My friends, here we are once again in Ordinary Time—ho-hum! But, as I have said in the past, this time, the greatest portion of our Church Year, which weaves itself in and out of the “big times,” Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, is really anything but “ordinary,” and in fact, we would do well to rename it, “Extra-Ordinary,” because the readings for each week during these 30+ Sundays are full of challenge to be our best selves.
So, for the next 7 Sundays with one in between for the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the temple, we will be in Ordinary Time trying our best to walk in our brother Jesus’ footsteps. This year, the string of Sundays in Ordinary Time is, as I said above, separated by the Presentation which falls on February 2nd and that happens to be a Sunday this year, so it supersedes the one in Ordinary Time.

We, as you will remember, already reflected on the readings from Jesus being taken to the temple by his parents, on Holy Family Sunday. I believe this feast which lifts up Jesus being presented-to-the-world, as a model for us to follow, shows the wisdom of the Church in having us ponder its mysteries twice in a few weeks. A tidbit that Robert would share, if I didn’t do it first, would be that February 2nd, is the official end of the Christmas Season, and his reason for keeping at least some Christmas lights shining till then!

So my friends, with that bit of opening, let’s get to the heart of things. The “ordinary” readings for today, while, as always, encouraging us to, “be our best,” also lift up for us a God who loves us in an “over-the-top way!” We see this especially in the 1st reading from the prophet Isaiah. He very simply says, “As the newly married rejoice in each other, so will your God rejoice in you.”

What a wonderful statement to think on—it is one we shouldn’t miss, and surely, not pass over without comment. If we can take ourselves back in time to when we were first married, or if that example doesn’t work for you, then think of another very meaningful relationship, with a sibling, child or special friend, and of your love and care for them. If you can take yourself to that place, then you can know even a bit of the love of our God for you! In your quiet times this next week, you might want to ponder the special relationship you have remembered this morning and then lay it alongside the desire of our God to love you in the same way, only more so than we can ever imagine.

The next thing we might want to ask ourselves is why our God would love us so much—for what purpose? In the very best sense, my friends, I believe our God wants us to know that we are loved so that we can then love ourselves enough to enable us to love others. All the best theologians, in my mind, state this simply—“it is all about love.” Our God wants us to have a wonderful human experience while here, and the thing is, for that to happen, we must be “other-centered”—we are here for ourselves, yes, but for others too, and the intention, I am quite sure, is that we would bring each other “home, one day.”
In Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, serving as our 2nd reading today, we get a taste o what that may look like. Paul tells us first of all, that God is “one and the same,” and in the “sameness” gives each of us a “particular gift” that is ours to hold and use in life, to be our best for ourselves and others. For one it might be “faith,” for another, “prophecy,” to make clear, the way to go, and for some, the gift to preach, write, bring peace, whatever it might be.

What is the particular gift that you can bring to the needy world? Is it to give a friendly call to a shut-in, send a card, or write a letter to lift-up what you see as needed in our world to those who have the power to bring that change? Maybe you can wear the smile you are looking for when out and about—a smile seems to bring one in return—I have mostly found.

We all can take encouragement from today’s gospel. Mary informs Jesus that, “they have no [more] wine.” I often think of his response to his mother as being a bit, “snarky,” as children, even adult children can sometimes be to their parents—“what does that have to do with me?” [He may be thinking, I’m not ready to do this!] And we see that Mary really seems to be the one with faith in her son, that he will do what needs doing, so she moves in her faith, telling the waiters, “do whatever he tells you.” And even this command from Mary seems odd, unless this is a family wedding and she knows these servants—when do a group of men ever do anything that a woman first suggests?!

Regardless, Jesus, a human like us does find his strength and perhaps his mother’s faith in him was all that he needed, because when he decided to move, it all happened very quickly, and a better way forward was found.
Now you may find it strange for me to suggest that Jesus didn’t have it all together, but unless we can see him, while divine, also as completely human, he isn’t much help to us in our own human struggles to be our best. Think about it, we are told that this is his first miracle, and no doubt—in his humanity, he thought, “Oh God, what if I can’t do this?—what will people think?” But when he decides that he has to try, he becomes his best self in serving the needs of others.

And friends, I believe the same is true for us as well—when we are able to balance our own needs (fears) and move in faith to help others, we become as close as ever, to being divine, which I believe our God intends for us—what Jesus came to show us is possible.
In our present-day world of late, several wonderful examples have been presented to us. Just recently, we remembered and celebrated the good life of Jimmy Carter, our 39th president. Along with memory of him, we remembered his good wife, Rosalyn, of whom Jimmy said basically, “she always had my back.” This past week, our current president, Joe Biden, spoke to the nation one final time, basically thanking the people of this country for giving him the privilege to serve us. And a strong woman, Jill was at his side too, through all of it. This past Friday, many of us gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday of our friend, Dick Dahl, who has continually, over the years, done his best for so many.

In conclusion, one final thought that I would like to lift up. We see in Jesus’ 1st miracle one final example of how our God does, and will love us—abundantly. Not only does Jesus make “enough” wine, but he makes an abundant amount! Experts say, the 6 stone jars probably held 180 gallons of water, now wine! We can never be outdone by our God! Amen? Amen!

My friends, as I said in this week’s bulletin, our celebration of Mass today brings us almost abruptly into the adult life of our brother Jesus. We have indeed come far from “the crib” where I invited you to stay during the 12 days of Christmas, now past. Jesus is basically at the cusp of his long-awaited ministry among the people, some of which he no doubt knew, and among many others that he did not know.

At this juncture in our journey through yet another Church Year, it is, as always, so important that we read the chosen Scriptures, for the surface meaning yes, but more importantly, for the depth of meaning contained there too. And thus, it will be important for us to especially attempt to get into the heart, mind and soul of our brother Jesus—what was indeed going on for him as he found himself at the pinnacle of his call from his God, to in many ways, as the prophet Isaiah says in the 1st reading, [be] “a light to the nations.”
If we recall in our own lives those special times when we were about to begin something new that we had long prepared for, and looked forward to, and finally got to the point of doing, then ask yourself, how that felt—what were the emotions that you were experiencing? When you said “yes” to marriage, started your first professional job, stood alone on a matter of conscience, and so on.

No doubt there was great joy, and anticipation as you prepared to take on a life commitment with a special someone, or begin a new job, but also there may have been some hidden anxiety—will this go as I hope? When we think of our brother Jesus, who we believe to have been in some special way, both completely human and divine, there had to have been joy, anticipation—wonder, and yes, a bit of anxiety.

And I believe our good and loving God understood this “bit” of humanity that the “beloved one” was experiencing, and thus upon Jesus’ coming “up out of the water” of baptism, spoke through the Spirit, a dove we are told, words of confirmation, and affirmation, that surely gave him the strength to not only go on, but to flourish in his God-given ministry—“You are my Own, my Beloved, on you my favor rests.” Other Scriptural translations are even more familiar, [in you] “I am well-pleased.” For us humans, being “affirmed” in what we are attempting to do is incredibly important—as I said above, it gives us the strength to persevere, and to do our best.

Several Sundays back, we saw our sister and mother Mary, “go in haste,” to in part affirm and assist Elizabeth in her new “status,” and as a result, received the confirmation to believe that what she knew, on one level, “had happened to her,” was indeed “of God,” and to be trusted—“Who am I that the mother of my God should visit me?”

This human need that we mortals seem to have at times, for confirmation of the “rightness” of what we are doing reminds me of when I was in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) to become a chaplain. From time to time, we “novice chaplains” would ask our supervisors how we would actually know that we were in fact doing the right thing in pursuing chaplaincy. In answer to that question, my most trusted supervisor told me, “You will know the rightness of your work through the reaction of those you are serving.” In other words, as in so much of our Christian lives, if the gifts of mercy, love and peace, among other qualities are present, experienced, and affirmed from those we are “present” to, we have the assurance that, “it is of God.”
So, now that we have placed ourselves into the heart and mind of Jesus, as much as that is possible, let’s just continue to look a bit more into today’s Scriptures to see our own way forward. The prophet Isaiah, in today’s first reading, foretold who Jesus—the Messiah would be:

• He would not break the bruised reed, or quench a wavering flame. This past week, we remembered the long, and most productive life of the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. Several of his family members and close friends remembered him as, “being kind, and going out of his way to do so.”

• Isaiah continues that, Jesus would open the eyes of the blind (and we know that we can be blind in more than physical ways)—a good friend mentioned this past week her realization that, “Her new ministry seems to be that of being present,” and in that way, helping with some of that, “blindness.”

• Jesus we are told, would free captives from prison (the prison that our minds can many times be)—this one brings to mind what the police tell us is our responsibility in our communities, “If you see something, say something.” I think many times we don’t always realize how we really are here to make our world better, and that can happen by addressing the needs that we see.

• The coming Messiah would free too, those living in darkness (and that can be, of their bodies, minds, and hearts)
• Additionally, the Messiah would be one that would serve the cause of “right,” bringing true justice for all.
Isaiah’s words today, of what it is to be a servant are a wonderful definition and call to each of us as baptized Christians to move among God’s people doing what we can, what we must, to make sure that Jesus’ justice—God’s justice, is there for all.

Our 2nd reading from Acts lets us know how “inclusive” our loving God is, a trait that we as Jesus’ followers are called to as well; that God “shows no impartiality,” [everyone who] “does what is right, is acceptable.” In our faith, I would add, when “good” is happening, “the Spirit” is around!

So, my friends, it is early in the New Year, and probably you are still looking at new and different ways to be in 2025. If so, a previous quote from Pace Bene, an on-line daily peace message may be of help. Ivania Vanzant says, “Today I choose to close the door to yesterday, and open my mind, heart, and spirit to the blessings of this moment.” I know for myself that when I spend too much time worrying over “water already under the bridge,” I miss many wonderful things happening right in front of me.

And finally, for anyone who regularly reads/or hears my homilies, you are aware of my “always” ending, of asking your confirmation with the double, “Amens.” A little backstory to why I do this. The “amens” are in deference to a wonderful, male, priest friend, Father Jim Callan, who went home to God the end of 2024. He was very instrumental in my own journey to priesthood as he was for Mary Ramerman in 2001, as the 1st woman priest ordained through the Ecumenical Catholic church—formerly, The Old Catholic church, with Bishop Peter Hickman ordaining Mary. You may or may not be aware that the OCC broke away from the Roman Catholic church in 1870 after the First Vatican Council, disagreeing with the doctrine of infallibility of the pope established at that council. So, Mary and Jim then went on to pastor, with Jim co-pastor, and in 2nd place to Mary, Spiritus Christi church in Rochester, NY, for nearly 20 years.

Robert and I visited these two outstanding individuals after my diaconal ordination in 2007, and when I told him that I may take the option to be ordained “catacomb,” or secretly, due to protecting my Catholic certification as a chaplain, which I needed the bishop’s endorsement for, and my job at Winona Health, he said that, if I could find my way to be ordained, in a public way, I might be very surprised about who does, and does not support me!”
And you all know how that went, so my friends, in God’s loving Spirit, we go forward, like our brother, Jesus, not always knowing the outcome, but trusting in God, to be with us, and show us the way—Amen? Amen!

My friends, we have come to the last significant feast of the 12 Days of Christmas. What began at the crib with a poor couple, Mary and Joseph, whose love for each other was big enough to share with another, Jesus our brother, and no doubt other siblings, continues on today, taking the lessons we learned, “at the crib” into our wider world.

And before we move into that “wider world,” let’s review the lessons we learned, “at the crib.” Our loving God chose a couple in love to give that greatest gift we humans can give to a child, love, so that he would then, “grow in wisdom and grace,” and take that one most special gift into the wider world, and communicate to his “sisters and brothers” – all of us, the extent to which his Abba, and ours—God, loves and cherishes us, and enables us, to then do the same in our world.

The second message that we learned “at the crib,” and must not miss, is that our God chose “poverty,” not “power,” to convey this message of love, and this choice was part of the “epiphany” or awakening that the “astrologers” found at the end of their journey—not in glory, but in poverty and simplicity did our God enter our humanity.

So, along with this manifestation of who our God chose to come to, through poor parents, for the poor and disadvantaged of this world, the message to the greater world, which includes many, if not, all of us, is that we must work diligently to make sure that there is justice for all of humanity—the mission that Jesus carried into the wider world and that we must do too as his followers.
That brings us then to today’s feast which I think we could all agree, is about sharing and spreading “the light” first seen in Bethlehem of Judea.

Let’s first take a cursory look at today’s Scriptures, as they can always show us the way, if we have the will and desire to see it. The prophet Isaiah gives us that beautiful line that we always hear each year at this time, “Arise, shine, for your light has come”[!] He goes on to say that this should cause us [to sing] “the praise of God.” The psalmist in number 72 instructs us that by [keeping our eyes on this light], “justice will flower” and “profound peace” – [the poor will be rescued] “when they cry out, and the afflicted when they have no one to help them,” [and the “lowly” will be shown pity]. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians states clearly that those who follow the “light,” the message of “love” first manifested at Bethlehem will take it to “the Gentiles” – in other words, all of us, and share this basic, God-given gift of love to all. Matthew’s gospel gives us another clue as to who our “messiah” will be, [a ruler] “who is to shepherd [God’s] people.”

I found it interesting in the Priests for Equality translation from Matthew today, that they never use the word, “king” to describe the “visitors from the east,” who brought gifts to the Christ Child and his parents, but instead name them, “astrologers.”

We, most of us, have always thought of, and named this feast, “the Coming of the Three Kings,” but when one reflects on the fact that they, “followed a star,” the “rightness” of calling them, “astrologers” rather than “kings,” seems appropriate. Rather than lifting up status in the term, “king,” “astrologers” seems to reflect “their mission,” to “see the light,” and share that light with others.

We have often spoken here of how it is most important that we delve into the “deeper” message than the “words on the page” may be suggesting, and again this day, we see the truth of that. The astrologers who saw the strange, new star that first appeared in their own land, instinctively knew that it represented something equally great on earth and were compelled to follow it.

When they arrived at their journey’s end, they were surprised to find that the “equally great” manifestation on earth that complemented the new heavenly body, was a “poor baby of poor parents in a stable,” and it was only upon witnessing this mystery, where they hadn’t thought to look, that they “saw the rightness” of what they found.

And friends, the same will be true for us. Pope Francis has spoken quite beautifully on this issue, stating that, “if we do not find “the child” in [our] here and now, perhaps we are not aware of what we are seeing, [not in power and glory, but in poverty will the Christ Child be seen. A friend made the connection of children dying in the Middle East war with the Christ Child this year in her Christmas card.

A few years back, an American poet, Amanda Gorman, spoke prophetically of the “light” that we all must see in our world: “there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it,” and I would add, “to name it!”

Our present-day world can appear very dark at times if we look at all that clearly isn’t “right” – wars, starvation, injustice to many. But these things don’t have to be if we all, collectively seek the “light” to make the changes that are needed, or as Amanda Gorman said further, “if only we are brave enough to be [that] light” through our stance and actions in this world.

As a new year dawns, many of us hope in this yet, another beginning,” to as Opera Winfrey says, [attempt] “to get it right this time.” The Buddha instructs that, “no matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.” Or for those perhaps a bit more disillusioned, Thomas Jefferson’s words might speak more so to your heart and mind: “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” Whatever we each decide to do, in this new year, it is important to remember that as followers of Jesus, we never have the option to do nothing. And if that feels a negative way to end, let’s not forget that we never do this alone – our star, our light, Jesus, our brother, is always with us. Amen? Amen!