I will confess to less reflection on the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6 and its aftermath than to consumption of the news about and other people’s reflections on them, so don’t expect anything too profound here.

Father John Coleman reviews a new book on the resurrection, and what it means in our everyday lives. I cannot recommend too highly the extraordinary new book by Veronica Mary Rolf and Eva Natanya. It could easily soon become a kind of classic. Well researched, concisely written and full of ways to help us understand what resurrection means and how we can enter resurrected lives, I learned much but also was deeply spiritually moved by the book.

The Christmas trees arrived in the church yesterday, and I will confess that it was bittersweet. On one hand, it’s one of the few times of the year that our beautiful church is even more awe-inspiring.

I have always been a great admirer of the work of N.T. Wright, the British New Testament scholar and former Bishop of Durham. In his recent short book (76 pages), he reflects on the Coronavirus and how Christians should or should not respond to it. Wright argues that we should respond to it with lament and restraint, and not jump to any theological conclusions about its why. He points to some theological voices (mainly Evangelical apocalyptic thinkers) who often see plagues or other abnormal events as signs of the end of the world. But Wright notes that Jesus warned against any view that the kingdom will come with new sudden signs. Jesus’ death and resurrection are the ultimate signs, not worldly catastrophe.

Thanksgiving week I had a few more conversations than usual with one of my dear Jesuit friends. Likely in the first phone call he mentioned that he had a homily to prepare and his working theme was “Advent: Waiting in Joyful Hope.” In subsequent calls, his homily ideas came up, as did his title.

Reflection: The Living Gospel Advent has always been my favorite liturgical season. Maybe because, unlike Lent or other seasons of the liturgy, it only lasts four weeks. It is also a time of waiting, of hope and expectation, not of what has been but of what will be, come the birth of Christ. It is also a season filled with wonderful scriptural passages from Isaiah, and gospel readings about John the Baptist. When I was on the faculty of Loyola Marymount, each year I would spend three days at the house of prayer for priests during Advent to bring myself to the longing, waiting and acceptance of what God would do. The older I get, the more I am in that mood of waiting, longing and, ultimately, gratitude for what has been, alongside openness and gratitude for what will be, even if it entails diminishment of memory and energy because of my age -- 83 years and seven months. I also know that more diminishment, and finally death, will be my plight, but I want to always say: “For all that has been, Thanks, for all that will be, your will be done.”

No one needs to be convinced we are fast approaching the end of a most difficult year. The pandemic has defined it, of course, with its consequences of fear and isolation, economic and health threats, and too much time on Zoom.

Fr. John Coleman reflects on ways we can put faith into action as we face an unprecedented global health crisis. During this pandemic we certainly face some of our fears, boredom, loneliness and loss of connection with many we know and love. But we also need to ask ourselves how we can grow in grace and achieve some spiritual growth amidst some of this negativity. Despite all the negative sides of the pandemic (increased drinking by some; growth in psychological problems), what are some spiritual practices which can help us weather and indeed grow during this time of negativity? In a poem entitled “Pandemic” Lynn Ungar suggests we reframe this moment.

I read something this week written by the Quaker Parker Palmer I’d like to share with you. He writes: For those of us who want to see democracy survive and thrive – and we are legion – the heart is where everything begins:

The award I am holding reads as follows: “The Thomas More Society of San Francisco, desirous of promoting and advancing those ideals of service and sacrifice that are reflected so conspicuously in the life and death of our lawyer-patron, gives tribute to FATHER JOHN COLEMAN S.J.

Fr. John Coleman reflects on what we can do to become “more saint-like in our real lives” In the above picture of all saints, we see women and men and also bishops, priests, nuns. Again, saints of different ethnic backgrounds. But as the remarks in Living Liturgy: All Saints 2020putit:“As so many “official saints'' have been priests, religious, and celibates, it’s critically important that we have the words of the Beatitudes from the gospel for All Saints to remind us what holiness looks like. Nowhere in the Beatitudes is there a word about celibacy. There is certainly nothing about one’s vocationalstate (priest, sister, etc.). Instead there are the hallmarks of sanctity: attributes such as ‘poor in spirit’, ‘meek’ and ‘merciful’.

This Thursday, our very own Fr. John Coleman will be honored by the St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco, the oldest fellowship of Catholic lawyers and judges in the West. The award is named for the 16th-century lawyer, judge, diplomat, Lord Chancellor of England and martyr who chose death, rather than submit to the Oath of Supremacy demanded by King Henry VIII.