I remember the first time my older sister asked me if I wanted to hold her newborn son. Terrified, I told her I didn’t think it was a good idea. My résumé had nothing to suggest I would be a qualified baby holder. But she warmly told me, “I’ll help you hold him.” It struck me that she is baby’s mother. She is the one who decides who is qualified to hold him. I took him in my arms and soon I began to feel comfortable with that tiny little warm cooing creature in my arms, and soon I no longer feared holding him. Now, twenty-seven nieces and nephews later, holding a newborn child is one of the great joys of my life.

Dear Brothers, & Sisters,

As we gather in this blessed season of Christmas, our hearts and homes are adorned with the festive spirit, evident in the myriad gifts beneath our Christmas trees. These earthly offerings, though wrapped with care, often fail to capture the essence of true gifting – they may not suit our tastes, might be returned, or simply lack the personal touch we yearn for.

Why do we believe in Jesus and the Catholic Church? Why should we continue to do so? We’ve never seen him face-to-face (at least not most of us, I assume). Most of us have never had mystical visions of angels or saints. We live in the same world as our atheist and secularists friends. Why do we believe in Christ if we’ve never seen him?

The road we travel as Christians is not always easy. Sometimes it is smooth; other times, it is bumpy, with potholes and detours. Some days, we are on top of the mountain; other days, we find ourselves in the valleys of life. Sometimes we have sunshine and beautiful sky days; other times, we have darkness and heavy storms of life. While it is true that our faith in God is supposed to bring us inner peace, joy, and fulfillment here on earth and ultimately win us favor in the sight of God hereafter, the truth is that unkind things can happen to good people.

Lately I’ve been listening to a science-based podcast on healthy daily living. The host frequently discusses the wide range of health benefits of sleep. So, each night I’m trying to get more, and better, slumber, and it’s helping me feel energized. So, why in the world should we follow Christ’s advice this week? “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house will come … lest he find you asleep.” Isn’t sleep, especially at midnight and cockcrow, a good thing? Of course, it is.

Of all the many wonderful, thorough examinations of conscience I have come across, the one I normally utilize is very simple, and perfectly suited to someone like me who is not capable of profound thought at the end of the day.

It’s just one very short question: Which Christs did I not recognize today?

When I was a kid, I hated playing Monopoly because my siblings and friends always seemed to win. But worse was how it happened. Scared to risk my fake money on buying properties, I’d hold on to it. My opponents hungrily bought up the various real estate squares on the board. Then, inevitably, my poor, low-equity self would land on their spots, pay them rent, and my money would drain to zero. It seemed so unfair. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. I had to learn that monopoly money is meant to be spent. I was scared to lose some of it. So, I lost all of it.

Lately I’ve been enjoying the deep meaning of Eastern icons. I love how they express a tapestry of meaning in a way that can surpass the written or spoken word. Today’s parable of the ten virgins from Jesus is a good example. Try googling “wise and foolish virgins icon” and you’ll see an image of how our Christ meets our heart’s deepest needs if we attend to him with the proper attitude.

“Mommy, you haven’t been making any sacrifices.”

My daughter was peering through the little opening in the plastic cover of the “sacrifice jar” we made for Lent this year. The repurposed oatmeal container, jazzed up with glitter glue and pictures of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, was more than half-filled with little slips of paper bearing descriptions of the various sacrifices family members had made for one another.

One of the quickest things you learn as a parent is how dangerous it is to explain too much, especially when your kid is teetering on the brink of a rebellion. The fewer words you use, the more power they have. A kid who is about to be carried away by their feelings needs to be brought back to earth with a tether made of short, succinct directions.

With little more than a year until the United States’ national elections, I find myself feeling, like many Catholics, both dread and energized. Dread, because our democratic republic can be a messy endeavor and campaigns a long, nasty and unedifying slog; energized, because hope for positive societal change can be enticing and engaging. As a pastor, I see similar conflicting attitudes in those whom I serve. How can Catholics best engage our political arena in a way which is truly helpful and worthwhile?

I confess that I have a soft spot for the scary things Jesus says because they are usually ignored. But there’s gold in them thar hills, if we have courage to look. This week Jesus gives us a terrifying warning in his parable about the king who gives a marriage feast for his son and promptly goes berserk when people don’t respond. The point: those who do not properly respond to God’s generous invitation will face totally devastating consequences. The invitees who don’t show up get their city burned to the ground. The poor homeless man is tortured for not wearing the correct clothes. Scary indeed.

Dear Parishioners of St. John Paul the Great,

I hope this message finds you sipping on a warm cup of something – perhaps that daily latte from Starbucks or that delightful cup of Dunkin' Donuts brew. Speaking of which, have you ever noticed how even the smallest cappuccino nowadays costs more than that lone dollar bill often found rumpled in our collection basket?

Now, don't get me wrong! Every dollar is a gift, and we're grateful for every single one. But if you're slipping in just one, maybe try not to crumple it too much? Our collection counters have recently formed an unofficial “Unrumple Squad,” and they could use a break.

While on the topic of coffee, here's a thought! Next time you buy that $4 cup of coffee, why not set aside an equal amount as a "Coffee for Jesus?" Imagine: you're enjoying your latte, and our parish gets a little caffeinated boost too!

The second son never showed up to the vineyard. Did he get lost? Did he get tired? Did he not know where to begin?

When it comes right down to it, good intentions amount to very little. We all know this, don’t we? “Show me, don’t tell me.” “I’ll believe it when I see it.” It’s as true in the workplace and in relationships as it is in the life of the Christian disciple.

It doesn’t matter if we intend to work in the vineyard. It doesn’t matter if we promise to, if we think about it a lot, or if we make grand plans for what we will accomplish there. None of that matters if we don’t show up. Before we show up, we have to find the way.