There are four wonderful themes from the gospel. 1) There is the theme of “good news.” 2) There is the theme of “repentance.” 3) There is the theme of “belief.” 4) And there is the theme of “following the Lord.” The first theme, “good news” has six supporting parts.

a)   The “good news” is good because it speaks the truth about our human nature. We all need a sense of knowing that God is part of us and we are part of God. That’s why Jesus is one of us; so that we might be like Jesus. The good news is the truth about us and God. We are united with God and God with us. That’s truth; and that is good news.

b)   The good news is hope. There are least two gospel passages that relate to us that, “nothing is impossible for God.” That’s hope and that is good news. [Matthew 19: 26].

c)   The good news is peace. There is a rift between good people and bad people, between life and death. Only Jesus had victory over good and bad, life and death; over sin and grace. The power of Peace is good news.

d)   The good news is “promise.” Many people think of God in terms of threats. The God of Jesus speaks in promises; God is ready to give more than what we expect. It’s a promise. That’s good news.

e)   The good news is “resurrection.” Death meant the end of all things. With Jesus death is yet another step in life; we call it life after life; that’s good news.

f)    The good news is “salvation.” Salvation is not just escape from sin and liberation from past wrong doings of humanity. Salvation means a whole life and death change. It means living life and dying in the ways of the Lord; for the Lord gives life and death an eternal meaning. Salvation is good news.

      The second big theme from the gospel is “repentance.” The theme of repentance is simple. “Change your mind.” Change your mind about destroying yourselves and others. We can do that with Jesus.

The third big theme from the gospel reading is “believe.” To believe is to take Jesus at His word. Why believe? Because God will make any sacrifice to bring us to Himself. Take Him at His word.

The fourth big theme from the gospel reading is “follow me.” This is a personal invitation from God to all of us. “Be my partners.”  “Follow me.”

Our four themes from the gospel are 1) Good News. 2) Repent. 3) Believe, and 4) Follow. These four themes from the gospel provide guidelines for a partnership with Jesus. The following is a humorous story about partnership with Jesus.

“Finkelstein and Jesus”

Jesus was wandering around Jerusalem when he decided that he really needed a new robe. After looking around for awhile, he saw a sign for Finkelstein, the Tailor. . . So, he went in and made the necessary arrangements to have Finkelstein prepare a new robe for him. A few days later, when the robe was finished, Jesus tried it on – - and it was a perfect fit.

He asked how much he owed. Finkelstein brushed him off, “No, no, no, for the Son of God there is no charge! However, may I ask for a small favor? Whenever you give a sermon, perhaps you could must mention that your nice new robe was made by Finkelstein, the Tailor?” Jesus readily agreed and as promised, extolled the virtues of his Finkelstein robe whenever he spoke to the masses.

A few months later, while Jesus was again walking through Jerusalem, he happened to walk past Finkelstein’s shop and noted a huge line of people waiting for Finkelstein’s robes. He pushed he way through the crowd to speak to him and as soon as spotted him he said, “Jesus, Jesus, look what you have done for my business! Would you consider a partnership?” “Certainly,” replied Jesus, “That’s why I’m here. I am in the business of partnering.”

“Jesus & Finkelstein it is.” “Oh, no, no,” said Finkelstein. “Finkelstein & Jesus,” “After all, I am the craftsman,” said Finkelstein. The two of them debated this for some time.

Their discussion was long and spirited, but ultimately fruitful – - and they finally came up with a mutually acceptable compromise. A few days later, the new sign went up over Finkelstein’s shop: “Lord and Taylor.”

Mother Teresa of India had a tough but rewarding life with Jesus. Asked why she did what she did, she would answer, “because Jesus is everything for me; Jesus is everything for me.”

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, we are challenged by gospel themes that give life, purpose, direction, and peace. When You say, “follow,” please help us to have conviction to follow You in every way, every day. A simple prayer we make in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

All of us grow up hearing a call. Perhaps it was our parents calling us for supper. Perhaps it was our teachers calling us to order in the classroom. Perhaps it was our athletic instructor calling us to make the right play Perhaps it was our music director calling us to sing the correct musical passage with the correct musical notes. Perhaps it was our future wife or future husband calling us to a blessed friendship in marriage. Perhaps it was a pastor or bishop calling us to service in the Church. Perhaps it was Uncle Sam calling us to serve the country. Perhaps it was the Internal Revenue Service calling us to pay our taxes. There are calls all around us.

Samuel got a call from God to be a prophet. St. Peter and St. Andrew got a call from Jesus to be apostles.

Once a person answers the call, the person changes; the person fulfills the requirements of the call; the person grows into the answer; the person becomes the answer to the call. Persons called to marriage become best friends to each other and they become mothers and fathers to children. Persons called to the service format of the country become protectors, peace keepers, and helpful leaders in the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. Persons called to serve the Church become teachers, pastors, missionaries of all sorts, and spiritual leaders of every kind. People become living answers to the call.

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, there are many calls. We know that we are the answer to each call. When You call, and You will, help us to discern what it is You want; what will be pleasing to You; and then, help to do it. Through Jesus we pray, for He is Lord forever and ever.  Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

There is an Epiphany legend that originates somewhere in ancient Persia. The legend goes something like this:  Once upon a time, a long time ago, a star, somewhere in that invisible world, left the heart of God and shot through the universe. It crashed through invisible barriers and then crashed through the invisible barriers of  the visible universe. It moved at the speed of light and all the other stars of the visible universe hushed their glow, dimmed their beauty and bowed their heads as this great star broke all the barriers of time and space. Down it moved, from an uncreated universe to a created universe, down, down toward the earth. Sprung from the heart of God it kept moving, silently, mysteriously, yet majestically. And when it encountered the atmosphere of the earth it split in two, a part of it circling the earth and the other part imbedding itself in the heart of the earth.

Oh yes, observers noted this new star. They  noted the radiance, a new light, coming from above; and they felt the radiance coming from somewhere in the caverns of the earth. It was as if the light of God was above, below, and everywhere. Three old observers, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar charted the movement of this split star and they were overjoyed, filled with hope at what was to come.

There was one observer, however, who disliked the whole event. He was an evil genius. He knew Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They had all been educated together. And Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar knew the evil genius. His name was Sargon. What a sour old person he was. All this talk about a star, a new radiance from within the earth and a light orbiting the earth. Well as fate would have it, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar were on their way to a small village where the new radiance seemed to be found from above and below. They met Sargon. “Tell us, Sargon, have you discovered the meaning of this new light?” “No,” said the evil genius, “but I will.”

As the days passed, Sargon located the inner radiance. It was coming from a small cave tucked in the earth in a Near Eastern village. Sargon noticed a father, a mother, and a newborn child. They had been anticipated by the radiance of the star, both from above, and from below. Sargon only complained, “What’s so special about another newborn child, a newborn to parents who were Jewish peasants?”

On the other hand, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, and any number of curious shepherds were overcome with joy and hope, and a new sense of well being. In fact, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar presented this child with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gifts were remarkable indicators of the destiny of this child clothed in the radiance of a star.

Old Sargon was having nothing of it. If he could not be happy, nobody could be happy. If he had no hope about this world, nobody was allowed to have hope  about  this  world.  If  he  could not believe in a heaven, where a star sprang from the heart of God, then, for sure, nobody was going to believe in a parallel, uncreated universe. Sargon began to assemble his forces. As he went from place to place, he ran into his old friends from Persia, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. His old friends knew that Sargon was up to no good. “Sargon,” they said, “open your heart and your mind and discover this child of Bethlehem, wrapped in the light of a star sent from the heart of God.”

“Nonsense,” said Sargon, “I’m only interested in what this light from the sky will do for me. I’m only interested in what the light from the cave will do for me. To hell with the child and his peasant parents.”

“Have it your way,” said Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. “But Sargon, they said, “your way will not last.” And the three wise men disappeared into the night. They repeated their warning that “your way will not last.” Time passed and Sargon was dead, and gone. But the holy child shines on, forever.

So we pray:  Christ Jesus, sprung from the very heart of God, yet now taking flesh in the heart of this world, radiant light all around us, from within the earth and from the heavens above, You outshine the darkness of ignorance and sin; help us to choose You that outshines the darkness of ignorance and sin, help us to choose You as our hope, our wisdom, our truth. You are King, God, and Sacrifice. As King, You establish a peace not of this world; as God, You redeem us and save us from our destructive, unloving ways; as Sacrifice you gave yourself completely, suffering on a cross to prove Your love for all of us. Help us to choose You and Your ways of living, loving, and dying. For our ways will not last.

Hear our prayer Lord, for we need You. You are  the radiance of God’s wisdom. You are the star that will never set. You are hope that is forever, and love that is never spent. Your ways outlast our ways, and You live forever and ever.   Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

We are celebrating the Octave of Christmas. Today is the last day of the Octave. The Octave started last Sunday, Christmas Day, and includes today the eighth day after Christmas. The octave celebrations have their roots in Jewish practices which were then copied in the early Church, but with a Christian perspective.

The Christmas Octave means that starting with Christmas Day, every day after Christmas Day is a celebration of Christmas Day up to and including the eighth day.

When Jesus was born, in good Jewish style, eight days were designated to celebrate His birth. So in a manner of speaking and in ritual practice, the Jewish families celebrated each day as a birthday. Then came the eighth day. The eighth day had a double meaning. It was first of all, the last day celebration   of     the    birth   of   Jesus.    Secondly, since  it  was  the last day celebration it took on a special significance; instead of just celebrating a birth, the birth took on new meaning derived from the name of the child. On the eighth day, in good Jewish style, the child was circumcised and named. The name gave a special direction to the life of the child. The child was given the name “Jesus,” the name the angel had given Him before he was conceived. The name Jesus implies that the child would take on the direction of being Saviour, Son of God, Son of Mary, Redeemer, Messiah, Lord. His name, Jesus, meant that He would save His people, and all who would believe in Him.

One fellow in the parish commented that he thought that the eighth day after Christmas was Epiphany. I explained, “no,” that the Epiphany is the twelfth day after Christmas. The eighth day is the day of Circumcision, the day of naming the child. We also call the eighth day, the Solemnity of the Motherhood of Mary. We honor Mary as Mother of the Saviour, Mother of Jesus who is Son of God, Lord, Messiah, and Redeemer.

Now we move to the end of Jesus’ life. There is a special octave, a special eight day occurrence.

On Palm Sunday Jesus enters Jerusalem as King, as God, as Sacrifice. He enters Jerusalem as  royal Son of the royal line of David. Jesus enters Jerusalem also as Son of God; His miracles attest to His Divine Power; so do His divine words. He enters as Sacrifice; His love for all of us cost Him His life. Every day for a full week, for a full eight days, Jesus is living out His role as King, God, and Sacrifice. We call these eight days, Holy Week. It is the same themes each day that week. Pontius Pilate admits with a question, “So you are a King?” The leaders of Jerusalem convict Jesus of claiming to be God. And Jesus is led to the sacrifice of the cross. Then on the Eighth Day, Jesus is given a new direction, a new dimension; on the eighth day Jesus rose from the dead. The meaning of His resurrection is cosmic. All creation suddenly has an eight day meaning, all creation takes a step from sin to redemption and from death to life, life in the resurrection. Yes, on that eighth day, not only did Jesus change, but Jesus changed all creation with Him. Life moved on to a new dimension, to a new day of creation. All life moved on to an eighth day event, the Day of Resurrection.

Now the same fellow in the parish asked me if there were now eight days in the week. I said, “no.” The “eight day title” simply gives the seventh day a new meaning, a new direction, just like the octave of the birth of Jesus did when He was born; just like Easter Sunday does for Holy Week.

There is an old expression which comes from antiquity, “eight day wonder.” And that is what Jesus was and is. That’s what the octave of Christmas means. That’s what Holy Week means: “Jesus is an eighth day wonder.”

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, Your birth, life, and death changed all of us, and all of creation. Thank you for what You accomplished for us in the two,  eight day experiences. Hear our prayer for You live forever and ever.   Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Catholic Church

Yellow Springs, OH

It is believed that it happened in 1223. In that year, in a town called Gubbio, something wrong was happening, something terribly wrong. When the citizens of Gubbio awoke in early December of 1223, lo and behold, there was nothing left of the night travelers. And there was not one victim, but many victims around the town of Gubbio. Those who ventured out at night were suddenly and viciously reduced to a bag of bones.

Well, the town of Gubbio, was filled with  merchants and businessmen. “This must stop,” said the mayor of Gubbio, “we cannot afford to have our businesses interrupted by some phantom monster reducing our citizens to a pile of bones during the night.” So the mayor of Gubbio, the town council, and a group of businessmen decided that they should keep watch over the town during those cold, cold  nights  of  early  December  in  1223.  So  the mayor appointed special guards. But all the guards proved to be failures. The phantom still attacked; and where it attacked, there was only a bag of bones of what was a human being.

Well, the town council, the mayor, and all the businessmen were in quite a quandry over what to do. Until, until a little woman in the corner of the council chamber spoke up. She was an old, old woman, a merchant woman, wise in her business but also holy. She had a “spiritual” connection to things. And so this old, old, wise woman told the proud mayor, the town council, and the business representatives that they should watch at the entrance of the city. “Look for the orange/yellow eyes. The eyes will appear across the field, a distance from the city,” she said. “Watch carefully.” So the mayor and the town council all took up positions on the city wall at the front gate. And, lo and behold, sure enough, at midnight from the forest beyond  came  the  terrible  looking    orange/yellow  eyes.   Out   of   the woods, across the field, up to the wall, up and over the city wall, into Gubbio went the eyes; and the shadow of the phantom disappeared into its streets.

The next morning all gathered at the town hall. And once again the town police reported to the mayor, the town council, and the business representatives that sure enough there was a bag of bones of some poor person who had been destroyed by this phantom.

“Phantom?” cried the old, wise woman, “it is no phantom. In your history it has happened before, it is the wolf of the night,” she said, “it is the wolf of Gubbio.”

All of the town council, the mayor, and the business people looked at her in amazement, with eyes wide open! “What shall we do?” questioned the mayor of Gubbio.

The wise old woman said that they must talk to the wolf and persuade it from devouring the citizens of Gubbio.

“How can we do that?” questioned the mayor. “Go  over  to  the  town  of  Perugia,”  she  said, “there in the town of Perugia is a man who can talk to animals. Get the man and bring him to Gubbio and have him talk to the wolf so that the wolf will not devour the citizens of Gubbio.”

The proud mayor, the town council and a delegation of businessmen decided they would visit Perugia to find the man who could talk to animals.

When the delegation arrived at Perugia, they asked, “Where is the man was who speaks to animals?” The citizens of Perugia knew about the man who spoke to animals and pointed him out. “There he is, that little man laying brick on the wall of the old church.”

So the proud mayor of Gubbio persuaded the little, unassuming man to travel to Gubbio and to talk to the wolf.

That same evening, deep in December, on the darkest night, December 21, 1223, the little man was asked to go across the field into the woods and talk to the wolf.

The little man did as they requested.

It was midnight and the little man walked across the field and into the woods. It was so dark that the poor little man could see nothing. So the little man closed his eyes, stretched out his hands and walked forward. Then, suddenly, the little man could sense with his hands the presence of the large, black wolf with orange/yellow eyes. The wolf was snarling and angry and ready to pounce on the little man.

But the little man spoke, “Brother wolf; brother wolf, the people of Gubbio have sent me to talk to you;   to   remind   you   not  to  kill;   to  keep   God’s commandments and to be a good loving creature of God.”

The wolf snarled and blinked. Then the wolf spoke, “They have taken my land and I am hungry. They have taken my hills and pasture and so I have no food. They have fenced in the stream and so I have no water to drink. No food, no water, and no place to live except to hide in these woods. I am forced to visit the city and eat what I can find.” “I will speak to the mayor and to the people. I will tell them to feed you,” said the little man. “But you must promise not to break the commandments. You must promise never to kill again in the city of Gubbio.” “Yes,” said the wolf, “I promise.” The little man returned to the city of Gubbio. It was early in the morning. The proud mayor was anxiously waiting the return of the little man. “What do you have to say?” questioned the proud mayor. “Feed your wolf,” said the little man. “What? What does that mean?” questioned the proud mayor.

The little man told the proud mayor that the wolf promised never to kill a human being; but that you must promise to feed him. “Feed your wolf each night,” said the little man.

“Feed the wolf, our wolf? That is not our wolf and I’ll not feed it,” cried the proud mayor. But that night in December, the darkest time of the year, other citizens had other ideas. Beginning with the wise old woman and continuing with many more wise people, they fed the wolf, the wolf of Gubbio. Yes, late in the evening, close to midnight, one door opened in a house with the light of a candle. A hand reached out of the door holding a dish of food. Then another door and then another. That night at midnight, the phantom wolf with eyes of yellow/orange, that night, a wolf was tamed and fed, and at the break of morning, there was not a bag of bones to be seen in all of Gubbio, and every citizen was safe.

A few days later, so the legend goes, on the 24^th of December, in the region of Assisi, in the town of Greccio, right before the stroke of midnight, the first live nativity scene was on display. It was a fascinating sight. There were real people portraying the persons of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary; and there were sheep, an ox, a donkey, shepherds, and, oh yes, the little man from Perugia was there. His name was Francis; Francis of Assisi. But that’s not all: Out of the woods and up over the city walls came a phantom, with yellow/orange eyes. It was the wolf. But this time it crept close to Francis. They knew each other. Then the wolf went toward the Nativity Scene, the first live one since Christ was born. The wolf came close to one of the shepherds, and the shepherd put his arm around the wolf and the wolf bowed its head in adoration of the Christ Child, Jesus. St. Francis was there and made it happen. And in nativity scenes all over the world, from that time onward, we will see a shepherd with a dog. But citizens of Gubbio will say differently. “That is not the shepherd’s dog, it is the Wolf of Gubbio.”

The point of our story is to say that Francis was chosen to teach the citizens of Gubbio to bring a holy balance to nature. The field, the forest, the land and the stream were all selfishly commandeered by humans.

The citizens of Gubbio had to make up for their selfish sins instead of blaming the phantom wolf. But long before Francis, there was Christ, foretold by prophets, announced by John the Baptist, and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus tamed the wolf of impaired human behavior, the wolf of evil begetting evil inside each of us. These evils are the sins of pride, selfishness, and greed, at the expense of all other creatures. The cycle of taking and hurting seemed to continue without end by the citizens of this world, until, until at the right moment, the Son of God became flesh. In him there was no sin, no guile, no greed,   and   no   selfishness.   Rather,   there   was balance, and beauty, truth, wisdom, understanding, care and unreserved love; in Him was the active concern of giving of one’s self without unwarranted taking. In the Christ Child was the balance and proportion of all nature and all humanity.

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, You came to restore balance and unity to all creation. Lord Jesus, curb our inclinations to hurt each other. Let us not cause others to become evil because of our evil. Teach us to live with each other, to seek the common good and to love unselfishly just as You unselfishly loved us. We ask this in Your name for you live forever and ever.   Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

Once upon a real time, a long time ago, under the same stars, under the same heavenly constellations that astronomers view today a wondrous event occurred. An invisible universe was joined to the visible universe. Heaven was joined to earth. Divinity embraced humanity.

Once upon a real time, a long time ago, a unique star appeared in the heavens as a sign to the world that things were changing; that the old chains of sin and death were about to be broken through the birth of a Saviour. Angels announced this birth of a boy-child, born in Bethlehem. Shepherds heard the glad tidings, “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth.” The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found the child just as the angels described. It was a child of the house and lineage of King David, born of Mary, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, and found in a stable. The event was an occurrence of opposites; it was a paradox. How and why should God be fully human and fully divine? And yet, that is what we celebrate.

Wise sages from the east saw the special star at its rising, and guided by this ethereal sign, three monarchs, wise in the ways of the world and in the ways of God, made their way to Jerusalem of Judea. Their names were Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. Upon finding the child they presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold is for a King. Frankincense is for God. And Myrrh is for sacrifice and death. And surely this child was King, God and Sacrifice. He is King of all creation. Without Him, nothing came into being. He is God’s own Son, co-equal with the Father for all eternity, yet now visible in time and space, at a particular hour and place. And He is the sacrificial event that changed the world.

It was during the reign of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus, that this child was born. His reputation as Son of David, with miraculous powers and messianic redemptive qualities, caused consternation in the mind of King Herod and confusion in all Jerusalem.

The wise sages, knowing better, and fearing the cruelty of King Herod, returned to their own land under cover of darkness and secrecy. For the world, while it was made through the Son and takes its created integrity from him, who is the perfect idea of creation and who is forever united with the uncreated God, the world knew nothing of these things and so knew Him not. This child was light for the children of God, hope for the sinner and resurrection for the dying and the dead. But the world knew Him not.

Can it be that through this Child, heaven was wed to earth, divinity to humanity, an invisible world to a visible world?

Many attested to this Saviour of the world. John the Baptist was his forerunner and herald. Martha and Mary witnessed His power, His healing, the miraculous raising of Lazarus. Apostles, too, affirmed the presence of this God-man on earth.

Wherever He went, all knew that the life of the Saviour was “love following upon love.” There was no guile in Jesus; no sin; no selfishness; no ulterior motives to gain power, wealth, or the world. Rather, His power was in the Word that He spoke; the healing He rendered, and the peace He shared. It was a peace not of this world and yet it was a peace we cannot do without. But because of the paradox of His life and the paradox of His preaching, that He would teach us how to die in order to live; to die to selfishness and so rise to a life of love and service for God and for neighbor – - no, no. The world was not ready for that mystery, the “paschal mystery.” It was not ready for the new Passover of the Lord.

Certainly, if He wanted His own kind of paschal mystery, He could have it. So the world handed Him suffering and death. The world could see no benefit in this suffering Servant of God; so let Him have His suffering and death.

Yes, despite all the rejection, He was born to share the Life and Love of God, even if it cost His life; and that is what happened. But God cannot be contained, not even by death. And He rose from death and He rose from the doubts imposed upon Him.

Once, a long time ago, once upon a real time, a child who was Jesus of Nazareth, was born of the Virgin Mary. Once a long time ago, through this Infant King, heaven was wed to earth; divinity embraced humanity and we were never the same.

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, through the wonder of the Incarnation you took on our human nature. Lord Jesus, You are Emanuel, God with us. When we despair of our human nature, You give us hope. When we cannot believe in ourselves, or in each other, You give us a reason to believe. When we lose all heart and affection for each other, You restore  our  love;  for  You  are Love eternal and we see in You the ultimate gift of self-giving. Help us to give of ourselves to each other as You gave yourself to us. Lord Jesus, our nature is a paradox, a riddle strung out between heaven and earth; between the visible and invisible; between humanity and divinity; between mortality whereby humans die, and immorality whereby there is no death, no time, but only the present, and presence of God. Through the Eucharist that we celebrate, Your eternal real presence is made known to us, shared with us, at Your command, in this experience of word and communion. Teach us by Your infancy that we are to approach You and love You without fear just as the shepherds and holy sages approached the child that was You, and took You into their yearning hearts; they were changed forever, happy forever. And dear Lord, if for some of us this is all too impossible to accept, may Your saving presence at this Mass help us. Lord Jesus, You are truth beyond all verification; You are wisdom  beyond  all  reasonableness;  You are love beyond all desire. You are the miracle of the ages, witnessed by Apostles, Martyrs, and Saints. You are the beginning and the end of all things, the Alpha and the Omega. Help us, at this Mass, to give thanks for the wonder, mystery, and reality of Your birth, and for all that You have done for us. We ask this prayer in Your name for You live forever and ever.   Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

A third Advent candle is burning. Violet vestments turn to Rose vestments. The Advent readings continue to point to a coming Messiah. The Messiah’s name shall be “Emmanuel, God with us.” John the Baptist is His herald. Mary is His mother. The first words of the old Introit, are “Gaudaete in nomino Domini iterum dico Gaudaete.” “Rejoice in the name of the Lord, again I say rejoice.”

“Rejoice?” questioned the old disgruntled, lapsed catholic?  “Rejoice?” the old man kept asking the little girl? “Rejoice, when the economy is flat; rejoice when the Arab world seems to explode on all fronts; rejoice when the Euro has no value; rejoice when the major corporations seek profit over democracy; rejoice when democracies are teetering for lack of leadership; rejoice?” The old man had not been a practicing catholic for years.

Well, the little girl looked at the old man and then looked at the cross she was wearing and said, “I believe in Jesus. He will save me from the problems all around me. That’s why I wear this cross.”

“Mush and nonsense,” said the older, disillusioned lapsed catholic. Then the old man looked at the little girl and said, “The cross was an instrument of extreme torture and death. It was meant for criminals, not the so called Son of God. It was the ‘electric chair’ of the Roman Empire. Would you wear an electric chair around your neck? Tell me girl, what would you do? Would you wear an electric chair around your neck if Jesus had been killed in one?”

And the little girl, just about ten years old, looked at the poor, old disillusioned lapsed catholic and said, “Sir, if it meant my salvation I would wear it. That’s why I wear the cross.” And she is right.

“Gaudaete in nomino Domini;” Rejoice in the Lord always.

So we pray:  Lord Jesus your first coming was surrounded by signs and wonders; by a voice crying in the wilderness; by an angel appearing to Mary. Your advent, Your birth, Your life and ministry, O Lord, all pointed to and ended with Your death on the Cross, the Cross which is a sign of contradiction.  We rejoice in You Lord Jesus and in Your cross. Come, Emmanuel, God with us, and we shall be saved. A prayer we make in the name of Jesus.   Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

It seems that Advent has “rolled around” pretty early this year. The first Sunday of Advent was November 27^th. The second Sunday of Advent was December 5^th. In all of this suddenness  we hear traditional voices speaking to us through the scriptures. “A voice in the wilderness cries out.” “Prepare, prepare the way; the Lord will make His presence known.”

The question for us this Sunday, the second weekend of Advent is, “are we preparing?” “Are we preparing for the coming of the Lord?” Are we preparing for the arrival of the Lord at Christmas Time and at the End Time? Christmas Time celebrates the once, and historical birth of Jesus. The End Time remembrance prepares us for the second coming of Jesus, when everything will be judged and assimilated into the Kingdom of God.

Are we prepared for Christmas Time and the End Time? Perhaps the greater question is, “are we prepared for Christ who is coming to us all the time?”

A helpful suggestion for our Advent preparation might be to observe nature. I have observed a “squirrel-friend” of mine. He sits outside my window. He is very frisky and is always on the move. But when the North West wind begins to blow, he turns into the wind, and takes several minutes to think about the change that’s coming.

Likewise, I have observed a short tailed gossiger (a hawk) in my back yard. She keeps an eye on the squirrels. She has specific predatory habits. But when the North West wind begins to blow, she turns into the wind and takes several minutes to think about the change that coming.

I have also observed the deer as I drive to St. Charles. During the summer the deer are quicker to skitter across the road. As the North West begins to blow, they stop and turn into the wind. In my rear view mirror I observe that the deer spend time thinking about the change that is coming.

I suggest that all of us face the winter winds. I suggest that we face the current challenges that surround us: The world economy; the issue of corporate greed and corporate power as opposed to democratic power; the emerging Arab world; and the debt crisis of Europe. I suggest that change is in the air and that we will need Christ as our companion, our mentor, our peace maker, and our Savior. I suggest that we face the winds of change knowing that there is an unchangeable power Who wants only for our good. Once we sense that Christ is there, in the winds of change, while He himself is changeless, we attain a certain confidence to take the next steps. But start first by facing the wind.

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, help us to appreciate the arrival of Your presence among us. Your presence is in Your Word, in Your Eucharist, and in each of us; help us to appreciate Your presence at Christmas Time and at the End Time and we shall be saved. In your name we pray for You live forever and ever.  Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH

Each year, at this time of year, at the end of November, and the beginning of December, we recall ancient messages from the scriptures. We sing “O Come Emmanuel.” We light the Advent candles. We hear ancient words from ancient prophets.

I would suppose that most of us have a difficult time trying to understand our prophetic messages that are perhaps three thousand years old, maybe older, say four or five thousand years old. What do all those ancient words have to with us? In answer to our question, the great Catholic Church tells us that those ancient words relate that God was taking charge of the Universe.

During Advent we remember that the plan of God’s love for us unfolds more clearly with the advent of a saviour, God’s own Son.

It is so beautiful that a Supreme Being would desire that His only begotten Son should visit this planet, should adopt us a brothers and sisters, and should give our human nature an eternal dignity. It’s a wonderful thought to think that this planet is now joined to an unseen Universe; joined to invisible beings called Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; joined to angelic beings and joined to other saints who have made the crossing from life through sin and death, and back to life.

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, help us to prepare our hearts for the great celebrations of Advent and Christmas. We believe that the coming of Christ changed everything. We believe that through Christ we have a destiny and a reason to live, and to live beyond human life in what is the world to come. Lord, as Your prophets prepared a waiting world for the First coming of Jesus, so too, help us to be ready when He comes again. We ask this through Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs,OH

Once upon a time, a long time ago, when the leaves of the trees had fallen to the ground and there was a sense of chill in the air, the swallows of Salzburg decided it was time to head south across the mountains of Austria; across the Balkans’; past Greece, over the Mediterranean Sea and into sunny Egypt. Yes, that’s where they were headed, to spend their winter in sunny, warm Egypt. And so all the beautiful swallows of Salzburg flocked together and headed south, all except one whose name was Hesi, because he was always so hesitant about everything, even flying south. Oh, Hesi wanted to chase butterflies and bugs, and make a splash in the pond and scare frogs. So he did. Even though there was a chill in the air, Hesi the swallow, did not leave Salzburg. Like his name, Hesi was hesitant. He kept chasing butterflies and bugs. He made a splash in the pond and scared the frogs. But one day, at the end of November, it was cold. So the little swallow finally decided it was time to go. Time to fly south, to warm and sunny Egypt. There he would catch up with his family and friends and spend the winter with them.

Hesi flew for about six days. On the seventh day he decided that he must rest. He spotted a beautiful town beyond the mountains, sitting in a warm valley. There is where he would rest. And so he did. He flew right to the center of town. And there in the center of town was a strange statue. Oh, it was a beautiful statue but the little swallow knew nothing about the area, knew nothing about the town, and knew nothing about the statue. Yes, Hesi, the hesitant swallow, flew right up to the feet of the statue, found a cozy spot and immediately fell asleep.

But lo, and behold, the swallow woke up. It was raining. But he looked at the sky and there were no clouds. What was going on? Well the swallow was hesitant to move from his cozy spot. So he stayed put and fell fast asleep, only to be awakened again. He looked up. The statue of the little prince was crying. “Crying?” he said to himself. The swallow flew up to the nose of the statue and perched there. The little swallow began to speak to the statue, “See here, you are not allowed to cry and shed tears. You are getting me all wet. And I don’t like to be wet.” Well, the statue of the little prince spoke, and the swallow was startled. The little prince said, “There are three things left undone that you must do for me.” “Now see here Mr. Prince, or whoever you are, I’m on my way south to warm and sunny Egypt. And I need my rest.” The statue began to speak again which surprised the swallow. “Take the sapphires that are my blue eyes and bring them over yonder to that poor grandmother who will not survive the winter, because she will freeze, and you will make her happy; and I will be happy,” said the prince.

Now there was something irresistible about the manner and way the little prince said everything. So Hesi, the hesitant swallow, said, “Oh, alright, just this one time. Then I must sleep.” So the little swallow worked very hard and removed the two blue sapphires and flew them over yonder to the poor grandmother. Then the swallow flew back to the statue and said, “Okay, Mr. Prince, or whoever you are, the sapphires are delivered.” “Fine,” said the little prince, “now you must take the rubies from my belt and fly them over yonder to that poor student who will starve this winter without the help of my rubies. You will make him happy, and I will be happy.” Well, Hesi, the hesitant swallow, said, “Oh, alright. Just this one time, then I must sleep.” So the swallow worked very hard to remove the rubies from the belt, which he did. And he flew them over yonder to the poor student. And the swallow flew back to the statue. “Okay, Mr. Prince, or whoever you are, the rubies are delivered. And say, what is your name?” asked the swallow. The statue spoke, “I am the Happy Prince, but I cannot be happy until you help me. There were three things left undone that must be done. Two tasks are accomplished, and now the third must be accomplished.” The Happy Prince was even more persuasive than before. So, Hesi, the hesitant swallow, said, “Okay, if it will make you happy I’ll do it. What do you want done?” The statue said, “You must peel off all the gold edging on my cape and bring it over yonder to that young mother so that she and her children will have clothes for the  winter. That will make her very happy, and I will be happy.” “Okay,” said the little swallow, “but just this one favor and no more.” So the swallow worked very hard to peel off the gold, and once it was rolled up into several beautiful gold nuggets, the swallow flew each nugget over to the young mother and her children, (for her husband had died and she was all alone.) The swallow made his way back to the  statue and reported that the mother received the gold.

The Prince was very happy that he had given away the most valuable things he had. “Now little swallow you may go. Three things undone are now done. And thank you. You made me very happy because you made others happy. Thank you little swallow. Enjoy the warm, sunny beautiful weather of Egypt.”

Then Hesi, the hesitant swallow, made a profound remark, “No, I cannot go to Egypt. My energy is gone. I have no strength and I am going to die. But for the first time in my hesitant life, I am happy that others are happy. I am happy that I helped the Happy Prince.” And the little swallow died at the foot of the Happy Prince, a Prince who had changed his life. And the little swallow was happy forever, in another place, with the Eternal Happy Prince. (Story adapted from Oscar Wilde,)

So we pray:  Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of all happiness. You are the inspiration that moves our hearts to share Your love.  Help us to help others and we will be changed. Help us to do Your  will  every  day,  all  the  time, until You call us home at the hour of our death, for you live forever and ever. Amen.

Rev. A. J. Geraci

St. Paul Church

Yellow Springs, OH