The Holy Family

 

 

 Luke 2:22-40

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[d] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

As we celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as part of the Christmas cycle, we again reflect  on these infancy passages that were part of the liturgies of the past few days. In obedience to the Law, Joseph and Mary went to the temple to present their child to God as was the custom, and for prayers of purification to be said for Mary, but they were given added bonuses by the presence, affirmation and blessings of Simeon and Anna who recognized the special purpose of this child, and blessed God for it. On this last day of the year, might we take time to reflect on and thank God for his presence, blessings and affirmations in our lives over the past twelve months, and place ourselves in his hands for what it yet to come in the next twelve.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, your plan for me is better than any I can ever devise.. Thank you for all you have done for me  and will do for me next year. Amen.

The Child Grew and Became Strong

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  Luke 2:36-40

 Recognizing the Messiah

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

As we come toward the end of the Octave of Christmas we see and hear Anna, a holy woman who prayed, fasted and lived in the temple for decades, giving thanks to God for this child whom she recognized as the Savior. Can we fathom her joy and enthusiasm as she beheld this child?  Similar to Simeon, she could say, "Now Lord, you may dismiss our servant for I have seen the salvation promised to the house of Israel." (Lk 2: 29-32). She models for us a prayerful stance, a union with God in her daily life that gave it meaning. In following her example, we too, like Jesus, will become strong, filled with wisdom and the grace of God.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, grant me the grace and patience to allow Jesus to form me into a true disciple who recognizes him and presents him to others. Amen

Simeon Recognizes The Messiah

 

  Luke 2:22-35

 Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Every Night at Compline, the Church's Night Prayer, the "Nunc Dimittis", Simeon's prayer, is offered as a fitting closing of the day.  Would that we could say with Simeon that in the course of our daily interchanges with others, we had seen the presence of the Lord, the light to the Gentiles, the salvation prepared for all peoples, the light for the Gentiles and the glory of the Chosen People, Israel.  Perhaps this is a goal,  a New Year' Resolution that we could make: to try to see God's hand, to recognize God's presence at work in our lives more than we do right now. All is so much routine, so much without  connection to God's loving presence and plan for us.  Might we alter this and try to be aware of that plan, that presence, and go about our daily work and actions as God's grateful servant?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to live in your presence and speak and act for you and with you. Amen.

The Slaughter of the Innocents

 

 Matthew 2:13-18

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

¹⁸ “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”

In contrast to the heavenly hosts signing Glory To God In The Highest, not a week later we hear the voice of Rachel weeping for her children as King Herod, succumbing to his anger and fear, orders the slaughter of the innocent children of Bethlehem. Two thousand years later we again witness the slaughter and displacement of thousands of children in the same region. Innocent children are still the victims of hatred and jealousy, not to forget the thousands who are victims of abortion for one reason or another. Jesus was born to save us from this type of behavior, but we have not bought into his message or fully accepted his teaching; Let us pray today for forgiveness and ask for the grace to show respect for the Innocents of today.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, forgive us for our lack of respect for the unborn and for the helpless children who are victims of our selfishness. Amen.

 

Seeing And Believing

 

 

 John 20:1a and 2-8

The Empty Tomb

1 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene² came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

Isn't it strange that having just celebrated the birth of Jesus with as much joy and splendor as we could muster, we are now at his empty tomb? We have gone the full cycle in three days! Jesus was born for a mission, and we are quickly drawn to it as we read of his conquest over death. Yes, his coming was not simply to take on our human flesh, but to give us the opportunity to have eternal life.  The empty tomb shows us the completed mission of the Babe born in Bethlehem, and the course our lives can, should, and even must take: to be born and raised to eternal life with Jesus. Thus there is continued and deeper cause for Christmas joy as we celebrate the possibility of our birth into this final state. 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help us to see our destiny clearly and believe it is possible for us to achieve. Amen 

 

Persecution Will Come

  Matthew 10: 17-22

 A Life of Persecution

¹⁷ Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. ¹⁸ On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

 In stark contrast to the joy of Christmas, we celebrate the martyrdom of St. Stephen as a reminder that the birth of Jesus, as joyous and humble as it was, came to pass for a greater end, our salvation, which includes a radical way of living totally centered on '"the other", and entails suffering and even martyrdom. Day One, Lesson One:  Be ready  to suffer, even give your life when you choose to follow Jesus.

In this season of expectancy and wonder, may we labor to create a world where all experience eternal joy. Theologian Howard Thurman’s poem "The Work of Christmas" offers a guide to our journey:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.  

Bro. Rene

Dear God, as we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus, help us to remember  and accept the challenge that comes with it. Amen.

Born Of God

 

 John 1:1-18

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

We are accustomed to hearing the Gospel from Luke 2: 1-14, the decree from Caesar Augustus,  the shepherds, the child in the  manger, the angels singing Glory to God in the highest and peace to those on whom his favor rests. That Gospel is used at the Midnight Mass, but the Gospel for Christmas Day is from the Prologue of St. John's Gospel, a more philosophical, theological approach to this wondrous event. The Birth in Bethlehem brings Divinity to humanity in a way never before conceived. The Creator becomes the created to rectify the separation caused by the sin of Adam and Eve and to allow us to be united with our Creator and receive light and life not only for ourselves but for the rest of mankind.  In a sense, this is our birthday too. But first let us celebrate the birth of Jesus and give thanks for the new life his birth gives to us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, as we exchange gifts and share joy today, let us remember that you are THE GIFT and the SOURCE OF JOY that makes this day and our lives worth living. Amen.

 

At God's Disposal

 

  Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent this morning, and tonight the Vigil of the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes, Christmas begins tonight, our three-week Advent will be over; ready or not Christmas will be here. Was Mary ready for the invitation announced to her by Gabriel? It had to be a shock, yet in those beautiful words she acquiesced with a humility and dignity that serves as a model for us: to be at God's disposal, no matter what he asks. Jesus is our Christmas gift, but his mother also is a special gift, modeling for us on how to  respond to whatever God asks of us, even the "hard things." Let us pray that we always be at God's disposal, obedient and humble, no matter what he asks of us.

Bro, Rene

Dear God, thank you for giving us your Son, Jesus and Mary his Good Mother. May they show us the way home to you! Amen.

He Will Be Called John

 

  Luke 1:57-66

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

The birth of John to this elderly couple and the non-traditional name John signify the beginning of a new era, the Messianic Era, for soon after John, Jesus would be born and the world would never be the same. We are part of that "New World" and as we celebrate John's birth today, in two more days we'll be celebrating the birth of Jesus. No wonder all the joyful activity to prepare  for it and to celebrate it. Seeing how God's plan unfolded, may we not be dismayed at the state of our world today. God is in charge and nothing happens without his knowledge. If things are not right with our world (and surely they are not), he will not abandon us nor let us perish. Let us turn to him in faith and pray that this Christmas celebration will rattle our world to get back on track with God's plan.  What a Christmas present that would be! 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, as we see your plan carried out in the birth of John the Baptist, may we do all we can to carry out the plan for the best way to live that Jesus came to teach us. Amen.

All Praise To God

 

 Luke 1:46-56

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Graced with the ineffable privilege of being the Mother of God, Mary directs her canticle of praise to God, the Mighty One, the Merciful One, the Powerful One whose mighty deeds tumble the proud and conceited and lift up the lowly and feed the hungry. Her song of joy helps us to pray humbly as we look at the mighty things he has done for each one of us. Where would we be without God's saving grace and loving protection? Above all, he has giving us his Son as our Savior, and thankfully, our massive preparations during Advent and on-going celebrations at Christmas demonstrate that we '"get it" to some extent and worthily celebrate it. Praise God for his kindness to us and his patience with us. May we return even a small particle of gratitude for this great Gift.

Bro. Rene

Dear God as we approach the end of Advent and the actual feast of Christmas, may we give you greater thanks and love than ever. Amen.  

 

Blessed Among Women

 

  Luke 1:39-45

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

 This moving encounter between Mary and Elizabeth, and Jesus and John, is perpetuated in the dearly beloved prayer, the Hail Mary, the core of the Rosary. Let us take a moment to visualize the scene, hear the words of Elizabeth and feel the joy that both women and their unborn children experience. That joy is repeated in Bethlehem and will be found again in our churches and homes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We will express our joy in gifts and special Christmas foods and treats, but it all stems from the staggering reality that God became one of us, a fact greater in magnitude than the limitless borders of the universe now becoming more apparent to us thanks to the James Webb telescope. Yes, Mary is blessed among all women, but we might ask with Elizabeth why we are so favored to welcome the Son of God among us, and stop to realize and relish the truth that God so loves us that he gave us his Son to be one of us who shows us the way to become God's favored ones ourselves, a fact that adds extra weight and meaning to the "merry: in our familiar Christmas greeting. We can't praise and thank God enough for this great gift, but let's do our best to try.

Bro Rene

Dear God, thank you for the wonder and gift of Jesus, and help us show our gratitude by living what he taught us. Amen

God's Word Does Not Fail

 

 Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

As we approach Christmas, reading this account of the Annunciation helps us to appreciate God's generous plan for our salvation and Mary's generous and willing response to it. Her faith and trust in the God behind this outlandish proposal reveal her amazing capacity to put herself at the total disposal of God, the God she loved above all and in whom she trusted infinitely. Her openness and willingness to do God's will above all else shows us the path we are called to follow. As we count down the days of Advent, may we pray that we assume the heart and disposition of Mary as we attempt to accept and live out God's invitation to us to be bearers of his Son to our world. His word does not fail, let us not fail him.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, grant me the openness and willingness of Mary to accept your invitation to bear Jesus in my heart and share him with all who come into my life, today and in the days ahead. Amen.  

 

God's Ways Are Not Our Ways

 

  Luke 1:5-25

 The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. ⁷ But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

As we read this description of the miracle in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth, we might calm  our fears and doubts when it seems that all is not going according to "Our Plan". Again we see that God's ways are not our ways, but he leads us through faith and trust to accept his plan. As we approach Christmas, no doubt behind in our card-sending and other preparations, let us use these last days of Advent to pray for an increase of trust in God's plan and to focus on what he is teaching us and working within us to accept his ways over our ways.

Bro Rene

Dear God, teach me to

The Faithful, Obedient Joseph

 

 Matthew 1:18-25

 Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Although we never read a word spoken by Joseph, his obedience to the plan of God speaks volumes. While trying to be faithful to the Law, he accepts the call to go  beyond it and marry the woman who is with child, having been told in a dream that the child is from the Holy Spirit.  Even that is a leap of faith; for Jews firmly believed in ONE God.  Who is this Holy Spirit? He marries her, give the name Jesus to the child, and raises him as his own. His silent strength, his faithful obedience shout to us to follow suit.  There re many things we are asked to do that we don't understand, but following the example of Joseph, we find that like him, we too can be faithful, obedient followers.

Bro. Rene

St. Joseph, help me to accept God's plan in my life even thought it seems impossible to me at the moment. Amen..

John Prepared the Way

 

 

John 1:6-8, 19-28

 ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

John 1:19-28

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

¹⁹ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

²⁴ Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶ “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

²⁸ This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

We have to  admire the humility, zeal and focus on his mission evident in this exchange between John the Baptist and the inquirers. He immediately denies being the Messiah and calls himself the "voice of one calling in the wilderness, making straight the way for the Lord." He sees himself unworthy to untie the straps of the sandals of the "One who is to come." What a model attitude for us as we, today's disciples, today' Johns, continue to prepare the way of the Lord. May we carry out our mission with similar humility, focus and zeal, especially in this Third Week of Advent, so close to the birth of the Savior next week

Bro.Rene

Dear God, help me to embrace my mission to prepare the way of Jesus into my heart and into the hearts of others. Amen.

Preparing the Way

 

  Matthew 17:9a, 10-13

Elijah Has Already Come

 As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. 
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

As we move further into Advent, our Gospel for today encourages us to be mindful of the "signs", such as the people like John the Baptist who call us to clean up our lives and put Jesus more and more at the center.  This is not easy to do with so many preparations to make for our liturgical and family celebrations happening now or just  around the corner.  There are beautiful services and concerts all around is, but we can't find time to attend them, but we can listen to Advent and Christmas music as we prepare our homes and tables for next week's celebrations.  Let's do our best not to miss out on the richness of this season and the coming last week of Advent.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to make time to reflect on your coming to us as one of us. Amen.

Can't Please All

 

 Matthew 11:16-19

 Wisdom is Proved Right

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁷ “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

The old saying, "It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time,  but you cannot fool all of the people all the time." (Abraham Lincoln) rings true behind this brief description of human behavior We cannot please everyone! Our goal, then is to seek wisdom and live according to what we find.  Not an easy task, hence we have the seasons of Advent and Lent to help us focus our energies and goals on the "things that matter."  Advent is swiftly moving forward. Are we finding time to stop, pray and reflect on the readings from Isaiah and the challenges Jesus presents, as in today's short parable?. Why not take five or so minutes to do so NOW?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to take advantage of the riches of Advent by slowing down and taking time to listen and ponder. Amen.

The Violent Bear It Away

 

 Matthew 11:11-15

The Baptist Is the Greatest

 ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Jesus praises his cousin, John the Baptist for his fearless preaching and yet says that "whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (Mt 11: 11)  He is the final one who prepared the way for the Messiah; his call was urgent and his message was clear. As we prepare for the Birth of Jesus during these Advent days, we are called to reflect on the shortness of this life and to focus on the kingdom of God which begins here and marches into eternity. It is violently opposed to the values of this world and needs our total commitment.  Let us not be easy on ourselves, but do whatever it takes, whatever we can, to help establish it.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to find the zeal of John the Baptist to help prepare the way for Jesus. Amen.  

Come to Jesus

 

 Matthew 11:28-30

True Rest And Peace

 ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

In these short and oh, so familiar verses, we find peace and solace amidst the disturbing headlines of the day, our endless TO DO LISTS, and our inflated anxieties over the direction into which  our "Godless" world is headed. Jesus says NO to all of this, but YES, "Come to me" and find the true rest we seek and need. He extends his hand to us, let us take it and turn everything over to him. He is God, He is Savior, He is Prince of Peace.not we, not I.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to find my rest and peace in you. Amen.

God's Word Never Fails

 

 Luke 1:26-38

 The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Within five days we celebrate another Marian Feast, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Millions of pilgrims are gathering outside of Mexico City to visit the basilica dedicated to Mary who appeared to the humble man, Juan Diego, in 1531. Ten years later nine million Mexicans had embraced the Catholic faith and their descendants remain faithful believers to this day.  At this time when the practice of the Faith is suffering woefully, we need the presence of Mary more than ever to bring us to her Son. As Marists, we follow the path of Mary to find her Son. Our Marist motto sums it up in the proverbial nutshell:  "All to Jesus through Mary, all to Mary for Jesus."  God's Word never fails. Let us renew our dedication to her today as we take another step closer to celebrating the birth of her Son.

Bro. Rene

Dear Mary of Guadalupe, help us to give your Son the place of honor in our lives that he deserves. Amen.

Healing of Body and Soul

 

  Luke 5:17-26

 Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. ¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. ¹⁹ When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ 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?”

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ 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.” ²⁵ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Early in his ministry, Jesus astounded the Pharisees and teachers of the law by physically healing the paralytic and forgiving his sins. This is why he became man, to save us from our sins and rectify or relationship with the Father which had been broken by the sin of Adam and Eve.Serious and fundamental business! As we prepare for the birth of Jesus during Advent, we are urged to go to confession and have our sins forgiven. The Evil One will cunningly try to sidetrack us from this, but this account reminds us that one of the primary purposes of the coming of Jesus was the forgiveness of our sins. Let's take advantage of his power and desire to forgive us.

Dear Jesus, you came to forgive our sins. Help me to seek and ask your pardon. Amen.

Preparation Time

 

 Mark 1:1-8

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, ² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

We begin the Second week of Advent (already!) leaving us this year just two weeks before Christmas! Isaiah's messages have been promising us a better world when peace reigns and God is acknowledged as Lord of All.  We are still a far cry from that! John the Baptist calls us to repent, have our sins forgiven, forgive others, be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Hopefully, our readers received this Baptism as babies, but if not, "now is the hour". All of us can renew our baptismal promises in our hearts and translate them into the way we live our lives, with self-restraint, prayer and good deeds. May we take advantage of the Second Week of Advent to shore up our faith and prayer lives with action.

Bro. Rene

Dear God help me to prepare my heart for he coming of Jesus by putting into practice what St. John the Baptist recommends. Amen.        

Our Mission Too

 

 Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

 The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

³⁵ And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The Twelve Apostles

10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot,and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

Our day and age  is witnessing a decline in Church attendance and vocations to the priesthood and religious life; Jesus could well  repeat his lament that "the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few." What will it take for us to turn from a life of self-centeredness to a life centered on living and proclaiming the Gospel? Advent is a time of reflection on and preparation for the arrival of the Son of God at Christmas.  It's a kind of "start over" time.  What can I do in my life to "start over" and be of help in making the mission of Jesus real and viable in my life and in the life of my family and neighbors?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, open my ears and heart to hear your call to ME to be an active proclaim-er of the Gospel. Amen.   

Mary Wilingly Accpets

 

 Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary's Immaculate Conception, we also ponder her willingness to accept this extraordinary invitation, to become the Mother the Son of God, Jesus. Did this teen fully understand what this meant or how it was to happen? Yes, or no, she put herself totally at God's disposal "and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." Her act of faith, her trust in God paved the way for the presence of Jesus among us, and our salvation. We presume that she could have refused, but she didn't, and that's why we honor her today, and pray that we might be as open to God's plan for us as she was.

 Bro Rene

Dear God, thank you for Mary and her total openness to your plan. Help me to be as receptive to your plan for me. Amen. 

Put The Word Into Practice

 

 Matthew 7:21, 24-27 NIV

Do The Will of My Father

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Advent is a time of reflection,  peaceful prayer and preparation, sometimes made impossible because of our frenzied running around with Christmas shopping, parties, baking and card sending. Indeed, Advent can easily get lost. Jesus tells us that doing the will of our Father is what really matters, like building a house on a rock solid foundations rather than on sand. Let us take time to pray, even if only for 15 or 20 minutes a day to calm ourselves and give perspective to our Christmas preparations. We can thus benefit from Advent and give proper perspective to Christmas.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to base my Christmas preparations on Jesus, my Rock by spending time with him in prayer. Amen.

 

 

Jesus Heals and Feeds

 

  Matthew 15:29-37

 Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

²⁹ Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. ³⁰ Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. ³¹ The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

³² Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

³³ His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

³⁴ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

³⁵ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. ³⁶ Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. ³⁷ They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

A wonderful scene for our advent reflection: a caring, compassionate Jesus tending to the physical needs of the people who came to him for help. We need to remember this for Jesus knows of what we are made, that we need to eat, that we have aliments needing to be cured, that we have a spiritual hunger that only HE can satisfy. We celebrate St. Nicholas today, the man behind Santa Claus, whose generosity and kindness led him to be one of the first people venerated as a saint without having been martyred. His miracle was daily living out the faith in a lifetime of charity. No reindeer, no red suit, no sky trekking sleigh based in the North Pole, but visible, tangible acts of kindness, following the model of Jesus curing and feeding.  What then can I do during this Advent to imitate these great men?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, thank you for presenting the challenge to spread compassion and kindness in simple everyday dealings with others. Amen.

Blessed Are We

 

 Luke 10:21-24

 Advent Joy

²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²² “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The colors of Advent, shades of purple and pink delight our hearts in anticipation of the whites and reds of Christmas; they are more subtle and soothing, calming and restful. Yes, we have a lot of preparation to do for Christmas, including feeding our souls by reflecting on the beautiful poetry of Isaiah and its promises of the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of his kingdom of justice and peace. Let us take advantage of the Advent Dawn before we fall into the Day of Christmas with its gift-giving, family visits and reunions...all joyful expressions of JOY at the birth of the Messiah. But now it is "pre-Christmas" and the time for prayerful preparation.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to pace myself during these days before Christmas so that I will find time for prayerful reflection on the meaning and impact of the Birth of your Son as one of us. Amen.