Because I will be celebrating Mass with three different sets of readings, I've made three versions of the homily for Christmas.
Homily for the Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord
Homily for Midnight Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord
Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Our Lord
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Our Lord
It's pretty obvious looking around that we know how to celebrate Christmas. The streets, storefronts, and houses are all aglow in beautiful lights and decorations. The radio stations are all playing favorite Christmas carols and songs. Favorite Christmas-themed TV shows are broadcast daily, and new holiday shows are created and shown every year. Yes, we do know how to celebrate Christmas, but do we really stop and think about why we're celebrating? It is merely for an excuse to give gifts and get family and friends together for an elaborate meal, or is there something far deeper and more profound to our celebrations?
For several years, the Knights of Columbus have supported and spread an annual campaign: "Keep Christ in Christmas". The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.
While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?
We may not consciously reflect on God becoming human, but that is precisely what the Gospel passage from St. John's Gospel is proclaiming this morning. In this opening passage to the Gospel we are told, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) Later, we hear, "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
This Gospel passage is held to be the greatest proclamation of the divinity of Christ. Jesus was not only a human who had a large following and established a rule of life for us to follow, but was and is truly God incarnate, meaning that He is God become human. Our Lord was with the Father in the beginning, the creation of the universe, and St. John tells us that through Our Lord all of creation came into being. Yet, with all the power and glory due to Him by all creation, the second person of the Trinity deigned to become human, being born as a humble infant in humble surroundings to a simple and humble family.
The Letter to the Hebrews tells us God "has spoken to us through the Son, whom He made heir of all things and through whom He created the universe." (Hebrews 1:2) As the Son of God, Our Lord is "far superior to the angels". (Hebrews 1:4) He could have come to Earth in any form that He would have willed, but chose to become one of us as an innocent child.
This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.
On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For several years, the Knights of Columbus have supported and spread an annual campaign: "Keep Christ in Christmas". The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.
While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?
We may not consciously reflect on God becoming human, but that is precisely what the Gospel passage from St. John's Gospel is proclaiming this morning. In this opening passage to the Gospel we are told, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) Later, we hear, "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
This Gospel passage is held to be the greatest proclamation of the divinity of Christ. Jesus was not only a human who had a large following and established a rule of life for us to follow, but was and is truly God incarnate, meaning that He is God become human. Our Lord was with the Father in the beginning, the creation of the universe, and St. John tells us that through Our Lord all of creation came into being. Yet, with all the power and glory due to Him by all creation, the second person of the Trinity deigned to become human, being born as a humble infant in humble surroundings to a simple and humble family.
The Letter to the Hebrews tells us God "has spoken to us through the Son, whom He made heir of all things and through whom He created the universe." (Hebrews 1:2) As the Son of God, Our Lord is "far superior to the angels". (Hebrews 1:4) He could have come to Earth in any form that He would have willed, but chose to become one of us as an innocent child.
This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.
On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Homily for Midnight Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord
It's pretty obvious looking around that we know how to celebrate Christmas. The streets, storefronts, and houses are all aglow in beautiful lights and decorations. The radio stations are all playing favorite Christmas carols and songs. Favorite Christmas-themed TV shows are broadcast daily, and new holiday shows are created and shown every year. Yes, we do know how to celebrate Christmas, but do we really stop and think about why we're celebrating? It is merely for an excuse to give gifts and get family and friends together for an elaborate meal, or is there something far deeper and more profound to our celebrations?
For several years, the Knights of Columbus have supported and spread an annual campaign: "Keep Christ in Christmas". The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.
While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?
In our Gospel this night, we see Jesus being born in a shelter for animals, and being laid in a food trough for the animals. The inns were full, and the Holy Family had to find whatever shelter they could in this small town that had been filled to overflowing. Because of this, Our Lord, the second person of the Trinity, was born in humble surroundings.
As God, he could have been born anywhere He wished, but chose a life of humility. Even the proclamation of His birth by the angels showed humility. Instead of proclaiming to great kings and rulers of the Earth, the angels appeared to humble shepherds, grazing their sheep on the hillsides surrounding the town of Bethlehem. The message the angels proclaimed, however, was not one of humility, but one of exultation: "a savior has been born to you who is Christ and Lord." (Luke 2:14) This innocent and humble child, born in simple surroundings to a simple family who lived a humble life, has come to save us. As we heard in the first reading, the hope of Israel foreseen by the prophet Isaiah, in fact the hope of all the world, came into the world as an unknown.
St. Paul reminds us that Jesus "gave Himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness, and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14) This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.
On this Christmas night, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For several years, the Knights of Columbus have supported and spread an annual campaign: "Keep Christ in Christmas". The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.
While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?
In our Gospel this night, we see Jesus being born in a shelter for animals, and being laid in a food trough for the animals. The inns were full, and the Holy Family had to find whatever shelter they could in this small town that had been filled to overflowing. Because of this, Our Lord, the second person of the Trinity, was born in humble surroundings.
As God, he could have been born anywhere He wished, but chose a life of humility. Even the proclamation of His birth by the angels showed humility. Instead of proclaiming to great kings and rulers of the Earth, the angels appeared to humble shepherds, grazing their sheep on the hillsides surrounding the town of Bethlehem. The message the angels proclaimed, however, was not one of humility, but one of exultation: "a savior has been born to you who is Christ and Lord." (Luke 2:14) This innocent and humble child, born in simple surroundings to a simple family who lived a humble life, has come to save us. As we heard in the first reading, the hope of Israel foreseen by the prophet Isaiah, in fact the hope of all the world, came into the world as an unknown.
St. Paul reminds us that Jesus "gave Himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness, and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14) This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.
On this Christmas night, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Homily for the Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord
It's pretty obvious looking around that we know how to celebrate Christmas. The streets, storefronts, and houses are all aglow in beautiful lights and decorations. The radio stations are all playing favorite Christmas carols and songs. Favorite Christmas-themed TV shows are broadcast daily, and new holiday shows are created and shown every year. Yes, we do know how to celebrate Christmas, but do we really stop and think about why we're celebrating? It is merely for an excuse to give gifts and get family and friends together for an elaborate meal, or is there something far deeper and more profound to our celebrations?
For several years, the Knights of Columbus have supported and spread an annual campaign: "Keep Christ in Christmas". The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.
While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?
St. Paul obviously thought long and hard about the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity becoming human. He reminds his listeners, and us in the second reading, that God showed His power and love to the Israelite people during their time of captivity in Egypt, through the Exodus out of that country, and by establishing them as a nation in the Promised Land. This God, who did such great and powerful things for the Israelite people, then deigned to be come one of them, being born as a descendant of the great king David.
In our Gospel this evening, we hear the seemingly long and drawn out genealogy of Jesus. To our modern ears, many of the names seem strange, foreign names from a foreign land. For the people that St. Matthew was writing to, this genealogy set the stage for the fulfillment of God's promise to His people. In fact, you may have recognized some of the names in the list, such as King David, as would many in the Jewish audience to whom St. Matthew was trying to proclaim the Gospel.
This genealogy is important, not only for Jews of the first and second century but also for us, because it shows the history of salvation from the Patriarchs Abraham, Issac, and Jacob down to the coming of Our Lord. Abraham was promised that he would be the father of a great nation, as numerous as the stars in the sky. This genealogy shows, in a summary, how this promise was fulfilled. More importantly, it shows to us who are not of Jewish descent how salvation came to us through God's plan for the Israelite nation.
The fact that God fulfilled this promise of salvation of all humanity is amazing enough, but the Gospel goes on to show us the way in which this promise was fulfilled. God could have used a great military leader or political figure to save the people of Israel, but instead He sent His Son as a tiny baby born under humble circumstances. He truly is Emmanuel, "God is with us". (Matthew 1:23)
This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.
On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For several years, the Knights of Columbus have supported and spread an annual campaign: "Keep Christ in Christmas". The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.
While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?
St. Paul obviously thought long and hard about the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity becoming human. He reminds his listeners, and us in the second reading, that God showed His power and love to the Israelite people during their time of captivity in Egypt, through the Exodus out of that country, and by establishing them as a nation in the Promised Land. This God, who did such great and powerful things for the Israelite people, then deigned to be come one of them, being born as a descendant of the great king David.
In our Gospel this evening, we hear the seemingly long and drawn out genealogy of Jesus. To our modern ears, many of the names seem strange, foreign names from a foreign land. For the people that St. Matthew was writing to, this genealogy set the stage for the fulfillment of God's promise to His people. In fact, you may have recognized some of the names in the list, such as King David, as would many in the Jewish audience to whom St. Matthew was trying to proclaim the Gospel.
This genealogy is important, not only for Jews of the first and second century but also for us, because it shows the history of salvation from the Patriarchs Abraham, Issac, and Jacob down to the coming of Our Lord. Abraham was promised that he would be the father of a great nation, as numerous as the stars in the sky. This genealogy shows, in a summary, how this promise was fulfilled. More importantly, it shows to us who are not of Jewish descent how salvation came to us through God's plan for the Israelite nation.
The fact that God fulfilled this promise of salvation of all humanity is amazing enough, but the Gospel goes on to show us the way in which this promise was fulfilled. God could have used a great military leader or political figure to save the people of Israel, but instead He sent His Son as a tiny baby born under humble circumstances. He truly is Emmanuel, "God is with us". (Matthew 1:23)
This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.
On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Who do we consider the most important people in the world? Is it the person who bags our groceries at the store, or is it the politician with the million dollar smile and thousand dollar haircut? Do we consider important those who live simply, or is it the flashy Hollywood actor or actress that we see on the big screen?
If humans were to choose our savior, we would likely choose a great warrior who defeats enemies with powerful weapons while giving great power and wealth to those who follow him. God's will is not like human wisdom, however. Our savior came simply, humbly. He was born in a small town, which the first reading described as “too small to be among the clans of Judah.” (Micah 5:1)
Humans would want a savior who came from the “right” people, the people that are held as important in the world, such as the popular political leaders or entertainers. Our Lord came from obscurity, born to a simple, humble woman. Instead of increasing the stature of those who are proud and seen as important, God lifts up the lowly.
Why does God use the lowly to advance His will in the world? By human wisdom, it seems like more could be done by working through those with earthly power. Sadly, it doesn't work that way. Those who gain earthly power frequently are corrupted by that power, seeking to do their own wills instead of the will of God the Father.
To be lowly and humble means having an openness to the will of God and a desire to fulfill that will. The humble realize that what they want is unimportant in the face of God's will. Mary became the mother of Our Lord because she humbly submitted her will to the will of God.
Our Lord Himself did not come as a great ruler with military might and conquering armies. Instead, He came as a humble carpenter, spending most of His life working a humble job and living a humble life. Yet, He came to do God's will, and literally gave His life to do it.
In fact, Our Lord's very death shows the humility that He lived. He could have given His life in a blaze of glory, but instead died in the most humiliating way possible on the Cross. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that “we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10) By Our Lord's humble death on the Cross, God's will was completed perfectly. Though He was born lowly and humbly, dying just as humbly, Our Lord's “greatness [reaches] to the ends of the earth.” (Micah 5:3)
As followers of Christ, we need to overcome our prideful desires and humbly seek the Father's will. Instead of worrying about what we want to receive as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, we should seek how God wants us to serve Him during the upcoming Christmas season. Perhaps he wants us to give a gift to someone who is in need. Maybe we're called to spend some time visiting with those who are lonely. It may even be as simple as being called to spend more time in His presence praying that His will be done. There are as many ways that we can humbly give of ourselves as there are those we are called to serve.
As we enter into this last week of Advent and final preparations for the Christmas season, may we each individually take time to humbly seek and fulfill the Father's will for our lives.
If humans were to choose our savior, we would likely choose a great warrior who defeats enemies with powerful weapons while giving great power and wealth to those who follow him. God's will is not like human wisdom, however. Our savior came simply, humbly. He was born in a small town, which the first reading described as “too small to be among the clans of Judah.” (Micah 5:1)
Humans would want a savior who came from the “right” people, the people that are held as important in the world, such as the popular political leaders or entertainers. Our Lord came from obscurity, born to a simple, humble woman. Instead of increasing the stature of those who are proud and seen as important, God lifts up the lowly.
Why does God use the lowly to advance His will in the world? By human wisdom, it seems like more could be done by working through those with earthly power. Sadly, it doesn't work that way. Those who gain earthly power frequently are corrupted by that power, seeking to do their own wills instead of the will of God the Father.
To be lowly and humble means having an openness to the will of God and a desire to fulfill that will. The humble realize that what they want is unimportant in the face of God's will. Mary became the mother of Our Lord because she humbly submitted her will to the will of God.
Our Lord Himself did not come as a great ruler with military might and conquering armies. Instead, He came as a humble carpenter, spending most of His life working a humble job and living a humble life. Yet, He came to do God's will, and literally gave His life to do it.
In fact, Our Lord's very death shows the humility that He lived. He could have given His life in a blaze of glory, but instead died in the most humiliating way possible on the Cross. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that “we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10) By Our Lord's humble death on the Cross, God's will was completed perfectly. Though He was born lowly and humbly, dying just as humbly, Our Lord's “greatness [reaches] to the ends of the earth.” (Micah 5:3)
As followers of Christ, we need to overcome our prideful desires and humbly seek the Father's will. Instead of worrying about what we want to receive as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, we should seek how God wants us to serve Him during the upcoming Christmas season. Perhaps he wants us to give a gift to someone who is in need. Maybe we're called to spend some time visiting with those who are lonely. It may even be as simple as being called to spend more time in His presence praying that His will be done. There are as many ways that we can humbly give of ourselves as there are those we are called to serve.
As we enter into this last week of Advent and final preparations for the Christmas season, may we each individually take time to humbly seek and fulfill the Father's will for our lives.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Petition Supporting the New Translation
In the liturgical circles of the Blogosphere, there has been much discussion over the "What if We Just Said Wait?" petition. (No, I'm not linking to it. You'll have to find it yourself if you want to sign. I do not wish to encourage disobedience to legitimate authorities in the Church.) In response, a petition has been created that supports the new translation called We've Waited Long Enough. I encourage you to sign this petition and pass it on to your friends, both real-life and social networking.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent
"What should we do?" How many are asking that question right now? We're getting all our Christmas preparations done. Maybe our gifts have been purchased and wrapped. Maybe we've bought only some of our gifts, but have more to go. Maybe none of our gifts have been purchased, and we have no idea what we're going to buy. Perhaps we're planning Christmas parties, or planning where to go over Christmas. With all this planning and preparing, we might have the feeling in the back of our minds that something is missing, and we want to ask, "What else should we do?"
We've got all these plans and preparations, yet I think we miss one important point about this season of advent: it should be a time of great joy! In fact, St. Paul tells us "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! [...] The Lord is near." In fact, the popular name of this very Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, comes from the Entrance Antiphon repeating St. Paul's words, which in Latin begins with "Gaudete" – Rejoice.
This should be a time of great joy and anticipation, almost childlike in our joy. We should have the simple joy that children have this time of year when they see the beautifully decorated trees and houses. Children light up during this season; even the snow which us adults complain about excites the kids.
We should be rejoicing always during this season. As the prophet Zephaniah says, "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!" This is how we should be approaching this season, with joyful anticipation. Our Lord is coming! It shouldn't be a time of stress and anguish. We need to prepare for Our Lord.
So again the question, "What should we do?" How should we prepare for our Lord? That's why John the Baptist was asked the question, after all. He was asked by the crowds who came to hear him preach. He was asked by the tax collectors who came to be baptized. He was even asked by the soldiers who came to watch for trouble. How does he answer? He answers that we should live in virtue. The crowds are told "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." We should be charitable during this season. We should be giving to those who have nothing this Christmas season.
The tax collectors were told stop collecting more than what was prescribed. At this time, they were allowed to collect more than what Rome required of them. As long as the Empire received the proper amount, the collectors were allowed to keep the rest. The tax collectors would make themselves rich by tacking onto the required tax. John the Baptist challenged them to take only what was required, doing their jobs with virtue and honesty.
Like the tax collectors, the soldiers were called to practice their jobs with honesty and virtue when they were told "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages." Giving bribes to soldiers in order to keep from getting arrested was an all-to-common practice at this time. Soldiers were challenged to remain virtuous and give up these immoral practices.
We are also challenged during this season to live our lives with virtue and honesty. During this season of Advent, we need to take time to reflect on how are we doing living the virtues. Are we charitable? Are we just? Do we judge others, or treat them fairly? This needs to be a time of great joy, but it also needs to be a time of reevaluating our lives as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord. This is why receiving the Sacrament of Confession should be a priority during this season.
As we draw closer to the celebration of Our Lord's birth on Christmas, may we be able to receive with joy the answer to the question "What should we do?"
We've got all these plans and preparations, yet I think we miss one important point about this season of advent: it should be a time of great joy! In fact, St. Paul tells us "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! [...] The Lord is near." In fact, the popular name of this very Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, comes from the Entrance Antiphon repeating St. Paul's words, which in Latin begins with "Gaudete" – Rejoice.
This should be a time of great joy and anticipation, almost childlike in our joy. We should have the simple joy that children have this time of year when they see the beautifully decorated trees and houses. Children light up during this season; even the snow which us adults complain about excites the kids.
We should be rejoicing always during this season. As the prophet Zephaniah says, "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!" This is how we should be approaching this season, with joyful anticipation. Our Lord is coming! It shouldn't be a time of stress and anguish. We need to prepare for Our Lord.
So again the question, "What should we do?" How should we prepare for our Lord? That's why John the Baptist was asked the question, after all. He was asked by the crowds who came to hear him preach. He was asked by the tax collectors who came to be baptized. He was even asked by the soldiers who came to watch for trouble. How does he answer? He answers that we should live in virtue. The crowds are told "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." We should be charitable during this season. We should be giving to those who have nothing this Christmas season.
The tax collectors were told stop collecting more than what was prescribed. At this time, they were allowed to collect more than what Rome required of them. As long as the Empire received the proper amount, the collectors were allowed to keep the rest. The tax collectors would make themselves rich by tacking onto the required tax. John the Baptist challenged them to take only what was required, doing their jobs with virtue and honesty.
Like the tax collectors, the soldiers were called to practice their jobs with honesty and virtue when they were told "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages." Giving bribes to soldiers in order to keep from getting arrested was an all-to-common practice at this time. Soldiers were challenged to remain virtuous and give up these immoral practices.
We are also challenged during this season to live our lives with virtue and honesty. During this season of Advent, we need to take time to reflect on how are we doing living the virtues. Are we charitable? Are we just? Do we judge others, or treat them fairly? This needs to be a time of great joy, but it also needs to be a time of reevaluating our lives as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord. This is why receiving the Sacrament of Confession should be a priority during this season.
As we draw closer to the celebration of Our Lord's birth on Christmas, may we be able to receive with joy the answer to the question "What should we do?"
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