 | We Live in the World, Not in a Bubble The Holy Family were refugees from a corrupt political situation and an unstable ruler. No matter how much Matthew focuses on the way this flight into another country fulfilled passages in the Hebrew Scriptures, the fact is they were fleeing for their lives. Pope Francis never misses an opportunity to remind us of this reality. We may wish that our religious experience could take place in a bubble, protected from the political divisions and ideological arguments that blare into our lives from the media. But Jesus was clearly born into a world of politics and ideology, of power struggles and armed conflicts. We can learn from him that our loyalty is ultimately to the kingdom of God and to the truth, not to any one political point of view. —from The Peace of Christmas: Quiet Reflections from Pope Francis
by Diane M. Houdek | ✞"We must always remember that God does everything well, although we may not see the reason of what He does."
— St. Philip Neri ✞ MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Prayers are God-filled words in which our love and God's love are joined. That love embraces the people for whom we are praying, and love always changes people and situations. This doesn't mean that we will always get what we want, but Jesus does promise that we will get what we need."
— Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM, p. 14
AN EXCERPT FROM
Daily Meditations with the Holy Spirit ✞ VERSE OF THE DAY
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 139:23-24 |  click to read more | | Holy Innocents Saint of the Day for December 28 Herod "the Great," king of Judea, was unpopular with his people because of his connections with the Romans and his religious indifference. Hence he was insecure and fearful of any threat to his throne. He was a master politician and a tyrant capable of extreme brutality. He killed his wife, his brother, and his sister's two husbands, to name only a few. Matthew 2:1-18 tells this story: Herod was "greatly troubled" when astrologers from the east came asking the whereabouts of "the newborn king of the Jews," whose star they had seen. They were told that the Jewish Scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he could also "do him homage." They found Jesus, offered him their gifts, and warned by an angel, avoided Herod on their way home. Jesus escaped to Egypt. Herod became furious and "ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under." The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the mothers and fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children…" (Matthew 2:18). Rachel was the wife of Jacob (Israel). She is pictured as weeping at the place where the Israelites were herded together by the conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity. Reflection
The Holy Innocents are few in comparison to the genocide and abortion of our day. But even if there had been only one, we recognize the greatest treasure God put on the earth—a human person, destined for eternity, and graced by Jesus' death and resurrection. The Holy Innocents are the Patron Saints of:
Babies | Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs Reading 1 1 Jn 1:5—2:2 Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, "We are without sin,"
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us. My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. Responsorial Psalm Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8
R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Alleluia See Te Deum
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 2:13-18 When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
| Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Matthew 2:13-18 The Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Feast) Herod became furious. (Matthew 2:16) Anger can be a powerful and fierce emotion. If left unchecked, it can cause us to make rash decisions and lead us to hurt innocent people. Just look at Herod. He heard a king had been born in Israel and he was afraid. This child was a threat, and Herod wanted to get rid of him quickly. When the Magi didn't cooperate with his plan, he became furious. So he lashed out, ordering the deaths of all young boys in and around Bethlehem. Such a violent act horrifies us. And it should! It seems so arbitrary and unnecessary. Herod could have taken any number of other less drastic measures to protect himself. But as terrible as his reaction is, the truth is that none of us are immune to the pitfalls of anger. It can start small. Maybe you get annoyed because your husband eats the lunch you had packed for yourself. It was just one thoughtless action, but you start to generalize and tell yourself he's always inconsiderate or selfish. You start scolding him even when he has done nothing wrong. You might even find yourself lashing out at your children who aren't even involved. They don't deserve your wrath, but it's too late; your anger is out of hand. Anger can snowball to the point that we strike out against anyone. But there are some practical steps we can take to keep this from happening: • First, be attentive to what's going on in your mind. As soon as you see frustration or annoyance bubbling up, ask God to help you deal with it before it overflows into something more damaging. • Try to think of one positive quality about the person you're angry with. It may seem like a small thing, but stopping to see their virtues can give you a better perspective. It can also help you cool down. • Finally, pray for that person. It's hard to stay angry with someone you're lifting up to the Lord. It will help you see them from God's perspective, and you may even find yourself feeling more compassionate toward them. Unchecked anger is destructive. But we don't have to be controlled by it. God can help us break the cycle. "Lord, help me not to let anger grow in my heart." 1 John 1:5–2:2
Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8 | my2cents:
The Holy Words speaks:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. "If we say, "We have fellowship with him," while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth...If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." We like to fool ourselves don't we? Saying we are not sinning or living in sin. This is the great dilemma of the world. In your own eyes, you are made good. Even King Herod thought this way. Excusing himself, forgiving himself, of even murdering. Let us pray: " Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth" In the Holy Gospel we heard: "...the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt..." The work of salvation began with conception in Nazareth, where they say Jesus was from, then His birth in Bethlehem, which means the "house of bread", laying in a feeding trough. A savage wolf is relentless, Herod. An angel speaks, a man named Joseph obeys AGAIN. It was a dog eat dog world, and this mentality was now trickled down into the temple, relentless power grabbers seeking all the power. In today's world how different are we?
Because, reading the story of a horrible man named Herod makes one feel like disgusted with the acts he committed, like commanding the killing of hundreds or thousands of innocent toddlers, babies, even newborns, and the cries filled the earth. Is it God's fault? Why can't we blame the devil instead? God came to get rid of that exact culmination. Yet, it is now secretly continuing. Only, the babies aren't allowed to be born so you can not hear them cry for help. Why do you think I practically go to Mass every day of the week? To pray for protection for the unborn. The holy innocents must be interceding, let us pray for them and with them. Power grabbing has trickled down into the home/temple. "No you don't get to live, my life is more important". Whoa! You don't hear that truth spoken do you? Here you do. That is the truth, Herod's evil spirit continues. So let's not be too quick "to judge" as the devil says. Let's say what Dr. Phil said once "I don't like in you, what I see in me". And then, get rid of what you don't like...and what you get rid of should be death, not the innocent life.
So often we hear that women shouldn't have kids or that many kids. And then the devil whispers oh so softly "you shouldn't have to suffer", "you don't have to go through that"...
Jesus stands up and takes His cross. Looking to us saying, "follow Me". There is no greater love than to lay your life for one's friend. Is Jesus your friend? The best? Life can not continue as it is. I see signs of hope in the world. China is thinking about ending the one or 2 child policy. That is good news. Let us pray it is for the good of the world. We are to be one with life, always on the side of life. Jesus says " I AM THE LIFE ". The truth. The way.
Please pray every day with me for the unborn, from conception. And move to action, and love is an action. Because it starts with a thought, a heart, and moves from there.... | | |
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