• • CCUSA Presents the Washington Weekly
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Overview: This week, the debt ceiling was raised by $2.5 trillion, a sum that is expected to last until 2023. The Senate passed on Wednesday the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, a $770 billion package to fund national defense programs. The legislation passed the House earlier this month and now goes to the president's desk. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) continues to eye Dec. 25 for getting the Build Back Better Act passed in the upper chamber, but Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) remains in continued negotiations with the president and Leader Schumer.

Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill: A pre-Christmas vote on the House-passed Build Back Better climate and safety net spending package seems unlikely at this point. However, talks among President Biden, Senator Schumer and Senator Manchin continue over specific items, such as the financing and overall cost of the bill. (Here's a summary of what's included in the House-passed bill.)

Economy: "In the week ending December 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment insurance] claims was 206,000, an increase of 18,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 4,000 from 184,000 to 188,000. The 4-week moving average was 203,750, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since November 15, 1969, when it was 202,750."

National debt: The House and Senate voted to raise the debt limit by $2.5 trillion. The borrowing cap is expected to last into 2023.
Covid-19 vaccination mandates: On Wednesday, a federal appeals court gave the Biden administration a partial win in their efforts to require Covid-19 vaccines for certain health care workers. The court issued an order effectively allowing the health care worker mandate to be enforced in about half the states in the country. The states where the health worker vaccine mandate is currently on hold are: LA, MN, AZ, AL, GA, ID, IN, MS, OK, SC, UT, WV, KY, OH, MS, NE, AK, KS, IO, WY, AK, SD, ND and NH. The other Biden administration vaccine mandates (for federal contractors and larger employers over 100 employees) have been suspended in all states by the courts pending further review.

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"Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Lk 2:34-35

Simeon the prophet speaks these words to Mary at her presentation of the newborn Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple.  My guess is that these words are not the first to come to mind for most people when contemplating the Christmas story.  Nor are they the only words Simeon speaks, for he also recognizes the hope that Jesus' birth offers to humanity: "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel" (Lk 2:32).

Hope is the main theme, as it should be for any birth. And yet, like any birth, Jesus' also raises questions, as well as anxieties.  How are we going to pay for this child, what do we do if he gets sick, will I be able to see him through until he reaches adulthood? Now imagine that someone says your child has a destiny that will affect the world.

Mary was "amazed" at what was said about Jesus and she pondered the words prayfully.  Becoming pregnant was wonderful enough, but to consider that one's child would change the course of history must be difficult to comprehend as one cradles the baby in one's arms.  Then to hear that people would be divided over him could provoke frightening thoughts:  will he be hurt, when will all these things happen, will I be able to help?

A similar response can well up in us as we contemplate who Jesus is and what he means in our lives.  Just as Mary was drawn simultaneously to cherish the joy of new birth and to worry about what would come, we can be attracted to the Christ who embraces us and, at the same time, shrink from the Christ who judges us.  We can learn from the example of Mary who took time to ponder everything said about Jesus.  Through her prayer, continually opening herself to the grace of the Holy Spirit, Mary gradually understood Jesus' life from the perspective of the Father's will that all men and women be saved by Jesus' sacrifice.  Her anguish over the evil and sinfulness of the world produced no discouragement, but rather moved her to direct people to follow Jesus.  Her sorrow at the foot of the cross-as real and intense as it surely was-did not extinguish her hope of seeing her son triumphant over death.  All of Mary's hopes and dreams were richly fulfilled.

We have the opportunity now to live by faith, solidly grounded in reality.  The world is broken; so are we.  We need help and correction.  Jesus provides both in his love for us.  Like Mary, we can follow Jesus closely, pondering everything he said, and choosing to be faithful to him in good times and in bad.  There is a lot to celebrate as we contemplate Jesus' life, and as we walk in his way we will also suffer.  But as Mary discovered, when we give ourselves generously to God, he fills us with his peace and understanding and the longing for eternal life with him who has done great things for us. Holy is his name!

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Q. Who is the person Santa Claus is based on and where did he come from?

Please send your answers to [email protected]. 

Last week's question and answer:

Q. What teaching was condemned by the bishop of Paris on Dec. 10, 1270?

A. Thanks to Beverly Earl, director of family and community services, San Bernardino County, Catholic Charities San Bernardino, for being first to submit the answer: The Bishop of Paris condemned Averroism through the efforts of Thomas Aquinas and other theologians. Averroism taught the eternality of the world, denied providence and free will, and set philosophy above faith and Scripture. (Source)

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