Homily for the First Sunday of Advent
(Dec 3, 2006)
A Renew Small Group booklet
comments on today’s gospel: Pay attention: Salvation is coming into
the world through the Son of Man. Be warned that he comes where you
least expect him. Cast your eyes upon what is going on around you so
that you recognize him when he comes.
I) Since I have thought for
a long time that our cultural values and historical events have a far
greater impact on us than statements coming for our bishops, I agree
with Father Donald Senior who asserts that a thoughtful reading
of the Bible as well as a study of church history tells us that the
world, not the church, usually sets the agenda for what is going on
in our lives. He affirms that the Spirit is at work in the world as well
as in the church. This is part of what it means to believe in the Incarnation:
God is present in the world and in its history; not in an abstract
way, but in the real world with all its flaws and beauty.
B-
As we look around to see what is going on in our world, if we
don’t pay attention we may not see the Lord’s coming in the events
of our times.
C- Some examples of God’s
presence in history in surprising ways. One example of this could be
when the Vatican States were taken away by Garabaldi’s army in l870,
the pope thought the church would lose its power, but since then popes
have come to have a stronger voice in the world.
- Often when the church seems bereft and barren, it bears the best
fruit.
Story: Harriet did not like
being known only as an aunt Harried. She had always hoped to be known as
Mom, but she was never able to have any children of her own. Her womb
was barren. There had always been a sense of emptiness about which she
would complain to God. But she was a wonderful aunt, giving enriching
experiences to her nieces and nephews, while giving her two sisters a
break. As Harriet reflected on Christ coming when the inn was full
but there was a vacancy in
the stable – it struck her that God had used her vacant womb to
allow her to become a very loving aunt. She also realized that not
having children had made it possible for her to spend lots of time with
her mother before her mom died. She may have had a barren womb, but God
had led her to make sure she did not have an empty life.
II)
How is God coming to our church in the
USA
today?
A- We see that our Western
Society has become very individualistic and fragmented.
People are looking for spirituality, but have little to do with
church or religion. We have closed churches and dropped masses-- since
less than 1/3 of Catholics are coming regularly to Worship, with a
number of our younger families never bringing their children to church.
B-
It was only 40 years ago that
US
seminaries were full of young men preparing for priesthood. When I was
ordained the Toledo Diocese averaged over 10 priests and now we average
about 2 per year. I think
there were 250,000 Religious Sisters in the
USA
in the l970’s. In recent years many seminaries have closed and some
Convents house Sisters most of whom are past age 65.
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C-
Our convents, seminaries and churches are not bearing the fruit
they once did. Certainly God is telling us to wake up and get
out of our lethargy. We need to open our eyes to see what God is
telling us in this time of
barrenness. What will the Holy Spirit bring forth from this
emptiness? |
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Maybe the church was too proud of itself when the
pews were jammed with people |
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Maybe God is bringing forth smaller new types of
communities to replace the large convents of the past. |
Conclusion: Whether
things in our times are better or worse than in other eras, we know for
sure, there is no time in history that Christ does not come.
Let us open our eyes to see the signs of Jesus coming today –
probably in some unexpected ways. Let us remember that when the church
seems barren it may bear the best fruit.
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