Month: December 2019

An Open Door

Waiting. Anticipation. Hope.

We have arrived at the doorstep of Christmas. This afternoon, many of us will depart our houses, hands laden with all the makings of a celebration: gifts, food, cookies, perhaps a bottle of wine and more. Thus, the festivities begin and will last for a day or two, possibly three, after which we will return to our everyday lives.

However, we also arrive at the doorstep of something more: a wonderful and glorious celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, which begins the true Christmas season. Before we depart for our family Christmas celebrations, we will head over to our local churches and herald the arrival of the Lord Jesus.

If all we see, though, is the full churches, nativity scenes, and Christmas decorations, we’ve missed the point. Christmas doesn’t just stop on December 25th. Nor does Advent stop on December 24th. It’s an attitude that should last in our minds and hearts all year round.

Today’s Gospel reading leaves us with a great reminder to carry these Advent attitudes forward. Zechariah makes this beautiful proclamation and prophesy at a most joyful time in his life: the birth of his own son, John the Baptist. He speaks on themes of redemption, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and peace. All of these themes provide great hope for anyone but especially for the Israelites who have endured great suffering at the hands of many as we have seen in the Old Testament. The anxiously awaited Messiah would deliver them from all of their trials. Little did they know what Christ, the anointed one, would do for them.

Redemption and mercy is usually the theme of the Easter season, where we celebrate Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection that reconciled the world back with the Heavenly Father. There is nothing more full of hope than the salvation we have through Jesus. From the moment of His birth, all that He is and all that He did pointed toward this saving moment. The hope of Christmas reflects the hope of Easter.

Really, there is no reason that we shouldn’t celebrate Advent hope and longing deep in our hearts all season long. I urge you to not leave these attitudes behind when you close the door on your way to Christmas Mass. See how hope and longing can transform your life and your relationship with Christ.

Contact the author

Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still uses her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Advent – Mass in the Morning

Reading 1 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16

When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
“Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!”
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?

“‘It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
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.'”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29

R.(2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“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.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 1:67-79

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

– – –
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Starry, Starry Night

How often do you contemplate the night sky? Especially those clear, cold nights when the stars show so brightly we wish we could reach up and touch them. The city lights tend to obscure the beauty, but it is still there to see. It is a wonder, especially on these early evenings of darkness and late sunrises.

There are many explanations as to why December 25th was chosen as the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Look anywhere on the internet, and you get all the reasons, included among them the early Christian counter to the pagan celebrations of the period. An explanation I heard many years ago was that, since the Winter Solstice occurs late in December, and we have the shortest day and the longest night, this is why December 25th was chosen. We speak of Jesus as the Light of the World, the light that pierces the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome the light. Therefore, Jesus is born into the darkest time of the year to bring us his light. This time of year brings, ever so slightly, every 24 hours, a bit more light guiding us to Spring. We mirror this imagery of light when we carry the Paschal candle into our churches at the Easter Vigil, under the cloak of darkness, while proclaiming, “Christ Our Light! Thanks be to God!”

Malachi speaks today of the coming of the Lord, the one who will purify us as the fire of the refiner of gold or silver. Our Lord prepares our hearts and souls to be purified through his love and his commands to love God and one another. We are refined by his teachings to give him the acceptable and due sacrifice – the good we do for one another, not just during the Christmas season, but all year long. We are refined by enduring, with grace, the encumbering trials of life, to overcome them with faith. “Who can stand when he appears?” We can. We can because we live with and through Christ each day, and are willing to undergo the refining process to reach the goal for which we are created — unity with God.

The Christmas Season is often called the season of light. Drive through the city streets and see all the lights: white, blue, red, green, gold. Trees lit up and porches decorated. It is a beautiful sight to behold and we should enjoy it all. But let these be a reminder that, even as these lights uplift us and bring us joy, the true Celebration of Light is the Light of Jesus in our hearts. The “reason for the season,” remember? In spite of the efforts of today’s culture to make Christmas a purely secular celebration, we cannot forget that amid all the partying, feasting, gift-giving and receiving, that the greatest of these gifts is Christ himself. The Son of God comes to earth to guide us, one day, to our true home.

“Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.”

God Bless you and your families this Christmas, and may the New Year ring in joy and peace!

Contact the author

Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager at Diocesan, is a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. Jeanne has worked in parish ministry as an RCIA director, in Liturgy, and as a Cantor. Working word puzzles and reading fill her spare time. Jeanne can be reached at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

<cspasteout id=”csPasteouter”>Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent</cspasteout>

Reading 1 Mal 3:1-4, 23-24

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,1
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14

R.(see Luke 21:28)  Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
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.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church;
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 1:57-66

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
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.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
 and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint John of Kanty, please go here.

– – –
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

God Speaks

Do you ever wish God would send an angel to tell you exactly what his plan for you is? I remember times during discernment where I literally begged for God just to be clear. I wanted him to come down with a loud voice and lay out my life map and then I would follow. Well, that’s what I thought I wanted. We always think we want the thing we seem to not receive, but do we?

Think about this story with St. Joseph. The angel appears to him and tells him everything he needs to know in a dream. I immediately want that, but then I sit and think about it and realize that even if God came that clearly I would still find a way to reason out of it. “Oh well maybe it was just a dream. Maybe I ate a weird food and didn’t sleep right. Maybe I was just thinking about that before bed and it was my mind playing tricks.”

The problem is not that God doesn’t speak clearly, I think more often than not the problem is that we don’t listen. I can think back through the years and most of the times I wanted God to speak clearly I can now see how he was. He was there through it all helping guide and direct me. In this busy world we live in it is hard to slow down and listen and be observant of all the ways God blesses us.

The other problem with God just coming and speaking directly to us is that it could quickly become a master/servant relationship. If I knew exactly what God wanted in every moment I would just blindly follow for the sake of following. When God allows me to act and make decisions and discern, he is allowing me to live out his will. To figure out in my own heart how much he actually cares and loves me. The servant who is bound to follow is less likely to truly care than the servant who realizes that following is the best option because the master truly cares.

I imagine there had to be some doubt in St. Joseph’s mind about everything that was happening. But he lived out the will of God. He struggled through the journey to egypt, he struggled being the only one who was ever wrong in his family, I’m sure he struggled with whether or not he was worthy of being the foster father of God himself. But he allowed God to slowly reveal his will day in and day out and made the choice to follow. He was faithful.

When we ask for the big God voice we can tend to miss how God is working here and now. Let’s all pray for the grace to follow even in the little and quiet moments. God came as a little baby and we should have a childlike trust. From all of us here at Diocesan, God Bless!

Contact the author

Tommy Shultz is a Solutions Evangelist for Diocesan. In that role, he is committed to coaching parishes and dioceses on authentic and effective Catholic communication. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. Contact him at tshultz@diocesan.com.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Reading 1 Is 7:10-14

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask!  I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6.

R. (7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

Reading 2 Rom 1:1-7

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alleluia Mt 1:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 1:18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
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.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

– – –
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.