St. Joseph Church Homilies

I was on a beautiful jungle island once. It had great beaches and fruit trees grew everywhere. It featured waterfalls and flowing hot springs in the same place even; you could have one foot in cold water and one in hot. There was certainly no winter. I’d like to visit again one day, but I wouldn’t want to live there. At first it seemed like paradise, but not quite. While it was a beautiful place, the people faced threats from hurricanes in addition to some serious social and political shortcomings. Many nations compete to be the best place to live. Some have tried to engineer the perfect place. But while we might easily imagine paradise, it just seems impossible to find. Building the paradise we all long for will definitely need a change of plans and the help of God.

We reflected last week on the experience of changing plans, especially on the experience of facing an unexpected change of plans. It’s an experience the pandemic has forced us all to endure and, for the most part, we don’t like it. It’s an experience fitting for the Advent season too, as the scripture passages we hear often include figures like Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, prophets and even kings who all had to change their plans at the announced coming of the Saviour. In fact, a brief glance through the New Testament reveals not one person who didn’t have to change their plans after encountering the presence of Jesus; even those opposed to Jesus had to begrudgingly change their plans after encountering him.

A change of plans is difficult and naturally resisted. But, in so many ways it’s often exactly what we need. Growth requires change, for things to not be as they are. This condition we find ourselves in, our need for growth and the struggles of change are signs of our need for a saviour. Inspired by the words of the prophet Isaiah, we pray that we would be like clay in the hands of God our loving potter.

The Gospel for this weekend introduces us to John the Baptist who earned his name because of his practice of baptizing people. For us today, a baptized person becomes a new creation by sharing in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; the Sacrament of Baptism is how Christians are made. But this isn’t what John was doing in his baptism. No, the baptism of John wasn’t about becoming a Christian but about repentance.

Many at the time knew something needed to change in their lives; they knew they had drifted from God and were in no way ready for the coming of the Messiah. Sin was getting in the way. They recognized how they needed a change in plans and the starting point for this change was marked by a cleansing ritual, the baptism of John. Those baptized would publicly confess their sins, their old useless plans, would be submerged in the water and come out ready to continue their lives under a new plan that would hopefully prepare them for the coming Messiah.

This was great. Loads of people were coming out to repent, to be freed of their old ways, their sins. There was still something incomplete about it, however. The newly baptized would return to their homes and lives and while their change of plans may have guided them in better living out the law of God, they were still slaves to things like natural disasters, disease, famine, tyrannical rulers and, ultimately, death; a condition all have endured since the sin of Adam and Eve. A change of plans is needed, not only in the life of each sinner, but in creation itself.

The plight of refugees, climate change, pandemics, hurricanes, all our toils, even the terrible accident in Port Hope earlier this week: none of these are part of God’s plan; they’re the result of sin, in some cases the Original Sin of Adam and Eve and in other cases, the personal sins of individuals. We find the effects of sin wherever destruction,

Early this week, I went out and finished all my Christmas shopping. Rather than risk having to change plans later, I decided to just go and get what I needed done now while I can. I think everyone has discovered over the last few months how quickly plans may need to change and how frustrating it is when this happens. Procrastination is risky.

We heard a prayer in today’s First Reading: “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence.” When I read this prayer I wonder why anyone would pray for such a thing? It’s one thing to have to adopt curbside pickup into my usual shopping habits, but the day that mountains quake and the heavens tear open: well, that would definitely interrupt my plans. While the change of plans prompted by the pandemic have been inconvenient for some, they have created major problems and heartaches for others for whom the trials of this time have seemed to shake mountains.

During Advent, we’re told of many who had to change their plans in order to allow the plan of God to unfold. Like many of us who have had to change our own plans to accommodate the restrictions of a pandemic, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, even kings and prophets had to change their plans when God announced the coming of the saviour. In fact, a brief glance through the New Testament reveals not one person who didn’t have to change their plans after encountering the presence of Jesus. I mean, even those opposed to Jesus had to begrudgingly change their plans.

Except for those who face intolerable situations, changing plans is difficult and naturally resisted. But, in so many ways it’s often exactly what we need. Most of the time we wish for things to just be as they are, but true and healthy growth often requires a change in plans. The child must leave the womb, the young adult must eventually move away, broken bones must be set and in all these cases tears are shed and often we’re left wondering if it really has to be this way if a change of plans, if growth always has to be so painful.

In the first verse of today’s psalm we heard: “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Stir up your might, and come to save us.” It’s another prayer asking for God’s intervention, asking for God to come and shake things up and change our plans. The psalmist here recognizes the link between a change of plans and our growth; they recognize the need for a saviour.

We need a saviour and, fortunately, God loves us so much that he has given us one. To help us get ready to welcome our Saviour, we observe this season of Advent, this season of waiting and getting ready. Our parish has a bunch of things planned. Of course, more details will appear in the bulletin in the weeks to come, but here are a few things you can expect and some ways to bring to mind our need for our Saviour:

* A drive-thru food drive earlier today/yesterday helped fill the shelves of the food bank, but I have no doubts the St. Vincent de Paul society would welcome more support as they work to help struggling families this Christmas.* At a similar drive next Saturday, toiletries will be collected for those having to spend time in the hospital.* After eight months, I’m excited that both Father Isaac and I will begin visiting our schools and offering Mass there.* On the nineteenth, we’ll observe a day of mercy with various prayers and lots of opportunity to make a Confession throughout the day.* To hopefully improve communication, we’re going to try posting our homilies on the website by noon on Saturdays. Feel free to read our homilies before or after the Mass, print out a copy to bring with you or even follow along on your phone.* Beginning Friday, each week all will be able to reserve a spot for Sunday Mass three days earlier.