Deep Calls to Deep Smallness at Christmastide
Here’s a poem sent to me by John Staudenmaier, SJ today. It says it all. Merry Christmas! –roc,sj Gitanjali # 1 Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure.This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again,and fillest it ever with fresh life.This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales,and […]
Wrapping Up Advent
This year, Advent taught me about the betwixt and between that characterizes my life always. You? It’s the already, but not yet. Ugh. Who wants to face that? On the one hand… I am impatient that I am incomplete still. My desire to be whole, my demand to be complete is robust even though I try […]
Roc Homily – 4th Sunday Advent Cycle A 2016
Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. (Psalm 24) Sunday’s homily is the back-story about Joseph, the angel, and Mary. It’s about Joseph’s struggle to lift up the gate of his castle-fortress to receive the King of glory. (Less than 10 minutes. Check it […]
Roc Homily – 3rd Sunday Advent Cycle A 2016 (final reflection, maybe)
“Lepers are cleansed…” Psalm 51:1f 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. How do you interpret this well-known psalm? What does being cleansed from sin look […]
Roc Homily – 3rd Sunday Advent Cycle A 2016 (audio file+)
Jesus told the disciples of the Baptizer, “Tell John what you see and hear – the blind see…” From yesterday’s post, it would seem that his mission was to the Pharisees and those of us like them. Since fulfillment of prophecy is big in Matthew’s gospel, notice especially the first from Isaiah: those who are […]
Roc Homily – 3rd Sunday Advent Cycle A 2016 (An Introduction)
Jesus didn’t live up to the expectations of John the Baptist. He didn’t call the religious leaders a “brood of vipers” and didn’t threaten their destruction, “even now the axe is laid to the root of the tree!” Talk about hell, fire, and brimstone! Who is this guy? Had he prepared the way for the […]
Guidelines for an Irish-Existentialist Advent (1)
Let me know whether this exploration works for you… Many of the daily scriptures of Advent come from Second Isaiah (cc. 40-55) or Third Isaiah (cc. 56-66). Second Isaiah addressed exiles in Babylon about 40 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. All the signs of God’s fidelity and favor had been demolished […]
Roc Homily – First Sunday of Advent Cycle A (2016) drei
There is only one war on Christmas… Otherwise, there’s only a war on Advent, my dear Catholic friends. Our season is Advent now. You know, purple or deep blue; ‘O Come O Come Emannuel’, readings from the prophet Isaiah. This is our season. It isn’t Christmas until the sun goes down on the 24th of December. Let’s […]
Roc Homily – First Sunday of Advent Cycle A (2016) zwei
FYAR – For Your Advent Reflection Matthew connected this passage to other wisdom parables in the 1st Sunday Advent’s gospel. Perhaps waiting has something to do with being wise, possibly strategic this Advent? The parable of the wise & foolish virgins 1. To awaken, remain awake = gregoreo Matthew 24:42f — 42 Keep […]
Roc Homily – First Sunday of Advent Cycle A (2016)
Be alert! Stay awake! Head’s up! For crying out loud, wake up!!! Egads! Is this what Advent looks like? It certainly got my attention. I’m not too worried about someone breaking into my community. Besides, there’s someone usually up at various points during the night. Matthew connects this rather odd and definitely threatening passage (chapter […]
Deep Calls to Deep 