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Daily Scripture

+ Ascension Thursday

There is no proof; there are only witnesses.

Readings: Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:14-23 Luke 24:46-53

You are witnesses of all these things. And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high. [Luke 24:50-51]

In an age of technology and scientific progress, we have an explanation for everything or at least the promise of the same. Yet, there are still truly human experiences – both positive and negative—that defy human explanation. Death is one such experience. Doctors know the medical reasons for death but an autopsy doesn’t tell the whole story. Conversely, who can explain the field of energy that binds lovers for life?

During his life on earth Jesus created a field of energy that changed the course of history and it did not cease at his death or even at his resurrection. It continues to this day – locally and globally. Or else how explain the heroism of the saints of yesterday and the saints of today? Women and men, energetic witnesses who have said ‘yes’ to unconditional love under any and all circumstances continue to change the course of history in the face of those who attempt to chain the Word of God. No, most of them are not formal preachers or even religious teachers per se, but people who live the message of the Gospel of Jesus day in and day out.

The gospel today is typical of the departure of a hero. We might even consider it the conclusion of a hero story. Jesus assures his disciples that he is not abandoning them. Not only that but he will send an advocate who will empower them to continue his mission. “You will be clothed with power from on high.” They will be clothed with the mantle of Christ just as the ancient Elijah was clothed in the mantle of Elias before Elias departed in his chariot to the heavens. It’s metaphor and allegory, of course but the underlying truth of Jesus mission will continue to be proclaimed as Good News for all.

But hang in there until Pentecost when the gifts of the Spirit will be renewed and we will be empowered once more to preach the Good News—using words only when necessary.

Christmas Day 2006

Monday December 25, 2006

He Looks Like Me!

To whom does the preacher preach on Christmas? To the young or to the old? To the theologically informed or to those who are still doing Intro to Theology 101? To those who are at the table on a weekly or daily basis or to those who have come just for the feast?

No matter—all are welcome to the table and to the feast, young and old, simple or sophisticated, permanent resident or traveler. There is a place setting for everyone. There are no exclusions here!

On such a feast, a preacher can easily succumb to avoidance and settle for a few pious politically correct platitudes that go well with coffee and desert or she, if that be the case, might decide to make a major statement on one or another controversial issue of the day causing a bit of indigestion in the worshiper on the way home.

Several years ago when I was young and inexperienced, I opted for ‘the heavy’ and indulged in a bit of biblical theology sprinkled with a touch of Christology in order to elucidate the mystery of incarnation as it relates to both contemporary mores and our eschatological destiny and its impact on ascetic living within a sociological context.

Are you with me?

At a certain point, a young woman rose to her feet and proceeded to walk out. Shortly thereafter, her mother followed her. Concerned about the impact of my homily, I caught up to them after Mass and asked if my words had offended them in any way. The mother spoke up quickly and said, “Oh no! It was getting very warm in there so we decided to step outside for a little fresh air! Neither one of us knew what you were talking about and so we assumed we wouldn’t miss anything if we took a break.”

The prudent preacher takes his cue from a discerning congregation and discriminating listeners.

Several years ago at a children’s liturgy at St Joseph in Mendham prior to school Christmas recess, I asked the children this question: “What did Jesus look like anyway?”

Most of the responses came from children ranging in age from eight to eleven. One young boy responded, “He had a beard.” A little girl said, “He had long hair — not too long and not too short, just like mine.” Another said, “He had blue eyes.” Still another, “He was Jewish.” Then I asked, “What color is Jesus in Africa? They said, “Black!” And in India? “Brown.” Then referring to himself, this insightful response from a fourth grader: “He looked like me!” He’s well on his way to a graduate degree in Christology. Notice that not one of them described him as a babe in a manger. They described him as one like them.

In a unique moment, in the silence of the night, through an event now called incarnation, God entered history in human form and this event continues to influence in a profound way, all who call themselves Christian and those too, for whom Christian is only a name.

The exchange of gifts, the celebrations with family and friends, the brief moment of worship and prayer and even the anguished hope of those still held captive by poverty, prejudice or personal anxiety, all signify that there is within the human heart and family, the potential for greater understanding and a more intense sharing of love.

We celebrate not just the birth of “Baby Jesus” but the entrance of God into human history and into our personal history. Christmas comes but once a year but Christ comes every day and his coming is every bit as simple as the first coming.

For some adults, this Christmas may be the first—a discovery, the beginning of an encounter with their deepest selves that life is more than what the eye can see. Something like a first love but not love at first sight.

Some folks still think Christmas is about Santa Claus and the giving of gifts. I suppose it is but it must be more

Some Christians are blinded by the glitter of gold and the gilt of material wealth. They have time for church but little time for God. They strive for success but feel little need for sacrifice, giving of their surplus rarely of their want or need. Their prayers are a challenge for a change in God’s heart rather than in their own.

But there are people who know that Christmas is a mystery not to be explained but to be lived and there are people who live it in ordinary ways every day. In fact, the way we do the little things is the way we do everything including the extraordinary.

In the midst of a “culture of death” these folks call attention to what is right in the world without denying what is wrong.

They challenge what is wrong in the world but do not crush the wrongdoer.

They speak for justice and work for righteousness not with violence or vengeance but with love.

They do not build walls of hatred but open doors of understanding. They breathe life into lifeless hearts; they bring hope to the hopeless and helpless and they can be found everywhere but especially wherever the need is the greatest.

People will continue to look for ‘Baby’ Jesus in the manger but Jesus is in the air and in the heart of those who smell God’s breath in the air, who live in the rhythm of God’s life and whose hearts beat with the rhythm of God’s heart.

Therefore, there can no longer be Jew or Greek; Arab or African; Catholic or Hindu or Moslem or Buddhist. No longer can might make right, or can profit be the driving force for the economy, or can vengeance be the motivation for criminal justice. No longer can the hurling of epithets against others because of their race, color or sexual orientation be acceptable on any standard, nor can the exploitation of women or sexual harassment of any kind be tolerated in public or in private.

The children had it right. Jesus looks like all of us and like each and every one of us.

May the grace and peace of this season and every season be in your heart and on your lips that you may joyfully proclaim this holy Gospel.

A Christmas ‘Meditation’ may be found by clicking ‘Sidebar Comments’ to the right on this page.]