St. Andrew

Rom 10:9-18; Mt 4:18-22

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. St. Andrew, according to the gospel of John, was the first disciple called; upon hearing the voice of Jesus resonate in his hear he went to gather his brother Simon.

St. Andrew introduced Simon to Jesus and together they shared an intimacy that grew and developed into a life of service in faith, a life that would leave the ultimate testimony, death on a cross.

When you read the call narratives, the one thing that stands out about the encounter of the disciples and Jesus is how quickly the disciples responded. The gospels recall how "immediately" or "at once" the disciples leave everything and follow Jesus.

With out hesitation, Andrew and Simon and the others open their heart wide to Christ.

As we enter into the first full week of Advent, perhaps the catch phrase this first week is "immediate." As we prepare for the coming of Christ we should immediately respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our life, we should immediately respond in charity in proclaiming the truth, we should immediately respond in service.

A good way to enter fully into the Advent season of waiting is by immediately living the faith we have received in Christ; no excuse, no delay, just prompt response in love to love offered.

The voice of Jesus calls us forth, do not delay.

Bless the Lord

All of us like t0 be congratulated; all of us like to be told "good jOb" or "well done" or "way to go."

It fills our hearts with joy and gives us strength and encouragement for the journey. It comes across as a blessing. We like blessings.

But can we bless the Lord?

Dt 8:10 Moses tells the people, "when you have eaten your fill bless the Lord for the good land he has given."

Not only can we bless the Lord but it is a command, we must bless the lord.

Just like we are blessed when people recognize what we have done and respond with congrats and thanks so too we must learn to live by recognizing what God has done and respond with congrats and thanksgiving.

Look around! How easy it is to miss al that God has done.

What a great job God has done and continues to do, even if it isn't what we want.

Blessing the Lord demands recognition and response of thanksgiving; thus our heart filled with gratitude will strengthen us for the journey.

The most supreme way of blessing the lord is worship. As we gather at the Eucharist, we gather to bless the Lord. We enter into the thanksgiving of Jesus to the Father.

By our presence we bless the Lord. We acknowledge what he has done in Christ.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude.

At the end of Mass, the priest tells us the Lord is with you and May Almighty God Bless you, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

We have blessed God with our presence and in return he blesses us for the journey ahead.

san clement

dn 1:1-6, 8-20; Glory and Praise for ever; Lk 21:1-4

today we celebrate the feast of the 3rd successor of Peter, Clement I.

He was Pope toward the end of the 1st century.

In his letter to Corinth, Pope Clement exhorts the community to pray for the governing class, the civil rulers, even as they are being persecuted by them. This prayer is the oldest prayer we have written outside of the New Testament text.

"Grant them, Lord, health, peace, harmony, stability, so that they may give no offense in administering the government you have given them. For it is you, Master, heavenly "King of eternity," who give the sons of men glory and honor and authority over the earth's people. Direct their plans, O Lord, in accord with "what is good and pleasing to you," so they administer the authority you have given them, with peace, considerateness, and reverence, and so win your mercy."

May this be our prayer for our government leaders as they seek to pass health care reform.

Christ, Servant King

Daniel 7:1-14; Psalm 93 The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33-37

Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.

The gospel today describes Jesus before Pilate; Jesus is being judged by the world.

JEsus is open to judgment.

Here we learn to be open to judgment as well. One cannot live unless one is open to judgment. It is when we are closed to judgment that we are condemned to die.

Pilate condemns Jesus because he is not open to judgment himself.

Every year during Lent the Pope leads the stations of the cross; on Good Friday night he leads them in the Coliseum. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II at the close of the stations in the coliseum spoke these words:

"Who, if not the condemned Savior, can fully understand the pain of those unjustly condemned?

Who, if not the King scorned and humiliated, can meet the expectations of the countless men and women who live without hope or dignity?

Who, if not the crucified Son of God, can know the sorrow and loneliness of so many lives shattered and without a future?

Jesus took his wounds to heaven, and there is a place in heaven for our wounds because our King bears his in glory."

Jesus testifies to the truth; he is the truth. Thus we must let him reign by allowing him to take away our sins each and every day.

a reading and a prayer

1 macc 4:36-37, 52-59; We praise your glorious name, O mighty God; Lk 19:45-48

For today I have a reading and a prayer:

This morning As I was praying the office I was struck by the reading of the day from Ephesians 4:29-32

"Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them. Do nothing that will sadden the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed against the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander, and malice of every kind. In place of these, be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ."

A prayer:

"Breathe on Me, O Holy Spirit

that my thoughts may be holy

Act in me O Holy SPirit

that my work may be holy

Draw my heart, O Holy SPirit

to defend all that is Holy

Guard me then O Holy SPirit

that I always may be holy."

Basilicas of Rome

2 Mac 7:1, 20-31; Psalm 17 Lord, when your glory appears my joy will be full; Lk 19:11-28

Feast of the Dedication of St. Peter's and St. Paul Basilicas in Rome

Today in the church we celebrate the commemoration of the dedication of St. Pete's Basilica in Rome along with St. Paul's Basilica.

St. Peter's Basilica was founded around 323 A.D. and for a 1000 years stood tall. It was razed in 1509 and rebuilt under the guidance of Pope Julius II. It was officially dedicated on November 18, 1626. It is built over the burial place of St. Peter.

If you go there today you can see the bones of Peter next to the chapel of St. Clementine.

St. Paul Outside the Walls was also built in the century. It was the largest basilica until the new St. Peter's was built. After a fire it was rebuilt. It is currently built over the grave site of St. Paul.

The Basilicas are built in honor of God in how he chooses men to proclaim the good news. Peter and Paul both lived professing faith in Jesus Christ and they died with that profession in their hearts and minds.

Pope Benedict reminds us that basilicas are primarily a place of prayer. They invite us into the household of God. For thousands of years men and women journeyed to these places to beg God for favor and to give God thanks for favor received.

These basilicas are houses of prayers for the faithful.

Prayer in general is two things. One prayer is service to God who deserves our ceaseless praise and adoration.

Prayer is also a testimony to the world, a witness for others. every time we fall on our knees we are giving witness to the world. Prayer prepares us for martyrdom.

Some where between these two realities we learn hope. Somewhere between service to God and witness to others we grow in hope and are strengthen to fall upon our knees and withstand the onslaught of the world.

Between these two we are empowered to live like the mother in the first reading of today, who hoped in the Lord.

The Basilicas that rise high above the city of Rome, give service to God and witness to man. They stand has visual signs of Hope for All in the Lord.

"Lord, in the midst of life's countless changes strengthen us with your never-changing love."

the King's daughter

2 mac 6:18-31; Ps 3 The Lord upholds me; Lk 19:1-10

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." Thornton Wilde

"Charm is the ability to be truly interested in other people." Richard Avedon

"Science is organized knowledge; wisdom is organized life." Immanuel Kant

As I ponder the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary these three quotes come to mind. The daughter of a king, princess in the eyes of the world, she decides to give her loyalty to her God and subject herself to her subjects both poor and lowly.

In the words of the first reading she became a "model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation."

She took the words of Psalm 45 to heart and allowed them to shape her life, "Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words: forget your own people and your father's house. So will the king desire your beauty" he is your Lord, pay homage to him...the daughter of the king is clothed with splendor, her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold. She is led to the king with her maiden companions. They are escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass with in the palace of the king."

She became forgetful of herself, but never forgetful of her God; in her devotion to him, she became the King's daughter above all else and dedicated her life to his service by tending to the poor and afflicted and hungry.

She was wise for she order her life according to God's desire. She was truly conscious for she treasured the pearl of great price and understood what treasure she held in the gift of her faith. She was charming, for all who came to her, the least of the least, she recognized with great interest as the King in disguise seeking her embrace.

She was wise, conscious, and charming. Today she remains for us a model to follow; today she is enrolled in the roll call of saints interceding for us along the way.

Like Zacchaeus, she refused to be just another face in the crowd. She refused to just stay on the ground but she soared. As Zacchaeus climbed the Sycamore to get a closer look at Jesus and was changed for ever, in her heart Elizabeth ascended so that she might get a better look of the King; in spying him in her heart, she was moved to do her part, her duty to her King, a life of loyalty in love.