Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, December 13, 2024, Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr on Friday of the Second Week of Advent, Year C

Is 48:17-19

Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Mt 11:16-19                               Full Readings     

Saint Lucy

Indifference to the Word of God

Brethren, today's readings look rather discordant not only with the season of Advent we are in, which is supposed to give us hope of expecting the Messiah, but also with the trend of the readings we have been reading since the beginning of Advent. Nevertheless, they give us a very important message for us today; they encourage us not to be indifferent to the word of God and to the words that are told to us that the Messiah is coming, such that we should prepare for him well. Some of us may not take the word of God seriously and end up ignoring it and what it teaches us.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, December 12, 2024, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the Thursday of the Second Week of Advent, Year C

Is 41:13-20

PS 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab

Mt 11:11-15                                Full Readings     Reflection on our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Inspired by John the Baptist

Brethren, in the first. Reading we see the unchanging nature and mercy of God on us. Think of the shame and trauma the Israelites had while they were being led to exile. They suffered humiliation and were helpless in the face of opposition. To worsen the case, they were helplessly turned to slaves in exile. So Isaiah needed to restore their confidence once more. This restoration would come from an understanding that God never changes. The same God who helped Israel of old to fight their battle is still very much there to help them. The same message is being extended to us. When the enemy suggests to you that there can be other ways of getting out of your problems outside of God, tell the enemy that you serve a living God who changes not and who is bigger than your problems. And it shall be well with you. Let us now reflect on these three aspects from the Gospel.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent

 

Is 40:25-31

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10

Mt 11:28-30                                  Full Readings

Saint Damascus I

Resting in Jesus

Today's Gospel presents to us Jesus speaking with a unique tenderness as He invites us to come to Him with all our burdens and carry His yoke, for it's light and easy to carry. He will give us arrest in him.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, December 10, 2024, Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Isaiah 40:1-11

Psalm 96: 1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12a, 12b-13

Matthew 18: 12-14                                  Full Readings

Blessed Adolf Kolping

God Wants Us Back.

Brethren, there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents, and at the same time, there is joy in the church here on earth. This is the message that today's readings pass. Isaiah in the first prophecies the great Exodus, this time not an Exodus from Egypt, but an Exodus of moving from slavery of sin to freedom, for all the exiles the Israelites went to were because of their sins. Isaiah is telling the Israelites that God wants them back; they have paid their punishments in exile, and now he is coming to them with gentle love and forgiveness, thus making them his people again. They are then to make their ways straight and prepare for his coming. These are the consolation words that God always tells us.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, December 9, 2024, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Genesis 3:9-15.20

Psalm 98:1.2-3ab, 3cd-4

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

Luke 1:26-38                           Full Readings

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary, the Second Eve

Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God and the second Eve. We celebrate Mary as the virgin who is “full of grace,” as the archangel Gabriel said at the annunciation as seen in today's Gospel. From the earliest times, the Church expressed and developed the belief that Mary was conceived without original sin, but it was only in 1854 that Pope Pius IX proclaimed it a dogma. We give thanks to God for having chosen the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of the Lord and our mother and having preserved her from sin.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Sunday, December 8, 2024, Second Sunday of Advent, Year C

Bar 5:1-9

Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Phil 1:4-6, 8-11

Lk 3:1-6                      Full Readings

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Prepare the Way for the Lord

"A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord; make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled in, every mountain and hill be laid low, winding ways will be straightened, and rough roads made smooth. And all mankind shall see the salvation of God." This quotation is part of this Sunday's Gospel. A voice is crying in the wilderness, urging us to prepare the way for Jesus, for his coming is near. He is about to be born Christmas. However, this passage is not only meant to prepare us for Christmas alone but also, together with the first and second readings, urges us to prepare for the three comings of Jesus in our lives as we know them (3 of them).

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, December 7, 2024, Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Is 30:19-21, 23-26

Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8                           Full Readings

Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Plenty Harvest, Less Labourers

Today’s two readings form a pair. The prophecy of Isaiah promises material plenty—admittedly only agricultural plenty, fodder for the oxen and donkeys, the brightest of sunlight and moonlight—as the Lord’s blessing. This is by God's mercy to his people. Then in the gospel passage, Jesus fulfils the prophetic promises by sending out the disciples urgently to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom by curing the sick, cleansing the lepers, and driving out demons. This is after Jesus saw the crowd who were like sheep without a shepherd and then said that the harvest is plenty, but the labourers are few, and so asked the disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to put more labourers.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, December 6, 2024, Friday of the First Week of Advent

Is 29:17-24

Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

Mt 9:27-31                      Full Readings

Saint Nicholas

Do You Believe I Can Do This?

Brethren, an encounter with Jesus liberates us from our physical and spiritual darkness. Consider the blind men in Matt 9:27 in that light. They lived in darkness, but when they embraced Jesus, great light shone on them. Think of Nicodemus also; he came to Jesus in the night (Jn 3:2), a symbol of darkness, and was enlightened by Jesus. Thenceforth, he started speaking for the light (cf Jn 7:50–51). The messiah can also liberate you from the darkness of your deficiencies and restore you to wholeness (cf. Isa 29:17-24). You only need to embrace the virtues of meekness and humility (Isa 29:19) as well as faith in Jesus (Mt 9:28). May your restoration be whole in this season of the Lord so that your joy may be complete in the Lord.