John the Baptist

Second Sunday of Advent

December 5, 2022 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

Over the next few days in our Advent journey the church invites us to consider John the Baptist’s relationship to Jesus. John appears in the tradition of the great prophets of Israel, preaching repentance and reform. In fact, the description of John found in this reading is reminiscent of the description of the prophet Elijah. John words are not directed only to the Pharisees and Sadducees. John’s message is a pointed call to repentance aimed in our direction: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

John makes very clear that his relationship to the Messiah is one of service and subservience: “The one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals.” The highlight of John’s ministry was the fantastic success he enjoyed way out in the wilderness. This man does not care what people think. And his style worked! He certainly was no fashion plate, with his camel hair clothing, leather sandals and the cincture around his waist. His diet was simple: locusts and wild honey. This note must have been important to the evangelists, or it wouldn’t be included in their Gospels. It is symbolic. You can’t wear anything more simple in the way of clothing, or eat a more basic diet. John’s ministry, and our inheritance, is one of very simple beginnings.

But what does it say to us? What is God, the Divine architect, designing and constructing in our lives? When our life’s valley is filled in and the road made smooth, the crooked straight, will we be ready to “see the Son of Man coming in a cloud?” As we approach the off-ramp of life, will we be attuned to the divine whisper that is familiar from our daily Lectio? Will we hear clearly the voice of the One crying out to us? Will we stand erect and call to others: “Look! The salvation of our God is at hand?”

What will it take to raise our weariness to consciousness, and conscientious attention to those with whom we live? What will it take to crack the ridged set in our ways? How many hosing-downs does it take to quiet a hot temper or a sharp tongue? How can we remove our spiritual cataracts so we can see the bigger picture? What kind of corrective lens do we need to protect our eyes from worldliness? What strength of binoculars will it take to zero in on the faulty behavior we what to eradicate? What kind of safe-guards will we need to keep us on the straight and narrow? Is our prayer life regular enough, strong enough, secure enough to protect us from inevitable temptation?

No matter how we might like to think that we’ve got it all together, sooner or later we all need to have a maintenance check-up and a little divine repair job. When a hurtful word slips through our lips or cares and daily concerns erode our promised Lectio time; when we are battered by life’s challenges, God promises to strengthen the areas of weakness that plague us. Our God promises to fix what’s broken in our lives.

Paul reminds us in the Second Reading: “Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by encouragement you may think in harmony with one another … that with one accord in one voice you may glorify God.” John’s message prepared the way for Jesus in the first century. We are called to be prophets in today’s world. Each of us has a mission to communicate Christ’s message of hope, freedom, and peace; to help people fill in their valleys and make their rough paths more smooth. “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all shall see the salvation of our God!”

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

First Reading Isaiah 11:1-10

Second Reading Romans 15:4-9
Gospel Reading Matthew 3:1-12

There He Goes, Follow Him

January 18, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

For a moment, imagine, if you will, that you are an aspiring athlete, artist, musician, writer, chef or whatever… By a stroke of good fortune, you manage to secure as your mentor the person you consider to be tops in the field. At once you begin to study under that person and hone your skills, soaking up everything you can learn from your champion.

One day after your lesson your mentor introduces you to a person she considers THE expert in the field. In fact, she suggests that if you really want to perfect your skills this is the person under whom you should study; leave your classes with her and follow that other person’s lead.

In a sense, this is what is happening here in this Gospel text. John the Baptist is a great prophet. Jesus himself once called him the greatest prophet who ever lived. Naturally, John has picked up a few disciples, people who are devoted to him as their spiritual leader. But now John has recognized that somebody else has come along who is far greater than he will ever be. In fact, when Jesus shows up, John realizes that he is now in the presence of One whose sandals he is not even worthy to untie. He may be a prophet, but this man is the Lamb of God, the Son of the Most High, the very Savior of the world.

This is astonishing, really, for what preacher would point his disciple to another preacher’s ministry? Here we see that John recognizes his calling and that he is fully in agreement with his purpose, which is not self-promotion. Instead, as John explains in the early part of his gospel: “He must increase, I must decrease. His following must grow; my purpose is to point you to His way. He is the chosen one of GOD, I am not worthy to even unloosen his shoes.”

If you’ve ever thought about it, (or think about it now) you may realize that one of life’s more challenging roles is to take the second place when once you’ve held first place. School principals who step back into the classroom; heads of departments who now work the floor; a committee or commission chair who now is worker-bee; parents who cut the apron strings so their child can soar or, in a case close to home, a superior who rotates out of leadership. Sister Lynn Marie McKenzie writes about this dynamic in her article on “Servant Leadership” in the Fall Issue of BENEDICTINES. (And it fits right in this week with the reading from the Rule, chapter 2, on the Qualities of the Prioress.) Sister Lynn reminds the reader that “one does not begin monastic life as a prioress but begins as a member of the community, and one usually does not end monastic life as a prioress but as a member of the community.

When in community we prepare for election of prioress, we often speak of the “grace of office”. A smooth transition into, out of various roles is reliant on the grace John the Baptist showed in commending his disciples to focus on Jesus and His way. He prepared his friends, his disciples to move on from his teaching and instead to devote themselves to Jesus. This is so typical of John. It was the whole purpose of his life. Even before he was born, God had determined that John’s life would be spent pointing people towards Jesus. An angel told his dad before he was born: “This child will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before the Lord, in spirit and power to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

So look at John! In your mind’s eye, follow his finger to whom he is pointing! Hear what he’s saying! In the story he’s standing with two of his friends when Jesus walks by. He seizes the opportune moment. He says to his friends, “Look, there goes the Lamb of God. Here’s your chance. What are you waiting for? Go! Follow him! He’s the one you’ve really been looking for.”

All they know is what John has told them about Jesus – they don’t really yet know Jesus. They don’t know where he is going or if he wants them to follow. But follow they do – at a distance. That’s what’s so noteworthy about what happens that day. As these two men follow him at a distance, Jesus turns around. He initiates the exchange. He confronts them. “What are you looking for? What are you after? I see you following me, what are you hoping to find? What do you think I can do for you?”

So what if, right now, Jesus stopped in his tracks, faced you, and asked point blank, “What are you looking for? I see you’ve been following me. I know you’ve been checking me out. Well, what do you want? What do you think I can do for you? What do you want me to give you? Where do you think I am leading you? Do you think I have all the answers? Can I fix your life? Or are you just curious?

Will your answer be the same as John’s followers: “Teacher, where are you staying?” You know what Jesus answers, “Come and see.” This is so typical Jesus – always an invitation is extended, a gracious and wide open invitation. And, what’s more, the invitation always comes with a promise. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. Ask and you will receive. Come to me if you are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest. You who are thirsty come to me and drink. Come to the feast for I have prepared a place for you at the table. Always Jesus invites us: come and see!

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

We remember Martin Luther King, Jr. today

and his bravery in helping

people around the world overcome.

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is,

what are you doing for others?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

First Reading 1 Samuel 3:3b–10,19 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 6:13c–15a,17–20
Gospel John 1:35–42

Rejoice! The God of Peace is at Work among Us!

December 14, 2020 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

I don’t mean to slight or undervalue the testimony of John the Baptist that was just read (in John’s Gospel). After all, he’s “The voice of one crying out in the desert.” He was the star of the show last week with his cry: “Make ready the way of the Lord!” This week let’s turn our attention to the admonitions of St. Paul – in our second reading – in his Letter to the people of Thessalonica about how to prepare the way of the Lord. Paul says: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing! In all circumstances!” IMPOSSIBLE! You say. Always? Without ceasing? In all circumstances? Who can possibly do that in today’s world with all the violence, discord, illness and death? But Paul has an answer for us. “THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD. DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil….. the One who calls you is faithful, and will accomplish it.”

With his solicitous instructions, Paul sounds like “helicopter parents” as they drop their children at a new neighbor’s: “Remember what I’ve told you: Always be respectful. Listen closely. Put away the toys you play with. And, if you forget everything else, remember: ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ go a long way. Call me if you need anything.” Most times the kids know the spiel by heart, “Okay, Okay! See yah Mom.” Many of us may have memorized Paul’s exhortations. Maybe our ears will perk up this round when we hear tomorrow’s reading proclaimed.

You may be surprised, if you consciously look for good, at all the positive things, all the surprises that God sends you each day – making Paul’s words ring true when he says: “The one who is faithful, will accomplish it.” In the 1950s the number one book on the New York best sellers list was Norman Vincent Peale’s: The Power of Positive Thinking – for 48 weeks – that’s almost a full year.

Peale said he wrote the book “with the sole objective of helping the reader achieve a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life.” His techniques were simple and, the best part, if you are serious about it, they were achievable. For example:

Believe in yourself and in everything you do
Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life
Improve your personal relationships
Be kind to yourself

Bet you’re thinking, that sounds like advice of someone I know? Like maybe John the Baptist, the Proverbs, my mother or grandmother… and certainly Jesus!

Perhaps one of the most reassuring statements in history is “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” I have not examined my Bible to prove it, but “Siri” tells me that the phrase “Do not be afraid” can be found 365 times in the Old and New Testament.” Think about it: that’s one time per day, for a full year that the expression is recorded in Scripture. Goodness only knows how many times in the short span of our own lives someone has said words meaning: “I’ll be with you; you don’t need to be afraid.”

Simple reminders like those given to a child before a first piano recital, or acting in play, or the first day at a new school. Or right here in this house, assurances to the first-time table reader, or Lector, or cantor. Sometimes the advice is silly, at other times, simplistic. But, if we let it soak in, it works. “Keep your eyes on me, I’ll be the one smiling.” Sometimes it’s hard to believe … like the person who says: “This dog doesn’t bite – I’ll hold him. “Don’t be afraid!” This one is from a movie but could have been heard in our back yard. Julia Roberts and Richard Gere are pushing their way through a tall grass short-cut. She says: “Watch out for snakes.” He: “I don’t like snakes.” She: “Then walk nice; snakes won’t get you.”

Now – here it is the 3^rd week in Advent – rose candles and vestments to remind us: “Be joyful!” The church offers us once again for our consideration – Paul’s admonitions as we await the celebration of Jesus’ birth and His final coming. Paul is insistent that Christ will come again! Pandemics, death, pain, suffering, turmoil, sadness do not get the last word. We await a Savior who has conquered Death. This period of waiting, though, is not a time to twiddle our thumbs. The words, the phrasing that Paul uses are all active verbs (nothing passive about it). Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks! Test EVERYTHING. Retain! Refrain! Model what is good and peaceful! Allow God’s Spirit to shine in your midst.” And why? Because: “The God of peace is really at work among us.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2a,10-11 Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Gospel John 1:6-8, 19-28

What New Road?

December 10, 2019 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

This Gospel introduces us to the man John; John the Baptist, the voice of prophecy in a world where such a voice had been silent for 400 years. Now John is: “The voice (that Isaiah described), the voice crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight His paths’.”

The highlight of John’s ministry was the fantastic success he enjoyed way out in the wilderness. This guy doesn’t care what people think. And, his style worked!

We still hear about it, don’t we? When the people of Jerusalem and Judea left their cities to hear John preach, they probably had to walk twenty or thirty miles. They did so in such increasing numbers that Scripture tells us (with only slight exaggeration) that “all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem” came out to hear this young preacher proclaim: “The Kingdom of heaven is near! Repent and be baptized.” That is all he did – he announced! He never told them how it worked, or why.

And, he certainly was no fashion plate, with his camel hair clothing, leather sandals and the girdle around his waist. His diet was very simple: locusts (grasshoppers) and wild honey. This note is important, or it wouldn’t be here. It is symbolic. You can’t wear anything more simple in the way of clothing, or eat a more basic diet. In other words, it is representative of his ministry — one of very simple beginnings – the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What is all this saying to us? What new road is God building in our lives? When our life’s valley is filled in and the road made straight, will we be ready to “see the Son of Man coming in a cloud.” As we approach the off-ramp of life – will we be so attuned to the divine whisper that we hear clearly the voice of the One crying out – Look! The “salvation of our God” is at hand!

So what kind of forklift will it take to raise our weariness to a conscientious attention to those with whom we live? What kind of backhoe does it take to crack the ridged set in our ways? How many hosing-downs does it take to quiet a hot temper or a sharp tongue? How tall a crane do we need for us to see the bigger picture? What kind of work goggles do we need to protect our eyes from worldliness? What kind of binoculars will it take to pinpoint and zero in on the evils we want to eradicate? Are we keeping the traffic strips on the edges of our souls bright enough to protect us from running off the road to goodness? How tough are the rumble strips that we put down to remind us of “danger ahead”? Is our prayer life regular enough, strong enough and sincere enough to be the barricades we need to protect us from on-coming temptations?

And, then we have the task of repairing old roads. In our lives, no matter how we might like to think that we’ve got it all together, sooner or later we all need to have a little “heavenly highway repair.” Our God promises to fix what’s broken in our lives. When a hurtful word breaks away a slab of our self-confidence, or when an extended period of neglecting our prayer life creates a pothole of emptiness and isolation, God is there to put out the orange cones. When we are battered by life’s challenges and we feel that our bridge supports are beginning to fail, God promises to strengthen those areas of weakness that plague us so.

We are called to be prophets in today’s world. Each of us has a mission to communicate Christ’s message of hope, love, freedom and peace. We can help people fill in their valleys and make their rough paths smoother.

As we go along, day by day … driving through the work site we call “life,” imagine you see John the Baptist shouting with the powerful words of the prophet Isaiah, almost like a highway foreman, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make that path straight! Fill in that valley! Get that mountain outta here! Hey, what happened over there? It’s all crooked! Make it straight! Smooth out that rough place! Get busy – do your part. We gotta show everyone the salvation of God is coming.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

Second Sunday in Advent 2019

First Reading Isaiah 11:1-10 Second Reading Romans 13:4-9

Gospel Matthew 3:1-17

What do you want?

January 17, 2018 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

In a sense, this is what is happening here in this Gospel text. John the Baptist is a great prophet. Jesus himself once called him the greatest prophet who ever lived. Naturally, John has picked up a few disciples, people who are devoted to him as their spiritual leader. But now John has recognized that somebody else has come along who is far greater then he will ever be. In fact, when Jesus shows up, John realizes that he is now in the presence of One whose sandals he is not even worthy to untie. He may be a prophet, but this man is the Lamb of God, the Son of the Most High, the very Savior of the world.

This is astonishing, really, for what preacher would point his disciple to another’s preacher’s ministry? Here we see that John recognizes his calling and that he is fully in agreement with his purpose, which is not self-promotion. Instead, as John explains in the early part of his gospel: “He must increase, I must decrease.” His following must grow; my purpose is to point you to His way. He is the chosen one of GOD, I am not worthy to even unloosen his shoes.

If you’ve ever thought about it, (or think about it now) you may realize that one of life’s more challenging roles is to take the second place when once you’ve held first place. School principals who step back into the classroom; heads of departments who now work the floor; a committee or commission chair who now is worker-bee; parents who cut the apron strings so their child can soar or, in a case close to home, a superior who rotates out of leadership. S. Lynn Marie McKenzie writes about this dynamic in her article on “Servant Leadership” in the Fall Issue of BENEDICTINES. (And it fits right in this week with the reading from the Rule, chapter 2, on the Qualities of the Prioress.) Sister Lynn reminds the reader that “one does not begin monastic life as a prioress but begins as a member of the community, and one usually does not end monastic life as a prioress but as a member of the community.

When in community we prepare for election of prioress, we often speak of the “grace of office”. A smooth transition into, out of various roles is reliant on the grace John the Baptist showed in commending his disciples to focus on Jesus and His way. He prepared his friends, his disciples to move on from his teaching and instead to devote themselves to Jesus. This is so typical of John. It was the whole purpose of his life. Even before he was born, God had determined that John’s life would be spent pointing people towards Jesus. An angel told his dad before he was born: This child will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before the Lord, in spirit and power to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

So look at John! In your mind’s eye, follow his finger to whom is pointing! Hear what he’s saying! In the story he’s standing with two of his friends when Jesus walks by. He seizes the opportune moment. He says to his friends, “Look, there goes the Lamb of God. Here’s your chance. What are you waiting for? Go! Follow him! He’s the one you’ve really been looking for.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

First Reading 1 Samuel 3:3b–10,19 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 6:13c–15a,17–20
Gospel John 1:35–42

Second Sunday in Advent 2015

December 7, 2015 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

Friendships can grow apart unless…..

Reading about John the Baptist reminded me of the evening, long ago during the liturgical transition, when we were using “purple pages” for prayer services. Liturgists often provided a focal visual in the chapel. For Vespers, I had designed a desert area, low on the floor, with sand (on a sheet thank goodness!) and rocks and cactus plants. The display included a sign (not very large) that read, in the words of the entrance hymn, “What did you go out to see.” When our elderly, arthritic Sister Annunciata came into the chapel, Sister Anna Marie (her peer) was already seated. She watched as Sister Annunciata inched forward step by step and bent down until she could read the sign. What happened next set all of us laughing, Sister Anna Marie said aloud: “What did you go out to see?”

Luke’s Gospel quotes the prophet Isaiah, describing the road we must travel throughout Advent (and our whole lives) in order to see the signs of the times and reach the One foretold: our Emmanuel.

Like Mary and Joseph we must travel through valleys, between hills and over mountains in order to be counted. We weather life’s troubles, storms of despair and disappointment, look out over the vista from the joyful mountain peaks of our lives to view the beauty God has laid out for us.

Like the Magi we bring gold, incense and myrrh for our Infant King – the gold of charitable deeds, our incense arising from prayerful hearts, minds and voices; and the myrrh of illnesses, infirmities and troubles to unite with the redemptive sufferings of Jesus.

Our community stationery proclaims: we are “touching lives through prayer and service.” But, without deliberate attention, daily practices can become pro forma, only a formality repeated by heart, a mindless routine UNLESS we are continually in touch with the workings of God within through a rich prayer life – faithful to the practices of lectio and meditation, Eucharist, private and communal prayer – not simply seasonal: Advent, Lent and annual retreat … but daily. It may be helpful to make a pie chart of your 24-hour day … what percentage do you give to keeping company with God. We may be tempted to say “all my work is a prayer.” That can be true if you start and end the day with the Sign of the Cross. But, friendships can drift unless we do the work of keeping them alive. We need a jolt of spiritual energy at intervals during the day. We want to guard against making a sham of people’s trust that we are a prayerful people. Benedict knew this when he laid out times for gathering for Divine Office, times to read and study, times for rest, manual labor, eating, conversation and quiet. Today we are personally responsible for what we do with much of our time. Remember, what S. Bernie quoted from CALL to LIFE: we listen DAILY to God’s call and respond with good zeal.” Group meditation for us is a practice of the past. But, a strong community can count on the group, assured that each individual member has taken time each day to reflect on the Word, and be with the Word, and discern its significance in her own life as well as power and push of the Word in the life of the community. That’s how we are able to grow in the ability to come to consensus, refine relational skills, and nurture the gifts of mutual forbearance and forgiveness… in reciprocated love and respect. It takes dedication, determination and perseverance not to be the bad apple in the barrel.

On the road to Bethlehem, we will meet construction along the way, or be the one under construction. In the Gospel last week, Jesus warned us to be alert, watching for God’s unexpected activity in our lives. In this weekend’s readings, we see sign we dread: Road Construction Ahead. We mutter: “Didn’t they just finish working on this road?” We get impatient when we see road construction signs, because they speak to us more of inconvenience, hassles, and delays, rather than the benefits that are hidden in the distant future. The sign reminds us: Proceed with Caution.

We can hear John the Baptist shouting with the powerful words of the prophet Isaiah, almost like a highway foreman, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make that path straight! Fill that valley! Get that mountain outta here! What happened over there? It’s all crooked! Make it straight! Smooth out that rough place! We gotta show everyone the salvation of God. Get busy!” Time is running out – the day of the Lord is near! In three short weeks Christmas will be here – our Emmanuel will appear!

Second Sunday of Advent

First Reading Isaiah 11:1-10

Second Reading Romans 15:4-9
Gospel Reading Matthew 3:1-12

There He Goes, Follow Him

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB