Sunday Sermon - 12.29.24
LATIN MASS: SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
EPISTLE: Galatians 4:1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father: 3 So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law: 5 That He might redeem them who were under the Law: that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father. 7 Therefore now He is not a servant, but a Son. And if a Son, an heir also through God.
Calling God as Our Father is considered normal to us today, because it has been proclaimed for two thousand years. But this is revolutionary and stunning when you study all other religions and beliefs prior to Christianity. When Our Lord taught us that the Father would also become OUR Father, that was a complete seismic shift in everything. The entire relationship of humanity with God was changed. God was always King and Lord, but to become a member of His Family is mind blowing when you ponder over it. It is blasphemy to make this claim in other religions. They consider is blasphemy to say that man can be a son of God and part of His Family. Always remember that you were enrolled into the family of God and given His family Name when you were baptized. It’s not just a nice turn of phrase to be baptized into the “Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost”. You are being given His Name. Just as a baby receives the last name of their family, so too do we receive His Name in baptism. So let’s behave as we should and always give honor to His Name by conducting ourselves as obedient children of God.
GOSPEL: Luke 2:33 And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: Behold this Child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; 35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37 And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the Temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. 38 Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. 39 And after they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth. 40 And the Child grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in Him.
Our Lord is the fall and resurrection of many. Note the order here. He is the standard against which we will be judged, and He can lift us up to that standard after we have fallen. He can resurrect us to His life. We must also note that a sword pierces Our Lady’s heart. This spiritual sword that pierces her heart happens during the Passion, when Our Lord has the sword driven into His side. It is this sword to Our Lady’s heart that ultimately causes her death. She suffers for many years with this pain, suffering it in silence to offer it up for us.
NOVUS ORDO: FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
OLD TESTAMENT: Sirach 3:2 For the Lord honors a father above his children, and He confirms a mother’s right over her children. 3 Those who honor their father atone for sins, 4 and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure. 5 Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children, and when they pray they will be heard. 6 Those who respect their father will have long life, and those who honor their mother obey the Lord; 7 they will serve their parents as their masters. 8 Honor your father by word and deed, that his blessing may come upon you. 9 For a father’s blessing strengthens the houses of the children, but a mother’s curse uproots their foundations. 10 Do not glorify yourself by dishonoring your father, for your father’s dishonor is no glory to you. 11 The glory of one’s father is one’s own glory, and it is a disgrace for children not to respect their mother. 12 My child, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives; 13 even if his mind fails, be patient with him; because you have all your faculties do not despise him. 14 For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and will be credited to you against your sins
The commandment to honor our father and mother is not a suggestion. It’s not a “best practice” or a good rule of thumb. It is a commandment. In fact, it is the very FIRST commandment after the commandments that address God and the Sabbath. This commandment is the most important commandment in dealing with each other and humanity. (The Ten Commandments are ordered in priority, with the first being most important)
All of society is based upon the family, and our society falls apart when the family is broken. Honoring our father and mother even is credited against our sins, because it is so important.
(Quick note: Sometimes with dangerous or destructive family members, honoring them is praying for them and their salvation even if we must separate ourselves from them and their destructive behavior.)
ALTERNATE OLD TESTAMENT: 1 Samuel 1:20 In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.” 21 The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there forever; I will offer him as a Nazirite for all time.” 23 Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to Him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” She left him there for the Lord.
This story is hard for us to understand. But consider that Hannah suffered many many years of infertility, while at the same time her husband’s other wife would mock and insult her because she could not have children. She suffered this abuse for an exceedingly long time. Yet she had faith and prayed fervently for a child. She, as a typology for the New Covenant, was ready to offer everything including her only son to the Lord. This prefigures the love of the Father that He has for us when He did not even withhold His only Son from us.
NEW TESTAMENT: Colossians 3:12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one Body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.
Oh NO! It’s the subjection verses! Our society simply cannot handle the how God ordered the family and mankind. It fights against and rejects the natural patriarchal order of the family. This has caused so much disorder and chaos that we see in society today. Families have disintegrated and collapsed. Wives will not be subject to their husbands and husbands will not lead nor love their wives. Wives boss around their husbands and husbands grovel towards their wives. Wives lose their feminine nature and men lose their masculine nature. Families have become toxic and society has fallen into ruin because of it.
ALTERNATE NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when He is revealed, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; 22 and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we obey His commandments and do what pleases Him. 23 And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us. 24 All who obey His commandments abide in Him, and He abides in them. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit that He has given us.
Notice how the salvation and generosity of God are conditional on obeying Him? So many in our Church and society want to pretend that God will save us even while we refuse to obey Him. Do not be fooled by this lie. God will not be mocked, and those who claim that we are saved by faith alone are mocking God. Obedience to Him is required for salvation.
GOSPEL: Luke 2:41 Now every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it. 44 Assuming that He was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for Him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. 46 After three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When His parents saw Him they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us like this? Look, Your father and I have been searching for You in great anxiety.” 49 He said to them, “Why were you searching for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what He said to them. 51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
At twelve years old, Our Lord was asking questions of the spiritual leaders in the Temple which confounded even them. They were learning from Him because His questions were Socratic in nature and exposed the truth to them even while in question form. Our Lady and St. Joseph had to look for Him for 3 days. While traumatic for them, this helped to prepare Our Lady for His Passion and death, where He was hidden from Our Lady in the tomb. She was prepared to endure this pain because Our Lord had given her this blessing of the struggle to find Him when He was younger. Our Lady treasured the finding of Our Lord in the Temple.