Mic. 5:1-4a; Ps. 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Heb. 10:5-10; Lk. 1:39-45

“Behold, I come to do your will…By this ‘will’, we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  When we unite our will to the “will” of Jesus Christ, by his offering for our sins we are redeemed.  Our blessed Mother Mary gave her fiat to do the will of God as the “handmaid of the Lord”.  She is “blessed” for coming to believe and accept what was spoken to her.  It is our turn now to respond to the will of God and be among the “blessed”.  We are reminded that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak so we pray, “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.” 

We need God to work in us and with us to respond with faith “Behold, I come to do your will.”  `It is one thing to know and to choose what we are accepting and another to trust in faith and enter into the unknown will of the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit.  We want control of not only our life but our world and God gets a good laugh.  All creation is of God and from God including the dust we come from.  The root of our anxiety and restlessness is not recognizing the truth of our creation and existence under the will of God.   Devine providence is the understanding of God’s direction in our life while allowing our free will to choose to follow or reject his will. 

How often do we respond to the will of God in our daily life?  As often as we look for him in thought, prayer, and action we see the will of God working in our lives.  His ever presence is manifested to work for the greater good in our lives and we are to give praise without ceasing.  God is not for 911 calls only to rescue us in times of crisis, he is not our buddy to agree with us in all our justifications and he is not the executioner to condemn us for all our sins. 

A relationship with God is not based on crisis management.  Even when many may claim to have faith in God, it is not the relationship they seek but the safety valve they hope to have available when crisis happens.  Otherwise, God is the emergency lever waiting to be pulled but hoping it is never needed.  A relationship with God is active giving of self to him and receiving greater faith, hope, and love to bring peace and justice to our world.  We are to call out to God “I come to do your will!” 

 God does not call us “friends” by acceptance of our sins.  God calls us friends by coming into our humanity through Jesus Christ to raise us up to his divinity.  It is a call to perfection by shedding of our sins transformed into the spotless lamb through the body and blood of Jesus who we enter into communion with at Mass.  He calls us friends by his gift of himself and all the graces he desires to pour into us.  What we do with ourselves is our gift of ourself back to him.  This is a true relationship of love and friendship. 

God does not condemn us.  Our sins condemn us by our will and not his will.  God allows by our free will to determine our judgment.  He is there to strengthen us against our very weakness to sin.  The great sin of pride opens the gates to other sins when we desire to go on our own and do it “our way” not God’s way.  Judgment is a revelation of having gone our way.  God is love and love meets justice with mercy.  Today is the day of mercy before the day of justice comes calling. 

When was the last time we said, “Behold, I come to do your will Lord”?  We come to Mass and give thanks, we offer praise, and we celebrate our blessings but do we ever offer ourselves to God?  Mass is also to be an offering of ourselves to Jesus in union with his offering to the Father through the Holy Spirit.  More often people may complain of what they don’t “get” out of Mass than to declare what they give in Mass of themselves.  The sacrifice of the Mass is the one giving of Jesus to the Father and we have this opportunity to enter into his giving of himself by being open to do his will joining in this one sacrifice as we receive his body and blood in communion. 

We pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.  We are inviting Jesus into our lives to live in his kingdom present in the world by doing his will.  What is the will of the Father?  That all may be saved even as some are lost by rejection of his will.  We do his will when our service to God is to give witness of our faith as an act of evangelization.

When the crowds were asking John the Baptist, “What should we do?” in Luke 3:10 his response was of self correction, “share with the person who has none…stop collecting more than what is prescribed…do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”  In other words, do the right thing, let your will not give into the temptation to take advantage of your situation, your power, your rights but allow them to be of service in doing good and avoiding evil.  What should we do?  Do the right thing in all the little things that you may stand in justice before God.  Let us begin with where we are and who we are before God and return to do his will. 

The “will” does not operate separate from the intellect and emotions but all work together to the fullness of our identify and our humanity as our soul.  Our soul raises us up to God’s divinity in cooperation with God’s will.  The soul is reflected through the will, intellect, and emotions, as the spiritual being within us.  Thus, the soul gives its fiat to God through affirmation of the mind, love of the heart, and willful response in its action as a confirmation to the will of God.  It is not about us it’s about him. What should we do?  We come to do the will of God by entering into relationship with the one God in the Trinity. 

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Zeph. 3:14-18a; Is. 12:2-6; Phil. 4:4-7; Lk. 3:10-18

“The Lord is near”, rejoice in the good news of the gospel on this Gaudete Sunday.  The Lord is nearer to us than we are to him for he dwells among us.  While we often look to the world in search of happiness, we remain restless until we come to him “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving…Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Can it be that simple with God?  With God it is all about faith, the faith of a mustard seed, the faith that lets go and lets God, the faith that remains when everything else seems to be taken away “the Lord is near”. 

The Lord is near our Blessed Mother Mary so when we come to her, we come near to him.  Today is not only the day to rejoice in the Lord but also the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Appearing to Juan Diego, she made herself visible and left us her image in a “tilma” to venerate and bring about the conversion of Mexico by faith in the Lord.  We rejoice in her love for her people bringing us the good news that “the Lord is near” those who convert from the sins of their past and believe in the gospel.  We rejoice that we have a heavenly mother to unite us to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. 

The Lord is near St. Joseph as we complete the year of St. Joseph in the church and rejoice for the blessings of our family in building up a holy family.  St. Joseph is our sign of hope and perseverance in difficult times.  He listened and obeyed the Lord’s command serving as foster father to the child Jesus and guardian of the Holy family.  He stands to be with us in our family as a protector against the enemy of the institution of the family.  In times when the family is under attack as irrelevant to the education, health care, and morals of a child, St. Joseph reminds us that Jesus was obedient to his parents as a child and our rights to our children cannot be taken away. 

We shout for joy for the Lord is near those who suffer.  The Lord joins our suffering to his and extends the olive branch of hope for something greater to come from our suffering.  In the mystery of faith all things work for the glory of God and even in the dark night the soul takes comfort in a God who is near and shares our suffering.  We rejoice that even in suffering it has redemptive power to heal and to save. 

The Lord is near to those who fear not but believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  While the world grips on to fear, fear of a pandemic, fear of natural disasters, fear of the unknown we hold onto the truth and Jesus is the truth appearing to us in the miracle of life.   We come to him to adore God in the child born in a stable this Christmas.  We fear not but rejoice in the living God who is near us.  Though we walk in the dark cultural valley of death, death by abortion, death by choice, death by attachment to sin we fear no evil when we remain in the path of righteousness of God. 

The people asked, “What should we do?”  We are to do the right thing for peace and justice.  In our times the wrong thing being done continues to grow against life for the unborn, against safety on the streets of society, against consequences for crime, against the truth of religion.  The voice of righteousness is being silenced or “canceled” but we the people of God must not remain silent but respond as John the Baptist for the call to repentance. 

We are to be filled with expectation.  Just as faith is to believe, expectation is trusting in the Lord that he will complete the good work begun in us until the day we are called to rise up in his glory.  Expectation takes the mustard seed of faith and learns to live as if it is done according to God’s will for the God who is above all expectation will pour out his blessings upon those who call to him.  We call to him rejoicing, we call to him in thanksgiving, and we call to him with all our petitions to answer us and remain with us this Advent and all the years to come until the day of his final coming.  Believe as if he is standing before you and the world will be a better place because he is near and his coming already begun. 

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Bar. 5:1-9; Ps. 126:1-6; Phil. 1:4-6, 8-11; Lk. 3:1-6

“The peace of justice” is Jesus Christ.  We are to “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” called to evangelize his coming to “see the salvation of God.”  Because of our “partnership for the gospel” we are to live “the peace of justice”.  What is the “peace of justice”?  It is the good work the Lord has begun in us that we may be transformed into his peace and justice to others.  When we are just it is then that the peace of Christ is with us. 

It is not surprising that the Ten Commandments have more to say about what “thou shall not” do to avoid injustice than what we are to do to receive the peace of Christ.  This week the Supreme Count is addressing the issue of abortion law and both sides believe they stand for what is “just” and yet there can only be one just action that protects both the woman and the unborn.  The act of abortion is clearly recognized as ending the life of a child within the law and serves no justice to the child.  It also creates for the woman the scar both physical, emotional, and spiritual for a lifetime for seeking what appeared as an immediate solution to a crisis without recognizing that the solution itself would add to her long-term suffering for accepting the lies of the abortion proponents.  There is no lasting peace when we accept the injustice of abortion.  We prepare the way of the Lord when we stand for God’s justice and peace. 

One argument I heard from one of the Supreme Court Justice was that the issue of life pertained to religion.  Life is not an either or but a both and issue for religion speaks to the evil of killing while society lives by civil laws that protect life against murder in order to remain a society.  While some wish to create division by declaring this as a nation that separates “church from state”, humanity cannot exist as just without accepting the duality of faith and order in order to be at peace.  Just as we are a work in progress or in some cases a work that is growing in sin calling upon death, society is also a work in progress calling upon justice and peace or upon death and destruction. 

In the hands of God, we are a work in progress “until the Day of Christ Jesus” coming.  Advent is our preparation for his coming and good work builds on good work.  From the waters of baptism Jesus is our foundation coming in the timelessness of his ever presence and yet still to come in even greater glory building up his kingdom in his people, the good work of salvation.  “The peace of justice…has done great things for us; we are filled with joy not just for the work done in us but in anticipation of what is still to come. 

Many a saint look forward to their death as an opportunity to do even more in the kingdom of God for our salvation.  We are to remember them for their good work; pray for their intercession for even greater things in our world and in our lives and give thanks for the blessings we have received.  The Lord is ready to pour out his mercy, love, and gifts for those who search and seek will be filled with joy for the great things he has done and continues to do in us and for us.  We are all called to be saints and the work of sanctity is responding to his call for holiness in our works. Do all things with love!  Do all things with love and the peace of justice will give us “the fruit of righteousness” to go forth for the work of salvation. 

“The fruit of righteousness” comes with the gift of discernment what is good, just, and of value to our body, soul, and spirit.  The human flesh perceives that more is better and when we follow that deception, we become divided among ourself seeking to achieve more to satisfy our own self at the cost of others.  The fruit of discernment in the spirit recognizes we are filled with joy in the simplicity of life taking the good work the Lord is doing in us and giving the gift of ourselves, our love, our joy, our peace, our prayers in thanksgiving for the work he is doing in all of us.  It is in the simplicity of life that we are open to the greater work of the Lord in us. 

The Lord chose to bring salvation to the world one soul at a time and the harvest is full but the laborers are in decline left for others to do even less are responding to the call.  Without the peace of justice through Jesus Christ our hearts are restless seeking happiness and success from without.  If only we can achieve our goals, we will find happiness and peace is the misconception.  The error of this philosophy is that external goals are never a constant but an evolving process ever changing that cannot satisfy the thirst for something greater.  The peace of justice comes from within from who we become in the image of Christ. 

If today we enter into the justice of Jesus Christ, then we rest in his peace.  Jesus acted in justice with those he encountered and remained at peace for doing the will of the Father.  What is the justice of Jesus Christ?  It is the sermon on the mount to be “Blessed” in all our actions.  It is following the commandments in obedience to the law of the Lord.  It is to love God and neighbor as thyself.  It is hearing the voice of the Lord and responding by doing his will.  It is love for all and good will towards all. 

As we hear in the second reading the prayer for all is to “increase ever more…more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ”.  Christ is the way to grow in every kind of spiritual gift of justice to bring about his peace to the world.  We prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts and souls to see in the flesh the Lord’s salvation at work in us and through us. 

This is our Advent, to prepare the way of the Lord’s coming for even greater things in our life than before.  He comes to make all things new in us.  Let us receive him as the birth of a child born into us again for even greater things to come.  Advent is our anticipation of the work that is still to come in our unity to the Trinity, Blessed Mother Mary, the Church, all the saints and with each other when we offer “the peace of justice” to each other in all we do, say, and become.  Let us become more of the image of God and grow in call to holiness.  Let us become just in living the truth of God and less in following the relativity of the world.  Let us become the peace that comes from love of God and neighbor and less of the restlessness of our sinful nature.  Let us receive Christ this Advent to make all things new again. 

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Jer. 33:14-16; Ps. 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; 1 Thess. 3:12-4:2; Lk. 21:25-28, 34-36

“The Lord our justice is faithful”.  Happy New Year to the Church on this the first week of Advent.  The new year is a sign of hope, of God’s “kindness and constancy” in good times and in bad.  This past year we have lived through both, celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and seen friends and family pass on from this world.  Some may question, “where is the Lord’s justice?”  In a world where hate, abuse of power, destruction of property, murder and a loss of hope led some to suicide “where is the Lord’s justice?”  The Lord is faithful in the mystery of salvation for even death has lost its power and become the next right step to eternal glory. 

The Lord calls us friends with “kindness and constancy toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.”  The Lord will show us his love and grant us salvation.  The Lord will come “in a cloud with power and great glory” for the day of our “redemption is at hand”.  We are redeemed by the cross, by coming to the waters of baptism, by our confession of faith in keeping his covenant, and by receiving his body and blood in the Eucharist for the journey no matter how difficult path.  In the darkness of the Lord’s passion and death those who kept the faith became the witnesses of the resurrection and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Advent is a reminder of leaving behind the darkness of the past and welcoming the light of the present in hope and anticipation of “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise…”. 

The promise has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ with the power to bring down earthly kingdoms and rise up a new one for the kingdom of God.  The promise comes not in a distant God but in a personal relationship with Jesus to teach us the path and truth to discover and remain in his kingdom.  In Jesus is the joy of discovery of “who am I?” made in the image of God.  It is a personal discovery of the kingdom prepared for us to live this day.  It is a discovery of abounding “love for one another and for all”.  It begs the question, “How great is our love for one another and for all?”  The answer will reveal how close or far we are from the kingdom of God.  The state of holiness is love, filial love becoming agape love.  In the kingdom of God, he reveals to us his love and grants us his salvation. 

While many look to the “sun, the moon, and the stars” for signs, they foolishly dare to prognosticate the day of the coming of the Lord.  For the faithful the Lord’s coming is already upon us and the signs of the times have arrived and will continue to shaken the world.  The world remains in its slumber “drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life”.  The children of God “stand erect” awaiting the redemption of God like a thief in the night, surprised and yet ready for the “assault”.  “Our heads are raised up to you, O Lord!” 

“The Lord our justice” is with us as we pray for the “strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent”.  Today we live our tribulation in a culture of death with the promotion of “defund the police” while crime rises on the streets, abortion and death to the child even after its birth, a “reimagining” of the family with same sex couples and a resocialization of society as a kingdom of the state with mandates that oppose religious freedom.  This is our tribulation and how we respond may require a martyr’s sacrifice but, in the end “the Lord our justice” will give us the victory of light over darkness, of freedom over persecution, of truth over false teaching. 

“The Lord our justice” allows for the lesson of suffering for purification and the greater the sins the more the world is calling for a purification of souls.  Words cannot give justice to the anguish of sin and the call for justice but the soul will recognize when the time comes to be ready and meet our Lord, “the Lord our justice”. 

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Dan. 7:13-14; Ps. 93:1-2, 5; Rev. 1:5-8; Mk. 11:9-10

“What have you done?”  This is the question Pilate asks Jesus and the question left for us to answer.  Solemnity of Christ the King is the celebration of Jesus Christ “firstborn of the dead” whose “dominion is an everlasting dominion…his kingship shall not be destroyed”.  What Christ the king has done is come and destroyed death to be among us into eternity.  What Jesus has done is be the “faithful witness” who died for our sins and by his blood we now share in his kingship by the baptism of water, by the confirmation of the chrism oil, and by the confession of our sins worthy to receive his body and blood in the eucharist. 

What Pilate did was to try and find a “win, win” situation by having Jesus scourged to avoid having him put to death but the people would have none of it.  “What have you done with Jesus?”  Are we seeking a “win, win” situation in an attempt to live “our lives” while giving Jesus an outward appearance of being “faithful” while holding on to our sins when our very breath depends on his mercy and love?  Jesus will have none of it.  He gave all of himself for us and is waiting for those who will give all of themselves to him.  This is the meaning of being “faithful”.  There is no compromise if he is to be the king of kings of our lives.  This day the just loving God offers us his mercy to repent and enter into his kingdom.  Will we? 

“What have you done?”  This question for us to answer is to recognize our part in the crucifixion of Jesus by our sins.  Our sin is a rejection of his death for us and a silent cry to “Crucify him!”  What Jesus has done is come to reveal the fullness of truth which by consequence reveals the fullness of our sins, the sins we refuse to reject, the sins we deny, the sins we justify as simply being “human”.  His kingship is our call to enter into the divine life with him.  We cannot enter with the stain of sin.  What we have done is said “no” to his kingship each time we sin and fail to repent.  Purgatory is our hope for final cleansing for what we have done or failed to do to him. 

What Jesus Christ has done is revealed the Lord God the “Alpha and the Omega” in himself the Son of God.  What Jesus Christ has done is revealed the mystery of salvation coming in the “clouds of heaven” for his dominion is everlasting.  Pilate questions Jesus “What have you done?”  What he has done is fulfilled salvation history, established a heavenly kingdom, testified to the truth of the kingdom of God and his dominion “shall not be destroyed”.  What he has done is revealed what was hidden in the old scriptures and fulfilled what was promised.   When the Son of Man comes in the clouds to question us asking “What have you done?”.  How will we respond to the king of Kings? 

Our life is to give witness to the king of Kings not of our own accord but by the grace we accept, reflect, and give testimony of.  The Lord is ready to pour out his grace to his servants who are ready to serve.  Accepting grace comes with the commitment to allow him to be our king and to lead us to salvation day by day.  Accepting is trusting Jesus more than ourselves.  Accepting is seeking him more each day in more ways than before.  Accepting is growing in faith, hope, and love. 

Reflecting grace is to show mercy in an imperfect world made perfect by the grace we reflect of Christ.  Jesus desires to complete his salvation through his servants.  He will come to ask us “what have you done to bring others to me?”  In reflecting grace, it comes through a forgiving heart to an unforgiving world.  Reflecting grace is not only an act of forgiveness but the desire to be forgiven, “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”.   Humility brings us to our knees in search of forgiveness but only as we show mercy on others.  Reflecting grace is sacrificial love. 

The grace of service is love.  Love is always an act of charity.  It is to see Jesus coming to us in the other who desires our love and acceptance.  The grace of service is meeting the need of those who hunger, hunger for food, hunger for acceptance, hunger for kindness, hunger for something greater than themselves that comes from God in our service.  The grace of service is meeting the need of those who thirst for understanding, a word of knowledge, the guidance of the spirit of wisdom.  The grace of service is love incarnate being called out of us for God’s greater good as an offering of self as a channel of God’s grace.  The grace of loving service is to proclaim the gospel by our action. 

“What have we done” to give testimony of the presence of God to the flock that surrounds us?  Jesus did not come from a high-profile background born in a stable.  He did not come to establish an earthly kingdom to conquer people but to serve as a shepherd.  He called on only a few to follow him but his testimony to the truth and service to the sick, poor, and hungry drew thousands to him.  What have we done to draw others to follow in our reflection of Christ?  If we don’t like what we see in this world growing in narcissistic self absorption then we need to ask ourselves “What have you done?” What have we done not only to transform it by our life but to contribute to what we see reflected back to us.?

The day is coming when we won’t be asking ourselves the question but Jesus himself will ask, “What have you done?”  The time to ask ourselves is now and the time to pray “thy kingdom come” is for the present time to prepare ourselves and begin living the kingdom of God.  What we do now is for eternity.  We cannot bargain or compromise with God who did everything for our salvation.  He fulfilled what he came to do.  Now it’s our turn to fulfill the purpose of our creation, our being here now is a calling to something greater than us.  It is calling to come into the kingdom of God.  What are we doing? 

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