Sunday
December 7^th

2^nd Sunday of Advent

Ambrose

1^st Reading: Is 11:1-10:
From the stump of Jesse a shoot will come forth; from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit. The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him—a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and fear of Yahweh. Not by appearances will he judge, nor by what is said must he decide, but with justice he will judge the poor and with righteousness decide for the meek.

Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor, and the breath of his lips slay the wicked. Justice will be the girdle of his waist, truth the girdle of his loins. The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will rest beside the kid, the calf and the lion cub will feed together and a little child will lead them. Befriending each other, the cow and the bear will see their young ones lie down together. Like cattle, the lion will eat hay. By the cobra’s den the infant will play. The child will put his hand into the viper’s lair.

No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain, for as water fills the sea the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh. On that day the “Root of Jesse” will be raised as a signal for the nations. The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious.

2^nd Reading: Rom 15:4-9:
And we know, that whatever was written in the past, was written for our instruction, for both perseverance and comfort, given us by the Scripture, sustain our hope. May God, the source of all perseverance and comfort, give to all of you, to live in peace in Christ Jesus, that you may be able to praise, in one voice God, Father of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Welcome, then, one another, as Christ welcomed you for the glory of God. Look: Christ put himself at the service of the Jewish world, to fulfill the promises made by God to their ancestors; here, you see God’s faithfulness. The pagans, instead, give thanks to God for his mercy, as Scripture says: Because of that, I will sing and praise your name among the pagans.

Gospel: Mt 3:1-12:
In the course of time, John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea and began to proclaim his message: “Change your ways; the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was about him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice is shouting in the desert, ‘Prepare a way for the Lord; make his paths straight!’

John had a leather garment around his waist and wore a cloak of camel’s hair; his food was locusts and wild honey. People came to him from Jerusalem, from all Judea and from the whole Jordan valley, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan, as they confessed their sins.

When he saw several Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he baptized, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who told you that you could escape the punishment that is to come? Let it be seen that you are serious in your conversion; and do not think: We have Abraham for our father. I tell you, that God can raise children for Abraham from these stones! The ax is already laid to the roots of the trees; any tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.

“I baptize you in water for a change of heart, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I am; indeed, I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He has the winnowing fan in his hand; and he will clear out his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff, he will burn in inextinguishable fire.”

Reflection:
It is a remarkable fact that the Messiah who is announced as coming soon throughout this period of advent is a strange mixture. In some Bible texts he is presented as establishing universal peace. In Isaiah we are told that “his dominion is vast and forever peaceful” (Is 9:6). But in some other Bible texts, as is the case in today’s first and third readings, the Messiah is presented as quite violent:

“Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor, and the breath of his lips slay the wicked,” Isaiah tells us. And John the Baptist says that the Messiah will burn the chaff “in inextinguishable fire.” So, what can we say about this apparent tension between these two presentations of the Messiah?

What can be said is that Jesus was both extremely gentle and peaceful, but at times extremely forceful, even brutal. It all depended on what sort of people he was dealing with. With the simple and sincere people, he was the essence of kindness, communicating to them God’s reassuring peace. But with the arrogant and the religious hypocrites, he was unremittingly severe. For them he reserved his shock treatment in the hope of shattering their smug self-satisfaction. Such was Jesus.

Let us ask the Spirit to burn in the fire of his love whatever in us is contrary to the Gospel. Examine the way you treat others. Do you know when to be gentle and when to be harsh?

Monday
December 8^th

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

1^st Reading: Gen 3:9-15, 20:
After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the Lord God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me— she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The Lord God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”

Then the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

2^nd Reading: Eph 1:3-6, 11-12:
Brothers and sisters:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.

Gospel: Lk 1:26-38:
The angel Gabriel came to Mary and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever and his reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be if I am a virgin?”

And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child, and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

Reflection:
As we celebrate today the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, it is good to remind ourselves how Mary responded to the invitation brought by the Angel Gabriel: “I am the handmaid of the Lord”. It seems that Mary is inviting every believer to reflect that all are handmaids or servants of the Lord. We are called to serve Him in one another. In effect our lives are lives for Service.

“I am the handmaid of the Lord”. We are called to be like Mary, who was not stingy of herself but gave it for humanity. Lord, make us always understand that our calling is for the service of the Church and humanity. Our Lady has shown us the way: “I am the handmaid of the Lord”. May we be ready as well to utter the same words of Mary when we are confronted with challenging tasks ahead.

Tuesday
December 9^th

Juan Diego

1^st Reading: Is 40:1-11:
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!

Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. A voice says, “Cry out!” I answer, “What shall I cry out?”

“All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. So then, the people is the grass. Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.”

Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

Gospel: Mt 18:12-14:
What do you think of this? If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside, and go to look for the stray one? And I tell you, when he finally finds it, he is more pleased about it, than about the ninety-nine that did not go astray. It is the same with your Father in heaven. Your Father in heaven doesn’t want even one of these little ones to perish.

Reflection:
God is a God of comfort and of all consolations! This is the Good News that prophet Isaiah proclaims today. He would come to make straight in the wasteland a highway for the Lord so that whoever would come to follow him would never get lost. And if one goes astray, it would be easy for him to notice it and take him back to the fold.

This is the fulfillment of today’s Gospel. Jesus speaks the parable of the shepherd who has lost just one sheep out of one hundred. He leaves all the ninety-nine and goes in search of the stray. And, when he finds it, he brings it back.

He was happier over this lost sheep than the ninety-nine who never wandered away. Indeed, God counts on every one of us. He loves us unconditionally and is not only ready to have us back in the fold but is positively overjoyed about it.

Christmas season is an opportune time for us all to reflect our own way of tending and shepherding those whoever is entrusted to us. Am I fulfilling the mission of a good shepherd, just as Jesus did? This is the message of Christmas: Be a good shepherd and companion to others. Accompany those in need of your presence. Lead them to Jesus. Enjoy the company of Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday
December 10^th

1^st Reading: Is 40:25-31:
To whom can you liken me as an equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these things: He leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name. By his great might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing! Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know or have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

Gospel: Mt 11:28-30:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy; and my burden is light.”

Reflection:
Our readings for today remind us that our God is always here with us, ever present and is never far away, especially in times of trouble and despair. This is the reality of Christmas: God with us. In the Gospel, Jesus exemplifies this promise and gives an invitation. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus reaffirms what Isaiah says, that we have a caring and tireless God: “I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy; and my burden is light.”

There are many people today who are bombarded with many trials and difficulties. Perhaps, one of us is experiencing so much troubled spirit. Perhaps, your friend, your brother or sister is heavily burdened now. Comfort him with the warmth and assurance that God is ever present to us. Indeed, to whom can we liken our God? The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.

Thursday
December 11^th

Damasus I

1^st Reading: Is 41:13-20:
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. The Lord will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the Lord! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

Gospel: Mt 11:11-15:
I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has arisen from among the sons of women; and yet, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered; and violent men seize it. Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy: all the prophets and the law. And if you believe me, John is indeed that Elijah, whose coming was predicted. Let anyone with ears listen!

Reflection:
Our Gospel reading has given us a model of Christian Discipleship: John the Baptist. He was greatly praised by Jesus. What made him great is that he always points to the coming of the Savior. He always leads people to Jesus, teaching them repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. He teaches them to transform their lives.

Nevertheless, John never saw Jesus’ inauguration of the Kingdom of God. He was not able to see and witness Jesus’ miracles, healings, passion, death, resurrection and ascension. He was persecuted and beheaded. True enough!

The Incarnation marks the inauguration of the Kingdom of God here on earth. In the first reading Isaiah already prophesied: “I will help you, say the Lord; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” All these has been immortalized in John the Baptist.

To follow the example of John the Baptist is a challenge to everyone. He persevered in the faith. He continued preaching about Jesus. This is the message of Christmas: Jesus was born for us to be steadfast in our faith despite the many forms of resistance and violence, to preach the Good News of the Kingdom and to lead others to Jesus! Jesus, Emmanuel, God is always with us!

Friday
December 12^th

Our Lady of Guadalupe

1^st Reading: Zechariah 2:14-17:
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

Gospel: Lk 1:39-47:
Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”

And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my savior!”

Reflection:
Three days ago, we remembered St. Juan Diego, the Mexican Indian to whom Our Lady appeared in 1531 on four separate occasions. Eventually a church was built on the site of the apparitions at the request of Mary, who specified why she wanted a church there: “So that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense… and remedy all your miseries, pains and sufferings.”

These apparitions and the various miracles accompanying them are the basis of the cult of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is found everywhere in Mexico, and is very widespread throughout the Spanish-speaking Americas, and increasingly worldwide.

As a result of this, the Basilica of Guadalupe is now the world’s major center of pilgrimage for Catholics, receiving 20 million visitors in 2010, the greater number of them being pilgrims. The Virgin of Guadalupe is considered the Patroness of Mexico and of the Continental Americas.

Mary’s apparition to an Indian of very humble origin reminds us that racism and social discrimination in any shape or form are absolutely alien to God’s and Mary’s mentality. We are all their children, all equally cherished.

Saturday
December 13^th

Lucy

1^st Reading: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11:
Then came the prophet Elijah, like a fire, his words a burning torch. He brought a famine on the people and in his zealous love had them reduced in number. Speaking in the name of the Lord he closed the heavens, and on three occasions called down fire.

How marvelous you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Who could ever boast of being your equal? You were taken up by a whirlwind of flames in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. It was written that you should be the one to calm God’s anger in the future, before it broke out in fury, to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons and to restore the tribes of Jacob. Happy are those who will see you and those who die in love, for we too shall live.

Gospel: Mt 17:9a, 10-13:
And as they came down the mountain, the disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered, “So it is: first comes Elijah; and he will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come; and they did not recognize him; and they treated him as they pleased. And they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

Reflection:
A lot of people imagine that it would be a good thing for humans to know in advance when they will die. Why? Because they think that humans could be better prepared when the time came for them to meet their Maker. Perhaps.

But when we study the case of people who do know when they are to die (because their doctor told them or because they have been condemned to death by a criminal court), we notice that this prospect weighs on them like a terrible burden and robs them of any real joy in living.

Well, Jesus knew he was going to die of a terribly agonizing death. We do not know how exactly he came about this knowledge (a special revelation from God? the descriptions of the Servant of Yahweh’s sufferings in Isaiah? the mounting hatred he encountered?), but the fact remains that he had that knowledge, and it weighed so heavily on his mind that he frequently referred to his death—sometimes just in passing, as in today’s gospel reading, sometimes in great detail.

This certainty of his impending death was an added suffering that he endured out of love for us.