The Sunday reflection is a video reflection from Cardinal Tagle  which is found at the bottom of the right column on the Home Page. 

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​Monday (January 8): The Spirit descends upon the Father's beloved Son

Scripture: Mark 1:7-11  
7 And he [John the Baptist] preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; 11 and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Meditation: Why did Jesus, the Sinless One, submit himself to John's baptism? John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3) - of which Jesus had no need. However, in this humble submission we see a foreshadowing of the "baptism" of his bloody death upon the cross. Jesus' baptism is the acceptance and the beginning of his mission as God's suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). He allowed himself to be numbered among sinners. Jesus submitted himself entirely to his Father's will. Out of love he consented to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. Do you know the joy of trust and submission to God?

The Father proclaimed his entire delight in his Son and spoke audibly for all to hear. The Holy Spirit, too, was present as he anointed Jesus for his ministry which began that day as he rose from the waters of the Jordan River. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all who come to believe in him. At his baptism the heavens were opened and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, signifying the beginning of a new creation.

How can we enter into the mystery of Jesus' humble self-abasement and baptism? Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390 AD), an early church father tells us: 

"Let us be buried with Christ by Baptism to rise with him; let us go down with him to be raised with him; and let us rise with him to be glorified with him." 

Do you want to see your life transformed by the love and power of Jesus Christ? And do you want to become a more effective instrument of the Gospel of peace, mercy, and righteousness? Examine Jesus' humility and ask the Holy Spirit to forge this same attitude in your heart. As you do, heaven will open for you as well. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to renew us in his Holy Spirit and to anoint us for mission. We are called to be "light" and "salt" to those around us. The Lord wants his love and truth to shine through us that others may see the goodness and truth of God's message of salvation. Ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with his Holy Spirit that you may radiate the joy of the Gospel to those around you.

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my heart with the joy of the Gospel. May I find joy in seeking to please you just as you found joy in seeking to please your Father."


JANUARY 7 OR MONDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gospel Mt 4, 12-17. 23-25
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went down to live in Capernaum by the sea near the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, to fulfill what had been said through Isaiah the prophet:

"Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali along the sea beyond the Jordan, heathen Galilee: a people living in darkness has seen a great light. On those who inhabit a land overshadowed by death,
light has arisen."

From that time on Jesus began to proclaim this theme: "Reform your lives! The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Jesus toured all of Galilee. He taught in their synagogues, proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, and cured the people of every disease and illness. As a consequence of this, his reputation traveled the length of Syria. They carried to him all those afflicted with various diseases and racked with pain: the possessed, the lunatics, the paralyzed. He cured them all. The great crowds that followed him came from Galilee, the Ten Cities, Jerusalem and Judea, and from across the Jordan.

Commentary on Matt 4:12-17, 23-25

Jesus has been baptised in the Spirit of his Father and he has triumphed over the temptations of the Evil One during his 40 days in the wilderness. He is now ready to begin his public ministry. When Jesus heard that John had been arrested for accusing Herod of adultery, who had taken his brother’s wife as his own, Jesus withdrew from the region of the Jordan River where he had been with John and went to the northern province of Galilee where he had grown up. The word translated ‘arrested’ literally reads ‘handed over’ and is an expression that occurs several times in the gospel. It refers to John the Baptist being ‘handed over’, to Jesus being ‘handed over’ first to the leadership of the Jews and then to the Romans. Later it will be used of the disciples being ‘handed over’ to various authorities because of their preaching the Gospel. Finally, it is used at every Eucharist, though lost in our present translation. At the consecration of the bread the celebrant says: "This is my Body which will be handed over [given up] for you.’

Jesus had left Nazareth and his family and Matthew tells us he went to live in "Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulon and Naphthali". Capernaum will appear several times in Gospel stories. For Matthew Jesus’ going there fulfils a Hebrew Testament prophecy. "Zebulon and Naphthali, the way to the sea, Galilee of the Gentiles, there the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light…" These two territories were the first to be laid waste by the Assyrian invasion in 733 BC. Isaiah promises them a great future. It is now being realised. Matthew stretches things a little to fit the prophecy in: Capernaum was in Naphthali and the sea mentioned by Matthew is the Sea of Galilee while in the prophecy it actually refers to the Mediterranean.

Jesus’ preaching is summarised in one sentence: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." It is very similar to the message that John the Baptist gave but, coming from Jesus, it is much richer in meaning. John proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom; Jesus himself is the coming of that Kingdom. ‘Repent’ means much more than the meaning we normally give to the word, namely, to regret, to be sorrow for wrongs we have done. Here it is represented by the Greek word metanoia (????????) which calls for a complete and radical turnaround in the way we see life. It is not concerned with the past but rather with the future.

‘The kingdom of heaven’ does not refer to the future life. It is not saying that we are all imminently about to leave this earth. ‘Heaven’ here is a euphemism for the name of God, which Matthew writing for Jewish Christians does not want to use. Among the Jews God’s name was so holy that it could not be uttered by humans. Rather the phrase ‘kingdom of heaven’ refers to the effective power of God’s presence here on earth, sometimes called God’s ‘reign’ on earth. And that kingdom is near because it is embodied in the person of Jesus himself. He represents the effective presence of God’s power and that is seen clearly in the second part of today’s passage. It is the power of love and healing.

At this point in Matthew’s gospel he also relates the calling of the first four disciples, those who would be partners with him in the proclamation and the realisation of the Kingdom. But it is omitted in our reading for today.

We finish with a summary of the Kingdom work that Jesus was doing. He went all over Galilee, teaching in the Jewish synagogues. His preaching consisted of the proclamation of the nearness of the Kingdom and that was illustrated graphically by his healing all kinds of sicknesses. Healing means restoration to wholeness and the goal of the Kingdom is a restoration to wholeness of the whole world.

Jesus’ fame even extended to the whole of the Roman Province of Syria of which Galilee was a part. Large numbers of people came from these places in search of Jesus and brought to him people suffering from all kinds of sicknesses. In addition to Galilee, they also came from the Decapolis (meaning ‘ten cities’), a federation of Greek cities mainly lying on the east side of the Jordan, from Judaea and its main city Jerusalem and even from across the Jordan River.

It is time now to stop looking back at the Christmas celebrations and look forward at why Jesus was born and the mission he had to do. Jesus’ coming to Capernaum is the coming of light in darkness. Jesus’ call to repentance is really a call to radical conversion, a turning round completely to face our Lord.

In him the Kingdom of Heaven is here among us. That is shown by the word that Jesus does: teaching, announcing the Good News of his coming and healing all kinds of disorders: physical,

mental, emotional…

May we too experience a deep desire for conversion and also experience the healing power of Jesus in our lives so that may become ourselves agents to heal others.

 

 

JANUARY 8 OR TUESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gospel Mk 6, 34-44
When Jesus fed the large crowd from the loaves he showed himself as a prophet.

Jesus saw a vast crowd. He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them at great length. It was now getting late and his disciples came to him with a suggestion: "This is a deserted place and it is already late. Why do you not dismiss them so that they can go to the crossroads and villages around here and buy themselves something to eat?" "You give them something to eat," Jesus replied. At that they said, "Are we to go and spend two hundred days' wages for bread to feed them?" "How many loaves have you?" Jesus asked. "Go and see." When they learned the number they answered, "Five, and two fish." He told them to make the people sit down on the green grass in groups or parties. The people took their places in hundreds and fifties, neatly arranged like flower beds. Then, taking the five loaves and two fish, Jesus raised his eyes to heaven, pronounced a blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to distribute. He divided the two fish among all of them and they ate until they had their fill. They gathered up enough leftovers to fill twelve baskets, besides what remained of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Tuesday after Epiphany or 8 January – Reading

Commentary on Mark 6:34-44

Just before today’s passage begins we are told that the Twelve had just returned from the mission on which Jesus had sent them. He suggested that they all go to a secluded spot where they could rest. So they set off there in one of their boats. (In spite of what we are told in Mark 1:18 and 20 about them leaving their boats to follow Jesus, we still see them in use.) However, the crowds spotted them and large numbers ran along the shore and, by the time Jesus and his companions had reached their destination, they were faced with a huge crowd. Perhaps the disciples were very disappointed to see their day of rest so badly disrupted. Jesus, on the other hand, was filled with compassion as he looked over them. He saw them as people lost and confused; they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus, of course, is their Shepherd. He began by teaching them many things, helping to bring clarity and understanding into their scattered lives.

As evening began to draw in, the disciples approached Jesus and urged him to let the people go to the surrounding villages and towns where they could get something to eat. Did they say this because they really felt for the people’s needs or because they wanted to be left alone? Jesus replied by telling his disciples: "You feed them yourselves." They remonstrated. It would need a large amount of money to give everyone even a little to eat.

Then Jesus told them: "Go and see how much bread there is." They found that there were just five loaves and two fish. For Jesus that was enough.

The people were told to sit down in rows on the green grass. The scene recalls Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd [Jesus saw the crowd as sheep without a shepherd] there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze… [the people sat in rows on the green grass] You set a table before me… Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life…

It is also reminiscent of the Israelites encamped in groups in the desert (Exod 18:21-25) and the prophets speaking about the transformation of the desert into pastures where the true shepherd feeds his flock.

In a very ritualistic way, Jesus took the loaves and bread, looked up to heaven [to his Father], said the blessing and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. The fish were similarly divided. All ate and were satisfied, there were twelve baskets of leftovers and altogether 5,000 people had been fed.

The whole passage has strong Eucharistic overtones. There is what we would now call the Liturgy of the Word when Jesus taught the people at length and the Liturgy of the Eucharist with the bread blessed, broken and distributed to the people in groups/communities. The amount left over points to the huge generosity of God in taking care of his children.

It is worth noting that Jesus does not distribute the bread and fish himself but delegates his disciples to do this. And that is how Jesus comes into people’s lives today – through the agency of his dedicated followers.

It is also significant that the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus which appears in all four gospels. It can be understood on many levels. It looks backward to the feeding of Israel with manna in the desert during the Exodus. It was expected in some circles that this would be repeated in the messianic age – as in fact happens here. It may also point to the prophet Elisha feeding 100 men with just 20 loaves of bread, an action met with the same scepticism as the disciples showed but, in this case too, there was some left over (2 Kings 4:42-44)

Altogether in the gospels there are two multiplication stories in Mark and Matthew and one each in Luke and John. This is taken as an indication of the importance of eucharistic gatherings in the early Church.

But the story essentially points beyond the Eucharist to what it signifies. The breaking of the bread and its being shared out among all present is intended as a sign or symbol of the life of the Christian community, where all the resources of the community are shared and divided in such a way that none is in need. And this way of life is also to be fostered in the wider community. It is a story about the love of God for his people and how he takes care of them but that love is shown in practice by his people passing on that love, especially to those in need. If that does not happen then the Eucharist becomes a sign of nothing. It is simply reduced to an abstract ritual.

JANUARY 9 OR WEDNESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gospel Mk 6, 45-52
[After the five thousand men were satiated] Jesus insisted that his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. When he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. As evening drew on, the boat was far out on the lake while he was alone on the land. Then, seeing them tossed about as they tried to row with the wind against them, he came walking toward them on the water; the time was between three and six in the morning. He meant to pass them by. When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and they began to cry out. They had all seen him and were terrified. He hastened to reassure them: "Get hold of yourselves! It is I. Do not be afraid!" He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were taken aback by these happenings, for they had not understood about the loaves. On the contrary, their minds were completely closed to the meaning of the events.

Commentary on Mark 6:45-52

Today’s Gospel follows immediately on yesterday’s account of the feeding of the 5,000. We are told that Jesus "made" his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the far side of the lake. Jesus himself sent the crowd away. The use of the word "made" implies that they did not go very willingly. From John’s version of this story we know that the people were very excited about what had happened and wanted to make Jesus king. One can imagine that the disciples too were basking in the reflected glory and popularity of their Master. Jesus would have none of it. He first of all packed off his disciples in the boat and then sent the crowds away. He himself retired to the mountains to pray. Was Jesus himself tempted by the enthusiasm of the crowds? Here they were, literally eating out of his hand. What a wonderful opportunity to win them over to his Way! But he knows that that is not the way it is going to happen. He retires to the remoteness of the mountains and renews his closeness to his Father and his desire to do only his Father’s will.

In the meantime, a storm had come up on the lake and the disciples’ boat was being tossed about dangerously. (It is said that sudden storms are a feature of the Lake of Galilee.) The disciples were in big trouble. But Jesus sees them and comes to them walking on the water but makes as if to pass them by. They thought he was a ghost and were even more afraid. Then he spoke to them: "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid." As soon as Jesus got into the boat the wind died down. They were utterly amazed, because, says the Evangelist, they had not understood the meaning of the loaves. "On the contrary, their hearts were hardened."

In reading this story we need to go beyond merely a manifestation of God’s power in Jesus, a power that can even control the elements. The story has strong symbolic overtones. Here, as elsewhere, the boat with the disciples on board is a symbol of a Christian community. The world surrounding it is the world. Sometimes that world gets very stormy and seriously threatens the very existence of the community.

Jesus suddenly appears and seems to be passing by. He is never far away but he does need to be called. Their reaction, far from being comforted, was one of terror. All they saw was a ghost. They could not believe it could be really him. He was far away still on land.

Then Jesus speaks: "It is I". Literally, in Greek, ego eimi (‘????’???????translated, "I AM", God’s own name. "Do not be afraid." With Jesus, there is never anything to fear. Perfect love casts out all fear.

As soon as Jesus steps into the boat there is a calm. Is the calm just in the sea or is the deeper calm in the hearts of the disciples, knowing that Jesus is with them? Jesus is the source of true peace.

They are astonished because they did not understand what had happened during the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus will bring this up again with them later on (8:17). They only saw a miraculous multiplication; they missed, as probably most of the crowd did, the deeper meaning of the event as a tangible expression of God’s love and care for his people. The same care was at work in the boat. And the message is clear for every Christian community today.

JANUARY 10 OR THURSDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gospel Lk 4, 14-22
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and his reputation spread throughout the region. He was teaching in their synagogues, and all were loud in his praise.

He came to Nazareth where he had been reared, and entering the synagogue on the sabbath as he was in the habit of doing, he stood up to do the reading. When the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed him he unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

"The spirit of the Lord is upon me;
therefore he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives,
Recovery of sight to the blind
and release to prisoners,
To announce a year of favor from the Lord."

Rolling up the scroll he gave it back to the assistant and sat down. All in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him. Then he began by saying to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." All who were present spoke favorably of him; they marveled at the appealing discourse which came from his lips.
Commentary on Luke 4:14-22a

After his baptism, Jesus is full of the Spirit of God. He has been commissioned and is now ready to do his Father’s work. The Gospel says he has been in Galilee already for some time and people everywhere are hearing about him as he preaches in synagogues. Today we see him in his home town of Nazareth. And, as he usually did, he went to the synagogue there on a Sabbath. As was the right of any Jew, he read from the Scripture. The passage is from the prophet Isaiah. It is a messianic prophecy which he applies to himself: "This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen."

And what does it say?

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me." That is, the Lord has made him King and Lord. He has been made Messiah, which in Hebrew means "the Anointed One". In Greek it is Christos (????????. It is a formal announcement of his identity. (Compare Mark’s gospel where Jesus hides his true identity until much later.)

And what is the mission of Jesus as Messiah?

"To bring good news of liberation to the poor.
Freedom to those in captivity.
Sight to those who are blind.
Liberation for the oppressed…"

More than any of the other gospels, Luke emphasises Jesus’ attitude to the economically and socially poor. We see that at Jesus’ first appearance in the world, when it is the poor and outcasts who are the shepherds who come to pay homage to the newborn child. The poor are also linked to the oppressed and afflicted, the forgotten and the neglected. Yet it is they who are most open to the Good News. So much so that the poor are described as "blessed".

Jesus gives a message of liberation, of freedom for the world. It is important for us to realise that Jesus came to make us truly free. So many Christians abandon their church in order to be free. They find being Christian a stifling experience. Yet, we must insist both by the way we present the message of the Gospel and by the way we live it that, as Christians, we enjoy a particularly high level of freedom. (True freedom does not consist in doing just what we feel like doing; that can be very destructive both of ourselves and others. True freedom is the ability to make the good choice – good for oneself, good for others. Agape-love points us in that direction.)

The words of Isaiah that Jesus uses are to be taken both in their literal and in a fuller sense. It is a message for those who are materially poor, for those who are in prison, those who are blind and those who are oppressed. But all these terms can be understood in a much wider sense. There are all kinds of poverty. In addition to the material kind, there is intellectual, emotional, social poverty. There are all kinds of things which imprison people, including various forms of addictions and compulsions. Blindness is not only a physical disability but there are other forms of blindness due to ignorance, prejudice and a lack of true vision in life. There are many ways a person can experience oppression. Forces which dominate people’s lives like an obsession with materialistic values and consumerism, driving ambition at the expense of others. It is for each one to look into their own lives and see where they need liberation most.

These words of Jesus can be seen as his ‘mission statement’. It is what his whole life will be based on. It is not primarily a religious manifesto. It is a manifesto for the kind of life that every human being is called to follow.

Jesus only began this work. Its continuation and fulfilment depends on our cooperation with him. We are not to hear these words only as receivers but also as a challenge to us. To what extent am I part of this empowering, liberating, eye-opening mission of Jesus for my society and the world?

The people in the synagogue are deeply impressed by the words of Jesus but they are also amazed. "Is not this the son of Joseph?" Very soon they would turn against him. Because they presumed they knew who he was but they did not. They had grown up with him and were too close to him. A matter of familiarity breeding contempt. The same can happen to us when, as happens again and again, we cannot detect the presence of Christ in a person who is very close to us. Not only can we not see Christ in that person, like the people of Nazareth, we often do not want to.

JANUARY 11 OR FRIDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gospel Lk 5, 12-16
On one occasion in a certain town, a man full of leprosy came to Jesus. Seeing Jesus, he bowed down to the ground and said to him, "Lord, if you will to do so, you can cure me." Jesus stretched out his hand to touch him and said, "I do will it. Be cured." Immediately the leprosy left him. Jesus then instructed the man: "Tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest. Offer for your healing what Moses prescribed; that should be a proof for them." His reputation spread more and more, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be cured of their maladies. He often retired to deserted places and prayed.

Commentary on Luke 5:12-16

Leprosy was one of the most feared diseases of the ancient world. It was known to be contagious which made the leper a very dangerous person. As a result, the leper was a social outcast, feared and rejected by all. The leper had always to warn people around of his or her presence and had to keep a clear distance away from others. What was particularly tragic is that sometimes the person might not have been suffering from leprosy at but from some other similar-looking skin disease which was, in fact, not contagious at all.

In today’s Gospel we find a leper approaching Jesus, falling prostrate before him. His request is full of faith and trust in the power of Jesus. "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." Obviously he had heard stories of Jesus many healings, some of which are recounted by Luke in this part of his gospel. Jesus responds immediately. He reaches out, touches the man and says: "I do will it. Be made clean." He was healed immediately. The touching is very significant. No ordinary person would dare to touch a leper. Think of the inner healing that must have resulted from the touch, that moment of physical contact. Touch is something we all need and are so often deprived of. We, too, are in need of healing, including the healing that comes from touch. Let us put our trust in Jesus that he can also bring us healing.

Jesus then gives him two commands. First, he is not to go around telling people about what happened to him. This story follows Mark’s version very closely and in Mark Jesus often demands the concealing of his true identity. At this stage, he does not want people to identify him with the Messiah because of the preconceived ideas which most people had and these were very different from the kind of Messiah that Jesus is. This will not become fully clear until his passion, death and resurrection.

Second, the healed leper is told to go to the priests and make the prescribed offering of thanksgiving for his healing. This was also, one presumes, a time for him to be officially declared as free of the disease. He could now freely re-enter society. The healing of someone like a leper went far beyond the mere physical healing. It was a total re-integration of his life, a real re-making of the whole person.

We may well ask, who are the lepers in our own day? Of course, there are still many parts of the world where leprosy has not been eradicated. But in every society there are people who are treated as lepers, people that no one wants to mix with, people who are ostracized or marginalized for one reason or another. There are the victims of HIV/AIDS that people are afraid to have contact with. There are the homeless, people we walk past in the street every day and hardly notice. There are the victims of addictions – drugs legal and illegal, alcoholics. People who are excluded on the basis of race or religion. The mentally and physically disabled. We might also look at those who are effectively treated as lepers in our family, our place of work, our social gatherings.

There is no place in our society, still less in our church

 JANUARY 12 OR SATURDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gospel Jn 3, 22-30
Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and he spent some time with them there baptizing. John too was baptizing at Aenon near Salim where water was plentiful, and people kept coming to be baptized. (John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.) A controversy about purification arose between John's disciples and a certain Jew. So they came to John, saying, "Rabbi, the man who was with you across the Jordan -- the one about whom you have been testifying -- is baptizing now, and everyone is flocking to him."

John answered: "No one can lay hold on anything unless it is given him from on high. You yourselves are witnesses to the fact that I said: 'I am not the Messiah; I am sent before him.' "It is the groom who has the bride. The groom's best man just waits there listening for him and is overjoyed to hear his voice. That is my joy, and it is complete. He must increase, while I must decrease."

Commentary on John 3:22-30

In this passage from John’s gospel we are given one of the last appearances of John the Baptist before his arrest. It is still part of the transition from the time of his preaching to Jesus taking centre stage. Both Jesus, with his disciples, and John are in the region of Judaea, the southern province where Jerusalem is situated. John, we are told is at a place called Aenon, a place whose location is not now known. There was plenty of water there so it was suitable for baptism.

Apparently a dispute had arisen between some Jew and the disciples of John the Baptist about ceremonial washing. The disciples then came to John to tell him that Jesus was also baptising and that large crowds were going to him. Clearly, they felt somewhat upset that their own master was being upstaged.

It did not bother John in the least. "No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven." In other words, each person has their own calling from God and the only thing that matters is that they respond to that calling. John reminds his disciples that he had said already he was not the Messiah but that he had been sent to prepare the way for the Messiah’s coming. That was John’s calling and the one he had responded to.

He then gives an example which expresses his relationship with Jesus. "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice." The term ‘best man’, literally the ‘friend of the groom’ represents the shoshben of Jewish tradition, the one who arranges the wedding. The idea of rivalry between him and the groom would not make sense. On the contrary, he is delighted to see bride and groom happy together. John concludes by saying: "He must increase; I must decrease." John knows perfectly well and fully accepts his secondary role. There was a time when he was in the limelight but now he steps aside and allows Jesus to be the center.

This can apply to us in our evangelising work for the Christian community. Once we see that Jesus has fully entered a person’s life, it is for us to draw back. We must never try to be possessive. Our role is to let go and let God be the one who guides people.

Monday of The First Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”  He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”

The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me.

And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.  I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Meditation:
"On that day, the branch of the Lord will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor for the survivors of Israel."  Is 4:2

I'm fairly certain these words did not inspire hope in the folks who heard Isaiah speak them. I'm pretty sure they thought Isaiah was nuts!  In the midst of the devastation of war and universal corruption and immorality, they would have dismissed him as crazy. How could anyone anticipate a time of the Lord's blessing and glory, God's sovereignty and holiness, and a return to a time of flourishing? Just plain foolishness.

His message is as much a challenge to us now, as it was to folks then. Universal health care? Immigration reform? Economic recovery and increased employment?  No matter what your political perspective, it's hard to imagine these happening soon. Anyone that thinks it's possible is crazy. "Too much corruption and dishonesty and greed," "You don't know human nature," or "I'm a realist- it'll never happen".

Our “problem” is not that we have given up on a vision for the future; our “problem” is that we have given up on God's action and presence now... in us, among us, with us. When we think of "hope", it's hard to comprehend that in any other way than looking forward to "a time when....” We see it in the desperate faces of a family praying for healing and health for a loved one, or a spouse praying for employment for her husband, or students praying for an "A" on an exam or to pass a course or to get accepted to professional school. Our hope is too small. We hope for particular outcomes for the future. Yes, it's good to pray for all these ... but can we pray also that we recognize God's laboring for us now, in the present?  Can we trust there is something happening here beyond what we can see or know right now? Can we get out of the way?

In Matthew's Gospel reading for today, a centurion tells Jesus that his servant is lying at home, paralyzed, suffering dreadfully. He doesn't tell Jesus what his servant needs; he simply comes to Jesus in faith and trust.   Is healing what happens when we are open enough to set aside prejudices, categories, and expectations, coming simply, with trust and faith?

Isaiah's words are a challenge to us, not so much because they encourage us to trust in God's action in and for the future, to hope for "better times to come"; they are a challenge because they encourage us to trust in God's actions now. Can we hope in God's action without demanding a particular outcome? Can we be vulnerable enough to let God be present, in the way God wants to show up? Can we join the Psalmist in praying: "I rejoiced because they said to me, "We will go up to the house of the Lord." and now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem"?

 From http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/120213.html

Tuesday of The First Week of Advent

Gospel Lk 10, 21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said: "I offer you praise, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children."Yes, Father, you have graciously willed it so."Everything has been given over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son -- and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to his disciples he said to them privately: "Blest are the eyes that see what you see. I tell you, many prophets and kings wished to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Meditation: How does God bring his kingdom to us? Jesus remarked that many prophets and kings before him longed to see and understand God's plan for establishing his kingdom. When King David’s throne was overthrown and vacant for centuries, God promised, nonetheless, to raise up a new king from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. This messianic king would rule forever because the Spirit of God would rest upon him and remain with him (Isaiah 11:1).

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be equipped with the gifts of the Spirit - with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. This king would establish the kingdom of God, not by force of human will and military power, but by offering his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Through his death on the cross, Jesus, the true Messiah King, would defeat Satan, overcome death, and win pardon and reconciliation for sinners. God's plan of redemption included not only the Jewish people but all the nations of the earth as well. Through his death and resurrection Jesus makes us citizens of heaven and friends of God. The Lord Jesus wants us to live in joyful hope and confident expectation that he will come again to fully establish his kingdom of righteousness and peace.

What does Jesus' prayer (Luke 10:21-22) tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood are derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God.

Pride closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. Jesus contrasts pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they see purely without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in God who is the source of all wisdom and strength. They seek one thing - the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" which is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil we can conceive, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us towards God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom, grace, and help. Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Do you seek God's wisdom and grace with humility and trust?

Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the perfect revelation of God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God - who he is and what he is like. We can know God personally and be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and friendship. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God - a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the cross. Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?

Wednesday of The First Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 15, 29-37
Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. He went up onto the mountainside and sat down there. Large crowds of people came to him bringing with them cripples, the deformed, the blind, the mute, and many others besides. They laid them at his feet and he cured them. The result was great astonishment in the crowds as they beheld the mute speaking, the deformed made sound, cripples walking about, and the blind seeing. They glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus called his disciples to him and said: "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd. By now they have been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. I do not wish to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way." His disciples said to him, "How could we ever get enough bread in this deserted spot to satisfy such a crowd?" But Jesus asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish." Then he directed the crowd to seat themselves on the ground. He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. All ate until they were full. When they gathered up the fragments left over, these filled seven hampers.

Advent is a time that I often catch myself dreaming of home.  The celebration of a recently married couple inviting a new member into their family always makes my heart yearn for my own family.  It truly is a time when I simply want to shut myself in with those who mean the most to me and smile contentedly about how much love surrounds me.  And yet, today’s first reading reminds me of how much more overwhelming the thought is of living in the house of the Lord.  Our Psalm points out a similar theme in that, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.”  We have reason to eagerly await our invitation into Heaven: rich foods, choice wines…I mean, Jesus throws a heck of a Christmas party!  The Apostles, popes, archangels, the Blessed Virgin Mary; it’s a pretty great guest list to be on!

Meditating on the joy of living in the house of the Lord puts my heart in a beautiful state of peace and excited anticipation.   However, sometimes I get homesick for Heaven and ignore the reality in which I live now.  That love which we anticipate enjoying fully in Eternity is the same love which we must share with God’s people on earth.

Someone had to give up his/her dinner in order for Jesus to perform his miracle in today’s Gospel reading.  Sure, Jesus did the heavy lifting when it came to multiplying the seven loaves and a few fish, but someone donated that food.  Similarly, Jesus only performed the miracle, he did not walk around physically feeding the crowd, other hands served in that way.  Jesus “needed” the service of those around him in order to fully bless the crowd that day.

In what ways is God calling each of us to be his hands and feet?  Significant tithing is a new phenomenon for me.   For the first time in my life, I am making a real paycheck and I am recognizing the call to utilize a portion in service to God.  And yet, as a severely indebted medical resident, my financial resources are limited.  But how many people in today’s Gospel actually served Jesus financially? Only a few.  The vast majority served by organizing, spreading the food and cleaning up the leftovers.  Could I donate some of my time?  Might I carry some granola bars and a few inexpensive winter hats to keep in my car to offer to the homeless guy I pass on my way to the hospital each morning?  How about simply going out of my way to offer a word of encouragement to a downtrodden neighbor?  In spite of my newfound ability to donate financially, the Gospel is calling me to a well-rounded service approach.

Together let us meditate on the anticipated joy of our invitation into Jesus’ Heavenly party.  Then let’s apply the love we derive from that excitement to acting as our Lord’s instruments of service in a multitude of ways during this giving season.

Thursday of The First Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 7, 21. 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples: "None of those who cry out, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

"Anyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock. When the rainy season set in, the torrents came and the winds blew and buffeted his house. It did not collapse; it had been solidly set on rock. Anyone who hears my words but does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on sandy ground. The rains fell, the torrents came, the winds blew and lashed against his house. It collapsed under all this and was completely ruined."

Meditation: What's the best security against disaster and destruction? In the ancient world a strong city, an impregnable fortress, and a secure house were built on solid rock because they could withstand the forces of nature and foe alike. Isaiah speaks of God as an "everlasting rock" (Isaiah 26:4). He is the rock of refuge and deliverance (Psalm 18:2) and the rock in whom there is no wrong (Psalm 92:15). Scripture warns that destruction will surely come to those who place their security in something other than God and his kingdom. Jesus' parables invite us to stake our lives on the coming of his kingdom or face the consequences of being unprepared when the day of testing and destruction will surely come.

When Jesus told the story of the builders he likely had the following proverb in mind: "When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm for ever" (Proverbs 10:25). What's the significance of the story for us? The kind of foundation we build our lives upon will determine whether we can survive the storms that are sure to come. Builders usually lay their foundations when the weather and soil conditions are at their best. It takes foresight to know how a foundation will stand up against adverse conditions. Building a house on a flood plain, such as a dry river-bed, is a sure bet for disaster! Jesus prefaced his story with a warning: We may fool humans with our speech, but God cannot be deceived. He sees the heart as it truly is - with its motives, intentions, desires, and choices (Psalm 139:2).

There is only one way in which a person's sincerity can be proved, and that is by one's practice. Fine words can never replace good deeds. Our character is revealed in the choices we make, especially when we are tested. Do you cheat on an exam or on your income taxes, especially when it will cost you?  Do you lie, or cover-up, when disclosing the truth will cause you  injury or embarrassment? A true person is honest and reliable before God, one's neighbor and oneself.  His or her word can be counted on. If you heed God's word and live according to it then you need not fear when storms assail you. God will be your rock and your refuge. Is your life built upon the sure "rock" of Jesus Christ and do you listen to his word as if your life depended on it?

"Lord Jesus, you are my Rock and my Refuge. Help me to conform my life according to your word that I may stand firm in times of trouble and find hope in your promises."

Friday of The First Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 9, 27-31

As Jesus moved on from Capernaum, two blind men came after him crying out, "Son of David, have pity on us!" When he got to the house, the blind men caught up with him. Jesus said to them, "Are you confident I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they told him. At that he touched their eyes and said, "Because of your faith it shall be done to you"; and they recovered their sight. Then Jesus warned them sternly, "See to it that no one knows of this." But they went off and spread word of him through the whole area.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) 

"For with God nothing will be impossible"Scripture: Luke 1:26-38  

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And the angel said to her, "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. 36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible."38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Meditation: Do you want to live a grace-filled life? The angel Gabriel salutes Mary as "full of grace". To become the mother of the Savior, Mary was enriched by God with gifts to enable her to assume this awesome role. There is a venerable tradition among many Christians, dating back to the early church, for honoring Mary as the spotless virgin who bore the Son of God in her womb. A number of early church fathers link Mary's obedience to this singular grace of God. "Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race... The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith" (from Adv. haeres 3.22.4, by Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, 130-200 AD).

Faith is the key that unlocks the power of God's kingdom in our lives
What is the key that can unlock the power and grace of God's kingdom in our personal lives? Faith and obedience for sure! When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they immediately experienced the consequence of their action - separation from the God who loved them. God in his mercy promised them a Redeemer who would pay the price for their sin and the sin of the world. We see the marvelous unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah. Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly.

God gives us the grace to say "yes" to his will and to his transforming work in our lives
God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heart-felt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the grace, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
"Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified "yes" to your will and to your plan for my life."

copyright (c) 2017 Servants of the Word, source:  www.dailyscripture.net, author Don Schwager

Saturday of The First Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples,“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
​Meditation: Who doesn't want a life of good health, peace, and well-being? Isaiah foretold that God's kingdom would overcome sorrow and adversity and bring true peace and prosperity to God's people. Jesus understood his mission to bring the kingdom in all its fulness to us. The core of the Gospel message is quite simple: the kingdom or reign of God is imminent!
The kingdom of God is imminent 
What is the kingdom of God? It's the power of God at work in that society of men and women who trust in God and who honor him as their King and Lord.  In the Lord's prayer we dare to ask God to reign fully in our lives and in our world: "May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 5:10 ). Jesus' preaching of God's kingdom was accompanied by signs and wonders. People were healed not only spiritually, but physically as well. Do you believe in the power of God's kingdom for your life? Let his word transform your mind and heart that he may reign supreme in every area of your life.
Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did - to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. Jesus said to his disciples: Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8). What they had received from Jesus (all free of charge) they must now pass on to others without expecting any kind of payment or reward. They must show by their attitude that their first interest is God, not material gain.
The kingdom of heaven comes to those who receive Christ with faith 
Jesus' words are just as relevant today. The kingdom of heaven is available to those who are ready to receive it. We cannot buy heaven; but if we accept the love and mercy of Jesus we already possess heaven in our hearts! The Lord brings his kingdom or heavenly reign to those who receive him with faith and obedience. When the Lord returns in his glory he will fully restore his kingdom of everlasting peace and justice. Do you pray and watch with confident hope for God's kingdom to come in all its fullness?
"Lord Jesus, rouse my spirit from complacency and stir my faith to see you act today. Give me boldness to live and proclaim the message of the kingdom of heaven and to be a prophetic sign of that kingdom to this generation."

copyright (c) 2017 Servants of the Word, source:  www.dailyscripture.net, author Don Schwager


Monday of The Second Week of Advent

Gospel Lk 5, 17-26

One day Jesus was teaching, and the power of the Lord made him heal. Sitting close by were Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. Some men came along carrying a paralytic on a mat. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; but they found no way of getting him through because of the crowd, so they went up on the roof. There they let him down with his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said, "My friend, your sins are forgiven you."

The scribes and the Pharisees began a discussion, saying: "Who is this man who utters blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus, however, knew their reasoning and answered them by saying: "Why do you harbor these thoughts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? In any case, to make it clear to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he then addressed the paralyzed man: 'I say to you, get up! Take your mat with you, and return to your house."

At once the man stood erect before them. He picked up the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God. At this they were all seized with astonishment. Full of awe, they gave praise to God, saying, "We have seen incredible things today!"
                   
Meditation: ​The crux of today’s gospel is the Lord’s compassion for sinners.  He demonstrates that sin is altogether distinct from infirmities which some hold to be a sign of sinfulness.  Their rash judgment might be captured in the false conviction, “That’s what I (or you!) get for being a sinner.”  Being sick, having cancer, suffering, disfigurements and afflictions of any kind, are certainly not a sign I am a sinner.  To think so would be stupid.  That position abuses the dignity of the person who is suffering and afflicted.  It also confuses or fails to distinguish between sin and the effects of sin. That’s the problem the Pharisees have in today’s gospel.

Sin must always be considered in the light of God loving us and Christ saving us.   God wants to be merciful and faithful.  Christ will always work to cure and heal us.  In moments of truth, I know I need help; I cannot get out of the snarl of sin on my own, no more than I can recover from serious illness without the help of a doctor.  In that awareness, I can see that sin itself is an infirmity, an affliction – but an interior one: an infirmity of the soul.  When I sense God’s loving presence and my own need for God’s help, I will be aware of his mercy and that he forgives me.  God cannot do otherwise.  All I need to do is ask.   God is love, the love is unconditional, and forgiveness is the form God’s love takes when he relates to us in our sinfulness.  When we accept it, we are healed of our interior infirmity.

Today’s gospel is a good illustration.  And it is a natural for using a method of prayer St. Ignatius of Loyola calls “contemplation.”  He suggests using our senses and imaginations when praying with a gospel story; that we creatively enhance it with new detail like great artists do when depicting scenes from the life of Christ.  He then suggests putting ourselves into the story as an observer, participant, or even a key character. What makes the method work is to do this while honoring the sense, intent, and meaning of the story. The method draws us into a scripture passage with freshness and depth, and it makes the prayer very personal.

Let’s imagine there’s this 38 year old fellow paralyzed from the neck down.  Call him Bart.  As a nine-year-old, he fell over a rocky ledge while playing with his four best friends, severely injuring his spinal cord.  Now an invalid adult, one of those same friends today is feeding lunch to Bart on the sunny porch where he spends most of his late mornings.  Our Lord walks by and stops to chat with them.  Feel the compassion Christ feels for Bart and the love of his faithful friend.  They see him too.  Notice the friend’s smile, but also notice the frustration in Bart’s demeanor, the loneliness in his eyes, and the peeved look on his face as, once more, he has to deal with a stranger beholding his helpless condition.  He’s almost ready to complain out loud, thinking, “What do you want anyway!” Picture him as an angry man – angry at God and anyone reaching out to him.  He is a lonely man, wants to be left alone, and refuses the love and care of others.  That’s his sin.

Some days later, in mid-afternoon, a leader among the local Pharisees meets Jesus and invites him home.  Every week the Pharisee has colleagues over for a morning’s discussion of Jewish law.  Jesus knows the man, and can tell by his look of superior pride that the invitation was to see if the Lord knew the law and was as firm on the letter of it as he was.  Jesus accepts the invitation.  Together they walk to the Pharisee’s mansion, enter, and greet the other ten Pharisees gathered to talk about “important things”  like the restrictions and obligations the law imposes.  The host invites Jesus to start the conversation, and soon he has them fully attentive.  Not only that, but others drift in to listen, and eventually the place is packed with observers.  Feel the heat of the moment, as the Lord challenges the scriptural literalism of the Pharisees, and sense how he is winning the hearts of the other visitors who hear from him the heart and spirit of the Law.

Outside, Bart’s four boyhood friends are trying to bring Bart in to hear.  They hope that the Lord will do something for Bart:  bless him, or maybe even heal him with one of those miracles they have heard of. Their determination to bring him in shows their faith.  But they can’t get in because of the crowd, so they quickly carry him to the side of the mansion, climb to the roof, and manage to pull Bart up on a blanket-like mat.  They lift and toss away tiles from the roof to make an opening, planning to lower Bart down into the room.  The noise they make distracts the crowd, and Jesus looks up.  He sees what’s happening, senses what the four are up to, and smiles a rich tender smile as Bart is lowered to the floor at his feet.  Jesus rests his hand on Bart’s sweaty brow and says, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”  Bart’s face relaxes.  Feeling the deep healing in his soul, he now realizes that the hurt in his soul has been far more disabling than his paralysis.  He thanks the Lord with tears of gratitude, and his four friends are happily amazed.

Watch the Pharisees now.  Luke the Evangelist narrates, “The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’  Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, ‘Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’”

Luke is making the point that forgiving sins and healing are both powers that come from God. The Pharisees tell us by their question, “Who but God alone can forgive sins,” that they are in shock that Christ would claim this power. They cannot see what’s going on wherever Jesus goes: His demonstration of compassion, his mercy, his impulse to heal, his desire to forgive – all flow through him, with him, and in him from the Father.  What Jesus is, what he does here, is to demonstrate his divine power, which IS the Father’s power.

A suggestion.  Using your senses and imagination, spend a little time in quiet prayer.  Put yourself in what might be the next scene:  Bart and his four buddies are on the porch talking about the events of the day and marveling at this man Jesus, and they are filled with an unspeakable gratitude.  Jesus is there with them.  Notice him responding. Allow him to speak to them, and to you.  Then allow yourself to share a few words with them, and to thank him for the times he has forgiven you and healed you.

Tuesday of The Second Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 18, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples: "What is your thought on this: A man owns a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away; will he not leave the ninety-nine out on the hills and go in search of the stray? If he succeeds in finding it, believe me he is happier about this one than about the ninety-nine that did not wander away. Just so, it is no part of your heavenly Father's plan that a single one of these little ones shall ever come to grief."

Meditation:
Isaiah’s prophetic message begins with God’s words of comfort to a people in exile and captivity.  The historical context for these words conveys a theme that resonates throughout time: we seem to have a constant need for deliverance.  The Psalms are full of prayers for deliverance and reassurance that God hears us, that help is on the way.  And the prophet delivers a message that God is coming, which is good news if you are looking for him to deliver you; if you are on the oppressing side, perhaps not so much.

Even when we enjoy many creature comforts, our need for deliverance is really never very far from us. We like to fool ourselves into believing we have created a zone of safety, but the trappings of material comfort offer little protection when things get really tough. They are like thin gauze when cold winds blow, as they often do during Advent in our northern climate. The words “all flesh is grass” resonate strongly when the earth becomes like iron and the grass grows no more. What sustains us then?

The sustenance we draw from our stores of good things (even in sharing them with others) is ultimately not enough.  Such comfort is only temporary and cannot meet our deeper needs. We need God. We are glad to hear that we belong to him, that he loves us, and that he comes to find us.  Such faith, love, and hope make this world habitable and draw us toward the path of life with God that extends beyond what we can see, but which we know to be there.

In Isaiah’s prophecy, a voice cries out for dramatic preparations. The imagery of filling in valleys, bringing down mountains, and smoothing rugged land in an era before Caterpillar tractors seems daunting indeed. With technology of hand shovels and picks (or less), it would have required a group effort, to be sure.  Notice the good news of what happens after this preparation:  “Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  I think this is an important message to consider in our Advent journey: the glory of the Lord will be revealed in a community of faith. This is not a solitary event, but one which should be experienced with others.

Many suffer from loneliness at this time of year.  Let us not forget them. Many also are not in the habit of coming to church. Some have gotten lost. Those of us who are in church regularly like to think we are on the right path. But if we are honest, we must admit that we still lose our way from time to time, and that somehow God keeps finding us, too.  Let us pause today and remember what losing our way feels like, so that we can reach out to others.  And let us also pause and think with gratitude upon the joy that comes when God brings us back to our senses.

Today’s gospel concerning the lost sheep fits so well with Isaiah’s message of a good and powerful shepherd coming to bring those looking for deliverance back home.  By extending a hand to our fellow sheep, praying for each other, and preparing together, perhaps we may discover anew the beauty and truth of the Incarnation in this Advent season, when our God comes in power through a gentle mother and her infant Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wednesday of The Second Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 11, 28-30
Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light."

Meditation: In spite of what we at some times feel, both today’s First Reading and the Gospel remind us that our God is never far away, especially in times of trouble. In the Gospel Jesus makes this promise and gives an invitation. "Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Jesus reaffirms what Isaiah says, that we have a caring and tireless God who takes looks after his own. "I am gentle and lowly of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Jesus seems primarily to be referring to the burdens which the Mosaic Law laid on people, especially as interpreted by some of the Scribes and Pharisees. Under them, it was next to impossible not to put a foot wrong somewhere. And, as they saw it, perfection in the eyes of God was the scrupulous observation of the tiniest obligation. Jesus liberates us from all that. It does not mean that we do what we like but all is now reduced to simply one commandment, the commandment to love God and all our brothers and sisters unconditionally. That is not always easy but we will find that keeping the commandment of love has a liberating effect. It helps us to become the kind of people we were meant to be. In being a law-keeper, I take care of my own ‘perfection’. In following the law of love, I benefit but my brother or sister benefits too.

Jesus does not say that if we go to him that we will have no more troubles, no more pain, no more disappointments… There will be "yokes" to carry but he will carry them with us.

Someone has suggested that the ‘yoke’ that Jesus is referring to is a double yoke used for two oxen pulling together. Jesus then is saying that he carries the yoke together with us.

Jesus never promises to take away pain. What Jesus does is to help us go through the pain. A life without any pain, without any failure or disappointment, a life without difficulty or challenge is no life. When children are so protected by doting parents that their every whim is answered and every negative feeling anticipated, what do we end up with? Spoiled brats.

Jesus will not spoil us in that way. The challenges of life are necessary for us to grow and mature. But they are easier to bear when he carries them with us, when we know

that we are never alone in our difficulties and sorrows. And, because of our own pains, we are in a much better position to help others carry their yokes of sorrow or pain or sickness. Strange as it may seem, it is probable that a world without pain would be a very selfish and individualistic one.

Thursday of The Second Week of Advent
 
Gospel Mt 11, 11-15
Jesus said to the crowds: "I solemnly assure you, history has not known a man born of woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he. From John the Baptizer's time until now the kingdom of God has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. All the prophets as well as the law spoke prophetically until John. If you are prepared to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who was certain to come. Heed carefully what you hear!"

Meditation:
Jesus today has high words of praise for John the Baptist. John had a unique role which sets him apart from all others: he was the one to announce the long-awaited arrival of the Messiah. John is the last in the line of the great Old Testaments prophets, men who spoke in God’s name pointing the way for God’s People, at times denouncing their behaviour and at others pointing to a great destiny ahead. John is an Old Testament figure but he forms a kind of bridge between the Old and the New. He died – in fact, was executed – before the mission of Jesus was completed. The New Testament or Covenant was sealed with Jesus’ blood on the cross. John never saw that; he never was fully a disciple of Jesus.

And so, Jesus says, even the very least in the Kingdom of God, inaugurated by Jesus, is in a more privileged position than John. John was not able to share in the abundance of life that was released through the death and resurrection of Jesus as every believing Christian can do.

There are at this point some strange words: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force." The meaning is not immediately clear but it seems to refer to those who are using violence to prevent people from entering the Kingdom and pulling away those who have already entered. In the context of Matthew’s Gospel, this could apply to those Jews and others who were bitterly opposed to Jesus and his message and who both tried to prevent people entering the Christian community or tried to make those already members to defect. This we know from the letters of Paul was happening in many communities. And it is still happening today, sometimes with violence (e.g. persecution) sometimes in much more subtle ways (it is not ‘PC’ to be Christian).

John, too, is described as "Elijah who is to come". We know that the prophet Elijah did not die a natural death. He was carried off to heaven in a chariot. However, it was a Jewish belief that some day he would return to leave this earth in a normal way and join the dead in Sheol. But the important point was that his return would be the immediate prelude to the arrival of the Messiah. In calling John Elijah, Jesus is clearly pointing to himself as the Messiah. And so Jesus says: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Those with real insight will know what Jesus is saying. They will listen carefully to his words and recognise Jesus for who he really is and accept him as Lord.

We might conclude by reflecting that the role of John the Baptist is one that each follower of Christ is called to fill. It is up to us to prepare the way for Christ and his vision of the Kingdom to enter the lives of people. In the words of the Benedictus, a hymn said every day in the Church’s Morning

Prayer:
As for you, little child,
You shall be called a prophet of God the Most High.
You shall go ahead of the Lord
To prepare his ways before him. (Luke 2:76)

Friday of The Second Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 11, 16-19
Jesus said to the crowds: "What comparison can I use to describe this breed? They are like children squatting in the town squares, calling to their playmates: 'We piped you a tune but you did not dance!  We sang you a dirge but you did not wail!' In other words, John appeared neither eating nor drinking, and people say, 'He is mad!' The Son of Man appeared eating and drinking, and they say, 'This one is a glutton and drunkard, a lover of tax collectors and those outside the law!' Yet time will prove where wisdom lies."

Meditation:
Today’s readings are about listening to what God is saying to us. The Gospel reading follows immediately on yesterday’s passage about John the Baptist as the one preparing the way for the Messiah. It ended with the words, "Whoever has ears ought to hear."

So in today’s reading Jesus upbraids the crowds for not listening. He compares them to children in the market place who complain to their playmates: "We piped to you and you did not dance; we wailed and you did not mourn."

Thus, when John came in great austerity, neither eating nor drinking, fasting and wearing a garment of camel’s hair, people said he was possessed by an evil spirit. On the other hand, when Jesus came "eating and drinking", they said, "See, a glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners."

If we do not want to hear what God is saying to us through the people and situations in our life, we can so easily rationalise and reject the bearer’s frailty and in the process reject the Gospel as well – which is actually quite illogical. "A priest shouted at me in confession so I don’t go to church any more." It would be like rejecting democracy because of the corruption of a democratically elected official.

We do need to distinguish very clearly between the central vision of the Kingdom which Jesus left to us and the ways in which that vision has been lived out through the centuries. It was Paul who said a long time ago that we Christians carry the message of the Gospel in vessels of clay, easily broken, often leaking. It is important for us to realise that God can and does speak to us through very unexpected media and agents. It is probably true to say that some of the greatest saints had serious weaknesses. In fact, many of them became saints because of their weaknesses and through their weaknesses (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, where Paul thanks God for working through his weaknesses).

It is important, as Jesus urges us, that we really try to listen to the essence of what Jesus left us, his vision of the Kingdom. Very few of us hear the message without some form of filtering due to our history or our personal idiosyncrasies. As a preacher, I often say that when I preach to 20 people, 20 different messages are heard. And there is nothing wrong with that provided each one of us really tries to hear what God is saying to me and do not immediately push away something I do not like to hear.

The passage is nicely summed up in the last phrase: "Wisdom is vindicated by her works." Jesus is the embodiment of the Wisdom of God. Jesus needs no justification beyond the results of his life shown in all that he said and did, especially with the ultimate manifestation of love shown on the Cross. And the same can be true for each one of us.

Monday of The Third Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 21, 23-27
After Jesus had entered the temple precincts and while he was teaching, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him and said: "On what authority are you doing these things? Who has given you this power?" Jesus answered: "I too will ask a question. If you answer it for me, then I will tell you on what authority I do the things I do. What was the origin of John's baptism? Was it divine or merely human?" They thought to themselves, "If we say 'divine,' he will ask us, 'Then why did you not put faith in it?'; while if we say, 'merely human,' we shall have reason to fear the people, who all regard John as a prophet." So their answer to Jesus was, "We do not know." He said in turn, "Then neither will I tell you on what authority I do the things I do."
Commentary on Matthew 1:18-24

There were three stages for Jews getting married in Jesus’ time. There was the engagement, then the betrothal, and finally the wedding. The betrothal was a serious commitment. It was already the first part of the marriage. There would be no sexual relationships as the couple would not yet be living together but it was a binding relationship. Normal married life began some months later when the husband took his betrothed into his home. To violate the betrothal by having sexual relations with another person was equivalent to adultery.

Imagine, then, the horrific dilemma of Joseph. He discovers that the woman to whom he is already betrothed but with whom he has not consummated their relationship in marriage, is already pregnant. There could be only one explanation; she had been unfaithful and was having another man’s child. It was a very serious matter and, if brought out into the open, would have made Mary liable to death by stoning.
But Joseph was a “righteous” man. As a devout follower of the Mosaic Law, he would want to break the union with someone who had so seriously broken the Law. And yet, because he was such a good man, he did not want to expose her to a terrible punishment. In this, for his time and indeed for our own time, he shows extraordinary forbearance. Few men would accept such a situation with such calmness and self-restraint. Most would find it a terrible blow to their manhood.

It is at this point that there is divine intervention and God communicates the true situation to Joseph who is assured that no other man is involved, that she has conceived through the power of God’s Spirit. Joseph is further instructed to call the newborn child Jesus. Jesus, in Hebrew Joshua, had the meaning at this time of “Yahweh saves”. Jesus is so called because he will save his people from their sin.
And, as Matthew likes to do, he shows that all this is in fulfilment of an Old Testament prophecy (following the Septuagint text of Isaiah 7:14) that a virgin will bear a son and he will be called “Emmanuel” or “God-is-with-us”. This will be re-echoed when, at the very end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says to his disciples just before he ascends to his Father: “I will be with you all days to the end of the age”. Jesus remains with us for ever.

Joseph, now at peace, took Mary to his home as his wife. And he had no sexual relations with her until after Jesus was born. Thus there is no mistaking the origins of Jesus. He has a human mother but a divine Father. He will be the perfect Saviour of his people: in a fully human person the power of God himself will be at work.

Jesus is still our Emmanuel, God still lives with his people. And he does that through the Body of the Risen Jesus, the Church, the Christian community and its communities all over the world. Each one of us is called to be Emmanuel. Through us people can meet God and hear the message of love and salvation and forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us renew our commitment to be Emmanuel for the people in our lives.

Tuesday of The Third Week of Advent

Gospel Mt 21, 28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What do you think of this case? There was a man who had two sons. He approached the elder and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' The son replied, 'I am on my way, sir'; but he never went. Then the man came to his second son and said the same thing. This son said in reply, 'No, I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went. Which of the two did what the father wanted?" They said, "The second." Jesus said to them, "Let me make it clear that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came preaching a way of holiness, you put no faith in him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe in him. Yet even when you saw that, you did not repent and believe in him."
Commentary on Luke 1:5-25
There are close parallels in Luke’s Infancy Narrative between the birth of John the Baptist and that of Jesus. There are also significant differences. The First Reading, too, provides a prototype for today’s Gospel story as it describes the birth of Samson.
Today we read about the annunciation to Zechariah, about the birth of a son to his elderly wife, already past child-bearing age. Clearly it was a birth which, in normal circumstances, should not have happened. In a society where having children, and especially boys, was a wife’s primary duty, to be unable to produce children was a terrible shame. It was the ultimate failure. One had been chosen as wife for this purpose and this purpose alone. Love and affection had very little to do with it. And it was, of course, presumed that it was the wife and not the husband who had failed.
That is why widows in the Scripture are listed as among the most pitiable of people. Such women might still be quite young when they lost their husbands to war, an accident or disease but, as “second-hand material”, they were not eligible for re-marriage (whatever about extramarital unions) and so could not be mothers. Being the mother of a son is what women were meant to be. A woman who could not be a mother was less than a person.
Right through the Scriptures – in both the Old and New Testaments the births of significant people happen in circumstance which point strongly to some divine intervention. So there are in the Bible a number of incidences where elderly women who had never borne a child are, through the intervention of God, blessed with a child, usually a son. So here, too, Elizabeth’s barrenness is seen less as a curse than as a preparation for something special.
As we see, today’s first reading recounts one of these – the birth of Samson. What is peculiar to all these stories is that the child to be born has a very special role given to it by God. So in today’s reading, too, there is a sign of God’s intervention in the birth of John the Baptist. He is no ordinary child. He has been chosen out for a very special purpose, to be the forerunner of Jesus, the last of the great prophets of the Hebrew Covenant.
The opening of Luke’s gospel is a kind of diptych with parallel stories announcing the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus. We are not dealing here with literal history, although Luke posits the story in a genuinely historical context, “in the days of Herod, King of Judaea”. Luke writes in imitation of Old Testament birth accounts (like the one in the First Reading), mixing historical facts and legends. So we do not ask: Did all this happen exactly as described? Rather, we ask what does it mean? And primarily it is part of the answer to another question: Who is Jesus Christ?
In today’s story we have the classical situation of the elderly wife who is childless. Then one day, the husband, Zechariah, a member of the priestly caste is spoken to by an angel while serving in the Temple. The birth of a son is announced and his destiny. He will not touch strong drink (like Samson before him) and be filled with the Spirit of God even before his birth. He will be the source for many to find their way back to God. Zechariah responds with some scepticism and is punished with dumbness for his unbelief. But, following this experience, Elizabeth conceives a child.
The stage is set for the next, and more important, Annunciation.
Today, let us reflect seriously on our own calling by God. Like John, each of us has been called to be a forerunner of Jesus, to prepare the way for Jesus to come into other people’s lives, especially those who have not yet had the experience of knowing him.

Wednesday of The Third Week of Advent

Gospel Lk 7, 18-23
Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to ask the Lord, "Are you 'He who is to comé or are we to expect someone else?" When the men came to him they said, "John the Baptizer sends us to you with this question: 'Are you "He who is to come" or do we look for someone else?'" (At that time he was curing many of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits; he also restored sight to many who were blind.) Jesus gave this response: "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard. The blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, dead men are raised to life, and the poor have the good news preached to them. Blest is that man who finds no stumbling-block in me."
Commentary on Luke 1:26-38
For us Christians, the heart of today’s Gospel passage – continuing immediately from yesterday’s text – is a turning point in the history of the world. As it is also even for those who do not know Christ or who refuse to believe in his origins.
As the story is told by Luke, Mary must have been truly alarmed at the words of her unexpected visitor. Her cousin Elizabeth is now pregnant six months. The incident is taking place in Nazareth, not exactly the centre of the earth, or even of Palestine. A future disciple of Jesus will be heard to say with some cynicism, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Truly in the eyes of the more sophisticated it was something of a backwater. Yet this is the place God chooses to enter our world – not Rome, not Athens, not Alexandria nor any of the other great centres of power, culture and learning in the world of the time.

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” is the greeting of the angel Gabriel, the same one who spoke to Zechariah. How did Mary react to such an extraordinary salutation? The Gospel says that she was “greatly troubled” and well she might be. As a young girl in an obscure little town what could the words possibly mean? “Full of grace” really means that she is being showered with God’s special favours. It is more something that is happening to her than something she already has. The nature of that favour is expressed in what follows – she is to become the mother of a Son whom she is to call Jesus (meaning “God saves”) and who will be a King “of whose kingdom there will be no end”.

What really disturbs Mary is that, although she is already betrothed to Joseph, she is not yet married to him. In other words she is not sleeping with him as his wife. How can she become a mother? It will happen because the conception will be the work of God, the “overshadowing of the Spirit” so that the child who is born will be, in a very special sense, the Son of God. He will also, of course, be the son of Mary. In this way we have the deep mystery of the Incarnation expressed in the language of a story. Jesus will be at the same time someone who is fully divine and fully human. Jesus will be the unique bridge between God and his creation. He will be human “like us in all things but sin”. He will also, through his whole life, his words and actions, be the “splendour of the Father”.

In a great leap of faith and trust in the angel’s message, Mary says ‘Yes’. “Behold, I am the slave girl of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” For us Christians, the moment of that ‘Yes’ is a turning point in the history of the world. As it is also even for those who do not know Christ or who refuse to believe in his origins. It is the moment of Incarnation, when the Word became flesh and began to live among us as one of us. The world would never be the same. In a way, this is a more important moment than Christmas but it is understandable that we should tend to celebrate more the visible presence of God in Jesus at Bethlehem.

Mary had yet to learn what that ‘Yes’ involved but it was made unconditionally and it was never withdrawn. Through a life of trials and tribulations, of which we can know surely only a fraction, right up to those terrible moments as she stood beneath the Cross and saw her only Son die in agony and shame as a public criminal, she never once withdrew that ‘Yes’.

There is a clear message there for us. We too have been called in our own special way to give birth to Jesus in our lives and in our environment. We too have been called to say ‘Yes’, an unconditional ‘Yes’ to following Jesus. Now is the time for us to renew that pledge with Mary’s help and example.
 

Thursday of The Third Week of Advent

Gospel Lk 7, 24-30
When the messengers of John had set off, Jesus began to speak about him to the crowds. "What did you go out to see in the desert -- a reed swayed by the wind? What, really, did you go out to see -- someone dressed luxuriously? Remember, those who dress in luxury and eat in splendor are to be found in royal palaces. Then what did you go out to see -- a prophet? He is that, I assure you, and something more. This is the man of whom Scripture says, 'I send my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way before you.' I assure you, there is no man born of woman greater than John. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he."

The entire populace that had heard Jesus, even the tax collectors, gave praise to God, for they had received from John the baptismal bath he administered. The Pharisees and the lawyers, on the other hand, by failing to receive his baptism defeated God's plan in their regard.



Friday of The Third Week of Advent

Gospel Jn 5, 33-36
Jesus said to the Jews:

"You have sent to John, who has testified to the truth. Not that I myself accept such human testimony – I refer to these things only for your salvation.) He was the lamp, set aflame and burning bright, and for awhile you exulted willingly in his light. Yet I have testimony greater than John's, namely, the works the Father has given me to accomplish. These very works which I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me."

DECEMBER 17

Gospel Mt 1, 1-17
A family record of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaaç Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar.
Perez was the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon.
Salmon was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz was the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth.

Obed was the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah
Abijah the father of Asa.
Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah was the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was 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 was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor.
Azor was the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud.
Eliud was the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary.
It was of her that Jesus who is called the Messiah was born.
Thus the total number of generations is:
from Abraham to David, fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian captivity, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian captivity to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

DECEMBER 18

Gospel Mt 1, 18-24
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, an upright man unwilling to expose her to the law, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said to him: "Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins." All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

"The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they shall call him Emmanuel," a name which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him and received her into his home as his wife. He had no relations with her at any time before she bore a son, whom he named Jesus.

Commentary on Matthew 1:18-24
There were three stages for Jews getting married in Jesus’ time. There was the engagement, then the betrothal, and finally the wedding. The betrothal was a serious commitment. It was already the first part of the marriage. There would be no sexual relationships as the couple would not yet be living together but it was a binding relationship. Normal married life began some months later when the husband took his betrothed into his home. To violate the betrothal by having sexual relations with another person was equivalent to adultery.

Imagine, then, the horrific dilemma of Joseph. He discovers that the woman to whom he is already betrothed but with whom he has not consummated their relationship in marriage, is already pregnant. There could be only one explanation; she had been unfaithful and was having another man’s child. It was a very serious matter and, if brought out into the open, would have made Mary liable to death by stoning.
But Joseph was a “righteous” man. As a devout follower of the Mosaic Law, he would want to break the union with someone who had so seriously broken the Law. And yet, because he was such a good man, he did not want to expose her to a terrible punishment. In this, for his time and indeed for our own time, he shows extraordinary forbearance. Few men would accept such a situation with such calmness and self-restraint. Most would find it a terrible blow to their manhood.

It is at this point that there is divine intervention and God communicates the true situation to Joseph who is assured that no other man is involved, that she has conceived through the power of God’s Spirit. Joseph is further instructed to call the newborn child Jesus. Jesus, in Hebrew Joshua, had the meaning at this time of “Yahweh saves”. Jesus is so called because he will save his people from their sin.
And, as Matthew likes to do, he shows that all this is in fulfilment of an Old Testament prophecy (following the Septuagint text of Isaiah 7:14) that a virgin will bear a son and he will be called “Emmanuel” or “God-is-with-us”. This will be re-echoed when, at the very end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says to his disciples just before he ascends to his Father: “I will be with you all days to the end of the age”. Jesus remains with us for ever.

Joseph, now at peace, took Mary to his home as his wife. And he had no sexual relations with her until after Jesus was born. Thus there is no mistaking the origins of Jesus. He has a human mother but a divine Father. He will be the perfect Saviour of his people: in a fully human person the power of God himself will be at work.

Jesus is still our Emmanuel, God still lives with his people. And he does that through the Body of the Risen Jesus, the Church, the Christian community and its communities all over the world. Each one of us is called to be Emmanuel. Through us people can meet God and hear the message of love and salvation and forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us renew our commitment to be Emmanuel for the people in our lives.


DECEMBER 19

Gospel Lk 1, 5-25
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly class of Abijah; his wife was a descendant of Aaron named Elizabeth. Both were just in the eyes of God, blamelessly following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. They were childless, for Elizabeth was sterile; moreover, both were advanced in years.

Once, when it was the turn of Zechariah's class and he was fulfilling his functions as a priest before God, it fell to him by lot according to priestly usage to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. While the full assembly of people was praying outside at the incense hour, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was deeply disturbed upon seeing him, and overcome by fear.

The angel said to him: "Do not be frightened, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son whom you shall name John. Joy and gladness will be yours, and many will rejoice at his birth; for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He will never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. Many of the sons of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. God himself will go before him, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the rebellious to the wisdom of the just, and to prepare for the Lord a people well-disposed."

Zechariah said to the angel: "How am I to know this? I am an old man; my wife too is advanced in age."

The angel replied: "I am Gabriel, who stand in attendance before God. I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. But now you will be mute -- unable to speak -- until the day when these things take place, because you have not trusted my words. They will all come true in due season." Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, wondering at his delay in the temple. When he finally came out he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision inside. He kept making signs to them, for he remained speechless.

Then, when his period of priestly service was over, he went home.

Afterward, his wife Elizabeth conceived. She went into seclusion for five months, saying, "In these days the Lord is acting on my behalf; he has seen fit to remove my reproach among men."

Commentary on Luke 1:5-25
“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.”  Luke 1:19b-20

Wow, in describing the impact of this statement, here are a few descriptive words: Powerful, authoritative, definitive, shocking, humbling, overwhelming and divine.  “I am Gabriel, who stand before God!”  How many people can say that?  Gabriel, being a celestial being is one of the few. 

It’s interesting to contrast the conversation of Zechariah and Gabriel with the one that Mary has with Gabriel.  Their responses to Gabriel seem similar, but Gabriel reacts to each of them in completely different ways.  To Mary, Gabriel offers a simple explanation upon her request for more information: “How can this be?” she says.  Gabriel responds, “The Holy Spirit will overshadow you…”  But, in the case of Zechariah, the Angel does not give an explanation.  Instead, Zechariah is struck mute for his failure to believe.

Though these reactions of Mary and Zechariah may seem similar on the surface, it’s clear that their hearts are quite far apart.  For Mary, our Blessed Mother, her question was asked in perfect faith.  She heard Gabriel speak and she believed.  But faith seeks understanding and so Mary, in her perfect faith, sought to understand the mystery that was being presented to her.  Gabriel responds with a brief insight and Mary is grateful for that. 

Zechariah responds to the angel, “How shall I know this?”  In other words, he admitted to not “knowing” these words to be true. 

​Faith is knowledge of the clearest form and Zechariah failed to have faith.  Therefore, he was struck mute as a sign that, without faith, there is nothing to speak.

Reflect, today, upon your own faith.  Is it pure and eager to assent to all that God reveals?  Are you ready and willing to believe all that God speaks to you?  Though you may not receive His word through the direct mediation of an angel in visible form, you are privileged to have God speak to you constantly through these angelic advocates.  When they speak, do you listen and respond with the faith of our Blessed Mother’s?  Or, like Zechariah, do you hesitate and doubt the revelation?

Lord, give me the same pure and holy faith that Your Blessed Mother had.  Though I acknowledge my sin and weakness, help me, by her example and intercession, to receive each and every word You wish to speak to me through the mediation of the hosts of Heaven.  May I always be attentive to Your word and respond with a generous heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.
From catholic-daily-reflections.com

​
DECEMBER 20

Gospel Lk 1, 26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. Upon arriving, the messenger said to her: "Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." She was deeply troubled by his words, and wondered what his greeting meant. The messenger went on to say to her: "Do not fear, Mary. You have found favor with God. You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. Great will be his dignity and he will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over the house of Jacob forever and his reign will be without end."

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I do not know man?" The angel answered her: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence, the holy offspring to be born will be called Son of God. Know that Elizabeth your kinswoman has conceived a son in her old age; she who was thought to be sterile is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible with God."

Mary said: "I am the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say." With that the angel left her.

Commentary on Luke 1:26-38
For us Christians, the heart of today’s Gospel passage – continuing immediately from yesterday’s text – is a turning point in the history of the world.

As the story is told by Luke, Mary must have been truly alarmed at the words of her unexpected visitor. Her cousin Elizabeth is now pregnant six months. The incident is taking place in Nazareth, not exactly the centre of the earth, or even of Palestine. Yet this is the place God chooses to enter our world – not Rome, not Athens, not Alexandria nor any of the other great centres of power, culture and learning in the world of the time.

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” is the greeting of the angel Gabriel, the same one who spoke to Zechariah. How did Mary react to such an extraordinary salutation? The Gospel says that she was “greatly troubled” and well she might be. As a young girl in an obscure little town what could the words possibly mean? “Full of grace” really means that she is being showered with God’s special favours. It is more something that is happening to her than something she already has. The nature of that favour is expressed in what follows – she is to become the mother of a Son whom she is to call Jesus (meaning “God saves”) and who will be a King “of whose kingdom there will be no end”.

What really disturbs Mary is that, although she is already betrothed to Joseph, she is not yet married to him. In other words she is not sleeping with him as his wife. How can she become a mother? It will happen because the conception will be the work of God, the “overshadowing of the Spirit” so that the child who is born will be, in a very special sense, the Son of God. He will also, of course, be the son of Mary. In this way we have the deep mystery of the Incarnation expressed in the language of a story. Jesus will be at the same time someone who is fully divine and fully human. Jesus will be the unique bridge between God and his creation. He will be human “like us in all things but sin”. He will also, through his whole life, his words and actions, be the “splendour of the Father”.

In a great leap of faith and trust in the angel’s message, Mary says ‘Yes’. “Behold, I am the slave girl of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” For us Christians, the moment of that ‘Yes’ is a turning point in the history of the world. As it is also even for those who do not know Christ or who refuse to believe in his origins. It is the moment of Incarnation, when the Word became flesh and began to live among us as one of us. The world would never be the same. In a way, this is a more important moment than Christmas but it is understandable that we should tend to celebrate more the visible presence of God in Jesus at Bethlehem.

Mary had yet to learn what that ‘Yes’ involved but it was made unconditionally and it was never withdrawn. Through a life of trials and tribulations, of which we can know surely only a fraction, right up to those terrible moments as she stood beneath the Cross and saw her only Son die in agony and shame as a public criminal, she never once withdrew that ‘Yes’.

There is a clear message there for us. We too have been called in our own special way to give birth to Jesus in our lives and in our environment. We too have been called to say ‘Yes’, an unconditional ‘Yes’ to following Jesus. Now is the time for us to renew that pledge with Mary’s help and example.


DECEMBER 21

Gospel Lk 1, 39-45
Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby stirred in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out in a loud voice: "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby stirred in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled."

Meditation: Do you recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus in your life? Blessed are you if you see and recognize the Lord with the "eyes of faith". The word "blessed" [makarios in Greek] literally means "happiness" or "beatitude". It describes a kind of joy which is serene and untouchable, self-contained, and independent from chance and changing circumstances of life.

God gives us supernatural joy with hope in his promises
There is a certain paradox for those "blessed" by the Lord. Mary was given the "blessedness" of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. Anselm, a great teacher and Archbishop of Canterbury (1033-1109), spoke these words in a homily: "Without God's Son nothing could exist; without Mary's son, nothing could be redeemed."  To be chosen by God is an awesome privilege and responsibility. Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. Her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.

Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of a life given over to God in faith and trust?

They were filled with the Holy Spirit
What is the significance of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth before the birth of Jesus? When Elizabeth greeted Mary and recognized the Messiah in Mary's womb they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Savior. What a marvelous wonder for God to fill not only Elizabeth's heart with his Holy Spirit but the child in her womb as well. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leaped for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the King to be born.

The Lord wants to fill each of us with his Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. Do you live in the joy and knowledge of God's indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me joy in seeking you more earnestly. Increase my faith in all your promises, my hope in the joy of heaven, and my love for You as my All."

copyright (c) 2016 Servants of the Word, source:  www.dailyscripture.net, author Don Schwager

A second Meditation from Creighton University

“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45)

Today’s Gospel tells us of an expectant Mary’s journey to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, also expecting a child of her own.  This seems quite the joyful meeting between these two, this joy reaching even the child Elizabeth is carrying in her womb.  And yet, Elizabeth and Mary have endured and are enduring a difficult task; namely, that of waiting.  Expecting.  From the littlest child to the most mature among us, waiting proves a mighty challenge.  The child waits for the possibility of dessert after dinner, the high school athlete endures long practices, waiting for the possibility of winning a contest, the young couple waits until they can buy their first home. Waiting is, as they say, a part of life.
The Christian life is one of waiting.  In fact, among all that faith requires waiting is, perhaps, comparatively underrated in its difficulty.  And it truly can be difficult.  But while waiting may be part of the Christian life, it is not done passively.  For the Christian, waiting is accompanied by preparation and this preparation is done based upon a promise, God’s promise of His Son.
In this season of Advent, we wait with Mary for the coming of her Son.  But let us not wait passively.  Rather, let us prepare our hearts to receive Jesus anew this Christmas.  How can I create more room in my heart to receive Jesus this Christmas?  What opportunities present themselves for me to help those I love do the same?  Indeed, this preparation is done with faith in God’s promise.  Throughout the remainder of this Advent season and beyond, let us hold fast to this promise with Mary as our model and, with her, proclaim the greatness of the Lord (Luke 1:46).

DECEMBER 22

Gospel Lk 1, 46-56
Mary said:
"My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit finds joy in God my savior,
For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness;
all ages to come shall call me blessed.
God who is mighty has done great things for me,
holy is his name;

His mercy is from age to age
on those who fear him.
"He has shown might with his arm;
he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has deposed the mighty from their thrones
and raised the lowly to high places.
The hungry he has given every good thing,
while the rich he has sent empty away.
He has upheld Israel his servant,
ever mindful of his mercy;
Even as he promised our fathers,
promised Abraham and his descendants forever."
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.

“He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.” Luke

This is a reflection on “empty” and “full” – how important it is to create empty space in our lives during this crazy season for God to fill us with satisfaction.

Picture a piece of pecan pie covered in whipped cream – a sweet lover’s dream unless consumed after a heavy Thanksgiving dinner.
“Ouch,” said my tummy. “You’ve already overloaded me. Why didn’t you have sense enough to stop eating when I told you I was full?” Of course I had ignored the message.

Two bites in, I wished I was still hungry enough to enjoy the surplus calories.  Full/satisfied turned to empty of satisfaction.
This seems like a symbol of how, too often, we experience the Christmas season, something today’s gospel warns us against, when Mary tells us that God “has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.”

Theoretically we are still in the austere season of Advent but church is practically the only place where we can get relief from the unrelenting pressure to consume, consume, consume past the point that we even enjoy it.

Just how many goods do we need before we become so full that God sends us away “empty” like the biblical rich?  If we leave no empty room in our lives for God to fill, aren’t we like my overloaded tummy on Thanksgiving?   

The amount of goods per se that each of us has isn’t the issue. It’s our understanding that consuming alone will leave us feeling empty.
Ask yourself what DOES make you happy.  Is it buying three more sweaters that your daughter doesn’t need even if they were on sale?  Is it feeling guilty because a grade school friend just sent you a card and she wasn’t on your list?

If we are feeling “empty” because we are over-filled with too much shopping or too many parties or simply “TOO MUCH, “ we can set aside time to open ourselves to God. We can visit our church which is quiet and still not decorated for Christmas. We can meditate on the coming of our Savior who teaches us to die to ourselves in order that we might live with him. How will this change our lives and our priorities going forward?

Try to create empty space in our lives that God can fill. We can give ourselves the greatest gift of the season – peaceful time to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Then on Christmas Eve, we will rejoice in the fullness of the season – but let's go easy on the pecan pie!
Merry Christmas!

Taken from Advent Reflections from Creighton University

Another Reflection Taken From Good News Ministries

We proclaim the greatness of the Lord!
Mary, the Blessed Mother of Christ, is our best example of how to change the world. Like her, we are called to give birth Jesus, sharing his greatness with others. It starts, as she shows us in today's Gospel reading, by proclaiming the greatness of the Lord even before that greatness has been fully birthed.

Mary's Magnificat is a powerful prayer that we can use whenever we're rejoicing in a blessing received or when we're sorrowful over a need for blessings that we have not yet received. Here is an adaptation of the Magnificat for our own lives. Pray it with me.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord: Rejoice! No matter how terrible a problem is, God is greater. Rejoice!

My spirit rejoices in God my savior: Rejoice! Even when I feel unhappy, my spirit rejoices deep inside, because I know that God is my savior. He is rescuing me even now, although I cannot yet see it nor understand how.

The Almighty has done great things for me: Rejoice! God is doing great things for me. And he will do great things for me. And he will do great things through me. I want to see my sufferings become valuable and useful, instead of futile and pointless, so that they no longer feel so terrible. Disasters have not defeated me, they have carried me to new life. I am giving birth to Jesus by taking what I've learned from my trials and using it in ministry for the benefit of others.

He has shown the strength of his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit: Rejoice! When I handle difficult people the way Jesus did, I am revealing to them his strength and his superiority. On my own, I would get rid of these people much more quickly, but then I'd miss out on seeing a greater victory. The plans of God take longer than my own, because he's orchestrating everything and inviting everyone to conversion, new growth, and healing. Eventually, those who say yes to him will be saved by his strength, and those who reject him will stumble into their self-made pitfalls.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly: Rejoice! In my desire to place God as my highest priority and make the ways of God my only goals, he has protected me from those who have tried to put me down. No matter what they do to me, they cannot take me away from God nor from his goodness. Although they might seem to lord it over me and win battles against me, only God is my Lord, and in the final battle, Jesus will destroy all evil.

He has filled the hungry with good things: Rejoice! I have nothing eternally valuable except that which I receive from God, and when I turn to him for nourishment, he feeds me from his great abundance. I have his patience for the troubles I experience and for the wait that I'm enduring, and I have his supernatural love for the people who seem impossible to love.

He has come to the help of his servant: Rejoice! I am never alone. His love for me knows no bounds. Holy is his name!
​
DECEMBER 23

Gospel Lk 1, 57-66
When Elizabeth's time for delivery arrived, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives, upon hearing that the Lord had extended his mercy to her, rejoiced with her. When they assembled for the circumcision of the child on the eighth day, they intended to name him after his father Zechariah. At this his mother intervened, saying, "No, he is to be called John."

They pointed out to her, "None of your relatives has this name." Then, using signs, they asked the father what he wished him to be called.

He signaled for a writing tablet and wrote the words, "His name is John." This astonished them all. At that moment his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.

Fear descended on all in the neighborhood; throughout the hill country of Judea these happenings began to be recounted to the last detail. All who heard stored these things in their hearts, saying, "What will this child be?" and, "Was not the hand of the Lord upon him?"

GOSPEL
As we approach the day of Jesus’ birth, the Gospel today speaks of the birth of John the Baptist.  It is a day of particular joy for Elizabeth as her shame is wiped out.  She can now stand tall in the presence of her family and neighbours.  “Her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her and they rejoiced with her.”

In accordance with custom, the boy is to be circumcised on the eighth day and a name given to him.  Everyone presumes he will be given the name of his father but Elizabeth says his name is to be John.  People protested: “There is no one in your family with that name.”  Zechariah, the father, is consulted.  Since his dialogue with the angel he cannot speak so he is given a tablet on which to write.  Simply he states: “His name is John.”  And with that his tongue was loosed and he could speak and praise God.
This incident became the talk of the whole district and people began to ask each other, “What then will this child be?”  They knew that these unusual happenings all pointed to a special calling for the child.
The circumstances of the birth and circumcision of the child emphasise John’s incorporation into the people of Israel.  We will find the same emphasis with Jesus. 

Luke shows that those who play crucial roles in the inauguration of Christianity to be wholly a part of the people of Israel. At the end of the Acts of the Apostles, he will argue that Christianity is the direct descendant of Pharisaic Judaism” (New American Bible, loc. cit.; cf. Acts 21:20; 22:3; 23:6-9; 24:14-16; 26:2-8, 22-23).

I too can ask the same question about myself: “What then am I called to be?”  No matter what age I am there is still life ahead of me, be it long or short.  What is my destiny?  What does God want of me?  What contributions can I make to other people’s lives?  God has expectations of me, based on the gifts he has given to me.  Let me reflect on what they might be and how I can make good use of them. 


DECEMBER 24 - MASS IN THE MORNING

Gospel Lk 1, 67-79
Zechariah, the father of John, filled with the Holy Spirit, uttered this prophecy:

"Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel
because he has visited and ransomed his people.
He has raised a horn of saving strength for us
in the house of David his servant,
As he promised through the mouths of his holy ones,
the prophets of ancient times:
Salvation from our enemies
and from the hands of all our foes.
He has dealt mercifully with our fathers
and remembered the holy covenant he made,
The oath he swore to Abraham our father he would grant us:
that, rid of fear and delivered from the enemy,
We should serve him devoutly, and through all our days,
be holy in his sight.
And you, O child, shall be called
prophet of the Most High;
For you shall go before the Lord
to prepare straight paths for him,
Giving his people a knowledge of salvation
in freedom from their sins.
All this is the work of the kindness of our God;
he, the Dayspring, shall visit us in his mercy
To shine on those who sit in darkness and
in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Feast of St. Steven: December 26

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."

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.”  Acts 7:58-59

What a shocking contrast!  Yesterday, our Church celebrated the joyous birth of the Savior of the world.  Today we honor the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen.  Yesterday, the world was fixated on a humble and precious infant lying in a manger.  Today, we stand by as witnesses to the blood that was shed by St. Stephen for professing his faith in this little child.

In a sense, this feast day adds some immediate drama to our Christmas celebration.  It’s a drama that should never have happened, but it’s a drama that was permitted by God as St. Stephen bore the greatest witness of faith to this newborn King.

Perhaps there are many reasons to include the feast of the first Christian Martyr in the Church’s calendar on the second day of the Octave of Christmas.  One such reason is to immediately remind us of the consequences of giving our lives to Him who was born an infant in Bethlehem.  The consequences?  We must give Him everything, holding nothing back, even if it means persecution and death.

At first, this could appear to strip away our Christmas joy.  It could appear to put a damper on this festive season.  But with the eyes of faith, this feast day only adds to the glorious solemnity of this Christmas celebration.

It reminds us that the birth of Christ requires everything from us.  We must be ready and willing to give our lives to Him completely and without reserve.  The birth of the Savior of the world means we must reprioritize our lives and commit to choosing Him above all else, even above our own lives.  It means we must be ready and willing to sacrifice everything for Jesus, living selflessly and faithfully to His most holy will.

“Jesus is the reason for the season,” we often hear.  This is true.  He is the reason for life and the reason to give our lives without reserve.
Reflect, today, upon the demand imposed upon you by the birth of the Savior of the world.  From an earthly perspective, this “demand” can appear overwhelming.  But from the perspective of faith, we recognize that His birth is nothing more than an opportunity for us to enter into new life.  We are called to enter into a new life of grace and total self-giving.  Let yourself embrace this Christmas celebration by looking at ways you are being called to give of yourself more completely.  Do not be afraid to give everything to God and others.  It’s a sacrifice worth giving and is made possible by this precious Child.

Lord, as we continue the glorious celebration of Your birth, help me to understand the effect that Your coming among us must have on my life.  Help me to clearly perceive Your invitation to give myself completely to Your glorious will.  May Your birth instill in me a willingness to be born anew into a life of selfless and sacrificial giving.  May I learn to imitate the love that St. Stephen had for You and to live that radical love in my life.  St. Stephen, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.


December 27: Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist

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.

This, the third day of the Octave of Christmas, is dedicated to St. John.  St. John is particularly important to honor during Christmas because of the fact that so much of what we know about our Divine Lord comes from him.  Not only did he write one of the four Gospels, he also wrote various letters that are preserved.  The letter above was from the first reading of the Mass for today.

In this letter, John echoes what he wrote in the first chapter of his Gospel when he spoke of the Eternal Word, existing from the beginning, taking on flesh.  Here, he echoes that “What was from the beginning…was made visible to us.”  Namely, the Eternal Son of the Father took on flesh for us to see.  John was a witness to this.

As we honor St. John, it’s good to try to look at Christmas from his perspective.  He would have been able to ponder the great mystery of the Incarnation of God throughout his life.  He would have pondered the reality that this man whom he came to know personally and intimately existed from before time and was a member of the Most Holy Trinity.  For John, the Incarnation would have been particularly real and overwhelming in a personal and transforming way.

Try to look at Jesus from the perspective of John.  But look, especially, at the Incarnation from John’s perspective after Jesus had ascended to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit.  For decades afterwards, John dedicated his life to the spreading of the Good News.  He dedicated his life to pondering the great mystery, by allowing himself to see more clearly that the human being with whom he walked and talked was both God and man.  He would have never fully exhausted this great mystery and would have continually been in awe of what he experienced. 
Furthermore, John would have been blessed to continue “touching” the presence of the God-Man every time he celebrated the Holy Eucharist.  Little by little he would have understood that Jesus was fully present to him through this gift.

Reflect, today, upon this great Apostle.  Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for his deeply insightful writings, and try to enter into his mind and heart as he prayerfully reflected upon Jesus throughout his life.  He is a gift to the Church for which we enter into gratitude today.

Lord, You are glorious and beyond my understanding.  Your divine presence in this world is truly mysterious and awe-inspiring.  Thank You for coming among us and thank You for revealing Yourself to us through the writings of St. John the Apostle.  May I come to know You more deeply through all that he has written and may I always imitate his example of a beloved disciple.  St. John, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You.


December 28: Feast of the Holy Innocents

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.

Today on the fourth day of the Octave of Christmas, we are given a similar witness to the one we received on December 26, the Feast of the Martyrdom of St. Stephen.  But today’s feast presents the same evil in a different and even more tragic light.  Here, out of envy and hatred, Herod had countless innocent children killed in an attempt to eliminate Jesus, the newborn King. 

We can only imagine the grief that would have filled the town of Bethlehem and its vicinity as the soldiers went through killing those innocent children as their parents watched helplessly.  On one hand, it’s shocking to know that God permitted this.  On the other hand, on a level of deep faith, we must strive to understand the witness that these innocent children gave.

Though this was an unspeakable crime and evil, from the perspective of eternity, it will be sorted out by God.  In Heaven and forevermore, these innocent victims will wear the martyr’s crown and will be honored by the angels and saints as the first witnesses to the newborn King.  Though this may not have eased the pain at the time, it will certainly transform the pain those families felt as they enter into the justice of Heaven.

Their witness reveals to us much about our own lives.  It reveals that there are many times in life when things are simply not fair and not just.  The massacre of these innocent children is a powerful reminder of this fact.  But one thing we must hold on to is that God will right every wrong in the end.  Today, we celebrate a solemn feast in the honor of these children as a way of saying that God has transformed this tragedy into something glorious. 

The same is true with each one of us.  Whatever your “tragedy” may be, know that the Son of God entered our world, taking on our fallen human nature, so that He could make all things right. 

Reflect, today, upon that which is most painful for you this Christmas season.  Whatever it may be, you are invited to unite your hurt and pain today with the sorrow of the families who lost these little ones.  Let God do for you what He ultimately did for all of them.  Let His Incarnation, death and Resurrection transform your hurt into a crown of martyrdom.  In the end, the Lord will be victorious in your life if you let Him.

Lord, I surrender all hurt, pain and confusion to You.  I unite myself, this day, with the sorrow of those who lost these little children and I trust that their lives, as they reign now in Heaven with You, are a sign for me of things to come.  Your birth into our world was the greatest sign that You are our Savior and that You can turn all things into good.  Jesus, I entrust my life to You and know that You will right every wrong.  Jesus, I trust in You.

"DECEMBER 29 The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Gospel Lk 2, 22-35
When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, the couple brought Jesus up to Jerusalem so that he could be presented to the Lord, for it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every first-born male shall be consecrated to the Lord." They came to offer in sacrifice "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accord with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

There lived in Jerusalem a certain man named Simeon. He was just and pious, and awaited the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not experience death until he had seen the Anointed of the Lord. He came to the temple now, inspired by the Spirit; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him the customary ritual of the law, he took him in his arms and blessed God in these words:

"Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace;
you have fulfilled your word.
For my eyes have witnessed your saving deed
displayed for all the peoples to see:
A revealing light to the Gentiles,
the glory of your people Israel."

The child's father and mother were marveling at what was being said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: "This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed -- and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword -- so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare."

Commentary on Luke 2:22-35
The Holy Family was a Jewish family and both Jesus and his parents are shown as faithfully carrying out the requirements of the Law. In today’s Gospel there is a double ceremony described: one is the purification of the mother and second is the offering of the first-born child to the Lord. In the past, we used to refer to the feast on February 2 as the Purification but now we prefer to speak of the Presentation.
Clearly, the notion of the need for a mother to be purified after giving birth is not something we feel comfortable with now. For the Jews the spilling of blood was a source of uncleanness and so, after giving birth, there had to be, after a designated number of days, a ceremony of purification. Sometimes the husband too went through a similar ceremony. Given the special circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus, the idea of purification seems even less desirable although Luke does not seem to have any problem with it.

According to the Mosaic law (Lev 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a boy was not allowed to touch anything sacred for 40 days (in the case of a baby girl, the period was even longer) nor could she enter the Temple precincts because of her ritual “impurity”. At the end of this period, as mentioned by Luke, she was required to offer a year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a turtle dove or a young pigeon as expiation for sin. Those who could not afford the lamb could offer two birds instead.

The parents also presented their first-born son as an offering to the Lord, again in accordance with Jewish law (Exod 13:2,12) but this did not have to be done in the Temple. Presenting the child in the Temple seems to re-echo the scene in the First Book of Samuel where Hannah offers her son Samuel for services in the sanctuary. There is no mention in Luke’s account of the five shekels that was supposed to be paid to a member of the priestly family to ‘buy back’ the child.

The account now goes on to mention two elderly people – Simeon and Anna. (Anna will not appear until tomorrow.) They represented all those devout Jews who were looking forward to the expected coming of the Messiah and the restoration of God’s rule, God’s kingship, in Israel.

Simeon had received a promise that he would not die until he had laid eyes on the Messiah. Under the promptings of the Spirit he enters the Temple just as Mary and Joseph are there with their child. He recognises who the Child is and then says a prayer of thanksgiving and surrender to his God. We call this prayer the Nunc dimittis (‘Now you may send away…’), a hymn which is now used during the Night Prayer of the Church. In harmony with Luke’s vision of Jesus, he describes Jesus as a Light for the Gentiles and the Glory of the people of Israel. And so, Feast of the Presentation is a feast of light which we sometimes call ‘Candlemas’. It is a time when candles are blessed and lit to reflect Christ as our Light.

Meanwhile Mary and Joseph are astounded at what is being said about their child. Even they have not yet come to a full realisation of just who he is.

But all is not sweetness and light. Simeon goes on to say some hard-sounding words. The Child, he says, “is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that is contradicted”. To say that Jesus brings about the fall of people is a difficult idea to come to terms with. It seems to fly in the face of the loving, forgiving and compassionate Jesus of the Gospel. And yet the paradox is that many, for reasons of their own, can totally reject the way of life that Jesus proposes. In doing so they also turn away from the direction where their fulfilment as persons lies. Jesus’ life is a sign, a sign which points us in the direction of God but there are many who contradict that sign and go in other directions.

But Simeon has more to say. To Jesus’ Mother he says: “You yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Mary will not know the meaning of these words for many years to come, although a small foretaste will come when Jesus is lost as a boy in Jerusalem. Mary may be full of grace but, no more than her Son, will she spared from sharing some of the pain which he will endure. It is all part of that unconditional ‘Yes’ which Mary made to the angel in Nazareth. It is contained, too, in the offering of her Son that she has just made to God his Father.

There is a scene in the gospel of Luke where a woman, having been impressed by the teaching of Jesus, cries out: “Blessed is the womb that carried you and blessed is the breast that you sucked!” A great tribute to Mary for having produced such a magnificent Son. But Jesus replies: “Blessed, rather, are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Mary’s true greatness is not in the privileges bestowed on her by God but in her unconditional acceptance of everything God asked of her.

For each one of us it is the same. Today, let us say a big ‘Yes’ to God no matter what he sends us.


DECEMBER 30 The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Gospel Lk 2, 36-40
There was a certain prophetess, Anna by name, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had seen many days, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She was constantly in the temple, worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer. Coming on the scene at this moment, she gave thanks to God and talked about the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.  When the pair had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee and their own town of Nazareth. The child grew in size and strength, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Today, the sixth day of the Octave of Christmas, we honor the prophetess Anna.  She, like Simeon whom we honored yesterday, spent her days in the temple worshipping God day and night.  She anticipated the coming Messiah and, by a personal and special revelation from God, recognized His presence as He was presented by Mary and Joseph.

How did Anna know that this was the Messiah?  How did she know that this little Child was the one whom all were awaiting?  Somehow she knew and she rejoiced in this knowledge.

What’s beautiful about Anna’s response is that she did not keep her joy to herself.  Rather, when she saw the Christ Child, she “spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.”  There is little doubt that her prophetic words were filled with joy and were also quite authoritative.  She would have spoken as one who knew the truth of this Child and as one who eagerly wanted to tell everyone about Him.

There is a great lesson for each one of us in Anna’s encounter with Jesus.  When You encounter our Lord in your life of faith and prayer, do you then eagerly desire to share your faith with others?  Perhaps it is by your words, but perhaps it’s more often by your witness.  
The bottom line is that the true meaning of Christmas must be shared.  It must be proclaimed far and wide so that all will understand the joy of the coming of the Savior of the World.  

Reflect, today, upon Anna the prophetess.  Try to imagine the joy in her heart as she spoke of this newborn King.  And pray that her joy and prophetic example will inspire you to continually proclaim the Lord to all whom God puts in your path.

Lord, may I always remember the reason for Christmas.  May I always keep the joy of Your coming among us at the center of my celebration.  You, dear Lord, are the greatest Gift ever given.  I thank You for Your life and I pray that You will help me to share the Gift of Yourself with others.  Jesus, I trust in You.

DECEMBER 31 The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Gospel Jn 1, 1-18
In the beginning was the Word;
the Word was in God's presence,
and the Word was God.
He was present to God in the beginning.
Through him all things came into being,
and apart from him nothing came to be.
Whatever came to be in him, found life,
life for the light of men.
he light shines on in darkness,
a darkness that did not overcome it.

There was a man named John sent by God, who came as a witness to testify to the light, so that through him all men might believe -- but only to testify to the light, for he himself was not the light. The real light which gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world,
and through him the world was made,
yet the world did not know who he was.
To his own he came,
yet his own did not accept him.
Any who did accept him
he empowered to become children of God.
These are they who believe in his name -- who were begotten not by blood, nor by carnal desire, nor by man's willing it, but by God.
The Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we have seen his glory:
the glory of an only Son coming from the Father,
filled with enduring love.
John testified to him by proclaiming: "This is he of whom I said, 'The one who comes after me ranks ahead of me, for he was before me.'"
Of his fullness
we have all had a share --
love following upon love.
For while the law was a gift through Moses, this enduring love came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, ever at the Father's side, who has revealed him.

January 1

​Scripture: Luke 2:16-21
16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
​
Old Testament Reading: Numbers 6:22-27
22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 "Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 The LORD bless you and keep you: 25 The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. 27 "So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them."

Meditation: What's the significance of a name? For the Jewish people the giving of a name had great importance. When a name was given it represented what that person should be in the future. An unknown name meant that someone could not be completely known. To not acknowledge someone's name meant both denial of the person, destruction of their personality, and change in their destiny. A person's name expressed the reality of his or her being at its deepest level. A Jewish male child was named at the time of circumcision, eight days after birth. This rite was instituted by God as an outward sign to single out those who belonged to the chosen people (Genesis 17:10-12). It was a sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham and his posterity.

Jesus - the eternal Son of God who was born of a woman to become our Savior 
In fulfilment of this precept, Mary's newborn child is given the name Jesus on the eighth day according to the Jewish custom. Joseph and Mary gave the name Jesus because that is the name given by God's messenger before Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb (Luke 1:31, Matthew 1:21). This name signifies Jesus' identity and his mission. The literal Hebrew means the Lord saves. Since God alone can forgive sins and free us from death, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son became a man to offer up his life as the atoning sacrifice to save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The son that Mary bore is both God and man - the "Word who was God" (John 1:1) and who "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). That is why Mary is not only called the mother of the Christ (the Greek word for Messiah in Hebrew) but also the mother of God or Theotokos in Greek which literally means "God bearer."

Jesus - the name above every other name 
In the birth and naming of this child we see the wondrous design and plan of God in giving us a Savior who would bring us grace (the gift of God's favor), mercy, and freedom from the power of sin and the fear of death. The name Jesus signifies that the very name of God is present in the person of his Son who became man for our salvation. Peter the Apostle exclaimed that there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved (Acts 2:12). In the name of Jesus demons flee, cripples walk, the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. His name is exalted far above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11).

The name Jesus is at the heart of all Christian prayer. It is through and in Jesus that we pray to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians have died with one word on their lips, the name of Jesus. Do you exalt the name of Jesus and pray with confidence in his name?

"Lord Jesus Christ, I exalt your name above every other name. For in you I have pardon, mercy, grace and victory over sin and death. You humbled yourself for my sake and for the sake of all sinners by sharing in our humanity and by dying on the cross. Help me to always praise your holy name and to live for your greater glory."

JANUARY 2

Gospel Jn 1,19-28
The testimony John gave when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask "Who are you?" was the absolute statement, "I am not the Messiah." They questioned him further, "Who, then? Elijah?" "I am not Elijah," he answered. "Are you the Prophet?" "No," he replied.

Finally they said to him: "Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?" He said, quoting the prophet Isaiah,

"I am  'a voice in the desert, crying out: Make straight the way of the Lord!'"

Those whom the Pharisees had sent proceeded to question him further: "If you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?" John answered them: "I baptize with water. There is one among you whom you do not recognize -- the one who is to come after me -- the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten."

This happened in Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

​Meditation: Do you recognize the presence of the Lord Jesus in your life? John the Baptist did such a great job of stirring the peoples' expectation of the Messiah's arrival, that many thought he might be the Messiah himself, or at least the great prophet Elijah who was expected to reappear at the Messiah's coming (see Malachi 4:5, Deuteronomy 18:15). John had no mistaken identity. In all humility and sincerity he said he was only a voice bidding people to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah King.

John points to the Redeemer who comes to save us from sin and death 
John the Baptist bridges the Old and New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament Prophets who points the way to the Messiah. He is the first of the New Testament witnesses and martyrs. He is the herald who prepares the way for Jesus and who announces his mission to the people: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! John saw from a distance what the Messiah came to accomplish - our redemption from slavery to sin and our adoption as sons and daughters of God, our heavenly Father. Do you recognize your identity as an adopted child of God and a citizen of God's heavenly kingdom?

John was the greatest of the prophets, yet he lived as a humble and faithful servant of God. He pointed others to Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world. The Christian church from the earliest of times has given John many titles which signify his prophetic mission: Witness of the Lord, Trumpet of Heaven, Herald of Christ, Voice of the Word, Precursor of Truth, Friend of the Bridegroom, Crown of the Prophets, Forerunner of the Redeemer, Preparer of Salvation, Light of the Martyrs, and Servant of the Word. Do you point others to Jesus Christ by the testimony of your witness and example?

The Lord reveals his presence to us through the Holy Spirit 
Luke tells us that when the presence of the Lord Jesus was revealed to Mary (Luke 1:35), and to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:41), and to John the Baptist in the womb of his mother (Luke 1:15,41), and to Zechariah, John's father (Luke 2:67) - they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the presence of the Lord Jesus who comes to dwell within us. Ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with the Holy Spirit and to renew in you the gifts of faith, hope, and love, and the boldness and courage to point others to the presence and power of the Lord Jesus.

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and make me a herald of your word of truth and grace. Fill me with the joy of the Gospel that I may eagerly point others to you as John did through his life and testimony."


JANUARY 3

Gospel Jn 1, 29-34
When John caught sight of Jesus coming toward him, he exclaimed:

"Look there! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! It is he of whom I said:
'After me is to come a man who ranks ahead of me, because he was before me.' I confess I did not recognize him, though the very reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." John gave this testimony also: "I saw the Spirit descend like a dove from the sky, and it came to rest on him.

But I did not recognize him. The one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'When you see the Spirit descend and rest on someone, it is he who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen for myself and have testified, 'This is God's chosen One.'"

                                                  “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29b
These familiar words of St. John the Baptist offer us a beautiful meditation.  They are spoken every time we attend Mass when the priest holds up the Sacred Host.  These words, spoken first by John as Jesus came to Him to be baptized, are words that can be prayerfully meditated upon throughout our lives.

Think about that statement: “Behold the Lamb of God…”  It’s good to start by imagining John speaking these words of Jesus.  But from there, we apply them to the Eucharist and to countless other moments in our daily lives.

When John first spoke these words, the “Lamb of God” was seen in a very ordinary way.  The eyes of all present saw only an ordinary man approaching the scene.  But the eyes of faith saw He who would give His life for the salvation of the world as the Sacrificial Lamb.
And when we look at the Sacred Host, as it is held up at Mass for all to see, we see Jesus, the Sacrificial Lamb, in an even more veiled way.  We see, with our eyes, a piece of bread.  But with the eyes of faith, once again we behold the Savior.

The Sacrificial Lamb of God is continually coming to us throughout our day.  He is all around us, coming to us in veiled form, revealing Himself in faith.  Do you see Him?  How is it that you are being called, this day, to behold His divine and sacrificial presence?  How is He present in acts of selfless charity?  How does He come to you each day and how does He desire you to bring Him to others each day?
Reflect, today, upon those sacred words.  “Behold the Lamb of God.”  Seek Him out, expecting His divine presence to be veiled but real.  Discover Him with the eyes of faith and rejoice as He draws near.

Lord, I behold Your divine presence today and every day.  I seek You and love You.  Give me the eyes of faith to discover Your real but hidden presence at all times.  You are all around me every day.  Help me to rejoice in how near You always are.  Jesus, I trust in You.

A second Meditation from Daily Scripture.net 
​John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites in Egypt from slavery and death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the "wages of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the "destruction of both body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28).

John points to Jesus' saving mission - to offer up his life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins 
It is significant that John was the son of Zachariah, a priest of Israel who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). John recognized that Jesus was the perfect unblemished lamb offered by the Father in heaven as the one and only sacrifice that could cancel the debt of sin, and free us from death and the destruction of body and soul in hell.

The Holy Spirit reveals who Jesus truly is - the Son of God and Savior of the world 
When John says he did not know Jesus (John 1:31,33) he was referring to the hidden reality of Jesus' divinity. But the Holy Spirit in that hour revealed to John Jesus' true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us his Spirit as our helper and guide who opens our hearts and minds to receive and comprehend the great mystery and plan of God - to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10).

Do you want to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ? Ask the Lord to pour his Holy Spirit upon you to deepen your faith, hope, and love for God and for the plan he has for your life.

"Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit and let me grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may know and love you more fervently and strive to do your will in all things."

JANUARY 4
 
Gospel Jn 1, 35-42
John was at Bethany across the Jordan with two of his disciples. As he watched Jesus walk by he said, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard what he said, and followed Jesus. When Jesus turned around and noticed them following him, he asked them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi (which means Teacher), where do you stay?" "Come and see," he answered. So they went to see where he was lodged, and stayed with him that day. (It was about four in the afternoon.)

One of the two who had followed him after hearing John was Simon Peter's brother Andrew. The first thing he did was seek out his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means the Anointed)! He brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said: "You are Simon, son of John; your name shall be Cephas (which is rendered Peter)."

Meditation: Who is Jesus for you? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the "wages of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the "destruction of both body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28). 

It is significant that John was the son of the priest, Zachariah, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus John saw the true and only sacrifice which could deliver us from bondage to sin, death, and the powers of hell. How did John know the true identity of Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior of the world (John 1:29)? The Holy Spirit revealed to John Jesus' true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend - with enlightened minds and eyes of faith - the great mystery and plan of God to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

"What do you seek?" 
John in his characteristic humility was eager to point beyond himself to the Christ (means Anointed One and Messiah). He did not hesitate to direct his own disciples to the Lord Jesus. When two of John's disciples began to seek Jesus out, Jesus took the initiative to invite them into his company. He did not wait for them to get his attention. Instead he met them halfway. He asked them one of the most fundamental questions of life: "What are you looking for?" Jesus asks each one of us the same question:"What are you searching for? Do you know the meaning and purpose for your life?" Only God, the Father and Author of life, can answer that question and make our purpose fully known to us. That is why the Lord Jesus invites each one of us to draw near to himself. He wants us to know him personally - to know what he came to do for us and what he wants to offer us.

"Come and see" 
"Come and see" is the Lord's invitation for each one of us to discover the joy of friendship and communion with the One who made us in love for love. Saint Augustine of Hippo reminds us that it is God, our Creator and Redeemer, who seeks us out, even when we are not looking for him: "If you hadn't been called by God, what could you have done to turn back? Didn’t the very One who called you when you were opposed to Him make it possible for you to turn back?" It is God who initiates and who draws us to himself. Without his mercy and help we could not find him on our own.

When we find something of great value it's natural to want to share the good news of our discovery with our family, friends, and neighbors. When Andrew met Jesus and discovered that he was truly the Messiah, he immediately went to his brother Simon and told him the good news. Andrew brought his brother to meet Jesus so he could "come and see" for himself. When Jesus saw Simon approaching he immediately reached out to Simon in the same way he had done for Andrew earlier. Jesus looked at Simon and revealed that he knew who Simon was and where he came from even before Simon had set his eyes on Jesus. Jesus gave Simon a new name which signified that God had a personal call and mission for him. Jesus gave Simon the name "Cephas" which is the Aramaic word for "rock". Cephas is translated as Peter (Petros in Greek and Petrus in Latin) which also literally means "rock".

To call someone a "rock" was one of the greatest compliments in the ancient world. The rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the world upon." Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was - the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of faith to know the Lord Jesus personally, power to live the gospel faithfully, and courage to witness the truth and joy of the Gospel to others. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to draw us to himself. Do you seek to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ?

"Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things."

JANUARY 5

Gospel Jn 1, 43-51
Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee, but first he came upon Philip. "Follow me," Jesus said to him. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. Philip sought out Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses spoke of in the law -- the prophets too -- Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." Nathanael's response to that was, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" and Philip replied, "Come, see for yourself." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he remarked: "This man is a real Israelite. There is no guile in him." "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked him. "Before Philip called you," Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree." "Rabbi," said Nathanael, "you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel." Jesus responded: "Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see much greater things than that."

He went on to tell them, "I solemnly assure you, you shall see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."


JANUARY 6

Gospel Mk 1, 7-11
The theme of John's preaching was: "One more powerful than I is to come after me. I am not fit to stoop and untie his sandal straps. I have baptized you in water; he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit."

During that time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. Immediately on coming up out of the water he saw the sky rent in two and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Then a voice came from the heavens: "You are my beloved Son. On you my favor rests."

Meditation: Why did Jesus, the Sinless One, submit himself to John's baptism? John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3) - of which Jesus had no need. However, in this humble submission we see a foreshadowing of the "baptism" of his bloody death upon the cross. Jesus' baptism is the acceptance and the beginning of his mission as God's suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). He allowed himself to be numbered among sinners. Jesus submitted himself entirely to his Father's will. Out of love he consented to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. Do you know the joy of trust and submission to God?

The Father proclaimed his entire delight in his Son and spoke audibly for all to hear. The Holy Spirit, too, was present as he anointed Jesus for his ministry which began that day as he rose from the waters of the Jordan River. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all who come to believe in him. At his baptism the heavens were opened and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, signifying the beginning of a new creation.

How can we enter into the mystery of Jesus' humble self-abasement and baptism? Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390 AD), an early church father tells us: 

"Let us be buried with Christ by Baptism to rise with him; let us go down with him to be raised with him; and let us rise with him to be glorified with him." 

Do you want to see your life transformed by the love and power of Jesus Christ? And do you want to become a more effective instrument of the Gospel of peace, mercy, and righteousness? Examine Jesus' humility and ask the Holy Spirit to forge this same attitude in your heart. As you do, heaven will open for you as well. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to renew us in his Holy Spirit and to anoint us for mission. We are called to be "light" and "salt" to those around us. The Lord wants his love and truth to shine through us that others may see the goodness and truth of God's message of salvation. Ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with his Holy Spirit that you may radiate the joy of the Gospel to those around you.

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my heart with the joy of the Gospel. May I find joy in seeking to please you just as you found joy in seeking to please your Father."

JANUARY 7

Gospel Jn 2, 1-12
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had likewise been invited to the celebration. At a certain point the wine ran out, and Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine." Jesus replied, "Woman, how does this concern of yours involve me? My hour has not yet come." His mother instructed those waiting on table, "Do whatever he tells you." As prescribed for Jewish ceremonial washings, there were at hand six stone water jars, each one holding fifteen to twenty-five gallons. "Fill those jars with water," Jesus ordered, at which they filled them to the brim. "Now," he said, "draw some out and take it to the waiter in charge." They did as he instructed them. The waiter in charge tasted the water made wine, without knowing where it had come from; only the waiters knew, since they had drawn the water. Then the waiter in charge called the groom over and remarked to him: "People usually serve the choice wine first; then when the guests have been drinking awhile, a lesser vintage. What you have done is keep the choice wine until now." Jesus performed this first of his signs at Cana in Galilee. Thus did he reveal his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

After this he went down to Capernaum, along with his mother and brothers [and his disciples] but they stayed there only a few days.