The Mother & The Governor

By Fr. Victor Feltes

We say their names at every Sunday Mass. We recall them at the start of every Rosary. They are the only two, non-divine persons referred to by name in the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds. They are the Virgin Mary and Pontius Pilate.

“For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

Consider how many other figures from salvation history could have been justifiably cited in these creeds; from Adam and Eve to Peter and Paul. Yet only Mary and Pilate are mentioned. Why? At the heart of human history, where on our timeline B.C. becomes A.D., the eternal Son of God became man. Our Savior lives not “Once upon a time.” He is born, suffers, dies, and rises in flesh and blood reality. Mary, the woman who gave him life and Pilate, the man who put him to death, ground Jesus Christ, our Gospel, and our salvation in real human history.

Mary and Pilate are not merely historical figures but also archetypes. They represent two patterns, two types of people we can learn from: Mary, whose good example we should follow, and Pilate, whose bad example we should avoid. Recounting the gospel accounts of the Roman trial during Christ’s Passion, let us compare, contrast, and profit from contemplating Governor Pontius Pilate and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Consider to these reflections for what lessons you can gain.

On Good Friday morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Confronted with Jesus the Christ, all four Gospels record Pilate asking this pivotal question: “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus responds affirmatively that it is so. At the Annunciation, after greeting and reassuring Mary, St. Gabriel the Archangel said, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” When the Virgin Mary is confronted with Jesus the Christ, the king of the Jews, she asks a clarifying question too. She said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

Pilate and Mary have this in common: they both ask serious questions about Jesus Christ seeking to better understand. It is good for us ask honest questions about Jesus Christ, about God, or about our Catholic Faith. Jesus says, “Whoever asks, receives,” and “whoever seeks, finds.” But when we receive our answer, when we find the truth, how will we respond to the Word? Here we see a difference between Mary and Pilate.

Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, “I find this man not guilty.” But they were adamant and said, “He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to here.” On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.

After questioning Jesus, Pilate finds him not guilty of any crime. Realize that Pontius Pilate does not want to kill Jesus; however, the governor would be very glad to be rid of him. Jesus has done nothing worthy of punishment, but Pilate wants to keep those who hate their Roman governor at bay while avoiding making new enemies. He declares Christ not guilty but refuses to set him free. As soon as Pilate sees an opportunity to pawn off Jesus the Nazarene to King Herod across town, he does so. Rather than doing something brave and good, Pilate punts. In contrast, at the Annunciation, when Mary is first presented with Jesus Christ, she does not ask the angel if someone else could be given this task. She does not refuse to do something righteous and courageous. Mary lovingly receives Christ through her “fiat,” saying, “Let it be done to me according to your will.”

King Herod had been eager to meet Jesus and questioned him. Yet the Lord gave him no reply, even as the chief priests and scribes stood by accusing him harshly. Herod does not hold Jesus in prison or behead him as he did with St. John the Baptist. Instead, having grown tired of Jesus, Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate dressed in resplendent garb like a king as a joke. Even though Herod and Pilate had previously been enemies, St. Luke records that the two became friends that day. This shows you that neither ruler saw Jesus as much of a threat. The worldly, like Pilate, will judge by appearances, but the godly, like Mary, can be granted the gift to see deeper realities. When Jesus gets brought back to Pilate’s praetorium doorstep, the governor must deal with this problem anew.

Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” And Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him.”

Our styles and technologies have changed since ancient times, generations and great empires have come and gone, but human nature remains the same. Pilate is a moral relativist, a postmodern man in the ancient world. “What is truth” he scoffs at Jesus, turns his back on Truth Incarnate, and walks away. He thinks that truth cannot be known, except for those “truths” which we choose for ourselves or impose upon others.

Later in the Passion, Pilate provokes Jesus’ enemies with the sign he orders to be posted above Jesus’ head on the Cross. When the chief priests complain to Pilate saying, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that “He said ‘I am the King of the Jews.’” Pilate replies dismissively, “What I have written, I have written.” Pilate does not believe in truth but serves the truth despite himself. The Virgin Mary believes in truth, belongs to the truth, and cooperates with the truth: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” Jesus says everyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice.

Pilate knows worldly wisdom, he is clever and cunning.
Mary knows God’s wisdom, and she is truly wise.

Pilate seeks the glory of men.
Mary seeks the glory of God.

Pilate, despite all his worldly power, is ruled by fear.
Mary, despite her natural weakness, is freed from fear.

Pilate is the secular Man of the World.
Mary is the devoted Disciple of Christ.

While Governor Pilate was still seated on the judge’s bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”

This is another similarity between Pilate and Mary: both of their spouses experienced prophetic dreams. St. Matthew recounts how Mary’s husband, St. Joseph, had at least four inspired dreams. One dream reassured him to take Mary into his home, one told him to flee with his family into Egypt, another later told him to return them to the land of Israel, and one more dream which led him to resettle them in Nazareth. Matthew likewise records the dream of Pontius Pilate’s wife, and her urging her husband to “have nothing to do with that righteous man.” Mary listened to her spouse and was blessed. Pilate did not heed his wife and walked into disaster. God gave spouses to each other as helpmates, and the Lord sometimes gives authentic mystical experiences to guide us. Now spouses are not always right and some dreams are just dreams—some fears and some visions are merely imagined. But it is wise not to dismiss out of hand the input of your helpmate or the possibility of mystical experiences from God.

The Jews answered Pilate, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

Both Mary and Pilate were entrusted with power over Jesus from above. After Mary and Joseph found the boy Jesus at the temple, “He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.” And Jesus told Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” When the Son of Man comes in his glory and the sheep are separated from the goats, we will be judged in part on whether we did what good was in our power: “Amen, I say to you, what you did [or did] not do for one of these least ones, you [did or] did not do for me.” Jesus says, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” Who and what has been entrusted to you? How are you using your power?

The gospels show how Pilate knows that Jesus Christ is innocent, or at least believes he poses no real threat to society, yet Pilate is willing to have this innocent man whipped and even killed when that becomes the most expedient thing to do.

When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” … Then he handed him over to be crucified.

Governor Pilate washes his hands, as if he had no hand in Jesus’ death. He washes his hands as a sign to say ‘my hands are clean in this injustice.’ Yet all our sins caused Jesus Christ to die. Though Mother Mary was free from sin and her hands were truly clean, Christ’s sacrifice was for her too. The First Letter of St. John says if you or I say, “‘We are without sin,’ we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, ‘We have not sinned,’ we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” If we go looking for excuses for our sinful behavior, we will always find them. Instead, let us repent of sin and live in the truth.

Pilate had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.” Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

Sometimes you will see this titulus sign depicted at the top of crucifixes featuring the letters “INRI.” This is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase “Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum,” or “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” It was the Romans’ custom to display upon condemned persons’ crosses the crime for which they were being executed. As I said before, through this inscription, Pilate was antagonizing or trolling the Jewish religious leaders. Pilate does not truly believe that Jesus is a king, the Jewish Messiah or the Christ. Yet he accurately identifies the reason for Jesus Christ’s death: Jesus was killed for being who he was, he was killed for being the Christ. St. John’s Gospel says, “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.”

On Good Friday, Pilate wrote his sign’s message in three common languages of that day for all the world to see. In the centuries since, when Mary has appeared in various apparitions around the world, she speaks in the native tongue of the visionaries in order for her messages pointing to her Son to be better understood by all. God never directly wills evil. Sins are something which we freely choose. But God writes straight with crooked lines. In the end, all of us, both God’s friends and his enemies, will have been agents of God’s will. Some, like Mary, will cooperate with him willingly. Others, like Pilate, will serve him unwittingly.

Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

So where are Pilate and Mary now?
The last became first and the first became last.

She who wept, now laughs.
He who laughed, now weeps.

He was Roman governor of Judea.
She is now queen of heaven and earth.

He took root in the desert for self-glory, but was barren and uprooted.
She was planted beside the flowing waters of her Son, and endured, bore fruit, and shares in God’s glory.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Mary and Pilate: the one who gives Christ life and the one who puts him to death, the one who serves the Lord and the one who serves himself, the faithful one and the faithless one. Are we Pilate or are we Mary? At different times, in different ways, we may be like one or the other. During this Lenten season, let us examine and discern who we are. “How and when am I like Pilate? Where and how am I like Mary?” May we reject his bad example and follow her good leading to draw closer to Jesus Christ and share in his rewards and glory.

The Divine Master Plan

4th Sunday of Advent
Fr. Chinnappan Pelavendran

On this last Sunday before Christmas, the Liturgical readings speak about the preparations that God made for His Son to be born among us, and one of us. We wait for his coming into the world and into our lives. During this advent, we have been thinking of Mary bearing Jesus in her womb. We remember Jesus growing silently and invisibly in Mary’s womb.

The first reading from the second Samuel, speaks of King David, the peace and comfort he had found in Jerusalem, and how he wanted to build a temple for the Ark of God. The Lord spoke to Nathan the prophet and told him that David did not need to be in charge of everything, but was reminded that God himself had been with him every step of the way to peace. God himself will take care of his house, like everything else that David had succeeded in doing. We too, are not in charge of our successes, we should let the Lord lead us and prepare us for the work in his house.

In the Second reading, St. Paul reminds us that each one of us is the temple of God. Through his teaching, God makes known to us His mysteries. God spiritually prepares the minds of the believers who hear the proclamation of Jesus. It is Jesus who revealed God’s mystery that was kept secret for centuries and which has now been revealed to His people.

In the Gospel, Mother Mary is described as “full of grace,” filled with God’s favor and graciousness, something which she has in no way earned. God prepared her to be a worthy dwelling place for His Son. At the same time, Mary exercises her right to freedom of choice. A request was made of her and she freely responded with a wholehearted “Yes!” “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” Mother Mary’s “Yes” changed the world. Her obedience to God’s call changed the lives of all of us.

Obedience is not popular in today’s world. When people want to be independent, obedience is understood wrongly: the word obedience is associated with weakness. True obedience requires courage because it can involve going against social expectations. When Mary said yes and desired that God’s will be fulfilled in her, a great event took place in history. The Son of God took human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin. The Angel had told her that it would be the savior of the world. He would be the King but the nature of kingship was not clear to her. However, she understood one thing clearly: the person whom she would carry in her womb would change the world.

With courage and generosity, we need to say “yes” to God. True obedience comes from the choice we make to follow God’s will. We need the courage to be obedient because sometimes it can go against social expectations. True obedience also aims at putting oneself in the service of God.

We need to learn God’s plan for our lives. The Good News in today’s Scripture message is not only that God is making provision for the salvation of His people, but also that He has a plan for each person. In many cases, our work for God seems rather ordinary, but each ordinary task that we carry out fits into God’s plan in a way that we cannot yet understand. God desires not only the skill of our hands and talents but also the love of our hearts. The Babe in the Manger reminds us of what God has done and is still doing for us. What are we doing for Him in return? Let us show our gratitude to God by living as true followers of Christ.

The Fearfulness & Faithfulness of Mary & Joseph

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
By Fr. Victor Feltes

After our first parents ate the forbidden fruit, when they heard the sound of God walking about in the Garden of Eden, they hid themselves among the trees. The Lord God called to Adam and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Did Blessed Mary the New Eve or St. Joseph her husband ever feel afraid? Indeed, Scripture records several such occasions.

In today’s gospel, at the Annunciation the Archangel Gabriel comes to Mary saying, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you!” “But she was greatly troubled at what was said…” Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.’”

Later, when Joseph learned of Mary’s unprecedented pregnancy, he either suspected her and feared she was unworthy of him, or he believed her and feared he himself was unworthy of her and this holy child. “Since (Joseph) was a righteous man and not wanting to expose her to shame, (he) decided to divorce her quietly.” Such was his intention when an angel appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.”

After the birth of Christ and the visit of the magi, Joseph was told by God’s angel in dream to flee with Mary and Jesus into Egypt. Once the murderous King Herod had died, the angel told Joseph in another dream to return to the land of Israel. “But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee” and resettled his Holy Family in the town of Nazareth.

In another episode from the Gospels, when Jesus was 12 years old Mary and Joseph lost track of him during their family pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover. They found him on the third day engaging with the religious teachers at the temple. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”

That’s four incidents of fearfulness in Mary, Joseph, or both, which are clearly referenced in the Gospels. What are we to make of this?

Jesus Christ had holy parents on earth. At this Mass we celebrate how Mary was sinless from the moment of her Immaculate Conception and full of grace throughout her life. Joseph her husband was a righteous and virtuous man. However, both Mary and Joseph sometimes experienced fear. This shows us that feeling fear is not the same as sin or lacking in faith.

Realize and remember that faith is not primarily a feeling. Though it is nice when our feelings line up with our beliefs, sometimes they won’t match. You can believe one thing while feeling something else and still choose to act faithfully. For example, you can believe that commercial air travel is safe. Perhaps you have seen the data showing that flying compared to other modes of ground-based travel is, mile-for-mile, safer by far. When the moment comes for you to board your important flight, you might feel natural anxiety. But if you get on that airplane anyway, your faith in flight is on display. You trust in the pilots, in the aircraft, and in what you know, and this trusting faith enables you to reach your good destination.

Mary had such trusting, loving faith in Joseph. One night, her husband woke from sleep and told her he had received another message from God’s angel in a dream; they were in danger from King Herod and must quickly escape to Egypt. Mary had not beheld Joseph’s dream, but whatever she was feeling she trusted him and took the flight with him into Egypt, and her acceptance of this hard thing enabled their salvation.

Mary also had trusting, loving faith in God. St. Elizabeth praises her faith at the Visitation. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth cries out, “Most blessed are you among women… Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled!” Years later, during Jesus’ public ministry, a woman in a crowd called out to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed!” Jesus replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” The Blessed Virgin Mary can be called “most blessed among women” because of her enduring faithfulness — she hears God’s word and keeps it.

It is essential that we not only hear God’s word but also faithfully obey it. Jesus declares, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven.”

Mary and Joseph loved and trusted God and each other, and God loved and trusted them to raise our Lord. Their faithfulness on earth is now rewarded with heavenly glory. God has entrusted them with shares in the spiritual care of his people on earth today. St. Joseph is the patron and protector of the entire Church, and St. Mary is the spiritual mother of every Christian. Ask Mary and Joseph to pray for you and ask Jesus to give you his grace to be always faithful despite whatever you might feel. For faith in Christ is not so much about feelings but about loving and trusting Jesus enough to be faithful to him.

The Magi & King Herod

By Fr. Victor Feltes

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

This is how the second chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel introduces us to the noble Magi and the infamous King Herod. Their good and bad examples in the story of Christmas present much for us to learn from and reflect on.

The gospel tells us the Magi were astrologers from the East who saw a celestial sign which firmly convinced them the heir to the Jewish throne was born. The Magi were so convinced by this sign that they packed up valuable gifts and traveled far from their home to honor this newborn king. What are magi? “Magus” is the title which ancient civilizations east of Israel, such as the Persians and the Babylonians (or Chaldeans), bestowed upon their individual men of wisdom. These experts, their various teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, soothsayers, Magicians, or interpreters of dreams, were collectively called magi.

How did the Magi who journeyed to Herod know how to recognize Heaven’s sign? In the 6th century before Christ., King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem. In response to his people’s unfaithfulness, God permitted them to be conquered and many Jews were taken east into Babylonian Captivity. The Babylonians reasoned that conquered peoples were more productive alive than dead and less likely to stage a successful rebellion when resettled outside of their homeland. Thus the Jews’ relocation deeper into the Babylonian Empire.

At that time, King Nebuchadnezzar told his chief chamberlain to bring in some of the Israelites of the royal line and of the nobility. He said, “They should be young men without any defect, handsome, proficient in wisdom, well informed, and insightful, such as could take their place in the king’s palace.” He was to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Among these chosen young men was the Prophet Daniel, who would go on to give prophesies about the coming of Christ recorded in the Old Testament book which bears his name.

Impressed by Daniel’s wisdom, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar “advanced Daniel to a high post… made him ruler of the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” Perhaps Daniel’s prophetic wisdom, handed down for centuries, enabled these wise Magi from the East to recognize the significance of the starry sign and inspired them to journey to Jerusalem. The Bible does not record the Magi’s names, but a tradition hands down their names to us as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.

Behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

More than thirty years prior to the arrival of the Magi, the pagan Roman Senate had appointed Herod as the region’s king. He is known as “Herod the Great” because of his vast territories and many building projects, including new cities, massive fortresses, and a complete renovation of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Herod heightened the architectural beauty of the temple to such greatness like it had in the days of King Solomon. However, Herod was not greatly loved.

He imposed extremely harsh taxes for the ancient world and ruled ruthlessly, executing many of his political opponents and family relatives, including three of his sons and at least one of his ten wives. No one ever mistook him for being the Messiah; besides being more of a pagan king than a Jewish one, Herod was not a descendant of Kind David like Scripture said the Christ would be. So when foreign Magi came to Jerusalem seeking the Messiah, word got around and King Herod became greatly troubled and all Jerusalem with him.

Why were the whole of Jerusalem troubled (that is, “stirred or agitated as in roiling water”) along with King Herod by this news of Christ’s possible coming? Because they knew Herod better than the foreign Magi did. The Magi had swooped in as innocent doves, but Herod was a cunning serpent. The Jews of Jerusalem realized King Herod was not eager to freely hand over power. Even if the Messiah had indeed been born, violence or a civil war would likely follow.

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, [King Herod] inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

There is a Jewish joke that two rabbis together produces three opinions, but here all of the priests and scribes assembled by King Herod cite the Old Testament Prophet Micah to identify Bethlehem as the promised Messiah’s birthplace. Maybe Herod asked them subtly amongst many other questions, inquiring about the Messiah’s birth in such a way that they did not suspect his motives. But if they grasped what Herod was after and why, then this was the first time Jewish religious leaders betrayed the Christ. Perhaps they reasoned that if God’s Anointed One had indeed been born in Bethlehem, then God would protect him, “For if the righteous one is the son of God, God will help him and deliver him from the hand of his foes.” God did protect the Infant Jesus, but Herod ended the precious lives of innocents in the little town of Bethlehem.

Our God will win in the end, all evil will ultimately be defeated, but we must not go along to get along in this world by cravenly cooperating with evil. Imagine if those religious leaders had refused to tell wicked Herod where the Messiah would be born; then they might now be celebrated throughout Heaven and earth as men who defended and died for Christ, instead of Bethlehem’s baby boys. We are all called to practice courage as Catholic Christians. Remember that it is better to innocently suffer or even die for Christ than to die as one of his enemies or betrayers.

I do not know whether the chief priests and scribes of the people knowingly betrayed the infant Christ, but there is no record in the Gospels of any of them going in search of the child. The Magi traveled hundreds of miles to find him, but it appears the priests and scribes never went the six miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in search of him. Beware of practicing your faith so feebly that you forego making the simplest sacrifices in service of Christ.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.

What was the star which the Magi saw? There are several interesting theories. It may have been one of the planets in a meaningful position, or perhaps a pair of planets combining their light. This is a possibility since the ancients deemed the other planets in our Solar System to be ‘wandering stars.’ Our word “planet” comes from the Greek word for “wanderer,” because the planets wander across the constellations. Some have suggested the Christmas star was a comet or a star’s supernova, but whatever the star was it was something too subtle for Herod to recall. In the ancient world, comets were regarded as foreboding omens and some supernovas have been notably bright to eye at night in recorded human history; however, the star which arose at Jesus’ birth was not of particular note to Herod and his royal counselors. This is why Herod must ascertain from the Magi the time of the star’s appearance.

As God once said, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This world and worldly people miss what is important, and what the world pays attention to are often fleeting things. So many things talked about today will be forgotten by next week, discarded like last week’s newspaper. Sports, movies, music, TV, social media, advertising, celebrities, politicians, and even much of the 24-hour news cycle will not show you what really matters. God tells us through St. Paul, “Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” If you follow the nightly news you might naturally conclude that nothing good is happening anywhere, but remember that God is always quietly at work. I believe that many of the most important things which happened in the world today are good things, and things which the world will not notice, like the appearance of the star which announced our Savior’s birth, or a caravan of Magi beginning a journey west to meet God.

Herod called the Magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.”

Though their meeting was secret, Jesus says “nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” Looking back, we can see that the Magi were sincere and faithful and sought to honor the Christ Child, while Herod was a cynical liar who sought to destroy him. No good or bad secret, of yours or mine or others’, will not be revealed in the end. St. Peter writes that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief… and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be? Conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion.” At the Presentation in the Temple, Simeon had told Mary that through her Son ‘the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed.’ That was true in the lives of King Herod and the Magi. In your personal response to Jesus Christ, your own heart is revealed, too.

After their audience with the king [the Magi] set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.

Notice that the Holy Family is no longer dwelling in a cave or a barn, but inside a house. This was not Christmas night but at least forty days later. We know this because when Joseph and Mary came to present Jesus at the temple, to offer a sacrifice God’s law required following the birth of a firstborn son, they could not afford a yearling lamb, so they offered “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” instead, as the law of God permitted. And their humble gift pleased God. If the Magi had already visited them and provided their gift of gold, the Holy Family would have had the ability to purchase the more expensive lamb instead. The Magi arrived in Bethlehem between forty days and two years after Christmas. We know that upper bound from the cruel command which Herod issues later in hopes of destroying the Christ Child, targeting baby boys “two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the Magi.”

Upon entering the house the Magi unsurprisingly find the child with Mary his mother. She is the Lord’s new ark, his throne, the seat of Wisdom Incarnate. Sadly, some Christians consider her a harmful distraction from Jesus. However, the mother of the Christ is no hindrance to Jesus, for when you meet Mary she will joyfully show her Son to you.

[The Magi] prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Unlike Herod, who grasps and clutches what he has, the Magi freely give gifts to Jesus. Three gifts of the Magi are mentioned by St. Matthew since they reveal who Jesus is; gold for a king, frankincense for a high priest and the true God, and myrrh resin used for external embalming, for one who has come to die. But the Magi’s best gift was the gift of themselves. What Christmas gift will you prepare for Jesus this Advent?

The Magi prostrated themselves, laying down on the floor with their faces towards the ground before Little Jesus in homage. Did they feel embarrassed to be bowing down to a baby, a child of poor parents in a humble house, far from the trappings of obvious power and glory? The Magi had deep faith in who Jesus was and faith in his future glory so they did not refuse to be seen paying him respect and honor. Do you feel embarrassed to be seen praying or honoring Jesus? Jesus says, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” Let us not be ashamed to acknowledge Jesus in others’ presence.

Having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, [the Magi] departed for their country by another way.

These Magi took signs seriously. They previously followed such one sign hundreds of miles from home and it led them to the Christ Child. So they heed this message and bypass Herod on their trip back home. In that dream, the Magi might not have been warned that the Christ Child was in danger. Recall how Bethlehem is only six miles away from Jerusalem, just a two or three hour walk. If the Magi had sensed that Jesus was in danger, wouldn’t they have warned the Holy Family before they departed to caravan back east? Perhaps they did warn the Holy Family of possible danger, but Joseph and Mary simply did not know what to do next. But if this inspired dream told the Magi not to return to Herod without revealing the reason why, the Magi’s obedience provides a beautiful lesson for us.

Jesus and his Church teach us many precepts about what we must or must not do, what we should or should not do. There are good reasons behind these commands, and it is good to explore these teachings and ask questions to better understand them, but there will be times in your life when you are called to be faithfully obedient even before you fully understand. The Magi’s obedience served Jesus and likely saved the Magi’s lives. Your obedience to God will bless you, and more than you may realize.

[The Magi] departed for their country by another way.

They came to Jesus from one direction, but they departed for their country by another way. Servant of God Bishop Fulton Sheen makes a famous observation about this fact. He writes that it is fitting that the Magi left this way, since “no one who ever meets Christ with a good will returns the same way as he came.”

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the Magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the Magi.

Did Herod actually believe that the Christ Child has been born in Bethlehem? Probably not, but he was afraid that other people would believe it, rally around this child, and attempt to overthrow him. He reasoned that, ‘If all the baby boys in Bethlehem are dead, none of them can rise up against me as a rival.’

His calculation is like that of Pharaoh’s at the start of the Book of Exodus. Pharaoh said to his people in Egypt, “See! The Israelite people have multiplied and become more numerous than we are! Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us….” After enslaving the Hebrews, Pharaoh commanded all his people to “throw into the Nile every boy that is born, but you may let all the girls live.” Both Herod and Pharaoh aimed to prevent a future rebellion through the murder of baby boys. As ancient Machiavellians, they were willing to do great evils in hope of gaining good outcomes.

To the Romans, St. Paul records that ‘we are accused and some claim we say that we should do evil that good may come of it.’ Denying their false charge, he says, “Their penalty is what they deserve.” Remember that Christians are never allowed to do evil or sin in the hopes that good things will result. Good ends do not justify sinful means. Beware of how readily any evil deed can and will be justified with practical arguments.

When [the Magi] had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophets might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

The Holy Family remained in Egypt until Herod’s death. Then Herod’s kingdom was divided among three of his sons: Archelaus who ruled Samaria and Judaea, Philip who ruled the Golan Heights, and Herod Antipas who ruled Galilee and the east bank of the Jordan River. This Herod Antipas is the Herod who would go on to murder St. John the Baptist and meet Jesus during the Passion, mocking him, dressing him in a splendid robe, and sending him back to Pilate. Fathers are important. I like to believe the sons of the Magi went on to find saving faith in Jesus Christ, then these sons would have born fruit following the example modeled by their fathers.

In conclusion, I invite you to take one or two of these ideas to contemplate and pray with. “Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” What worldly things do you need to pay less attention to? What heavenly things do you need to pay more attention to? “The day of the Lord will come like a thief… and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.” So “what sort of persons ought you to be? Do not do evils in the hope that goods will follow. Do not justify your sins with rationalizations like Herod. Anyone searching for excuses can easily find them forever. Remember how simple obedience saved and blessed the Magi. We are called to be courageous and go extra miles for Christ. How can you better acknowledge him before others? In your personal response to Jesus, your heart will be revealed. Ask Mary’s help in this, for believers draw closer to her Son with her. What Christmas gift will you prepare for Jesus this Advent? Remember that the greatest gift to him is yourself. Embrace this Advent season with our Lord, for “no one who ever meets Christ with a good will returns the same way as he came.”

Glimpses of our Future Glory

Solemnity of the Assumption
By Fr. Victor Feltes

The Church of Jesus Christ celebrates our Blessed Mother Mary. For instance, we mark her conception, her birth, and today the beginning of her life in glory. It is fitting the Church does this since her Lord commands us: “Honor your Father and mother.” And when the people we love have birthdays or anniversaries, we love to celebrate with them. Today we celebrate how the Virgin Mother of God was assumed body and soul into heaven.

She is the icon of the Church, the beginning and image of the Church’s coming to perfection. We are happy for Mary, but what we see in her is good news for us too. She is a sign of sure hope and comfort for our future, for what awaits for us in our resurrection to glory. To unpack what I mean, consider what the Blessed Virgin Mary has been up to in the centuries since her Assumption.

Enthroned beside her Son in a place of close intimacy and high honor, she is an intercessor for us, her spiritual children. How many children does Mary have? The Book of Revelation says “her offspring [are] those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus.” Therefore, she has many, many millions of children. And how many “Hail Marys” and other prayers are sent her way every minute? Yet we believe that she hears us without becoming overwhelmed and that she knows each of us personally, as a mother knows her children. We also have reason to think that Mary has not merely remained in heaven for nearly 2,000 years, but has been active here below.

Though we are not obliged to hold belief any particular Marian apparition (since none of these later events belong to the ancient Deposit of the Faith) the Church has judged many proclaimed appearances of Mary to be credible, or “worthy of belief.” These apparitions offer us clues about Mary’s life now and what life will be like for us in resurrected glory.

In her Church-approved apparitions, the Blessed Virgin Mary comes in varying appearances. For example, in her appearances to St. Juan Diego in 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico had darker skin and black hair and wore traditional clothing indicating she was with child. In her appearances to the Belgian immigrant Adele Brise in 1859 near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Our Lady of Good Help had white skin and blonde hair in different apparel.

In Mary’s Church-approved apparitions she also speaks in varied languages. For instance, to St. Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, or the three shepherd children at Fatima, she did not speak ancient Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, or Latin. She spoke to them in their local dialects. Mary resembles her seers and speaks their mother tongues because she is the mother of each of them.

Mary’s apparitions suggest a saint in his or her glorified body will have the power to change its age or appearance. Mary remains a woman, but race presents no barrier and different languages are no hindrance to communication. And if our glorified consciousness will become like hers, it will be no strain to know and be close friends with more than a billion people at once. Won’t that be wonderful?

Another detail that seers of Mary’s apparitions agree on is that she is now exceedingly beautiful. During the years of her life on earth, Mary may have looked quite ordinary. We do not imagine that Jesus Christ had to be the tallest, most muscular, or handsomest man who ever lived, so Mary need not have been the most beautiful woman alive either. In this fallen world, the holy can look ugly while the wicked can look very attractive. But now there appears to be no mismatch between Mary’s inner and outer beauty. This interior beauty is called holiness.

After our resurrection, the abundance (or lack) of holiness we have cultivated with God within us will be seen in our endless beauty (or ugliness) forever. The glory we are called to in Christ is like Mary’s and that gives us reason to rejoice with her today all the more.

A Mother’s Love — Memorial Mass Homily for Georgetta Thibeau, 94

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Georgetta was born here in Bloomer in 1928. She grew up in this parish, attending our St. Paul’s School. Her funeral Mass was offered in Racine after she passed away this January. And following this morning’s Mass, her remains will be laid to rest in our South Catholic Cemetery.

In the gospel for today, Jesus says, “Love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” So I asked Georgetta’s daughter, Sue, whether her mother had laid down her life for her friends. She replied, “No,” — her mother laid down her life for her family.

Georgetta raised her six children all by herself in Racine for most of their youth. Her two boys and four girls knew it was not easy for her and helped out as they could. In an era with much less government support, Georgetta worked night shifts to provide for her family. But she lovingly provided them more than just food and shelter. She also gave them the example of her Catholic Faith.

Georgetta, it is said, was never without a rosary in her hands, day or night. Whenever she came across a rosary she would pick it up and place it into her prayer rotation. But there was one rosary in particular about which she gave her children special instructions. On more than one occasion, she told them to take the rosary she kept on her headboard and place it into the urn (this urn) with her ashes when she died. Why? “Because that one glows in the dark.”

The Holy Rosary and our Blessed Mother Mary were always near to her heart. And the Blessed Mother she loved leads me to a final reflection. Jesus Christ perfected his mother in love to love like himself. Jesus said, “Love one another as I love you.” Who besides the Lord has loved with a greater love than her? Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Yet this presents a puzzle, since the Virgin Mary never died a martyr’s bloody death.

From Mother Mary we discover that a person can lay down one’s life with the greatest love as a loving offering for others even without dying a red martyrdom. And these others (these “friends” one loves and lays down one’s life for) can be one’s own sons and daughters, since Mary is our spiritual mother and we are her dearly beloved sons and daughters. Mother Mary learned how to love like Jesus loves us, and Georgetta learned how to love like Mary loves us. That is why, even in death, Georgetta remains in the light.

The People at the Passion (Part 3 of 3)

By Fr. Chinnappan Pelavendran

From history, we know that our Lord Jesus Christ died because He was condemned to death by the Jewish authorities who handed Him over to the Romans to be executed. He was put to death, because he said He was the Messiah, the Son of God, the one to whom God had given the power to judge all men. This statement was considered blasphemy, so the Sanhedrin said that He had to die. The Sanhedrin closely followed the teachings of Moses. They did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Throughout the history of Israel, the prophets often had to suffer injustices in order to carry out the mission God had given to them.

On Wednesday night, I talked about many of the people who were against Jesus. They inflicted very much pain and abuse on Jesus. Today, I want to remind you of the people who loved, trusted, and followed Jesus through His life and to His death.

The Blessed Virgin Mary

Jesus’s Mother was the most faithful of His followers. From the Annunciation to the Crucifixion of her Son, Mary can be seen as God’s ultimate validation of free will. She was obedient to God when He sent the Angel Gabriel to her. She was a very young woman, but her faith in God was strong. She was willing to do whatever God asked of her. She and St. Joseph were very loving parents. They protected Jesus from His birth, and during His years of growing to manhood. They taught Him and took him to the temple, where He learned the Jewish laws about God.

St. Joseph died before Jesus began His public ministry, but Mary continued to follow Jesus to His death. Mary was actually His first apostle. She was the first human to kiss the face of God and the first to believe in Jesus as her Savior. She was the first Christian. She was also probably the only disciple of Jesus who never left his side or doubted Him. She stayed and accepted to the very end, even as Jesus died on the Cross. Down through the ages, the weeping Mary of the Cross witnessing her son’s torture and death stands in solidarity with all believers who also suffer and live under the shadow of the Cross. Can you imagine how Mary felt watching her child die such a terrible death? She was helpless and all she could do was watch. She stayed at the foot of the Cross until the end. She never left all morning and was there in the afternoon when Jesus took His last breath. When His body was taken down from the Cross, she followed Him to the grave. She wanted to stay with Him as long as possible, even though it hurt her to watch Him suffer. Mary loved her son so much, she did not want to leave Him even after He died.

As Christians, we know we have to accept that suffering and death are just a part of life. It does not make it easier when we are living through it, but we should look to Mary as an example. We can copy her strength and bravery for the sake of our family and do whatever we can out of love, it will help us through those times. Mary showed incredible love, courage, and strength.

Peter the Apostle

St. Peter was a fisherman. He and his brother Andrew, were among the first four disciples of Jesus. Jesus called and they left everything behind, including their boats and fishing equipment. Peter was always a leader. He wanted to protect Jesus and keep Him safe. When Jesus told him that he would suffer and die, Peter would not believe it. When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter drew his sword and cut the soldier’s ear off. Peter was with Jesus and witnessed all the miracles, including the cure of Peter’s mother–in–law, and in the home of Jairus. He was at the Transfiguration, the Last Supper, and the Garden of Gethsemane. During the passion, he followed Jesus along the road to Calvary. Jesus gave him the keys to make him the head of the church. He was our first pope.

John the Apostle

At the very beginning of his public ministry, Jesus chose John and his brother as His disciples. The two are the sons of Zebedee, a fisherman. Jesus calls them, “Sons of Thunder.” It is a title that James and John earn by their quick judgment of others and eager enthusiasm. The gospels give John a position of importance among the twelve apostles. He is one of the first four disciples called by Jesus.

From the very beginning of his call, John is always with Jesus. He is one of the few who was with Jesus during the public ministry. He is probably one of the few disciples to witness all of the miracles performed by Jesus. During the passion and death of Jesus, John was with Him. He even stayed at the foot of the Cross as Jesus suffered and died.

St. John is also the author of the fourth gospel. His gospel is the only one that tells us that St. John and Mary were among those at the foot of the Cross when Jesus died. As Jesus was dying, He looked down at them and said; “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26–27) When Jesus said this, He was actually giving Mary to all of us as our Spiritual Mother. John at the foot of the Cross is a loyal friend. Faithfulness and loyalty are Love.

The Roman Centurion

In the Bible, we are given a glimpse of the roman centurion. He was the commander of over 100 soldiers in the Roman army. He was in charge of overseeing the crucifixion of Jesus. He may have been in charge of arresting Jesus. And he would have accompanied Jesus on the road to Golgotha. He had probably presided over the crucifixion of hundreds or even thousands of men and had probably become insensitive to the agony these men suffered.

The Roman Centurion is mentioned in three of the four gospel accounts. He is not mentioned for his cruelty, but for a marvelous transformation that occurred at the death of Jesus. Most of the men that were crucified were criminals, thieves, and murderers. They cried out in agony and pleaded for their lives. When Jesus died, he knew that this was not an ordinary execution. The darkness, the earthquake, and the cry of abandonment from Jesus convinced the soldiers that this was NOT an ordinary man. The events terrified them. The roman centurion said this man IS TRULY THE SON OF GOD.

The Good Thief

We know from St. Luke’s Gospel, that there were two thieves crucified with Jesus, one on either side of Him. One of the thieves mocked Jesus saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other thief said to him, “do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to our Lord, “Jesus remember me when you come in your kingly power.” Jesus replied, “truly, I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:3943) This second criminal has become known to us as St. Dismas, he is the patron saint of all criminals and convicts, especially thieves.

Mary Magdalene

St. Luke’s gospel tells us that Jesus cast seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. He also tells us that she poured expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet as she cried. She dried his feet with her long hair. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and several other women followed Jesus on the road to Golgotha, and remained at the foot of the Cross, even following to His burial place. She was a faithful disciple, following Jesus during most of His public ministry, passion, death, and resurrection.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus

Joseph of Arimathea is described as a good and just man, he was apparently wealthy, and a follower of Jesus. After the crucifixion, he requested permission from Pilate to remove Jesus’ body from the Cross. With the help of Nicodemus, he wrapped the body in fine linen and had it placed in his own unused tomb. These men were both members of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish council. They were secret followers of Jesus. Nicodemus came to Jesus secretly at night to discuss the Jewish laws.

Both Joseph and Nicodemus did a great sacrifice—Joseph gave up his tomb and Nicodemus paid for costly burial spices and ointments. The Gospel of John (19:39) says it was seventy-five pounds, an extraordinary amount. This was an act of love for Joseph and Nicodemus. Two high-ranking religious officials, exhausting themselves to honor their Lord.

The worst night of their lives, when darkness seemed to cover the world, became the dawn of something new. The men and women who witnessed the trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ saw more than words could ever express. What they saw in their lifetime, we have seen in the scripture, and the result is amazingly the same. We may not have seen Him physically, but we see Him in our Faith.

God’s Amazing Encouragements for Joseph and Mary

Feast of the Epiphany
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Unlike how some imagine the event, the magi were not in Bethlehem on Christmas night or even the following day. (You will notice that our magi statues did not reach our Nativity scene until this Feast of the Epiphany.) On Christmas night, the Holy Family was visited by local shepherds. The shepherds had seen a vision of angels proclaiming the birth of Christ. St. Luke records that Joseph and Mary “were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”

At least forty days later, Joseph and Mary presented Baby Jesus in the Temple to offer a sacrifice for him. When they carried Jesus in, an aged prophet and prophetess named Simeon and Anna came forward to proclaim great things about the child. And again, St. Luke writes that Jesus’ “father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.” Under Old Testament Law, a firstborn son required the sacrifice of a lamb, but if his parents could not afford this, two turtledoves or pigeons could be offered instead. Joseph and Mary sacrificed a pair of birds because they did not have enough money to purchase a lamb. The magi had not yet arrived with their gift of gold.

Sometime after the Presentation in the Temple, magi from the east came to Bethlehem. (Based upon whom wicked King Herod hunted afterwards, the magi may have arrived even two years after Christ’s birth.) The Holy Family, having moved out of the Christmas stable, was now living in a house. And “on entering the house [the magi] saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” The magi explained how a certain rising star had informed them of this new king’s birth; how the star had preceded them and stopped over this place where the child was. Though St. Mathew’s Gospel does not explicitly say so, Joseph and Mary were surely amazed by this encounter as well.

The shepherds on Christmas, Simeon and Anna at the Temple, and the magi preceding the Holy Family’s escape into Egypt were amazing consolations for Joseph and Mary at challenging times in their lives. Imagine the stress of delivering a baby in a stable after being unable to find any place better. Imagine feeling embarrassment at being too poor to afford the best sacrifice for the Son of God at the Temple. Imagine the anxiety of having to flee to another land to save your family’s lives. One could imagine a person asking in such circumstances “Why is this happening? Have we done something wrong? Is God really with us in all this?” But in the midst of their difficult trials, God gave Joseph and Mary encouraging signs to reassure them that he was indeed with them and that their faithful struggles really mattered.

Our missions may not be as lofty as Joseph and Mary’s, but we can be helped by divine consolations too. In our trials, we can either choose to fall to the temptation of clinging to bitterness and settling for cynicism, or instead be receptive to signs and open to wonders. We can recall in our hearts (like Mary) the great things God has done. We can also pray to God for new gifts of consolation. We can ask to receive his strengthening reassurances, that he is with us and that our personal sacrifices truly matter. As St. Paul says, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear. But when you are tested he will also provide a way [through] so that you can endure it.” God gives us his own Son at Christmas, on the Cross, and in the Holy Eucharist — how will he refuse to give us whatever else we truly need? As he did for Joseph and Mary before us, God will answer our prayers in times of burden with amazing and helpful encouragements.

The Openness, Obedience, & One Word of St. Joseph

4th Sunday of Advent
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Our Gospel this final Sunday of Advent centers on St. Joseph. It recounts how St. Joseph received the stunning revelation of Mary’s pregnancy. We can learn from the great saint’s response — from his openness, his obedience, and his one word.

Mary was already Joseph’s wife when she conceived her child. In their Jewish culture, a newlywed couple would live apart for the first year of marriage. Thereafter, the husband would bring his betrothed into his home to live with him. When Mary conceived a child (whom Joseph knew was not his) why did he decide to divorce her? Was Joseph heartbroken because he believed she had betrayed him? Or was Joseph frightened, because he believed her story of the Annunciation and thought himself unworthy of this holy woman and her holy child? Whatever the case, Joseph was a righteous man and unwilling to expose Mary to shame, so he intended to divorce her quietly.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home because it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Once Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary into his home.

I used to fret very much about precisely discerning God’s will. “What if the Lord wants me to do a specific thing but I can’t figure it out?” During my college and seminary years, I thought I had a vocation to the priesthood but how could I be sure? I worried, “What if I get this discernment terribly, terribly wrong?” Then a holy friend gave me peace of mind by pointing to St. Joseph. When Joseph was about to make a terrible mistake by separating himself from Mary and Jesus, it only took one night’s dream to get him back on the right track because Joseph desired to do whatever God willed. God can easily redirect a willing heart.

People sometimes complain, “I wish God would just tell me what to do!” But unless we are open to doing God’s will, what good would his directions do us? Imitate St. Joseph in his openness. Like with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joseph’s openness allowed God to do great things through him. So resolve your will and pray for the grace to always be open to God’s will like St. Joseph. Another St. Joseph trait of we can imitate and profit from is his simple obedience.

St. Matthew’s Gospel records, “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home… and he named [the boy] Jesus.” On this occasion, like later when told to flee to Egypt or told to return to Israel, Joseph does point-by-point what God commands. Like Moses in the Old Testament, whenever God instructs Joseph to do (A) and (B) and (C), the author notes how Joseph then does (A) and (B) and (C).

Moses and Joseph’s duties were different from ours today. We will not construct an Ark of the Covenant, nor protect and provide for the Holy Family, but each of us has persons and tasks entrusted to us by God; people to care for and works to be done. You already know a great deal of what God has commanded you to do; your own (A) and (B) and (C) according to your state in life. You will not fulfill your missions perfectly—and that’s OK—but imitate St. Joseph in his simple obedience because your basic, God-given duties are more important than you realize.

A third and final feature of St. Joseph reflected in today’s Gospel is his single word. Did you ever hear that in all of Scripture there are no recorded quotes from St. Joseph? It’s true: Jesus has many, Mary has several, but Joseph has none. Now there is no evidence that St. Joseph lacked the ability to speak or ever took a vow of silence.  Joseph probably said many things that were simply not written down. Yet today’s Gospel contains the strongest evidence of his having said any one particular word. What was that word?

The angel in Joseph’s dream said of the unborn child: “You are to name him Jesus.” And when Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. Joseph named him Jesus. The name of Jesus was St. Joseph’s greatest and most important word. Ever after, the name of Jesus defined his life.

Learn from St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster-father of Jesus. Imitate his openness to doing God’s will whatever it may be. Benefit from practicing his obedience in your daily duties. “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,” like St. Joseph did.

His Power Shall be Known to his Servants

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Today’s psalm tells us: “Shout joyfully to God… proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, ‘How tremendous are your deeds!‘” When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and the Soviet Union dissolved two years after, I remember my dad remarking that those were things he thought he would never live to see. It seemed like Russian power would dominate Eastern Europe forever. But then, the Soviet Union suddenly collapsed, something which no one — not even the C.I.A. — saw coming.

At Fatima in 1917, before the Russian Bolshevik Revolution, the Blessed Virgin Mary accurately warned that Russia’s errors spreading throughout the world would cause wars and persecutions of the Church. But Mary said, “In the end, my immaculate heart will triumph.” In 1984, on the Feast of the Annunciation, the day when we celebrate the conception of Jesus in his mother’s womb, Pope St. John Paul the Great consecrated Russia and the whole world to Mary’s immaculate heart. Seven years later in 1991, on Christmas day, when we celebrate Jesus’ birth, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as leader of the USSR and the Soviet flag was removed from atop the Kremlin forever. The Evil Empire ended, not with millions of deaths from nuclear blasts, but peacefully. This was a great miracle orchestrated by heaven.

“Shout joyfully to God… proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, ‘How tremendous are your deeds!‘” The Lord has brought about another tremendous victory in our time, and we do right to recognize and joyfully praise his glorious deed.

Once Wisconsin became a state in 1848, we quickly passed laws respecting the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. In 1849, our state legislature outlawed abortion in all cases (except to preserve the life of the mother) and then, in 1853, our state government abolished capital punishment. Whenever possible, we do not kill people, not even people who are guilty or highly inconvenient, because killing is not the way of Christ and his Kingdom. We are instead to show merciful love for all.

In 1973, Wisconsin was one of thirty U.S. states which prohibited abortion at all stages. But that year, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe vs. Wade (a decision which even pro-abortion legal scholars acknowledge lacked constitutional justification) legalized the killing of unborn children everywhere in the United States. In response, for forty-nine years, pro-life people prayed and marched and voted. Through thousands of organizations across the land they provided moms better, holier, more loving options (like adoption) and practical resources (like diapers, formula, cribs, and clothes). Yet, despite their persistent efforts, many pro-lifers doubted they would ever live to see abortion end anywhere in our country. Last month, after seven sets of seven years of prayer and sacrifice, the Supreme Court returned the issue of abortion to the states. Wisconsin abortion laws were never repealed. And so, this Fourth of July weekend, Wisconsin is a pro-life state once again.

Today Isaiah says, “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her!” Nurslings shall be carried in her arms and fondled in her lap; they shall now find comfort. “When you see this, your heart shall rejoice… the Lord’s power shall be known to his servants.”

The date on which the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade (June 24th) is usually the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. In future years we will mark the anniversary of this victory by celebrating the birth of him who leapt for joy in his mother’s womb in the presence of the newly-conceived Christ. But this year, 2022, St. John’s day was superseded by an even greater feast which is always celebrated on the third Friday after Pentecost. This year, Friday, June 24th was the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Indeed, in the end, his Sacred Heart has triumphed.

The reversal of Roe is a landmark victory, but of course there remains much work to do. “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest,” and be open to being sent yourself. Like the seventy-two in today’s Gospel, Jesus Christ sends us forth to those he seeks to save. Wishing peace on everyone, peace to each house and peace in every household, we shall defend and extend his Kingdom’s Culture of Life throughout this land and around the world. And though literal demons will rage and resist us, we shall not be afraid but prevail, for Jesus, his mother, and the angels are with us for the victory. “When you see this, your heart shall rejoice… the Lord’s power shall be known to his servants.”

 

Keeping the Faith During Trying Times

Feast of The Holy Family
By Deacon Dick Kostner

“Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?  Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?  Did you know that your baby boy is Heaven’s perfect Lamb?  That sleeping child you’re holding is the great “I Am“?

The answer to the lyrics just quoted from the popular Christmas Song “Mary did you know?” is “No! Not everything,” according to Pope John Paul II. She did not know everything at once and it is displayed in our gospel proclaimed in today’s Liturgy.

The morning I began to prepare for this homily I saw some very disturbing statistics from an article in The Wall Street Journal. Americans who pray daily was 58% in 2007, this dropped to 45% in 2021; Americans who identified themselves as Christians was 78% in 2007, in 2021 this dropped to 63%. This downward trend began long before COVID but increased during the pandemic. At our own parish we have experienced a substantial decline in attendance at Sunday Mass, especially family attendance. Other parishes have had similar declines.

So what’s going on? Our gospel displays to us the problem but it also gives us the answer to the problem. The problem is rooted in both mental and physical sufferings that are a part of the human experience. Sacred Scripture lays it out very well. Humans get sick, go blind, struggle with raising children, have disagreements with spouses and family, and yes the big one, death and when we pray for help we expect results not tomorrow but right now. All of these were experienced by Jesus the big question is: “Why?” The answer is a mystery we are incapable of understanding, but God did gift us with how we can get through these sufferings and anxieties when he sent His Son to experience these struggles and to supply us with the cure, and that is faith that the Father loves us, His Holy Family, and has a plan for us to follow and find happiness even while suffering, through His Holy Spirit and His Holy Family. The problem is our world has become secularized. Secularization is the process of removing religious and moral influence from our society. The significance of God and the Holy Family in our world is looked down upon and is been reduced.

Lets reflect on our Gospel this Feast of the Holy Family, and “Mary did you know?”. Humans are wired by our creator to care for and protect children we are blessed with. Mary was no exception and when her and Joseph realized Jesus was missing and days had passed panic hit them. They backtracked and found Jesus in the temple listening to the elders and conversing with them. They were upset and asked why Jesus had not told them where he was going. His reply was that he thought they would know that he was going to His fathers house. And then we are told that Mary and Joseph “did not understand what he said to them.” Thus we are given the answer to some of the songs questions of her that she did not know. But then we are told that Mary “kept all these things in her heart.” and thus she reflected upon her son’s words and she came to understand that Jesus had assumed she knew his vocation, to learn and be involved with public ministry. Jesus also realized they did not know this and felt sorry for not telling them his plans to visit his Fathers house, for we are told that “Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man and was there after obedient to them.”

Jesus made a mistake for causing anxieties to his Mother and his step father and corrected his behavior and honored his human parents. This is the guide line for human families becoming members of the Holy Family. They care for and correct mistakes they make within their Holy Family relationships and its members.

Being human will carry with it sufferings. There will be mistakes that we will make as members of the Holy Family that will cause not only us but other members of God’s family to suffer. We are called to reflect upon our mistakes and make corrections to assure those we have caused to suffer that this will not happen again. We are called by God to place other members of the family of Jesus ahead of ourselves when we realize that others need our help and support as Jesus, Mary and Joseph have taught us, by reflecting on our actions and praying to the Father for wisdom and direction in helping our brothers and sisters overcome their sufferings and anxieties of life.

Like Mary, there are many questions in life we don’t know answers to. It is faith that allows us to trust that the Father knows our fears and anxieties and will answer us through His Holy Family when the time is right, for as told to us by God we are to look to His Holy Family and the Word for help and guidance and as far as fear, He tells us: “Be still and know that I AM!”

Squandered Gifts?

4th Sunday of Advent
By Deacon Matthew Bowe

This past week was finals week at the seminary. Many of my seminary brothers were busily writing papers and completing oral and written exams. Hours were spent with noses in the books and eyes staring at the screen. Stress and frantic work were abundant. I suffered.

Before you have any pity for me, I should confess the whole truth. After my one class Friday morning, which was only fifty minutes, I was mostly done. I only had a ten-minute oral exam to complete for the Eucharist class. I was on break mode since Friday at ten A.M., yet we were not allowed to depart from the seminary until after our final class on Tuesday. Some of my brothers went to class on Monday and Tuesday. I did not. I have not stressed about schoolwork for over a week, and I had plenty of time to work on my thesis and play fun activities with my friends. How, then, did I suffer?

Well, two of my closest friends, with whom I wanted to spend time, had a ton of work yet to do. They are procrastinators, poor planners, and undisciplined and unmotivated toward academic matters. Having an abundance of work left at the end of the semester is a common occurrence for them. Anyway, I suffered because they did not have time for me. I wanted to give them some of my time to be with them and to partake in shared activities. I understood that they had work to do. However, they mentioned that they were going to work on things sooner, yet they never did. They said that we could not watch a television show together because of the work that they had to do, yet I saw them sleep in, take naps, play video games, and watch television at other times. I was hurt because I felt left out. The message from this story is that our actions and our inactions can affect others in profound ways unbeknownst to us. We can be oblivious and passive to the passing moments in our lives. We can hurt others and not know it.

Please do not be hard on my friends, for I forgive them. Please do not have pity on me, for it was good spiritual growth. I tell this story to set up the message of my homily. In our humanness, we let many gifts and graces pass by in our lives. In our relationship with God, we are like my friends. I am like my friends to others and to God. How often do we squander the gifts that God gives us by casting them aside like pearls before swine? We look at God’s gifts and say, “Thanks, but no.” Then, we do our own thing not realizing that God had just given us the very thing that was necessary. It could have been an invitation to prayer, the grace that we needed to endure a hardship, a kind word to speak to another, or other good things. Why do we forsake heavenly things for the passing things of this world?

Yet, squandering gifts is not even my message, but it serves as a foil, as a contrast, for my main message. I want to talk about someone who never squandered one of God’s gifts. Glory to God that Mary, our Blessed Virgin Mother, never squandered a gift from God. In her immaculate and virginal heart, which magnifies the glory of the Lord, Mary perfectly received the angel Gabriel’s message. Her response and disposition were receptive – “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done according to thy word.” Then, she received the Word Himself in her spotless womb. This gift of the Son was not for Mary alone, but the Savior came to redeem all nations back to God. Thanks be to God for Mary’s fiat, her “yes,” for the world gained the Savior of all Mankind.

Besides Mary’s disposition to receiving God and her freedom and openness to say yes to God’s will, Mary also exemplifies the love owed to a neighbor. She went into the hill country, around a ninety-mile journey from Nazareth, to rejoice with her cousin Elizabeth, who was once barren. Mary recognized that she had a duty to care for her cousin as her cousin progressed through her pregnancy. From this humble act of charity, another divine purpose would be served. Mary went to Elizabeth, and Jesus went to John. Jesus went to anoint John so that John would be ready to be the forerunner-prophet for the Christ. Whereas Mary and Elizabeth exchange greetings in a human way, Jesus and John exchange greetings in a spiritual way. Elizabeth heard the greeting first, but John experienced the grace from within Mary’s womb, leapt in Elizabeth’s womb, and filled Elizabeth with the Spirit. This prompts Elizabeth to praise Mary, who is “blessed among women” and is the “mother of my Lord.” Mary is first praised by an angel, and now she is praised by a woman. Even today, Mary is praised by the hosts of angels and by all the faithful in heaven and on earth.

Now, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we must continue to wait to hear more of the story. We must wait a little long to hear how the prophecy of Micah is fulfilled, when the “one who is to be ruler in Israel” comes forth. Mary will give birth to the One who shall stand firm and shepherd his flock, who will shepherd us. The King of Peace will come. Until that time, let us heed the words from the Letter to the Hebrews. The Lord wants us, and He wants the offering of our hearts. Jesus obeyed the Father’s will and offered His body once for all. Christmas does not stand apart from the Passion and Resurrection. Christmas points to Easter. The Son of God came to die for our sins. The old saying goes “from the wood of the manger to the wood of the Cross.” We hear in the opening prayer that we may “by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.” But the Death is still awhile away, so let us prepare for His Birth.

There is one week left until Christmas. Let us intensify our spiritual sacrifices and penances to clear room in our hearts to receive the newborn King. Let us renew our vigilant waiting for the birth of our blessed Lord. Mary is very pregnant now; she is about to pop, as they say. We have seen mothers who are in their final days of pregnancy before the delivery. There is excitement in the eager and anxious anticipation of the newborn babe. St. John the Baptist announced the presence of Jesus by leaping in the womb of Elizabeth. Let us prepare our hearts to leap with joy with the presence of the newborn King on Christmas Day.

Christmas, Unlike We Envisioned It — Funeral Homily for Dr. S. Ann Hartlage-Feltes, 79

Ann and Larry realized something was gravely wrong during their recent vacation abroad. She was experiencing persistent and unexplained fatigue and shortness of breath. Just some forty days later, the cancer present and growing within her ended her earthly life. It’s stunning, it’s shocking, that a woman we know as being so energetically alive could pass away from us so quickly. As a good and faithful spouse to Larry after James’ passing, as a loving, caring mother to David, Kristin, and Ken, as a devoted, attentive grandma to her grandkids, as a dedicated psychologist to the clients and couples she served, as someone known and loved by us, her death creates a painful absence. How strange, how jarring, how incongruous it is, to be having her funeral now – so very close to Christmas. At a time for togetherness, we’re separated. In a season celebrating heavenly peace, we’re unsettled here on earth. Christmas joy, veiled by dismay. This is not how we imagine Christmas to be. And yet… the first Christmas was troubled too.

About fifteen months before the first Christmas, when Zachariah exited the temple sanctuary after having encountered an angel, he made excited, mute gestures to the people. Some concluded that he had seen vision but Zachariah was unable to speak or hear for many months. His wife, Elizabeth, may have worried whether her beloved suffered a stroke. Would he ever speak again? Then Elizabeth herself began to be unwell. She felt nauseous every day and noticed her abdomen expanding. Could she “who was called barren” somehow be pregnant, or was something gravely wrong?

Nine months before the first Christmas, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave her “Yes” to God’s plan at the Annunciation in Nazareth. An angel told Mary she would become the mother of the Messiah, but many details about her future remained hidden from her. Would her husband. Joseph, believe her when she told him? Would he become angry or afraid and decide to leave her? Joseph came very close to erroring and divorcing Mary, either because he judged her unworthy of him or because, believing her, he thought himself unworthy of her. After a torturous time of doubt and uncertainty, an angel visited Joseph in a dream and got him back on the right track.

Joseph resolved to be the very best protector and provider to Mary and her Holy Child that he could be. So imagine his great frustration that first Christmas night, consider his distress at being unable to find a proper place for Mary’s labor and Jesus’ birth; only an unclean cave with a feed trough for a crib. The first Christmas and the events leading up to it were not easy for the people who lived them. Their times were troubled, with hardships and fears. But in the end, now looking back, the accomplishment of God’s loving plan for them was more beautiful than any of them would have imagined.

See what God did for these saints of his who suffered: St. Elizabeth was not sick and dying but with child, carrying the forerunner of the Christ. St. Zachariah would regain his voice and rejoice in their firstborn son, St. John the Baptist. St. Mary would never be abandoned, but was lovingly cared for through it all. And St. Joseph succeeded in his mission to be the best father on earth. Jesus Christ’s birth in a stable was not an accident, not a divine oversight, but according to God’s plan. Their stories are a sign for us, a lesson for our lives. The Scriptures repeatedly tell us to hope in God and the good things to come.

The author of today’s first reading laments, “My soul is deprived of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is,” yet the prophet does not despair. “The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent. … Good is the Lord to one who waits for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good to hope in silence for the saving help of the Lord.” St. John tells us in our second reading: “The way we came to know love was that [Jesus] laid down his life for us.” Our Lord faced dying so bravely because he knew not even death would end God the Father’s blessings toward him.

Today we gather in this famous and beautiful cathedral to offer the Church’s greatest prayer, the Holy Mass, for Ann’s soul and our consolation. She and Larry have been parishioners here at Holy Name for years, attending Sunday Mass and sometimes weekday Masses, too. From this altar, Ann received her Lord, his Body and Blood, his Soul and Divinity, his living and entire Self, in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus says in our Gospel, “My Flesh is true food and my Blood is true drink… Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” Today, we remember and are consoled by Jesus’ promise to Ann and us: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Because of Ann’s parting, this Christmas will not be as we envisioned. But we are consoled by the truth that even amid these trials God is accomplishing his loving plan for us, a plan which is more beautiful than we can now imagine.

Jesus Chose Them for Each Other, for Himself, & for Us

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

This December 8th unites two of our greatest saints: the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. Today we celebrate both the Immaculate Conception and the conclusion to the Year of St. Joseph. Our Lady, under the title of “The Immaculate Conception,” is the patroness of our country. And Joseph, under the title of “St. Joseph the Workman.” is the primary patron of our diocese. Last year, our Bishop William Callahan proclaimed a year dedicated to St. Joseph beginning May 1st. Then, last December 8th, Pope Francis unexpectedly announced a Year of St. Joseph for the entire Church worldwide. As a result of this, our diocesan celebration of this Year of St. Joseph is the longest in the world: 19 months and 8 days in full. And this is very fitting, since our diocesan patron’s name, “Joseph,” means “he will increase.”

How beautiful it is that this date brings together Mary and Joseph! He, the noble head of the Holy Family; and she, the Immaculate Heart of their home He, her chaste guardian; and she, his loving spouse. Both are absolutely faithful and obedient, courageous and righteous. And both of them were chosen by God, chosen for each other, and chosen for Christ. Mary became Jesus’ loving mother and Joseph became Jesus’ nurturing foster-father. God chose them “before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” Our Lord Jesus Christ chose them for himself and he also chose them for us.

Does Jesus get jealous at the Church celebrating Mary and Joseph? Does our Catholic devotion to Mary or Joseph detract from devotion we ought to have for Christ? In his recent book, “Consecration to St. Joseph,” Fr. Donald Calloway answers: “What brother would be offended if his younger siblings expressed love towards their mother and father? What man would be upset if another person wrote a song about his mother or placed roses at her feet? Likewise, what son would be disturbed if someone praised the virtues of his father? A person who honored a father would not receive condemnation from the father’s son. On the contrary, such a person would receive praise and tremendous favors from the son.” I would add that love in a family is not a zero-sum game, but that healthy love makes love grow larger. Devotion to Mary and Joseph does not make us love Jesus less, but helps us love him more.

Jesus has not diminished these parents who cared for him on earth. He has exalted and shared them with us. He has made his mother the mother of all Christians. Like the first Eve who “became the mother of all the living,” Mary is the spiritual mother to all those alive in Christ. He has made his foster-father Joseph, who successfully safeguarded the Holy Family through its trials, spiritual protector of the universal Church And ‘never was it known that anyone who fled to their protection, implored their help, or sought their intercession was left unaided.’ So be sure to befriend St. Mary and St. Joseph. Jesus loves them dearly and they aided him on earth. He wills that you would know them, and love them, and be helped by them through this life, too, by their powerful, loving care.

Mary & the Holy Eucharist

Solemnity of the Assumption
(20th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B)

The first three evangelists, Saints Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all detail the same event from the Last Supper. In his First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul recounts it in these words:

“I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”

At every Mass, we recall how Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist the night before he died. But the Gospel of John does not feature these words of institution. The Last Supper spans five full chapters in John’s Gospel—spending far more verses detailing Jesus’ words and deeds at table that night than is done by Matthew, Mark, and Luke combined—yet the phrase “This is my Body” is not included there. Why is this?

Both the early Church Fathers and modern scripture scholars agree that John’s was the last canonical gospel to be written. St. John probably thought it was unnecessary to retread again the same familiar ground as his predecessors, so he chose to omit the institution narrative. Instead, St. John shares with us the Bread of Life discourse. We’ve been listening to this chapter from John for the previous two weeks. Next Sunday presents the resolution of this story. And this Sunday, we would ordinarily be hearing the climax of Jesus’ teaching. Rather than being quoted saying “This is my body” at the Last Supper, in this gospel Jesus declares at the synagogue in Capernaum:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. …For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. …The one who feeds on me will have life because of me. …Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

The other gospels include the eucharistic words of institution, but John particularly emphasizes Jesus’ real eucharistic presence.

As I said, we would ordinarily be hearing this climax to Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse this weekend, but it is preempted this year by the August 15th Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Now I’m a very big fan of Mary but I also love that particular gospel reading from John 6, so I was a bit disappointed when I realized the first would be cancelling the second. But then I reflected upon Mary’s profound connections to Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist, and there is actually great beauty in the convergence of these two holy days.

Consider: from where did Jesus receive the flesh he gives us in the Holy Eucharist? God ordained that Jesus Christ receive his human nature from his mother, Mary. At the Annunciation, Mary gave God her pure flesh and pure “yes,” saying “Let it be done to me according to your word,” on behalf of all humanity. That she might respond with a truly free “yes” and be a truly worthy source and vessel for her Son, the most Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved in flawless holiness by the grace of God from the first moment of her life. She lived all her days on earth in sanctity untainted by sin. The 16th psalm proclaims of God: “You will not allow your holy one to see decay.” And so, “the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” This is the wonderful event which we remember and celebrate with Jesus and Mary today.

The sacred body and precious blood of Jesus we see held aloft at Mass come to us through the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is symbolically present on the altar as well. Consider the chalice. It is made from a precious metal and fashioned for a sacred purpose. It is traditionally veiled, denoting its dignity and sanctity. It is femininely curved, a vessel open to receiving and holding God’s gifts. The chalice is a symbol of the Virgin Mary, who is not to be adored as God and yet who is most profoundly close to him. Like Mary at the visit of the Magi, the chalice holds Jesus for all peoples to adore him.

At the Annunciation, after Mary responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word,” did she feel anything the instant the Word became flesh within her? Maybe she had the most enrapturing mystical experience ever known. Or maybe, when the angel departed from her, she felt nothing at the moment of the Incarnation. Either extreme seems possible, or it may have been something in between. When you receive the Holy Eucharist, you may or may not be graced to feel any different from the presence of Jesus within you. But consider how Jesus Christ has come to dwell in you at the center of your being as he did first within the Blessed Virgin Mary.

May Blessed Mary, the source of Christ’s flesh; the Lord’s holy chalice; the first Christian to commune with Jesus; intercede for you, helping you to know, love, and follow her Son. May you join them both in heaven one day so that all generations may call you blessed.