Pastor’s Notes

Driving through Downtown Phoenix the other day after dark, I began to notice people waving at me.  At first, I thought they were just remarkably friendly.  I waved back and kept going.  Honestly, I really was just really looking forward to dinner   Finally someone walked out in front of me and yelled,  “Turn your lights on, stupid!”

I was embarrassed.  With all the light around me I hadn’t noticed that mine were off.  I found myself making excuses in my head.  Then came the anger and the judgment, “How rude!”   Then shame of a stupid mistake kicked in and I complied with the pedestrian’s challenge.”CHANGE, ADJUSTMENT, CONVERSION, TRANSFORMATION; whatever one wants to call this intense human interaction, it surfaces as a theme every second Sunday of the  Advent season.   John the Baptizer appears pointing, not to himself, but to Jesus calling for total and radical conversion.  In a sense he is the one yelling at people to turn their lights on.

Many are putting up Christmas trees and lighting home and business for the season.  Enlightening is a great word.  Gandhi once said. ”We must become the change we wish to see in our world.” It is so easy to see what is wrong with the other side, everything that needs to change in others.  But that change we look for must also be apart of our own personal lives. 

The gospel of 2^nd Advent challenges us toward some enlightening changes in our lives…toward community, toward the poor and a style of life that reflects God’s justice,God’s shalom.  Last weekend‘s vandalism of three icons from our High Altar startled us profoundly with that call to our Church.  We are all angels bearing the Good news of God’s favor.  And all of usare damaged broken ministers of that light. We will hold in prayer the young man who raged into our sacred space last week.  Catholic faith is not about statues and architecture, after all, it is about people.   We decided to leave by the Madonna’s altar the broken pieces of those angels and that crucifix that have looked down on our worship for more than a hundred years. As we prepare for Christmas, they can remind us who we are.  And that Godsends his light through our cracks and brokenness to embrace the earth’s brokenness.

John the Baptist still bears the good news. God’s salvation is here.  It is not a dream of poets and bleeding heart liberals, of old Christmas cards or in fairy tales for children. It is here and now.  Just look and see…the valleys are being filled in. Even in Phoenix!

Our schedule is full of Advent opportunities.  Join us for a Guadalupe serenade this Tuesday,Dec. 11^th.  Singers, dancers and local friars will vigil “La Morenita,” including Evening Prayer from 7 PM until 9 PM. We will celebrate a bilingual Eucharist at noon on the Wednesday for Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Stop by for some beautiful music, food and drink.

A gentle week,
Fr. Michael Weldon, OFM