REJOICE! We are loved—and not just by Santa
(12-13-2009)
From our Gospel of Luke this Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) we hear:
“Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
He preached good news to the people.”
WHAT IS THAT GOOD NEWS?
YOU ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE WHO SEEK TO DO GOOD—and seek to do better--isn’t that why we come to church?
This past week we held our School Reconciliation Service for Advent, as 2 of us priests heard the confessions of about 130 children. One little girl—whose knees barely got over the edge of the chair declared to me:
“Well, I’ve been naughty and not nice.” I was wondering if she figured that God was like Santa. After I stopped laughing I asked her how she’s been naughty and she told me her sins. I thought this little angel has grasped the point that she has freely chosen to do things that were wrong.
How many see their problems as someone else’s fault, or society’s fault, but this little girl knew that she had done wrong and wanted forgiveness. I looked at her as she was talking that special dialect of children her age, and all I could think about was how really lovable she is and that is how God sees her.
I believe that is how God sees all of us when we recognize our responsibility for our actions and seek forgiveness. God sees us as lovable.
When we’ve been naughty and not nice- it isn’t Santa we’re concerned with- it is God and one another. For we have the means to be lovable to all people in our life. It can start in the simplest way like my little friend from Confession—just going and speaking the truth and asking to be forgiven.
There are also our Advent Parish Reconciliation Services (this Monday 12/14 at 7PM English and Tuesday 6PM Spanish) as well as our regular weekly Confession on Saturday or times by individual appointment.
There are lots of opportunities for us to say, “I take responsibility for my actions and I seek God’s forgiveness so I can be a more loving person.” That forgiveness is through the Church in the Body of Christ as offered in Sacrament of Reconciliation—and in the Absolution by the priest representing Christ and His Church.
Repentance brings reconciliation, which brings healing, joy and helps us find peace. That is the good news message in our gospel and what we need to do to be more lovable. John the Baptist demanded a radical change in the way people lived when they asked him “What is it that we should do?” He responded: take responsibility for your actions or lack of actions. Not what should others do--but, simply-- and perhaps more difficult, what shall we do?
John’s radical answer is to be charitable--give from their surplus to those suffering in poverty--- be honest, not using their position to enrich themselves and told to stop harassing and intimidating people—all can make a radical change in their lives.
His message for the need for conversion to the Lord has rung through every age—including ours. Isn’t that why we also come here to Mass to present those parts to the Lord that we want to change—where we want to be more lovable. We gather for continual and fundamental change in our behavior in order to live in the joy and peace promised by Christ.
“He preached good news to the people.”
The good news meaning of Advent and Christmas is about a radical change in us and the world. God breaks into our world and lives, declares us lovable and invites us to reconcile in order to love more. This Sacred Season invites us to let go of old wounds and repair the breach between one another in new birth; a time to see all people as children of God worthy of the Messiah and worthy of our loving care.
And with such anticipated change in us and the world, the Church proclaims on this Gaudete or Rejoice Sunday.
What a wonderful time of the year we are as a reminder and recognition of the wonderful world we are in—the good we can really do for one another. It is a world filled with Jesus in us—in his spirit. YOU ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE WHO BASICALLY SEEK TO DO GOOD. We show Jesus to the world—we can live the good news that is preached!
REJOICE, Fr. Gordon
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