Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes during his Sermon on Mount. The Beatitudes are a roadmap to live a blessed (happy) life because we are living for God and for others, and not for ourselves. In essence, we are living the Great Commandment to love God and love our neighbors.
In today's Gospel, Elizabeth, in speaking with her cousin Mary, gives us a preview (if you will) of the Beatitudes when she said, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." When we pray, we talk with God. When we talk with God, He helps us to discern His will for us. When we listen and trust His will for us, we are truly blessed (and happy) in the same way that John the Baptist was happy and leaped in his mother's womb upon being in the presence of the Lord.
This is the joy that permeates our being when we believe and trust in God. It is the joy that we will experience on Christmas because God is with us. The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. We believe in the Incarnation, the greatest love story in the history of mankind.
[Saturday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Lk 1:39-45] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
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Sisters and brothers in Christ, for the past 3 years, I have been praying the Surrender Novena in preparation for the memorial of the Incarnation and in anticipation of Jesus' Second Coming.
Praying the Surrender Novena this year has given me a different perspective on Mary's Fiat, her "Yes" to God, as we read in today's Gospel from Luke. In her Yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary surrendered every thing - mind, body, soul, and spirit - to God. That is something that we all have a hard time doing because the idea of surrender, as we understand it, means weakness, and we do not want to be seen as weak.
However, when we surrender ourselves to God, it does not mean that we are weak. Rather, it is a sign of strength and power when we are able to let go of what we want to do and follow what God desires for us, which is always so much better than whatever it is that we want. Why? Because God desires what is good for us and no one knows better than our Father in heaven who created us and breathed His life into us.
For this reason, I have tremendous admiration and respect for our bishops and priests because they are always ready to follow where God, through the Pope or bishop, needs them to go to shepherd His flock.
[Friday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Lk 1:26-38] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
Sisters and brothers in Christ, when we compare the Annunciation of Jesus' birth by the angel Gabriel to Mary and that of John's birth to his father, Zechariah, we see that Mary responded with wonderment while Zechariah doubted. and was struck "dumb" (he could not speak).
As I reflected on this, I am reminded of the Scripture verse from Romans 2:6, which Saint Paul tells us that God judges us according to our deeds, which stems from our life experiences. In the case of Mary, she was a young girl who wondered but her faith never wavered. On the other hand, Zechariah, who was a priest (a learned man of faith), doubted what the messenger of God told to him, saying: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
This is the same with us in our spiritual life. As adults, I would say more is expected of us from God because we have a well-formed intellect and reason to know Jesus and enter into a relationship with him compared to a young child. Therefore, like Zechariah, if we do not believe in his words when he shares the Good News with us, then it will be a millstone around our neck.
Let us then humble ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to help to believe and trust in the words of God so that we may grow in faith, hope, and love.
[Thursday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Lk 1:5-25] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
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Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, the angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph and said to him, ". . .do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home."
In Joseph, we have a man with a gentle heart, a forgiving person, a humble and obedient man of faith, and someone who wills the good of another, in this case Mary, even if he felt that he had been wronged. (Of course, he learned from angel that he was not wronged: "it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.")
In the same way that Mary gave her "Yes" to God, in his own quiet way, Joseph have his Yes to God with his actions - "he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home" - can cared for Jesus and Mary with faith, hope, and love. There is a quiet strength in all of us when we humble ourselves before God and become obedient to His will for us. God blesses us abundantly just as He blessed Joseph and Mary.
Finally, what is in a name? Well, as Fr. Doug Jeffers reflected in his homily this morning, Emmanuel means "God with us" and Jesus means "God saves." These names invite us to reflect on the Incarnation (O come, Emmanuel) and the Passion of our Lord for our redemption, and what it means for us not only during Advent but every day of our lives: HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE.
[Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Mt 1:18-25] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
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Sisters and brothers in Christ, from the genealogy of Jesu Christ, we learn that, while we do not have control over who our ancestors were, we can make changes in our own lives so that we do not repeat the same mistakes.
One of the things that I share with engaged couples who come to us for marriage preparation is, appreciate their families of origin because, for better or for worse, they made them into the people they are today. However, as they prepare to enter into the covenant of marriage, receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, and start their vocation as husband and wife, they have the opportunity to shape their relationship with the help of the Spirit in the best version of each other and their marriage.
This is important for us to understand because our past does not define us. Rather, our past presents us with the wisdom and opportunity to transform our future, with the help of God, into what we desire it to be. The O Antiphon today reminds us of this: "O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!"
With God, we do not have to fear our past because He gives us hope to live a good today for a better tomorrow.
[Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Mt 1:1-17] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
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Sisters and brothers in Christ, today's Gospel reminds me of this verse from the Book of Job: "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” (1:21) Moreover, Job asked us this question: "We accept good things from God; should we not accept evil?" (2:2).
As hard as it may be for us to hear this, but it is not our place to question God like the chief priests and the elders question the authority of Jesus.. We are to be humble and obedient as we discern God's will for us in our lives. Humble to know that His will for us is better than the plans that we make for ourselves because we trust that He desires what is best for us. Obedient to have the courage to come and follow Jesus even if it makes us uncomfortable because we walk by faith, not by sight.
How can we do this? To be humble and obedient? Through daily prayer and receiving the Sacraments - especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation - regularly. When we commit ourselves to praying daily, to spending time in conversation with our Father in heaven, not only will he reveal His will to us but He will also grant us the strength to come and follow Him. We will then follow Him with joy because our hope is in the Lord and He grants us his peace.
Sometimes, we can be like the chief priests and elders and overthink things with God. and, thus, stop Him from revealing to us His will for us. Therefore, it is important for us to pray daily, receive the Sacraments regularly, and go throughout our day asking ourselves, "Where was God in that moment?" or "Lord, here am I. I have come to do your will."
[Monday of the Third Week of Advent (Yeas C) - Mt 21:23-27] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
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Sisters and brothers in Christ, on the THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, we light the Shepherd Candle, a symbol of JOY in a penitential season because we (like the people who were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ) eagerly await the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the GOOD SHEPHERD, who comes to save us.
We might wonder how can we feel JOY in our life if we are facing difficulties or challenges? A married couple who is having problems in their marriage or a family with a sick loved one, how can they feel JOY? It is the same way that we can feel PEACE in our life in the midst of the chaos and uncertainties of life, our HOPE is in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Saint Paul put it so beautifully in his letter to the Philippians, today’s Second Reading, saying: "The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the PEACE (might I add HOPE and JOY) of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
In other words, our JOY comes from our Father in heaven, in our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, and not the circumstances in our life. This is why the Father sent his only Begotten Son, so that we may have life and have it abundantly - filled with HOPE, PEACE, and JOY. And so when life gets us down, turn to our Lord Jesus Christ with HOPE and he will raise us up for his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Rejoice in the Lord always! REJOICE!
[Third Sunday of Advent (Year C) - Lk 3:10-18] #gospelreflection #Catholic #diakonia
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