2nd Sunday of Advent @ Ss. Francis and Clare

HOMILY 2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
OCTOBER 30/31, 2021

Born in Birmingham, England in 1849, Frederick Langbridge studied at King Edward VI’s School, and then matriculated at Oxford University, earning his Bachelors at St. Alban Hall, and his Masters from Merton College. 

He was an Anglican cleric, ordained in 1876; and was a canon of St. Munchin’s, as well as rector of St. John’s in Limerick, Ireland. 

He was a poet, an author, a playright, and a noted preacher.  

He is credited with the couplet:

Two men look out the same prison bars; 

one sees mud and the other stars. 

Langbridge retired in 1921 due to ill health, and died in 1922 at the age of 72.  

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent.

Our first reading is from the Prophet Baruch, who was the secretary of the Prophet Jeremiah. The book is considered apocryphal by non-Catholics, but is similar to the writings of Jeremiah during the Babylonian captivity.

In today’s reading, from the last chapter of Baruch, we hear the prophet admonishing the people to move from “mourning and misery” and look toward a future of “glory from God forever.” He speaks of “justice,” “peace,” “joy,” “mercy,” and “light.” 

In the second reading, from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Paul also is in custody. Yet, he too speaks of “joy,” “confidence,” “good works,” “affection,” “love,” “knowledge,” “discernment,” “purity,” “righteousness,” and “glory.”

Two men, indeed, both held captive in a prison of sorts … both calling upon their listeners – and us as well – to look up from mud, and see beyond the starts … to the glory of God.

St. Luke speaks of St. John the Baptist, quoting Isaiah 40, which parallels sections of today’s reading from Baruch:

God has commanded

    that every lofty mountain be made low,

that the age-old depths and gorges

   be filled to level ground.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus … gazing beyond the heavens to the glory of God … promised to us through, with, and in Christ.

And as we continue to proceed through these 4 weeks of Advent … may we draw ever closer to Him … glory to glory … grace upon grace … as we prepare ourselves for the three comings of Christ … historically at Christmas … imminently in the Sacrament of the Altar … and ultimately when we meet Him face-to-face.

2nd Sunday of Advent

Twenty-five years ago, I studied Chinese at the Defense Language Institute. It’s a beautiful place, sitting on an elevation above Monterey Bay, and above the city of Monterey.

Being a military language school, aside from the rudiments of the Chinese language, we studied a lot of terminology that was particular to the military and a military mission. I had thumbed through the textbooks, and was very happy to see a chapter on religion. Even though it wasn’t a large chapter, I was looking forward to learning some vocabulary related to faith and religion.

At the school, all of our teachers were from China. Some from Taiwan and others from the mainland. One of our younger teachers we called “little red.” She wasn’t short. And she didn’t have red hair. But she was prone to make statements like: “you put too much emphasis on freedom ... you may have freedom, but in China we don’t have crime.”

It was obvious to most of us a lot of her observations were heavily flavored by years of growing up in a communist country.

So, the day arrived for the chapter on religion; and into our classroom walks “little red” to be the teacher. We went through the vocabulary, and when we had finished she said: “Now we will have a debate.”

The topic of the debate, she announced, was to discuss the “Uselessness of religion and of God.” She asked who wanted to argue for the “Uselessness of religion,” and a young woman raised her hand. Out of a class of about a dozen, there was only one. She assigned her as the leader of that side, and asked who wanted to argue against the “uselessness of religion.” I looked to the two senior officers, and assumed that one of them (both of them were Catholic), should take the lead. (I was a junior enlisted man at the time.)

The Major spoke up: “Jenuwine will lead us.” Next thing I know, I’m ‘in charge’ of two officers. 
All of this, of course, was to be done in Chinese.

The argument “for uselessness” was that we were seeking nothing more than cheap and easy ‘comfort.’ As if our Faith were nothing more than a cup of hot cocoa on a cold day.

Our argument “against uselessness” was that our Faith required us to do things that the world and most of society saw as ‘inconvenient.’ We talked about our personal sacrifices, and how living a life of Faith required deep personal commitment and many deep personal changes that were far from easy.

Toward the end, our opponents had little to say in rebuttal to our arguments. The teacher was silent until we asked her, “Who won?” Class ended with the teacher proclaiming that “I guess it was a tie.”

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent.

In the Second Letter of St. Peter, our second reading today, the author addresses the issue of perseverance. The people were becoming impatient – some of them had expected Jesus to return and establish His kingdom in their lifetimes. And much like our own world, there was a desire for some sort of “return on investment.” Many must have thought that if they weren’t going to get anything for their Faith or the practice of their Faith ... well, that sounded sort of “useless.”

The letter urges them, and us as well, to persevere in our Faith. To persevere in virtue – “in holiness and devotion” as we hear in the reading.

The first reading, from Isaiah, speaks of giving comfort to God’s people. This is spoken to people in exile. Far from home, and wondering what has become of their home and will they ever see it.

This isn’t an easy ‘comfort.’ This is hard. God is asking for perseverance – sometimes translated as ‘long-suffering.’

The prophet goes on to speak of the future coming of God, and a voice – another prophet – calling out to prepare the way for the Lord.

In the Gospel, we meet this voice – this man – in the person of John the Baptist. Who two thousand years ago preached a baptism of repentance. The Greek word here is “metanoia” which means “a change of mind.” But even more than that, “a change of spirit.”

For us today, we too are called to repentance, that is, to change our minds. In what ways have we given up on God? Where do we find our Faith to be “useless?” We all have places in our lives where we would rather do things ourselves.

Yet God is calling us to change that. God is calling us to let Him into our lives – all of our lives. God desires that we let him into everything.

So, this week, let us reflect on where we may have shut God out.

Let us examine our lives and find the places where we haven’t found God to be “useful.”

And relying on God’s grace, let us ask him to help us open up those places where we haven’t yet let Him in – and invite Him in. So that as we move through this Advent season, we may better prepare ourselves to receive His beloved Son – both at this altar, and “soon” at Christmas.

Let us ask for the grace to allow God to be “useful” in our lives – in all places and all things.

Let us pray for the grace so we might have the courage to “change our spirit” so that we can receive the true ‘comfort’ that God so much desires to impart on us through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

4th Sunday of Advent @ St. Vincent

HOMILY - FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 22, 2019
7:30 AM, 10:30 AM (SUN) ORDINARY FORM MASSES



Based on a 15th century French funeral procession, the origins of the tune to the hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel were discovered in 1966 by an British Augustinian canoness and musicologist named Mother Thomas Moore Berry.

The text has more ancient origins – dating from perhaps well before the 9th century.

The Latin text as we know it comes from a 1710 hymnal, and the English translation from the middle 1800s.



Each of the seven verses contains a title for the coming Messiah, foretold in various Scriptural prophecies.

The titles are also featured in the Gospel (Magnificat) antiphons of Evening Prayer (Vespers) in the Liturgy of the Hours for the last seven days leading up to Christmas.

The titles, which begin the countdown to the Nativity, are: Wisdom from on High, Lord of Israel, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Rising Dawn (Sun), King of the Nations, and Emmanuel.



And so, today’s title is King of the Nations, and the text of the Evening Prayer antiphon for today is:

O King of the nations, and their desire,the cornerstone making both one:Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

As a bit of medieval trivia, when read backwards in sequence, the first letter for the seven titles in Latin spells out the Latin phrase “I am coming tomorrow.”

The last title, Emmanuel, which is in the final antiphon, comes from a Hebrew word meaning “God is with us.”



We hear this title repeated throughout the liturgy for this Sunday.

In the prophecy of Isaiah – where Isaiah confronts Ahaz, doing his own thing despite being told otherwise by the Lord. In an attempt to feign humility, Ahaz gets on Isaiah’s nerves … and according to Isaiah, God’s nerves.

If Ahaz keeps this up, he will be the last king in the line of David … until such time as:

the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.

St. Matthew, begins his Gospel with “the genealogy of Jesus” listing out 40 generations from Abraham to Joseph and Mary. In the section we heard today, he ties everything back to the one prophecy we heard in the first reading.

According to some Bible scholars, there are over 300 messianic prophecies in Scripture that are fulfilled in Jesus. The probability that all of these could be randomly fulfilled in one man is astronomical.



As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, and as we move toward the completion of this holy season of Advent and into the Christmas season … let us recognize in Jesus Christ our desire, and our cornerstone; our Savior, and our newborn King.

3rd Sunday of Advent @ St. Vincent de Paul

HOMILY - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 15, 2019
7:30 AM, 10:30 AM (SUN) ORDINARY FORM MASSES



In India, there is a story - perhaps it’s more of a parable - about six blind men and an elephant. Maybe you’ve heard it before ... or maybe you’ve heard the poem written by American Poet John Godfrey Saxe.

The premise is that each of the six blind men approach the elephant from a different perspective. One grabs a leg and reports that an elephant is like a pillar; another feels the tail says an elephant is like a rope; one feels the trunk says the elephant is like a snake; one feels the ear says the elephant is like a fan; another feels the side and says the elephant is like a wall; and the last who feels the tusk says the elephant is like a spear.

Each of them had a perspective, but none of them had the whole story.



Today is the Third Sunday of Advent.

In today’s Gospel, we hear that John the Baptist sends his disciples to figure out who Jesus is. Now, remember - John was the one who baptized Jesus, saw the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove, heard the voice of God the Father call Jesus His Son. And John himself called Jesus “the Lamb of God.”

So what’s going on here? Realize that at this point, John is locked away in prison, and we can only imagine what challenges he is experiencing in a first century middle-eastern prison cell. John’s faith, which came so easily with the vision of the Spirit, and hearing God’s voice ... is being tested. So he sends his disciples to check up on what he once was so sure of. Perhaps, too, some of his disciples were giving him bits and pieces of what Jesus was saying or doing ... and John wanted a better perspective ... that is, John wanted to get the whole story.



In the First Reading, Israel is overrun by the Assyrians. The Prophet Isaiah gives them a vision of what will happen when the Messiah - the Anointed One - the Christ - will come. And this is exactly the message Jesus sends back to John.

Yet this restoration ... this transformation by God’s grace to a new sort of wholeness ... which has never been seen before ... is more than a prosperous farm in the desert ... or a miraculous hospital for the infirm.

 Rather, as St. James reminds us in the Epistle, it is also an inner transformation ... a transformation of our hearts ... and our minds ... and our souls.



A key thing to remember here, is that God doesn’t zap us into submission, but rather He patiently waits for us to catch up to His way of doing things, to become aware of His presence in our lives and in ourselves ... God waits for us to give Him permission ... to allow Him ... to change our hearts, and our minds, and our souls.

This is the ‘big picture’ of salvation ... the ‘whole story’ of holiness. And we know that the promises God made throughout Sacred Scripture are fulfilled in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ. That is why we celebrate this Four Week period of spiritual preparation each year in anticipation of the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord ... that is, Christmas.

We need to take this time ... so that through prayer, penance, and sacrifice ... we might be strengthened in Faith, Hope, and Love ... so that we can better persevere through the hardships of this life ... and wait on the Lord with patience, and with forbearance.



As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ ... let us pray for the graces to be patient in waiting on the Lord ... and for the Lord’s time ... for the things we desire to receive from Him. And let us also pray that we might be made ready to receive the wholeness ... the holiness ... the whole package of Salvation in God through Jesus Christ. As we pass the half-way point, and head into the ‘home stretch’ of this time of prayer and preparation ... this Advent 2013 ... may we accept God’s grace to help us to be transformed from who we are ... into the holy people that God has called us to become in Christ Jesus Our Lord.

2nd Sunday of Advent @ St. Vincent de Paul

HOMILY - SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 8, 2019
7:30 AM, 10:30 AM (SUN) ORDINARY FORM MASSES



Released nearly 15 years ago, and recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood as the first single from her debut album “Some Hearts”, the single “Jesus Take the Wheel” spent six weeks as the number one on Billboard’s “Hot Country Songs,” and peaked at number four on Billboards “Hot Christian Songs,” becoming a top twenty hit on Billboards “Hot 100” chart.

The ballad tells the tale of a young mother. As she drives through an Ohio snowstorm late on Christmas Eve, she reflects upon and takes stock of her hectic life. Suddenly, the car hits black ice and spins out of control. In a panic, she takes her hands off the steering wheel and cries out “Jesus take the wheel!” And in an instant, the spinning stops, the car slows, and safely comes to rest on the shoulder of the road.

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent.



The first reading from Isaiah is the last of three prophecies in the Book of Isaiah regarding a child. The first, in chapter 7, is the prophecy of a virgin birth and the child Emmanuel – whose name means in Hebrew “God is with us.” The second, from chapter 9, speaks of a king who possesses divine and supernatural power.

Finally, the third, what we heard today, from chapter 11 speaks of “a shoot [that] sprout[s] from the stump of Jesse” taking root and blossoming … a proclamation of a future kingdom of Jesse.



And more than a restoration of an ancient dynasty, the prophecy speaks of a restoration of all creation. No more “harm or ruin on all [God’s] holy mountain.”

And finally, the last line speaks of a new Exodus. But this is not a departure from slavery as was the Exodus from Egypt. This is a return to the primordial freedom of Paradise as the children of God the Father.

St. Paul speaks of “service” in three ways in the 15th chapter of Romans. We hear the first word – diakonos in today’s reading. This is where we get the English word deacon. But Paul goes on in the next several lines to talk about leitourgos, and hierourgeō … the priestly service within the action of holy rites.



Paul’s use of these words points to the service of Holy Communion – the Eucharistic service – in the early Church.

In today’s text, the word translated here as “welcome” is perhaps more properly translated as “receive.” That is, as we are to receive one another in the same attitude as we dare to receive Our Lord in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Separation or division within the Body of Christ brings judgment, not mercy; as St. Paul indicates elsewhere in Scripture. And while this is at a minimum a “welcoming,” it is more than that. It is a visceral recognition that we, as the People of God, must be united in mind and in worship.



The Gospel of St. Matthew presents us with St. John the Baptist; whose message of judgment, in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, offers a baptism of repentance that points to something beyond – points to someone greater; whose sandal John is not worthy to carry.

Namely, Jesus; as Head of the Body, the Church; and the one, true Minister of all the Sacraments.

So, where are we?

Is prayer or worship feeling empty or distracted? Allow yourself to be received by Christ, as you receive His Holy Body and Precious Blood.

Is life or work or school spinning out of control. Too much planning and shopping, the chaos and busy-ness of the season?

Let go, and let Jesus take the wheel. Slow down. Calm down. Let go. Receive and be received. Let yourself be renewed in mind, and body, and spirit. In silence and in hope.



As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … let Him take the wheel. Give Him your permission to take control of your life. Let Advent be a time of silent anticipation; as we prepare for the coming of Christ … in history … in eternity … and right here … right now … in Word and in Sacrament.

1st Sunday of Advent @ St. Vincent de Paul

HOMILY - FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
NOVEMBER 30 / DECEMBER 1, 2019
4:30 PM (SAT), 9:00 AM (SUN) ORDINARY FORM MASSES



At the University of Colorado (Boulder), Dr. Kenneth P. Wright heads up the “Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory” which does research in the psychological and physiological issues surrounding sleep and wakefulness.

One of his areas of research is in what is called ‘Sleep Inertia’ - which is outlined in an article titled: “Waking Up is Hard to Do.”



According to research, during the first three minutes after waking up, a person can exhibit severe cognitive impairment - such as poor memory, slowed speech, impaired decision making and performance issues.

In the first ten minutes, some may continue to have difficulty speaking clearly or show difficulty in counting.

And over the next two hours – which, of course can vary from person-to- person – an individual may continue to show certain performance problems.



When a person wakes up, their heart rate increases; their breathing becomes more rapid and deeper; circulation and blood flow increase; the brain is flooded with various hormones and chemicals; and every organ in the body shifts into a more active (or waking) mode.

Today is the First Sunday of Advent.



In the First Reading and Psalm Response we hear the admonition to “Come up” and to “go up” to the House of the Lord ... on the Mountain of the Lord of Hosts. There is talk of “peace” on various levels - between nations, within the walls of the city, and within each person.

And in the Second Reading and the Gospel we hear the call to “wake up.”

The season of Advent is one of two penitential seasons the Church gives us to “fix up” our relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

Jesus tells us that up to the moment of the flood, everybody was on autopilot ... doing what they had always done. Everyone, except Noah and his family.



 If we desire to make spiritual progress during this new liturgical year, it certainly behooves us to “wake up” to what is going on around us. To turn off the autopilot, and to take an assessment of our relationship to the Almighty ... Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And similar to waking up bodily, when we “wake up” spiritually ... it will affect every aspect of who we are ... engaging us ... body, mind, soul, and spirit.



St. Paul expands on this ... going beyond the call to “wake up” and admonishes his readers - and us as well - to “clean up” and in a certain sense to “grow up.”

We are to “clean up” by putting away any “works of darkness”, and “put[ting] on the armor of light.” We are to “grow up” by “conduct[ing] ourselves properly as in the day” and “put[ting] on the Lord Jesus Christ”.

As we begin our new liturgical year ... entering into this holy Season of Advent ... “let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord” ... “that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths” so that we might receive His peace ... the peace that the world cannot give.



And as we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ ... let us pray for the graces we need to “wake up” despite the slumber of the world around us. Let us cast off whatever spiritual inertia is holding us back from a fuller relationship to Jesus and to His Father. Let us “walk in the light of the Lord” ... putting on Christ ... and living in the light ... As we move forward into a new Church year and prepare to welcome Christ anew in His Nativity.

1st Sunday of Advent @ St. Apollinaris Parish

HOMILY - FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 1 / 2, 2018
4:30 PM (SAT), 7:30 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES



The linguistic terms andative and venitive refer to verb forms that indicate coming and going, especially when it is relative to a particular location or person. The andative indicates going and doing something; while the venitive indicates coming and doing something.

In modern English, however, it can more often than not, be assumed that come and go are interchangeable; with the exception of a handful of particular situations.

For a native speaker, it requires no thought or effort at all. Whereas, for those learning English, it can be quite confusing.

And, on the other hand, when an English speaker tries to learn another language, they have to give some extra thought to using come or go in distinct and different ways – based on the rules of whatever particular language they are using.

That can all be a bit confusing. So I’ll leave you with the idiom: I don’t know whether I’m coming or going, which may be appropriate after all of that.



Today is the First Sunday of Advent.

The word advent comes from the Latin word advenire – which means to reach or to arrive. The prefix ad implies motion towards something, and the verb venire can mean both to go or to come.
This Latin word is a translation of the Greek word parousia which can mean presence, arrival, or an official visit.

In the New Testament, the word parousia shows up 24 times – 16 of which refer to the Second Coming of Christ.

And so, in the Season of Advent, we penitentially prepare ourselves for the arrival of Jesus Christ.

In the Collect, or the Opening Prayer, we prayed

Grant your faithful … the resolve to run forth to meet … Christ with righteous deeds at his coming.

And so, even in the first prayer we pray in the Advent Season, Christ is coming and we are going … running forth to meet Him … as He comes toward us.



The Season of Advent reflects upon the coming of Christ from three distinct perspectives. (1) His first coming, historically in Bethlehem, (2) His daily coming, in our hearts sacramentally, and (3) His glorious coming, ultimately, at the end of time.

As far as these three perspectives, we only have control over the second – how much or how little we allow Christ to come into our hearts through our participation in the sacraments and through the intensity of our prayer lives.

And as time rolls on … whether we like it or not – we move closer to that future coming – whether or not we’re around to experience it in this flesh.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us pray for a renewed resolve – these next four weeks – to indeed run forth and meet Christ Jesus – in whatever ways He may desire to come into our lives.

As we recall His first coming, may we allow Him more and more space in our lives; and when He comes in glory, may we go out to meet Him with all the Saints.

4th Sunday Advent @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR B)
DECEMBER 24, 2017
9:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASS



Lift with your legs, not your back.

You’ve probably heard that. Maybe you’ve seen a sign in a workplace. Maybe your doctor told you that after you did the opposite and found yourself in his office … or the emergency room … and you were suffering the consequences.

There is a reason for why this is good advice. In a nutshell, the reason is: “bipedalism.” The fact that we stand on two legs, and not four (like a cat or a dog) places our strongest muscles below our center of gravity – our hips.



And so, there is actual science – both physics and biology – that supports (no pun intended) the often-heard, but often-disregarded advice to lift with your legs, not your back.

Oh, yeah, and don’t turn or twist while lifting.



Today is the 4th Sunday in Advent. There is not much of a 4th Week of Advent this year. We get barely 24 hours with the fourth candle lit on the Advent wreath, before we’ll be lighting all the Christmas trees, putting baby Jesus in the manger, and wondering where all these other people sitting in the pews are in-between now and Easter.

Nonetheless, todays Gospel reading, which may sound familiar, was read on Wednesday, and is always read on December 20. It may also sound even more familiar since we heard it on December 12, and December 8.

And just for the record, it was read on March 25, August 22, and October 7.



So, depending on how the calendar runs in any given year, this reading is read six or seven times. The focus of this reading is Faith.

Now, to be clear, there are two kinds of faith: human and divine. One is used to believe the person sitting next to you … or the person who lives next to you … whomever that may be – your neighbor, your kid, your spouse … or even a total stranger. The other is used to believe in God.

Secondly, faith is based on two factors: authority and integrity. Authority means that we have an assurance that the person has adequate knowledge of the subject matter. And integrity means that we have an assurance that the person is not being deceptive.

But, in regards to these two types of faith, you have to use the right one in the right place.



If you ascribe divine faith to the guy up the street who pontificates about little green men, and Area 51, and a whole plethora of interesting – if not amusing – conspiracy theories … well, you may find yourself wearing a tinfoil hat, and emptying your bank account, if not drinking bad Kool Aid.

It is important to exercise human faith when dealing with human things.

On the other hand, if you ascribe human faith in your own dealings with God and with the things of God … then you will find yourself arguing with your grandmother about the power of prayer, or the value of life, or the meaning of everything.



And in that case, you’re going to find yourself being uninvited to family events in the not-so-distant future.

So, what’s a guy (or gal) supposed to do?

The key is found in the Sacraments. In Baptism, we were all infused with the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. In Confirmation, these supernatural graces were strengthened by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Reconciliation, they are repaired and restored. And in the Eucharist, they are replenished and strengthened.



The supernatural virtue of Faith helps us to recognize what is worthy of divine faith, as well as helps us to go – beyond our own understanding – to believe in the things of God.

Because in terms of authority and integrity – God’s got it ALL going on.



Mary demonstrates the proper application of faith, both human and divine, in this particular passage of Scripture from St. Luke. While in the preceding and in the following sections of St. Luke, we hear other characters playing out a not-so-balanced application of faith: Zechariah, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, St. Joseph. But, in the end, they all figure it out.

In this Gospel today, Mary – through God’s grace – shows us how it’s done.

It’s a lot like remembering to lift with your legs, not your back … you might get away with it for a while, but when you do it wrong … you’ll know it.



As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us seek always to engage our Baptismal graces of Faith, Hope, and Love – topping them off at the wellspring of grace that flows from the altar. May our journey through this season of Advent help us to properly discern things – both human and divine … and properly apply our faculty of faith.

3rd Sunday Advent @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR B)
DECEMBER 17, 2017
4:30 PM (SAT), 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES

The first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary was published in 1888. Volume 1 covered the initial letters “A - B.” Forty years later, the final and tenth volume “V - Z” was published in 1928. Five years later, it was re-published in 13 volumes, including supplements.

It wasn’t until 1989 that a second edition was published in 20 volumes. 

The most quoted writer in the OED is Shakespeare, while the most quoted work is the Bible.

The OED defines “joy” as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.”

Yet, with apologies to those “wise clerks of Oxenford” who have been working on documenting the English language for nearly 130 years, it seems odd that these three words seem to get muddled and blurred together in this definition. 

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent, the vestments are “rose” colored, and we are nearly a week away from Christmas.

The Entrance Antiphon for today says: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near,” taken from the fourth chapter of St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.

In the first reading from the 61st chapter of Isaiah, we hear:

I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul …

In the responsorial psalm, we recited:

My soul rejoices in my God.

… while listening to excerpts from Our Lady’s Magnificat from Luke’s Gospel.

And St. Paul tells us to

Rejoice always.

While also admonishing us to pray without interruption, and to be thankful in all circumstances. 

And so, we must be clear what joy is. Is it pleasure? Is it happiness?

In his 1967 work titled The Guide to Contentment, Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen says:

Joy is not the same as pleasure or happiness. A wicked and evil man may have pleasure, while any ordinary mortal is capable of being happy. Pleasure generally comes from things, and always through the senses; happiness comes from humans through fellowship. Joy comes from loving God and neighbor. Pleasure is quick and violent, like a flash of lightning. Joy is steady and abiding, like a fixed star. Pleasure depends on external circumstances, such as money, food, travel, etc. Joy is independent of them, for it comes from a good conscience and love of God.

Sheen helps us to break these three words apart. He writes that pleasure is sensory and transitory … and is dependent on external things; that happiness comes from the fellowship of others – arising from our interaction with human beings. 

But joy … joy comes from God … by loving Him and neighbor … by persevering in God’s merciful love and abundant grace … only then can we experience true joy … as manifested by the Holy Spirit in our lives.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ – let us pray for the grace of a good conscience – by loving God and neighbor – and to persevere in God’s love and grace.

Through the manifold graces of this most Blessed Sacrament, may we experience joy … true joy … which comes from God … and from Him alone.