First Mass of Christmas

First Mass of Christmas
Nowadays, we like things to be big. We measure the success of something by how big it is, by how many people are involved, or how many people saw it happen.

Each year the Rose Bowl game is attended by nearly 100,000 people. This year’s Super Bowl was only attended by 71,000 people, but 130 million more watched it on television in the United States and as many as a billion around the world.. Our St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball because the regularly draw more than 3 million fans to the ballpark.

Yet, the biggest event in the entire history of mankind was attended by just two people, Mary and Joseph. If bigger is better then why are people all around the world gathered together tonight to celebrate something that went completely unnoticed when it actually happened?

This past weekend, Jan and I and three of our kids went to Branson. It’s a tradition that we do every year. We go to Silver Dollar City, and the outlet mall, and the Port O’ Lights in Kimberling City.

I have to tell you about the Port O’ Lights. If you don’t know the Branson area, Kimberling City is one of the quieter parts of Table Rock Lake, especially this time of year. There are no music shows or big name hotels. It’s mainly a fishing and boating area. And there’s not much fishing and boating in December. All of the action is over in Branson.

But they have this drive-through Christmas display in the campground at the Kimberling City marina. It can’t begin to compete with all the shows and things to do in Branson. In fact, it’s kind of hokey, but it’s very nice as small town Christmas displays go. It’s $7.00 for a carload of people and takes almost an hour to drive through. We’ve been going there since the kids were little, and it’s become a tradition for us.

But, that‘s not what I wanted to talk about.. I wanted to talk about Silver Dollar City. It’s a special place at Christmas time. It’s a business that’s not afraid to promote Christmas. Not the Famous Barr, Wal-Mart kind of Christmas, but the kind of Christmas that we’re here to celebrate tonight. They sing songs about Jesus. They have a live Nativity Scene. They’re a business, a very successful business, but they’re not interested in being politically correct. If Christian values offend you, they don’t mind you taking your business elsewhere.

One of the biggest attraction during Christmas is the five story musical Christmas tree. Every evening when it gets dark, they fire this thing up every fifteen minutes. It plays music and the lights blink and change colors in time with the music and the people love it. I’m not sure, but that one tree probably has more lights than the entire Port O’ Lights. Which one is better? I guess it depends on who you ask. If you go by the size of the audience, then Silver Dollar City wins hands down. But if you go by more traditional values, then I’d give the nod to Kimberling City. Each individual display is sponsored by a local business, or a family and it’s obvious that many of them are home made.

That brings me back to the reason we’re all here tonight, the birth of the Baby Jesus. It wasn’t big. It wasn’t spectacular. There were no lights, no music, just two people a long way from home, having a baby in a cattle stall. Imagine how scared they must have been. What was happening? What had they gotten themselves into? Why had they ever gone along with this? Only time would tell.

Most of the time, when you see a manger scene, Mary and Joseph aren’t alone. Sometimes they almost get lost in the crowd. There are the shepherds, and maybe even the Magi, even though the shepherds didn’t arrive until sometime after the birth, and we know that the three kings came later. But, we know that’s not how it was. Yet, this seemingly small event changed the world.

We have a Nativity scene at home. It belonged to my wife’s grandmother. It has two Mary’s and two baby Jesus (we only use one of each) a three-legged sheep, a cow with one horn, and a tiger. But, if you offered Jan a thousand dollars, she wouldn’t part with it. It’s small. It’s simple. It’s a lot like the real thing.

And, of course, the real thing happened in the middle of the night. That’s why I like this mass. Even though it’s technically still Christmas Eve, this is the closest mass to the actual time that the event occurred. Like the 3:00 service on Good Friday, we’re remembering something that changed everything that was to come after it, at the same time of day when it actually occurred. It’s very easy to picture those early-morning hours in long-ago Bethlehem, here in the dark of night.



This mass brings back a lot of memories for me. Of course the other one was Easter. We used to go to my mom’s house, when she was still alive, on Christmas Eve. We would have dinner and exchange gifts. Then we would leave her house and go to Midnight mass. Sometimes she would even go with us, even though she wasn’t Catholic.

In those days, you had to get here early to get a seat. And since we almost always had a young child who had to be held, you didn’t want to have to stand. There’s not much in this world that’s heavier than a three-year-old who’s full of sugar and caffeine at Midnight on Christmas Eve. We would attend mass and then go home to wait for the kids to go to sleep because everyone knows that Santa doesn’t come when there’s anybody still awake in the house.

I look back on those midnight masses with mixed emotions. In one sense, I remember them as one of the best, most peaceful times of the whole year. The church was decorated for Christmas, the baby Jesus was here, there was joy in the world, just like tonight.

On the other hand, I look back on them with a tinge of regret, because they remind me of a time in my life when I had pretty much turned my back on God. In spite of all the things that He had done for me, I thought that I didn’t need Him. I didn’t need to go to mass on Sunday. Twice a year was plenty and I even complained about that. My poor wife struggled to bring our kids to church the other fifty-one weeks of the year. But she always did. Even when they were old enough to argue that if Dad didn’t go to church, they shouldn’t have to either.

And, you see how I turned out. When I was sitting where you are, wrestling with a squirmy kid and looking at my watch, I couldn’t have guessed in a million years that one day I would be standing here, talking to you at Midnight mass.

I tell my kids when they’re faced with a hard decision, that I regret some of the things that I’ve done, but the things I regret the most are the things I didn’t do. And the one thing I regret the most is the time in my life that I didn’t get the message of this night.

That first Christmas wasn’t the Super Bowl. It wasn’t a block-buster movie. It was just the most important thing that’s ever happened on this planet. Nothing before or since can even come close to the significance of that one birth. One small baby, born more than 2,000 years ago.

He wasn’t born in a hospital, or even in his parents’ home. He was born in a manger, a long way from home, with just His mom and dad as witnesses.

As we continue our celebration this morning, on behalf of Father Gary, Deacon Mike and all the parish staff I pray that the Christmas season is all that you want it to be. I pray that it finds you and everyone you love healthy, happy, and full of the spirit of the season. I pray that in the midst of the presents, and the food, and the celebrations, that all of us remember the reason for it all, the little baby born without fanfare, in that stable so far from home, so long ago.

Merry Christmas Darn It

WARNING! What follows is a rant. Read at your own risk.

I don't know about you, but I've just about had it with all this politically correct "happy holidays" nonsense. The holiday is Christmas. It's Jesus' birthday. If the best you can do is wish me some kind of generic, vanilla, non-offensive to the athiests, greeting, then just smile and keep your mouth shut! If you insist on inflicting your non-specific holiday wish on me, I will smile and answer "Merry Christmas!"

If you're a merchant, and you expect me to spend my money in your store, then don't insult me with your neutrality. Now, I know, you're going to plead that you don't want to offend anyone who might not celebrate the birth of Christ. Well, guess what? You're offending ME by trying to remove Christ from Christmas. Guess what else? There are millions more like me. If every one of us would boycott your stores, maybe you would get the idea.

Here's the thing. Has anyone ever met a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, or anyone of any other faith who is offended when they are wished a Merry Christmas? Think about it. It's a sincere wish for a happy December 25th. We're not asking them to convert. We're saying nothing about what they believe. I would imagine that most intelligent people would be pleased that we're offering our good wishes to them, even though we know that they don't share our belief.

Consider, would you be offended if a Jewish person wished you a Happy Hannukah? I wouldn't. I would think it a very nice gesture. I can have eight happy days without abandoning my Christianity. And they can certainly have a Happy December 25th, especially since they probably get the day off!

Do you suppose that the citizens of London, Ontario are offended on July 4 because they can see Detroit's Independence Day fireworks? Do they stay in the house and close the blinds? Or do they get out their lawn chairs and enjoy the show? My guess is the latter. Who knows? Some may even cross the river and join in the festivities. I know I was once in Canada on their Independence Day (Canada Day, actually. It's on July 1.) It was very nice. I like a good party. If you want to invite me to your Hannukah celebration, I'll be glad to come. Just don't wish me "happy holidays."

The first job I ever had, when I was 15, was working for a Jewish merchant. He owned a small department store in a suburban neighborhood. Of course, he made a lot of money from Christmas business. But, he truly had more Christmas spirit than many Christians. We always had a party on Christmas Eve with some of the best food I ever tasted. It was quite a feast. And, there was also always a Christmas bonus. At the time I was making something like $15.00 a week. The bonus was the equivalent of a month's pay. He wished everyone a Merry Christmas and meant it.

He's been dead for a long time, but just in case they have the Internet in heaven, Merry Christmas, Mr. Kaplan.

And, Merry Christmas to you!

December 15, 2004 It's Our Choice

In today's Gospel, we hear Luke's version of the story of John the Baptist's disciples' visit to Jesus. Just this past Sunday, we heard Matthew's version. The two are virtually the same except that Luke tells us that there were two visitors. Matthew doesn't say how many there were.

In both versions, the question is the same: "Are you Him, or should we keep looking?" And, as the other Deacon Mike pointed out on Sunday, Jesus doesn't give them a straight answer. He rarely does. It all comes down to this thing called "free will". We aren't robots. We are human beings made in the image and likeness of God. As teenagers love to say, I can do whatever I want to." And, we can.

But we also love God, and we fear God. At least we should. Isaiah tells us

"The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. "

Thomas Merton wrote in his book No Man is an Island that God never gives us a direct answer to our questions because if He did, our love for Him and our fear of Him would eliminate our free will. In other words, if we knew exactly what God wanted us to do, we would have to do it.

So, in effect, uncertainty is God's gift to us. When we feel frustrated because we are searching for an answer, and we think that God should give it to us, we should remember that if He did, we would have no power to choose. Merton also said that it's our desire to please God, even when we make a mistake, that really pleases Him.

I know you've seen the television commercial where the kids make mom breakfast in bed. I think it might be her birthday. Anyway, they make a total disaster out of the kitchen. Mom would have had a lot less work if she had made her own breakfast. But, how does she respond? She's thrilled that the kids think enough of her to try to please her. It's the thought that counts.

It's the same with God. He's thrilled when we try to please him, even if we totally screw things up, because we chose to try to please him. If he forced us to act, what would that prove about our love for Him? Zippo!

So we see God telling John's apostles to go back and tell John what they've seen. "Am I the one you're looking for? You're going to have to figure that one out for yourself. The evidence is all there, but you're going to have to put the pieces together."

It's should be easier for us today. We know who He is. But, it seems like sometimes we forget. When we're looking for answers it's easy to become frustrated and almost scream at God, "Why won't you give me an answer?" But consider the alternative. Do we want a God who tells us what to do, or do we want a God who lets us choose, knowing that by choosing, we're loving Him, just as He loves us?

December 13, 2004

Life can be very interesting. A lot of you were here yesterday morning at 10:30 mass for the anointing of the sick. In fact, a lot of you received the sacrament. It’s a beautiful thing. Through the actions of the priest, the words he says and the sacred oil of chrism, you’re given the strength of the Holy Spirit to help your body overcome illness. What a great gift! Christ told the Apostles that he would send an advocate, the Holy Spirit to be with us and this is one of the ways in which He works.

Right after mass yesterday, Deacon Mike baptized Mary Turner’s granddaughter. Her family and friends were here in church to witness another action of the Holy Spirit, this time working through Deacon Mike. The Spirit will protect that little girl, in the same way that He will protect those who were anointed yesterday. He’s with us from the time we’re born until we die, if we want Him to be.

We’re now into the third week of Advent. The end is in sight. In just 12 days, we will celebrate the greatest event in the history of the earth, God’s coming to earth as a little baby to save us from our sins. God loves us so much that He was willing to that. How amazing is that?

And all we have to do to benefit from God’s generosity is to cooperate with it. He protects us through the sacraments of baptism and confirmation.. He shares Himself with us in the Eucharist. He will forgive our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation, if we just ask him to. He strengthens us in illness though the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. He joins us in marriage.
And in less than two weeks, He will give us the greatest gift of all, His only Son, born of a virgin in a stable a long time ago in a far away place. But He’s still with us, just as He promised He would be, on the altar right here at St. Bernadette.

Please stand and we’ll ask Him for the things we need.

December 6, 2004 Monday of the 2nd Week of Advent

Here we are, already into the 2nd week of Advent. Only two more Sundays to go until it’s Christmas. Our readings remind us today that Advent is all about waiting, and most of us don’t like to wait very much.

The word “advent” comes from the Latin adventus which means arrival. In the secular language we hear the phrase “with the advent of”, which means the arrival of something that people have been waiting for, some sort of improvement.

“With the advent of jet travel people were able to go from coast to coast in just a few hours.” “With the advent of the Internet, communications have become more convenient.”

As Catholics, our Advent is also about the coming of something that people have been waiting for, the birth of the Messiah. Out readings today speak of waiting, but each from a different perspective. The prophet Isaiah is speaking of a long wait. His prophesy concerns an event that is far into the future. We must be patient, but the wait will be worth it.
“Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing,
Crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
Sorrow and mourning will flee.”



In the responsorial psalm, we proclaim,
“Our God will come to save us!”

“Kindness and truth shall meet;
Justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And justice shall look down from heaven.”

“Our God will come to save us!”

In the Gospel, we see a different kind of waiting. Some men brought their paralyzed friend on a stretcher to see Jesus. But there was a big crowd. They couldn’t get close enough. They were impatient. They couldn’t wait. So what did they do? They climbed up on the roof and lowered their friend down through a hole in the tiles. It doesn’t say so, but we assume that there wasn’t a hole in the roof already.

These guys actually chopped a hole in somebody’s roof and lowered their friend right in front of Jesus.

Imagine: Jesus is preaching to a great crowd. All of a sudden, somebody starts banging on the roof. It’s a tile roof, so they must have been making quite a racket. The next thing you know, a stretcher is being lowered down from the roof, right in front of Jesus. He looks down, forgives the man’ sins and he gets up, picks up his stretcher and goes home.

The Pharisees first response was to criticize Jesus, calling Him a blasphemer, because only God could forgive sins, and this guy wasn’t God, was he? Of course, Jesus knew what was on their minds and explained that He had said what He said so that they would know that He did have the authority to forgive sins.

The crowd was astonished at what they had seen and began to glorify God, saying “we have seen incredible things today.” Their wait was over.

So, how do we wait? How do we spend the season of Advent? Are we like the prophet Isaiah, waiting patiently for things to come?

Or are we like the writer of the psalm, saying “Our God will come to save us!“?

Or are we like the friends of the paralyzed man, so anxious for Christ’s coming that we can’t wait? Unlike the men in the Gospel, we can’t shorten our wait. We can’t climb in through the roof and we can’t speed up the clock. Christmas will come at the end of Advent, not before, no matter how badly we want it to get here. Meanwhile, we have these remaining days to get ready by prayer and by doing good works.

Maybe He Should Shop at Wal*Mart?

(Or at a thrift shop? Do Archbishops have yard sales? Better yet, he could take up sewing.)

In today's St. Louis paper, they ran an editorial(?) called “FASHION: Men in Black”. On his recent trip to Rome, Abp. Burke visited Gammarelli’s, a tailor shop that has been supplying popes and bishops for 160 years. Considering the fact that he represents over 1/2 million Catholics in St. Louis, you would hope that he would look the part. Apparently the Post doesn't agree.

“But what if, like Archbishop Burke, one was in the market for a Gammarelli cassock, that long tunic-like garment worn by priests, bishops and altar boys? At Catholic Supply Co. in St. Louis, you can pick up a polyester-and-cotton model for $59.95, but at Gammarelli’s, the popular choice is the $600 33-button model in worsted wool.

Still, as Archbishop Burke noted, the tailoring is very reliable, and Italian menswear costs an arm and a leg. After all, you can get a suit at Men’s Wearhouse for $125, or you can buy an Armani for a couple grand. It depends on your priorities.”

The poor man can’t do anything right.

Perhaps the P-D should check out evangelist Joyce Meyer's digs in Fenton. You can't miss the place. It's the palace on the hill with all the Mercedeses (Mercedi?) parked in front.