We are nearing the end of June, which is 6 months away from the end of December. Most people are well aware that the hype leading up to the end of December is due in large part to Christmas. But there are some things that most people do not know.
One of those is the fact that today is another important Feast Day. It is called the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. John the Baptist was exactly 6 months older than Jesus. If Jesus was the headliner, John was a very highly regarded opening act. He did what he needed to do and then Jesus eventually took over. Just like the daylight after John's birthday, he decreased. Just like the daylight after Jesus's birthday, He increased. So in this day and age, Jesus is a big name even to those who see His birthday as just the culmination of a season of excess.
This, of course, brings to mind another thing that most people do not know. Because Jesus increases from the start, it would mean that Christmas is just the beginning, and a rather humble beginning at that. In this day and age, the humble day of His birth is surrounded by excess and shameless consumerism while the ever-increasing days afterward are treated like a hangover rather than a coming of age. It's kind of backwards, isn't it? Sadly, such a culture is unlikely to change.
But what we can do right is at least give some thought about John's birthday. It's Sunday night now so it's a bit late to put something like this on your Facebook status but John's birthday comes around every year and will not stop so it would be worthy to try for next year. Before we get there though, we have another Christmas at the halfway mark. Let's try to be MORE focused on Jesus after the day itself during the Christmas Season and beyond, and less focused on the latest bells and whistles in the earlier bits of December (and late November). We may not change the culture entirely but we can at least do our part.
Luke 1: 57-66, 80
Monday, June 25, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
A work in progress
I'm at an age during which a lot of my friends and acquaintances have small children. One fellow, who seems rather easily agitated and anxious to begin with, was worrying about his infant's growth at specific periods of time. I understand that extensive statistics are kept at every stage of a child's growth, especially during those first two years. However, I'm also aware that children don't hit their various spurts at exactly the same times every time. As a result, each child is likely to jump all over the place on the percentile scale depending upon when they're measured in relation to their most recent spurt or an upcoming spurt.
Unfortunately, the stereotypical pediatrician would never suggest such a thing because apparently it is their job to raise an alarm to cause panic in the concerned parents. So when I told this acquaintance of mine "their height varies A LOT at such an early age," his response was "but they still keep stats on it." Seriously? Does this guy really think I'm that naive? I've only known about such statistical records since I was IN HIGH SCHOOL! I did not know what to say to this guy because I was not prepared for such an ignorant response. Furthermore, I'm actually not 100% sure if small children really move all over the percentile scale at various times but it would sure make sense if they do.
I'm also at an age during which being single means that people who are older than me (or like to act as if they're older than me) think it's okay to tell me that maybe I'm not called to marriage. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Either way, they have no business making such a suggestion. I'm still at the age during which that question is still very much up in the air, so no I'm not quite that old yet. Furthermore, I look and act younger than what would generally be expected of someone my age. If someone is going to treat me like I'm "old," then they need to treat me with the respect that someone that age deserves. But if they choose instead to treat me with disrespect, then they better not treat me like I'm "old" because their lack of respect would suggest the contrary. Even if I might not be called to marriage, they are DEFINITELY not called to ask me nosy and invasive questions nor are they called to tell me how to live a very personal and intimate aspect of my life.
I am a work in progress. There may not be visible evidence right at this moment but that does not mean there is any downtime. Parts of me may need healing that neither I nor anyone else know about. I may need to develop and learn to be more steadfast in certain ways. These changes take place in different people at different times and often in different sequences. They take place in God's time, not in Man's time. Unfortunately, there are too many "good" Catholics who just don't get this concept (in other words they don't even believe in God) but choose nonetheless to give unsolicited advice about people's personal lives. Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
Mark 4: 26-34
Unfortunately, the stereotypical pediatrician would never suggest such a thing because apparently it is their job to raise an alarm to cause panic in the concerned parents. So when I told this acquaintance of mine "their height varies A LOT at such an early age," his response was "but they still keep stats on it." Seriously? Does this guy really think I'm that naive? I've only known about such statistical records since I was IN HIGH SCHOOL! I did not know what to say to this guy because I was not prepared for such an ignorant response. Furthermore, I'm actually not 100% sure if small children really move all over the percentile scale at various times but it would sure make sense if they do.
I'm also at an age during which being single means that people who are older than me (or like to act as if they're older than me) think it's okay to tell me that maybe I'm not called to marriage. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Either way, they have no business making such a suggestion. I'm still at the age during which that question is still very much up in the air, so no I'm not quite that old yet. Furthermore, I look and act younger than what would generally be expected of someone my age. If someone is going to treat me like I'm "old," then they need to treat me with the respect that someone that age deserves. But if they choose instead to treat me with disrespect, then they better not treat me like I'm "old" because their lack of respect would suggest the contrary. Even if I might not be called to marriage, they are DEFINITELY not called to ask me nosy and invasive questions nor are they called to tell me how to live a very personal and intimate aspect of my life.
I am a work in progress. There may not be visible evidence right at this moment but that does not mean there is any downtime. Parts of me may need healing that neither I nor anyone else know about. I may need to develop and learn to be more steadfast in certain ways. These changes take place in different people at different times and often in different sequences. They take place in God's time, not in Man's time. Unfortunately, there are too many "good" Catholics who just don't get this concept (in other words they don't even believe in God) but choose nonetheless to give unsolicited advice about people's personal lives. Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
Mark 4: 26-34
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Living Sacrifice
I remember the first year I started attending Church regularly. Before then, I only went if I was going with Grandma and only on Christmas or Easter and not even most Christmas and Easter Masses either. I only went if I was invited AND felt like going, which was easily less than half the time. Needless to say, during that first year of attending Mass regularly, the vast majority of the Feast Days and ordinary Sundays were completely new to me. Of course, Christmas and Easter were largely unfamiliar territory as well as far as Church was concerned.
I distinctly remember the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It was the first time I had attended Mass with Grandma during that first year as a regular attendee. All previous Masses with Grandma were the occasional Christmas and Easter Masses of years past. Although I have since heard hundreds of homilies, the one for this Feast Day that particular time is amongst the few I can still consciously remember. Most others are only remembered in my subconscious mind - a bit like the placement of keys on a standard "qwerty" keyboard.
During the homily, the priest was emphasizing the point that Christ is, quite literally, present and that we ought to thus behave accordingly. He addressed the way people clothe themselves and the way they carry themselves when approaching for Communion. We are in the presence of a dignitary, a guest of honor. This is not to be taken lightly. You would not dress in shorts and t-shirts or dress immodestly nor would you ignore or overlook the guest of honor if you were approaching him face-to-face while at a grand banquet. The same expectations apply while at Mass, especially a Sunday Mass.
It was all fairly obvious but it needed to be said. Along those lines, there's a very simple way to determine if a certain Church service you attend while you're out of town fulfills the Sunday Mass obligation. Did you either receive the true body and blood of Christ or have an opportunity to do so at that service? Sure, a "Communion Service" with pre-consecrated hosts may satisfy the obligation but an actual Mass is preferable. If you're on vacation, a mountaintop or beachside service may seem like a novel idea and you're certainly welcome to go to one. But bear in mind that it only "counts" if you actually receive the true body and blood of Christ. If you don't have an opportunity to receive at such a service, it's still okay to go but then you are also still obliged to find an additional service that does serve Communion, the true Living Sacrifice. Jesus set this example during His final Passover meal and we've been following it ever since.
Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26
I distinctly remember the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It was the first time I had attended Mass with Grandma during that first year as a regular attendee. All previous Masses with Grandma were the occasional Christmas and Easter Masses of years past. Although I have since heard hundreds of homilies, the one for this Feast Day that particular time is amongst the few I can still consciously remember. Most others are only remembered in my subconscious mind - a bit like the placement of keys on a standard "qwerty" keyboard.
During the homily, the priest was emphasizing the point that Christ is, quite literally, present and that we ought to thus behave accordingly. He addressed the way people clothe themselves and the way they carry themselves when approaching for Communion. We are in the presence of a dignitary, a guest of honor. This is not to be taken lightly. You would not dress in shorts and t-shirts or dress immodestly nor would you ignore or overlook the guest of honor if you were approaching him face-to-face while at a grand banquet. The same expectations apply while at Mass, especially a Sunday Mass.
It was all fairly obvious but it needed to be said. Along those lines, there's a very simple way to determine if a certain Church service you attend while you're out of town fulfills the Sunday Mass obligation. Did you either receive the true body and blood of Christ or have an opportunity to do so at that service? Sure, a "Communion Service" with pre-consecrated hosts may satisfy the obligation but an actual Mass is preferable. If you're on vacation, a mountaintop or beachside service may seem like a novel idea and you're certainly welcome to go to one. But bear in mind that it only "counts" if you actually receive the true body and blood of Christ. If you don't have an opportunity to receive at such a service, it's still okay to go but then you are also still obliged to find an additional service that does serve Communion, the true Living Sacrifice. Jesus set this example during His final Passover meal and we've been following it ever since.
Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26
Saturday, June 02, 2012
Rite of Passage
Sometimes a life-changing event comes along and because of a unique set of circumstances you find yourself in a position where you need to take on some responsibility. This is the sort of thing you may not see coming, the sort of responsibilities you do not expect to have so soon. But you step up and take them on nonetheless.
This is a rite of passage. It is not pre-planned. As a matter of fact, in some cases it would have seemed improbable just moments earlier. But this is the sort of thing that builds character and perhaps some confidence as well. It allows someone to believe in oneself. It makes a boy into a man. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith without calling upon previous experience.
Matthew 28: 16-20
This is a rite of passage. It is not pre-planned. As a matter of fact, in some cases it would have seemed improbable just moments earlier. But this is the sort of thing that builds character and perhaps some confidence as well. It allows someone to believe in oneself. It makes a boy into a man. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith without calling upon previous experience.
Matthew 28: 16-20
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)