St. Joseph Church Homilies

We all make plans for life, often great plans, but then the unexpected easily knocks those plans down. It’s a challenge everyone experiences far too often, an experience we’ve been reflecting on for the last few weeks. Next week, we’ll get to hear from Brother Joseph. Sometimes the unexpected is a delightful surprise with blessings beyond imagination. But, at other moments, the unexpected is very unwelcome. Some fall apart at the unexpected even when it’s pleasant; it may arouse despair or distrust of others or God. But others manage to thrive through the unexpected; they renew hope and grow closer to God and loved ones. Of course, we can’t plan for the unexpected, but we can prepare for it and hopefully join those who grow when challenged by the unexpected.

We started by recognizing how a supportive community helps transform the unexpected into an opportunity for growth. We continued by considering how God uses the unexpected to grab attention; they can’t be ignored but are a call to listen carefully. We explored how our own faults may lead to getting caught in unexpected traps but never cut us off from God who allows the unexpected to catch us off guard at times, not to punish, but to form of us a people he can name his delight. Last week, we reflected on how the unexpected may make up the most memorable parts of life, but not most of life. The majority of our days are ordinary and uneventful, presenting opportunities to prepare for the unexpected by building habits of connecting with God regularly.

What we’ve not talked about yet is what to do when the unexpected hurts deeply. We heard this past week, about two unexpected plane crashes, very tragic news. In the days to come, we’ll probably think of all those affected; we’ll feel for the families who have lost loved ones and will undoubtedly hear from those filled with questions and anger and lots of hurt. It’s easy to relate to because we’ve all experienced unexpected pain that’s left us wondering what to do about it. We don’t know what to do because on the surface, unexpected suffering and pain without meaning, is just something to be avoided.

We can try to find the silver lining in unfortunate circumstances. We can try to point out things to be thankful for when confronted with disappointment. Some might look for a lesson or learning opportunity when struck with the unexpected. But granting meaning and purpose to suffering is beyond our power. So, the inclination is to run from the cross, both the cross of Jesus and our own crosses.

We can’t give meaning to unexpected suffering, but God can. During the days of the temple, parents wishing to offer to God the best gift possible in return for the great blessing of new life, would take their first-born son to the temple and dedicate or present him to God. This practice is what brought Mary, Joseph and Jesus to the temple. They wanted to offer to God the best they had. It would normally have been a celebration, but when the baby Jesus was brought to the temple, Simeon prophesised, revealed, how the life of Jesus and of his mother, would be marked by pain and heartbreak; he said to Mary, “…a sword will pierce your own soul too.”[i]

It’s easy to imagine Mary and Joseph wishing to run from the unexpected announcement of future suffering, but they didn’t. They knew the Saviour would give meaning to suffering, so they stayed and listened and it’s a good thing because after Simeon finished, a holy woman, Anna, revealed how the child, Jesus, would be fulfill the hopes of so many.[ii]

God gives meaning to all that’s set before him. When Mary and Joseph presented the baby Jesus to God in the temple, the saving meaning of their child was announced. When four men lowered their paralytic friend through a roof before Jesus, the meaning of the forgiveness of sins was proclaimed and when Jesus presented his spirit to the Father from on the cross, the meaning of his suffering was revealed. To find meaning in the unexpected, both the good and the not-so-good, we bring it to God.

One of the ways we bring suffering to God, asking him to grant or reveal meaning, is through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick. Some may know it as the Last Rites, though we don’t usually call it that anymore because it’s not just for those who are dying. In fact, please don’t wait for the last moment before calling for the priest. In this Sacrament, a Catholic facing any illness that threatens life is invited to be anointed while the Church prays for healing. Sometimes physical healing is miraculously granted, but even when it’s not, this Sacrament promises to heal the meaninglessness of illness by connecting our suffering to the life-giving suffering of Jesus.

I was called last week to anoint someone in the hospital. They had been declared palliative and were expected to pass in short time. I always assume I can be heard and try speaking directly to the person I’m Anointing, even if they appear asleep. This time, the family assured me their dying relative was in an induced coma and wouldn’t wake again. But right after the Anointing, the person lying in the bed woke up for about two minutes, just long enough move their lips to the ‘Our Father’ and hear from their loved ones one more time. God gives meaning to the suffering we bring to him.

Next weekend we’ll observe the World Day of Prayer for the Sick in our church by inviting all Catholics who face life threatening illness of any kinds to come forward and receive healing through the Anointing of the Sick; it could be from a physical ailment but doesn’t have to be. There are many mental illnesses, pervasive thoughts and compulsions that threaten life too. Anyone whose been declared palliative, endures any form of cancer or expects to go under general anesthetic should be Anointed. No one will be asked to reveal anything. It’s not for those who have a cold or papercut, but for those challenged by any illness that threatens life.

Indeed, we are often confronted by the unexpected; it ruins our plans, sometimes leaving us completely overwhelmed. But we’re not alone and the pain and suffering that comes from the unexpected does not have to be without meaning. No, at Mass here, we lay before the altar not just bread and wine and the collection, but an offering of the unexpected. We trust that God will grant meaning to the unexpected and to suffering.

Creator of all and sustainer of life, accept the offering of our suffering and all the unexpected challenges that confront your people. Grant meaning to our lives and all the moments you permit, both the pleasant and the unwelcome. May our community become a place that supports all who face the unexpected and reveals your Word, in whose name we offer our prayers. Amen.

[i] Luke 2:35 NRSVCE

[ii] Luke 2:38 NRSVCE

For the last few weeks, we’ve been reflecting on how to survive the unexpected. By the way, from our website, you can always catch up or review past homilies; just click or tap on, ‘Homilies’, to find recordings and often the full text of reflections offered in our church. Anyway, we all make plans for life, often great plans, but the unexpected easily knocks those plans down. Sometimes the unexpected is a pleasant surprise, bringing blessings we wouldn’t have imagined. But, sometimes, the unexpected is unwelcome, leaving us angry, frustrated, hurt or even overwhelmed.

Some fall apart at the unexpected even when it’s pleasant; they may begin to despair, distrust others or question God’s goodness. But others seem to thrive through the unexpected; they renew hope and grow closer to God and loved ones. Of course, we can’t plan for the unexpected, but we can prepare for it. We can shape our response and join those who manage to grow when challenged by the unexpected.

We started by recognizing how a supportive community can help with growing through the unexpected. For the wise men who watched the sky, sought the Saviour and worshipped together, the unexpected Christmas star was a source of joy. For king Herod, isolated by paranoia, dishonesty and murderous tendencies, the same star inspired fear.

We continued by considering how God uses unexpected moments to grab attention; they’re a call to listen carefully. Because those who heard God’s unexpected voice at the Baptism of Jesus didn’t run, but stayed to listen, they were among the first to recognize the presence of the Saviour.

Then, last week we explored how our own faults may lead to getting caught in unexpected traps, but they never cut us off from the Saviour. God does allow the unexpected to catch us off guard at times, not to punish, but to encourage growth, to form of us a people he can name his delight.

Today’s first reading is from the Book of Nehemiah and it’s all about rebuilding after suffering the unexpected. There’s some background to the reading: Decades after being unexpectedly exiled, forced from their homes, God’s people were eventually allowed to return to their homeland. When they got back, they had to rebuild. The walls of the city had been torn down leaving no protection from invaders and thieves. Through hard work, they rebuilt their city and the walls that had kept them safe. It all went according to plan; finally, life could return to normal. They celebrated by learning about their Jewish heritage and faith, what set them apart as God’s people.

So, they took time to read their history, basically the first five books of the Bible. We heard about how the priests, “…read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”[i] Before returning to the ordinary business of life, before things could return to normal, the people needed to understand what God had done for his people and how he wished them to live.

Priests today wear different colours at different times of the year to mark different seasons. Advent and Lent are seasons of preparation. Christmas and Easter are feasts that celebrate God’s unexpected love and works. But most of the time you’ll find the priest wears green during a season called, ordinary time, a season that appreciates the challenge of living our faith during the ordinary moments of life.

The unexpected may make up the most memorable parts of life, but it doesn’t make up most of life. The majority of our days are ordinary, mostly uneventful; we wake up, go to work or school, eat, spend some time with loved ones and lay down at the end of the day. It’s during these ordinary, peaceful, moments of life that we can prepare for the unexpected. One way to grow through the unexpected moments that arise in life is to grow in faith during the ordinary moments of life first. We know there’s no avoiding the unexpected; the extra space offered during the ordinary periods of life offers opportunity to get ready.

If you had a friend who only reached out during unexpected moments and trials, who only called when needing something, it would be difficult to call that a good relationship. No, the good relationships we each enjoy had to be built up often through habits of reaching out, sharing and building trust during ordinary moments of life. Good relationships take effort, consistency and time and because of that investment during ordinary moments, those strong relationships become a source of strength when needed.

In a similar way, the ordinary moments of life, moments when not working through unexpected trials, are opportunities to form habits that deepen a supportive relationship with God. For some, this is a call to work on building habits of daily prayer, of speaking with God. I know of some who even take time in their week to visit God here in the chapel. Before they could return to ordinary living, God’s people knew they had to become familiar with his Word. For some, the ordinary moments of life may be a call to become familiar with God’s Word, the scriptures, today.

When the priests read God’s word to the people, they did so from the Water Gate[ii]; they knew it would take a long time to get through the scriptures, so the reading was done at a place where people could get water as needed, the nourishment needed to get through the day. In a similar way, we all work to build a habit of coming here for Mass weekly. It’s a challenging habit to form, but each time we participate in Mass, we’re offered the spiritual nourishment we know we need to get through our days. By building good habits that deepen our relationship with God, we get to know more about who he is, how he works in our lives and how he offers the strength needed to get through the challenges of the unexpected.

Remain with us always, O Lord, and open our hearts to trust in you. When confronted by the unexpected, may our faith overcome temptation to despair, may hope prevail over fear and may reminders of your love conquer misery. Through Jesus, we offer all our prayers. Amen.

[i] Nehemiah 8:8 NRSVCE

[ii] Nehemiah 8:3 NRSVCE

We all make plans, big and small, but then the unexpected happens; there’s no avoiding it. The unexpected constantly threatens to knock down even the greatest and best of plans and leave us frustrated, angry or even, at times, overwhelmed. We just heard, in the Gospel, about how the unexpected impacted a wedding. The wine had run out. Maybe more guests came than expected or the store ran out or one of the organizers overlooked something. Whatever happened, it was unexpected.

Some fall apart at the unexpected and even dread pleasant surprises. The unexpected can lead to despair, distrust of others or questions about God’s goodness. But others seem to thrive through the unexpected; they renew hope and grow closer to God and loved ones. We’ve been reflecting on the unexpected for a couple weeks now, especially on our reaction to the unexpected. The unexpected can’t be controlled. But maybe we can shape our response and join those who manage to grow when challenged by the unexpected.

We first recognized how those who grow through the unexpected are connected to a supportive community like the wise men who watched the stars, sought the Saviour and worshipped together; the unexpected Christmas star filled them with joy. Paranoia, dishonesty and murderous tendencies, isolated King Herod; the same star filled him with fear.

We continued last week, reflecting on how the Bible, a story of God working in history through many unexpected ways, gives a lesson on what to do when challenged by the unexpected: stay and listen carefully. God’s people realize how he often uses the unexpected to grab attention and speak to his people. Because those who heard God’s unexpected voice at the Baptism of Jesus didn’t run, but stayed to listen, they were among the first to recognize the presence of the Saviour.

But what about when the unexpected comes up because of our own poor choices? Sometimes a big mistake has consequences that should have been expected but weren’t. But often the unexpected binds we find ourselves in happen because of a series of errors that compounded. It happens often enough: discovering you’re in an unexpected spot you never wanted to be in, realizing it’s also, at least in part, your own fault. Maybe too many small purchases on the credit card resulted in huge debt or perhaps work was permitted to take time away from the family and loved ones became strangers. Students know what happens when small moments of procrastination are allowed to build.

Today’s first reading comes from the book of the prophet Isaiah. It’s one of the larger books of the Bible and in the first part, the prophet reproaches God’s people for their failures to live as God had planned. It had become common practice for people to cheat, to take advantage of those in need, to claw back at their sacrifices and even to worship idols. The prophet warned that this path would lead to destruction, but few listened. They believed that, as God’s chosen people, no harm would come to their kingdom and they were very wrong. In unexpected ways, they were eventually conquered and exiled, the cities were left in ruin and anything of value was taken. Worthless, fruitless, forsaken: this is what many thought of God’s people and kingdom and without God, it was true.

We all have faults, we sin and fall short of what God knows is best for us and there’s always consequences. That’s the bad news; and if we focus on the bad news only, it’s easy to apply degrading names to ourselves: we might call ourselves worthless, dumb, failure, inadequate or worse. Picking up on our faults, others might apply similar labels. We might imagine this happening at the Wedding of Cana when the wine ran out. Some may have called the wedding planners disorganized or cheap or inadequate and maybe they were all those things. That’s the bad news, but it’s not the only news. The good news is that sin doesn’t disqualify anyone from receiving the Saviour’s love; God can work in our lives even from inside the traps we might unwittingly get unexpectedly caught in.

The good news is that the story of God’s people didn’t end in disaster. In the second part of the Book of the prophet Isaiah, the people are given reason to hope. We heard in today’s reading, “You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you…”[i] The story of God’s people isn’t to end with shame. From their desperate position, God promised to work, to give a new name: God’s delight.

God does permit us to endure the consequences of sin and bad choices; he allows the unexpected to catch us off guard at times, most definitely. But it’s not to punish, but to encourage growth, to form of us a people he can name his delight. When they turned and trusted in God, their nation was restored. When the wedding organizers at Cana listened to Jesus, the wedding was saved. But God’s Good News doesn’t end with the last page of the Bible; it continues into our lives today too and it begins by admitting our need for a Saviour. 

This is what we come here to do. This is where we admit that we’ve been unexpectedly caught up in traps of our own making. It’s where we come to replace all those degrading names and labels with one given by God himself: His delight.

God of all that is good, the unexpected has entrapped many of your people with names and labels that drag them down. Send your spirit to release us, to displace all that holds us back and may the sacrifice of your Son reveal your saving love and desire to call us your delight. In his name we offer all our prayers. Amen.

[i] Isaiah 62:4 NRSVCE

Many undoubtedly started the New Year with all kinds of great plans. Maybe some made plans for a vacation or two. I’m sure many have plans to deepen a relationship or overcome a habit. Some may plan to develop a hobby, diet or exercise or strengthen their prayer: all great plans. The problems with plans though, even the best of plans, is how they’re at the mercy of the unexpected. I have no doubt you experienced unexpected challenges and blessings last year and I guarantee you’ll face more this year. It shouldn’t be a surprise: life rarely goes as planned but we still act surprised when confronted by the unexpected.

The unexpected isn’t always welcome; some may even dread anything unexpected even when it’s good. Some fall apart at the unexpected; they begin to despair, distrust others or question God’s goodness. But others seem to thrive through the unexpected; they renew hope and grow closer to God and loved ones. The unexpected can’t be controlled. But maybe we can shape our response and join those who manage to grow when challenged by the unexpected.

Those who grow through unexpected challenges are connected to a supportive community: that’s what we started reflecting on last week. As part of a supportive community who watched the stars, sought the Saviour and worshipped together, the wise men reacted with joy when they saw the unexpected Christmas star. Driven by paranoia, dishonesty and murderous tendencies, King Herod lacked any community. So, news of the same unexpected star filled him with fear. Disciples wishing to thrive through the unexpected work to build and belong to a supportive community here so we can, together, meet the Saviour and worship him.

Today, we’re celebrating the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, a moment in his life we learn about through the scriptures, the Bible. Now, the Bible tells the story of our faith, the story of how God has led his chosen people, preparing them for a Saviour. Especially for those familiar with the story, the Bible can sometimes seem boring. We’ve heard the stories so many times and we know how it ends. But really the Bible is about a great many unexpected moments, events and people; so, there’s some good lessons about what to do when the unexpected happens. Creation was unexpected. The parting of the Red Sea was unexpected. The birth of the Saviour was unexpected, as was his death and especially his resurrection.

Those involved in composing the Bible realized that God guides and speaks to his people through the unexpected, both the good and the not-so-welcome. In fact, the scripture writers realized that God, at times, even permitted challenging unexpected moments to guide and speak with his people. Maybe God works this way because the unexpected grabs our attention. A movie that’s predictable is also often forgettable. But a movie with surprises demands attention. A story with mystery gets us thinking and tales with plot twists often teach lessons. In life, too, the most memorable moments are the unexpected ones.

Those who thrive through the unexpected recognize how God uses the unexpected to speak and guide. So, they stick around to listen. We witness that happen in a very real way on today’s feast. John the Baptist had celebrated Baptisms countless times. But at the Baptism of Jesus, something unexpected happened. We heard in today’s Gospel how the voice of God was heard. Truth-be-told: on hearing a voice from the heavens I might have run; but those who heard the unexpected voice recognized an opportunity to hear God speak; instead of running, they stayed to listen.

Those who thrive through the unexpected realize that while we may be caught off guard by the unexpected, God never is. In the first reading today, God speaks to his people, through the prophet Isaiah, by describing the work of Jesus, “He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice…”[i] God acknowledges the pain of injustice. There are many who are bruised and beaten up by others or simply by life itself. There are many who are spiritually blinded, not knowing what to do when facing an unexpected crisis. Many feel imprisoned, that there are no good options when confronted by unexpected evils. God knows all this. But, if he can guide and speak to his people from the cross, he can speak through even the darkest of unexpected moments in our own lives and guide all towards his kingdom where all evils are put to an end.

So, here’s what to do when facing unwelcome, unexpected moments, a plan for when anger, hurt and frustration prompt temptation to blame God: Go ahead and blame him. He can handle our anger. He won’t refuse blame for permitting terrible, unexpected moments. Instead, he invites us to place injustice, pain and hurt at the foot of the cross, next to his Son.

But then we listen. A look in the Bible reveals how God’s people weren’t protected from trials or struggle. They all faced unexpected, deep hurts, illness and even death. But they also realized how God was guiding them always. Those who thrive through the unexpected recognize how God uses the unexpected to speak and guide. So they stay and listen.

Maybe, and hopefully, you’re fortunate, not experiencing any unwelcome, unexpected moments right now: God has a job for you too. Through the prophet Isaiah, God instructs his disciples, “…I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”[ii] The Baptized have never been promised an easy or comfortable life, but where possible, we declare the faithfulness of God, we proclaim that God speaks and guides his people through the unexpected, by setting injustices before him and unexpectedly working to transform suffering into opportunity to share God’s love. God’s people offer relief to those who suffer and through that we allow God to speak through us.

Guide your people, O Lord, through your Holy Spirit offered to all at Baptism. Open the eyes of our heart, to recognize your presence even in the unexpected moments of life so we would never run from suffering, but instead bring all suffering to our Saviour. Open our ears, so we would listen for your voice in all the unexpected moments of life. In Jesus’ name we offer all our prayers. Amen.

[i] Isaiah 42:4 NRSVCE

[ii] Isaiah 42:6-7 NRSVCE

I hope your twenty-twenty-five is going well so far, that you’ve managed to make it to the gym, say the prayers, start the book or diet, begin the project, remain patient with your kids or keep whatever resolutions you’ve made. A New Year is an opportunity to set new goals, and those goals are usually shaped after reflecting on the past year: on the blessings and wins, challenges and troubles.

A reflection on the past year undoubtedly reveals many unexpected moments too, both good and not-so-good. Good plans were made, no doubt, but then the unexpected happened. Hopefully you experienced some pleasant surprises last year: a new job opportunity, a new friend, a new favourite series or book; or maybe you experienced a not-so-welcome unexpected surprise: the end of a valued relationship, a new health issue or car trouble at the worst time. It shouldn’t really be a surprise: life rarely goes as planned but we still act surprised whenever something unexpected happens.

I received an unexpected phone call this past week from our bishop. Next weekend, Brother Father Joseph will begin serving with me here. He’s a Capuchin Franciscan who’s been serving in Toronto for longer than I’ve been ordained. It’s a temporary arrangement and because he’s also serving at La Verna in Peterborough, he’ll only be here from Saturday mornings until Monday evenings. But I know his arrival will be welcome. Beginning on the 13th, the Monday morning Mass will begin again and the Adoration Chapel will open up on Mondays.

Unexpected good news for sure, but the unexpected isn’t always so good or welcome and some may even dread anything unexpected. I’ve noticed, that while some seem to crumble when the unexpected happens, there are some who thrive. For some, the unexpected leads to despair, distrust of others or questions about God’s goodness. For others, the exact same unexpected events become opportunities to renew hope and grow closer to God and loved ones. Because we want to be part of that second group who bloom even through the unexpected, both the good and the bad, it’s worth exploring why different people may react differently to the unexpected moments that upset even the best of plans. The unexpected can’t be controlled. But maybe we can shape our response and join those who manage to grow when challenged by unexpected moments.

We can begin with Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of a very unexpected event, the birth of a new king, Jesus; and on today’s feast of the Epiphany, we see two very different reactions given to the surprising news. In the Gospel, we heard how the wise men reacted by leaving their homes to offer gifts to the new king; they reacted with joy. We also learned how king Herod reacted to the very same news with incredible fear. For the Magi, the sight of the unexpected Christmas star meant the Saviour had finally arrived. For Herod, the same star meant there was a potential contender for his throne. One star, one unexpected event, but two very different reactions: joy and fear.

Herod reacted with fear in part because, as a ruthless and violent ruler, he was disconnected from any kind of supportive community. However dysfunctional your family may be, Herod’s was far worse. Suspecting plots against him, he killed his wife and some of his own children. Herod’s dishonesty, paranoia and murderous tendencies led only to a very lonely life where he feared everyone, even his own family, and everyone feared him. The wise men, on the other hand, were part of a community. They watched the stars together, sought the Saviour together and worshipped together. Lacking any relationships, the unexpected news of a new king filled Herod with fear. Thanks to the support of a community, the same unexpected news filled the wise men with joy.

Those who grow through moments of unexpected challenges are often connected to a supportive community: it’s one reason why we work to draw people to our community. One of the many reasons to come for Mass regularly or to get involved in what happens here is to build a community that helps all to grow through the unexpected moments of life that challenge every person. This is where we come together to meet God, listen for him and worship.

Beginning very shortly, a couple dozen individuals are beginning to take a deeper look into some of the basics of our faith. Some are doing it to learn more about how to live out our faith. Some are joining so they know a little more about what it is their children are learning at school and some are thinking about becoming Catholic. The study is done through a mix of reading and videos and a few in-person discussions to build a supportive community. All dates and material are freely available on our website and the news app, so you’re welcome to check it out and even join any of the in-person discussions.

Our young people aren’t immune to the experience of unexpected life events either. So, since October, a great team have created a community, edge, where our youth can support one another. So far, students in grades five through eight have reflected on praying for one another, on working through emotions, on finding God at Mass and on their call to serve the larger community. Later this month, a group for high school students will start up to offer them a supportive community as well.

This year, I guarantee each will experience unexpected surprises both good and challenging; there’s no avoiding it. But while the unexpected may be unavoidable, we can prepare for it and belonging to a supportive community is a key part of that preparation. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to reflect on the unexpected events that come up and how we might react to their challenge. Unexpected moments may catch us off guard, but they don’t have to be moments full of dread. Maybe with the right preparation the unexpected can become opportunities that allows God to speak to us and shape us.

Guide us through your Spirit, O Lord, so when unexpected moments confront, we never fall into despair but instead turn to you. May we find your strength in the various communities to which we belong, our families, our friends and our Church, and, like the wise men, journey together to seek your Son and offer him a gift of worship. We offer all our prayers in his name. Amen.

On Christmas we reflected on the joy that is promised for everyone through the coming of Christ into the world. One week later, we reflect on the starting point of how that joy is to be brought about: through Mary.

One requirement for true joy is peace. Peace is not simply the absence of war and struggle, nor is peace simply tolerance or acceptance; instead, peace is working for the good of all people, or caring for others, not simply because it’s a nice thing to do, or because it’s how we want to be treated but because God made each person in his own image. In short, peace is not simply about co-existing with others but about living in good relationship with others, wishing the best for them.

Those relationships where we often find the most peace are those found among our families. Even in those sad moments where family ties are shaken, we find ourselves wishing and praying for peace to be restored to our families. Ultimately, the only source of peace that can be found here is not one formed by government or legislated by laws, but within the simple family unit.

While family is naturally formed through genetics and can even be formed through adoption, it can also be formed through the word of God. Jesus tells us, his beloved disciples, from on the cross that Mary is our mother, perhaps not a biological mother, but our mother nonetheless. From on the cross, before he rises from the dead, Jesus pronounces that all the baptized, although diverse in every way imaginable, are true brothers and sisters through him who entered the world through the, ‘yes’, of Mary.

When Adam and Eve said, ‘no’, to God, death and division entered the world. Through Mary’s, ‘yes’, life and unity was welcomed. Since Adam and Eve said, ‘no’, to God, it’s been difficult for us to find peace with God, with others and even with the rest of creation. We feel this directly whenever witnessing the effects of war, climate change or when God is hard to find. We pray that Mary’s, ‘yes’, would be the beginning of the pervasion of God’s peace among us, his family.

It makes total sense why the Pope declared this feast of Mary as an opportunity to pray for peace; today we celebrate Mary, our mother, that point of unity that can lead us, Christ’s followers, closer together as brothers and sisters, that point of unity that can lead us closer to Christ who is our peace.

As Mary allowed herself to become God’s instrument of peace and unity, we pray we would be as quick and as eager as her to say, ‘yes’, to God and likewise welcome peace into our families, community and world.

God of peace, through the intercession of Mary, the mother of our Saviour, may true peace fill our world. Open our hearts, through your Holy Spirit, so we would humbly accept your love in this New Year and beyond. May we trust in your power over our own and submit to the will of Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

I don’t believe it’s an accident that our Church has placed the feast of the Holy Family right after Christmas. The Shepherds, who we reflected on at Christmas, found not just the baby Jesus in the stable, but a family and it’s through that family that God was recognized and given glory. Many of our homes feature nativity sets at this time of the year; some have an angel, others might be missing a shepherd: lots of variation between different nativity sets. But right at the centre of every nativity set is always the Holy Family.

Christmas is also a time when families most often get together and for those who perhaps are unable to get together with family over Christmas, there’s certainly a feeling that something is missing. Sometimes our gatherings with family fill these days with joy, we hope they’ll never end. But there are also some moments when we realize how our families might be little less than holy. Every family has at least that one frustrating family member: we surely love them, but it would be much easier if we had a little more patience of if they could be just a little more this or a little less that. That’s okay to see where there’s room for growth. Sadly, though, occasionally even potential for growth is difficult to find, especially when conflict within a family is allowed to create divides.

But today’s feast isn’t about comparing our families to the Holy Family. I mean, undoubtedly, the Holy Family provides a model of unity and love for us to strive for, but today’s feast is more than a celebration of the existence of a family a long time ago on the other side of the world. Today’s feast is a celebration of how the presence of Jesus can overcome the difficulties and messiness found in our families to bring blessings to the world.

Even before our birth we are given a family history filled with heroes, sinners and saints. It was no different for Mary and Joseph. A glance into their family history reveals kings and exiles, heroes to admire and weak individuals to be ashamed of. With such mixed backgrounds, it’s easy to wonder if God has given up on such weak and unholy family trees in favour of stronger ones. But that’s not how God works; he never gives up.

All it took was a, ‘yes’, from Mary and Joseph to invite Jesus into the center of the messiness of their family histories. The family of Mary and Joseph became holy only when Jesus was placed at the centre and when that happened, the whole world was blessed. As the presence of Jesus blessed the Holy Family, God wishes to bless the world through our families too. A simple, ‘yes’, to God can overcome and redeem even the darkest of family histories and we say, ‘yes’, whenever Jesus is placed at the centre of family life.

Placing Jesus at the centre will look different from family to family; but it’s always a deliberate act and there are often outward signs that reveal his presence. In the first reading today, we heard about how Hanna placed God at the centre of her family through deep prayer and by dedicating her only child to God; by putting God at the centre of her family, God’s chosen people would eventually be blessed with unity and a kingdom of their own. In the Gospel, we learned how one way Mary and Joseph placed God at the centre of their family was by making regular visits the temple in Jerusalem to visit the holy site, give worship to God and offer a sacrifice. This was no day pilgrimage to the Martyr’s Shrine, but five days of walking each way.

Today we see an examples of a family centred around Jesus whenever vacation arrangements include plans for Sunday Mass or when even the most frustrating family member is invited to Christmas dinner. A family centred around Jesus may refuse to sign their children up for activities that would make participation at church impossible or may bravely say grace before a meal, even while in the presence of others or at a restaurant. The family that deliberately gives up some entertainment or buys a used car over a new one so they have the financial freedom to be generous, demonstrates a family dedicated to putting Jesus at the centre of their life.

Again, a family focused on revealing Jesus will look different from one family to the next, but the family that purposely places Jesus at the centre as the Holy Family did, will appear somewhat different and may not make sense to those looking on from the outside. As New Year’s approaches and many start thinking about resolutions and growth in twenty-twenty-five, maybe there’s an invitation there for families, especially parents, to see where and how they place Jesus at the centre. The first blessing received is knowing that Jesus truly is present with your family, but those blessings will always sill out into our community and world. For now, let us pray for our families that they would all truly be blessed by God:

God of all, you have given to us the gift of family. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may our families model themselves after the Holy Family; may they place Jesus at the centre of family life, receive his blessings and inspire others even when facing great difficulties. May our families be places of peace and, becoming truly holy through Our Lord, may the love that is shared remind all of the love that awaits in heaven. We join our prayers to those of Mary and Joseph and offer them in the name of Jesus, the Lord of all. Amen.

Even if you’re one of those people who finishes all your Christmas gift shopping before December, I know this still remains one of the most hectic times of the year. The Christmas parties, the family dinners on top of all the usual things that need to get done: there’s so many pressures, so much to, ‘yes’, to; and it’s all good. The extra pressures of Christmas: it’s all good; but it’s still pressure.

So, even if there’s a lot on your mind right now, even if you’re maybe a little frustrated because the parking lot was full, your kids have had too much sugar, the people seated next to you are irritating and even getting here was a battle, I’m thankful that you’ve decided to take a moment and come worship with us.

Maybe you find it easy to identify with the shepherds mentioned in the Gospel. At the time, shepherding was one of the worst jobs possible; it was dull and sometimes dangerous. Shepherds were exposed to the elements along with the animals they protected. Despite being essential workers, shepherds weren’t paid well but instead were religious outcasts. They weren’t welcome to join the community in worship, not only because they most likely smelled like a barnyard, but because their career, their life with animals, made them ritually unclean.

For the shepherds, religion may have seemed like it just wasn’t for them. The rules said they didn’t belong. Many looked down on them. Maybe the shepherds even felt as though there just was no place for them in the temple and synagogues.

But then something happened: an announcement of Good News delivered by a choir of angels, an announcement given, not to priests or kings first, but to ordinary shepherds. In response, the shepherds set aside all they had to do, all the pressures and expectations, to give God worship and thanks. They went to Bethlehem because they were excited.

I believe there’s a few lessons we can learn from the excitement of children at this time of year. First, children are very aware of what it is that they’re excited for. All the wish lists, Christmas specials, decorations, music and sugary treats: these all ensure that children never forget what it is they hope for from Christmas day and they’re excited for it.

The shepherds were excited because the message of the angels wasn’t just for the rich or the holy, the powerful or those welcome to worship in the temple: it was a message for all. The Good News for the shepherds, the source of their excitement, was that there was a Saviour for them.

For us adults today, we share in the excitement of that same Good News. We have a Saviour too and that’s a far bigger deal that whatever it is that fuels the excitement of children this time of year. Knowing this, knowing that we will meet our God and Saviour, should bring a great deal of excitement for us; it’s something unforgettable, something that creates an excitement within that can, at times, drive others a bit crazy.

We’re excited because we know we need a Saviour to rescue us from the times we fall short or don’t quite meet our own expectations as parents or friends, students, employees or employers. We know we need a Saviour to save us from the fears and frustrations, anger and anxiety that harass us. We’re excited because we know God has sent a Saviour to lead us out of sadness and sorrow to hope and joy. We’re excited because the Good News of Christmas reveals that, whoever you are, wherever you’ve been, whatever has happened to you, whatever you’ve done, a Saviour, the same Saviour who excited the shepherds on the first Christmas is the gift we too have been given.

Now, after their visit to Bethlehem to meet the Saviour, the shepherds had to return to their jobs and lives, just as we must do after this celebration. But they left very much changed. The shepherds said, ‘yes’, to the gift of the Saviour by sharing the Good News with all; they acted on the Good News.

Today, right in this place, we join the shepherds in meeting our Saviour. To get the most from this moment, we each might ask, “Do I know what I hope for from the coming of our Saviour?” Children get excited because they know what they’re hoping for at Christmas. The rest of us here might build up our own excitement by thinking about what we hope for, what difference a Saviour could make. There is no catalogue filled with pictures of hopes to go through and circle, but there are the scriptures; we might even go through the beatitudes and consider those promises that we hope for most. We might consider the gifts of the Holy Spirit and dwell on how our lives might be different if we had even one of those gifts. We might even write a letter to God or say a prayer expressing the hopes we have when we encounter his Son.

Of course, during this time of the year, Nativity Scenes and Christmas trees make it easy to remember that we have reason to be excited for a Saviour, but what about the rest of the year? What about during summer or while away on vacation? Crucifixes on prominent walls in our homes, a rosary in the pocket, even a scripture verse on the bathroom mirror can all be small ways to surround ourselves with reminders of what it is we hope and wait for and hopefully it all builds up our excitement and when that isn’t enough, we come here to meet Jesus directly.

There’s lots in life, plenty of books, movies, music and all forms of entertainment that distract away from God. Maybe the coming of a New Year marks a great opportunity to look for ways to remind ourselves of what it is we hope for, what it is we should be truly excited for. Let us just pause for a moment and pray:

Heavenly Father, like children who eagerly long for the promises of Christmas morning, we ask that, through the Holy Spirit, our own excitement to meet your son, Our Lord, would build and deepen. We ask to be filled with such excitement that it drives others crazy. We ask that this Christmas would offer all a period of peace, joy, and hope, a time when the love expressed in our festivities would reflect your love for all. This prayer we make in Jesus’ name. Amen

Last week, we listened to the words of John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus, who encouraged his listeners to prepare for the coming Saviour. At the time, when a royal official planned to visit a city, the roads along the route would first be improved. A visit from a royal official was a blessing, so the goal was to make it easy for the official to reach the city. John the Baptist says a similar thing should happen in the heart of each person, that as our Saviour approaches, promising great blessings, we should, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”[i], by repenting, by recognizing the need to adjust our thinking so we make decisions that say, ‘yes’, to God.

Those who heard John the Baptist loved his words and even wondered if he was the long-awaited Saviour. Eventually huge crowds gathered to listen to him. They knew something needed to change beginning within their own hearts. Wishing to be ready for the Saviour, they sought advice, “What then should we do?”[ii] John the Baptist answered with some very simple guidance, advice easy enough for even young children to follow, “…Whoever has two coats must share… …and whoever has food must do likewise.”[iii] Sharing: that’s key for anyone serious about preparing hearts for the Saviour. Share with those in need, with those who have less, with those who have nothing. Sharing is how we say, ‘yes’, to our Saviour.

We’ve been reflecting on how the whole season of Advent is about saying, ‘yes’. Many will say, ‘yes’, to invitations to dinner, visits and parties. The coming of the Saviour is God saying, ‘yes’, to us. We’ll reflect on the, ‘yes’, of Mary and Joseph and ultimately our own call to say, ‘yes’, to God. It’s a great time to reflect on how our response to all the options and choices that confront us each day shapes the direction of our life. We need a plan that helps us say, ‘yes’, to the right things at the right times because no one can say, ‘yes’, to every option because not every option is good; and sometimes it’s necessary to say, ‘no’, even to good things because our time and energy is limited.

We started by examining a possible decision-making strategy called discernment. It’s a strategy not only for sorting good options from not-so-good options, but also for discovering the best choice, the best place to say, ‘yes’, when life presents more than one good option. In this strategy, we recognize how God wants to be involved in the life of each person. We also realize how each person has been specially made and given a special role in God’s plan. Finally, we commit to making choices that support love: love for God and love for others.

A key to making choices that support love is found in sharing; it’s a message we drill into our children but as adults it’s easy to sometimes forget that basic lesson. It’s an easy lesson to forget when a scarcity mindset is accepted, while believing there’s a fixed amount of what’s available and never enough for all. The question becomes, “have I been given enough?”, instead of, “how have I been blessed?”. Scarcity exclaims that sharing is impossible, blinding us from recognizing how we’ve been blessed with opportunities to increase our faith, to say, ‘yes’, to God. Of course, there’s lots of challenges today. But, truth-be-told, never have so many had so much.

It’s easy to forget lessons on sharing when pride attaches achievement to personal value rather than responsibility. We work hard for what we have. We deserve to enjoy what we’ve worked so hard for: all true. Pride though, says our achievements are due to our own greatness. Our achievements become visible signs of our value and it’s challenging to give that away. When achievement is recognized as signs of God’s blessings, though, disciples recognize the responsibility to share, to offer blessings to others.

John the Baptist’s prompt to share is far more than a childhood lesson about being kind to others, it’s a serious spiritual matter as creation was made to work, to truly grow, through sharing. Adam was incomplete and barren until there was someone to share life with[iv]. Ecosystems flourish when the different components share. When Jesus shares his life with us, the gates of Heaven are opened. But when selfishness, pride or sin of any kind is allowed to have any say, temptations to grasp and keep undermine God’s plan for life.

On Saturday, we’ll celebrate a Reconciliation Service here. At seven in the evening, we’ll pray together briefly and examine our conscience, asking for God’s help in preparing our hearts for the coming Saviour. Then there will be opportunity for all to make an individual Confession. I’ve invited guest priests to join us. To help prepare, you’ll find guides for Confession at the entrance after Mass that you can take home. Like those who followed John the Baptist, we know change is needed and begin that much needed work of healing by inviting Jesus to work within our own hearts. If it’s been a year or more since your last Confession, you most definitely need to go. It’s not about looking back, but about looking ahead to his promised Kingdom.

Sharing isn’t just about being nice. It’s a spiritual issue and John the Baptist knew that disciples who truly prepare for the coming of the Saviour develop hearts inclined to share.

As we reflect on your promised gift of joy, O Lord, open our hearts to warmly welcome the life your Son shares with us. May we be strengthened to overcome temptations to grasp and control your blessings and instead share with all around us. Through our love, may others recognize the coming Saviour, in whose name we offer all our prayers. Amen.

[i] Luke 3:4 NRSVCE

[ii] Luke 3:10 NRSVCE

[iii] Like 3:11 NRSVCE

[iv] Genesis 2:18

Christmas is coming. I know some are ready. You’ve finished all the shopping and decorating, to-do lists and wrapping. But there’s many who aren’t so ready, those to whom Christmas still seems a long way off so there’s no need to think a lot about it just yet. Regardless of which group you fall into, Christmas is coming and it’s going to consume much of our lives with lots of good things: dinners, dances and parties, concerts, shopping, wrapping gifts and opening gifts: all good things. The problem is fitting it all in because all the regular obligations and pressures of life remain, on top of all the Christmas, ‘things’. The extra pressures of this season is a good problem to have, to be sure. It’s a sign of being blessed with family and friends; but it’s still extra pressure to say, ‘yes’, to so many things.

In many ways, Advent is a season of saying, ‘yes’. Many will say, ‘yes’, to invitations to dinner, visits and parties. The coming of the Saviour is God saying, ‘yes’, to us. We’ll reflect on the, ‘yes’, of Mary and Joseph and ultimately our own call to say, ‘yes’, to God. It’s a great time to reflect on how our response to all the options and choices that confront us each day shapes the direction of our life. We need a plan that helps us say, ‘yes’, to the right things at the right times because no one can say, ‘yes’, to every option because not every option is good; and sometimes it’s necessary to say, ‘no’, even to good things because our time and energy is limited.

Last week, we examined a possible decision-making strategy called discernment. It’s a strategy not only for sorting good options from not-so-good options, but also for discovering the best choice, the best place to say, ‘yes’, when life presents more than one good option. In this strategy, we recognize how God wants to be involved in the life of each person. We also realize how each person has been specially made and given a special role in God’s plan. Finally, we commit to making choices that support love: love for God and love for others.

The Gospel today introduces John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus, who pointed out how truly saying, ‘yes’, to God requires first getting ready for his coming. Repeating the words a former prophet, he proclaimed, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”[i] At the time, when a royal official planned to make a visit to a city, the roads along his route would first be improved. The potholes would be filled and litter removed. Some roads might even be rerouted to take a shorter path. A visit from a royal official was a blessing, so the goal was to make it easy for the official to reach the city. John the Baptist says a similar thing should happen in the heart of each person, that as our king approaches, promising great blessings, we should make straight and smooth ways for him to enter our hearts.

This is accomplished through a process called repentance. Repenting begins in the mind by admitting two things. First, we admit that something needs to change, that sometimes the decisions we freely make don’t always make it easy for God to enter the heart. Next, we recognize that we do have power to do things differently.

I once had a summer job with a road construction crew. The job was to resurface county roads. Because my task was just to hold a stop sign all day, I didn’t learn a lot about leveling and smoothing roads except for how long it takes. Daily progress wasn’t measured in kilometers but in meters and some days it seemed no progress was made at all. Still, to maintain safe roads the work was needed. In a similar way, repentance, the needed work of making straight ways for our Saviour, is a lifelong process where progress is sometimes difficult to recognize.

Repentance is a process and maybe this week, consider taking a moment to reflect on where you might be along that process. Now, important to remember: this isn’t an exercise to point out failures but to discover how to give a, ‘yes’, to God, to make a straight path for him to enter the heart; it’s about growing. A great place to look might be in your own prayer. Maybe you don’t have a great habit of prayer; that’s okay. We admit there’s room to grow and come here to work on it.

Maybe you have a great habit of prayer but find you often pray to have your wishes fulfilled. We all pray this: “God, I only want good things. Please give me what I want.” The downside of telling God what we want without asking about what he wants is that it leaves no room to say, ‘yes’, to his wishes. Worse still: when things go wrong it’s easy to blame God, to wonder how he could let good prayers go unanswered when, in fact, he wasn’t included in the discussion.

A second place we might find ourselves along the process of repentance is where we want to follow God but want to get our own way too. “If you do this for me, God, I promise to be faithful.” In the mind we want what God wants, but the heart still has some reservations. We begin negotiating with God or wonder if he couldn’t just wait until we’re ready to follow him.

Real repentance and the goal of the whole Christian life, making his way to the heart straight and truly giving our, ‘yes’, to God comes from a place of complete surrender, when we can truly pray, “…thy will be done…”. This is when we want what God wants without hesitation.

As Christmas approaches and we work on getting great gifts for loved ones, let’s also think about giving God the best gift possible: our, ‘yes’. We do this by making paths for him that lead straight to the heart. We do this when we come here to worship him. We do this when we take time at home to listen to him and we do this by confessing our need for his forgiveness.

God of all that is good, send to us your Holy Spirit to point out how we can open our hearts to you and seriously take up the call of John the Baptist to make straight paths for our Lord to enter our hearts. Aid us so we can truly want what you want, love what you love and serve as Jesus, our Saviour has served. In his name we offer all our prayers. Amen.

[i] Luke 3:4 NRSVCE