Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 12/28/08 by Dawn

You can find all of this week's Scripture at www.usccb.org/nab/122808.shtml

[Simeon] took him (Jesus) into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”
Luke 2:28-32

As we were recording this week's podcast I started thinking about what it must have been like for Simeon and Anna, two people in today's Gospel. As faithful Jewish people, they had been waiting their entire lives for the coming of the Messiah. Then one day two parents bring a baby into the Temple and they know that they are in the presence of the savior of the world. What would it be like to be aware that the tiny baby you hold, probably only eight days old, is the one that your people have been awaiting for thousands of years?

On Christmas Eve, as I helped distribute Holy Communion, I remembered Simeon and Anna. The ciborium I held in my hands contained the Body of Jesus which would be given to hundreds of people. I was reminded how easy it is to take for granted what we have been given. Simeon and Anna looked into the face of the baby Jesus and knew the hope of their life had been fulfilled. We have the same ability to see and hold Christ, but in a much more astounding way through the Eucharist, yet it can become routine if we are not careful.

As I gave Holy Communion I was nearly overcome with what was occurring. Hundreds of people came through my line, each one bruised and broken in some way. As I held up the host and said "The Body of Christ", I prayed that each person might come to know and understand in new ways that God has come in human flesh so that we may be one with him.

I have that same prayer for all of us, this Christmas season - that we might be able to say, like Simeon: "... my eyes have seen your salvation... a light for revelation..."


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Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 12/21/08 by Dawn

You can find all of this week's Scripture at www.usccb.org/nab/122108.shtml

Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
(Luke 1:38)

Isn't today's Gospel passage amazing? The Annunciation. It's so much more than announcement though. It's is a moment in time that forever changed the course of human history - God becomes human. Isn't is just like God to use a teenager, not someone from a well-to-do, well educated, well connected family, but a teenage girl from the country who was to become the mother of God. Awesome.

There are many reasons I love this story. First of all, Gabriel appeared to Mary in the midst of an ordinary day to share with her God's message. It wasn't a high holy day, she wasn't in the Temple... it was just a normal day and this messenger from God shows up. That's an important reminder for me, and for all of us. It is in the midst of our ordinary life that God sends his messengers with words of comfort or of challenge for us. Although it's not usually with angels (that we know of), He sends his messages through many conduits - but how close are we listening? For me, God speaks often through other people, sort of like in today's first reading - God speaks to David through Nathan. There is so much noise in my life, I often times miss the message. I have to remember to take time to listen in the ordinariness of the day.

I tend to like to have plans for my life. Maybe not step-by-step details, but a general idea of where things are headed in the next few years. As I reflected on this Scripture earlier this week it struck me that when Mary said yes to God, she just said yes... she didn't ask for a four year plan, or want specific dates so she could put them in her calendar - she didn't even doubt that God could do what Gabriel said, she just wondered how. How often do we feel the prompting of the Spirit to do something, but convince ourselves that it's not the right time in our lives - maybe in a few years when the kids are grown, or when we've retired and have more time to give to God? I often convince myself that whatever God is asking is impossible for me to do, so I try to do something else and end up failing. How much easier my life would be if I could just say: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."
What is God asking of you today?



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Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 12/14/08 by Deacon Claude

You can find all of this week's Scripture at www.usccb.org/nab/121408.shtml

John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

(John 1:26-27)

Light the pink candle. Christmas is drawing nearer. And the word we hear is, "rejoice." This Sunday we are flooded with imagery of God's presence in our world and, especially, within our person.

From the First Reading of Isaiah, we are reminded that because God’s spirit is upon us, we are called to reach out to the needy among us. There is no question that we are equipped with God’s spirit to share the good news of salvation. This spirit immerses us in a life force which sends, heals, proclaims, announces. This spirit calls us to bring forth justice and praise.

It might seem quite daunting, but our responsorial psalm is the response of Mary at the Annunciation. Even in the midst of personal uncertainty, the deepest part of our being, our soul, acknowledges the presence of God within us and names with a surety of purpose in acknowledgment of God’s greatness in our lives.

And Paul’s words to the people of Thessalonica remind us not only to rejoice always and to pray without ceasing; Paul states his creed that God is faithful and will accomplish the plan intended for each of us.

So, when John responds to, “Who are you?” he knows his greatness comes, not from being the Messiah, but heralding the way of the Lord.

These Advent days call us to that kind of announcement of faith through our actions; we are not the Messiah. We are preparing His path because we have the certainty that God has so wonderfully gifted us to speak good news to our world through our actions of unconditional, forgiving love. For, as Paul says, “Do not quench the Spirit.” With our whole spirit, soul and body we REJOICE.

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Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 12/7/08 by Dawn

You can find all of this week's Scripture at www.usccb.org/nab/120708.shtml

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
(Mark 1:2-4)

In today's Gospel we hear that John the Baptist went throughout the wilderness, inviting people to prepare a way for God to come into their lives. We are asked to do the same during this Advent season.

Many churches choose to sing the hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" during Advent. While at a conference this week I was listening to a concert by Catholic singer and songwriter Matt Maher. He chose to sing that same hymn, in a beautiful, prayerful way. As we were singing it I started thinking about the chorus "Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel." The "rejoice" really got me... here we have the Incarnation - God becoming one of us. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, and yet "rejoicing" is one of the last things we think about at this time of year. We're consumed with financial worries, busy schedules, and stress in our relationships. We don't make time to contemplate what it means that God - the God who created the entire universe, yet knows the number of hairs on our heads - is with us. Have you ever really thought about it? When I stop and try to put my head around it I can't understand how I can do anything other than rejoice.

Now I'm not naive. Our lives are difficult, we are broken people living in a broken world which makes rejoicing difficult. But that's one of the reasons why Advent is so great - it's all about preparing our lives to welcome in Emmanuel. One of the main reasons our lives are difficult is because we sin, and we have to deal with the consequences of our actions. It's the same reason why John the Baptist went throughout the countryside calling people to repentence. To repent is to resolve to change. We prepare the way of the Lord, making the paths straight when we go to confession and ask for forgiveness. All those times we've turned away from God by sinning are erased, the path is made straight through the Sacrament of Penance. Why not give it a try this Advent? My experience is that you leave the encounter rejoicing.



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p.s. Hear Matt Maher's new song which blends together "Silent Night" and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" at www.ilike.com/artist/Matt+Maher/track/Silent+Night+(Emmanuel). Currently you can also download it for free at iTunes.