Tag: Advent

“They all ate and were satisfied.” | Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

From the responsorial psalm: “You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 15:29-37)

Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

The great crowds come to listen listen to Jesus. With them come people who have all sorts of debilitations and illnesses, and Jesus cures them. The deformed are made whole, the lame walk, and the blind see. Because of this, Matthew tells us, “they glorified the God of Israel.” As he looks at the crowd, he is moved with pity for them because they have had nothing to eat for three days. The disciples question where they will get enough bread to satisfy the crowd. The ending to this familiar Gospel account is well known. Yet, the story goes on as the same Lord who destroyed death forever spreads a table for us in the sight of our foes. In the Eucharist, Christ prepares a feast of “rich food and pure, choice wines.” What is a fitting response to this invitation? “Behold, the Lord comes to save his people,” the responsorial psalm says, “blessed are those prepared to meet him.”

God, how little separates the people then with people today? Considering my own brokenness and sin, what will be my response to the invitation to receive healing from Jesus, to share in the superabundance of blessings in this day alone? Jesus also speaks to me as he speaks to the disciples: “How many loaves do you have?” It’s as if he is saying, “What little you have, give me. I will bless it and break it; in breaking it, I will not divide it but multiply it a hundredfold.” From on high, he asks the same of me, that I come to him in brokenness to be made whole and be made ready for the banquet of eternal life. Help me, God, remember to come to the feet of Jesus to bring him what I have to give.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Maximilian Kolbe Shrine—Blessed Sacrament

“You have revealed them to the childlike.” | Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

From the responsorial psalm: “O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 10:21-24)

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Jesus rejoices not in knowledge gained through human learning and experience but to what the Father reveals. To be wise and learned is to observe the ways of the world and predict outcomes but to be childlike in faith is to share in the relationship between the Father and the Son. The knowledge gained through learning and worldly wisdom is good in itself but is worth nothing compared to the knowledge Jesus is able to reveal to us because the Father has handed all things over to him. This is why Jesus rejoices and expresses gratitude in revealing this truth as he does his Father’s will. With childlike faith, God can accomplish what the wise and the learned can only hope to glimpse.

God, help me understand with humility the role of every good gift of experience and learning you give me. Certain dimensions of wisdom and knowledge simply do not come through being learned and knowledgeable. Give me the grace to be open to what Jesus offers, to what Isaiah calls “a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD.” The Gospel acclamation says, “Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.” Enlighten my eyes, Lord, as I strain to see what human comprehension fails to reveal. Saint Francis Xavier, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Maximilian Kolbe Shrine—Blessed Sacrament

“Only say the word.” | Monday of the First Week of Advent

From the Gospel acclamation: “Come and save us, LORD our God; Let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 8:5-11)

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”

Although Jesus is willing to go to the servant’s house, the centurion feels unworthy to have him under his roof. He asks Jesus to simply speak a word of healing, drawing on his experience as a leader and as one who leads others. He trusts the authority of Jesus and has faith in him. Jesus is amazed by this and turns to those following him, witnesses to the centurion’s faith, and says, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.” We hear also in the first reading the hope of having the Lord enter under our roof, as Isaiah prays, “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!”

God, let me follow the centurion’s example of faith and trust in the word of Jesus to heal me. In the Gospel, the servant is “lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” I am sure there will be moments throughout the day when I am completely stuck, stifled by uncertainty and wondering where you are and how to move toward you. I may be paralyzed in that moment, but you are not. Give me the grace to remember this prayer and bear witness to your mercy: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Maximilian Kolbe Shrine—Blessed Sacrament

“Be vigilant at all times and pray.” | First Sunday of Advent

From the responsorial psalm: “Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, and teaches the humble his way. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 21:25-28, 34-36)

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

On this first Sunday of Advent, we hear Jesus telling the disciples about the final judgement, the coming in a cloud of the Son of Man with power and great glory. At his coming, signs on earth and in the cosmos will put nations in dismay and frighten people to death. Stand erect and raise your heads, Jesus tells the disciples, because our redemption is at hand. Before that day comes, Jesus says, remain vigilant, keep from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life (another kind of drunkenness that leads to the other). Jesus calls that day an assault and not to be caught by surprise by it like a trap. Just as God was present to the wandering Israelites in a pillar of cloud, Jesus will come again in power and great glory to judge the living and the dead. Jesus asks us to pray that we are prepared for his return.

God, at the beginning of this Advent set me on a path of vigilance and joyful expectation at the coming of Jesus. The Son of Mary is the Son of God, who came into the world as an infant and will come again in a cloud of power and glory. Give me the grace throughout Advent to remain hopeful in the fulfillment of your kingdom—not afraid, not anxious, an not absorbed in distractions. Strengthened by the real presence of Jesus to face the tribulations of daily life, keep me on a path to stand erect and raise my head as I meet my redeemer face to face. Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Maximilian Kolbe Shrine—Blessed Sacrament

“May it be done to me according to your word.” | Fourth Sunday of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:26-38)

And the angel said to [Mary] in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

When the angel appears to Mary, he tells her that it is through the power of the Most High that Mary is to conceive the child Jesus. Through his birth, with Mary as his mother, Jesus is both the Son of David and the Son of Mary. In the Annunciation, we hear an echo of the words from the first reading, where God, speaking through Nathan the prophet, says: “I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.” In Mary’s obedience, God’s will is fulfilled in bringing forth the Savior who redeems humanity from sin, offering the gift of eternal life with the Father in the kingdom of heaven.

God, help me understand that what takes place in the Annunciation also takes place within me as I approach you in faith. Mary’s fiat is a confirmation of trust in you, that you deliver on every promise you make. As you say through the psalmist, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” In the fulfillment of your promises through Jesus Christ your Son, you are with me wherever I go. Nothing is impossible for you. Help me say yes to you, to let it be done to me according to your word.

From the first reading: “And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“John is his name.” | Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:57-66)

When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.

Hearing this story, the people in the hill country of Judea become fearful and discuss among themselves what has happened. About John and the events surrounding his birth, they say: “What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.” The prelude to all of this is, as Luke tells us, [Elizabeth’s] neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.” The birth of John would bring great joy to Elizabeth, Zechariah, and their relatives and neighbors. In it, they recognized his miraculous birth and rejoiced in God’s goodness. In their lives, we see a sterling example of faith in God and a response of gratitude for all of the blessings he bestows upon us.

God, stir in me the same sense of awe and holy fear the people in Judea experienced. Just as their response to the birth and naming of John the Baptist was filled with wonder and speculation at the extraordinary events unfolding, give me the grace to see your extraordinary hand in my life and in all your people. At the coming birth of Christ, help me remember to pause from routines and ordinary ways of seeing to see with the eyes of faith the fulfillment of your promises in the Messiah. Give me the wisdom, Lord, to know your work in the world when I witness it.

From the responsorial psalm: “All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees. The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him, and his covenant, for their instruction.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

St. John the Apostle Novena

St. John the Apostle Novena is a nine-day devotion dedicated to St. John the Apostle, one of Jesus’ closest disciples. It provides a way to focus on praying to St. John and seeking his intercession with God for specific needs or intentions.

St. John is venerated for his unique closeness to Jesus. He was the youngest disciple, known for his love and purity. He witnessed many key events in Jesus’ life, including the Last Supper, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. He’s also credited with writing the Gospel of John and several letters in the New Testament.

Remember, the most important aspect of the novena is your personal intention and commitment to prayer. Approach it with a sincere heart and open yourself to God’s grace through the intercession of St. John the Apostle.

Day 1 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 2 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 3 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 4 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 5 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 6 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 7 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 8 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

Day 9 – St. John the Apostle Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious Apostle, who, on account of thy virginal purity, wast so beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay thy head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother:

I beg thee to inflame me with a most ardent love toward Jesus and Mary.

Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly afflictions, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven.

(Mention your request here.)

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be

St John the Apostle, pray for us.

Amen.

“Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.” | Monday of the Third Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 1:18-25)

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Whatever Joseph must have felt in terms of bewilderment and disappointment, he had already determined a just course of action when the angel appeared to him in a dream. The angel told him essential news: don’t be afraid to take Mary into your home, the child was conceived through the Holy Spirit, and the son’s name would be Jesus, who would save people from their sins. Responding to such knowledge tells us just how open Joseph was to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Just as Mary gave her fiat to the angel Gabriel, Joseph also says yes in exchanging what he determined to be the best plan of action for God’s. Joseph, assured in waking from the dream that Emmanuel would be born to Mary, obeyed the will of God. “When Joseph awoke,” Matthew tells us, “[Joseph] did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” When God speaks clearly, how willing are we to do as Joseph did in responding to him?

God, help me imagine and take in what Joseph must have felt. To have your direct guidance from the angel Gabriel would leave little doubt about the next decisive steps. To hear you explain how the Holy Sprit moves in his life and in the lives of those around him. Help me, Lord, recognize that just as you were present to Joseph, you are present to me in every moment of the day; give me the grace to awaken to that realization.

From the responsorial psalm: “For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“One among you whom you do not recognize.” | Third Sunday of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28)

Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” 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.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

When John answers the Pharisees by saying that there is one among them whom they do not recognize, he refers to Jesus, who would soon appear to John to be baptized. John was not the light, the evangelist tells us, “but came to testify to the light.” The religious leaders of Jesus’ time questioned the identity of John and Jesus, holding them in obscurity rather than recognizing them. Despite that, John declares Jesus’ divinity at his baptism: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” He is the light of the world; John came to testify to that light.

God, just as you sent John to call people to repentance, help me also hear John’s message and prepare my heart to behold the one who is to come, the Lamb of God. The Pharisees questioned John and could not see the truth right before their eyes. Help me see the one John pointed to, that before me in the Eucharist is the same body and blood of the Lamb, the one Isaiah speaks of in the Gospel acclamation: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

From the second reading: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” God, be the joy of my soul!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him.” | Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (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.”

Jesus speaks to the disciples after coming down from the mountain, where they had just witnessed his transfiguration. During the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Jesus. When the disciples ask Jesus about Elijah’s coming, the question must have been burning in their hearts, having just seen him face to face. Yet, it is also John the Baptist Jesus refers to when he says, “Elijah has already come.” Jesus tells them that just as John suffered at the hands of persecutors, “So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” In preparing the hearts of the people, John readies them for the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of his mission.

God, strengthen my faith to understand what I need to know. Just as the disciples ask Jesus questions in order to comprehend the role of Elijah in salvation history, I sometimes question how you work in my life through the lives of others. “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things,” Jesus tells the disciples, “but I tell you that Elijah has already come.” You work in time and outside of time to bring about goodness, a mystery beyond human understanding. Let me learn to trust you in momentous events as well as ordinary ones, the mountaintop moments as well as the ones where I tread level ground.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.