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Tuesday, December 1, 2015 TUESDAY(Lec. 176) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 11:1-10 - FIRST WEEK2) Luke 10:21-24Gospel related: CCC 1083, 2603

FOCUS : God fulfills his promises in wondrous, unexpected ways.

Many are familiar with the Jesse tree. During the Middle Ages, the Jesse tree was often a large

painting, carving or stained-glass window designed to help people learn about the Old Testament

ancestors of Jesus. Today, the Jesse tree is frequently used as an Advent calendar. Each day

through Advent, a special decoration or ornament is hung on the tree to symbolize a story from the

Bible, accompanied by a Scripture reading and prayer. It reflects the many generations that awaited

the longed-for Messiah.

Jesse, after whom this customary tree is named, lived in Bethlehem about a thousand years before

Jesus was born. He had eight sons. His youngest was David, the shepherd boy chosen by God to

become the great king of Israel. God promised King David that he would establish his kingdom as

everlasting.

Yet, by the time the prophet Isaiah penned today’s first reading, the kingdom of Israel had split, its

remnants weakened to the point that they would soon collapse. The image is that of a green tree cut

down. Isaiah trusted that God would always be true to his promises, but in a hidden, unexpected way.

Filled with hope, Isaiah wrote, A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud

shall blossom. Isaiah knew of this cutting down – the destruction of the nation, the country, the city.

Still, he says there shall come forth a shoot, just a little sprout that many will overlook, and The Spirit

of the Lord shall rest upon Him, a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a Spirit of counsel and of

strength, the Spirit of knowledge, and of fear of the Lord.

In the wondrous irony of God's design, the name Nazareth derives from a Hebrew word meaning a

sprout. And it was precisely in the town of Nazareth that, in the fullness of time, the angel Gabriel

announced to Mary that the Lord God would give Jesus 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. The promise made a

thousand years before to David, and the glorious dream sustained by Isaiah, find fulfillment in Jesus

of Nazareth, the Messiah and Lord.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit that what was hidden from the worldly wise has

been revealed to the childlike. King David and the prophet Isaiah were among the prophets and

kings who had childlike faith that, despite every challenge, God would always remain faithful and

fulfill his promises in a wonderful and unexpected way. We, too, are called to share this joy and

hope. The prophet sees the Messiah filled with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. We, too, receive

these gifts at confirmation. Let it be our prayer to follow, in love and childlike trust, the mystery of

the Father's will.

* * * * *

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 WEDNESDAY(Lec. 177) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 25:6-10a - FIRST WEEK2) Matthew 15:29-37Gospel related: CCC 1329, 1335

FOCUS: The abundance of giving.

In sacred Scripture, God is often encountered on a mountain: Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses

the Ten Commandments; the mount of the beatitudes; and the mount of the transfiguration. In the first

reading, Isaiah raises his eyes to a mountain on which the Lord God will prepare for all peoples a rich

banquet, destroy the veil of death and wipe away the tears of sorrow. The Gospel sustains this theme

by taking us to a mountain near the Sea of Galilee where Jesus healed the lame and the blind, and

others in need of healing.

It seems that this vast crowd wanted to stay on the mountain with Jesus. They had been there three

days, and the Lord was concerned about their well-being on their return trip home. For him, it was not

enough that he had cured their physical and spiritual ailments; with great tenderness, he nourishes

them before they make their way. He takes a small amount of food – seven loaves and a few fish –

and, at the breaking of the bread, multiplies it. The leftover fragments fill seven baskets. The number

seven indicates completion, perfection. He takes our small gifts and transforms them for his greater

purposes. The bountiful feast Jesus provides is a sign of the perfect abundance and joy-filled mercy

that the Messiah brings.

Yet it is not merely to supply us with earthly healing and food that the Lord meets us on the mountain.

He also invites us to go up with him to Jerusalem, to the mount of Calvary. For it is there that his

mercy and love reach their supreme height as he is lifted up on the cross. On Calvary, the veil of

death is torn in two, sorrow is turned to the joyous victory of the resurrection, and the fullest healing –

forgiveness of our sins – is accomplished.

Many people throughout the world are inspired by the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, an athletic

young man who died from polio at age twenty-four. He was a mountaineer who would love to take his

friends climbing in the mountains of northern Italy. He would pray with them, and encourage them:

“Onward, toward the summit!”

Today, the Lord invites us to meet him in the Eucharist, “the source and summit of the Christian life,”

according to the catechism. (CCC 1324-27) There, he will give us himself as our abundant food for

the journey. Let us be strengthened by him to follow his example of mercy, especially in this Holy

Year, the Jubilee of Mercy. Let us use our gifts, however small they may be, to serve the physical and

spiritual needs of our neighbor, giving thanks for the lavish generosity God shares with us every day.

* * * * *

Thursday, December 3, 2015 THURSDAY(Lec. 178) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 26:1-6 - FIRST WEEK2) Matthew 7:21, 24-27 (OBL. MEM.

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest)Gospel related: CCC 443, 1821, 1970, 2611, 2826; CSDC 70

FOCUS: Will we be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven?

The other day two women were discussing a national Catholic conference for pastoral musicians

hosted in their hometown. The first woman shared anecdotes about volunteering at the conference.

Her enthusiasm in describing the workshops presented by well-known musical artists, the prayer

services and the Masses was infectious. The week deepened her understanding of liturgy and music.

The second woman, unimpressed, replied that she had heard about the conference but knew all she

needed to know about music and Mass. She knew what she liked and what she didn’t. This response

baffled the first woman, because an opportunity to grow in understanding of the liturgy, on that scale,

does not happen every day in your hometown. The first woman heard about the conference and

acted on it. The second woman heard the news and determined she knew all she needed to know.

Today’s Gospel reading is much like the conversation between those two women. Jesus states, Not

everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does

the will of my Father in heaven. Just because we think we know all we need to know about Jesus, like

the second woman did about the Mass, does not mean we will be welcomed into the kingdom of

heaven. We must do the will of the Father. We must act on it much like the first woman did in

volunteering for the conference.

Desiring to know Jesus demands action. Our action leads us into a deeper understanding and

appreciation. That understanding and appreciation compels us to share our experience with others.

We must seize opportunities that enable us to strengthen our faith. We must act on the faith we have.

Much like the strong city in the first reading, we do not do this alone. We are members of a

community of faith. We are strengthened by the sacraments and sustained through the Holy Spirit. Do

not be passive during this Advent season of waiting. Attend an Advent prayer service, receive the

sacrament of reconciliation, participate in a Bible study.

We must know the will of the Father in order to do his will. When we do, we will truly know whom we

are addressing when we say Lord, Lord. Only then will we be welcomed into the heavenly kingdom.

* * * * *

Friday, December 4, 2015 FRIDAY(Lec. 179) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 29:17-24 - FIRST WEEK2) Matthew 9:27-31 (Opt. Mem. Saint John Damascene,

Priest and Doctor of the Church)Gospel related: CCC 439, 2616; CSDC 259

FOCUS: In responding to others, we can inspire faith.

Faith involves more than feelings or a theological framework for thinking about life. It requires action,

an outward expression of our beliefs in everyday life. This, in turn, can help strengthen the faith of

others.

In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah outlines God’s plan of redemption. He describes changes that

the natural world and his people would experience. Then he writes, When his children see the work of

my hands in his midst, they shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,

and be in awe of the God of Israel. This passage foretells the coming of the Messiah, who reveals

himself by doing the work of the Lord for others to see.

Today’s Gospel shows us a clear and tangible way of how Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.

Two blind men approach Jesus, crying out, Son of David, have pity on us! By addressing him this

way, the men proclaim that they recognize Jesus as the Messiah and humble themselves before him.

They have faith, and Jesus responds. He restores their vision saying, Let it be done for you according

to your faith. Despite Jesus’ request not to tell anyone, the men spread word of him through all that

land. Evangelization!

This passage also shows us that faith is rewarded. Jesus always responds to prayers offered in faith,

whether spoken aloud or in silence. The traditional Jesus prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have

mercy on me! is rooted in the blind men’s humble acknowledgement of Christ’s presence. We can

say this prayer when we are unsure how to pray, with trust that Jesus will respond to us.

As followers of Christ, we partake in Christ’s mission: the evangelization of humanity. We, too, have

the power to do the work of the Lord’s hands by responding to the needs of those around us. The

food, water, clothing or support we give to someone could be a miracle to a person in need. A visit to

the lonely, sick or imprisoned can offer assurance to those who have given up hope. Through our

actions, others will witness our faith – not as a philosophy or mindset – but truly alive and present in

the world.

* * * * *

Saturday, December 5, 2015 SATURDAY(Lec. 180) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 - FIRST WEEK2) Matthew 9:35C10:1, 5a, 6-8Gospel related: CCC 543, 1509, 2121, 2443, 2611; CSDC 184, 259

FOCUS: Jesus calls us to see his face in all those we encounter and treat them with love, kindness

and compassion.

This time of year, we are continually bombarded with messages about getting the perfect Christmas

gift for those special people in our lives. Our secular culture promotes the false notion that the

purpose for the time that falls between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day is to buy gifts. We are led to

believe that when our loved ones open them on Christmas Day, they will know how much we love

and treasure them.

Our faith offers us the good news that the meaning of the season we call Advent is much more

important than crass consumerism. It is about preparing ourselves for Christ’s return in glory, and

about preparing ourselves to celebrate Christ’s birth anew. Doing so requires that we spend quiet

time with the Lord Jesus each day in prayer. Through prayer, we keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus and

what is most important in life, namely loving and serving God, our family and friends, and our

neighbor.

Lest we have any doubt, remember the years of Jesus’ public ministry. He preached about the

kingdom of God and performed signs and miracles, such as healing the sick, to confirm that he was

the long-promised Messiah and Savior, awaited by faithful Jews for centuries. Jesus experienced the

painful reality that his message of salvation was rejected by the majority of the people whom he had

come to redeem. Despite this, Jesus did not give up or give in, but continued to carry out the saving

work and mission he had been sent to complete by his Father. He saw all those he encountered

through eyes of love, like sheep without a shepherd.

Stopping to think about this for a moment, it makes good sense to strive to look at all those we

encounter during this Advent and Christmas season through eyes of love. By striving to see Jesus’

face in all we encounter every day, we can see those who fail to understand the meaning of Advent

and Christmas as being like sheep without a shepherd to guide them. From this perspective, our

challenge becomes to show them by example how to properly celebrate this blessed season through

our daily acts of love and kindness. We do this so that they, too, may come to know the joy, love, and

peace we have found in Jesus.

* * * * *

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2015 SECOND SUNDAY(Lec. 6) OF ADVENT1) Baruch 5:1-92) Philippians 1:4-6, 8-113) Luke 3:1-6Gospel related: CCC 535

FOCUS: God wants us to seek him. He offers us peace and happiness as we face life’s challenges.

Our attention these days is occupied with looking for signs of an economic recovery for our nation,

signs that things will get better for us. News programs report about increases or decreases in our

nation’s gross national product, housing starts, jobless claims, and all manner of economic

benchmarks. Will our department stores have good sales in this Christmas season? What are people

buying?

Today’s readings also speak of signs. In the first reading from the prophet Baruch, we find the Jewish

people in captivity in Babylon. Babylon is located just a few miles north of Baghdad in Iraq, in the

Euphrates River valley. The Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar, had destroyed Jerusalem and carried

off the Jewish people to his capital, Babylon. For generations, the Jews had been held there in exile,

referred to as the Babylonian Captivity. They looked for a sign from God that their captivity would end

and they could return to Jerusalem.

Baruch cries out: Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory

from God forever: wrapped in the cloak of justice from God … for God is leading Israel in joy by the

light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company.

Today we find ourselves held captive, so to speak, to the ups and downs of the economy, and other

worldly cares. What, then, of our spiritual lives? Are we looking for God’s presence and love or do we

only go through the motions of a spiritual life with routine prayers? Are our hearts in our prayers?

God wants us to seek him. That’s what the prophet Baruch was reminding the Israelites. In today’s

Gospel, John the Baptist proclaims a similar message, quoting the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one

crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be

filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and

the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

God wants to make our lives smoother. He wants to help us move mountains of worry and anxiety.

He wants to fill our emotional valleys with the peace and happiness of his presence as we face life’s

enormous challenges and trials.

The Church gives us the season of Advent so that we might look for God and seek him out.

The world tries to seduce us with trinkets, toys and gifts that have no lasting value and don’t draw us

closer together in God’s love. Christmas has been commercialized as a day of gift-giving. While

giving gifts is good and loving, Christmas is about something far deeper. It is about the hope that

accompanies the birth of a child, hope that is found in love, hope that is rediscovered in renewed

love.

So the question in front of us this Advent is: Do we want to seek God? The beauty and joy of

Christmas is that God has, on his own initiative, come to us. The question now is: What will we do to

offer ourselves to him in response? What will be your gift and mine to God this Christmas?

* * * * *

Monday, December 7, 2015 MONDAY(Lec. 181) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 35:1-10 - SECOND WEEK2) Luke 5:17-26 (OBL. MEM. Saint Ambrose,

Bishop and Doctor of the Church)Gospel related: CCC 1116

FOCUS: Jesus heals the paralyzed man and gives sight to the blind. We, too, often paralyzed by sin

and blind to God’s presence in our lives, need the healing power of Christ.

In today’s first reading, we hear Isaiah use lush and beautiful imagery to describe the Jews’ return to

Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon. He seems to be describing paradise: no sin, no suffering,

all sickness – both spiritual and physical – is cured. Isaiah tells his followers that God dwells among

his people.

In today’s Gospel, Luke amplifies this wonderful message: Jesus forgives sins and cures illness.

Jesus brings life to the poor, sight to the blind, and healing to many.

Another point to ponder is the power of intercessory prayer. As he performs other miracles, Jesus

looks for faith in those he cures. In this Gospel account, we know nothing of the crippled man’s faith.

But we do know of the faith in the men who lowered him on a mat to the feet of Jesus in the middle of

those gathered. Their faith brought about the miraculous healing that Jesus gave to the paralyzed

man. Such is the power of intercessory prayer. Never forget that you, in your prayers of intercession,

are just like those men who lowered the paralyzed man and placed him in the care of Jesus.

So it is with the power to forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins. It is wondrous that Jesus allows

priests to apply his powerful forgiveness to us, sinners that we are. For we are all paralyzed and

crippled by sin. We are blinded from seeing God by the dazzle of this world’s glitz and glitter; we are

deafened by this world’s noise and cannot hear the whisperings of God. We are all, like the paralyzed

man in today’s Gospel, in need of the healing power of Christ our Savior.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015 THE IMMACULATE(Lec. 689) CONCEPTION OF THE1) Genesis 3:9-15, 20 BLESSED VIRGIN MARY2) Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 (Patronal Feast Day3) Luke 1:26-38 of the United States of America)

- SOLEMNITY(Holy Day of Obligation)

Gospel related: CCC 497, 706, 723, 2751; CSDC 59

FOCUS: The Immaculate Conception, Mary’s example of purity, provides us a road map for

everyday life.

By God's grace, and because she was to be the mother of Jesus, Mary was sinless from the moment

of her conception. The graces resulting from the redemptive suffering, death and resurrection of

Christ were applied to Mary. The Church, therefore, celebrates her Immaculate Conception, free of

original sin.

Mary was totally pure in many aspects of her life beyond conception. Mary was pure in all that she

thought, in all that she chose, and in all that she did. Because Mary was our mother and Jesus was

our brother, we can model our own lives after hers. God has brought us his presence, power and

love. With his gifts we can strive to live our own lives in greater purity.

By purity, we are not just talking about the sensual aspects of our lives. What about purity of

intention? How pure are we in our intentions? Saint Paul recognized that our thoughts propel our

decisions. What is constantly on our mind will lead toward a decision to act on those thoughts. In his

letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul said: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence

and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. It is important to keep our thoughts

focused, directed and pure. Our intentions come from them. Pure water, after all, comes from a pure

well.

What follows our intentions? Our decisions. Our decisions don't arise from a void or in a vacuum.

Here again, the purity modeled by Mary our mother plays an important role in our everyday lives.

Purity is important in terms of what we allow into our imaginations, in the images we allow into our

brains, in what moves from our minds into our hearts and souls. Junk food is bad for our bodies. It

weakens them, even bringing sickness. Poor hygiene and cleanliness can likewise cause sickness

and disease. Impurities in thought and imagination have a parallel effect on our hearts and souls.

They can lead to indecisiveness and troubles in our relationships. Pornography is not love.

Pornography causes us to treat others as mere playthings. It fosters a philosophy based on self-

gratification, not love.

Purity in intention also is important when it comes to protecting nature’s beauty. If we are to protect

the environment and its resources, we cannot allow our intentions to be corrupted. If we are to treat

others justly and not discriminate, we likewise cannot allow our intentions to be corrupted. If we are to

love our spouses and our children, we must love them with pure love, uncorrupted by selfishness and

self-centeredness.

Today, we do not honor some esoteric Catholic doctrine. We honor our humanity, given to us by God

to bring beauty into this world’s ugliness, purity into its foulness, and love into its lusts. We honor

human nature freed from the corruption and degradation of this world’s sinfulness, human nature

filled with the purity of God’s love.

* * * * *

Wednesday, December 9, 2015 WEDNESDAY(Lec. 183) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 40:25-31 - SECOND WEEK2) Matthew 11:28-30 (Opt. Mem.

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin)Gospel related: CCC 1615, 1658

FOCUS: His yoke is easy, his burden is light.

This is Advent, and in Advent we await Christ. We await his first coming in humility in the manger and

his second coming in glory at the end of time. Our Sunday readings so far have focused on calling us

to make sure that we are doing what is necessary to prepare for Christ’s return in glory. Soon the

readings will focus our attention on preparing ourselves to celebrate the birth of Christ anew at

Christmas. We began moving that way yesterday when we celebrated the Immaculate Conception of

the mother of Jesus. By the grace of God, she is both perfectly sinless and perfectly humble.

And today we also honor Saint Juan Diego, a humble Mexican Indian peasant granted the special

grace to behold the Blessed Mother. We don’t know much about Saint Juan Diego, but accounts tell

us that Mary appeared to him several times, and that her image was miraculously imprinted on his

mantle. This image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is venerated today in Mexico and throughout the

world. Juan Diego became the Church’s first saint indigenous to the Americas when he was

canonized in 2002 by Pope Saint John Paul II.

We are here to celebrate the humble faith embodied by Saint Juan Diego and the countless,

nameless servants of God who have witnessed the faith over the last two millennia. They are the

ones who took up Jesus’ yoke as he asked them to, and through their faith found their burdens

made lighter.

We are weighed down with many burdens – worries about our families, our jobs, our health and our

world. Jesus calls us to have the humility to take up his yoke, which lightens our burdens by giving us

the grace and strength to bear them. In doing so, we can be freed from those things that weigh us

down – like sin, evil and an attachment to material things.

Thursday, December 10, 2015 THURSDAY(Lec. 184) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 41:13-20 - SECOND WEEK2) Matthew 11:11-15Gospel related: CCC 523, 719

FOCUS: God is faithful to his people and provides for their needs.

In this section of the book of the prophet Isaiah, we find great hope for the restoration of God’s people

– even those who have lived as if God did not exist. The Lord reminds his people that he will be with

them, holding their hand, helping them, encouraging them not to fear. God refers to Jacob as a worm,

and Israel as a maggot, giving us a sense of their behavior; still, even that is not enough to cause

God to turn away from his people. He is now, and always will be, true to his covenant. He will sharpen

and renew his people.

Whenever we read passages that speak of the faithfulness of God to his people, it should comfort us.

Not unlike Israel, we, too, live at times as if God does not exist. Confident in our own abilities, we

move forward under a false sense of independence. Sometimes it is only when we move away from

God or when our lives become difficult that we can truly appreciate the prophet’s words: For I am the

Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.”

It would be wonderful for us to keep this image of God, grasping our right hand, close to our heart.

We need the security and guidance that comes through his presence in order to stay faithful. Isaiah

goes on to tell us that God’s faithfulness to us is cause to rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy

One of Israel. Our joy can only be fully experienced through our relationship with God. Nothing of this

world can fulfill us apart from God.

We can easily overlook this message in a culture where we are bombarded with temptations that

draw us away from God, with the false promise of happiness. The prophet Isaiah hints at this in his

own time, saying, The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain. God replies, I will open up rivers on

the bare heights and fountains in the broad valleys. Only God can quench our thirst, which is really a

thirst for eternal life, and only God can turn the dry ground into springs. The coming of Christ is

indeed something to anticipate with joy!

* * * * *

Friday, December 11, 2015 FRIDAY(Lec. 185) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 48:17-19 a- SECOND WEEK2) Matthew 11:16-19 (Opt. Mem. Saint Damasus I,

Pope)

FOCUS: Jesus leads us to know and love the Father.

We might think that the prophets were usually foretellers of gloom and disaster, but today Isaiah

makes an appeal for obedience among the people of Israel. Although the nation is in exile in Babylon,

the prophet urges the people to adhere to their covenant with God and the way they should go. He

spells out the rewards of obedience to God, namely, prosperity and vindication, measureless

descendants and a name known to God for all ages. What promises to make to a people under the

domination of a foreign powerhouse like Babylon! Yet, Isaiah was undeterred in his insistence that

God had not abandoned his people.

Isaiah does not just throw up his hands at the dire circumstances facing the chosen people. He

remains steadfast in his conviction that God is with them, even in this trial of trials. In the next few

verses, we hear the Servant Songs reaffirm God’s unfailing love for his servant Israel.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is faced with another generation of Israelites unwilling to heed the

messenger of God in their midst. First, they criticize John for his austerity, as they reject his message

of repentance and question his announcement of the coming of the Messiah. Then they disapprove of

Jesus because his message of love is extended to all people, as he accepts the company of both

saints and sinners.

Jesus continued to teach and heal, even in the face of the disapproving religious leaders of the Jews.

When they question the source of his authority, he lets his good works speak for themselves. Good

things come from a good source, not from evil. The faithful followers of Jesus would come to see and

believe that he is the Son of God, and that his words and actions are those of his divine Father.

This belief allows us to place our trust in the Father’s love and concern for each of us. With the

presence of God’s Spirit, we can conduct our lives with Jesus as our example. With firm trust in

Christ’s resurrection, we have confidence in the reward that awaits those who hearken to God’s

commands and follow on the way he leads.

* * * * *

Saturday, December 12, 2015 OUR LADY(Lec. 690A) OF GUADALUPE1) Zechariah 2:14-17 or - FEAST

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab2) Luke 1:26-38 or Luke 1:39-47NOTE: Or any readings from the Lectionary for Ritual Masses (vol. IV), the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nos. 707-712.Gospel related: CCC 1504, 1673, 2602, 2616; CSDC 59

FOCUS: What lives and what dies in us when we surrender to God?

The story of Mary’s surrender to God’s will to become the mother of Jesus, and Saint Juan Diego’s

persistence in bringing news of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe serve as reminders of the

power of faith in God. The story of Saint Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most

well-known and celebrated stories in Catholic history.

In Luke’s Gospel, the angel Gabriel visits Mary and tells her she has found favor with God. He

announces that she will conceive a son by the Holy Spirit and he will be called Son of the Most High.

Although Mary may have had doubts, she has great faith in God. She tells the angel, Behold, I am the

handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word . Mary accepts the invitation to be

the mother of God. She surrenders her will to God’s plan and so becomes the first to spread the

Good News. God intends Jesus’ mother to be a source of faith and devotion from the beginning.

When Mary appears to Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531, she introduces herself as the mother of God.

She appears to him as an Aztec princess and speaks in his native Aztec tongue. She challenges

Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on the very spot upon which she is standing. When the

bishop demands evidence, she provides Castilian roses and her image on the inside of Juan’s

cape. This image of the Virgin Mary helped convince the indigent people of Mexico to be baptized

and become Christians. Today, Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patron saint of the Americas and her

basilica is one of the top destinations for Catholics in the world.

The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe invites us, too, to evangelize. We are all called to spread the

Good News, to convince people of the saving power of God’s grace. We must caution ourselves to

meet people where they are and understand them before we pass judgment or allow ourselves to

become sanctimonious and narrow-minded. Like Saint Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe, we

are all made in the image of God. Everyone has a different journey on the road to salvation. Meeting

people where they are can help all of us become closer to God.

* * * * *

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2015 THIRD SUNDAY(Lec. 9) OF ADVENT1) Zephaniah 3:14-18a2) Philippians 4:4-73) Luke 3:10-18Gospel related: CCC 535, 696, 2447

FOCUS: The love of God is beyond our human ability to fully comprehend.

In today's Gospel, the crowds ask John the Baptist, What must we do? Christians have asked that

question for centuries, as if we could achieve salvation and redemption by ourselves. It is easy to

form the impression that whether or not we will go to heaven is tied to the sum of our activities in life,

rather than our lives being an expression of gratitude for what we have been given.

Jesus came into our world because we could not save or redeem ourselves. Our efforts, measured

against the infinity of God, would never begin to be sufficient. Our humanity can be redeemed only

through one who was human, yet divine. In Jesus, God took on our humanity so that he, the infinite

and divine, could render a service by which our sins and transgressions could be redeemed.

And what was this service? Nothing less than the passion and death of our Lord. A person can give

nothing greater than their very lives. What more would they have? Jesus tells the Apostle, Philip,

When you see me you see the Father. (John 14:9) When Jesus loves, forgives, suffers and dies, God

takes those things upon himself. We might ask ourselves why God would ever do this for us. We are

not even sure we would give our lives for another. Why would God do that? Why would he think that

was necessary? Saint Paul tells us in the letter to the Philippians that the peace of God is beyond all

understanding, and cannot be figured out using human criteria. It just is!

God wants us to be convinced of his love for us. In Christ, he gave all he had to give, his very self.

We are called to accept God’s gift. God's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and we should be ever

grateful for that! As a God who is love (1 John 4:8), a love beyond words, our response should be to

rejoice and strive to imitate Christ as a sign of our gratitude. Anything more would be pretentious and

unfruitful.

Monday, December 14, 2015 MONDAY(Lec. 187) OF ADVENT1) Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a - THIRD WEEK2) Matthew 21:23-27 (OBL. MEM. Saint John

of the Cross, Priest andDoctor of the Church)

FOCUS: God is faithful to his promises.

We want to be liberated from illusions, frustrations, injustices and repressions to which the modern

world has subjected us – this is the silent cry of the disillusioned, the disinherited and the children of

modern technology. We want to be free, authentic, people rescued from hunger and incurable

inferiority. We want to be more than a smartphone contact, more than cogs in a giant economic

machine.

In answer to this, Jesus cries out: “Come to me all you who are in depression and I will console you. I

am with you with the power of the Holy Spirit, I come to you not with violence and passion but with my

Father’s gift of power and wisdom, which alone liberates the world.”

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, knows that in a world of injustice, war, exploitation and terrorism,

human life is cheap and expendable, He is a star in nighttime darkness, a light for our souls that

keeps our hopes alive. If we take his Gospel seriously, we can be born anew in his birth by the power

of his Holy Spirit.

In the first reading, God promises the Israelites that, after all of their travails and suffering, he would

restore them to the Promised Land. It is a message of hope. God promises that he will save and

restore his people in spite of the darkness in which they have lived and suffered. God kept his

promise. The Israelites were freed from captivity and restored to their land, and their Temple in

Jerusalem was rebuilt.

If we are willing to take the Gospel seriously, we can live in hope and bring the new life of the Christ

child to all who live in the darkness of despair. In Christ’s birth we can be born again, as the very sons

and daughters of God. Christ, the newborn Savior, came to overcome the powers of sin and evil.

Understanding this, let us be resolute to bring Christ’s healing and saving love to all those we

encounter. May all of God’s blessings be with you in this upcoming Christmas season.

* * * * *

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 TUESDAY(Lec. 188) OF ADVENT1) Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13 - THIRD WEEK2) Matthew 21:28-32Gospel related: CCC 546

FOCUS: We are all God’s works in progress.

Two friends driving together pass a church. One says to the other, “That’s my church, would you like

to come with me on Sunday?” His friend replies, “I’m a little disheartened by how the people in church

are all about love while they are there, and then start cursing at each other once they reach the

parking lot; seems like hypocrisy if you ask me. That’s why I stopped going to church years ago.” The

first friend is dismayed by this response, and when he considers his own conduct, he feels a pang of

guilt.

This simple anecdote can’t help but make us wonder that if other people have such strong reactions,

how much more must the heavenly Father be deeply saddened since he sees our public and private

behavior? Such a thought can make us feel uneasy when we consider the many wayward thoughts

and actions that can occur in our day-to-day lives. However, we have reason to take heart.

Today’s first reading seems a bit foreboding, as God is angered by the tyrannical city and foretells

woe to that place. As the reading continues, however, God describes his plan to remove those who

are evil and leave a sanctified remnant who will enjoy peace. While this reading directly involves a

specific moment within the history of the people of Israel, it applies to our lives today.

The tyrannical city can be representative of our lives, and the braggarts within could be our sinful

traits. Our challenge is to work with God to correct the sins each day, so that what remains is a

remnant free from deceit and sinfulness. God desires to work within us to help bring this about. We

need to humbly accept correction and act upon it.

The Gospel further clarifies this. If we look at the actions of the first son, we see this process of

growth. His first reaction is to reject his father’s request, but then he repents of his willfulness and

does his father’s will. This applies to our lives, as well.

Together, our readings show us that sanctity does not come overnight. It is a continual process by which

we are called to look at the ways we continue to sin and fall short, then turn to God and ask for grace

and strength to improve in these areas.

This is one reason we come to Mass. We take time to reflect on the areas of our lives that need

improvement. It is not by accident that one of the first things we do at Mass is to ask for God’s

forgiveness and mercy.

Do not be discouraged by the gaps that exist in your life or the lives of others. Rather, take comfort

that we are all works in progress. Though we may struggle, God loves us and is willing to be patient

as we strive to overcome our sinfulness.

* * * * *

Wednesday, December 16, 2015 WEDNESDAY(Lec. 189) OF ADVENT1) Isaiah 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25 - THIRD WEEK2) Luke 7:18b-23Gospel related: CCC 547

FOCUS: The power of Jesus overcomes all evil.

Perhaps we can better understand the connection between today’s readings by recalling the beginning

of Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue. Jesus stood and read from the scroll of Isaiah about the Spirit of

God resting upon one who would “bring glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, recover the

blind to sight and the release of prisoners.” (Lk 4:18)

In today’s Gospel, when John’s disciples question the identity of Jesus, his answer is reflective of the

passage from Isaiah. With the ministry of Jesus, the blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are

cured, the deaf hear, dead men rise up and the poor hear good news. Our catechism points out that

the mighty works, wonders and signs performed by Jesus manifest the kingdom of God within him

and attest to his identity as the promised Messiah. (CCC#547)

The dynamic poetry of Isaiah in today’s first reading describes God as creator of all things. For many

people, it is not difficult to praise and adore the God who has given us such beauty in the physical

world. It may be more difficult to appreciate the darker side of creation. After all, God created both

light and darkness, well-being and woe. It is because of darkness that we place more value on the

light. Out of the dire situation of the Israelites in exile, the saving power of God inspired King Cyrus to

allow their return to Jerusalem and renew their covenant with God.

It is in the presence of evil that the power of Jesus is most visible. To the soul of the greater sinner,

greater forgiveness is extended. Jesus taught that there will be more joy in heaven over one

repentant sinner than over ninety-nine people who have no need to repent. (Lk 15:7)

Do we celebrate the presence of sin and evil? Of course not, but we recognize that God’s gifts of free

will, righteousness and justice have been given to humankind in order to defeat the sin around us. It

was through Christ’s passion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven that the power of sin

and evil were defeated and the way to eternal life was open for all who believe in him.

* * * * *

Thursday, December 17, 2015 THURSDAY(Lec. 193) OF ADVENT1) Genesis 49:2, 8-10 - THIRD WEEK2) Matthew 1:1-17Gospel related: CCC 437; CSDC 378

FOCUS: God our Father has been present to his people throughout history.

When we hear a genealogy passage like we did today in the Gospel of Matthew, our minds may

easily wander. Unless we know Scripture well or are familiar with the names on the list, they may not

hold much meaning for us. To a first-century listener, however, this was a list of family members.

When they heard it, they would recall the events surrounding the person mentioned. Some would be

remembered with pride, others with a sense of disappointment – or maybe even embarrassment and

shame.

Imagine sitting at a family gathering. Somebody mentions Aunt Martha. You remember hearing

stories about fun Aunt Martha and her wild antics. When you hear her name, you think, “Oh, she was

great!” Then someone mentions Uncle Barney. You get quiet as you recall the struggles he had in his

life, his wanderings and even his loss of faith. While the names on the genealogy list in Scripture may

not hold a lot of familiarity with us today, we are still connected to them and their stories. If it was

important enough for Matthew to mention their names, then it is worthwhile for us to get to know

them.

Today we do not have to go through each name, but if you look back, some of the names begin to

stand out and their stories, told over and over, begin to become like our own. I would like to mention a

few important things about this passage that may be helpful. First, the author of this Gospel is

probably writing to a predominantly Jewish Christian audience. Matthew draws a straight line from

Abraham to the Messiah, Jesus.

If you look at the genealogy list in Luke, you will see that he links Jesus and Adam. Luke was writing

to Gentile Christians, and the link to Adam would have been especially relevant to them. Regardless

of where the lists begin or end, the important thing for us to see is that the history of God’s people,

Israel, does not stand apart from the living history of humankind. It further reveals that in these

people, over thousands of years, God our Father was present, as he is to us today.

Friday, December 18, 2015 FRIDAY(Lec. 194) OF ADVENT1) Jeremiah 23:5-8 - THIRD WEEK2) Matthew 1:18-25Gospel related: CCC 497

FOCUS: In the depth of Advent quiet, our God comes close to our hearts.

This Friday of Advent invites us to slow down and spend some extra time to allow God to speak to the

silence of our hearts. As we spend extra time in prayer and sacred silence with the Lord, it is

important to pay attention to what we hear and feel as we stand still long enough to allow God to

touch and speak to our hearts.

Depending on what is happening in our lives, we might feel something of what Joseph experiences in

today’s Gospel. His thoughts must have been racing with sorrow, misunderstanding, even fear. He

has just learned that his fiancée is pregnant, but not by him. How can this be? Yet, as the story

relates, Joseph loves Mary so much that he is unwilling to expose her to shame, as the law of his

time would allow. Instead, Joseph decides on a quiet divorce.

Then, God intervenes in a miraculous way, speaking to Joseph in a dream. He is given an

explanation that is mysterious, almost impossible to comprehend. So what does Joseph do? Joseph

trusts. He trusts the God who sends an angel to announce that this child will be the incarnation of

God himself, Emmanuel, God with us. Moreover, Joseph trusts the depth of love in his own heart for

God, for Mary who is to be his wife, and for a child who will be raised in his family. And as the story

relates, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

The story fills us with wonder, yet reminds us of how close our God can come into our everyday lives.

Perhaps like Joseph, we, too, face uncertainty, sorrow or fear. Maybe a medical diagnosis leaves us

feeling scared and unsettled. Maybe a job situation looks bleak. Or perhaps we feel estranged from

someone we love. As it did for Joseph, life can stun us at times, and then we wonder what to do.

On this Friday in Advent, we need to pause and quiet ourselves so we can be attentive and

responsive to our God, who speaks in the silence of our hearts. We enter the silence and listen for

God. We, too, need help if we are to trust God as Joseph did. As a parish community, let us surround

each other with caring and prayer.

Whatever life may bring, we can place our trust in Emmanuel, knowing God is with us in our coming

and going.

* * * * *

Saturday, December 19, 2015 SATURDAY(Lec. 195) OF ADVENT1) Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a - THIRD WEEK2) Luke 1:5-25Gospel related: CCC 332, 523, 696, 716, 717, 718, 724, 1070. 2684

FOCUS: As we reflect on the birth of Jesus to Mary our mother, we are reminded that every child’s

birth is a miracle to be treasured.

Some argue that human life in the womb is ours to deal with as we please, that God has nothing to do

with it, and that the Bible has nothing to say on the matter. They are wrong. Many Bible passages

deal with human life within the womb. Here are just a few examples:

For example, in the Psalms we hear: ...from my mother's womb you have been my God. (Psalm

22:10) and, It was you who created my inmost self, and put me together in my mother's womb; for all

these mysteries I thank you: for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works. You know me

through and through, from having watched my bones take shape when I was being formed in secret,

knitted together in the limbo of the womb. You had scrutinized my every action, all were recorded in

your book, my days listed and determined, even before the first of them occurred. (Psalm 139:13-17)

The New Testament presents us with God at work, particularly in the lives of Mary and Elizabeth,

through whom he gave us Jesus and his cousin, John the Baptist.

As Christmas approaches, today’s readings tell us about the power of God causing childless women

to become pregnant with very special babies. Especially at this time of the year, we need to realize

that in the plan of God, all babies in their mother’s wombs are special. That idea runs counter to

today’s throw-away culture, in which humanity has seized control over human life.

As Christians we recognize the sacred dignity of human lives, particularly babies in their mother’s

wombs. Each human life is made in the image and likeness of God. Each has a mission and destiny

given them by God, called into being to love God as who they are, called to fulfill God’s purposes

for their very existence. Who are we to assume unto ourselves God’s prerogatives over life and

death?

Christmas is upon us, that time of the year when we recognize and celebrate God’s coming to us

as the Christ child. We also celebrate the motherhood of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the mother of

God, and our spiritual mother. The holiness of motherhood is seen in all of the pictures and images

of Mary, Joseph and the Christ child. The miracle of every child’s birth is likewise found in the

miracle of Jesus’ birth.

May you and yours be filled with all of God’s blessings during this Christmas season.

* * * * *

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2015 FOURTH SUNDAY(Lec. 12) OF ADVENT1) Micah 5:1-4a2) Hebrews 10:5-103) Luke 1:39-45Gospel related: CCC 148, 448, 495, 523, 717, 2676, 2677

FOCUS: The Blessed Virgin Mary is a model of humility and obedience who helps us grow in our

love for Jesus.

With Christmas days away, it is appropriate for the Church to shine a light on Mary, the mother of

God. Of course, Jesus is the ultimate center of attention, but Mary’s humble cooperation made the

Incarnation a reality. Today's Gospel provides opportunities to see even more deeply how important

Mary is to our salvation.

In today's Gospel, Elizabeth calls Mary blessed. One definition of blessed is holy; another is favored

by God. Mary is all of these things – blessed, holy and favored by God – because God chooses her to

be the mother of Jesus. This helps us understand the important role Mary played and continues to

play in God’s unfolding plan of salvation. Mary is the mother of the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

To grow in our love for Jesus and to be with God one day in heaven, we must strive to imitate Mary’s

example of being faithful to God and God’s plan for our lives. We must also turn to the Blessed Virgin

Mary, our spiritual mother, to intercede on our behalf so that we might receive the grace needed to

remain steadfast to grow in faith and love for the Lord Jesus.

In the Gospel, Elizabeth gives Mary credit for believing that what God had told her would be fulfilled.

This message likely touched Elizabeth more than it might have affected others. This visit from Mary

probably strengthened her cousin to believe even more in God's message to her and her husband

about their own son. The angel had said their son would be great in the eyes of God and man, and

that he would prepare a people fit for the Lord. (Luke 1:17) This was not easy for them to believe,

since even having a child seemed out of the question at their ages. Nevertheless, the word of God

was fulfilled a few months later when John – who would become known as The Baptist – was born.

Mary continues to help people believe in God's promises. Her example is a comfort to us, even today,

as we seek to understand the mystery of the Incarnation. How is it possible, Elizabeth asks, that the

mother of my Lord should come to see me? We still ask similar questions. “Am I worthy to be in God's

kingdom?” “Who am I to think Jesus came to save me?” “What does God expect of a lowly person

like me?” Mary's example helps give us answers. We are to believe. We are to trust. We are to obey,

as she did.

Mary's example may even have helped her own Son know how to respond to such questions. Our

second reading says that Jesus, himself, told the Father, I have come to do your will. It is likely he

learned those words from his mother.

So, as we continue to prepare for the celebration of the Lord's birth, let us remember Mary’s example.

Let us give thanks for her. Let us also stay close to her so she can guide us in the way of the Lord.

Monday, December 21, 2015 MONDAY(Lec. 197) OF ADVENT1) Song of Songs 2:8-14 - FOURTH WEEK

or Zephaniah 3:14-18a (Opt. Mem. Saint Peter2) Luke 1:39-45 Canisius, Priest and Doctor

of the Church)Gospel related: CCC 148, 448, 495, 523, 717, 2676, 2677

FOCUS: In times of darkness we have waited for light to appear. The light of Christ penetrates the

darkness in our lives, bringing us strength and hope.

The “O Antiphon” for today is: “O dawn of the east, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice:

Come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.” This is fitting as we

come one day closer to celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world.

Today’s readings show us how God pierces through the darkness of our trials and difficulties, bringing

us the light of healing and salvation. In the first reading, Zephaniah tells the people to rejoice, for the

Lord will restore his people and renew them in his love. Zephaniah wrote to a people exiled, who had

lost their king. He assures them, The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst. The successor to the

throne would be Jesus, the Son of God. As Isaiah had written, the Son would be named Emmanuel,

or “God with us.” (Is. 7:14)

In today’s Gospel, Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who became pregnant after the angel Gabriel told

her husband she would bear a son to be named John. Mary, too, is expecting, having been told by

the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. The women rejoiced. During this

time of Advent, we share in this sense of expectation and anticipation of the coming of our Savior.

We celebrate another light that shone through the darkness of a time of turmoil, the Jesuit Saint Peter

Canisius. Protestants of his time respected Peter for the Jesuit Universities he had established. He

reformed German Universities from heresy and won the hearts and souls of the Viennese by

ministering to the sick and dying during the plague. Peter was surely a light in the darkness of the 16 th

century.

What darkness will the Lord of Light overcome in you this day? He has shown his faithfulness

throughout the ages, so we can joyfully rejoice with assurance that the Lord is with us this day.

* * * * *

Tuesday, December 22, 2015 TUESDAY(Lec. 198) OF ADVENT1) 1 Samuel 1:24-28 - FOURTH WEEK2) Luke 1:46-56Gospel related: CCC 148, 273, 422, 706, 722, 971, 2097, 2465, 2599, 2619, 2675, 2676, 2807, 2827; CSDC 59

FOCUS: The Almighty has done great things indeed!

Today’s first reading seems counter-intuitive. Hannah finally bears a son, Samuel. Her long-standing

prayer has been answered. In gratitude for this gift, she gives Samuel back to God. Who gives a gift

back to the gift-giver, especially one as desired and as longed for as Hannah’s?

Several years ago, a mother learned that her twelve year-old child had been engaging in escalating

criminal activity. As much as she wanted to wrap her child in her arms and make the trouble

disappear, she knew that her love and protection alone would not be enough to help her child grow

into a happy, healthy and holy adult. After praying and seeking counsel from her pastor, she reported

her child’s criminal activity to the police. The child appeared before the juvenile justice system and

was ordered into counseling and placed on probation. The family navigated this painful time together.

They sacrificed, they hurt, they prayed. They came to love and cherish their dependency on God in

times of uncertainty and their resiliency to craft a future for this child, who grew into a successful

adult.

We can’t be sure why Hannah made the promise to give her child back to God, but we can consider

the lessons the mother of that twelve year-old came to understand. First, the gifts we are given,

including our children, are not our possessions. It is not our job to hoard them, but to foster them to

be used at the disposal of the gift-giver. In essence, every gift we receive, we are to give back to God.

Second, in our humanity, we have a limited capacity to see how God’s divine plan is at work in the

world. When we impose ownership over the gifts we receive, we rely on our wisdom in determining

how they are to be used, instead of trusting in God’s divine plan.

We need only to look to the altar to glimpse God’s providence. Who would have imagined that from a

brutal death on a cross, our eternal salvation would be won? But most assuredly it has.

As we come forward to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist, let us echo Mary’s Magnificat: The

Almighty has done great things for me. Let us recognize all that the Lord has done for us. Let us offer

our gratitude by giving those gifts back to God.

* * * * *

Wednesday, December 23, 2015 WEDNESDAY(Lec. 199) OF ADVENT1) Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 - FOURTH WEEK2) Luke 1:57-66 (Opt. Mem. Saint John

of Kanty, Priest)

FOCUS: Like John the Baptist, we are called to prepare the way for Jesus.

Prophets are often associated with predicting the future. That definition is too narrow, however. In

salvation history, prophets are people called by God to share his message. Just like the prophets

before him, John the Baptist is a messenger, chosen by God to prepare the way of the Lord.

Jesus once said that no greater man was born of woman than John the Baptist. Unusual events

surrounding John’s birth hinted that he would be special. His mother, Elizabeth, and father,

Zechariah, had been of advanced age and childless. An angel, God’s messenger, revealed to

Zechariah that he would have a son, who would be named John. This Gospel begins with an

announcement of John’s birth.

In a couple of days, we will celebrate the birth of Jesus. Just as John prepared the way for Jesus,

through our baptism we, too, are called to prepare the way of the Lord. Some of the ways we can do

this are by participating in Christmas services. We might invite someone to come with us. As a family,

we can read aloud the account of the first Christmas from the Gospel of Luke. Let us share the good

news of the birth of Jesus, by word and action, during this joyful season and beyond.

* * * * *

Thursday, December 24, 2015 THURSDAY(Lec. 200) OF ADVENTMass in the Morning: - FOURTH WEEK1) 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 162) Luke 1:67-79Gospel related: CCC 422, 523, 706, 717

FOCUS: Come, Lord Jesus.

In the opening prayer today, we asked the Lord Jesus to come quickly, to give us the courage to trust in

his love. For most of us, these last few weeks have been hectic, perhaps even frantic with Christmas

shopping and holiday preparations. If we have truly observed Advent, then we have been preparing for

the Lord to come into our lives in a special way.

We have tried to prepare our homes to celebrate the arrival of the Christ child into our lives. We might

not live in a house of cedar like David did – but we want to welcome the Lord into our homes through

family and friends we invite for food and fellowship. Hopefully, we have taken the time to be

reconciled to the Lord in the sacrament of penance, and made our souls a place where the Lord can

be welcome.

May our lives also reflect the Gospel message where Zechariah prophesies about his son John becoming

a prophet for Jesus. Zechariah praises the Lord for fulfilling the promises made through the prophets of

old. He tells his newborn son that he will be a prophet for the Lord – to prepare his way, to be that

herald’s voice in the desert. (Lk 3:4b)

As we prepare to celebrate the great feast of Christmas, let us remember its true meaning: the

coming of the Lord into our lives. Let us celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ coming into the world to

save us from our sins and opening the gates of heaven to all who believe. This is truly the reason for

the season.

Three Homilies are given for the Solemnity of Christmas: Vigil, Night, and Day ~ Holy Day of Obligation.

CHRISTMAS, 2015 - VIGIL THE NATIVITY(Lec. 13) OF THE LORD1) Isaiah 62:1-5 - SOLEMNITY2) Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 (Vigil Mass)3) Matthew 1:1-25 or 1:18-25Gospel related: CCC 333, 430, 437, 452, 486, 497, 744, 1507, 1846, 2666, 2712; CSDC 378

FOCUS: The birth of our Lord inaugurated the hope of our salvation.

We gather today to celebrate the most blessed event of our time: the birth of our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ. The Gospel quotes the prophet Isaiah: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” With the birth of Jesus, the

prophecy is fulfilled. God was with us then and is with us now. Even though his Son lived on the earth

many years ago, we still feel God’s presence among us.

The birth of our Lord heralded a new age. As the people waited, many things had happened. The Old

Testament describes the way the people had been oppressed as they waited for the Savior. Isaiah

was trying to give the people hope, telling them God himself would come and deliver them. The

Scriptures, from the time of Saul and David, show God being faithful to his promise to bring forth one

who was to be the Savior of the world. This leads to John the Baptist’s announcement of the coming

of our savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus came from a long lineage, which included Abraham, our father in faith, Isaac, Jacob, and

David. Jesus is, for us, the ultimate ruler of the world and of our lives. In Jesus we have the word

made flesh. (John 1:14) He came to dwell amongst us as the Son of God, who would save us from

sin. He did this by living his life in perfect obedience to the will of his Father, and by freely giving his

life on the cross for the sake of our salvation. To open the way to eternal life, Jesus would rise from

the dead.

Before all of that came the birth of a little baby who was destined to be Emmanuel, God with us. This

child, conceived by the Holy Spirit, would bring to us the hope of salvation. We recall the love and

mercy of God as he sent his only Son. It should cause us to unceasingly sing of the goodness of the

Lord. Today for us, a Savior has been born, Christ the Lord! O come let us adore him!

* * * * *

CHRISTMAS, 2015 - NIGHT THE NATIVITY(Lec. 14) OF THE LORD1) Isaiah 9:1-6 - SOLEMNITY2) Titus 2:11-14 (Mass at Night)3) Luke 2:1-14Gospel related: CCC 333, 437, 448, 486, 515, 525, 559, 695, 725

FOCUS: Christmas remains a bold proclamation to the world that our salvation began when Jesus

Christ was born.

Festive carols, decorated trees, colorful poinsettias, special meals and desserts, colored lights, nicely

wrapped gifts: It must be Christmas. Christmas taps into that part of us as human beings that needs

to celebrate. Despite trials, struggles and tragedies, life is good. As people of faith, we know that the

goodness of life comes from God, who is the source of all that is good and holy.

As Christians, we are no different than any other human being in our need for celebration. Christmas

is first and foremost a Christian celebration. Without acknowledging Jesus, Christmas loses its true

meaning. Without Jesus, celebrations of Christmas are simply a collection of good feelings, sights,

sounds and tastes.

Through Christmas, we celebrate the goodness of God who so loved us that he took on our human

flesh and became one with humanity. He did so with a specific purpose: to redeem us from our sins

and restore us to eternal life. In the midst of this mission of salvation, God revealed himself to us and

showed us a path to live in a new way. He restored us to unity with him and made us his children.

God accomplished all of this by sending his only Son into the world. Christmas marks this sacred

beginning.

As Christians, it is right and good for us to celebrate Christmas for all that God does for us through

Jesus Christ. But we must be mindful also to protect the true meaning of Christmas. For example:

Christmas must always remain Christmas. Despite other secular and religious holidays at this

time of year, we must not let Christmas get lost in the “holidays.”

The Christ child cannot be sidelined by snowmen, santas, bells and tinsel. The Nativity must

remain central to Christmas.

Saint Nicholas is a real saint of the Catholic Church. He was a bishop of great charity toward

children and the poor.

The truths of the birth of Jesus lie within the Gospels. The first Christmas was an act of divine

intervention when the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in the womb of Mary. It was a miraculous

birth, directly caused by God.

Angels are not mythical figures but spiritual beings from God who interact with humanity. In the

Bible we hear of angels speaking to Mary, Joseph and shepherds.

The sighting of the star and coming of the magi proclaimed the divine revelation that God

intended salvation for Jews and Gentiles through Jesus.

The evils of King Herod foreshadowed the rejection of Christ that would lead to his passion

and death.

Amid the distractions of the season, it is important that we, as Christians, keep the purity of Christmas

intact. Sing the carols. Light the lights. Eat the festive meals with family and friends. Through it all, let

the bold proclamation ring out: Christ, our Savior and Lord, is born! God is with us! This is the heart

and essence of our celebration.

* * * * *

CHRISTMAS, 2015 - DAY THE NATIVITY(Lec. 16) OF THE LORD1) Isaiah 52:7-10 - SOLEMNITY2) Hebrews 1:1-6 (Mass During the Day)3) John 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14Gospel related: CCC 151, 241, 268, 291, 423, 445, 454, 461, 473, 496, 504, 505, 526, 530, 594, 612, 705, 706, 717, 719, 1216, 1692, 1996, 2466, 2780, 2787; CSDC 121, 262

FOCUS: God went to great lengths to come to us. This Christmas, let us give him our love in return.

At last we can celebrate Christmas in a church. The shopping malls have had their sales and the TV

shows have given us their specials. The world offers a sort of “noisy joy” at Christmas. All that is

good, and I hope you have experienced those good times. On Christmas the Lord offers us a deeper

joy, a quieter joy, which comes with knowing that we are loved in a special way by God.

God is love and we know that love seeks closeness and union. God does not want to be distant from

us and so has come to us in a way that overcomes all distances. He comes to us as one of us, and in

a few moments he will come again.

Now we are with Joseph and Mary in a church, where once again, in a few moments, God the Son

will come to us – this time in holy Communion. Born of a little Jewish girl, with a carpenter for his

stepfather, the newborn Christ was placed in a feeding trough for a crib. Shepherds and farm animals

witnessed his birth. What was little, humble and ordinary became astonishingly extraordinary. Hidden

away in little Bethlehem, in the quiet of night, the very inner nature of our humanity and our world was

changed. God took on human existence. Today, hidden deep in our hearts and souls, he comes to us

once again.

What was true then is true now. God gave himself to us in the birth of a baby in humble

circumstances, and God gives himself to us now, in what appears to be humble bread and simple

wine. In every celebration of Mass, God continues to come to us in humble and simple love. What a

wonder that is!

Before Christ’s birth, death meant oblivion, eternal darkness and total loss. Now, death has been

turned on its head and transformed to birth into eternal life. Before Christ, we did not experience God

as near. Now, because of Christ, we know that God is near; he has become a part of us.

Each Mass is another Christmas. Each Mass is an opportunity for us to be the shepherds who heard

the angels on high, or an opportunity for us to be the magi. Each one of us can follow in their

footsteps and find Mary and her Son in the stable.

Never say that you have nothing to give Jesus. Never say that you are of no value, or that your life is

a waste. God has gone to great lengths, infinite lengths, to come to you and me.

We can give God no greater gift this Christmas than to give him our love in return.

O come, let us adore him.

* * * * *

Saturday, December 26, 2015 SAINT STEPHEN,(Lec. 696) THE FIRST MARTYR1) Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 - FEAST2) Matthew 10:17-22Gospel related: CCC 161, 728, 1821

FOCUS: The mission for which Jesus came into our world was to suffer, die and triumph over death

for our sake.

At first glance, it can seem strange that we recall the cruel death of Saint Stephen, the first of a long

line of martyrs, on the day after we joyously celebrate the birth of the Christ child. But it makes sense

when one reflects on the saving mission behind the coming of Christ.

Some 300 years ago, Johann Sebastian Bach composed his Christmas Oratorio, a work filled with

beautiful orchestral and vocal music that celebrates the birth of Christ.

The chorale with which the great oratorio concluded, however, was set to the hymn tune “O Sacred

Head Surrounded,” which reflects on the suffering of Christ and is often sung on Good Friday.

In Bach’s oratorio, the text told of the Christ child’s victory over King Herod’s attempt to murder him,

and how it symbolized the savior’s ultimate triumph over evil.

The use of a melody so closely connected to Christ’s death was not lost on the first audience to hear

Bach’s oratorio. Many subsequent generations have treasured it. That tune was a clear reminder that

the mission of the Christ child was to suffer and die for the salvation of all humanity.

Recalling this mission should not diminish the joy of Christmas in our hearts, however. For, of course,

that mission was completed in Christ’s triumph over death.

That is why Saint Stephen – and so many of the martyrs – was so willing to witness to the saving love

of Christ with his blood.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 THE HOLY FAMILY(Lec. 17) OF JESUS, MARY1) Sirach 3:2-7, 12-14 AND JOSEPH

or 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 - FEAST2) Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-243) Luke 2:41-52Gospel related: CCC 534; CSDC 259

FOCUS: Let us build strong, loving families after the model of the Holy Family.

The Scriptures tell us a lot about Jesus, especially how he came into the world and how he left it.

Although Scripture doesn’t say much about Jesus’ childhood, today’s Gospel is one notable

exception. Luke gives us a glimpse of the tension in Jesus, being the son of Mary and Joseph, and at

the same time recognizing he was God’s Son and therefore had to be about his Father’s business.

Jesus’ response to Mary’s expression of concern, after he was found in the Temple, might come

across at first glance as cold and uncaring. That being said, the fact that there was tension in Jesus’

family makes it clear that the Holy Family was real because our families experience tension, too.

Just two days ago on Christmas, we celebrated the mystery of the Incarnation, when the Divine Word

became flesh in the person of Jesus. Today, on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and

Joseph, we celebrate how the Word became flesh, the same way you and I come into the world, by

being born into a family.

Jesus’ coming into the world as the son of Mary and Joseph shows that the family is an important

building block both in the Church and in the world. The Holy Family living in love and unity with God

and one another is the model all Christian families seek to imitate.

Though the life of any family includes challenges and stress, the life of the Holy Family encourages

us to invest ourselves in the relationships that make up family life. And each member of the Holy

Family provides a model of certain values and virtues we can strive to imitate.

Joseph, a man of few words but bold action, exemplifies the virtue of fidelity, which is so critical for

family life. Mary, a woman who pondered all things in her heart, displays the faith and trust that are

essential ingredients of authentic family relationships. Jesus, who strove always to do God’s will,

even when it caused tension with his mother, exhibits the obedience to which all of us are called not

only to God our Father, but to our respective parents and siblings as we work to build our lives

together.

Like Jesus, each of us comes into the world as part of a family. And just as Jesus’ life with Joseph

and Mary helped shape the man he grew into, our family forms us. The ups and downs of family life

give us opportunities to offer love and forgiveness to others.

Family life is most often and most profoundly deepened around the table where meals are shared.

May our sharing of the eucharistic meal nourish and deepen within each of us the desire to build

good, loving families here on earth and live in perfect love and communion with God and the rest of

the angels and saints in heaven.

* * * * *

Monday, December 28, 2015 THE HOLY INNOCENTS,(Lec. 698) MARTYRS - FEAST1) 1 John 1:5C2:22) Matthew 2:13-18Gospel related: CCC 530

FOCUS: In a world afflicted with death and suffering, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Lord of life.

It’s only been three days since we celebrated the joyous occasion of Jesus’ birth, but the feeling that

we get from today’s Gospel is anything but joyful. The parents of most newborns are usually in a state

of sheer happiness, elated at the birth of their new baby and eagerly preparing to begin life with the

newest member of their family. They don’t call a baby a “bundle of joy” for nothing! So there is no

question that Mary and Joseph must have experienced a feeling of absolute horror when Joseph

learned that the baby Jesus had been targeted for death by King Herod, who saw the new king of the

Jews as a threat to his reign.

Mary and Joseph, therefore, instead of joyfully preparing to embark on parenthood, took the infant

Jesus and fled. The angel directed them to Egypt, which was outside of King Herod’s jurisdiction. This

enraged Herod, who had expected information from the three wise men on where the infant Jesus

was so that he could eliminate the child.

After learning that the three wise men had snuck out of Galilee without reporting to him, Herod

ordered the deaths of all boys under two years old in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. The

Gospel of Matthew doesn’t say how many children were murdered, but historians estimate

Bethlehem’s population at the time was about one thousand. If half of that population was made up of

women and five percent were mothers of male infants or toddlers, it would mean that around twenty-

five boys under the age of two fell victim to Herod’s slaughter. There may very well have even been

more.

This is a horrible thought to ponder, particularly during what’s supposed to be a joyous time of

year. Today’s feast day, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, brings us back to the cold, hard reality

that persecution, oppression and death have frequently been part of the plight of Christians

throughout the history of our faith. From the days of King Herod onward, believing in Christ has

often been dangerous. In our own time, in certain parts of the world, people are persecuted for

believing in Jesus.

We should have no fear, though, because Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrated just three days

ago, is the Lord of life! We live in a world where suffering and death are all too real, but we also see

much good in this world – thanks to the Lord, the source of all goodness. Most of all, we know that

Christ was not born to condemn the world, but to save it, and to destroy death and open the way to

eternal life for us. As we continue our Christmas celebrations, and as we receive Christ’s body a few

minutes from now, may we remember and give thanks for Christ’s life-giving presence among us

today and forever.

* * * * *

Tuesday, December 29, 2015 TUESDAY(Lec. 202) - THE FIFTH DAY WITHIN1) 1 John 2:3-11 THE OCTAVE2) Luke 2:22-35 OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD(Opt. Mem. Saint Thomas Becket,

Bishop and Martyr)Gospel related: CCC 530

FOCUS: We are called to walk in the light of Jesus, our Lord.

Today’s first reading delivers a stark contrast between those who walk in light – following Jesus’

commandment to love one another – and those who walk in the dark, hating their neighbors and

falling out of sheer blindness. In his descriptions of these two ways of life – as much a part of our

times as they were of John’s – John gives us some clues to help us distinguish between those who

are in the darkness and those who are in the light. If we are in the light, we will keep Jesus’

commandments, most notably, to love one another. If we hate those whom we see, we walk in the

darkness.

The Gospel presents us with the light of Jesus Christ, carried into the Temple by his mother and

father and recognized instantly by the elderly and righteous prophet, Simeon. A man who listens to

the Holy Spirit, Simeon recognizes the light emanating from the simple and unlikely form of the baby

of two poor parents – so poor that they had to offer two young turtle doves for his Presentation.

Surely, countless people saw the Holy Family heading into the Temple but thought nothing of them.

In a time as troubling as ours, we can let the darkness of sin and evil still present in the world cloud

our vision. But sliding down this pathway produces no light for others – and only causes harm to

ourselves and those around us. Simeon shows us another path. If we are attentive to the voice of

God and the Holy Spirit, we will recognize the light of Christ – and follow that light through all of our

days. The light of Christ will enable us to see what had been invisible before – God’s love at work in

the smallest and most ordinary circumstances of our lives, in people who seem very ordinary and

unimportant.

As we continue our celebration of Christmas, let us pray that Jesus, the light of the world, will come to

the temple of our hearts and souls and illuminate the darkness within us. Let us welcome and rejoice

in that light, as Simeon did, and bring light to our troubled world.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015 WEDNESDAY(Lec. 203) - THE SIXTH DAY WITHIN1) 1 John 2:12-17 THE OCTAVE2) Luke 2:36-40 OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORDGospel related: CCC 711

FOCUS: As the holiday season continues, let us keep our hearts and minds open to God.

In this day of rapid communication, it is easy to forget how slow and cumbersome it was to share

information in Jesus’ day. News traveled by word of mouth or by written methods. And most people

then did not know how to read or write.

Keeping this in mind, let’s transport ourselves back to the time of Jesus’ birth. As we know, much

attention was focused on this little family – a shining star, a humble birth, a surprising visit from local

shepherds. How did this seemingly obscure couple end up presenting the Messiah to the world? And

how did the shepherds find out? They certainly didn’t have a “breaking news” alert – or did they?

Mary and Joseph already knew that Jesus was no ordinary baby. God himself was relying on their

care. What a humbling and perhaps even frightening responsibility it must have been! They must

have been awestruck that moment when the host of angels appeared singing, “Glory to God in the

Highest.”

We read today that when it was time for the Jewish rites of purification, Mary and Joseph took Jesus

to Jerusalem to the Temple. They encountered people who seemed to have an inside line to God the

Father. One was Anna, who was a prophet. She had raised a family, been widowed and now lived in

the Temple worshiping, fasting and praying. Like Mary and Joseph, she listened to God. She knew

the promise of the coming Messiah. When she saw the Holy Family, she declared that the little baby

Jesus was indeed the fulfillment of God’s promise of a child who would become the redemption of

Jerusalem. Anna possessed what she needed to hear – the ability to listen and humility of heart. She

heard from God Almighty himself.

During this Christmas season, we have heard and will continue to hear about those who listened to

God and his messengers: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, Anna. Later, we’ll remember the magi who

came to adore Jesus. What did they have in common? They listened and heard the voice of God. As

we continue through this holy season, let us also keep our hearts and minds focused on God. Let us

all remain humble and learn to closely listen. Hearing from God does not require technology, but open

hearts.

* * * * *

Thursday, December 31, 2015 THURSDAY(Lec. 204) - THE SEVENTH DAY WITHIN1) 1 John 2:18-21 THE OCTAVE2) John 1:1-18 OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

Opt. Mem. Saint Sylvester I, Pope)Gospel related: CCC 151, 241, 268, 291, 423, 445, 454, 461, 473, 496, 504, 505, 526, 530, 594, 612, 705, 706, 717, 719, 1216, 1692, 1996, 2466, 2780, 2787; CSDC 121, 262

FOCUS: Believers in God have reason to give thanks to him, even in difficult circumstances.

The last hour is at hand. That is what Saint John tells us in today’s first reading. He is referring to

members of the fledgling Church who had left the practice of the faith – something that was clearly

disturbing to the Church’s first members who remained faithful.

At the end of today’s first reading, however, John gives them reason for hope: You have the anointing

that comes from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you not because you do not

know the truth, but because you do.

What is this truth that believers possess? John proclaims it in today’s Gospel reading, which is the

prologue to John’s Gospel: And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we

saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.

John also tells us, in the prologue, what it means to hold to this truth: To those who … accept him he

gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.

We have reached the last hours of this calendar year. It is a time for us to reflect on how our daily

lives proclaimed the central truth of our faith, that Christ, the word of God, was made flesh and made

his dwelling among us. We can also prayerfully consider how God might be calling us to manifest this

great good news in our lives in the year to come.

We also should always keep in mind that our own final hour could come at any time. This should

not lead us to have a morbid attitude. Far from it. Our final hour – whenever it comes – should be a

time of rejoicing. We will then experience in its fullness the reality that we are all children of God.