Weekly Catholic Bible Study

 

Weeks 761-770

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Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 766: Christian Community :(Sirach 15 : 15-20 ; 1 Corinthians 2 : 6-10 ; Matthew 5 : 17-37)

 

[Sirach]

If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him. Immense is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. The eyes of God are on those who fear him; he understands man's every deed. No one does he command to act unjustly, to none does he give license to sin.

 

[1 Corinthians]

Brothers and sisters: We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for, if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him, this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.  For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.

 

[Matthew]

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to is brother, 'Raqa,'  will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

"It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife -  unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

"Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one."
 

 

Now, this Sunday, we read about holiness and communion as the hinge and heart of life; since God who is our life is holy and is a communion of persons. As it is, we read a part of that first sermon of Jesus as he began his public ministry in Galilee, which talks about relationship in a community among Christ’s faithful. Here, as with the whole Sermon, Jesus emphasizes a new law and a new way of life. They are not easy ways, but Jesus was sure that his new way of life is the only way, hence he reminded us that he came not to do away with the law and the prophets, but rather to fulfill and make them stronger (Ma 5:17-18).

 

As it were, the commandments that Jesus’ teachings emphasized in the Sermon on the Mount, are not easily fathomed by human wisdom rather they must be seen through the perspective of divine wisdom, as St. Paul says in 2nd reading (1 Cor 2:6-8). The wise must choose to obey them, as exhorted in the 1st reading (Sir 15:15-20), to gain the fullness of life and love of God (1 Cor 2:9). For having created us God has bestowed a destiny to each of us to choose and follow faithfully in order to return to God and to the fullness of life (Sir 15:14-19). In other words, we should understand that the commandments and the new emphasis of Jesus on them are underlined because when we chose to live by them, we are choosing life by expressing the original divine law that God instituted at creation, which is the law of love for all human beings.

 

Now, a Christian action that can sustain the healthy exercise of love is Christian fellowship with others in smaller groups and sodalities that exist in our parish. For one, such groups and their activities help us to renew our spiritual, psychological, intellectual, and physical life. Two, they keep us abreast with what is happening with others thereby bettering our myopic views and perspective. And three, they give us opportunity to socialize, to create and build positive friendships that assist us in realizing our full potentials not just as Catholics but also as rational human beings, able to be who we are meant to be to our families and community. In fact, these small groups, and sodalities, helps us experience an overall speedy life change for the better, as we search for meaning and changes that matter in our life.

 

Now, a good relationship with joyful people in the faith community can promote happy and blessed thoughts since they are of like minds. And just as the seeds we sow, the thoughts we feed our minds with, show the fruit we would bear. If we are around happy people of faith, we will most likely find ourselves thinking happy and faith-filled thoughts. But if we avoid the company of faith-filled people or feed our minds with negativities, discouragement, unhappy and depressive thoughts, most likely we will be negative, discouraged, and sooner than later be overwhelmed by crises that challenge our faith. Let us joyfully and  lovingly keep joining all our brothers and sisters in our parish fellowships in the coming weeks and months, as the gospel implied (Ma 5:17-37), in order to enjoy what God has prepared for the blessed (1 Cor 2:9-10). Peace!

 

Fr. Francis

 

Prayer: Act of Love “O Lord God, I love you above all things and I love my neighbor for your sake because you are the highest, infinite and perfect good, worthy of all my love. In this love I intend to live and die. Amen.”

 

Quote from a Saint: “Perfect love means putting up with other people’s shortcomings, feeling no surprise at their weaknesses, finding encouragement even in the slightest evidence of good qualities in them.” — St. Thérèse of Lisieux

 

Questions for reflection:

1. Do you find the teachings from the Sermon on the Mount to be challenging?

2. Jesus says that if something causes us to sin we should we remove it. Are you willing to cast away the things in your life that are or have the tendency to lead you away from Jesus and His way of life and towards sin?

3. Do you find yourself justifying troublesome activities in order to hold onto them? If so, bring these to the Lord and ask him to help you discern how to handle those things.

4. Do you “exercise love” by interacting with other Christians on a regular basis?

5. Are you or have you ever been involved in a small group in your parish?

6. If you have never been involved in a small group are there opportunities at your parish or a neighboring parish for you to join one?

7. It is implied in the homily that Christianity should be practiced in community and it is not an individualistic pursuit. Why do you think Jesus wants us to be members of a community?

8. Do you spend time with faith filled people or do you avoid them?

 

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 766: Persecution : A Reflection on the Book of Acts  (Acts 9 : 1B-8)

 

 

There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him. Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment. Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.

With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city.

 

 

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, it says a severe persecution rose against the Church in the city of Jerusalem, which was started by Saul, who would later become Saint Paul. But meanwhile, the faith is spreading throughout the rest of ancient Israel through the work of the apostles.

 

It mentions here that Phillip was having great success in Samaria. And this pretty much sums up the history of the Church. We grow in places, we’re persecuted in places, and we’re just ignored in other places.  Just look at our world today.

 

New England used to be the heartbeat of Catholicism in the country. Now the faith here is just ignored; SOME say persecuted. In small ways perhaps, but I think the faith is just largely ignored here.  People don’t want to hear it, they don’t want to bothered with it. Now, in the Bible belt, down south, Catholicism WAS persecuted.

Catholics were widely discriminated against right up until the 1980’s, although if you talk to some Catholics that move down south, some will say that there is STILL a prejudice against Catholics; it’s just not as obvious.

           

And yet, for the past twenty, thirty years, the Catholic Church has experienced its greatest growth down south. In New England, we’re closing Catholic churches and building Mosques. Down south, they’re building Catholic Churches, and HUGE, magnificent,  Churches; with Catholic schools, and convents as well. We’re booming down south!

 

And in some places in the world the Church is STILL being persecuted; mostly in the Middle East, Indonesia, some parts of Africa, North Korea and China. They don’t show this news on the usual network stations, but on the internet I find the occasional story of Christians being brutalized, murdered, raped, arrested, and having their property confiscated. THAT’S persecution. We need to acknowledge this, and challenge the mainstream media to acknowledge this. 

 

We need to pray and fast for persecuted Christians around the world. And we need to try to convince our elected officials to do something about this in the political arena, to put pressure on countries who persecute

their citizens for their religion. And MOST important, we need to make sure we DON’T do the same thing

here ourselves.  Hate begets hate. These are ALL things we can do, and I encourage you to do them, but above all don’t lose hope when you hear stories of the Church suffering.

 

In some way, in some part of the world, the Church has ALWAYS been persecuted.  It’s been this way since the beginning. And from these persecutions many graces have been granted, many souls have been saved, and many saints have arisen, like Saint Paul.

 

By Father Michael Sisco

 

Prayer: “Almighty, everlasting God, look with compassion on all those who suffer persecution for justice’ sake. Grant them grace to carry their cross with patience in the name of Thy beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let the chalice pass from them is such by Thy holy Will: yet, in all things, may Thy Will be done. Grant to those who persecute, light to see the truth, and the grace of mercy and forgiveness, for they know not what they do. Mary, Mother of Jesus, Comfort of the Afflicted, help thy children in their time of bitter trial. O Lord our God, by the sign of Thy holy cross deliver us from our enemies. Amen.”

 

Quote from a Saint “We, the Christian community, assemble to celebrate the memory of the martyrs with ritual solemnity because we want to be inspired to follow their example, share in their merits, and be helped by their prayers.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.

 

Questions for reflection:

1. How is the faith treated where you live?

2. If the faith is being ignored, do you attempt to make it relevant to those around you?

3. If it is being persecuted, how has that affected your practice? Do you court martyrdom with the practice of your faith (either white or red martyrdom)?

4. Have you ever been persecuted for your faith? How did you react? Did you use Saint Stephen as a model and pray for your persecutors?

5. How would it effect your faith and practice if someone like Paul arose, persecuting Christians in your region?

6. How would you react to someone like Saint Philip arising in your city? Would you believe in him and let his works point you toward God or would you try to rationalize away the miracles?

7. Do you pray for or donate money to help the persecuted Church?

8. Have you lived out the phrase “hate begets hate”? If so, have you tried to get past the hate and forgive?

 

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

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Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 765: A Meditation on the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Amos 8 : 4-7, 1 Timothy 2 : 1-86 & Luke 16 :1-13)

 

[Isaiah]

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land!  "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?  We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating!  We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"  The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!

 

[1 Timothy]

Beloved: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

 

[Luke]

Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property.

He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship,

because you can no longer be my steward.' The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.' He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.' And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

 

"For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."

 

Reflection

Now, the readings point to the fact that we must take hold of every opportunity and things we have to do good. Where the world wants us to use people to gain wealth or things, Jesus encourages us to use wealth and things to gain people and better the lives of people. This is the point of the Master's praise for the cleverness and courage of the dishonest steward (Lk 16:8). Like the shrewd and astute people in business, politics, and other walks of life, this servant’s commitment was total in his practical approach in dealing with his problem. For Jesus, if Christians are totally committed and unwavering with all they have, to the values of the gospel like the children of the world, how great would the kingdom of God, with its peace, justice and love be manifest in today’s society.

 

Again, the society today gives great value to material wealth and money, but we have to remember that although material wealth is good and important in life, it is only a means to an end; and if we are faithful in handling what little material wealth we have been given – by using them to do good - then we shall be entrusted with true great wealth of our own, which are the spiritual riches and gifts of the Spirit (Lk 16:11-12). This is why Amos spoke strongly against the misuse of material wealth and the social injustice of his days (Amos 8:4-7), which also reflect today’s society, where the poor and the less privileged are seen as commodities that are exploited in the name of politics and economic prosperity. Let us not forget that one of the 7 sins that cry for vengeance directly to God is 'injustice to the poor worker' (cf. CCC n.1867; Deut 24:14-15; Jam 5:4). So, how do we relate to money and wealth in the light of our faith? Is religion an obstacle to making profit?

 

On another hand, let us remind ourselves this weekend of the good we can do in our community and society today not only with money and wealth but in the form of works of mercy, as the Church calls them. We must remember to engage in those Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy the Church has articulated and outlined for us from the Scriptures. All these are the blameless life St. Paul exhorts on us today in the 2nd reading (1Tim 2:1-8); to be aware of the countless opportunities and numerous areas we can lend a hand. Here, he insisted that as soldiers of Christ, we are called to be blameless, to offer supplications for everyone, to pray for governments and all in authority, to lend a hand and do some good deeds in the society, to offer petitions and devotions for a better and tranquil society, always realizing that evil is perpetrate because good people have refused to talk and do something positive. Peace!

 

Fr Francis Chuckwuma

 

Prayer: “Our Father, We come before You, seeking the grace to give selflessly, without the weight of expectation. Teach us to share our blessings with open hearts, reflecting Your love and kindness. May our acts of generosity bring peace to our souls and joy to others, as we trust in Your divine provision. Help us to find fulfillment in the act of giving itself. Amen.”

 

Quote from a Saint: "If a man truly loves God, he must love his neighbor absolutely. Such a man cannot hoard his wealth. Rather, like God himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to his needs.” + St. Maximus the Confessor, abbot (580-662 A.D.)

 

Questions for reflection:

1. Do you attempt to do good in all that you do? Why or why not?

2. Do you use things and money in order to win people?

3. Have you ever struggled to understand the parable of the unjust steward? Did you try to learn more in order to understand the parable better?

4. Would you consider yourself to be “totally committed and unwavering with all they have, to the values of the gospel”?

5. “How do [you] relate to money and wealth in light of your faith”?

6. Have you found your faith to be “an obstacle to making a profit?”

7. What do you think of when you hear the term social justice? How should we understand social justice in light of the teachings of the Jesus and His Church?

8. Do you practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy?

9. What spiritual good do you do for your community?

 

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

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Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 764: Finding God (Isaiah 60 : 1-6, Ephesians 3 : 2-3a, 5-6 & Matthew 2 : 1-12)

 

[Isaiah]

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!  Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

 

[Ephesians]

Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

 

[Matthew]

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.”

 

After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

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[The Feast of the Epiphany] reminds us that the new-born Messiah is the light of the world since he came for the salvation of all peoples, as is shown in his manifestation to the Magi. In other words, one of the messages of the solemnity is that God wants all peoples to be saved. This is pointed out in the prophecy in the 1st reading, that the destroyed Temple and city of Jerusalem would be rebuilt by the Lord, and Jerusalem become the light of all the world, so that people would stream from everywhere to be nourished by the radiant light of God's presence (Isa 60:1-6).

 

Another lesson from this celebration concerns the choice we make with regards to our salvation. Just as the Magi searched hard and traveled a great distance to find the new-born King, it is only those who search for God with perseverance and sincerity of heart that ends up finding him. This entails not just knowing about God like Jewish leaders who knew all the prophesies about the birth of the baby king or just being a churchgoer like those in Jerusalem (Ma 2:3-6) but feeling the call to find Him for salvation.

 

As it is, entrance into God’s kingdom does not come automatically, but it requires some energy and me on our part, in order to gain the reward of seeing God face-to-face. As we saw those groups of people who were not interested in searching for Jesus, we did see in the gospel one who was very much interested in searching and finding Jesus but with a wrong motive. Herod inquired from the Magi the details of their sighting of the Star of the newborn King and asked the Magi to come back to him with the news if they found him, but with the intention of doing away with the newborn baby. For us, when we search for God, what is/are our intentions and motives: to know him or just to know about him, to serve him or to have him serve our selfish interest, to be strengthened to be selfless or to be empowered for our self-centered interests?

 

Now, we are called to hear the good news, for all nations are called to hear the good news of salvation brought by the new-born Messiah and King, as the 2nd reading says (Eph 3:5-6), so that like the Magi, we can then come to worship him with our highest possession, the gift of our lives, this new year. And apart from this, we must also remember that after an encounter with God we cannot afford to remain the same, as signified in the fact that after the Magi had seen and worshiped the new-born baby, they left for their country through another way (Ma 2:12). This is a constant truth in our relationship with God. Every time we go to him in prayer, and as often as we commune with him with a sincere heart, and with the right intentions and motives, we return a different and better person. Finally, we pray that we keep imitating the Magi by continuing to give our time, treasure and talent as a gift to the human face of Jesus, since whatever we do for one of his little ones, is done for Jesus himself (Ma 25:40).

 

by Fr. Francis Chukwuma

 

Prayer: “Dear Lord, I thank You for the invitation to draw near to You. I ask for the grace to seek You with my whole heart. Help me recognize Your voice amidst the noise of the world. May my spirit be sensitive to Your leading, and may I find solace in Your presence. Amen.”

 

Quote from a Saint: “Awareness of God's presence leads to a profound encounter that enriches the soul."-- Saint John Paul II

 

Questions for reflection:

1. Do you “search for God with perseverance and sincerity of heart”? If not, why not?

2. What do you do to search for Him?

3. Have you ever despaired that you would not find God?

4. Why do we need to diligently search, rather than being passive, about finding God?

5. Do you have the right motive for finding Jesus?

6. Do you worship God with your highest possession, your life?

7. Why can’t we stay the same after an encounter with God?

8. How have you changed since you’ve had an encounter with God?

9. Do you feel like you change after you commune with God through prayer? Do those changes build upon themselves as you pray more and more?

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

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Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 763: Carrying the Presence of God in Us:   (Isaiah 2 : 1-5 & Matthew 24 : 37-44)

 

[Isaiah]

This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,

to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths."

For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares

and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

 

[Matthew]

Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

 

Some persons in our gathering this morning have had the firsthand experience of what it is like to carry a baby in your womb for 9 months. As for the rest of us, surely we have seen others who were close to us going through that experience – our mother, if we had younger siblings; our sister; close friends. The mother starts having a growing awareness of this presence within her. Nowadays, especially, with ultrasound, we can follow all the developments as the pregnancy develops. I’ve been told there’s an app where you tell it the date of conception, and as the days roll by it will inform you the size of the baby: “It’s the size of a pea. It’s the size of a walnut. It’s the size of an avocado.” How exciting this must be for the parents as they wait in expectation. The baby’s little heart starts beating at 22 or 23 days after conception. As the mother follows with ultrasound, she can see the head and eyes and nose developing. She can see the arms and legs and toes and fingers. At 18 to 20 weeks you can see the baby’s gender with ultrasound, although there are other tests available that can let you know even as early as 8 to 10 weeks. As the baby starts to move around and kick, it must be a very unique sensation for the mother. Over the weeks, a very special bond develops between the mother and her baby. They are sharing so many things together. Some mothers talk to their babies, so they get to know their voice, or sing to them. They lovingly run their hand over their protruding tummy. 

 

[W]e can reflect on the first Christmas and the days that led up to it. During this time, Mary would have been experiencing all those sensations that I was describing above. A deep bond was growing between them. They were both completely human, so they felt what we feel, but perhaps their love for each other was even more intense because there were no traces of original sin to impede it. 

 

So much of our day as monks is spent chanting the Psalms. The schedule is arranged so that we cover all 150 of them every week. Would Jesus in the womb have heard his parents praying those same Psalms? There would have probably been no books or scrolls back then in a poor house like theirs, but people in that era had much better memories for memorizing things. Remember that many of the books of the Bible were oral tradition for many, many years before finally being written down. It is not unlikely that Mary would have known many of the Psalms by heart. A little [before Advent] we celebrated the feast of the Presentation. If Mary spent some of her childhood in the Temple, would it have been an occasion to learn some of the Psalms by heart, as well as other parts of the Hebrew Scriptures? Would Jesus in the womb have heard her reciting passages from the Prophet Isaiah, like the one we had in our first reading this morning? Did he hear the passage about a virgin bearing a son and naming him Emmanuel? Or how about the Suffering Servant passages in Isaiah that foretold the Passion and Death of the Messiah? 

 

The Gospel accounts don’t give us many details about the months leading up to Mary’s delivery, and leave plenty of gaps for our imagination to fill in. According to the Gospel of Luke, the first 3 months were spent with Elizabeth and Zachary. Those months must have produced many treasured memories of conversations with Elizabeth who was in on the secret, and acknowledged that little walnut and then avocado as “Lord”. Was Jesus experiencing the Beatific Vision at this time? I prefer to think that he wasn’t, and that he freely left that behind in heaven in order to fully experience our human condition. 

 

At some point, Mary would have started spending more time with Joseph, after he had been reassured in the dream that the child in her womb wasn’t illegitimate. That same dream instructed him to take her as his wife, so there would have been a marriage ceremony of the Hebrew fashion appropriate at the time. Apparently, the wine didn’t run out. As they lived together, Joseph probably supported the household with his carpentry skills. Mary would have kept house and done all the chores expected of a young Israelite wife. So many of our modern conveniences that we take for granted were absent. I’m sure those quiet, simple months also afforded Mary many poignant memories to ponder and treasure in her heart later in life after both Joseph and Jesus were gone. 

 

And for us now, the image of Mary in those months of pregnancy treasuring the presence of Jesus within her, can serve as a model for us. If we are in the state of sanctifying grace, we too carry Jesus within us. And not only Jesus, but the Holy Spirit and the Father also. John 14:23 has Jesus saying, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” And in First Corinthians we read, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you?” (6:19). After the three Persons of the Holy Trinity have done so much for us, it seems sad that we would spend so much of the time during the day neglecting their presence. How much they appreciate a little glance or a few ardent words to show them that we love them and are grateful, and that we cherish their company and aid. They don’t ask for much – just a little love. And they really appreciate it when we allow them to love our brothers and sisters through us.

 

May Mary gain for us the grace to be more mindful of the Presence we carry within.

 

 

by Fr. Stephen Muller

 

 

Prayer: O, Queen of Heaven, rejoice! Alleluia.
For He whom thou didst merit to bear, Alleluia,
Hath arisen as He said, Alleluia.
Pray for us to God, Alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary. Alleluia.
For the Lord hath risen indeed. Alleluia.

Oremus (Let us pray)
O God, who, through the Resurrection of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
Didst vouchsafe to fill the world with joy; grant, we beseech Thee, that, through His Virgin Mother, Mary,
We may lay hold on the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

 

Quote from a Saint: “Him whom the heavens cannot contain, the womb of one woman bore. She ruled our Ruler; she carried Him in whom we are; she gave milk to our Bread.”-- St. Augustine

 

 

Questions for reflection:

1. What do you imagine life was like for the Holy Family in the days between the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus? How about the first few months of Jesus’ life?

2. Have you had experience with someone who has been pregnant? How can you use that to imagine Mary’s experience leading up to the birth of Jesus?

3. Do you ever consider that you carry Jesus with you if you are in a state of grace? How might that influence how you live your life?

4. “After the three Persons of the Holy Trinity have done so much for us, it seems sad that we would spend so much of the time during the day neglecting their presence.” How do you spend time with the three Persons of the Trinity throughout the day? How can you spend more time with God on a regular basis?

5. Have you ever considered the prayer life of Mary and Joseph? How would that prayer life have been passed on to Jesus?

6. Do you have memories of your parents praying or reading aloud to you from the Bible? Did you or have you ever caught your parents praying?

7. If you have children, do you read the Bible or Bible stories to them?

8. Do they ever see you praying (outside of Mass and saying grace)?

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

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Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 762: The Baptism of the Lord:  A Reflection on the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 3 : 13-17)

 

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

 

 

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord that recalls the Baptism of Jesus by John at the Jordan, as one of the events that manifested Jesus to the world as the beloved Son of God and our Messiah (Lk 3:21-22), points also to Jesus’ mission (Mk 1:7-11). The feast expresses a) that, as Jesus underwent baptism, he shows us its necessity as the will of God for his people, and that it is necessary to uphold God’s requirements. b) With his baptism, Jesus identified with our sinful condition in order to bring salvation and life to us. c) Jesus is the Son of God, but the baptism was the moment the voice of the Father identified him, for the sake of those standing by and those he would minister to. d) It was a moment that says that God gave the divine approval to his mission from its outset. e) It was also the moment of decision to embark on his mission, being equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit that came down in the form of the dove. Thus, like a person born again, he now passes from the hidden life of Nazareth into the public stage of his mission, doing good after his baptism and anointing, as Peter recounted: “…beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:34-38).

 

Also, Jesus’; entry into the waters of Jordan cleansed and sanctified all waters of baptism; and it also pointed to the fact that as the floodwater in Noah’s time destroyed human life, so now the floodwater of Baptism restores all the dead to life. And as the dove brought the news of expiation of God’s anger to Noah so the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove comes to reveal the news of God’s mercy and salvation for all people, in the Anointed One of God. Thus, Jesus’ identity and his mission is confirmed and initiated through his baptism, as the Father confirmed him as his beloved Son and the Holy Spirit anointed him for his mission. We read: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased. Upon him I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations…” (Isa 42:1-4,6-7). For us too, our baptism identifies us and initiates our vocation as sons and daughters of God called to build up the kingdom of God in our different walks of life or career. We are identified as Christians; meaning that through our baptism we are incorporated into Christ and are constituted the people of God, who as Christ’s faithful are called to exercise the mission of the God entrusted to the church to be fulfilled in the world (cf. Can.204).

 

Finally, as 3 great solemnities of the season, Christmas, Epiphany, and Baptism of the Lord are the great manifestations of the Messiah who came to save us. Now, we as Christians, are called to manifest Christ and cause him to appear by our words and actions in the Ordinary Time of the year beginning this Monday, January 12, as the Christmas Time concludes with the feast of Baptism. We contribute to the enrichment of the Body of Christ and to the expansion of the kingdom of God in our different state/condition of life We are daily strengthened for this mission through the sacraments, daily reading of the word of God and our constant prayers. Peace!  

 

by Fr. Francis Chukwuma

 

 

Prayer: V. Do you reject Satan? R. I do.
V. And all his works? R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises? R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth? R. I do.
V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? R. I do.
V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? R. I do.
V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

Quote from a Saint: Baptism is not the work of man but of Christ, and this sacrament is so holy that it would not be defiled, even if the minister were a murderer. - St. Isidore, Doctor of the Church

 

Questions for reflection:

1. Do you see the Baptism of the Lord as the end of the Christmas season or do you keep your decorations stay up until February 2nd?

2. Do you know and celebrate the day of your baptism?

3. When you bless yourself with holy water does it cause you to reflect upon Christ’s baptism and yours?

4. How do you “exercise the mission of the God entrusted to the church to be fulfilled in the world (cf. Can.204).”?

5. How do you “manifest Christ and cause him to appear by [y]our words and actions” in your life?

6. Does your life “contribute to the enrichment of the Body of Christ and to the expansion of the kingdom of God”?

7. Are you “daily strengthened for this mission through the sacraments, daily reading of the word of God and [y]our constant prayers.”

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP

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Oratory of Divine Love Reflection 761: Mary, the Holy Mother of God:  A Reflection on the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2: 16-21)

 

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God  
for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 

 

As I’ve probably mentioned in previous homilies, my father and I would go for walks sometimes at night. There was a gravel road out to our chicken house and barn, and we would walk back and forth on it in the starlight. He was quite enthusiastic about religion and spiritual topics, and loved to talk about them. But most other people weren’t all that interested. I was willing to listen, though. A frequent topic would be, “Don’t be a big shot in this world; be a big shot in the next.” He had kind of learned that the hard way, and wanted to spare me all the wasted energy in the wrong direction. He would point up to the stars and say, “Don’t be one of those specks in the Milky Way. Be one of the bright stars.” And he would say, “Some people live their lives for this world, and barely make it into heaven. And for all eternity, they’re just a tack under the rug.” And he would go on, “Compared to eternity, this life is over like that!” and he would snap his big fingers. “But eternity goes on, and on, and on, and on . . . and I would still be standing here next year saying, ‘on and on, and on . . . ‘ “ It reminds me of the metaphor of a dove carrying one grain of sand at a time to the furthest edge of the universe. Once all the grains of sand on earth are gone, the first second of eternity has just passed.

 

Today’s Solemnity is a startling example of a human being who was not at all a big shot in this world, but became the biggest of all shots in the next. How can you get any higher than “Mother of God”? She far surpasses all the angels and saints. Only the Triune God is above her, and even then, she holds a lot of influence over the Three Divine Persons. And yet, during her life here on earth, she was a nobody in the eyes of the world. During her time, and in that part of the world, women had very little standing in society. They certainly were not able to vote. Think of it . . . women did not have the right to vote in our country until the 19 Amendment was passed in 1920, thanks in large part to our local Susan B. Anthony. We in the 21st century take for granted that men and women are equal, but in Mary’s time, it was a man’s world, and women were considered part of the chattel of their husband – part of his moveable property. We recently heard passages read from the Book of Ruth at Sext in our church. When Boaz was bargaining for her at the city gate with the elders, Ruth had no say in the matter. Daughters and girls had even less standing than women; they were given away in marriage and were expected to obey.

 

I was struck by this contrast when singing the hymn for Lauds yesterday. In the second verse, it is talking about our Creator taking on flesh. And then in the third verse it says,

 

For this how wondrously he wrought!

A maiden in her lowly place,

Became, in ways beyond all thought,

The chosen vessel of his grace.

 

Mary was just a maiden – a teenage girl without any rights or prestige. And yet God plucked her out of that obscurity, and made her the highest human being of all time – and for all eternity! This was not by accident. Mary had cooperated with grace to set herself up for this moment. She lived her life for the next world, not this one. She made all the right decisions to remain sinless from her birth.

 

Think of Jesus’ parable of Lazareth and the rich man. Dives, as he came to be known, lived for this world only. Ok, he lived sumptuously during those years, but how short that span is! Just a speck of sand in a bird’s beak. Now he is in misery, and it will never come to an end.

 

My dad had it right – it makes much more sense to live one’s life for the next world, rather than this one. And nowadays, as I look back on those nights as a child with my father under the starlight, it gives me pleasure to think of him now enjoying the eternity he so loved to preach about.

 

by Fr. Stephen Muller

 

 

Prayer: “Father, source of light in every age, the virgin conceived and bore Your Son Who is called Wonderful God, Prince of Peace. May her prayer, the gift of a mother’s love, be Your people’s joy through all ages. May her response, born of a humble heart, draw Your Spirit to rest on Your people.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Quote from a Saint: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)

 

Questions for reflection:

1. Reflect on this passage: “Don’t be a big shot in this world; be a big shot in the next.” What do you think of this? Do you live your life like this?

2. What have you been doing to build up riches in heaven so that you can be a big shot in the next?

3. Is there a Lazarus in your life that you have been ignoring or not seeing?

4. Have you or did you ever have memorable spiritual discussions with your parents or children?

5. Do you routinely have spiritual discussions with the people closest to you?

6. How can we use the example of Mary’s life to learn how to live our own lives?

7. When we realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things, how can following God’s will make our lives significant?

-Benjamin & Kristen Rinaldo, CfP