Friday Coffin Break # 9 Wise Men and Myrrh, See?

Merry Christmas season and happy New Year everybody.

On this first Friday of 2026, let’s take 5 minutes to reflect on the upcoming Sunday’s Epiphany Gospel story, of the three Wise Men’s worship of Jesus, in the light of the grave. Remember, every weekend can be a Little Triduum, with some sacrifice being made each Friday, in recognition of Jesus’ life-giving Friday sacrifice for us, that we might more fully enter every Sunday as a foretaste of Eternal Resurrection Joy!

This Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 2: 1-12 (from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:

‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler

who will govern my people Israel.’”

Then Herod summoned the Wise Men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Gold, frankincense and myrrh, see? The gold was to honor Jesus’ kingship. The frankincense was to honor his divinity. The myrrh was a prefigurement of the death he chose to freely die for us as he stooped down into our humanity, taking on flesh that we might be freed from the bondage of sin; that we might put on divinity in the eternal communion of the saints.

Myrrh is for mercy.

Mercy might seem costly in the moment, but Jesus has paid the biggest price, shown us the path to follow and assured us that he will not abandon us.

Here’s to a grace abounding 2026!

Friday Coffin Break #8 Lowe’s How a Rose E’er Blooming

The original idea of the coffin break was to offer up the usual cup of coffee on Fridays and spend a moment meditating on the upcoming Sunday Gospel reading with a spirit of sacrifice, looking toward and preparing for the ultimate sacrifice that will be required of each of us at the end of our lives; creating thus a little Triduum of each weekend in the hope that we might be more prepared for our own deaths by recognizing the ongoing need to die to ourselves to receive the Ultimate Life. So, when I was picking up a little lumber at Lowes this morning for a side project, and their free coffee caught my eye, my first thought was “no coffee this morning.” But then J remembered that I never drink Lowes free coffee. Never, that is, but one time in Seattle in 1999 where I was landscaping one dark winter’s day.

That coffee was terrible.

Which, thus remembering, led me to reason that perhaps a cup of penitential coffee would be even more spiritually effective than no coffee for this Little Triduum kickoff…  So, I bought my wood and pumped out half a cup. The coffee turned out to be surprisingly good.

Open to bigger surprises let’s look at Sunday’s Gospel in the light of the grave:

This Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 1: 18-24 (from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly.

But as he considered this, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet;

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel”

(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but he knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

My wise wife Kelly commented that Joseph’s righteousness was made manifest in mercy. The mercy God shows to us and longs to show us even more, if we but repent and ask for it, is the most wonderful surprise we could ever hope for. The more we receive it now, the more we will surprise others with it as well as we become agents of His mercy; and, the more we give it away the more we will receive it. We know this. We pray the Our Father, the prayer Jesus gave us, repeatedly.  So let us wake from sleep and do as the angel of the Lord commands us.

Have a great Christmas, everybody.

Friday Coffin Break #7 Soft Robes Don't Break the Wind

Wishing everyone a happy Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as we begin the little triduum of this second Friday of Advent in preparation for Gaudate Sunday. We commence these three days by offering something in gratitude for the coming of the Lord, and for the great favor bestowed on this continent with the miracle of Mary’s visitation to Juan Diego in 1531. Let us willfully enter into this time of preparation for Sunday’s Joy by considering the upcoming Gospel reading in the light of the grave:

This Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 11: 2-11 (from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.”

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man dressed in soft robes? Behold, those who wear soft robes are in kings’ houses. Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,

‘Behold I send my messenger before your face,

Who shall prepare your way before you.’

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Some time later, when the soft-robed Herod, shaken by the wind of his wife’s daughter’s request, anxiously ordered the axe to remove Saint John’s head, the prophet himself had little to lose and everything to gain. He knew his treasure awaited him in Heaven. Though few, if any, of us will renounce this world as vigorously as Jesus’ cousin, that is not a reason to dismiss him as a role model in our comfortable modern lives.  Even starting with a small weekly investment in Eternity has substance and, with a loving God as The Great Compounder of Interest, we can, with sincere and infectious hope, anticipate that day when our accounts will be settled. Rejoice!

“Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”