| Reading I Is 60:1-6 |
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 |
| Reading II Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 |
Gospel Mt 2:1-12 |
"Hi, there. Up and at 'em. I have another job for you."
"Gabriel, if it's that nutty guy going to Mass all over creation again..."
"Well, as a matter of fact, yes. How'd you guess?"
"It's always him. And how many times do I have to tell you about bothering me on a Sunday?"
"The rest of the angels are still in Iran helping console the survivors of the earthquake. It's a small job but still important."
"Tell me what it is before you start trying to trick me into finding him a wife."
"The poor guy was in a hurry this morning and didn't think to take an umbrella. Here's his SOS."
"It says, 'Lord God, please have mercy on an itinerant worshipper.'"
"See, now how can you turn a deaf ear to such a simple prayer?"
"Oh, all right, Gabriel. I'll stop the rain until he gets to Mass. But afterward, he's on his own. Some day he just has to learn to look after himself."
tabernacle at right in chapel
creche stuffed into ex-confessional
traditional crucifix
wooden ambo
2 older servers
5 lay ministers
1 reader
1 priest
The homily was delivered from the ambo and began with a comparison of the Israel to whom Isaiah speaks with modern-day Iran. If someone were to go to the most devastated part of Iran and suggest to the people there that not only would the area recover but it would become a great economic powerhouse and international center, they would be skeptical, just as many in Israel were hesitant to embrace what Isaiah prophesied. He noted that the star the Magi were following stopped shining briefly (otherwise they would have continued to follow it instead of stopping to see Herod) and said that like the Magi, we have to continue to have faith even when the signs of encouragement disappear.
"Thanks for taking care of that rain. See-- he even said a prayer of thanks; he noticed almost right away that we were helping him."
"Okay, okay, so I shouldn't be so hard on the guy."
"Now, you did such a good job on that-- are you sure you aren't ready for a step up? I still have this other job that's been sitting on my desk for seven or eight years now. I was talking to Raphael last week and he's not at all happy with the way we're handling it-- says he's sorry he let me talk him into taking charge. I'll even give you a few assistants if you want to get serious about it."
"So give it back to Raphael already. I'm not touching it; it's hopeless even with a whole choir of angels."
"She could hold an umbrella for him..."
"They don't make them like that any more, Gabriel. Give it up."
"Never say 'die,' my friend."