Fourth Sunday of Advent

This weekend we hear the story of the Annunciation.  St. Bernard of Clairvaux was a 12^th century Cistercian who had a great devotion to Mary.  He imagines the moment between Gabriel’s announcement and Mary’s response in this way: 

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.

Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it. All the other holy patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for on your word depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom for the condemned, indeed, salvation for all the sons of Adam, the whole of your race.

Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.

Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise, and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.

Santa Lucia

Happy St. Lucy Day!  We don't know much about this woman who, although her name means "light", is shrouded in the murkiness of history.  In today's Office of Readings our selection was from St. Amrbose, "On Virginity."  He writes, "When you are in your room at night, think always on Christ and wait for his coming at every moment.  This is the person Christ has loved in loving you, the person he has chosen in choosing you.  He enters by the open door; he has promised to come in, and he cannot deceive.  Embrace him, the one you have sought; turn to him, and be enlightened; hold him fast, ask him not to go in haste, beg him not to leave you.  The Word of God moves swiftly; he is not won by the lukewarm, nor held fast by the negligent.  Let your soul be attenitve to his word; follow carefully the path God tells you to take, for he is swift in his passing."

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Let not your heart be disturbed.
Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sicknes or anguish. Am I not here, who is your mother ? Are you not under my protection ?Am I not your health ? Are you not happily within my fold ? What else do you wish ? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.
~ tradition, Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego ~

The Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete

Here is a version of the story I shared at Mass this weekend.  The Messiah is among us but in disguise.  Who could it be?

There was once an old monastry which had lost its inspiration. The same routines were perfomed as they always had been, but there were no new novices and little enthusiasm for the rites of prayer. The abbot saw all this and grieved. At a loss as to how to change things, he paid a visit to an old hermit who lived deep in the forest. After they had eaten together, the recluse addressed the abbot.
"You and your brothers have lost the fire of God. You come seeking wisdom from me. I will tell you a secret, but you can only repeat it once. After that, no one must say it aloud again." The hermit looked deep into the eyes of the abbot and said "The Messiah is among you". They were both silent as the abbot considered the importance of this saying. "Now you must leave" said the hermit.
Returning to the monastry the abbot called all the monks together and told them he had a teaching that had been given by God. He added that it was never to be said aloud again. The the abbot looked at each of his brothers, and said, "The hermit says that one of us is the Messiah."
The monks were startled. "Is John with the big nose the Messiah? Or Father Matthew who falls asleep at prayer? Am I the Messiah?" But puzzled as they were they never repeated the saying again.
As time went by the monks began to treat one another with a special love and reverence. There was a gentle, whole hearted, human quality about them now which was hard to describe but easy to see. They lived with each other as those who had finally found something of significance. The words were carefully considered. Who could tell when they were speaking to the Messiah?
Before long, the vitality of the monastry attracted many visitors and young men began asking to join the community. The old hermit died without revealing anymore, and the abbot sometimes wondered if he had understood correctly.

(The statue is of John the Baptist and is found in the baptistry at St. John's Abbey Church in Collegeville, MN.)

Happy Patronal Feast

The U.S. Bishops petitioned the Vatican to name Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, as patroness of the United States. Pope Pius IX did so a decade before he officially proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This beautiful feast reminds us that God's care for us goes beyond the normal boundaries and encompasses all of history. What a risk God took in allowing Mary to participate in the saving actions of her son as she was conceived. But Mary proved worthy of the trust as she said a simple, "Yes" to God's invitation to be the Theotokos - The God Bearer.
The photo is the altarpiece in the chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the North American College in Rome. It depicts Mary surrounded by dancing angels.

An anonymous 13th century poet wrote this beautiful "Hymn to the Virgin." It was famously set to music by Benjamin Britten when he was only 16 years old and it remains one of his most accomplished works.

Of one that is so fair and bright Velut maris stella (like the star of the sea),
Brighter than the day is light, Parens et puella: (mother and girl)
I cry to thee, thou see to me, Lady, pray thy Son for me, Tam pia, (how holy)
That I might come to thee Maria.

All this world was forlorn Eva peccatrice (Eve, the sinner),Till our Lord was y-born De te genetrice (from you was born)
With ave it went away Darkest night and comes the day Salutis (health);
The well springeth out of thee, Virtutis (virtue).

Lady, flower of everything, Rose sine spina (rose without thorns),
Thou bear Jesu, heavens king, Gratia divina (by divine grace):
Of all thou bearst the prize, Lady, queen of paradise Electa (chosen):
Maid mild, mother es Effecta (it is accomplished).

The boundaries of faith

What boundaries do you put on your faith? Today's gospel was the story of the paralytic who was brought to Jesus. When the crowd proved to great, his friends opened up the roof and let him down! That led me to two questions today: How far will I go to come face-to-face with Jesus? How far will I go to bring others face-to-face with Jesus?

Happy Anniversary, SC!

Yesterday, December 4 was the 48th anniversary of the promulgation of the Second Vatican Council's first document. It was Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. The Bishops, gathered in ecumenical council, recognized the ancient principal, lex orandi, lex credendi (the law of prayer, the law of belief). Just as our faith shapes the way we pray, in a more profound way the way we pray shapes our experience of God and therefore our belief.

Pope Benedict has established next year as a "Year of Faith." It will prepare us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. It will be a wonderful time to revisit the teachings of the Council and to see how we might integrate them more deeply into our lives. Watch for ways that the Diocese will engage us in this reflection in the upcoming "Year of Faith."