Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

“nothing will be impossible for God." -- Lk 1:37

Recently I had a chance to be tour-guide to my uncle who came visiting California for the first time. He loves taking pictures, so one day we set out to see Carmel and the scenic 17-Mile Drive. At the last landmark, he was truly in awe with the sight of The Lone Cypress – the famed tree that’s perched on a rock pointing out to Pacific Ocean.

Its inscription noted, “the Lone Cypress is a testament to the hardiness of these trees. It has withstood Pacific storms and winds for roughly 250 years.” Marveling at the scenery, my uncle kept chuckling, “How could that be possible?” At that moment, this very Scripture came to mind, “With God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26, Mk 10:27, Lk 1:37, Lk 18:27). I wish I had the courage to profess it out loud, but I feared that my uncle would poke fun at my post-Caritas fanatical holy conversion! So my timidity took over -- alas, sometimes cowardice could be easily masked with just ambivalent silence!

After taking a bunch of snapshots, my uncle pointed at the base of the tree, with layers and layers of rocks stacked up to fortify the foundation, and he explained that that must be the added protection withholding the tree. Oh wow, I must’ve seen this cypress more than 50 times, but I never noticed this barricade! (Which brings about the words of wisdom from Anthony de Mello, SJ, "Opening one's eyes may take a lifetime. Seeing is done in a flash.”)

This image sticks with me, as I imagine that each one of us is essentially a “lone cypress”. Maybe not with such majestic beauty, but God creates everyone with a likeness of His image and with His love, each with unique dignity and beauty nonetheless. There are all kinds of elements that we humans must “battle” during the storms of our lives -- temptations, frustrations, fears, doubts, confusions, sinful mistakes, etc. However, we don’t have to feel alone and afraid, because our God - God of kindness and compassion and mercy - will always be there with us, to “teach us the way” and strengthen us. I imagine that our Faith, at the deepest core of our being, is what keeps us solidly rooted. Each time we pray, we celebrate the Eucharist, we reflect on God’s Grace, we serve one another, especially when we “listen to God’s word and act on them”, we actually add layers and layers of rocks to our foundation. Thus, even if “the rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and buffeted”, we would not “collapse and ruined”. (Mt 7:25)

Oh Lord, as Advent season is drawing near the end, may we still exercise our “patient waiting” to do things to strengthen our Faith. How can we learn to be faithful and trusting to say “yes” like Mary, “May it be done to me according to your word”?

anonymous

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” – Matthew 1:23

Like a child who waits impatiently to open a Christmas present, each Advent we wait with a holy impatience for Christ’s coming in to our world and our lives in a new way. But if “God is with us” already and we know is always present and “in all things”, then it seems we have been waiting for someone who has already arrived! Perhaps it is God who is waiting for us!

…waiting for us to simply notice God at all in the busyness of our day…

…waiting for us to recognize and encounter Jesus, already present, in one another…

…waiting for us to accept that at every moment God is loving us into being. Because if not, we would cease to exist…

…waiting for us to fully embrace our belovedness in God’s eyes, despite our sinfulness, limitations, and shortcomings…

…waiting for us to invite God to shed light and heal any emptiness, fear, shame anddoubt that we may be feeling right now and need to let go of…

…waiting for us to trust that God will be with us no matter what…

In this final week before Christmas, ask yourself…

Is God waiting on me for anything?

Is there anything in my life that I am too embarrassed or ashamed to bring to God? Can I invite Christ to enter that part of my life to begin the process of healing?

How can I be Christ for someone this week? Maybe through a phone call, a handwritten note, a word of encouragement, a hug, or even a challenge?

Lord, help us to move from passive waiting, to actively finding you already present with us in our relationships and with the people we encounter each day.

reflected by Radmar Jao, SJ

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD, when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives, who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”; but rather, "As the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north”– and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land. – Jer 23: 7-8

The book of Jeremiah details a troubled people. The people at this time had been freed from captivity in Egypt, they had escaped generations of hardship only to find more conflict and grief. Where was the promised land and powerful nation promised to them?

God, sometimes it is so hard to follow you, to listen and act on what we truly believe you are calling us to do. We try to find comfort in the thought that you are watching our movements, guiding our actions, yet there are times when we need you and instead of the comfort we long for, we only find more suffering and hurt. We cling onto past instances of your goodness and we make excuses and try to find the motivation to keep moving on.

The reading today reminds us that although Your past deeds were wonderful, Your work here never ends. The same Spirit that brought Jesus among us 2000 years ago is here with us transforming us as our lives continue to change. We call You our God today and always; You have not abandoned us and intend to keep your promises with all the patience and love we can receive. Let us live the faith which we have inherited; one that has not gone stale. It is thriving and alive like the life you have given for each one of us.

Lord, help us to look beyond our limits, the fears and the worries, and wash away our hopelessness. Open our eyes to see to your dream for us, that we may live our life according to our true purpose, a unique promise you made in our hearts the moment you loved us.

reflected by David Pham

Friday of the Third Week of Advent

"He shall defend the afflicted among the people,save the children of the poor." - Ps 72:4

As a teacher, I've spent so much of Advent awaiting the break. It is truly amazing how a season that lasts little more than four weeks can seem so long! The readings up to this point have been building up. It turns in to a journey up a mountain. Matthew's Gospel accounts the generations which have passed in order for this event to happen. The Jews awaiting the coming Messiah. The Baptist is crying out in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord!" We, as Christians, are caught in suspense much like the Hebrews. We have been awaiting the return of Christ, embodied by the celebration of Christmas. The journey is not meant to be easy, no journey ever is. But, your ability to traverse life is a matter of preparation. How are you preparing for the coming of the Anointed One?

The Hebrews had over 300 years of silence from the last of the Old Testament Prophets until John. At this stage in our travels through Advent John is dead, the last of the Prophets is gone, and we are left in disarray. Disillusioned, abandoned, and saddened by the God we thought had lead us through the generations. Can you feel the Evil Spirit moving? But this is merely the calm before the storm that God has planned in our lives. We may be dry now, but the source of Eternal Springs has been promised. Just as the Hebrews were promised so long ago, we await the Christ. We find ourselves crying out "O come o come, Emmanuel!"

What is it that you are looking for from God in this season?

What about in your life?

Does the waiting, the dryness, make the season more difficult, or does it make the end all the more tantalizing?

Let us ask God is this time to send down one who will provide a light while we await in the darkness.

"O come o come, Emmanuel!
And ransom captive Israel that mourns in lowly exile here, until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee Oh Israel!"

reflected by Matthew Keppel

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

Lk 7:24-30
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
he will prepare your way before you.

The reading for today preaches not only about the importance of listening to God’s messenger, John the Baptist, but also the simplicity of his teaching. John (and Jesus) do not “dress luxuriously and live sumptuously” but rather ask that their disciples to provide for the poor and love one another. During the Christmas season, we all strive a little bit extra to meet those expectations, but why is it that we do this?

We, too, are in many ways messengers like John the Baptist. We all have younger siblings, friends, colleagues, or children, who look to us for examples on how to live our lives. Our sacrifices and words have a much larger impact on our community than we realize. During this holiday season, let’s take some extra time to think about one person who we can help prepare his or her way. Perhaps we can visit with a lonely neighbor, or simply be nice to a co-worker that we generally dislike, or even buy a sandwich for a homeless person. Because one person can make a difference, and we can help people embrace Jesus in their hearts just like John the Baptist if only we are willing to try.

reflected by Dan Judnick

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! Is 45:22

Everyone wants to feel safe, secure and protected from harm. We often do everything we can to protect ourselves from getting hurt by others around us. Our insecurities have us cling to our security blankets and show only to others what is comfortable. It is so hard for us to let down our walls and to be ourselves, to place our trust in God and to know and believe that He will provide and we will be safe.

As a perfectionist, I like to make sure things are meticulously planned. I fear being criticized for being imperfect and inadequate and have gotten into the habit of hiding behind what I do well. I have a plan for my life and most of the time I am comfortable with where it is heading. However, today’s readings remind me to trust in the Lord, for He will take care of me wherever I go and He will keep me safe. He is calling me to be real with myself and with others and to not waste the life He has given me but to live it fully. Things may not happen the way I plan, but I find comfort when I remember that it is all according to His plan. Although I may not know what the future holds, it is in the times when I let go of my insecurities and am open to God’s plan, that I receive many graces and allow God to transform my life.

What insecurities are you clinging to? What prevents you from being your true self?

Lord, help us to let down our guard and know we are forever safe in your arms.

reflected by Ylan Nguyen

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross

Matthew 21: 31-32

Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

Jesus invites us to look at two types of people in the parable, the righteous and the self-righteous. The righteous ones are the tax collectors and prostitutes, in other words, the sinners and outcasts. They are righteous because they recognize the disorder and chaos in their lives. And, humbled by their faults and imperfections, they see Jesus, hear His words, and fall down in adoration because they thirst for order and peace found in God’s mercy. They are transformed in God’s hope and compassion.

The second group is the self-righteous. Those individuals who feel that they have it figured out, and are blinded by their own sense of importance. They are closed off to recognizing Christ because they feel no need of what he has to offer. The focus on the self removes God from the picture, and leaves no opening for grace to enter. They preach but do not practice.

It may seem attractive to believe that we can live life on our own, but what happens is that we always fall short. We will make standards for ourselves that are unrealistic and unobtainable. If we get too caught up within ourselves, we lose focus on what really matters in life. Pride brings us to a place of isolation that elevates us temporarily, but pushes away those that we care about. Yet, if we listen closely and carefully to our heart, there is an alternative voice, who tells us that we are loved not by what we do, but who we are. In being fully ourselves in the Lord, we recognize a joy that is beyond compare.

How open are we to looking beyond ourselves to see a God who reaches out into our lives day after day?

How do we enter into a humbleness that acknowledges our need for a God who heals and forgives?

How do we come to accept and live the reality that we are sinners, AND unconditionally loved by God?

reflected by Alex Llanera, S.J.

Feast of Saint Lucy

“In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD.
Teach me your ways, O Lord.” -- Ps 25:7

The word “kindness” now stays with me all the time, because of some incidents that happened to me in the past week…

Last Sunday evening, I was driving home after dropping my kid off at church, suddenly the car died, in the middle of the road, at a dangerous winded spot where there was no street light! It was a cold rainy night, and panic set in immediately when I pushed the emergency lights and they didn’t even work, so it’s pitch black all around me! Worse yet, I realized I didn’t have my cellphone with me; as we had rushed out of the house I didn’t even grab my jacket, thinking I’d just go for a quick 5-minute dride! After a few seconds debating what to do, I stepped outside. I must have waived at 10 cars but they kept on driving, splashing water all over me. Finally, one car stopped. (A quick shameful feeling jolted me, when I saw that the woman driver was of a certain “nationality”, and I hate to admit that I used to have some stereotypical prejudice agaisnt them – so this just goes to show a similar “Good Samaritan” lesson, but this topic can be reserved for a different reflection by itself.) She let me borrow her cellphone; I called my daughter at church and asked her to find someone there to rescue me. Truth is, I couldn’t think of anyone or anything else in that situation. After that quick phone call, the woman drove off; I was back on the curbside, alone in the dark, soaking wet, feeling so terrified as if I were in a horror movie myself, and I imagined all kinds of dangers that would happen to me any minute. Heck, I would have had a heart attack if only a black cat jumped out of a bush! I was scared and sad and angry; the rain kept pouring, and somehow the streams of water tasted pretty salty when they touched my lips… In any case, I was very blessed that only 10 minutes later, a youth leader came out to help me jump-start the car and he even escorted me home. Needless to say, that night I prayed extra hard, and gave extra thanks to our God for the kindness shown to me through other people.

The next morning, it’s still cold and rainy. I asked my daughter, repeatedly, to put on the thick hooded jacket. She kept mumbling, “no…no…I don’t want to…”. Anyone who went through a “power struggle” with a teenager could picture how fun this could be! So I blew up and yelled at her – big time! Oh how so little control I had over my temper, and my poor little girl looked rather stunned yet frightened - drops of tears came out from the corners of her eyes. After dropping her off at school, I found myself overwhelmed with shame and guilt ... In the past sometimes I wondered how a certain person could be so “cruel” to me; I lamented at how someone could treat me so bad or use harsh words with me unnecessarily. Now I committed the same offense, even worse. Just the previous night, I went through a tremendous experience, I was feeling pretty grateful when I recognized and received God’s kindness, how come I could not practice kindness toward my loved ones? What about the famous teaching “love is patient, love is kind” (1 Cor 13:4)?

Maybe it’s easier to show “kindness” – in form of “politeness” – to other people (than those in our close circle), since we’re more prudent to watch our language/behavior to guard our reputation? A little hypocritical in human nature?

Reciting my own examples seems trivial and inconsequent, and my warp sense of humor tells me that God must have tested me and I failed miserably! However, nowadays I trust that God’s Grace will guide me through and through. Reflecting more on this Twenty-fifth Psalm, I came to understand that it is God's goodness, God’s kindness, that I must rely upon. And I pray that I can learn to make “Kindness” the modus operandi from now on!

Dear God, please help us look honestly at our own “ways” and our behaviors. We are crying out sincerely, “TEACH US YOUR WAYS, O LORD”… Please teach us to be kind, all the time and to everyone.

anonymous

Third Sunday of Advent - Patient Waiting

“Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.” – James 5:7

Patient waiting is a difficult discipline. Our contemporary culture places little value on waiting. Anything that does not seem efficient or productive is considered a waste of time for us. We turn to our cell phones, iPods, gamepads, etc… while waiting for a flight, for the rain to stop, for a friend’s arrival, for the end of a workday, for a meeting or class to end. We distract ourselves with activity to pass the time away. Yet, patient waiting is not just passivity until something else happens. It involves living more fully the present moment to make space for God to work, for hidden gifts to unfold, for seeds of grace to grow. It does involve some suffering, for the word “patience comes from the Latin verb patior, which means to “suffer.” Such suffering may take the form of a dying to one’s preferences, wants, agenda, timeline; it may take the form of letting go, of paying attention to what is happening here and now, especially feelings of discomfort and uneasy.

As we learn to wait this way, we grow in trust that God is present and actively working through these moments of seemingly un-productivity and waste of time. We can also develop a deeper attitude and capacity to listen – to ask: “Lord, how are you present and communicating to me at this time, in my present circumstances?”

Second Saturday of Advent: Brick walls challenge resolve

“Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” – Mt 17:11-12

On September 18, 2007, Carnegie Mellon computer science professor named Randy Pausch gave his last lecture before dying pancreatic cancer and would die a year later at the age of 47. His talk was meant to encourage his children follow and achieve their childhood dreams with patience and persistence. Yet, millions of people have viewed his talk on YouTube, to see a man facing death with contagious energy, clear optimism, and a joyful purpose. One of his wise advices was about seeing challenges as opportunities: “Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us show how badly we want things.”

I find an interesting parallel in attitude between Randy and Jesus. After coming down the mountain after his Transfiguration, Jesus faced a brick wall with his disciples, who impatiently asked about the prophesized return of Elijah before the “day of the Lord” (Mal 3:23). They apparently have to come believe that such coming of the Messiah would bring them the rewards they (as the Jewish people) had been long promised for their faithfulness. They did understand that the return of Elijah was fulfilled in the mission of John the Baptist. But they failed to understand that suffering must precede the realization of hope. That in the spiritual life, something has to die for something greater to emerge. Like a caterpillar dying to its worm-like life to be transformed into a butterfly. Like a baby leaving the inner world of his or her mother’s womb to become alive in the outer world. Although I try to be patient, I find myself caught up at times expecting instant results and fruits, in prayer as in people. At times, I focus on certainty rather than confidence, needing to know that something will happen and clinging to fear rather than trusting that God knows best and will bring it about in God’s time and God’s way. I am challenged to trust God’s dream more than follow what I think best.

I’m grateful to be reminded by Randy Pausch’s message that brick walls provide an opportunity to deepen resolve and deepen desire. Come to think of it, Randy’s role is more like John the Baptist than Jesus’. He points to way to the One who can help us beyond brick walls.

How am I clinging to certainty? Or am I trusting with confidence? Help me, O Lord, to trust in your mysterious ways and that you seek what is best for us.