A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 15, n. 3)
Advent Week 3: December 11-17, 2016
(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year C from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: December 4-10, 2016, 2016, please go to ARCHIVES Series 15 and click on “Advent Week 2”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: December 11-17, 2016.)
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December 11, 2016: SUNDAY – THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the One Who Is to Come”
BIBLICAL READINGS
Is 35:1-6a, 10 // Jas 5:7-10 // Mt 11:2-11
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 11:2-11): “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?”
On this Advent Sunday, traditionally called Gaudete Sunday, marked especially by a note of rejoicing in view of the forthcoming celebration of the birth of Jesus, we continue to focus our attention on “the one who is to come”. The joy that ensues from the advent into one’s life by the saving Lord Jesus, of which the Christian disciples are instruments, may be gleaned from a story narrated by Rebecca Manley Pippert (cf. “Somebody Loved Him” in Stories for the Heart, Multnomah Publishers: Sisters, Oregon, 1996, p. 233-236). The author writes about the sad plight of an eastern European Jew who spent five years in a concentration camp during World War II after his own wife traitorously tipped off the Gestapo. Released after the war, Jacob realized that he lost everything, even the hope of seeing his own son. His blood brother who had not seen him in years, refused to believe that the haggard, decrepit-looking bum at his door was really Jacob. As he lay dying on a park bench, a teenage girl came to his rescue. Here is R.M. Pippert’s account of the life-giving messianic mission of that kind-hearted Christian girl to Jacob.
Suddenly he heard a soft voice speaking to him. Jacob opened his eyes and to his astonishment he saw her looking at him with a compassion and sincerity that caught him off guard … “Sir, I was afraid to come over here, but I feel like God is nudging me to tell you something, before I get back on my bus. I wish I knew how to say it better but, well, sir, Jesus loves you. He loves you. He really does.” He looked at her in disbelief. This child was telling him that somebody in heaven loved him? After all the hell he had been through, all the indignity he had suffered, all the rage that had filled his soul for so many years … But as he looked up at her face he saw tears streaming down her cheeks, and to his astonishment he began to weep as well. “No one could love me, child. It’s too late for me,” he said between sobs. “No,” she replied urgently as she took his thin, gnarled hand into hers. “It’s not too late. God will gladly take you if only you’d let him. Just tell him that you want to. He will love you and help you.”
He said it was at that moment that he knew that Someone was reaching out to him through her … The girl and the friend who was with her helped him up and they took him by bus to the home where they were staying. The family nursed Jacob back to health for one entire year. During the course of that year they shared their faith, read to him from the Bible and prayed with him. Eventually what began as a dying man’s desperate invitation to God to take his life, became a total commitment of his life and soul to his Messiah … Jacob eventually found a good job, lived in his own apartment and went back to his brother and was reconciled. (…)
As long as I live I will never forget the expression on his face as he spoke of what Jesus meant to him. “It would have been so easy,” he said, “to have rejected that girl. To have chosen to harbor all the years of resentment and disillusionment in my heart. But to think that God reached out to me, gave me a home and a family who loved me, restored my health, and above all else, filled my heart with a gladness and joy I never knew was possible!”
The identity of that charitable girl and her family is undoubtedly “Christian”. They are so because they have discovered, known, and loved the person of Jesus as the saving Lord and have put this revelation into practice. This Sunday’s Gospel reading (Mt 11:2-11) is also about identity – an enormously greater one - the identity of “the one who is to come” and of his precursor, John the Baptist, “the one who prepares the way”. The Gospel reading is divided into two main parts: the first concerns John’s delegation to Jesus and the latter’s reply about his identity (v. 2-6); the second deals with the identity of John the Baptist as described by Jesus to the crowds (v. 7-11).
Since his arrest (cf. Mt 4:12), John the Baptist has been hearing of “the works of the Christ” (Mt 11:2). From prison, he sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” (Mt 11:3). According to modern exegetes, John the Baptist does not express complete doubt about Jesus, but perplexity that he is not the kind of Messiah he envisions. The answer of Jesus to the emissaries substantiate his messianic identity by enumerating his saving “works” in terms of the messianic expectations of ancient prophets, especially Isaiah (cf. Is 35:5-6; 61:1): “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them” (Mt 11:4-5). Indeed, by alluding to ancient messianic prophecies, Jesus asserts that the era of definitive salvation is joyfully breaking forth and being inaugurated. Rather than resort to violence and retribution, Jesus dedicates himself to compassionate works of beneficence, saving miracles and the proclamation of the Good News to the poor. In a marvelous and unexpected way, Jesus of Nazareth thus brings to fulfillment the messianic prophecies concerning “the one who is to come”.
The final words of Jesus to John’s emissaries are: “Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me” (Lk 11:6). Those who welcome Jesus as the radically new and perfect model of the savior-figure based primarily on mercy and compassion, and not on fiery judgment and authority, are truly blessed. Those who welcome Jesus as the healing Christ of the poor, and are not scandalized by the meek quality of his benevolent messiahship, will relish the blessing of salvation. Indeed, the messianic works that Jesus carried out on behalf of the anawim are signs that evoke a faith response. They solicit personal involvement from people in every time and space.
B. First Reading (Is 35:1-6a, 10): “God himself will come to save us.”
It was early springtime when I traveled by AMTRAK Train n. 14 from Los Angeles to San Jose, California. For two hours, from Oxnard until San Luis Obispo, the train was coursing through one of the most scenic spots in the world. On the left side was the immense Pacific Ocean with its peaceful water, while all over the hills, mountains and flat lands were myriads of flowers dripping with breath-taking beauty and poetic charm. This California landscape of water and flowers helps me contemplate vividly the nature image depicted by the prophet Isaiah in this Sunday’s Old Testament reading (Is 35:1-6a, 10).
The prophet’s beautiful image of “the flowering of the desert” announces God’s saving intervention on behalf of his long-suffering Jewish people. The splendor in nature was for Isaiah emblematic of the “newness” and glory that the advent of God would bring. Indeed, the fascinating panorama of the desert blooming and the parched land exulting with dancing flowers depict in anticipation the “miracles of life” to be accomplished by the coming Messiah. With consoling words, the prophet exhorts to joyful hope an enfeebled, frightened and discouraged people reeling from the terrible experience of invasion, war and the Babylonian exile: “Be strong, fear not! Here is your God; he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened; then will the lame leap like a stag; then the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness; sorrow and mourning will flee” (Is 35:4-6, 10).
The images of beauty in nature painted by the prophet intensify the saving reality fully realized by the advent of the life-giving Messiah. The paschal experience of the chosen people Israel and all those redeemed by Jesus Christ could be compared to the miracle of the blooming desert. Jesus makes the desert within us, arid and forlorn by bitterness, passion, anger, fear and sinful inclination, flow with life-giving water. He makes the sere and parched land of our weary spirits bloom with beauty and grace. In this Advent season of grace, we are being asked to focus on the messianic signs of healing and goodness that surround us. The Advent liturgy invites us to open our hearts to the “miracles of life” wrought by Jesus Christ, which confirmed to John the Baptist that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed “the one who is to come”. The healing works and saving deeds of Jesus are actions of life. They transcend time and space. They give us great comfort and joy and enable us to experience an exquisite flowering in the desert of our soul if only we are open to grace.
The following excerpt from Carla Emery’s story (cf. “Silent Prayer” in Guideposts, October 1989, p.42-44) tells of her healing – an experience akin to “the flowering of the desert”. Born mute, she was loved by her parents but utterly lonely and vulnerable to the cruel pranks of other children. Her grandmother’s visit one summer set her on the road to healing and helped bring about the blossoming of her soul. Carla’s tongue was finally loosened and she was able to speak the praises of God. She narrates:
I was fundamentally different. I was mute. That was why I’d been pushed into the goldfish pond; that was why the girl had dabbed red paint all over me. The red paint had worn off, but the unkindness that it represented marked my spirit. Then that summer, Grandmother came to visit us … Her snow-white hair softly framed a richly wrinkled face and glistened like a halo when we walked together in the sun.
She had time, you know, to admire flowers, pet neighborhood cats and talk with a mute granddaughter. “The flowers are so beautiful,” she’d say. And suddenly I noticed flowers. They mattered to me. We shared their scents and shapes and colors … Then one day she told me, “Carla there is someone called God.” I looked at her intently, for I had never heard of this someone. She told me about God, about divine goodness, divine love, perfection. She told this to the imperfect child and she acted as if I were as perfect as her perfect God. And she believed in it. (…)
A few days later, shortly before Grandmother returned to New York, she spoke to my mother. We sat at the kitchen table in the boardinghouse while Mom moved about, quickly putting the block of ice, just delivered, into the icebox to keep the food fresh. “Irma Ferne,” Grandmother said in a much firmer tone than usual, “you must have that child examined by a doctor.” I had not seen a doctor since my birth. As I mentioned, in those days of scrimping to make ends meet, healthy children didn’t get checkups. I didn’t feel ill; in fact, I’d never felt better. Grandmother’s loving attention had made those the most memorable days of my life and had started an inner flowering in my soul.
Shortly after, a kindly doctor poked around in my mouth, and then announced to Mother, “Oh, she’s tongue-tied. Very easy to fix.” A thin thread of tissue was holding my tongue flat against the bottom of my mouth. With a pair of small silver scissors, he snipped the piece of skin that had kept my tongue locked in place. There was no pain. “It’s fixed,” he told me. Just like that. And in two months, with the help of a lovely young speech therapist at the University of Washington, I was talking. And I’ve never stopped … My muteness made me understand the profound desire that we all have to speak our minds. It made me cherish the richness of human languages … I am amazed and thrilled by all of the ways we have of talking with one another.
But by far the most amazing communication is that of the spirit. Years ago my grandmother introduced me to God, who is always listening. Even when no one else hears, He does.
C. Second Reading (Jas 5:7-10): “Make your hearts firm because the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
The Second Reading (Jas 5:7-10) gives deeper insight into the mystery of Advent. The Lord’s coming is likened to the “precious fruit of the earth” patiently awaited by the farmer. The mystery of the Lord’s coming, with its fruit of “healing joy”, unfolds slowly and progressively in the vast field of salvation history. As the farmer patiently waits for the autumn and spring rains and the precious crops that the watered earth would bring, so too we must keep our hopes high and be patient till the Lord is come.
The patient waiting of a farmer for the rains and the fruits of the earth does not mean inactivity, complacency or lack of initiative. The farmer tills the soil, sows the seeds, pulls the weeds, etc. He must labor; otherwise there is no harvest. God does his part; we must do ours. Like the hard-working farmer, we too must toil patiently and zealously to promote the advent of God’s kingdom on earth.
The following inspiring article from our local newspaper warmed my heart and made me joyful (cf. Linda Zavoral, “Back in Bloom” in San Jose Mercury News, August 12, 2010, p.1, 8), especially since it deals with a neighborhood garden close to our convent here in San Jose. The transformed garden underlines the importance of patient toil and human endeavor. The “healing” of the neglected San Jose rose garden gives us a glimpse on how to labor patiently, creatively and fruitfully as a community for the advent of God’s kingdom.
Hey, Portland and Pasadena! There’s a new queen of roses. Just a few years after being put on horticultural probation, the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden has not only salvaged its reputation but will be named today as “America’s Best Rose Garden”, beating out more than 130 public rose gardens nationwide. In the process, it’s become a model for how to care for a community garden at a time of declining government and park budgets. (…)
All-America Selections, which also accredits gardens, put the disheveled San Jose garden on probation in 2005 and then noted its transformation by lifting the probation status in 2008.
“The amazing work that the Friends of San Jose Rose Garden, the volunteers and park staff have done to turn the garden around is truly wonderful”, said Henry Conklin, the Arizona-based president of All-America Rose Selections. “Their spirit, creativity and love of roses is emblematic of why the America’s Best Rose garden competition was created.”
News of the award, which will be announced officially today, thrilled flower enthusiasts and civic leaders alike. “I’m just ecstatic that we’ve gone from a park that was on probation – and frankly with weeds taller than I am – to the No. 1 rose garden in the U.S.”, said San Jose Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, whose district includes the rose garden. (…)
In 2007, Oliverio suggested that the city outsource its garden maintenance to a private contractor – a failed proposal that upset union workers and ignited volunteer efforts by local rose enthusiasts Terry Reilly and Beverly Rose Hopper. They co-founded the Friends of the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. Oliverio said Wednesday evening that both the volunteers and city staffers deserve the credit for the transformation. The key, Reilly said, was in getting people to understand how passionate gardeners are about their hobby and then channeling that interest. “Some people hike (for recreation). Some bike. They walk their dogs. Some like to garden, pull weeds and pick roses.”
Volunteers now average a total of 150 hours a week and thousands of hours since the group was formed in 2007. To assuage city fears about just anybody stopping by to prune or weed, the group trains volunteers and issues official vests to those who pass muster. It’s not unusual to see a vested volunteer or two or three toiling just after 8 a.m., when the garden opens, or at dusk, close to closing time, Reilly said … “This award is a fabulous demonstration of how important volunteers are to our community”, Hopper said. “They’re priceless, really.”
Now other gardens around the country are looking to replicate San Jose’s success with volunteers. Reilly and Hopper have been approached for advice by the people who run Sacramento’s McKinley Park Rose Garden, the Morcom Rose Garden in Oakland and an 800-plant garden, the Walnut Hill Park Rose Garden that opened this year in New Britain, Connecticut.
Kate McCue, the Connecticut project coordinator, proposed resurrecting a 1929 rose garden that had thrived until city budget cuts in the 1980s left it to grow wild. It was ultimately plowed under. The city said the restoration was OK – if McCue and her Friends group could raise private money and handle garden maintenance. “I modeled it after the volunteer project that San Jose has run so successfully”, McCue said. “We’ve modeled everything – the training, the supervised hours, the parties. It’s worked so well here. I’ve made no secret of the fact that San Jose has been one of the critical advisers in the success of our garden.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
At times, do we challenge Jesus with the blunt question: “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another”? Do we continue to “hear and see” the following messianic miracles in daily life: “the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them”? How do we “prepare the way of the Lord”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Father,
the prophet Isaiah’s image of “the flowering desert”
gives us deep joy and great consolation.
The beauty of a transformed nature
is a sign of the radical “newness”
that the coming of Jesus Christ brings into our life.
Like blossoming flowers in the desert,
may we open our hearts to the “miracles of life”
wrought by his paschal sacrifice.
Give us the grace to hasten
the definitive advent of his kingdom in today’s world.
May we participate intimately
in his healing ministry and liberating power
so that we may open the eyes of the blind,
clear the ears of the deaf,
make the lame leap like a stag,
loosen the tongue of the mute,
bring the exile back to their home
and transform the parched land of modern unbelief
into a blossoming desert.
We thank you and adore you
for you are our loving and compassionate God,
now and forever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“Are you the one who is to come?” (Mt 11:3)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
During this Advent week make an effort to replicate in your life of prayer, love and service the messianic work: “the poor had the good news proclaimed to them”. Pay particular attention to the needs of the disaster-stricken and the world community.
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December 12, 2016: MONDAY – OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (U.S.A.)
“JESUS SAVIOR: The Woman Clothed with the Sun Foretells His Final Advent”
BIBLE READINGS
Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab // Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s First Reading from the Book of Revelation (11:19a; 12:1-61, 10ab) depicts a “great sign in the sky” – a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. The image of a woman in childbirth is used to describe creative acts that involve time and sacrifice in order to be brought to full maturity. The heavenly vision of the woman in labor in the Book of Revelation evokes the painful and challenging process of the birth of Christ in the hearts of the faithful, as well as Mary’s vital role in the birthing of the Church. Moreover, the vision of “the woman clothed with the sun” foretells the final and victorious conflict and the glorious Advent of Jesus Savior at the end time.
The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 7, remark: “Because of her role in relationship to her Son, the faithful, and the community, Mary is the image of the Church that is still giving faithful birth to believers, and which is already in glory in heaven with God … The joy of the Virgin of Bethlehem is inseparable from the pain of the mother who watched her Son die on the cross at Calvary. She followed a path that led to the paschal climax quite similar to that of her Son.”
Today in the countries of the Americas, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe which recalls the apparitions of Mary at the hill of Tepeyac from December 9-12, 1531, to Juan Diego, a native convert. The image of an expectant mother, “clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” was miraculously impressed in the cloak of Juan Diego. The following account is from a report by Don Antonio Valeriano, a Native American author of the 16th Century.
At daybreak one Saturday morning in 1531, on the very first days of the month of December, an Indian named Juan Diego was going from the village where he lived to Tlatelolco in order to take part in divine worship and listen to God’s commandments. When he came near the hill Tepeyac, dawn had already come, and Juan Diego heard someone calling him from the very top of the hill: “Juanito, Juan Dieguito”.
He went up the hill and caught sight of a lady of unearthly grandeur whose clothing was as radiant as the sun. She said to him in words both gentle and courteous: “Juanito, the humblest of my children, know and understand that I am the ever virgin Mary, Mother of the true God through whom all things live. It is my ardent desire that a church be erected here so that in it I can show and bestow my love, compassion, help, and protection to all who inhabit this land and to those others who love me, that they might call upon and confide in me. Go to the Bishop of Mexico to make known to him what I greatly desire. Go and put all your efforts into this.”
When Juan Diego arrived in the presence of the Bishop Fray Juan de Zumarraga, a Franciscan, the latter did not seem to believe Juan Diego and answered: “Come another time, and I will listen at leisure.”
Juan Diego returned to the hilltop where the Heavenly Lady was waiting and he said to her: “My Lady, my maiden, I presented your message to the Bishop, but it seemed that he did not think it was true. For this reason I beg you to entrust your message to someone more illustrious who might convey it in order that they might believe it, for I am only an insignificant man.”
She answered: “Humblest of my sons, I ask that tomorrow you again go to see the Bishop and tell him that I, the ever virgin holy Mary, Mother of God, am the one who personally sent you.”
But on the following day, Sunday, the Bishop again did not believe Juan Diego and told him that some sign was necessary so that he could believe that it was the Heavenly Lady herself who sent him. And then he dismissed Juan Diego.
On Monday Juan Diego did not return. His uncle, Juan Bernardino, became very ill, and at night asked Juan to go to Tlatelolco at daybreak to call a priest to hear his confession.
Juan Diego set out on Tuesday, but he went around the hill and passed on the other side, toward the east, so as to arrive quickly in Mexico City to avoid being detained by the Heavenly Lady. But she came out to meet him on that side of the hill and said to him: “Listen and understand, my humblest son. There is nothing to frighten and distress you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and let nothing upset you. Is it not I, your Mother, who is here? Are you not under my protection? Are you not, fortunately, in my care? Do not let you uncle’s illness distress you. It is certain that he has already been cured. Go up to the hilltop, my son, where you will find flowers of various kinds. Cut them, and bring them into my presence.”
When Juan Diego reached the peak, he was astonished that so many Castilian roses had burst forth at a time when the frost was severe. He carried the roses in the folds of his tilma (mantle) to the Heavenly Lady. She said to him: “My son, this is the proof and the sign which you will bring to the Bishop so that he will see my will in it. You are my ambassador, very worthy of trust.”
Juan Diego set out on his way, now content and sure of succeeding. On arriving in the Bishop’s presence, he told him: “My lord, I did what you asked. The Heavenly Lady complied with your request and fulfilled it. She sent me to the hilltop to cut some Castilian roses and told me to bring them to you in person. And this I am doing, so that you can see in them the sign you seek in order to carry out her will. Here they are; receive them.”
He immediately opened up his white mantle, and as all the different Castilian roses scattered to the ground, there was drawn on the cloak and suddenly appeared the precious image of the ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the same manner as it is today and is kept in her shrine of Tepeyac.
The whole city was stirred and came to see and admire her venerable image and to offer prayers to her; and following the command which the same Heavenly Lady gave to Juan Bernardino when she restored him to health, they called her by the name she herself had used: “the ever virgin holy Mary of Guadalupe”.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How does the sign of “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet and wearing a crown of twelve stars” affect you? What message can you glean from the image of a woman in labor to give birth to a child? What Marian image do you find most significant?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Pope John Paul II’s Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe)
O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the true God and Mother of the Church!
You, who from this place revealed your clemency and your pity
to all those who ask for your protection:
hear the prayer that we address to you with filial trust,
and present it to your Son Jesus, our sole Redeemer.
Mother of Mercy, Teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice,
to you, who come to meet us sinners,
we dedicate on this day, all our being and all our love.
We also dedicate to you
our life, our work, our joys, our infirmities, and our sorrows.
Grant peace, justice and prosperity to our peoples;
for we entrust to your care all that we have and all that we are,
our Lady and Mother.
We wish to be entirely yours
and to walk with you along the way
of complete faithfulness to Jesus Christ in His Church:
hold us always with your loving hand.
Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas,
we pray to you for all the bishops,
that they may lead the faithful
along paths of intense Christian life,
of love and humble service of God and souls.
Contemplate this immense harvest,
and intercede with the Lord
that He may instill a hunger for holiness in the whole People of God,
and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious,
strong in faith and zealous dispensers of God’s mysteries.
Grant to our homes
the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings,
with the same love with which you conceived in your womb
the life of the Son of God.
Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fair Love,
protect our families, so that they may always be united,
and bless the upbringing of our children.
Our hope, look upon us with compassion,
teach us to go continually to Jesus
and, if we fall, help us to rise again, to return to Him,
by means of the confession of our faults and sins
in the Sacrament of Penance, which gives peace to the soul.
We beg you to grant us a great love for all the holy Sacraments,
which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left on earth.
Thus, Most Holy Mother,
with the peace of God in our conscience,
with our hearts free from evil and hatred,
we will be able to bring to all true joy and true peace,
which comes to us from your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit,
lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Rv 12:1)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By our acts of charity and sacrifice for the poor and vulnerable, let us participate with Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the ongoing mystery of the “birthing of the Church”.
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December 13, 2016: TUESDAY – SAINT LUCY, Virgin, Martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Invites Us to Say YES”
BIBLE READINGS
Zep 3:1-2, 9-13 // Mt 21:28-32
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 21:28-32): “John came and sinners believed in him.”
In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 21:28-32), Jesus underlines the contrasting response of two sons to their father’s command. The response of the first son, who promised to obey but did nothing, indicates the Jewish leaders’ refusal of the kingdom value proclaimed both by John the Baptist and Jesus. The response of the second son, who repented and obeyed, indicates the conversion experience of sinners and their embrace of the kingdom of God.
Advent is a time for conversion and new beginning. Jesus comes into our life to make us a new creation. But we need to welcome him and say “Yes” to his loving endeavor to renew God’s life within us. What joy our conversion entails; great is the comfort it brings! The following charming article can help us experience the awesome nature of conversion-transformation (cf. Mike McGarvin, POVERELLO NEWS, October 2011, p. 1).
One family that comes to Poverello has a little girl who is really out of control. A while ago, she entered the Pov dining room with her mom and siblings, spotted me, and, screaming like a banshee, came running up to me and side-kicked me in a very sensitive spot. Needless to say, I wouldn’t let that girl get within five feet of me after that. One day, I realized that the family hadn’t been in to eat in a long time. After that excruciating kick, I wasn’t too sad about their absence.
Not too long ago, they reappeared. While I wasn’t looking, the girl slipped up behind me. When I turned, I was initially shocked to see her (and, I might add, a little scared). Then she did what I never would have expected: she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a big hug. It was hard to believe that it was the same child.
B. First Reading (Zep 3:1-2, 9-13): “Messianic salvation is promised to all of the poor.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Zep 3:1-2, 9-13) depicts Jerusalem’s sin and redemption. The Lord condemns Jerusalem as a corrupt, rebellious city that oppresses its own people. Jerusalem does not listen to the Lord nor put trust in him. Indeed, its leaders exploit the people shamelessly and in the face of this bad example, the people have also deteriorated. God’s punishment will come upon the people. The harsh punishment is not meant for total destruction, but for the conversion of the people. The prophet’s messianic vision is the gathering of nations who will no longer pray to other gods, but to the Lord God alone. Zephaniah also speaks of the “remnant” of Israel, a people humble and lowly, who turn to God for help. The chastised “remnant” will be totally renewed. They will do no wrong to anyone, tell no lies nor try to deceive. For them the Lord alone suffices. They shall know peace and prosperity.
Zephaniah’s vision of the restoration of God’s people and his triumph over the nations fills our Advent season with hope. The following personal testimony illustrates that God’s care for the “remnant” continues to live on even in the present day (cf. Marci Alborghetti in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 228).
“For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly …” (Zep 3:12)
When I started the St James Literary Society at the homeless shelter, I had plans for structure, rules, you name it. Reality soon set in. Our book club became as messy as the lives of those of us in it.
Everything was on the table!
Once I abandoned my hope for an organized, structured forum, I opened myself up more to these people than to anyone in my life. They honored me by honoring the favor.
I insisted that we end every meeting with a prayer. Not everyone identified as Christians, although most were familiar with the higher power of twelve-step programs. It took a little doing to get them to hold hands. I tried to make the prayers personal, including each person’s particular needs. There were men and women standing in the circle, heads bowed, eyes closed, hands clasped. They’d stood up, put out their cigarettes, stopped jittering. They were addicts, dealers, poor in spirit and body, ill, hungry, worried, ex-convicts, angry, hurt, victims of injustice. And because I’d asked them, we were praying.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What is my response to the loving saving initiative of God through his Son Jesus Christ: a “Yes, but No”, a “No, but Yes”, or a “Yes, absolutely Yes” response? Do I believe that God’s plan for us is benevolent – that he would restore us to himself?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
we have failed you and our heavenly Father many times.
Give us the grace to respond positively
to the Father’s saving will.
Transform our “No, but Yes” response
into a “Yes, absolutely Yes” response.
Count us among the “remnant”
who put their trust in you.
Help us hasten the definitive advent of your glorious kingdom
by our service of justice, peace and truth.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
You live and reign, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“He changed his mind and went.” (Mt 21: 29) // “I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly.” (Zep 3:12)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Participate in the Rite of Reconciliation during the Advent season. Offer your counsel and guiding hand to those who have lost their moral compass and are struggling to preserve their personal integrity. In order to deepen in us the spirit of lowliness that characterizes the “remnant” of God’s people, make an effort to spend some quiet moment in silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.
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December 14, 2016: WEDNESDAY – SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS, Priest, Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Works Give Witness to Him”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25 // Lk 7:18b-23
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 7:18b-23): “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard.”
The air was charged with messianic expectation. John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus whether he was “the one who is to come” or should they expect someone else. John’s emissaries witnessed for themselves Jesus giving sight to the blind and healing people from ills. Jesus sent them back to John with a command to report what they had seen and heard: the blind could see, the lame could walk, the lepers were made clean, the deaf could hear, and the Good News was preached to the poor. The wondrous works of Jesus testified that he was indeed the longed-for Messiah – the promised Savior who would bring life and salvation.
Advent is a season to contemplate and participate in the messianic works of Jesus. It is a season of thankfulness for Christ’s healing power and the Gospel joy. This season of grace calls us to carry on Christ’s compassionate ministry and saving works to our families, society and the entire creation.
The following article gives us an idea of what we can do to make the Advent of the Church a time of service to a larger society (cf. Gary Richards, “Cleanup Draws Crowds” in San Jose Mercury News, November 20, 2011, Section B, p.1, 6).
Saturday morning broke brisk, the sky a clear Bay Area blue. Another beautiful day loomed ahead – except along our trashy freeways: fast-food wrappers, coffee cups, beer cans, clothes, cigarette cartons, tattered sleeping bags, torn tents and some mysterious, smelly dark stuff. But not for long! More than 200 volunteers swarmed over six South Bay freeways to pick up litter – and another 200 are headed out Sunday.
A San Jose group called Beautiful Day pitched the idea to Caltrans recently for a massive weekend cleanup that the Bay Area has never seen before, promising 400 volunteers. The group delivered. … People signed up in droves … people such as Linda Hoskins, 52, and her husband, Clay Nelson, 63, of San Jose. Along with several other volunteers, they worked the area around El Camino Real and Highway 85 for 2˝ hours. “Our freeways are filthy and I complained all the time, she said. “Complaining is not helping. Then we read about this in your column and discovered a way to do something.”
B. First Reading (Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25): “Let the clouds rain down.”
The reading (Is 45:6c, 18, 21c-25) is punctuated by the repeated affirmations: “I am the Lord and there is no other … I am God: there is no other.” It underlines God’s unique sovereignty and his ineffable ways. In response to the people’s urgent plea for salvation, God makes use of the Gentile King Cyrus to save Israel. This may disconcert the sages, but God forcefully reminds us that he is the creator of the heavens and the designer and maker of the earth, the master of all things, the source of light and darkness, of peace and woe. He can turn into good the evil that befalls and chastises his chosen people. The Lord God wills to save his people and the people all over the world. He urges them to turn to him and be saved. He will rescue all the descendants of Israel and they will give him glory and praise.
Today’s Old Testament reading contains the haunting prayer of a people in distress: “Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth: let justice also spring up.” Israel, the people in Exile, prays for “justice” and “salvation” from their enemies. In preparing the Vulgate Bible, Saint Jerome translated the “justice” and “salvation” of the Hebrew text as proper names: the “Just One” and the “Savior”. This lives on in the Church liturgy as the beautiful invocation: “Let the clouds rain down the Just One and the earth bring forth a Savior” (cf. the Responsorial Psalm of today’s Mass).
The Advent invocation, “Heavens drop dew from above” evokes beautiful images of dew drops. When I was a young aspirant at our convent in Antipolo, I delighted to see dew drops sparkling on the greenish-golden fruits of the papaya, on the green blades of the carabao grass in the front lawn, and on the fresh blossoms of roses in the garden. Above all, this prayer evokes the advent of Jesus Christ, the “Just One” and the “Savior”, who bedews us from above.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we participate in Christ’s ongoing messianic works in the world? Do we heartily proclaim the Gospel and confirm it with our service to the poor and vulnerable?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you continue to be our Savior.
We are your arms and hands
- the channels of your peace and redeeming works.
Make us docile instruments of your grace
so that the blind may see,
the lame may walk,
the lepers may be cleansed,
the deaf may hear,
and the Good News may be preached to the poor.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“Go and tell what you have seen and heard.” (Lk 7:22) // “Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above … Let the earth open and salvation bud forth.” (Is 45:8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for all those who hasten the final advent of our Lord Jesus Christ by their messianic works on behalf of today’s poor and vulnerable. Be personally involved in the Gospel proclamation and in the service of those who are in greatest need in our society.
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December 15, 2016: THURSDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (3)
“JESUS SAVIOR: John the Baptist Is His Precursor”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 54:1-10 // Lk 7:24-30
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 7:24-30): “John is the messenger who prepares the way of the Lord.”
Jesus gives a glowing description of John the Baptist: not a wavering reed but a staunch prophet, and not just a prophet, but the Messiah’s forerunner. John prepares the way of the Lord. As precursor, he points out and designates the Messiah to the crowds, challenging them to conversion.
Blessed James Alberione remarks: “Let us now consider our preparation for Christmas … Our preparation involves a negative aspect … John the Baptist was commanded to preach in the desert. So he went throughout the country along the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with Isaiah’s prophecy: A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord (Is 40:3) … Let us set ourselves in God’s way. The first disposition certainly is to take away evil: rectify the sentiments, the thoughts and the will. Let us surrender our will to God and seek only and always the divine will. And what is in store for us? Every valley shall be filled … There is much emptiness in our hearts. Fill it up … The Lord comes to bring us graces … Hence, two points: take away what impedes grace; second, prepare the way of grace.”
In this Advent season, let us continue John the Baptist’s mission to prepare the way of the Lord. Let us prepare an environment that is conducive to conversion. Let us live our Christian life with personal dedication that people may be inspired and yearn deeply for Christ. By our personal witnessing and ministries, let us bring people close to Christ. When my terminally ill brother Gisbert was at the Palliative Care Unit of Brampton Hospital in Toronto, his friend at church would come every evening to read to him Bible passages, which were powerfully comforting. He was preparing my brother to meet Jesus Savior at the hour of death. By his spiritual ministry, Gisbert’s friend was a modern John the Baptist and for this, we were grateful.
B. First Reading (Is 54:1-10): “Like a forsaken wife, the Lord has called you back.”
The reading (Is 54:1-10) is filled with primal images of misery and desolation: barrenness, abandoned wife, broken marriage, deluge, etc. Within this context of hopelessness, the Lord God wills to create a new future for exiled Israel and outcasts. God’s “enduring love” calls back the “forsaken wife” – the unfaithful people of Israel. Their experience of Exile is similar to the catastrophic deluge in the days of Noah brought about by disobedience. Having abandoned them momentarily because of their sins, the compassionate God now establishes a “covenant of peace” with Israel. The merciful God assures his people that his love will never leave them.
The following prayer written by a kid at the Chapel of the Covenant House, an institute that gives refuge to homeless teenagers, gives insight into the “covenant of peace” that the saving God brings into our life (cf. Sister Mary Rose McGeady, Sometimes God Has a Kid’s Face, Washington D.C.: Covenant House, 2010, p. 40).
Dear Lord,
Please give me the strength to go on
through my stay at Covenant House.
Give me the wisdom and the knowledge
to do what is right and not wrong.
And please give me the strength
to make the right decisions
about the things that occur.
I know I haven’t been making the right decisions,
but I’d like to better that.
Life has not been easy for me through these times,
but I know you will give me the strength to go on
for I believe I you and all you say and do.
Amen.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Are we willing to accept the task and challenge of preparing the way of the Lord? In this Advent season what do we do to overcome the impediments to grace? What do we do to prepare the way of grace?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
your coming was foretold by the prophets.
John the Baptist prepared the way for your coming.
Help us to overcome our resistances to grace.
Teach us to welcome your continuing advent
in the Church and in the world.
Transform us by your grace
and like John the Baptist,
may we inspire others
to commit themselves to you, our longed for Savior.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“He will prepare your way.” (Lk 7:27) // “My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken.” (Is 54:10)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the courage and strength needed by Christian disciples to prepare the way of the Lord in today’s fragmented world. By your personal integrity and acts of justice and charity to the people around you, create an environment that is more conducive to grace and conversion.
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December 16, 2016: FRIDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (3)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the True Light”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 56:1-3a, 6-8 // Jn 5:33-36
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 5:33-36): “John was a burning and shining lamp.”
The Advent of the Church is a time of witnessing. In today’s Gospel (Jn 5:33-36), we hear that John the Baptist is an exemplary witness to Christ. He is a burning and shining lamp pointing to the true light, Jesus Christ. He exposes the dark sinful recesses of our hearts and drenches the world with luminous light so that we may see Christ. Though John’s testimony is valuable, Jesus asserts that he has a witness greater than John. God the Father is Jesus’ absolute witness. The works that Jesus has done through divine power reveal that God loves us and wants to save us.
In this Advent season, let us manifest by our words and deeds the saving power of God. Like John the Baptist, let our lives be “burning and shining lamps” that radiate the light of Christ. The holiness of the Lebanese hermit Saint Sharbel was such that God was pleased to grant him the miracle of the “burning and shining lamp” (cf. Marilyn Raschka, “A Saint without Borders” in One magazine, July 2009, p. 30-33).
St. Sharbel ranks among Lebanon’s most celebrated religious men. During his life, the hermit performed numerous miracles and inspired the lives of those who sought his counsel. (…) St. Sharbel’s most famous miracle was his first, which involved an old oil lamp. One evening at the monastery, Sharbel asked to have his oil lamp refilled. Two attendants decided to play a trick on the young monk, and filled the lamp with water instead of oil. The attendants then watched Sharbel through a crack in the wooden door to his cell. When they saw Sharbel light the lamp, they whispered to one another in amazement, catching the attention of another monk. Hearing the men’s story, the monk entered Sharbel’s cell. He then extinguished Sharbel’s lamp and tried, unsuccessfully, to relight it using the flame from his own lamp. He removed the wick from Sharbel’s lamp and tasted the liquid. Convinced that it was water, he handed the lamp back to Sharbel, who, again, successfully lighted the lamp before the others’ eyes.
B. First Reading (Is 56:1-3a, 6-8): “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
The Old Testament reading (Is 56:1-3a, 6-8) from the third section of the book of Isaiah (chapters 56-66) gives us an expansive and refreshing concept of salvation: the house of God is “a house of prayer for all peoples”. According to this prophetic vision, salvation depends first and foremost on the person’s loving and humble attitude toward the Lord God and not per se on membership in the Jewish people. Those who are faithful to God’s covenant and keep the Sabbath will be brought to his holy mountain and experience the joy of participating in his “house of prayer”. Probably written after the Babylonian exile, about six centuries before Christ, salvation is presented as universal and the divine benevolence extended to all peoples. Indeed, God’s acceptance of “foreigners” expands the boundaries of the worshipping community of Israel and foreshadows the future “catholic” – universal- mission of the Church.
I share below one of my most intense personal experiences of the “catholic” Church. It is an Easter experience that could be relished in Advent or in any other season of the year.
It was in the early 1980’s when I had a chance to attend for the first time the Easter Sunday Mass with the Pope at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City. I was with a visiting Italian PDDM sister who had worked in Latin America for many years. We were there with myriads of people from different nations and cultures - all patiently waiting for the Mass to begin. I was shivering from the dampness and chill of a steady spring shower, but I was awed by the reality that I was in a “house of prayer” without frontiers. I was looking at the immense sky, feeling the gentle raindrops on my face and beholding the various faces of the peoples of the earth aglow with Easter joy.
When Pope John Paul II greeted us and began the Mass, I forgot how cold I was and simply focused on the beauty and glory of being an Easter people – of the great privilege and dignity of worshipping in the house of God. After the Mass and with the spring sunshine finally enveloping us, the Holy Father extended his Easter greetings to the entire world in about a hundred languages. That was a “catholic” experience I would never forget!
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we endeavor to live an exemplary life of holiness and service so as to radiate the saving light of Christ to the world of today?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
fill us with the radiance of your life and love.
Like your forerunner John the Baptist,
may we be “burning and shining lamps”
to expose the dark recesses of sins
and invite people to conversion.
Let us bathe the world with your saving light
so that people from all nations and cultures
may welcome you as the redeeming Lord of all.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“John was a burning and shining lamp.” (Jn 5:35a) // “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Is 56:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the followers of Christ may radiate his saving light especially in difficult and crisis situations. By your compassionate words and deeds, let the people of today experience the joy-giving light that is Jesus Christ.
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December 17, 2016: SATURDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (3)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is from the Tribe of Judah”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 49:2, 8-10 // Mt 1:1-17
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 1:1-17): “The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David”
In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 1:1-17), the evangelist Matthew presents the family tree of Jesus, which includes rich and pauper, noble and ignoble, mighty and vulnerable, sinners and saints. Jesus is fully human, sharing the burdens and joys of our humanity.
Fr. Patrick Hannon remarks: “We live in a world of nations, tribes and people. The lines that divide us, the walls that protect us, the searing memories of war and want and wounds too often define us and keep us all at a fearful distance from one another. Into this walled world God came. He was a son of Abraham, son of David, son of Mary. And though he was of the Jewish tribe, Jesus came to erase the tribal lines that divide us and to remind us of the one tribe, the one race to which we all belong: the human race. It is our humanity that unites us and helps us to see who we are beyond the boundaries of nation, tribe, religion, and culture. It is Jesus who reminds us that the one thing we have in common with God is our humanity.”
When I was assigned in Mumbai, India in the 1980s, one Sister invited me to go with her to see a Muslim landlord, who graciously welcomed us. It was a hot day. When we were seated, we were each served a glass of refreshing water – an exquisite sign of hospitality. How beautiful it is to live peacefully and harmoniously with one another – whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, religious and ideological differences!
B. First Reading (Gn 49:2, 8-10): “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.”
This happened in 1964. I was riding a bus which got stuck in traffic close to Malacanang, the Philippine presidential palace. Suddenly a group of motor guards appeared and cleared the way for a limousine. I held my breath when I saw the VIP being chauffeured - a very beautiful lady dressed in a pink Filipino gown. Later I realized that the “very beautiful” lady was Gemma Cruz, the newly crowned “Miss International”. That afternoon she was going to Malacanang to be feted by the First Lady, Mrs. Eva Macapagal. Gemma is beauty and brains. She has a heart for the poor. She donated the $10,000 prize money she received when she became Miss International to the “Asilo” for the street kids of Manila. She later became the Curator of the Philippine National Museum. Moreover, Gemma is the great-grand niece of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero. Rizal must have been very proud of his progeny “beauty queen”.
Today’s Advent readings likewise depict an awesome royal progeny, Jesus Christ, the son of David and the offspring of Judah. The Old Testament reading (Gn 49:2, 8-10) contains the farewell address of the dying Jacob who was blessing his sons. In his blessing of Judah, the patriarch foreshadows the privileged destiny the tribe of Judah would enjoy when King David comes to power. The royal power and immense authority of David, however, point to a deeper reality: the infinite authority and the fullness of kingship of his descendant Jesus Christ, the savior of the world and the king of the universe. In Jesus Christ, Jacob’s prophetic blessing is fulfilled: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, while tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people’s homage.” Let us welcome the advent of Christ’s kingdom of truth and life, of sanctity and grace, of love, justice and peace.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we value our interconnectedness and our belonging to the family of human race? What do we do to promote human solidarity in the name of Jesus?
2. Do we allow Christ, the king of justice and peace, to come into our hearts and to rule over us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God.
You assumed our human nature
and became like us in everything except sin.
Help us to value our belonging to the human family.
Teach us to be truly grateful for the astounding mystery
of “Emmanuel – God with us”.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
***
Loving Father,
we thank you for the “scepter of Judah”
that finds fulfillment in your Son Jesus Christ.
He is the king of all ages.
Let him reign over us
that we may experience the fullness of truth and life,
of sanctity and grace,
of love, justice and peace.
He lives and reigns, forever and ever.
Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the CONTEMPLATIO
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham ….” (Mt 1:1) // “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” (Gen 49:10)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for peace in the world and a deeper solidarity among the children of God. By your deeds of justice, endeavor to promote the common good, contribute to the unity of peoples and nations and the definitive advent of God upon the earth. // Treat the people around you with great respect and integrity befitting a “kingly people”.
***
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US