2nd Sunday of Advent Year B
December 7, 2008
Theme for the Week: A caring family that does not only pray together but takes care of each other is a gentle but potent buffer against the advances of addiction.
Is. 40,1-5,9-11 Prepare the way of the Lord.
2 Pt. 3,8-14 We await new heavens and a new earth.
Mk. 1,1-8 Make straight the paths of the Lord.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
The problems of gambling, cigarettes and alcohol are not isolated problems as if they can be treated like with tourniquets and antibiotics. These problems begin in family issues. Focus on good family relationships can help resolve the moral issues involved. Even as the gospel tells us to make straight the paths of the Lord, the family is the first instance of making this into a reality. The family is where the “new heavens and a new earth” are initially envisioned. The family is the agent of preparing the way of the Lord. This is to say that good people almost always come from a good, loving, caring environment.
Monday: Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The FAMILY is called towards the welfare of each one. To look after each other is an original and natural vocation. In the gospel, Mary, Joseph and the entire humankind are called towards the child. In the case of the DELETERIOUS TRIO, the family can be the cause of the problem and also the solution. “Accordingly, the family must go back to the ‘beginning’ of God's creative act if it is to attain self-knowledge and self-realization in accordance with the inner truth not only of what it is, but also of what it does in history. And since in God's plan it has been established as an "intimate community of life and love," Familiaris Consortio, #17.
Tuesday: The one lost sheep of the 99. Getting someone “lost” can be a normal thing. But not getting him back is very unchristian. The UNACCEPTING ENVIRONMENT in which an addict lives in can be the reason for his problems. “Acceptance, love, esteem, many-sided and united material, emotional, educational and spiritual concern for every child that comes into this world should always constitute a distinctive, essential characteristic of all Christians, in particular of the Christian family: Thus children, while they are able to grow ‘in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man,’ offer their own precious contribution to building up the family community and even to the sanctification of their parents,” Familiaris Consortio, #26.
Wednesday: Come to me. TRUST is a major element in the conversion of an addict society. When people don’t trust one another, they try “others” whom they can trust: gambling, cigarettes, alcohol versus God, diligence, self-confidence, simplicity. “The relationships between the members of the family community are inspired and guided by the law of "free giving." By respecting and fostering personal dignity in each and every one as the only basis for value, this free giving takes the form of heartfelt acceptance, encounter and dialogue, disinterested availability, generous service and deep solidarity,” Familiaris Consortio, #43.
Thursday: No one greater than John the Baptist. John the Baptist was, rather than a prophet of doom, a prophet of HOPE. For addicts, hope is misconstrued as “taking risk.” Consequently, their “taking risk” is evil because the odds of becoming worse is greater than becoming better.” Particularly today the Christian family has a special vocation to witness to the paschal covenant of Christ by constantly radiating the joy of love and the certainty of the hope for which it must give account: "The Christian family loudly proclaims both the present virtues of the kingdom of God and the hope of a blessed life to come." Familiaris Consortio, #52.
Friday: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Philippines. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin may have been suspected of having mere illusions about the Lady of Guadalupe. But what he saw was not an illusion. Addiction involves outright ILLUSIONS, especially when an addict believes that he does not have a problem.
Saturday: Elijah must come first. WARNINGS must come first before the real big trouble begin.
Complimentary Readings:
Readings:
Familiaris Consortio
3rd Sunday of Advent Year B
December 14, 2008
Theme for the Week: Experiences suggest that due to ignorance, families are led to ILLUSIONS of blissful abandon when a member of a family falls into addiction.
Sunday Readings
Is 61:1-2,10-11 I rejoice heartily in the Lord.
1 Thes. 5,16-24 May your spirit, soul, body be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jn. 1:6-8,19-25 There is one among you whom you do not recognize.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
Illusions are common not only when the object of sight is not clear, but also when the sense of sight itself is unreliable. In the gospel, the inability to recognize is itself an illusion because the object is among the persons concerned. When the Spirit of the Lord is not in a person, the person lacks the ability to recognize Jesus. But when the Spirit finally resides in him, he rejoices as in the first reading. The second reading is an expression of hope that the baptized in whom the Spirit came would remain steadfast to their faith. The Spirit removes all illusions.
Monday: John’s baptism, where did it come from? The readings are concerned with legitimizing authority. When it comes to analyzing the morality on the problems of alcohol, cigarettes and gambling, is LEGITIMACY a relevant issue? Should people even ask if a person is legitimate to get involved in such “mature and adult” activities?
Tuesday: John came and sinners believed in him. Sad to say, some people do not believe in gospel persuasion as in taking a direct and concrete action against the evils of alcohol, cigarettes and gambling, in favor of mere “control of the situation.” Instead of caressing the sinner in the false pretense of love, we must opt for genuine conversion.
Wednesday: The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David. A respectable and reputable family record is important for Filipinos: “Kagalangan na Pamilya.” This should impel us to act against alcohol, cigarettes and gambling.
Thursday: Jesus was born of Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, a son of David. According to some experiences, good upbringing does not always guarantee a good outcome of a son or daughter. So how relevant is good upbringing nowadays? Maybe “good upbringing” does not only mean excellent education, spiritual direction, and strict observance of house rules. Maybe, in the end, family life is a “journey with,” it is not a set of critical conditions for a satisfactory result, but “being-with experience” of each other in all its ramifications: sin and virtue alike. It is not how much evil we have weeded out, it is about how much good we have developed to bear fruit. “The very preparation for Christian marriage is itself a journey of faith. It is a special opportunity for the engaged to rediscover and deepen the faith received in baptism and nourished by their Christian upbringing. In this way they come to recognize and freely accept their vocation to follow Christ and to serve the kingdom of God in the married state.” Familiaris Consortio, #51.
Friday: The birth of John the Baptist is announced by Gabriel. Making family does not begin on the day when a man and a woman say “I do” to one another. The “announcement” of a future disaster or a bright future already begins in the character and personalities of each individual in a couple. Every individual who has a mind for marriage must “announce a bright future” by himself or herself becoming a good seed.
Saturday: You will conceive in your womb and bear a son. Psychology suggests that natural roles occur among siblings which can be a source of problems like alcohol, cigarettes and gambling. It says some children grow up to be the “black sheep.” Many things are natural: such as an unloved child will grow up to be an addict. That is a sure very natural outcome!
Complimentary Readings:
Readings:
Familiaris Consortio
4th Sunday of Advent Year B
December 21, 2008
Theme for the Week: God continues to work out His plan of salvation through the ages. The vices in our society shall be wiped out in due time.
Sunday Readings
2 Sm 7:1-5,8-11 The kingdom of David shall endure forever before the Lord.
Rom 16:25-27 The mystery kept secret for long ages has now been manifested.
Lk 1:26-38 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
Preaching without hope is useless. The Church continues to preach because there is hope for change and conversion. The gospel is an expression of this hope. The reasons for believing this is in the first reading and the second reading.
Monday: The Mighty One has done great things for me. The readings tell of the songs on the lips of women, mothers, who anticipate what God will do through the agency of their sons. Mothers should be always optimistic that God will use her sons for good reasons. This optimism must not be expressed in spoiling her children.
Tuesday: The birth of John the Baptist. Planning is always a part of good Christian family living.
Wednesday: The daybreak from on high has visited us. James Sanders wrote: “God is the subject of all the verbs” in the Christmas story. There is nothing comparable to a family whose center is God.
Thursday: Christmas day. “Ang may kailangan siya ang dapat lumapit.” Jesus’ birth is a paradox, as he needed nothing from us, but Jesus came to us. Love, too, goes beyond our brothers and sisters of the same faith since "everybody is my brother or sister." In each individual, especially in the poor, the weak and those who suffer or are unjustly treated, love knows how to discover the face of Christ, and discover a fellow human being to be loved and served. Familiaris Consortio, #64.
Friday: St. Stephen. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father. On Christmas day, Jesus came to us. Today, Jesus comes through us.
Saturday: St. John the Evangelist. Our community is based on the faithful witness of those who heard, saw and touched the word of life, like St. John. Some people believe they can get by on their own: they reject science and faith when it comes to vices.
Complimentary Readings:
Readings:
Familiaris Consortio
Feast of the Holy Family
December 28, 2008
Theme for the Week: Being realistic.
Sunday Readings
Sir
3:2-6 Those who fear the Lord honor their parents.
Col 3:12-21 Family life in the Lord.
Lk 2:22-40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.
Homiletic Ideas for the Sunday Gospel
Realistically, Jesus was human in the truest sense of the word. He grew and became strong, according to the gospel, and learned his lessons. Realistically, good children come from families who fear the Lord (1st reading). Realistically, families can save the world from vices if given a chance (2nd reading).
Monday: m of St. Thomas a Becket. This is the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Frequenting the sacraments and the Church can do a lot of good for people engaged in vices. These will become a light to them.
Tuesday: She spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. With Christian maturity, one is able to see the gift of God. Anna was a person who in the words of the first reading did not “love the world or the things of the world.” Worldly people engaged in worldly vices like cigarettes, alcohol and gambling cannot see the gift of God.
Wednesday: The Word became flesh. People should start becoming realistic: the evil of gambling, cigarettes and alcohol. They are all ADDICTIVE in nature and import. They are all COSTLY to support and finance. They are all HEALTH or MORAL hazards. They are all IMPOVERISHING their addicted victims. They are all ENRICHING their avaricious capitalists and operators. They are all CONTRARY to parsimony dictated by the times. They are all CONDUCIVE to idleness or indolence. They are all COMPETITIVE in buying household necessities. They are all FROWNED upon by educated and ethical people. They are all SHAMEFUL to engage in.
Thursday: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
Friday: Sts. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nazianzen. The gospel tells us that John the Baptist was able to know who Jesus was because he knew so well what he himself was not.
Saturday: Mem of Most Holy Name of Jesus. “Sapagkat ako’y tao lamang” is an empty dangerous cliché which totally abhors the gospel which speaks of the Spirit’s indwelling presence in us in baptism. When used as an excuse for vice, it becomes a grave error and sin.
Complimentary Readings:
Readings:
Familiaris Consortio
Note: This is only a guide with ideas with a head start for further development in personal reflection.
