Daily Scripture

Christmas Eve

Scripture:

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Luke 1:67-79

Reflection:

The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light. Isaiah 9:2

To truly appreciate the great feast of the Nativity I feel we must reflect on the shocking truth that God cares that much about us that He would send His Only Begotten Son to share our humanity.   Despite their wonderful understanding of God none of the early prophets or seers had a clear depiction of the incarnation that the Lord, “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Phil 2:7

Christmas must be a startling reality that so great a God, Creator of the universe, would “empty” Himself to get close to us!   We must double the amazement of the Psalmist: “What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care (visit pāqad) for him?” Ps 8:4 Until we realize how incredibly great God is we will never really comprehend how mind boggling Jesus’s incarnation really is.

Today’s astronomers with their wonderful instruments have looked into the depths of the astonishing greatness of the universe!  The ancient astronomers were in awe of the greatness of the stars and planets but now with our telescopes we are overwhelmed by the size of the cosmos!  This really gives us an extra jolt to our understanding of the Almighty “Who fills heaven and earth”!   There are more than 200 billion galaxies in the universe.   To get to the closest one Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy which is only 25, 000 light years away, it would take at our present Voyager’s speed at 35,000 MPH approximately 749 million years! 

Can you or I grasp at all how tremendous God is?  With the Psalmist we pray:” O Lord my God, You are very great;” Ps 104:1 The word for very great in Hebrew is meod which means exceeding.  Such an amazing God would scare us to death.   That is why He came to us “born of a woman”.  He is as human as any of us except sin without the slightest diminishment of His Divinity.  Jesus called himself the “Son of Man” some 81 times in the New Testament!  He wanted to befriend us and be utterly close to us!  He even shared our grief and suffering!  Even now and forever His glorious body carries the wounds of the cross.    He is truly one of us.

Greatness and Nearness of God is at the heart of Christmas!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Luke 1:57-66

Reflection:

Every week on the PBS News Hour they show a few brief biographies of people who have died from Covid-19. I find them very moving, as they put names and faces to the numbers, we see every night on the news. I was thinking of how important it is to associate a name with a person when I read the Gospel reading for today, where Luke recounts the birth of John the Baptist. Elizabeth, thought to be barren, has given birth to a son. This was announced before hand to her husband Zechariah, but since he had serious doubts about the announcement, he was struck mute by the angel who had told him this news. So, when Elizabeth told the relatives assembled that the baby was to be named John, and they, in turn, asked Zechariah, he wrote “John is his name.” And when he did that, he was able to speak again!

After witnessing all this, the people began to wonder among themselves, “What, then, will this child be?” and then Luke adds, “For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.” If we were to imagine names associated with all the children of the world, perhaps especially those who have been affected by the pandemic, those living in poverty, those living as refugees, as immigrants, those who are being exploited, and even those considered part of “them,” would we find ourselves wondering, “What will happen to them?” For surely God loves them as God loves the children closest to us.

I know the “Black Lives Matter” movement is controversial for many people, but another phrase that is used seems apropos here: “Remember their names.” If we can remember the humanity of those considered the “other,” especially the children, and seek not only relief for those who are hurting, but justice for us all, maybe that is a way in which we, like Zechariah when his tongue was freed, can give praise to God, and we will be ready when Jesus comes again.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

1 Samuel 1:24-28
Luke 1:46-56

Reflection:

Our Christmas tree always went up the first Sunday of Advent onto this waist high table, (the better for keeping  little fingers from reaching sparkly ornaments and bright but hot lights), that was about four feet long and covered by an old bedsheet that could no longer serve its primary purpose but worked perfectly as a bed of snow around the base of the tree. It then extended out the length of the table to serve as desert sand where at the far end mom would set  up this oasis of palm trees with a piece of mirror shining through a hole in the sheet with sheep figurines drinking from the imagined water hole.  She explained year after year about the shepherds guarding their flocks and from around the back of the oasis would come the wise men, kings on camels, following a star.  

Each day we got to move the shepherds, sheep, camels, and wise men an inch or so closer to the empty nativity stable in Bethlehem, shining brightly beneath the Christmas tree .  Somehow the kings always magically made it to the stable by Christmas night, arriving just after we returned from Midnight Mass, when Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus finally appeared.   The shepherds gathered around with their lambs, the camels grazed behind the shed, a cow and donkey lay in the hay guarding the Holy Family as the wise men knelt and offered their gifts to the Child.  During the long, cold Advent nights all this was illuminated by the soft colors of our tree’s strings of red, green, white and golden lights, with hundreds of strands of tinsel reflecting the Christmas lights and stirring gently in the air above the empty stable.  

  At school, Sister Mary, of beloved memory, would teach us the ancient story of an angel appearing to Mary to ask if she would be Jesus’s mother. “Be it done unto me according to Thy word”, she replied, and then rushed to complete a long and hard journey to help her cousin Elisabeth who was also miraculously with child.   To Elisabeth Mary spoke the words that echo from that time so long ago, her poem accepting what God has asked of her with words of praise, faith and humility…. The Magnificat.  “My soul magnifies the Lord…”

  My own daily poem is less accepting and much more like a Monty Python skit ~  An old man constantly complaining to anyone who will listen;  “My eyes are dim, my knees are weak, my back is bent, I cannot hear” in a never ending ‘Litany for the Aged’.  But my own family tree went up the first Sunday of Advent as it always has.  With the arrival of our grandsons, it seemed prudent to get a smaller tree that could sit on a table out of reach of curious little hands.  The wise men still travel across the sand towards Bethlehem, an inch or so each day as I share the magic of the Nativity story with my family, as my mother did for me.  Today, I will remember Mary’s words and sacrifice. I will strive to think of others and not of my inconvenient aches and pains.  Tools are at hand that enable me to reach out to those the pandemic has made more distant, frightened and alone.   And day by day I will move forward to Bethlehem.  

Ray Alonzo is the father of three children, grandfather of two, and husband to Jan for 45 years. He is a USN Vietnam Veteran, and a 1969 graduate of Mother of Good Counsel Passionist Prep Seminary. Ray currently serves on the Passionist Alumni Council.

Scripture:

Zephaniah 3:14-18
Luke 1:39-45

Reflection:

The Covid-19 virus continues to dominate our lives and it is getting worse. The daily death rate is now over 3,000 persons. The nightly news is depressing except for the fact we now have a vaccine.  Today’s three readings all proclaim we should be joyful. 

In the first reading the Prophet Zephaniah is excited about God’s forgiving love and pardoning Israel for its faults.  “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing Joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” (Zephaniah 33:14) In this short passage Zephania calls the people to be joyful by shouting, singing, being glad and exultant. 

Psalm 33 was written to encourage and celebrate those Israelites that are living their relationship with God. “Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.” (Psalm 33:1)  Take out your harp and lyre and make joyful music to the Lord. 

In the gospel, after learning from the angel that Mary will give birth to God’s son, she hastens to the hill country to visit her pregnant relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth greets Mary, an unmarried pregnant woman, with loving kindness and joy, not the social ostracism that was customary in those days. Elizabeth showers Mary with honor, love, and blessings.

These readings challenge me to daily be grateful, appreciative and joyful for God’s forgiving love and mercy and show loving kindness to all I meet. In gratitude we should shout, sing, be glad and exult.

Carl Middleton is a theologian/ethicist and a member of the Passionist Family.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Romans 16: 25-27
Luke 1: 26-38

Reflection:

The Gospel text we are given today on this Fourth Sunday of Advent is the story of the Annunciation to Mary that she is invited to become the Mother of God’s Son.  Mary’s first reaction to these words of the Angel Gabriel is one of fear.  Her fear must have been very noticeable for the Angel immediately says to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

I can’t help but suspect that Mary’s fear wasn’t reduced very much by this reassurance.  After all the Angel went on to describe what God was asking of her.  In fact, Mary responded at first to the Angel by pointing out that what the Angel was asking was quite impossible for she had not had any relations with a man.  But the Angel reassured her that the child would be the product of the Holy Spirit and then revealed that her cousin, Elizabeth, who had for so many years been barren, was with child.  “For nothing is impossible for God.”

Mary meekly accepted this task with trust in God.  The reading doesn’t say anything about her original fear but there were many difficult obstacles to be overcome as she moved forward to fulfill “the plan.”  I can’t believe that Mary was not fearful about having to tell Joseph of her pregnancy.  Joseph surely responded with deep disappointment as he struggled with his response.  He was determined not to punish Mary with public stoning and thought perhaps a quiet setting their plans for marriage aside was the wisest, and most compassionate, approach.  It was only the appearance of an angel in his dreams that gave him the courage to bring Mary into his household.  No doubt Mary agonized with Joseph as he prayed his way through his disappointment.

Throughout her life, Mary often struggled with dangerous events that were totally out of her control.  Even with her deep faith there’s no way that fear didn’t seize her from time to time.  Yet, she never let her fear overcome her commitment to her Son.

As we contemplate these early experiences of Mary and Joseph as they dealt with the frightening and unexpected challenges that God invited them to embrace, our prayer these days could be for the courage we need at those moments of disappointment or unexpected difficult events that are part of our lives.

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of retreats at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Jeremiah 23:5-8
Matthew 1:18-25

Reflection:

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about…the angel of the Lord appeared to him is a dream…”

This is how it happened folks…Joseph’s world is turned upside down – his bride to be is found with child – not his…

But not only his world, Mary’s world too.  Unbelievable news!  Paralyzing news!  How did this happen? How is it even possible that this is happening?  What am I supposed to do?  Can you imagine what everyone else is going to think?

Haven’t we all found ourselves at some time or another, in such an overwhelming place – it doesn’t take much imagination for us to remember that we too have experienced the emotions and anxiety that Joseph must have felt.

How did we respond?  Maybe we too, just wanted to numb ourselves, retreat, just sleep and forget about it – at least for a little while.  We make a plan – I will divorce her quietly – then will sleep and when I wake up – I’ll feel better.

But Joseph had a dream – to trust, to protect, to love.  I can only imagine that this dream was nearly as unbelievable as his situation.  I have a plan – it will work – we can save face…but the message of the dream was trust – trust God for He is in this.  The message was to lean in to the reality, protect Mary and the child, the message was to love. 

Love is not always easy, it means we have to be willing to be vulnerable, we have to be willing to step out in faith, it takes courage to love.  We too have dreams, God sends messengers to cross the threshold of our life experience (even when we are overwhelmed) to invite us to  trust so that we too can lean into life and respond – to that we too can protect and love [Mary and child]. 

We never love alone – God invites and equips us to make present the love of Christ in our little corner of the world.  What dreams or messengers has God blessed you with this Advent – how will you trust, protect and Love?   This is how it happens folks….love emerges when life is turned upside down.

Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Genesis 49:2, 8-10
Matthew 1:1-17

Reflection:

In eight days, Christians will again celebrate the miracle that forever changed the world. When God became one of us in Jesus, being born into our world in Bethlehem, we received a promise of hope we never thought possible and a blessing of joy we never believed our hearts could know. This is why Christians profess that in Jesus we meet our king and redeemer, our savior and messiah.

But Jesus will be a king dramatically unlike other kings and a savior it is easy to overlook. The reading from Genesis foretells the royal life of Israel. Jacob announces to his son Judah that he, like other kings, will conquer his enemies, receive homage from the people, and be like a lion, “the king of beasts,” that everyone fears to approach. By contrast, the psalm response envisions the reign of God that will break into the world in Jesus. Jesus will rule with the wisdom, mercy, and goodness of God. Under his kingship, the world will overflow in justice and peace. The poor will not be trampled, crushed, and forgotten, but liberated. The suffering will not be overlooked or ignored, but comforted and healed.

The gospel passage from Matthew recounts the genealogy of Jesus. What can seem like a bewildering chronicle of names nearly impossible to pronounce reveals something wonderful: God works through human beings—including some who were dramatically flawed—to bring about something extraordinarily blessed. But it is easy to miss the blessing because God, who is savior and king, enters our world not in wealth and majesty, but as a helpless child in a family looking for shelter.

Today’s scriptures remind us that to prepare for the coming of Christ we must look for Jesus where perhaps we least expect to find him. Jesus is right before us, once more beseeching our help, in the stranger, in migrants and refugees, in the poor and  homeless, in people of other races and cultures and religions, who, like Joseph and Mary and Jesus, are in need of assistance. Are our hearts open to receive them? Are our hands ready to help?

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology & Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the Passionist family.