A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 19, n. 5)
Christmas Season: December 27 – January 2, 2020
(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 from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: December 20-26, 2020 please go to ARCHIVES Series 19 and click on “Advent Week 4 - Christmas”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY:
December 27, 2020 – January 2, 2021.)
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December 27, 2020: THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Makes Us Belong to the Family of God”
BIBLE READINGS
Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3 // Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 // Lk 2:22-40
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
This Sunday’s liturgy is an invitation not only to cherish the gift of the Holy Family of Nazareth and its inspiration for our own natural families, but also to promote the reality of a wider and more inclusive family – the family of God. This great family of God was generated by the Christmas-Easter mystery of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and the radical saving event of his passion, death and resurrection. Jesus Savior, a descendant of the patriarch Abraham, was born in Bethlehem and became an integral part of a domestic family in Nazareth - the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - to unite all humankind into the one family of God.
Aelred Rosser comments: “The word family is one of the richest in our language. We use it to mean many different things, many kinds of relationships, many degrees of kinship, both distant and intimate … It is in the widest sense of family that we see the true meaning of today’s feast. For the emphasis is not so much on Mary, Joseph and Jesus in Nazareth as it is on the family of God, we who have become one family in the miracle of Christmas. The Word became flesh. The creator of all human beings became a human being – uniting us to each other in the most intimate and inclusive family ever known in human history … A very special notion of family permeates the first reading. We still refer to Abraham, as our father in faith … In faith we are the descendants of faithful Abraham, and so are brothers and sisters the world over … To the degree that we fail to recognize every human being as a member of one family, we fail to understand God’s irrevocable plan.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3) depicts a very special family – Abraham and Sarah, and their offspring Isaac, born from a miracle of faith. This ancient family became instruments of God’s saving plan, even and especially in the face of impossible and extremely difficult situations. By faith, a whole new race of descendants sprang forth from the “seed” of Abraham, who was advanced in years when Isaac was promised to him by God. With the birth of Isaac from the formerly barren womb of Abraham’s elderly wife Sarah, the long line of heirs resulting from God’s covenant with the patriarch began. From Abraham’s lineage would issue the Messiah - Jesus Christ, the “salvation” prepared by God in the sight of all peoples, the “light of revelation” to the nations.
Abraham’s tremendous faith response to God’s ongoing and progressive initiative to make a “family of nations” from his “seed” is underlined in the second reading of today’s liturgy (Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19). The patriarch responded wholeheartedly to the loving and faithful God who called him to journey into the “unknown”, who inspired him to believe in the divine promise of inheritance, and lastly, who challenged him to sacrifice the very pledge of that inheritance. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance … By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age and Sarah herself was sterile … By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”
The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 1, explicate: “Faith, therefore, is totally and completely placing oneself in the hands of God, not in blind obedience, but with the assurance of having a bond with him. It establishes a communion with God, wherein God’s promise and the destiny of the one who believes in his word are intertwined, and will always be so, no matter what happens. It allows one to walk in the right direction with the humble –sometimes painful – confidence, as if we could see the invisible.”
Against the backdrop of the faith response manifested by Abraham and the role played by his ancient family in salvation history, we see in the Gospel reading (Lk 2:22-40) the tremendous importance of the Holy Family of Nazareth in preparing the universal “family of God”. In the faith response of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to God’s mysterious saving design for humanity, we see an irrevocable movement towards the formation of God’s family. Indeed, the more our vision is enlightened by faith and our actions animated by it, the more the human race will become a “family” - the “family of God”.
Harold Buetow remarks: “We will become the family of humanity, the family of church, the family of God when all the stereotypes are gone, when all the ancient grudges and prejudices and fears are gone – when we look at ourselves and every human being as a family member, each one of us … We balk, we scoff, but then we let faith take over and become channels of grace in spite of ourselves. There is no better example for us to follow than Jesus, of course. Jesus saw great potential in the weak and the sinful, the odd and the outcast. He also saw potential in the proud and obstinate, the coldhearted and the cynical, the angry and the resentful. He could do this – and we too – because he saw that pride is really insecurity, obstinacy is really fear, hard-heartedness and cynicism and resentment are simply pain in disguise. By faith, we see through such disguises and recognize ourselves behind all of them.”
In his Christmas Message 2008 to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Cardinal Roger Mahony speaks of the deeper solidarity that should animate the family of humankind and the family of God. It comes from our shared faith in Jesus Christ and in his Gospel. In the face of today’s tremendous economic crisis that has generated many fears, worries, uncertainties and insecurities in the world, God’s Christmas gift to us, Jesus - Son of God and Son of Mary - is our source of hope and the point of solidarity. Cardinal Mahony asserts: “There is a deeper recognition that all of us – rich, middle class, poor – have been affected by the financial crisis wreaking havoc in the world. We are being challenged to adopt a new frame of mind, a new understanding of Christmas, in which there is a deeper solidarity among us all. The point of solidarity is the poor infant who lies in a manger. In him the rich and the poor come together: kings and paupers; wise men and shepherds come to behold the gift that is given to them. And to us. All of us. Our solidarity with one another rests in this gift of God who comes poor to all of us.”
The following story about Evan gives us a glimpse into his journey towards personal and family integration (cf. “Hardship and Christmas Miracles” in POVERELLO NEWS, December 2008, p. 3-4). It is a Christmas miracle that heartens us and illustrates how the spirit of solidarity is at work in the “family of God”.
Experiencing a bleak Christmas is a common occurrence for people ending up at Poverello House; however, the current big political and cultural events don’t necessarily affect the outlook of the homeless and poor, primarily because their day-to-day existence is already so grim. In much the same way as economically shell-shocked people this year mourn the passing of better days, the homeless mourn the passing of their former lives, which can seldom be regained.
Evan (not his real name) was one such person. Christmas of 2005 found him someplace he didn’t want to be: in the Poverello House Resident Program. His work and family life had come unraveled due to his and his wife’s addictions. By nature a kind and hardworking man, methamphetamine dependence had turned him into a raging, abusive spouse. He was incarcerated as a result of his violent actions. He lost everything, including his six children, all of whom he dearly loved. He had run out of hope until Jimmie, our Program Director, came to the county jail and interviewed him for our program. Evan was released into the custody of Poverello House. His probation required him to complete the Resident Program. That first Christmas at Poverello, nothing looked very promising in his life.
However, along the way, something changed inside of him. He began to really want sobriety and the benefits that come from living without drugs. He was determined to finish what he started at Poverello, and he followed through on that determination. He then chose to move into the transitional phase of our program, a phase designed to be a step toward a better future. He was observed to have talent in our kitchen and a knack for leadership, and he began to formulate a dream of attending a culinary institute. As Evan grew emotionally stronger, he reconnected with his children and began spending time with them. Eventually, Poverello helped him begin a local program in chef training.
Now, three years later, Evan is working toward completion of his schooling and has found some part-time work as a chef. In fact, he has developed a growing reputation as a chef with great ability, and has even prepared a meal for a celebrity fundraiser. He is beginning to be in demand in his profession, a situation that would have been unimaginable to him in 2005, when he felt like a complete failure.
This Christmas will be perhaps the best yet for him. As we all know, Christmas is very special when there is family harmony, and his family relationships are better than ever. Evan’s parents now have custody of his children, and he is able to see them weekly. He has come to know them better, and a great deal of hurt has been healed by his efforts. Evan has achieved over three years of continuous sobriety; is on his way to certification as a chef; and is working in a field that promises to provide a good living, respect from others, and an outlet for his creativity. (…)
If Evan’s life can turn around so dramatically, then anything might happen during the magical and mystical season we call Christmas. The holiday began over 2,000 years ago with a miracle in a tiny stable. For those with the eyes to see, yuletide miracles still occur, and that fact should encourage us in hard times.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. What insights have you gleaned from God’s covenant initiative to make of Abraham a great “family” and to bless him with numerous descendants? What was Abraham’s response to God’s loving plan?
2. How does the author of the letter to the Hebrews underline the faith of Abraham? Do we endeavor to imitate the response of Abraham, our “father in faith”? What is the importance of a vision of faith in promoting family life and the saving plan of God?
3. What do the patriarch Abraham’s family and the Holy Family of Nazareth teach us about collaborating in the saving plan of God? How do we contribute to promoting the value of family life in a domestic setting and in the universal setting as “family of God”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Leader: Loving Father,
we thank you for the faith of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac.
From the “seed” of patriarch Abraham
issued forth the “family of faith”.
In the fullness of time,
the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was born from Abraham’s lineage.
Your divine, saving Word became man
to unite the fragmented “family of the human race”
into the one, great “family of God”.
O merciful and provident God,
give us the grace to be living and active members
of “the family redeemed by Christ”
and to be efficacious instruments of peace and harmony for all.
Fill us with the faith of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
and teach us the meaning of “human solidarity”.
Help us to be thankful for the astounding Christmas gift,
Jesus Christ, your divine Son.
He assumed our weakness and fragility
for the salvation of the world.
We give you glory and praise, now and forever.
Assembly: 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.
“My eyes have seen your salvation.” (Lk 2:30)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for “family solidarity” in all levels. By your peaceful stance and works of charity, especially on behalf of the poor and the needy, and the unfortunate victims of the economic crisis, endeavor to promote the unity and integrity of the “family of nations” and of the “family of God”. That we may give glory and praise to God the Father for his “Christmas” gift in the person of our Savior Jesus Christ and to promote the growth of the “family of God”, make an effort to spend some moments of quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
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December 28, 2020: MONDAY – THE HOLY INNOCENTS, MARTYRS
“JESUS SAVIOR: The Holy Innocents Shared in His Paschal Destiny”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Jn 1:1-5-2:2 // Mt 2:13-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 2:13-18): “He ordered the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem.”
Three days after Christmas, we celebrate the martyrdom of the Holy Innocents, the infant boys ordered killed by King Herod who reigned in Palestine and Judah from 37 B.C. to 4 B.C. In the final years of his reign, he was extremely ruthless and brutal in defending his throne. The bishop, Saint Quodvultdesus, in a sermon remarked: “A tiny child is born, who is a great king. Wise men are led to him from afar. They come to adore one who lies in a manger and yet reigns in heaven and on earth. When they tell of one who is born a king, Herod is disturbed. To save his kingdom he resolves to kill him, though if he would have faith in the child, he himself would reign in peace in this life and forever in the life to come. Why are you afraid, Herod, when you hear of the birth of a king? He does not come to drive you out, but to conquer the devil. But because you do not understand this you are disturbed and in a rage, and to destroy one child you seek, you show your cruelty in the death of so many children.”
The Holy Innocents were witnesses for Christ though they were not aware of it. Their martyrdom evoked the passion and death of the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Indeed, our world, marred by sin and death, desperately needs the saving Christ. The feast of the Holy Innocents reminds us that human life is sacred. Every human being has a right to life. Let us pray for the protection of all human life, including the unborn.
The following story, circulated through the Internet, challenges us to assert the right to life of millions of children who are annually killed under the cover of laws permitting abortion, an abominable crime.
A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said: “Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even one year old and I’m pregnant again. I don’t want kids so close together.”
So the doctor said: “OK and what do you want me to do?” She said: “I want you to end my pregnancy, and I’m counting on your help with this.” The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: “I think I have a better solution for your problem. It’s less dangerous for you, too.” She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request. Then he continued: “You see, in order for you not to take care of two babies at the same time, let’s kill the one in your arms. This way, you could get some rest before the other one is born. If we are going to kill one of them, it doesn’t matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you choose the one in your arms.”
The lady was horrified and said: “No, Doctor! How terrible! It’s a crime to kill a child!” “I agree”, the doctor replied. “But you seemed to be OK with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution”. The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point. He convinced the mom that there is no difference in killing a child that’s already been born and one that’s still in the womb. The crime is the same!
B. First Reading (1 Jn 1:5-2:2): “The Blood of his Son Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.”
We continue to remember with grief the massacre of the innocents in Newton, Connecticut in 2012. The pain of the tragedy is raw. The sorrow of the bereaved evokes the grief of those whose children were slain by the jealous Herod the Great. Today’s Entrance Antiphon of the Mass tries to make sense of the killing: “These innocent children were slain for Christ. They follow the spotless Lamb, and proclaim for ever: Glory to you, Lord”. The massacre of the innocent children in Bethlehem anticipates the martyrdom of the wholly “Innocent One” Jesus Christ, who was offered for our sins and for those of the whole world.
The reading (1 Jn 1:5-2:2) declares that the blood of the divine Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. The pouring out of his innocent blood is a means of expiation and redemption. To have fellowship with God and one another, we must allow ourselves to be cleansed by the blood of the truly Innocent One. Indeed, though the blood of Christ is meant to cleanse us from sin, this is contingent on our response to the divine initiative of salvation. The loving and merciful Father calls us today to acknowledge our sin and ask forgiveness from the “Holy Innocent” par excellence, Jesus Christ.
The following story entitled “The Visitor”, circulated on the Internet, gives us an idea of the expiatory character of Christ’s sacrifice.
One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, “I always park there. You took my place!”
The visitor went inside for Sunday school, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, “That’s my seat! You took my place!”
The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday school, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, “That’s where I always sit. You took my place!”
The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing. Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet.
Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, “What happened to you?” The visitor replied, “I took your place.”
“Christ himself carried our sins in His body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by His wounds that you have been healed.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Like Herod, are we guilty of violence and brutality against the weak and vulnerable? Are we guilty of irresponsible actions that seek to kill Life itself? How do we overcome our sinfulness and rectify our evil acts?
2. What do we do to make reparation and expiation for the sacrifice of the innocents? Do we allow ourselves to be washed clean by the redemptive blood of Christ?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Opening Prayer for December 28, Feast of the Holy Innocents)
Father,
the Holy Innocents offered you praise
by the death they suffered for Christ.
May our lives bear witness
to the faith we profess with our lips.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you are the Son of God and the source of life.
The Holy Innocents shared in your paschal destiny
and unknowingly gave witness that you are the Christ.
Their martyrdom was a prophetic sign
of your death on the cross for the world’s saving.
Forgive us for our acts of negligence and brutality
against the weak and vulnerable.
Help us to reach out to the victims of today’s Herod.
Give us the strength to promote the dignity of the human person.
Help us to protect the right to life of every human being.
Together with the Holy Innocents who are in the glory of heaven,
we acclaim:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will!
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.
“She would not be consoled, since they were no more.” (Mt 2:18) // “The blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” (1 Jn 1:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for the weak and vulnerable, and for all the children of the world, especially the victims of violence and exploitation. By your acts of charity, alleviate the suffering of today’s “Holy Innocents” and enable them to experience the joy of Christmas.
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December 29, 2020: TUESDAY – FIFTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD; SAINT THOMAS BECKET, Bishop, Martyr
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Walk in the Light of Love”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Jn 2:3-11 // Lk 2:22-35
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 2:22-35): “This is the light of revelation to the Gentiles.”
As Christmas liturgy unfolds, we continue to delve into the meaning of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. We have seen that Christmas is marked with a sacrificial character (cf. feast of St. Stephen) and Easter glory (cf. feast of St. John) and that the incarnation of the Word is God’s compassionate response to our dire need of salvation from evil and sin (cf. feast of the Holy Innocents).
On the fifth day within the octave of Christmas, we contemplate the presentation of Jesus in the temple and his encounter with Simeon, a good and God-fearing man waiting for the consolation of Israel. Deeply receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, Simeon took the child in his arms and recognized in him the Lord’s promised Messiah. With praise and thanksgiving, Simeon avowed that the Lord God has kept his promise. Simeon felt ready to die and, with the Savior of all peoples in his arms, he exclaimed: “Lord, now let your servant go in peace, your word has been fulfilled.” Indeed, Simeon’s encounter with the child Jesus was a joyful celebration of God’s benevolence and faithfulness.
Mr. Ledesma, the father of Sr. Mary Noelle, pddm, and Piesy, who worked closely with me in the World Youth Day ’95 in Manila, was one of the kindest and most generous persons I have ever met in my life. Sr. Mary Noelle’s account of her dad’s passing to eternity makes me think of Simeon’s beautiful encounter with Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Thank you, Sr. Margaret. I must have missed communicating to you RE our dad’s passing last October 26. Well, thanks be to God! Daddy had a happy and holy death. We were with him during his suffering and last hours and last breath.
Death is such a mystery and a beautiful passage to eternity. I’ve experienced how dad encountered the presence of the Lord and we were all around him. We prayed for him and we also listened and talked to him. How I wish I could tell all dad’s beautiful words and exchange of conversations with Jesus. Some of his last words after he asked and kissed the Crucifix were: “Do I have a place there?” [PAUSE] “Let us now all rest.” Then he looked at mommy and his gaze transcended beyond mom’s face towards the light. He smiled and then expired. Mom closed his lips and eyes.
B. First Reading (1 Jn 2:3-11): “Those who love their brother remain in the light.”
Christmas is the festival of light. One beautiful Christmas episode is the old man Simeon’s encounter with Jesus, as the infant was being presented to the Lord by Joseph and Mary at the temple. Simeon took the child in his arms and identified him as the “light of revelation to the Gentiles”. Jesus continues to reveal to us in the here and now the light of divine love. He also calls us to walk in the light of love, which entails abiding by the demands of fraternal charity. Those who love their brother remain in the light, while those who claim to in the light while hate their brother are in darkness. Christian discipleship is not simply an intellectual knowledge for it demands a life consonant with God’s love and his moral imperative. Christ’s command to love is not new because it has been a part of baptismal instruction; but in a sense it is always “new” for Jesus has given us the abiding newness of his example, which we renew in ourselves.
The following story by Poverello House Founder Mike Garvin speaks of an “encounter” as well as provides us with some modern examples of walking in the light of love (cf. Poverello News, November 2009, p.1-20).
It’s a strange thing to know someone for ten years, but never actually meet him. That describes my friendship with a young man, up until last summer. One Christmas season ten years ago, I received a letter from a six-year old child whose name was Campbell. It was charming. The boy wrote as if he knew me, and told me all about the things in his life that interested him. Accompanying the letter was some money he had earned to help the homeless. I sent a letter to thank him. The next year, he sent another little missive with yet another donation. Again, the tone was familiar and conversational, as if we had been pals for decades. I shared these letters with the Poverello staff, who were as delighted as I was.
The letters came every year about the same time, with one exception. One Christmas rolled by a few years ago with no letter from Campbell. I was disappointed, and, to tell the truth, a little depressed. I figured he had grown tired of Poverello House, and had moved on to new things. However, much to my relief, the letter came in January. He apologized, and said his life had been so busy that he was a little late. And busy he was. Each year, he would describe the joys and anxieties of entering a new grade in school. I learned about his martial arts lessons, his school wrestling, and the academic subjects that excited or bored him the most. Each letter was a glimpse into the life of a thoughtful, engaging, and very involved youngster. Every letter also contained a school picture of him, so I could see him grow from a cute little boy into a handsome teenager.
In the decade that passed, Campbell talked about visiting Poverello, but never seemed to get the time. Then, one day in August, I got a surprising call: he and his grandfather were going to come down and see the Pov. After all this time, I thought I knew what to expect. I was a little shocked to meet the face in the pictures attached to a body that was as tall as me. At sixteen years old, Campbell was well over six feet tall. He towered over his grandpa. I gave them both a tour, which they seemed to enjoy. When we paused at the POW/MIA table in our dayroom, the grandfather got a little emotional. It turns out that he had spent many years in the military and had fought in World War II.
Sometimes, working at Poverello and living down here is a little like being in a bubble. Most of what I see is negative, and I don’t get away enough to see much else. I meet many young people on the streets, most of whom are going nowhere in life, and who are pretty well ruined before they turn twenty. It’s easy to lose hope.
Now and then, however, a vibrant, compassionate young person like Campbell crosses my path, and I start to think more positively. If there’s someone like Campbell, who, since the age of six, has thought about the poor and done what he could to help, then maybe, just maybe, there are a lot more like him. What a blessing it was to finally meet him face to face and to see the good work that God started in him. Maybe there’s hope for humanity, after all, if somehow we can help to produce a few more Campbells.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit and so recognize the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ in our life? Do we deeply yearn for the salvation that Jesus brings?
2. What is your response to the call to walk in the light of love? Are you receptive to welcome Jesus who continues to reveal the light of love in our daily lives?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you were presented by Joseph and Mary in the temple.
Prompted by the Holy Spirit,
Simeon took you in his arms
and recognized that you are the promised Messiah.
Grant that in our final encounter with you at the hour of death,
we may be able to resound Simeon’s words:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled.”
With the holy servants of God, we acclaim:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will!
***
(Cf. Opening Prayer for December 29, Fifth Day in the Christmas Octave)
All-powerful and unseen God,
the coming of your light into our world
has made the darkness vanish.
Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, 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.
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled.” (cf. Lk 2:29) //“Whoever loves his brother remains in the light.” (1 Jn 1:10)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
In your ministry to the elderly and the dying, let your acts of charity and sharing of the word of God bring them peace and consolation. // Make an effort to spread the Christmas joy to the people around you and continue to walk in the light of love, especially by your compassionate acts for the poor and the needy.
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December 30, 2020: WEDNESDAY – SIXTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Redemption of Israel”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Jn 2:12-17 // Lk 2:36-40
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In today’s First Reading (1 Jn 2:12-17), the author, John, speaks to three age groups representing three different stages of Christian life. The “children” represent those who have been initiated into faith through baptism. Through personal experience of the Father, they are freed from sin for the sake of Christ. The “young men” are the spiritually proficient. Their strength is derived from the word of God and they are able to conquer the evil one. The “fathers” are the spiritually mature and their knowledge of the Father is secure and unmovable. They do not love the world and the things of the world. Since they do the will of God, they live forever. The qualities and destiny of the “spiritually mature” are exemplified by the Gospel personages, Simeon and Anna.
Today’s Gospel episode (Lk 2:36-40) is within the context of the presentation of the Lord Jesus in the temple and his saving “encounter” with the prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna. The two prophets speak in glowing terms of Jesus as the salvation of every people and as the redemption of Jerusalem, which represents all the elect. Today’s focus is on the prophetess Anna, a holy widow advanced in years. She spent most of her life in the temple worshipping night and day with fasting and prayer. At the presentation of Jesus, she recognizes the infant as the gift of God. Anna gives thanks to God and testifies about the child to all who wait for the redemption of Jerusalem.
On a gloomy day in early December, safe in the car’s passenger seat, I pressed the satellite radio’s Search button. Christmas music seemed to be on every one of the four hundred channels – not celebrating the birth of Jesus, but mixing merchandise and carols together into electronic jungles. The meaning of the season seemed to slip away, drowned out by the relentless message that Christmas is about gifts and food. Loneliness seemed to be speaking out of all the good cheer.
I pushed another button, and suddenly the car was filled with glorious sounds of the last part of Ludwig van Beethoven’s magnificent Ninth Symphony, known as the “Ode to Joy”, which is also the music for Henry Van Dyke’s great hymn “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”:
Ever singing march we onward
Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward
In the triumph song of life.
Beethoven was only thirty-two and at the height of his career when he realized he was going deaf. He faced depression and loneliness. Yet some of his greatest music, including this passionate expression of joy and praise, was composed after he could no longer hear it performed.
As the music surrounded me, the irritations of the ceaseless electronic carols seemed very small. Beethoven believed in himself and in his God, and shared his gifts with countless millions of us who need to be reminded of the joy of faith.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we imitate Simeon and Anna in our yearning for the Lord and in preparing ourselves for our encounter with the gift of salvation? Are we able to perceive the presence of the Lord in our lives, and are we thankful for the Christmas gift from heaven?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are the heavenly gift awaited by Anna and Simeon,
and by all those longing for the redemption of Jerusalem and the nations.
Grant us the grace to perceive your presence
and to be ever thankful for you,
who are God’s Christmas present to us.
Help us to give witness to you as our saving 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 week. Please memorize it.
“Anna gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all those who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Lk 2:38)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Be perceptive and thankful for the various presences of the Lord in your daily life. Like Anna and Simeon give witness to the good news about the Lord Jesus, especially to those who have difficulty experiencing his saving presence.
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December 31, 2020: THURSDAY – SIXTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD; SAINT SYLVESTER, Pope
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Word Made Flesh”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Jn 2:18-21 // Jn 1:1-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 1:1-18): “The Word became flesh.”
On the seventh day in the Octave of Christmas and on New Year’s Eve, we hear the deeply evocative Prologue of Saint John (Jn 1:1-18), which perceives the incarnation of the Word as God’s utmost revelation of love and glory. Christmas is a celebration of God speaking to us his most beautiful word – Jesus Christ! The Word made flesh is God’s “I love you” to us. The Word that the saving God spoke in the birth of Jesus manifests his deep compassion for us.
Saint Bernard asserts: “God’s Son came in the flesh so that mortal men could see and recognize God’s kindness … The incarnation teaches us how much God cares for us and what he thinks and feels about us. We should stop thinking of our own sufferings and remember what he has suffered. Let us think of all the Lord has done for us, and then we shall realize his goodness appeared through his humanity. The lesser he became through his human nature the greater was his goodness; the more he lowered himself for me, the dearer he is to me.”
The compassionate God continues to speak to us in the here and now through Scripture as the following testimony would show (cf. Brian Keilty, “It’s Not All About You” in The WORD Among Us (April 24 - May 31, 2011, p. 67-68).
We had just visited my wife’s oncologist, and the dreaded news he delivered initially left us quiet, reflective, and heart-broken. The doctor felt that Marybeth’s long and painful fight with cancer was, for all intents and purposes, over. The disease had progressed to the point where aggressive treatment was no longer advisable; the only remaining option was palliative care delivered through hospice. We had been married for nineteen years.
The bad news was not unique to us. Countless times that day, many thousands of other people throughout the world heard a similar message. But this diagnosis was ours. What made the trip home so extraordinary was that we talked not about the prognosis, not about our fears and anxieties, not about a future denied our young children, but about God and his speaking to us through Scripture.
Marybeth began the conversation (I remember the exact spot on the highway) by telling me of the joy, peace, and comfort she had received from God while reading Psalm 62 that very morning. She knew God was addressing her through its opening verses: “My soul rests in God alone from whom comes my salvation. God alone is my rock and salvation, my secure height; I shall never fall.”
Those words of comfort gave Marybeth peace and direction. It was God, not good health, who was to be the center of her life. His salvation was more important to her than her healing. During her final two months, those words also empowered her every day to guide and care for her children, as well as love and support her husband.
B. First Reading (1 Jn 2:18-21): “You have the anointing that comes from the Holy One and you have all knowledge.”
It is the last day of the civil year. As we bid the old year goodbye, the Church, through the proclamation of the Prologue of Saint John, gives us a glimpse of God’s deep involvement in humanity’s historical “time”. The Prologue, which is a synthesis of salvation history, traces the saving mission of the Word-made-flesh from the Father and the return of the incarnate Word back to the Father. The evangelist John also underlines the reason why the divine Word is sent to us: that those who believe in the Son may receive power to become children of God.
As we close the year, we also hear in today’s First Reading (I Jn 2:18-21) the exhortation about the “last hour”: we must hold fast to the grace of truth and be faithful to God. The Messiah has come and will come again. The intervening period is the “last hour” in which true Christians can recognize truth for what it is, and falsehood for what it is, through “the anointing that comes from the Holy One”. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon us by Christ and we come to know the truth of God’s tremendous love for us. In spite of the deception of antichrists who have abandoned the Christian community, true believers are able to abide in the Father and the Son by the spiritual “anointing” they have received. True Christians are thus empowered by the Spirit to know and live the life of Jesus Christ, the font of saving love, and in conformity with the Father’s compassionate will.
The following story is a testimony of one who was tempted to succumb to evil but, guided by the Holy Spirit, made a fundamental choice for the power of good (cf. Kathy Collard Miller, “Desperate Hope” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith, ed. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Cos Cob: CSS, 2008, p. 51-54).
As the train rumbled past the East Coast countryside, taking my daughter and me to New York City for a mother/daughter vacation, my thoughts were as piercing as the screeching wheels of the train. Why did he do it? Why did Greg take his own life? He was a distant relative whom I rarely saw, yet the news that Greg had committed suicide made tears spring into my eyes and a deep sadness fill my heart. Relatives asked, “How could anyone be that hopeless and helpless?
But I knew. As I glanced over at my twenty-eight-year-old daughter napping next to me on the double seat, I realized with a force I hadn’t felt for a long time that if I’d taken my life, I would not have the fabulous mother-daughter relationship I now enjoyed with my daughter. (…)
One desperate day my rage was out of control. I ran into the bedroom and slammed the door behind me … Then suddenly I remembered where Larry stored his off-duty service revolver. The gun! That’s the answer! The gun! A tiny, sinister voice in my head whispered. “Take your life. It’s hopeless. Nothing has changed for months even though I’ve prayed over and over again; it’s only gotten worse. God doesn’t care. Otherwise He would instantaneously deliver me from my anger and heal our marriage. Larry hates me. I hate him and my life.
With trembling hands, I opened the locked drawer and almost gasped when the gleam from the shiny barrel of the gun glinted at me so invitingly. Darcy is better off without a mother like me. I’m ruining her for life. Seconds clicked off and then I reached for the cold revolver. But then a new thought popped into my mind. What will people think of Jesus if they hear that Kathy Miller took her life?
My hand stopped. The faces of the women in the neighborhood Bible study I led flitted before me. My family members who didn’t know Christ came to mind. I thought of the neighbors I witnessed to. Oh, Lord, I don’t care about my reputation, but I do care about yours!
I slammed the drawer shut and fell to my knees. The concern about Jesus’ reputation saved my life that day, and I knew it was prompted by the Holy Spirit.
I didn’t have any hope at that point, but in the following months God proved Himself faithful by revealing the underlying causes of my anger, giving me a patience to be a loving mom and then healing my relationship with Larry. (…)
Yes, I understood how Greg could have felt so little hope – in fact, no hope at all. How I wish I could have shared with him that there is always hope, and God is faithful if we will hold on to His promises.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Are we awed by the tremendous saving event of the incarnation of the Word? How do we respond to this awesome saving mystery?
2. Do we realize that we have received “the anointing that comes from the Holy One” and the revelation of God’s saving love and that these prompt us to abide in him and to walk in the light of truth?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are the most beautiful Word spoken by God the Father.
In your birth,
we hear the voice of the compassionate God speaking to our heart,
“I love you … I will save you!”
In you is the fullness of grace and truth.
In this forthcoming New Year,
help us to become courageous heralds of your saving Gospel
and to share with all your healing word of love and forgiveness.
With all peoples and creation and all the choirs of angels
we acclaim:
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will!
***
(Cf. Opening Prayer, Seventh Day of Christmas Octave)
Ever-living God,
in the birth of your Son
our religion has its origin and its perfect fulfillment.
Help us to share in the life of Christ
for he is the salvation of mankind,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, 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 Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn 1:14) //“But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” (1 Jn 2:20)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that people may truly perceive the meaning and implication of the Word made flesh. Resolve to spend more time to read the Scripture and break the bread of the Word. By your words and deeds, enable the people around you to experience that the divine Word is truly incarnate. // Pray for those who are contemplating suicide and the victims of murder-suicide crimes. Do what you can to help them.
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January 1, 2021: FRIDAY – SOLEMNITY OF MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Born of the Virgin Mary”
BIBLE READINGS
Nm 6:22-27 // Gal 4:4-7 // Lk 2:16-21
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
On the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate the oldest Marian feast in the Church, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. In this Marian feast we celebrate her intimate role in the Christmas mystery as the willing virgin who gave birth to the Son of God. Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens remarks: “We find Mary at the very heart of the mystery of the incarnation. She is the mother of the one who will be for all future ages the way, the truth, and the life. The threshold of the one who, above all, can introduce us to Jesus … To our contemporary world Mary offers the living and vibrant reality, the incarnate Savior of the world.”
The solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, falls on New Year’s Day (January 1), the first day of the civil year – an occasion when people look back on the past and wish each other God’s abundant blessings. It is most opportune that the Old Testament reading for the New Year’s Mass is the Priestly Blessing from the book of Numbers (6:22-27). Prayed in the context of the Christmas-Marian feast, it evokes the truth that Mary, Mother of God, is the utmost recipient of God’s blessing. In the motherhood of Mary, the icon of the blessed of God, the fullness of blessing is given to the world through her divine Child, the Savior of the world - the Priest of the New Covenant.
Combined with the Gospel episode (Lk 2:16-21) of today’s Marian feast, the Priestly Blessing from the Book of Numbers serves to interpret the Christmas mystery. From the manger, in his Son Jesus, the Lord God blesses us abundantly and protects us. In the Christ Child, the icon of the divine love, the Lord God lets his face shine upon us and enables us to experience his favor and graciousness. In Mary’s Son, the Prince of Peace, the Lord looks kindly upon us and grants us peace and total salvation. Indeed, in Jesus Christ, the Word of God incarnate, is the fullness of the Father’s benediction to humankind. Moreover, in his Son Jesus, born of Mary, the fullness of blessing and praise – the Eucharist – is rendered to God, our Almighty Father.
In his past Message for the World Day of Peace (January 1, 2014), Pope Francis asserts that fraternity is the foundation and pathway to peace. In Jesus is true fraternity. The Pope remarks: “All who accept the life of Christ and live in him acknowledge God as Father and give themselves completely to him, loving him above all things. The reconciled person sees in God the Father of all, and, as a consequence, is spurred on to live a life of fraternity open to all … All are loved by God. All have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, who died on the Cross and rose for all. This is the reason why no one can remain indifferent before the lot of our brothers and sisters.” Pope Francis concludes his Message with the following intercession: “May Mary, the Mother of Jesus, help us to understand and live every day the fraternity that springs up from the heart of her Son, so as to bring peace to each person on this beloved earth.”
The following story gives us a glimpse into how fraternity in Christ can extinguish war (cf. Brad Steiger & Sherry Hansen Steiger, Christmas Miracles, Avon: Adams Media Corporation, 2001, p. 44-46).
Five months after the start of World War I, just after midnight on Christmas morning, the vast majority of German soldiers declared a Christmas truce in the hostilities between themselves and those of the Allied troops – the Russian, French, and British. Regimental bands began to play Christmas carols and the men raised their voices in joyous celebration of the Holy Night when the Prince of Peace was born.
The Allied soldiers were understandably suspicious about the shouts of “Merry Christmas” that they heard directed at them from the German trenches. Perhaps they had snipers lined up just waiting for a curious Tommy, Ivan, or Frenchy to peek his head above the trenches. But at the end of each hymn or cheerful carol they heard the German boys from Kaiser Bill’s army calling out something about a Christmas truce. The men in the Allied trenches checked with their officers, but none of them knew anything about a truce having been declared for the holidays.
At dawn’s first light on Christmas morn, the German troops rose up out of their trenches, set down their weapons, and began to walk across “no-man’s land”, singing carols and shouting out, “Merry Christmas” in French, Russian, and English, as well as their native German. From all appearances, from everything the Allied officers could see through their field glasses and from what the soldiers were able to witness from their frontline observation posts, all the Germans appeared to be without rifles or any kind of weaponry whatsoever.
Soon the Allied soldiers crawled out of their trenches and walked toward the Germans who were so openly and trustingly celebrating Christmas. The men shook hands, wished each other a blessed Christmas, and exchanged gifts of cigarettes and food. Later, they sang hymns and carols, and those of the same faith worshipped together. Some accounts of the Christmas truce even state that opposing sides played a good-natured, but rousing, game of soccer. The remarkable unofficial “time-out” that was declared by the combat soldiers without any thought of obtaining permission from their superiors lasted for two or three days.
Sadly, the Christmas truce of 1914 was probably one of the very last examples of old-fashioned chivalry in modern warfare. Within another few weeks, the first technological war would begin slaughtering human beings on a scale previously undreamt of in any military officer’s most fevered nightmare of destruction. The employment of poison gas against the men in the trenches, the serial bombing of cities and civilians beyond the frontlines, the onslaught of armored tanks crushing men and smashing walls, machine guns mowing down ranks of soldiers, aircraft swooping down from the skies and strafing troops on the ground – all of these horrors and more would make the notion of another Christmas truce during the war an impossible dream. But the 1914 Christmas miracle created by the common foot soldiers’ declaration of peace and goodwill toward their fellow comrades-in-arms will live forever in memory as a triumph of the indomitable human spirit over the fatal disease of war.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we allow the Lord God to bless us and keep us … to let his face shine upon us and be gracious to us … to look kindly upon us and give us peace? Do we look upon Mary as model of receptivity to grace and God’s abundant blessings? Do we look forward to the gracious blessings God has reserved for us in this New Year? How can we promote fraternity as a foundation and pathway to peace? Do we call upon Mary, the Mother of the Prince of Peace, to help us in our peace-making?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
in you is the fraternity
that is the foundation and pathway to peace.
In this grace-filled New Year,
help us to become courageous heralds of your saving Gospel
and to be channels of your peace.
May your Mother Mary help us to promote the fraternity
that springs up from your heart
so as to bring peace to each person on this beloved earth.
With all peoples and creation and all the choirs of angels
we acclaim: Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will!
We give you thanks and praise,
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 day. Please memorize it.
“The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!
The Lord look kindly upon you and give you peace!” (Nm 6:24-26)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
At the family reunion on New Year’s Day, use the Priestly Blessing as part of the prayer before or after meals, or at any other appropriate occasion during the day. With the help of Mary, Mother of God, perform acts of charity and service throughout the year that will bring God’s healing and benediction to the poor, the marginalized and the victims of natural and man-made calamities.
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January 2, 2021: SATURDAY – SAINTS BASIL THE GREAT AND GREGORY NAZIANZEN
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Leads Us by the Holy Spirit”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Jn 2:22-28 // Jn 1:19-28
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Jn 1:19-28): “There is one who is coming after me.”
In this Christmas season we continue to penetrate the meaning of Jesus Savior, the Father’s gift of love to us. In today’s Gospel (Jn 1:19-28), the precursor John the Baptist, proclaims the coming of the Messiah, whose sandals he feels unworthy to untie. Jesus is the light and John is the lamp that reflects it; the Son of God is the saving word and the prophet in the wilderness is the voice that proclaims it. Indeed, Christ must increase and the one who prepares his way must decrease. Jesus is “the Greater One”. Like John the Baptist, we must recognize the preeminent status of Jesus Christ and assume our subordinate position in relation to him. Jesus Christ is the holy and immortal one to whom our love, reverence and unconditional trust are due. The spirit of Christmas invites us to render our homage, adoration and service to the Son of God.
When I was assigned in India, I looked forward to the visit of a little old lady from a fishing tribe in Bombay. The Sisters fondly called her “Granny”. Like the other women of her tribe, Granny wore her “sari” in a peculiar way – one end tucked between her legs. She would be served breakfast by the kind Sisters, usually the regular fare of cooked beans and a small loaf of bread. I was fascinated by the way Granny responded to the gift of bread. She would receive and hold it with reverence. Then she would make a sign of the cross over it and lift up her gaze to pray a silent blessing. If that is how Granny responded to the gift of material bread, one could just imagine her awesome reverence before the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. Her devout expression and gestures manifested that she was truly before the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ, whose sandal strap we are not worthy to untie.
B. First Reading (1 Jn 2:22-28): “Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.”
The great Christmas mystery of God the Father sending his Son to be our Savior is not always accepted. In Saint John’s community, there are those who reject Jesus as the Messiah. These “antichrists” reject both the Father and the Son, for whoever rejects the Son rejects also the Father. In today’s First Reading (I Jn 2:22-28), Saint John therefore exhorts us to be faithful to the message transmitted by the apostles from the beginning. This will lead us to live in union with the Father and the Son and, consequently, to experience eternal life. Faithfulness to truth is made possible by the Holy Spirit that Christ pours out upon us.
John the Baptist, filled and guided by the Holy Spirit, proclaims the truth that Jesus is the Messiah. The Church, in time and space, struggles with “antichrists” and continues to uphold the truth that Jesus is the Savior. By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth prevails.
The fight against Arianism, a heresy that denies that Jesus is the Son of God, illustrates the Church’s endeavor to defend the truth and to live in the truth (cf. Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2007, p. 65).
These were days of great uncertainty, but also of an intense Christian experience; the faithful of Milan discovered what it meant to be a community and what their bishop meant to them. As a widow in Africa, Monica had already formed the habit of going to church each day, and she felt that she was part of the Christian community, considering it a family. With a figure such as Ambrose, she felt more intensely the joy of shared prayer and fellowship, and she even provided food for those who remained in the basilica for days at a time. To find herself in the company of Ambrose, to have the opportunity to speak with him, to profit from his profound teachings, and, together with other Christians, to fight against the excesses of imperial power, was for her a magnificent experience of the living Church.
The imperial forces made a number of efforts to dislodge the resisters, but Ambrose always responded with courage, ready to die rather than give in to intimidation. After a while, the soldiers themselves began to enter the basilica to join those who were praying and singing there. In the end, the [Arian] empress was forced to back down, and on Holy Thursday, April 2, 386, she ordered the troops to withdraw. Ambrose and the Church of Milan had won and Monica had also played her part. Their exultation was tremendous.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do I truly recognize the absolute grandeur and absolute excellence of Jesus Christ, whose sandals we are not worthy to untie? How do I respond to his presence?
2. Are we willing to keep in our heart the saving message about Christ, the Son of God? Do we treasure the Christmas mystery and abide by the truth?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we thank you for John the Baptist
who witnessed that the Messiah is “the Greater One”,
whose sandal strap he was not worthy to untie.
Jesus is the refulgence of the Father’s glory
and to him we offer reverently
the homage of our love and service.
Help us imitate John the Baptist
in his serving stance to Christ our Savior,
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
***
(Cf. Opening Prayer of the Mass, Friday, from January 2 to Epiphany)
Lord,
fill our hearts with your light.
May we always acknowledge Christ as our Savior
and be more faithful to his Gospel,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, 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.
“There is one among you … whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” (Jn 1:27) //“Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.” (1 Jn 1:24)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that we may always take a reverential attitude of service in relation to Christ. By your spirit of humility and service to the people around you, enable them to experience that Christ is “Greater One” who deserves the gift of our entire being. // Secure a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and/or Youth Catechism, and continue to delve into the beauty and riches of the Catholic faith.
***
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