Dec 19 Monday:
The context: We recall two advents and two
angelic messages during the Advent season, namely, the advent of John the
Baptist and the advent of Jesus. The first was preceded by the Archangel
Gabriel’s informing Zechariah the priest that a son whom he was to name John
would be born to him and his barren, aged wife. The second is preceded by the
Archangel Gabriel’s message to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph, asking her
consent to become the mother of Jesus. Today’s Gospel describes how Zechariah
got the Divine message from the Archangel Gabriel in the Holy of Holies in the
Temple of Jerusalem while making the offering of incense.
Zechariah was one of the 1800 priests serving the Temple of
Jerusalem. They were divided into 24 groups of 75 each. Thirty priests of each
group were to serve the Temple for worship services each day and only one of
them got the yearly chance of offering incense in front of the hidden Holy of
Holies. It was while performing this priestly function that Zechariah received
the vision of the angel who told him that his long-prayed-for son would be born
of Elizabeth and that Zechariah was to name the boy John, then described in
detail how that child was to be raised and what he would do. Disbelieving
Zechariah demanded a sign of the angel who responded, “I am Gabriel,
who stand in the Presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring
you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until
the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled in their time” (Lk 1:19-20
Life messages: 1) We should not take our small
misfortunes as big tragedies. We should imitate Zechariah who remained optimistic,
continuing in prayer and service in the Temple. 2) We need to get rid of the
barrenness of our heart, cleanse it daily, liberate it from evil attachments
and prepare it for the rebirth of Jesus. 3) We need to be good parents and
grandparents, offering incessant prayers for our children and grandchildren.
(Fr. Tony) (https://www.frtonyshomilies.com/)
Dec 20 Tuesday:
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the story
of the Annunciation, explaining how God began to keep the promise He had made
to King David through the prophet Nathan, that David’s descendant would rule
over the world as its Messiah. The Archangel Gabriel’s salutation to Mary: “Hail,
full of grace,” reminds us of God’s words to Moses at the burning bush (Ex
3:12), and the angel’s salutation to Gideon, (Jgs 6:12). Mary is described
as “full of grace”, filled with God’s favor and graciousness. She
is to be the new Ark, a tent and temple. God will be in her, literally and
physically, and thus she will be the greater House God promised to David.
Mary’s believing question, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” is
natural. That is why Gabriel reminds Mary, ” For with God nothing will
be impossible.” God will “empower” her (“the Spirit will come upon
you“) and “protect” her (“overshadow you“). Luke’s narrative points
out that the Child will not only be a distant grandson of David — He will be
God’s own Son. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most
High, and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His ancestor
David.” Mary does not require confirmation but responds in Faith. She
agrees to carry out the Word Gabriel has addressed to her.
Life messages: 1) We need to be humble
instruments in the hand of God, trusting in His power and goodness. St.
Augustine reminds us that God Who created us without our permission cannot save
us without our active cooperation. Hence, let us cooperate in the fulfillment
of God’s plan for us with Mary’s trusting Faith and humility. 2) Like Mary, who
brought God to us as Jesus our Savior, it is our duty to carry Jesus everywhere
and bring Jesus to the lives of others around us through love, mercy,
forgiveness, and service. “Let the soul of Mary be in each one of you to
magnify the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one to exult in Christ.”
(St. Ambrose). 3) We should treasure these words of the Gospel and use them
often, for example, by practicing the Christian custom of saying the Angelus
every day and reflecting on the five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. (Navarre
Bible Commentary).
(Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Dec 21 Wednesday: St. Peter Canisius, Priest, Doctor
of the Church:
The context: The mystery of the Incarnation
comes to ordinary people living ordinary lives, who have the willingness to
respond to God’s call and the openness and generosity to do God’s will. Luke,
in today’s Gospel, tells us how two seemingly insignificant women met to
celebrate the kindness and fidelity of God. In the Gospel, one definition of discipleship
is to listen to God’s word and then carry it out. Mary did both, to become the
most perfect disciple. The incident also shows us how sensitive Mary was to the
needs of Elizabeth, her older cousin, who had miraculously become pregnant in
her old age.
Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. There is a saying, “One who is
on fire cannot sit on a chair.” Mary, carrying Jesus and filled with the
empowering fire of the Holy Spirit, hurried to the mountain country where
Elizabeth lived, thereby conveying the Holy Spirit to her cousin and the child
in her womb. Like all good Jews, Mary was prompted in everything she did by her
commitment to God’s word in her life.
The paradox of blessedness. Blessedness confers on a person
both the greatest joy and the greatest task in the world. Nowhere can we see
the paradox better illustrated than in Mary’s life. Mary was granted the
blessedness and privilege of being the mother of the Son of God. Yet, that very
blessedness was to be a sword to pierce her heart: one day she would see her
Son hanging on a cross, die, and be buried. So, to be chosen by God is often
both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. God does not choose us to give us a
life of ease and comfort, but in order that we may respond to His love by
accomplishing His purposes.
Life messages:1) We should recognize the real
presence of Emmanuel (God Is with Us) and say “yes” to Him: The Visitation of
Mary reminds us that, through his holy ministry, Christ continues to be present
among his people. Let us recognize and appreciate the truth that the same
Christ “dwells among us” in the Bible, in the Sacraments, in the praying
community, and in our souls. 2) We should convey Jesus to others as Mary did to
Elizabeth. We can make a real difference in the lives of others today by
carrying Jesus to them. For that, we must be filled with the spirit of Christ,
allowing his rebirth within us. Then Jesus will enable us to share his love
with all whom we encounter, offering them humble and committed service,
unconditional forgiveness, and compassionate caring service.
Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Dec 22 Thursday:
The context: The Magnificat and
Hannah’s song (1400 B.C.) are properly mentioned together, because the former
is literarily and thematically dependent on the latter. Mary as a young Jewish
girl knew Hannah’s song as it was sung on every Jewish New Year Day in the
Temple and the synagogues. Both Hannah and Mary are mothers rejoicing at the
birth of an unexpected child. Hannah praises God that He has seen fit to end
the curse of her barrenness, while Mary glorifies the Lord because He has
chosen her to bear the promised Messiah. Each knew, to her sorrow, that she
would have to give up her son one day. Just as Hannah dedicated her child
Samuel to the Lord, so Mary offered her son Jesus for our salvation. On hearing
Elizabeth’s greetings, Mary sang, praising and thanking God for the great things
He had done for her. He had filled her with graces, overshadowed her with His
Holy Spirit and made her the mother of His Son Jesus. Mary praised God also for
the mercy He had worked by humbling the proud, by ousting the mighty from their
thrones, and by exalting the lowly and filling the hungry with good things, a
social, political, and economic revolution.
Life messages: 1)We need to sing songs of praise
and gratitude to God as Mary did because of the great gift of life God has
given us through our parents and for the gift of early training we have
received from them in a Christian home.2) Let us also glorify God every day
through our works of charity for the gift of our particular vocation in life,
and for the opportunities God gives us every day for doing good to others.
(Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Dec 23 Friday: St. John of Kanty, Priest:
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the birth and
naming of St. John the Baptist, the last Old Testament prophet. He was given
the mission of heralding the promised Messiah and of preparing the Chosen
People to welcome that Messiah by preaching to them repentance and the renewal
of life. John was born to the priest, Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth in
their old age. Today’s Gospel passage describes John’s birth, Circumcision, and
Naming ceremony.
A miraculous birth and an event of double joy: His elderly
parents rejoiced in John’s birth, as he was a gift from God in their old age.
Since the child was a boy, all their neighbors rejoiced with them, and the
village musicians celebrated the birth by playing their joyful music. The
Naming followed the baby’s Circumcision, and Elizabeth insisted that the child
should be named John (which means “the Lord is gracious”), the name given him
by the Archangel Gabriel when he spoke to Zechariah. Appealed to by the
gathered people, the mute Zechariah approved that name by writing, “His name is
John.” At that action of obedient surrender to the Lord God, the priest’s
speech was restored, and he loudly proclaimed the praises of God for blessing
him with a son and Israel with her Deliverer, Whose herald his son would be.
Life messages: 1) We need to pray for our
parents and be thankful to them for the gift of life, the training, and
discipline they have given us, and the love and affection they have lavished on
us. Let us ask God’s pardon if we are, or were, ungrateful to them, do/did not
take proper care of them in their illness or old age or ever inflicted pain on
them. 2) We need to remember and pray for our godparents who sponsored us in
Baptism, which made us children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, heirs of
Heaven, and members of Jesus’ Mystical Body, the Church.
3) We should have the courage of our Christian convictions
as John the Baptist did, and we should become heralds of Christ as the Baptist
was, by our transparent Christian lives.
(Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Dec 24 Saturday:
The context: Today’s Gospel gives the prophetic
hymn which Zechariah, filled with Holy Spirit, sang on the eighth day after his
son John’s birth when all had assembled for his Circumcision and Naming
ceremony. Although the Jews generally believed that Elijah the prophet would
return to earth to prepare the way for the Messiah, Zechariah prophetically
sang here that it was his son, John, who was going to prepare the way for the
Messiah, Jesus.
Zechariah’s prophecy contains four steps of the Christian
way we are supposed to take. 1) Preparation: Our life must be a preparation,
leading us to our eternal salvation, enabling us to walk through/with/in
Christ, the only sure Way.
2) Correct knowledge of the only true God: Jesus Christ is
our Lord and Savior who taught us that God His Father is a loving and forgiving
Father Who saved us through His son Jesus.
3) Forgiveness of sins: This is the restoring of our broken
relationship with God, accomplished through the suffering, death and
Resurrection of Jesus.
4) Walking in the way of peace: Peace is not the absence of
trouble. It is the fullness of everything needed for man’s highest good. Jesus
instituted in His Church all the means necessary for us to attain our highest
good. He gave us the Holy Spirit, the Holy Bible, the Sacraments, and the
centralized teaching authority of his Church, with Mary and the saints as role
models and praying companions for our journey.
Life message: As happened to doubting Zechariah, let us be filled with the Holy Spirit by asking for His daily anointing and strengthening. Let us prophesy as Zachariah did, by conveying to others the reason for our Christmas celebration as rebirth of Jesus into our lives. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
