DAY 12 OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2020 SERIES.

Manger Scene 12 days of Christmas 2020 series

PERSONAL NOTE TO READERS

I am sorry I did not post this yesterday. I wrote the post and I thought I had posted it. I looked this morning and to my shock it was not there. After a doing a search and a panic, I have now uploaded it.

As some countries celebrate the Solemnity  of the Epiphany today, you may wish to refer to my Epiphany post which I wrote on Sunday, as in Australia, we celebrate the Solemnity of the First Sunday of January generally or the Sunday closest to the 6th January.

 

DAY 12

Today is the twelfth day of the 12 days of Christmas (5TH January) Today’s Gospel is Mk 6:34-44.  It is the Gospel of the miracle of the feeding of the 5 thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fish.

What does Jesus teach us in this Gospel?

He had compassion because they were sheep without a shepherd.  We need to pray for our shepherds/priests.  Many are critical of priests in the church. Obviously, the scandals have not enhanced the situation.  However, each of us are called to have compassion on other people.  Jesus saw the need and used His skills to teach.  Do we see a need in our parish and fail to use our skills to provide compassion or teaching?

Jesus gave the blessing for the miracle to occur.  He also led by giving direction.  We need good leaders in our world and in our parishes who lead with God’s wisdom. However, every leader needs supporters and helpers. Nothing can be done in isolation.  Even if we are older and in a retirement village/nursing home, we can still contribute significantly to our parish by prayer and also our wisdom.  If we are more able physically, then we need to be carrying the baskets of bread and fish to those in need. We need to be disciples of our Master. The disciples had to learn that even though they seemingly did not have the means to feed the crowd, Jesus has the way.

What about us? Do we see a way forward when we ask Jesus for a need?  Are we willing to stretch ourselves to find a way?  Jesus sent the disciples to find out how much food was available and with what they brought forward to Him, multiplied.  Jesus can and does the same for us too. We need to seek what we have and ask for His blessing on it.  Notice too, Jesus gives abundantly. There were 12 baskets full left over.

So, in our reflection today on the day of Christmastide we might like to:

Consider the gifts Jesus has given us.  Are we willing to use these gifts in our world and allow Jesus to multiply them in abundance?

Consider the miracle of the Eucharist at Mass when Christ becomes truly present with the words of consecration and at Holy Communion? The miracles of the Eucharist may help to develop a greater love for Jesus truly present at Mass, in the tabernacle and during exposition.

Consider our abundance in worldly goods- do our homes to be decluttered so that others who do have enough can be filled too?  Why not declutter our spiritual life and review it in the light of the Gospel?

How does this Gospel relate to the Christmas message?  What will we carry into 2021 from Christmas season to the remainder of the year?

 

Today is last day of the 12 days of Christmas series. I hope you have benefited from this series in some of the reflection ideas or if not, have devised your own reflection ideas instead.

Take the opportunity to review what you have learned/gained spiritually throughout the Christmas season. Explore what you wish to carry forward into the remainder of 2021. How will you live the Christmas season all the year?

Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Epiphany (6th January) in some countries which marks the end of the Christmas season.  In other countries such as Australia, it was celebrated on the previous Sunday- the season being that it provided more people the opportunity to attend Mass and celebrate the solemnity.  If you have already celebrated the solemnity, it is a great opportunity to celebrate again and allow the shining star of the East to shine on us again in Christ..  Let us look forward to adoring the Lord and continue to do so throughout the year.

 

 

 

 

 

Mail from God

 

PRAYER SERIES.

 

The Holy Spirit: Prayer Series Icon.

WELCOME TO MY PRAYER SERIES.

 

Do you ever feel dry in prayer, stopped praying, would like to explore a different way to pray?

Throughout this series I would like to present some different ways to pray.  Many of them you will have heard of before, some of them you have already practised, but might like to revisit and others may provide a different way into prayer. Of course, there will those types of Prayer that we may already practise regularly.

If we have a range of different prayer styles, we are not restricted  and can make our prayer life alive to our needs. When there are periods of dryness, we can explore another option.

 

Each type of prayer is not necessarily for everyone. We need to see what suits us personally as our prayer life is a very personal matter.  It is often connected to our personality.  So if what I suggest is not for you in this series, then why not explore other alternatives. My hope is that we may all grow in our prayer life during 2021.

 

Let us begin:

Last night I was given this article by a parishioner. The article does not have an author on it so I am unable to provide you with its authorship.  It is called

 

MAIL FROM GOD.

‘As you got up this morning, I watched you and hoped you would talk to me even if it was just a few words, asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in your life yesterday.  I noticed you were busy trying to find the right outfit to put on and wear to work.

I waited again. When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a minute to stop and say hello, but you were too busy.  At one point you had to wait 15 minutes with nothing to do but sit in a chair.  Then I saw you spring to your feet.  I thought you wanted to talk to me, but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip.

I watched you as you went to work and waited patiently all day long. With all your activities, I guess you were too busy to say anything to Me.  I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt too embarrassed to talk to Me, that is why you didn’t bow your head.

You glanced three or four tables over and noticed some of your friends talking to Me briefly before they ate, but you didn’t. That’s okay. There is still more time left and I have hope that you will talk to Me, yet you went home and it seems as if you had a lot of things to do.

 

After a few of them were done, you turned on the television. I don’t know whether you like the TV or not, just about anything goes there and you spend a lot of time each day in front of it, not thinking about anything- just enjoying the show.

I waited patiently again as you watch the TV and ate your meal, but again you didn’t talk to Me.  Bedtime…..  I guess you felt too tired.

After you said goodnight to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time.  That’s okay because you may not realise, I am always there for you.  I’ve got patience more than you will ever know.  I even want to teach you to be patient with others as well.

 

I love you so much that I wait every day for a nod, prayer or though or a thankful part of your heart.  It is hard to have a one-sided conversation.  Well, you are getting up again and once again I will wait with nothing but love for you, hoping that today you give Me some time.

Your best friend 

God.’

 

What really is prayer.  It simply is communicating with God as a friend- our best friend. It is sharing with Him every aspect of our lives and it is also listening to Him in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

 

SUGGESTED ACTION STEPS THIS WEEK

Consider how Mail from God resonates with you. What parts were relevant to you and what parts of the mail from God did not connect with you? Why were they relevant and/or irrelevant?

Make a personal plan to change that moment of the day to turn your heart to Jesus.

 

 

BEFORE GETTING OUT OF BED.

Consider starting the day with

a simple hello God, thank you for a lovely sleep during the night and looking after me, or

hello Father God, Jesus and Holy Spirit thank you for the gift of a new day OR

Sing a verse of your favourite hymn which gives praise to God. Or simply

I love you God. Thank you for loving me today and always.

 

Start your day with communicating with your best friend. Experiment with this precious few moments before you get out of bed. Before you put your feet to the floor, make sure you have connected with God who loves you.

Be aware of your thoughts- are they tired thoughts, hang over thoughts from the previous day or worries, are they thoughts of the day ahead. Instead of them sitting in your head, take them to Jesus who loves you and share these thoughts/feelings/anxieties with Him. 

For some of us whose urgent need is to get to the bathroom when we wake, it is still important to connect with Jesus. We can still fit in at least one phrase like ‘hello God, thanks for a new day’ as we head towards the bathroom.

Remembering and being conscious of the fact that God allows us to have a new day is His gift to us. We can breathe only because He allows it and gifts us a new day. Are we grateful for our breath, for a gift of a new day?

When we give God our love, our gratitude to Him for a new day, it also has the effect of changing our attitude. We get out of bed on the right side. Even when the day ahead is daunting, we have already connected with God who knows what the day has in store. He wants to help us and be at our side.

 

So this coming week, let us review our morning routine and if God, our best friend has not yet been part of those first waking moments before your feet hit the floor, then why not experiment with saying hello to God in these precious moments of the day. Turning your eyes to God will, with practice start your day well and on the right side. This then flows over into our day and will give us a changed attitude towards the day.

Next week: Bringing God into our morning dressing.

Day 11 of 12 Days of Christmas. Jesus the Healer.

 

DAY 11 OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2020 SERIES.

Manger scene: 12 days of Christmas series icon.

Today is the eleventh day of the 12 days of Christmas. Today’s Gospel is Mt 4:12-17, 23-25.  There are 3 key elements in this Gospel for us to note. They are:

·         Jesus fulfils what the prophecies said about Him.

·         Jesus preaches ‘Repent and believe the Good News.

·         Jesus heals all kinds of illnesses including physical, emotional and spiritual malaises and diseases.

So from the very beginning of His ministry Jesus preaches repentance and believing the Good News.  We hear in the Gospel that many people followed Him.  We can surmise that some of those people would have followed Jesus because they had been healed by Him, some would have followed because they hoped to be healed, some would have listened to His preaching and taken it to heart and there would have been some that would have followed Jesus as a novelty- something new. Elsewhere in the scripture it does that ‘Jesus taught with authority and His teaching made a deep impression on them’.

So how do we apply this Gospel to our lives today?

 

So, in our reflection today on the day of Christmastide we might like to:

Consider our life currently.  Do I know what God’s mission/ is for me and am I fulfilling it?

How can I discern  the mission of God for me?

Consider the call to repentance. Do I avail myself regularly  of God’s healing through the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

What is my current attitude towards the Sacrament of Reconciliation?  What resolve do I have regarding this Sacrament for 2021.  It is never too late to come to Jesus and ask His healing and forgiveness.

What do I do if I have not received this Sacrament for a long time?

•  First, do not fear. Fear can hold us back from receiving this sacrament.  Pray to God to overcome this fear. 
  
  
• Secondly, plan a date (eg in a month’s time) and during that month make preparation by thinking about your life, the problem areas, what is going well, Do this for 10 minutes each day. Make a list if that helps you ensuring that you can keep your list private.
  
  
• Thirdly, use the 10 commandments as a guide to help you make an examination of your life. This link gives you a very good explanation of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well as an excellent start to examination of conscience.
  
  
• Fourthly pray for courage and then find a priest that you can relate to ( or some prefer to not have that connection),  ring him and let him know that you want to go to confession, that it is a long time and that you need help in making a good confession.  See what advice he provides.
  
  
• Fifthly, on the day of the appointment make the best confession you can. Do not worry if you genuinely forget something but do not hold anything back deliberately. Do the penance prescribed by the priest, receive the absolution of Jesus through the priest. Remember to praise God for the healing and forgiveness He has given you.

Consider my role in being an instrument of healing to others through a smile, a kind word, holding back an unkind word, praying for others who need healing physically, emotionally and spiritually. Pray for people who have similar faults, sins/weaknesses as yourself and ask God to help them overcome them.

Consider my belief in the Good News of Jesus:  How will I nurture my faith in 2021? Am I excited, enthused and on fire for Jesus because I truly believe in His Good News.

 

As the Christmas season has either finished in some areas of the world or will finish on 6^th January, consider this Gospel in the light of the characters presented to us in the Christmas season- ie Mary, Joseph, angel, shepherds, wise men ( Kings).and perhaps even the animals too.  How will I carry Christmas message in my heart and live it each day during 2021.  What is my action plan?

 

 

 

Collect for Solemnity of Epiphany of the Lord Year B

 

COLLECT SERIES.

SOLEMNITY OF EPIPHAY YEAR B

and Day 10 of the 12 days of Christmas.

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT PRAYER

The Collect for the Solemnity of Epiphany Year B reads as follows:

 

May the splendour of Your Majesty, O Lord, we pray,

Shed its light upon our hearts,

That we may pass through the shadows of this world

And reach the brightness of our eternal home.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

 

1. What is my attitude towards God as King of my heart and life?
2. How will God be King of my heart this coming week?
3. What light do I need shed on my heart?
4. What are the shadows of my world?
5. How can I reach the brightness of Heaven this coming week? 
6. What steps will I take to start the process/start again?

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION

 Today’s Gospel is from Mt 2:1-12.  In this Gospel we hear a distinct contrast in the way  the 3 Wise men from the East and Herod reacted to the news of the birth of Jesus.  The Wise men did homage and then opened their gifts, whilst Herod, fearful  of losing power and status was insincere in his intention of doing homage but wanted to kill the baby.  He perceived the birth of Jesus as a threat to his power whereas the Wise men accepted the prophecies from Scripture  and wanted to genuinely find this new born King.

We may wish to ask ourselves as we ponder this Gospel which character do we identify most in our lives. Are we fearful and territorial at work fearing that someone else may be promoted and not us?  Do we know how to give Jesus homage and worship Him?  Do we spend any time in our prayer adoring the Lord or are our prayers focused on our needs or needs of others?  Intercessory prayer is good but are we only asking God for our needs – in a sense using Him rather than being in relationship with Him.  I am sure we have all had relationships where we have felt used rather than appreciated, loved and respected.  What about God- do we adore and give Him full attention at Mass and in our prayer time?

Many parishes still have adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  It is a wonderful opportunity to spend time worshiping and praising Jesus in this way. Even if your parish is closed due to covid 19 restrictions, do not let that stop you from incorporating adoration of the Blessed Sacrament into our prayer and spiritual lives.  We can still gain the benefit of it if we approach it with faith. Nothing is impossible with God.  Jesus will know our desire to spend time with Him and will come to us via online adoration.

On the Solemnity of Epiphany, we can review our spiritual lives and ask ourselves which star are we following?  Are we following Jesus, the light of the world who will shine in our darkness/sin and help us or are we following the star of fame, fortune and power like Herod? 

If you have not made adoration of the Blessed Sacrament part of your prayer life up to this point, why not review your prayer life and commitments and make adoring the Lord a priority in your week either in person in your parish or another parish or online. 

You may wish to  sing today The First Nowell 

 

 

Day 9 of 12 days of Christmas series

 

DAY 9 OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2020 SERIES.

Manger scene: 12 days of Christmas series icon.

Today is the ninth day of the 12 days of Christmas. Today’s Gospel is Jn 1:19-28. In this Gospel John the Baptist is confronted by the Priests, Levites and Pharisees to question him about his identity and the work he was doing- namely baptising.  We can safely say I think that their intention was not so much to learn about his identity and be converted, but because they felt threatened by him in relation to their status in life. He was becoming known and followed among the people.  They did not want their own power/status to be eroded.

The second point to note that John only shared with them his identity when he was pushed. Why is that?  He was most likely aware of their intentions, wanted to continue his work without interruption and because he had humility.  He was already aware that Jesus was in his midst. He knew he was not the Messiah but his role was to point the way.

 

• So, in our reflection today on the ninth day of Christmastide we might like to:
• Am I sure of my Christian identity?  Am I confident in it or prefer to hide from it?
• What would I say about my role that Jesus has given me to other people?
• Do I point the way to Jesus?  How can I do this in my life regularly?
• Do I feel like I am a voice in the wilderness in my parish?  How can I continue to stand u for the truth that Jesus teaches when f experience alienation, rejection or isolation?
• How does John the Baptist inspire you and how can that inspiration be carried forward into 2021?

 

John the Baptist knew his identity and his role for the mission of Christ.  We may like to pray to him to show us the way to Christ when we feel uncertain of our role and identity in Christ.  Will I also be a voice crying the wilderness in 2021?

 

 

Happy New Year: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

 

FEAST DAY SERIES.

SOLEMNITY  OF MARY MOTHER OF GOD.

The Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the Solemnity of Circumcision of Our Lord. This comes from today’s Gospel LK 2:16-21 where Jesus is named according to the name given to Mary at the annunciation.

It is important to think about the name of Jesus because Jesus Emmanuel means God is with us.  How comforting is this to us especially in these difficult times.  When we are stressed or concerned, we can utter prayerfully the name of Jesus and remember that God is with us.  Of course, saying the name of Jesus aloud or silently in our hearts must be done with reverence since if we utter His name irreverently, we are sinning against the second commandment.

We can ensure that we do use the name of God irreverently so that we do not commit sin in this way.  We can also firmly correct others who do use the name of God in vain teaching them in the process.  Many people do not know that this is sinful.  We can do acts of reparation for those who do violate the sacred name of God especially in the media.  We can write to various media outlets and give our position to try to stop it being common place and acceptable.  It starts with us individually- how important is the name of Jesus to me?

THINKING ABOUT THIS SOLEMENITY

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

"Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." — Catechism of the Catholic Church 721

BRINGING MARY INTO OUR YEAR.

Rosary: Many Catholics have stopped saying the Rosary and do not know its true power and value. Some say it intermittently and some are regular reciters of this great prayer.

I have to say I was brought up saying the rosary when I was young and I failed to say it regularly until 2020. Some people find it difficult to say the rosary as their mind wanders or there are other distractions/associations which impact on them.

If this sounds like you, I can only share my experience last year.  I made up my mind to start with one decade per day for the year.  Yes, that is right. One decade. I began with one decade and said it for a month. Then the next month I added another decade and so on.  I have to say that I had to look up some of the mysteries of the Rosary- I was hazy on recalling some of them.  That gave me the opportunity to think about the mystery, to check out the scripture quote for that mystery and to become familiar again with the order of the mysteries.

The other thing that helped me get started with the Rosary was to have a particular intention. I started that way but added further intentions around the same overall intention.  My intention was to pray for my parish. It is urgent need of revitalisation, renewal, resurgence of faith etc. So that was my starting point. Perhaps you have a special intention and can start to say the Rosary for that intention.  Invite your family to pray for that special intention.  Introduce it to your family in whatever way is appropriate. Perhaps the children would like to nominate their own special intention for the month and pray one decade every day for that intention.  It is a great opportunity to teach them about the mysteries of the Rosary as well.

What I have come to learn recently that Our Lady gave 15 promises  to those who say the Rosary. Do you know the 15 Promises?  I certainly did not.  Here are the 15 Promises.

15 PROMISES OF OUR LADY TO THOSE WHO SAY THE ROSARY.

Fifteen Promises of the Blessed Virgin to Christians Who Faithfully Pray the Rosary

1. To all those who shall pray my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and great graces.
2. Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some special grace.
3. The Rosary will be a very powerful armour against hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.
4. The rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies. It will draw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.
6. Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly reflecting on the mysteries, shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. He will not experience the anger of God nor will he perish by an unprovided death. The sinner will be converted; the just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life.
7. Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite my Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces and will share in the merits of the blessed.
9. I will deliver promptly from purgatory souls devoted to my Rosary.
10. True children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in heaven.
11. What you shall ask through my Rosary shall obtain.
12. To those who propagate my Rosary I promise aid in all their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity shall have as their intercessors, in life and in death, the entire celestial court.
14. Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination.

Wow, what amazing promises by our Blessed Mother to those who say the Rosary faithfully.  Do you want to know more about these promises?  Here is an interesting article on the 15 Promises.

Depending on your starting point with regards the Rosary, why not as part of your New Year Resolution spiritually, add to your plan

• ·         one decade of the Rosary each day for the whole year or
• ·         one decade each day for one month before adding another one and so on.
• ·         5 decades each day according to the prescribed Church plan ( eg Glorious-Sundays, Wednesdays, Joyful- Monday/Saturdays, Sorrowful- Tuesday/Friday, and Luminous- Thursday.
• ·         Ask your Parish Priest whether you can start saying the Rosary before Mass either on certain days or each day.
• ·         If 2021 means that many Catholics will not be able to attend Church in person, why not start a zoom group for the Rosary in your Parish either weekly or in the Month of May and October and/or for Our Lady’s feast days throughout the year.

 

 
Would you like to gain a plenary indulgence on New Years Day?

A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn  is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavouring something new.

To gain a plenary indulgence there are certain requirements as specified by the Catholic Church.  To read  about these Plenary Indulgence Conditions see here. 

How will YOU  honour our Blessed Mother- Mary Mother of God during 2021?

 

 

 

Day 8 of 12 Days of Christmas 2020 series Jesus- name meaning God is with us.

 

DAY 8 OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 2020 SERIES.

Manger scene: 12 days of Christmas 2020 series icon.

Today is the eighth day of the 12 days of Christmas. Today’s Gospel is LK 2:16-21.  It reflects upon 3 key points, 2 of which can pass us by if we are not attentive when hearing this Gospel.

The 3 key points are:

•  The role of the Shepherds in going to the manger, sharing the Good news with others     and giving glory to God for what they had seen and heard.
•  The importance of being contemplative and pondering the truths of our faith in our 
   hearts.
•  The naming of Jesus in accordance with the name given at the annunciation by angel Gabriel.

 

So, in our reflection today on the seventh day of Christmastide we might like to:

• Consider how willing are we to share the good news of our faith to others?
• How swift am I in answering God’s will in my life.  The Shepherds went hastily to Bethlehem after they had been told.  We may not have an angel come to us like the shepherds but we are often given the message of what we need to do God’s will by others.  Are we listening and discerning and willing to act upon it?
• How grateful am I to God for the blessings received?  Do I praise and thank Him constantly or do I forget to thank and praise God?
• Do I listen to what God is telling me in my prayer life?  Do I ponder and treasure what God is telling me?  Being contemplative does not mean just listening and pondering. It usually is accompanied by a resolution and action coming from the contemplation.
• Contemplate the name of Jesus- Jesus saves, name above all names- Jesus/Emmanuel – God is with us.
• How will I carry the message of Christmas into each day of 2021?
• What is my spiritual plan for 2021?  Spend some time evaluating my spiritual life, what needs further growth and what I wish to explore in 2021 to develop my faith further?

 

As we begin another year, I pray that we will change our hearts, be resolved to live our faith in its fullness and finish 2021 different people in body, mind, soul and spirit close to God.