hope – lectiodiv.com

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

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

This is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”

In the eyes of the priests and Levites, John is unlike any other. He is not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor one of the great prophets risen from the dead. Just as people of today on becoming acquainted with each other often ask, “What do you do for a living?” the religious leaders—all of whom had named affiliations or titles—ask John who he is, and find no satisfactory answer. John tells them that he baptizes with water and quotes Isaiah, saying “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” John is a voice, a messenger; in complete humility, he is the one who points to one among them whom they do not recognize—the one, he says, “whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” Asked to identify himself, John responds not vaguely but in full recognition of his role: he makes straight the way of the Lord.

God, as I move throughout the day, let me see with the eyes of faith what my role is. John knew himself in the truth of Christ. His identity was not tied to his occupation or material possessions or power. In detachment from this, he called himself a voice, as if detached completely from physical needs; and he baptized, he said, with water until one who would come after him, baptizing with the the fire of the Holy Spirit. Give me the grace, Lord, to recognize my role apart from titles and prestige, apart from esteem as the world measures it. Help me remain in you so that I am confident of my identity, my role in this life. Let me remember the words of Saint Basil the Great: “Be attentive to yourself, lest you turn aside from the road, lest you turn away to the right or left; go on the royal road . . . which is Christ Jesus.”

From the Gospel acclamation: “In times, past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets: in these last days, he has spoken to us through his Son.” Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory, 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.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 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.

In reflecting on events in her life and on the message brought to her by the shepherds, Mary listens as they relate the revelation to them from the angel of the Lord: “For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.” Keeping all these things in her heart, Mary is an image of stillness and peace as the shepherds return, “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.” God has blessed her beyond human understanding, the same LORD in the first reading who teaches Moses how he is to bless the Israelites. This is how you shall bless the Israelites, the LORD tells him: “The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!” Mary’s entire life is a response to God’s blessing, in obedience to him with humility, trust, and perseverance. “For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness,” she says in her Magnificat, “behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.”

Bless me, Lord. Bless me as you blessed the Israelites. Bless me and keep me; let your face shine upon me; be gracious to me; look kindly upon me and give me your peace. That same spirit you send to me, Lord, to reflect on and keep in my heart, as Mary did. As Saint Paul says, “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Mary was the first to feel within her the stirrings of the Word made flesh, the Savior of the world. Help me recognize that I experience firsthand in the great gift of the Eucharist the same body and blood, soul and divinity, of the Savior.

From the responsorial psalm: “May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation.” Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, 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.

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (LK 2:22-40)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

According to Jewish customs, Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the Jerusalem temple to present him to the Lord. As they present him, Simeon, a righteous and devout man, recognizes Jesus as the promised Messiah. He proclaims that Jesus will bring light to Gentiles and stir up Israel and that Jesus is “destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel.” Simeon also reveals to Mary the suffering she will experience as a result of Jesus’ role. Another prophetess, Anna, joins in praise and spreads word of the child Jesus, the long-awaited Savior. Joseph and Mary return to Nazareth, where Jesus matures, as Luke says, “filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

God, in recognizing Christ, Simeon and Anna experienced peace and joy in the incarnation of the word, the presence of Emmanuel. How is it that they recognized the Savior? Luke says that Anna never left the temple, awaiting the redemption of Israel. Of Simeon, he says he was “righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel.” Both waited for you, Lord; they looked out for you, prayed and fasted as devoted servants, and found not only peace in the world but recognized the word made flesh at first sight. Help me today learn from Simeon and Anna. As a way to put into practice their example, let me call to mind the words of Saint Paul from the second reading: “And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.”

From the Gospel acclamation: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.”

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.

“She gave thanks to God.” | The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 2:36-40)

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

In these few words, Luke shares a kind of epilogue of the birth narrative of Jesus. It shows that Mary and Joseph were faithful, that they returned to live in their hometown of Nazareth, and that Jesus grew in body and spirit and wisdom under God’s favor. But of the prophetess Anna Luke is careful to describe how she lived her life, as she “worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer,” and how she responded at seeing the Holy Family: “And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” She came forward at that very time. The present is all she had, and in that moment she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child Jesus, the coming of the Savior.

God, help me understand that in fasting, prayer, and worship, Anna made herself attentive to recognize the redemption of Jerusalem, the coming of the Messiah. Luke says that she never left the temple. Give me the grace, Lord, to be attentive to you, to watch for your coming. In recognizing you in the gift of the present moment, how can I do anything but give you thanks, as Anna did, at that very time. Half the battle, the spiritual battle, is remaining vigilant. Saint John says in the first reading that the world and its enticement are passing away. Help me today be steadfast in hearing and doing your will.

From the responsorial psalm: “Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; give to the LORD the glory due his name! Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!”

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.

“Your word has been fulfilled.” | The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 2:22-35)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Mary and Joseph faithfully observe Jewish law by presenting Jesus in the temple to consecrate him to the Lord. They are not a wealthy couple, as evidenced by their gift of two young turtledoves offered for sacrifice. Luke relates their encounter with Simeon (and later the prophetess Anna) as he prophesies God’s fulfillment of promises in Jesus, who will be a sign of contradiction and that Mary will experience great sorrow in this unfolding: Simeon says, “Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” Simeon proclaims that Jesus came not only for Jewish people but to bring salvation to all.

God, help me today see that you have spoken through the prophets and ultimately through Jesus, inviting all to redemption and salvation through faith in your Son. Luke says that Simeon took Jesus into his arms and blessed God. Open my eyes, Lord, to see the opportunity today to take Jesus into my arms and give you glory. I am struck by the poverty of Joseph and Mary, that out of that poverty they hold in their arms your inexhaustible treasure of love and mercy, Emmanuel—”God is with us.”

From the responsorial psalm: “The LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty go before him; praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!” Glory to you, Lord, your word has been fulfilled!

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.

“Out of Egypt I called my son.” | Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 2:13-18)

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son.

Joseph obeys the angel’s instructions and takes his family to Egypt, where they stay until Herod’s death. Matthew goes on to give an account of the innocent children who were slaughtered. The Massacre of the Holy Innocents also reveals the suffering and persecution Jesus will endure after he begins his public ministry. In contrast to the evil actions of Herod, we see the purity and innocence of the child Jesus and the Holy Innocents.

God, help me understand today’s Gospel as a way to comprehend how evil is perpetrated. I have come to learn that while you don’t cause evil–the human misuse of freedom does–and in its mystery, you permit it to bring about a greater good. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil. He permits it, however, because he respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it.” This is beyond my understanding. Teach me to trust in your mercy and the redemptive work of Jesus your Son as a way to overcome evil through love, justice, and mercy. Holy Innocents, 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.

“And he saw and believed.” | Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 20:1a and 2-8)

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.

When Mary Magdalene tells Peter and John that the tomb is empty, they both run to it. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved and a younger man, runs faster than Peter. Do they run because they know they will find Jesus risen from the dead or because, like Mary Magdalene, they don’t know where Jesus’ body has been taken. They run, knowing that Jesus is no longer in the one place they believed he remained: dead in the tomb. But when they arrive, they find the burial cloths and the cloth that covered Jesus’ head rolled up in a separate place. John tells us this as an answer to their bewilderment, how they each came to believe in the resurrection. In John’s own words as he speaks about what he witnessed: “Then the other disciple went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.”

Father in heaven, you made visible the Word of life in Jesus your Son. This is the meaning of Christmas, that the Word became incarnate to make all who believe his adopted sons and daughters. Yet, here is the story of the resurrection, a leap from Christmas to Easter, from birth to death to resurrection. The burial cloths, not unlike the swaddling clothes of the infant Jesus, a necessity for the care of a body placed in the tomb, the place where corpses are placed. But Jesus casts off the ritual trappings of death to rise to new life, not for himself only but for all who believe. Help me, God, take this in today; give me the grace to see and believe as Peter and John saw and believed.

From the Gospel acclamation: “We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.” Saint John, 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.

“Good news of great joy.” | The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 2:15-20)

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

After the shepherds find Mary and Joseph, seeing near them Jesus lying in the manger, they go out and proclaim the message the angel had shared with them before they began their journey: “Do not be afraid;” the angel said, “for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And then the shepherds witnessed a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to those on who his favor rests.” Mary must have been the first among those to hear the shepherd’s story, keeping all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

Father in heaven, thank you for sending Jesus and placing him in the care of Mary and Joseph. “Good news of great joy that will be for all people . . . a savior has been born for you.” These unknown, humble shepherds were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus. After seeing Jesus, they immediately go out and tell others what they had witnessed: “When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.” Lord, help me see the birth of Jesus as a way to get back to basics, unafraid to share with others what I have witnessed: Jesus is Messiah and Lord, a savior born for me and for all the people. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

From the second reading: “He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.”

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.

“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.