The Rambler

  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT [A] The word “harmony” shows up in our second reading this weekend (Rom. 15:5). That’s what Saint Paul wants to see: believers need to live in harmony with one another. Paul’s message would seem to parallel what’s written in the eleventh chapter of Isaiah. The prophet foresees the day when a spirit of harmony will pervade the entirety of God’s creation; even the wolf and the lamb will be able to live in harmony with one another (Isaiah 11:6). Therefore, our first two readings have to do with the subject of harmony. Is it a theme that will carry over, into the Gospel?  Yes and no. Matthew describes a crowd gathered along the Jordan river. There’s harmony in the fact that they are all tuned in on a common voice—that being the voice of John the Baptist. Yet, ironically, John will be the one who strikes a sour note. He will be the one who disturbs the tone of harmony. He singles out the Pharisees and the Sadducees: You don’t belong here! You will have to...

  FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT [A] You brace yourself when the first reading comes from a prophetic book. Will it be something appealing? Or, more likely, will it be something unappealing? You’ll have to judge for yourself, with regard to this selection from the prophet Isaiah. Are you in the market for some peace? For some harmony? For some knowledge? If so, then you’ll welcome the vision that is being outlined in Isaiah chapter two. You’ll be thinking: Cut me a slice of that!! In other words, you’ll be attracted to this particular prophetic message.  However, you’ll notice a shift when we proceed into the second reading. Now, we’re hearing about a path. Paul is concerned, not with a vision, but with a path (see Rom. 13:11-14). He’s hoping that we will choose the path of virtue, the path of honor, the path that will lead us into the light, thereby establishing ourselves as children of the light. The question to consider is whether or not these two readings might be able to interfac...

  SERMON FOR THANKSGIVING DAY On the fourth Thursday in November we pause as a nation, so that we can give thanks. Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony initiated the practice back in 1621. President Lincoln reaffirmed the sentiment in 1863. And finally, in 1941 an act of congress designated the observance as a national holiday. Therefore, it can be understood as our civic duty; you are being a responsible citizen when you set aside that particular Thursday for the sake of giving thanks.  In order to be a responsible Catholic, you will need to pick up the pace. You will need to give thanks on a more frequent basis. After all, the word “Eucharist” (deriving from the Greek) can be translated as THANKSGIVING. This means that every trip to church can be considered an act of thanksgiving. You give thanks first of all for the gift of salvation. Next, you give thanks for the Heavenly outreach that comes to you through the consecrated Bread and Wine. Third, you give thanks for ...

  FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING We always conclude the liturgical calendar by celebrating this feast of Christ the King. We focus upon his other attributes as we navigate through each phase of the church year: he is the Suffering Servant; he is the Bread of Life; he is the Good Shepherd; he is Emmanuel, etc.  Nevertheless, we wrap it all up by acknowledging his sovereignty—his absolute sovereignty as King of all creation, as King of the universe, as THE King of all kings (1st Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16).  Pilate goes so far as to identify Christ as “King of the Jews” (LK 23:38). Clearly, however, the inscription betrays an element of mockery. Likewise, with the “bad thief,” we can also detect a tone of mockery: If you’re such an important man, then you should be able to save yourself, and also us (LK 23:39)!! And yet, in contrast, we hear words of reverence from the “good thief.”  He both acknowledges and submits to the Lord’s authority—and this gesture on his part will...

  33RD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] If you allow yourself to have an experience of God, it might translate into something positive. Or it might translate into something negative. It all depends on how you are living your life. The way Malachi describes it, you could be marching straight on into a blast furnace. But he also provides an alternative image: imagine yourself being warmed by the rays of the sun (see Mal. 3:19-20). Both cases have to do with the notion of heat. In the first instance, it’s a destructive heat; in the second instance, it’s a heat that brings healing and renewal.  Some of you will remember a Beatles song from 1969: Here Comes The Sun . How should we feel about this impending arrival? Does the coming of the sun represent bad news? No, according to the lyrics, this needs to be understood as good news. The ice is melting. We are being liberated from the oppression of winter. A smile is now returning to your face. As far as you are concerned, this is truly “a...

DEDICATION OF THE ST. JOHN LATERAN BASILICA Once again we have a Sunday of Ordinary Time being superseded by a Feast Day. Last week, it was the Feast of All Souls taking precedence; this week, we are focusing upon an historical event: the dedication of a cathedral. But it’s not just any cathedral; we are talking about our very first cathedral. It will be named the “St. John Lateran Cathedral.” How did they arrive at that particular title? It needs to be understood that the structure itself, along with the property upon which it stood, was a donation to the Church. Previous ownership can be traced to the highly influential Laterani family. The plan would involve repurposing the palace into a cathedral, and then adding a baptistry on to the complex—a baptistry consecrated to Saint John the Baptist. Putting it all together, you get something called The Saint John Lateran Cathedral. The dedication takes place on November 9th, 324 AD, within the city of Rome.  So it’s a time of moment...