The Nativity Scene is one of the most beloved symbols in Christianity. It is perhaps one of the of the most painted scenes in the history of art. At this time of year, Nativity Scenes are set up with great love and devotion in homes and churches around the world. Before the celebration of Jesus’ birth on Christmas Day, the Nativity Scene with its empty Manger proclaims the anticipation of a people who await the coming of God’s love in their midst. After the celebration of Christ’s birth, when the baby Jesus is placed in the Manger, the Nativity Scene proclaims the presence of a loving God with His people. The birth of Christ into the poverty of the Manger not only proclaims God’s love for us, but it announces boldly the extent to which God will go to show us His love for every single person. Born into absolute poverty, Jesus wishes to show us that there is nothing that will get in the way of His loving us. No matter where we find ourselves in this world, Jesus desires to come among us and be our God. He is truly God with us- or as the scriptures call Him, Emmanuel. In the midst of this ongoing pandemic, when so many people are isolated and alone, often without feeling any sense of hope, the Manger takes on a powerful significance as it announces to all of us God’s desire to be with us in these difficult and troubled times. The Manger reminds us that God will come to us no matter what our situations. To these situations, He will bring real hope. There is only one sign that speaks more powerfully of God’s love for us, and the extent to which He will go to show us that love, and that is the sign of the Cross, which in the context of the pandemic announces that God will even bring life to where we have encountered earthly death. Continue reading →

For those of you who are as old as I am, it can be hard to believe that it has been more than twenty years since we began the new millennium. Given the expectations that awaited the change of millennium in 1999, it is actually amazing how well things have gone—with the exception of COVID 19. At the end of the 1990’s, there were all sorts of scenarios about how the world was going to end when the clock struck midnight and the new millennium came in. Not too surprisingly, there are many historical accounts which tell of the same kind of hysteria at the time of the millennia change in the year 999. One of the biggest concerns in 1999 was a fear that all computers were going to shut down because they had not been programmed in order to take into account the new dating for the years 2000 and after. As we approached midnight on December 31, 1999, many were waiting to see if chaos and total collapse of all computer networks was going to be the great tragedy of the new millennium. Continue reading →

As you might imagine, as a Catholic priest, I do not get too many Valentine cards; so, when I do, I remember them. As memorable as all the cards that I receive are, the Valentine card that I will always remember is the card that I received this past Valentine’s Day.

Our parish offers a meal on Monday evenings from November to March. This Winter Welcome Table meal is for those who might not otherwise be able to afford a warm meal. Normally, it is served indoors as a sit-down meal, but recently we have had to serve it as a take-out meal as a result of COVID 19. Over the years those of us who volunteer with this program have gotten to know the “regulars.” Those who come are always grateful for what they receive. They are almost always kind and considerate. On many occasions they will want to take something to someone else who is in need and unable to come. They wish to share as they receive. Last year, one of the men who attended would often bring extra food that he had come across or found on sale so that it could be shared with others. Continue reading →

In the first reading this Sunday from the Book of Deuteronomy, we hear one of the most important passages in the Jewish scriptures. In this passage, Moses tells the people of Israel that if they obey the commandments that God has given them, God will save them, they will be His people and He will bring them to the Promised Land—a land flowing with milk and honey. This promise is followed by Moses speaking to the people of Israel a great profession of faith that the people of Israel are to keep on their lips several times a day. It is known as the great “Shema Yisrael” prayer which states: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command to you today shall be on your heart.” Continue reading →

Thanksgiving is a North American holiday. If I remember my school lessons correctly, it derives from the experience of the first European settlers here in North America and their experience of their first few years here on this continent. The way we were taught about this holiday when I was in elementary school recalled how difficult these first Europeans found the bitter winter to survive on their own and how unprepared they were to make it through this difficult climate. They were so unprepared for the conditions they found on this continent that it was only with the help of the Indigenous People, who knew the land and the ways of growing here, that they were able to make it through those initial days. Once they had learned to grow crops in this territory and figure out how to survive the conditions on this continent, they were so grateful that they began to have a special feast called “Thanksgiving” at the end of the growing season to celebrate the goods of this land and the great opportunities that they had discovered here. From my school days, I recall a part of those initial Thanksgiving celebrations involved celebrations with the Indigenous People who had helped these first settlers to make their lives possible here. That is why so many of our celebrations still highlight the many vegetables and local products that were handed over to the Europeans by the Indigenous People to help them survive. Continue reading →

On July 14, 1904, a young 14 year-old girl, by the name of Anna Warde, drowned near Juddhaven Muskoka attempting to save a younger child who was drowning. Anna was a member of this parish’s choir and was away on her summer holiday when she drowned. Anna would have sung in the choir in the first of the three churches that have served our community. The plaque which is at the doors of our church today to commemorate Anna’s life, would have been in all three of our parish churches: the one first constructed after the parish was established in 1896, the second church that was built in 1906, and this present building that has stood here since 1925. The plaque was placed there by Anna’s parents who must have been devastated by the death of their daughter. After her death, they came to worship in this church so that as the Psalmist says in today’s readings, the Lord might uphold their lives. Continue reading →

“Who do you say that I am?”

As Jesus puts this question to Peter in this Sunday’s Gospel, there is a possibility that we might hear it as a question that He is putting only to Peter as a way of inviting Peter alone to make a profession of faith regarding Jesus’ identity. It is, however, clear from the way that Jesus responds to Peter’s answer that Jesus has far more in mind then simply asking Peter whom He thinks Jesus to be. Jesus responds to Peter’s answer by telling him exactly what His mission is about and by explaining to Peter that those who truly believe that He is the Christ must live their lives in a way that reflects what they profess Him to be. Continue reading →

There is a beautiful prayer that is used in the rite of Baptism for an infant. It is based on today’s Gospel that tells of Jesus healing the deaf and the mute man. As he does so, he touches the deaf man’s ears and mouth and says “ephphetha,” the Aramaic word for “be open.”  Although most people who are baptized can hear and speak, this prayer asks that the ears of the individual will be opened to hear God’s Word in faith and that hearing it they may also speak it in faith. This is an important prayer in the world we live in today. Throughout our lifetimes, each one of us hears so many words and are invited to speak in different ways. As Christians, we are called upon to discern what we listen to and ask if it corresponds to our Gospel values and to speak and act according to these values. Continue reading →