archives

Happy New Year to All!

Here is an Epiphany reflection to consider, taking Isaiah's new season words:

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you."

NOW at a time when the world so needs light, let us BE such a light as Christ has given us to be: FIRST, by becoming, each one, a clear lens for another's shining grace - let us clean away the judgment, anger, and exclusion that occludes our sister's light; SECOND, by opening a place for the Lord truly to rise within us - let us, together, practice that radical hospitality that invites God and God's Own Creation; THIRD, by practicing joy, in the continuing Epiphany of God's Revelation - let us dance!

By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
New York

As the annual glut of year-end analysis and “Top Ten/Bottom Ten” lists draws to a close, here’s one striking fact about 2007 that so far no one seems to have highlighted: In this entire 12-month period, Pope Benedict XVI finished on the front page of the New York Times exactly twice.

The first piece came on January 8, about the resignation of his nominee as Archbishop of Warsaw amid charges of collaboration with the Communist-era secret police; the second on May 7, in a look ahead to his trip to Brazil. Otherwise, all the other major papal stories of the year, from the Latin Mass and “one true church” documents, to the Austria trip and the encyclical on hope, finished well inside.

In a few moments when we begin our Eucharistic prayer, I will proclaim the words:

"Yes, God, you are holy. You are kind to us and to all. For this, we thank you. We thank you, above all, for your son Jesus. You sent him into this world because people had turned away from you and no longer loved one another. Jesus opened our eyes and our hearts to understand that we are brothers and sisters, and that you are the one God of us all. And Jesus brought us the good news of life to be lived with you forever in heaven, and he showed us the way to that life, the way of love."

Later this year the attempt will be made to gain the support of some catholics and some bishops. Other attempts will be made to make them look foolish.
I suggested a few weeks ago that it would be better to ask the questions now and avoid wedge issues down the line. NCR is in a position to put together a questionaire that would let candidates present positions in a positive way.
Some of the issues that have to come up are.