Weekly Reflections

During every Holy Mass we celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation. Priest is asking us to look into our hearts, so those hearts can be ready to forgive others and in that way be ready for Jesus. And that what Epiphany is about. Epiphany is a celebration of change, change were it really ought to happen.

The three Kings or Wise man stayed all the time with the star of Christ. It changed their lives so they could find Jesus.

As I said so many times, we live in a world where so many Catholics instead of following their faith, they run the other way, looking for something different, something new. Had the three kings followed a different star every night? No, because otherwise they would never be able to find Christ.

And we just heard in the Gospel, that when they came to Jesus they offered him gifts: gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. There are few interpretations of the meaning of those gifts. One is that:

1. The gold is the most precious of metals, so therefore a symbol of royalty. A symbol that the Kings acknowledged the newborn Christ as King, a title that would later appear above Christ’s head on the cross.
2. The incense is associated with prayer and divine worship. The kings professed their faith in Christ’s divinity as Son of God, the Word made flesh.
3. Myrrh was used to dress wounds and embalm the dead. It symbolized the humanity of Jesus. The kings prophesied that Jesus will suffer for each and everyone of us.

The second explanation goes even further. It says that the three gifts also symbolize what we should present to Christ:

• First, the Gold signifies the loyalty and fidelity we owe to our prince of Peace.
• Second, the frankincense symbolizes our prayers to the Lord our worship of him in our homes and in the Church.
• Third, the myrrh represents the gift or our sufferings, our forgiveness and sorrow when we share in Jesus’ passion.

However, what if our coffers are empty because we haven’t been very faithful, or prayerful, or patient in suffering and not changing our hearts? Then we still have Jesus Christ to offer as our gift to the Father.

In the prayer over the Gifts we ask the Father: In mercy, Lord, our God, look upon the oblation of your Church. No longer do we offer gold frankincense and myrrh, gifts of earth; rather we sacrifice and receive Him Who is the gift of heaven. In other words, though we might be poor in good works, Jesus Christ will enrich us with Himself in the EUCHARIST. Though we may be destitute as far as devotion is concerned, Jesus Christ will supply what we lack.

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

We cannot be discouraged to approach our Heavenly Father. He doesn’t expect us to bring computers or other gifts like that. He wants our hearts to love him and to love our neighbor. He is interested in our prayers and in our problems. The Father does not care where or how far we came from. He wants to send us on our daily journey like the three Kings – overjoyed at having found his Son, Jesus Christ. Christ who ultimately is and will be our savior at the end of our times. Amen.

I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

My brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today we celebrate the last Sunday of the year 2009. The first Sunday after Christmas in Polish National Catholic Church we celebrate the Solemnity of Humble Shepherds. In our liturgy for this Sunday we remember those who visited first newborn child in Bethlehem.

In the Gospel from St Luke we heard that the angel of the Lord appeared to a few humble shepherds.

They were terrified, but the angel said to them, “do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Savior has been born for you who is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

When the angels had returned to heaven the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

When we hear the message the angels brought to the shepherds, it is amazing that this message motivated the shepherds to proceed to Bethlehem to see a child in a manger – as the angels had foretold. In fact this event moved the shepherds to relate the message to others and “all who heard it were amazed.”

My dear sisters and brothers

This was the beginning of the good news for us and for whole world.

The shepherds went to the manger and presented their respect, worshiping the new born savior of the world.

They left glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, in accord with what had been told them. They returned to their homes with the great gifts they received in their lives. Their hearts were filled with love, peace and knowledge that this child is the savior of the world, the Messiah that the salvation came into the world.

My Dear Brothers and sisters

More than 2000 year’s age Jesus came to our human history, into our world. He came to save what was lost; to enlighten the world with his teachings and to save and sanctify with his grace. He came to change hearts of stone to convert them into hearts of flesh, full of love and compassion. He came to bring salvation to all people on earth. He is the bridge between heaven and earth.

My dear Brothers and sisters as we celebrate solemnity of Humble Shepherds ,and we pray if front of manger humble yourself like shepherds did, pay homage to your Savior, and rejoice in your salvation and share the good news to all people.

The purpose of Advent is to prepare for two of the greatest events of all human history. The first is the liturgical celebration of the birth of Christ into our world. The second is the glorious return of Christ into our world at the end of human history.

Last week’s readings focused, primarily, on preparing for the glorious return of Christ at the end human history. This week’s readings focus, primarily, on the liturgical celebration of the birth of Christ into our world. They urge us to prepare for this joyful celebration in the same way John the Baptist instructed the people of his time to prepare for it. We may sum up John’s instruction in one word: “Repent!”

The word repent means to be sorry for our sins to the point that we want not only to turn away from them but also to make up for the harm they may have inflicted upon ourselves and others.

Years ago there was a Broadway play about a young person who dropped out of school, rejected his family, and became hooked on drugs. In a moving scene in the play, the young person looks up to heaven and cries out in a tortured voice: “O God, how I wish you had made life like a notebook, so that I could tear out the pages on which I made mistakes and throw them away forever.”

Thanks to Jesus, our life is like a notebook. We can tear out the pages on which we made mistakes, and throw them away forever. In his love, Jesus gave us the sacrament of Reconciliation. Through it, we can literally tear out those parts of our life where we made mistakes and throw them away forever. As a result, the sacrament of Reconciliation is the perfect way to prepare us for the liturgical celebration of Christ’s first coming into the world.

Next Sunday we will celebrate sacrament of penance. Let us prepare ourselves with prayer to Our Father for His blessing during sacrament of penance.

We have reached a new beginning, the first Sunday of a new liturgical season, Advent. Every year the Church leads us through the different liturgical seasons.

The first season is Advent, followed by Christmas.

After Christmas we have a few weeks of what is called Ordinary Time. Then we begin the season of Lent, which leads into the Easter season. And with Pentecost, we get back into Ordinary time. Each one of these liturgical seasons has its own meaning. They have special days, celebrations, and traditions. They even have special colors. Taken all together, the seasons of the liturgy are a spiritual tour. The Church is the tour guide.

Why does the Church insist on taking us through this yearly tour of salvation history?

Why do we have to revisit the same celebrations and seasons every single year?

The first reason behind the liturgical seasons is negative, and the second is positive. The negative reason is simply that the Church doesn’t want us to forget about what’s most important in our lives.

The second reason behind the liturgical seasons is more positive.

The seasons are designed to help us grow in grace. During each liturgical season, as we turn the attention of our minds and hearts to the different truths of Catholic doctrine and events of Christ’s life, our souls receive fresh nourishment and enlightenment. The liturgical seasons help us grow spiritually. As we go through life, the truths of our faith stay the same, but we change. And so, every time we revisit them, we see new aspects of them.

God always has something fresh to say to us, and he says it through our contemplation of his Son, Jesus Christ. Each event in Christ’s life, celebrated through the liturgical seasons, is a flowing fountain of wisdom, and every time we go back to it, we are refreshed and strengthened anew; we grow in grace.

Advent is about the coming of Christ: his first coming two thousand years ago, his future coming at the end of history, and his present coming in our lives today. Our job during this month before Christmas is to focus our attention on that, to pray about it, to reflect on it, to let it touch our lives. But we don’t have to wait until tomorrow to start our Advent activities: we can start right now, with this Mass.

Christ will come to us during this Mass, faithfully entering into our lives through the Eucharist, just as he entered into the world at the first Christmas. Let’s make sure he finds plenty of room in our hearts, in our life and in our families.

Today we celebrate the last Sunday in the Ordinary time. Next Sunday we start Advent. When we celebrate the Last Sunday of the Ordinary time, we celebrate Feast of Christ the King. Christ is the King of heaven and earth.

In today’s Gospel we heard that Jesus was questioned where his kingdom is? They did not realize that he was the King of the Jews, the Romans, that He was the King of all creation.

Living in so called democratic society, we do not want a King. We do not want anybody ruling over us. We want to be the one who make all the decisions for ourselves. And we think that we do that. But really, are we the one who makes all the decisions for ourselves?

We might like or dislike the president, congress, however we still have to obey the laws that they put into life. More so with our King Jesus. We might disagree with His ruling. We might not like His laws. But if we want to go to His Kingdom that is in heaven, we have no choice. Moreover, we might dislike Him as our King, but did we ask ourselves if He wanted, and still wants to be our King?

Who wants to be a King of a people who are rebellious all the time, who would not honor the king all the time.
Jesus knew that in order to save all of us, that we might come to His kingdom in heaven, He will have to fulfill His obligations – that is to suffer and to die for our sins. He doesn’t give up being our King because He loves us.

Jesus fulfilled His obligations, to His Father and to the love He bears for us. Now is our turn to fulfill the promises we made during our baptisms through our parents and God parents, those who are confirmed, have to fulfill the promises that we made during confirmation. We have to do that in order to prepare ourselves for Advent, the time we await the birth of Christ.

But what is even more important we have to do that in order to prepare ourselves for the Second coming of our King Jesus. During that time He will determine if we are worthy to enter His Kingdom.

Jimmy was about ten years old. A gang of teen-agers gave him a lot of trouble: they pushed him off the sidewalk, tripped him in the school yard, and even stole his lunch. For fear they would give him even more trouble ore even beat him up. Jimmy did not tell that to anybody.

One day this gang got especially rough. Jimmy couldn’t stand that any more and said: “I’m going to tell my big brother on you.” They laugh, and replied: “bring him and he will get from us as well”

Several days later the gang saw Jimmy coming down the street, and with him was six-footer dressed in an army uniform brother John. Suddenly John demanded: “OK you little punks give him the money you took.” They emptied their pockets and then promised to get the rest of the stolen money.

This Story came to mind when I prepared today’s Homily; when I read today’s Gospel. In Today’s Gospel Jesus describes Himself at the final judgment: “They will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”

Usually the thought of the last judgment gives us fear. However, we should think in a very positive way of that last judgment. To us who try to serve the Lord, it should give a great hope and joyful expectation, something like the hope in the heart of Jimmy that his big brother would straighten things out.

For us who try to follow Christ, the thought of the last judgment should be a joyful happy one. That is the theme of the words we pray right after Our Father of this Mass:

“In your mercy keep us free from sin
and protect us from all anxiety
as we wait IN JOYFUL HOPE
for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

And then and the people respond aloud: “For the kingdom, the POWER, and the GLORY are yours, now and for ever.”

In the Eucharistic prayer we use expression: “Ready to greet Him when He comes again.” In that same prayer, in the remembrance of the dead that we use during funerals we declare the certainty of faith: “Christ will raise our mortal bodies and make them like His in GLORY…. We hope to share in your GLORY when every tear shall be wiped away.”

Yes, we look forward to the coming of our Big Brother, Jesus. Who truly is powerful and glorious, and loving without limits to His little brothers and sisters, you and me. True, He will be fearsome to those who knowingly despise and ignore Him, who persecute His little brothers and sisters, His followers, But He will be powerful and glorious to those of us who try to praise, honor and follow Him.

“A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are donated to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she from her poverty, has contributed all she had.”

Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Jesus praised a widow who made a very small offering. He praised her because it was all she had. Jesus did not judge an offering by its size, but by what it cost the giver.

Mother Teresa told a story how one day a beggar came up to her and said, ‘Mother Teresa, everybody is giving to you for the poor. I also want to give. Today for the whole day, I got only thirty cents. I want to give it to you.’ Mother Teresa went on: ‘It was a big sacrifice for this poor man, who had sat in the sun all day long and received only thirty cents. Thirty cents is a small amount. I can get nothing with it, but as he gave it up and I took it. It became like thousands, because it was given with so much love. God looks, not at the greatness of the work, but at the love with which it is performed.’

The readings today tell similar stories of generosity. Both concern very poor people – two widows. We wonder how someone who was as poor as the widow in the Gospel was able to perform an act of such spontaneous goodness. The practice of generosity was in her heart and in action. It was not achieved by a few great deeds but by a lot of little ones.

When we do a good deed, we may do it to impress others, rather than out of the goodness of our heart. This introduces an element of performance – we are performing for an audience. Or without any attention we may do good deed. In that way what we do and give has a better chance of being anonymous. Our deed is more likely to come from heart and from Christian love.

Brothers and Sisters!

Even though no one else noticed what the widow had done, Jesus noticed it and praised it because the widow in the Gospel story gave her all. Let us pray that God may help us to imitate the faith and generosity of the widow!

He has been generous with us!
Everything we have is a gift from Him!
Therefore let us to be generous with others! Amen.

We just heard in today Gospel, that Jesus cured the man who was physically blind. Jesus did that out of Love toward another person. Here we have to understand that those who were blind in Jesus’ times were outcasts of the society. During that time people thought that the blind person or his/her parents had to commit sins. Thus God punishes them with blindness.

When the blind beggar, Bartimaeus calls out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me,” the crowd tells him to shut up. But the blind beggar stands his ground. He refuses to be bullied into doing what the crowd wants. Instead he does what he knows is right.

My dear Sisters and Brothers

There comes a time in every life when, like the blind man in the Gospel, we can’t help ourselves. Not even our family or our best friend can help us. We are all alone. At times like this, we need to do what the blind man in the Gospel did. We need to turn to Jesus for help.

The model of how to do this is none other than Jesus himself. In His agony in the Garden, he had to turn to his Father for help. He did so by repeating over and over again: “My Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want but what you want.” His Father helped him, not by taking away his suffering, but by giving him the strength and courage to bear it.

God often chooses to help us in this way. In other words, God does not always answer our prayers in the way that we want. God answers them in a way that will be better for us in the long run.

Let’s illustrate with a familiar poem. It was found in the pocket of a dead Confederate solider and illustrate what we mean by being “better for us in the long run” It reads:

I asked for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things…
I ask for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise…
I ask for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel need for God…
I ask for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things…
I got nothing I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

“Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

Today’s Gospel again shows us how the disciples thought. It shows us what they expected. See, they misunderstood Jesus totally. They truly thought that Jesus would be the King of Israel as the nation’s leader. They did not grasp yet that Jesus in all His teachings tells them about heavenly kingdom. They are on lower level. They see Jesus as the one who will overthrow King Herod and stop cooperation with the Romans. They thought that Jesus is the one who will set the Israel free from foreign occupation.

Again, Jesus is very patient with all of them. He explains to them that there is a more powerful being, a more powerful kingdom. He tries to tell them that He did not come to establish His own kingdom, where he would be in a position to allocate authority; He establishes the kingdom of GOD.

See, Jesus does not abandon his ignorant disciples, but he teaches them of true Christian authority. There is no place in Christianity for an authority that lords it over others. Rather, it is a call to service.

See, Jesus does not lay down laws as some distant legislator. He points to His own life of service unto death as the model for the Christian life: “For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

To be a Christian means no more or no less than striving always to live and love as Jesus lived and loved.
The way we relate to and serve one another must mark us out in today’s society. We must not be like the Gentiles, like those people who never heard, or do not wish to hear of God’s ways.

God’s ways were reveled to us by many prophets and in the best way by Jesus Himself.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, As Christians we must start educate ourselves about God’s ways. We must start to understand what Jesus tells His disciples, and through them, what Jesus tells us. And one of that is: Love one another as I have loved you.