DON’T  FORGET  TO  LOOK 

AT THE PICTURES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 1^st Tuesday in Advent is, “Don’t Forget to Look at the Pictures.”

Christianity is a very visual religion. We use stuff - materials - pictures - images to get to the invisible - the spiritual.

Christmas cards are still  - around - less than the past - but they are still around. If you do Christmas cards may your cards with their images and pictures and your written words  bring life and hope to the people in your lives whom you send cards to.

If you use a family photo as your Christmas Greetings may others remember nice memories of the people in the picture that you send.  If you use regular Christmas Cards - may others catch the Baby in the manger - or the Christmas message on your card.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from Isaiah 11: 1-10 has some rich words and themes.

Check your Christmas cards. Some will have just words  - like the words in today’s first reading: understanding, wisdom, counsel, justice, and faithfulness. Pick one word, one theme and pray it back for the sender.

Check your Christmas cards. Someone will send you a painting by Edward Hicks of the Peaceable Kingdom fame. We hear about that in today’s first reading as well: all the animals living in peace.  As you know there are lots of versions of that painting - 62 to be exact.  Study the dream of Edward Hicks - a Quaker - for our world - that the bull in the china shop, the bully in the classroom, the monkey in our midst who won’t get   serious, can all get along with each other: those who bark and bite and those who are catty and those who are the elephants in the room.

Don’t forget to look at the Christmas TV movies. Try to catch Charlie Brown’s Christmas story - as well as, “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart. Listen to and ponder and study the Christmas message in the songs in the background.

TODAY - DECEMBER 4th - IS THE FEAST OF ST. JOHN DAMASCENE

St. John Damascene or St. John of Damascus [c. 675-749]  was the last of the Fathers of the Early Church.

He was attacked and scoffed at for defending the use of images and icons and pictures in telling the Christian message.

There were those in the Christian Church who were against all images - broke some of them. It’s called iconoclasm.  Of course, images are not God - any more than our photographs and selfies are the people in the pictures

Luckily St. John lived in Muslim territory - Muslims who were against images in their religion - but they didn’t bother John - the monk.

CONCLUSION: TODAY’S GOSPEL

In today’s gospel [Luke 10: 21-24] we are told to be like little children and spot the presence of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - all around us - as well as understanding, wisdom, justice and faithfulness.