31 December 2010

End-of-the-Year Reflection

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.

And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.

John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

(John 1:1-18, NAB - Gospel for the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas, 31 December)

Holy Mother Church gives us this wonderful Gospel pericope on this final day of the calendar year as a way for us to remember what we have been celebrating this week: Eternity stepping into time.

God lives in eternity; we live within the confines of time.  What God did for us was to step out of the vast infiniteness of eternity and enter into the finiteness of time.  This is the beginning of the selfless act of love which ended upon Calvary's hill, with God giving His very life for the life of the world.  Yet, it had to begin with this act of love - this beginning of the unconfined God entering into the confines of time and space - entering into the confines of our human weaknesses.

The very Word who spoke us and all of creation into being has Himself become one of us out of love for us.  LOVE CAME DOWN!  THE Word of Life, Light and Love became incarnate - donned our flesh - and entered into the confines of time and space so that we, who believe in His Name, could one day share eternity with Him.  The Incarnation had to happen so that we could have the opportunity to share in the joy of the Resurrection, God willing we are found worthy to do so.

We are given this Gospel pericope at the end of the calendar year to remind ourselves that while time fleeting - as is our time on this earth - our end is not.  We were not created to simply live in this world, where everything is finite, where everything is confined to time and space.  Rather, we have been created to share eternity with the Word who spoke us into being, with His Father who loved us into being, and with the Holy Spirit who continues to guide all of creation back to the love of the Father.

We are given this Gospel pericope because we must remember that while we have the ability to be called "children of God" for simply believing in His Name, it is that personal relationship that we have with Love Himself that enables us who live in this world while at the same time to not be a part of this world.  We have been called to something greater!  We have been called to live outside of time while we continue to live within time.  We have been called to live in Love for it is in that Love that we will leave time to enter into eternity.

We celebrate the fact that "Love came down" at this end of the year for, in the end, we are not called to live in time, but in eternity.  Yet in all things, we are called to live in Love.

-------------------------------------

As I was getting to celebrate Mass this morning, I was listening to 106.7 FM (WAOB - Pittsburgh / Greensburg).  They were broadcasting the Mass from Hopedale, Ohio, from the Order of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  Father Francis, who was a year ahead of me at the seminary, was celebrating the Mass.  During his homily, I caught him saying:

2010 - Never Again

2011 - A taste of Heaven

Okay, I rolled my eyes a little.  But as I thought about it, we will never see 2010 once the new year is ushered in.  Yet, we come to recognize that in 2011, there will be a little "taste of heaven" if we keep in mind that amidst all the joys and sorrows this coming year, we cannot limit the power of the Holy Spirit, especially if we are always open to the workings of the Spirit.  





Happy and Blessed New Year 2011!




Enjoy the journey . . .

23 December 2010

My First Christmas

That does seem a bit odd to say, but, as a priest, this is my "first Christmas".

I'm getting excited about it: From choosing the readings (We do have options!), to preparing the homily, to getting all the "other" stuff done (i.e., wrapping presents), it's been proving to be a fruitful time for me, not just emotionally, but spiritually, as well.

Though I was excited for Advent to begin (and it is a most wonderful and blessed season), I had a somewhat difficult time entering into the season as much as I would have liked to.  But I don't see that as a negative; rather, it's been a positive thought for me to be able to be a little more deliberate in my final preparations for the Christmas season.  Advent has always been a wonderful opportunity for me to grow - and this Advent hasn't disappointed me in that regard.  I feel that I have grown this season, though, in all honesty, probably not as much as I would have liked.  But that's okay with me; I'm not disappointed in the progress or lack-there-of that I have made in this last month.  And while I haven't progressed as much as I would have liked, where I am now is not where I was a month ago, and so I really can't complain.

And so this all leads me into celebrating my first Christmas as a priest of Jesus Christ.  I'm looking forward to celebrating the Mystery of the Incarnation in this fashion for the first time.  

A Blessed Christmas to you all!



Enjoy the journey . . .

19 December 2010

Just can't believe . . .

- that it's less than one week until Christmas.  I'm looking forward to celebrating Christmas this year.  Not that I don't generally, but more specifically this year since it will be my first Christmas as a priest.

- that I'll be celebrating my (and my classmates') six-month anniversary of ordination the day after Christmas (the feast of Saint Stephen).  Time has truly flown by during these six months!

- that it's less than eight months away until World Youth Day 2011 is celebrated in Madrid, Spain.  Everything for this pilgrimage is entering the time where the rubber meets the road.

- that winter will officially be here in less than two days.  (Although, by what the weather has been around here [and elsewhere], one would think that winter came quite some time ago.)

- how many confessions I've heard in the last number of weeks . . . and it won't stop for a while.  And, honestly, I'm not complaining - it has been a joyful and humbling experience.

- that this year of 2010 is just about over.  Time has come and gone quickly.  It doesn't stop, nor does it slow down.  I think that I need to remember, however, to stop and slow down from time-to-time, so that I can appreciate the time that is presented to me.

- that there's more to come.



Enjoy the journey . . .

08 December 2010

Mary was turned "InsideOut"

This past weekend, I had the (awesome) opportunity to be one of two priests at the annual Fall Retreat, which is put on by a number of the youth ministers of the Diocese.  This year's theme was "InsideOut".  It - as expected - was a WONDERFUL experience of faith.  And I'm not just saying that for myself; I believe that the majority of the youth who were there also got a lot out of it.

One of the greatest moments of grace during the retreat was celebrating Saturday morning Mass for all on the retreat.  I chose to celebrate one of the Marian Advent selections (from the Marian Sacramentary / Lectionary set), namely, the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth.  I talked about how Mary's life was turned "inside out" by God's invitation to bear His Son.  Elizabeth's life was turned "inside out", too, when asked to be the mother of the Lord's herald.  The lives of Zechariah and Joseph were changed, as well, for their plans were changed by the announcement of God's working in the lives of these two women.


And today - the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - we reflect upon the role that Mary assumes by her fiat - her "yes" - to the Lord.  And she, in her free will, was willing to submit to the will of God in her life because, from the beginning of time (or before!), God knew that she would be willing to become the Mother of His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save all of humanity.  But, as we were able to discover at the retreat, Mary had to learn what it was to be turned "inside out".


And so do we.


For us to be able and willing to submit our lives to the will of God, we have to be able and willing to be turned "inside out".  The great quote from the weekend was: "The world works from the outside in.  The Lord works from the inside out."  And how true this statement is when we take the time to not only see how God is working in and through our lives, but when we allow Him to use us as the instruments of His will.  For us to be turned "inside out" means that we have to allow God to be God, not to hold anything back, let go of everything that constricts us from running to God, and falling in love with God with reckless abandon.  


Mary is our ultimate example of how to do this.  Gabriel came to her, and asked Mary to be turned "inside out" so that the will of God may be fulfilled and our salvation may be accomplished through the Son.  She was able to say "yes" to something that was beyond and above her, and yet she submitted to the will of the Father.  She was confused about what was being said and what was happening around - and inside - her, but Mary was able to place all her hope and trust in God that everything would turn out as He had planned.  Mary learned and later on saw first-hand how Elizabeth had been turned "inside out" (as had Zechariah), and this could have given her strength in her saying "yes" to God's invitation.


How do we encounter God?  What is His invitation for us?  Do we have the courage to say "yes" and place all our trust in Him?  Do we still ponder God's plan for our lives?  All these important questions are essential for us to ponder over and pray about.  But the first question after looking at Mary's example is most important to begin with:


Are we willing to be turned "inside out"?








Enjoy the journey . . .

02 December 2010

The End and the Beginning

Blessed Advent!

It's difficult to believe that the end of the calendar year of 2010 is almost upon us, yet the beginning of the Year of Grace 2011 has already begun!  During these first few months as a priest, I have anxiously awaited this Season of Advent (no pun intended).  This, to me, begins the "first year" of my priesthood . . . not that it didn't start on June 26th, but with the beginning of the Church's calendar, it gave me a chance - as it does for all of us - to begin things again with continuing to find ways to become a better follower of Christ.

This Advent is allowing me to put my relationship with God back in order.  Though while the major portions of my spiritual life were there, I found myself wanting to go deeper in my relationship with God - which is something we're all called to do.  And this beginning of Advent has helped me do this: It was the end of trying to fit everything in and the beginning of putting everything in its proper place.  I now find myself more-or-less where I feel I need to be, but always digging deeper.  I'm once again finding that peace which only Christ can give.

But I am hopefully not stopping here.  I need to move deeper - I need to continue to work on my relationship with Christ and his Church.  It is what He asks of me.

So, Happy New Year of Grace 2011!  

What are your "new year's resolutions" to come to know Christ better this year?



Enjoy the journey . . .