DAILY READING and REFLECTIONS For Sunday, December 28, 2014 Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Christmas Time - Psalter Proper (White) Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14, 21:1-3; Ps 128:1-5; Col 3:12-21; Lk 2:22-40 Response: The Lord remembers his covenant forever. Rosary: Glorious Mysteries Verse: My eyes have seen the salvation which you have made ready in the sight of the nations. SAINT OF THE DAY: Saint Anthony the Hermit Anthony was born about circa 468 at Valeria in Lower Pannonia. When he was eight years old, his father died and he was first entrusted to the care of St. Severinus. After the death of Severinus, an uncle, Bishop Constantius of Lorsch in Bavaria took charge of his upbringing. While in Bavaria, Anthony became a monk. He returned to Italy in 488 and joined the cleric Marius and his companions as a hermit at Lake Como. However, he gained so many disciples that he was forced to flee. Anthony then went to Lerins in Gaul and became a monk there. However, he lived only two years at Lerins before his death, renowned for his miracles and spirituality. FROM THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE: READING 1, Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 2 for the Lord honours the father above his children and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons. 3 Whoever respects a father expiates sins, 4 whoever honours a mother is like someone amassing a fortune. 5 Whoever respects a father will in turn be happy with children, the day he prays for help, he will be heard. 6 Long life comes to anyone who honours a father, whoever obeys the Lord makes a mother happy. 12 My child, support your father in his old age, do not grieve him during his life. 13 Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy, do not despise him in your health and strength; 14 for kindness to a father will not be forgotten but will serve as reparation for your sins. RESPONSORIAL PSALM, Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 1 [Song of Ascents] How blessed are all who fear Yahweh, who walk in his ways! 2 Your own labours will yield you a living, happy and prosperous will you be. 3 Your wife a fruitful vine in the inner places of your house. Your children round your table like shoots of an olive tree. 4 Such are the blessings that fall on those who fear Yahweh. 5 May Yahweh bless you from Zion! May you see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life, READING 2, Colossians 3:12-21 12 As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. 14 Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond. 15 And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful. 16 Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; 17 and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be sharp with them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. 21 Parents, do not irritate your children or they will lose heart. GOSPEL, Luke 2:22-40 22 And when the day came for them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord- 23 observing what is written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord- 24 and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. 25 Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. 27 Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, 28 he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said: 29 Now, Master, you are letting your servant go in peace as you promised; 30 for my eyes have seen the salvation 31 which you have made ready in the sight of the nations; 32 a light of revelation for the gentiles and glory for your people Israel. 33 As the childs father and mother were wondering at the things that were being said about him, 34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed- 35 and a sword will pierce your soul too -- so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare. 36 There was a prophetess, too, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years 37 before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. 38 She came up just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. 39 When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And as the child grew to maturity, he was filled with wisdom; and Gods favour was with him. REFLECTIONS: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God) OPENING PRAYER: O God, our Creator and Father, you willed that your Son, generated before the dawn of the world, should become a member of the human family. Rekindle in us an appreciation for the gift of life, so that parents may participate in the fruitfulness of your love, old people may pass on to young ones their mature wisdom, and children may grow in wisdom, piety and grace, all giving praise to your holy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. ON READING 1: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 (Duties Towards Parents) Sirach 3, 1-16:23. Throughout the book each doctrinal passage is followed by a section to do with practical applications, sapiential thoughts on moral conduct, eulogies of virtues and sapiential advice on where to seek things that are truly good, etc. This is the first such section. In it the reader will find an exhortation to prudence in all its various forms. Sirach 3, 1-16. Traditional wisdom encourages people to be observant and to reflect on life in order to discover the best route to happiness. Here it focuses on the relationship between children and their parents: honoring ones parents brings blessings. However, Ben Sirachs viewpoint is primarily a religious one. Whoever fears the Lord will honor his father (v. 7, RSV note m). The Decalogue laid this down very clearly: Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you; that your day may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land ... (Deut 5:16; cf. Ex 20:12), and these verses are a valuable commentary that is generous in its praise of those who attend to that commandment. Very appropriately, the Church uses these verses as the first reading on the feast of the Holy Family, for God honors Mary and St Joseph by entrusting Jesus to their care. Finally (cf. vv. 12-26), the passage dwells on childrens duties to their parents when they can no longer look after themselves: The fourth commandment reminds grown children of their responsibilities toward their parents. As much as they can, they must give them material and moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness or distress. Jesus recalls this duty of gratitude (cf. Mk 7:10-12) (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2218). ON READING 2: Colossians 3:12-21 (Progress in the Spiritual Life, Morals in Family Life) Colossians 3, 12-13. Putting on the new nature is not just an external action, like putting on different clothes. It is a transfiguration involving the whole person -- soul and body, mind and will. This interior change begins to operate when one makes a firm resolution to lead a fully Christian life; but it calls for an on-going effort, day in day out, to practice all the virtues. Conversion is something momentary; sanctification is the work of a lifetime. The divine seed of charity, which God has sown in our souls, wants to grow, to express itself in action, to yield results which continually coincide with what God wants. Therefore, we must be ready to begin again, to find again -- in new situations -- the light and the stimulus of our first conversion (St. J. Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 58). The virtues which the Apostle lists here as characteristic of the new man are all expressions, in one way or another, of charity, which binds everything together in total harmony (v. 14). Meekness, patience, forgiveness and gratefulness all reflect an essential virtue -- humility. Only a humble person can be forgiving and truly appreciative, because only he realizes that everything he has comes from God. This realization leads him to be understanding towards his neighbor, forgiving him as often as needs be; by acting in this way he is proving the genuineness of his faith and love. Colossians 3, 14. The comparison of the new nature to a new outfit is extended here by a further metaphor: charity is the belt which keeps everything together. Without it the other virtues would fall apart: supernatural virtue could not survive (cf. 1 Cor 13:1-3). St. Francis de Sales uses simple examples to explain this truth: Without cement and mortar, which knits the bricks together and strengthens the walls, the entire building is bound to collapse; a human body would simply disintegrate unless it had nerves, muscles and tendons; and if charity were absent, virtues simply could not stay together (St Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, 11, 9). Love, as the bond of perfection and fullness of the law (cf. Col 3:14; Rom 13:10), governs, imbues, and perfects all the means of sanctification (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 42). Therefore, if we want to achieve holiness -- in spite of personal shortcomings and miseries which will last as long as we live -- we must make an effort, with Gods grace, to practice charity, which is the fullness of the law and the bond of perfection. Charity is not something abstract, it entails a real, complete, self-giving to the service of God and all men -- to the service of that God who speaks to us in the silence of prayer and in the hubbub of the world and of those people whose existence is interwoven with our own. By living charity -- Love -- we live all the human and supernatural virtues required of a Christian (St. J. Escriva, Conversations, 62). Colossians 3, 15. The peace of Christ is that which flows from the new order of grace which he has established; grace gives man direct access to God and therefore to that peace he so much yearns for. Thou has made us for thyself and our hearts are restless till they rest in thee (St Augustine, Confessions, 1, 1). This is not a peace the world can give (cf. Jn 14:27), because it is not a function of purely material progress or well-being, nor does it derive from the sort of peace that should obtain among nations. Peace on earth, which men of every era have most eagerly yearned for, can be firmly established only if the order laid down by God is dutifully observed (Bl. John XXIII, Pacem In Terris, 1). The peace of Christ, then, is a peace that comes from knowing that our Father God loves us, and that we are made one with Christ. It results from being under the protection of the Virgin, our Lady, and assisted by St Joseph. This is the great light that illuminates our lives. In the midst of difficulties and of our personal failings, it encourages us to keep up our effort (St. J. Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 22). Colossians 3, 16. The word of Christ: the whole corpus of our Lords teachings, of which the Apostles are accredited witnesses. This should be ever-present to the Christians soul and dwell...richly in him, imbuing everything he does: the word of Christ is the best nourishment of ones life of prayer and an inexhaustible source of practical teaching; and it is to be found in the first instance in the books of the New Testament. St John Chrysostom says that these writings are teachers which never cease to instruct us. Open these books. What a treasury of good remedies they contain!. All you need do is look at the book, read it and remember well the wise teachings therein. The source of all our evils is our ignorance of the sacred books (Hom. on Col, ad loc.). St. Paul also reminds us that our appreciation should lead us to glorify the Lord with songs of joy and gratitude. We can use ready-made hymns for this purpose, and also the Psalms, which the Church has always used in its liturgy to praise God and to nourish the spiritual life. Just as the mouth savors good food, so does the heart savor the Psalms (St Bernard, Sermons on the Song of Songs, 7, 5). Colossians 3, 17. All genuinely human things can and should be sanctified (cf. 1 Cor 10:31), by being done perfectly and for love of God. The Second Vatican Council has recalled this teaching: Lay people, while meeting their human obligations in the ordinary conditions of life, should not separate their union with Christ from their ordinary life; through the very performance of their tasks, which are Gods will for them, they actually promote the growth of their union with him. This is the path along which lay people must advance, fervently, joyfully (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 4). This teaching was very much part of the message and life of the founder of Opus Dei: I assure you, my children, that when a Christian carries out with love the most insignificant everyday action, that action overflows with the transcendence of God. That is why I have told you repeatedly, and hammered away once and again on the idea, that the Christian vocation consists in making heroic verse out of the prose of each day. Heaven and earth seem to merge, my children, on the horizon. But where they really meet is in your hearts, when you sanctify your everyday lives (Conversations, 116). The Second Vatican Council also sees in this passage of Colossians a basis for ecumenical dialogue with non-Catholics: And if in moral matters there are many Christians who do not always understand the Gospel in the same way as Catholics, and do not admit the same solutions for the more difficult problems of modern society, they nevertheless want to cling to Christs word as the source of Christian virtue and to obey the command of the Apostle: [Col 3:17 follows] (Unitatis Redintegratio, 23). Colossians 3, 18-19. In the period when this epistle was written, especially in the East, women were regarded as inferior to men. St Paul does not make a direct attack on the customs of his time, but the way he focuses the question of the role of women provides the elements of an answer to it. He identifies what a womans role in the family should be: it is true that the husband has an important part to play, but the wife also has a role to perform and one which is non-transferable. The wife is not the husbands slave: she is his equal in dignity and must be treated by him with respect and sincere love. It is taken for granted that the family needs a center of authority, and that this authority belongs to the husband, in accordance with Gods design (cf. 1 Cor 11:3, 12-14). The place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance. In revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God (cf. Eph 3:15), a man is called upon to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family (Bl. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 25). God gave Eve to Adam as his inseparable companion and complement (cf. Gen 2:18); she was therefore duty-bound to live in peace with him. Man and woman have different, though complementary, roles in family life; they are equal in dignity, by virtue of the fact that they are human persons: The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and woman in mutual and unreserved affection (Vatican II, Gaudium Et Spes, 49). Therefore, a husband should make a special effort to love and respect his wife: You are not her master, writes Saint Ambrose, but her husband; she was not given to you to be your slave, but your wife. Reciprocate her attentiveness to you and be grateful to her for her love (Exameron, 5, 7, 19 quoted in Familiaris Consortio, 25). Colossians 3, 20-21. Children should obey their parents in everything, as God has commanded (cf. Ex 20:12; Sir 3:8ff) -- a commandment which shows that this is something which is part of human nature. Obviously for a childs obedience to please the Lord it must not involve doing anything that is opposed to Gods will, for Jesus taught that he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me (Mt 10:37). For their part, parents must do everything they can to bring up their children well. In every family there should be an educational exchange between parents and children (cf. Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20f) in which each gives and receives. By means of love, respect and obedience towards their parents, children offer their specific and irreplaceable contribution to the construction of an authentically human and Christian family (cf. Gaudium Et Spes, 48). They will be aided in this if parents exercise their unrenounceable authority as a true and proper ministry, that is, as a service to the human and Christian well-being of their children, and in particular as a service aimed at helping them acquire a truly responsible freedom (Familiaris Consortio, 21). ON THE GOSPEL: Luke 2:22-40 (The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Simeons Prophecy, Annas Prophecy and The Childhood of Jesus) a) As laid down in the law of Moses/of the Lord. This is a kind of refrain repeated several times. Luke mixes two prescriptions without making any distinction. The purification of the mother was foreseen in Leviticus ( 12:2-8 ) and was to take place forty days after the birth. Until then, the woman could not approach sacred places, and the ceremony was accompanied by the gift of a small animal. But the consecration of the first-born was prescribed in Exodus 13:11-16, and was considered a kind of ransom in memory of the saving action of God when he liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. For this also the offering was a small animal. In all of this scene, the parents seem to be in the process of presenting/offering their son as was done with sacrifices and Levites, while through the persons of Simeon and Anna it seems rather God who offers/presents the son for the salvation of people. b) Simeon and Anna: these are figures full of symbolical value. Their role is one of recognition, that comes from both the enlightenment and action of the Spirit and a life lived in expectation and faith. Simeon especially is defined as prodekòmenos, that is, one entirely absorbed in waiting, and one who goes forward to welcome. He, too, appears to be obedient to the law, the law of the Spirit, who leads him towards the child in the temple. The canticle he proclaims manifests his pro-existentia, he has lived in order to come to this moment and now he withdraws so that others may see the light and the salvation to come for Israel and the pagans. Anna completes the picture, by her very age (symbolical value: 84 equals 7x12, the twelve tribes of Israel; or 84 – 7 = 77, double perfection), but above all by her way of living (fasting and praying) and by her proclamation to all who looked forward. She is led by the Spirit of prophecy, docile and purified in her heart. Besides, she belongs to the smallest of the tribes, that of Aser, a sign that the small and fragile are those more disposed to recognise Jesus, the Saviour. Both of these old persons – who look like an original couple – are symbols of the best of Judaism, of faithful and meek Jerusalem, that awaits and rejoices and that from now on allows the new light to shine. c) A sword will pierce: generally these words are interpreted as meaning that Mary will suffer, a drama made visible of the Our Lady of Sorrows. Rather, we need to see the Mother as a symbol of Israel. Simeon feels the drama of his people who will be deeply torn by the living and sharp word of the redeemer (cf Lk 12:51-53). Mary represents the path: she must trust, but will go through times of pain and darkness, struggles and painful silences. The story of the suffering Messiah will be painful for all, even for the Mother. One does not follow the new light of the whole world without paying the cost, without being provoked to make risky choices, without being always born again from on high and in newness. But these images of the sword that pierces, of the child who will trip and shake hearts from their lethargy, are not to be separated from the meaningful action of the two old persons: the one, Simeon, takes the child in his arms to show that faith is a meeting and an embrace, not an idea of theorem; the other, Anna, takes on the role of proclaiming and enkindles a bright light in the hearts of all who looked forward to him. d) Daily life, an epiphany of God: finally, it is interesting to note that the whole episode emphasises the situation of the most simple and homely: the young couple with the child in their arms; the old man who rejoices and embraces, the old lady who prays and proclaims, those listening who appear to be indirectly involved. At the end of the passage, we also get a glimpse of the village of Nazareth, of the growth of the child in a normal context, the impression of a child extraordinarily gifted with wisdom and goodness. The theme of wisdom woven into the fabric of normal life and growth in a village context, leaves the story as if in suspense, and it will be taken up again precisely with the theme of the wisdom of the boy among the doctors in the temple. Indeed, this is the episode that follows immediately (Lk 2:41-52). Luke 2, 22-24. The Holy Family goes up to Jerusalem to fulfill the prescriptions of the Law of Moses--the purification of the mother and the presentation and then redemption or buying back of the first-born. According to Leviticus 12:2-8, a woman who bore a child was unclean. The period of legal impurity ended, in the case of a mother of a male child, after forty days, with a rite of purification. Mary most holy, ever-virgin, was exempt from these precepts of the Law, because she conceived without intercourse, nor did Christs birth undo the virginal integrity of His Mother. However, she chose to submit herself to the Law, although she was under no obligation to do so. Through this example, foolish child, wont you learn to fulfill the holy Law of God, regardless of personal sacrifice? Purification! You and I certainly do need purification. Atonement and, more than atonement, Love. Love as a searing iron to cauterize our souls uncleanness, and as a fire to kindle with divine flames the wretchedness of our hearts (St. J. Escriva, Holy Rosary, Fourth Joyful Mystery). Also, in Exodus 13:2, 12-13 it is indicated that every first-born male belongs to God and must be set apart for the Lord, that is, dedicated to the service of God. However, once divine worship was reserved to the tribe of Levi, first-born who did not belong to that tribe were not dedicated to Gods service, and to show that they continued to be Gods special property, a rite of redemption was performed. The Law also laid down that the Israelites should offer in sacrifice some lesser victim--for example, a lamb or, if they were poor, a pair of doves or two pigeons. Our Lord, who though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9), chose to have a poor mans offering made on His behalf. Luke 2, 25-32. Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, obedient to Gods will, addresses himself to our Lord as a vassal or loyal servant who, having kept watch all his life in expectation of the coming of his Lord, sees that this moment has now come, the moment that explains his whole life. When he takes the Child in his arms, he learns, not through any reasoning process but through a special grace from God, that this Child is the promised Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Light of the nations. Simeons canticle (verses 29-32) is also a prophecy. It consists of two stanzas: the first (verses 29-30) is an act of thanksgiving to God, filled with profound joy for having seen the Messiah. The second (verses 31-32) is more obviously prophetic and extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men. The canticle highlights the fact that Christ brings redemption to all men without exception -- something foretold in many Old Testament prophecies (cf. Genesis 22:18 ; Isaiah 2:6; 42:6; 60:3; Psalm 28 :2). It is easy to realize how extremely happy Simeon was--given that many patriarchs, prophets and kings of Israel had yearned to see the Messiah, yet did not see Him, whereas he now held Him in his arms (cf. Luke 10:24; 1 Peter 1:10). Luke 2, 33. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph marvelled not because they did not know who Christ was; they were in awe at the way God was revealing Him. Once again they teach us to contemplate the mysteries involved in the birth of Christ. Luke 2, 34-35. After Simeon blesses them, the Holy Spirit moves him to further prophecy about the Childs future and His Mothers. His words become clearer in the light of our Lords life and death. Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet He will be a sign of contradiction because some people will obstinately reject Him--and for this reason He will be their ruin. But for those who accept Him with faith Jesus will be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and raising them up to eternal life. The words Simeon addresses to Mary announce that she will be intimately linked with her Sons redemptive work. The sword indicates that Mary will have a share in her Sons sufferings; hers will be an unspeakable pain which pierces her soul. Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forge the sword of Marys pain. Therefore, we have a duty to atone not only to God but also to His Mother, who is our Mother too. The last words of the prophecy, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed, link up with verse 34: uprightness or perversity will be demonstrated by whether one accepts or rejects Christ. Luke 2, 36-38. Annas testimony is very similar to Simeons; like him, she too has been awaiting the coming of the Messiah her whole life long, in faithful service of God, and she too is rewarded with the joy of seeing Him. She spoke of Him, that is, of the Child--praising God in her prayer and exhorting others to believe that this Child is the Messiah. Thus, the birth of Christ was revealed by three kinds of witnesses in three different ways -- first, by the shepherds, after the angels announcement; second, by the Magi, who were guided by a star; third, by Simeon and Anna, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. All who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and in the service of God, no matter how insignificant their lives seem in mens eyes, become instruments the Holy Spirit uses to make Christ known to others. In His plan of redemption God avails of these simple souls to do much good to all mankind. Luke 2, 39. Before their return to Nazareth, St. Matthew tells us (2:13-23), the Holy Family fled to Egypt where they stayed for some time. Luke 2, 40. Our Lord Jesus Christ as a child, that is, as one clothed in the fragility of human nature, had to grow and become stronger but as the eternal Word of God He had no need to become stronger or to grow. Hence He is rightly described as full of wisdom and grace (St. Bede, In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc.). FINAL PRAYERS: Father, we praise you and we bless you because through your Son, born of woman by the working of the Holy Spirit, born under the law, has ransomed us from the law and you have filled our life with light and new hope. May our families welcome and remain faithful to your designs, may they help and sustain in their children the new dreams and enthusiasm, wrap them in tenderness when they are fragile, educate them in love for you and for all creatures. All honour and glory to you, Father. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay. Refresh our souls and give fresh courage to your people. Please bring healing to our hearts and homes as we welcome you anew to this fragile yet waiting world. Amen! It is by God’s mercy that we are saved. May we never tire of spreading this joyful message to the world. -- Pope Francis Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. -- St. Jerome The Father uttered one Word; that Word is His Son, and He utters Him forever in everlasting silence; and in silence the soul has to hear it. -- St. John of the Cross
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 00:38:47 +0000
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