Sunday Reflections

Reflection for January 6th, 2018: The Epiphany of the Lord

     On this day of the Epiphany of the Lord we hear from the Gospel of Matthew about the Magi who seek to find the “newborn King of the Jews”. (MT 2:2)  On their journey, they are encountered by King Herod who asks that they inform him once they have located “the child”.  “After their audience with the king they set out.  And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.”  They were overjoyed with finding Baby Jesus with Mary.  “They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him gifts”. (MT 2:9)

    The Magi were aware of King Herod’s desire to kill the newborn child and took great precaution to avoid aiding him in this quest.  They took a different route home to avoid him altogether.  Just as today, we have many great influences looking to kill the spirit we have; to extinguish the light of Christ within us.  We must take great care to avoid our own aiding of this death in ourselves.  This too may require us to take detours in our lives.  Whether it is to avoid those who attempt to keep us from living the life that God intended us to live or in avoiding the temptations or vices that draw us into sin and separate us from Him.  Each day we must make decisions in our lives that keep us on the correct path; the path that leads us closer to Christ.

    As we begin a new year, we all strive to make it our best year yet.  Commitments to getting into better shape, giving up a vice, learning a new hobby, etc.  All of these are an effort at improving ourselves.  We can also make commitments to improving our spiritual well being.  A visit to the Blessed Sacrament, attending more Masses as well as going to confession are a great start.  We must also take stock of the many blessings God has given us and be willing to make sacrifices in our lives of our Time, Talent and Treasure.  Just as the Magi traveled a great distance to pay the Newborn King homage and to present their gifts, we too are called to make a greater effort in sharing of what we have.  This is essential for God’s work to be achieved through the many services of the parish as well as various charities and ministries that provide for those in need.

    We are grateful to all who have made a commitment to giving of their time, talent and treasure through their pledge this coming year. If you have not yet done so, please take the time to submit your 2019 commitment to tithing.  Pledge cards are available in the pews and vestibules of the church.  God gives us the many gifts and talents we have so that we can bear fruit for the building of His Kingdom.  Do we see this fruit as coming only from our own means or can we see God’s hand in our lives?  It is for us to decide how we can each share back in proportion to these great blessings given to us.  May God continue to bless each of you and your families for your generosity.

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Reflection for December 30th, 2018: The Feast of the Holy Family

    As we come to the end of a calendar year we are in only the 5th week of the new Liturgical Year.  Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  The fact that the Church identifies this Feast with the names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is striking and seemingly redundant, however God desires all families to be holy.  With this in mind, it seems fitting that we would be so specific.

   As we hear in Luke’s Gospel today, Mary and Joseph journey home from their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover.  At the end of the first day, they come to realize that Jesus was not with them in the caravan.  They hurry back to Jerusalem and anxiously search for Him.  “After three days, they found Him in the temple.” (LK 2:46)  Scared and likely very upset, they question Jesus, “Son, why have you done this to us?  Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” (LK 2:48)  Jesus’ reply is innocent and straightforward.  “Why were you looking for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (LK 2:49)  Jesus left with them, “and was obedient to them.” (LK 2:51)  One can only imagine the fear that Mary and Joseph must’ve felt.  Not only had they lost their son but also the “Son of the Most High” (LK 1:32) who they were entrusted to care for and protect.  Finding Jesus certainly brought relief but also frustration by seeing this as an act of disobedience on His part.  As we learn, this was anything but.  In fact, Jesus was displaying the ultimate form of obedience in that He set out to do the work His Father had sent Him here to do.  To Him, this was the natural thing to do hence His sincere reply and is confirmed in His subsequent obedience to His parents.

   Today we are reminded of our own call to be obedient to God.  We too have work set out for us to do in His name.  Though the word obedient may imply weakness or seem contrary to freedom, our strength and freedom are both dependant on it.  Living God’s will and obeying His commandments gives us the grace we need to resist temptations and guarantees our freedom from the chains that would otherwise bind us to them.

   Through a commitment to prayer and study, let the obedience of a 12 year old Jesus become natural to us in this New Year!