Daily Scripture

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Luke, we hear the account of the Visitation, the time when Mary after hearing from the angel Gabriel that she is to be the mother of the Messiah, is also told that her relative Elizabeth, thought to be incapable of conceiving a child, has conceived! Filled with Good News, and anxious to see how Elizabeth is doing, Mary rushes to visit her.

The meeting between these two faith-filled women highlights all the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the births of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. When we examine the words spoken by Elizabeth to Mary, we may find that there is some meaning in them for us:

"Blessed are you among women…" – Mary, as the mother of the Messiah, is indeed blessed. Can we see ourselves blessed as well? Granted, it can be hard to see any blessings. But we can still know that we are loved by God, just like Mary! The coming of Jesus into this world in order to save us is testimony to that fact!

"… and blessed is the fruit of your womb." – Jesus, as the Son of God become one of us, can be said to be more than blessed! These words also tell us that all our children are a blessing. We have been reminded of that in a mournful way after the shooting in Newtown. But even beyond Newtown, we know that so many children (many of them girls) in so many parts of the world are seen as unwanted and even expendable.

"And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" – Mary is the mother of Jesus. But how would it be if we saw each other as "the brother of my Lord," or "the sister of my Lord?" Would we treat each other a little differently?

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." – Just as it may be difficult to remember that we are blessed, it can be hard to see the fulfillment of God’s promises to us. And yet, in a very short while, we are going to celebrate the birth of the One who lived, suffered and died, and rose from the dead in order to free us from the power of sin and death, and give us the promise of everlasting life! In the midst of everything, we can still put our trust in God! The One who transformed a symbol of destruction into a sign of victory can do marvelous things in and through us!

As we get closer to Christmas, may we continue to make room for the One who has blessed us.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P. is the director of St. Paul of the Cross Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan. 

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." Luke 1:18

 

For those of us who like the Christmas narratives in the Gospels, this account of the Archangel Gabriel bringing the Good News to Zachariah while he was doing his duty in the Sanctuary of the Temple is well known to us. It always bothered me a bit that this good and holy man, Zachariah, seemed to have been punished harshly for his question to the Archangel Gabriel after being told that he was to be a father in his old age. He said: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." (Luke 1:18) Most of us, I think, would have asked the same question, maybe even having a stronger reaction to such an announcement. As we continue reading the account, Zachariah is punished for his lack of faith by being made speechless immediately. He remained so until after the birth of his son, John the Baptist.

Tomorrow’s Gospel account will be the annunciation to Mary by this same Archangel that she was to be the Mother of God. Her response is this: "How can this be since I have no relations with a man?" It seems that she, too, had a similar reaction to Zachariah’s. It was this confusion that led me to compare these two very similar accounts.

Zachariah was an older man, having lived a full life with his wife Elizabeth. They were a much respected family, but they had no children and this was an embarrassment for them. But, as the Scripture tells us, they were "righteous in the eyes of God." Mary, on the other hand, was a very young woman, not yet married. Her life was ahead of her. And yet, she is greeted as "full of grace" having found favor with God.

Zachariah was doing his duty as a priest within the temple, in the most sacred of places, the sanctuary, and Mary was home. Tradition tells us that she was praying. She was probably also doing housework. Both were doing God’s Will and God’s Work, but in two very different settings. God finds us, no matter where we are.

The more I reflected on these two responses: Zachariah’s "How will I know?" and Mary’s "How can this be?" the more I saw a major difference between the two. Zachariah’s response lacked faith. He made himself the judge of what God could and could not do. And the Archangel Gabriel told him so.

On the other hand, Mary’s response showed that she lacked understanding, not faith. Mary never expressed a lack of faith, only a lack of comprehension. When Mary accepted the Archangel’s explanation, she became totally open to God’s invitation to be the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of the Son of God, "Be it done unto me according to your Word." What a difference!

These two accounts help me to deepen my faith in the Word of God, to deepen my faith in a God who loves us so much that we are given a Savior and Redeemer in the person of Jesus. We may grapple with the understanding of this mystery, asking ourselves the same question Mary asked, "How can this be?" Yet, when all is said and done, we too can only say with Mary: "Behold the servant of the Lord! Be it done unto me according to your Word!"

 

Fr. Clemente Barron, C.P. is stationed in San Antonio, Texas.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Its one thing to be called a righteous man as St. Joseph was.  Mary, his fiancée, is pregnant.  The law would have punished her severely.  That is not what Joseph wants.  He chooses to divorce her privately.  Something special happens with the appearance of an Angel who tells him that Mary is pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a baby son.  Call him "Jesus" because he will save his people from their sins.  Joseph is told to take Mary as his wife.  He did exactly that.

Righteousness is something that we all are asked to develop.  That comes through honesty, reflection, conviction and action.  The three readings at the Third Sunday of Advent Mass just two days ago faced us with three persons trying to help the people around him to deal face to face with righteousness.  Remember?   Zephaniah, a prophet, was guiding a small group of fellow Jews through some painful times of being cast aside by fellow Jews who chose to follow an alien god.  He encourages them not to give up.  Paul, the Apostle, was writing a letter to the Christians in Philippi.  "Rejoice, rejoice" Paul writes them.  "Don’t give up."  This letter was being written in a Roman prison!  John, the Baptist, is out in the desert ministering to several groups of people, trying to get them to think about what they are doing: "don’t cheat," "don’t extort," "don’t falsely accuse," "be content with your wages," and "share your food and clothing."

Facing problems, difficulties, decisions, actions that carry consequences are part of our growth in truthfulness and righteousness.  It begins when we learn the meaning of the words, "yes" and "no."  The possible depth of the consequences continues to be revealed as we continue to grow in our relationships with God, with those around us and last, but not least, our own selves.  What are you facing at this moment or time of your life?  Who is it that you need to trust to work through your decisions that will definitely result in consequences?   Jesus comes as the baby of Bethlehem.  He promised to walk with us as we continue our daily trek toward heaven.  Notice the hand that grasps yours bears a wound?  His decision to come to live among us carried serious consequences.  He wanted us to know the depth of His love that would eventually lead to the consequence of giving up His life for His friend…you!

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is the associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Chicago, Illinois.

Monday of the Third Week of Advent 

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

A voice proclaims in the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD!  Isaiah 40:3

 

As a child I always wondered why today’s Gospel was necessary.  Why is it important that I know who came before whom, especially when I cannot pronounce half of the names included. It wasn’t until I was older that I yearned to know more about my own family heritage: people, names, places. Things that could give me any indication of who I am and where I came from. The same applies to those readings during Advent that give us a genealogy, lists of animals and songs of praise. With these we are taken back to where it all began and it shows us how we arrived at where we are today. As we continue on our Advent journey, we are given ample occasion to turn and look back. We need that reminder of where we have come from so that we can continue to journey with hope for the future. This look back allows us to prepare the way of the Lord at Christmas and to open up our lives to the Christ-child.

The commercial effect of Christmas can be taxing on us.  We are constantly, from the day after Thanksgiving, preparing for the next major holiday milestone, December 25^th. Whether we are in line getting the best discount, gathering groceries, or wrapping gifts, we are preparing to make Christmas Day happen. If you were to ask anyone why they make all of these extraneous preparations, they will tell you -"I want my family and I to enjoy Christmas Day." And that is rightfully so. Preparing spiritually for his coming is the same. This time of preparation helps us to better enjoy the celebration, just as it would be if we were preparing for Christmas dinner. 

Advent is a time for us to enjoy, prepare ourselves for His coming, and reflect on the rich history that has brought us here. Instead of blinding ourselves to everything but Christmas, we should enjoy the journey beforehand. Throughout Advent we are graced with readings, traditions and music that exude our faith and give us the opportunity to prepare our hearts. We take time to clear away all the debris that has built up, so that when He comes the path is clear. As we prepare in these final days of Advent for the coming of Christ at Christmas, let us remind ourselves that we must take time to reflect on our rich Salvation History and prepare, as we should every day, the way of Lord.

 

Kim Valdez is a Pastoral Associate at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

 

The Third Sunday of Advent 

Scripture:

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

 

Reflection:

God in our midst

Last Advent Sunday we were told by John the Baptist to "prepare the way of the Lord," and now we ask him, with the believing crowds: "What should we do?"  As we anticipate and get closer to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are not only told to change the unhealthy ways of being in our day-to-day human relationships, but also encouraged to "rejoice in the Lord always," because "the Lord, [our] God, is in [our] midst.   What greater news than this do we need to hear in order to rejoice in the Lord and know that we "have no further misfortune to fear"?  Assuredly, we do not need more good news about our Incarnate Lord; we only need to trust in Him, for we know that our saving God has, is and will always be in our midst. 

As true as the joyful and hopeful statements of today’s scripture readings are to the faithful, they may not be relevant to many people’s experience of life today, especially the families of the victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  Such a difficult experience of the unfairness of life is also true for many more families across the country and other parts of the world where social unrest and domestic violence seem to reign and affect their lives rather than the justice, peace, and joy that today’s liturgical and biblical message proclaims.  In effect, though the themes of justice, peace, and joy are woven into the liturgy and the readings on this rejoicing Sunday of Advent, perhaps they do not have the same convincing power for all the faithful.  For the ills of sin and death overwhelm the lives of many with pain and suffering.

We may all be dealing with our own personal and collective issues and struggles, which can affect and reflect our lack of perception and appreciation of the Lord’s presence in our lives and our midst.  But the words of the prophets Zephaniah and John the Baptist reveal an undisputable truth for all who firmly believe in the saving power of the One who is in our midst "a mighty savior" and thus baptizes us with "the Holy Spirit and fire."  Hence, whether it is in the joyful or miserable moments, in the prosperity or the adversity, or in the living or dying of our lives, we tend to have a deep awareness and appreciation of Christ’s presence in our lives and our midst, which gives us the strength and courage of his Holy Spirit to go through all kinds of human experiences in our lives. We are therefore called to seek and find Christ in the least and ordinary events of our lives, so that we can be better prepared to accept God’s will, comfort, and strength in the more difficult and unexpected circumstances of our lives.   

 

Fr. Alfredo Ocampo, C.P. gives retreats and parish missions.  He is stationed at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

 

 

Scripture:

Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Matthew 17:9a, 10-13

Reflection:

From glory to the cross, from high mountain top to the valley, from acceptance to rejection, how often that is the path we must travel. Peter, James, and John had just experienced the transfiguration of Jesus, had seen him conversing with Moses and Elijah and had heard the Father’s voice saying, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." Mountain tops are not places to stay. I remember some thirty seven years ago Fr. Jerome Stowell and I hiked to the summit of Mt. Whitney and gazed out over the peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Eyes feasted on the grandeur and wildness spread out before us. Our hearts beat faster and a sense of exaltation thrilled us. But then too soon came the moment to tear our eyes away from the glorious view and begin the descent. Peter, James and John are descending from a high mountain top with Jesus. They are in conversation about the vision they had experienced. Matthew chooses to recount but one question, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus takes the occasion to explain that John the Baptist fulfilled Elijah’s role and was killed. He then prophesized that he would face the same fate, "The Son of Man will also suffer at their hands." Here we have the mystery of life: that joy and success are often followed by pain and failure. This is our human condition and it is the law of Christian discipleship. No servant is greater than his master.  A few days ago I celebrated my 80^th birthday. There is much to be thankful for, not the least the wisdom to understand that peace comes when I "listen to him".

 

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Isaiah 48:17-19
Matthew 11:16-19

Reflection:

I find it hard not to have questions and concerns in today’s uncertain world.  Everything is made even more difficult with our fast paced lives.  As Catholics, who isn’t confused on how to approach life  and all it’s issues.  Our recent election is just an example of how complex today’s issues are and how challenging it can be to know what is right.

Today’s readings though, give us some ideas. In the first reading we hear the "Lord will tell you what is good," and then we hear the Lord telling us "He will lead us on the way to go".  The Psalms are just as clear, follow the Lord, and have the light of Life.  The Bible is filled with the Lord telling us to follow Him, that He is the way, the Truth and the Life.

So why do we struggle so? Are we afraid to follow him?  We shouldn’t be. Doesn’t He repeatedly remind us, "be not afraid"?  Maybe the truth is, we want to lead, not follow.  We think we have a better understanding of our lives and what we need.  We don’t want to change our view points.  We just need His help.  That’s the way most of my prayers sound.  Here is what I need Lord, please help make it happen.  We are tempted to think we know what God wants and we end up not really sure what we want or where we are going. Like the children in the Gospel, not happy with or sure about anything we see.  That’s not following the Lord.  That’s not surrendering to Him.  To follow Him we need to seek Him, to know more about Him, to trust Him.

This advent,  this year of faith, Let’s truly seek Him in prayer, in the sacraments, in front of the blessed sacrament, in reading the Bible or other spiritual books.  Let’s listen to Him more by slowing down, taking time out from the rush of life.  Then can we begin to recognize Him, to see where He is leading us, and what He wants of us.  Then we will begin to know the peace and joy that can only come from following Him, and  then, maybe our descendants will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the shore of the sea, and we can yield fruit in due season.

 

Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre ,and a good friend of the Passionist Community.

Scripture:

Isaiah 41:13-20
Matthew 11:11-15

Reflection:

The violent know no limits. Mass graves are filled by narco-traffickers with impunity. Drones are drop bombs in Pakistan and Afghanistan and innocent civilians as collateral damage. This is how drug routes and the political stability of regions are secured by the violent among us. This kind of brute force knows no boundaries, neither does it follow accepted moral codes nor respect human values.

By this same might, yet by very different means, that knows no boundaries, we are invited to embrace the Kingdom of God. Jesus words rekindle and set ablaze our passion for the Reign of God. With the same zeal of the violent among us we are called to encounter the Reign and to build it.

I pray that this Advent Season our hearts may be set on fire for the Reigning of God and that with that same passion we may receive it. 

 

Fr. Hugo Esparza-Perez, C.P. is a Passionist of Holy Cross Province now working in Mexico with the Province of Cristo Rey.