Homily Video

I truly hope and i pray that you had a great advent season and are having a wonderful Christmas season during the advent season I saw a little video hat has just captured my imagination. I’ve watched it a number of times And every time i see it my heart smiles, literally. Perhaps you have seen it. It is a video of, about a five year old boy in Great Britain and he’s talking to his mother and he’s just beside himself filled with joy. And his mother said, “What are you so excited about?” 

He said, “well, i got a part in The play for the nativity. I got a role to play.” 

And his mother said, 

“Well, what role did you get?” 

And he said, “guess.” 

So she said, “Well, are you joseph?” 

“No.” 

“Are you one of the wise men?” 

“No.” 

“Are you a shepherd?” 

“No.” 

The mother gave up and said, “well, what are you?” 

And with such pride he shouted out, “I am doorkeeper number three.” 

[Laughter in background] 

His mother was thrilled for him. She said, “well, what do you do as doorkeeper number three  

In the nativity?” 

He said, “I suppose i open the door.” 

And she said, “for who?” 

“Well, i suppose for Joseph and mary.” 

And then he smiled and said, 

“And i get to wear brown.” 

He was so excited at the role that he played at the nativity. I prayed throughout the advent season after I saw that, throughout the Christmas season, that I could be filled with that kind of enthusiasm, that kind of joy, that kind of excitement. 

To play, to be a part of the joy of the nativity. So we have this wonderful, wonderful story of the magi. They come before the lord, they follow a star, and they lay their gifts before the lord. Gold and frankincense and myrrh. They present themselves to the lord. 

St. Ignatius tells us that when we pray, and particularly over this scripture, I would say, think about yourself. Put yourself in that situation. Think of yourself as a little child. What role do you play as you come before the lord? May I make a suggestion? No matter what role that it is, all of you have been called to discipleship. Called as a very child of God. To live out our discipleship and to bring that love of Christ into the world. That’s the role we all play.