Sunday
December 8th

2nd Sunday of Advent

1st Reading: Bar 5:1-9:
Jerusalem, put off your garment of mourning and unhappiness, put on the splendor and glory of God forever. Wrap yourself in the mantle of holiness that comes from God, put on your head the crown of glory of the Eternal One. For God will show your splendor to every being under Heaven. He will call your name forever, “Peace in Justice” and “Glory in the Fear of the Lord.” Rise up, Jerusalem, stand on the heights. Look towards the East and see your children gathered together from the setting of the sun to its rising, by the voice of the Holy One, rejoicing because God has remembered them.

They left you on foot, taken away by the enemy. God will lead them back, carried gloriously like royal princes. For God has resolved to bring low every high mountain and the everlasting hills, to fill up the valleys and level out the ground, in order that Israel may walk in safety under the Glory of God. Even the forests and the fragrant trees will give shade to Israel at God’s command. For God will lead Israel with joy by the light of his Glory, escorting them with his mercy and justice.

2nd Reading: Phil 1:4-6, 8-11:
And when I pray for you, I pray with joy. I cannot forget all you shared with me in the service of the Gospel, from the first day until now. Since God began such a good work in you, I am certain that he will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus. God knows that I love you dearly with the love of Christ Jesus, and in my prayers I ask that your love may lead you each day to a deeper knowledge and clearer discernment, that you may have good criteria for everything. So you may be pure of heart and come blameless to the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of holiness that comes through Christ Jesus, for the glory and praise of

Gospel: Lk 3:1-6:
It was the fifteenth year of the rule of the Emperor Tiberius; Pontius Pilatus was governor of Judea; Herod ruled over Galilee, his brother Philip ruled over the country of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias over Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the High Priests at that time when the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah in the desert. John proclaimed a baptism for repentant people to obtain forgiveness of sins and he went through the whole country bordering the Jordan River.

It was just as is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: listen to this voice crying out in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight. The valleys will be filled and the mountains and hills made low. Everything crooked will be made straight and the rough paths smooth; and every human being will see the salvation of God.

Reflection:
The summons of God come to us sometimes during the most inconvenient time. On the part of John it came when he was in the desert, relishing his solitude and separation from the world. Now that the Lord had called him to active duty, he would once again face the grit and grind of life. But John had a pretty burden to carry. He had to prepare the way of his Lord. He is an important actor in the plans of God but he would not be the main protagonist. He would cross paths with powerful men and women and rankle their nerves. It would not be an easy life from then on. But did this prospect deter the likes of John? Some walk away, others out of fear do it with bitterness;, still others carry on in sullen pride thinking of it as their destiny.

But John, he just did it. He had spent too much time in silence to know that the word of God cannot be contained. The Lord extends His invitation to us to be part of His team. Was I ever aware that I am being called to something greater than my own worries and personal pursuits in life? Perhaps I need a desert experience today, to shut myself from the noise of the world and listen to the voice of the Lord calling me to a life that is more than the ordinary. Lord, disturb me today from my wanderings to the jungle of this world. Invite me to the desert of prayer that I may know You better, hear You better and love You more. May my day be a day of rediscovering how beautiful You are my God and thereby be smitten by it. That I may cling to You only throughout. Amen.

Monday
December 9th

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
St. Juan Diego

1st Reading: Gen 3:9-15, 20:
Yahweh God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?” The man answered, “The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.” God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.”

Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel. The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

2nd 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:
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her 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 of you 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:
The Immaculate Conception of Mary was declared by Bl. Pius IX in 1854. Centuries of liturgical celebration and theological discussions had preceded it. In 1830 the grace of the “miraculous medal” and the 1858 apparition of Mary at Lourdes confirmed the papal proclamation. But the source of this particular grace of Mary lies in the Gospel of today, and is the realization of the promised victory against Satan in the eternal design of God. Yes, Mary was full of grace from the moment of her conception in the womb of St Ann. Demons never dominated her soul, because she was predestined to be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God who became man for us in her womb.

Can we live this celebration as personal “good news?” We can praise and thank God for the fullness of grace of Mary that prepares the advent of Jesus. But also the “Immaculate Conception” is the starting point that will flourish in the glory of Assumption, through a life of faithfulness to Jesus. Our baptism is the starting point of grace that will support us until the final resurrection beyond our death. Let us behold in Mary the model and the intercessor of our holiness and salvation.

Tuesday
December 10th

1st 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:
The discourse deals with various issues involving relationships in the Christian community, and especially when those relationships break down. The ‘little ones‘ are not just children but those who are weak and immature in their Christian faith. They can easily be misled and abused. They may find themselves lost and alienated in the process. It is at this point that Jesus speaks the parable of the shepherd. A shepherd who has lost just one sheep out of one hundred. He leaves all the ‘good‘ ones and goes in search of the stray. And, when he finds it and brings it back, he is happier over this lost sheep than he is over the ninety-nine who never wandered away.

A significant point is being made here: God loves us unconditionally and is not only ready to have us back in the fold but rejoices in having somebody who is left behind being again part of the community. This parable can be applied both to those ‘little ones‘ who were led astray or those who did the terrible thing of leading them astray. Both will be welcomed back with equal joy. What matters is having an inclusive faith and not an exclusive mindset. It is important to reflect on how we look on those who have gone astray morally or on those who may have been instrumental in causing scandal or damaging a relationship. How welcoming are we to receive back the wrongdoer not just grudgingly but with forgiveness and joy?

Wednesday
December 11th

St. Damasus I

1st Reading: Is 40:25-31:
To whom, then, will you liken me or make me equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and see: who has created all this? He has ordered them as a starry host and called them each by name. So mighty is his power, so great his strength, that not one of them is missing. How can you say, O Jacob, how can you complain, O Israel, that your destiny is hidden from me, that your rights are ignored by Yahweh? Have you not known, have you not heard that Yahweh is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth? He does not grow tired or weary, his knowledge is without limit. He gives strength to the enfeebled, he gives vigor to the wearied. Youth may grow tired and faint, young men will stumble and fall, but those who hope in Yahweh will renew their strength. They will soar as with eagle’s wings; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire.

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 my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Reflection:
In the Gospel, we find the term ‘yoke’ that means a wooden bar which is fastened over the necks of two animals, and connected to the vehicle or load that they are pulling. In the Bible, this image is often applied to the observance of the Law. Jeremiah, says about the Jews: “It is long ago now since you broke your yoke, and said: ‘I will not serve’ (Jer 2: 20). Especially in the times of Jesus, under the scrupulosity of Pharisees, the Law, its prescriptions and traditions truly became a heavy yoke. Peter wants to free the pagans from it (Acts 15:10) and Paul can write: “Christ freed us to make us really free. So remain and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1), alluding to the Law of Moses.

We can guess that Jesus is pointing to the Jews under the Law when he says: “you who work hard and who carried heavy burdens.” Jesus proposes another ‘yoke’ that he calls ‘my yoke’ and assures that it is good and light. In fact, the ‘burden’ Jesus offers us is to believe in him and to love our neighbor. “Carry each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6: 2). Learning from the gentleness and humility of his heart, we will find rest. The grace of his Spirit will support us in following this through.

Thursday
December 12th

Our Lady of Guadalupe

1st Reading: Zec 2:14–17:
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you,” says Yahweh. “On that day, many nations will join Yahweh and be my people, but my dwelling is among you.” The people of Judah will be for Yahweh as his portion in his holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again. Keep still in Yahweh’s presence, for he comes, having risen 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 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:
Luke, the evangelist, points often to the action of the Holy Spirit and to the joy he sheds. The visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is bathed in this atmosphere. Mary’s son is conceived by the Holy Spirit and her visit to the old cousin is under his grace. Elizabeth is filled similarly with the Holy Spirit and expresses the joy of the son in her own womb. Therefore her words are especially inspired. They constitute the most complete praise of the faith of Mary and her mission.

It is really touching to hear this old woman favored by God with gracious maternity in her greeting to her young cousin, and acknowledging that singular privilege. Undoubtedly, she contributes to the deep awareness of Mary’s grace. She was able to provoke the most beautiful canticle of praise and thanksgiving: the Magnificat. So the final words of this wonderful scene are bathed anew in the Spirit’s joy. Can we ask Mary and Elizabeth the grace of sharing their faith and joy by just preparing our participation in the celebrations of Jesus’ birth?

Friday
December 13th

St. Lucy

1st Reading: Is 48:17-19:
Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, Yahweh, your God, teach you what is best for you; I lead you in the way that you must go. Had you paid attention to my commandments, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, their names never cut off nor blotted out from my presence.

Gospel: Mt 11:16-19:
Now, to what can I compare the people of this day? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain: ‘We played the flute for you but you would not dance. We sang a funeral-song but you would not cry!’ For John came fasting and people said: ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ Then the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and people said, ‘Look at this man: a glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

Reflection:
The Gospel of today is one of the frequent laments of Jesus about his generation and its reluctance to accept his preaching. He uses here a parable about children in the market place. They play flutes like for a wedding, but the people don’t dance. They sing funeral-songs and the people don’t cry. Jesus gives us the meaning of the parable. John’s message of penance should be “funeral-songs.” The reaction was only partially good. In fact he was accused of demoniac possession, even if some Jews were baptized. Jesus is not in desert, except during the forty days before his public ministry.

He frequents the social life of villages and towns including joining in the festivities like singing the songs during wedding. The reaction similarly is negative: he is glutton and drunkard, a friend of sinners. However the design of the divine Wisdom was right in its progressive pedagogy to lead to the full salvation in God. Can we apply Jesus’ lament to our generation? We see in Advent, no penance and in Christmas, only materialistic pleasures. Where is the spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus and the holy happiness in his presence?

Saturday
December 14th

St. John of the Cross

Reading 1 Sir 48:1-4, 9-11:
In those days, like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah whose words were as a flaming furnace. Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits; By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire. How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Whose glory is equal to yours? You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses. You were destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD, To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob. Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship.

Gospel Mt 17:9a, 10-13:
As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Reflection:
Jesus predicted his suffering, to prepare his disciples for the shock.  But otherwise he never talked or complained about it. When you talk about your suffering you are creating a distance between it and you; you are not “suffering” your suffering (“to suffer” originally meant “to allow”).  It cannot work its chemistry in you if you do not let it come near—in fact, nearer than near:  you have to become one with it.  When you are one with it, there is no distance and therefore no talk.