those tiny eyes look at us and light up with joy, we can see the face of God and hear our divine Parent say, "You are mine, and you are wonderful."
Is anybody happier because you passed their way?
Does anyone remember that you spoke to them today?
The day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;
Is there anyone to utter now, a kindly word of you?
Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that's slipping past, that you helped a single person..of the many that you passed?
Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said; does the one whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?
Did you waste the day or lose it; was it well or sorely spent?
Did you leave a trail of kindness..or a scar of discontent?
As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say..You have earned one more tomorrow..by the work you did today.
1. Schedule time to spend alone with each of your children. Just talk and do something simple but fun. Go for lunch, run errands. Parents, teach children about God's love, providence, presence and attentiveness. Now and then, kids need to see that in a concentrated way. While out, make a quick stop at a nearby shrine or in a darkened church to say a prayer with your child.
2. Pray together as a family - and stick to it. If you haven't been doing this up until now, it won't feel natural for a while. Give yourselves a chance to grow into it. Pray at meals, first thing in the morning or late in the evening.
3.Look for opportunities to pray individually with each of your children. Maybe you can do so at "tuck-in" time. Parents may bless their children at night, reminding them that they are children of God, consecrated in His Spirit.
4. Drop in on Jesus. Come on Tuesdays for a visit with Christ in the Eucharist.
5. Dust off the family Bible. Undertake 20 minute family Bible study once a week. Make the message clear: this is not just another book; it's God's revealed word to His family, and that means us.
6. Broaden your idea of family. Can a visitor to your house tell that Jesus is your brother? That Mary is your mother? Put a cross on the wall, if you haven't already. Put up an image of the Blessed Virgin. Tell you kids-and everyone else-that you're happy to be part of God's immediate family.
7. Visit the poor, and expand your idea of poverty. There are people on your block who are lonely, elderly and alone, mourning or otherwise in need. How might you help? Make meals. Offer to mow their lawn. Shovel their snow. Share your kids art work with them.
8. Go to Mass faithfully, each Sunday, and more often if possible. Receive the precious Body and Blood of our Savior and know that Christ will always be at the center of your family. Bring your children to the Sacrament of Penance as a family, with you going first. Help them develop a healthy sense of sin and their need for God's forgiveness. Your family will become more forgiving and compassionate, too!
Gigi Oram, Adult Faith Formation
Christmas '99 has passed. All our gifts to family and friends have been given. We've celebrated the turn of the century with gusto. Today we hope to settle in to relax, perhaps to recover from the hectic days of holiday planning and preparation. It's all been fun and exciting but now we hope to get back to life as usual.
This weekend the church celebrates two important feasts, Mary, the Mother of God, and Epiphany. Each of these special days has great significance for our back to usual lives. They focus on Gift Bearers. Mary gave herself to God and humanity as Jesus' mother and, in doing so, became a model of Christian love and service. The Magi brought precious gifts to the Christ Child as the best things they had to offer.
When we made up our Christmas gift list, what gift did we plan to give to God? Oh dear, we say, God wasn't on my list.
The Church gives us these two feasts to correct our oversight.
Mary's precious gift was her very life. What a wonderful gift it would be if we consciously offered our life, all that we are to God and really meant it.
The Magi's gifts were valuable natural resources that were highly prized on the caravan trade routes. What a wonderful gift if we consciously offered our talents, abilities, and resources, all that we have, to God with a commitment to use them for our good and the good of others.
God loves us so much and wants to embrace us. God does not expect grand things from us but does want us to be very conscious that the ordinary day-to-day pieces of our lives become precious gifts if we give them to God with love.
As we get back into our daily routines, think about the marvelous opportunity we have to give to our God what we value most . . .which just happens to be what God wants most . . . OURSELVES!
I greet you with a sense of awe and wonderment at the beginning of this New Year, this new century, this year of preparation for a new millennium. As a Christian, a Catholic and a priest, I naturally reminisce and look ahead pondering the impact of Christ Jesus on our history. We Christians believe that this child is the hope planted deep in the consciousness of all those who waited for the day of the Lord in Judaism, though they still wait. For us Christians, 2,000 years is a benchmark, in theory at least, a place in time that could be a great turning for all humanity. But much of the world looks at us dubious that this coming year will be any different in reality from the past 100 years or the past 1,000. How much effect has the Good News of the Redeemer had upon the past 2,000 years of human history?
For so many, there is no room in their hearts to receive Him, nor room to welcome or receive with love in their hearts brothers or sisters, persons of different races or backgrounds, or people of different religions. It's not just that we Christians have a lot of work to do in the new year, the new century, the new millennium, it's rather for us to welcome and embrace the continuing work the Redeemer wants to do through us. Will we listen to His call, His mission for us? Here we are, Lord. Send us!
Fr. Bill
Last year at this time, few of us knew the meaning of the message - Y2K. Now it's a part of everyday conversation. About a month ago I was traveling in my car listening to the radio. A local station was broadcasting a show about Y2K preparedness. While this topic has not been unusual of late - this show was a little far to the right. It bent more towards a survivalist mentality. The few callers into the station were discussing moving to the country - getting rifles and defending one's turf when the final Y2K 'Armageddon' arrived. It sort of reminded me of the 1950's topic of fallout shelters - and who will be the last one admitted to the shelter. It's easy to plant fear - fear of disaster, fear of tragedy, fear of one's neighbors. One of the greatest phrases of the 20th century was F.D.R.s fireside pronouncement - "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". As we move into the next millennium, we do so with a companion - Jesus. Certainly things will happen which will challenge our faith. Famines, earthquakes, and wars may occur....but goodness will win out. Christ promises victory. Our jubilee year announces Jesus as our Lord, Yesterday, Today....and Forever. We move into the 21st century in a spirit of hope.
Epiphany means manifestation, a revelation of Jesus as truly God. Matthew and Luke show this child to be divine through stories of signs and wonders when Jesus was an infant. Matthew's account of the visit of the three magi also shows the Church's mission to the Gentiles. Matthew's audience, largely Jewish Christians, was struggling to accept the presence of Gentile Christians in their community. Matthew shows in this Gospel passage that the salvation of Gentiles as well as Jews was indeed GGods plan.
What helps you stay focused on God's presence in everyday situations where God is usually not mentioned?
Who and what on your journey has helped you to know and understand Jesus and his message better?
From the Pastor's Desk:
This bulletin for the first Sunday of the New Year and the New Millennium was put together on Tuesday of the old year, so we hope and pray that no Y2K bugs or radical fringe groups have interfered with the beginning of the new millennium. Our bulletin poet offers the following millennium prayer:
Don't we all have embedded in our being
these bugs, these sins, these selfish snags
that drag us down?
Don't we all have the bite of greed,
some false need, some lust, some laziness,
some form of selfishness that bugs the others,
that mess up our work, our family and our fun?
So, Lord, as we begin this new millennium,
during this new year, at the beginning of each new day,
challenge us to work together
to discover and overcome these sinful patterns,
these me too and you too bugs. Amen.
Andrew Costello
The First Reading for the New Year's Day Solemnity of Mary feast offers also an upbeat blessing to begin the New Year: The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! (Numbers 6:23-25).
The hymn We Three Kings Of Orient Are is usually sung on this feast of Epiphany and in it is the line we have been using as our Advent-Christmas theme: Guide us to the Perfect Light. In Advent our guides were Isaiah, John the Baptist and Mary. Now in the Christmas season we look especially to the Holy Spirit to guide us to the perfect light - Jesus Christ. The Epiphany Gospel of the journey of the Magi offers the traditional story of being guided by a star to the Christ child. Some parishioners gave me a modern version of this story:
Do you know what would have happened if it had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men?
They would have asked directions,
Arrived on time,
Helped deliver the baby,
Cleaned the stable,
Made a casserole, and,
Brought practical gifts.
Last Sunday after celebrating Masses with Holy Family readings reflecting family life virtues, I was given a practical gift of a trip to a movie titled The Straight Story. This movie portrays the saga of an elderly man living in Iowa challenged with failing health and the need to travel to Wisconsin to reconcile with a brother who suffered a stroke. The main story line portrays this elderly persons slow journey via a lawn mower that takes two to three months and in which he encountered many obstacles. The movie brought out better than any homily the readings for Holy Family, namely hospitality to elderly people who encounter failing minds and health and the call to reconcile especially with family members, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you. (Col 3:13). I highly recommend this movie that gives such moving testimony to the word of God made flesh.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It's ok to say that for a while, I guess. There is a tendency to reflect on the past as we start something new. My reflection reminds me how much I've learned from children. Their speech and actions are seldom couched in politically correct activities. I remember asking some children about the Feast of Epiphany. One child's hand shot up in the air and was waving frantically as his breathing quickened, shouted, in a hushed voice, proclaiming, "I know, I know, I know." Naturally, I had to hear this answer. "The Three Wise Guys", was his reply. I loved it and he was right. They were wise guys. Some how wisdom is downplayed in our world. I suspect that the technocrats have done this to us. Wise guy has become a pejorative or negative remark rather than a title of honor. The ancients respected wisdom so much so that they personified it, made it into a sign of God's presence, and held it in awe. But what is this thing called "wisdom?" For years I was baffled. Then came a breakthrough in the form of a very simple, yet clear, definition. Wisdom is applied knowledge. Take the "Wise Guys." The scriptures identify them as astrologers, stargazers. They saw a star rise. Their science said this announces a significant person. So they saddled their camels and followed a star. They applied their knowledge. Now others had been waiting for generation upon generation for this star to arise, whom they would call the Messiah. The "Wise Guys" followed their star and found the Holy One. They recognized His significance because they applied what they knew to be true. They did homage and offered gifts and returned safely home. Now the others, who had been waiting and looking for generations, refused to recognize the Holy One and instead they tried to slay Him with their rule of violence and tyranny. They never saw the Holy One in their midst. Peace had escaped them. What about ourselves? Look to the sky, pick out a star, name it, make it your own, and follow it. Too poetic? How often do we choose not to apply knowledge to health, to relationships, to our spiritual life, to work and careers, but instead create a hostile or violent climate? Maybe that is why "Wise Guy" has become pejorative or negative. The "Wise Guy" is often the one who reminds us that we didn't apply our knowledge, the one with the answers that we don't like. Be a "Wise Guy." Pick a star and follow it. Again, Happy new Year!
Father Michael Doyle, OSM
