Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. One of the virtues that Mary exhibited in her relationship with God was joy. Her joy flowed from awareness of what God had and was doing in her life.  She expressed her joy in witness to Elizabeth. "My soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid...For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name." How joyful am I? Is it obvious to others? Do I like Mary have cause to be joyful for what God has and is doing in my life? Is joy a criteria of my life? Jesus' prayer was, "I have spoken my words to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be fulfilled." Paul reminds us: "Rejoice always. The Lord is in our midst."  Our joy does not come from the world, but from the Lord, who is our strength. Mary, help me to rejoice in all that God has and is doing in me. May my joy be a witness to others.

I invite you to join me on Zoom on Thursday December 15 for Part 3 on Mary in Advent. Feel free to share and invite others. Thanks. 

Topic: Mary in Advent, Part 3 by Bishop Sam Jacobs

 A Christian who isn't joyful is a Christina who is lacking something, or else is not a Christian. Is is a heartfelt joy, the joy within which leads us forth and gives us courage."

As Christmas is a season of joy, Advent is a time to live in joy in anticipation of Jesus' coming in a fresh, new way into our lives. Is it possible that joy is the door through which Jesus comes to us? So many  people are filled with anxieties and fears; so many people are enveloped in loneliness and self-concern. Why is joy missing in their lives? They forget the source of Joy. Jesus. They forget the reason of our joy, namely, our salvation and the gift of sharing in his divine life. Recall what God has done for us out of his love and respond to his blessings by being a witness of joy to others. We need to take the admonition of St. Paul to heart: "Rejoice always. Again I say, rejoice. For the Lord is near and in our midst."

"Today we contemplate the humble girl of Nazareth who, by an extraordinary and ineffable privilege, was preserved from the contagion of original sin and from every fault, so that she could be a worthy dwelling-place for the Incarnate Word. In Mary, the New Eve, Mother of the New Adam, the Father’s original, wondrous plan of love was re-established in an even more wondrous way. Therefore the Church gratefully acclaims:  “Through you, immaculate Virgin, the life we had lost was returned to us. You received a child from heaven, and brought forth to the world a Savior”  (Pope St. John Paul II)

When the angel appeared to Mary to announce the plan of God for the conception and birth of the Savior through her, his greeting was simple and to the point. "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you."  In this he referred to the original name God gave her, "full of grace" before her parents named her "Mary". By God's design Mary was full of grace from the very first moment of her existence in her mother's womb. This was so that she could be the perfect vessel to later conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit the Savior of the world. The Lord was within Mary by grace and shared life before he was was within her as a child.  This grace enable the Son of God to be conceived as the Son of man. Lord, thank you for this special grace you gave Mary so that we may be able to receive the special grace of your beloved Son from Mary.

Homily Third Sunday of Advent Year A

Reading 1: To understand Isaiah’s words, we have to put ourselves back in his time. The people of Israel had been conquered by their enemies because they did not live up to their covenant with God. They are in exile. In the midst of this desolate reality, Isaiah gives a message of hope.

 Isaiah finds joy even when things look bleak. Isaiah is prophesying what will happen when the promised Messiah comes. Nature itself will rejoice with celebration, the desert will bloom.  Isaiah sees beyond the weak hands, trembling knees, and lost hearts. He reminds the people that they will see the glory of God.  He reassures the Chosen People: “Be strong. Fear not. Be prepared. The Messiah comes to save us.” This is the reason for Isaiah’s joy: the promise of God to save them. How will they know? What the prophet hold on to is the conviction that everything will be transformed: Signs and wonders will occur: the blind will see; the deaf hear, the crippled will walk, and the mute will speak.

When the people returned from exile they experienced the initial fulfillment of God’s prophetic word. Jerusalem was desolate, but in time with the encouragement of God they rebuilt the city and the Temple and the glory of God returned to the Temple. But we know that the real fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy was fulfill by Jesus, who saved us from our sins and restored us to a sharing in God’s own life.

Gospel: John is in prison. He wants to make sure he made the right decision in pointing out Jesus as the Messiah. The doubt that John is expressing is not a questioning of his belief but a question of clarity. John had his own expectations about what the Messiah would do once he came. He thought he would be a fiery prophet like himself, condemning the sinners. John’s expectation was that Jesus would take up his prophetic mantel and continue to confront directly those who were not living righteously. The way Jesus was ministering was different than the way John ministered and expected Jesus to minister.

Instead, Jesus reassures his cousin that just as he fulfilled the plan of God, preparing for his coming, so Jesus himself is fulfilling the plan of God but in a different way. Fiery preaching was John’s method, Signs and wonders are Jesus’

Credentials. He preaches and confirms his words with signs and wonders or he performs signs and wonders with a teaching following.

Jesus say, “You John came in the spirit of Elijah, calling the people to repentance and confronting the powers to be head on. As Elijah’s life was threatened by Jezebel the queen, your life is threatened by the wife of Herod.” John fulfilled his role and suffered beheading in witness to his words. Jesus will suffer crucifixion in fulfillment of the words of the prophets.

We rejoice that John fulfilled his role in life, even though he was martyred for his conviction. We rejoice that Jesus fulfilled his role as Savior, even though he was crucified. Like Paul, we glory in Christ crucified, because through his death we have been saved and given a share in the life of God.

Reading 2: Isaiah was preparing the people for the first coming of the Messiah. Jesus is preparing us for his present and final coming.  Paul tells us that while we wait in patience and with firm hearts for his second coming, we need to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus in the present moment. How? We are called not to complain about one another, not judge others, but endure suffering from others as Christ did for our sake. We are called to keep our eyes on the coming of the Lord and not be distracted by the slights and criticism from others. It takes a bigger person to bless and not curse, to turn the other cheek and not strike back.

 Today is the Feast of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. I came across this quote from him for our reflection during Advent. "The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt.”

We can apply this to all of us. Because of Jesus's death and resurrection we have been given the greatest gift of all, redemption and eternal life with God. When we die, that will be our entrance ticket into the eternal kingdom of God. Sharing in the life of God is our treasure. So, when we give alms to someone this Advent, it is not so much an act of charity but a payment on the debt we owe to God for sharing his life with us. It is a debt we can never hope to pay back. But our sharing with others is one way we can express our gratitude to God. The opportunity to give to another is a greater blessing for us more than to the other.

 Join me tonight on Zoom as I present part two of Mary in Advent.