Next Sunday is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus in Year A. You can read a complete commentary on the Sunday Gospel here. (By the way, if you would like to read a commentary on some of the Christmas readings you can find them here: Vigil or Midnight)
The Flight into Egypt 13 When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Continue reading
When I was younger, I liked complicated and messy – especially things that were puzzles to explore, solve, unravel, and provided creative moments in which new, imaginative solutions might emerge. But alas, I am no longer as young as I once was. I feel a part within me that longs for quiet, uncomplicated, resolved, still interesting, but not so messy and complicated as before. 
Stores, offices, and all kinds of places are filled with the sound of familiar and heartening Christmas carols. Some local radio stations are all Christmas music all the time with classic and modern renditions of the secular and religious carols and songs – sometimes recorded by singing chipmunks. It becomes part of the ambiance of our Advent season; part of what readies us for the celebration of Christmas. 
In today’s gospel, we hear the opening lines of Matthew’s Gospel, the genealogy of Jesus, forty-two generations that stretch from Abraham to Christ. Among the generations we read: “…Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king…” Ruth has “her own book” in Sacred Scripture. The Book of Ruth is named for the Moabite woman who commits herself to the Israelite people by an oath to her mother-in-law Naomi: “Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God.” (Ruth 1:16). Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David by marriage to Boaz of Bethlehem. 
Next Sunday is the 
This weekend Deacon Bill Garret is preaching at all the Masses on behalf of the local Tampa Cristo Rey School. This is a reposting of a homily from Dec 2013.
So far this Advent, every pastor’s column has explored one of the many gifts that await us under the tree, that is, the cross of Christ. And there are some awesome gifts – to name the ones mentioned in previous weeks – forgiveness and mercy. Now we have arrived at the Third Week of Advent, Gaudete Sunday! The name comes from wording in Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! It is another week, and another gift awaits. Like any kid in the days leading up to Christmas you have begun to peer under the tree, assessing the shapes, sizes and weight of gifts – and guessing what could possibly be under wraps. You have to wonder what other awesome gift is waiting right there under the tree, the cross of Christ. Let’s open up another gift! But wait…it’s not Christmas yet. What’s the rush? Christmas is only over a week away. Of course, when I was 7 years old, “only a week” seemed liked a lifetime. Now that I am 67, “only a week” is but the blink of an eye. I am much more patient about most things…. Not all things, most things. So, what’s the rush? Maybe we should practice a little patience? 
There was a 1964 paperback floating around the seminary library called “Wit and Wisdom of Good Pope John,” written by a man named Henri Fesquet. Inside was a compilation of humorous stories about John XXIII, who died the year before the book was published. I jotted several down and recently found them during my “purging of old files” episode.
friarmusings 