By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily while celebrating the Sunday, 11 a.m. Mass at St. Kieran Church in Miami, Dec. 22, 2019.
I am happy to be here at St. Kieran to celebrate with you and Fr. Ferras the 40th anniversary of the dedication of this church. Of course, the parish itself is a bit older, having been founded in 1967: before building this home for the St. Kieran community, the parishioners met and worshipped in Immaculata-La Salle’s cafeteria and in the chapel of Assumption Academy (the now Melkite Church of St. Jude).
Celebramos 52 años desde que fue fundada la parroquia – y 40 años desde que se construyó este templo. Entonces, supongo que eran un poco como los israelitas que tuvieron que vagar por un tiempo antes de llegar a la Tierra Prometida.
We’re getting close to Christmas! And so, you have given a Christmas gift to yourselves, with the addition of this lovely image of Our Lady.
The Gospel reading for today, taken from Matthew, gives us an Annunciation story. Of course, we’re much more familiar with Luke’s Annunciation story, that of the Archangel Gabriel’s surprising message to Mary and her obedient acceptance of God’s will. But equally compelling is Matthew’s Annunciation story, that of Gabriel’s annunciation of a message to Joseph that equally surprised him but one to which he also gave his obedient acceptance. God, in order to bring to fulfilment his plan of salvation, wanted to count on certain collaborators: the ancient judges and prophets, John the Baptist, and, as we remember during this Advent and Christmas season, God wanted to count on the collaboration of especially Mary and Joseph in order to bring to fulfillment his Divine Plan.
Hoy honramos a la virgen bendiciendo una nueva imagen para adornar este templo. Sin embargo, el evangelio de hoy nos habla más de Jose que de María. María en la Anunciación le dio su "fiat" al igual que Joseph a su vez le dio el suyo.
La obediencia de José es importante: Dios no necesitaba la ayuda de José para hacer a Jesús: San Lucas como San Mateo están claros en esto. María fue encontrada con un niño por obra del Espíritu Santo y no de un hombre. Pero Dios quería necesitar a José; primero, al ser el padre legal de Jesús, José conecta a Jesús con el linaje del Rey David a través del cual Dios cumpliría sus promesas. Y, debido a que los niños crecen mejor cuando conocen el amor de una madre y un padre comprometidos el uno con el otro en el matrimonio, Dios necesitaba al esposo de María, Jose, para ayudar a criar a Jesús. Instruido por el ángel, "que no tuviera miedo", llevó a María a su casa. María y José, en obediencia a la voluntad de Dios, colaboraron en su plan: permitieron que Dios los necesitara para que Jesús pudiera venir a nuestro mundo.
And, God took care that in choosing Joseph for his role in our Salvation History, he chose someone who was a righteous man. Righteous but not self-righteous – and we see this in the evident kindness of Joseph when, after he first found out about Mary’s condition, he decided to divorce her quietly. (Betrothals were serious business, not easily broken as engagements can be today). Had he been self-righteous – with the moral rigidity that the self-righteous often exhibit – he could have had her shunned (best case scenario) or stoned (worst case scenario). But, told by the Angel, “be not afraid,” he took Mary into his home. Mary and Joseph, in obedience to God’s will, collaborated in his plan – they allowed themselves to be needed by God so that Jesus could come into our world.
Jesus comes to reveal and to redeem: to reveal, that is, to show us the true character of God and to redeem, that is, to save people from their sins.
As Christmas approaches, we all are busy – shopping, buying gifts, arranging for travel, cleaning up the “caja china” for the “lechon asado” on Christmas eve. (But I don’t know where you can roast a pig in a condo).
But, by calling us to prepare for the spiritual side of the Christmas holiday – after all, Jesus is the reason for the season – the Advent season also reminds us how God was preparing for Christmas. The Scripture readings of Advent – drawn mostly from Isaiah – tell us of how God prepared Israel and the world for the coming of the promised Messiah. As we pray in the fourth Eucharistic prayer: “And when through disobedience he (mankind) has lost your friendship, you did not abandon him to the domain of death. For you came in mercy to the aid of all, so that those who seek might find you. Time and again you offered them covenants and through the prophets taught them to look forward to salvation. And… in the fullness of time you sent your Only Begotten Son to be our Savior.”
God acts to save us – for God so loved the world that he sent his Son to be our Savior. Jesus is Emmanuel: which is translated “God is with us” but also means “God is for us.”
Jesus comes into our world to bring us peace, joy; he comes to show us the Father and to forgive our sins. And as God chose a people in the Old Testament to collaborate with him in carrying out his plan, so Jesus chose apostles and disciples to collaborate with him “announcing to the world the good news of salvation.”
We, the people of the New Covenant following the teachings of those apostles, are called to be a community of witnesses – a sign to the world that Emmanuel has come: “God is with us” and “God is for us.”
Dios nos salva gratis, pero no nos salva sin nuestro consentimiento, sin nuestra colaboración, sin nuestra aceptación obediente de su Voluntad. Jesús viene a nuestro mundo para traernos paz, alegría; Él viene a mostrarnos al Padre y a perdonar nuestros pecados. Y como Dios eligió a un pueblo en el Antiguo Testamento para colaborar con él en la realización de su plan, Jesús eligió apóstoles y discípulos para colaborar con él "anunciando al mundo las buenas nuevas de salvación".
Nosotros, el pueblo del Nuevo Testamento que seguimos las enseñanzas de esos apóstoles, estamos llamados a ser una comunidad de testigos, una señal al mundo de que Emmanuel ha venido: "Dios está con nosotros" y "Dios está para nosotros".
All of you – who make up this parish community – are called to collaborate in God’s plan for the world. Like Joseph, each of us has his or her role to play. And God, while he didn’t have to, has decided to need you. He counts on each one of us to bring good news that, in the birth of the Christ Child, “God and sinner is reconciled.”
God counts on you. For 40 years, this temple (especially with your Adoration Chapel) has given witness that “God is with us,” Emmanuel. Now, when I say temple, I am not referring only to this structure built 40 years ago; no, when I say “temple” I am referring to the “living temple” made up of “living stones” – you and those of you who came before who worshipped here.
Día a día, fortalecidos por la Palabra y los Sacramentos de Dios, ustedes hacen realidad la Navidad al ser signos de la presencia de Dios: Emmanuel, Dios con nosotros; Dios para nosotros.
