Daily Reflection

December 23, 2018 Sunday

4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Psalter: Week 4 / (Violet)

Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

1^st Reading: Mi 5:1-4a

But you, Bethlehem Ephrata, so small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah; from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel. For he comes forth from of old, from the ancient times.

Yahweh, therefore, will abandon Israel until such time as she, who is to give birth, has given birth. Then the rest of his deported brothers will return to the people of Israel.

He will stand, and shepherd his flock with the strength of Yahweh, in the glorious Name of Yahweh, his God. They will live safely, while he wins renown to the ends of the earth.

He shall be peace.

When the Assyrian invades our land and sets foot on our territory, we will raise against him not one, but seven shepherds; eight warlords.

2^nd Reading: Heb 10:5-10

This is why, on entering the world, Christ says: You did not desire sacrifice and offering; you were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said: ”Here I am. It was written of me in the scroll. I will do your will, O God.”

First he says: Sacrifice, offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire nor were you pleased with them — although they were required by the law. Then he says: Here I am to do your will. This is enough to nullify the first will and establish the new. Now, by this will of God, we are sanctified, once and for all, by the sacrifice of the body of Christ Jesus.

Gospel: Lk 1:39-45

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary‘s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, ”You are most blessed among wom en; and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord‘s word would come true!”

Lectio Divina

Read: The sacrifice that pleased God is the sacrifice of obedience. Christ, who obeyed God to the point of death, is our peace and ransom. Elizabeth joyfully acknowledges the depth of Mary‘s faith in God‘s promises.

Reflect: The encounter of Mary and Elizabeth is the meeting of lives touched by grace in diverse ways: One, aging towards the end of earthly life and the other, in the refreshing teens of life; one, beyond the possibilities of giving life and the other, teeming with potential for life; and most importantly, one, on the side of doubting the truth of God‘s words and the other, capable of taking in God‘s word as a fish takes to the waters. But the beauty is that God‘s grace touches both – the one who believes and the one who doubts. Yet, as Elizabeth rightly observed, blessed is the one who believes in God‘s possibilities, for her joy would be double.

Pray: Pray for God‘s will to be fulfilled in your life.

Act: Make a prayer of consecration.

Daily Reflection 2018

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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

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December 22, 2018 Saturday

3RD WEEK OF ADVENT
Psalter: Week 3 / (Violet)

1 Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

1^st Reading: 1 S 1:24-28

When the child was weaned, Hannah took him with her along with a three-year-old bull, a measure of flour and a flask of wine, and she brought him to Yahweh‘s house at Shiloh. The child was still young.

After they had slain the bull, they brought the child to Eli. Hannah exclaimed: ”Oh, my lord, look! I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to Yahweh. I asked for this child and Yahweh granted me the favor I begged of him. I think Yahweh is now asking for this child. As long as he lives, he belongs to Yahweh.” And they worshiped Yahweh there.

Gospel: Lk 1:46-56

And Mary said, ”My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my savior!
He has looked upon his servant, in her lowliness, and people, forever, will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is his Name!
From age to age, his mercy extends to those who live in his presence.
He has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
He held out his hand to Israel, his servant, for he remembered his mercy, even as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.

Reflections

When we think of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, perhaps we think of her as a quiet, mild, docile, submissive woman. This is the woman to whom the angel Gabriel appeared, saying that she was going to give birth to a baby who would be called ”Son of the Most High. What was Mary‘s response to all this? She said, ”I am the Lord‘s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” In Luke‘s narrative, Mary challenges the angel‘s message on the level of realism: ”What do you mean I‘m going to give birth? I‘m not married and I‘m still a virgin.” And in the entire account with the Angel, Mary never falters. She‘s resigned, but remains courageous. Three months after Mary had her encounter with the angel Gabriel, she went to visit her relation Elizabeth. By that time she had had time to think about what was happening to her. And so, sings the Magnificat as an expression of God‘s powerful and liberating presence in her life. The content of the poem is full of revolutionary imperatives, the lamentations of the weak against the powerful, the cry of the poor and weak against the rich and powerful. Why does Mary‘s soul magnify the Lord? Because God has remembered his humble servant, Mary, to be sure, but also because He offers a new set of relationships from exploitation and greed to just and reconciled order of relations. This was a woman for whom religion is a call for faith that does justice. For her, Yahweh was the God who liberated his people from Egyptian slavery, who demanded justice for the widows and orphans and immigrants, who challenged those whose faith was limited in offering sacrifices but fails in the exercise of justice and, above all, mercy.

Daily Reflection 2018

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

December 21, 2018 Friday

3RD WEEK OF ADVENT
St. Peter Canisius, priest & doctor
Psalter: Week 3 / (Violet/White)

Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
Exult, you just, in the Lord!
Sing to him new song.

1^st Reading: Song 2:8-14 (or Zep 3:14-18a)

The voice of my lover! Behold he comes, springing across the mountains, jumping over the hills, like a gazelle or a young stag. Now he stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, peering through the lattice.

My lover speaks to me, He says, ”Arise, my love, my beautiful one!

Come, the winter is gone, the rains are over.

Flowers have appeared on earth; the season of singing has come; the cooing of doves is heard.

The fig tree forms its early fruit, the vines in blossom are fragrant. Arise, my beautiful one, come with me, my love, come.

O my dove in the rocky cleft, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice. Your face — how lovely! Your voice — how sweet!”

Gospel: Lk 1:39-45

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary‘s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and, giving a loud cry, said, ”You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord‘s word would come true!”

Reflections

It was a meeting of two expectant mothers, one old, one young. One was six months along; the other, newly pregnant. Both of them were pregnant when really neither one of them should have been, under normal circumstances. But these circumstances were anything but normal. ”The Visitation” is the term that is commonly used when referring to this meeting of these two most uncommon mothers, Mary and Elizabeth. A woman‘s discovery that she is going to have a baby remains a defining moment in her life. For some, it is a glorious fulfillment of hopes and dreams. For others, it is an unexpected and frightening event, a source not of joy but of terror and massive disruption. After the angel Gabriel turned her life upside down, Mary needed the counsel of someone she could trust, someone who might mentor her and help her understand God‘s great challenge for her life. Her cousin Elizabeth was the perfect person to do that, for she was a kind, older woman who could speak to Mary the words of wisdom and encouragement she needed to hear. Although an older woman, Elizabeth was also expecting a child, the child that would become Jesus‘ cousin, John the Baptist. These women had no wealth or social standing; nothing about them was remarkable. Yet God chose them to be his instruments for bringing into the world two men who would shape the faith of humanity and change the course of history. The key to this story is that it is not just a meeting of the two moms. They had faith secrets and faith promises and needed each other. Faith is personal but not private We do not go with God or to God on our own. Faith shared brings life. The visitation gives an example of faith and joy shared.

Daily Reflection 2018

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

December 20, 2018 Thursday

3RD WEEK OF ADVENT
Psalter: Week 3 / (Violet)

Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.

1^st Reading: Is 7:10-14

Once again Yahweh addressed Ahaz, ”Ask for a sign from Yahweh your God, let it come either from the deepest depths or from the heights of heaven.”

But Ahaz answered, ”I will not ask, I will not put Yahweh to the test.”

Then Isaiah said, ”Now listen, descendants of David. Have you not been satisfied trying the patience of people, that you also try the patience of my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:

The Virgin is with child and bears a son and calls his name Immanuel.

Gospel: Lk 1:26-38

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin‘s name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said, ”Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.

But the angel said, ”Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son; and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever; and his reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, ”How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel said to her, ”The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, ”I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

Reflections

Gabriel explains that Mary will become pregnant and give birth to Jesus, the Messiah. She disagrees with a valid objection: ”How will this be, since I am a virgin?” She meant that the demand of God was simply impossible given her limitations and the shame that go with the request. It was her right to question and doubt God‘s offer to be the mother of Jesus. Mary‘s question arose from fear and even disbelief. Responding to God‘s call requires being challenged to the core of one‘s being. Mary‘s courage to question is part of being true to herself. Her fears were real. Her fears turned to faith when she got the assurance of God‘s promise to make a partner of God‘ plan to share the joys and pains of humanity by being one of us. Mary‘s response to the angel‘s announcement and explanation ”I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said” is an act of trust to God‘s promise. Here is a teenager facing misunderstanding and rejection from her family, her betrothed, and her townspeople. And yet she says yes to God‘s call. Mary affirms the bedrock truth that undergirds our discipleship: ”I am the Lord‘s servant.” After all is said and done, after we have explored all the possibilities, we still must decide: am I a servant or a master? Is my allegiance to the God of history or to my own desires? Sometimes it takes great turmoil in our souls to come to the place of courage and trust, but come to it we must. Even before Jesus was conceived, Mary was faced with the decision: Will I obey and make way for the mystery of Incarnation where God becomes Emmanuel, God becoming human like us or Will I take the easy way that avoids the difficulty of encountering God concretely in my life? Being a woman of faith, Mary‘s response is a challenge to everyone to follow her example.

Daily Reflection 2018

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

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