A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 17, n. 1)
Advent Week 1: December 2-8, 2018
(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: November 25 – December 1, 2018, please go to ARCHIVES Series 16 and click on “Week 34 Ordinary”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: December 2-8, 2018.)
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December 2, 2018: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
“JESUS SAVIOR: In Him Redemption Is at Hand
BIBLE READINGS
Jer 33:14-16 // 1 Thes 3:12-4:2 // Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 21:25-28, 34-36): “You redemption is at hand.”
July 16, 1990: A terrible earthquake jolted the island of Luzon in the Philippines and wrought havoc and misery. People were entombed alive in the collapsed buildings. One young man was buried two weeks in the basement of a ruined hotel in Baguio City. On the 13th day he lost hope of being rescued and decided to hasten his death. He started to bang his head viciously against a concrete slab, but a pair of invisible hands gently restrained him from killing himself. A serene feeling took hold of him and there was the assurance that redemption was at hand. He relaxed his battered body on the cold slab. On the 14th day the rescuers found him and were able to break through. He was liberated from his tomb of death. As he weakly mouthed his words of thanks (“Salamat! Salamat!”) to the rescuers, his family and friends wept for joy. The young man’s advent expectation for redemption was fulfilled.
With the First Sunday of Advent we begin a new liturgical year – a year of grace – with its renewed assurance that our redemption is at hand. As we celebrate the entire arc of salvation history through the year, the grace of radical redemption won for us by Jesus Christ in his Paschal Mystery progressively unfolds. It makes itself present anew into the “here and now” of our life, until the day of cosmic “christification” when Christ will restore all things in himself. The liturgical year is the “sacrament” or “sacred sign” of Christ’s redeeming act in time.
The Advent season of grace begins with apocalyptic images: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and waves …” (Lk 21:25). These cataclysmic images are not meant to frighten us, but rather, an invitation to open ourselves to the saving intervention of Christ and the grace of his kingdom. Jesus tells his followers not to panic when they see strange signs occurring. These signs are prelude to the final redemption. Indeed, the awesome scene of the coming of the Son of Man at the end of the world is a radical call to open our hearts to Christ’s redeeming love and to the pursuit of his kingdom.
B. Old Testament Reading (Jer 33:14-16): “I will raise up for David a just shoot.”
The 2006 September issue of ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER magazine dedicates a special section to “Healing After 9/11”. Its cover photo by Eric Bechtold is deeply evocative. The cover shows a beautiful rose gently opening its yellow-pink petals and glistening in the radiant sun. This symbol of life and beauty is set against the grim backdrop of an austere iron fence beside the former World Trade Center, in New York’s Ground Zero site. The cover photo, as well as the interesting articles that accompany it, conveys a lesson of hope and reminds a bruised people that goodness prevails, that grief will turn to joy, and that today’s challenge is to look forward to a healing future.
Replete with grace and hope and permeated with the reality of redemption, the liturgy of the First Sunday of Advent challenges us to look beyond the specter of doom and destruction that assails us. It invites us to trust in Jesus Christ who assures that our redemption is at hand. The promise of redemption by the coming of the Son of Man at the end of time acquires deeper perspective against the background of the suffering people of Israel and the prophetic vision of a “just shoot” sprouting from the royal lineage of David (cf. Jer 33:14-15). Despite everything, even destruction and exile, the prophet Jeremiah assures the people of Israel and Judah that nothing can turn God away from keeping his promise of redemption.
The promised virtuous branch from the branch of David is accomplished in Jesus, the Messiah, who has come and will come again on the last day. Christ will come again at the end time to restore all things in him. The goodness of the faithful God in sending us “the just shoot” and the saving act accomplished by Jesus Christ – “the righteous branch of David” - by his death and rising invite us to look with hope and joyful expectation to the parousia or end-time. It is a cosmic event and all-embracing.
C. Second Reading (I Thes 3:12-4:2): “May the Lord strengthen your hearts at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The messianic expectation for the Lord’s coming inflames St. Paul with zeal, urgency and enthusiasm. He exhorts the Thessalonians “to be blameless in holiness” at the coming of our Lord Jesus with his holy ones – the saints. He invites them to grow in a life pleasing to God and “to do so even more”. In effect, St. Paul is reminding us that we anticipate in our individual lives Christ’s parousia and promote the cosmic transformation to be brought about by his definitive advent at the end time. Each day of our earthly life should be a portal that leads to eternal life.
The advent of Jesus Christ at the hour of our death is an intense personal moment that flows irreversibly to the parousia or end time, when all things would be restored in Christ. The encounter with death calls for vigilance and readiness. Though the specter of death can dishearten, the Christian vision of the “last things” – the ultimate triumph of God’s love, the offer of saving grace, the reality of eternal life, and our participation in Christ’s glory - puts us in proper perspective. This was the experience of Tony Snow, when he was battling colon cancer, to which he eventually succumbed in 2008. The former President Bush’s Press Secretary realized that we could wisely choose how to spend the interval between the “now” and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face. In the following testimony shared on the Internet, Tony Snow teaches us how to prepare for the decisive “advent” of the Lord in our personal life – for his coming at the hour of our death as our Master and Savior.
Blessings arrive in unexpected packages – in my case cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases – and there are millions in America today – find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God’s will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence What It All Means, Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations. The first is that we shouldn’t spend too much time trying to answer the “why” questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can’t someone else get sick? We can’t answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.
I don’t know why I have cancer, and I don’t much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out. But despite this – or because of it – God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don’t know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.
Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through the system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes us. Your heart thumps, you head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere. To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life – and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non-believing hearts – an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, exuberantly – no matter how their days may be numbered.
Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease – smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see – but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance and comprehension – and yet don’t. By his love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise. (…)
Even though God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity – filled with life and love we cannot comprehend – and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms. Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don’t matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?
When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up – to speak of us!
This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid - every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God. We don’t know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God’s hand.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
How does the promise of the “just shoot” impact you personally? When faced with specters of doom, death and destruction, are you willing to raise your heads and trust in God, believing that redemption is close at hand? Do we truly long for the definitive coming of the Messiah?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Loving Father,
we welcome with joy the various comings of Jesus Christ:
at Bethlehem, in the vicissitudes of our daily life
at the hour of our death and his final coming to “christify” all things.
We open our hearts to the saving grace he offers us
with great kindness and love.
May our Advent expectation energize us.
Let it be a torch for our faith.
May our lives be always directed to the end time,
to the perfect fulfillment of your saving plan
to restore all things in your beloved Son.
To him we cry out: “Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!”
As people of Advent expectation, but already redeemed,
we look forward to the coming of your Kingdom:
a kingdom of justice, peace and love.
We love you and praise you,
we adore and serve you,
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.
“Raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” (Lk 21:28)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the final coming of Christ may efficaciously shape the choices and actions of today’s Christian disciples. Make this season of Advent a privileged occasion to respond to the many tragedies in the world. An Advent “fasting” in view of a loving Christmas sharing with the poor is recommended.
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December 2, 2018: MONDAY – SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, Priest
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Heals Our Infirmities
and He Gathers All the Nations”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 2:1-5 // Mt 8:5-11
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 8:5-11): “Many will come from the east and the west into the Kingdom of heaven.”
(Gospel Reflection by Bishop Joseph Mukala, India)
We are beginning a new spiritual journey with Jesus in this new liturgical year. It is indeed a new beginning for us. At this point, we cannot forget what the Responsorial Psalm invites us today, namely, to go up rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Our holy mother the Church teaches us that we are on a pilgrimage and during this pilgrimage many of us, along with the centurion of our Gospel, today request the Lord to heal us of our infirmities. But our faith is yet to be tested and verified. In the case of the centurion, the Lord gave him a super pass certificate when he said, “Truly I tell you in no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Yes, we would like to hear these words from the Lord in our regard. But we are still far from the disposition of the centurion as he approached the Lord for the cure of his servant.
What prevents us from having such faith as the centurion’s? Could it be that our faith is shallow due to our heavy dependence on our abilities or to the modern and present day challenges that draw us away from what is spiritual and transcendent? The centurion had to face certain challenges when he decided to go and meet the Lord and requested him to heal his servant. His own friends must have ridiculed him for seeking the assistance of a so-called Jewish preacher. His very own authority over his subjects could prevent him from having recourse to a so-called preacher with magic powers. In any case we can count on his deep faith in the authority of Christ, to whom he went and pleaded for the cure of his servant. With his love for his servant, along with the gift of faith that he received from God, he took the bold step in approaching Jesus with his request.
Look at the way Jesus responds to the request of the centurion when he said, “I will come and cure him.” We are in need of healing, both spiritual and mental. The Lord is ever ready to come under our roof and heal us. He gently tells us that he is ready to come and heal us if only we open ourselves to him and his healing power. The centurion knew that Jesus has power and authority to heal from a distance as he himself has power and authority to command and get things done. Hence, he humbled himself before Jesus and requested him to exercise his power and authority to heal his servant, without coming to his house. This is evident when he said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.”
At the beginning of this holy season of Advent, seek for healing that is more than physical. We all need healing of memories, such as the unjust dealing of a boss, the unkind word of a friend or a partner, etc. Let us include all these intentions in our prayer during this period of waiting for the Lord who is born to us every day in the Eucharist and at Christmas. As the centurion acknowledged the power and authority of Jesus in healing his servant, let us also be conscious of our need for the presence of the Lord in our lives – that he may heal us of our spiritual, psychological and mental agonies and wounds. In the same measure, let us also be conscious of people who need our presence for their healing, especially those who are close to us, like the servant who was very close to his master, the centurion.
B. First Reading (Is 2:1-5): “The Lord will gather all nations into the eternal peace of the Kingdom of God.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 2:1-5) reminds me of something very inspiring that I found in the comics section of a daily newspaper. I cut it out and kept it in a folder to keep me upbeat. Bill Keane’s “Family Circus” cartoon shows the Mom looking out of the window and the Dad sitting in an armchair with a newspaper. Probably upset by grim news reports, the Dad remarks: “Sometimes I worry about the future of this country.” The Mom answers, “I don’t!” as she gazes at a vision of harmony and peace in the backyard while her children play with other kids: the eldest son is carrying piggyback a delighted black kid; the daughter and a Hispanic friend are doting over the baby doll in the baby carriage; the daughter’s twin brother is giving a lecture on space rockets to a enthusiastic brown-skinned friend; an Oriental little girl is reading a book to the attentive toddler; and a bird perched on a kid’s telescope is singing a happy song.
The vision of harmony and the spirit of hope presented in the cartoon, “Family Circus”, are offered to us more intensely by the liturgy of the Advent season. Today’s readings present the healing not only of the centurion’s servant, but the healing of relationships and of the nations. In the First Reading (Is 2:1-5), the prophet Isaiah presents the Lord as gathering all nations into the eternal peace of the kingdom of God. In the days to come, all nations will make their way to the mountain of God, and Jerusalem will become the center of instruction for all nations. In the mind of Isaiah, the recognition of Jerusalem as the goal of the nations is tantamount to recognizing the Lord God as sovereign. Above all, the recognition and acceptance of the Lord’s instructions are the keys to world peace, when swords will be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. We too are called to “walk in the light of the Lord” that we may be able to radiate the light of salvation to all. With all the nations, we are called to make our way back to the new Jerusalem, the city of God.
C. First Reading for Year A (Is 4:2-6): “There will be splendor for the survivors.”
The Old Testament reading (Is 4:2-6) depicts the glorious destiny of the remnants of Israel. The survivors of the death-dealing Babylonian invasion have experienced “purgation”, that is, a cleansing of sin to make Jerusalem holy. The purge is ultimately an experience of salvation. There will be unlimited joy and splendor for the survivors and the Lord God would again be with his people. He would be present to them as he was during the march of the Israelites through the desert. God’s presence would be like a sheltering cloud and a guiding flaming fire. The prophet Isaiah beholds that “on that day, the branch of the Lord will be luster and glory”. This poetic image of hope evokes the coming of the Messiah in the time of grace that the Lord God chooses to fulfill his promise for his Chosen People, Israel.
The following story gives us a glimpse into the experience of the “remnants” or “survivors” of Israel and their joy of salvation (cf. Betty Sonderman, “God Bless America” in Reminisce: The 25th Anniversary Collection, ed. Catherien Cassidy, et. al, Milwaukee, Readers Digest Association, Inc., 2015, p. 66).
In February 1945, my parents, my brother and I had been confined in the Santo Tomas internment camp near Manila, in the Philippines, for three years after the Japanese took over the island. I was 7 when I told my mother about the shadow of a huge bird I had seen going across the hot, dry grounds of the camp a week before. She told me not to say anything about what I had seen. It was not a bird, of course, but a low-flying American plane.
For some time, the Filipinos outside our fence had been singing “God Bless America” as their way of letting us know that American troops were coming soon to liberate us. On a warm tropical night soon after the tanks of the 1st Cavalry Division and a flying column of American soldiers crashed through the gates of the internment camp, overpowered the guards and liberated us.
For the first time, we could leave our rooms at night. The next morning, the American soldiers shared their rations with internees, many of whom were near starvation.
There had been a lot of bombing around Manila the nights before our liberation. I recall my father telling us, “Look, there where the sky is red. That’s a rocket, and there are bombs.” “The rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air”, someone suddenly said. People had tears in their eyes. I didn’t understand the words then. Patriotic songs were forbidden in the camp.
When all of us arrived back in America, I was able to go to school, learning to read and write and sing. Now I love to sing, and “God Bless America” is my favorite song. Every time we sing it in my church choir, I still get a thrill.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Like the centurion, do we have the faith, trust and love to seek healing from our Lord Jesus? Do we welcome his transforming Advent into our life? What do we do to promote the healing of the sick, the healing of relationships, and the healing of nations? Do we look forward to the coming of the Messiah and rejoice in the joy given by God to the “redeemed”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
we thank you for the season of Advent,
a season of new beginning and a time to seek healing.
It is a season of joy for the “redeemed”.
Please come into our life with your healing power.
Make us whole in mind, body and soul.
Bring healing to the nations and to all creation.
We rejoice in the joy that your advent brings.
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.
“I will come and cure him.” (Mt 8:7) // “Let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Is 2:5) // “The branch of the Lord will be luster and glory for the survivors of Israel.” (Is 4:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray not only for healing, but also to be a healer. Do something kind and comforting for a sick relative or friend. Do what you can to promote justice and peace in your family and in the family of nations and thus hasten the definitive coming of God’s kingdom on earth.
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December 4, 2018: TUESDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (1); SAINT JOHN DAMASCENE, Priest, Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Teaches Us to Be Childlike
and He Is Filled with the Spirit”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 11:1-10 // Lk 10:21-24
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 10:21-24): “Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit.”
(Gospel Reflection by Bishop Joseph Mukala, India)
We have, on many occasions, extolled the attitude of children, praising them for their innocence, dependence, simplicity and joy. Everyone has a word or a touch for a child. We see God in a child being carried by a mother or walking along with the father.
We want to know more about God, but we know that the knowledge of God does not come from reading big books or attending lectures by scholars, but rather on one’s knees in prayer. The Holy Spirit inspires the simple to know God and come closer to him, in humility and openness to surrender to him. The prophets of old and great men of the history of Israel longed for the day when they would see and experience the messianic times. But that grace was not given to them, though in their own way they were happy and they fulfilled the mission entrusted to them by God. They found happiness and joy in being men of God, speaking His words and carrying out His plans. Yes, they were like children in the hands of God ready to accept whatever was demanded of them.
Simplicity and humility are key words when it comes to being chosen by God for his mission. Every Christian has a mission to fulfill for we are all missionaries. A simple old lady from a village in a far flung area fulfills a mission. Her childlike simplicity and humility are qualities that make her a member of the Body of Christ. She is there to build up the Body of Christ through her joy and happiness. It is not always the learned and the wise that really bring joy and happiness to the body of Christ, but also the simple and ordinary people. Let us be simple and humble to receive the child Jesus into our lives.
B. First Reading (Is 11:1-10): “The Spirit of the Lord God shall rest upon him.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 11:1-10) is from the prophet Isaiah who lived in Jerusalem in the latter part of the 8th century B.C., when there was terrible socio-political turmoil caused by the Assyrian Empire’s threat and invasion. Many kingdoms were crushed. Judah’s kinsmen in the northern Kingdom of Israel were routed by the Assyrians and sent into exile in 722 B.C. Despite the disaster experienced by the northern Kingdom, the prophet Isaiah predicted that the Kingdom of Judah would be spared. Isaiah envisioned a future when Judah and Israel, kingdoms of the North and South, would be reunited. The enemy siblings, Judah and Israel, would finally be reconciled through the saving work of a Spirit-filled messianic king, a shoot sprouting from the “stump of Jesse”. This future Davidic king would reign with a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. He would judge the poor with justice and defend the rights of the helpless. The ideal King would be after God’s own heart. His Kingdom would be a reign of harmony, peace and reconciliation – reconciliation among the members of God’s creation and creation’s reconciliation with its Creator. The prophet Isaiah’s idyll of animal enemies living together serenely and harmoniously is a beautiful portrait of God’s benevolent plan and the glorious destiny he meant for his people and the entire creation.
However, the prophecy of the ideal Davidic King announced by Isaiah would not be fulfilled in his lifetime. That prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the “anointed one” and consecrated by the Spirit of Yahweh for the mission of universal salvation. In the fullness of time would be the advent of the Messiah and the definitive realization of the divine redemptive plan through the paschal sacrifice of that messianic King.
Finally, today’s Advent liturgy invites us to consider the shadows and pain in today’s world that do not correspond to the messianic idyll of peace and harmony announced by the prophet Isaiah. The Benedictine liturgical scholar, Adrian Nocent remarks: “How can we see the golden age in a world that is adrift, a world in which virtue and vice are so mingled? We can only respond by pointing to the fact that the Good News is being preached to the poor, the blind see, and the dead rise – since the Church accomplishes all these miracles in the spiritual order. The outlook of faith and a hope grounded in faith – these alone can enable us to see the presence of the golden age in its beginnings. Advent is the season of Christian optimism.”
The following article, “There’s No Place Like Home” about a hapless victim (cf. Poverello News, September 2007 issue) illustrates how some people of goodwill endeavor to hasten in today’s wounded world the advent of God’s kingdom. By their works of justice for the poor and needy, Papa Mike and the staff of the Poverello House remind us that the promotion of the messianic idyll is our task and challenge.
Like millions before him, he saw California as the Promised Land, a place abounding in hope and prosperity. For some reason, Little Rock, Arkansas had become a dead end. Maybe he had his own problems that made it hard for him to make it in his hometown, or maybe home had grown too small for him. Whatever the reason, he wanted to get away from failure or pain, so he looked westward with longing and naïve dreams of success. He was going to hook up with some distant relatives when he got to Fresno, live with them temporarily, and find a job. Not the most practical plan, but one that is all too familiar to us at Poverello House. Arriving at the bus station, he set out to get the lay of the land, and almost immediately, was mugged and robbed. Everything, including the names and phone numbers of relatives he’d never met, was stolen. He was savagely beaten, and ended up in the hospital with a broken wrist and cracked ribs. He was released, hurting, penniless, and depressed, and somehow made his way to Poverello House. Word on the street was that he could find help there.
At lunchtime, homeless people pointed out Mike McGarvin to him. He approached and asked Mike for help. What did he want? Just to go back home, where he knew people, where he wouldn’t be assaulted and robbed within ten minutes of arriving. Mike doesn’t do much “Greyhound therapy” anymore; more often than not, people are stuck in town because they’ve blown their money on drugs. However, something about this sad man in his late twenties appealed to Mike. As he does with anybody asking for a bus ticket, Mike told the man he could be on his way home if he passed a drug test. The test came out clean, so Mike bought him a ticket, loaded him with enough food for the trip, and put him on the bus for home.
Unlike so many who have been able to find a new life in the Golden State, this man instead discovered how mean the streets of California can be. As with so many others we assist, we will never know if our efforts to help this man will enable him to find his way in the world. However, Mike sent him off with a silent prayer for his safety. He left with the assurance that on the hardscrabble streets of Fresno, there is a place of refuge called Poverello House, and a big man with an equally big heart, known on those streets as Papa Mike.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we act as Spirit-filled people of God? Are we like children in the hands of God? Are we able to trust God and rely on him with childlike simplicity?
2. How does the messianic vision of peace and harmony impact you? How do you resolve to make the vision of messianic peace and harmony a lived possibility and reality?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
the Spirit of the Lord is upon you.
Together with you, we rejoice in the Spirit.
We love God the Father with childlike trust.
With your grace, help us to surrender to his saving will.
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.
“Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit.” (Lk 10:21) //“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.” (Is 11:2)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for a more childlike trust as God’s presence mysteriously unfolds in our life. Do something kind and comforting for a needy “little one” in your midst. To be more open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, spend some quiet moments in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.
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December 5, 2018: WEDNESDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (1)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Healing and Feeding Good Shepherd”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 25:6-10a // Mt 15:29-37
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 15:29-37): “Jesus heals many and multiplies the bread.”
(Gospel Reflection by Bishop Joseph Mukala, India)
Jesus ushers in God’s kingdom in our hearts and in our lives. There is a sense of joy and feasting here. Returning to the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus goes up the mountain and sits down. Prophetic tradition speaks of the gathering, not only of the scattered people of Israel, but of all peoples on the holy mountain (cf. Is 25:6) and of God coming for them and feeding them there. Ezekiel prophesies (cf. Ezek 34:13-16) that God himself would shepherd his people and feed the sheep in pleasant pastures. Moreover, he would bandage those that are hurt and heal those who are sick. The advent of Jesus fulfills the divine promise of a healing and nourishing Shepherd. Jesus heals the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many other sick people placed at his feet. Jesus feels sorry for the hungry crowd and feeds them by multiplying the loaves of bread and fish. Witnessing the healing, the people give praise to God. Nourished by the loaves and fish, they feel satisfied. The celebration of the kingdom has begun and at the center of it all is Jesus Christ.
Saint Francis Xavier, known as the “Apostle of the Indies” and the “Apostle to the Far East”, incarnates the love of the healing and feeding Good Shepherd. The following notes about him, circulated on the Internet, are interesting.
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta (7 April 1506 – 3 December 1552) was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre (now part of Spain) and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montnartre in 1534. He led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly in the Portuguese Empire of the time. He was influential in the spreading and upkeep of Catholicism most notably in India, but also ventured into Japan, Borneo, the Moluccas, and into other areas which had thus far not been visited by Christian missionaries. In these areas, being a pioneer and struggling to learn the local languages in the face of opposition, he had less success than he had enjoyed in India. It was a goal of Xavier to one day reach China.
St. Francis Xavier is noteworthy for his missionary work, both as organizer and as pioneer. He is said to have converted more people than anyone else has done since Saint Paul. By his compromises in India with the Christians of St. Thomas, he developed the Jesuit missionary methods along lines that subsequently became a successful blueprint for his order to follow. His efforts left a significant impression upon the missionary history of India and, as one of the first Jesuit missionaries to the East Indies, his work is of fundamental significance to Christians in the propagation of Christianity in China and Japan, India (…)
Pope Benedict said of both Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier: "Not only their history which was interwoven for many years from Paris and Rome, but a unique desire — a unique passion, it could be said — moved and sustained them through different human events: the passion to give to God-Trinity a glory always greater and to work for the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to the peoples who had been ignored.” As the foremost saint from Navarre and one of the main Jesuit saints, he is much venerated in Spain and the Hispanic countries where Francisco Javier or Javier are common male given names. The alternative spelling Xavier is also popular in Portugal.
B. First Reading (Is 25:6-10a): “The Lord invites us to his feast and will wipe away the tears from all faces.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 25:6-10a) depicts the definitive triumph of God’s kingdom at the end time. The fulfillment of God’s saving plan is imaged as a “feast of rich food and choice wines”. On that day of great feasting, the people redeemed would exclaim: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the Lord for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us” (Is 55:9). This bountiful banquet on the mountain of God is a symbol of eternal salvation, companionship and joy – of the delightful sharing in the riches of God and intimate communion in his delectable life.
The biblical scholar Eugene Maly comments: “One of the most pleasant of human activities is the family or community meal. In its ideal form, it is a time when those who love one another not only share the food they eat, but also share with one another their hopes and fears, their experiences and future plans. The love that already binds them is made stronger. The Scripture attests to the fact that a meal is expressive of a wide range of human attitudes and emotions … All mankind seems to be aware of the fact that a shared meal creates or strengthens a community of life among the participants. That is why this most human of activities would also be used to symbolize a community of life between human and divine participants … The Isaiah reading describes in rich imagery what is commonly referred to as the eschatological or end-time meal. In his description of this meal, the author is trying to bring home to the people the exquisite joy of that final day when they would be united with the Lord forever. A common life and common love are symbolized.”
Moreover, all peoples are invited to this grandiose banquet. The end-time feast is for all peoples, with God himself as the gracious host. He is the Lord of the banquet who satisfies our deepest longings. In Jesus Christ is the advent of the messianic banquet. In Jesus, God not only feeds the hungry but he also acts to make the lame walk, open the eyes of the blind, heal the sick. In him is total nourishment and healing.
As children of God and as disciples of Jesus, we are called to be instruments to respond to the needs of the world’s poor. The following story illustrates how God uses us to feed the hungry (cf. Carol Ermo, “Mysterious Ways” in Guideposts, September 2013, p. 39).
Brr. I hugged the warm Crockpot I was carrying as I walked to the building site. We’re hardy folks here in Wisconsin, but that fall day was beyond brisk. The women in my church group were bringing lunch to some Habitat for Humanity volunteers building a house in a working-class neighborhood. We’d made brownies, sandwiches and, most important, a huge batch of chili. Nearing the site, I wondered if chili would be enough to warm the bellies of the hungry crew.
Except there was no activity. No hammering. No saw buzzing. No drills whirring. No one working inside or out. Only one car was parked on the street. A man climbed out, pulling his jacket tight. “Didn’t anyone tell you ladies?” he said. “There’s no build today.” “No build? Why” I asked. “Windows didn’t come in”, the man explained. There’s not much to do without them. It’s so cold, we figured we’d hold off until they’re delivered.”
The pot of chili felt heavy. All that work we’d put in, chopping onions, browning the beef, mixing in the spices and waiting for it to cook. Now we had this enormous batch and no one to eat it. Maybe we’d split it up. My family would have supper for weeks. Then a thought popped into my head that didn’t seem to come from me. Take it to the homeless shelter.
The shelter? They planned way ahead and I was sure they already had a meal for the day. Then again, they could freeze the chili and serve it some other time. The women and I piled back into the car and drove to the shelter. A crowd of people huddled outside the cafeteria doors. “What’s going on?” I asked the shelter coordinator. “The group that was supposed to fix the meal today didn’t come in”, she said. “We’ve got all these people and nothing to feed them.” “You have something now”, I said.
There was enough chili for everyone … even for two stragglers who arrived after I thought the pot was empty. I shouldn’t have been surprised. This crew wasn’t the one we’d been planning to serve, but the Master Builder had a greater plan.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What is your response to the divine offer of total participation at the “banquet of salvation”? How do you prepare yourself for the heavenly feast? How do you image the compassionate Jesus who heals the sick and feeds the hungry?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
O loving God,
you are the Lord of the banquet.
We thank you
for the “feast of rich food and choice wines”
you have prepared for us on your holy mountain.
The “banquet of salvation” at the end time
celebrates the definitive triumph of your kingdom
and the glory of your Paschal Lamb.
In our daily celebration of the Eucharist,
the supper of the Lamb,
we have a foretaste of the eternal joy
and the bounty of that heavenly feast.
Help us to imitate the compassionate Jesus,
who heals the sick and feeds the hungry.
Grant us the grace to live in charity and integrity
that we may participate fully and joyfully
in the eternal “banquet of salvation”.
You live and reign, 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.
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all people.” (Is 25:6) // They all ate and were satisfied.” (Mt 15:37)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that the Christian disciples may be heartened by the “banquet of salvation” prepared for us by the Lord at the end time and prefigured in the Eucharist. By your small acts of charity and good deeds, prepare to participate fully at the heavenly feasting. Endeavor to alleviate the hunger of the world’s poor and to satisfy their need for a nourishing and bountiful meal. Show your compassionate care to the sick.
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December 6, 2018: THURSDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (1); SAINT NICHOLAS, Bishop
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Our Rock and Foundation”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 26:1-6 // Mt 7:21, 24-27
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 7:21, 24-27): “Whoever does the will of my Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven.”
(Gospel Reflection by Bishop Joseph Mukala, India)
The Lord announced that the Kingdom of God is at hand (cf. Lk 17:21, Mk 1:15). Everyone is urgently searching for an entry into this kingdom where the Lord promises righteousness, peace and prosperity. The conditions that the Lord puts forward are not difficult for one who is seriously seeking the kingdom. That person is ready to dig deep and lay a firm foundation on Christ-rock so that it could stand even in difficult and trying times. While this digging is going on, we need to root out all that is not compatible with the kingdom so that the foundation may be strong. Then it could take in the shocks and violence, persecutions and rebuff, ridicule and scorn of an unbelieving world. The Church is attacked on every front. We are considered old-fashioned when we do not conform ourselves with the world on issues of life, death penalty, values, health care, etc.
Advent is a time to search the innermost recesses of our lives and to build a strong foundation. With a firmly grounded Christian life, nothing can detract us in our discipleship. St. Paul asserts that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, (cf. Rom 8:35). Who are the mother, brothers and sisters of Jesus? They are those who hear the word and put it into practice. Those who are transformed by it can be sure that no persecutions or attacks could overcome them.
B. First Reading (Is 26:1-6): “Let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith.”
Advent is a propitious time to build our lives on Christ, our Rock Foundation. That we may be solidly founded on Christ, “he who comes in the name of the Lord”, we need to live by his words and follow his heavenly Father’s will. Our lives must correspond to the truth of faith that we profess. Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 26:1-6) undergirds the Christian call for integrity in our faith. The prophet Isaiah speaks of God’s promise of a “fortified city”, built in response to the hope of the “poor”. The gates of his “strong city” are open to the just and those who keep faith in him, but not to the proud and the tyrants. Isaiah refers to the Lord as an eternal “Rock”, which is a metaphor for total dependability. Indeed, the Lord God will always protect the humble and those who trust in his saving word.
The following account illustrates how a sterling modern woman built a house, put her trust in God, built her family life on the Rock Foundation and drew strength from the word of God (cf. Elizabeth Sherill, “The Glory of Ruth” in Guideposts, October 2007, p. 101-104).
It was on a radio newscast on June 15, 2007, that I heard about the death of my friend Ruth: “Mrs. Billy Graham, wife of the well-known evangelist, died yesterday at eighty-seven.” Ruth had been ill for a long time, her face in their Christmas card photo a little thinner each year, until all I recognized were those lively and compassionate eyes. In my desk I found the file of our correspondence. Here were dozens of letters in Ruth’s bold, energetic handwriting, the words slanting backward till they almost lay on their sides. Embossed above them on each sheet was Little Piney Cove, North Carolina.
I saw myself driving for the first time up that steep mountain road to a rustic cabin nestled in the shelter of a cliff, seemingly the home of long-ago pioneers. Hand-hewn chestnut beams, rough plastering, an immense fireplace. In fact, on that first visit in the 1950s, the house was brand-new, designed cellar to roof by Ruth herself. Over the years the house came, for me, to stand for the woman herself: a woman for whom imagination often took the place of money. Because Bill took only a modest salary, a tight budget for the new house was her first challenge. “I wanted it to look”, she told me, “as though it had stood here forever.” But where would she find massive chestnut timbers like the pioneers used? From old abandoned cabins she tracked down in the hills and hollows. (…)
Imagination, love, humor – all were present in that house on the mountain.
But the chief thing the house reflected was a woman’s hourly, moment-by-moment reliance on God. In large German script on the broad wooden mantel above the fireplace six words were incised in gold: Eine Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott. These opening words of Martin Luther’s great hymn, “A mighty fortress is our God”, explained the confidence with which Ruth met the never-ending challenge of being a wife and a mother. God was the secure place from where she was able to fight all of the daily battles with dishes and disruptions and the differing needs of husband and children.
I don’t think Ruth’s Bible ever saw a shelf. It was open constantly, whatever room she was in, not just as an aid to prayer, but as a practical guide to every problem the day presented. Worship and daily living were, for Ruth, not separate things. Chores, games, school work, nature, study – she wove all of it into the fabric of faith.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we seek protection in the fortified “city of God” and strength from the Lord, the “eternal Rock”? Do we truly seek the will of the Father and his kingdom by building our life upon Christ, the foundation Rock?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
You are the rock-foundation of our life.
Instill our day-to-day options with your wisdom.
Make us firm in our choices for you.
Help us as we work for the advent of your kingdom.
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.
“The Lord is an eternal Rock.” (Is 26:4)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
When buffeted with challenges and difficulties in life, seek the protection of God and draw strength from his life-giving word. Share the inner strength of God with the people around you whose faith seems to be weak.
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December 7, 2018: FRIDAY – SAINT AMBROSE. Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Joy-Giving Light”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 29:17-24 // Mt 9:27-31
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Mt 9:27-31): “Believing in Jesus, two who were blind were cured.”
(Gospel Reflection by Bishop Joseph Mukala, India)
All those who sought Jesus for a cure or miracle needed to have faith in him and his power to heal. When that was not evident, he evoked that faith from them. In today’s Gospel passage, he asked whether they believed that he could do what they were imploring from him. They humbly answered “yes”. The two intercessors did not complain to Jesus that they were blind nor did they lament their situation. No! Rather, they just accepted in all humility their limitations and expressed their faith in Jesus who could cure and make them whole. Without trust and confidence in him, nothing much could be done for them. With their faith-filled “Yes”, Jesus granted them their request. The two blind men knew what the Messiah would do in his time. So they called upon him using the messianic title, “Son of David” that he might bring sight to their blindness. They were right in calling Jesus “Son of David”. Their simple faith and humility were eventually rewarded.
It is strange that Jesus asked them not to share the news with others. Is this possible? Jesus is not interested in being a sensation; he does not want people to have the wrong idea about his mission. But the healed blind men ignored his appeal and went about telling everyone what happened. They had regained not only physical sight, but also “in-sight”. Finally they could see who Jesus really is - the word of God and healer. They could not keep it for themselves. Indeed, the “good” news had to be shared.
B. First Reading (Is 29:17-24): “On that day, the eyes of the blind shall see.”
Blindness is often a metaphor for lack of knowledge and for obduracy of heart. The two blind men in today’s Gospel who followed Jesus, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” already “know” Jesus and trust in him. Spiritually they are not blind. The miracle that restores their physical sight is a confirmation of the light of faith that enlightens their soul and enables them to perceive Jesus as the Messiah.
In the Old Testament reading (Is 29:17-24) there is the metaphor of blindness and deafness to indicate the mendacious state of the people in Judah. They have no “knowledge” of the ways of God and refuse to listen to his life-giving word. As a consequence of their “hardness”, tyrants oppress them and cause misery and affliction. The Lord God, however, promises redemption and transformation. The removal of ruthless tyrants is a messianic sign, as well as the return of the “knowledge of God” upon the land. The image of the deaf able to hear and the blind able to see, and the image of the Lebanon trees being transformed into an orchard and finally into a forest indicate a great reversal. God, in his marvelous goodness, is able to lead the people “out of gloom and darkness” into the light of the knowledge of God. The prophet Isaiah completes his messianic vision with the following words: “Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.”
The following is an example of a physically blind person who has learned to “really see” and to bask in the joy-giving “light” of God (cf. Karen Valentin in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 383).
Janet Eckles, a fellow Latina and author, invited my family and me to her home. I’d been looking forward to meeting her after hearing about her book Simply Salsa. After losing her sight, struggling in her marriage, and grieving the murder of her teenage son, she began to encourage others in their own struggles.
She was every bit the radiant and energetic spirit I imagined. Meeting her was inspiring and exciting, but I was mortified when my father spoke about his fear of going blind. He’d had an optical stroke that blinded his left eye and later had cataracts removed in his right one. “I don’t know what I’d do if I ever went completely blind”, he said. “I don’t think I could handle that!”
Janet grabbed his hand and said with a laugh, “Are you kidding me? Going blind is the best thing that ever happened to me! I learned to appreciate things I had taken for granted before. It led me to new and exciting career, and I discovered things I could do in spite of my blindness and found adventure in that.”
Father wasn’t trying to offend, and Janet wasn’t at all insulted. Instead, she assured my father and reminded all of us that we can find joy and purpose in whatever circumstances come our way.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we welcome the “advent” of Christ into our life to bring about our rebirth “out of gloom and darkness” into the light of the knowledge of God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are our light and salvation.
Heal the blindness of our heart.
In your light we see light.
Help us to work for the advent of your joy-giving light to others
that they too may have a seeing heart.
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.
“And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.” (Is 29:18)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray for those who are blinded in heart that they may see light. Gently introduce someone to the radiant light of Christ in the Word and the Eucharist.
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December 8, 2018: SATURDAY – THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
“JESUS SAVIOR: His Mother Was Immaculately Conceived”
BIBLE READINGS
Gn 3:9-15, 20 // Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 // Lk 1:26-38
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Mary accompanies us with her maternal and sanctifying presence in this season of grace and messianic waiting. But our Advent with Mary is marked with a “sign” – her Immaculate Conception, the sign that the coming Messiah, fruit of her virginal womb, is conqueror of evil. Mary most holy was kept sinless from the first moment of her conception, sharing beforehand in the salvation her Son Christ would bring by his death and resurrection. Indeed, Mary’s Immaculate Conception is a “sign” that in Christ, God’s love prevails and that in him, we are saved and redeemed from the power of sin.
Our Founder, Blessed James Alberione, remarks: “The dogma of Mary’s Immaculate Conception was defined on December 8, 1854 by Pope Pius IX, surrounded by hundreds of bishops and an impressive crowd of believers. Mary is the first and marvelous fruit of redemption. (…) Why these privileges? Why the supreme and most abounding grace of her Immaculate Conception? All these are due to the foreseen merits of her Son, the future Messiah. Mary is the first and marvelous fruit of Christ’s redemption. His passion and death bore beforehand its most abundant fruit in Mary who would accompany him in his death and resurrection … God’s gift of Mary’s Immaculate Conception is marvelous and unique. The Church defined this exceptional privilege as a dogma of faith to proclaim to the world the marvels God wrought in Mary when her soul came forth from the Father’s creative hands.”
On this blessed day, we celebrate the first moment of Mary’s existence – her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne, as a wonderful springtime of grace. As we celebrate the marvelous work God has wrought in her life, we inevitably remember her important role in salvation history as giving life to the true life-giver. Conceived sinless in her mother’s womb, Mary’s “YES” to the loving plan of God for her cooperation in sending the Messiah to free the world from its sins is a cause for rejoicing. Mary’s openness to grace overcame the hopeless struggle of Genesis. Her assent to be the Mother of God made it possible for the riches of God’s grace to flow upon us abundantly.
The following beautiful story circulated on the Internet illustrates how Mary continues to be active in salvation history.
A little six-year-old Protestant boy had often heard his Catholic companions reciting the prayer “Hail Mary”. He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it, and would recite it every day. “Look, Mommy, what a beautiful prayer”, he said to his mother one day. “Never again say it”, answered the mother. “It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who adore idols and think Mary is a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything that we are bound to do and have to do.”
From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily “Hail Mary” and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead. One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: “Mommy, I have found the ‘Hail Mary’ in the Bible which says: ‘Hail full of grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women.’ Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?” On another occasion he found that beautiful salutation of St. Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle Magnificat in which Mary foretold that “the generations would call her blessed”.
He said no more about it to his mother but started to recite the “Hail Mary” every day as before. He felt pleasure in addressing these charming words to the Mother of Jesus, our Savior.
One day, when he was fourteen, he heard a discussion on Our Lady among the members of his family. Every one said that Mary was a common woman like any other woman. The boy, after listening to their erroneous reasoning could not bear it any longer and, full of indignation, he interrupted them saying: “Mary is not like any other children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The angel called her FULL OF GRACE AND BLESSED AMONG WOMEN. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit is not the spirit of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be the foundation of the Christian religion.”
So deep was the impression which the boy’s talk had made that his mother many a time cried out sorrowfully: “Oh, my God! I fear that this son of mine will one day join the Catholic religion, the religion of the Popes!” And indeed, not very long afterwards, having made a serious study of both Protestantism and Catholicism, the boy found the latter to be the only true religion and embraced it and became one of its most ardent apostles.
Sometime after his conversion, he met his married sister who rebuked him and said indignantly: “You little know how much I love my children. Should any one of them desire to become a Catholic, I would sooner pierce his heart with a dagger than allow him to embrace the religion of the Popes!” Her anger and temper were as furious as those of St. Paul before his conversion. However, she would change her ways, just as St. Paul did on his way to Damascus. It so happened that one of her sons fell dangerously ill and the doctors gave up hope of recovery. Her brother then approached her and spoke to her affectionately, saying: “My dear sister, you naturally wish to have your child cured. Very well, then, do what I ask you to do. Follow me; let us pray one ‘Hail Mary’ and promise God that if your son recovers his health, you would seriously study the Catholic doctrine, and should you come to the conclusion that Catholicism is the only true religion, you would embrace it no matter what the sacrifices may be.”
His sister was somewhat reluctant at the beginning, but as she wished for her son’s recovery, she accepted her brother’s proposal and recited the “Hail Mary” together with him. The next day her son was completely cured. The mother fulfilled her promise and she studied the Catholic doctrine. After long preparation she received Baptism together with her whole family, thanking the brother for being an apostle to her.
This story was related during a sermon by the Rev. Fr. Tuckwell. “Brethren”, he went on and said, “The boy who became a Catholic and converted his sister to Catholicism dedicated his whole life to the service of God. He is the priest who is speaking to you now! What I am I owe to Our Lady. You, too, my dear brethren, be entirely dedicated also to Our Lady and never let a day pass without saying the beautiful prayer, ‘Hail Mary’ and your Rosary. Ask her to enlighten the minds of Protestants who are separated from the true Church of Christ founded on the Rock (Peter) and ‘against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail’.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we believe that Mary’s Immaculate Conception is a sign that in Christ, God’s love prevails and that in him, we are saved and redeemed from the powers of sin? How do we express this belief in our personal life?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Father most holy,
you have given us the Blessed Virgin Mary
as a radiant “sign” in our pilgrimage of faith
as Church on earth.
Through her loving intercession,
strengthen our faith and inspire our hope
so that nothing can ever sway us
from the path that leads to eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
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.
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.” (Gen 3:15)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Support the movement to protect and promote every person’s right to life and especially the right to life of the unborn. In your acts of charity and in the challenges of daily living, manifest the life-giving “Yes” of Mary.
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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