PAX ET BONUM: Fr david Berger

Pope Francis invites us to re experience the joy of Christ. He invites us to recognize this impediments to that joy especially consumerism and frivolous pleasures.

What is the one figure that continually haunts us once we experience it? What does the image of the beggar strike at our heart? Th beggar is a stark contrast to the American dream and yet we encounter it daily. HOW does the beggar reveal the reality of God to us in Advent?

What does Isaiah mean when he speaks of that day? How do we make "that" day this day and every day of our lives? Our task is not so much waiting for the future to happen but living that anticipation daily so as to allow the kingdom to break into our world.

How do we stay awake and be attentive? How can we slow down and truly have attentive to the unfolding of God's presence in our life? This is the purpose of Advent.

We encounter the story of Daniel. He has been accused of being faithful to God and thus is thrown in the Lions' den. How many of us would be accused in our life of faithfulness and trust in God? HOW is thanks and trust to side of the same coin when it comes to our relationship with God? We look at the proclamation set forth by PResident Lincoln, this day set aside for Thanks, Praise, and Penance.

What are we afraid of? How does fear dominate? What ultimately is at stake? As we journey through the end time literature of the bible we refocus our attention not to the end but a new beginning.

What do the ISRAELITES mean when they tell David, "Here we are, your bone and flesh?" How does that relate to the Genesis story of Adam and Eve and the Last Supper with JEsus? We reflect on the connection as we honor Christ the KIng of the Universe. IT is good to be King, but it is better to belong to the kingdom.

Today is the feast of St Cecilia the patroness of musicians and singing. Why do we sing? Who sings? We also reflect own the ecclesial dimension of the sacrament of confession for it is in confession we remember the song of redemption.

We continue to journey with the 2nd book of Maccabees. We are journeying toward a rededication of the temple. The story all leads up to the festival of lights, where one solitary candle refuses to be extinguished. Such is the life of faith for each of us.

What does a mother's love consist? What does true love consist? How do we tend to the material and spiritual well being of those we love?Have we sold out?

What role does the elderly provide in our life? Are the elderly only valued because of their utility or is there a deeper dignity that bring a greater witness to our world? Eleazar, the 90 year old shows us more.

Are we forward thinkers? What is the ground of our motivation in life?In the creed we profess that we look forward to the resurrection of the dead and life of the world to come. What in our life proclaims that message daily.

How does God reveal his saving power? What should we look for? Perhaps we think abut miracles, earth shaking and mountain quaking realities; maybe we think about that which defy the laws of physics. But there is a more subtle and majestic way.

What doe sit mean to paten or copyright something? Can you copyright the whole human race? How does repentance bring joy to heaven? When we repent we let Jesus have free disposition with our lives.

If anyone comes to me without hating…these are the words of Jesus in today's gospel. He invites us to hate our family. How do we hate them all the way to heaven? How do we hate them in order to love them? Strange but true