December 27
Sunday
Holy Family
1st Reading: 1 S 1:20–22; 24–28
Hannah became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel because she said: “I have asked Yahweh to give him to me.”
Once more Elkanah went to the temple with his family to offer his yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow to Yahweh. Hannah would not go along but she said to her husband, “I will bring the child there as soon as he is weaned. He shall be presented to Yahweh and stay there forever.”
When the child was weaned, Hannah took him with her along with a three-year-old bull, a measure of flour and a flask of wine, and she brought him to Yahweh’s house at Shiloh. The child was still young.
After they had slain the bull, they brought the child to Eli. Hannah exclaimed: “Oh, my lord, look! I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to Yahweh. I asked for this child and Yahweh granted me the favor I begged of him. Now, I think, Yahweh is asking for this child. As long as he lives, he belongs to Yahweh.”
And they worshiped Yahweh there.
2nd Reading: 1 Jn 3:1–2, 21–24
See what singular love the Father has for us: we are called children of God, and we really are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children and what we shall be has not yet been shown. Yet when he appears in his glory, we know that we shall be like him, for then we shall see him as he is.
When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have complete confidence in God. Then whatever we ask we shall receive, since we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
His command is that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another, as he has commanded us.
Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by the Spirit God has given us that we know he lives in us.
Gospel: Lk 2:41–52
Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, as was customary. And when Jesus was twelve years old, he went up with them according to the custom for this feast. After the festival was over, they returned, but the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem and his parents did not know it.
They thought he was in the company and after walking the whole day they looked for him among their relatives and friends. As they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem searching for him, and on the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. And all the people were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
His parents were very surprised when they saw him and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I were very worried while searching for you.” Then he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Do you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand this answer.
Jesus went down with them, returning to Nazareth, and he continued to be subject to them. As for his mother, she kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and age, and in divine and human favor.
Commentary
Even at an early age Jesus had to be about His Father’s business, for He was born into this world to accomplish the Father’s plan for our salvation. At the age of twelve Jesus would speak intelligently about the scriptures, amazing all who listened with His wisdom and understanding. That scene foreshadows the teaching ministry of Jesus that would take place two decades later as crowds would gather from near and far to listen to Him preach.
We are also part of the story, for we have the great privilege of listening to the Lord Jesus every time we open the Bible. Now, as then, His words have the capacity to inspire, convert, motivate and console. Jesus continues to be about His Father’s business as He draws us to Himself and bids us to be nourished at the two-fold table of Word and Sacrament every time we participate in Holy Mass.
May we keep these things in our heart and place our confidence in the Lord Jesus so that we might remain in Him, and He in us.
December 28
Monday
Holy Innocents
1st Reading: 1 Jn 1:5–2:2
We heard his message from him and announce it to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him.
If we say we are in fellowship with him, while we walk in darkness, we lie instead of being in truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we are in fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, purifies us from all sin.
If we say, “We have no sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness.
If we say that we do not sin, we make God a liar, his word is not in us.
My little children, I write to you that you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an intercessor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One. He is the sacrificial victim for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
Gospel: Mt 2:13–18
After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you for Herod will soon be looking for the child in order to kill him.”
Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. In this way, what the Lord had said through the prophet was fulfilled: I called my son out of Egypt.
When Herod found out that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was furious. He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its neighborhood who were two years old or under. This was done in line with what he had learned from the wise men about the time when the star appeared.
In this way, what the prophet Jeremiah had said was fulfilled: A cry is heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation: Rachel weeps for her children. She refuses to be comforted, for they are no more.
Commentary
It is impossible to determine the day or the year of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, since the chronology of Christ’s birth and subsequent biblical events is most uncertain. All we know is that the infants were slaughtered within two years, following the apparition of the star to the wise men. The Church venerates these children as martyrs; they were the first buds of the Church, killed by the frost of persecution. They died, not only for Christ, but in his stead.
The feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated within the octave of Christmas, because the Holy Innocents gave their life for the newborn Jesus; and these first flowers of the Church accompanied the child Jesus, upon his entering this world on Christmas Day. No matter how many babies were killed, we weep for their murders, no less than we weep for the extremely brutal Holocaust and other genocides, which we have seen around the world, in our own day and age. But, even if there had been only one Innocent, we would recognize the greatest treasure that God put on the earth: a human person, destined for eternity and graced by the death and resurrection of Christ!
December 29
Tuesday
5th Day in the Octave of Christmas
Thomas Becket
1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:3–11
How can we know that we know him? If we fulfill his commands.
If you say, “I know him,” but do not fulfill his commands, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. But if you keep his word, God’s love is made complete in you. This is how we know that we are in him: he who claims to live in him must live as he lived.
My dear friends, I am not writing you a new commandment, but reminding you of an old one, one you had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard.
But, in a way, I give it as a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines.
If you claim to be in the light but hate your brother, you are still in darkness.
If you love your brothers and sisters, you remain in the light and nothing in you will make you fall. But if you hate your brother you are in the dark and walk in darkness without knowing where you go, for the darkness has blinded you.
Gospel: Lk 2:22–35
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.
Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”
His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “See him; he will be for the rise or fall of the multitudes of Israel. He shall stand as a sign of contradiction, while a sword will pierce your own soul. Then the secret thoughts of many may be brought to light.”
Commentary
After weeks of anticipation, the Christmas celebrations have flashed by us and are suddenly gone. But, it’s possible that this moment of melancholy may be the best teaching moment of the whole season. God gives us gifts to enjoy. They are expressions of his generosity as well as ours; but gifts and celebrations themselves are not designed to satisfy. They’re designed to point us to the giver. Gifts are like sunbeams: we aren’t meant to love sunbeams, but the sun.
If we depend on anything in the world to satisfy our soul’s deepest desire, it will eventually leave us with that post-Christmas soul-ache. We will ask if that is all there is, because we know deep down that’s not all there is. We are designed to treasure people, not their things. It is more blessed to give than receive. What kind of happiness felt richer this Christmas: getting the presents that we wanted, or making someone else happy with something that we gave to them? Receiving is a blessing, but Jesus is right: giving is a greater blessing. A greedy soul lives in a lonely world. A generous soul lives in a wide world of love, each and every day!
December 30
Wednesday
6th Day in the Octave of Christmas
1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:12–17
My dear children, I write this to you: you have already received the forgiveness of your sins through the Name of Jesus. Fathers, I write this to you: you know him who is from the beginning. Young men, I write this to you: you have overcome the Evil One. My dear children, I write to you because you already know the Father.
Fathers, I write to you because you know him who is from the beginning. Young men, I write to you because you are strong and the Word of God lives in you who have indeed overcome the Evil One.
Do not love the world or what is in it. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For everything in the world—the craving of the flesh, the greed of eyes and people boasting of their superiority—all this belongs to the world, not to the Father.
The world passes away with all its craving but those who do the will of God remain for ever.
Gospel: Lk 2:36–40
There was a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon him.
Commentary
So now it’s all over. Too much shopping, too much food . . . and now, the maxed-out credit-cards! Advent ought to have been a time of reflection; now, Christmas ends with the same frantic opening of presents. But, let’s turn things around. Post-Christmas should also be a time for reflection. It’s time to ease back, measure the year past and consider the year to come.
For many of us, it is a period of thinking through incarnation; the central mystery of faith, the divine uniting with the human; the transcendent becoming immanent; humanity enlivened by divinity. Incarnation is ultimately sacramental; the created makes known the uncreated and, through humanity, divinity is glimpsed. This year, the wonder is that all of us are called to this: to be the daughters and sons of God, in whose lives, love, kindness, justice and peace are seen. May we be as Christ, to all those we meet; may we be sacraments; may we be as one with the divine, as one with our ultimate reality…..Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, born a child in Bethlehem, lived, suffered, died and rose from the dead, so that we all might have eternal life with Him!
December 31
Thursday
7th Day in the Octave of Christmas
St. Sylvester I
1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:18–21
My dear children, it is the last hour. You were told that an antichrist would come; but several antichrists have already come, by which we know that it is now the last hour.
They went out from us though they did not really belong to us. Had they belonged to us, they would have remained with us. So it became clear that not all of us were really ours.
But you have the anointing from the Holy One, so that all of you have true wisdom.
I write to you, not because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you already know it, and lies have nothing in common with the truth.
Gospel: Jn 1:1–18
In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God; he was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him and without him nothing came to be. Whatever has come to be, found life in him, life which for humans was also light. Light that shines in the dark: light that darkness could not overcome. A man came, sent by God; his name was John. He came to bear witness, as a witness to introduce the Light so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light but a witness to introduce the Light.
For the Light was coming into the world, the true Light that enlightens everyone. He was already in the world and through him the world was made, the very world that did not know him. He came to his own, yet his own people did not receive him; but all who have received him he empowers to become children of God for they believe in his Name.
These are born, but without seed or carnal desire or will of man: they are born of God. And the Word was made flesh; he had his tent pitched among us, and we have seen his Glory, the Glory of the only Son coming from the Father: fullness of truth and loving-kindness.
John bore witness to him openly, saying: This is the one who comes after me, but he is already ahead of me for he was before me.
From his fullness we have all received, favor upon favor. For God had given us the Law through Moses, but Truth and Loving-kindness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God-the-Only-Son made him known: the one who is in and with the Father.
Commentary
In the light of the New Year coming up, here are some practical suggestions to help us maintain the joy in our Christian lives, every day of the coming year:
Make reflection a part of daily life; learn something new of God’s word each day. Review the events of the last year and remove any new obstacles that have arisen. Repent of what has hurt or harmed our brothers or sisters; forgive them and mean it. Let go of anger, hurt and resentment. Resolve to say at least three positive, uplifting things about other people, before saying a single, critical or negative thing. Pray for one another as individuals and as a Church: this will build up our joy, if for no other reason than that, if we truly love God, we shall be more inclined to listen, whenever He tells us what He wants us to do. Perform random acts of kindness; smile, complement, be a friend, encourage, teach, be hospitable, generous and friendly. Draw in others, by being Christ to them, so that they will see Him in us and will want what we have, in Him. We are Christ’s gospel: Christ needs to be heard through us!
January 1
Friday
Mary, Mother of God
1st Reading: Num 6:22–27
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and say to them: This is how you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say:
May Yahweh bless you and keep you!
May Yahweh let his face shine on you, and be gracious to you!
May Yahweh look kindly on you, and give you his peace!
In that way shall they put my name on the people of Israel and I will bless them.”
2nd Reading: Gal 4:4–7
But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son. He came born of woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we might receive adoption as children of God. And because you are children, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son which cries out: Abba! that is, Father!
You yourself are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and yours is the inheritance by God’s grace.
Gospel: Lk 2:16–21
The shepherds came hurriedly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger. On seeing this they related what they had been told about the child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds.
As for Mary, she treasured all these messages and continually pondered over them.
The shepherds then returned giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them.
On the eighth day the circumcision of the baby had to be performed; he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
Commentary
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us’.”
The presence of God in life is far more common than we think. The problem is, unlike the shepherds, we fail to pursue the Word God sends to us through the people and events of life, through the impulses of conscience and heart!
January 2
Saturday
Before Epiphany
Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzen
1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:22–28
Who is the liar?
The one who denies that Jesus is the Christ.
This is an antichrist, who denies both the Father and the Son. The one who denies the Son is without the Father, and those who acknowledge the Son also have the Father.
Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you, too, will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise he himself gave us: eternal life.
I write this to you thinking of those who try to lead you astray.
You received from him an anointing, and it remains in you, so you do not need someone to teach you. His anointing teaches you all things, it speaks the truth and does not lie to you; so remain in him, and keep what he has taught you.
And now, my children, live in him, so that when he appears in his glory, we may be confident and not ashamed before him when he comes.
Gospel: Jn 1:19–28
This was the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” John recognized the truth and did not deny it. He said, “I am not the Messiah.”
And they asked him, “Then who are you? Elijah?” He answered, “I am not.” They said, “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?” And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, “I am the voice crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.”
Those who had been sent were Pharisees; so they put a further question to John: “Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” John answered, “I baptize you with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.”
This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Commentary
“When the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ John confessed, “‘I am not the Messiah.”
Accepting who we really are instead of pretending to be who and what we are not is the first step to becoming the best of what God wants us to be.
