Dec. 6, 2009: 2nd Sunday Advent (C)

The other day I noticed how my car was dusty. The hood had enough dirt on it to write, 'Wash me!' So I took my car to Benny's Carwash on Perkins near St. Aloysius. For those of you who have taken your car to that carwash, you first drive toward the entrance, and there is an attendant who holds up a small sign, 'Slow,' and instructs you if your wheel is aligned with the track or not. And when it is, he flips the sign over which reads, 'Stop,' and instructs you to put your car on neutral so that the track will drag the car into the carwash automatically. Sitting there in my car as the machines cleaned my car, I said to myself, "This is a cool technology."

One aspect of Advent is about getting ourselves clean. An important guest is coming, and we need to throw away some junky old news papers on the table, wipe off the pizza stain from the couch, and spray some Lysol to freshen up the stale funk that lingers in the living room. That means turning off the TV, shutting down the Internet, and getting out of the couch to get into action. Now many things can be done online these days: you can click a button on the computer and order Sham-Wow shammies or bottles of Windex and have it delivered to your door, but still you have to get out of the couch to clean.

If you look at our bulletin this week, you'll see a list of Advent penance services held around the city of Baton Rouge. Our Lady of Mercy will have one on Wednesday, December 9th at 7PM. Many people tell me that it's difficult for them to come to Reconciliation. Confession is challenging and difficult because in it we lay bare our inmost thoughts, our deepest motives, our weaknesses and sins that shame us. It is easy to say to ourselves, 'Why go to see a priest when it's so embarrassing?' But we have to realize that priests are only the carwash attendant holding up the sign, 'Slow' and 'Stop' to guide our wheels onto the automatic track. The 'signs' that priests hold for us are, 'Are you sorry for your sins?' and 'Are you resolved again to love Jesus with all your heart?' Once we align ourselves to these two questions, Holy Spirit is the one who will lead us into the 'carwash' and cleanse us of the dirt, which are shame and guilt. While in the carwash, after all the dirt has been washed away Holy Spirit applies all that fancy chemical rust protection, polish, wax, and tire shine. In other words, Holy Spirit gives us freedom, forgiveness, peace, healing and strength from this sacrament. If it has been a while for us since our last visit to the carwash, why wait? Even St. John the Baptist encourages us today, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

It's often said that children copy what we do and not what we say. We model for them by our action what they should do. If we truly want to teach our children about telling the truth, being kind, and and being generous, we should practice what we preach to them. And what about the time when we fall, when they see us telling lies, being arrogant, and hateful? They should see us going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Few days ago, near the end of a penance service at another parish, a child of 10 or 11 years old came and plopped himself on a chair in front of me. "So what would you like to tell Jesus that you are sorry for," I asked. He replied, "I just want to talk. I already talked with four other priests here." 'Uh oh, this child is going to ask me a difficult question,' I thought to myself. Then he said, "My dad is in New Mexico. I was told that he was sick but I found out that he was in jail. He stole and lied." I sat there dumb-founded. What do I say to this child? How can I console him? Then Holy Spirit broke thru. I said to him, "Sounds like you are disappointed in your dad for what he did wrong. You know God made you and I and your dad in His image and likeness, to be holy. But sometimes we fall. Have you ever been put in a 'timeout corner?'" He nodded. "Just as you and I can fall and make mistakes, your dad can fall and make mistakes. Right now he is in a 'timeout corner' for a while. Will you go to Blessed Mother's statue over there, hold her hand, and ask her to look after your daddy?" He got up, went over to her statue, and prayed just like I asked him. I thought that was the end. But he came back and sat down. I asked, "What else do you want to talk about?" He said, "My mom is dead." I thought, "..............." Then Holy Spirit broke thru. "I know your mom does not want you to be without a mom. And did you know that Blessed Mother is also your mom's mom? So I want you to walk over to the Blessed Mother's statue, hold her hand, and ask her, 'Will you be my mom from now on?'" He got up, walked over to her, held her hand, and prayed for few seconds.

Like this little innocent child, I would like for all of us to be led by Blessed Mother as well during Advent to prepare for her Son's arrival. Blessed Mother told this message to one of the visionaries of Medjugorje this past Wednesday, Dec. 2nd. "Dear Children, at this time of preparation and joyful expectation, I, as a mother, desire to point you to what is the most important, to your soul. Can my Son be born in it? Is it cleansed by love from lies, arrogance, hatred and malice? Above all else, does your soul love God as a Father and does it love your fellow brother in Christ? I am pointing you to the way which will raise your soul to a complete union with my Son. I desire for my Son to be born in you. What a joy that would be for me as Mother. Thank you." (Dec. 2, 2009 message from Our Lady of Medjugorje to Mirjana Soldo)