Buzzword - Devotion to Mary
Before Vatican Council 11, with rare exception, devotion to Mary was largely observed by Catholic and Orthodox Christians. One of the fruits of the Reformation was to alienate many Christians from this devotion. However, since Vatican 11, many have noticed an apparent shift in Catholic and Protestant interest in the place of Marian devotion in Christian practice. All the major Christian churches are turning to a reading of the Scriptures and finding it impossible to deny the place of Mary within the belief and practice of the early Christian church.

Apoc 11:19;12:16,10: Christian tradition has seen fit to identify John's mysterious woman, suffering yet triumphant, with Mary.

1 Cor. 15: 20-26: This second reading from St. Paul emphasizes that death is the fate of everyone; but death does not have the final victory, unless we want it to! Christ's victory can be ours, as it was for Mary.

Luke 1: 39 - 56: The final reading from St. Luke's gospel shows Mary acknowledging her gratitude for the favors God has shown her.

Point 1: Pope Paul VI, in his encyclical - Marialis Cultus (Marian Devotion), encouraged Catholics to an increased use of the Bible; and Pope John Paul 11 in his letter "Mater Redemptoris (Mother of the Redeemer) and more recently with his introduction of the Mysteries of Light to be added to the recitation of the rosary, has drawn attention to "the special presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and His church."

From the Scriptures it is possible to trace a developing appreciation of Mary as mother and woman. But a purely biblical study only reveals a limited picture; it cannot tell the whole story, for the New Testament only concerns itself with the early beginnings of Christian reflection on the person of Mary. In the documents of the New Testament we have only the written record of faith and practice of the early Church. There was much more going on that did not get written, but which was passed on by word of mouth in those critical formative years. Eventually, these oral traditions were recorded by the early Greek, Syrian and Latin Fathers of the church. And it is here that we find the second great foundation stone of Christian teaching and practice - Tradition.

Point 2: Tradition is so important to the development of any culture - as the Fiddler in "Fiddler on the Roof" proclaimed "Tradition! Where would we be without our traditions"? It is on the grounds of constant tradition within Christianity that two important teachings concerning Mary have been proclaimed in comparatively recent years - the teaching on the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius 1X in 1854, and the teaching on the Assumption of Our Lady given by Pope Pius X11 in 1950.

Conclusion: In this continuing study of Mary's place in Christian belief and practice, the Second Vatican Council has asked that we be careful to refrain from false and exaggerated devotion, but to remember that true devotion consists neither in sterile or shallow affection, nor in vain credulity, but needs to be based on verifiable faith.

Faith and Love caused Mary to respond positively to the invitation given to her to co-operate with God. We, too, have been invited to be one with Christ. The example of Mary's faith and love, hopefully, will encourage us to respond positively in order to share her triumph over death.

Scriptural reference: And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [Luke 1:48] for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

Buzzword - Leadership
In one way or another the majority of people are cast in the role of being leaders. Leadership is very definitely integral to a Christian response to life's situations. Today's liturgy focuses our thoughts on Christ as Leader and Exemplar as a pattern for our attempts to be leaders.

2 Sam 5:1-3 - In this passage we are told of the nomination and election of David as King of all the tribes of Israel. Under his leadership, they flourished and grew into a great civilisation.

Colossians 1:12-20 - Here St. Paul lists the reasons why the leadership of Christ should be acknowledged - he collaborated with the Father in the work of creation; in him all perfection is to be found and he has redeemed the human race from the slavery of sin.

Luke 23:35-43 - To all intents and purposes, Christ, on the cross, was the perfect picture of defeat. His enemies derided and mocked Him; his companions, with the exception of John and a few woman, had abandoned Him. It remained for one of the thieves crucified with Him to recognise Christ for what He was - a King- "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom".

Point 1: - The title "King" does not register too well with today's democratic, republican mindset; for that reason I think a better image of today's Feast is achieved by presenting it as the Feast of Christ the Leader. Leadership is the theme of today's Mass, as we have seen in the different readings. And it is an important theme for us, as Christians, to consider. All of us, in one or another, like to think of ourselves as leaders. Listen to the average conversation and we find that there is little done by others that we could not have done better! - our national leaders are fools, or worse; our sporting heroes make shocking errors of judgement; our civic fathers would be dangerous if they were endowed with brains; and if only our Bishops knew half as much as the average assistant priest, the Church could be so much better!

Point 2: Seriously! What is it that makes a good leader? The first quality of leadership is not asking people to do what one is not prepared to do oneself. In other words, leadership equates with being an Exemplar, one showing the way by example; or, to use a much used phrase - to practise what one preaches! In other words, leadership must reflect conviction. The autocrat, shouting instructions and threats is not necessarily exercising leadership; just as a parent who is constantly shouting and threatening to bring into line an unwilling family is not showing good leadership. For our purposes, probably, it is within the family that this role of leadership needs to be reviewed regularly. Responsible parenthood demands qualities of leadership over and beyond the ordinary. It is strange that we receive training, or are prepared in other ways, for almost anything else, but not for parenthood. Giving life to a child and being responsible for shaping its life is one of the more important roles an adult can have. A baby, when born, is a cute bundle of unknown, untapped potential. What it develops into, for the most part, is the responsibility of its parents and other adult role models. From the moment its eyes are able to take things in, they continually feed information into the child's brain. The values and standards that the child observes and the experiences it has in early life will largely determine the type of adult it will grow into.

Conclusion: Of course, there is no guarantee that good example will always produce a desired result; but it can be safely argued that, with good example, there is more chance of a good result being achieved than there is without such example. No wonder, the Christian ethic lays such importance on this role of leadership for its followers, and asks that our approach to leadership be based on conviction. Our liturgy today focuses on the leadership of Christ and how it was based on conviction. Let our prayer be that our own sense of leadership should be inspired by similar conviction.

Scriptural reference: "Behold, I made him a witness to the people, a leader and commander of the peoples" (Isaiah 55:4)

Buzzword - The Present Moment!
Most people set themselves to get the most out of life; and yet, many remain disappointed with their efforts as they look back on so many lost opportunities. Whatever may be said about our everyday achievements, today's readings give a clear message not to be caught short on the day of judgment.

Malachy 3:19-20 - The Israelites have not had it easy. To lift their drooping spirits, the Prophet Malachy tells them that the day of the Lord will come, as surely as the sun rises in the morning, and justice will be done equally to good and evil people.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 - At this point in history, the expectation of the second coming of Christ was wide spread in the Christian community and, with it, the end of the world. Paul argues that this should not be an excuse to sit and do nothing, and he offers his own behaviour as an example to be followed.

Luke 21: 5-19 - "One day at a time" would appear to sum up the Lord's advice to those who are concerned by the rumours concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. One thing certain is that those who become his disciples will experience hardship and opposition; such trials, however, will count in eternity.

Point 1: - Going back to my opening statement that ,despite early hopes and aspirations, many people remain disappointed with living; and, as they remain on the periphery of life, it is worth while identifying some of the reasons why this is so. As always, many reasons can be given to explain why people don't seem to have much to show for their efforts. There are those who, because of past failure, become unsure and negative in their approach - a sort of, 'once burnt, twice shy' approach. There are others who glamorise the past, transforming it into a golden age and so neglect the challenge of the present. Other spend their lives waiting for the big opportunity to make a start, and it never happens! There are some who, from the human point of view, are simply born losers; but not, necessarily, from God's point of view. Whichever group we look at, one thing in common appears - all groups are neglecting the present moment.

Point 2: For a short time - five years - I served as part-time Chaplain with the Royal Australian Air force, and, for fifteen years as auxiliary Chaplain to the US Navy Base at Exmouth. In that time, I came into contact with a variety of "leaders". There were those who were all "spit and polish" more concerned with appearances than performance; others were thoughtful, caring men who recognised that they needed to concern themselves with the conditions of living off base as much as on base for their troops and their families. Then there was one known to all and sundry as "Gonna"! He was always going to do things, but rarely did.

Conclusion: I suppose, in a way, there is a little bit of "Gonna" in most of us. Either we spend our time clinging to past achievement or daydreaming about future exploits and, either way, the present passes us by. I would like to have a dollar for every time my parents reminded me - "There's no time like the present" or "The road to hell is paved with good intentions"! And if we take the broad view of life presented to us by religion - that we have been created in the image of God to know, love and serve Him on earth to be happy with Him in heaven - and if we also take time to look at the instructions given to us by Christ on how to know, love and serve, we will find as many warnings about neglecting opportunities for good as we find condemnation for evil behaviour. In other words, sins of omission rank equally, if not more so, with sins of commission in achieving our eternal destiny. We must learn the value of the present moment and to recognise the opportunities it offers, if we are to achieve ultimate success in life. This is true whether our goals be material or spiritual.

Scriptural reference We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. :"[John 9:4]

Buzzword - Death
Traditionally, November is the month in which the Church's liturgy focuses our minds on the subject of death. The big question - "Is death the end of everything? Today's readings tell us "NO!"

2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 - The seven young men, inspired by the hope of eternal life, preferred martyrdom than to deny their faith. For them, death was the not the end.

2 Thessalonians 2:16,3-5 - Paul assures the recent converts that, through their faith in Christ, they are able to handle all situations, no matter how difficult, and this includes facing death.

Luke 20:27-38 - In answer to objections made to him by representatives of the Saducees, a leading Jewish group who did not believe in life after death, Christ declares, categorically, belief in the resurrection of the dead. He explains that conditions of life in union with God cannot be equated with life as we presently experience it. Now individuals seek to complement each other; then, all will find fulfilment through permanent union with the source of life.

Point 1: In the second book of Maccabees of the Old Testament, we read of how the Jewish military leader, Judas, after a hard battle in which many of his soldiers fell, ordered that their bodies should be gather so that they could be buried with their families. He then ordered that a collection should be made and sent to Jerusalem so that an expiatory sacrifice may be offered for their souls. This action was described as good and noble drawing on the belief in the resurrection on the last day for its inspiration.

Point 2: One of the few times we read of Jesus weeping was on the occasion of his friend Lazarus' death. Martha, Lazarus' sister came to meet Jesus as he drew near the family home and said to Him "Lord! If you had been here, my brother would not have died"! Jesus looked at her and compassion filled his eyes -"Martha! Your brother will rise again"! Drawing upon her understanding of the Jewish teaching on the resurrection, Martha replied -"I know that he will rise on the last day"! Jesus then replied "Martha! Try to understand! I am not talking of the last day! I am the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in me even though he die, will live; and whoever lives and believes in me will not die in eternity! Do you believe this"?

Conclusion: As Christians, this is the challenge we all face when we are confronted with death. Do we really believe? And, taking our lead from Martha, we reply -"Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, Son of God, who is to come into the world!" This same faith inspired St. Paul to write to his early Christian converts - "I want you to be certain of this so that you do not grieve as those who have no hope". It is this same sense of hope that finds expression in the church's liturgy for the dead - "the sadness of death gives way to the bright promise of immortality". It is this same faith expressed in the words of an anonymous Indian mystic writing on the subject of death - "Death is not extinguishing the light; it is simply putting out the lamp because the dawn has come".

Scriptural reference: I have a hope in God -a hope that they themselves also accept-- that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. [Acts 24:15]

Buzzword - Final Values
For the Christian, life has many goals, but there is one ultimate goal towards which all other goals should contribute, namely, ultimate union with the Author of Life. From God we came, to God we go! All the readings today reinforce this understanding of life

Wisdom 11:22--12:1 - The author of the Book of Wisdom praises the loving concern of God over all things; but, especially for people, the masterpieces of creation. If people sin, God wants only that they should repent and be restored to their original dignity.

2 Thess. 1: 11, 2:2 - Paul is pleading with the Thessalonians to live lives worthy of their calling as followers of Christ; he advises them to get on with day to day living and stop worrying about pseudo prophets and their predictions about the end of the world and the second coming of Christ..

Luke 19: 1-10 - Enthusiasm, commitment, determination were characteristics Christ looked for in people - persons like Peter, Mary Magdalene, James and John. Today's account of Zacchaeus' conversion is a classic example of such people. Zacchaeus, the pushy little publican and successful business man shows initiative and enthusiasm as he seeks to make contact with Jesus.

Point 1: - Some years back a radio/TV programme captured the attention of millions throughout the word, particularly the English speaking segment. It was Bishop Fulton Sheen's programme "Life is Worth Living". The opening, dramatic lines spoken by the Bishop as he introduced the programme were -"Is life worth living, or is it dull and monotonous? Life is monotonous if it is meaningless; it is not monotonous if it has purpose".

There are many people in our country today for whom life is full of frustration and unhappiness. They can be found among the aged who feel that life has passed them by; amongst the middle aged who are having difficulty recognising that they have spent half their lives getting nowhere and they will spend the rest of their lives staying there. They can be found amongst school leavers who are unable to find employment and amongst those who are retrenched after years of service. For some, when released from the immediate goals set by day-to-day living, they sink themselves in the oblivion of drink or some other form of drug addiction. Because they are frustrated, they say that life has let them down, disregarding the fact that life is not lost in one single act, "life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the small uncaring ways"

Point 2: The Christian response to this situation is that people find fulfillment where their immediate goals form part of a master plan; and if, as sometimes happen, the immediate goals fail, the ultimate goal still remains. All the wheels do not come off the cart! Christ described Himself as "The Way, the Truth and the Life", and, in so doing, has offered to us sound guide lines showing the Way to fulfilled living. We want Truth without its shadow , error; and we want Life without its shadow, death.

Conclusion: Those who followed Christ, invariably, were enthusiastic, determined and committed. Before coming into contact with Christ, there had been imbalance in their lives as they directed their energies to this or that goal. After meeting Christ, total meaning came into their lives enabling them to withstand the ups and downs of every day living. May we , too, draw on that same source of strength and direction to bring balance into our lives. In this way, regardless of the ups and downs, life will always have meaning

Scriptural reference: "To this end we always pray for you that God may make you worthy of his call; and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power".  ( 2. Thess. 1:11)

Buzzword - Strength
What makes a person "strong"? Do we equate being strong with being a bully? The wealthy may have power, but are they necessarily strong characters? Or is real strength of character revealed in self mastery rather than mastery over others? All three readings, today, deal with this type of strength.

Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-18 - In this passage we are advised that real strength comes from God and that this type of strength may be found equally in the poor as in the powerful.

2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16 - 18 - Paul attributes his survival to this same source of strength; even when all others had abandoned him, nevertheless, strengthened by God, he was still able to remain strong and faithful to his mission.

Luke 18: 9-14 - Here we see contrasted two types of strength - the loud, boastful behaviour of the proud Pharisee contrasted with the quiet, penitential attitude of the publican. It takes a great deal of strength of character to acknowledge one's faults, and this contrasts sharply with the Pharisee's approach which only served to confirm that empty drums makes the most noise.

Point 1: - It is appropriate that we consider this subject of "strength" as we greet those who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. As I remember it, "Confirmation makes us strong and perfect Christians"! Of course, all of the seven Sacraments, each in its own way, help us to be "strong and perfect" followers of Christ. Baptism commits us to Christ's leadership; Penance restores our relationship with God when, through deliberate sin we separate ourselves from that friendship; Eucharist nourishes the relationship; Marriage and Holy Orders consecrate it; and Last Anointing seals it. And I find it interesting to note the parallel that exists between the stages of development in our natural formation and our spiritual development - Birth,(Baptism), awareness,(Penance), growth,(Eucharist), adolescence,(Confirmation), maturity (Marriage, Holy Orders - Religious Profession or Priesthood), Death( Anointing).

Point 2: For a variety of reasons, a good many people still regard religious commitment as a sign of weakness; either they consider it to be a sign of intellectual weakness - invisible God, angels and a soul destined for life after death, and "pie in the sky"!! Others see it as a sign of emotional weakness - people needing a crutch, not being able to stand alone. Sometimes these thoughts are implied in such comments as -"Religion is a good thing for women and children!" - as if to say "grown men are beyond that"!

The reality, of course, is quite different. Strength of character has always been associated with conviction and, throughout history, one of the great sources of conviction has been religion. Some go so far as to say that if it were not for religious conviction, all the wars of history would not have been fought. One cannot deny that there have been many instances in which religious conviction has been put forward as a reason for argument, but in the majority of cases it has been a cover-up for political ambition directed to national aggrandisement.

Conclusion: Genuine religious conviction directs itself to acknowledging that we are related to a God of goodness and strength which enables us to exercise the ultimate form of strength - self-mastery. This belief endows us with a sense of dignity and worth; because of it, we can be regarded as trustworthy and dependable. The religious person has no need for bluster and threat to survive; and religious conviction enables us to deal with adversity without becoming the victim of hopeless grief or futile anger. At all times, it gives us access to the strength of God that gives us self-mastery - This is real strength.! This is the strength that St. Paul describes in his letter to the Philippians as being his mainstay throughout his life..

Scriptural reference" for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. [Phil 4:11-13]

Buzzword - Perseverance
The theme of today's Mass is to "hang in there"! How often do we get discouraged - the news is all bad, there are bills to be paid, families to be fed, work to be done and, on top of everything, you feel a cold coming on! As the old song puts it - 'Life gets tedious, don't it?" Today's readings recommend that we hang in there when the going gets tough.

Exodus 17:8-13 - Moses keeps praying no matter how badly the battle with the Amalekites goes. The image of the Interventionist God prevailed at this stage of religious thinking.

2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 - Paul does not let up on Timothy; he keeps at him about his new responsibilities to teach, to organise and to deal with the problems and burdens of the day to day life of the church. One can almost imagine Timothy shaking his head and saying "OK! OK! Give me a break! Get off my back!"

Luke 18:1-8 - The widow keeps after the judge until finally he gives in and hears her case. Although she had received knock back after knock back, she did not quit. In this parable, we are being told that in life there will always be frustration, failure and discouragement; the question is, do we have the faith to bounce back?

Point 1: "If at first you don't succeed, then try, try again"! Most of us have heard that phrase many times and recognise that success only comes through repeated effort - professional success, sporting prowess, happy marriage, good parenting; all require constant effort. Our Christian response to life's situations is no different. The Faith that sparks our attempts at being Christian is much more than acceptance of a list of dogmas and engaging in rites and devotions. Its bottom line is an attitude of mind that commits a person to Christ's leadership; consequently, a person is motivated to behave in one way rather than another. One of the first fruits of Faith is a spirit of prayer.

Point 2: Many people misunderstand the purpose of prayer and become discouraged because their prayers, apparently, have not been answered. Christ spoke to His disciples of the need to pray; by word and example He taught them how to pray; but, for all of that, there is still much confusion on the subject of prayer. For so many, their prayer is directed to having God change the external facts of life, prayer of petition; they want God to intervene to change this or that set of external circumstances. When the required intervention does not occur, disappointment is felt and questions are asked - What did God mean when He said "[Mat 21:22] Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive." A moment's serious thought tells us that the reference could not possibly be to external situations. These situations are controlled by natural laws set in place at the time of creation and which sometime fail resulting in natural disasters - earthquakes, floods, disease - or, more generally, by people abusing the gift of free will, or not using their God-given talents to best advantage - wars, accidents, poverty and injustice. The purpose of prayer is not to have God doing the things that we should be doing ourselves But, if we are considering our own personal, internal needs for help, then, yes, the promise stands.

Conclusion: Persevering prayer does have the power to give us the strength, the courage and the hope to grow in a way that we did not know was possible despite the external conditions in which we live. There can be no doubt that prayer is always more fruitful when it is in harmony with God's desire for our growth. At that level, prayer is more than "asking"; it becomes "listening". It passes the "word" stage to arrive at the "thought" level satisfying the complete purpose of prayer which is to render homage, to give praise, to acknowledge one's dependence, and to ask for the gift of perseverance.

Scriptural reference: "and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name. [1 Chr 29:13]

Buzzword - Healing
There are few of us who have not experienced healing in one way or another; and, invariably, healing is accompanied by gratitude. Today's readings, particularly the first and the third, focus our attention on this fact of healing and being grateful. Oddly, it is the pagan Naaman in the first reading, and the despised Samaritan in the third, who are grateful and express their gratitude.

2 Kings 5: 14-17 - Naaman, CIC of the Syrian army, had come to Elisha the Prophet seeking a cure for the dreaded disease of leprosy. On being cured, he immediately gave thanks by proclaiming his belief in Jahwe, the One ,True God. The Responsorial Psalm echoes this hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the almighty God of all nations.

2 Timothy 2: 8-13 - In the epistle, Paul reassures Timothy that faith in the Risen Jesus brings comfort and strength in any situation. Jesus will heal even the wounds of death, and it is this Faith that has supported Paul in all his trials.

Luke 17: 11-19 - Strangers seem to show more gratitude to Christ for being healed than his own people. It is not the first time that Christ has tried to shame the Chosen People by comparing their behaviour with that of the despised Samaritans. The Samaritans, in the eyes of the Orthodox Jew, were an heretical group who were detested even more than the pagans. They were the descendants of a mixed population and were never regarded as true Israelites.

Point 1: Healing, whether it relates to physical or spiritual malaise, is never easy; and each of us is familiar with the good feeling one has as healing begins to take effect. - a headache that eases; the annoying cold that has hung on for weeks suddenly breaks and we breathe again; after the operation, the incision knits and we can move freely again. Spiritually, too, we recognise the relief that comes with psychotherapy; husband and wife take on a new lease of life as marriage counseling helps to heal the wounds in their marriage; the addict surges with hope again as self-mastery is reasserted and the dreaded dependency is broken; the peace and tranquillity that come to a conscience eased by confession and reconciliation through the Sacraments. The list goes on and on of examples of healing acts putting together what was broken, reuniting what had been severed, giving back to life a semblance of order and happiness. For this we should be grateful.

Point 2: But, in addition to being healed, as Christians we are expected also to be "healers". Jesus came to exercise a ministry of healing, to enable people to live in a harmonious relationship with their God and with each other; and we, through Baptism, have succeeded to that ministry. Today, there is great need for healing attitudes in our society. Recently, I attended a morning tea at an Islamic Mosque. There, I met representatives of Government, different Religious groups, the Police and leaders of the Islamic community. One common thought was on everyone's mind - to make sure the hard won attitudes of tolerance and understanding in our community will not be undermined by fanaticism and prejudice.

Conclusion: Leprosy may not be the scourge it was in Our Lord's time; but, envy, prejudice, anger and hatred are still ever present evils needing our healing hand. Let us not imagine that the time for healing or gratitude exemplified in today's readings relates only to yesteryear. They are very much needed today.

Scriptural reference: "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise". (Jeremiah, 17:14)