Daily Scripture

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

Micah 5:1-4a
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45

Reflection:

During this Advent season, we have been reflecting on yearning for the coming of Jesus, opening our hearts to Him, and opening our hearts to each other. In our Gospel reading for this Sunday (Luke 1:39-45), we see the connection between hope and love in the interaction between Mary and Elizabeth.

Our Gospel reading begins just after the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she is to be the mother of the Messiah, and that her relative Elizabeth, considered too old and barren to conceive, is pregnant. After hearing all this and accepting God’s will, Luke tells us that Mary went “in haste” to see Elizabeth. We can imagine all the things running through Mary’s mind: to see how Elizabeth was doing, and to tell her what just happened with herself.

We can imagine the joy of the moment of their meeting! Both these women were going to bring new life into the world. They not only saw what this meant for themselves and for Zechariah and Joseph, but also for God’s plan of salvation.

There is a very old saying: “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” Mary and Elizabeth demonstrate this so well! And they demonstrate that where there’s hope, there’s love.

When there is hope, life is considered worth living. As I thought about Mary and Elizabeth giving birth to Jesus and John, I thought about babies still being born in Gaza and Israel and Ukraine and South Sudan and many other places where to have hope may be considered to be foolish.

Is it foolish to hope for justice and peace? Is it foolish to love as Jesus loves? It may be foolish in the eyes of the world, but if we have the faith of all the prophets and the people we have been hearing about during these weeks of Advent: Mary and Joseph and Elizabeth and John the Baptist; if we have the faith to trust in God’s love and God’s plan; if we have made room for Jesus in our hearts, we can still live in hope and in love, working for justice and peace.

And perhaps one step we can take is to consider what Elizabeth says to Mary into our own relationships with others and with the whole world. Elizabeth says to Mary: “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” What if every encounter we have with another person was accompanied with the thought: “How does this happen to me, that the beloved of my Lord should come to me?”

To paraphrase what Elizabeth also says to Mary: Blessed are we who believe that what has been spoken to us by the Lord will be fulfilled. Blessed are we who live in hope and dare to love.

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

Scripture:

Song of Songs 2:8-14 or Zephaniah 3:14-18
Luke 1:39-45

Reflection:

Our first reading comes from the Song of Songs which has often been seen as an allegory of God’s love for his people.  In this passage the groom represents God and we see God inviting the beloved to come and live with God in happiness.  In the alternate reading from the Prophet Zephaniah, the people are told to rejoice for the Lord is in their midst.  God has protected them from their enemies.  In the gospel text, we see Mary traveling to visit Elizabeth and her unborn son rejoicing for Mary is carrying the Lord and therefore is blessed.  (Adapted from Reflections on the Daily Readings; The Irish Province of the Order of Carmelites (O.Carm.) http://www.carmelites.ie/prayer.html)

There are just a few more days till Christmas.  These texts remind us that God is renewing us with affirming love.  Have you ever thought that God is glad because of you and me?  This fills me with Advent hope.  The first two texts are about living our life in union with God and about our being restored in God’s life and love.  “God sings joyfully because of you” (Zephaniah 3: 18).  Can we imagine that God is singing joyfully because of us?  Like Jerusalem, we too have fallen short of our best self at times.  Our God yearns to be one with us.  God is the Great Restorer.  In these final days of Advent let us take some time to be mindful and joyful as we prepare for Christmas. (Adapted from Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, O.S.B., Living Faith, October, November, December 2019, Saturday, December 21, 2019)

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 7:10-14
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

In five days, we will celebrate the feast of Christmas.  Hovering over the Scripture readings for today is the question, “How prepared are you?”  This question is not raised in some kind of judgmental way, implying that you’re not prepared.  Rather, it is raised as an invitation to open your heart even more to the saving coming of the Son of God.

In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear again the prophecy that God will save his people.  The sign that the fulfillment of this prophecy is at hand will be a virgin who conceives and bears a son and names him Emmanuel.

In the Gospel we recall that astounding moment.  The Angel Gabriel invites Mary, a virgin, to be the Mother of the Son of God, and she accepts.  The promise and the fulfillment.  God is faithful.  Are we ready?

The story of the Annunciation illustrates for us the attitude of heart we need to be fully prepared.  Mary is puzzled by the words of the Angel for she can’t imagine how these things could come about.  Though puzzled and questioning, she nonetheless accepts whatever God is asking of her.  In her heart she so totally trusts in God that she is able to say an unequivocal “yes” to whatever God wants.  And, at the moment of her “yes” the Son of God is conceived within her!

So emerges the question for us, “How prepared are we?”  Are we ready to open our hearts to accept whatever God is asking of us?  Can we move beyond our fears and insecurities to unequivocally trust in God’s will for us?  The prayer that emerges from these readings and the feast of Christmas could well be, “Come, Lord Jesus into my heart.  Help me to trust in you and your loving presence in my life.”

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
Luke 1:5-25

Reflection:

Do Not Be Afraid

Lately, the phrase “Do not be afraid” has seemed to appear everywhere. I can’t help but reflect on its significance, especially during this time of Advent as we prepare for the birth of the Christ child.

Imagine what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph, traveling to Bethlehem with baby Jesus in her womb. What fears and worries filled their hearts or had they journeyed this way before and were assured of God’s providential care. Scripture often reminds us of God’s reassuring words: “Do not be afraid.” Whenever God speaks or an angel appears, this message is repeated—offering assurance that He has heard our prayers and will answer them in His time. It is a reminder to trust Him and to know that we are never alone.

Pope John Paul II echoed these words throughout his pontificate. In a world full of fear, doubt, and lies, he encouraged us to stand firm in faith. The world says to a young, pregnant girl, “You are alone,” or to a couple, “Live together first to avoid divorce. The world often tells us that we’re not up to some standard of attractiveness or intelligence. These lies create anxiety and confusion, leaving many feeling isolated and lost.

Yet in the face of this, we must remember the words of John Paul II: “Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Do not be afraid to be holy.” God’s truth is our comfort and strength. Like Zechariah, who was struck mute until God’s promise was fulfilled, or like St. Gemma, who was reassured by St. Gabriel to “not be afraid” she would become a Passionist! 

As crazy as it sounds, we often doubt God’s ability when He calls us. Yet, over and over we hear how God works through our brokenness. We too are called to trust and not be afraid. So as we continue to prepare ourselves for the birth of Christ may our hearts be open to receive God’s will for our lives trusting His plan is better than ours. 

Lori Kananen, LMC, is a lay Pastoral Associate at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

“…Behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream…”

A familiar story…an angel…and a dream…the story is so familiar (especially at this time of year!) that sometimes we don’t listen, or hear, or engage.  Like all of Scripture, the story always has something to say – in particular, something to say to us – to me!  what does an angel and a dream have to say to me?  Mary and Joseph, both ‘essential’ characters in God’s unfolding plan, encountered an angel and trusted a dream.  And God worked a miracle.

As children, we all learned about ‘guardian angels’ – we each had one, sent from  God to protect us – remember the images you had as a child trying to figure that out, understand it, embrace it even – some of us named them, maybe even talked with them.  Over time that image/concept was tucked away or slipped away and was forgotten.

Mary’s greeting surprised her and scared her a bit Hail favored one, the Lord is with you,  and she questioned, she pondered and she stepped into it.  Joseph did not want to hurt Mary, he loved her, he was hurt and afraid, in his dream he heard Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid, take Mary into your home – the greeting caught his attention because is deeply touched his experience – he too stepped into it…

Maybe the message for me (us) is to remember we all have an angel and a dream.  We all are told Hail favored one, the Lord is with you…do not be afraid…trust the message of your heart – you always have what you need, God always has your back!  Maybe the invitation for us is to ponder the ‘angels’ in our lives – those who catch us off guard with a powerful truth that can turn our world upside down!  And trust those dreams, where deep in our center, we know whose we are and what we need to do, but, or even if everyone else says otherwise.

We hear this story now, in the home stretch of Advent – each of us, essential characters in God’s unfolding plan – will we notice the angel and trust the dream – and be surprised by the wondrous miracle about to be worked by God.

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. Today’s reading from Genesis foretells the royal life of Israel. Jacob announces to his son Judah that he, like other kings, will 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, by proclaiming: “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.” Jesus will rule with the wisdom, mercy, and compassionate goodness of God: “He shall defend the afflicted among the people, save the children of the poor.” Under his kingship, the poor will not be trampled, crushed, and forgotten, but liberated through justice. 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 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 the lonely and loveless, in the emotionally and spiritually wounded, in the poor and homeless, in people of other races and cultures and religions, who, like Joseph and Mary and Jesus, need assistance. Are our hearts open to receive them? Are our hands ready to help? If our answer is yes, then God can work through us to achieve something extraordinarily blessed, just as he did with Jesus’ ancestors.

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 of Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a
Matthew 21:23-27

Reflection:

We just celebrated the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday.  And now, with the entire Church we draw even closer to the great feast of Christmas.  Like all of you, I find myself to be swamped with the seemingly unending process of campaigning and posturing for what is undeniably one of the most significant positions in our country.  I say “swamped” because it is as if we are treading water these days and not really getting any closer to those elements of truth and clarity that ideally lead us toward a prudent and sound judgment about just who it is that should lead our country.  The only authority that is being evoked, it seems to me, is the authority that taps into feelings and emotions of anger and mistrust.  Sadly these will not lead us to the best end we can hope for in this great country of ours.

Jesus himself had to face the politics and conflicts of ordinary life himself, didn’t he?  Interestingly in our Gospel today we find the Lord being put into an unusual position by the chief priests and elders.  Only desirous of trapping Jesus and gaining popular appeal, these devious men challenged the authority and truthfulness of his mission and his teachings.  Yet, Jesus refused to give in to the hollow debate and made it very clear that his authority, the truth of all he was about, would one day be revealed without falling into the game of devious words and clever debate.

For me, as we draw closer to Christmas, there is a message here.  The Lord comes to shed his light on the world, to bring truth and goodness that will shine in the darkness and will be known for itself.  If we want to follow Jesus and bring a real breath of fresh air into the popular arena today perhaps the best thing we can do is to resist the easy siding with those who appeal to our fears and worries and, instead, embrace regardless of cost, the path that comes from the only one who can claim that, “I am the way, the truth, and the light.”  Perhaps the invitation at this point in Advent waiting is to breathe in a few deep breaths, listen carefully to all that is said measured by the light of the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus, and then wait even longer until the truth becomes clearer to us.  The Lord will show us the way.  In the meantime, rejoice for Wisdom is very near!

Fr. Pat Brennan, C.P. is the director of Saint Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.

Third Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:10-18

Reflection:

There is no more joyful and exhilarating proclamation for our reflection and meditation than the readings we find on the Third Sunday of Advent, also most joyfully known as Gaudete Sunday.  Gaudete is not just a suggestion; rather, in Latin, it is an imperative announcement, a declaration of something we must do if we are touched by the grand and glorious moment of the love and goodness of our faithful God.  Gaudete!  Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice!  Shout it out loud!  Sing it from the rooftops!  Rejoice!

And Zephaniah makes it perfectly clear why we should be filled with such happiness and joy.  He tells us that we should sing joyfully and exult “with all our heart.”  God, our merciful and loving God has saved us from our enemies; indeed, he has saved us from ourselves since our misfortunes are no longer something to fear and there is no need to be discouraged!  Is there any better news than this good news?

 And then St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, carries on this great theme when he says:  “Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always.  I shall say it again:  rejoice!”  And not only should we rejoice, but we should make our kindness known and felt by all.  Nor should we be filled with anxiety, but rather, let all that be replaced by thanksgiving and the peace that only God can give!

And how is all this to happen?  What can make such joy possible?  In our Gospel, it is the great John the Baptist who reminds us that the Lord has come.  This is why we rejoice, trust, and live in hope: the Lord has come.  Gaudete!  Rejoice!  The Lord is near.  Thanks be to God.

Fr. Pat Brennan, C.P. is the director of Saint Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.