Reading 1 1 Jn 2:18-21
Children, it is the last hour;
and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming,
so now many antichrists have appeared.
Thus we know this is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;
if they had been, they would have remained with us.
Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.
But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge.
I write to you not because you do not know the truth
but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel Jn 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him.
Meditation: 1 John 2:18-21
It is the last hour … “(1 John 2:18)
Endings and beginnings collide in today’s readings, just as they do in real time. Eleven p.m. tonight will open “the last hour” of 2011. Midnight will then usher in a new year, charged with all the hopes and dreams implied in the very first “in the beginning” (John 1:1).
Today we are poised between the past and the future—the perfect opportunity to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going. So sit with the Lord for a half hour or so today, and look back over 2011.
One way to do this is to adapt the examination of conscience that St. Ignatius Loyola recommended for daily use. This simple, five-part prayer helps reveal where God has worked in your life, as well as where you’ve fallen short. And having studied these divine “footprints,” you’ll see more clearly where to walk in the future.
1. Begin by thanking God for his blessings, great and small. Let your mind recall events and experiences from the past year, and express your gratitude. “Bless his name,” as today’s psalm says (Psalm 96:2).
2. Ask for the grace to know your-self—especially to know your sins and be rid of them. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see what should be brought to light and to know how greatly God cherishes you.
3. Now review the year in more detail, month by month. (If you kept a journal or marked events on a calendar, these could help jog your memory.) Consider the highs and lows, the victories and defeats. Ask: Where did I experience God’s presence and accept his invitation? Where did I turn away? Where could I have been more loving? More open? Where did I respond to the Spirit?
4. If you turned up some faults and failings (and who doesn’t!), ask God’s forgiveness. Plan to go to confession and, if need be, to make things right with anyone you’ve wronged.
5. Now it’s time for resolutions! Enlightened by your backward look, you can move forward to set good goals for 2012. Do it with confidence, for the God who poured out his grace in the past is with you to make this a year of grace upon grace.
“Lord, how can I thank you for your goodness to me? What return can I make for your love?”
31 December 2011
30 December 2011
30 Dec 2011, Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Reading 1 Gn 15:1-6; 21:1-3
The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying:
"Fear not, Abram!"
I am your shield;
I will make your reward very great."
But Abram said,
"O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,
if I keep on being childless
and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?"
Abram continued,
"See, you have given me no offspring,
and so one of my servants will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him:
"No, that one shall not be your heir;
your own issue shall be your heir."
The Lord took Abram outside and said,
"Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be."
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
The LORD took note of Sarah and had said he would;
he did for her as he had promised.
Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age,
at the set time that God had stated.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son of his
whom Sarah bore him.
Or Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
Brothers and sisters:
By faithful Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
and Sarah herself was sterile
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
as countless as the sands on the seashore.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer
his only son,
of whom it was said,
"Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name."
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and received Isaac back as a symbol.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1)Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R.Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Or Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
R. (cf. 5a)Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Happy they who dwell in your house!
Continually they praise you.
Happy the men whose strength you are!
Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
O LORD of hosts, hear our prayer;
hearken, O God of Jacob!
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Gospel Lk 2:22-40
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
They took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
"Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"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."
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
Or Lk 2:22, 39-40
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
they took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
Meditation: Colossians 3:12-21
The Holy Family
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
These characteristics certainly do seem to describe a holy family! Often, though, our families are places where we can be hurt the most deeply by wrongs or where we find ourselves irritated or impatient with one another. Something about the closeness of family life just brings our faults to the surface.
What can we do when our family seems to bear little resemblance to the Holy Family? We can take St. Paul’s advice and put on virtue. We have been chosen and loved by God. Jesus has redeemed us. We have the Holy Spirit living in us! These three dramatic truths tell us that we can make a fresh start— right here, right now. Even small steps will make a difference.
A new year is almost upon us. What kind of choices can you make this year to put on the virtues that form holiness in you and your family? We all come from different situations. We may have both parents or only one present. We may have little children or adult children with families of their own. We may be part of a religious community. We may be separated from our families by military deployment, imprisonment, or personal hardship. But no matter what our situations, we can all take one more step.
Maybe we can try to get the family together once a week to pray the rosary—even if it’s only a decade at a time! Maybe we could give a younger relative a prayer journal and gently guide them toward a commitment to daily prayer. Maybe we could find a parish that offers eucharistic adoration and bring our families once a week.
For younger children, daily Bible stories or learning about the saints at bedtime can form a bond of faith. Teens may benefit if we make the time to talk honestly about the struggles they face and share our own experiences with them.
Whatever steps you take, you can be confident that the closer you are to Jesus, the better you will reflect his life. And the better you reflect Christ, the more it will affect your family.
“Heavenly Father, author of family life, help me to bring a holy change in my family this year. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us!”
The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying:
"Fear not, Abram!"
I am your shield;
I will make your reward very great."
But Abram said,
"O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,
if I keep on being childless
and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?"
Abram continued,
"See, you have given me no offspring,
and so one of my servants will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him:
"No, that one shall not be your heir;
your own issue shall be your heir."
The Lord took Abram outside and said,
"Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be."
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
The LORD took note of Sarah and had said he would;
he did for her as he had promised.
Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age,
at the set time that God had stated.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son of his
whom Sarah bore him.
Or Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
Brothers and sisters:
By faithful Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
and Sarah herself was sterile
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
as countless as the sands on the seashore.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer
his only son,
of whom it was said,
"Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name."
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and received Isaac back as a symbol.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1)Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R.Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Or Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
R. (cf. 5a)Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Happy they who dwell in your house!
Continually they praise you.
Happy the men whose strength you are!
Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
O LORD of hosts, hear our prayer;
hearken, O God of Jacob!
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Gospel Lk 2:22-40
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
They took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
"Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"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."
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
Or Lk 2:22, 39-40
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
they took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
Meditation: Colossians 3:12-21
The Holy Family
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
These characteristics certainly do seem to describe a holy family! Often, though, our families are places where we can be hurt the most deeply by wrongs or where we find ourselves irritated or impatient with one another. Something about the closeness of family life just brings our faults to the surface.
What can we do when our family seems to bear little resemblance to the Holy Family? We can take St. Paul’s advice and put on virtue. We have been chosen and loved by God. Jesus has redeemed us. We have the Holy Spirit living in us! These three dramatic truths tell us that we can make a fresh start— right here, right now. Even small steps will make a difference.
A new year is almost upon us. What kind of choices can you make this year to put on the virtues that form holiness in you and your family? We all come from different situations. We may have both parents or only one present. We may have little children or adult children with families of their own. We may be part of a religious community. We may be separated from our families by military deployment, imprisonment, or personal hardship. But no matter what our situations, we can all take one more step.
Maybe we can try to get the family together once a week to pray the rosary—even if it’s only a decade at a time! Maybe we could give a younger relative a prayer journal and gently guide them toward a commitment to daily prayer. Maybe we could find a parish that offers eucharistic adoration and bring our families once a week.
For younger children, daily Bible stories or learning about the saints at bedtime can form a bond of faith. Teens may benefit if we make the time to talk honestly about the struggles they face and share our own experiences with them.
Whatever steps you take, you can be confident that the closer you are to Jesus, the better you will reflect his life. And the better you reflect Christ, the more it will affect your family.
“Heavenly Father, author of family life, help me to bring a holy change in my family this year. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us!”
29 December 2011
29 Dec 2011, The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Reading 1 1 Jn 2:3-11
Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel lk 2:22-35
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
"Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"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."
Meditation: Luke 2:22-35
The Holy Spirit was upon him.” (Luke 2:25)
Does the way God works ever surprise you? If not, read this passage more closely. No doubt, Simeon was surprised when he came to the Temple that day, saw Jesus, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the unexpected fulfillment of a long-awaited prophecy that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. We might be a bit surprised too if we realize that Simeon became a “Spirit-filled” believer while Jesus was still an infant, well before the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles at Pentecost.
Simeon certainly wasn’t the only figure in the New Testament who was touched by the Spirit outside of normal channels. Cornelius, a centurion from Rome, was an upright and God-fearing man who had not been baptized nor heard the complete gospel, yet the Spirit fell on him and he began to praise God and speak in tongues (Acts 10:44-46)! There are dozens of Old Testament figures as well whom the Spirit used powerfully: Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samson, David, and Daniel, not to mention the prophets—all before the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost!
God is not bound by our limited expectations or by our opinion of how he should act. It can be easy to fall into a trap of thinking that he works only in certain ways, or only for those who are spiritually “mature.” Often, however, he is waiting for us to admit our weakness and to cry out: “I can’t do it, Lord!” before he will move. Humility is the key, for it is only when we are weak that we are open to his strength. It is only when we see our need that we are able to surrender to his Spirit.
Christmas Day may have passed, but God still wants to bless us— maybe even surprise us with an unexpected outpouring of the Holy Spirit. What do you really need? Maybe you know someone with a serious illness who needs healing. Maybe you’ve been praying for years that a relative would give his or her heart to the Lord. Or maybe you are hoping for victory over a sinful area that keeps tripping you up. Don’t box God in. Instead, expect the unexpected—just as Simeon did.
“Holy Spirit, thank you for showing me your love. I give you my whole heart, and I believe that you can move any mountain in my life!”
Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel lk 2:22-35
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
"Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"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."
Meditation: Luke 2:22-35
The Holy Spirit was upon him.” (Luke 2:25)
Does the way God works ever surprise you? If not, read this passage more closely. No doubt, Simeon was surprised when he came to the Temple that day, saw Jesus, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the unexpected fulfillment of a long-awaited prophecy that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. We might be a bit surprised too if we realize that Simeon became a “Spirit-filled” believer while Jesus was still an infant, well before the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles at Pentecost.
Simeon certainly wasn’t the only figure in the New Testament who was touched by the Spirit outside of normal channels. Cornelius, a centurion from Rome, was an upright and God-fearing man who had not been baptized nor heard the complete gospel, yet the Spirit fell on him and he began to praise God and speak in tongues (Acts 10:44-46)! There are dozens of Old Testament figures as well whom the Spirit used powerfully: Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samson, David, and Daniel, not to mention the prophets—all before the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost!
God is not bound by our limited expectations or by our opinion of how he should act. It can be easy to fall into a trap of thinking that he works only in certain ways, or only for those who are spiritually “mature.” Often, however, he is waiting for us to admit our weakness and to cry out: “I can’t do it, Lord!” before he will move. Humility is the key, for it is only when we are weak that we are open to his strength. It is only when we see our need that we are able to surrender to his Spirit.
Christmas Day may have passed, but God still wants to bless us— maybe even surprise us with an unexpected outpouring of the Holy Spirit. What do you really need? Maybe you know someone with a serious illness who needs healing. Maybe you’ve been praying for years that a relative would give his or her heart to the Lord. Or maybe you are hoping for victory over a sinful area that keeps tripping you up. Don’t box God in. Instead, expect the unexpected—just as Simeon did.
“Holy Spirit, thank you for showing me your love. I give you my whole heart, and I believe that you can move any mountain in my life!”
28 December 2011
28 Dec 2011, Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Reading 1 1 Jn 1:5-2:2
Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, "We are without sin,"
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8
R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Had not the LORD been with us?
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Gospel Mt 2:13-18
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
Meditation: 1 John 1:5–2:2
The Holy Innocents
He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins. (1 John 1:9)
It’s impossible to read the chilling story of Herod’s slaughter of the boys in Bethlehem without shuddering. It’s also hard not to think of the curse of abortion, which continues to destroy Holy Innocents in our day— not just one time in one place but day after day in city after city.
But in the face of this horrific truth, God calls us to walk in the light. So stand up, and let that light shine on you today.
Perhaps you have been involved in an abortion, as a client or as a provider. Perhaps you pressured a pregnant relative or friend to consider one, or pretended you didn’t know what was going on. If so, know that God’s mercy is far greater than your sin. There is forgiveness and healing for you.
Perhaps you have harshly judged a pregnant woman who chose abortion, condemning instead of trying to understand and help her. If so, remember Jesus’ caution about not casting the first stone (John 8:7), and ask him to help you love this person more.
Perhaps you have voiced opposition to abortion for many years, but now you are tempted to give up, feeling that the tide will never turn. You too need to seek God’s forgiveness and find strength to persevere. Statistics show that a new generation of pro-life young people is rising up. God may be calling you to join with these newcomers and become a mentor to them.
St. John says we delude ourselves if we think any of us is without sin. But we are just as deluded if we will not accept the forgiveness he freely offers us.
Every human life is precious to our Father: the life of the unborn baby, the life of the frightened mother, the life of the abortionist, the life of the passive Christian, the life of the discouraged activist. His unconditional love reaches out to each of us, strengthening us to move forward in a life-affirming way. So let’s never give up the fight; let’s never stop promoting the sacredness of all life. Let’s keep trying to heal this devastating wound in our society—and let us do it all with love.
“Father, receive all the little ones slain in our era. Collect the tears of the guilty as well, and use them to bring about change.”
Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, "We are without sin,"
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8
R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Had not the LORD been with us?
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Gospel Mt 2:13-18
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
Meditation: 1 John 1:5–2:2
The Holy Innocents
He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins. (1 John 1:9)
It’s impossible to read the chilling story of Herod’s slaughter of the boys in Bethlehem without shuddering. It’s also hard not to think of the curse of abortion, which continues to destroy Holy Innocents in our day— not just one time in one place but day after day in city after city.
But in the face of this horrific truth, God calls us to walk in the light. So stand up, and let that light shine on you today.
Perhaps you have been involved in an abortion, as a client or as a provider. Perhaps you pressured a pregnant relative or friend to consider one, or pretended you didn’t know what was going on. If so, know that God’s mercy is far greater than your sin. There is forgiveness and healing for you.
Perhaps you have harshly judged a pregnant woman who chose abortion, condemning instead of trying to understand and help her. If so, remember Jesus’ caution about not casting the first stone (John 8:7), and ask him to help you love this person more.
Perhaps you have voiced opposition to abortion for many years, but now you are tempted to give up, feeling that the tide will never turn. You too need to seek God’s forgiveness and find strength to persevere. Statistics show that a new generation of pro-life young people is rising up. God may be calling you to join with these newcomers and become a mentor to them.
St. John says we delude ourselves if we think any of us is without sin. But we are just as deluded if we will not accept the forgiveness he freely offers us.
Every human life is precious to our Father: the life of the unborn baby, the life of the frightened mother, the life of the abortionist, the life of the passive Christian, the life of the discouraged activist. His unconditional love reaches out to each of us, strengthening us to move forward in a life-affirming way. So let’s never give up the fight; let’s never stop promoting the sacredness of all life. Let’s keep trying to heal this devastating wound in our society—and let us do it all with love.
“Father, receive all the little ones slain in our era. Collect the tears of the guilty as well, and use them to bring about change.”
27 December 2011
27 Dec 2011, Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist
Reading 1 1 Jn 1:1-4
Beloved:
What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and touched with our hands
concerns the Word of life ?
for the life was made visible;
we have seen it and testify to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father and was made visible to us?
what we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
for our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12
R. (12) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are around him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R.Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Gospel Jn 20:1a and 2-8
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him."
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
Meditation: John 20:1-8
St. John
He saw and believed. (John 20:8)
Mary Magdalene was devastated. Jesus, whom she had believed to be the Messiah, had been arrested and crucified. She loved him so much that she returned to the tomb to anoint his body for a proper burial. But when she got there, she discovered that the tomb had been opened and that Jesus’ body was gone. All she saw was the burial cloth he had been wrapped in before he was laid in the tomb.
While Jesus was alive, Mary had heard him say more than once that he would die and rise again on the third day. But at that moment of grief, all she could focus on was his brutal death and ominous disappearance. She felt sure that his body had been stolen. All of Jesus’ promises, all the beauty of his teaching, faded from her memory. All she could see, all she could think about, was the empty tomb—and she lost her faith.
But when John entered the very same tomb and saw the very same burial cloth, he believed (John 20:8). Something clicked in his memory, and something else clicked in his heart. Unlike Mary, who could see only what was in front of her, John saw beyond the physical evidence and believed that God had done something very special. He might not have understood it completely, but he still believed. He still trusted. With the faith that he had, he waited patiently for more to be revealed. Deep down, he knew that Jesus wouldn’t let him down—and he was right.
Just two days ago, we celebrated the fact that the Messiah was born among us. At every Mass, we recall that this Messiah died for us and is now risen. Let these truths move you to be like John as you wait eagerly but patiently for Jesus to reveal himself to you today. And when your faith is weak, cry out to the Lord and tell him that you love him. Hold fast to the faith that you do have, and wait patiently for the Lord to reveal himself more fully to you. In the end, you’ll find great rewards from Jesus himself!
“Jesus, I want to believe in you more fully. Search my heart, and where there is any unbelief, fill me with belief.”
Beloved:
What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and touched with our hands
concerns the Word of life ?
for the life was made visible;
we have seen it and testify to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father and was made visible to us?
what we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
for our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12
R. (12) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are around him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R.Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Gospel Jn 20:1a and 2-8
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him."
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
Meditation: John 20:1-8
St. John
He saw and believed. (John 20:8)
Mary Magdalene was devastated. Jesus, whom she had believed to be the Messiah, had been arrested and crucified. She loved him so much that she returned to the tomb to anoint his body for a proper burial. But when she got there, she discovered that the tomb had been opened and that Jesus’ body was gone. All she saw was the burial cloth he had been wrapped in before he was laid in the tomb.
While Jesus was alive, Mary had heard him say more than once that he would die and rise again on the third day. But at that moment of grief, all she could focus on was his brutal death and ominous disappearance. She felt sure that his body had been stolen. All of Jesus’ promises, all the beauty of his teaching, faded from her memory. All she could see, all she could think about, was the empty tomb—and she lost her faith.
But when John entered the very same tomb and saw the very same burial cloth, he believed (John 20:8). Something clicked in his memory, and something else clicked in his heart. Unlike Mary, who could see only what was in front of her, John saw beyond the physical evidence and believed that God had done something very special. He might not have understood it completely, but he still believed. He still trusted. With the faith that he had, he waited patiently for more to be revealed. Deep down, he knew that Jesus wouldn’t let him down—and he was right.
Just two days ago, we celebrated the fact that the Messiah was born among us. At every Mass, we recall that this Messiah died for us and is now risen. Let these truths move you to be like John as you wait eagerly but patiently for Jesus to reveal himself to you today. And when your faith is weak, cry out to the Lord and tell him that you love him. Hold fast to the faith that you do have, and wait patiently for the Lord to reveal himself more fully to you. In the end, you’ll find great rewards from Jesus himself!
“Jesus, I want to believe in you more fully. Search my heart, and where there is any unbelief, fill me with belief.”
26 December 2011
26 Dec 2011, Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
Reading 1 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said,
"Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God."
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17
R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Gospel Mt 10:17-22
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
Meditation: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
St. Stephen
Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit… . (Acts 7:55)
Going from yesterday’s celebration of Christmas to today’s feast of St. Stephen is like skipping ahead to the final pages of a thrilling story. You just can’t read another sentence until you know: Does everything turn out well?
In this case, the answer is both yes and no.
No, because a tragic history is repeating itself. Not so long before, Jesus stood before the same court Stephen now faces, similarly charged with blasphemy. And by having Jesus—and now Stephen—killed, their accusers imitate a long line of religious leaders who murdered the prophets.
But here’s the Yes—and it’s big: Everything about Stephen witnesses to the fact that Jesus accomplished the mission for which he was born. God sent his Son to save us from our sins, reconcile us to himself, and bring us into his own life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Even though his earthly life ended so abruptly—and violently— Stephen is an early success story in this grand plan of salvation. He was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5; 7:55). And because of that, he was remarkably like his Master. Like Jesus, he worked “great wonders and signs” (6:8). He had deep insight into God’s plan, as revealed in Israel’s history and Scriptures, and he presented that prophetic message with power and conviction. To say nothing of courage! Stephen looked a grisly death in the eye with calm serenity, his heart fixed on heavenly realities. And his last words—of surrender and forgiveness—could hardly be more Christlike (7:59-60).
Stephen the Superhero? Not at all! Stephen was one of us, an ordinary mortal—but one transformed by the Spirit of Jesus living in him.
That same Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. And best of all, he is there to help us to be “conformed to the image” of Jesus (Romans 8:29). So stir up the Spirit within you through prayer. Ask him to empower you, as he did Stephen, to live a life worthy of the call that your heavenly Father has given you.
“‘God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts’ (Galatians 4:6). I believe your word, Lord. Show me what it means for me.”
Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said,
"Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God."
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17
R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Gospel Mt 10:17-22
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
Meditation: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
St. Stephen
Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit… . (Acts 7:55)
Going from yesterday’s celebration of Christmas to today’s feast of St. Stephen is like skipping ahead to the final pages of a thrilling story. You just can’t read another sentence until you know: Does everything turn out well?
In this case, the answer is both yes and no.
No, because a tragic history is repeating itself. Not so long before, Jesus stood before the same court Stephen now faces, similarly charged with blasphemy. And by having Jesus—and now Stephen—killed, their accusers imitate a long line of religious leaders who murdered the prophets.
But here’s the Yes—and it’s big: Everything about Stephen witnesses to the fact that Jesus accomplished the mission for which he was born. God sent his Son to save us from our sins, reconcile us to himself, and bring us into his own life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Even though his earthly life ended so abruptly—and violently— Stephen is an early success story in this grand plan of salvation. He was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5; 7:55). And because of that, he was remarkably like his Master. Like Jesus, he worked “great wonders and signs” (6:8). He had deep insight into God’s plan, as revealed in Israel’s history and Scriptures, and he presented that prophetic message with power and conviction. To say nothing of courage! Stephen looked a grisly death in the eye with calm serenity, his heart fixed on heavenly realities. And his last words—of surrender and forgiveness—could hardly be more Christlike (7:59-60).
Stephen the Superhero? Not at all! Stephen was one of us, an ordinary mortal—but one transformed by the Spirit of Jesus living in him.
That same Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. And best of all, he is there to help us to be “conformed to the image” of Jesus (Romans 8:29). So stir up the Spirit within you through prayer. Ask him to empower you, as he did Stephen, to live a life worthy of the call that your heavenly Father has given you.
“‘God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts’ (Galatians 4:6). I believe your word, Lord. Show me what it means for me.”
24 December 2011
25 Dec 2011, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Mass during the Day
Reading 1 Is 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
"Your God is King!"
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6
R. (3c)All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Reading 2 Heb 1:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
Gospel Jn 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him.
Or Jn 1:1-5, 9-14
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
Meditation: John 1:1-18
The Nativity of the Lord
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14)
For two thousand years, we have celebrated this day—and for good reason. This was no ordinary birth! On this day, Jesus, the “bread of God” came “down from heaven and gave life to the world” (John 6:33). So as we celebrate this joyous occasion, let’s look a little more closely at the way Jesus gave life to the world.
When Jesus came, he brought with him a whole new teaching. He taught us how to think, act, and pray in a way that would bring us closer to his Father. He taught us that it is as important to love one another as it is to love God himself. So let’s vow to put the teachings of Jesus into practice each day. Let’s vow to love one another as Jesus loves us.
Jesus also performed many miracles while he walked this earth. These miracles showed that he had power over nature, over sickness, and over sin. What’s more, he told us that if we believe, we too will be able to perform great miracles (John 14:12). So today, let’s vow to put our faith in Jesus’ words. Let’s renew our belief in him and his power. Let’s pray for miracles, both small and large, and believe that God will answer our prayers.
Jesus came two thousand years ago so that he could save us from sin. He is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God. Only he has the power to destroy sin and death. So today, let’s look at the baby in the manger and say: “Thank you for saving me and bringing me into eternal life.”
The Incarnation is a deep mystery. It is every bit as incomprehensible as the mystery of the Trinity. How can the Creator enter creation? How can the Eternal enter time? Today, and every day for the rest of our lives, let’s all proclaim:
“Jesus, you are my Lord. I consecrate myself to you.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18)
1. In the first reading, we hear these words, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, ‘Your God is King.’” Each of us is called to bring to others this good news of God’s love that is revealed in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who in your family, or friends and neighbors, need to hear this good news? What steps can you take to bring it to them?
2. The responsorial psalm tells us to sing joyfully and sing praise to the Lord. If someone were to ask you the source of your joy and peace during this Christmas season, how would you answer them?
3. The second reading tells us that “In these last days God has spoken to us through his Son.” How does Jesus “speak” to you and what difference has it made in your life?
4. In the Gospel reading, we hear these words, “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.” What do these words mean to you? Share the impact in your life of personally accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
5. The meditation reminds us that Jesus “taught us that it is as important to love one another as it is to love God himself.” It goes on to challenge us with these words: “So let’s vow to put the teachings of Jesus into practice each day. Let’s vow to love one another as Jesus loves us.” Are there people in your life that you have a hard time loving and forgiving? What steps can you take to respond to Jesus’ words and love them as he loves you and forgive them as your heavenly Father has forgiven you?
6. Take some time now to pray that this Christmas season would be a special time of grace for you—a time to receive Jesus Christ into your life in a deeper way and surrender your life more completely to him. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
"Your God is King!"
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6
R. (3c)All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Reading 2 Heb 1:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
Gospel Jn 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him.
Or Jn 1:1-5, 9-14
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
Meditation: John 1:1-18
The Nativity of the Lord
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14)
For two thousand years, we have celebrated this day—and for good reason. This was no ordinary birth! On this day, Jesus, the “bread of God” came “down from heaven and gave life to the world” (John 6:33). So as we celebrate this joyous occasion, let’s look a little more closely at the way Jesus gave life to the world.
When Jesus came, he brought with him a whole new teaching. He taught us how to think, act, and pray in a way that would bring us closer to his Father. He taught us that it is as important to love one another as it is to love God himself. So let’s vow to put the teachings of Jesus into practice each day. Let’s vow to love one another as Jesus loves us.
Jesus also performed many miracles while he walked this earth. These miracles showed that he had power over nature, over sickness, and over sin. What’s more, he told us that if we believe, we too will be able to perform great miracles (John 14:12). So today, let’s vow to put our faith in Jesus’ words. Let’s renew our belief in him and his power. Let’s pray for miracles, both small and large, and believe that God will answer our prayers.
Jesus came two thousand years ago so that he could save us from sin. He is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God. Only he has the power to destroy sin and death. So today, let’s look at the baby in the manger and say: “Thank you for saving me and bringing me into eternal life.”
The Incarnation is a deep mystery. It is every bit as incomprehensible as the mystery of the Trinity. How can the Creator enter creation? How can the Eternal enter time? Today, and every day for the rest of our lives, let’s all proclaim:
“Jesus, you are my Lord. I consecrate myself to you.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18)
1. In the first reading, we hear these words, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, ‘Your God is King.’” Each of us is called to bring to others this good news of God’s love that is revealed in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who in your family, or friends and neighbors, need to hear this good news? What steps can you take to bring it to them?
2. The responsorial psalm tells us to sing joyfully and sing praise to the Lord. If someone were to ask you the source of your joy and peace during this Christmas season, how would you answer them?
3. The second reading tells us that “In these last days God has spoken to us through his Son.” How does Jesus “speak” to you and what difference has it made in your life?
4. In the Gospel reading, we hear these words, “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.” What do these words mean to you? Share the impact in your life of personally accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
5. The meditation reminds us that Jesus “taught us that it is as important to love one another as it is to love God himself.” It goes on to challenge us with these words: “So let’s vow to put the teachings of Jesus into practice each day. Let’s vow to love one another as Jesus loves us.” Are there people in your life that you have a hard time loving and forgiving? What steps can you take to respond to Jesus’ words and love them as he loves you and forgive them as your heavenly Father has forgiven you?
6. Take some time now to pray that this Christmas season would be a special time of grace for you—a time to receive Jesus Christ into your life in a deeper way and surrender your life more completely to him. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
24 Dec 2011, Saturday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Reading 1 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?
"'It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel Lk 1:67-79
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Meditation: Luke 1:67-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Luke 1:68)
Today the church invites us to pray with Zechariah. Remember, this man spent nine months in silence because he didn’t believe the angel’s message to him. Now the promise is fulfilled in the birth of Zechariah’s son, John. When Zechariah, in writing, insisted on the name the angel provided, his tongue is loosened, and he immediately launches into this beautiful canticle of praise. Out of his silence comes profound worship.
It may be hard to wrest a moment of silence out of this busy day, but you will be richly rewarded for the effort. Linger quietly with this canticle, and let the Holy Spirit bring to light just one phrase in it. Make a quiet space, and let worship well up within you.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his people. (Luke 1:68) Perhaps you will reflect on what God has done for his people over the course of history, starting with Abraham and running through the stories of David and Solomon, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the Maccabees and John the Baptist.
Even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. (Luke 1:70) Perhaps you can focus on the promises God has made and then kept in your life. He may have promised never to leave you or forsake you. He may have promised strength for a particularly difficult journey.
Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. (Luke 1:71) Maybe you will recall the way he has delivered you from enemies like fear, loneliness, jealousy, or the guilt of unforgiven sin. Perhaps it is his “tender mercy” that speaks to you today, or his “daybreak” as it lights up an area of darkness in your life (1:78).
Whatever reverberates with your spirit, treasure it and carry it with you today. This is a day of confident waiting, of quiet anticipation. Do whatever you can to welcome the Savior. Carve out the time you need. Make sure you rest and reflect. In your heart, get ready to greet the One who was born into our world on this holy night.
“Blessed are you, Lord God of Israel, for you have come to set us free!”
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?
"'It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel Lk 1:67-79
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Meditation: Luke 1:67-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Luke 1:68)
Today the church invites us to pray with Zechariah. Remember, this man spent nine months in silence because he didn’t believe the angel’s message to him. Now the promise is fulfilled in the birth of Zechariah’s son, John. When Zechariah, in writing, insisted on the name the angel provided, his tongue is loosened, and he immediately launches into this beautiful canticle of praise. Out of his silence comes profound worship.
It may be hard to wrest a moment of silence out of this busy day, but you will be richly rewarded for the effort. Linger quietly with this canticle, and let the Holy Spirit bring to light just one phrase in it. Make a quiet space, and let worship well up within you.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his people. (Luke 1:68) Perhaps you will reflect on what God has done for his people over the course of history, starting with Abraham and running through the stories of David and Solomon, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the Maccabees and John the Baptist.
Even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. (Luke 1:70) Perhaps you can focus on the promises God has made and then kept in your life. He may have promised never to leave you or forsake you. He may have promised strength for a particularly difficult journey.
Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. (Luke 1:71) Maybe you will recall the way he has delivered you from enemies like fear, loneliness, jealousy, or the guilt of unforgiven sin. Perhaps it is his “tender mercy” that speaks to you today, or his “daybreak” as it lights up an area of darkness in your life (1:78).
Whatever reverberates with your spirit, treasure it and carry it with you today. This is a day of confident waiting, of quiet anticipation. Do whatever you can to welcome the Savior. Carve out the time you need. Make sure you rest and reflect. In your heart, get ready to greet the One who was born into our world on this holy night.
“Blessed are you, Lord God of Israel, for you have come to set us free!”
23 December 2011
23 Dec 2011, Friday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Reading 1 Mal 3:1-4, 23-24
Thus says the Lord GOD:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner's fire,
or like the fuller's lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
R. (see Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Gospel Lk 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
"No. He will be called John."
But they answered her,
"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
"What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him."
Meditation: Luke 1:57-66
He asked for a tablet and wrote, ‘John is his name.’” (Luke 1:63)
Imagine Elizabeth at the well in town, drawing water. Zechariah is at home, trying to dress in the morning. Not being able to talk, he can’t just call out: “Elizabeth, where’s my other sandal?” For nine months, Zechariah had to write or use signals for everything he wanted to say. If he wanted to talk with his wife—about what the angel said in the Temple, for example, or what to name their child—he had to write it down and get her attention so that she could read it.
Zechariah was a righteous man, but he still got it wrong at first. The angel spoke, and his faith just wasn’t strong enough to guide him. His subsequent silencing by the angel may have made things harder for him, but it didn’t negate God’s plan. In fact, Zechariah did learn—and Elizabeth learned along with him. Those nine months became a kind of retreat for them, a time for reflection and deeper prayer. Together they learned God’s ways. Together they let the Lord prepare them for the next thing in their lives.
This is how God deals with us, too. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect or always get everything right.
He knows that we will make mistakes and sometimes misunderstand him or doubt him. After all, his ways are as high above our ways as the heavens are above the earth (Isaiah 55:9). The good news is that as different as his ways are, he wants to teach them to us. And even when we get things wrong, God can use the situation to take us to a deeper faith, just as he did with Zechariah.
God wants all of us to use this special season of Advent to deepen our faith in him. Zechariah doubted, but over the next nine months, his life changed, and his faith deepened. He may have misspoken to the angel, but later, he spoke to his townsfolk with great joy and spiritual conviction. And for that, God rewarded him greatly.
Like Zechariah, we are men and women of little faith. So let’s all tell the Lord that we want to believe more deeply. Let’s ask him to remove our doubts.
“Father, your plans are always for good. Teach me, and give me a heart to follow you today without fear.”
Thus says the Lord GOD:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner's fire,
or like the fuller's lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
R. (see Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Gospel Lk 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
"No. He will be called John."
But they answered her,
"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
"What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him."
Meditation: Luke 1:57-66
He asked for a tablet and wrote, ‘John is his name.’” (Luke 1:63)
Imagine Elizabeth at the well in town, drawing water. Zechariah is at home, trying to dress in the morning. Not being able to talk, he can’t just call out: “Elizabeth, where’s my other sandal?” For nine months, Zechariah had to write or use signals for everything he wanted to say. If he wanted to talk with his wife—about what the angel said in the Temple, for example, or what to name their child—he had to write it down and get her attention so that she could read it.
Zechariah was a righteous man, but he still got it wrong at first. The angel spoke, and his faith just wasn’t strong enough to guide him. His subsequent silencing by the angel may have made things harder for him, but it didn’t negate God’s plan. In fact, Zechariah did learn—and Elizabeth learned along with him. Those nine months became a kind of retreat for them, a time for reflection and deeper prayer. Together they learned God’s ways. Together they let the Lord prepare them for the next thing in their lives.
This is how God deals with us, too. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect or always get everything right.
He knows that we will make mistakes and sometimes misunderstand him or doubt him. After all, his ways are as high above our ways as the heavens are above the earth (Isaiah 55:9). The good news is that as different as his ways are, he wants to teach them to us. And even when we get things wrong, God can use the situation to take us to a deeper faith, just as he did with Zechariah.
God wants all of us to use this special season of Advent to deepen our faith in him. Zechariah doubted, but over the next nine months, his life changed, and his faith deepened. He may have misspoken to the angel, but later, he spoke to his townsfolk with great joy and spiritual conviction. And for that, God rewarded him greatly.
Like Zechariah, we are men and women of little faith. So let’s all tell the Lord that we want to believe more deeply. Let’s ask him to remove our doubts.
“Father, your plans are always for good. Teach me, and give me a heart to follow you today without fear.”
22 December 2011
22 Dec 2011, Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Reading 1 1 Sm 1:24-28
In those days,
Hannah brought Samuel with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
After the boy's father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
"Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD."
She left Samuel there.
Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
R. (see 1a) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
Gospel Lk 1:46-56
Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.
Meditation: 1 Samuel 1:24-28
I prayed for this child… . Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:27-28)
Hannah had prayed fervently for the gift of a child, and God heard her prayer. Now she does something that seems difficult to understand: She leaves him with the priest Eli, offering him back to the Lord.
Why would Hannah give up a child she had so longed for? Because she knew that she had given birth only because God had been gracious to her. She also understood that everything we have, everything we are, is a gift from God. Her offering of her son was the ultimate expression of her gratitude and love.
In only a few days, we will celebrate the gift of the Christ child, God-made-man. God our Father sent his only Son to earth to become one of us. Like Hannah, he too gave up his only Son. Why would God do such a thing? It can only be understood through the lens of love. Only love would do such a thing.
How can we respond to such love? What will we say to our Father when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist? A simple “thank you” seems inadequate. But Hannah and another mother, Mary, can show us the way. We can freely give ourselves to the Lord.
It’s not easy to give our lives to the Lord. We may wonder: What will God ask me to do? Will I have to part with something I treasure? Just what will God do with this gift of self that I am giving to him?
Here is the best part of the Christian life: When you give your life to the Lord, he takes it, fills it with his grace, and gives it back to you transformed. He makes your life overflow with love and joy, with peace and purpose. And as a result, you end up happier and more fulfilled than you ever were—even if you are called into a new and demanding area of service, even as you take up the challenge to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. That’s what the love of God can do!
So don’t hold back. Even if you’ve done it many times before, give your life to Jesus this Christmas. And watch to see how he gives it back to you.
“Jesus, take my life. Let it be yours completely.”
In those days,
Hannah brought Samuel with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
After the boy's father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
"Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD."
She left Samuel there.
Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
R. (see 1a) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
Gospel Lk 1:46-56
Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.
Meditation: 1 Samuel 1:24-28
I prayed for this child… . Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:27-28)
Hannah had prayed fervently for the gift of a child, and God heard her prayer. Now she does something that seems difficult to understand: She leaves him with the priest Eli, offering him back to the Lord.
Why would Hannah give up a child she had so longed for? Because she knew that she had given birth only because God had been gracious to her. She also understood that everything we have, everything we are, is a gift from God. Her offering of her son was the ultimate expression of her gratitude and love.
In only a few days, we will celebrate the gift of the Christ child, God-made-man. God our Father sent his only Son to earth to become one of us. Like Hannah, he too gave up his only Son. Why would God do such a thing? It can only be understood through the lens of love. Only love would do such a thing.
How can we respond to such love? What will we say to our Father when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist? A simple “thank you” seems inadequate. But Hannah and another mother, Mary, can show us the way. We can freely give ourselves to the Lord.
It’s not easy to give our lives to the Lord. We may wonder: What will God ask me to do? Will I have to part with something I treasure? Just what will God do with this gift of self that I am giving to him?
Here is the best part of the Christian life: When you give your life to the Lord, he takes it, fills it with his grace, and gives it back to you transformed. He makes your life overflow with love and joy, with peace and purpose. And as a result, you end up happier and more fulfilled than you ever were—even if you are called into a new and demanding area of service, even as you take up the challenge to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. That’s what the love of God can do!
So don’t hold back. Even if you’ve done it many times before, give your life to Jesus this Christmas. And watch to see how he gives it back to you.
“Jesus, take my life. Let it be yours completely.”
21 December 2011
21 Dec 2011, Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Reading 1 Sg 2:8-14
Hark! my lover--here he comes
springing across the mountains,
leaping across the hills.
My lover is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.
My lover speaks; he says to me,
"Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!
"For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!
"O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely."
Or Zep 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
R. (1a; 3a) Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Gospel Lk 1:39-45
Mary set out in those days
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
Meditation: Luke 1:39-45
“Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste.” (Luke 1:39)
Mary, why were you so eager to visit Elizabeth? Wouldn’t it have been better to wait until Joseph was free to travel with you? Wouldn’t the road have been safer, and the journey more enjoyable, with your betrothed?
What was it about Elizabeth that drew you to her side? The angel told you that she too had conceived miraculously. Was it because you wanted to share stories with someone who understood the excitement and joy you were experiencing? Perhaps it was because you felt you needed to witness the birth of this first miracle baby—both to help you prepare for your own and to see the one who would set the stage for your child’s mission.
Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. (Luke 1:42) With such strange words does your kinswoman greet you! Simply by hearing your voice, she knows that something new and exciting has happened to you. Moved by the Spirit, she senses that you too are with child—a child who will become her Lord. And she honors you for believing God’s promises and surrendering so fully to his plan.
How could she know all of this? How could she have seen so much grace in you, without having first heard the wonderful news?
Perhaps this is why you were drawn to Elizabeth. Here was a woman of deep faith, a woman whom you knew to be close to God and open to his Spirit. Here was an elder kinswoman whose wisdom, counsel, and insight could prove to be invaluable to you. Here was a woman who knew the pain of being childless and yet did not give in to bitterness or sadness. Perhaps Elizabeth could offer words to help you face the challenges that lie ahead.
How you must have treasured your relationship with Elizabeth! As you stood at the threshold of a new world—a world of new adventures, personal risk, and uncharted territory—you knew you weren’t standing alone. Elizabeth was your cousin, yes, but even more important, she was your sister in the Lord!
“Mary, teach us all the value of brotherhood and sisterhood. Show us that none of us has to stand alone.”
Hark! my lover--here he comes
springing across the mountains,
leaping across the hills.
My lover is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.
My lover speaks; he says to me,
"Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!
"For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!
"O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely."
Or Zep 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
R. (1a; 3a) Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Gospel Lk 1:39-45
Mary set out in those days
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
Meditation: Luke 1:39-45
“Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste.” (Luke 1:39)
Mary, why were you so eager to visit Elizabeth? Wouldn’t it have been better to wait until Joseph was free to travel with you? Wouldn’t the road have been safer, and the journey more enjoyable, with your betrothed?
What was it about Elizabeth that drew you to her side? The angel told you that she too had conceived miraculously. Was it because you wanted to share stories with someone who understood the excitement and joy you were experiencing? Perhaps it was because you felt you needed to witness the birth of this first miracle baby—both to help you prepare for your own and to see the one who would set the stage for your child’s mission.
Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. (Luke 1:42) With such strange words does your kinswoman greet you! Simply by hearing your voice, she knows that something new and exciting has happened to you. Moved by the Spirit, she senses that you too are with child—a child who will become her Lord. And she honors you for believing God’s promises and surrendering so fully to his plan.
How could she know all of this? How could she have seen so much grace in you, without having first heard the wonderful news?
Perhaps this is why you were drawn to Elizabeth. Here was a woman of deep faith, a woman whom you knew to be close to God and open to his Spirit. Here was an elder kinswoman whose wisdom, counsel, and insight could prove to be invaluable to you. Here was a woman who knew the pain of being childless and yet did not give in to bitterness or sadness. Perhaps Elizabeth could offer words to help you face the challenges that lie ahead.
How you must have treasured your relationship with Elizabeth! As you stood at the threshold of a new world—a world of new adventures, personal risk, and uncharted territory—you knew you weren’t standing alone. Elizabeth was your cousin, yes, but even more important, she was your sister in the Lord!
“Mary, teach us all the value of brotherhood and sisterhood. Show us that none of us has to stand alone.”
20 December 2011
20 Dec 2011, Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Reading 1 Is 7:10-14
The LORD spoke to Ahaz:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary men,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
In the sixth month,
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: Isaiah 7:10-14
“The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son.” (Isaiah 7:14)
The tribes of Judah were facing attack from their kinsmen in the north, and King Ahaz was terrified. Through Isaiah, God had promised to deliver him from his enemies and even wipe out these enemies within a couple of generations. Still, Ahaz cowered in fear. Even though Ahaz’s attitude wearied the Lord, God wanted to shore up his faith, and so he told Ahaz to ask for a sign.
God wanted to reassure Ahaz that he was with him, and so the sign he gave was that a virgin would conceive and bear a son. This child would be so filled with God’s Spirit that people would call him Immanuel, which is Hebrew for “God is with us.” Knowing that God was present in such a powerful way, seeing how utterly committed God was to his people, was meant to solidify Ahaz’s faith and move him to act decisively.
If we fast-forward to Nazareth, hundreds of years later, we see Mary, a virgin, saying “yes” to God’s promise, once she had been reassured that she would not lose her virginity, which she vowed to God. Once the angel told her that she would become a mother by the power of God, she did not shrink back in fear. Instead, she accepted God’s word and went forward in faith and trust. In contrast to Ahaz, Mary chose to act based on all that she knew God had done. Firm in her faith, she trusted that God would be faithful to his promises.
How about us? Each day we have a chance to build up our faith or let it go unattended. Mary said “yes” because her early efforts to learn about God and love him gave her the strength and the willingness to move forward when the angel appeared to her. Not everything was clear to her on the day of the Annunciation, but she knew she could rely on the Lord because she had already built a strong foundation of faith and trust in him.
In a similar way, our actions today to build up our faith will give us the strength and the generosity we will need to say a more complete “yes” to God tomorrow. So let’s all make every day count!
“Lord, I will keep moving on! You have done so much in my life to show me your love! Help me to be confident in your commitment to me.”
.
The LORD spoke to Ahaz:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary men,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
In the sixth month,
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: Isaiah 7:10-14
“The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son.” (Isaiah 7:14)
The tribes of Judah were facing attack from their kinsmen in the north, and King Ahaz was terrified. Through Isaiah, God had promised to deliver him from his enemies and even wipe out these enemies within a couple of generations. Still, Ahaz cowered in fear. Even though Ahaz’s attitude wearied the Lord, God wanted to shore up his faith, and so he told Ahaz to ask for a sign.
God wanted to reassure Ahaz that he was with him, and so the sign he gave was that a virgin would conceive and bear a son. This child would be so filled with God’s Spirit that people would call him Immanuel, which is Hebrew for “God is with us.” Knowing that God was present in such a powerful way, seeing how utterly committed God was to his people, was meant to solidify Ahaz’s faith and move him to act decisively.
If we fast-forward to Nazareth, hundreds of years later, we see Mary, a virgin, saying “yes” to God’s promise, once she had been reassured that she would not lose her virginity, which she vowed to God. Once the angel told her that she would become a mother by the power of God, she did not shrink back in fear. Instead, she accepted God’s word and went forward in faith and trust. In contrast to Ahaz, Mary chose to act based on all that she knew God had done. Firm in her faith, she trusted that God would be faithful to his promises.
How about us? Each day we have a chance to build up our faith or let it go unattended. Mary said “yes” because her early efforts to learn about God and love him gave her the strength and the willingness to move forward when the angel appeared to her. Not everything was clear to her on the day of the Annunciation, but she knew she could rely on the Lord because she had already built a strong foundation of faith and trust in him.
In a similar way, our actions today to build up our faith will give us the strength and the generosity we will need to say a more complete “yes” to God tomorrow. So let’s all make every day count!
“Lord, I will keep moving on! You have done so much in my life to show me your love! Help me to be confident in your commitment to me.”
.
19 December 2011
19 Dec 2011, Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Reading 1 Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a
There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,
whose name was Manoah.
His wife was barren and had borne no children.
An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her,
"Though you are barren and have had no children,
yet you will conceive and bear a son.
Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink
and to eat nothing unclean.
As for the son you will conceive and bear,
no razor shall touch his head,
for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.
It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel
from the power of the Philistines."
The woman went and told her husband,
"A man of God came to me;
he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed.
I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.
But he said to me,
'You will be with child and will bear a son.
So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.
For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,
until the day of his death.'"
The woman bore a son and named him Samson.
The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him;
the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17
R. (see 8) My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
For you are my hope, O LORD;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Gospel Lk 1:5-25
In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving as priest
in his division's turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord."
Then Zechariah said to the angel,
"How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
And the angel said to him in reply,
"I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time."
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others."
Meditation: Judges 13:2-7,24-25
“The woman bore a son and named him Samson.” (Judges 13:24)
There are several stories in the Scriptures involving women who conceived children through miraculous circumstances. This story of Samson’s birth is one of them. Besides telling us something about God’s power to bring about human life, these stories carry an additional message. They tell us that God loves children and wants to bless all children. They tell us that children are a gift from God.
Today, people view children in many different ways. Some see them as a joy and blessing. Others see them as a hindrance to a “fulfilled” life and an interruption to career plans. Still others see children as objects to be used—or even abused. But we need to ask ourselves: How does God see children? What is God’s vision for children, and how can we come to share it?
Today’s reading, in which a childless couple receives the unexpected joy of a son, reminds us that each and every child is a precious gift of God. Samson’s conception and birth were miraculous, and God had a special plan for his life. But really, the conception and birth of every human being is a miracle! When God gives human life, it is forever. Each life is special to him, and he has a plan for every child conceived!
Traditionally, Christmas is a time when children receive much attention. It is therefore a natural time to ask God for a deeper grasp of his vision for children and a greater love for all children. Many children today are neglected or abused. Many are prevented from learning the truth about God and about Jesus. So many children are being damaged emotionally and morally by harmful influences in the media.
Children need our help, our prayers, and our love. Some also need our active involvement to make their lives better and safer. As Christmas approaches, let’s intercede for children. Let’s pray that the lost, wounded, and abandoned children of the world will find comfort and protection in God’s loving arms. And let’s be sure to show every child we know—starting with those in our own families—the love of God that comes to us this season in Jesus Christ.
“Father, I pray for children throughout the world. Protect them from harm. Give them parents and guardians who will manifest your love to them.”
There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,
whose name was Manoah.
His wife was barren and had borne no children.
An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her,
"Though you are barren and have had no children,
yet you will conceive and bear a son.
Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink
and to eat nothing unclean.
As for the son you will conceive and bear,
no razor shall touch his head,
for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.
It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel
from the power of the Philistines."
The woman went and told her husband,
"A man of God came to me;
he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed.
I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.
But he said to me,
'You will be with child and will bear a son.
So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.
For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,
until the day of his death.'"
The woman bore a son and named him Samson.
The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him;
the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17
R. (see 8) My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
For you are my hope, O LORD;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Gospel Lk 1:5-25
In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving as priest
in his division's turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord."
Then Zechariah said to the angel,
"How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
And the angel said to him in reply,
"I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time."
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
"So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others."
Meditation: Judges 13:2-7,24-25
“The woman bore a son and named him Samson.” (Judges 13:24)
There are several stories in the Scriptures involving women who conceived children through miraculous circumstances. This story of Samson’s birth is one of them. Besides telling us something about God’s power to bring about human life, these stories carry an additional message. They tell us that God loves children and wants to bless all children. They tell us that children are a gift from God.
Today, people view children in many different ways. Some see them as a joy and blessing. Others see them as a hindrance to a “fulfilled” life and an interruption to career plans. Still others see children as objects to be used—or even abused. But we need to ask ourselves: How does God see children? What is God’s vision for children, and how can we come to share it?
Today’s reading, in which a childless couple receives the unexpected joy of a son, reminds us that each and every child is a precious gift of God. Samson’s conception and birth were miraculous, and God had a special plan for his life. But really, the conception and birth of every human being is a miracle! When God gives human life, it is forever. Each life is special to him, and he has a plan for every child conceived!
Traditionally, Christmas is a time when children receive much attention. It is therefore a natural time to ask God for a deeper grasp of his vision for children and a greater love for all children. Many children today are neglected or abused. Many are prevented from learning the truth about God and about Jesus. So many children are being damaged emotionally and morally by harmful influences in the media.
Children need our help, our prayers, and our love. Some also need our active involvement to make their lives better and safer. As Christmas approaches, let’s intercede for children. Let’s pray that the lost, wounded, and abandoned children of the world will find comfort and protection in God’s loving arms. And let’s be sure to show every child we know—starting with those in our own families—the love of God that comes to us this season in Jesus Christ.
“Father, I pray for children throughout the world. Protect them from harm. Give them parents and guardians who will manifest your love to them.”
17 December 2011
18 Dec 2011, Fourth Sunday of Advent
Reading 1 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?'
"'It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2 Rom 16:25-27
Brothers and sisters:
To him who can strengthen you,
according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: Luke 1:26-38
Hail, favored one!” (Luke 1:28)
Face-to-face with the mighty angel Gabriel, Mary was “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). Gabriel announced God’s plan for her to conceive through the Holy Spirit and bear a son who would inherit the throne of David and rule forever. And Mary, despite not having all the answers, was able to say: “May it be done to me according to your word” (1:38).
The words are so simple, so faith-filled, that we might miss out on what was behind them. By saying “yes” to the angel, Mary also said “no” to many things. She closed the door on an alternative life that had its own attractions: a life of quiet contemplation, out of the limelight, surrounded only by friends and family; a life of simple joys and everyday challenges. And yet with just a few words, she put aside all her dreams to embrace God’s dreams instead.
We can read this passage and marvel at Mary’s faith—and lament our lack of faith in comparison. But it’s important to see that when he greeted her, Gabriel called Mary full of grace, not full of faith. Mary’s “yes” to God was the result of the grace God had given her, not the result of her own willpower and forceful personality.
This is a key point for all of us. For in the final analysis, faith is not something we drum up on our own. It’s a gift given to us by a gracious, generous God. It’s a grace that he pours into us, a potent seed that is waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. We may think we have weak faith, but the truth is God has given us all the faith we will ever need. We just have to learn how to yield to this great gift.
So what do you think? Can you say “yes” to God today? Yes, you can. God’s gift of grace guarantees it!
“Father, thank you for the gift of faith. Knowing you is the greatest joy of my life.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12,14,16; Psalm 89:2-5,27,29; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38)
1. In the first reading, God gives David an extraordinary promise through the prophet Nathan: he will establish his house and his family forever! Who of us wouldn’t want that promise for ourselves? And yet each of us has an opportunity to affect our families for eternity. What might you do this Advent and Christmas season to bring members of your family to a deeper faith in Christ?
2. In what ways were the prophetic words by Nathan to David partially fulfilled in Solomon and completely fulfilled in Jesus?
3. The responsorial psalm contains prophetic words as well. How do these words, and Nathan’s prophetic words in the first reading, fulfill the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary in the Gospel reading?
4. The responsorial psalm also speaks of the Lord’s goodness, promises, faithfulness, and kindness. What steps can you take in your times of prayer to focus more on praising God for these attributes, rather than just asking for things?
5. The entire second reading is just one long sentence. It is simply a prayer of praise to God. It acknowledges God for strengthening us according to the “gospel,” the good news. What are some; concrete examples of how you have been strengthened by the Gospel message?
6. The Gospel reading is so familiar to us we may be inclined to pass over it too quickly. But when we look closely we see that the angel actually did not give Mary very many details about what her life would be like. And yet she accepted without insisting on knowing its impact on her. When God asks something of you, do you focus on how it will impact you or on God’s will and call for your life? Can you give an example?
7. In the meditation, we hear these words, “For in the final analysis, faith is not something we drum up on our own. It’s a gift given to us by a gracious, generous God. It’s a grace that he pours into us, a potent seed that is waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. We may think we have weak faith, but the truth is God has given us all the faith we will ever need. We just have to learn how to yield to this great gift.” As you approach Christmas, what are some steps you can take to “yield to this great gift”? What steps can you take to share your faith with others?
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?'
"'It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2 Rom 16:25-27
Brothers and sisters:
To him who can strengthen you,
according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen
Gospel Lk 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: Luke 1:26-38
Hail, favored one!” (Luke 1:28)
Face-to-face with the mighty angel Gabriel, Mary was “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). Gabriel announced God’s plan for her to conceive through the Holy Spirit and bear a son who would inherit the throne of David and rule forever. And Mary, despite not having all the answers, was able to say: “May it be done to me according to your word” (1:38).
The words are so simple, so faith-filled, that we might miss out on what was behind them. By saying “yes” to the angel, Mary also said “no” to many things. She closed the door on an alternative life that had its own attractions: a life of quiet contemplation, out of the limelight, surrounded only by friends and family; a life of simple joys and everyday challenges. And yet with just a few words, she put aside all her dreams to embrace God’s dreams instead.
We can read this passage and marvel at Mary’s faith—and lament our lack of faith in comparison. But it’s important to see that when he greeted her, Gabriel called Mary full of grace, not full of faith. Mary’s “yes” to God was the result of the grace God had given her, not the result of her own willpower and forceful personality.
This is a key point for all of us. For in the final analysis, faith is not something we drum up on our own. It’s a gift given to us by a gracious, generous God. It’s a grace that he pours into us, a potent seed that is waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. We may think we have weak faith, but the truth is God has given us all the faith we will ever need. We just have to learn how to yield to this great gift.
So what do you think? Can you say “yes” to God today? Yes, you can. God’s gift of grace guarantees it!
“Father, thank you for the gift of faith. Knowing you is the greatest joy of my life.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12,14,16; Psalm 89:2-5,27,29; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38)
1. In the first reading, God gives David an extraordinary promise through the prophet Nathan: he will establish his house and his family forever! Who of us wouldn’t want that promise for ourselves? And yet each of us has an opportunity to affect our families for eternity. What might you do this Advent and Christmas season to bring members of your family to a deeper faith in Christ?
2. In what ways were the prophetic words by Nathan to David partially fulfilled in Solomon and completely fulfilled in Jesus?
3. The responsorial psalm contains prophetic words as well. How do these words, and Nathan’s prophetic words in the first reading, fulfill the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary in the Gospel reading?
4. The responsorial psalm also speaks of the Lord’s goodness, promises, faithfulness, and kindness. What steps can you take in your times of prayer to focus more on praising God for these attributes, rather than just asking for things?
5. The entire second reading is just one long sentence. It is simply a prayer of praise to God. It acknowledges God for strengthening us according to the “gospel,” the good news. What are some; concrete examples of how you have been strengthened by the Gospel message?
6. The Gospel reading is so familiar to us we may be inclined to pass over it too quickly. But when we look closely we see that the angel actually did not give Mary very many details about what her life would be like. And yet she accepted without insisting on knowing its impact on her. When God asks something of you, do you focus on how it will impact you or on God’s will and call for your life? Can you give an example?
7. In the meditation, we hear these words, “For in the final analysis, faith is not something we drum up on our own. It’s a gift given to us by a gracious, generous God. It’s a grace that he pours into us, a potent seed that is waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. We may think we have weak faith, but the truth is God has given us all the faith we will ever need. We just have to learn how to yield to this great gift.” As you approach Christmas, what are some steps you can take to “yield to this great gift”? What steps can you take to share your faith with others?
17 Dec 2011, Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
Reading 1 Gn 49:2, 8-10
Jacob called his sons and said to them:
"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel, your father.
"You, Judah, shall your brothers praise
--your hand on the neck of your enemies;
the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
Judah, like a lion's whelp,
you have grown up on prey, my son.
He crouches like a lion recumbent,
the king of beasts--who would dare rouse him?
The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
or the mace from between his legs,
While tribute is brought to him,
and he receives the people's homage."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17
R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Gospel Mt 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.
David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.
Meditation: Matthew 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 1:1)
Today’s Gospel passage gives us a crash course in Israelite history. Many familiar names stand out: the Patriarchs, Boaz, David, Solomon, Josiah. Many are obscure: Ram, Asa, Akim. But isn’t it intriguing to think about how long God had been setting the stage for Jesus’ arrival? By human standards, the first Christmas was a humble event, with only a few shepherds in attendance. But in heaven, the great jubilee over Jesus’ coming to earth was probably unprecedented in scale. Untold legions of angels erupted in praise at the long-awaited birth of the infant Jesus!
And so here we are, eight days from celebrating the culmination of our own planning. Why not try something different? Why not try to imitate the jubilation that went on in heaven on that first Christmas Day? And what better way to do that than to throw a special party for Jesus? Yes, most of us will have office parties, family get-togethers, and special foods to celebrate the season. But what about dedicating a party completely to Jesus?
You could invite family or the neighbors over. You could bake a cake or other dessert and decorate it with scenes from the Nativity. You could inspire creativity by commissioning each person to work on an artistic project before the party—a poem, a skit, a drawing, or even a short video celebrating the day. Then everyone can present their finished projects at the party. Maybe you could spend a portion of the time singing Christmas carols together or praying the rosary as a group. Really, you can celebrate however you see fit. There’s only one point, one goal. That is to honor the coming of Jesus.
God loves celebrations! He loves family gatherings. He especially loves it when families dedicate some time to showing their gratitude to Jesus and their love for each other. So find a way to welcome him into your home more fully this year, and you will be blessed for it. Most of all, make sure that you have fun doing it!
“Jesus, my heart is filled with joy at your coming! Show me new and creative ways to express my joy and share it with the people around me.”
Jacob called his sons and said to them:
"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel, your father.
"You, Judah, shall your brothers praise
--your hand on the neck of your enemies;
the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
Judah, like a lion's whelp,
you have grown up on prey, my son.
He crouches like a lion recumbent,
the king of beasts--who would dare rouse him?
The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
or the mace from between his legs,
While tribute is brought to him,
and he receives the people's homage."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17
R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Gospel Mt 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.
David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.
Meditation: Matthew 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 1:1)
Today’s Gospel passage gives us a crash course in Israelite history. Many familiar names stand out: the Patriarchs, Boaz, David, Solomon, Josiah. Many are obscure: Ram, Asa, Akim. But isn’t it intriguing to think about how long God had been setting the stage for Jesus’ arrival? By human standards, the first Christmas was a humble event, with only a few shepherds in attendance. But in heaven, the great jubilee over Jesus’ coming to earth was probably unprecedented in scale. Untold legions of angels erupted in praise at the long-awaited birth of the infant Jesus!
And so here we are, eight days from celebrating the culmination of our own planning. Why not try something different? Why not try to imitate the jubilation that went on in heaven on that first Christmas Day? And what better way to do that than to throw a special party for Jesus? Yes, most of us will have office parties, family get-togethers, and special foods to celebrate the season. But what about dedicating a party completely to Jesus?
You could invite family or the neighbors over. You could bake a cake or other dessert and decorate it with scenes from the Nativity. You could inspire creativity by commissioning each person to work on an artistic project before the party—a poem, a skit, a drawing, or even a short video celebrating the day. Then everyone can present their finished projects at the party. Maybe you could spend a portion of the time singing Christmas carols together or praying the rosary as a group. Really, you can celebrate however you see fit. There’s only one point, one goal. That is to honor the coming of Jesus.
God loves celebrations! He loves family gatherings. He especially loves it when families dedicate some time to showing their gratitude to Jesus and their love for each other. So find a way to welcome him into your home more fully this year, and you will be blessed for it. Most of all, make sure that you have fun doing it!
“Jesus, my heart is filled with joy at your coming! Show me new and creative ways to express my joy and share it with the people around me.”
16 December 2011
16 Dec 2011, Friday of the Third Week of Advent
Reading 1 Is 56:1-3a, 6-8
Thus says the LORD:
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
the son of man who holds to it;
Who keeps the sabbath free from profanation,
and his hand from any evildoing.
Let not the foreigner say,
when he would join himself to the LORD,
"The LORD will surely exclude me from his people."
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
ministering to him,
Loving the name of the LORD,
and becoming his servants?
All who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
Them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
For my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.
Thus says the Lord GOD,
who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
Others will I gather to him
besides those already gathered.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
The earth has yielded its fruits;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Gospel Jn 5:33-36
Jesus said to the Jews:
"You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept testimony from a human being,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
John was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John's.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me."
Meditation: Isaiah 56:1-3,6-8
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7)
The children of Israel knew who belonged to God’s chosen people and who did not. That was one of the reasons they preserved their genealogies so carefully. They knew God had revealed himself to them in a unique way.
And yet God kept trying to expand their vision. He reminded them that because they had been “strangers” in Egypt, they should show special care for the “aliens” among them. He urged them also to pray for the well-being of the pagans in whose land they were exiled. Even their Temple had a “court of the Gentiles,” where people of every race and religious tradition were welcome to come and seek the Lord. In fact, one of the reasons Jesus got so upset with the money changers was that they were setting up a raucous marketplace in what God intended as a place of prayer for these outsiders.
Since few of us were born Jews, we should be very grateful that God hasn’t excluded us. Perhaps we can remember a time when we felt ill at ease, on the fringes. Perhaps we embraced the Catholic faith later in life.
Perhaps we moved to a new place, and it took a while for us to feel at home in an unfamiliar parish. Perhaps we had trouble getting used to the new music after Vatican II. Perhaps we are having a hard time adjusting to the liturgical changes that happened just a couple of weeks ago. At times like these, how fortunate we are if someone reaches out and helps draw us in!
From time to time, it’s a good idea to seek out the “strangers” God may be trying to draw to himself. It may be a visitor to your church who doesn’t know where to find the responses. It may be a neighbor who is struggling financially and is looking for a respectful greeting or a helping hand. It may be someone trying to find his way after spending time in prison or a rehab facility. Your kindness can provide that person’s pathway to a deeper worship—and it can help make your church into a house of prayer for “all peoples.”
“Jesus, thank you for seeking me when I was a stranger. Help me to see the ones you long to draw closer to your heart through me.”
Thus says the LORD:
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
the son of man who holds to it;
Who keeps the sabbath free from profanation,
and his hand from any evildoing.
Let not the foreigner say,
when he would join himself to the LORD,
"The LORD will surely exclude me from his people."
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
ministering to him,
Loving the name of the LORD,
and becoming his servants?
All who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
Them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
For my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.
Thus says the Lord GOD,
who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
Others will I gather to him
besides those already gathered.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
The earth has yielded its fruits;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Gospel Jn 5:33-36
Jesus said to the Jews:
"You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept testimony from a human being,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
John was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John's.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me."
Meditation: Isaiah 56:1-3,6-8
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7)
The children of Israel knew who belonged to God’s chosen people and who did not. That was one of the reasons they preserved their genealogies so carefully. They knew God had revealed himself to them in a unique way.
And yet God kept trying to expand their vision. He reminded them that because they had been “strangers” in Egypt, they should show special care for the “aliens” among them. He urged them also to pray for the well-being of the pagans in whose land they were exiled. Even their Temple had a “court of the Gentiles,” where people of every race and religious tradition were welcome to come and seek the Lord. In fact, one of the reasons Jesus got so upset with the money changers was that they were setting up a raucous marketplace in what God intended as a place of prayer for these outsiders.
Since few of us were born Jews, we should be very grateful that God hasn’t excluded us. Perhaps we can remember a time when we felt ill at ease, on the fringes. Perhaps we embraced the Catholic faith later in life.
Perhaps we moved to a new place, and it took a while for us to feel at home in an unfamiliar parish. Perhaps we had trouble getting used to the new music after Vatican II. Perhaps we are having a hard time adjusting to the liturgical changes that happened just a couple of weeks ago. At times like these, how fortunate we are if someone reaches out and helps draw us in!
From time to time, it’s a good idea to seek out the “strangers” God may be trying to draw to himself. It may be a visitor to your church who doesn’t know where to find the responses. It may be a neighbor who is struggling financially and is looking for a respectful greeting or a helping hand. It may be someone trying to find his way after spending time in prison or a rehab facility. Your kindness can provide that person’s pathway to a deeper worship—and it can help make your church into a house of prayer for “all peoples.”
“Jesus, thank you for seeking me when I was a stranger. Help me to see the ones you long to draw closer to your heart through me.”
15 December 2011
15 Dec 2011, Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
Reading 1 Is 54:1-10
Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear,
Break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor,
For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife
than the children of her who has a husband,
says the LORD.
Enlarge the space for your tent,
spread out your tent cloths unsparingly;
lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes.
For you shall spread abroad to the right and to the left;
your descendants shall dispossess the nations
and shall people the desolate cities.
Fear not, you shall not be put to shame;
you need not blush, for you shall not be disgraced.
The shame of your youth you shall forget,
the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember.
For he who has become your husband is your Maker;
his name is the LORD of hosts;
Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
called God of all the earth.
The LORD calls you back,
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
A wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
But with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the LORD, your redeemer.
This is for me like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
should never again deluge the earth;
So I have sworn not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.
Though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be shaken,
My love shall never leave you
nor my covenant of peace be shaken,
says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
"Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper."
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Gospel Lk 7:24-30
When the messengers of John the Baptist had left,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.
"What did you go out to the desert to see B a reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine garments?
Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously
are found in royal palaces.
Then what did you go out to see?
A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom Scripture says:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
he will prepare your way before you.
I tell you,
among those born of women, no one is greater than John;
yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."
(All the people who listened, including the tax collectors,
who were baptized with the baptism of John,
acknowledged the righteousness of God;
but the Pharisees and scholars of the law,
who were not baptized by him,
rejected the plan of God for themselves.)
Meditation: Luke 7:24-30
Among those born of women, no one is greater than John.” (Luke 7:28)
Can you feel the pride and satisfaction of the people as they acknowledged “the righteousness of God” (Luke 7:29)? John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, and he included everyone—even the Pharisees and the lawyers—in that call. In addition to baptism, John called the people to repentance and, even more important, to bear fruit in keeping with their repentance. Although many of Israel’s religious leaders rejected this call, many other people, including tax collectors, accepted John’s message gratefully. And here is Jesus telling them about how great John was. So they had made the right choice after all!
There’s a parallel to each of these three elements of John’s call in our lives. First, the baptism of John foreshadowed our own baptism when we became a new creation and citizens of the kingdom of God. This is something we should recall often, remembering who we are in God’s eyes and what he has done for us.
Second, John’s call to repentance reminds us that whenever we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or even when we repent to the Lord on our own, we are doing far more than just saying, “I’m sorry.” We are opening ourselves up further to the gifts poured out at baptism. In baptism our sins were buried with Jesus (Colossians 2:12). Now, we are welcoming the grace to become more fully the new creation that God made us into when we were baptized.
Third, when baptism and repentance are in place, bearing fruit naturally follows. As you grow closer to Jesus, you find yourself reaching out more to others in need. The more you allow the new creation to take hold of you, the more compelled you feel to go out and build the kingdom of God.
John prepared for the way of the Lord through calls to repentance, baptism, and bearing fruit, and this is how God invites us to prepare the way of the Lord. Embrace these three callings, and there’s no question you will draw closer to Jesus.
“Thank you, Jesus, that through your death I was buried with you and raised to new life with you. Through the power of your Spirit, help me to bear fruit necessary to build your kingdom.”
Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear,
Break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor,
For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife
than the children of her who has a husband,
says the LORD.
Enlarge the space for your tent,
spread out your tent cloths unsparingly;
lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes.
For you shall spread abroad to the right and to the left;
your descendants shall dispossess the nations
and shall people the desolate cities.
Fear not, you shall not be put to shame;
you need not blush, for you shall not be disgraced.
The shame of your youth you shall forget,
the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember.
For he who has become your husband is your Maker;
his name is the LORD of hosts;
Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
called God of all the earth.
The LORD calls you back,
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
A wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
But with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the LORD, your redeemer.
This is for me like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
should never again deluge the earth;
So I have sworn not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.
Though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be shaken,
My love shall never leave you
nor my covenant of peace be shaken,
says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
"Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper."
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Gospel Lk 7:24-30
When the messengers of John the Baptist had left,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.
"What did you go out to the desert to see B a reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine garments?
Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously
are found in royal palaces.
Then what did you go out to see?
A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom Scripture says:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
he will prepare your way before you.
I tell you,
among those born of women, no one is greater than John;
yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."
(All the people who listened, including the tax collectors,
who were baptized with the baptism of John,
acknowledged the righteousness of God;
but the Pharisees and scholars of the law,
who were not baptized by him,
rejected the plan of God for themselves.)
Meditation: Luke 7:24-30
Among those born of women, no one is greater than John.” (Luke 7:28)
Can you feel the pride and satisfaction of the people as they acknowledged “the righteousness of God” (Luke 7:29)? John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, and he included everyone—even the Pharisees and the lawyers—in that call. In addition to baptism, John called the people to repentance and, even more important, to bear fruit in keeping with their repentance. Although many of Israel’s religious leaders rejected this call, many other people, including tax collectors, accepted John’s message gratefully. And here is Jesus telling them about how great John was. So they had made the right choice after all!
There’s a parallel to each of these three elements of John’s call in our lives. First, the baptism of John foreshadowed our own baptism when we became a new creation and citizens of the kingdom of God. This is something we should recall often, remembering who we are in God’s eyes and what he has done for us.
Second, John’s call to repentance reminds us that whenever we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or even when we repent to the Lord on our own, we are doing far more than just saying, “I’m sorry.” We are opening ourselves up further to the gifts poured out at baptism. In baptism our sins were buried with Jesus (Colossians 2:12). Now, we are welcoming the grace to become more fully the new creation that God made us into when we were baptized.
Third, when baptism and repentance are in place, bearing fruit naturally follows. As you grow closer to Jesus, you find yourself reaching out more to others in need. The more you allow the new creation to take hold of you, the more compelled you feel to go out and build the kingdom of God.
John prepared for the way of the Lord through calls to repentance, baptism, and bearing fruit, and this is how God invites us to prepare the way of the Lord. Embrace these three callings, and there’s no question you will draw closer to Jesus.
“Thank you, Jesus, that through your death I was buried with you and raised to new life with you. Through the power of your Spirit, help me to bear fruit necessary to build your kingdom.”
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