Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord: Weekend of January 7 & 8

In today’s second reading we hear the teachings of Saint Paul
to the members of the Church at Ephesus. He proclaims that
he, and they, are stewards of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and
therefore stewards of God’s loving, unifying and inclusive
grace. He also proclaims that the Holy Spirit is at work
within each of them, if only they would be open to the
Spirit. Today, our world races by with intolerance, violence,
desperate poverty, fear and division. At the beginning of this
New Year, perhaps it is appropriate to reflect on Saint Paul’s
words and ask ourselves how we can be good stewards of
the gospel today. How will we allow the Holy Spirit to work
within us? How can we be better stewards of Christ’s justice
and peace?

Stewardship Saint of the Month: Saint André Bessette, C.S.C.

Saint Andre Bessette was born in 1845 in the village of Saint-Grẻgoire
d’Iberville, in what is now the Archdiocese of Montreal, Canada.
Baptized as Alfred, by the time he was 12 he had to work because
both of his parents had died.

At age 22 he moved to the United States, where he labored alternately in mills and on
farms in New England. He returned to Montreal where
he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1870 with
the encouragement of Father André Provençal, who had
observed Alfred spending whole nights in prayer and sent
a note with Alfred that read, “I am sending you a saint.”
Alfred made his final vows in 1874 and was given
the religious name of André. For some forty years Brother
Andre served as janitor, porter, infirmarian, gardener,
baker of the altar bread and in other capacities at the
College of Our Lady of the Snows near Montreal. In
1905, at age 60, Brother Andre was transferred to
Montreal.

From his childhood Brother Andre had a strong
devotion to Saint Joseph and spent his life promoting
devotion to the foster-father of Jesus. He founded
and helped to build the Oratory of St. Joseph. The
popularity of the oratory grew as it became a place of
pilgrimage because of the many healings attributed to
the intercession of Brother André and Saint Joseph. It was
referred to as the “Lourdes of Canada,” and became one
of the most popular shrines in North America drawing
millions of pilgrims to Montreal.

Much attention centered on Brother André himself
because of the number of cures that were attributed to
him, so many, in fact, that he was called the “Miracle
Man of Montreal.” Brother Andre died on January 6,
1937, at age 91. Over a million mourners processed past
his casket. He was beatified by Saint John Paul II in 1982
and he was canonized a saint in 2010 by Pope Benedict
XVI. His feast is on January 6.

A New Year, New Beginnings for the Christian Steward

The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3000 years. The start of a New Year gives us the feeling of a fresh start, a new beginning, and new opportunities. It is a time when people feel that they can begin anew with their lives. Common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, exercise more and eat healthier; or to spend more time with family. Still others include managing money better and being more organized. Although there is nothing in the Bible or notable in Christian tradition about New Year’s resolutions, many good stewards take advantage of this time of year to become closer to the Lord. They may re-commit themselves to pray more, to read the Bible, or to attend Mass more regularly. If you are looking for some ideas for your New Year’s resolutions, here are a few to get you started:

Practice gratitude – Cultivating a grateful heart is the hallmark of a Christian steward. Every day, express thankfulness to the Lord and to others. Encounter the Lord each day – Find time to be with the Lord each day, whether it be for an hour or ten minutes.

Have a conversation with the Lord. Give your joys and worries to Him as well. Allow God’s love to transform them. Our encounters will keep our eyes and ears open to the presence of Christ in our midst.

Be present to others – There is much celebration and mourning, joy and sorrow in peoples’ lives. What a blessing it is to be able to share those times and not let others experience them alone. The gift of your presence to others is much more valuable than you realize.

Resist overwork – There is a pressure to produce, meet goals, be successful. But activities that lead us to overwork, constant fatigue and worry do not give glory to God. What God calls us to do we can do well. Be mindful that life requires balance, down time and letting go of unrealistic goals.

Nurture friendships – Our friends are those we choose to be with, those with whom we spend our evenings, with whom we vacation, to whom we go to for advice. Friends are gifts from God who give us a greater appreciation of God’s love for us. Friends need our time and love.

Give more – Good stewards realize that everything they have is entrusted to them as a gift to be shared. There is no better place to begin than sharing with the community that gathers around the Lord’s table at Mass. Consider what you are giving to your parish and local diocese and commit to an even greater contribution as circumstances allow.

Make a difference in your parish community – Believe it or not, your parish community can use your talents. Offering your talents to your faith community is one of the most effective ways to feel useful and connected to others, and it is a potentially life-changing New Year’s resolution.

Consider living more simply – We cannot find fulfillment in possessions. They add nothing to our self-worth. Jesus blessed the “poor in spirit” in his Sermon on the Mount; and Saint Francis of Assisi urged us to live with only what was necessary, for that is how we begin to find God.

Get healthy – Studies show that most people in North America are accelerating their own decline into premature old age, owing to poor diet and lack of physical activity. Be a good steward of your body. If necessary, plan a complete overhaul of your diet and exercise habits.

Don’t give up – People give up their New Year’s resolutions because of perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. So take it slow, be kind to yourself and keep trying. Resist the urge to throw your hands up and quit. You succeed through small, manageable changes over time.

Turn to the Lord – Ask the Lord for guidance, strength and perseverance in achieving your resolutions. In his letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul writes: “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13). If God is the center of our New Year’s resolutions, they have a better chance for success.

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

December 25, 2022
Amidst the beautiful Christmas readings at today’s Masses
is a reading from a small New Testament letter from Saint
Paul to his protégé, Titus, read at Midnight Mass. Saint
Paul reminds Titus that God has given us a gift in the
person of Jesus Christ. This gift represents God’s active
presence in our lives and in our world. This gift redeems
us from evil and death. This gift purifies us as God’s
people. This is a gift that also comes with an expectation:
that we receive it with thanksgiving, allow it to transform
us into Christ’s image; and from it, learn how to live a life
“eager to do what is good.” Take time the next few days
to reflect on the marvelous gift we celebrate at Christmas,
and how we might become better stewards of this gift.

St. Stephen – Stewardship Saint for December

The day after Christmas is called “St. Stephen’s Day” to commemorate
the first Christian martyr. It is also this “Feast of Stephen” that is
mentioned in the English Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas.”
Stephen was a Greek-speaking Jew living in Jerusalem. He became
a follower of Jesus Christ and was one of seven individuals chosen by
the twelve apostles to serve tables, look after the distribution of the
community funds (alms), especially to widows, and assist in the ministry
of preaching.
Stephen was also a leader in the Christian group known as the
“Hellenists,” a community that had its own synagogues where the
scriptures were read in Greek. The Hellenist Christians maintained that
the new Christian faith could not grow unless it separated itself from
Judaism and specifically the Temple and the Mosaic law. The Hellenists
also urged the expansion of the Church’s mission to the Gentiles.
The elders in a number of neighboring synagogues opposed Stephen
and the Hellenists and charged him with blasphemy for saying that the
Temple would be destroyed and that Jesus had set aside the Mosaic law
even though Stephen maintained that Jesus came to fulfill the law, not
set it aside.
When dragged before the Sanhedrin, the supreme legal court of
Jewish elders, Stephen made an eloquent defense of the Hellenist
Christian teaching. He charged his accusers of trying to stifle the
movement of the Holy Spirit, of persecuting those who spoke
prophetically and of betraying and murdering Jesus. Then he looked up
to heaven and began to describe a vision he was having of the recently
executed Jesus standing on the right side of God.
The council erupted into a furor and its members began shouting,
covered their ears and ordered Stephen to be dragged outside the city and
executed. As he was being stoned to death, Stephen asked God to forgive
his attackers while the witnesses to his martyrdom placed their cloaks at
the feet of Saul of Tarsus who consented to Stephen’s death. Saul would
later undergo a conversion experience and become Saint Paul.
Saint Stephen was one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages
and in many countries his feast day of December 26 is still a public
holiday. He is the patron saint of deacons and his name is included in
Eucharistic Prayer I of the Mass.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Weekend of December 17/18, 2022
In today’s Gospel we hear of the coming of Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.” We celebrate three
Advents: the birth of Christ, his Second Coming, and his
presence in the world today. Our daily lives are attended
by God’s presence. Indeed, “God is with us.” The Good
News of Christ’s Incarnation is that we are the sign, the
“sacrament,” of Christ’s presence in the world. People are
supposed to see us, see how we love one another, see
how we treat the stranger among us, see how we give
comfort to the poor and afflicted, and share the Good
News with joy. They see how good stewards are the light
of Christ. And there can be no possible response except
to say: “God is here!”