Archive for the ‘Christmas’ Category

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today – Christmas Weekday!

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024

The Word of God became flesh and lived among us.
To all who received Him, who believed in His name,
He gave power to become children of God.
John 1:14(a);12  Image Courtesy: EWTN

Lamb of God

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ranks ahead of me because He was before me.’ I myself did not know Him but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that He might be revealed to Israel and John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him but the One who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God!” –John 1:29-34

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for Christmas Weekday, Visit: -USCCB

Today Christians Commemorate The Solemnity of the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus – Please Pray For Us!

Monday, January 1st, 2024

Virgin Mary the Mother of God –Image Courtesy: Mary Mother of God.blogspot.com

(Franciscan Media) Mary’s divine Motherhood broadens the Christmas spotlight–Mary has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Mary consents to God’s invitation conveyed by the angel (Luke 1:26-38) Elizabeth proclaims:

“Most blessed are you among Women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

How does this happen to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:42-43) Mary’s role as Mother of God, places her in a unique position in God’s redemptive plan.

Without naming Mary, Paul asserts that “God sent forth His Son, born of Woman, under the Law.” (Galatians 4:4) Paul’s further statement that “God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying out ‘Abba Father!(Galatians 4:6) Helps us to realize that Mary is the Mother of all Brothers and Sisters of Jesus.

Some theologians also insist that Mary’s Motherhood of Jesus is an important element in God’s creative plan. God ‘first’ thought in creating was Jesus–Jesus the incarnate of the word is the one who could give God’s perfect love and worship on behalf of all creation. As Jesus was ‘first’ in God’s mind, Mary was ‘second’ insofar as she was chosen from ‘all eternity’ to be His Mother.

The precise title ‘Mother of God’ goes back at least to the 3rd or 4th century. In the Greek form ‘Theotokos’ (God’s bearer) it became the touchstone of the Church’s teaching of the Incarnation.

The ‘Council of Ephesus’ in 431 insisted that the Holy Fathers, were correct in calling the  Holy Virgin ‘Theotokos’ at the end of this particular session, crowds of people marched through the street shouting: “Praised be the Theotokos.”

The tradition reaches to our own day, in its chapter of Mary’s role in the Church. Vatican II Dogmatic Constitution on the Church calls Mary ‘Mother of God’ 12 times.

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings and More Visit – USCCB

Today Christians Honor The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – Please Pray For Us!

Sunday, December 31st, 2023

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the One body and be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly; Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, Giving Thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:15-17  Image Courtesy: EWTN

God Has Spoken By His Son

Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the Prophets but in these Last Days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being and He sustains all things by His powerful Word. When He made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High, having become as much superior to Angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.  –Hebrews 1:1-4

The Happy Home of the Faithful

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways! (Psalm 128:1)

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; You shall be happy and it shall go well with you.

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways! (Psalm 128:1)

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;

Your children will be like olive shoots around your table.

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways! (Psalm 128:1)

Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.

The Lord bless your from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
Psalm 128:1-6

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture, Visit: -USCCB

The Holy Family Teaches Us That Love of Neighbor Begins at Home -Natl Catholic Register

Today Christians Honor The ‘Holy Innocents’

Thursday, December 28th, 2023

Holy Innocents‘Holy Innocents’ –Image Courtesy: The Balanced Center 

(Franciscan Media) King of Judea ‘Herod the Great’ was unpopular with people because of his connections with the Romans and his religious indifference, hence he was insecure and fearful of any threat to his throne–a master politician and a tyrant, capable of extreme brutality, he killed his wife, his brother and his sister’s two husbands to name only a few.

Matthew 2:1-18 tells the story: Herod was (greatly) troubled when astrologers from the East came asking the whereabouts of the newborn King of the Jews, whose Star they had seen–they were told that the Jewish scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he too could go and pay homage. They found Jesus, offered Him their gifts and warned by an angel, they avoided Herod on their way back home–Joseph and Mary subsequently escaped with Jesus to Egypt.

King Herod became furious and ordered the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity 2 yrs of age and younger–The horror of the massacre and the devastation of the Mother’s and Fathers led Matthew to quote Jeremiah:

“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children–refused to be consoled because they were no more.” —Matthew 2:18

Rachel was the wife of Jacob/Israel, is pictured as weeping at the place where Jews (descendants of Jacob) were herded together by a conquering Assyrians for their march into captivity.

More here on the ‘Holy Innocents’ from EWTN

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More Visit – USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Tuesday, December 26th, 2023

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the House of the Lord. The Lord is God and He has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the alter. You are my God and I will give Thanks to You! You are my God, I will extol You! O give Thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!  –Psalm 118:26-29
Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization

The Arrest of Stephen

Stephen full of grace and power did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belong to the ‘Synagogue of the Freedman’ (Libertines as it was called) Cyrenians, Alexandrians and others of those from Cilcia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes, then they suddenly confronted him, seized him and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man never stops saying things against this Holy place and the Law; For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.’ All who sat in the council looked intently at him and they saw that his face was like the face of an Angel.

Stephen’s Speech to the Council

Then the High Priest asked him (Stephen) ‘Are these things so?’

Stephen replied: “Brothers and fathers listen to me. The God of Glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran and said to him, “Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.” Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are now living. He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not even a foot’s length but promised to give it to him as his possession and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child and God spoke in these terms, this his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred (400) years, “I will judge the nation that they serve,” said God, “after that they shall come out and worship Me in this place.” Then He gave him the ‘Covenant of Circumcision’ so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; Isaac became the father of Jacob and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. The patriarchs jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt but God was with him and rescued him from all his afflictions and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, King of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his household. Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan and great suffering, our ancestors could find no food but when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit. On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy five (75) in all; So Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself died there as well as our ancestors and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor and Shechem. As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased and multiplied until another King who had not known Joseph ruled over Egypt. He dealt craftily with our race and forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that they would die. At this time Moses was born and he was beautiful before God. For three months he was brought up in his father’s house and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds. When he (Moses) was forty tears old, it came into his heart to visit his relatives, his brethren, the children of Israel, when he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing them but they did not understand. The next day he came to some of them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong each other?’ The man who was wronging his neighbor pushed Moses aside saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ When he heard this, Moses fled and became a resident alien in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons. Now when forty (40) years had passed, an Angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mt. Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. (Exodus 3:1-12) When Moses saw it he was amazed at the sight and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the Lord: “I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Moses began to tremble and did not dare look. Then the Lord said to him, “Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is Holy ground. I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.” It was this Moses whom they rejected when they said, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ Whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty (40 years. This is the Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘God will raise up a Prophet for you from your own people as he raised me up.’ He is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him at Mt. Sinai and with our ancestors; he received living oracles to gibe to us. Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what happened to him.’ At that time they made a calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol and reveled in the works of their hands. God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of Heaven as it is written in the book of the Prophets: (See: Amos 5:25-27) ‘Did you offer to me slain victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O House of Israel? No you took along the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; So I will remove you beyond Babylon.’ Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors and it was there until the time of David, who found favor with God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the House of Jacob but it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands, as the Prophet says, (See: Isaiah 66:1-2) ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for me says the Lord or what is the place of my rest? Did not My hand make all these things?’ You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the Prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the Law as Ordained by Angels and yet you have not kept it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

When they heard these things they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen but filled with the Holy Spirit, he (Stephen) gazed into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he (Stephen) said, ‘I see the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ They covered their ears and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, Stephen died.  –Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-60

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Stephen, First Marty For Christ, Visit: USCCB

Today Christians Honor St. Stephen the First Martyr For Christ, Patron Saint of Bricklayers & Deacons – Please Pray For Us!

Tuesday, December 26th, 2023

Saint Stephen...Saint Stephen the Martyr –Image: Saint a Day@Twitter

(Franciscan Media) In the last three days, the Church through its sacred Liturgy, has seen three different Liturgical colors: Violent at the end of Advent–White or even Gold in some places, as on Christmas Day, we entered into the mystery of the birth of our Savior and today Red, as we celebrate St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, known to give his life after Jesus Christ ascended to the Father.

The birth of our Lord that we celebrated at Christmas, ultimately points to His passion and death on the Cross. The reason the Son assumed human nature was to identify with us, to live among us and to sacrifice His life for our salvation. The Son of God did not need to be born like us to have life, He had life from all eternity, thus He did not come into the world to live but to die.

It is appropriate that Saint Stephen’s martyrdom is celebrated immediately after the birth of our Lord–Saint Stephen confessed that God came among us in the flesh, lived among us, suffered, died, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father.

Celebrating martyrdom the day after Christmas, reminds us that God the Son, born of the Virgin Mary, that Little Boy in the crib of Bethlehem was born to die.

On the Feast of Saint Stephen in 2003, Blessed (now) Saint John Paul II said, “It is so meaningful the First Martyr the day after Christmas. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, gave His life for us so that we too reborn ‘from on high’ through faith and baptism, might be willing to give up our own lives for love of our brothers and sisters.”

Saint Stephen died as Jesus did, falsely accused, brought to unjust condemnation  because he spoke the truth fearlessly dying with his eyes truthfully fixed on God with a prayer of forgiveness on his lips.

A ‘happy’ death is one that finds us in the same spirit, whether our dying is as quiet as Joseph’s as as violent as Stephen’s–dying with courage, total trust and forgiving love.

More here on Saint Stephen the Martyr -EWTN

Related: Feast of Saint Stephen the First Martyr –USCCB

It’s Christmas Day! Christians Celebrate The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Monday, December 25th, 2023

Nativity PictureSolemnity of the Nativity
Image: St Athanasius Church Norwich, UK

(Franciscan Media) On Christmas Day, the Church focuses especially on the new born Child Jesus, God became human, who embodies for us all the hope and peace we seek. We need no other Special Saint to lead us to Christ in the manger, although His Mother Mary and Joseph caring for his foster Son, help round out the scene.

If we were to select a Patron Saint, perhaps it might be appropriate for us to imagine an anonymous shepherd, summoned to the birthplace by a wondrous and even disturbing a vision in the night–a summons from an angelic choir, promising peace and goodwill. A shepherd willing to seek out something that might be just too unbelievable to chase after and yet compelling enough to leave behind their flocks in the field and search for the mystery.

On the day of our Lord’s birth, let an ‘uncelebrity’ at the edge of the crowd, model for us the way to discover Christ in our own hearts–somewhere between skepticism, wonder, between mystery and faith. Like Mary and the Shepherds, let us treasure that discovery in our hearts.

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the ‘Nativity of the Lord’ at Dawn, Visit: -USCCB

On Christmas Eve, Christians Celebrate The ‘Christmas at Greccio’

Sunday, December 24th, 2023

Christmas at Greccio

(Franciscan Media) What a better way to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child then to take a brief journey to Greccio, the spot in Central Italy where St. Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib in 1223

Francis recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger that he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. One would find a baby (we’re unsure if it was a live infant or the carved image of a baby) hay upon which to lay him, an ox and a donkey to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town–at the appointed time, they arrived carrying torches and candles.

One of the Friars began celebrating Mass–Francis himself gave a sermon. His biographer Thomas of Celano recalls that Francis ‘stood before the manger…overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness.’

For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardship Jesus suffered even as an infant, a Savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus.

On Christmas Eve, as we pray around the Christmas cribs in our homes, we welcome into our hearts that same Savior.

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Wednesday, December 6th, 2023

The Lord sent me to bring Good News to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to the captives. –Cf.Luke 4:18
Image Courtesy: 1RomanCatholic@Twitter

 

Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help

Here I am, Lord;
I come to do Your will!  Cf. Psalm 40:7(a)-8(a)

I waited patiently for the Lord;
He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God!
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.

Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
You have multiplied, O Lord, my God,
Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us.
None can compare with You!
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.

Sacrifice and offering You do not desire
but You have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
Then I said, “Here I am;
In the Scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God!
Your Law is within my heart.

I have told ‘The Glad News’ of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see I have not restrained my lips,
as You know, O Lord.
I have not hidden Your saving help within  my heart,
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation!
I have not concealed Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

Do not, O Lord, withhold Your mercy from me;
Let Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness
keep me safe forever.
For evils have encompassed me without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me
until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head
and my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Let all those be put to shame and confusion
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt.
Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha Aha!”

May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You!
May those who love Your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
As for me, I am poor and needy
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my Deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God! –Psalm 40:1-17

You May Know the Joy of Salvation,
Forgiveness of Sins and the Assurance
of Eternal Life in Heaven Today,
Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Nicholas, Visit: -USCCB

Today Christians Celebrate Feast of St Nicholas, Bishop, Patron Saint of Bakers, Children & Travelers – Please Pray For Us!

Wednesday, December 6th, 2023

Saint NicholasSaint Nicholas (270-343)

(Franciscan Media) The absence of ‘hard facts’ of history is not necessarily an obstacle to the popularity of Saints, as the devotion to Saint Nicholas shows–both the Eastern and Westerns Churches honor him and it is claimed that after the Blessed Virgin, he is the Saint most pictured by Christian artists and yet historically, we can pinpoint only the fact that Nicholas, was the 4th Century Bishop of Myra a City in Lycia a Province of Asia Minor–geographic region in the South Western part of Asia composing what is present day Turkey.

As with many of the Saints, we are able to capture the relationship that Nicholas had with God through the admiration which Christians have with Him–an admiration expressed in the colorful stories which have been told and retold down through the centuries.

Perhaps the best known story of Nicholas concerns his charity towards a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man’s window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married.

Over the centuries this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the Saint’s feast.

In the English speaking countries, St Nicholas became by the twist of the tongue ‘Santa Claus’ further expanding the example of generosity portrayed by this Holy Bishop.

More here from Catholic Online and here from EWTN

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Nicholas, Visit: -USCCB

St. Nicholas: 5 Things to Know and Share -Natl Catholic Register

(Video) Nicholas: The Boy Who Became Santa –St. Nicholas Center