-Christmas Homily didn't get recorded.
-scriptures for MMOG January 1 are at USCCB.org
-I am preaching at 9:30 and 12:30 Mass on Sunday
Salve Regina
This advent I started wondering about personhood and asking if we see the "personhood" of self and each individual. Personhood is the soul, the God-likeness of each one. Failing to see one as a person, like God, is to be blind to the truth and then we can think, feel, speak, and act crazy.
Failure to see personhood makes us inhuman....we wander off or we are dragged off by this blindness into exile. Jesus' birth is the healing of that blindness. Our humanity is the dwelling place of God. Even that humanity that it rough, wild, wilderness.
This feast of MMOG expresses at least twice in the readings that it is all about "looking, seeing, knowing". God looks upon us, His gracious face shines upon us, the virgin looks at her child, the shepherds look and see him, she shows him to them (and the world) and they see and rejoice.
Christmas is the loving gaze of God upon the human race that reveals the godliness of human life.
The Hail, Holy Queen Prayer summarizes these thoughts perfectly. Say this prayer slowly and think about it.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
How brilliant is our Catholic faith?!?!
3 comments:
Love it, love it, love it, Priest!
Just made me think how many times that what I see is very wordly and earthy and I'm not seeing (or looking) with my heart and mind in faith -- my focus is off -- and that interferes with realizing that the Lord's Gaze is always on us...wow! That perspective, pulling back on the camera shot as you previously said, is TRULY eye opening, revealing!
It's no wonder that Mary could burst forth with . . . My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. . .
I do love that prayer. It is one that brings me comfort – because if a prayer such as that was written, it’s my assurance that there ARE times when this seems to be a “valley of tears” – it’s not just my imagination or self pity. Yet despite that valley, I am reminded of mercy, sweetness, hope, holiness – and more… Jesus, ultimately. There is godliness in human life. And Mary, in her constant maternal manner, envelops me – us – in her mantle of love, peace, and serenity because she knows both of my need and of our God’s everlasting covenant.
Something that I saw in the Church that mirrors what you're saying...the Creche is set up so that the Baby Jesus emanates light onto Mary & Joseph. The shepherds, further back, have light on them, but less than Mary & Joseph who are closest to Jesus.
When people approach the Creche with little ones, the little ones tend to get down on their knees or all fours and get very close while the adults stand back a little bit. The Light of Christ reflects most brightly on the little ones, down and close with Jesus and Mary & Joseph. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
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