Over the past few years, there have been a few films made about Fred Rogers and the influence that he made on young people through his television show for young people, entitled “Mister Roger’s Neighbourhood.” I remember speaking to you a few years ago about the documentary that was made about him. It showed how he took young people seriously and very deliberately spoke to them about some of the very political issues that dominated the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s. I can remember watching the documentary and being surprised at how intentionally he was working to form children to respect others and how he had a real ability to feel for them. So for example, while I remember Officer Clemens on the show, I had no idea that he had been purposely placed there during a time of de-segregation in the United States to show an African-American in a position of authority and to de-bunk prejudices that were often held at that time and perhaps still are today.

The latest movie about Fred Rogers is called a “Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood.” This is not intended to be a documentary, but, rather tells the story of a journalist by the name of Lloyd Vogel who is sent to interview Fred Rogers by Esquire Magazine. The reason why the magazine is sending Lloyd Vogel to interview Mr. Rogers is that he is such a nasty interviewer, that few others will allow themselves to be interviewed by him. Normally, he tears apart everyone he interviews. Even Fred Roger’s manager does not want him to be interviewed by Vogel because he is so harsh on people. Fred Rogers, on the other hand, actually reads all of Vogel’s work and decides that it is because he is so nasty that he needs to spend time with him. As Vogel meets Mr. Rogers, he is very cynical about whether someone could actually be as kind as Mr. Rogers appears to be. He asks if he can follow Mr. Rogers around to see how he really acts. He is actually surprised at how caring, decent and empathetic Fred Rogers really is to all people.

During the course of the interview, Vogel asks Mr. Rogers if it isn’t difficult to be nice all the time and always take on other people’s problems. Mr. Rogers admits that it is extremely difficult and describes how hard he must work at it with daily prayer, exercise and different ways of “blowing off steam,” like pounding on the piano. As the two spend time together, Mr. Rogers tries to explore why Lloyd Vogel has so many problems believing that people can be good. Lloyd slowly tells of his relationship with his father, who abandoned his mother just before she died. Lloyd is furious at his father and does not believe that he could ever forgive him. So angry is he at his father, that during the course of the movie, Lloyd has a fight with his father and refuses to visit him in hospital when he learns that he is ill and dying. Slowly Mr. Rogers has a discussion with Lloyd and helps him to deal with his feelings and by the end of the movie, the family is happily reconciled and they are all together with Mr. Rogers as the health of Lloyd’s father declines.

There is one scene in the movie that really captured for me the power of the kind of person that Fred Rogers was. He and Lloyd Vogel get on a busy New York City subway. The car is filled with people of every nationality and social background. As Mr. Rogers enters, they all recognize him and an attitude of joy comes over the entire car. They all begin singing the theme song for his show and thank him for his witness to the value of the human person. His presence changed everyone from within and made them forget about their differences. They were transformed into a loving community by his presence.

This theme of rejoicing because of one who has come to be in our midst is at the heart of the readings for this Gaudete Sunday. The first reading from the Book of Isaiah speaks today of one who will come to open the ears of the deaf, heal the blind and restore the lame. Jesus tells the disciples of John to go and tell him that because of Christ’s coming; the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” In fact, Jesus has come not just to be a neighbour for a few people that He might encounter on the subway car, but a neighbour to all of us. One of the titles that has been given to Jesus is “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” As a Christian, Mr. Rogers attempted to be present to people in the way that he thought Jesus would be present to others. This presents a bit of a challenge to all of us about the manner in which we try to be present to other people. However, it ultimately speaks to us about how Jesus invites us to allow him to be present to us. Perhaps a good way to describe Advent would be as that season in which we take Jesus’ invitation to be His neighbour seriously.

Accepting Jesus as our neighbour involves accepting that He cares for each of us and desires to spend time in our lives. The Lord has become a child at Christmas to allow each of us to draw near to him. The invitation to draw near to Him means bringing our difficulties and struggles to him. If we accept Jesus truly as our Saviour, His invitation means believing that He cares enough to be with us in our struggles. It is noteworthy that Mr. Rogers was not able to help Lloyd Vogel make any changes in his life, until he was willing to talk about and share them with him. Only after he opened up about his situation, did he see changes begin. For the Lord to bring about change in our lives, we must open up to Him and trust Him with our struggles and past.

For us as Catholics, one of the ways in which we allow Jesus to support us as a neighbour is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this sacrament, we are invited to bring to Him the areas with which we are struggling and desire to experience peace and reconciliation. In the sacrament of Reconciliation, we ask Christ to take from us areas of our weakness and sin that prevent us from being free and the people that we desire to be. In this sacrament, Jesus takes all of us seriously, as His neighbour, and he hopes to help us claim the dignity that belongs to us.

This coming week, throughout the entire Archdiocese of Toronto, each Catholic parish has been asked to host a day of confessions between December 15 and 21. You can visit the Archdiocesan website at www.archtoronto.org and find the time for confessions for all churches in the diocese. For our own parish, the day of confessions will be Saturday, December 21 from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm. Father James Casper will be celebrating confessions from 9:00 am until 11:30 am. I will be in the confessional from 11:30 to 2:00 pm and Fr. Adam Hincks, s.j. will be in the confessional from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

For any who have not celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation in some time, there is a card in the bulletin to help a person to do this. In general, prior to entering the confessional, one thinks of their sins and makes an examination of conscience. This can be done using the ten commandments. There is a good examination of conscience on the card in the bulletin. Once you enter the confessional, the sign of the cross is made and the person going to confession usually begins by saying: “Bless me Father for I have sinned and it has been…..(so long) since my last confession.” After being welcomed, the individual makes his/her confession. After this, the priest will offer some advice about the spiritual life, give a penance and invite you to make an act of contrition. For those who do not know the act of contrition, it is on the card in the bulletin and on the wall in the confessional. You are welcome to bring these sacramental aides into the confessional or to ask the priest for assistance. No one ever needs to be embarrassed about the length of time since the last confession or whether she/he needs to ask for help. The priest is there to help you to celebrate the sacrament without any anxiety. After the individual has made her/his confession, the priest will absolve him/her and the individual returns to the church to say the penance that was assigned.

The good news of this Advent season is that Jesus, Emmanuel, has chosen to be our neighbour in an unprecedented manner. He has come to bring the good news that we are all the beloved children of God and that nothing can stand in our way of taking up this dignity. He is the good and caring neighbour that our hearts long for to set them free. In order to enjoy this freedom, we need to be able to open our hearts to Him and share with Him what needs setting free. The Church and Christ invite us to have the courage to do this by celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation. May all of us hear Jesus’ call and invitation this Advent: “Won’t you be my neighbour.”

I pray that this Advent season may be a time for all of us to know the Love of Emmanuel, God with us, our neighbour.

Fr. Michael McGourty—Pastor—St. Peter’s Parish—Toronto.