House of Bread - House of Flesh

Sunday, December 26, 2010

House of Bread - House of Flesh

Homily from the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord - Year A

I’ve lived in Fort Wayne for only six months now and I’m starting to get to know my way around the city. It wasn’t always like that though. On one of my first days in Fort Wayne, I was downtown at the Cathedral and I started driving back to St. Vincent’s when I suddenly realized, I didn’t remember how to get back.

Luckily, I had a GPS. So I typed in 1502 East Wallen Road and added St. Vincent’s to my “favorites” list. And my handy little friend told me how to get back home.

A few weeks ago I changed St. Vincent’s from being a “favorite” to being “home.” Home used to be 5028 Greenleaf Lane in South Bend. But my home is St. Vincent’s now.

We all know that Christmas Carol, “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays.” And it’s so true. No doubt, most of us have traveled or will travel to be with family on the holidays. We get the word “holiday” from “Holy Day.” So, you could say that “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holy Days.”

1502 East Wallen Road isn’t just a “favorite” place for us. It’s our home. It’s a house. The house of God.

Today, Jesus calls us home to his house. And on Christmas, he calls us to his first home, Bethlehem.

The name of that little town, “Bethlehem”, is so significant, that one can’t help but recognize the obvious fact that Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem is the work of God the Father.

In Hebrew, “Bethlehem” means “House of Bread.” The little town of Bethlehem is the house where we find Jesus, the Bread of Life. It is where God becomes food for mankind.

And in Aramaic, “Bethlehem” means “House of Flesh.” The little town of Bethlehem is the house where the Incarnation, the Word of God becoming flesh, takes place. It is where God becomes man.

God becomes bread… God becomes man. Why?

Why did God choose to become a man like us? God became a man like us so we could become like Him. One of the greatest things I ever read in six years of seminary studies was a line from “Gaudium et Spes” a document from the Second Vatican Council. It says, “The truth is that only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word [Jesus Christ], does the mystery of man take on light… Christ… fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear.”

How many times do we attribute our mistakes and failings to our so-called “human nature”? Quite the contrary. Jesus became a human being so he could show us the true meaning of “human nature.” By himself being born into poverty, Jesus shows us that true human nature is not full of pride, but full of humility. By his own obedience to His Father in Heaven and his service to mankind, Jesus shows us that true human nature is not full of envy, but fully of love of God and neighbor. And by taking up his cross, Jesus shows us that true human nature is not full of selfishness, but full of sacrifice.

And in Bethlehem, God becomes bread? Why?

Why did Jesus become food for mankind? We cannot live without food. Without food we die. We cannot live without Jesus either. Jesus says, “I am the living bread that comes down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world… Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” (Jn 6:51,54).
Ordinarily, when we eat food, it becomes part of us.  We ingest it and assimilate it and it becomes part of our bodies and helps us grow.  However, when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we become part of him.  He assimilates us into his body and helps us grow in holiness.

In Bethlehem, the “House of Bread” and the “House of Flesh” Jesus became man and food. He did so by allowing himself to be placed in a manger – a feeding trough for animals. The word “manger” comes from the French word “manger” (“mohn-zhay”) which means, “to eat.” In Bethlehem, Jesus transforms the feeding trough for animals into the place where human beings come to feed on the Bread from Heaven, the Bread of Life.

This first happened over 2,000 years ago and over 6,000 miles away. As another Christmas Carol states, “Away, in a Manger.” But the truth is, the manger is not “away.” It’s not some past event in history. It’s not halfway around the world. The manger is right here and right now. This is Bethlehem. This is the “House of Bread” and the “House of Flesh” where Jesus becomes man and food. This is the place where Heaven comes down and touches Earth. So that for one hour every week, we can leave Earth behind for a moment and come to this Church; and in Jesus, see who we are truly called to be and received eternal life, and enter into our true home.

fourth sunday of advent

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Men Like Joseph

Homily from the 4th Sunday of Advent – Year A

Every year, our Sunday Gospel readings focus on a different Evangelist’s writings.  This year, beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, the vast majority of our Sunday Gospels will come from the Gospel of Matthew.  We’re now in what’s called “Year A” of a three-cycle.  The cycles are actually easy to memorize.  Years A, B and C focus on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Two of the Gospels, Matthew and Luke, have what are called infancy narratives or, the stories of Jesus’ birth.  And each of these infancy narratives gives special attention to one of Jesus’ parents.  The Gospel according to Luke focuses largely on Mary, whereas the Gospel according to Matthew focuses largely on Joseph.

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to reflect a lot on Mary.  We celebrated the Solemnity of Mary’s Immaculate Conception on December 8th,  And last Sunday, was the feast of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

This week, we hear the beginning of the infancy narrative from the Gospel of Matthew.  So, this gives us the opportunity to consider St. Joseph’s role in the birth of Christ.

In today’s Gospel, St. Joseph stands as a model of virtue worthy of our admiration and imitation.  And St. Joseph is a role model in a particular way to men.  So, if you’ll permit me ladies, I beg your patience for just a few moments, because I would like to take this opportunity to preach in particular, to my fellow men gathered here today.  I think you’ll be pleased that I did.

Men, St. Joseph is for us, a true model of manhood.  You and I must become men like Joseph  He bears a number of manly qualities for us to imitate.  Allow me to mention but a few

Joseph is a man of integrity.  He was betrothed to Mary.  She was to be his wife.  In our Gospel reading today, he and Mary did not yet live together.  But one day, Mary said to Joseph, “I’m with child.”  And Joseph knew the child was not his. 

According to the law of Moses, it was Joseph’s legal right to have Mary stoned.  But Joseph was not a vengeful man.  Joseph did not care about being right.  He did not care about winning the argument.  He cared about the welfare of Mary.  The Gospel tells us, Joseph “was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame.”  Joseph is a man of integrity.

Joseph is a man of God.  Joseph listens to God.  Three times, God spoke to Joseph through an angel.  In today’s Gospel, we hear of the first message.  In a dream, the angel tells Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary into his home.  Later, the angel will warn Joseph to take Mary and Jesus out of Bethlehem because Herod seeks to kill the child.  Later again, the angel tells Joseph to return to Israel.  Joseph listens to God and he trusts God.   Joseph is a man of God. And by being a man of God, Joseph is empowered with another heroic virtue.

Joseph is a man of action.  Immediately after receiving instruction from God through the angel.  Joseph rises from his sleep and does exactly as God commands.  He doesn’t doubt or question.  He doesn’t whine or complain.  He doesn’t wimp out. He takes action.

He takes Mary into his home and raises the child as his own.  When in danger, he leads Mary and Jesus to safety in Egypt.  When the time to return home has come, he brings his wife and his child under his roof.  Joseph is a man of action.

Joseph is a man of humility.  It could be said that Joseph was a soft spoken man.  If you want proof of Joseph’s humility, try finding in the Bible anything he said.  In all of the Gospels, you will find not one single word spoken by Joseph.  We know nothing of what Joseph said.  And there’s no need to.  Because, as I said before, Joseph let his actions speak for themselves.  He did not need to hear himself talk.  Joseph is a man of humility.

And lastly, Joseph is a man of responsibility.  As I mentioned before, it was Joseph’s responsibility to guard and protect Mary and Jesus.  It was Joseph’s responsibility to make a home for his wife and child.  It was his responsibility to earn a living and provide food and clothing for his family.

And if you want to see a great example of Joseph as a man of responsibility, take a look at the beautiful statue of the Holy Family over to the left as you leave through our gathering space.  In this statue, we see a truly amazing image.  In this statue, we see Joseph, leaning over Jesus and teaching him the Torah, the Sacred Jewish Scriptures. 

Think about that for a moment. Joseph is a mere creature, created by the Word of God, teaching the Word of God to the one who is the Word of God.  Despite his own limitations and despite his own shortcomings, Joseph did not shirk his responsibility; which was, despite his own sinfulness, he was responsible for protecting the only sinless woman who ever lived and for teaching and raising the only sinless man who ever lived.

So, my fellow men; past, present and future husbands and spouses, let us ask Jesus and Mary for help to become men like this. 

Men who listen to God and are obedient to Him. 

Men who guard, protect, and provide for our spouses and children.

Men who put aside our own ego for the sake of others.

Men who would rather suffer our own embarrassment than expose another to shame.

Let us be men like Joseph.

Right Before the Son Appears

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Homily from the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) - Year A

One weekday morning, a couple of weeks ago I was greeting our students as they arrived for school.  And on this particular morning, the sky was filled with brilliant colors as the sun was about to rise.  On the western horizon the sky was still pitch black.  But as you looked across the sky and moved your eyes to the east, the blackness of night gave way to a deep violet.

And with every passing minute, the heavens turned brighter and more brilliant; richer and richer in vivid shades of purple.  Huge, white, puffy clouds accented the sky and drew out more and more shades of that wonderful pre-dawn color.

And as the students were walking into school, I’d pull one or two aside and say  “Look at that beautiful sunrise.  Tell me there isn't a God!”  It was wonderful to watch them just enjoy the sunrise for a moment.  A few of them said their parents pointed it out to them as well.

And right before the sun peaked over the horizon, everything turned a beautiful rose color.  And it was one of those moments you wish would last forever.

Today, we celebrate the third week of Advent also known as Gaudete Sunday.  Gaudete means “rejoice.”  We rejoice because we know our Advent is halfway over and Jesus is coming.

The black night of our sin gives way to the beautiful violet of our Advent waiting and preparation.  And as we get closer and closer to Christmas in which we celebrate Christ’s coming in history, we also get closer and closer to the end of time when Christ will come in majesty.

And right before the Son (S-O-N) appears, everything turns a beautiful rose color .  We light the rose-colored candle on our advent wreath and wear rose-colored vestments.

Ordinarily, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12th.  But Sundays always trump feast days so the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was moved to yesterday.  However, I think it would be OK to talk about Our Lady of Guadalupe a little bit.

I’m sure many of you know the story.  In 1531, Mary appeared four times to a poor farmer named Juan Diego.  And she asked Juan Diego to go ask the bishop to build a church on the mountain where she appeared.  Juan Diego said the bishop would not listen to a simple man like him, so Mary told Juan Diego to go pick some Castilian roses which were growing on the mountain.  These roses would be a miraculous sign to the bishop because they were native to his birthplace in Spain, but not in Mexico, and also because they never bloom in December.

So Juan Diego found the roses as Mary promised and began picking them, placing them in the fold of his cloak which is called a tilma.  And when Juan Diego went before the bishop and opened his tilma to show him the roses, the roses fell out and revealed the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which remains to this day.

Our beautiful mosaic of Mary is a reproduction of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  In that image, Mary wears a sash around her waist.  This is no ordinary sash, but specifically, a sash that, in Mexican culture, expectant mothers wear.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is with child.  So as we look at her, we see not only Mary, but also Jesus who is present in the image as well.  A baby, hidden in the womb, not yet seen by our eyes, but just around the corner, just over the horizon.

And this infant Jesus, who is present within Mary’s womb, who is, in a sense, already here, but not quite yet, rests, hidden beneath Mary’s rose-colored inner garment, which breaks through the violet of her outer garment.

On that violet outer garment are displayed the stars of night.  The forthcoming birth of the Messiah pierces the dark of night.  And behind Our Lady of Guadalupe we see the rays of the sun.  A sun which is not yet fully revealed, but we know is there.  Just as the Son within her womb, is not yet fully revealed, but we know is there and is on the way.

This connection between Our Lady of Guadalupe and Gaudete Sunday is not designed, or given to us, by the Church.  They don’t always fall on the same day.  Plus, the sun Mary is standing in front of represents Mary blocking out the sun which was an object of pagan worship at the time; instead Mary shows us the real Son to worship, her Son Jesus.

But nevertheless, both Gaudete Sunday and Our Lady of Guadalupe reveal to us today that Jesus is indeed on his way.  Not just at Christmas, but also at the end of our time here on this earth, which is sooner than we think.

The day of our departing and the Lord’s coming is unknown to us; not yet seen with our eyes, but it is just around the corner... just over the horizon.

Let us not fear or dread that day.  But prepare and rejoice!

immaculate conception

Many people mistakenly believe that the immaculate conception refers to the conception of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ conception was most assuredly immaculate…but the immaculate conception does not refer to Jesus at all. The immaculate conception is a doctrine of the Romans Catholic Church in regards to Mary, Jesus’ mother. An official statement of the doctrine reads, “…the blessed Virgin Mary to have been, from the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Christ Jesus the Savior of Mankind, preserved free from all stain of original sin.” Essentially the immaculate conception is the belief that Mary was protected from original sin, that Mary did not have a sin nature, and was, in fact, sinless.

The problem with the doctrine of the immaculate conception is that it is not taught in the Bible. The Bible nowhere describes Mary as anything but an ordinary human female whom God chose to be the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary was undoubtedly a godly woman (Luke 1:28). Mary was surely a wonderful wife and mother. Jesus definitely loved and cherished His mother (John 19:27). The Bible gives us no reason to believe that Mary was sinless. In fact, the Bible gives us every reason to believe that Jesus Christ is the only Person who was not “infected” by sin and never committed a sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5).

The doctrine of the immaculate conception originated out of confusion over how Jesus Christ could be born sinless if He was conceived inside of a sinful human female. The thought was that Jesus would have inherited a sinful nature from Mary had she been a sinner. In contrast to the immaculate conception, the Biblical solution to this problem is understanding that Jesus Himself was miraculously protected from being polluted by sin while He was inside Mary's womb. If God was capable of protecting Mary from sin, would He not be able to protect Jesus from sin? Therefore, Mary being sinless is neither necessary or Biblical.

The Roman Catholic Church argues that the immaculate conception is necessary because without it, Jesus would have been the object of His own grace. The thought goes like this – for Jesus to have been miraculously preserved from sin, which itself would be an act of grace, that would mean God essentially “graced Himself.” The word grace means “unmerited favor.” Grace is giving someone something he or she does not deserve. God performing a miracle in preserving Jesus from sin is not “grace.” In no sense could Jesus possibly be infected with sin. He was perfect and sinless humanity joined with sinless divinity. God cannot be infected or affected by sin, as He is perfectly holy. This same truth applies to Jesus. It did not take “grace” to protect Jesus from sin. Being God incarnate, Jesus was in His essence “immune” from sin.

So, the doctrine of the immaculate conception is neither Biblical or necessary. Jesus was miraculously conceived inside Mary, who was a virgin at the time. That is the Biblical concept of the virgin birth. The Bible does not even hint that there was anything significant about Mary’s conception. If we examine this concept logically, Mary’s mother would have to be immaculately conceived as well. How could Mary be conceived without sin if her mother was sinful? The same would have to be said of Mary’s grandmother, great-grandmother, and so on. So, in conclusion, the immaculate conception is not a Biblical teaching. The Bible teaches the miraculous virgin conception of Jesus Christ, not the immaculate conception of Mary.

Advent

The Meaning of "Advent"

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the consummation of which we anticipate. Scripture reading for Advent will reflect this emphasis on the Second Advent, including themes of accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life.
In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. That acknowledgment provides a basis for Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that we live "between the times" and are called to be faithful stewards of what is entrusted to us as God’s people. So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself."

The Spirit of Advent

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!
It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.
Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right! Yet, as the prophet Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the "Day of the Lord" may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people.
Because of this important truth, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Season of Advent has been a time of fasting and penitence for sins similar to the Season of Lent. However, a different emphasis for the season of Advent has gradually unfolded in much of the rest of the church. The season of Advent has come to be celebrated more in terms of expectation or anticipation. Yet, the anticipation of the Coming of the Messiah throughout the Old Testament and Judaism was not in connection with remembrance of sins. Rather, it was in the context of oppression and injustice, the longing for redemption, not from personal guilt and sin but from the systemic evil of the world expressed in evil empires and tyrants. It is in that sense that all creation groans for its redemption as we witness the evil that so dominates our world (Rom 8:18-25).
Of course, there is the problem of longing for vindication from an evil world when we are contributors to that evil. This is the power of the images of Amos when he warns about longing for the "Day of the Lord" that will really be a day of darkness (Amos 5:18-20). Still, even with Amos’ warning the time of Advent is one of expectation and anticipation, a longing for God's actions to restore all things and vindicate the righteous. This is why during Advent we as Christians also anticipate the Second Coming as a twin theme of the season. So, while some church traditions focus on penitence during Advent, and there remains a place for that, the spirit of that expectation from the Old Testament is better captured with a joyous sense of expectancy. Rather than a time of mourning and fasting, Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as we await the coming of the King. (see Can We Sing Christmas Carols During Advent?)
There will be time enough during the rest of the journey through the Church Year to remember our sins. It begins in Epiphany when we hear about the brotherhood of the Kingdom, and realize our failure to effect it. Then as we move toward and through Lent we realize that the coming of Jesus served more to lay bare our own sin than it did to vindicate our righteousness. There will be time to shed Peter's bitter tears as we realize that what started with such possibility and expectation has apparently ended in such failure.
It is only as we experience that full cycle, beginning with unbridled joy in Advent that slowly fades into the realization of what we have done with and to the Christ, that the awful reality of Good Friday can have its full impact. And in that realization we can finally be ready to hear the Good News on Resurrection Sunday! That is the journey that the disciples took. And so there is value in taking the same journey beginning with the anticipation and joy of Advent!
So, we celebrate with gladness the great promise in the Advent, yet knowing that there is also a somber tone as the theme of threat is added to the theme of promise. This is reflected in some of the Scripture readings for Advent, in which there is a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment on sin. But this is also faithful to the role of the Coming King who comes to rule, save, and judge the world.
Because of the dual themes of threat and promise, Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. While Lent is characterized by fasting and a spirit of penitence, Advent’s prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isa 9)!
The spirit of Advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom’s expected coming. And yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. But even then, the prayer of Advent is still:

Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel!

Evergreens and The Advent Wreath

The beginning of Advent is a time for the hanging of the green, decoration of the church with evergreen wreaths, boughs, or trees that help to symbolize the new and everlasting life brought through Jesus the Christ. Some churches have a special weekday service, or the first Sunday evening of Advent, or even the first Sunday morning of Advent, in which the church is decorated and the Advent wreath put in place. This service is most often primarily of music, especially choir and hand bells, and Scripture reading, along with an explanation of the various symbols as they are placed in the sanctuary.
The Advent wreath is an increasingly popular symbol of the beginning of the Church year in many churches as well as homes. It is a circular evergreen wreath (real or artificial) with five candles, four around the wreath and one in the center. Since the wreath is symbolic and a vehicle to tell the Christmas story, there are various ways to understand the symbolism. The exact meaning given to the various aspects of the wreath is not as important as the story to which it invites us to listen, and participate.
The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ.
The colors of the candles vary with different traditions, but there are usually three purple or blue candles, corresponding to the sanctuary colors of Advent, and one pink or rose candle. One of the purple candles is lighted the first Sunday of Advent, a Scripture is read, a short devotional or reading is given, and a prayer offered. On subsequent Sundays, previous candles are relighted with an additional one lighted. The pink candle is usually lighted on the third Sunday of Advent. However, different churches or traditions light the pink candle on different Sundays depending on the symbolism used (see above on Colors of Advent).  In Churches that use a Service of the Nativity, it is often lighted on the fourth Sunday of Advent, the final Sunday before Christmas.
The light of the candles itself becomes an important symbol of the season. The light reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God's grace to others (Isa 42:6). The progression in the lighting of the candles symbolizes the various aspects of our waiting experience. As the candles are lighted over the four week period, it also symbolizes the darkness of fear and hopelessness receding and the shadows of sin falling away as more and more light is shed into the world. The flame of each new candle reminds the worshippers that something is happening, and that more is yet to come. Finally, the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the Christ candle is lighted at Christmas, and worshippers rejoice over the fact that the promise of long ago has been realized.
The first candle is traditionally the candle of Expectation or Hope (or in some traditions, Prophecy). This draws attention to the anticipation of the coming of an Anointed One, a Messiah, that weaves its way like a golden thread through Old Testament history. As God’s people were abused by power hungry kings, led astray by self-centered prophets, and lulled into apathy by half-hearted religious leaders, there arose a longing among some for God to raise up a new king who could show them how to be God’s people. They yearned for a return of God’s dynamic presence in their midst.
And so, God revealed to some of the prophets that indeed He would not leave His people without a true Shepherd. While they expected a new earthly king, their expectations fell far short of God’s revelation of Himself in Christ. And yet, the world is not yet fully redeemed.  So, we again with expectation, with hope, await God’s new work in history, the second Advent, in which He will again reveal Himself to the world. And we understand in a profound sense that the best, the highest of our expectations will fall far short of what our Lord’s Second Advent will reveal!
The remaining three candles of Advent may be associated with different aspects of the Advent story in different churches, or even in different years. Usually they are organized around characters or themes as a way to unfold the story and direct attention to the celebrations and worship in the season. So, the sequence for the remaining three Sundays might be Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels. Or Love, Joy, Peace.  Or John the Baptist, Mary, the Magi. Or the Annunciation, Proclamation, Fulfillment. Whatever sequence is used, the Scripture readings, prayers, lighting of the candles, the participation of worshipers in the service, all are geared to unfolding the story of redemption through God’s grace in the Incarnation.
The third candle, usually for the Third Sunday of Advent, is traditionally Pink or Rose, and symbolizes Joy at the soon Advent of the Christ.  It marks a shift from the more solemn tone of the first two Sundays of Advent that focus on Preparation and Hope, to a more joyous atmosphere of anticipation and expectancy.  Sometimes the colors of the sanctuary and vestments are also changed to Rose for this Sunday. As noted above, in some churches the pink Advent candle is used on the fourth Sunday to mark the joy at the impending Nativity of Jesus.
Whatever sequence is adopted for these Sundays, the theme of Joy can still be the focus for the pink candle. For example, when using the third Sunday to commemorate the visit of the Magi the focus can be on the Joy of worshipping the new found King. Or the Shepherds as the symbol for the third Sunday brings to mind the joy of the proclamation made to them in the fields, and the adoration expressed as they knelt before the Child at the manager. If used on the fourth Sunday of Advent, it can symbolize the Joy in fulfilled hope.
The center candle is white and is called the Christ Candle.  It is traditionally lighted on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. However, since many Protestant churches do not have services on those days, many light it on the Sunday preceding Christmas, with all five candles continuing to be lighted in services through Epiphany (Jan 6). The central location of the Christ Candle reminds us that the incarnation is the heart of the season, giving light to the world.

Celebrating Advent

Advent is one of the few Christian festivals that can be observed in the home as well as at church.  In its association with Christmas, Advent is a natural time to involve children in activities at home that directly connect with worship at church.  In the home an Advent wreath is often placed on the dining table and the candles lighted at meals, with Scripture readings preceding the lighting of the candles, especially on Sunday. A new candle is lighted each Sunday during the four weeks, and then the same candles are lighted each meal during the week. In this context, it provides the opportunity for family devotion and prayer together, and helps teach the Faith to children, especially if they are involved in reading the daily Scriptures.
It is common in many homes to try to mark the beginning of Advent in other ways as well, for the same purpose of instruction in the faith. Some families decorate the house for the beginning of Advent, or bake special cookies or treats, or simply begin to use table coverings for meals. An Advent Calendar is a way to keep children involved in the entire season.  There are a wide variety of Advent calendars, but usually they are simply a card or poster with windows that can be opened, one each day of Advent, to reveal some symbol or picture associated with the Old Testament story leading up to the birth of Jesus.  One unique and specialized Advent calendar that can be used either in the home or the sanctuary is a Jesse Tree.  (We have available an online Advent calendar with devotionals for each day of Advent as well as Christmas through Epiphany Day:  NazNet's Advent and Christmas Celebration).  All of these provide opportunities to teach children the significance of this sacred time, and to remind ourselves of it as well.
In congregational worship, the Advent wreath is the central teaching symbol of the season, the focal point for drawing the congregation into the beginning of the story of redemption that will unfold throughout the church year. For this reason, members of the congregation are often involved in lighting the Advent candles and reading the appropriate Scriptures each Sunday.  While in some churches it is customary for this to be done by families, it can also be an especially good opportunity to demonstrate the unity of the entire community of Faith by including those without families, such as those

Hated or Loved...?

Has I was walking into school with Mother Mary in my hands,
this black SUV pulled up next to me. He stucked his head out
and said, "Why do you have that thing in your hands?" I could
even think at that moment because this man was calling Mother
Mary a thing. I said to the man, " Someone is letting me have Mother
Mary for a week, and today I have to give Mary back." The guy was saying how going to church was bad, and that Jesus wants everyone to die. I told the man that he should try to go to church and pray. The man did not listen to me. I really wanted to just walk away, but something was holding me back. I knew at this point the man was crazy. I really wanted to make a run to Fr. Andrews house, and tell him to talk to this man. Just a few later, the man drove off. As I walked into the school, I was stopped by this lady. The lady had a bag in her hand. I am thinking, Ohhh Boy CANDY!!!! Nope, not candy. The bag had a card that Fr. Andrew put in the bag, and a little cross. Like the man in the car hated me because I had Mother Mary in my hands. The lady loved me because I had Mother Mary in my hands. So we think next time when you want to do something bad. Will you be loved or hated for what you did.
     

Praying

Praying God's Word

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Would you like your prayers to be more powerful? Pray the Scriptures. Hebrews 4:12 says that God's Word is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. When we speak and pray the Scriptures, we are coming into agreement with God, and His power is released to answer our prayers.

Maybe you feel like God doesn't hear your prayers? Or maybe you don't know what to pray for in certain situations. On the Prayer Promises page, I have gathered Bible Scriptures such as 1John 5:14, which tells us we can have confidence in God. Not only does He hear our prayers, but He also promises to answer them when we pray in line with His will. He hastens to perform His Word

Benefits of Praying the Scriptures

Praying the Scriptures will increase your spiritual growth. You actually learn what God says about certain situations, and by praying His Word you will see His results. Many people have testified that just by praying the healing scriptures they have been healed, physically as well as mentally.
You can live a stress free life if you will only just pray because when you pray, you are turning the situation over to God. You're taking the situation out of your hands, and putting it in His hands. You're releasing it to God. These Scripture Prayers are very easy to read, and if you'll read them every day, even within a week, you will have memorized Scripture and won't even realize it until a situation arises, or until someone asks you to pray for them.

Commitment to Pray the Scriptures

Most people when they hear the word commitment, their first response is, "I don't have time for another commitment." But if you want your circumstances in your life to change you need to make a commitment to pray the Scriptures out loud everyday. Then you will see how praying with the powerful force of God's Word will cause you to be praying in victory. You will have victory in your life, in your home, and be able to handle situations as easily as Jesus would have handled them.
It doesn't take long to read these prayers, and you can print them out and take them with you, and read them whenever you want. But it is important for you to pray the prayers outloud, even if it is in a whisper, the spoken Word, makes things happen! Why pray your prayers out loud?

Fr. Andrew Budzinski

Fr. Andrew Budzinski is our newly priest at St. Vincent de Paul church/school.
 We are so happy to have Fr. Andrew with us! I thank him for hearing the call
to the priesthood! He is something that I would like to share about Fr. Andrew:
Fr. Andrews favorite college is Notre Dame. His favorite colors are blue and
green. He loves to spend time over at St. Vincent school on Fridays and come
and teach 7th and 8th graders. He loves cookies and coffee. He is 37 years old.
He is a very nice priest. He has a good smile. He always in a good mood. When
he sees someone down, he brings them up. He loves to come to the school and
eat luch with the kids. Most of all, helped me grow closer to God.

Father Andrew Budzinski, who celebrated his first Mass at Holy Family Parish in South Bend on June 27, is joined at the altar by Msgr. William Schooler, Deacons Matthew and Terrance Coonan and Msgr. Bernard Galic.

SOUTH BEND — Newly-ordained Father Andrew Budzinski celebrated his first Mass in his home parish of Holy Family on Sunday, June 27, at 3 p.m. with family and friends.
Before Father Budzinski gave the final blessing at this joyous Mass of thanksgiving, he thanked everyone for the beautiful worship given to God. After thanking the choir and the cantor, he paid tribute to Msgr. Bernard Galic who, after 24 years as pastor at Holy Family, has been reassigned to St. Aloysius Parish in Yoder. Father Budzinski thanked Msgr. Galic for being his spiritual father for the past quarter of a century, and listed the many accomplishments Holy Family has seen under Msgr. Galic’s leadership, including the expansion of the school, construction of the new church building and elimination of the parish debt.
“Plus, you have helped shepherd two priestly vocations from this parish,” Father Budzinski said, referring to himself and to Father Andrew Curry, who was ordained two years ago. “Msgr. Galic, I want to thank you for the many blessings that you have given to me personally, and on behalf of all the people here at Holy Family, all that you have done for us as our spiritual father.”
Father Budzinski also introduced three of his classmates from the Pontifical College Josephinum who traveled to Indiana to celebrate his ordination.
“We’ve been in school together for the last six years, and we will be priests together forever!” he said, eliciting an enthusiastic round of applause.
In a touching moment, Father Budzinski presented holy keepsakes to his family. As the new priest held up a purificator, he explained that the white cloth was used to cleanse his hands after they were anointed with chrism oil during his ordination.
“It’s tradition in the Church that you give that purificator to your mother, but as you know my mother is hopefully praying for all of us now in heaven, so I would like to give this to my godfather, who is also my brother,” Father Budzinski said.
Father Budzinski then held up the stole he wore when he heard his first confession and presented it to his father, Eugene. The two Miraculous Medals he wore during ordination were given to his sister-in-law, Angela, and his niece and goddaughter, Tori Budzinski.
“The tradition is,” explained Father Budzinski, “when the parents of priests end their earthy life, these items which have been given to them — the stole, the purificator — are placed in their hands and buried with them. When they appear before St. Peter and he asks, ‘What have you accomplished?’ — they say, ‘I gave you a priest!’”
Before giving his final blessing, Father Budzinski reflected on what seminary classmate Father Curry shared at his ordination.
“All of us take something from this Mass which opens us up to the Kingdom of Heaven. We’ve been fed the Body and Blood of Christ. We have heard the Word of God. And so I’m so grateful that all of you could be here to share in this Eucharistic feast, and I look forward to sharing it with you again in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

If the fall of man were to have occurred in our times, one can hardly conceive of the consequences. I would imagine that the American Civil Liberties Union would immediately file suit—against God and in defense of Eve and her husband (the order of the two is not accidental), Adam. The suit would probably be pressed on the grounds of an illegal eviction. “And after all,” we would be told, “this alleged sinful act was performed in the privacy of the garden, and by two consenting adults.” But most of all we would be told that the crime (if indeed there was one) and the punishment were totally out of proportion. Could God really be serious in what this account claims to report? Because of a mere bite of some ‘forbidden fruit’ the man and woman are evicted and will suffer a lifetime of consequence? And more than this, that due to this one act the whole world and all mankind continue to suffer the evils about us?

Those who do not take the Bible seriously or literally have little difficulty here. They simply write off the third chapter of Genesis as a myth. To them it is merely a symbolic story which endeavors to account for things as they are. The details of the fall present no problems for they are not fact, but fiction.

Evangelicals probably have tended to console themselves with the reminder that this was the long ago and the far away. Since the fall occurred so long ago, we do not tend to face the issues that glare at us from this passage.

But several serious questions do arise in connection with the account of man’s fall. Why, for example, must Adam assume primary responsibility when Eve is the principle character in the narrative? To put the question in more contemporary terms, why did Adam get the blame when Eve did all the talking?

Furthermore, we must give thought to the severity of the consequences of man’s partaking of the forbidden fruit in the light of what seems to be a rather trifling matter. What was so evil about this sin that brought about such a harsh response from God?

The structure of the first chapters of Genesis demands this description of man’s fall. In Genesis chapters 1 and 2 we read of a perfect creation which received God’s approval as being ‘good’ (cf. 1:10,12,18,21). In chapter 4 we find jealousy and murder. In the following chapters mankind goes from bad to worse. What happened? Genesis 3 answers this question.

And so this chapter is vital because it explains the world and society as we observe it today. It informs us of the strategies of Satan in tempting men. It explains the reason for the New Testament passages that restrict women from assuming leadership roles in the church. It challenges us to consider whether or not we continue to ‘fall’ as did Adam and his wife.

Here is not a chapter that we will regret having studied, however. It does depict the entrance of sin into the human race and the severity of the consequences of man’s disobedience. But beyond man’s sinfulness and the penalties it demands, there is the revelation of the grace of God. He seeks out the sinner and provides him with a covering for sin. He promises a Savior through whom this whole tragic event will be turned into triumph and salvation.

Conclusion

I cannot help but think of Paul’s words when I read this chapter, “Behold then the kindness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22).

There is sin, and there is judgment. But the chapter is interlaced with grace. God sought out the sinners. He sentenced them as well, but with a promise of salvation to come. And keeping them from hell on earth, He provides them with a covering for the time and full redemption in time. What a Savior!

Before we focus our attention on the application of this chapter to our own lives, consider for a moment what this Passage would mean to the people of Moses’ day. They had already been delivered out of Egypt and had been given the Law. They had not yet entered into the promised land.

The purpose of the books of Moses (which includes Genesis) is given in Deuteronomy chapter 31:

And it came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, ‘Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you. For I know your rebellion and your stubbornness; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the Lord; how much more, then, after my death? Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands’ (Deuteronomy 31:24-29).

In many respects Eden was a type of the promised land and Canaan was the antitype. Canaan, like Paradise, was a place of beauty and plenty, a ‘land of milk and honey’ (cf. Deut 31:20). Israel would experience blessing and prosperity so long as they were obedient to the Word of God (Deut 28:1-14). If God’s laws were set aside, they would experience hardship, defeat, poverty, and be cast out of the land (28:15-68). In effect, Canaan was an opportunity for Israel to experience, to a limited degree, the blessings of Eden. Here, as in Eden, God’s people were faced with a decision to make: “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity” (Deut 30:15).

Genesis chapter three is far from academic or mere history. It was a word of warning. What happened in Eden would again occur in Canaan (cf. Deuteronomy 31:16ff.). They would be tempted to disobey, just as Adam and Eve were. Serious consideration of this chapter and its implications were essential to Israel’s future.

The chapter is distinctly prophetic as well, for Israel disobeyed and chose the way of death, just as the first couple in the garden. As Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, Israel was put out of the land. But there is hope as well, for God promised a Redeemer, Who would be born of woman (Gen 3:15). God would chasten Israel and bring her back to the land (Deut 30:1ff.). Even then Israel would not be faithful to her God. She must look to the Messiah of Genesis 3:15 to bring her final and permanent restoration. Israel’s history, then, is summarized in Genesis 3.

For us there are many applications. We must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices (II Corinthians 2:11). The manner of his temptation is repeated in the testimony of our Lord in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-12). And so he will continue to tempt us today.

Genesis chapter three is vital to Christians today because it alone explains things as they are. Our world is a blend of both beauty and beastliness, of loveliness and that which is ugly. The beauty which remains is evidence of the goodness and greatness of the God Who created all things (cf. Romans 1:18ff). The ugliness is the evidence of man’s sinfulness (Romans 8:18-25).

From what I can tell, the present state of God’s creation was one of the crucial elements in Darwin’s move from orthodoxy to doubt and denial. He did not behold the orderliness of creation and say to himself, “Oh, this must have occurred by chance.” Instead, he looked at the cruelty and ugliness and concluded, “How could a loving, all-powerful God be responsible for this?” The answer, of course, is found in this text in Genesis chapter three: man’s sin has turned God’s creation inside-out.

The only solution is for God to do something to bring about redemption and restoration. This has been accomplished in Jesus Christ. The penalty for man’s sins have been borne by Him. The consequences for Adam’s sins need not destroy us. The choice which confronts us is this: Do we wish to be united with the first Adam or the last? In the first Adam we are constituted sinners and are subject to physical and spiritual death. In the last we become new creatures, with eternal life (physical and spiritual). God has not placed two trees before us, but two men: Adam and Christ. We must decide with whom we will identify. In one of these two our eternal future rests.

There is much to be learned here about sin. Essentially sin is disobedience. Notice that the initial sin did not seem very serious. It might be thought of as a trivial thing. The seriousness of sin can be seen in two significant facts, which are clear from our text.

First, sin is serious because of its roots. The eating of the forbidden fruit was not the essence of the sin, but merely its expression. It is not the source of sin, but its symbol. The partaking of that fruit is similar to the sharing of the elements, the bread and the wine, of the Lord’s table, that is, the act expresses something much more deep and profound. So the root of the sin of Adam and Eve was rebellion, unbelief, and ingratitude. Their act was a deliberate choice to disobey a clear instruction from God. It refused to gratefully accept the good things as from God and the one prohibition as for their good as well. Worst of all, they viewed God as being evil, miserly and threatened, as Satan had portrayed Him.

Secondly, sin is serious because of its fruits. Adam and Eve did not experience a higher form of existence, but shame and guilt. It did not provide them with more to enjoy, but spoiled what they previously experienced without shame. Worse yet, it brought about the downfall of the entire race. The beginnings of the effects of the fall are seen in the rest of the Bible. We see the results of that sin today, in our lives and in society. The result of sin is judgment. That judgment is both present and future (cf. Romans 1: 26-27).

Let me tell you, my friend, that Satan always emphasizes the present pleasures of sin while keeping our minds from their consequences. Sin is never worth the price. It is like the rides at the State Fair: the ride is short and the price is high—incredibly high.

But let us not concentrate upon the sins of Adam and Eve. We should not be shocked to learn that the temptations are the same for men today as in the garden. And the sins are the same as well.

Madison Avenue has taken up the cause of the evil one. Advertising urges us to forget the many blessings we have and to concentrate upon what we do not possess. They suggest that life cannot be experienced fully without some product. For example, we are told, “Coke adds life.” No, it doesn’t; it simply rots your teeth. And then we are urged not to consider the cost or the consequences of indulging ourselves with this one more thing which we need. We can ‘charge it to MasterCard.’

I suspect that there is a bit of a smile forming on your face. You may suppose that I am really getting far afield. Consider what the Apostle Paul tells us about the meaning of Old Testament truths to our present experience:

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved (I Corinthians 10:1-6).

What kept Adam and Eve from everlasting blessing was their desire to have pleasure at the cost of unbelief and disobedience. Such, Paul writes, was also the case with Israel (I Cor 10:1-5). The same temptations face us, but God has given us sufficient means to be have victory. What are these means?

(1) We are to understand that denials (doing without, prohibitions) come from the hand of a good and loving God:

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).

(2) We must realize that denials are a test of our faith and obedience:

And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son (Deuteronomy 8:2-5).

Doing without is not God’s keeping us from blessing, but preparing us for it:

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward (Heb 11:24-26; cf. Deut 8:6ff)

(3) When we are kept from those things which we think we want we must be careful not to meditate upon what is denied, but upon what is graciously given, and by Whom. Then we must do what we know to be God’s will.

But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has commanded you, in order that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God (Deut 20:17-18).

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if any thing worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you (Philippians 4:6-9).

Almost daily we find ourselves repeating the sins of Adam and Eve. We ponder what we are forbidden to have. We begin to distrust the goodness of God and His graciousness to us. We worry about things that are really inconsequential. And often, in unbelief, we take matters into our own hands.

Many times I find Christians seriously contemplating sin, knowing it is wrong, and realizing that there will be consequences, but foolishly supposing that the pleasure of sin is greater than its price. How wrong! That was the error of Adam and Eve.

The Tower of Babel

   The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.
While men were migrating in the east, they came upon a Vally
in the land of Shina and settled there. They said to one another,
" Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire." They used
bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, "Come,
let ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so
make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all
over the earth."
   The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the
men had built. Then the LORD said, " If now, while they are one
people, all speaking the same language, they have started to do
this, nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume
to do. Let us then go down and there confuse their language, so
that one will not understand what another says." Thus the LORD
scattered them from there all over the earth and they stopped building
the city. That is why it was called Babel, because the LORD confide
the speech of all world. It was from that place that he scattered them
all over the earth.



From the new american bible

Forgiveness

Unforgiveness is something that can really hold us back from escaping the corruption of sin and living for God.  Unforgiveness comes in many forms, such as bitterness, hatred, malice, holding grudges and resentment.  It can actually block God's forgiveness of our sin and provides a foothold for the devil to influence our lives.  Additionally, unforgiveness can plant a “root of bitterness” in us that leads to various damaging results (e.g. ruins the fruit of the Holy Spirit, stunts spiritual growth, contributes to physical illness).  Like acid can destroy the vessel that holds it, so can unforgiveness destroy us when we harbor it.
    

Forgiving others

God expects us to forgive others just as he has forgiven us.  God, who is perfect, sacrificed his Son Jesus so that our sin penalty (death) would be paid.  Because of our faith in Christ (and his sacrifice), God forgives us from our sin.  If we then refuse to forgive another person for an offense, we are dishonoring the forgiveness that God gave us.   God will hold us accountable for this as Jesus illustrated in the sobering parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35).  

Another important aspect of unforgiveness is that it is a form of pride.  When we’ve been wronged by someone, we have a natural desire to see justice done.  When we withhold forgiveness, we're basically passing judgment on the person. God instructs us to trust in him for the execution of justice. The scripture says, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19 NKJV).  As God's followers, we must submit our desire for justice to him and trust it in his hand.   

      

Forgiving God

When bad things happen to us, especially when we're young and vulnerable, we might be tempted to blame God for not protecting us from the evil that was done.  The devil loves to taunt the victims with thoughts like "How could a loving God allow this to happen to you?" Unfortunately, many people agree with the devil on that point and turn away from God.  It can be difficult to provide a satisfying explanation to victims of why the evil was "allowed" to occur.  

When considering such difficult situations, we can look to the cross for confirmation that God is truly a loving God.  When we consider the magnitude of suffering that Jesus endured on our behalf, we need not doubt his love for us.  Even so, we may also need the Lord to give us a deeper understanding of his love, especially relating to the situations where we suffered.  Though we may not understand why the bad things happened, the first step in recovery is to release any unforgiveness we have toward God. 

      

Forgiving ourselves

When we've made bad mistakes in life, it can be tempting to unmercifully hold ourselves responsible.  This too is a way of trying to act like God as judge, inflicting the punishment of condemnation on ourselves.  Granted, we may have been responsible for what happened, but that doesn't mean we have to condemn ourselves for the rest of our lives.  Just as God has forgiven us for our sin, we need to forgive ourselves for our sin as well.  When we release ourselves from this self-judgment, we will free ourselves to become the new person that God intends us to be. 

      

The top 3

Today in religion class, Fr. Andrew said if he was to have the top 3. Number one everone in my class did not know what it was. So Fr. Andrew yelled has lound as he could, Eucharist! I will never forget that!

1:Eucharist                                                         

The Ten Commandments

Today the Ten Commandments or Decalogue are being forcibly removed from schools, government institutions and other public places. Having no Moral law taught or displayed cannot be without repercussions as we now find sex, pornography, violence and crime have become accepted as normality in television, movies, music and the internet. If all this moral decay isn't disturbing enough, we now observe Christian organizations with their internet sites exhorting that we no longer have to observe the Ten Commandments. Some of these web sites not only attack the validity of the Ten Commandments but also condemn other Churches that do teach loving obedience to the law as Jesus Christ instructed. A few decades ago, anyone claiming the law was abolished was accused of antinomianism. Yet today, we see more and more Christians embracing the thought of not having to obey the Ten Commandments at all. To keep or not to keep? This has become the pivotal issue as we approach the closing crisis of Earth's history.

How can we Know the Ten Commandments Bible Truth?

We now hear more and more Christians saying, “The Holy Spirit told me we don't need to obey the Ten Commandments any more.” With so many people teaching so many different things, how can we possibly know what is really true or false in regards to the Ten Commandments? There is of course only one way and that is the Holy Bible. God's Spirit will never tell us anything that is contrary to His Word. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8. The Holy Spirit of God will always be in harmony with the Holy Word of God. The Bible is and should always be our final authority. 2 Timothy 3:16. Pushing aside all other areas of confusion for the moment, let's go straight to the very end of the story and read the final word on what the Holy Bible says in regards to the Ten Commandments. Note from these easy to understand eschatological verses who enters the city gates of heaven and eats from the tree of life and who does not.
Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
Many people today are no longer looking for truth, but instead they are looking for a smooth, easy, comfortable religion that will allow them to live the way they please and still give assurance of salvation. There is indeed no true religion that can do that for them. One will say the Ten Commandments are a law of love guiding us in how to love God and man. Another will say there is now a new law in Christ and all we have to do is love one another. And yet still others will say the Ten Commandments are now nine Commandments or that they were all nailed to the cross. If all we have to do is love God with all our heart and our neighbour as ourselves, does this mean we can take the Lord's name in vain, worship idols or even deny God the quality time of praise and worship He wants from us on His Holy day? What about others; does it mean we can lie, steal, murder, disrespect our parents or sleep with another's spouse? If one loves God with all their heart and others as themselves, they will be obeying every single one of the Ten Commandments. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 22:40 after quoting these Old Testament words that ALL the law hang on these two Commandments. Some think the words of Jesus here exclude the fourth Commandment but Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 which reads, “And you shall love the LORD your God with all thine heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Did loving God with all thine heart include the fourth Commandment then? There can be no doubt. Deuteronomy 6:5 is just seventeen verses after the second reading of the Ten Commandments. See also FAQ 6 or the great Commandment.

Have the Ten Commandments been Changed?

Speaking of the fourth Commandment, how many Churches today know that Revelation 13:2 states that Satan through pagan Rome would give power and authority to a Church that changed the Ten Commandments? About four hundred years ago every single Protestant Church knew this yet today Satan has succeeded in having almost all lose this truth. Our adversary's primary goal was to have them change the fourth Commandment which Daniel 7:25 informs us would happen. Satan had purpose in this and over 65,000,000 Christian saints were murdered and tortured as heretics during the dark ages and yet most people today have no idea why. See who changed the fourth Commandment.
Jesus while referring to the Ten Commandments also used these straightforward and easy to understand words. In John 14:15, He quotes from the second of the Ten Commandments, “If you love me, keep my Commandments.” and in John 15:10, “If you keep my Commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's Commandments, and abide in his love.” Jesus obeyed the Fathers Commandments and He asks us to demonstrate our love for Him by doing the same. We also find in 1 John 2:4, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” The words of this last verse are something to consider very seriously. For instance. What are the implications of not observing the Ten Commandments considering that Jesus and the Word are truth? John 14:6; 17:17.
Note that all these verses use the Greek word entole (pronounced en-tol-ay) that is always used for the Ten Commandments in the New Testament, thus one can easily see how God feels about our loving obedience to His law. 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments: and his Commandments are not grievous.”

What is love

God is love. Our love is not only conditional, it is also mercurial. We love based on feelings and emotions that can change from one moment to the next. The divorce rate is extremely high in today's society because husbands and wives supposedly stop loving one another-or they "fall out of love". They may go through a rough patch in their marriage, and they no longer "feel" love for their spouse, so they call it quits. Evidently, their marriage vow of "till death do us part" means they can part at the death of their love for their spouse rather than at their physical death. Can anyone really comprehend "unconditional" love? It seems the love that parents have for their children is as close to unconditional love as we can get without the help of God's love in our lives. We continue to love our children through good times and bad, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet the expectations we may have for them. We make a choice to love our children even when we consider them unlovable; our love doesn't stop when we don't "feel" love for them. This is similar to God's love for us, but as we shall see, God's love transcends the human definition of love to a point that is hard for us to comprehend.

God is Love: How does God Define Love?
The Bible tells us that "God is Love" (1 John 4:8). But how can we even begin to understand that truth? There are many passages in the Bible that give us God's definition of love. The most well known verse is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." So one way God defines love is in the act of giving. However, what God gave (or should we say, "who" God gave) was not a mere gift-wrapped present; God sacrificed His only Son so that we, who put our faith in His Son, will not spend eternity separated from Him. This is an amazing love, because we are the ones who choose to be separated from God through our own sin, yet it's God who mends the separation through His intense personal sacrifice, and all we have to do is accept His gift.

Another great verse about God's love is found in Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In this verse and in John 3:16, we find no conditions placed on God's love for us. God doesn't say, "as soon as you clean up your act, I'll love you; " nor does He say, "I'll sacrifice my Son if you promise to love Me." In fact, in Romans 5:8, we find just the opposite. God wants us to know that His love is unconditional, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us while we were still unlovable sinners. We didn't have to get clean, and we didn't have to make any promises to God before we could experience His love. His love for us has always existed, and because of that, He did all the giving and sacrificing long before we were even aware that we needed His love.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                               God is Love: It's UnconditionalGod is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship.
     

The Rube Goldberg Machine

When I was a church one Sunday, I heard this hoimly from Fr. Andrew Budzinski.
I thought I should put this in one of my blogs too.

 Do you know what a Rube Goldberg machine is?
 A Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately over-engineered machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion through a series of chain-reactions.
  It usually starts with one single, toppled domino which sets off dozens, or hundreds, or even thousands of actions.

The movie Back to the Future begins with a shot of a Rube Goldberg machine built by the character Doc. It begins when Doc’s alarm clock goes off; and along the way, it cooks Doc’s breakfast and feeds his dog Einstein.  Maybe you played the game Mouse Hunt when you were a kid. In the game you build a Rube Goldberg machine to catch a mouse.  The popular band OkGo has an incredibly complex Rube Goldberg machine in the music video for their song “This Too Shall Pass.”

Zacchaeus is a sort of Rube Goldberg machine.  A very simple action on his part, sets off a series of chain reactions that change his life forever.  The very simple action that sets Zacchaeus the Rube Goldberg Machine in motion is this: Step One: he wanted to see Jesus.  And his desire to see Jesus triggers the next step.

Step Two: Unable to see Jesus because of the crowd and his short stature, Zacchaeus climbs a tree.  Zacchaeus will not allow any obstacle stand in the way. He will stand apart from the crowd and will scale whatever heights are necessary to see Jesus.  Climbing the tree triggers the next step.

Step three: Jesus notices Zacchaeus.  Jesus sees Zacchaeus’ desire to see him.  This triggers the next step.

Step four: Jesus calls out to Zaccaeus.  The Lord says, OK Zacchaeus, you want to see me? I’ll take you another step further. “Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”  This triggers the next step.

Step five: Zacchaeus comes down from the tree and receives the Lord with joy.  He responds to Jesus’ invitation to spend time with him. To be a disciple of the Lord, not merely an admirer, watching the Lord pass by at a safe distance.  He accepts the Lord’s invitation to have him enter under his roof.  This triggers the next step.

Step six: The crowd begins to grumble.  They cannot believe that the Lord will enter the house of one of Jericho’s biggest sinners.  For Zacchaeus is one of the city’s chief tax collectors. He’s made his whole living by cheating people on their taxes and taking far more than what was owed.  This triggers the next step.

Step seven: Zacchaeus gives back everything he has unfairly squandered.  He repays anyone he has extorted four times over.  And gives have his money to the poor.  He makes up for his sins.  And this leads to the final step.

Step eight: Zacchaeus finds his salvation.  Jesus gives it to him.
As many of you know, in about a year, we here in the United States and the rest of the English speaking countries of the world will begin using a new translation of the Roman Missal.  It will be a much more accurate translation of the Latin it was originally written in and much more consistent with what the rest of the world is saying at Mass. 

In just over a year from now, on the First Sunday of Advent in the year 2012, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…” will be translated into: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” 

In this new translation, we will acknowledge that as Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist, we do not merely receive him; but that he comes to enter under our very roof. He comes to enter our home. He comes to enter our bodies. He comes to take up residence within us, in that deepest part of our being.

Jesus is coming. He’s passing through our Jericho.  In a few weeks we’ll prepare for his coming in the season of Advent.  He’s also coming to see us at the end of our days.  When he comes, will he find us sitting still, up in the tree, watching him pass by?  Or, will he find in us, a Rube Goldberg machine that is in motion; ignited by a desire to see Jesus, fueled by the grace of God that helps us overcome the obstacle of sin, with the door to our hearts opened, ready to welcome Jesus under our roof.