Dec 29 - 5th Day within the Octave of Christmas

+ Today we have one of the most captivating and charming scenes in all of Holy Scripture, the presentation of Jesus in the Temple by his parents, Mary and Joseph, to the righteous and devout man of God who awaited with ardent longing for the consolation of Israel, the coming of the Lord and Messiah to free the people from darkness and sin: and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

 

Simeon was promised by God that he would not see death until he had seen Christ the Lord. 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 you can 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 own people Israel.” It was one of the most touching scenes imaginable.

 

A simple, humble man of God – who liked very much to go to temple every day was the one chosen to receive on behalf of all mankind Jesus as the light of the world and the glory of the Father! It was Simeon’s FAITH and hope that allowed him to accomplish this wonderful task; we are assigned the task of bringing “Christ the Light of the World and Glory of the Father” to all those we meet every day: we can do this better and better the more we pray each day for an increase of FAITH and HOPE and LOVE!

 

May we walk in the light today because our eyes of faith are more opened right now by a simple act of belief that God fulfills all his promises!

 

  

Dec 27 - The Holy Family - Jesus, Mary, Joseph

+ On this Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I should like to focus on the person of St. Joseph. Two days ago we celebrated the feast of the Child Jesus, next Friday we will celebrate the feast of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and so today it is fitting and proper to speak for a few moments on holy, just, good and faith-filled Joseph who was chosen by God to be the husband of Mary and foster-father of Jesus the Lord. And we do so for an added reason this year – as 2021 (beginning on December 8^th) has been designated as “The Year of St. Joseph” – commemorating the 150^th anniversary of him being named Patron Saint of the Universal Church by Pope Piux IX.

Joseph possessed all of the virtues of a true holy man of the faith of Abraham and the house of David. And his most outstanding virtue, along with faith, would have to be TRUST! Joseph trusted God absolutely, implicitly, unquestioningly and immediately! In the gospel passage we hear that Joseph received news from an angel in a dream to take the child and his mother and flee into Egypt for the safety of the life of the child. Joseph did not have to question the angel at all; he awoke and did what the angel told him!

Then later, when it was safe, the prophecy : out of Egypt I called my son was fulfilled, when the angel again appeared to Joseph and told him to take his family and return to Nazareth in Galilee – to fulfill yet another  prophecy: he shall be called a Nazorean.

It was then that Joseph became the strong earthly father figure for Jesus in his formative years in the home of Nazareth. He taught him his own carpentry trade. He with Mary taught Jesus to pray and to observe all of the dictates of the Jewish religion of which they were a part. His loving example of husband and foster-father is a great role model for all men who marry and have children. And the respect and submission that Mary and Jesus had to Joseph’s God-inspired leadership in their family was equally noteworthy. Mary was the ideal mother and wife – who trusted God that all would work out well for her family! It would not be easy later on – but with the support of Joseph for a while, and the community of disciples of Jesus after that, she would have what she needed for the remainder of her earthly life. And it is to be noted that Jesus, as a child obeyed Joseph without question or argument!

May our family lives resemble the Holy Family Life – with parents and children respecting and loving and anticipating one another in deeds of kindness and helpfulness. And may the dynamic of the marriage of Mary and Joseph, be the model for all Christian marriages – which were sanctified and sacramentalized by their own Son Jesus – where the husband cherishes and cares totally for the wife and children more easily, the more they each in turn trust in and submit to his prayer inspired, Spirit aided decisions for their welfare.

Let the peace of Christ control our hearts, all of us; let the word of Christ dwell in us richly through FAITH and the TRUST that St. Joseph inspires!

 

Dec 26 - St Stephen the Martyr

+ Today in the shadow of the pinnacle of the Christmas celebration we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen, the First Martyr, the first to give his life for the truths proclaimed by the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ the Lord (as a composite whole), the first member of the Church to give his life for its founder.

 

All we know of Stephen is related in the Acts of the Apostles. He was one of the first deacons, and a preacher; and while preaching the Gospel in the streets, angry Jews who were angry at him for berating them, and believing his theological message to be blasphemy, dragged him outside the city, and stoned him to death. In the crowd, to the sight of the mob, who did nothing to stop the killing was a man who would later be known as St. Paul the Apostle. Before he died, Stephen asked God to forgive his attackers. This happened around the year 33.

 

And so, the veracity of the religion was shifted into a higher gear; and a tremendous example of martyrdom included one of Jesus’ most difficult sayings: pray for your persecutors, and even to expect to be put to death on account of his Name!

 

Stephen’s own words – Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, (echoing Christ’s own words on the Cross: into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit) – ought to be ours at all times – so that we live and die as members of Christ, joyfully, and as instruments of peace in his hands.

 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord:

 the Lord is God and has given us light.

 

Dec 24 - December 24

+ We are now on the brink of the Christmas celebration and there is no more fitting final word of preparation than the now finally audible words of the father of the herald of Christ (John the Baptist) who is priest of the temple, Zechariah. Next to Mary’s Canticle of Praise to God (the Magnificat) today’s Gospel turned Canticle (The Benedictus) is second in honor in the Church’s prayer catalog of canticles. It is the Canticle recited daily for Morning Prayer of the Divine Office. It is a canticle of blessing for the fulfillment of the promise of God to send a Savior, so that God’s people could be free from the hands of their enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of their life. It is a canticle prophesying the mission of his own son, John, in being the one to clear the way before the actual appearance of the Messiah – so that forgiveness of sins could be accomplished.

 

The Verse before the gospel, the final O Antiphon summarizes all of this final week’s preparation by proclaiming: 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!

 

Come O Radiant Dawn and find us watching in wonder and awe for the events of your Nativity, again, this year!

Dec 22 - December 22

+ We are so very close to Christmas now, and the sense of joyful expectation is found in Mary’s proclamation of the Gospel canticle: Magnificat anima mea Domino! My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!

 

For he who is so awesome and mighty has found favor with me, and through me will fulfill the promises he made to all previous generations, and even those yet to come:  you shall be free from sin, you shall flee from death, and you shall live forever in a kingdom prepared for you!

 

You will be able to live life daily now with a deep sense of hope, purpose and willingness to go outside of yourself for the good of others.

 

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save the ones you formed from the dust. You save us, and you exalt us to the skies – so long as we keep our priorities and perceptions in check, and place you above all things! May we do so lovingly and happily today!

 

And we shall not be disappointed!

 

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

 

  

Dec 19 - December 19

+ Today we recall once again the importance of John the Baptist in the immediate preparations for the coming birthday celebration of the Lord. The gospel gives us accounting of John’s conception, just as the first reading gives an accounting of the conception of Samson (which really pointed to John) – each were extraordinary, due to the advanced years of the mothers involved – and each took an act of great faith for the fathers involved. For it was easier for Manoah to believe what would happen to his wife, than for priest of the temple, Zechariah to understand what would happen to his. Nothing is impossible with God, and the greatness of the Lord’s herald ought to be something special and out of the ordinary!

 

Today we also continue with the “O Antiphon” Series in the “Alleluia Verse” before the gospel: (O RADIX JESSE) O ROOT of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s favor for all his people: come to save us without delay.

 

The Root of Jesse’s Stem, is the Holy One who would come to establish a true and lasting spiritual kingdom, a people who would be God’s specially favored, worthy of being saved from destruction and sin. 

 

May we believe with all our hearts that God can do anything he chooses for us and that the Messiah he sent from Jesse’s stock, the flower of all of Israel, can decorate our own souls and preserve them for eternal life!

 

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

 

 

Dec 15 - 3rd Week in Advent - Tuesday

+ We are reminded in our readings today that the poor, the despised, the sinners have a truer grasp of who Jesus is than those who have no need of him because of their seeming righteousness: the chief priests and elders of the people. It is these poor who went out both to see John, and then Jesus later when he told them to go. The professional religious leaders did not believe in John and therefore they could not be redirected to Jesus.

 

In the first reading from the Prophet Zephaniah, we see that the remnant of the house of Israel would be the small number who hung on to belief in a messiah who would redeem the people. Though highly unlikely, these people would “save the day” – and be a true link from the sinful “primitives” and the purified “futures”!

 

May we celebrate today our membership in the “remnant of the Lord” - in this day and age, when so many seem to be “experts in religious matters” but have “missed the boat entirely” in their fantasizing about a “plastic Jesus” who gets brought out once a year at Christmas, but at other times of the year – is packed neatly away in the closet!

 

Come, O Lord, do not delay; forgive the sins of your people. 

Dec 11 - 2nd Week of Advent - Friday

+ Jesus was perhaps the first to use the familiar phrase “The proof is in the pudding” although he put it in other terms: But wisdom is vindicated by her works. There can be crafty and well-intentioned arguments on both sides of any issue, but the proof is in the reality behind the arguing, the crafting, even the conniving and conspiring – the proof is in the degree of resemblance any situation or person has to the love which is God.

 

In the first reading today from the Prophet Isaiah, God tells his people to resemble his love, act and speak out of true love for one another, so that prosperity could abound for them – for this is God’s command – not a harsh or unreasonable command, but one emanating from his love and his peace which he wants everyone to experience!

 

But the people over and over again, down to our own day, first agree, but then disagree and disobey with this commandment (this request of love); and God was forced to use his last resort card: his only Son, Jesus, sent to enflesh and demonstrate this attitude, this commandment, this love in person. And the Word became flesh and was born on Christmas Day.

 

May we reflect in our lives today the fact that we need not be obsessively demanding people – arguing incessantly over the theology and philosophy of religion (or anything else) – but may we simply enjoy our status as God’s loved, favored, chosen sons and daughters who belong to an incredible worldwide and heavenly family of grace and peace!

 

The Lord (our Brother) will come; let us go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace.

Dec 8 - Immaculate Conception of the BVM

+ Today we celebrate the fact that from the first moment of her existence in the womb of her mother, Ann, the Blessed Mother of God was preserved from the effects of original sin by means of a singular privilege and grace from God, granted in view of the merits of Jesus Christ her own future-coming Son. From the first moment of its existence, Mary’s soul was filled with sanctifying grace. She had at least the graces of the first Eve before the Fall and more. This privilege was befitting the one who was to be the mother of the Redeemer.

 

This doctrine was held in differing degrees by both East and West from the ninth century. The feast was originally known as the Conception of Ann, and celebrated on December 9, but finally the doctrine was defined formally and assigned a permanent feast day by Blessed Pope Pius IX, December 8, 1854, in accordance with the texts of Scripture: “I will put enmities between you (the serpent) and the woman, and your seed and her seed”; and “Hail, full of grace.”

 

 What is more, this doctrine is established by living tradition, by the writings of the Fathers, by feasts observed in honor of this prerogative, and by the general belief of the faithful. The apparition of Mary to Catherine Laboure in Paris in 1830 and to Bernadette Soubrious in 1834 prompted devotion to Mary as the Immaculate Conception. And at the First Council of Baltimore, held in 1846, the U.S. Catholic bishops chose Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception as the patron saint of their (our) country.

 

It is Mary’s complete openness to God’s love, God’s gifts, and God’s graces that we celebrate today, as well as her sublime status as “woman of absolute faith”; when we utilize fully what the Church has given us by means of life in the Body of her Son – cooperating in faith with graces freely given us - we experience with her the sublime confidence, joy and peace that she always had.

 

Hail, Mary, full of grace! Pray for us now and at the hour of our death

…and pray for our nation, dear Mary, please pray for our nation, which is dedicated to your patronage under this very title of Immaculate Conception, and which is in perilous danger now, as it faces fallout from a failed presidency, a cunning pandemic, a wounded economy and so many unnecessary and disgraceful prejudices and broods of hatred and violences.

 

Amen!

 

  

Dec 7 - St Ambrose of Milan

+ Today we celebrate the feast of a remarkable man and servant of God. Ambrose of Milan was born of Roman nobility in Trier in 397, (two of his brothers were also saints: Marcellina and Satyrus). He was educated in the classics at Rome. He was a poet and a noted orator, a convert to Christianity and governor of Milan, Italy.

 

When the bishop of Milan died, a dispute over his replacement led to violence. Ambrose intervened to calm both sides and impressed everyone involved so much that though he was still an unbaptized catechumen, he was chosen as the new bishop. His resistance, causing more violence, led to his assent, and on December 7, 374 he was baptized, ordained as a priest and consecrated as bishop. He immediately gave away his wealth to the Church and the poor, both for the good it did, and as an example to his flock.

 

Ambrose became a noted preacher and teacher, a Scripture scholar of renown, and a writer of liturgical hymns. He stood firm against paganism and Arianism. His preaching helped convert St. Augustine of Hippo, whom Ambrose baptized and brought into the Church. Ambrose’s preaching brought Emperor Theodosius to do public penance for his sins. He was proclaimed a great Doctor of the Latin Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298.

The title Honey Tongued Doctor was initially bestowed on Ambrose because of his speaking and preaching ability; this led to the use of a beehive and bees in his iconography, symbols which also indicate wisdom. He died on Holy Saturday, April 4, 397 at Milan, Italy, of natural causes.

 

In the gospel passage today, Jesus is portrayed as the Good Shepherd, who would live and die for the welfare of the sheep of his flock; this very much characterized the life and ministry of one of the greatest bishops of the Church, Ambrose of Milan.

 

He did everything he did for them and for their salvation; as did Jesus. St. Paul in the first reading reminds us how important it is for any and all of us to be open to the grace of God as it tries to communicate to us and through us the very reality and power of God in our lives, giving us boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him to the very mysteries of God. We are so very blessed; may we live like we deeply appreciate these blessings this day!

 

Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

  

Dec 3 - St Francis Xavier

+ Francis Xavier – (1506-52) - was one of the greatest missionaries in the history of the Church and is the patron saint of the foreign missions. He is known as the “apostle to the Indies and Japan.” He was born to the nobility of the Basque region of Spain and studied and taught philosophy at the University of Paris, and planned a career as a professor. But a friend, Ignatius of Loyola, convinced him to use his talents to spread the Gospel. He became one of the founding Jesuits, and the first Jesuit missionary. In Goa, India, while waiting to take ship, he preached in the street (often setting religious verse to popular tunes), worked with the sick, and taught children their catechism; he would walk through the streets ringing a bell to call the children to their studies. He is said to have converted the entire city.

 

Francis scolded his patron, King John of Portugal, over the slave trade: “You have no right to spread the Catholic faith while you take away all the country’s riches. It upsets me to know that at the hour of your death you may be ordered out of paradise.”

 

Becoming all things to all men – as encouraged by St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians - St. Francis Xavier became a tremendously successful missionary for ten years in India, the East Indies, and Japan, baptizing more than 40,000 converts. His epic finds him dining with headhunters, washing the sores of lepers in Venice, baptizing 10,000 in a single month. He tolerated the most appalling conditions on long sea voyages, enduring extremes of heat and cold.

 

Wherever he went he would seek out and help the poor and forgotten. He traveled thousands of miles, most on his bare feet and saw a greater part of the Far East. He had the gift of tongues, was a miracle worker, he raised people from the dead, calmed storms, was a prophet and a healer. He died on December 2, 1552 in China of a fever contracted on a missionary journey.

 

St. Ignatius was right in redirecting St. Francis Xavier’s vocation – focusing it more intently on what the Lord told all whom he called to do: go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. The Lord was with Francis and he will be with us as we do our part this day in spreading that same gospel to the people he puts in our path!

 

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.