January 1, 2025 at Saint Peter the Apostle Church in Naples, FL
Numbers 6: 22-27 + Psalm 67 + Galatians 4: 4-7 + Luke 2: 16-21
When I was in the final years of grade school, our pastor at the time, whose homilies would rival a Cricket Match for their length and interest for 12-year-old had the custom of not preaching any sermon on January1. This was before the days of “Vigil Masses” and that “Let’s get it over with and go on Saturday” mentality began. He observed to me once that he thought most of the people had been out at New Year’s Eve parties the night before and would not be capable of listening to anything with attention.
I have been tempted on occasion to preserve Father MacDonald’s memory by keeping up his venerable tradition. But today, by Noon, most are over whatever we did last night, and I did make a promise at ordination to pray for the church and preach the Gospel.
There is a compromise possible, and that is to offer one brief thoughtful reflection on these verses from Luke’s Gospel and then sit down. This is not because I was out late last night. After all, I’m 82-years-old and still keep my father’s advice: “Act your age.”
Notice that Luke says these Shepherds went in haste to find Mary, Joseph, and the infant. There are still occasions for us all to act in haste. There are also occasions for stopping to ponder things in our hearts. Both are occasions for wonder. I really think that wonder is a good thing because it can make us curious, and curiosity can lead to understanding. If there was just a little more wonder, curiosity, and understanding in this world, there might be a realistic hope for peace. We might slow down a bit in the year to come, and like the woman whose memory draws us here today, learn to ponder without judgement or fear and come to understand one another a bit better.