Monday, December 15, 2014

Daily HOMILY for December 3, 2014: Wednesday of the 1st Week of Advent


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Wednesday 1st Week Advent
St. Luke’s Institute
December 3, 2014
HUMAN HUNGERS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø  Goethe wrote, “The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection”
Ø  Seeing more rightly is less about the self-kudos we put on our resume
Ø  It is about admitting the things we need to work on and the hungers that take up our life
Ø  Do we hunger for comfort or for challenge?
Ø  Do we thirst for satisfaction or for the true happiness that comes from being there for others?
DEEPER HUNGERS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø  The Gospel reading tells of Jesus’ healing of physical infirmity and satisfying daily hunger
Ø  These works of mercy show that he is the authentic Messiah who ushers in God’s kingdom
Ø  Often in the Gospels, people misread the fuller message of what Jesus does and offers
Ø  They think bread from heaven is all about belly hunger
Ø  Newly seeing, hearing, or walking is freedom from bodily preoccupations, working more on emotional and spiritual growth
JESUS FEEDING OUR HUNGERS +++++++++++++++++
Ø  The feeding of the multitude is a foretaste of the Eucharist and the coming banquet of God’s kingdom
Ø  A few handfuls of food feed a multitude
Ø  The leftovers are treasured and not discarded
Ø  No one goes away hungry and empty
Ø  That is an insight worth remembering
CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø  During the Advent season, we will hear about Jesus’ simple origins and birth in a stable
Ø  Matthew recounts the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt to escape persecution
Ø  Luke tells of poor shepherds visiting the Prince of Peace
Ø  Let these simple and often overlooked insights inform our anticipation of the Christmas season
Ø  And let us not forget that the poor are the first to receive the Good News
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