Author Archives: Friar Musings

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About Friar Musings

Franciscan friar and Catholic priest at St. Francis of Assisi in Triangle, VA

Bethlehem and the Prophet Micah

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This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent. In the previous post we explored how the village of Bethlehem was viewed in the time of Jesus’ birth. Today, we consider Bethlehem and the Prophet Micah, an eighth century BC figure (and a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah). Micah prophesied during the reign of Ahaz of whom 2 Chronicles 28 records: “He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done” – and then recounts his many sins and transgressions. Micah shared his people’s disillusionment with the king but encouraged them to hope for a future, worthy messiah. Rather than tolerate the sins of the leaders the Word of the Lord came to Micah to announce that the messiah would end the corruption of the judicial system, idolatry in the Temple and inauthentic worship and establish righteousness for all. Continue reading →

An Odd Story of Blessing

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The first reading today probably strikes you as an odd one to choose leading up to Christmas – at least until you arrive at the final verse of the reading: “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel” (Num 24:17). I suspect most people read that and think, “Oh, makes sense now, Balaam is talking about the Star of Bethlehem.” Maybe. Let’s consider the backstory that brings us to this verse.

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Closer to the Nativity

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The Season of Advent offers us readings that begin with apocalyptic scenes of Jesus’ prediction of the coming destruction of the Temple and the signs of “end times.” It is a gospel taken from Holy Week and seemed a bit out of place in Advent. But one message of the readings was “pay attention” for the signs of a promised age to come. The Season of Advent is a season in preparation of the “three comings of Christ” – in history past with his birth in Bethlehem, in history future at his second coming, and in the present at our reception of Him into our hearts. The gospels for Advent have moved us from the promise of a Messiah to the herald’s ministry of announcing his arrival via John the Baptist in the readings from the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of Advent. We then come to the 4th Sunday of Advent in lectionary cycle C. Continue reading →

Gaudete in Domino semper

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The prophets Zephaniah and John the Baptist are not the two most joyful characters in all of Scripture, yet we hear from them both today. They are paired with the great Advent refrain from the Letter to the Philippians: “Gaudete in Domino semper,” –  “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” This is Gaudete Sunday. Everything about today’s readings call to the people of God to get excited, be demonstrative, and above all be joyful, celebrate, and rejoice. Even the dour, prophet of doom, Zephaniah can’t restrain himself and tells us “Shout for joy…Sing joyfully… Be glad and exult with all your heart!” The book of Zephaniah is only three chapters long, filled with death, doom, fire, flood, pestilence and plague – yet even he tells us to shout for joy!

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Agnus Day’s on 3rd Advent

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Today is the 3rd Sunday in Advent in Year C of the Lectionary cycle. Following upon John the Baptist’s stern warning of the coming day of judgement, people cry out “Teacher, what should be do?” (Luke 3:12). There are lots of commentaries on this passage, but here on Guadete Sunday, let me offer a bit of “joy” from the folks at Agnus Day and their perspective.

The Theology of History

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In Christian biblical studies, “the theology of history” refers to the understanding of history as shaped by God’s purpose and action. Unlike secular views of history, which may see events as random or solely influenced by human actions and natural processes, the theology of history views events within the context of God’s overarching plan, especially as it is revealed in Scripture. This perspective assumes that history unfolds according to God’s will and that each event has theological significance as part of a divine narrative. The key aspects of the theology of history in Christian thought are: Continue reading →

The Promises of God

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There is a lot going on this week: the nation remembers Pearl Harbor, the church remembers St. Ambrose and St. Lucy, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the Season of Advent continues. And then there is the whole of “Christmas things.” We all are getting busy about many things and our list of things to do just gets a little longer.

Since the beginning of Advent this year we have heard from the Prophet Isaiah. The verses have all been brimming with Hope. Today is a bit of an exception. I would note that in all times, especially so in troubling times, there are some among us who lead with Hope. Some among us have retreated into different kinds of shells, keeping the world at bay, keeping Hope at a distance. Some just flat out do not listen. The passage from the Prophet Isaiah, is from a section in which the prophet is exasperated by the people’s failure to respond:

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Questions about the Messiah

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15 Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.16 John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. (Luke 3:15–16a) After inquiring how they might prepare themselves for coming judgment, now, they ask whether John is the Messiah. Green [180] notes: “Recognizing in John’s mission the first hints of eschatological consolation (Isaiah 40; cf. Luke 3:4–6), they wonder if he is God’s agent of salvation. For them, the meaning of “Messiah” is manifestly fluid at this point; hope is present but ill defined. They do not know if John and the anticipated messianic figure fit the same profile, and this allows John to begin the process of outlining what to expect of the Messiah. At the same time, he is able to identify his own relationship to the coming one. According to the narrator, John’s answer is to all the people; everyone receives the invitation to accept his baptism and receive the baptism ‘with the Holy Spirit and fire.’” Continue reading →

Guadalupe and Linguistics

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Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Today it is common to find villages, towns, cities, and even districts in Mexico, Central and South America named “Guadalupe.”  But in the year 1531 there was no such place in Mexico. So, I have always wondered why the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to as “Our Lady of Guadalupe.” It is an interesting story of linguistic misunderstanding.

Guadalupe is the name of an area, a city, a river, and a Marian shrine in Spain. The word itself comes from a mixture of  Arabic and Latin roots. Remember that Spain was occupied in part and whole by an Islamic regime from 720 CE until 1492 CE, hence many words have Arabic origin. The Arabic wadi (seasonal river bed) became the Spanish “quadi” having the same meaning. “Quadi” seems to have been combined with the Latin lupus (wolf) to come up with Guadalupe.

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Then what should we do?

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10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

The basic question is asked three times: what should we do? The questions come from the crowd, tax collectors and soldiers – and later in Luke’s writings by a lawyer (10:25), a ruler (18:18), a Jerusalem audience in Acts 2:37, a jailer (Acts 16:30), and a zealous Jew, Saul (Acts 22:10). The fundamental response will be “What behavior is appropriate to those who claim to have repented?” Continue reading →