Homily: Third Sunday of Advent

This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, which translates: Rejoice!  But truth be told, after what happened Friday in the sleepy town of Newton, CT and the massacre of 20 young children there seems to be no reason to rejoice.  This same day I received an email from a dear friend.  Her little nephew will have to undergo another open heart surgery in order to survive.  More reason for not rejoicing.  So I gave thought of not posting the homily for this weekend.  I mean, really, who feels like rejoicing this weekend…
But then I realized, in a new way, all that has taken place actually brings more meaning to this Sunday’s readings.  Each reading contains a crowd who is confused, worried, anxious and searching for the presence of God.  They were asking the same questions so many of us are asking this day – Why? and… Where is God in all of this?  And while we will never comprehend acts of violence as was witnessed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School, this Sunday we are reminded why there is reason to still rejoice.

So you may wondering  why I posted a picture of so many lit candles, after all there should be only three Advent candles lit, the third being rose colored?  

Three reasons. 

This weekend we light the third candle of our Advent wreath as we mark our time through this liturgical season.  

This weekend we light 27 candles representing the lives that have been lost in Newtown, with the faith of knowing that they bathe in the light of God’s presence, resting in the arms of our risen Lord.

And this weekend I light one candle as I celebrate the first birthday of my blog!  It was Guadete Sunday last year that I took to my keyboard and launched the first posting.  So my thanks to all of you who have supported me in any way...those of you who have enjoyed (or not) my postings…and all who have helped me teach what I believe!

And on my first anniversary I have added one more feature to the homily posts – and that is my voice.  You will see the extra link below allowing you to hear a podcast of the homily…in addition to the usual written version.   

And so, I am reminded that I do have great reason to rejoice – for the blessings of God’s presence in all of you.

Click here for the Sunday readings

Click here for the homily text

Click here for the podcast

Easter Sunday - Things Hidden

Every year before our family Easter dinner, we hold our annual Easter Egg Hunt.  Over 125 eggs are hidden in the back yard.  Some contain candy, some coin and a select few contain paper money.  As the kids got older (top picture = 2000, bottom = 2011), they quickly learned to pick up the egg, shake it and if it didn’t rattle, assumed it to be paper money and kept that egg.  If it rattled, they placed it back and continued on the search. So, in time, the Easter Bunny got smarter and would always include a coin or two in order that all would rattle and thus fool the teen seeker.

God is like that.  God is hidden where you least expect to find God. Where, you ask?  Author Paula D’Arcy writes, “God comes to you disguised as your life.”  Our challenge is, like the Blind Man in the gospel story, we need to have our eyes opened!

Lent was a time for introspection, a time to scrutinize oneself, to look internally at our own darkness so that we may be open to the light of Christ.  But it is now Easter!  Christ is Risen and Christ is among us!  Easter is the time to look outward and to open our eyes to see Christ in our lives.

Christ is in your spouse, your child, your family, your co-worker, your neighbor, your church family.  Christ is also in your estranged friend or loved one, in your hurts, your wounds and your ‘enemy.’  Christ is found in those at the top of their lives and those who are at the bottom.  Christ is found in you and me.

Fr. Richard Rohr reminds us in his classic book, Everything Belongs, that spirituality is all about seeing.  During this Easter season, open your eyes to all that is hidden, whether it rattles or not.  For it is there that you will find God waiting for you!

Christ is Risen!  He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter!