This reflection is based on Matthew 2:1-12 on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord.
Today we have the heartwarming story of the magi who traveled far to visit the Christ Child. They had waited long to see the long-foretold King of the Jews. For years they scanned the night sky in search of the sign–that one star that would signal the birth of the savior. And the moment it appeared, they left their homes immediately in chase of that star.
This reflection is based on Luke 2:22-40 on the Feast of the Holy Family.
A Jesuit companion shared a copy of this painting with our community during our Advent recollection. It’s probably the great Rembrandt’s last and unfinished painting, discovered in the master’s workshop the day after he died. It is a painting of Simeon the Prophet, the man to whom God had made a special promise: that he would not see death until he could lay his eyes on the Christ.
And true enough, that apparently ordinary day, as Joseph and Mary presented the Christ Child to the temple for the traditional Jewish blessing and sacrifices, the prophet Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to them. The canticle he uttered upon receiving the Holy Infant in his arms remains one of the loveliest in the entire Scripture. It is today more famously known as the ‘Nunc dimittis’ based on its first line:
This homily, based on Luke 1:26-38, was delivered at the English Martyrs’ Parish.
There is one character who has worked very hard behind the scenes for Christmas. We hear about this character during Advent, and he shows up at least a couple more times at Christmas, but given all the many things going on at Christmas, we understandably don’t get to shine the spotlight too often on him. I am, of course, referring to the angel Gabriel.
This homily, based on Matthew 1:18-25, was delivered at the Simbang Gabi for the Filipino community at Charing Cross Hospital Chapel.
In today’s Gospel story, we have the angel of God appearing to Joseph in a dream. By this time Joseph has already discovered Mary’s pregnancy, and he knows the child cannot be his. Joseph never says a single word in the entire gospel, but we can imagine how heartbroken he must have been.
This reflection is based on John 1:6-8, 19-28.
This event in the life of John the Baptist sounds like it’s more than a simple press conference. Here we have him interviewed successively by priests and Levites, as well as Pharisees. All of them interrogate him about who he is: “Are you the Christ? Are you Elijah? Are you the Prophet?”
The Baptist takes this opportunity to clarify who he is and who he is not, correcting the misconceptions about him. He is not the Christ–nor is he Elijah, nor the Prophet. He is but “the voice crying out in the desert,” to prepare the way for the Christ.