A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday & Weekday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 20, n. 4)
Fourth Week of Advent & Christmas: December 19-25, 2021
(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 12-18, 2021 please go to ARCHIVES Series 20 and click on “Advent Week 3”.
Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY:
December 19-25, 2021.)
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DECEMBER 19, 2021: FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Calls Us to Be Christ Bearers”
BIBLE READINGS
Mi 5:1-4a // Heb 10:5-0 // Lk 1:39-45
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 1:39-45): “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Composer and performer Bradley James has put Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s teachings and prayers to music in the internationally acclaimed recording, “Gift of Love: Music to the Words and Prayers of Mother Teresa”. Bradley remembers: “Mother said we don’t have to go to Calcutta to help the poor; rather, we must help them right in front of us.” He applied this lesson when he encountered a homeless beggar on the streets of San Francisco (cf. Susan Conroy, Our Sunday Visitor, Oct. 19, 2003, p. 17). Bradley placed some money in his metal cup, then reached out and shook the man’s hand. The recipient gave him a big smile and the two exchanged names and small talk. Bradley recalls: “Then he pulled me a little closer and said, ‘Thanks for the money, but what I really needed was a handshake’.” Indeed, what was remarkable was the human dignity that Bradley brought to the beggar through the handshake. In effect, Bradley has replicated in his life the joyful mystery of the Lord’s visitation.
In Luke’s Gospel account of the visitation of Mary to her kinswoman, Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-45), he brings together the new mothers-to-be, so that both might praise God’s marvelous activity in their lives and that Elizabeth’s child might be presented as the precursor of Mary’s child. Indeed, the meeting of the two expectant mothers has a redemptive significance: God’s inauguration in Jesus of the final stage of salvation. The one who brought the saving Lord to Elizabeth’s home is Mary, the Mother of the Lord. She is the “christofora” or the bearer of the good news. The mother of Christ, God’s most beautiful and precious gift to humankind, brings him to John, in the womb of Elizabeth. The Church, the community of Christian disciples, is called to be the bearer of Christ’s saving love in the here and now. Our ministry today is like that of Mary, the “christofora” or bearer of Christ. But before becoming bearers of Christ, we must let him be formed in us.
B. Old Testament Reading (Mi 5:1-4a): “From you shall come forth the ruler of Israel.”
The archeologist Sal Trento’s article “Tidings of Joy” in GUIDEPOSTS Magazine (December 2006 issue, p. 68-72) narrates of a mysterious visit he received on a Christmas Eve when he lay near death in a hospital bed after a terrible car accident. He was feeling trapped in a broken body and trapped by his regrets about the past, when a mysterious elderly lady with intense blue eyes entered his room in the ICU to hold his hand and pray for him. Sal writes:
Instinctively I wanted to pull my hand away. But I couldn’t . I was too weak. Then, from somewhere deep inside I felt a tingle, like an electric charge coursing through my body. The feeling moved up along my spine and into my chest, then it exploded in my mind, infusing me with light and energy and a power that was at once alien and innate. I would not have been surprised to see myself aglow like the lights on the monitors. And I knew it meant the same thing: that I was alive and would survive. That never again would I feel alone. What I felt now was something very certain and very real: joy. “Thank you, Lord,” I hear myself say. The words reverberated through me like a kind of healing. I looked at the old woman. She was talking softly, soothingly. I couldn’t understand her words. But I knew she was praying. I must have finally fallen back asleep. When I awoke, it was already Christmas morning. And the elderly woman was gone.
The medical staff was aghast at Sal Trento’s miraculous recovery. The mysterious kindly lady who radiated great calm and kindness brought to him the gift of healing and Sal would forever remember that Christmas Eve when he experienced that he would never again feel alone … when all is joy. Sal Trento’s experience gives us an insight into the ineffable mystery of the visitation of Mary, the Christ bearer, into the house of Elizabeth whose child in her womb leapt for joy when she heard Mary’s greeting.
This Sunday’s Old Testament reading (Mic 5:1-4a) helps define the character of the child that is in Mary’s womb – the gift of joy of which she is the bearer. Micah foretells of an ideal messianic king who will inaugurate a new era after Israel’s period of exile. The mission of this highly idealized ruler is characterized as a good shepherd who protects his flock and keeps them from being scattered. This new king will be great and he himself will be peace. Prophesying in the late eighth century at about the same time as Isaiah, Micah uttered an oracle that seemed to identify Bethlehem as the city of a yet unborn ruler’s birth. This fascinating oracle contributed to a profound vision of Jesus’ destiny as a ruler. Indeed, Micah’s oracle reinforces the hope that God would make a fresh start by appointing again Bethlehem – the city of King David - as the birthplace of a future king that surpasses all in greatness. From Bethlehem, that is, from the Davidic dynasty would be born the one who is to rule over us all: Jesus the son of David. He is the peace and the joy of all believers.
C. Second Reading (Heb 10:5-10): “Behold I come to do your will.”
This Sunday’s Second Reading (Heb 10:5-10) gives us a profound insight into the “why” of the Lord’s incarnation. The Son of God became man so that through his “body” he could offer a sacrifice of perfect obedience to the Father’s saving will. The effect of Christ’s perfect sacrifice is our salvation and redemption. Through the offering of the body of Christ for all, we have been sanctified and consecrated to the loving, merciful God the Father.
When I was reading the following story by Poverello House Founder Mike McGarvin, I felt something vaguely familiar in it (cf. Poverello News, November 2009, p.1-2). Now I know! The meeting of Campbell and “Papa Mike” is like the visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. What a beautiful story for the Advent-Christmas season when we are deeply challenged to live our calling: to allow the word of God to dwell in our hearts … to let Christ grow within us … to be Christ bearers to others! In imitation of Mary’s discipleship and charity, we too need to live out our vocation to be like Christ who said to the heavenly Father at his incarnation: “Behold, I come to do your will, O God” (Heb 10:7).
It’s 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 art 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
Do we believe that we are being sent to carry out the Lord’s visitation and saving mission? Do we perceive the meaning of the tremendous gift that we, as Christian disciples, are called to share to the world? That we may be effective “christoforas” or Christ bearers, do we allow Christ to be formed in us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Adapted from the Advent Preface “The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and Mary’s Canticle of Praise)
Father, all-powerful and ever living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
By your Holy Spirit
you inspired Elizabeth
to reveal the surpassing honor
you have given to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mary is rightly hailed as blessed
because she believed in your promise of salvation;
in her act of loving service
she is greeted as mother of the Lord
by the mother of Christ’s herald.
We make our own the canticle of joy
on the lips of God’s Virgin Mother,
and in our lowliness we too proclaim your greatness:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my savior.”
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 how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Be an instrument of the Lord’s visitation to those who need his salvation by visiting the sick, the lonely, and/or the prisoners.
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December 20, 2021: MONDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (4)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Sign of Salvation”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 7:10-14 // Lk 1:26-38
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 1:26-38): “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.”
(By Fr. Samuel Canilang, CMF, Director: Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia)
The Spirit of God was hovering over the cosmos at the time of creation. The Spirit of God overshadowed Mary at the conception of Jesus. The Spirit of God descended upon the Apostles at the birth of the Church. The Holy Spirit is creative, the source of all life - the mother of all. The Incarnation has transformed the cosmos. It is the birth of a new heaven and a new earth. The mission of the Son is to bring fullness of life to all: to humankind, to all created beings, to mother earth, to the universe.
The human being is Adam. The human being is earth. Indeed, the human and the earth are radically bound together. We live on the fruits of the earth. In turn the earth needs us to care for it, cultivate it, and make it fruitful. The season of Advent invites us to contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation. At the same time, it invites us to assume the mission of the Incarnate Son: to bring fullness of life to all. Like Mary, let us be handmaids of the Lord; servants of the Lord; co-workers of the Lord. Today, a very urgent task of all handmaids of the Lord is the care of our mother earth.
B. First Reading (Is 7:10-14): “Behold, the virgin shall be with a child.”
It must have been some kind of midlife crisis, for I had allowed the disappointments of those moments to discourage me and even erode my self-esteem. I felt so insignificant and it seemed that I had toiled in vain. I needed some kind of affirmation to confirm that my apostolic labor had meaning and value. I prayed to God to give me a “sign”. In his goodness God gifted me with a beautiful “sign”. One day in June 2001, Bishop Protacio Gungon of the Diocese of Antipolo, in the Philippines, informed me that I was going to receive an award. The Bishop nominated me for the papal award, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in recognition for the service I had rendered to the Church and the Pope. On August 15, 2001, in a memorable diocesan celebration that acknowledged the contribution of a layman, a religious, and a clergyman, Mr. Guillermo Tolentino and I received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award while Fr. Arnel Lagarejos was elevated to the rank of “papal chaplain”, with the title of “Monsignor”. The conferral of the papal award was for me a “sign” that encourages me in difficulties as I endeavor to serve the Lord and his people through the Eucharistic-Priestly-Liturgical apostolate.
The liturgy of the Advent and Christmas seasons is marked by an exquisite “sign” of God’s love: the birth of a child, which is perhaps the most universal and enduring symbol of hope for the human race. A “sign” in the Old Testament and New Testament is usually some event assuring us of divine intervention. It is an indication of divine presence and a form of revelation. A “sign” is God’s propitious expression of benevolence and a promise of salvation for his people. It is a gift of love from our saving God to encourage us in moments of crisis. Indeed, a divine “sign” is a symbol of hope in weakness and an assurance of life and victory when assailed with threats of defeat and destruction.
The Old Testament reading (Is 7:10-14) contains a prophetic sign directed to King Ahaz, who was anxious and trembling as “the trees of the forest tremble in the wind” (Is 7:2), for the imminent siege of Jerusalem in 735 B.C. by the kings of Syria and Israel. Confronting his lack of trust in the Lord, the prophet Isaiah declared: “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel” (Is 7:14). With the sign of the conception and birth of a child, God wanted to manifest to King Ahaz, who was piously hiding his intent to seek security through political allies, that the Lord Yahweh was in perfect control of human history and destiny. Indeed, God is with us and intimately involved in our affairs. The “sign” announced by the prophet Isaiah was an invitation to Ahaz to trust in God alone – in the realization of the Covenant and his continual protection. The King ought not to rely on the political and military interventions of the Assyrians for salvation from his enemies. The conception and birth of a child by the young wife of King Ahaz was meant to be a powerful indication of Yahweh’s abiding presence and merciful intervention on behalf of his people. The weakling ruler, however, did not accept the birth of his son, Hezekiah, as a “sign” of salvation and of God’s solicitude for the house of David. Trusting more in political security, Ahaz sent gold and silver to the King of Assyria and became his vassal.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in the birth of the Virgin Mary’s child, Jesus. The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 1, comment: “The sign that God gives is the birth of a child. It is a sign, because this birth is a promise of salvation. Moreover, he will bear the significant name Emmanuel, that is, God-with-us. The salvation announced to the people goes beyond the person of Hezekiah. The child, the sign of the salvation of God, will be no ordinary person, and he will come from David’s lineage: the Messiah himself. When Jesus appeared, born of a woman – a virgin whose name was Mary – to whom the angel of God said: You shall conceive and bear a son … The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father … and his reign will be without end (Lk 1:31-33), one will easily surmise that he must be the promised Messiah. Not merely one sign among many, but THE sign of God.”
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we imitate Mary in her openness to grace and in her total availability to share in the mission of the Son to bring fullness of life to all?
2. Have we ever experienced a crisis situation that prompted us to ask God for a “sign” that he was really there for us? Did God send us a “sign” in response to our faith-filled yearning?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are the “Key of David”,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom.
Like Mary, we say “Fiat” to the Father’s saving will.
Make us share in your mission
to free prisoners from the darkness of sin
and to bring the fullness of life to all.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
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Loving Father,
we welcome the birth of Jesus,
from the virginal womb of Mary,
as a sign of your saving presence in our midst,
a symbol of hope and a promise of salvation.
In the fragile “sign” of the Child Jesus,
born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem,
we embrace the presence,
the power and strength of your redeeming love.
In Jesus Savior
the joy of Christmas is complete.
We thank you, loving Father,
for the “sign” of the Christ Child
and the gift of Christmas.
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.
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) //“The Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” (Is 7:14)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Meditate on the beautiful Christmas “sign” of the Christ Child, born of Mary. Let the “sign” of the Christ Child and the Christmas spirit of love, justice, peace and the presence of God be shared with the people around you, especially the poor, the sick and the suffering.
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December 21, 2021: TUESDAY –ADVENT WEEKDAY (4); SAINT PETER CANISIUS, Priest, Doctor of the Church
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is in Our Midst”
BIBLE READINGS
Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a // Lk 1:39-45
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 1:39-45): “And how does this happen to me that the mother of the Lord should come to me?”
(By Fr. Samuel Canilang, CMF, Director: Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia)
Mary is “the most blessed among women”. She is blessed because she “believed that the Lord’s word would come true”. These words of Elizabeth correspond to those of Jesus himself: “My mother, my brothers and my sisters are those who receive the word of God and fulfill it.” Shema Israel… Listening (= hearing and obeying) is a central theme in the whole Judaeo-Christian Tradition. Listening to the Word is intrinsically linked to blessedness or holiness. Only God is Holy – the three times holy. Being blessed is sharing in the holiness of God.
The other biblical term used to refer to the sharing in God’s holiness is consecration. All of us – members of the Church – are consecrated by virtue of our baptism. We all share in the holiness of God. We are blessed. We live our consecration according to our form of life in the Church: as lay, as religious, as ordained. To live our consecration fundamentally involves discernment, meditation and responding to the word of God which comes to us through the Scripture, the Tradition, our contemporary experiences, the signs of the times, the needs of our neighbors. Advent is a special invitation for us to live and bear witness to our consecration to God in Christ.
B. First Reading (Sg 2:8-14): “Hark!My lover comes, springing across the mountains.” // Zep 3:14-18a: “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst.”
Song of Song 2:8-14: This Old Testament reading depicts the deep longing of a young girl for the coming (the “advent”) of her beloved, who now bounces upon the hills like a gazelle or a young stag. Confined at home behind a wall, windows and lattices, she eagerly listens to her lover’s invitation for a springtime tryst. The profusion of flowers, the cooing of turtledoves, the blossoming of fig trees and the beauty of their romance evoke the joyful meeting of Mary and Elizabeth and the two illustrious babies within their wombs. The Song of Song’s portrayal of the tender love between the young lovers likewise points to the intimate union of the Savior with humankind through the mystery of the Lord’s incarnation.
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Zephaniah 3:14-18a: Zephaniah, who prophesied under King Josiah of Judah, is both the prophet of the “day of wrath” and the harbinger of the promise of salvation. His foreboding of doom (cf. Zep 1:15: “a day of wrath, that day, a day of distress and agony, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and darkness …”) merely underlines the consoling message that God is in our midst – to bring salvation out of a painful situation. The enigmatic prophet makes an ardent appeal to trust in the mighty Lord who is “in our midst”. He courageously invites a presently distressed people to rejoice in a situation in which joy seems utterly impossible. Zephaniah’s climactic message of hope reinforces the clarion call of the Church in this Advent season to rejoice always in the Lord. The indomitable joy of a believer and the faith community is founded on the conviction that our future is secured by God and promoted by human endeavor and response. Against the backdrop of Zephaniah’s ode to joy and the exceedingly familiar situations of pain and calamity in today’s world, we perceive better our mission to be instruments of joy and hope for others.
The following excerpt from a letter written in December 2013 by our friend, Sr. Jean Marie, CSFN, an American missionary in the Philippines, invites us to cling to God whose love is made incarnate and is “in our midst”.
Yes, since October 15 this country has had two major calamities. A 7.2 earthquake struck Bohol and Cebu about 8:15 a.m. that day and over 3,000 aftershocks are still going on. Our 5 Sisters there had to hold on to iron grills on the windows; otherwise, they would have been thrown over the second floor porch, where they were able to exit. Our school was damaged but the loss of 23 churches is even more devastating. (…)
Typhoon Yolanda, as called in the Philippines, struck a blow Nov. 8-9 leaving even more devastation. Thousands of lives were lost because of the water surge. It will take a long time plus lots of faith and courage for these families to rebuild their homes and lives.
Christmas is right around the corner. So, this newborn Baby Jesus is always a sign of and proof for hope that new life, especially our spiritual life will not die. Perhaps the Filipino people are being purified and strengthened in their faith and trust in the God who loves and cares. Lots of love is being poured out from all around the world. Businesses and institutions here are cancelling Christmas parties and donating the money. Is this not what Christmas is all about? Christmas is about love – the love of God for us and our love for one another.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
1. Do we realize how greatly blessed are we by God and that he has consecrated us to his saving will? How do we witness God’s blessing and how do we live out our consecration?
2. Do we welcome with joyful expectation the advent of Jesus, the font of joy, in our personal life and in the life of the Church? Do we resolve to commit ourselves to be a people of joy and to be promoters of joy in today’s anguished and distressed world?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are the “Emmanuel”,
our King and giver of the Law.
In you we behold the holiness of God
and participate intimately in his life.
Help us to rejoice in the blessing you bring
and to live fully our consecration to your saving mission.
Maranatha! Come, O Christ the Lord!
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(Cf. Alternative Opening Prayer of the Mass: Third Sunday of Advent)
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
ever faithful to your promises
and ever close to your Church:
the earth rejoices in hope of the Savior’s coming
and looks forward with longing
to his return at the end of time.
Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness
that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope
which his presence will bestow.
He is Lord 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.
“Blessed is the fruit of your womb.” (Lk 1:42b) //“The Lord, your God, is in your midst.” (Zep 3:17)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Let our blessing and consecration be made manifest in our acts of justice and charity for the people around us, especially those who have lost their jobs and/or homes and are feeling extremely vulnerable. // Offer your moral, spiritual and material help to the victims of natural and man-made calamities.
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December 22, 2021: WEDNESDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (4)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He”
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Cause for Thanksgiving”
BIBLE READINGS
1 Sm 1:24-28 // Lk 1:46-56
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
A. Gospel Reading (Lk 1:46-56): “The Mighty One has done great things for me.”
(Gospel Reflection by Fr. Samuel Canilang, CMF, Director: Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia)
The Magnificat reveals three significant traits of Mary: her historical memory, social consciousness, and covenantal perspective. In the depth of her heart, Mary remembers the origin and identity of her people: a people chosen, loved, formed, cared for, guided by God. Mary knows the consistent infidelity of her people vis-à-vis the uninterrupted fidelity of God. Far from being a plain housewife, indifferent to the situation outside her own household, Mary is profoundly aware of the plight, the struggles, and the dreams of her people. Now Mary understands everything from the perspective of the Covenant. Thus she bursts into song upon Gabriel’s annunciation of the birth of the Messiah. The Incarnation is the decisive and definitive fulfillment of God’s part of the Covenant: the salvation of all characterized by liberation, healing, justice, peace, and joy.
Advent is a time of repentance for our infidelity, renewal of our faith in the Covenant, renewal of our commitment to Christ and his mission of integral salvation, and thanksgiving for God’s constant fidelity.
B. First Reading (1 Sm 1:24-28): “Hannah gives thanks for the birth of Samuel.”
Today’s Old Testament reading (1 Sm 1:24-28) is especially meaningful for me. When my dad was sick with cancer, and was given at most three months to live, I bargained with God. I promised I would enter the convent if he healed him. My dad got well. When I was nineteen, God made me realize it was time to fulfill my vow. One night I received a telegram from my dad, who was helping his sister’s business in Mindanao, Philippines. The text was short, but it radically changed my life: “With my blessing, daughter.” Soon I was at the PDDM convent, accompanied by my mom, requesting admission. My mom said, “God gave her to us. We give her back to him.” Sr. Mary Gianfranca, an Italian sister who warmly welcomed us, told my mom: “Mrs. Tapang, she will be closer to you more than before!”
Against the backdrop of my personal experience, I find the account of Hannah’s consecration of Samuel very touching. The distraught Hannah, despised for her barrenness, bargains with God: if she is given a son, she will consecrate him to the Lord. God hears her request. She conceives and gives birth to a son, whom she names Samuel. After weaning her son, she brings him to the sanctuary in Shiloh and introduces him to the priest Eli as the divine answer to her prayer. Hannah told Eli of her resolve: the boy will belong to the Lord as long as he lives. God blesses Hannah with three more sons and two daughters to take the place of the one dedicated to him.
Hannah’s presentation of her child, Samuel, in the temple reminds us of Mary who would one day present her son, Jesus, in the temple. Moreover, Hannah’s song of praise for God’s marvels finds a counterpart in Mary’s “Magnificat”. Both canticles express joy at the birth of a special child and both praise the power and holiness of God and his saving will. The boy, Samuel, who is the cause of thanksgiving for Hannah, will grow up to be a great prophet who will speak the word of God to Israel. Hannah’s son is a figure of Jesus, the son of Mary, the cause of our salvation and thanksgiving. Surpassing Hannah’s son, Mary’s son is the word of God incarnate and the savior of all mankind.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What does the consecration of the boy Samuel to the Lord mean to us? How do the song of Hannah and the song of Mary inspire me? Do we sing Mary’s Magnificat in the daily events of our life, deeply conscious of God’s presence and activity on our behalf, the responsibilities of our covenant relationship with him, and our social duties to promote the common good?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are “King of all nations” and keystone of the Church.
We sing with Mary her Magnificat
and let the Spirit of God animate our daily lives.
We commit ourselves to the covenant
and the service of the most needy and vulnerable among us.
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.
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (Lk 1:46-47a) // “As long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” (1 Sm 1:28)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that our Marian devotion may deepen our covenant fidelity and social responsibility. Do something for indigent children and share with them the joy of Christmas. By your spiritual, moral, and material support, promote priestly and religious vocations in the Church and in the world today.
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December 23, 2021: THURSDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (4); SAINT JOHN OF KANTY, Priest
“JESUS SAVIOR: John the Baptist Is His Messenger of Hope”
BIBLE READINGS
Mal 3:1-4, 23-24 // Lk 1:57-66
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Gospel (Lk 1:57-66) depicts the birth of John the Baptist, the precursor of the Messiah. The prophecy of Malachi (3:1-4, 23-24) sheds light on the Gospel portrait of John the Baptist. Malachi speaks of God’s promise to send his “messenger” to prepare the way before him and to send “the prophet Elijah” to bring fathers and children together again. As we contemplate God’s marvelous works, in this Advent-Christmas season, we perceive with gratitude that John the Baptist, born of Jesus’ kinsmen Elizabeth and Zechariah, is the “messenger” sent to prepare the way of the Lord. John is likewise the promised “Elijah” totally committed to God as his prophet of judgment and repentance. John the Baptist is a very powerful Advent figure. He preaches the Good News to the people and urges them to change their hearts. Through an ascetic lifestyle and fiery words of truth, he makes a critique of an evil status quo and calls people to conversion. Above all, he uplifts the hearts of the disheartened and the disappointed by proclaiming the advent of the longed for Messiah in their midst.
Like John the Baptist, we too are called to proclaim the saving advent of Jesus in our life. We too are called to be prophets of hope. In today’s fragmented world, Authors Anne Hendershott and Christopher White show how to carry this out (cf. Emily Stimpson in “Book Tells Good News Story of the Church” in Our Sunday Visitor, December 1, 2013, p. 19).
The end is near. In the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandals and Rome’s unchanging positions on the ordination of women, priestly celibacy, and traditional marriage, that was the fate many cultural commentators predicted for the Catholic Church. But in their new book, “Renewal: How a New Generation of Priests and Bishops is Revitalizing the Catholic Church” (Encounter Books, $25.99), Anne Hendershott and Christopher White unpack the sociological evidence that proves just the opposite. Recently, Our Sunday Visitor spoke about that evidence with Hendershott, professor of sociology and director of the Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Here’s what we learned.
Our Sunday Visitor: If the only knowledge someone had of the Catholic Church was what they saw reported on the evening news, what kind of Church would they see?
Anne Hendershott: Essentially, they would see a Church in decline. If all you’re doing is reading secular newspapers or news programs, you’ll get the idea of people deserting the Church, that priests are disgruntled, graying and unhappy and we’re not attracting new Catholics. (…)
Our Sunday Visitor: How does that picture contrast with the real picture?
Hendershott: Well, when I started to write the book, the plan was to write about the Catholic culture wars. That was the original title, “Beyond the Catholic Culture Wars”. At that point, I was buying into the secular media’s idea that the Church was in decline. I didn’t know how good the news about the Church actually was. Everything changed though, when I started writing. I knew intuitively that some dioceses were doing well and producing vocations. So, I thought I’d have a chapter that focused on that good news. The plan was to put it at the end of the book and close on a positive note.
But then my research assistant who was helping with the data, Christopher White, came to me and said, “This news is so good. I don’t know if you want to end the book with this.” I was blown away by what he showed me. It wasn’t just a few dioceses that were doing well. There was more good news than I could fit into just one chapter. So, I totally redid the plan for the book and made Christopher a coauthor.
Our Sunday Visitor: What is some of the good news you found?
Hendershott: Going in, I knew there would be some dioceses that had strong ordination numbers. But there were far more dioceses than I anticipated that fit into that category. Also, the picture of priests as unhappy, depressed alcoholics is just so false. There was a study done not too long ago that tells us 95 percent of priests find a great joy in their priesthood and most wouldn’t even think of leaving.
Our Sunday Visitor: What makes for happy priests and good priestly vocation numbers?
Hendershott: What we found was that the bishops are what makes the difference. Bishops who are involved with their seminarians, encouraging vocations, and living their priesthood – that matters. So does what bishops are saying and doing on specific cultural issues. Bishops who protested Notre Dame awarding an honorary degree to President Obama, those who were high profile in talking about the problem of pro-choice politicians, and those who signed the Manhattan Declaration, which defends the definition of marriage as one man and one woman – in all those cases, what you see is more vocations. The more orthodox the bishop, the more vocations he inspires. Archbishop (Elden) Curtiss said as much in the early 1990s. He wrote an article back then that said when dioceses are unambiguous about the priesthood, and there’s a minimum of dissent about the nature of it, you have more vocations. Our research found that to be true. (…)
Our Sunday Visitor: What other signs of renewal give the lie to the secular portrayal of the Catholic Church?
Hendershott: The growing involvement of faithful laity, the increase in the number of permanent deacons, and so many wonderful new organizations focused on the New Evangelization, such as FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) and Word on Fire Ministries. Then, there are the books being written by faithful Catholics and Catholic universities who are taking their Catholic identity seriously, as well as faithful women’s religious orders that are attracting vocations while dissident orders are dying out. There is so much good news.
Our Sunday Visitor: What else can the laity do to help encourage the renewal taking place within the Church?
Hendershott: Celebrate the good news. Pray for priests and honor them. Encourage your children and grandchildren to consider priestly and religious vocations. The more people realize the priesthood and consecrated life are wonderful callings, the more they will inspire their sons and daughters to consider it.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Like John the Baptist are we ready to prepare the way of the Lord and prepare the hearts of the people of today for the advent of Jesus in their life? Are we messengers of the Lord and heralds of the Good News?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
your cousin, John, is the new Elijah sent by God
to be your precursor.
He is the messenger who prepares the way for you
and the prophet who points out your Advent in our midst..
Bless us and grant us the grace to imitate the precursor John.
Help us to bring close to you the people of Advent expectation.
You are our saving Lord, now and forever.
Amen.
***
Lord Jesus,
you are the “Radiant Dawn”,
splendor of eternal light,
sun of justice.
Bathed in your glorious light,
we walk in the path of life.
Guided by the “hand of the Lord”,
we spread Christmas joy to all.
Help us to prepare worthily for the celebration of your birth.
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 week. Please memorize it.
“The hand of the Lord was with him.” (Lk 1:66) // “Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare my way before me.” (Mal 3:1)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By acts of self-giving and personal witnessing, let the people who are heart-broken and grieving experience the Advent of the saving Lord in their lives.
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December 24, 2021: FRIDAY – ADVENT WEEKDAY (4)
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is Born of the House of David”
BIBLE READINGS
2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-13, 14a-16 // Lk 1:67-79
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
Today’s Old Testament reading (2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16) presents King David at his best. In peace with all the nations about, he has the leisure to turn to internal matters, including the public worship of God. Appalled that he is living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent, King David plans to build a house for the Lord to dwell in. Nathan’s dream reveals God’s greater plan for David. God looks kindly on David’s thoughtfulness, but at the same time, puts his good intention in proper perspective. It is not David who will build a house for the Lord Almighty. It is God who will build a “house” – a dynasty for his servant David. In the context of our Advent-Christmas preparation, we perceive that God’s promise - I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm – is fulfilled not by King Solomon, but by Jesus Christ.
Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 1:67-79) contains the beautiful canticle of Zechariah, the “Benedictus”. His hymn is a “prophecy” under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and delineates the meaning of the birth of his son, John. Zechariah sees, in the event of John’s birth, God’s fulfillment of the covenant promises to David. The priest Zechariah blesses God for “he has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David”. The “mighty Savior” of David’s lineage is Jesus. In him is God’s definitive salvation for all the people. Zechariah’s John will be called “the prophet of the Most High”. As the precursor of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist “will go before the Lord to prepare his way”
The following personal account illustrates a way of allowing Zechariah’s prophetic words to take effect in our daily life: “In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us” (cf. Ellen Siler, “Tidings of Comfort” in Country, December-January 2014, p. 53).
As Christmas 1983 drew near, I was a 19-year old new bride living hundreds of miles from my family and growing increasingly homesick. Buying our first meager decorations and trimming the tree Doug found us didn’t cheer me up the way I’d hoped.
Then one day, the mail brought a Christmas card – our very first. It was from an older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Cannon, dear friends who attended my church back home. The handwritten note inside read simply, “God bless you both on your first Christmas together. We love you. Eddie and Clarice Cannon.” Tears filled my eyes.
Now it’s 30 years later, and Mr. and Mrs. Cannon are in heaven. Yet every time I write my Christmas cards, I still feel the love that traveled so many miles when I was feeling homesick.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we thank the Lord for the gift of the royal dynasty of David that brought forth Jesus Christ? Like Zechariah, do we hail the “dawn from on high” that breaks upon us – Jesus our Savior? What do we do to make the celebration of Christmas, the birth of our Savior, more meaningful and life-transforming?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are the mighty Savior,
born of the house of David.
We hail you as “Dayspring”.
We welcome you as the Sun of justice
and rejoice in the splendor of divine light.
Help us to live our life in holiness and service,
animated by the strength of the Holy Spirit.
Guide our feet into the way of peace.
Together with Zechariah,
whose son John is your precursor,
we bless the Lord, the God of Israel,
for in you we are set free.
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 dawn from on high shall break upon us.” (Lk 1:78b) // “Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever.” (2 Sm 7:16)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that your family, relatives, and friends may have a grace-filled Christmas. By your acts of charity, let the Christmas joy flow to all, especially those who are distressed and burdened with many trials.
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December 24, 2021: FRIDAY – VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
BIBLE READINGS
Mass at Night: Is 9:1-6 // Ti 2:11-14 // Lk 2:1-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
In the Christmas mystery, the Son of God became totally involved in our human lot. Jesus Savior thoroughly embraced our humanity, immersing himself in the human situation – experiencing the best of us and the worst of us. This is what God intended. He refused to be a mere spectator in human affairs. He wanted to participate, to be a part of it. This is the tremendous mystery of the Incarnation; this is the beautiful mystery of Christmas; this is the profound mystery of the Eucharist. They are all a definitive participation of Jesus Christ in our human affairs in a self-giving manner. Thus, in these moments, Jesus gives us a model of self-giving. He shows us the way to love.
The studies of my professor in Scripture, Fr. Herman Hendrickx, CICM, on the Infancy Narratives of Luke, can help us deepen our understanding of the Lord’s self-gift and total involvement in our human situation.
1) In chapter 2 of the Infancy Narrative, the evangelist Luke states that “there was no place for them in the inn”. There was no place for them in the inn because the inn is the place for strangers … for traveling strangers who stay only for the night. But Christ is not a stranger. He comes to his own. “The word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The inn is not a place for him to stay because he is not a stranger or distant from us. He belongs to us. His total involvement in our human destiny makes him really one with us. He could never be born in the inn, that is, outside of us. He has to be born in each one of us. He has to make his home in each of us.
2) Luke also mentions that Mary laid him in a “manger”. The manger is the place where animals are nourished. The manger is the place of sustenance … of nourishment. Jesus was laid in the manger because he is the symbol and reality of God’s support and sustenance of his people. The Son of God has to be born in Bethlehem, the “city of Bread” for he is the Bread of life – the Bread to be given, broken, and shared. Jesus in the manger points to the reality of being a “self-gift” in the Eucharistic Bread, the nourishment of his people.
3) Furthermore, Luke mentions that Jesus was wrapped in “swaddling clothes”, symbol of royalty. Rather than a sign of poverty and destitution, the swaddling clothes of Jesus indicate that he is a king. And in the biblical term, a king is the one who shepherds and cares for God’s people. And the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes becomes truly “king-shepherd” upon the tree of life – the Cross! It is there where he becomes truly KING-SHEPHERD in the fullest sense of the word – laying down his life for the sheep. On the Cross, Jesus King-Shepherd gathers all sheep into one flock to guide and lead them to the eternal home.
The Child Jesus laying in the manger, symbol of God’s sustenance and nourishment … the Lord Jesus who, on the night when he was given up, offered us the Eucharistic Bread and the Cup … the Lord Jesus, King-Shepherd, laying down his life for us on the Cross, the altar of sacrifice … HE IS STILL PRESENT IN OUR MIDST! He is the “Emmanuel”, the God-with-us Savior. Our celebration of Christmas and our participation in the Eucharist should transform us, like Jesus, into “self-gift”. Our celebration of the birth of Christ and our sharing in the Eucharistic feasting ought to make us – Christian disciples – capable of sharing the best of what we are … capable of sharing both our poverty and our riches, following the example of Jesus, the model of self-giving.
My former student in the seminary, G. Campese, writes: “Our expectations for something new, for a better humanity and human society, our joy and hope which come from the spirit of Christmas, will remain just a confused ideal and will return into a disillusion if we do not take seriously and clearly to ourselves the message of Christmas: in Jesus Christ the salvation from God becomes a reality; the kingdom is not yet fulfilled, but it is already here, and it needs our cooperation in service and self-giving.”
This remark reminds me of my favorite Christmas story that was narrated by Fr. Paul Bernier in his book, Bread Broken and Shared. How I wish that this Christmas story would be repeated and replicated over and over, certainly not just in story-telling, but in the daily miracles of life!
The film might have been entitled “Christmas Dinner in the Dump”. Being homemade, however, it was untitled. But it was about real people, and it was all about Christmas in the town dump. We were being told of the apostolic efforts of some Jesuits working in El Paso, Texas. It seems that across the border from El Paso lies Juarez. Juarez is much better known to Americans for its cheap goods, its gambling and the other amenities provided by Mexican border towns. Less well known is the town dump, which dozens of people call home. There they build their shanties, raise their families and compete with the rats for the food that is provided daily by the garbage pails of the nearby city.
One of the Jesuits working with a group of cursillistas had gotten the brilliant idea of expressing something of the joy and peace of Christ’s birthday by sharing Christmas dinner with the unfortunate people, the refuse of the society, living – existing would be a better word – across the border. It was considered to be a good idea, so two dozen or so people with their families prepared food and gifts and set off for the dump on Christmas afternoon. They were not prepared for what they saw. Instead of the dozens which they expected to find, there were hundreds. They were completely outnumbered by the wretched poor whose only hope of survival was vying with others to glean the leftovers and discarded items of the city.
The film captured that so graphically: a small group laden with food advancing amid the garbage and the rubble being met by an army of the hungry for whom the available food would hardly be enough for appetizers. But they continued on and bravely told the people of their love and concern, and offered apologies that they had not brought sufficient food so that they might all enjoy a good Christmas dinner together. However, they could at least share as much as would go around. So with songs, hymns, and good will the dinner was begun. They took the food, blessed it, and distributed it to the people. Did they eat! The film showed smiling faces and full plates. The film also showed, inexplicably, that horde of humanity completely satisfied – and plenty of food left over. Once again the disciples gathered what was left over after all had had their fill. Once again, the Lord wondrously fed the multitudes.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we allow ourselves to be enthralled by the mystery of the Son “born for us” – God’s awesome self-gift to us?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(cf. Alternative Opening Prayer, Mass at Midnight)
Lord our God,
with the birth of your Son,
your glory breaks on the world.
Through the night hours of the darkened earth
we, your people, watch for the coming of your promised Son.
As we wait,
give us a foretaste of the joy that you will grant us
when the fullness of his glory has filled the earth,
who lives and reigns with you 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.
“She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Lk 2:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
By your charity and goodness to people who are experiencing a bleak Christmas, translate the mystery of Christmas into a lived reality and into acts of self-giving.
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December 25, 2021: SATURDAY – THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS)
CHRISTMAS – DAWN MASS, YEAR A, B & C
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Father’s Gift of Love”
BIBLE READINGS
Mass at Dawn: Is 62:11-12 // Ti 3:4-7 // Lk 2:15-20
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The Christmas season is a privileged opportunity to contemplate the awesome sign of God’s love for us: his own beloved Son Jesus Christ. The Son of God made flesh, born as a child, is the most powerful sign of the Father’s will to bring us salvation: UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN! UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN!
My former student Fr. Mike Garcia remarked: “When we give anything, we give part of ourselves. When we give ourselves, we give everything we have – past, present, and future.” Indeed, in becoming man just like any of us, Jesus became personally involved in our suffering, in our human lot and destiny. Satan cannot impeach God’s integrity. No one can doubt the quality of the Lord’s self-gift … of his unconditional love for us.
Because God has loved us, we too must become lovers – lovers of one another. Only if we love the visible neighbor can we love the invisible God. This gift of love is exemplified in the self-giving act of a five-year old boy on behalf of his little sister. After the blood transfusion, he asked the doctor with a trembling voice, “Say, doctor, when do I start to die?” He thought that by giving his life-blood to his kid sister, he would die.
The child Jesus lying in a manger, symbol of God’s nourishment for his people … the Lord Jesus who, on the night when he was given up, offered us the Eucharistic bread and the chalice of life … the Lord Jesus, gentle shepherd and king, who laid down his life for us on the cross – the altar of sacrifice … HE IS STILL PRESENT IN OUR MIDST! He is Emmanuel, God-with-us. In our Christmas celebration, he invites us to be a “gift of love” for others.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
Do we endeavor to delve into the Christmas mystery of God’s self-giving? Do we endeavor to be a “gift of love” for others?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
Lord Jesus,
you are Love-incarnate,
the sacrament of the Father’s self-giving.
We celebrate your birth and your dwelling among us.
You are God’s “gift of love” to us,
the Emmanuel, God-with-us.
Help us to be a “gift of love” for others.
With the choirs of angels, 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 day. Please memorize it.
“So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.” (Lk 2:16)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Pray that in this Christmas season we may understand more deeply the depths of God’s self-giving to us. By your acts of goodness and compassion to the people around you, enable them to savor the joy of Christmas and the warmth of the “gift of love” for others.
*** Text of Christmas – Dawn Mass, ends here. ***
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CHRISTMAS – DAY MASS, YEAR A, B & C
“JESUS SAVIOR: He Is the Word Made Flesh”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 52:7-10 // Heb 1:1-6 // Jn 1:1-18
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS: A Pastoral Tool for the LECTIO
The readings proclaimed at today’s Mass during the day give deeper insight into the Christmas mystery. In the Prologue (Jn 1:1-18) Saint John asserts: “And the Word became flesh.” The deepest concept of “word” is not a mere verbalization or articulation of thought. In the Jewish biblical tradition, God’s word or “dabar” is God himself communicating and giving himself in self-revelation. “Dabar” to the Israelites is something extremely personal. The communication of the “word” is actually the communication of the speaker himself. In the case of the “Word of God” what is communicated is the divine reality itself – the very person of God himself. It is God revealing himself as Creator, Liberator and Savior. The German theologian, Karl Rahner, remarks: “When we say it is Christmas we mean that in Christ God has spoken his definitive, final and beautiful word … a word that cannot be revoked. And the word means I love you.”
In the fullness of time, God spoke his most beautiful word in Jesus Christ. In today’s Second Reading we read (Heb 1:1-6): “In many and various ways, God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” The meaning of God’s person as “LOVE” is definitely revealed when God spoke to us through his Son Jesus Christ. In the Word-made-flesh is God’s decisive Word, the Good News, the saving Word. Jesus, the Divine Word, recapitulates all previous words of salvation, bringing them to perfect fulfillment. Jesus, the Son of God, brings the good news of salvation to all and in him “all the ends of the earth will behold the saving power of God (cf. Is 52:10). Indeed, through the mystery of the incarnation, Jesus enables us to come to the heart of God. Born “in the flesh” of Mary, the Son of God is destined to die on the cross, be gloriously resurrected and to communicate to us the fullness of his life, light and love.
In the Christmas mystery of “the Word made flesh” is the concreteness of salvation. We too are called to be the embodiment of the incarnate Word. The following personal account gives insight into this (cf. Patty Kirk in Daily Guideposts 2014, p. 393).
Recently, a student in my Writing from Faith course voiced a revelation. “Until now”, she said, “I’ve always thought ‘Be concrete’ meant ‘Use more adjectives’. Now I see I need to make people see what I saw, hear what I heard, smell what I smelled. Using your senses helps people believe and care about what you’re saying.”
She was responding to a fellow student’s psalm about not being able to afford to go home for Christmas – to Costa Rica, where her family are missionaries. In the poem, the student-psalmist is alone in her room, staring at the computer while, just beyond the thin walls, her dorm-mates gather excitedly about their holiday plans. She recounts family traditions she’ll miss: getting ornaments out of dusty boxes, drinking hot cocoa with her siblings while Dad reads Christmas stories, sharing a festive dinner of arroz con pollo. Then like a good psalmist, she affirms her faith.
We all teared up. Afterward her classmates raised money for her flight and launched a ministry to do the same for every missionary kid on campus.
It was a big moment for me. Not only had a student’s writing spurred others to action, but they’d all finally acknowledged the persuasive power of sensory data, which I’d been trying to convince them of from day one.
Christmas is such a sensory celebration. Pine smells. Fruitcake and sugar cookies. Snow. The concreteness of Christmas crystallizes its gospel: that our invisible Creator sent us palpable evidence, in the form of a newborn, so that we might believe and have eternal life.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO
What is our personal response to the “Word became flesh”? How does the reality of “God speaking to us” through his Son shapes our lives? Do we make an effort to let “the ends of the earth behold the salvation of our God”?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD: A Pastoral Tool for the ORATIO
(Cf. Alternative Opening Prayer, Christmas Day Mass)
God of love, Father of all,
the darkness that covered the earth
has given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh.
Make us a people of this light.
Make us faithful to your Word,
that we may bring your life to the waiting world.
Grant 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.
“And the Word became flesh.” (Jn 1:14)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION: A Pastoral Tool for the ACTIO
Savor the sights, sounds, tastes, textures and forms of the Christmas celebration. Above all, by your works of charity, let the needy in today’s society experience the mercy and compassion of the Word-made-flesh.
*** Text of Christmas – Day Mass, ends here. ***
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Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
3700 North Cornelia Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722 (USA)
Tel. (559) 275-1656
Website: WWW.PDDM.US