My friends, I have always thought that one of the most appealing aspects of the Catholic church is its richness of symbols and within the holy season of Advent, we certainly do see the truth of this.  From the greens of the Advent Wreath which express so simply and wonderfully our hope in a God through Jesus who will come again to us and our world to the liturgical color of blue, and the continual lighting of candles—one more for each passing week, shedding light into our existence—this season is full of announcement and preparation, longing and mounting joy!

   Today, I would like to speak about the liturgical color of blue and its meaning in light of Vatican Council II.  I checked into sources—Catholic Directory and other on-line sources for some history on the newer use of the royal blue and white for Advent as opposed to the purple and pink colors of older times—pre-Vatican II and found the information, “sketchy” at best—almost as if it had never been done. 

   If you are a frequent visitor to a traditional Catholic church in present day, you will see the Advent Wreath adorned with purple candles and a pink one for Gaudete Sunday. The vestments of the priest and any drappings in the liturgical space are purple as well. 

   Here at All Are One, Advent’s color has always been and will continue to be blue. I checked with a local liturgist as to his recollection of the starting of the use of blue for Advent and the return to the purple and he seemed to connect the start and finish of the blue for Advent with particular priests serving the parish.

   So, what are we to make of this?  A good place to start would seem to ask what the color “blue” represents and then look to its significance liturgically. 

   The color blue is reflective of the blue “of the sky” and of “the ocean.” Back in history when colors were first given to the Seasons of the Church Year, around the beginning of the 5^th Century, 431 A.D. to be exact, blue was given to Mary, our mother and sister.  The color blue also signifies the “healing of God” as well as, “the Word of God.”  Blue is additionally seen as signifying, “positive light.” Another source spoke of “the Waters of Genesis” and the “beginning of a new creation,” when considering the color, blue. 

   I personally have always connected the changing of the Advent color from purple to blue with the changes that came over the years from the Second Vatican Council—not that this change was made immediately, but in the years after the Council, as those who were more forward thinking tried to be faithful to Pope John’s call that we update our liturgies through language and other rituals, to become more relevant in peoples’ lives and perhaps become more true to the real purpose of the season. And the thinking of course was that the theme of Advent and the theme of Lent are not the same and so should be reflected in different liturgical colors with different meanings. In the past and apparently now in the present, in the traditional church; we are saying that each season is penitential and about suffering, which surely isn’t right.

   So, my friends, as close as I can determine, the blue color for Advent came into being during the late 80’s or early 90’s in many parishes and then during of the end of the papacy of John Paul II (died in 2005) and that of Benedict XVI (he resigned in 2013), we reverted to the purple.

   Anyone familiar with the 28 year reign of John Paul II knows that throughout his time in leadership; he was about moving the Church back to pre-Vatican II times, and for the most part, Benedict XVI followed suit.

   So, why is this important?  I can only really speak for myself because as I said earlier; one is hard-pressed to find much where ministers of the Word and the Altar are willing to publically speak to the good of the use of the color blue to distinguish Advent from Lent, which as I said above, also uses the color purple. 

   The color purple has always stood as a symbol, a sign of a time of “penitence and fasting”—for looking deeply into our lives and asking sincere questions about, how am I doing with the “Christian Experiment”–with truly following in the footsteps of our brother Jesus?  Now for the Season of Lent, this seems an appropriate task, but not for Advent. 

   Our readings for this Second Sunday in Advent let us know that. Isaiah clearly states, “Console my people—give them comfort—speak tenderly to Jerusalem’s heart—that its time of service is ended—make a straight path for our God.”

   Peter, in the second reading, continues the theme of rejoicing—“what we await are new heavens and a new earth.” These ideas, commendations and salutations do not speak of penitence and suffering, signified by the color purple. They do in fact speak of new life—a new creation—a reason to rejoice!  Thus, the color, blue, which means all of that! 

   One of the reasons I did find, from an obscure liturgist for not using the color blue was that it would signify that the entire season of Advent is about Mary—her color, “again, being blue.  Now I agree that the whole season is not about Mary, but I think we would have to agree, she does have a significant part to play!  And when considering blue for Advent, let’s not forget that, as stated, blue is also used to signify a “new creation,” “the beginning and ending of days in the blue sky” and the “healing of God”—so evident in Isaiah’s words, “to the heart” of Jerusalem—“your time of service has ended.”

   In deference to Mary and “making the error” of somehow dedicating the whole of Advent to her; I think there are greater errors that have been made over time; slavery, the Inquisition, the Crusades, to name a few, but I digress…except to say, it seems that only a man could have such a worry as this one with regard to Mary. As an end note, it probably is not giving Mary too much credit to acknowledge her rather significant place in the history of bringing Emmanuel among us through her simple, yet most profound “Yes.”  How many of us could have shown such strength?

   In Mark’s reading, today’s gospel, where he presents us with John the Baptist, the theme of a merciful, loving God coming—wanting even, to be, One-With-Us, Emmanuel, is continued.  The Jewish people awaited the coming of the “Messiah,” one to conquer their enemies, the Romans—specifically, for so long, that it was literally, part of their, DNA.  But for all their waiting, they really didn’t understand how this “messiah” would appear—they saw it rather, one-dimensionally, and we can hardly blame them, because so often, our faith is rather, one-dimensional too—it is only with the passing of time, that we in our present times, can have 20-20 vision, so to speak. 

   John the Baptist’s words this week, while familiar, do not tell us much about how this Jesus, as Messiah will come among them. What it does tell us about is John’s sense of his relationship with the Messiah—“One more powerful than I” and of whom, “I am not fit to untie his sandal straps,” but here is the hope we should have, “he will baptize you with the holy Spirit,” whereas I have only baptized you with water.  Now, it will take these first believers a long time to understand just what John means, but in hindsight, our present day vision is clear—this is something for all of us to rejoice over—thus the color blue, for “new life,” a new creation,” not purple, representing, a time of penitence and suffering.

   Now you may think that I am protesting too much, but let me only remind us all that Jesus came, was with us for a time, and then left his Spirit that we would not see with only one-dimensional eyes, but see on two, three and even more, dimensional levels, “continually renewing the face of the earth,” realizing that Jesus first came for the lowly, thus his own birth in a stable in Bethlehem.  This may not be Good News for all, but it certainly is for the lowly and if we are truly to follow him; we must see our path in sharing the goods of this earth with all. 

   In 2021 and going forward; we once again have the chance to care for all through a new administration in Washington who will try, I believe, to care for all and the Church Universal should come aboard with this plan and not just see serving life only one-dimensionally, but on many dimensions, so that we all have a place at the table.

   For this reason, my friends, I have spent so much time in this homily discussing the color blue versus the color purple as I see this as a prime example of our Church wanting to stay stuck in the past, focusing on ourselves through “penitence and suffering” in shades of purple rather than focusing on a “new creation”—“a new earth” that seeks to eradicate world hunger, inequality in every form, systemic racism, a virus we can’t see that has dealt so much pain and suffering to so many.  We can most effectively show that now, in this Advent, through shades of blue—new life, really! Amen? Amen!

Dear Friends, we are beginning the beautiful season of Advent and the start of a new Church Year with the Cycle B texts and the Gospel of Mark, the apostle. Mark tends to be someone of few words–just the facts, we might say. These four weeks are a wonderful opportunity for us to check in with our loving God who continually waits for us… Advent is a time of waiting–putting off for a bit the joy of Christmas as we prepare our hearts and minds as we would prepare for any special guest to our home.

We find ourselves now living amid a pandemic, hoping for many good changes with a new administration in Washington. These are hard times calling for the best from each of us. We are completing our Thanksgiving weekend and for many of us–most of us, this holiday of family and friends looked different as we are struggling to come to terms with a virus we can’t see and for unity to be restored within our country realizing that we can get through this time if we all work together. Let that be our prayer going forward. If I can be of help to you in any way, please don’t hesitate to be in contact: 507-429-3616 or aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

Peace and love to all–Pastor Kathy

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Entrance Antiphon

To you, my God, I lift my soul, I trust in you; let me never come to shame.  Do not let my enemies laugh at me. No one who waits for you is ever put to shame.

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

Mother and Father God, in heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of Jesus’ coming may find us rejoicing in his presence and welcoming the light of his truth. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our brother, you, our Creator, and the Spirit of us all, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Readings:

• Isaiah 63: 16-17, 64: 1-8
• 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9
• Mark 13: 33-37

Homily

      My friends, you know, because I share with you every year, that Advent is probably my favorite time in the Church Year. This time of “expectant waiting” is then followed by my next favorite time, the Christmas Season, which says, in so many ways, how much our God loves us.  And, if we can make the connections—in our own lives, through the ways we reach out in love; we will continue this precious gift of loving, first bestowed on us by our God.  But, I am getting ahead of myself—back to that “expectant waiting” for a bit.

   The whole notion of expectant waiting is such a rich and life-giving concept.  For those of you who have been blessed with physically carrying new life, the idea of pregnant expectation can be very meaningful this time of year.  But whether or not one has actually carried physical life within; we have all grown the “life” of new ideas within, or made plans to renew our world through education and projects that benefit not only us, but the wider world.  And, we know the joy of carrying such tasks to completion. 

   That is where we are in our Church calendar—expectantly awaiting the time when our God will be fully present in our midst—a phenomena that happens little by little our whole lives until it comes to completion at the end of our time here—at the end of our journey of love.

   Kathleen Norris, in one of her less known books, Acedia and Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life, speaks some wisdom on the notion of “waiting.”  “Waiting,” she says, “seems at odds with progress”—[what most of us, or many of us seem to be about in our modern world] and we seldom ask whether it might have a purpose in and of itself.  Etymology helps us here, [she continues], for when we look up the word, wait, we are instructed to see, vigor.  Waiting then, is not passive, but a vigilant and watchful activity designed to keep us aware of what is really going on. Isaiah evokes this radical waiting,” [she says], “as a source of vitality:” ‘Those who wait for [Our God] shall renew their strength/they shall mount up with wings like eagles,’ (Isaiah 40: 31).

   Both Isaiah in chapter 63, today’s 1^st reading, and in the Gospel of Mark, continue this theme of “waiting expectantly” and underscore the notion that this activity is anything but, stagnant.  Mark as a writer, tends to be a “man of few words,” getting right to the point—“stay alert—be constantly on the watch.” 

   If we ask any child this time of year about “waiting” for Christmas to come, we probably will hear, “I can’t wait!”  Children don’t see any purpose in waiting, but we adults know the truth of what Kathleen Norris and Isaiah are saying—that waiting makes us strong and that, this is good for us. And we will tell our children and grandchildren much the same. 

   In truth, I must add that even though we adults know this truth—that waiting makes us strong; we too, at times, find it hard, to wait.  In this time of pandemic; we find ourselves waiting for many things: new leadership that is truly concerned about all the people, a vaccine so that we can all, once again, feel safe from a virus we can’t see, thus ushering in that time when we can all be physically together again—Zoom Masses are the next best thing, but I think we are all longing to be in each other’s physical presence again!  I believe Paul’s words to the Corinthians on this 1^st Sunday of Advent ring true for us, “I continually thank my God for you because of the gift bestowed on you in Christ Jesus.”  Or, in simpler terms—I feel so fortunate that our loving God gave us to each other—as a community.

   And again, Isaiah reminds us, “No ear has ever heard, nor eye has ever seen any God like you.”  Additionally, he reminds us that this God is, “intervening for those who wait,” [that God is whatever you need God to be, including], “our mother or father,” [that we are truly], “the work of [God’s] hands!”

   So, my good friends, if you, like me, set up an Advent Wreath of life-giving green boughs and blue candles, representing “hope” in the green, the strength of our mother-sister, Mary, and the blessed nature of her son, Jesus, ever “waiters,” with us, of God’s goodness, in the blue, with a white candle for the third week, representing the joy over a God “wanting” so much to be with us, and, “almost here,” then you have much symbolism to reflect on these next four weeks!

   Besides the idea of “expectant waiting,” the other over-riding theme of Advent is that of hope.  Kathleen Norris makes the connection well, I think, of “expectant waiting” and hope in the notion of, “making a hop.”  She says of it, “To hope is to make a leap, to jump from where you are to someplace better.  If you can imagine it, and dare to take that leap, you can go there—no matter how hopeless your situation may appear.

    Advent is a special time given each of us to truly consider who we are at our core—what it is that we get up for each day—what it is that drives our lives.  I call this our “spiritual selves,” that deep part of us that is the best we have to offer.

   Last week we concluded the Year of Grace 2020, which included so much—for so many—a year to remember, perhaps to forget.  We celebrated, not a king above us, but a servant, among us.  Jesus, our brother and friend, an ever-present example, shows us the way through the beautiful days of Advent and into the Christmas season—may we be “expectant waiters,” vigilant—staying fully awake, keeping our hold on hope and living with full hearts.  Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “O God let us see your face.”

1. O God, be with us each day of this holy season of Advent—draw us ever closer to you that we might truly see you in each person that we meet, we pray—Response:  “O God let us see your face.”

2.  For all elected leaders in our country, may the wisdom and grace of the      Spirit overshadow them to be people who will truly work to care for the least among us and strive to bring peace to our world, we pray—   Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• O God, give each of us health of body, mind and spirit, and especially be with those walking with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses today, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• For those in our midst who have less than the basics of life, help each of us O God, to always see them,  and work to alleviate the core causes of their suffering, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• For our world and its people, that peace would reign in our hearts and that we would strive to bring peace to our world, especially assist us as a nation to work for unity,  now, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

• For all those who suffer from mental illness, all those who are depressed, lonely and sad, help each of us to bring your love, dear Jesus, we pray—   Response:  “O God let us see your face.”

• For our community, All Are One, give us welcoming hearts to be open to all who come to us, we pray—Response: “O God let us see your face.”

8.  Loving Jesus, be with all families who have lost loved ones from COVID and all other causes, this week,—give them your peace, that they may find their way through their grief, we pray—Response:  “O God let us see your face.”

***Let us pray for all the silent petitions on our hearts—pause—then response

Let Us Pray

Loving and merciful God, we praise you today for all your compassionate care toward each of us, especially in your most generous gift of Jesus to us. Give us the strength to always follow his path, sharing the gifts of our earth and world with all, especially the least among us. Be with us this Advent to share your gifts of faith, hope, love and mercy with all who come into our lives. All of this we ask of you who are our God, living and loving us in Jesus, the Creator and Spirit, forever and ever—Amen!

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Let Us Pray—Again, we are not meeting in person, but through our prayers and even though we can’t share the bread of the altar, we know that you, Jesus, are always with us. 

Prayer of Communion

Jesus, may the time we spend with you, teach us to love heaven. May its promise and hope guide our way on earth and especially during this Advent.  We ask this through you with the Creator and Spirit who lives and loves us forever and ever. Amen.

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Dear Friends,

This is coming a bit early, but I will be away this weekend and wanted you all to have this material in preparation for Sunday–Pastor Kathy

We have come to the end of this Year of Grace and with all endings, come beginnings! How wonderful for all of us! But back to this Sunday which is a celebration of our brother and friend, Jesus, the Christ who now lives in glory, but yet is with us always as that same brother and friend for us to look up to and to follow. May our prayer this week for each other be one of gratitude for all that is, along with a prayer that each of us strives to be all that we can be for ourselves and for others.

May each of you know peace in your daily lives, especially during this time of pandemic. And as we move toward our annual, national feast of Thanksgiving which for most of us will look quite different this year due to the need that we all practice safety for the good of us all–I extend from Robert and I the utmost sense of gratitude for each of you–stay safe and well!

We will have the treat of a homily from Pastor Dick Dahl this Sunday–thank you Dick!

Please be in touch if I can help you in any way, or if you just would like to talk–507-429-3616 or aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

Peace and love, Pastor Kathy

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Entrance Antiphon

The lamb that was slain is worthy to receive strength and divinity, wisdom and power and honor; to him be glory and power forever.

Let us pray—

Opening Prayer

All Good Creator, God of love, you have raised Jesus, the Christ from death to life, resplendent in glory as our true Model in all of Creation.  Open our hearts, free the entire world to rejoice in Jesus’ peace, justice, and love.  Bring all humankind together in Jesus, our Brother, whose kin-dom is with you, loving Creator and with your Spirit—all, One God, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen

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Readings:

• Ezekiel 34: 11-12
• 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28
• Matthew 25: 31-46

Homily

Do you feel you know God, that you experience God? We seek God in many ways and places. Some say God seeks us. 

We are given many images by which to find God in the Scriptures. The first reading today is from the prophet Ezekiel who spoke from exile in Babylon. He spoke of the Lord God in the image of a shepherd and did so more than anyone else.  Ezekiel was using the image to refer to the kings of Israel who acted more for their own profit than for the needs of the people. He presents the Lord God, however, as a different kind of shepherd of his people. He searches for his sheep who are scattered. When he finds them, he examines them. The injured he binds up and the sick he heals. He cares for each one. He will bring them back to good grazing land.

Ezekiel was encouraging the Israelites in exile that the Lord would restore them, free them from captivity and bring them back to their homeland. He is to them what a good shepherd is to his flocks. Centuries later Jesus used this image when he identified himself as the good shepherd, not literally, but with the connotations Ezekiel had given to the image. He also used Ezekiel’s description of how shepherds separated the sheep and goats in their flocks. They did this at night because goats need protective cover more than sheep do. But Jesus will use the image of this separation in a different way.

What does this have to do with today? We’re not looking for a shepherd. But we are privileged by Jesus to see God as one who cares about us, individually and collectively. God does not abandon us in whatever form of misery we may find ourselves.

In the Church’s Liturgical Year today is called the Feast of Christ the King. Strange isn’t it that the church insists on giving Jesus a title he never claimed or sought for himself. Why does the tendency to identify greatness with worldly titles and images often override the images Jesus gave of himself and his followers—meek of heart, often persecuted and misunderstood, etc.?

We know that after the Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity the religion of the empire early in the fifth century, church leaders became more accustomed to power and prestige, rather than identifying with the persecuted outcasts of society as Jesus had done. They downplayed and may have forgotten the basic message of Jesus in his sermon on the mount: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, you when they persecute you and say all manner of falsehoods about you because of me; rejoice then, the kingdom of heaven is yours.” 

The Gospel reading today changes our focus from the past to the future. Matthew describes Jesus in glory surrounded by angels, before the nations of the earth. He is described as saying, “Look, paradise stands open for you.” Then, astounded at being addressed as friends by him whom the angelic hosts are clearly unable to behold, those saved ask, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you? Master, when did we see you thirty and give you a drink? When did we see you, whom we hold in awe, naked and clothe you? When did we see you, the Immortal One, a stranger and welcome you? When did we see you, lover of all, sick or in prison and come to visit you?

The answer to those questions brings us finally from the future to the present. Word has it that he is truly alive and among us. When and how do we find and see him? 

After all, we believe him to be the most important person who ever walked the earth, God himself in human form! Shouldn’t we expect to find him among the powerful and famous? The people in ties and suits? The bishops in brocaded vestments or priests in Roman collars?  Hardly in homeless shelters or crack houses, in refugee camps and cages along our southern border.

We thus can easily, instinctively, get it all wrong. We must listen to him: He identified the least human person with himself. He insists that we all bear the presence of the Most High, no matter how diminished or devalued we may seem. Perhaps then the first place to look for Jesus today may not be in seats of power like the White House or the Vatican.

Let’s spell out this most revolutionary message as it has been lived out in time: Before contemporary time, entire tribes of indigenous peoples disappeared in North and South America, sacrificed to idols of gold. Jews were banished or forcibly converted long before the abominable “final solution.” Holy “religious” wars were launched in the name of God. Children of every color and tribe have been traded or killed upon birth.

To such a bleak history, the Lord of history has spoken: “As often as you have done this to the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me.”

Like all of holy Scripture, the parable of the end times is a judgment on the world. In human mayhem, we dismember the body of Christ. “You have done it to me.” The starving, the unwanted old, the criminal, the enemy—“the least”—are him.

This judgment of God is a moral command as well. In the eyes of Christ’s followers, the bodies of the wounded and murdered are bodies of Christ. Thus, killing is sacrilege. All wars are unholy. Implementing the death penalty is an ungodly act.

Scripture, in its greatest depth, does not merely present a moral challenge or a judgment on the world. It is, rather, a story of the mystery of salvation. For at the end of history, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made human flesh, will tell us again, “Whatsoever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did to me.” These words that challenge us are the very words that save us. (John Kavanaugh, SJ)

This may lead us to think he is only among victims of poverty, famine and war in foreign lands. On the other hand, as Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS writes, those in need are also actually very near us. Wherever there is human need, there is Christ and we are called to respond.  

In Matthew’s great parable of the last judgment the blessed and lost are separated by one norm: the care of others. If you and I accept, with our mind and heart and actions, the vision revealed by God’s Word, then he will address us as friends. He will say: “Inasmuch as you received, clothed, fed, and gave a drink to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, that is, to the poor, you did it to me. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me.”

Where is he then? How can we find him? Everywhere. 

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response:  “Jesus, our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

1. Bless us Jesus, help us to find, and take time, each day to spend with you, that we might better be able to model our lives after yours, we pray—     Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• Jesus, you lived a kingly life in the truest sense, help us to respond in our world with the compassion and love that you did in yours, we pray—    Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For all who are suffering here today or in our wider community, be with them and their families, who know the uncertainty of unresolved issues, be it in body, mind or spirit, we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For all who are suffering because of war and conflict around our world today—help us as creatures gifted with this planet to beat our swords into plowshares enabling us to be people of peace, instead of conflict, we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For those in our world who suffer because of how our loving God created them, enable us all as your people to appreciate differences as gift, especially as we see these differences in our youth, in women, in those of our LGBTQ community and elsewhere—help us to see all as “equally blessed” we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For our community, All Are One, show us the ways to reach out to other Christian communities, to our non-Christian brothers and sisters,  for which we may work toward that day when we will truly “be one” and gathered around the same table of praise and fellowship, we pray—Response: “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

• For all those who have died in this week and for their families—from COVID and all other causes—may they all be at peace, we pray,  Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

8.  For our country as it struggles toward justice and truth, and well-being for all, we pray—Response:  “Jesus our brother and friend, hear our prayer.”

          ***For all the silent intentions on our hearts, pause, we pray—Response:

Let Us Pray

   Good and gentle God, we praise and love you for sending us Jesus to show us the way to life and love. Continue to be our strength in each year of our life, constantly drawing us through the mystery of Jesus’ life on our earth, closer to you and to him. Let us always be convicted of having followed his lead—let us never fear of doing the right thing, no matter the personal cost. Grant us your peace as the sign that we have at least attempted the way toward justice for all. As we finish this Year of Grace, help us to make a truthful review of our lives and recommit ourselves to love, mercy, justice, truth, and all-around goodness. We ask this of you, of Jesus, our model of kingly life in the truest sense, of the Living Spirit—all One God, living with us and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Let Us Pray—again, even though we cannot be at the table together in a physical way, let us remember that our brother, Jesus is always with us.

Prayer for Communion

Loving God, you gave us Jesus, the Christ, our true Model in all of creation as “food” for everlasting life.  Help us to live by the Gospel and bring us to the joy of Jesus’ kin-dom where all goodness and love exists, forever and ever, Amen.

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Dear Friends,

22 of us gathered today for a Zoom Mass and it was so good to be together, at least in this way! Stay well everyone–stay safe–do all the hard things to keep yourself and others safe. If you need me, please don’t hesitate to call, 507-429-3616, or email, aaorcc2008@gmail. com. Below, find today’s homily–peace and love, Pastor Kathy

______________________________________________________________________________ My friends, as we move toward concluding the Church Year on this final Sunday in [Extra] Ordinary Time, and prepare to bookend this Year of Grace, as always, with the feast of Jesus, that the Church Universal names as, “Christ the King,” I once again invite different terminology for the feast coming up next Sunday—a title that more accurately names Jesus and his earthly life among us—“Jesus, Brother and Friend.” But for now, let’s proceed into today’s readings.  

   Our lives are about beginnings and endings and this is reflected in our Scripture readings today.  And to each of us, who have lived any length of days, we know too, by experience, that life is full of beginnings and endings. 

   There are, as we age, the ever-present endings as we lose loved ones completing their life journeys and amid these losses, there are the beginnings, as new life continues to enter our lives—as children grow and change—“in wisdom and grace,” hopefully, finding their way in the world. 

   I was always amazed during my years of chaplaincy at our local hospital and nursing home, witnessing entire families gathering, giving their loving support, as a beloved mom or dad or a grandparent was dying.  Always among these families was evidence of this cycle, in the ending of one life and the beginning of another as a little one crawled on the floor. 

   We are blessed in the Midwest with four wonderful seasons wherein nature shows us in stark contrast, endings and beginnings.  We may not always relish the “stark” changes of spring-summer-fall and winter in the Midwest, but we have to admit that the changes from one season to the next make abundantly clear, the beginning and ending of life. 

   I find the obvious changes in seasonal weather, here, very conducive to the journey my physical, emotional and spiritual life seems to take each year.  The warmer weather through spring and summer gets me outdoors in many physically, busy tasks—gardening and yard work with all the equally emotional and spiritual connections to our God who made so much earthly beauty for us to enjoy.  As the year moves into fall, I find my physical self, slows down, with the outdoor life around me—as the earth prepares, here, to go dormant, I too, shift my focus.  I find that I turn more to my interior self at this time—to more quiet and reflection on what life is, really—all about. 

   So what does all this have to do with the 33^rd Sunday in [Extra] Ordinary Time, you may ask? Let’s look to the readings:  We have three selections today that help us focus well, I think, on the cycle of our lives, and especially, this Sunday, on the “end times” as we do indeed, wind down the Church Year.

    The beautiful reading from Proverbs today was in past times entitled, “The Virtuous or Valiant Woman.”  The Priests for Equality text, that we use here, in their wisdom, have made this a gender-less specific reading in order to impress upon each of us, male and female that the traits espoused here are universal and genderless—we are all called to strive after perfect love—instilling confidence equally in each other, bringing advantage, not hurt, doing our work willingly for the benefit of each other, holding out our hands to the poor—these are the traits that are to be praised at the city gates, because these traits last, unlike physical beauty.  We have to wonder that if these traits were more universally practiced across the genders, would we ever have the kind of abuse that allows one to be first to the detriment of another.

   The obvious example of course, is the present divide in our country over many issues, but primarily, at present, our recent presidential election. Much of the divide, unfortunately, in this matter and others facing our country is stoked from the White House by a selfish individual who can only see his own needs to the detriment of those he promised an oath to serve.

   Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, further encourages us to, “not be asleep as others are,” let us “be awake and sober.”  Our lives as Christians, as followers of our brother and friend—Jesus, do indeed call us to always, as we say here often—“look at the fruit” to know the way we should go.  At the danger of becoming too political, it seems to me that if more people in our troubled world looked, with eyes open, and hearts full, “at the fruits,” or lack thereof, coming out of either position in our country’s divide, it would be most clear, which way we need to go.

   I shared last week that in major decisions in my own life; I look at what brings peace—for the most part, and then I proceed. And that strategy has never failed me.  Suffice it to say, those who wish to be in positions of power wherein they have the opportunity to lead, need to realize that this privilege, and it is a privilege, is never, ever, for the individual, but for those the individual intends to lead, ultimately—“to serve.” I can’t stress enough, this is about service! The “fruit” we are looking for is “service, not “selfishness.”

   For us too, my friends, our life as Christians should always be about service—that is what Paul is really stressing with the Thessalonians and us by extension—[don’t] be asleep as others are, be awake and sober.” 

   Our final reading this week comes from the gospel of Matthew.  We are asked to consider the plight of three employees being given a gift by their employer and what they ultimately do with the gift.  The Scripture says, the employer “entrusted” each with a gift of silver pieces.  It seems to me, that to “entrust” someone with something says much more than to simply “give” someone, something.  The dictionary definition speaks about, “assigning responsibility for doing something.” A current, meaningful example might be the fact that each year our country “entrusts” someone to lead us—to basically care for the needs of our people and our country. 

   The Scriptural example shared by Jesus makes clear I believe, what God expects of those “entrusted” with silver pieces or anything else, considered precious.  It seems that “darkness” is associated too with not using our gifts to better ourselves and others.

   So, my friends, our task seems clear in these troubling times—let’s face what we have to face with open eyes and hearts—this is not a time at all to, “be asleep,” but a time to take seriously what it means to be human among other humans and most importantly, for us, what it truly means to be Christian.  Our faith allows for endings and beginnings—as our Church Year is ending, let us reflect on all that we did right—all that we could do better, and as Advent beckons, and Christmas follows, let us begin anew to be all that we can be for ourselves and others! Amen? Amen!

Dear Friends,

There is much urgency in the readings for this Sunday as we move relentlessly toward the end of our Church Year. This urgency seems to reflect the mood in our country at present as we await the results of the presidential election. We are called to practice patience as we wait, in order that, as has been said, “We get it right.”

So, my friends, I invite you through this weekend to reflect on the Scriptures given us and consider how we need as a country to move forward. Let us keep our eyes on our brother, Jesus, to know the way to proceed.

I send you my prayers and my love–may you have peace–Pastor Kathy

P. S. And as always, please don’t hesitate to call if I can be of assistance to you–in any way–507-429-3616 or by email–aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

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Entrance Antiphon

Let my prayer come before you, O God; listen, and answer me.

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

Loving Creator God, strong is your justice and great is your mercy.  Protect us in the burdens and challenges of life.  Shield our minds from the distortion of pride and enfold our desire with the beauty of truth.  Help us to become more aware of your loving design so that we may more willingly give our lives in service to all.  We ask this of you, in Jesus’ wonderful name, along with the Spirit, One God, living and loving us forever and ever—Amen.

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Readings:

• Wisdom 6:12-16
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
• Matthew 25:1-13

Homily

   My friends, I don’t know about you, but this entire week has left me so very tired—in body, mind and spirit.  I think many of us had the hope that with this election, the good people of this country would have made a clear choice against the abhorrent lack of truth-telling these past four years that gave us a virus-out-of-control, evidenced by over 230,000 dead Americans with no resolution in sight, economic chaos and the uncovering, primarily, to white folk, finally, finally of systemic racism in this country through the Black Lives Matter movement.  But yet, that has not been the case. 

   As we move toward the end of our Church Year this month, we have some fine instruction this week in the first reading from the book of Wisdom.  The Wisdom writer tells us that [wisdom] is, “Understanding fully grown.” We are further told that we should, “Watch for her at dawn and [we] will not be disappointed.” Those who seek her will recognize her; we are told. Wisdom will, “graciously” appear in [our] path and meet [us] in every thought if indeed we do seek her.  Joan Chittister says of it, “We must live with attention.”

   It seems to me, in these times that, “wisdom—understanding fully grown” is so needed as we try to heal as a country in the aftermath of this election and what it has told us—basically that we are a very divided nation. 

   Sean Michael Winters, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter shared a piece this past week; he said that if Joe Biden wins the presidency; he should follow-up his campaign promise to unite the nation by going to 5 or 6 states that voted to give the president four more years, and hold town halls to basically, listen to them. “Understanding fully grown”—wisdom, that is, comes from listening—learning the views of others, so as to understand where others, “are coming from.” The Wisdom writer basically says that “wisdom” wants to be found as much as we want to find her. 

   I have to believe that at the heart of all Americans there is a desire for peace, for what is best in all of us, to be front and center. Unfortunately, we are all capable of bad as well as good and it is particularly worrisome and abhorrent to me, when the worst that we as humans are capable of is stoked from on high instead of what is best for all. 

   It may seem to be a bit of an aside, but actually, it is not, to realize that the virtue of wisdom in the Old Testament text is spoken of in the feminine.  Wisdom is spoken of as “graciousness,” a term often connected with the feminine gender.  The words describing “her”—“love” and “desire,” seem to indicate that we will find, “wisdom” through the “heart.” 

   This may perhaps be why many in the hierarchy and priesthood in general of the Catholic church, don’t speak the message of Jesus in any consistent way as they tend to rely too heavily on, “the mind,”  through rules and regulations.  Jesus’ words to the Pharisees are reflective of this, “mind-first” tendency; “The Sabbath is for [people], not [people] for the Sabbath.”  This is just one more reason to involve women in leadership within the Catholic church.

   In these troublesome times, it gives me great hope to reflect on Paul’s words to the Thessalonians today where he is in fact comforting them in the knowledge that our brother, Jesus, is always with us—in Romans 8: 38-39, Paul says the same, “That nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus.” 

   I believe that we too my friends, in all that we do going forward, must keep our eyes on Jesus as we do the hard work that is before us to unite our country and that begins at home with family, with neighbors and with friends.  As suggested above–we must listen, listen and listen some more—even when we may not agree with others.  The listening may uncover some areas where we as individuals have not understood the plight of others. We must follow our brother, Jesus’ lead, showing compassionate love and concern. 

   I spent much of the space within this homily uplifting the virtue of wisdom–“seeking after it,” because never before, have we needed—so much, to be clear thinkers and compassionate hearers.  In addition to the initial gift of wisdom—“understanding fully grown,” that is, which comes through the Spirit of God; the additional gifts of peace, a sense of security, of meaning and fulfillment, also come.

   Thus, when we wonder if, in fact, we are on the right path—we should check to see, if we are—basically, at peace.  That has always been “my check,” with myself—am I basically at peace? In all my major decisions in life—to join the convent, to leave the convent, to marry and to seek ordination as a priest; I have sought my answer in the Spirit and when there was a sense of peace, I knew, as much as anyone can know, that this was God’s desire for me. 

   The psalm response for this Sunday comes from #63 and we can sing with Marty Haugen—“O God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, your love is finer than life.”  We all need to reach out in love these days to all that we meet and interact with, just as Jesus did in his world.  Love heals and covers over so many sins—it’s truly what our world needs now as the popular song goes—and not just to those that are already in our hearts…

   We conclude today’s readings with the parable from Matthew’s gospel that says so well, “Stay awake”—in other words, “Be vigilant, [because] you do not know the day, nor the hour.”  All the Scriptures in these last Sundays in [Extra] Ordinary Time have an urgency about them.  The Wisdom writer encourages us to, “Seek wisdom early in the morning.”  I would suggest we do that throughout our day, asking for the assistance to be our best for ourselves and others—we must be, “pro-active,” the Wisdom writer tells us—always “seeking” the help that we need. 

   The parable that Jesus shares in Matthew for today might sometimes strike us as a bit cruel—that there seems to be, “a time element” for those allowed into the feast.  Again, we must not read literally here, but focus in on Jesus’ true message, which is the fact that, “being prepared” is something that only we can do for ourselves.  If we aren’t of a heart and mind to do what is right and just and merciful in our world, for ourselves and others, then we will miss many opportunities to do so. 

   Our lives, my friends, as Jesus’ followers are about being ready, every day, to be our best—to be good and true and just—this kind of living takes a good deal of practice and it is for this reason that we don’t give our children everything that they want, as we want them to grow strong, realizing that they can’t have whatever they want and must be about sharing the good of this world. 

   These past four years have unfortunately been about too much selfish rhetoric, devoid of care and concern for others, almost as if, in childish fashion; we have a right to whatever we want, no matter who is hurt by our unbridled desires. 

   Jesus calls us to so much more—to truth, to goodness, to concern for all the needs in our world.  Let us hear the urgency of this call, today—through the Scriptures and pray that perhaps, in this new time of November 2020, we might start again—Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

1. Bless your people, O God, help us all to find a place in our busy lives for you,  we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

• Dear Jesus, help us to respond in our world with the compassion and love that you did in yours, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

• For all who are suffering here today or in our wider community, be it in body, mind or spirit, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

• For our country of people so divided—send us your Spirit, dear God, to find our way to more unity and a desire to truly listen to each other so that we can move forward, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

5. For each of us here and for our wider Church, that we would realize today and always what a loving and compassionate God we have, slow to anger and rich in kindness, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

6. For our community, All Are One, continue to send your Spirit upon us to enable us to be an inclusive community, open and welcoming to all, we pray—Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

7. For all those who have died this week from COVID 19 and all other causes and for their families who grieve their loss—may they all be at peace, we pray, Response: “All loving God, hear our prayer.”

***Let us pray for your particular needs—you may say them aloud, then response

***Let us pray for the silent petitions on our hearts—pause, then response

Let Us Pray

Loving God, we thank you for your great love for us in sending Jesus, our Brother and Friend. Help us to model our lives after his, selflessly giving to those in need, being people of truth, faith and trust in your word. Let our lives humbly reflect mercy, goodness and joy to all that we meet. Help us as a faith community to realize our responsibility to always be welcoming of all who come to our table—realizing that you, O God, first welcomed us. Help us to make the wise choices that will allow us to truly care and make our world better, even when the choices may be hard ones. Bless us, keep us, and hold us in your love—we ask all this of you, Creator, Savior, Spirit—one God, living and loving us, forever and ever, Amen.

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Let Us Pray—Again, we can’t be at the table together, but help us to remember that our brother, Jesus is always with us. 

Prayer after Communion

Jesus, our Brother, we thank you for this community of love that we are privileged to be part of. Pour out your Spirit upon us and keep us single-minded in your service—we ask this is your wonderful name—Amen.

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