This weekend we hear about Jesus’ first public miracle, an important moment that speaks to his identity as the Messiah, the Son of God.

As the scene of the Wedding Feast at Cana unfolds, Mary seemingly “pushes” Jesus out into his public ministry, ignoring his reticence to perform a miracle in the midst of the crowd of guests gathered for the wedding feast.

It seems to me that it was a moment when Mary called on Jesus to let his true identity shine forth for people to see! Jesus may well have felt that it was not the time, but he eventually responds to her request.

In the Gospel of John, “signs” like the turning of the water into wine are very important as they point to the identity of Jesus as both human and divine.

John clearly states in the second to last chapter of the Gospel that he has written about all these signs that “you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and through believing you may have life in his name.” Coming to know who Jesus is and believing in him brings us eternal life.
St. Paul is also interested in identity – he writes passionately about our identity as members of the living Body of Christ. Paul challenges each one of us to reflect on, what is our gift?…what is our charism?
The gifts that each of us are given are given to us specifically by God! The gifts that are given to us are not for ourselves, but for the sake of the whole – to help build up the Body of Christ!

On this Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, I cannot but help to think his gifts: of charismatic leadership, bold vision, a deep faith and ultimately sacrificing his life for the cause of racial equality…a man who shared all he had, including his actual life, for the sake of the very soul of our nation.

As the struggle for racial justice, equality, and recognition of the human dignity of all persons continues, we must ask ourselves what are my gifts that God has given me for the sake of this struggle, and for the building up of the Body of Christ, and how will I put those gifts into action in the coming weeks and months?

Blessings,
Fr. Tim

The word epiphany comes from the Greek, meaning to “appear” or to be “revealed”. In some cultures the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is referred to as “Little Christmas” or “the Feast of the Three Kings” and is the day of exchanging gifts with friends and loved ones.

Regardless of what we call it, it is a day on which we tell the story of the arrival of the magi, or the three kings, who have come from afar to see the newborn king and to offer gifts.

Epiphany is a time of celebrating the acknowledgement of “a new beginning”. A time to celebrate the Reign of God bursting forth in the midst of creation!

For sure we dwell for a while on the visit of the magi and the wonder of their journey…led by only a star that shown brightly in the deepest of the night sky. It is a time of wonder and awe…a time to allow ourselves to enter into the story and reflect on our own journey… our spiritual journey. For the magi, the signs were in the heavens…a star that led them to Bethlehem, to a shabby little stable where our God took on human flesh and came among us as one of us.

Perhaps the magi’s real wisdom was that they knew that they didn’t know everything. They valued learning, they looked for signs, and they paid attention to their dreams…they expected God to talk to them! They believed that they encountered God in their daily lives. Ultimately the story of the magi is a story of encounter, an encounter of the greatest kind…an encounter with God!

And so the Feast of the Epiphany is a time to ask ourselves: am I open to “following a star,” am I open to paying attention to the signs of God’s presence in my daily life? Do I make time to listen for God’s words spoken to me in my life? Where do I most often encounter God in the ordinary routine of my daily life?

The magi came bearing gifts…what gift of self, or of my life, might I offer to God, and to my sisters and brothers?

I pray you all a most happy, healthy and blessed New Year!

Christmas blessings,
Fr. Tim

As we gaze upon the manger on this Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph it is easy to be filled with a warm and fuzzy feeling, and that is not a bad thing — it is wonderful; however let us not forget how difficult the trip, how cold the night and how frightening the circumstances…giving birth in an animal barn!

Let us reflect on the reality that God’s very Self became human and was born into a family, not in a palace grand but in a lowly manger. When I reflect on the Holy Family my mind turns the very real and very human struggles they faced…not only having to give birth in a stable, but the fact that they had to flee to Egypt to avoid Herod’s execution of the children of Bethlehem and the surrounding region.

It is almost unconceivable to think that God was made a refugee and had to flee to a foreign country from where he was born, to avoid becoming a victim of genocide.

And that ultimately Mary would have her heart pierced when her Son would be executed by the state. And so Mary too understands the suffering of mothers and fathers who have lost children to war, violence and sickness.

So as we celebrate the Holy Family let us know that our God understands the struggles of human families and that “God is with us”…Emmanuel…in the midst of our struggles and our sorrows.

Let us know that God journeys with the migrants, refugees and immigrants of this world, just as we are called to do.

So as we draw near to them…we draw near to God! As we advocate and work to help our immigrant and refugee sisters and brothers…we do so with Christ, who knows firsthand their struggles, and who works with us, and shares in their journey.

What struggling families might I be able to reach out to in order to ease their struggles? How might I be Christ to someone who is struggling right now?

Somewhere in the story of the Holy Family there is a message for us today about those who are made refugees…about those who are driven from their homeland by war, violence and poverty, seeking safety and a better life for themselves and their children.

In a country that more and more shuns refugees and immigrants I wonder if we would have received Joseph, Mary and Jesus into our country as refugees?

Over and over again in the Gospels Jesus warns us that our treatment of others is in fact our treatment of God! Jesus told his followers that when we welcome the stranger we welcome him! And likewise when we turn away the stranger we turn away Christ!

We, as a country, so often invoke the name of God…but do we as a nation really understand the implications of proclaiming that “we are one nation under God”? Do our elected members of the House and Senate really understand that? Do they show it by the laws they enact or block from becoming law?

How many millions of people fall though the economic safety net of this country and are forced to exist — not live — in unbelievable conditions because of the callousness, and political aspirations of our elected officials in Congress and some of those who elect them?

As we celebrate the feast of the Holy family and fix our eyes upon the peaceful manger scene, let us never forget that this family we gaze upon was once driven from their homeland and made refugees in an alien land.

As we, as a country, fight for economic and social reform and comprehensive immigration reform I believe that the reality of the Holy Family’s struggles may be fertile ground for further reflection and what we are called to as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Christmas blessings,
Fr. Tim

This is the time of year when it seems that everyone sings of ‘peace on earth and good will toward all’! Pope Paul VI proclaimed that if we want peace we need to work for justice. In this season of dreams of peace and good will we are called to work for justice! Advent is a strange season…a season of hopes and dreams…a season of promises fulfilled and of promises yet to be fulfilled…a season of the Reign of God, that which is bursting forth and at the same time not yet fully here.

Advent is counter cultural on so many levels. In a season when it seems the whole world begins to spin even faster we are called to slow down, to spend time in prayer and reflection, to spend time thinking about the deeper realities of our lives in the midst of the ongoing “tri-demic”.

Part of this season’s story is about a young girl living in a male dominated world where women were treated as property. But, she breaks free from the bonds of obscurity and insignificance and becomes the heroine of “the greatest story ever told”.

A young girl named Mary said “yes” to an impossible proposition. ”Yes” to what must have seemed totally absurd. Imagine yourself in Mary’s place: you are going along in your normal day and suddenly an angel, a heavenly visitor, appears out of nowhere, telling you that “God”, The Creator of all things, -- visible and invisible -- was “asking” you to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah!

The whole idea that God would choose to become human - - one like us -- and enter into our world as a vulnerable and innocent child is almost too much to comprehend. And yet she said “yes” And her yes changed the world forever!

To this very day… right now…her yes is still changing the world because the Risen Christ is in our midst! Because of her yes, we can profess “we are the Body of Christ!”

What is God calling me to say yes to as a member of the Body of Christ? As I say yes to God, can I say yes to the immigrants and refugees, yes to women and girls by refusing to be silent as they are assaulted and abused by the misogyny that is the very fabric of almost every culture in every country? Can I say yes to refusing to participate in racism and bigotry in my words, actions and thoughts? Can I say yes to reaching out in love to even those who have hurt me or whom I have hurt?

Am I brave enough to risk it all like that young girl, from a dusty little backwater town, some two thousand years ago, and say yes to God and to what God has in mind for me? Am I willing to risk, like Mary, and say “yes” to God, in the midst of the chaos, fear and sorrow of wars, famine, sickness, economic insecurity, not knowing where my yes will lead me…just trusting that God will walk with me on the journey of my life and never leave my side, believing that that will make all the difference in my journey?

Advent blessings,

​Fr. Tim

​This Sunday we light the pink candle on the Advent wreath. It is meant to mark the week as special; for centuries, in the west, the color pink has been associated with “joy”!
​
This Sunday is called “Gaudete” Sunday…from the Latin “to rejoice”…for the Lord’s coming is near! The readings this Sunday have both a sense of expectancy and joyfulness.

In the first reading the prophet Zephaniah cries out, “shout for joy,” sing, be glad, “exult with all your heart,” and elsewhere the prophet Isaiah tells us that the desert will break forth in bloom and we will see the splendor of God and the weak and the fearful of heart will be made strong. The blind will see, the deaf will hear and mute will sing…all the ransomed will return and there will be gladness and joy among the throngs of people as they enter Zion.

Wow…what a vision of the Reign of God bursting forth on the earth! As we think about this vision of the Reign of God, and we look around at all the suffering and war and famine and injustices…our joyfulness can quickly turns to sadness and feelings of being cheated out of Isaiah’s vision of the Reign of God. OR, instead of feeling cheated or sorry for myself, I can stand up and work with the Holy Spirit to make that vision a reality.

Let us remember the Angel Gabriel’s words to Mary at the annunciation, “for nothing is impossible with God.” I can work to build up the Reign of God in the midst of the injustices and fear and violence by speaking out and standing up on behalf of the homeless, the immigrant, by standing with people of color, Muslims, Jews, women and girls, members of the LGBTQ community -- so many of whom feel fearful, excluded, unheard and looked down upon just because of who they are, how they look or where they come from.

Each one of us is called to be the voice of the prophet crying out in the wilderness of division and disdain, to lay down our weapons of war and destruction and to call others to work to build the peaceable kingdom based on acceptance, mercy and forgiveness!

As we reflect on “Gaudete Sunday” and its deeper meaning, let us ask ourselves: What will I do this week to actively build up the Reign of God? And for whom and for what will I stand up for and show my support for this week?

Advent blessings,
Fr. Tim 

REPENT! Prepare the way of the Lord! These words of John the Baptist echo down through the centuries and are as pertinent to us as they were to those who first heard them. John the Baptist came from the desert crying out to the people, calling them to a moment of “metanoia”…literally meaning “a moment of turning around” from their former ways.

They came to repent and be baptized, to begin again with God, to prepare the way of the Lord! To ready themselves for an encounter with The Christ, and an encounter with God in the flesh-- the Incarnation!

The Voice of John the Baptist cries out to us in the midst of the rush and chaos of the Advent season, calling us to a conversion of heart. He announces the breaking forth of the Reign of God in our very midst. But can we hear him amid the cacophony and the clamor of our busy and overscheduled lives? I fear perhaps not, not unless we are willing to do something very counter cultural…to step back, to sit down and to spend a moment reflecting on our lives and our relationships.

Reflecting on our relationships with family and friends, with coworkers and classmates, with neighbors and our relationships with migrants and immigrants. Reflecting on our relationships with the homeless and the hungry, and with all those on the margins of society: the unseen, the ones who are “Other” than us because of the color of their skin, their gender, who they love or where they were born or what their politics are.

We need to make time this Advent to reflect on our relationships with how we view and treat “Others” who are the beloved of God…just as you are the beloved of God. Whether or not you believe it, whether or not you accept it, it is your core identity. Embrace it this Advent, embrace being the beloved of God, just as you are! It will change your life.

We need to ask ourselves if we are “living out of this identity, as the beloved of God”? In the Scriptures for this Sunday Isaiah speaks of a new time for the people of Israel -- a time of great hope; a new reign that is breaking forth.

In this new world, mercy and justice will flourish and the wicked and unjust ones will be banished forever. But as we look around it seems as if we are a long way off from the “peaceable kingdom”. Wars rage and political unrest swirl around us like the biting winds of a cold December night. Millions of our sisters and brothers desperately seek refuge, with no home in sight. Terrorists strike the innocent and fill us with fear…it all seems so bleak.

Where is the Reign of God bursting forth? It is waiting to burst forth from within each one of us! Every time we respond to a person in need or in pain or in a hurtful or harmful situation, and respond in a Christ-like manner, the Reign of God burst forth!

Are we brave enough to embrace that moment of “metanoia”…“to turn around” to answer the call of John the Baptist. To allow the love of God to soften our hearts and enlighten our minds and embolden us into action. To fight against racism, bigotry and misogyny and all forms of exclusion, marginalization and hatred
that plagues our society today?

As Christians are we willing to “live” the Reign of God through our daily actions? What would that look like? What would I have to change or continue to do in my life for me to be a living sign to others of their identity as the beloved of God, just the way they are, and in doing so show them the bursting forth of the Reign of God in the midst of a hurting and fearful world? And in doing so…“prepare the way of the Lord”!

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn. 1: 5)

Advent Blessings,
Fr. Tim

Happy New Year! ...no, I’ve not lost it…today we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent…the beginning of a new liturgical year in the church’s calendar.

Advent is truly a “wonder-filled” season. We look to the deep blue night sky…shimmering with a billion stars, each one a reminder of the dawn of creation, of the promise of the long awaited savior.

There is a wonderfulness in gazing up at the night sky… something awe inspiring and spiritual in nature, it calls us to look beyond ourselves. Advent is a time to “make time” in the midst of all the commercialism, in the midst of all of the chaos that we call “the holiday rush.” We are called to slow down, to stand back and to reflect…to take time to allow the wonder of the Great Christmas Event to settle into our souls.

It is a time meant to shake us loose from the ordinariness of our daily lives and to allow ourselves to be wrapped up in the awe and wonder of the Incarnation -- the fact that our God so deeply loves us, and that God’s very self became human to show forth that love to us.

That love is for you…just as you are! This amazing love is for all of God’s creation, for all peoples and for the earth itself!

This Advent we find ourselves in the midst of one the largest humanitarian crises in recent memory as we struggle through the war and devastation in Gaza, Lebanon, South Sudan and Ukraine…and so many other places. And, in the midst of horrible civil strife, poverty and a deep sense of hopelessness, our sisters and brothers flee these wars, violence and terror; they wander the earth in search of a home.

As we reflect on the wonder and awe of God’s amazing love for the earth and all humanity let us raise our voices and our hands to make sure that these refugees and immigrants, and all who wander the earth in search of finding “home”, will be taken in. Let us not allow fear to rule our lives, but rather the love of Christ!

Just as the Holy Family was made refugees by the tyrant Herod, so too these sisters and brothers of ours flee violence and war, let us work to make sure they find a “home,” too! Let us not allow the immensity of the crisis to paralyze us and convince us we can do nothing -- for in Christ we can do all things.

What can I do this Advent to help in the midst of these humanitarian crises? As I open my heart to the love of God this Advent season can I also open it to refugees and migrants and speak up on their behalf? How can I make sure my voice is heard amidst all the vitriolic anti racial justice and hate speech? This year let our Advent gift to the world be a promise to work for and pray for peace and justice.

What could be of greater value for a world plagued by religious and political divisions and torn apart by terrorism and war…than to pray and take action for peace and justice, in that we will “prepare the way of the Lord”! “And the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn. 1: 5a)

Blessings,
Fr. Tim

Since 1969, by decree of Pope Paul VI, the end of the liturgical year has been punctuated by the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (previously known as “the Feast of Christ the King”). The raising of this feast status to a “Solemnity” and the expansion of the title points to a deepening of the understanding of the cosmic nature of the “Christ Event” and its impact in, not only human history, but of its impact on all created reality!

Perhaps “Sovereign of the Universe” would be a less patriarchal title and convey the same reality. Today throughout the church we focus not just on Christ’s sovereignty over all creation but on Christ’s love for each of us and indeed God’s love for all of creation.

The second reading helps to hone the true image of “this Sovereign”…the glory is to be given to the one who loves us and has freed us from our sins by the giving up of his very life. And if we listen closely, we can hear the echo of the Good Shepherd in Jesus’ final words in today’s Gospel…“everyone who belongs to the Truth listens to my voice.” And so we listen to Christ’s voice in our lives and make Christ the sovereign of our lives. Not as one who lords it over us but as the One who came that we might have eternal life; the One who remains in us and we in Christ…who was, who is, and who is yet to come!

This understanding of Christ as Sovereign of the Universe holds the power to draw us into the enormity of the mystery of the Divine act of creation itself, a holy and selfless act of Love…and we are the progeny of this ever expanding, ever creating Love. Just as the universe is ever expanding so too this Divine Love is ever expanding and encompasses all of creation.

In a world with far too many despots and tyrants who rule by force and fear, we are called to build up the Reign of God, that all creation might flourish and blossom. This is a Reign built on love and mercy, not violence and intimidation.

So in the midst of reflecting on the sovereignty of Christ in our lives let us pray for and work actively towards solutions that help to end war and violence and famine. Let us fight for an end to systemic racism and all forms of bigotry and misogyny. And, let us open our hearts and homes to immigrants, migrants and refugees and fight for their human rights…thus following Jesus’ clarion call in Matthew 25, and in doing so build up the Reign of God here and now!

Let us not be ruled by fear or violence or self-interest but rather let us be ruled by the love of Christ and his call to love God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves! Let us act from this place of love as we work to actively build a more peaceful and just society, where all people are welcomed and valued, as children of God.
​
Blessings,
Fr. Tim

As we move towards the end of the liturgical year the readings turn towards “the end of days”. One day the world will end...Christ will return…and the great judgment Mathew 25 depicts will take place where those who cared for the poor, the stranger, the sick and the imprisoned will be separated out from those who did not. But when will this day of reckoning come?

Some Christians routinely (and wrongly) announce the return of Christ…they seem to forget that Jesus clearly said that no one, not even “He”, knew when the world would end -- only His Father!

And yet they continue to claim to know the date and time. Remember the “Jesus is coming on May 21st” billboards that dotted the highways some years ago? A perfect example of some Christians believing they have some special inside knowledge as to the end times, forgetting that Jesus clearly said no one will know the hour nor the day.

Today’s Gospel is not about “knowing” when Christ will come…but rather about being ready when Christ does come! So, the question is: am I ready?

At the center of the readings this weekend is a message of total reliance upon the mercy and love of God. It is about keeping our hearts and minds open to God’s presence within us and within our daily lives and in the world around us!

As I said last week…God’s love for us as individuals is both lavish and passionate; it knows no bounds and it is the very reason for the incarnation of our God in Jesus Christ.

Jesus was the manifestation of God’s magnanimous love for us and through Him! God’s love and forgiveness was, and continues to be, freely poured forth upon each of us and indeed upon the entire world.

The psalmist reminds us that God is our portion and cup, our inherence and therefore our hearts are glad and our souls rejoice…for we are God’s beloved!

By keeping God at the center of our daily lives we indeed will be ready if the world were to end in our times. Because of the love and mercy of our God we need not fear “the end” for we will be transformed into beings that shine like the stars in the heavens!

This is true in the dark times and the struggles of our lives, keeping God at the center of our daily lives helps us navigate these times and keep centered and feel empowered by the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and guides and guards us even in the darkest of our days.

Through Christ we have inherited eternal life and each of us is a part of “the great cloud of witnesses” who gives glory to God, and we give that glory by living out our discipleship and loving God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves.

When and where do I most feel the presence of God in my life? How do I actively engage in keeping God at the center of my life? How do I best show my love of God and neighbor?
​
Blessings,
Fr. Tim

God’s love for us as individuals is both lavish and passionate; it knows no bounds and it is the very reason for the incarnation of our God in Jesus Christ. Jesus was the manifestation of God’s magnanimous love for us, through Christ, God’s love and forgiveness was freely poured forth upon the entire world.

We are the recipients of this love and forgiveness and today’s readings beg the question of us: how do we respond to this love and forgiveness which is so lavishly poured out upon us?

The old woman, a widow, who throws two, almost worthless copper coins into the temple coffers, under the doubtless sneers of the temple guards and temple priests, causes Jesus to proclaim her actions as heroic because she gave not from her excess but from her “want.” She gave all she had to live on, to God. She surely gave from her love for God all that she had to give. It was a great sacrifice that she was making out of her love for God.

In all honesty I feel a bit like the old woman with two, almost worthless, copper coins to offer in the face of giant political money machines funded by billionaires… on Wednesday I got up and I looked at my phone and my stomach sank, my eyes welled up, and my heart hurt, I feared for the future of millions of people living in our country, that will have their dreams snatched from them and their lives turned upside down. I feared for what lay on the horizon for our nation.

I made a cup of coffee and headed out into the parking lot and looked at the hundreds of people milling around, and as I stopped to talk with some of them my worry deepened.
​
As the morning wore on, over 900 families came to our food pantry, several hundred lined up for Matt 25 for clothing and the line for the Gabriel project snaked down the steps and around the side of the building…and I thought back to onslaught of the pandemic and how we went from 250 families on a Wednesday at our food pantry to over 700 in the blink of an eye, with absolutely no idea of how we would be able to feed all these people. We put a call out to the parish and it spread to the wider community, and suddenly the fishes and the loaves multiplied and we were able to meet the needs of our sisters and brothers.

In the midst of the darkness, we became a light; in the midst of chaos and fear your very best inclinations and those of our neighbors shown forth…and we responded to our sisters and brothers with love and compassion.

We welcomed the stranger, we fed the hungry, clothed the naked and put our discipleship into action, all the while caring for the safety of each other. And that is what we will continue to do, standing with the poor, the immigrant and the refugee. We will continue our fight for racial justice and call out misogyny wherever we see it. We will continue to fight for meaningful and compassionate immigration reform and welcome the stranger as Matthew 25 demands we do!

We will continue to engage in national political debates as it is our moral imperative, as Pope Francis has said “because it seeks the common good”…because we seek the common good!

“What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn. 1: 3b-5)

Blessings,
Fr. Tim