Anamchara

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (NEW YEAR'S) HOMILY 2010

 

HOMILY FOR SOLEMNITY OF MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD--1/1/10

    By Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.

READINGS: NM 6:22-27; GAL 4:4-7; LK 2:16-21

 I.   Now That It’s Here; What Do We Do?

  A.   You could be watching the ball fall in Times Square, you could be out at a party screaming and shouting, you could be in bed–but you are not.  You are here.  For some reason, you felt a need to ring in the New Year with a spiritual experience, a recognition that whether people know it or not, the only reason that celebrations are occurring around the world at this moment is because the Christ was born 2000 years ago.  Our concept of time is based on Christ; that’s how important he is to everybody.  Even in non-Christian countries, time is kept the Christian way.

 B.   Today is also a good day for thinking about Mary, not just because this is her feast, but because she shows us how to face this New Year.  As the New Year begins, Christians do exactly what Mary did when faced with the tremendous events of that first Christmas.  In joy, she treasured her Son, but reflected on all these events in her heart.  Because this is, as Paul says in the second reading, “the fullness of time”, we rejoice because of the presence of Christ with us.  These are the end times, not in the sense of the imminent end of the world, but, instead, in the sense that we are in the final age when Christ is revealed to the world.

 C.  One thousand years ago, a primitive and backward Europe was waking up.  Pagans were converting en masse to Christianity and a renaissance of learning and art was just around the corner.  And yet, people were afraid.  In the midst of flickers of light there was the darkness of violence and superstition.  People living in that time did not really know that they were on the verge of a great spiritual renewal.  Not much is different today.  We too are afraid–afraid that the economy might fail, of where technology will take us, of the declining moral standards all around us.  And most of all, we are afraid of those demons of darkness–the terrorists, who seek to destroy us and our way of life.  We see the darkness, but forget the light.  God is here.  Emmanuel is with us.  And that’s worth reflecting about.

 D.  After all, Mary was asked to believe that she was going to change the world, and there she was, giving birth in a stable, riding on the back of a donkey, destined to live years in Nazareth as a seemingly ordinary wife and mom.  But she believed that God told her the truth.  She reflected on that.  And the more she thought and prayed, the stronger she became.  That’s our challenge this evening–to believe in God, to trust that this New Year, people will open wide the doors to Christ so that those lost in darkness will find a place to call home. 

BE STILL MY SOUL--A PAUSE FROM THE BUSYNESS OF CHRISTMAS TO RECOVER THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

via www.youtube.com

Ok, everyone, just take a deep breath, listen to the beautiful music by THE PRIESTS, and remember that God is still here.  And once we do that, Christmas can continue for 9 more days, in peace and tranquility!  Be Still My Soul!

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY HOMILY--CHRISTMAS IN TIMES OF TRIAL

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY--12/27/09

Homily by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.

READINGS: SIRACH 3:2-6,12-14; COLOSSIANS 3:12-21; Luke 2:41-52

  I.   The Shattering of the Family

 A.  Ominous yellow clouds rise above the green fields of France.  In the trenches die young men, choking and gasping their lives out as their lungs are burned by the poison mustard gas.  The greatest and most grotesque slaughter the world had ever seen up to that time was taking place.  It was World War I, fought at the dawn of this century.

 B.  It was a long time ago, but its effects still harm us today.  So many young men were killed in that war, so many civilians, that family life was seriously disrupted.  Orphans, widows, shattered lives filled the landscape.  The destruction of families in that war led the Church to institute this very modern Feast of the Holy Family.  It’s whole purpose is to strengthen family life.  The Church knew something terribly wrong and significant had come out of World War I.  The shattering of the family led to a broken society.  The world began a long slide toward tyranny, oppression, and horror.  Less than a generation after the First came the Second World War with even greater horrors and a further weakening of family life.

 C.  Why is this important to know?  Because the family is at the core of our society.  If it is strong, society is strong.  If it is in crisis, society is in crisis.  Everyone knows the institution of the family is very weak today.  Maybe that’s why the world has lost its focus and direction.  Maybe the Holy Family can help us see our way out of the mess we are in.  At Christmas time, when our thoughts turn especially to loved ones, the Church asks God to bless our families and make them strong in the love of the newborn Christ Child.

 D.  Strong families make for strong parishes as well.  In this chaotic time, as individual families, we come together as a Church so that those who are alone have a family too, so that families can find strength together, and so those that are lost may find their way back to us.  This whole Catholics Come Home Campaign [even though you have described this program before you may have many guests in the church–tell them what this is all about again]  is about bringing people back into our parish family.  An understanding of the importance of the Holy Family can help us not only to improve our own families, but to make our parish family even stronger.

CHRISTMAS HOMILY--WELCOME THE CHRIST; WELCOME THE STRANGER; EMBRACE THE LOST CATHOLIC BROTHER AND SISTER

via www.youtube.com

Enjoy the above video which chronicles one of the legends in my Christmas homily below.  In this time of welcoming our absent Catholic brothers and sisters and inviting them home, it's always good to remember that if we want to be successful in helping others return, we first must welcome the  Christ Child into our own hearts.

CHRISTMAS HOMILY 2009

     by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.

Always, on Christmas, I preach a sermon that contains some story, original or drawn on old stories, about the meaning of Christmas.  This year, I'd like to share with you all two wonderful legends.  The first is from Finland which talks of the exultation of the stars on the news of Christ's birth; the second is the famous French tale of the Friendly Beasts around the manger on Christmas Eve, all wrapped up in one story called:

THE GOOD NIGHT

On that Good Night, so long ago, the heavens were ablaze with light as the stars beamed questions of light to one another.  "Is this the night we have long awaited?" said Sirius, the Dog Star.  "Is this the time for a new heavens and new earth, long prophesied through the galaxies and the vast expanse of space?" said Vega, the beautiful blue star of the heavens.  "Sister," said Aldebaran, "I do not know, but I too wonder if this is the Good Night when darkness is turned back and goodness reigns.  Let us ask the King of Stars."  And so they shouted to Orion, the King of Stars.  And if you would have looked up to the sky at that moment so long ago, you would have witnessed that when stars shout to one another, beautiful waves of light ripple across the heavens, and the very sky seems to come alive.  "Is this the Good Night?" the stars asked Orion, the King of Stars.  And before Orion could speak, a new star burst forth in the heavens, shining brightly but silently, most beautifully in the night sky.  "What does this mean?" shouted the guardians of the heavens.  "Tell us, Orion, for momentous things are happening.  And Orion spoke.

"A new star means a new birth, a birth of someone wonderful.  Look to the East on the earth below–Three Kings walk the desert searching for the new born King of the World.  Gaze below on little Judah, the tyrant King Herod screams in rage at the rumors of a Messiah, come to throw him from his throne.  And look, my brothers and sisters, to the West, where Caesar himself sits uneasily on his empire tonight, for in the city of Rome altars have cracked and the statues of the pagan gods have crumbled–only a God come to earth could have caused that."

"But what does it mean?" said the stars.  "For that," said Orion, "you must not look, you must listen.  You've seen angels tonight over the hills of Bethlehem, and you have heard them singing, Glory to God in the highest.  But listen more closely for a humbler song, sung among the dust of the earth, tucked away in a stable just outside the tiny city of David–listen to the song.

And the stars heard, and there were words to that song, and this is what was sung by a hoarse and braying voice, "I" said the donkey, all shaggy and brown, "I carried his mother, up hill and down.  I carried her safely to Bethlehem town.  I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

"It speaks!" shouted the stars.  "An animal speaks!"  Orion laughed, "And so they all shall speak this night when Peace is born and all is made as it once was when the Creator first made the earth and animals and man.  All was in harmony, and even the animals spoke.  So it shall be tonight.  Listen!"

CATHOLICS COME HOME: MARY, THE ONE WHO BRINGS US JESUS

via www.youtube.com

The commercials are in full swing in our area on all channels and they are very well received.  On the DVD, I thought the weakest commercials were the testimonials, but on TV they seem to be the strongest.  Perhaps it is because of the vocabulary used:  talking about Jesus, sin, redemption, etc is just not conversation on mainstream TV.  The above segment is one of the most powerful.  Enjoy.

 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT–12/20/09

    by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.

READINGS:   MICAH 5:1-4; HEBREWS 10:5-10; LUKE 1:39-45

  I.   The Blessed Virgin Mary–The Human Face Of Advent

 A.  There she was–traipsing over the hills of Galilee, down through the wilderness of Judea, to see her kinswoman Elizabeth, pregnant even at her advanced age.  Quite a trip for a young, recently married girl who also happened to be pregnant.  But she had to go, because Elizabeth was an older woman and needed her. 

 B.  An amazing thing happened when she came to Elizabeth.  Rather than it being about Elizabeth, the older woman turned it all around and made it about Mary and the Child she was carrying. “Blessed are you among women,” said Elizabeth.  “My child (that is, the future John the Baptist) has leapt in my womb because he recognizes that you, Mary, are carrying the Messiah.”

 C.  For Elizabeth, Mary was the Advent of Jesus Christ.  Advent means “coming” and Mary brought Jesus to Elizabeth.  And Elizabeth, being a woman of God, and carrying John the Baptist, who would proclaim Jesus Messiah when he was an adult–both of them recognized that Mary was carrying the Christ in her womb.  Mary was a source of joy to Elizabeth, not for the help she was, but for the gift she brought.  She was the Advent of Christ.  She brought Christ to people who longed for a Messiah, just like the prophet Micah said, “Out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

 D.  One of the symbols we are using this Advent season is the picture of Mary carrying the Christ Child.  There’s a little saying that goes along with that picture, “We’re waiting for you.”  You remember our Catholics Come Home Campaign where we are trying to reach Catholics who have drifted away.  The commercials started this past week.  Just like we are waiting for Christ to come into our lives this Christmas, so are we waiting for those who have drifted away to come back home.  And just like Mary went to Elizabeth, just like she traveled all over the Promised Land pregnant with the Messiah, so we are like her.  Why do I say that?  Because we carry Christ too, as baptized Christians.  We have it within our power to do what Mary did and does for us–namely, bring Christ to others.

II. Bringing Christ To Others

 A.  Most of us think that the job of bringing Christ to people belongs to the clergy or to professional religious workers.  Wrong.  It belongs to all of us.  With so many fallen away Catholics out there, you are bound to know at least one.  So how can you bring Christ to them.  Some ideas:

  1.  Be proud of your Catholic faith.  Whether brought to you by parents, Church, or school, your Catholic faith gave you the spirituality you now have.  Be proud of who you are and don’t be afraid to talk about your Catholicism.  Will some people criticize?  You bet, but a family as big and longlasting as the Church is bound to have a few problems–but it’s also bound to have amazing successes.  Don’t be embarrassed about who you are and what you believe.

  2.  Truth does matter–all ways do not lead to God.  All religions are not the same.  Most have some aspect of the truth, but only one is the surest path to God; namely, our Catholic faith.  That’s why you are Catholic right?  Because it is the truest way to God–right?  Why else would you be Catholic if you did not think it is the greatest religion on earth?  That doesn’t give us room to be proud or boastful–having the truth is a treasure to be shared humbly, with great character and integrity.

  3.  Live your faith with acts of love.  St. James said it best in his letter in the Bible: “Faith without works is a dead faith.”  Nobody cares what we believe if we act like a jerk.  People who really believe in Christ do acts of love to others.  How are you going to do those kind of acts this coming Christmas Season?

  4.  Talk about Jesus.  There are buttons everywhere telling us to keep Christ in Christmas.  Okay–so talk about him.  Not in some pious, tv evangelist kind of way, but with simplicity and authenticity.  Try this out on your family and friends.  “Hey, it’s Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior.  Won’t you come to Mass with me and my family.  You sure would be welcome.”  It’s as simple as that.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT--DON'T THEY KNOW, IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD

via www.youtube.com

In just a few short days, commercials will be running all over northern Illinois in the Chicago, Rockford and Joliet Dioceses inviting fallen-away and non-practicing Catholics to come back home.  Above is the third Commercial called "Movie".  It's edgy and powerful.  Let's all say a prayer that it plants a seed in the hearts of our Catholic brothers and sisters whom we have not seen for a long time.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT–12/13/09

    by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.

READINGS: ZEPHANIAH 3:14-18; PHILLIPIANS 4:4-7; LUKE 3:10-18

  I.   THE END OF THE WORLD

 A.  Back in the early 1960's, one of the most popular songs–and still one that’s recorded often–was Skeeter Davis’ The End of the World.   Kind of sad and plaintive, some of the lyrics go like this:

Why does the sun go on shining
Why does the sea rush to shore
Don't they know it's the end of the world
'Cause you don't love me any more .
   
Why do the birds go on singing
Why do the stars glow above
Don't they know it's the end of the world
It ended when I lost your love.

 B.  With all the Armageddon kind of movies, the fear that a lot of people have, the scary ideas that the world will end in blood and violence, comes this song that says the world really ends when we lose love.  I’m sure Skeeter Davis was thinking of her old boyfriend, but the Scriptures today are talking to the people who fear they’ve lost God’s love and won’t survive the end of the world.

 C.  All that stuff we see on TV and the movies about the end of the world just speaks to the fear that is often in our hearts.  But the prophet Zephaniah spoke of the end of the world as something joyful for those who stay close to God.  Listen again to these words, far stronger than those of Skeeter Davis:

  The Lord...is with you,
  Never again will you fear any harm,
  The Lord your God is with you,
  He is mighty to save...
  He will quiet you with his love.

 D.  That means us.  That means no ultimate fear can harm us.  Listen to even stronger words from St. Paul when he spoke to the Phillipians:

  Rejoice in the Lord always,
  I will say it again: Rejoice!...
  The Lord is near.
  Do not be anxious about anything...
  And the peace of God...
  Will guard your hearts and minds
  In Christ Jesus.

 E.  To think that God doesn’t love us anymore, to think that you or I could ever lose his love – this is the real fear.  This is worse than any end of the world stuff.  To think we are not loved by God, or that we could ever do something that would lose his love is such a big mistake.  That’s why the readings tell us today to rejoice.  That’s why this is Gaudete or Rejoicing Sunday.  Nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.  Nothing.  Except maybe one thing–ourselves.  If we walk away.  If we bring down the night upon us.  If we are so afraid, or cynical, or skeptical that we walk away from God.  Then he loves us and we do not respond.  Then he cares but we walk away.  Then he tries to heal us but we leave him with his almighty arms stretched out in the vast empty space we’ve put between him and us.  The readings ought to comfort us today.  Because we are here.  And he is here.  And he loves us, always and forever.

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT--RETURN NOW WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS!

via www.youtube.com

This is the second commercial to air during the Rockford Diocese's media campaign December 16-January 24.  Check out the website:  www.catholicscomehomerockford.org for more info.

HOMILY FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT–12/06/09

   by Monsignor Eric R. Barr, S.T.L.

READINGS: BARUCH 5:1-9; PHILLIPIANS 1:4-6,8-11; LUKE 3:1-6

  I. Three Images

 A. Three images haunt the Second Sunday of Advent on what is also St. Nicholas’ feast day.  And in all these images is the voice of God crying, “Come back home!  Come home to me!”

 B.  First, there is a ship tossed at sea in danger of sinking.  The captain has tied himself to the wheel; waves have shattered the mast; the sailors hold on for dear life.  To the east looks the captain, towards the seaport city of Myra, and he calls out to the miracle working bishop known for his compassion and good deeds, “Nicholas of the waves, Nicholas of the sea, helper of the hopeless, come to me!”  A flash of lightning, a roar of thunder, and the sky suddenly clears above the ship and a star beams brightly upon the vessel, bathing it in light.  And in the light, the crew can see a figure standing by the captain–a man straight and tall dressed like a bishop, robes flowing in the wind.  He cradles the captain in one arm and steers the ship with the other.  As morning dawns and the storm disperses, the battered ship glides into the docks.  “How?” asks the captain.  “I called for you, but how could you hear?”  “Christ heard,” says Bishop Nicholas, “and said to me, ‘Go to the captain, lost at sea.  Find him and bring him home to me.’  As Christ commanded, so I have done.  Welcome home my friend.”

 C.  Second, there is a woman weeping, shedding tears for a wayward son who will not listen to her pleadings.  “Come to Church,” she says.  “No,” he replies, too taken with the world and its pleasures.  “Come home to God,” she begs.  He shakes his head and says he seeks deeper meaning.  “Trust your mother,” she says, her tears drying, and in a firm but loving voice says, “Come to your Savior Jesus.”  But he hears her not and walks from her and does whatever a young man in the Roman Empire did so long ago.  But Monica never stops praying for her Augustine.  And one day, he shows up on her doorstep, chased by God himself, and tells her it’s time for him to come home.  He becomes one of the greatest saints of all time. 

 D.  Third, there is the prophet in the desert who looks to the people like a crazy man dressed in animal skins.  He’s shouting about repentance, saying to everyone who will listen, “Come home!  Come home now!  The Messiah is coming!”  Each person is precious to him.  He wants them to be there when the Messiah appears. 

 E.  What to do with theses images?  We’re here.  In some way, shape or form, we have been the captain who cries to St. Nicholas, we have heard St. Monica’s cry and like St. Augustine come to the faith, we have listened for St. John the Baptist and have tried to be watchful, ready and prepared for the coming of Christ.  But there are others–sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors who may once have heard but have walked away.  They’ve walked from the house we call our Catholic home and are out in the storm, in the night, in the desert.  It’s our turn to be St. Nicholas, St. Monica, and St. John the Baptist and call the lost home, beg the wanderer to stop by here for awhile, pray that those who may once have believed will come to believe again.  We are Catholic, and we ask those who have traveled far away to come back home.