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| A Time of Renewal |  | | Oh Jesus, sometimes I think of prayer as a duty, but you have shown me that it is a time of renewal, peace, and refreshment. You carry my burdens for me. Thank you for opening my eyes to your goodness and restorative grace. May I be still before you and soak in your love. | | |
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
St. Egwin
(d. 717)
You say you're not familiar with today's saint? Chances are you aren't—unless you're especially informed about Benedictine bishops who established monasteries in medieval England. Born of royal blood in the 7th century, Egwin entered a monastery and was enthusiastically received by royalty, clergy and the people as the bishop of Worcester, England. As a bishop he was known as a protector of orphans and the widowed and a fair judge. Who could argue with that? His popularity didn't hold up among members of the clergy, however. They saw him as overly strict, while he felt he was simply trying to correct abuses and impose appropriate disciplines. Bitter resentments arose, and Egwin made his way to Rome to present his case to Pope Constantine. The case against Egwin was examined and annulled. Upon his return to England, he founded Evesham Abbey, which became one of the great Benedictine houses of medieval England. It was dedicated to Mary, who had reportedly made it known to Egwin just where a church should be built in her honor. He died at the abbey on December 30, in the year 717. Following his burial many miracles were attributed to him: The blind could see, the deaf could hear, the sick were healed.  Saint of the DayLives, Lessons and FeastBy Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.
Presence "I stand at the door and knock," says the Lord.
What a wonderful privilege
that the Lord of all creation desires to come to me.
I welcome His presence. Freedom Many countries are at this moment suffering the agonies of war.
I bow my head in thanksgiving for my freedom.
I pray for all prisoners and captives. Consciousness At this moment Lord I turn my thoughts to you.
I will leave aside my chores and preoccuptions.
I will take rest and refreshment in your presence Lord.
The Word of God I am writing to you, children,
because your sins have been forgiven for his name's sake.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the Evil One.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,
and you have conquered the Evil One.
Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever. R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
Listen to audio of this reading
Watch a video reflection
Conversation I begin to talk to Jesus about the piece of scripture I have just read. What part of it strikes a chord in me? Perhaps the words of a friend - or some story I have heard recently - will slowly rise to the surface in my consciousness. If so, does the story throw light on what the scripture passage may be trying to say to me? Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Meditation: Luke 2:36-40 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org 6th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. (Luke 2:37) Luke's sketch of Anna—a true daughter of Zion—invites us to reflect on the tremendous impact that the birth of Jesus had on Israel. By telling her story as he did, Luke gave his gentile readers (who were unfamiliar with Israel's history) a glimpse of the way God's plan of salvation unfolded within Israel's history. For example, Anna's great age and her lifetime of prayer represent the many centuries that the Jews spent preparing for and longing for the coming of their Messiah—centuries spent in prayer, intercession, and obedience to God. Anna must have known much pain upon the death of her husband after only seven years of marriage. Over the years, she probably experienced a great deal of loneliness as well. In ancient times, unmarried women in general, and widows in particular, were often looked down on or forgotten about. By choosing Anna as he did, God shows how little he cares about social stature when it comes to selecting his witnesses! Despite a lifetime of sorrows, Anna never became bitter. Instead, she found solace as she opened her heart to the Lord in prayer. "She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer" (Luke 2:37). This remarkable woman of faith had transformed her many difficult years into a lifelong ministry of intercession for the redemption of Israel. And God exhibited a special love for this "prophetess" (2:36) by endowing her with a sensitivity and awareness of the Messiah's coming. What a model for us! Anna's patience and long suffering embody the human heart's longing for salvation. Do you sometimes feel worn out, abandoned, or insignificant to God? Nothing could be further from the truth. If you turn to God, as Anna did, his grace will fill your life. Turn your sorrows over to the Lord. Worship him, and intercede for the redemption of his people. By doing so, you can become a witness of God's presence in our midst. God will fill your life with hope and promise in a way that nothing else in the world can. "Lord, I offer my life to you. I want to join all your saints in building your kingdom." 1 John 2:12-17
Psalm 96:7-10
my2cents:
Much is not known of the "hidden" years of Christ. When He was a little boy, all we heard is that He grew strong, and God's favor was upon Him. I'm not a big fan of always preaching on the "favor of God" but it is real, but not as taught by many protestants. We have to dig deep if you want to expose God's favor, and by deep, I'm talking deeply in love with God, such as that in doing so one is exposed and pre-disposed to actual grace. It will take a cursillo (short but intense course in Christianity) to begin to learn upon what is given by God yet not exactly spelled out as many things are not spelled out in the bible. But it is there and the favor gives strength to the weak, and they will run and not grow weary walk and not grow faint as described in Isaiah, Chapter 40:29-31. And this is how we are too made strong, because Jesus our Lord and King said we could do everything He did and even more. He healed so that we may believe, He raised from the dead so that we would trust. He was so strong that He not only turned the cheek but His whole entire body, for us to see and believe and follow the Way. In the Spanish 5minutos it said that Simeon and the prophetess Anna were lay people, not clergy. That speaks volumes to all of us baptized into the same, to be not only priest, and king but PROPHETS. We all have this guiding light to the truth, and you'll know the truth as it pulls you with self surrender.
I read a line today that said "Hold rather to those things in which, in thy dealings with thy fellowman, ye may see only the pure, the good! For until ye are able to see within the life and activities of those ye have come to hate the most, something ye would worship in thy Creator, ye haven't begun to think straight." It is an eye opener for all the haters out there, those that can't see eye to eye, or talk, mute, deaf, and dumb to one another. For this Jesus came to heal that, and much more. St. Rose of Lima said ""When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus." Your neighbor is not who you just live next to, but someone who you are next to., as John evidently says, If you love not your brother whom you see, how can you love God, whom you do not see? 1 John 4:20. And we are winding our way up the Holy Scriptures. The Psalms say to give and said it 3 times in a row then to give gifts and worship in Holy Attire and to tremble before the Lord. It is an experience to give. Thing is we need to know how to give, and only the Lord will reveal to a pre-disposed and exposed heart to His grace, the strength of favor. Today's 1st Holy Scripture from 1Jn, we read at the end "...the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever. " It is asking to stop pretending to be important, putting on a facade of strength but to take on the life of real strength of God. What is pretentious? Atempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed: God wants us to be real, and for reals, really His, heart, mind and soul, with all our STRENGTH to Love Him first and foremost above all; For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever." Anna remains forever, Simeon remains forever, everyone doing the will of God remains forever, in His loving sight, is made strong, because this in turn, actual grace is a favor from God, flying on eagle's wings soaring at great heights in the realms of love like no other. Not much is known of the early years of Christ, but what little is known writes forever what will be of those that do the will of God, taking the lead of our Blessed Mother, and Joseph, all in Nazareth preparing the way forever, for a different world forever, and it is MARVELOUS!
GLORY TO YOU OH LORD
 adrian
Going4th,
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| A Pure Channel | |
Oh Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, I rejoice to know you on a deeper level. Show me where my stubborn will gets in your way. Let me be a pure channel through which your grace can flow to others.
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St. Thomas Becket
(1118-1170)
  A strong man who wavered for a moment, but then learned one cannot come to terms with evil and so became a strong churchman, a martyr and a saint—that was Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral on December 29, 1170.
His career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry's intrusions into Church affairs. Nevertheless, he was made archbishop (1162), resigned his chancellorship and reformed his whole way of life! Troubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time, supposing some conciliatory action possible, Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety and remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to England, he suspected it would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favored by the king, Henry cried out in a rage, "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!" Four knights, taking his words as his wish, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral. Thomas Becket remains a hero-saint down to our own times.
In T.S. Eliot's powerful drama, Murder in the Cathedral, Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason."
Saint of the DayLives, Lessons and FeastBy Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.
Presence The more we call on God
the more we can feel God's presence.
Day by day we are drawn closer
to the loving heart of God. Freedom Everything has the potential to draw forth from me a fuller love and life.
Yet my desires are often fixed, caught, on illusions of fulfillment.
I ask that God, through my freedom may orchestrate
my desires in a vibrant loving melody rich in harmony.
Consciousness I exist in a web of relationships - links to nature, people, God.
I trace out these links, giving thanks for the life that flows through them.
Some links are twisted or broken: I may feel regret, anger, disappointment.
I pray for the gift of acceptance and forgiveness.
The Word of God The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes. R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A light of revelation to the Gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
"Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
Listen to audio of this reading
Watch a video reflection Conversation How has God's Word moved me? Has it left me cold? Has it consoled me or moved me to act in a new way?
I imagine Jesus standing or sitting beside me, I turn and share my feelings with him. Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
5th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord I do write a new commandment to you ... for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2:8) Are you still basking in the glow of Christmas? Perhaps midnight Mass was especially uplifting this year. Or a holiday concert still has you singing under your breath. Maybe you got to spend quality time with some family members you seldom see, or someone really appreciated the gift you chose for him or her. These are all instances of "darkness passing away" so that the "true light," the light of Christ, can shine in your life (1 John 2:8). Sooner or later, we will take the lights off our trees. The nativity set will go back into its box for another year. We will carefully wrap the ornaments and put away the memories they represent. It's fine to hold on to those memories, by the way, as well as the happy memories we just made this Christmas. But don't forget what John tells us here. Lasting light is already shining. With the birth of Christ, something radically new has entered our world. Something—Someone—has filled us with hope and pointed us in a new direction. So besides looking back with gratitude, we can look forward joyfully to the day when we will be in heaven, filled with God's grace and healed of every wound sin has ever inflicted on us. Don't make the mistake of boxing up the gift of Jesus' presence and putting it away until next year—or even next Sunday. Your life may seem to go on as usual after the end of the Christmas season, but because Jesus has been born into our world and into your heart, everything is new. Nothing can ever be the same. It may sound like the same old commandment, "Love one another." But because God has come to live among us, loving one another is no longer just a shining aspiration. It's a very real possibility. Christ is in you, and he really can reach out to everyone around you. Give him the chance. It doesn't take much to start, just a kind gesture or a word of encouragement. "Jesus, your presence is the greatest gift of all. Help me to live in the light of your love today." Psalm 96:1-3, 5-6
Luke 2:22-35
my2cents:
One can not tire of reading the words of Simeon that ties the 1st Scripture with the Psalms. People and theologians have all been perplexed at what was announced by Simeon, a devout man of God, led by the Holy Spirit who took Jesus in His arms and announced the power of God. Many were amazed, including the parents of our Lord, and I bet many didn't believe. And so the story should shine a light in our faith walk. Where do I stand at this proclamation? Am I amazed? Or do I find it hard to believe? Because one can be amazed at what was said, an eye opener, yet some are amused, raise an eyebrow and go on living life "normal" not really taking to what is being said. We are living in the times of the Messiah, the Glory of the people of Israel, in the ability to see the light, come to the light, and share the light, the power and glory of God. St. Thomas Becket lived the light of truth and it cost his life, pierced by a sword. Mary our Blessed Mother was told a sword would pierce her heart because through her Sacred Heart the truth would be revealed, and our Sacred Heart is Jesus. The sword now should pierce our own hearts, like that of Mary, or St. Thomas Becket. It should cut us and afflict us so the light pierces through the darkness of the soul. This is the way to live, to be Christ in a world of darkness, the light, a fervent love and trust that does not know how to back down. I hope this Christmas you gave more than you received. I hope you gave your sins to God for your soul to be healed. I hope you gave love where there is normally none. For my birthday on Christmas, I got what I wanted, I invited a man that could never repay to our family dinner. He has no family. He lives what I summize is a life in poverty. He lives a contradictory life, disliked by his ways by many in Church, yet he leads the Church faithfully in the english choir. From what I gathered throughout the year, it culminated by what he said at dinner..."the only family I got now is the Church", having lost his brother and another relative does not recognize him and they live in the same city. About 7 years ago he visited another relative in Florida. I hope you give and not expect anything in return. In his homily yesterday, our young visiting priest Father Patrick said that we give in forgiveness, we don't wait till someone says "i'm sorry". I don't believe we really know how to give, and what's worse, some of us don't know how to receive. And now we are leading back to the light. Jesus is giving Himself to you today. Such a crazy thought, that someone would die for you. Such a crazy love that would disgust the hardest of hearts, totally unaccepting of someone so ridiculously in love with you. Yet, the Messiah in the arms of Simeon was just that, the salvation of the world, the glory of Israel (the ultimate sacrifice) that God would come to earth and have Himself killed to reveal the thoughts of the hearts of many. Not all. Not all will accept this amazing news that is being laid out in front of your eyes in Holy Scripture. We (me, my wife, and kids) passed out gifts at the nursing home on Christmas day. I don't remember seeing families with these elderly folks, all sitting in front of the TV spaced out. As we gave them all gifts, the feature attraction was the baby I was holding, Adonai, in my arms, he brought such a big smile to the elderly that it changed everything in the room. And so did Jesus do so for the world...He changed everything, and it is ongoing. I am aspiring to be a Christian. A failure at times, but not ashamed to go before the Lord to offer my slum that causes my slump, a reconciliation with Love. Last night, I read some more on the Joy of Padre Pio a line that reads "Humility and Purity of Conduct are the wings which raise us up to Go and in a manner deify us. Remember this: the sinner who is ashamed to do evil is closer to God than the upright man who is ashamed to do good." Evil shames and extinguishes the light. Why then do we fall for it? Why do we hate our brother yet try to stand upright before God? That is not true love, because true love is crazy love, and crazy because we can not understand it. Crazy because it is backwards, expecting nothing in return, yet, when received with an open heart and arms the light of grace begins to shine, and only then can we go like Simeon in peace now that we behold everything in our life...
GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST
 adrian
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| Cherished Memories |  | | As the midnight hour approaches and we greet Christmas day, let us be committed to create new memories that we keep and cherish and bless the Lord for. Our memories take us into a future where we will be gathered around an eternal banquet table and celebrate there forever the visitation of God, Emmanuel, the God who calls us into the holiness and the fullness of life. | | |
Christmas at Greccio
What better way to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child than to take a brief journey to Greccio, the spot in central Italy where St. Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib in the year 1223.
Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby (we're not sure if it was a live infant or the carved image of a baby), hay upon which to lay him, an ox and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town. At the appointed time they arrived carrying torches and candles. One of the friars began celebrating Mass. Francis himself gave the sermon. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, recalls that Francis "stood before the manger...overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness.../" For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus. Tonight, as we pray around the Christmas cribs in our homes, we welcome into our hearts that same Savior.
God's choice to give human beings free will was, from the beginning, a decision to be helpless in human hands. With the birth of Jesus, God made the divine helplessness very clear to us, for a human infant is totally dependent on the loving response of other people. Our natural response to a baby is to open our arms, as Francis did, to the infant of Bethlehem and to the God who made us all.
Saint of the DayLives, Lessons and FeastBy Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.
Presence The more we call on the Lord
the more we can feel his Presence.
Day by day he draws us closer
to his loving heart. Freedom "I am free."
When I look at these words in writing
They seem to create in me a feeling of awe.
Yes, a wonderful feeling of freedom.
Thank You, God. Consciousness Where do I sense hope, encouragement, and growth areas in my life? By looking back over the last few months, I may be able to see which activities and occasions have produced rich fruit.
If I do notice such areas, I will determine to give those areas both time and space in the future. When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?
"'It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.'" R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
"He shall say of me, 'You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.'
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm."
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
AlleluiaR. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace." Conversation What is stirring in me as I pray? Am I consoled, troubled, left cold? I imagine Jesus himself standing or sitting at my side, and share my feelings with him. Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
4th Week of Advent Forever I sing the goodness of the Lord. (Psalm 89:2) Picture yourself perched excitedly at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning, like a little child who is waiting to come down and look at his presents. When the moment finally arrives, you rush down the stairs to find a whole stack of gifts with your name on them. Some are in a neat little pile, while others are hidden, waiting for you to find them. Even though all the gifts are beautifully wrapped, the contents of each package are clearly labeled on the front: Patience. Wisdom. Fortitude. Humility. Peace. And then there is the biggest box of all: Joy. You immediately understand where these gifts came from—your heavenly Father. He knows just what you need and has given it all to you. Which gift will you open first? Why not start with the biggest gift? So you go to the package that has "Joy" written on the side and open it excitedly. Immediately you are filled with a beautiful warmth, a heartfelt, sincere delight that emanates from the center of your soul. This is more than just happiness, for that is a more fleeting and superficial feeling. This joy is deep-rooted, life affirming, and wholesome. It's like having an eternal flame of contentment inside that can't be extinguished. What a marvelous gift! Joy is the perfect gift to open first. From the Annunciation to Mary to the birth of Jesus, we have heard the angels reminding us of the joy that God wants us to have. "Joy to the World!" is not just a popular Christmas carol but God's promise to us. He is offering us the joy that comes because Jesus has not only entered the world; he has entered our hearts! In a sense, joy is also the basis for all the other gifts. With joy come peace, patience, courage, and so much more. This Christmas Eve, rejoice in God's goodness. Then take that gift of joy with you as you enter the new year so that you can share it with all the people God puts in your path. "Lord, thank you for your gift of joy! Help me carry this gift with me and pass it on to all my friends—even my enemies!" 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16
Luke 1:67-79
my2cents:
It was a quiet room when I asked the people at the Posadas last night about the scripture we had just read in John 1:14-16 after reading that the Word was made Flesh it said "and made His dwelling among us" so I asked everyone "what does that mean that He made His dwelling among us?" Even the reflection we just read is from the website and magazine Word Among Us. What does it mean He made His dwelling among us? In today's 1st Holy Scripture it said that King David said the Ark of the Covenant, the dwelling of the Lord would have to change...be made better seeing as King David's was already a dwelling of cedar and not just a tent. God answered through the prophet about the dwelling among many things said "I have been with you wherever you went". Now can you begin to answer the question I asked everyone last night? The Psalm sang "Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord". It also said He would establish His covenant forever, and the dwelling continues forever. The Holy Gospel read "He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant." Now we are going deep into the dwelling, where the Lord dwells among us. Zechariah prophecied the life of his miracle son, a man that would prepare the way to prepare His people by the forgiveness of their sins. Indeed, John would prepare and make room in people's hearts for the Son of God. And so too, these scriptures were written of you and for you, for our Lord. Because we too can prepare the way, the hearts of those around us, beginning with our own. Jesus will come, bring salvation and forgiveness, and forgiveness and salvation, hand in hand. I brought up to the Posadas for some odd reason the end of John's life, his head served on a platter so Herod wouldn't look bad along with his wife (pride). I said that John's life had not been taken, because when we live our life for the Lord unafraid to proclaim the truth, we in actuality are giving our life to the Lord and every moment to the end is filled with an unstoppable and an unspeakable joy. And joy is among us...forever
PRAISE YOU LORD JESUS
Merry Christmas, Keep Christ keep, Mass first and foremost, the coming of the Lord is among us
He dwells in our souls, therefore making everyone precious
PRAISE YOU LORD JESUS
my birthday is December 25th, and all I can think about is Jesus. When I am asked when my birthday, I get to evangelize speaking about the birth of our Lord. A Christmas baby forever. I ask for my birthday, that the Holy Spirit that stirred Johnn the Baptist stir your heart with zeal to evangelize the world we live in, preparing a way with holiness the life of Christ that fills the dwelling place prepared in our lives
 adrian
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| Christ Our Savior |  | | If we can see the face of God in the child whose birth we celebrate, then we will see the face of God in the man whose death has set us free, whose blood inebriates our hearts and causes them to sing, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. | | |
St. John Kanty
(1390?-1473)
John was a country lad who made good in the big city and the big university of Kraków, Poland. After brilliant studies he was ordained a priest and became a professor of theology. The inevitable opposition which saints encounter led to his being ousted by rivals and sent to be a parish priest at Olkusz. An extremely humble man, he did his best, but his best was not to the liking of his parishioners. Besides, he was afraid of the responsibilities of his position. But in the end he won his people's hearts. After some time he returned to Kraków and taught Scripture for the remainder of his life.
He was a serious man, and humble, but known to all the poor of Kraków for his kindness. His goods and his money were always at their disposal, and time and again they took advantage of him. He kept only the money and clothes absolutely needed to support himself. He slept little, and then on the floor, ate sparingly, and took no meat. He made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, hoping to be martyred by the Turks. He made four pilgrimages to Rome, carrying his luggage on his back. When he was warned to look after his health, he was quick to point out that, for all their austerity, the fathers of the desert lived remarkably long lives.
Saint of the DayLives, Lessons and FeastBy Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.
Presence Dear Lord as I come to you today
Fill my heart and my whole being
with the wonder of your presence Freedom God is not foreign to my freedom.
Instead the Spirit breathes life into my most intimate desires,
gently nudging me towards all that is good.
I ask for the grace to let myself be enfolded by the Spirit. Consciousness I remind myself that I am in the presence of the Lord.
I will take refuge in His loving heart. He is my strength in times of weakness. He is my comforter in times of sorrow. The Word of God Thus says the Lord GOD:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner's fire,
or like the fuller's lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom. R. (see Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
AlleluiaR. Alleluia, alleluia.
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church;
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
R. Alleluia, alleluia. When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
"No. He will be called John."
But they answered her,
"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
"What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him." Conversation Jesus, You always welcomed little children when you walked on this earth. Teach me to have a childlike trust in you. To live in the knowledge that You will never abandon me. Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
4th Week of Advent They rejoiced with her. (Luke 1:58) Let's talk about envy. An odd subject for two days before Christmas? Maybe not. Holidays provide many opportunities for comparisons that can give rise to envy. (I wish someone had given me that nice gift. Why can't my family be as happy as theirs?) If we read today's Gospel with envy in mind, we'll see how to resist this deadly disease of the spirit. Joy and gratitude—both powerful antidotes to envy—seem to be hallmarks of Zechariah and Elizabeth's family. But don't these new parents have every reason to rejoice over the unexpected gift of their special son? Wouldn't anyone in their place bless the Lord? Well, envy is sneaky. It's always looking to poison happiness by injecting discontent. Say you've received something good: a promotion, a new car, a high test score, or even a spiritual gift. You're pleased—until you notice someone who has received something that looks even better. If you nurture your pangs of sadness and resentment over their good fortune, envy enters in. But this didn't happen with John the Baptist's parents. In fact, they showed the opposite reaction. Elizabeth set the tone in her earlier greeting to Mary. Instead of feeling miffed that her own child would not be as important as Mary's, she exuberantly honored her young relative as "most blessed ... among women" and "mother of my Lord" (Luke 1:42, 43). Zechariah seconds his wife's sentiments. Emerging from his months of silence, he foresees John's lesser role as herald and blesses God for it (1:64, 76). Even Elizabeth's "neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her" (1:58). Years later, John himself will stand out for his humility, as he too refuses to grasp at roles that are not his. Jesus "must increase; I must decrease," he says, with no trace of envy's sadness and self-pity (John 3:30). "Would you like to see God glorified by you?" wrote St. John Chrysostom. Then imitate Zechariah and his family and learn to rejoice with those who rejoice. "Rejoice in the progress of your brothers and sisters. Because you, his servant, could conquer envy by rejoicing in the merits of others, God will be praised." "I rejoice in you, Lord, and in your loving plan for me and all your children." Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
my2cents: Today's 5minutos: "The first Scripture is taken from the Propet Malachai, against the bad pastors/shepherds of the people of Israel. The jewish priesthood has been corrupted. The Lord sends His messenger Elijah that would come to avoid the disaster and renew the hearts so they will love one another as a people. The Gospel sees fulfilled the function of Elijah in the person and activity of John the Baptist, whose birth, circumcision and imposition of name relates the Gospel of today. John signifies in Hebrew "favor of God". In the biblical mentality the names adhere much importance because they reveal the mission of a person. The baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament, and in his person came to resume an uninterrupted series of favor of God to the people, oriented to the person of Christ. John had the mission and privilege of being his immediate precursor, so much, that he entered into personal contact with him. God fulfills the promises that He made to His people. The name of Elizabeth, the mother of the Baptist, signifies "God has sworn", that is to say remembers faithfully His alliance. The name of his father, Zechariah, signifies "God has remembered". The three protagonists of the Gospel of today constitute all one family to the service of the salvation plan of God. To celebrate the Natitvity/Christmas, the task most urgent to us is to convert. We need to change the mind and the conduct to enter with an attitude truly evangelic to the festivities of Christmas. Lord, today our prayers are lifted to You. Loosen our lips to bless You, like the Prophets, because You save us fulfilling your promises of old." It's not a lifestyle then, if it is an attitude. I saw in our local newspaper yesterday a picture of our Knights of Columbus feeding the elderly at the nursing home, all under the "lifestyles" section of the newspaper. These "lifestyles" for many are out of style. The style of Life that God has made available to us is not what people want. Why? Because we "have to" do stuff we don't want, which means we just want to do stuff we want to do and not as we are asked. Had it not been for a horrible accident, the grand knight wouldn't have wound up at the nursing home and opened his eyes to the poor and forgotten there. Even though I kept mentioning it, it never rung true until you see for yourself. And so I spend my life telling people 'look at what I saw" and "come and see", and I'm telling you what I've seen so that you may believe. And so we have the life of John the Baptist, asking people to come and see, repent and believe. He was the Elijah of God, the prophet of God, the chosen one to announce to make room and make clean the hearts for the coming of God. This is why we believe in Purgatory, a place to make room and make clean. If you will believe me, I've served in many funerals, and I can almost sense the deceased in some occasions as if in a holding place, not quite heaven. Some I can not sense their presence, some are scared, one even came over to a friend and the friend was telling the priest of the experience of the deceased possessing him the night before the funeral. This should all be a message of opening our eyes to faith and not stupidity. Because not being faithful to God means you are susceptible to be inhumane. Sure there are peaceful atheists, but they are fooled "there is no god", possessed by the mentality of Satan. I heard on the satelite EWTN radio a host saying to people that "we have no choice but to eliminate all faiths from schools" because satanists were introducing curriculum into a third grade class. As if Satan hadn't already been introduced decades ago? As if "let's throw in the towel" is the answer? The world is full of wishy-washy folks, say they believe in God, yet don't live what God asks. Now we are boiling down to the nitty gritty, because where the rubber hits the road is where your eyes read the Gospel, the Word of the Lord. Zechariah doubted and was muted. The same can happen to all who doubt the messenger of the Lord- you will live a life muted, can not speak for yourself, much less for God. You must do the part of faith. You must strive to be a saint. You must believe like a little kid the Word of God. Even John the Baptist had to believe when locked up and facing death asking Jesus if He was the Messiah. And I will leave you with the words of our Lord our GOD the Messiah, the Christ Savior of our lives: "... he said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. h 23And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."  adrian | |
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