Walk In the Spirit December 2016

WALK IN THE SPIRIT December 2016 Volume 12 Issue 15

"The Lord is with you. Be awake"

ISSN 1391-5967

Publication: Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

SHARING ON PRAYER December 2016

“I live now not I but Christ liveth in me” or "The life I live now is not my own' Christ is living in me."

"The Incarnate God - Jesus Christ is one with mine and others' flesh He is dying in me He is rising in me He is coming over and over again As much as the Incarnation is on perpetually, so is the dying and rising, also, the coming and the coming again. The final coming is assured. We do not know the day or the hour. Let my ‘awareness’ be directed to this great revelation of the mystery of God’s Love.

Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

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Thursday 1st December 2016

Isaiah:26/1-6 Psalm:118/1.8-9, 19-21,25-27 Matthew:7/21, 24-27 The Frist Proclamation On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; he set up victory like walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace in peace because they trust in you.

Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height; the lofty city he lays low. He lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.

The Gospel Proclamation "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name'. Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you, go away from me, you evil-doers."

Prayerful Awareness

Jesus lived, He showed us how we too should live. His pure exemplary life is a good example for us too. "Take up your cross and follow me". That is the Will of the Lord. As Jesus saved us by carrying His cross to Calvary, He expects us too to face the problems that come our way cheerfully and not to run away leavng our problems behind. Jesus endured all His pains and sufferings to the very end and that was for our sake. We too should bear up all that comes our way with joy. God will never give us anything that will be too much for our endurance. He knows our limits. He is always ready to help us. And He is waiting to come to our rescue if only we ask Him. "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". Jesus is the Truth. There is no one else who is as true as Jesus, who speaks the Truth or who lives the truth.

So if we too speak the Truth, believe and live the Truth like Jesus we will attain Heaven.

"I am the Life". Jesus is the One who won Life - everlasting for us. So it is only through Jesus that we can attain life - everlasting. And that too not just by calling Him "Master' or "Lord, Lord", but by living according to His Will or Doctrine that He has set for us in the Holy Bible and in our conscience and by obeying our superiors whom God has appointed to lead us to Jesus.

Prayer Starter

Whenever I feel that Christ is near, According to Jesus, if we want to all cares and sorrows flee enter Heaven, we should live and act He is my strength, my hope, my according to the Will of God. In order to know God's Will, He sent His only life. He is all in all to me. beloved Son to show us the way to Lewis Heaven. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." By the way

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Friday 2nd December 2016 Isaiah:29/17-24 Psalm: 27/1, 4, 13-14 Matthew:9/27-31 Introduction Let us read today’s Proclamations meditatively where the central theme is the inner peace, and healing and joy we can receive in this world, and in the world to come, when we turn to and put our trust in God Almighty, our Abba!

First Proclamation Is it not true that in a very short time the Lebanon will become productive ground, so productive you might take it for a forest?

That day the deaf will hear the words of the book and, delivered from shadow and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see. The lowly will find ever more joy in Yahweh and the poorest of people will delight in the Holy One of Israel; for the tyrant will be no more, the scoffer has vanished and all those on the look-out for evil have been destroyed: those who incriminate others by their words, those who lay traps for the arbitrator at the gate and groundlessly deprive the upright of fair judgement.

That is why Yahweh, God of the House of Jacob, Abraham's redeemer, says this, 'No longer shall Jacob be disappointed, no more shall his face grow pale, for when he sees his children, my creatures, home again with him, he will acknowledge my name as holy, he will acknowledge the Holy One of Jacob to be holy and will hold the God of Israel in awe. Erring spirits will learn to understand and murmurers accept instruction.'

Gospel Proclamation As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, 'Take pity on us, son of David.'

And when Jesus reached the house

the blind men came up to him and he said to them, 'Do you believe I can do this?' They said, 'Lord, we do.'

Then he touched their eyes saying, 'According to your faith, let it be done to you.' And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, 'Take care that no one learns about this.'

But when they had gone away, they talked about him all over the countryside.

Prayerful Awareness In the Gospel Proclamation we see two blind men having their sight restored by putting their trust in the Lord. The Lord says, 'According to your faith, let it be done to you.'

Believe, Receive, Become!

In the First Proclamation we read of the prophesy regarding the state of life to come, after the time of great tribulation culminating with the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to establish God’s Kingdom on earth, to eternity! But these same blessings are open to the citizens of God’s Kingdom in this life itself, i.e. to those who come under the influence of the Holy Spirit and become children of Almighty God, Abba Father! (Romans 8:14) and make ourselves open to be filled with the gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11) and fruits (Galatians 5:22-23) of the Holy Spirit whereby we can receive inner peace, joy, and healing. When we put our total trust in the Lord and learn to accept everything that happens in our lives as being in accordance with God’s definitive or permissive Will, it gives us an inner peace, whereby we can sing as follows: Song of Praise (Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14) Yahweh is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear? Yahweh is the fortress of my life, whom should I dread?

One thing I ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek: to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life, to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh, to seek out his temple.........

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Saturday 3rd December 2016 Jeremiah:1/4-9, Psalm:117/1-2 1 Corinthians: 9/16-19 22-23 Mark:16/15-20 Gospel Proclamation He said to them, go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to the whole human race.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, whoever does not believe will be condemned. Believers will be given the power to perform miracles. They will drive out demons in my name, they will speak in strange tongues. If they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be harmed; they will place their hands on sick people, who will get well. After the Lord Jesus had talked with them, he was taken up to heaven and sat at the right side of God. The disciples went and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and proved that their preaching was true by the miracles that were performed.

Gaze at Jesus Jesus tells them “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to the whole human race”.

As a sign of His authority to preach the Gospel, Jesus gave them the power to perform miracles. The Gospel says that Lord worked with them and proved that their preaching was true. Miracles were a confirmation that the Good News they preached was true. It was also an assurance to the Apostles that Jesus was continually present with them and He was working along with them.

Our Sonship When we use the word witness, it could indicate someone’s observation of a situation. Different people will

St. Francis Xavier

perceive the same situation differently. Often there are many witnesses gathered to prove a point. Similarly, gifts of the Holy Spirit are signs given to believers as a way to witness to the work of God. As St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9: 18 “What pay do I get then? It is the privilege of preaching the Good News without charging for it, without claiming my rights in my work for the gospel.”

Gifts of the Spirit are a sign of God being present in the situations that believers are interceding for. They are also given to those who are working under God’s authority. In the first reading God tells Jeremiah that “I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah was given the gift of prophecy, to prophecy to all the nations. As St. Paul says, it is a free gift given to the believers that Lord is working through them. Therefore, it is not a livelihood, but a gift to reconcile people with God and to build His Kingdom.

It also needs to be explained that exercising the gifts of the Spirit is a responsibility. It is amply emphasized

by St. Paul in the letter to Corinthians in today’s 2nd reading.

Prayer Starter Dear Lord Preaching the Gospel is a service to others in love and it is also the means by which heaven and earth are linked in love. Lord we accept Your calling today as Jeremiah and St. Paul and all the other apostles did to become the source of service that You have destined for us to reach out to the whole human race.

We pray for our Holy Father, the priests and the laity to work with passion and commitment. We submit our prayer through the glorious presence of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Sunday 4th December 2016 Isaiah: 11/1-10 Psalm: 72/1-2, 7-8,

12-13, 17 Romans: 15/4-9 Matthew: 3/1-12

The First Proclamation A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and

Second Sunday in Advent his dwelling shall be glorious.

The Gospel Proclamation In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. The people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor', for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

"I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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The Second Proclamation

words, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." It summarises his For whatever was written in whole God-given mission. former days was written for our It is the one thing that is reinstruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of ally necessary in life and more the scriptures we might have hope. than anything else, it is the most May the God of steadfastness and important thing God demands of encouragement grant you to live in us. Not to repent is to reject God. harmony with one another, in ac- When we begin to repent deeply, we cordance with Christ Jesus, so that begin to love God again and when we together you may with one voice begin to love God, we begin to love glorify the God and Father of our ourselves again and when we begin to love ourselves, it becomes easy for us Lord Jesus Christ. to love our neighbour.

Welcome one another, therefore, Loving God, loving ourselves and just as Christ has welcomed you; for loving our neighbor are like the three the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the angles of a triangle. One cannot exist circumcised on behalf of the truth of without the other two. Repentance God in order that he might confirm also gives us our capacity to love, the promises given to the patriarchs, while sin takes away our capacity to and in order that the Gentiles might love. The more we repent, the greater our capacity to love. While sin deglorify God for his mercy.... stroys our divine sonship, repentance Prayerful Awareness restores our real nature, the mage of Repentance is the preparation par God that had been distorted by sin. excellence for the Lord's coming into It is very interesting to note that our midst. The authenticity and sin- Jesus too started His mission with the cerity of our interior preparation is in same command like John the Baptist, proportion to our ongoing repentance. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is Not to repent is to reject Him and His at hand." (Mathew 4:12) Kingdom.

This ongoing deep, radical and Ongoing repentance is the foun- personal transformation is the indation of Christian praxis. The one dispensable foundation of Christian who does not repent does not love living that Our Lord demands of us all. oneself. Not to do anything about our Unrepented life is not worth living and sinful lives is always self-destructive. there are no sins beyond forgiveness If a person still continues to remain in with God. his or her sinful ways, that person is Prayer Starter doing a great injustice to himself or herself. More than anybody else, sin O Lord, give us the grace, infinite destroys the sinner most. Since sin humility and courage to accept again destroys the sinner, the sinner also and again our real situation in life and becomes a destroyer of other people. undergo repentance and also restore Sin is tremendously contagious and in us our God given capacity to love the only way to destroy sin is to repent our neighbour, especially those who continuously. No wonder John the do not like us and those whom we do Baptist began his ministry with the not like much.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Monday 5th December 2016

St. Sabas, Abbot, Confessor

Isaiah: 35/1-10 Psalm: 85/8-13 Luke:5/17-26 St. Sabas Born in January 439, St. Sabas was a young nobleman of Cappadocia (Turkey), who travelled to Jerusalem and after spending some years in the desert, settled down to an austere life under the guidance of St. Euthemius. Near the brook Cedron he later established the great Laura Mar Saba, which still flourishes. Here the monks lived in separate cells, somewhat like the Carthusians today. Six other houses also owe their foundation to his zeal. He was ordained priest in 491. He set an example of scrupulous observance of the rule, he was able to bring about much needed reform in their discipline. He was also famous for charity towards the poor. Died: 5th December 532. Relics are still venerated in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice.

The Gospel Proclamation One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting near by .... Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. ... but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles .... When he saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." Then the scribes and the Pharisees ..."Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Stand up and walk?

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins .... "I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home."

Immediately he stood up before them took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God.

Prayerful Awareness Jesus not only forgave his sins but also cured his sickness. Why sin first?

It paralyses the soul which bears the likeness of the Creator. Sickness of the body - yes, it can paralyze the body or bring death of the body. Sin can paralyse the soul, deface it. The more important of the two, soul and the body, is invariably the soul. So Jesus forgives sin first and then the physical ailment. Sin is an offence against God. Man has no power to forgive sins. If Jesus were a mere man He is blaspheming and laying claim to divine attribute; even robbing God of the right that solely belongs to God. How mistaken were the Scribes in misunderstanding Jesus to be a mere man. He is God and He proves the same by working a miracle. Of the two utterances Jesus speaks of: "Your sins are forgiven", and "Get up and walk", it is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven." None is able to prove whether the sins are forgiven or not. On the other hand everybody is able to verify whether the paralytic is able to get up and walk.

We see Jesus doing the difficult thing first in order to prove that He really forgives sins. Jesus also saw the unwavering faith of those who worked behind the miracle the men who brought the paralysed man to Him. He appreciated their endeavour.

The man who was brought before Jesus on a bed went away carrying the very bed. "Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of His Church; above all for those who, since baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the Sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as "the second plank (of salvation) after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace." (C.C.C.1446) Prayer Starter He is ready to save those who honour Him and His saving presence will remain in our land." Amen. (Ps.85:9)

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Tuesday 6th December 2016 Isaiah: 40/1-11 Psalm: 96/1-3, 10-13 Matthew: 18/12-14 The First Proclamation

St. Nicholes

in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Prayerful Awareness When Jesus, as a true human being, was struggling and trying to ascertain His true identity in the face of all what His mother might have told Him about His mysterious birth and other connected events, these verses would have thrown much light to dispel doubts that would have existed in His mind that He was also divine.

Jesus would have had to die to the promptings of His own rational mind in the face of the words, "Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God." And later on, having come to the enlightenment and realisation that He was really the "Son of God", as well as Son of Man, the words in verse 11 would have got endeared to Him, judging by what Jesus taught and did.

Perhaps, these few words would have formed His total outlook on humanity - that He had to carry the whole humanity on His shoulders towards emancipation and salvation, towards God, towards the truth.

And towards this end, He formulated His teachings and lived His life, which culminated on the Cross.

Today, we are faced with this same struggle - the struggle to ascertain our true identity as sons and daughters of God - not in our intellect, but at the depth of our hearts.

Prayer Starter

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!" See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him, his reward Come Lord Holy Spirit, come and is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock join with my spirit, so that I can call like a shepherd; he will gather the God. "Thatha" from the depths of my lambs in his arms, and carry them heart.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Wednesday 7th December 2016 Isaiah: 40/25-31 Psalm: 103/1-4, 8, 10 Matthew: 11/28-30 The First Proclamation To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see; Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel! 'My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted, but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Prayerful Awareness The Lord speaks to us through prophet Isaiah. The message of the Lord who is to come, the Word Incarnate will empower us to confront all trials and temptations for "He is the everlasting God" Let us praise and thank the Lord for this great gift showered on us. As the only begotten Son of God, Jesus experienced His love in all its fullness. Jesus is therefore fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah. Jesus is also calling us to enter into the experience of sonship.

St. Ambrose

The Gospel Proclamation "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Fix your gaze on Jesus Jesus is calling us to come to Him. From toilsome tasks, Jesus invites us to a refreshing relationship. It is a relationship of sharing in the mission of Jesus. "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" confides Jesus. It is a call to collaboration and solidarity. His words are inspiring, giving us comfort.

Jesus tells us, "Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Two thousand years ago Jesus told the downtrodden people to come to Him because the law placed a very heavy burden on them. To the Pharisees the observance of the Law to the letter was more important than to show love and mercy to their fellowmen.

Jesus with love and compassion, looking at the suffering and trials and temptations we undergo in this world is calling us to Him to accept Him in faith, for in Him we could be relieved of all pain and suffering for He states, "My yoke is easy, my burden is light."

Prayer Starter Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits ... (Ps.103/14)

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Thursday 8th December 2016 Genesis: 3/9-15, 20 Psalm: 98/1-4 Ephesians: 1/3-6,11-12 Luke: 1/26-38

Gospel Proclamation In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.

He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of king David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you". Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her “Don’t be afraid Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as His ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendents of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end!” Mary said to the Angel “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason, the holy child will be called the Son of God. Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do."

Prayerful Awareness

Divinity is best explained and understood in the mystery of the triune aspect of God. God the Father is power most supreme, then God the Son is the manifestation of God’s love and the Holy Spirit is the

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary force that brings the divinity into action.

In that light, the Gospel of Luke explains today the fulfilment of God’s promise of divine salvation to man.

Our sonship

Adam and Eve were given warning well ahead about the temptation that was to come. Yet, they did not have the courage to rebuke the snake. In spite of their misgiving, in God’s wrath, He did not completely abandon them. Scripture say, God found them clothing before they left Eden and they were asked to toil the earth that God provided.

Consider also what is said in other scripture dedicated to today’s celebration. Gospel of Luke in 1: 38 say “There is nothing that God cannot do” which Blessed Mother trusted implicitly in and had the courage to bare the huge cost to her otherwise simple lifestyle and motherhood with Joseph.

We as the community of the Holy Catholic Church has God’s guidance in Ephesians 1:11 that say “All things are done according to God’s plan and decision, and God chose us to be His own people in union with Christ because of His own purpose, based on what He had decided from the very beginning”. We could either be Adam and Eve taking God’s purpose lightly or be like the Blessed Mother who felt the weight of God’s call. We are anointed with the Holy Spirit at our Baptism to be God’s children. Our supreme purpose is to witness to the Trinitarian mystery.

Prayer starter

Dear Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Friday 9th December 2016

Isaiah: 48/17-19 Psalm: 1/1-4, 6 Matthew: 11/16-19 Saint Juan Diego Juan Diego was born in 1474 in the calpulli or ward of Tlayacac located 20 kilometers (14 miles) north of what is now Mexico City.

On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego rose before dawn to walk fifteen miles to daily Mass in what is now Mexico City. Juan lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer, and laborer. That morning, as Juan passed Tepeyac Hill, he heard music and saw a glowing cloud encircled by a rainbow. A woman's voice called him to the top of the hill. There he saw a beautiful young woman dressed like an Aztec princess. She said she was the Virgin Mary and asked Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on that site. She said, "I vividly desire that a church be built on this site, so that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense, for I am your most devoted mother . . to hear your laments and to remedy all your miseries, pains, and sufferings."

The bishop was kind but skeptical. He asked Juan to bring proof of the Lady's identity. Before Juan could go back to the Lady, he found out his uncle was dying.

Hurrying to get a priest, Juan missed his meeting with the Lady. The Lady, however, met him on his path and told him that his uncle had been cured.

She then told Juan to climb to the top of the hill where they first met. Juan was shocked to find flowers growing in the frozen soil. He gathered them in his cloak and took them at once to the bishop.

Juan told the bishop what had happened and opened his cloak. The flowers that fell to the ground were Castilian roses (which were not grown in Mexico). But the bishop's eyes were on the glowing image of the Lady imprinted inside Juan's cloak.

Soon after, a church was built on the site where our Lady appeared, and thousands converted to Christianity. Our Lady

St. John Diago of Guadalupe was declared the patroness of the Americas. Juan Diego died on May 30, 1548, at the age of 74 (extracts from Catholic Online website).

Prayerful Awareness Let us read today’s Proclamations meditatively where the central theme is regarding the blessings that accrue to those who listen to the Word of God and act on it.

But this requires us to let go of many things that we cling on to now, be it a pleasurable sin, habit, addiction, or other things that we make idols of, such as power, wealth, prestige, etc., and sometimes our life itself. Hence in the Gospel Proclamation our Lord Jesus Christ laments that people do contrary to what they are told to / expected to do.

Because doing God’s Will has a cost attached to it, a majority of us fall short of what is expected of us. And in order to justify the lack of compliance / faith we are quick to find any and every excuse to belittle the person proclaiming the message, as described in today’s Gospel Proclamation: 'For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He is possessed." The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners." And Jesus ends the discourse with the words “Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds”, i.e. we will surely reap what we sow.

Song of Praise (Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6) How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread, nor a seat in company with cynics, but who delights in the law of Yahweh and murmurs his law day and night. Such a one is like a tree planted near streams; it bears fruit in season and its leaves never wither, and every project succeeds.

How different the wicked, how different! Just like chaff blown around by the wind For Yahweh watches over the path of the upright, but the path of the wicked is doomed.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrñ' ud l< hq;= l=ula±hs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Saturday 10th December 2016 Sirach: 48/1-4, 9-11 Psalm: 80/1-2, 14-15, 17-18 Matthew: 17/10-13 The First Proclamation Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire, and his word burned like a torch. He brought a famine upon them, and by his zeal he made them few in number. By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, and also three times brought down fire.

How glorious you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Whose glory is equal to yours?

You were taken up by a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with horses of fire. At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

Prayerful Awareness Let us focus on this sentence of today’s reading, Sirach 48: 10. There are two main translations of this sentence.

I would like to use the New Revised Standard Version that says: At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

I chose this translation due to the emphasis on the whole family (the other translation reads “to turn the heart of

the father to the son”). The Synod on the Family, convoked by Pope Francis in October 2015, has produced a final report which discusses in detail many aspects of family including the challenges that families face. Although it is an important read, it may not be accessible to everyone. So, when Pope Francis speaks direct to families he uses simple and heartfelt language.

He asks families to pray together and to pray for each other.

As a night time ritual my son and I pray for our family using these words, “Dear Jesus we pray for our family, help us to grow together in love, understanding, forgiveness and respect for each other”. On some days, my son who is ten, also uses this opportunity to discuss how we did not quite achieve this. I also use this opportunity on some days to apologize for over reacting, for yelling and getting angry, and to reassure him that I love him but I am weak and I am trying. (As I write this, I have also made a mental note, to lay our hands and pray for my husband who has quite a hectic work schedule at the moment.)

God is not asking us to do extraordinary things. But we can do extraordinary simple things when God is our source of love and strength.

Prayer Starter Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up Your might, and come to save us!

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Sunday 11th December 2016

Isaiah: 35/1-6, 10 Psalm: 146/6-10 James:5/7-10 Mathew:11/2-11

The First Proclamation The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong do not fear!

Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped, then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; ....

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The Gospel Proclamation

Third Sunday in Advent

said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see; the blind receive their sight; the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, 'See I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.'

The Second Proclamation

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged, See, the judge is standWhen John heard in prison ing at the doors! As an example of what the Messiah was doing, he suffering and patience, beloved, sent word by his disciples and take the prophets who spoke in

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Prayerful Awareness What we hear and see about Jesus need be proclaimed, remembered and cherished. Jesus' capacity to heal, touch people's lives, teach and preach is eternal and infinite.

That capacity did not stop with His death. Since He is risen and ascended into heaven, that capacity has become all the more effective and powerful.

Death has no power over Him, has not taken anything from Him and has not destroyed any of His former capabilities. As Jesus healed the blind, made the lame walk, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, made the deaf hear and preached the Good News to the poor, He still continues to heal the blind, raise the dead, make the deaf hear and the lame walk, cleanse the lepers and preach the Good News to the poor.

Likewise He will continue to be so in the future.

When we get sick, even before going to a doctor, we must go to Jesus. When we are indebted, even before borrowing money from a friend or bank, we must go to Jesus.

When we have a problem in the marriage, even before consulting a counselor or psychiatrist, we must go to Jesus. When we are deeply disappointed, frustrated, mentally

and emotionally down, or at a loss, before we seek any quick solution, we must cultivate the habit of going to Jesus. In everything we do, the priority must be given to Jesus.

As John the Baptist was so curious about Jesus, we ought also to become so curious about Him. The curiosity about Jesus is the curiosity par excellence. But that curiosity should not become a mere curiosity, it must lead us toward the Kingdom of God. The more we become curious, the more we must struggle to bring about His Kingdom here on earth.

It is true that Jesus had a great appreciation for John the Baptist, and yet He never lost the focus of His central message which was the in breaking of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was the perfect bridge between heavenly realm and reality and earthy existence.

To live in Jesus is to live in both realms; at once you are on earth and in heaven. The meeting of heaven and earth happens in Jesus. Then you begin to see the real meaning of your life.

Prayer Starter O Lord, give us the desire to seek You, the curiosity to search for You continuously, and humility to acknowledge that even that desire and curiosity stem from You. Every good thing in us is from You, only from You. Give us also the grace to return to You everything we have received from You. Only then can we receive again everything from You.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Monday 12th December 2016 Numbers:24/2-7, 15-17 Psalm: 25/4-9 Mathew:21/23-27

The First Proclamation Baalam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him, and he uttered his oracle, saying: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is clear, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, but with eyes uncovered: how fair are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!' Like palm groves that stretch far away, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.

Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall have abundant water, his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. .... I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near - a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, it shall crush the borderlands of Moab, and the territory of all the Shethites.

Prayerful Awareness

for the approval of our brethren, and therein the drive to appear sane / responsible / good / worthy as is defined by contemporary social mores / understanding / comprehension.

Nevertheless, the Holy Scriptures exhort us to "look to Jesus, and run our race".

Many who have their eyes open do not have their hearts / minds open; are enlightened, but not sanctified.

We have knowledge which puffs us up with pride, but this would serve to speed us to eternal damnation/hell, and many do go with their eyes open. Walk your talk, check whether your conscious and the unconscious selves are aligned; crying Lord, Lord will not be of much use so long as you choose a different spirit to reign in your flesh ....

Balaam prophecies concern Him who would be the crown and glory of His people Israel, who is our Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah.

Remember that all events and things turn out to have been for our good in so far as we are turned to the personification of Love and Goodness - the Lord Jesus ....

Now turn, free yourself from the shackles of the social mores and customs! Be Love! Be Peace! Be in Heaven!

Prayer Starter

Now Baalam spoke not his own sense, but the language of the Spirit that came upon him. How many of us are ready to LET GO of what Dearest Lord, we pray that we makes sense to us, and to allow the will be coached to ever more listen Spirit to use our minds and bodies to that small still voice within, and as S/He sees fit? to act accordingly.

We have this deep seated need

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Tuesday 13th December 2016 Zephania:3/1-2, 9-13 Psalm: 34/1-2,5-6, 16-18, 22 Matthew: 21/28-32 The First Proclamation Ah, soiled defiled, oppressing city!

It has listened to no voice; it has accepted no correction. It has not trusted in the Lord; it has not drawn near to its God. At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. .... On that day you shall not be put to shame because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me, for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain.

The Gospel Proclamation

"What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said "Son go and work in the vineyard today." He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went.

The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him and even after you saw it, you did not change your mind and believe him.

Gaze at Jesus' Sonship Our Lord presents us with a simple parable. It speaks of two types of persons. Some people's actions are better

St. Lucy than their promises and others whose promises are better than their actions.

The rude refusal of the first son ended in respectful obedience whereas the second son's promised obedience ended in not going to the vineyard. What did Jesus see in tax collectors and prostitutes who were compared to the elder son? And what did He see in the chief priests, the scribes and the elders of the people who were compared to the second son? Here is a concrete example to bring out the truth behind the saying "The Lord looks at the heart and not outward show, actions ...." "Lord, Lord! in Your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!" To them Jesus says, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people."

Gaze at my sonship The lesson behind this parable is that promise can never take the place of performance. Attractive words and promises are not a substitute for actions.

In every Sacrament there is a promise made and how far have we lived up to our commitment? Jesus' invitation to enter His Kingdom comes in the form of parables, a characteristic feature of His teaching. Through His parables He invites people to the feast of the Kingdom, but He also asks for a radical choice; to gain the Kingdom, one must give everything. Words are not enough, deeds are required. The parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the Word? What use has he made of the talents he has received? Jesus and the presence of the Kingdom in this world are secretly at the heart of the parables. One must enter the Kingdom, that is, become a disciple of Christ, in order to "know the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven."

For those who stay "outside" everything remains enigmatic.

Prayer Starter Guide and help me O Holy Spirit to keep the promises I have made .....

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Wednesday 14h December 2016 Isaiah: 45/6-8,18,21-25 Psalm:85/8-13 Luke: 7/18-23 The Gospel Proclamation The disciples of John reported all these things to him. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind.

And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them.

And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

Prayerful Awareness More than 2000 years ago, Jesus was born as a human, and performed many miracles as signs, yet most people did not see that He was the Christ.

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

What about today? Are we still blind?

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mark 9:37) How do we welcome children? Put in another way, do the children around you feel welcomed by us? When infants cry in the church, do we frown? When kids are being kids, do we scold them and expect them to have the same self-con-

St. John of the Cross trol as adults? When children, who are naturally inclined to play engage in this activity, do we want them to settle down and “behave”?

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

(Mathew 18: 20) Yet, are we able to see past the other person’s weaknesses and see Christ in them? Does our mind become clouded by judgement of others that the power of Christ in union is not experienced?

“For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home.

I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.” Mathew 25: 42 – 43) It is so easy to focus on our problems and our needs, that we do not see the needs of others. In this materialistic world, we are constantly “needing” something/s that we do not yet have enough money to buy. The higher you climb up the social ladder, the more things that you “need” to survive, that the needs of those lower in the social ladder become invisible. Thus Christ becomes invisible.

Prayer Starter Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet, righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase, Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

(Ps.85/8-13)

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Thursday 15th December 2016 to wrong doing - Actions such as LYING, CHEATING, STEALING, GOSSIPING, taking REVENGE, ABUSING and indulging in SEXUAL IMMORALITY. A person who repents STOPS rebelling and begins following The Gospel Proclamation God's way of living prescribed in His When John's messengers had WORD. John urged to ADMIT one's gone, Jesus began to speak to the sin, then God will heal - forgive His crowds about John: "What did you people and help to live the way HE go out into the wilderness to look at? WANTS. Only God can get us out A reed shaken by the wind? What of sin. The message of repentance is then did you go out to see? Someone GOOD NEWS to those who listen and dressed in soft robes? Look, those seek the healing forgiveness of God's who put on fine clothing and live in LOVE, but terrible news, to those who luxury are in royal palaces. What refuse to listen and thus cut off their then did you go out to see? A proph- ONLY HOPE. et? Yes, I tell you, and more than a The tax collectors (who embodied prophet. This is the one about whom evil in most people's minds) and comit is written, 'See, I am sending my mon people heard John's message and messenger ahead of you, who will repented, but the Pharisees, experts in prepare your way before you.' I tell the Law, religious leaders, rejected his you, among those born of women, words. Wanting to live their own way, no one is greater than John; yet they justified their own point of view the least in the kingdom of God is and refused to listen to other ideas. greater than he. (And all the people Rather than trying to force our plans who heard this, including the tax on God, we must try to discover His collectors, acknowledged the justice plans for us. of God, because they had been bapJohn, this wild-looking man had tized with John's baptism. But by no power or position in the Jewish refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected political systems, but he spoke with almost irresistible authority. People God's purpose for themselves.) were moved by his words because he Prayerful Awareness spoke the truth, challenging them to John the Baptist was unique. He turn from their sins and baptizing them wore ODD clothes and ate STRANGE as a symbol of their repentance. food and preached an UNUSUAL God has given each of us a PURmessage to the Judeans who went out POSE for living and we can TRUST to the wastelands to see him.

Him to guide us. God can use us in a Preparing the way - a straight way He can use no one else.

HIGHWAY means removing obstacles Prayer Starter and rolling out the RED CARPET for Lord, give us a willingness to folthe coming of the Lord. His theme was "REPENT!". Repentance means low You today. Lord help us to listen doing a 180-degree turn - from the to those who instruct us in Your ways, kind of self-centeredness that lead with attention of the mind and intension of the will.

Isaiah: 54/1-10 Psalm: 30/1, 3-5,10-12 Luke:7/24-30

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Friday 16th December 2016 St.Margaret of Scotland, St.Gertrude, Virgin misuse it. I will bless those who do Isaiah: 56/1-3, 6-8 nothing evil”.

Psalm:67/1-2,4,6-7 Word today directs us to the joyful John: 5/33-36 presence of Jesus who is our caregiver and the way to a relationship with God Gospel Proclamation and the one who is present in the Holy John is the one to whom you sent alter to bring us all closer to the heavyour messengers, and he spoke on enly riches that come from God. behalf of the truth. It is not that I Isaiah’s prophecy assures us with must have a human witness I say this only in order that you may be saved. authority about God’s intentions to John was like a lamp, burning and those who follow the Sabbath meanshining, and you were willing for a ingfully. Sabbath to us is the Eucharist while to enjoy this light. But I have that nourishes us with the Body and a witness on my behalf which is even Blood of Jesus without which we will greater than the witness that John not have the strength to direct our lives gave; what I do, that is, the deeds my in the truth and towards heavenly grace.

As I was prayerfully meditating Father gave me to do, these speak on my behalf and show that the Father on the word today I was reminded of an experience shared by one of our has sent me. parishioners who is wonderfully close Gaze at Jesus to Jesus in the Eucharist. She wrote, John was sent by God to witness to “Want to share an experience I had the Savior who was going to be sent and today just as Holy Mass started. As the when time was right God sent His Son priest walked into the sanctuary there Jesus as our Savior. By His assuring was this incredible sense of Christ ways, Jesus taught us the joy that can Himself coming to the altar. I know that be reflected in a person who has an in my head but today there was such a intimate relationship with God. By deep revelation far beyond anything.

His dependence on God and He as the Wanted to share this for this special mediator, Jesus introduced God as our reason:- that we should pray more for heavenly Father. Few examples of His our priests and be kind in our thoughts actions that assured us of the heavenly of them, words about them and actions grace He was reliant on are: bringing towards them. God bless you all”.

Lazarus back to life, He gave thanks to Prayer Starter God. He stretched out His outcry with We pray with commitment with the two loafs of bread and five fishes to God to enable Him to feed the 5000. He mighty intercession of St. Margaret of reached out to those who were weak, Scotland and St Gertrude, Virgin whose broken hearted and lonely, so that they tireless efforts and prayer brought multitudes of souls to Church, may they be may know God as a loving provider. the royalty or any other. Thereby their Our sonship lives were put right with God.Alleluiah!

In the first reading, Prophet Isaiah Help us dear Lord to focus on our reveals God’s intentions to those who mission to revive the church with a “Do what is just and right, for soon I passion that will enable those who are will save you. I will bless those who always observe the Sabbath and do not lost back to the fold.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Saturday 17th December 2016 Genesis: 49/1-2, 8-10 Psalm:72/1-4,7-8,17 Mathew: 1/1-17 The First Proclamation

God respecting the character, circumstance and situation of the tribes which descended from the sons of Jacob, and which may be traced in their histories.

Judah's name signifies praise. God was praised for him. Judah should be a strong and courageous tribe. Judah is compared, not to a lion raging and ranging, but to a lion enjoying the satisfaction of his power and success, without creating vexation to others, this is to be truly great. Judah should be the royal tribe, the tribe from which Messiah the Prince should come. Shiloh, that promised Seed in whom the earth should be blessed, that peaceable and prosperous One or "Saviour", he shall come of Judah. Thus, dying Jacob at a great distance saw Christ's day, and it was his comfort and support on his death-bed.

Prayerful Awareness

Then Jacob called his sons, and said "Gather around, that I may tell you what will hapen to you in days to come.

Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.

Judah, your brothers shall praise you, your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp, from the prey my son, you have gone up. He crouches down, he stretches out like a lion, like a lioness - who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute Much which is here said concerncomes to him, and the obedience of ing Judah, is to be applied to Our the people is his.

Lord Jesus. In Him there is plenty of Fix your gaze on Jesus all which is nourishing and refreshThank You O Holy Spirit for Your ing to the soul, and which maintains active presence throughout the long and cheers the Divine life in it. He is History of Salvation. Of course for the true Vine, wine is the appointed You, a thousand years is just a day .... symbol of His blood, which is drunk indeed, as shed for sinners, and apAll Jacob's sons were living. His plied in faith, and all the blessings of calling them together was a precept for His gospel are wine and milk, without them to unite in love, and be foretold money and without price, to which that they should not be separated, every thirsty soul is welcome. as Abraham's sons and Isaac's were, Prayer Starter but should all make one people. We are not to consider this address as the expression of private feelings of affection, resentment, clannishness or partiality; but as the language of the Holy Spirit, declaring the purpose of

Lord Jesus, I invite You in to my life. Do become the Life and Light within, coach me to abide in Your love, so that I become a living witness to the love that You hold out to all of us ....

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Sunday 18th December 2016

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Isaiah: 7/10-14 Psalm: 24/1-6 Romans: 1/1-7 Mathew: 1/18-24 Introduction When we have exhausted all the resources at our command and are literally helpless we have a habit of looking up to heaven for inspiration.

It is an unconscious acknowledgement of a transcendent reality able to solve our helplessness. It is time that we believed that God loves us enough to be willing to step into the darkness of our own making and end the confusion that is prevailing within and amongst us. The Entrance Antiphon aptly verbalizes our inner cry “Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Saviour.”

The First Proclamation Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep in the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask. I will not tempt the Lord!” Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Prayerful Awareness The first proclamation is a record of what happened at a time when the king of Israel was in deep trouble. The Davidic dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic king. Apostates like King Ahaz (2 Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of David. When God offered

King Ahaz a sign, the king refused.

He had more faith in a treaty with the Assyrians than in God. What is God’s response to this high-handed behavior of the King?

Does God punish him? No indeed, God gives the sign of His presence with the apostate king despite his treacherous behavior.

Let us become aware of the Holy Spirit teaching us how Jesus reading this passage would have absorbed the response of God to one who refused His love and care. Jesus who became man to save ALL MANKIND had as His mission to reveal the love of His Father whose children they all were.

Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, had to face and overcome the challenge of loving with the love of God His Father not only those who accepted and responded to His love but also those who openly rejected His love.

The Gospel Proclamation Now 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 house. 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 be with child and

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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.

Gaze at Jesus Let us for a moment delve into the experience of the Blessed Mother when she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry. She was asked to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust in God and in His promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people. In addition, according to the law of Moses she could have been stoned to death. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God’s promises. The Blessed Mother was put in a situation where only God’s intervention could save her.

Then there is no doubt whatsoever that Jesus even as true Man had the best of tutors with regard to having faith in God, His beloved Mother.

The Second Proclamation

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.

Our sonship

Let us read and understand St. Paul’s Mission as expressed in the second proclamation; ‘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.”

When you really think about it, Christmas can be celebrated only by those who have and exercise the gift of faith. It was faith that enabled the poor shepherds to accept that the baby they saw lying in the manger was indeed the Son of Yahweh their God. The same applies to the Wise Men. So it is the same with us. We are able to believe that the Almighty and Everlasting God the Author of the whole of creation came into this world through a woman because we have received the tremendous gift of faith. So let us prepare to celebrate Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and in His redeeming work.

Prayer Starter Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart The Word was made flesh, and for the gospel of God, which he dwelt amongst us. Glory be to the Fapromised previously through his ther and to the Son and the Holy Spirit. prophets in the holy scriptures, the

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Monday 19th December 2016 Judges:13/2-7, 24-25 Psalm: 71/3-6, 16-17 Luke: 1/5-25 St. Nemesius During the persecution of Emperor Trajanus Decius, St. Nemesiyus, an Egyptian, was apprehended at Alexandria upon an indictment for theft. The servant of Christ easily cleansed himself of that charge but was immediately accused of being a Christian, the charge he did not deny. Despite the threats of the Emperor he confessed his faith in Christ.

The scourge and torment he faced was severe than the thieves'. Then he was sentenced to death by burning.

The Gospel Proclamation In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, ... His wife ..., and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God .... But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

Once when he was serving as priest before God ... Then there appeared to him and angel of the Lord, ... When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified ...

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid. Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. ... even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ... Zechariah said to the angel, 'How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years." The angel replied, "I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day

Feast of St. Nemesius, Martyr these things occur. ... After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion.

She said, "This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people."

Prayerful Awareness "The awful silence of thirty years was interrupted only by the brief scene in the temple. The time was now coming to move from privacy to publicity. Because the event was to be world-shaking".

(Archbishop Fulton J.Sheen) The tragedy in the life of Zechariah and Elizabeth was childlessness. It was natural for them to think of and pray for this personal and domestic tragedy.

The good tidings came when the hope for a child was virtually dead. In terms of human thinking it is so. God alone is the law maker - of the Universe. The creation knows its creator and is always obedient to Him. Here we have the priest Zechariah and his reaction to divine plan. He was so engrossed in his own plans that God had no or little place in his world. Turning to ourselves, aren't we too in the same boat? We know that everything is in God's hands and that God should or must be given His due place in every sphere of our lives. Here comes 'but'. Do we give Him what are due to Him? - time, money, planning, in fact everything. Don't we often forget that all we possess or use were given to us for our use by God? "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!" In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God." (Job 1:21-22). Have we given Him His dues - in everything, every way and everywhere?

Prayer Starter Guide us to an unconditional surrender to You and an unwavering hope.

Amen.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Tuesday 20th December 2016 Isaiah: 7/10-14 Psalm:24/1-6 Luke:1/26-38 The First Proclamation Again the Lord spoke to A'haz saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But A'haz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

The Gospel Proclamation In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, .... The virgin's name was Mary.

And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favoured one! the Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by these words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ...." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "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 holy, he will be called Son of God. And now your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said "Here am I, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word. Then the

angel departed from her.

Prayerful Awareness A good trainer always tests the trainees, stretching and pushing the skill profiles of the trainees.

Our Lord God trains His chosen ones. In the Scripture today He tests the attitude of Ahaz the chosen king of that time; the Lord following up on the assurance given to Ahaz through the prophet Isaiah that the coming battle will not go wrong, checks to see to what extent Ahaz's faith depends on further sensual inputs. And, Ahaz responds correctly, being comforted by the prophetic utterance. And as the necessary preparedness has been realized within Ahaz, the final stage - the coming redemption of the creation is revealed.

We see the parallel to the response of Mother Mary in the event of the Annunciation. Faced with the Angel's declaration, she seeks the meaning of the greeting so as to understand. Her focus is not negative - to contradict or to refute, but positive - for clarity. We also perceive the humbleness and the openness of the mind and heart of Mother Mary - the state of inner preparedness necessary for the magnificent glory of God to shine through in the Incarnation of the Word of God - Christ Jesus.

We are called today to be like Mother Mary, to be turned towards God constantly in our heart and conscience.

Prayer Starter The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for He has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. (Ps:24/1-4)

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Wednesday 21st December 2016 Song of Solomon:2/8-14 OR Zephania:3/14-18 Psalm: 33/2-3,11-12, 20-21 Luke: 1/39-45 The First Proclamation Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout O Israel; Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgement against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; .... 'I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.

Prayerful Awareness Prophet Zephania who began his prophetic rule around 630 B.C. foretells the coming of the Day of the Lord when the kingdom of Judah will be destroyed and the people will be deported leaving behind a remnant of the meek and the poor who will seek refuge in the Lord (3/12, 13) In this text the prophet foretells the coming of a new age when God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ will be with them. It will be a time for rejoicing for they will not have to live any longer in fear. He also foretells the return of those in exile in Babylon. Prophet Jeremiah who lived about this time also has foretold the return of these people from exile.

"When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place... when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found for you (29/10-14) When Jesus read this text He would have seen that it is about Him that the

St. Peter Canisius prophet has foretold so many centuries earlier. He would have thanked the Father for sending Him to renew their faith in the Father and make them to experience the forgiving love of the Father.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Christ has affirmed what the prophet Zephania had said about the meek and the poor. 'Blessed are the poor in spirit .... Blessed are the meek....' (Matthew 5/3, 5). The people who came to listen to Him were mostly the poor and the down-trodden and these words which held out a promise of future well-being would certainly have been very consoling to them. Here Jesus revealed the mind of the Father, who always had a preferential opinion for the poor and the lowly. Even in the Old Testament the widow, the orphan and the alien were not neglected. (Deuteronomy 14/29). During His public life Christ made Himself freely accessible to the sinner and the publican much to the annoyance and dislike of the self-righteous Scribes and the Pharisees.

It would seem an irony for Pilate who sat on judgement and condemned Christ to death to publicly proclaim that "He is the King of the Jews" and also to get this title put up on the cross on which He was crucified, when to all appearances He was an apology for a man.

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, when You welcomed all those who came to You bearing their load of guilt, You enabled them to experience the forgiving love of the Father and made them to feel that they are no longer unwanted or despised. As one who calls myself to be Your follower, enable me through the power of Your Spirit to break through the crust of self-righteousness and reach out to those who have been allowed to wallow in their sinfulness and to share Your redeeming love with them and make them to turn to You with the expectation that You will accept them as they are and will set them free.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrñ' ud l< hq;= l=ula±hs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Thursday 22nd December 2016 1 Samuel: 1/24-28 Song:1 Samuel:2/1, 4-8 Luke:1/46-56 The Gospel Proclamation And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful form their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Prayerful Awareness

hearts and fill the poor with good things – food, justice and hope.

There is a close similarity between Mother Mary’s song and Hannah’s song of praise to the Lord. Hannah’s song contains a prophetic message.

She condemns those who concentrate only on personal welfare and that of the family’s future.

Hannah brings Samuel with her to the temple and gives him back to God who gave him to her for this short period of time (until he was weaned, may be five years old at most). He is dedicated to the Lord.

Mother Mary had a special calling from God to be the mother of Jesus.

When the Angel Gabriel too appeared to her with good tidings she accepted the words and said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me as your Will”. Having depended on God she performed her mission and followed Jesus from birth to crucifixion until Jesus became glorified.

My sonship

How do I react to life situations and incidents? Do I act according to the Will of God or according to my own wishes? Do I act as a true child of God On the eve of Christmas, let us experiencing God’s dignity, security gaze at Mother Mary to experience her and community feeling. Today God thoughts and feelings about Almighty through Mother Mary invites me to reGod. She is so happy that she lifts up her joice always, pray without ceasing and soul to God and proclaims the greatness give thanks to God at every moment. of God. Mother Mary sings with great (1 Thessalonians 5/16-18) gratitude and joy the song ‘Magnificat’ Prayer Starter to the glory of God and what God had "My heart exults in the Lord, my done to her and for her people. She sings too of what God will continue to do for strength is exalted in my God.” My the people in this child to be born who mouth derides my enemies, because I will scatter the proud in their arrogance, rejoice in my victory. There is no Holy pull down the mighty warriors from One like the Lord, no one besides you; their positions, raise the lowly, send there is no Rock like our God” the rich away empty-handed as their

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Friday 23rd December 2016

Malachi: 3/1-4; 4/5-6 Psalm: 25/4-5, 8-10, 14 Luke: 1/57-66 Gospel Proclamation When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours 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 neighbours, 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.

Prayerful Awareness Gospel reading speaks of the miracles connected with the birth of John the Baptist, who was born to prepare the path for the Great One to come.

God has a purpose for everything.

John prepared the hearts of the people, to repent for their sins and be purified by the Baptism of water, to make them ready to receive the seed of the Word.

People who accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, and their Saviour received the Baptism of the Spirit through Christ

St. John Canty

Jesus and became His followers to spread the Word to the rest of the world. In St. Mathew. 28: 19 - 20 , Lord entrusted every disciple to spread His Word, and all who accepted Lord Jesus Christ, be Baptised in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to make them all children of God (disciples of Lord). Do we, who have received Baptism as children of God do our duty in spreading the Word, to make others know about God and Lord Jesus. Do we remind all as to what our duty is; when carrying out acts, when speaking every word, in our thoughts and ways, always to be True Witnesses of the Lord.

This reminds me of a story I heard about Mahathma Ghandhi of India, who was a pious man although not a Christian. “A Christian missionary has asked Mahathma Ghandhi, as to what he sees as the barrier to make all of India, Christians. In his reply Mahathma Ghandhi has said, it is the Christians”. Do we Christians live as True Christians all the time. Although most of us try to live as good Christians, there are times we fail as we are weak. This is where we need the divine help, and have to pray for Faith, Wisdom, Strength, Power, Obedience and Dependence on God and be full of love for others, even our enemies, the same way Lord loves us, and also ask for help of the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Prayer Starter God our Loving Father, the darkness that covered the earth has given way to the Light, dawn of Your Word made flesh. Make us faithful to Your Word, that we may take the message of Your Spirit Filled Life to the entire world. Grant this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Saturday 24th December 2016 2 Samuel: 7/1-6,8-11, 16 Psalm: 89/1-4, 26, 28 Luke: 1/67-79 Introduction Jesus is Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love personified. Is it possible to describe love? Saint Paul attempts to describe love in the following text: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Two days ago I went to a wedding and the above was one of the readings. It is the most common reading chosen for weddings. In fact, it may even have been the reading at my own wedding. When I used to read this or even listen to it being read out, in all honesty, I can say that I never thought that I could ever love like that. Lately, even before the recent wedding, my mind has been roaming about this same text. I had started to look at this way of loving as a possibility, rather than an impossibility!

The First Proclamation Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent. Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you." But the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day,

but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle.....

The Gospel Proclamation Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand to all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, .... the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

My sonship Tomorrow is Christmas day, and it is a day of giving and receiving gifts. Would it be possible to present to your husband a love that keeps no record of wrongs?

Present to your wife a love that does not boast about yourself, instead, magnifies her. Give to your children a love that is not easily angered, but understands.

Present to your parents a love that is patient; and for your in-laws a love that trusts, hopes and preservers. Think of this way of loving as a possibility, rather than an impossibility. Through God all things are possible.

Prayer Starter I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever, with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever, your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. You said, I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David; 'I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.'

(Ps. 89/1-4)

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Sunday 25th December 2016

Christmas Day

Mid-night Mass Isaiah: 9/2-7 Psalm: 96/1-3, 11-13 Titus: 2/11-14 Luke:2/1-14 Mass at Dawn: Isaiah: 52/7-10 Psalm:98/1-6 Hebrews:1/1-6 John:1/1-18 or 1/1-5, On this day the Catholic Church the world over and the other Christian denominations commemorate the Incarnation of our blessed Lord Jesus, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity which took place about 2016 years ago in a place not much known to the outside world, called Bethlehem and in very humble circumstances.

The Christian Liturgy includes these beautiful verses from the 18th chapter of the Book of Wisdom, “For while all things were in quiet silence and the night was far in the midst of her source, Thy Almighty Word leapt down from heaven from the Royal Throne, a Stern Warrior to a doomed world.” This passage, brimming with the mystery of the Incarnation is wonderfully expressive of the infinite stillness that hovered over Christ’s birth.

The Gospel Proclamation Please read Luke 2/1-14 prayerfully.

Prayerful Awareness When Joseph first heard about the decree for a census he must have been happy that he could make it an occasion for him to go and see his friends and relatives in the city of Nazareth where he was born and grew up and at the same

time he was concerned about Mary who was betrothed to him and who was at the time in a delicate state of health expecting a baby. She however, would have been very willing to accompany him and fulfill the requirement of the decree. For it was the Son of God whom she was bearing in her womb and that she has to listen to the Father’s voice which comes to her from moment to moment and acts accordingly. Moreover she may have come to know about the word of prophesy of Prophet Micah in vs. 5:1 – “And you Bethlehem, land of Judah you are by no means least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a leader, the one who is to shepherd my people Israel.” The journey itself from Nazareth to Bethlehem would have been a tedious journey of five days for Mary who would have ridden most of the way on the back of an ass. Soon after the registration she would have felt that the time has come for her to give birth to the child and both of them would have gone to the city to look for a suitable place to have the child and when they failed they had come to the inn where too they had no place. At last it was in a stable (a cave carved out of rock) in which she gave birth and wrapped him up in swaddling cloth and laid him in a manger which served as a cot. Mary would have been so happy to take the child in her arms and pay him all the respect and adoration due to him who was the Son of God. Yet another prophesy of prophet Isaiah was also fulfilled at this moment (vs.

113) when on ox from the nearby field and the ass they had brought with them prostrated before the child and warmed him with their breath. “The ox knows its master and the ass its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know me, my people do not understand.”

It was to the shepherds camping out

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in the country side that the news of the birth of the Messiah was first revealed and that was through an angel of the Lord specially sent from heaven – there were others also to follow hm. The shepherds were filled with fear when they saw themselves shrouded in divine mystery (glory of God shone around them). The angel at first calmed their fears after telling them of his mission – to convey to them the good news of great joy of the birth of a Saviour who is the Messiah in David’s Town – let this be a sign for you. They will recognize God who became poor for them in order to communicate His treasure to them. Then the other angels also with the first angel praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth for God is blessing humankind.”

When the angels went back to heaven the shepherds would have considered among themselves as to why God had conferred on them the singular favour of revealing to them the birth of the Messiah before it was made known to others. What the angel told them at first would have been an indirect hint for them to go and see for themselves, the Saviour born to them. After going there they also conveyed to all those who were present there all that the angels had told them about the Child and they were very much astonished. While the world was in darkness some shepherds see God. While they were there Mary and Joseph would have had the comfort of seeing the poor reach their refuge, and also most probably because God delights in revealing Himself. With the birth of Jesus a new age began (the final as the apostles will say) in which on the one hand people will hope for the salvation of the world and on the other, they already enjoy salvation.

The Second Proclamation For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and

worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Prayerful Awareness God has revealed His loving plan to all. Here Paul returns to the essence of the Christian message, it is a gift of God and so it must produce the fruits of goodness and reconciliation and draw people away from self-centredness which paralyses them.

He gave Himself for us – Jesus’ sacrifice is primarily to purify them who became His people. In fact, it is by looking at Jesus that little by little, we let go of what is violent and evil in us.

Teaching us to reject an irreligious way of life – God brings us to mortify and purify our motives and hearts – Responsible because the practice of Christian living brings us to a more serious attitude.

- Just with others by being primarily just with God - Serving God because the believer is just with God. Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, on this day when we commemorate Your Incarnation may we as far as possible give our earnest attention to the life You led on earth with all the discomforts and rejection even at birth from most of those You come to redeem from their sinfulness. May we unite with the poor, the sad and the unwanted and also associate with those who sincerely are doing something for the suffering because we believe that they also as much as we, are sons and daughters of our Father in heaven.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Monday 26th December 2016 Acts: 6/8-10; 7/54-59 Psalm:31/3-7, 15-16 Matthew: 10/17-22 Gospel Proclamation “But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, You will be given at that moment what you are to say.

For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.

Prayerful Awareness Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God came into this world to suffer and die to pay for the sin of mankind, and the time He spent on earth in human form was only 33 years. We are brought into this world to bring Glory to God, to become witnesses for God and His Great Love. God is Love ( 1 John 4: 16 ). God is Merciful due to this Great Love and God proved this through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He wants us to remain in His Love and love everyone as He Loves us. Lord Jesus set the example of how we should live fulfilling God’s Will. This is why we are called to follow Lord Jesus and live pious lives as children of God and become heirs to Lord’s

St. Stephen, Martyr kingdom and sit in triumph with Him receiving Salvation. God has a plan for us to receive this Salvation, by putting aside the lust for earthly wealth and desires which drive us to sin, and also by purifying ourselves, obtaining forgiveness from God, for all our past sins through repentance, as God is Merciful to forgive them all. In our journey of this short life, we are called to obey all God’s Commandments and live our lives as happy, true witnesses of His Love and bring Glory to God our Loving Father, as pleasing sons and daughters and unite with our Lord Jesus at the end of our lives. In 1 Peter 2:11, St. Peter said “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to this world, to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.”

We should trust God and depend only on God for everything. Man is full of sinful motives and man will lead us to sin, and failing this, to persecutions.

First Reading of Acts 6: 8-10, is on St. Stephen, who filled Grace and Power, was working great wonders and signs as a True witness of the Lord. He was confronted and challenged by the earthly people who could not listen to the Word. Later, he was brought before the Sanhedrin with false charges and stoned to death in the year 34 AD to make him the First Martyr of Christianity. We too are called to testify for the Lord as witnesses with the help of the Holy Spirit, and also be ready to face persecutions of the world.

Prayer Starter O my Jesus, have mercy on us.

Forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of Thy mercy, Amen .

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Tuesday 27th December 2016

St. John Apostle

1 John: 1/1-4 Psalm:97/1-2,5-6,11-12

in, and he saw and believed.

Prayerful Awareness

John:20/1-8

St. John has had encountered the Living Christ through his senses. He has had under the ministration of Christ also experienced the bountiful Life which was flowing forth from God the Father and is now made visible and available to us through Christ the Son. St. John forcefully documents and gives testimony to this belief in his first epistle. He is guided by the Holy Spirit to put on the mind of Christ - to share the truth and the life as proclaimed and expounded

by Jesus who always glorified the Father - the source of All. St. John is also clear regarding the resulting condition of allowing the Word of Life to work within - joyous and thankful frame of mind and heart. The Psalmist echoes the greatness of Yahweh the King, making mountains melt like wax and gladdening many hearts, rejoicing the earth in His savings justice.

Prayer Starter

The First Proclamation We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us - we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

The Gospel Proclamation Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first also went

Abba, we thank You for revealing to us Your life giving Word - Jesus Christ, who was in turn completely focussed on You. Acceding to this harmonious relationship is an essential aspect for us to realise Your sonship. Am I open to the ministrations of the Holy Spirit or am I constraining and framing myself to my limited understanding and perception?

The pandit exhorts "Know your limitations, and then go beyond it" and we proclaim "There is nothing I cannot do in the One who strengthens me" (Phil. 4/13). My ability to focus on the Father to realise Your sonship appears to be directly related to my humility the acceptance of my limitations and uniqueness, and to be open in heart and mind to respond to the drawing out of myself, ourselves.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Wednesday 28th December 2016 1 John: 1/5-2/2 Psalm: 124/2-5,7-8 Mathew: 2/13-18 The First Proclamation This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true, but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ....

The Gospel Proclamation

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. "A voice was heard in Ramah, Rachel weeping for her children, and refused to be consoled, because

they are no more."

Prayerful Awareness This was the second dream or vision that Joseph received from God. Joseph's first dream revealed that Mary's child would be the Messiah. His second dream told him how to protect the child's life.

Although Joseph was not Jesus' natural father, he was Jesus' legal father and was RESPONSIBLE for His safety and well-being. Divine guidance comes only to PREPARED hearts. Joseph remained RECEPTIVE to God's guidance.

Going to Egypt was not unusual because there were colonies of Jews in several major Egyptian cities. These colonies had developed during the time of the great captivity. Herod killed all the boys in an attempt to kill Jesus, the new born KING. Herod stained his hands with blood, but could not kill Jesus. Herod was king by a HUMAN appointment. Jesus was KING by a DIVINE appointment.

No one can ruin God's plans.

Herod was afraid that this new born King would one day take His throne.

Herod's royal title was not GENUINE. He constantly worried about losing his position. Herod's costly attempt to gain the loyalty of the people failed because it was superficial. His only loyalty was to himself.

He completely misunderstood the REASON for Christ's coming. Jesus did not want Herod's THRONE, He wanted to be King of Herod's LIFE, to give him eternal life. Christ wants to give real FREEDOM, PEACE and JOY. Don't fear Christ - give Him the throne of YOUR LIFE. Prayer Starter Dear Lord, Jesus, thank You for encouraging me through Your Word to keep living for You. Help me to remember that only God is worthy of our devotion and adoration.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Thursday 29th December 2016

St. Thomas Becket, Bishop, Martyr

1 John: 2/3-11 Psalm: 96/1-3, 5-6 Luke: 2/22-35 St. Thomas Becket He was the son of a wealthy merchant hailing from Normandy and was born in London. He was educated at Merton Priory and then in Paris. He studied both Canon and Civil Law. King Henry II insisted in appointing him his chancellor against his will. He was a man of strong and handsome physique. When Theobold the Archbishop of Canterbury died the king nominated him to the post against his wishes and the monks of Canterbury.

His life henceforth became devoid of all its former pomp and display. He sought divine guidance in prolonged vigils, fasting and constant prayer. When the king found that Thomas objected to his rule, meddling with Church matters; he imposed a policy of financial persecution of the See of Canterbury. He was slain with swords while at the altar in his own Cathedral. Within two years he was declared a saint by Pope Alexander III. The Gospel Proclamation When the time came for their purification ..., they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord..... .... Guided by the Spirit Simeon came into the temple .... Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying, 'Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ... "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too.

Prayerful Awareness Here we see Jesus undergoing ancient ceremonies that every Jewish boy had to undergo. The first-born male of human

beings and cattle was sacred to God. In Numbers 18, we have a ceremony called the Redemption of the first-born. In this ceremony parents could buy back their son from God and the sum to be paid was to the priests. Then there was circumcision. On the eighth day every Jewish boy was circumcised. The ceremony was so sacred that it could be carried out even on the Sabbath day. The boy was given his name on this day. Then the Purification after childbirth - if the child was a boy, the mother was unclean for 40 days and a girl - 80 days. "The shadow of the cross was already hanging over a Child eight days old. He would have seven blood sheddings of which this was the first, the others being the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging, the Crowning with thorns, the way of the cross, the Crucifixion and the Piercing of the heart. But whether there was an indication of Calvary, there was also some sign of glory and it was at this moment when He was anticipating Calvary by shedding His blood that the name of Jesus was bestowed on Him. A child only eight days old was already beginning the blood-shedding that would fulfil His perfect manhood. The cradle was tinged with crimson, a token of Calvary. The Precious Blood was beginning its long pilgrimage. There had been sin in human blood, and now blood was already being poured out to do away with sin. As the East catches at sunset the colours of the West, so does the Circumcision reflect Calvary. Must He begin redeeming all at once? Cannot the cross wait? There will be plenty of time for it. Coming straight from the Father's arms to the arms of His earthly mother, He is carried in her arms to His first Calvary. Many years later He will be taken from her arms again, after the bruising of the flesh on the Cross, when the Father's work is done. (Archbishop F.J.Sheen).

Prayer Starter Help us to accept You the way we should. Amen.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Friday 30th December 2016 Sirach: 3/2-6, 12-14 Psalm: 128/1-5 Colossians:3/12-21 Matthew:2/13-15,19-23 OR 1 John: 2/12-17 Psalm: 96/7-10 Luke: 2/36-40 The First Proclamation I am writing to you little children, because your sins are forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you young people, because you have conquered the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.

I write to you fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young people, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world, for all that is in the world - the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches - comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desires are passing away, but those who do the Will of God live forever.

Prayerful Awareness The sin of Adam, since it is a sin of disobedience committed against an infinite God, is also of infinite magnitude.

Man, who is a finite being, is not capable of atoning for this sin. Hence, God Himself, in His Second Person, came into this world, took the nature of Adam, and neutralised the effects of Adam's sin, by obeying the Will of God. And God speaking through prophet Isaiah says, "But the Lord was pleased

to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendents in a long life, and the Will of the Lord shall be accomplished through him." (Isaiah 53:10) Thus God, in Jesus, reconciled man to Himself through the merits of the suffering and death of Jesus, who submitted to the Will of God, for the love He had for us. God's words through the prophet Isaiah "the Lord was pleased to crush him... descendents in a long life" indicate the extent God went, in order to save us and also the extent of love God has for us. Yes, God the Father was "pleased" to crush His only begotten Son, for our sake! Oh! what love God, our Heavenly Father has for us, His adopted children.

Thus, the effects of the disobedience of Adam against God, was completely wiped away, by the Precious Blood of Jesus, shed on the cross. Therefore, St. John tells in verse 12, "... your sins have been forgiven for his name's sake" And when we repent for our sins, accepting Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, the merits obtained by Jesus, accrue to us and wipe away our sins. Jesus Christ is our Advocate with the Heavenly Father.

Through verse 16, St. John tells us, that living to satisfy our bodily desires and passions, is against the Will of God, and therefore will not give us eternal life.

"But whoever does the Will of God remains for ever." (vs. 7) In order to do the Will of God, we ought to reject what the passing world offers us - enticement for the eyes and pretentious life. This is dying to our "self".

For Jesus said, "If you are my disciple, you must die to your self daily, take up your cross and follow me."

Prayer Starter Give to the Lord your families of nations, give to the Lord glory and strength.

Give to the Lord the glory due to His name. (Ps.96/7...)

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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Saturday 31st December 2016 1 John: 2/18-21 Psalm: 96/1-2, 11-13 John: 1/1-18 The Gospel Proclamation In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All this came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.') From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

St. Sylvester, Prayerful Awareness What Jesus TAUGHT and what He DID are tied inseparably to Who He is.

John shows Jesus as FULLY HUMAN and FULLY GOD. John wrote this Gospel, to build FAITH and confidence in Jesus Christ, so that we may believe that He TRULY WAS and IS the Son of God. John wrote to believers everywhere, both Jews and non-Jews. As one of Jesus' 12 apostles, John was an EYE WITNESS. So his story is ACCURATE. What does John mean by the WORD? An expression for "God". John's description shows clearly that he is speaking of Jesus - a human being he knew and loved, the Creator of the Universe, ultimate revelation of God, the LIVING picture of God's HOLINESS. To the Jews "The WORD was God" was blasphemous. To the Greek readers, "the WORD became flesh" was UNTHINKABLE. To John the 'Word' was gospel, the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. God created us, He is ALIVE TODAY and His love is bigger than any problem we face.

The "DARKNESS" of evil never will overcome or extinguish GOD'S LIGHT. Jesus lights the path ahead of us, so we can see how to live. With Him, we will never stumble in darkness. All of us who welcome Jesus as LORD of our lives are REBORN spiritually and puts us in God's family.

Jesus came as a SACRIFICE for ALL sins and His 'death' satisfied God's requirement for the removal of sin.

In Jesus, God revealed His nature and essence in a way that could be SEEN and TOUCHED. In Christ, God became a man who lived on earth.

Prayer Starter Jesus we acknowledge You as the creator who knows and loves His creation. We invite You into every aspect of our lives. Thank You for the written word that reveals the living WORD.

"The Lord is with you. Be awake!"

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THE COVER STORY The season of Advent has dawned.

Historically 2016 years ago, the angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in Galilee, the Son of God was incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Mother, and was born in Bethlehem.

That was the First Christmas.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light...... (Isaiah:9/2...)

The Word was made flesh.

He died.

He rose from the dead.

He will come again in Glory To fill the whole Cosmos with His Light A Happy Christmas to you and me !

The Lord is with you. Be awake !

Walk in the Spirit - December 2016

ISSN 1391-5967