Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  4 th Sunday of Advent Gospel Matthew 1:18-24 Loyal, Brave and True St. Joseph Chapel, Nazareth My favorite movie at the moment (I’ve only watched it 8 times so far) is Mulan, a live-action Disney film about a father’s love and devotion to his young daughter and her sacrifice to save her family’s honor.   She disguises herself as a man to take her father’s place in the Emperor’s army to help defeat an enemy.   She steals off in the night and takes with her the armor and sword of her father.   Etched on the sword are 3 words: Loyal, Brave and True!   It is a tale of love and sacrifice. Those virtues are the key theme throughout the film.   Mulan is loyal (faithful) to her family and her father.   She is brave (courageous), fierce and gifted with the sword.   But she is also dishonest in disguising herself (not true).   In the end, the battle is won only after she reveals herself.   And the film ends with a scene of atonement, re...

  Saturday 4 th Week of Advent Gospel – Luke 1:26-38 Called to Be! Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth I am called William Joseph Frere Jr.   And where did that name come from?   I am the first-born son of my father William Joseph Frere.   I am named after my father!   I carry his name, his memory, his example and guidance, within me every day! Years ago when Ginger and I were looking over options to name our soon to be born daughter, we settled on Jamie!   However, we still wanted it to be unique, special. So we changed the spelling to Jaime.   As it turns out, if you add an apostrophe, it becomes J’aime – in French – I love!   So very appropriate! We hear in today’s Gospel the story of the naming of the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth – John the Baptist!   “ Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great i...

  Friday – 3 rd Week of Advent Gospel – Luke 1: 5-25 A Righteous Couple The Jordan River   It feels a bit like déjà vu in today’s Gospel, a revisiting of Mary’s Annunciation as well as Joseph’s dream from yesterday.   Zechariah, a Jewish priest, and his wife Elizabeth are both called ‘righteous’ like Joseph but they are an elderly couple and childless.   Gabriel appears to him and tells him they will have a son (John the Baptist).   Zechariah, like Mary, is troubled.   But in this instance, he is also fearful – something neither Mary nor Joseph showed – fearful enough that Gabriel has to calm him with “do not be afraid.”   There is even a feeling we are watching Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament as they are told they will have a son in their old age. For Zechariah, the initial response is one of fear and doubt – how can this be?   But as Gabriel explains the ‘good news’, those emotions transform into hope and joy.    How ...