God sent his Son, born of a woman

MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD - Galatians 4:4-7

We begin the New Year in good company, with the Virgin Mary, proclaimed as the Mother of God. We may be surprised and even puzzled by such a title attributed to Mary. And we may be accused of blasphemy. The title 'Mother of God’ is not understood as meaning that Mary existed before God and gave birth to a god that did not exist before. The title is a proclamation of faith in her son, Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Saint Paul affirmed it very clearly when he wrote to the Galatians, “God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Gal 4:4). In the Council of Ephesus (431), Nestorius was condemned, and the title of ‘Theotokos' was approved, thus affirming that in Jesus Christ, there is only one person, the person of the Son of God, who assumed human nature.

Thus, we begin the New Year in the company of Mary and with a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Indeed, Mary is the most blessed and full of grace. She is the highly favoured one. In her favour, she leads us to Christ, who is the Prince of Peace. We entrust the New Year to the Virgin Mary so that she may present us to Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life.

Happy New Year to all of you.

OVER ALL THESE, PUT ON LOVE

THE HOLY FAMILY - Matthew 2:13-15,19-23

On the Sunday after Christmas, we celebrate the Holy Family, which is Jesus' family. We know nearly nothing about his extended family, as we find no more than a few references to his relatives in the gospels. However, we do know his nuclear family, composed of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus himself. 

The nuclear family is the basis of any human society and, as such, it must be protected and strengthened. In a family, life is nurtured by the fire of love, but in our time, the family is being threatened and attacked. There are ideologies and groups that promote them, which despise and devalue the family and its importance in society and in the upbringing of children. Many families willingly abdicate their responsibility in favour of a form of the State that overlooks and overrides everything. They take the children away from their families and impose a form of education that ignores their parents ' concerns. 

A married couple forms the beginning of a new family and is called to be at the service of life. Indeed, every child that comes into this world has the right to be welcomed and loved by its parents. A couple dominated by selfishness will not fulfill its calling. Their mission is to nurture life and be at its service. That is only possible with love. Only love provides the strength, patience, persistence , and resilience to live for the children. Only love makes it possible to find joy and peace in the love of their children. We can see that in the Holy Family. Joseph took good care of Mary and Jesus. He accepted that responsibility without questioning or complaining and acted upon it when it took them to Egypt and then brought them back to Nazareth. When Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary became very worried and looked for Jesus tirelessly. Later, during Jesus' public ministry, Mary was never far away. She accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem and then to Calvary, sharing his joy and pain. 

The first reading emphasizes the love, full of respect and care, that children must have for their parents. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul speaks of relationships based on love between parents and then between them and their children. 

As a summary, let us meditate on Paul's words: “You are God’s chosen race, his saints; 

he loves you, 

and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, 

in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. 

Bear with one another; 

forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. 

The Lord has forgiven you; 

now you must do the same. 

Over all these clothes, 

to keep them together 

and complete them, 

put on love. 

And may the peace of Christ 

reign in your hearts, 

because it is for this that you were called together 

as parts of one body. 

Always be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-21).

A CHILD BORN FOR US

 CHRISTMAS DAY - Isaiah 9:1-7

Let us celebrate this Child born for us.

He is the source of our hope,

In Him and through Him

We find peace, giving glory to God.

THE PROMISE IS FULFILLED

IV SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Matthew 1:18-24

Reading the Old Testament and paying attention mainly to the prophets, we notice that the People of Israel was guided by the promises along the centuries of their history. In their darkest times, they were strengthened by the hope that was rooted in the promises, mainly the biggest of all, that the Messiah was coming to establish the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of justice, freedom and peace.

This Sunday’s first reading, presents a text from Isaiah, which has been read and understood  as the Promise of the Messiah, who comes to us as being “God-is-with-us”. To the king, Isaiah promised the birth of a son who would be the heir to his throne: “the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son”. (Is 7:10-14).  Later, the Septuagint, the first Greek translation of the Old Testament, understood the passage as referring to the Messiah, stressing the divine character of that child that will be conceived by a virgin: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel”, as we read in Matthew’s gospel.

Guided by the gospel of Matthew, we are invited to contemplate the fulfilment of the Promise. Matthews stresses the role of Joseph whom God chose to be the guardian both of the Virgin and of the child born from her. Through Joseph, Jesus belongs to the family of David and he came to claim the royal throne of a universal kingdom. In Matthew’s gospel, the annunciation of Jesus’ birth was made to Joseph who was ordered to accept Mary as his spouse and protect her, because through her the Promise was going to be fulfilled and the Redeemer was going to be born: “She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.” His power to save comes from his divine status. Indeed, “they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’”.

At the beginning of his letter to the Romans, Paul reflects upon the mystery of Incarnation and presents us with the crux of what we celebrate at Christmas: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who, taking human nature,“was a descendant of David”. We are called to “the obedience of faith”, being sure that through him we receive grace and salvation (Ro 1::1-7).

COME, LORD, AND SAVE US

III SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Matthew 11:2-11

On this third Sunday of Advent, we are invited to have a good look at John the Baptist, whom Jesus exalted as the greatest of “the children born of women”. He was an upright man who did not swerve right or left according to the convenience of the moment. He remained faithful to his calling and paid for it with his life. In his preaching, he was straightforward, speaking plainly and addressing the issues with clarity. His life, lived in the desert under harsh conditions, was a protest against the status quo, which he considered a betrayal of the covenant. To the people who came to him, he spoke as he lived, calling them to repentance and conversion. He was aware of the mission entrusted to him: to be a voice in the desert, calling out to prepare the ways of the Lord. At Jesus’ baptism, John recognised him to be the Messiah. However, despite his sincerity and honesty, John was carried away by the common ideas about the Messiah, whom he expected to come with power to judge and inflict punishment on all those who refused to repent and convert. He announced that the Messiah would come with an axe in his hands to cut down the trees that produce no fruit of justice and faithfulness. Jesus did not fit into that picture. He did not show forth the wrath of God, but his mercy and love. Before this unexpected turn, John had his misgivings. Maybe he was mistaken; maybe they should wait for another to be the Messiah. Jesus answered John with reassuring words, telling him and all of us, “Happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.”

John was great, but he remained at the threshold of the New Testament. He belonged to and completed the line of prophets who guided people on the way of righteousness and strengthened them with God’s promises of a Redeemer.

In the first reading, Isaiah reaffirms the Promise: 

Look, your God is coming,

vengeance is coming,

the retribution of God;

he is coming to save you.’

And with the psalm we pray, “Come, Lord, and save us.”

This assurance of the Lord’s coming gives us strength to go on walking along the path to salvation:

Strengthen all weary hands,

steady all trembling knees

and say to all faint hearts,

‘Courage! Do not be afraid. (Is 35:1-6, 10)

We are invited to rejoice, because we “shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God.”

In the second reading, taken from James, we are invited to be patient:

“Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.” (James 5:7-10)

PREPARE A WAY FOR THE LORD.

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Romans 15:4-9

This year, we have a double reason to be guided and strengthened by hope. Advent is always a season of hope, when we hear the promises being repeated with the assurance that they will be fulfilled. At the same time, we are still in the Jubilee of Hope.

In this Sunday’s first reading, we hear the voice of Isaiah announcing the coming of the Messiah, who will bring peace and harmony among all creatures of the universe. There will be no place for enmity and hatred, because a new world will be established based on truth and justice. The Messiah “judges the wretched with integrity, and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land. His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless, his sentences bring death to the wicked.”

The prophet announces that the whole world will be “filled with the knowledge of the Lord”. That’s why “Integrity is the loincloth round his waist, faithfulness the belt about his hips.” (Is 11:1-10)

Christ came to fulfil the promise, but the promise has not yet been completed. Christ initiated the work of salvation, but the work of salvation continues to this day. We wait for his second coming, when we will be set free, and the whole creation will show forth the glory of God.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul teaches that, in the Scriptures, everything was written to teach us about hope. Hope strengthens our hearts so that we don’t give up, being sure of God’s help. By God’s help, we may follow the example of Christ, who teaches us to be tolerant with each other, “so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ro 15:4-9).

John the Baptist shows the way for hope to bear fruit in us: we must prepare the ways of the Lord; we need to follow the path of repentance and conversion. Guided by John, let us 

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight. (Mt 3:1-12)

LET YOUR ARMOUR BE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

I SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Matthew 24:37-44

With the first Sunday of Advent, we begin the new liturgical year. We have been celebrating the Jubilee under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, and this theme is well connected with Advent. We live as pilgrims, moving towards our eternal home with our gaze and our hearts turned to the future when our liberation will be complete. We are waiting for the second coming of the Lord, as we prepare to celebrate his first coming. He came in human flesh to experience in his body the pain and the suffering of the human condition. He humbled himself to show us the way to eternal glory.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul offers words of encouragement and hope: “The time has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon.” We must live as children of the light, putting away the works of darkness. If we listen carefully, Paul's words sound very relevant today. Deep down, people have changed very little, being enslaved by the same vices: “Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy.” Strengthened by hope, we must fight the good fight, and that is only possible if Christ is our armour: “Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ro 13:11-14).

In the gospel, Jesus compares our generation to the time of Noah, when people only cared about enjoying life: “For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away.” They were blinded by their selfish behaviour, being unable to read the signs of danger that surrounded them. The Lord is coming, and we must be ready: “So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming.”

When the Lord comes, he will complete his work of salvation. Then, the glory of God will transform us and manifest itself in us. The Kingdom of God will be established, and peace will reign forever.

When the Lord comes, 

He will wield authority over the nations

and adjudicate between many peoples;

these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,

their spears into sickles.

Nation will not lift sword against nation,

there will be no more training for war. (Is 2:1-5)

As we begin the season of Advent, let us listen to the invitation of the Prophet Isaiah:

Come,

let us walk in the light of the Lord.

HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

XXXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - CHRIST THE KING - Colossians 1:12-20

Every year, on the last Sunday of ordinary time, we celebrate Christ the King.

In the Old Testament, David is presented as the role model for all kings, and his figure points towards the Messiah, who would come from David’s family and sit on his throne forever. In the first reading, we are told that the elders of Israel invited David to be their king and, after making a pact with him, anointed him king of Israel. Jesus is the Anointed One, the Christ. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit to be Prophet, Priest and King.

Whenever we use words like 'king', 'kingship' and 'kingdom', we must be aware of the danger of being misunderstood. Jesus was not anointed to become a king like Herod or an emperor like Tiberius. He yields kingship over all those who seek the truth and walk along the path of life with love. Jesus is proclaimed king on the cross. It may sound like a joke, but it is no joke. Jesus’ cross is proof of what a kingship based on power is capable of: disdaining the truth and killing the innocent. Of the two criminals hanging on the cross, one of them confessed his sin and recognised Jesus as the king who welcomes us into his kingdom for us to enjoy paradise with Him. By shedding his blood for us, Jesus opens the gates of heaven so that we may enter in.

Looking at Christ the King, Paul invites us to give “thanks to the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.” Indeed, “He has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.”

It is in this attitude of thanksgiving before Christ, who redeems us, that Paul presents a Christological hymn in which we find the true meaning of Jesus’ kingship.

Jesus Christ is the image of the unseen God.

All things were created through him and for him.

He holds all things in unity.

Now the Church is his body; he is its head.

God wanted all perfection to be found in him

and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,

everything in heaven and everything on earth,

when he made peace by his death on the cross.

Full of joy, let us sing together with the psalmist:

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

  ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

  within your gates, O Jerusalem. (Psalm 122)

YOUR ENDURANCE WILL WIN YOUR LIVES

XXXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 21:5-19

In this Sunday’s readings, the gospel acclamation gives us the theme for this Sunday:

“Stand erect, hold your heads high,

because your liberation is near at hand.”

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, the readings invite us to look to the end of times. We must be prepared for the Day of the Lord, which will come “burning like a furnace”, according to the prophet Malachi (Malachi 3:19-20). Before such an outcome, people tremble with fear. How will the end of the world be? Will there be chaos, violence, endless suffering and agonising death? In Malachi’s words, all that is worthless will be burnt up. 

The gospel speaks of the destruction of the Temple: “the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.” This would be one of the big accusations presented against Jesus during his trial before the High Priest. However, Jesus’ words proved true, but the Temple's destruction did not signal the end of the world. “There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.” And there will be wars between nations, but that is not the end of the world yet. While in this world, Jesus’ disciples must be prepared to suffer rejection and persecution. And “that will be your opportunity to bear witness.” At such a time, we must show endurance, and “Your endurance will win you your lives.”

About the day of the Lord, we must not allow ourselves to be deceived. Many will appear claiming to be the Christ. Jesus warns us: “Refuse to join them.” They are false prophets. We must remain faithful to Jesus Christ up to the end.

WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD

XXXII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Dedication of the Lateran Basilica - 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17

On 9th November, we celebrate the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, which is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. In the liturgical calendar, this celebration is a feast and takes precedence over the Sunday celebration, thus manifesting the important role of this basilica in the history of the Church. After legalising Christianity in 313, Constantine gave the Laterani family palace to the Bishop of Rome. The palace would become the pope’s residence. And the basilica was built there, being consecrated in 324 by Pope Sylvester I.  It was dedicated to Christ the Saviour and later also to St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. Being the cathedral of Rome, it is considered the mother of all churches.

Today’s celebration invites us to reflect upon the role of the Church/Temple in our Christian life and in the life of the Christian community. The temple is both the house of God and the house of the community who are His people. It facilitates a personal encounter with God. There, it is easier to become aware of God’s mystery. In there, God’s word is proclaimed and His mysteries are celebrated. At one voice, gathered together as a people, we sing God’s praise. However, we should not forget that the temple exists for our sake and our convenience. We must always be on the alert so that we don’t abuse the temple of the Lord. Moved by the zeal of the house of God, Jesus took a drastic action, expelling the money changers and those who were selling animals for the sacrifices. The temple is built by human hands and can be corrupted, like anything else touched by them. When touched by corruption, the temple loses its purpose, and it will end up being destroyed.  

Jesus presents himself as being the true temple of God that will not be touched by decay. By killing him on the cross, they will try to destroy him once and for all, but he will rise on the third day. It is from Jesus, the true temple of God, that the living water will come, bringing life and salvation to all. It is in Jesus that the prophecy of Ezekiel will be fulfilled.

In the second reading, Paul tells the Corinthians that we are God’s temple, a sacred temple that must be treated with respect. If we destroy this temple, we will be answerable to God, and God will bring us down. Paul tells the Corinthians that, in their case, by announcing Jesus Christ, he was the architect. And the foundation is Jesus Christ. “For the foundation, nobody can lay any other than the one which has already been laid, that is Jesus Christ.” (1 Co 3:9-11, 16-17).

MY SOUL CLINGS TO YOU

ALL SOULS DAY - Luke 7:11-17

This year, All Souls Day falls on a Sunday. Confronted with death, we look forward to resurrection. Death will not have the last word, and life will come out victorious. Whenever death comes our way, we must remember that we are called to life, and life will reach its plenitude in Jesus Christ, who is “the resurrection and the life”. (Jn 11:25)

Reading the gospels, we discover that, time and again, Jesus is touched by other people’s suffering. While entering the town of Nain, Jesus saw the funeral of a young man being carried for burial. He was the only son of a widow who remained helpless and defenceless. Faced with the suffering of that mother, Jesus felt compassion and addressed her with reassuring words: “Do not cry.” Then, he ordered the young man to get up, “and Jesus gave him to his mother.” This act of mercy to that mother is also a promise of resurrection and life to all of us.

On All Souls Day, aware of the deep bond that unites us to all of our dead, we remember them and pray for them. We entrust them to God’s mercy, that He may welcome them in His Kingdom. In the first reading, taken from 2 Maccabees, we learn from Judas, who sent the money from a collection "to Jerusalem to have a sacrifice for sin offered” for those who had died (2 Maccabees 12:42-45). Before death, faced with our own fragility and mortality, we recognise our sinfulness and put ourselves in God’s hands. We know that our lives go beyond death, and we ask the Lord to receive us with welcoming arms. Thus, we pray for our dead and offer for them Jesus’ sacrifice, a sacrifice for the redeeming of sins and reconciliation.

And we end with the words of Paul to the Philippians: 

For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe. (Philippians 3:20-21).

May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

THE HUMBLE MAN’S PRAYER PIERCES THE CLOUDS.

XXX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 18:9-14

Through the parables, Jesus challenges his audience, forcing them to examine themselves and their relationship with God and others. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is puzzling in its simplicity. We get the impression that the Pharisee’s figure is a caricature of the Pharisees’ attitude of self-righteousness. He is full of pride, boasting about himself before God. His prayer is an act of self-praise. God must recognise his compliance with the law and reward him for his holiness. He sets himself aside, having nothing to do with all others, who are sinners and deserve to be punished. Standing for all to see his uprightness, he shows a high level of contempt for the common people, especially for the tax collector, who should not have entered the Temple. The way he presents himself provokes disgust in all those who hear his words. Our worthiness must be recognised by others, not proclaimed by ourselves. 

After painting the image of the Pharisee, Jesus outlines the figure of the tax collector with a few strokes. He is a sinner, and he confesses his sinfulness. Being sinful, he humbles himself, looking down and beating his chest. And he asks for forgiveness. His prayer is pleasing to God, while the Pharisee’s prayer is rejected

We must realise that we have nothing to boast about before God. In fact, we should recognise our shortcomings, failures and sins. If the doors of paradise are opened for us, it will be because of God’s mercy, not because we deserve it. Like the tax collector, we must approach God with humility, well aware of our poverty. No matter how much we try, we always fall short of God’s goal for each one of us.

The first reading, taken from Ecclesiasticus, reminds us that God is fair in his judgement, never taking into account our status, wealth or power. “He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man,   he listens to the plea of the injured party.”

The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds,

  until it arrives he is inconsolable,

nor will he de)sist until the Most High takes notice of him,

  acquits the virtuous and delivers judgement.

(Sirach 35:12-14, 16-19

PRAY CONTINUALLY AND NEVER LOSE HEART

XXIX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 18:1-8

This Sunday’s gospel is about prayer: “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. “

Learning with Jesus, Paul would tell the Christians of Thessalonica, “Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thes 5:17). 

Jesus speaks about two attitudes in prayer: Pray continually and with confidence. The first reading illustrates the first attitude. Moses prays, interceding for his people and asking God to make their victory possible. Many people, nowadays, say that prayer is powerful. That statement may be misleading since prayer is not a tool to be used to satisfy our desires. God is not at our service; we must be at his service, ready to do His will. In that readiness, we pray with constancy and perseverance and, then, with confidence. God will make us justice and redeem us. In the parable, the widow represents the poor of Yahweh, that is, the ones who put their trust in the Lord as their defender and protector. In God, we find our refuge and salvation. We pray to the Lord with the trust and confidence of the psalmist:

The Lord will guard you from evil,

  he will guard your soul.

The Lord will guard your going and coming

  both now and for ever. - Ps 121

The judge of the parable stands for the powerful who drown in selfishness, caring only about themselves and trampling upon the poor, the orphan and the widow. In the end, feeling pestered by the widow, he decided to hear the widow’s case and do justice. Her persistence and insistence paid off. Then, Jesus makes it clear that, unlike the Judge, God is always ready to do justice to His people: “I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily.”

A significant problem that hinders our prayer and relationship with God is a lack of faith. We have a deep-rooted mistrust of God. And this passage of the gospel of Luke ends with Jesus’ complaint: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?”

In the second reading, taken from the second letter to Timothy, Paul reminds his disciple of the importance of the Holy Scriptures in his personal life, which have shaped him since his childhood. Then, Paul makes explicit the purpose of the Scriptures: from them, we “can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3:15). They lead us to Christ so that in Him we find salvation. With them, we get “fully equipped and ready for any good work”.

We should never put aside the Scriptures and ignore the role they play in our journey of faith and in building the community, always centred in Jesus Christ. Finally, the piece of advice given to Timothy can be applied to us as well: “Proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, call to obedience – but do all with patience and with the intention of teaching.” (2 Tim 4:2)

As we celebrate the Sunday Mission, Paul reminds us that we are called to proclaim the gospel as he did. From the gospel springs up a stream of hope that leads us to the living waters of life and salvation. May the Lord fill us with His Spirit for us to proclaim His Good News fearlessly at all times and in all places.