Fr. Bob’s Homily – Epiphany of the Lord

This feast of the Epiphany has always been among the favorites of many people, especially in Latin cultures like Italy and South America.

Today is the Feast of the Mother of God, without whom we would not have had Christmas.

It has been said that Catholics only sing in church at Christmas. I am not sure this is true, but from my vantage point, I have to admit it does appear that on Christmas, everyone appears to be singing.

 Do Not Be Afraid. One of the most frequent assurances in scripture is one you just heard from Matthew. Do not be afraid, it dots the old and new testaments.

We are at the end of Advent, a time of waiting. How was it for you? Did you wait patiently? Did you listen carefully? Did you pray thoughtfully and watch closely?

Our gospel tells us of John the Baptist in his prison. He’s puzzled, maybe a little disappointed. Like many Jews, he’s expected the Messiah to be a fiery social reformer.

Advent is a time of waiting. Waiting is something many of us are not used to doing. So today I ask you, what are you waiting for?

This is a stern gospel about a stern John the Baptist. If you were making up a list for a Christmas Party, you would leave his name off.

There’s a lot of secular sentimentality at Christmas, which makes it difficult for Christ to make an impact.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent and no one really celebrates it anymore. The season has been swallowed up by commercial Christmas. Yes, we come to church and note the purple vestments and sing the Advent Hymns.