Tag Archives: Joy

December 23, 2015

Christmas – The Nativity of the Lord

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Birth of Jesus - Gerard_van_Honthorst_001

Study:  Consider your life.  Are there any parts that are wounded?

Pray:  Invite the infant Jesus into the humble stable of your heart.  He is familiar with simple surroundings; nothing you have is too poor, and everything you offer will be warmly received.

Serve:  Is there some way you can be a bridge that unites others this Christmas?  Some way that you can unite, heal, or help?

The Readings of Christmas:

Midnight Mass Podcast from the Cathedral – 95 Minutes

Fr. Andrew’s Christmas Homily Podcast

The birth of the Lord celebrates a great mystery: God takes on our human form in the person of Jesus.  Fully human and fully divine, the Son of God and the Son of Mary – Jesus comes into our world with a mix of what seems like incompatible qualities:

  • Born into poverty, yet bequeathed gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh
  • Greeted by working class shepherds, but sung to by a heavenly host of angels
  • Followed by violence from King Herod, yet guided by the angel Gabriel
  • Limited by human weakness, yet free from sin

Why are these extremes so great?  Why do we see in Jesus both the lowliness of our human limits and the heights of God’s glory?  To put it simply, Jesus Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth.

Think about it.  Because of sin we have been divided from God and one another.  Isolated by fear, temptation, weakness, sin and lies, we often find ourselves cut off from the Lord and at odds with those around us.  While the media is filled with examples of this division, we really only have to look into our own hearts to find the struggle that is part of the human condition.

And this is why Christ was born – to restore our relationships and unite us with a strength that is greater than anything we can do on our own.  Born like us, he enters our world so that we can know God; as the the Son of his Heavenly Father he will one day destroy the power of sin and death when he carries his Cross to die and rise that we might have eternal life.

Jesus forms the bridge that allows us to span the void caused by our sins.  He offers mercy and forgiveness to reconcile our hearts to God, and through this forgiveness our relationships on earth are renewed.  We are united; we are connected; we are graced with divine love, peace, and joy.

Where are the gaps in your heart this Christmas?  Where do you see the need for Jesus Christ to restore what was broken or wounded?  Draw strength from the one who knows exactly what it feels like (he is fully human after all) and yet has the grace to make it whole (which comes from his power as the Son of God.)

And may this Christmas bring healing and hope to your heart!  Merry Christmas, my friends!

***************

The Adoration of the Shepherds, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne, Germany.

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December 20, 2015

4th Sunday of Advent – Leap for Joy! Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

Fr. Andrew’s 4th Sunday of Advent Homily Podcast

Joy is one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit that flows from the heart of Heaven.  It bubbles up from the Good News that we welcome with eagerness and share with conviction.  Two thoughts as we prepare for Christmas:

  • Where do we discover Joy in our lives?
  • How do we share Joy with others?

May the Joy of Jesus fill our hearts, transform our lives, and spread to those God sets before us today!

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December 14, 2015

4th Sunday of Advent – Leap for Joy

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

leap-foro-joy

Study:  Where do you find joy in your life?  How can you foster joy in your heart?

Pray:  Is there something in your heart that is suffering?  Ask the Lord to touch and bless your concerns.

Serve:  How can you bring joy to others?  How can you share Christ’s love with someone in need?

4th Sunday of Advent Readings

Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast

The encounter between two pregnant women – Mary & Elizabeth – reveals the Good News of Jesus Christ even while he was still in the womb.  Elizabeth carries her son John, a child blessed to her and her husband Zechariah in their old age.  The infant “leaped for joy” in the womb of his mother Elizabeth when Mary (and Jesus) drew near.

I like the phrase “leaped for joy” on many levels:

  • It flows directly from our notion of the Good News of Christ.
  • It speaks to a deep longing in our hearts.
  • It wakes us up to the power and beauty of life right here and now.
  • It challenges us to reconnect with joy, especially when we feel joyless.

Friends, Christmas is just around the corner…are we ready?  I’m not talking about shopping, travel plans, or food preparation – I’m talking about our hearts.  Are we ready to welcome Jesus Christ into our hearts…with JOY?

It is easy to get caught up in the distractions and stresses of life.  Life carries its own challenges, and if we are struggling with added pressure, worry, anxiety and fear it can seem overwhelming.  Sometimes we can empathize with Ebenezer Scrooge!

Yet the Gospel message transforms the listener.  Christ comes into our world to bridge the gap caused by sin.  We have the promise of new life!  Thus, in the remaining days to Christmas, I suggest the following:

  1. Cultivate gratitude for the blessings of your life.
  2. Take time for daily prayer, and offer your deepest needs to the Lord.
  3. Give yourself permission to savor the beauty and delight of the season.
  4. Make an effort to connect with loved ones…and possibly seek reconciliation with enemies.

When Christmas comes will be able to welcome the Christ child with joy?  May this last week of Advent give us the time and opportunity we need to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord.

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April 5, 2015

Easter – Transformed by the Resurrection – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

Fr. Andrew’s Easter Homily Podcast (7 minutes)

This homily was given on April 5, 2015 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, WI.

Their lives were changed; the sorrow cast from the shadow of the Cross is now transformed by resurrection glory…He’s alive!  The grace of Jesus Christ inspired the disciples to go out to the world – carrying their crosses – with the power of the Lord’s triumph.

Christ brings this transformation to us today; his power continues to work in the world.  May we open our hearts to the resurrection…and be transformed!

 

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March 31, 2015

Holy Week Preparations

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Holy Week

Pastoral Note: This post was originally given on April 12, 2014.  I share it once again in the hope that all of us will enter more fully into the gift of this sacred time.  Fr. Andrew

Study:  Recall a time in your life when you experienced death and new life.  Where did you find the strength?  Who helped you through this time?

Pray:  Spend some time reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus this week.  Read Mark 14-16; Matthew 26-28; Luke 22-24; and John 18-21.  Take in as many prayer opportunities as possible in your parish.

Serve:  Who in your life is dealing with life and death issues right now?  How might you be present to them to offer help, comfort, or strength?

**********

We enter into the heart of the Christian mystery: Holy Week offers us a time to pause, reflect, and pray as the Church ponders on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This mystery, often called the Paschal Mystery, recalls us to the saving work of the Lord.  His death frees of from the burdens of sin and death, and his resurrection opens for us the path to eternal life.  This mystery is profoundly experienced over the Triduum – the 3 Great Days:

  • Holy Thursday – the Mass of the Lord’s Supper
  • Good Friday – the Passion of the Christ
  • Easter (Vigil/Day) – the Resurrection of the Lord

On Holy Thursday we find ourselves in Jerusalem, eating with the disciples at the Lord’s Supper and feeling awkward as he washes their feet – wondering how we would react if he did that for us.  We might identify with Peter or Judas – especially when we consider the times we have willingly betrayed or turned our back on the Lord.

On Good Friday we experience the physical pain, emotional abandonment, and personal humiliation on the path to Calvary (also called Golgotha or Skull Place) and look on with horror at the cruel death of Jesus.  We might also consider the times we have helped others – as Simon did when he was forced to carry the Cross of Christ.    And then we stand in profound sorrow with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, helpless as the innocent suffer injustice.

On Easter we wait in vigil and rise early in the morning with Mary Magdalen, only to find to our wonder and joy that the tomb is empty:  Christ is alive!  Our world, like that of the apostles, is changed forever as we experience new hope and life.

A word to the wise – we get out of Holy Week what we put into it.  Here are some simple ways for an incredible experience.

  • Make church services a top priority – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter (Vigil or Day).
  • Take time to read and reflect on the scriptures (see at the top under “Pray”).
  • Make Holy Thursday an opportunity to offer a special act of service or kindness to another.
  • Make Good Friday fasting extra special with a gift to a particular charity that helps the poor.
  • Make Easter a time of gratitude – take a quiet moment to count our blessings and thank the Lord.
  • Find some time throughout this week to tell the people in our lives how much we love them.

May this be a time for all of us to grow closer to the Lord and one another.

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March 26, 2015

Walking with the Lord in Holy Week – Easter – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

This is the 4th of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Fr. Andrew’s Presentation Podcast #4 – Easter (33 minutes)

The power of the Resurrection and subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit transforms the disciples – they have encountered the Risen Lord and no longer fear sin and death.  Rather, they engage the world with Good News and share the gift of their lives with power and joy.  This transformation must always be understood through the double lens of the Cross/Resurrection; only with a clear understanding of the sacrifice of Christ can we begin to truly appreciate the gift of Eternal Life.  Two key concepts surface:

  • Strength
  • Sunrise…of Hope!

Our STRENGTH comes from the Lord.  Through our daily encounter with Christ through prayer and sacrament we our empowered to choose our attitude and seek opportunities to live our faith in the unique and precious moments of each day.

Furthermore, the Good News of Christ leads to a SUNRISE of HOPE.  We recognize that our personal witness is most authentic when our lives exude the hope and joy that come from Christ’s resurrection.  Guided by the Fruits of the Spirit, we can honestly look within our hearts and cast out anything that keeps us from God and one another.

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December 22, 2014

The Feast of Christmas

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Scrooge Christmas

Study: What one thing can you choose to do this Christmas to make it better?

Pray:  Ask God for the help to do that one thing wisely and well!

Serve:  How can you help someone make their Christmas better?

Christmas Readings

Vigil Mass     Mass during the Night     Mass at Dawn     Mass during the Day

Fr. Andrew’s Homily

A Christmas Carol
Part V: Christmas Day

When Scrooge finally awakes on Christmas morning, he is a changed man.  Filled with joy and newfound hope, he begins to live his life very differently from the day before.  Reaching out to the people in his midst, Scrooge recognizes the beauty and richness that has always been around him.

Whether it’s buying an enormous turkey for the Cratchit family, wishing a small boy “Merry Christmas!”, accepting a dinner invitation at his nephew’s home, or raising Bob Cratchit’s salary, what we discover is that Scrooge is transformed.  He has recognized something powerful in his life, and he is following a new course of action.

In the Gospel today Mary greets her kinswoman Elizabeth, who also recognizes something wonderful has happened.  The baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy – a sign that God was present in a powerful way.  Elizabeth understood that God was working in Mary’s life, and she responded to this insight accordingly.

There comes a moment in our lives when we discover something new.  Perhaps we have seen a mistake in the past or regret an action that we have done; at these times we encounter a reason to hope and start over.  We have a reason to live.

The reason?  Christmas joy!  Our lives are transformed by the grace of Christ; through the birth of Jesus all barriers between heaven and earth have been removed and we are united with God.  Once we throw open the doors of our hearts, the power of the Christ child brings a renewal and healing – we live in hope!

It is this sense of hope which can give us new life.  Emerging from doubt or despair, we rediscover that God walks with and among us – helping us in moments of sadness and leading us to peace.  Yet God requires that we actively accept this invitation.  The promise of hope needs our action, and it relies on our willingness to follow.

Scrooge provides an example for us.  With the help of the Spirits of Christmas, he saw a world filled with very different possibilities.  He discovered that he need not be unhappy; he could change his life and embrace the joys which were all around him.  His willingness to see, judge, and act become an inspiration for us – reminding us that life gives us opportunities to change our ways and follow God’s call.

As Elizabeth recognized God’s presence in Mary, we too are invited to discover the Lord in our midst.  May our eyes be open to see God among us, and may we respond with hearts that are open to the abundant love which is our inheritance.

Merry Christmas!

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December 15, 2014

4th Sunday of Advent

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Scrooge Tombstone

Study:  Recall a time when you were confronted with a tough decision.  What helped you to make and carry out your choice?

Pray:  Ask the Lord for the wisdom and guidance to make daily decisions that are filled with grace.

Serve:  Is there someone in your life facing tough decisions right now?  How can you help them?

4th Sunday of Advent Readings

Fr. Andrew’s Homily

A Christmas Carol

Part IV: Scrooge’s Choice

There comes a point in A Christmas Carol where we begin to understand Ebenezer Scrooge.  We’ve seen his past, present, and future – how he’s interacted with people – and we come to crux of the matter: will he make a change?  Will he embrace the warnings and lessons of the Ghosts and chart a new course for his life?

Every person has a story.  Every person has had moments of joy and sadness, success and failure, blessing and burden.  Yet in the course of our lives we have been given the gift of choosing how we will live; the Lord offers us the freedom to accept or reject a life of love.   We, too, have been given opportunities to reflect and decide how we will live.  What do we choose?

In the Gospel today Mary greets her kinswoman Elizabeth, who also recognizes something wonderful has happened.  The baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped from joy – a sign that God was present in a powerful way.  Elizabeth understood that God was working in Mary’s life, and she responded to this insight accordingly.

There comes a moment in our lives when we discover something new.  Perhaps we have seen a mistake in the past or regret an action that we have done; at these times we encounter a reason to hope and start over.  We have a reason to live with joy.

It is this sense of hope which can give us new life.  Emerging from doubt or despair, we rediscover that God walks with and among us – helping us in moments of sadness and leading us to peace.  Yet God requires that we actively accept this invitation.  The promise of hope needs our action, and it relies on our willingness to follow.

Scrooge provides an example for us.  With the help of the Spirits of Christmas, he saw a world filled with very different possibilities.  He discovered that he need not be unhappy; he could change his life and embrace the joys which were all around him.  His willingness to see, judge, and act become an inspiration for us – reminding us that life gives us opportunities to change our ways and follow God’s call.

As Elizabeth recognized God’s presence in Mary, we too are invited to discover the Lord in our midst.  May our eyes be open to see God among us, and may we respond with hearts that are open to the abundant love which is our inheritance.

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December 1, 2014

2nd Sunday of Advent

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Tiny Tim

Study: Recall a time when someone was a source of hope in your life.  How were they present to you?

Pray: Are there situations or circumstances that are difficult right now?  Ask the Lord for the gift of hope to see how to proceed.

Serve: How can you be a source of hope to another?  Who do you know right now that can be strengthened by your presence?

2nd Sunday of Advent Readings

Fr. Andrew’s Homily

A Christmas Carol

Part II: People of Hope

There are a wide variety of people in the story who live with a sense of the Christmas spirit.  They come from many walks of life, with different abilities and skills, yet their genuine understanding of the greater meaning of Christmas makes them excellent examples for us all.

Perhaps it’s Scrooge’s nephew, Fred.  Wishing “Merry Christmas, Uncle Ebenezer!” even when he knows it will result in “Bah, Humbug!” – Fred reminds us that hope continues even when life suggests that all is lost.

We see in the Cratchit family an honest desire to make do with what life has to offer.  Their affection for one another is not dependent on money or gifts, but stems from the life they have built together.  The relish each others joys and feel each others sorrows – living for each other.

Maybe it’s old Fezziwig, the joyous master under whom Scrooge apprenticed.  With his love for food, dance and song, Fezziwig gathered his employees and neighbors in a festive celebration of life.

Scrooge’s sister, Fan, turns out to be a gentle soul who shows great affection and concern for her older brother.  Her life, though short, was marked by the sincere love that leaves a lasting and powerful impression.

Let’s not forget Tiny Tim, the little boy who looked at life as a rich blessing even though his crippled frame prevented him from living like other children.  His spirit, it seems, was far larger than the limits which his body would offer; and his crutch becomes a sign of the weaknesses we all must endure at different times in life.

All of these people stand in contrast to Scrooge.  They find in life reasons to hope – not because everything is always fine or comfortable.  They proclaim, through their words and actions, a message that brings strength and joy.  For in the midst of their struggles they recognize that there is something greater, something which is coming into the world.

Like John the Baptist, we are able to proclaim the presence of the Lord in our lives.  We announce that God is near.  As we discover the Lord among us, may we proclaim a message of hope to all we meet.

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December 30, 2013

Epiphany – Responding to the Light

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Fireworks Galaxy - ngc6946

Study:  When did you experience a moment of profound insight that led you to action?

Pray:  Are there any major decisions or challenges in your life right now?  Pray for the light to see your way, and the courage to carry it out!

Serve:  Is there someone in your life in need of light?  Can you help them understand or give them strength to support their actions?

Epiphany Readings

Think for a moment about all the different ways we respond to light:
* Christmas lights
* Stop and Go lights
* Night lights
* Flashlights
* Candlelight
* Lantern light
* Key chain & Pocket lights
* Car lights
* and many, many, more!

All these lights surround us and help us navigate our everyday activities.  They bring guidance, comfort, joy, understanding, and security to our lives.  Indeed, light is a precious gift that brings meaning and purpose to our world.

Yet it is not enough for light to simply shine upon us; light is the beginning – but it evokes and calls forth a response from us.

Look at it this way.  A stop-and-go traffic light cannot simply be seen; it must be followed and acted upon (or else you are likely to get rear-ended).  Failure to respond to the light leads to difficulty, while those who are guided by the light and act accordingly find their way.

We hear about light in the Gospel today.  The Magi observed the light, and they followed and searched until they understood what it meant.  The light was the beginning; only through their journey and response did they discover the precious gift of Jesus – the Light of the World.

Many saw the light.  It was there in the sky for all to see.  Yet only a few responded and recognized that the starlight was a sign from God.  Thus, it was not enough just to see; for indeed we celebrate those who both saw and acted upon the light.

It is our belief that God continues to shine upon us today.  The Light of Christ burns brightly – in the Scriptures, the Sacraments, moral teachings, our conscience, our prayer, and the comfort and support of family and friends.

Yet even as God is revealed to our world the light alone is not enough.  We, too, are invited to act as the Magi and respond to the light.  May we open our eyes and our hearts this day, recognizing the Lord and responding to His Light.

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