Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

1 Sm 1,24-28 / Lk 1,46-56

Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; The rich he has sent away empty.  He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

IN OTHER WORDS

Timothy Radcliff e, former Master of the Order (Dominicans) wrote on the foreword of the Seven Last Words: “The Word was not silenced. These Seven Last Words live. The tomb did not engulf them.”

In a few days, we will be celebrating the WORD becoming FLESH who made his dwelling among us.  It was the coming of this WORD that changed the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary forever. It was the same WORD that moved Mary to proclaim and to share her joy to her cousin Elizabeth. Today we have the beautiful WORDS of Mary’s Magnificat! In this beautiful prayer, Mary expresses her gratitude for having been chosen, in her lowly state, the mother of God’s only Son. This is also Mary’s testimony on God’s unconditional and unlimited mercy!

For those who are going through difficult times; for those who are walking in the valley of darkness; for those who are trying to heal broken relationships; for those who just lost loved ones; for those who are suffering from mental illness; for those who are alone especially in the twilight of their lives; for those who are anxious for losing a job: the WORDS of the Magni cat are for YOU!

Listen!

Allow the WORD of GOD, rich in MERCY and LOVE to ll you with HOPE and NEW LIFE! This WORD is ALIVE! It was not silenced! It lives! The tomb did not engulf it!

• Fr. Kaloi Macatangga, SVD | Toronto, Canada

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Song 2,8-14 or Zeph 3,14-18 / Lk 1,39-45

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Mary, Elizabeth and the yet-to-be-born John the Baptist, the first members of the nascent Church, share the joy of God’s intervention in history, in their very lives, as we do today. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in their midst. Both Mary and Elizabeth are filled with the Spirit, and their joy is almost palpable.

The joy enjoined on the people in the first reading, the joy of being redeemed, which is not unlike our own joy this Simbang Gabi, is carried over into our Gospel.

I remember being particularly depressed one Christmas when I heard a popular song, “Last Christmas you gave me your heart. The very next day you took it away.” I was disheartened by the negativity and selfishness it expressed, particularly as it was seen as a legitimate Christmas song.

Yet we actually tend to have the Lord in our heart for a while before we lose him in the daily worries of our lives. Of course Christ does not take his heart away from us. We often simply just blot him out of our lives because of more immediate and urgent considerations.

Like Mary and Elizabeth and John we have been prepared for this joy over a very long period of time. We must renew this experience in our liturgy every year so that it can permeate our very being. Christ is being born in our hearts. We should keep him in our midst and never lose the joy that comes from this. Is the joy enjoined on the people of Israel really experienced in the gospel of our own personal and communal lives? Does the Lord, our God, really remain in our midst? Are we really open to this reality and do we show it in our lives?

• Fr. Alan Meechan, SVD | Naujan, Or. Mindoro

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Is 7,10-14 / Lk 1,26-38

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

IN OTHER WORDS

A European lived in Botswana for many years, but had to leave the country after a falling-out with his wife and children. He sought refuge in Kenya but overstayed after his visa expired, got caught, and was jailed. Going back to his country of birth was not an option as he didn’t know any living family member there anymore. Besides, the country had just passed a law which terminated the citizenship of anyone who had been living in another country for a number of years. No country to call his own, the man was homeless, penniless, and lost.

It is difficult to live with nobody to call family and no place to call home. Yet many exiles, migrants and refugees are in this situation. The 2013 UNHR figure puts the number of refugees at 16.7 million. Living as a refugee is by far one of the most humiliating, shattering and defenseless experiences a person can go through.

Today’s gospel tells us of Angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary and the news he brought to her. Mary’s ‘ at’ to become the Mother of our Savior was indeed good news to Jesus, the Good News to us all. By accepting to bear the Messiah in her womb, Mary saw to it that the Savior would have a family to call His own and a place to call His home.

We are in the fourth week of Advent, and Christmas Day is nearing. In this season, we remember our families and loved ones and think of home. We are blessed if we still have them with us and if we are still living in a place we call home. Mary gifted Jesus with family and home. May we do the same to others, not just to our loved ones.

• Fr. Sisoy Cellan, SVD | Kenya

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Jgs 13,2-7.24-25 / Lk 1,5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by Lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God! He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit to the Lord.” The Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen t to take away my disgrace before others.”

IN OTHER WORDS

What is my hope for my family this Christmas? What is my greatest hope? How about Zechariah and Elizabeth? What is the greatest hope of this couple? The annunciation of the birth of John to this holy couple, despite their old age and incapacity to have a child, is an announcement of God’s hope.

John is God’s gift of hope to his parents, to their household, to Israel and to all of us.

Advent is a gift of hope, of expectant hope to the Church and to the whole humanity. The object of our hope is God alone, the God who is really the Hopeful One, the God who continuous to hope in us. To hope is to be totally trusting and con dent in God. To hope is to keep us from discouragement.

Hope redirects our troubled hearts towards God.

Benedict XVI, in his Encyclical Letter on Christian Hope has said, ‘Man’s great, true hope which holds rm in spite of all disappointments can only be God—God who has loved us and continues to love us to the end, until all is accomplished.’(Spe Salvi, 27)

• Fr. Dante Barril, SVD | CKMS, Quezon City

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word