Here is my homily for December 14, 2008 – Third Sunday of Advent given at Montclair State University. The readings can be found at https://www.usccb.org/nab/121408.shtml . Thanks as always for reading and your responses
HOMILY:
A few months ago, a friend of mine sent me a text message and said he needed to talk to me and would I be available the next day in the afternoon. I kind of was concerned, because rarely does a friend need to set up an appointment to tell me something. In our day of fast track communication, usually people blurt stuff out – and often times rather do it over the internet. So, I really didn’t know what to expect – what was so important that he had to tell me- what demanded this face to face meeting time.
So my friend walks in the next day and within two seconds I was relieved – I could see the joy on his face My wife’s pregnant – it’s still early in the pregnancy yet so she doesn’t want me to tell anyone yet, but I figured you were safe – and I had to tell someone. And for almost an hour and a half he just kept talking about this child of his who he doesn’t know a thing about other than that he or she is coming.
Think about it – how hard is it to contain good news? As a priest, it’s true that often I have to walk with people during their darkest, worst periods of time; and hear the struggles difficulties and failures of their lives. But the happy part of priesthood is that I often hear about the babies that are coming, the engagements that are about to occur, the Good News that people cannot wait to convey to others (but perhaps have to).
About a year and a half ago when I was assigned to Montclair State University as the chaplain, I had left the Archbishop’s residence after almost an hour meeting with him. I got in the car and called my parents, my best friends – when all of a sudden my phone was beeping call waiting – “Hello” I said – “Hey Jim, It’s Mike from the Archbishop’s office” “Hey Mike – what’s up?” “Real quick, can you keep the news of your assignment to yourself till you get the formal announcement since we want to inform a couple of people first.” “Uhhhh…” Oops! – Gotta love these cell phones, huh?
What about for you? What is the Glad news, the good tidings in your own life that you cannot contain? That you rejoice over and want others to share in? Maybe you found that perfect, absolutely perfect Christmas gift for someone that you know they will be ecstatic over and you almost can’t wait to give it to them. You just get that exam back, that paper you worked hard on and you can’t wait to call someone and tell them about it – it was a hard and challenging one, but you did it.
Imagine if we really looked at what we’re doing here as Good News.
Imagine if we had that smile on our face that the expectant dad who cannot tell his co-workers about the joy that was coming to his wife and him when we speak about our faith (rather than it’s something I HAVE to go and do)
Imagine if we had that excitement of the soon to be engaged couple: that nervous, anticipation in their hearts that cannot contain themselves when we speak about Jesus.
Isaiah, that great prophet’s words in the first reading today marks a shift in this season of Advent. These first two weeks we heard Jesus in the Gospel telling us “WATCH” – Be alert; which was followed up last Sunday with – the exclamation point to that – what are we watching and waiting for? St Peter told us – New Heavens and a New Earth – which will come about “like a thief in the night” – at a time when we least expect it.
Today – though Isaiah REJOICES HEARTILY IN TH E LORD! GOD is the joy of his Soul! And he cannot contain the Good News – to proclaim to the people of Israel what God would be doing for them – what God would accomplish. The people of God were poor, were brokenhearted, were captive and prisoner and Isaiah says – I got fantastic news – I can’t wait to tell you – GOD’S COMING – HE’S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THIS – I’M REJOICING – AND YOU WILL TOO AS GOD COMES TO US.
That wasn’t just a historical event that happened one time. That becomes a template, a pattern on what God will continue to do. Working through Humanity. Today we sang our “responsorial psalm” wasn’t a psalm from the Old Testament – it was from the Gospel of Luke – it was the Virgin Mary’s song. An angel tells her what God is going to do, and how she will participate in how God will bring salvation to his people in the most miraculous, most unique way ever through her – and she cannot keep the good news to herself – she cries out ” My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed”
John the Baptist in today’s Gospel speaks to the people of his day. And it’s almost like Jesus is stage left just a little bit off in the distance. The people coming to John know, they see, they hear this Joy possessing John’s heart and soul. “What’s this good news?” “Are you the one” “Are you the Christ”. There’s no ego in this man. There’s no jealousy that “all these people are coming to me and I want them to keep coming to Me” – because it’s not about John the Baptist, and he knows it. “Are you the Christ?” No – but the great news he cannot contain to himself: but, he’s coming
And so we sit here tonight. We hear these words and wonder what their meaning is for us. There’s a part of us that thinks we’re removed from these historic events that fascinate us, inspire us, comfort us. But that’s not true…
You and I have the job of the Prophet Isaiah now.
You and I have the role of Mary and John the Baptist now.
We have been anointed – in our Baptism and Confirmation – The Spirit of the Lord is upon US – and it is our duty to bring the glad tidings to the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners…
But we have to believe that it truly is Good News. We have to truly know that the Lord Jesus has come and that has changed us. We have to see that this banquet which we share in is where Jesus still does come to us. We have to recognize that Jesus becomes a part of us. And then it becomes our duty to bring this joy out there.
How do we do that though? With finals, Christmas shopping to do, all the busy obligations we have at this time of year? We seem more “weary” than “rejoicing.” St. Paul’s words seem flat when he says “Pray without ceasing.” There’s an impulse to say “Yeah you know what St. Paul – you should rejoice that I have time to make it to Sunday Mass.”
But again, that’s where we have it backwards and disconnected. We can still do all those things we have to do – but keeping in our hearts and souls what God wants to do for us – and for all humanity. We have to “pray without ceasing” by looking for Him and sharing Him in small but meaningful ways. Right now, is there someone you’ve been mean to, been angry with – could you take the initiative and bring healing to that? Simply because that brings glad tidings – that brings the good news – that testifies to the light that is present here among us. Right now, is there someone you know who has gone through a rough time, a painful loss, struggling because they don’t have a lot of their own “good news” to share? Maybe our sharing how we’ve been there and that we got through it because our God came to us through others in the same way we go to them helps to bring this good news to life.
We call the Gospel “the Good News” – Brother’s and Sisters, how excited are you to share it?
