These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 80)
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken, From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth. Rouse your power.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121022.cfm
To see the Lord’s face . . . that is our fulfillment in heaven, to constantly behold the face of the Lord. The rector of my seminary, Father Daniel Buechlein (1938-2018), was a Benedictine monk. He was chosen to become a bishop and later served as Archbishop of Indianapolis. He chose as his episcopal motto: “Seek the Face of the Lord.” The longing to see and be seen by the Lord is at the heart of spirituality. This Advent as we long to see the face of the Lord and prepare for his Coming, the Blessed Virgin Mary reminds us: “Do whatever He tells you.” Come, Lord Jesus, come, do not delay!
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. (Is 48:17-19)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120922.cfm
Sometimes we act as if we were masters of the world charting our own destiny. I remember the lesson my Mexican madrecita taught me one day when I was telling her of all the things I planned to do. She reminded me, “Primero Dios” (If God wills). In Colombia folks say, “Si Dios quiere,” (If God wants). We all need the friendly reminder from the prophet that God will teach us what is for our good, and lead us on the way we should go. It’s not always the way we would choose, but it is the path God has chosen for us. Faith is not about imposing our will on the world, rather faith is about being molded by God’s will for our lives. Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin received the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December, 1531. And together with Our Lady of Guadalupe, he followed the way of her Son.
God chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. (Eph 1:3-6, 11-12)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120821.cfm
There is a divine purpose for each one of us. Today’s feast reminds us how that divine purpose was fulfilled in the life of the Virgin Mary, who was prepared from the first moment of her existence to become the mother of the Son of God. In Colombia for the feast of the Immaculate Conception we have the tradition of Las Velitas (the Little Candles). People light candles in front of their homes lighting the way of the Virgin Mary.
The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary . . . They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. (Is 40:25-31)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120722.cfm
My friend, Father Wilbur Thomas (1947-2022), went home to God last night. For 14 years we worked together at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence in Asheville, NC, until we both retired in 2018. I will be forever grateful for his friendship, his wisdom, and his guidance. He was a priest after the Heart of Christ. He now soars with eagles’ wings. Through his preaching, Saint Ambrose was responsible for the conversion of Saint Augustine. Today we also remember those who died on this day in 1941 in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and all those who died in World War II.
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God . . . Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care. (Is 40:1-11)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120622.cfm
Händel’s Messiah opens with this prophecy from Isaiah with its promise of comfort. Saint Nicholas (270-343) followed in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd. He was known as a gentle, generous shepherd who cared for the flock entrusted to his care. Saint Nicholas has become one of the most beloved figures of Advent.
