Love & Faithfulness (readings for Dec. 29, 2018 annotated)

Key

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary

Hyperlink

Reading 1 1 JN 2:3-11

Beloved: The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments.  Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.  This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.

Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.  The old commandment is the word that you have heard.  And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in him and among you, for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.  Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.  Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

This instructs the same sort of faithfulness in the ordinary discussed in connection with today’s gospel. We must consistently do what God calls us to do, both in our general obligations and with regard to the specific things God has tasked us with. 

But the second paragraph underlines the spirit in which we do those things: in love for each other, particularly others that we may dislike or disagree/have conflict with. That makes our faithful performance of our duties truly faithful. 

This seems to be getting at the same dynamic Jesus spoke of in Matthew 5:21-25 & 38-48.That love is not an emotional affection, but an intentional effort to suppress anger towards and to affirmatively help those who we have difficulty dealing with.

That commanded to love is especially important in this time of intense political/cultural division in the secular realm. It is equally important within the Church as we struggle to deal with the extraordinary challenges facing us today. We need God’s graces to deal with those things and they will not flow if we give into animus against each other.

Responsorial Psalm PS 96:1-2A, 2B-3, 5B-6

R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!The LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty go before him; praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

One way we get past/overcome the animus discussed in connection with the first reading is to focus on God and his goodness. That takes our minds off the things that causes conflict between us. This is similar to the approach discussed   in Psalm 37:1-7.

Alleluia LK 2:32

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A light of revelationto the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 2:22-35

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses,the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.  This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The extraordinary occurred because Joseph and Mary were faithful in the ordinary: fulfilling their normal obligations as parents. Similarly, this extraordinary event occurred because Simeon was faithful to follow the Spirit’s prompting to do what, for him, was probably an ordinary thing: going to the temple. That seems similar to the dynamic described in Matthew 25:20-23. Along those same lines check out Preliminary Work: What we can learn from Joseph and Daniel. 

Confession, Obedience & Anger (readings for Dec. 28, 2018, annotated)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Commentary

Hyperlink

Reading 1 1 JN 1:5—2:2

Beloved: This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. 

The principles described here parallel those laid out in  1 Kings 8:46-50, Proverbs 28:13, and the other scriptures collected in Wisdom Principles--Confessing Sin. See also  A good confession is like restarting your computer  and   Confession also seems to be a lot like composting. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 124:2-3, 4-5, 7CD-8

R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—when men rose up against us, then would they have swallowed us alive, when their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; the torrent would have swept over us; over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Alleluia See Te Deum

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 2:13-18

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son.

Joseph obeyed with alacrity, and kept obeying over a significant period of time.

God had a dual purpose for this flight to Egypt: to protect the Holy Family and to fulfill prophecy. Yet another example of His accomplishing things on multiple levels.

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious.He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

Herod’s response looks a lot like Sirach 1:22: “the rage of the wicked cannot put him in the right.” (New Jerusalem Bible).  For all his anger he still failed to eliminate the Christ. That outcome is not surprising, and not just because he was trying to thwart God’s plan, but also because anger rarely results in good outcomes. See the scriptures collected in Wisdom Principles--Dealing with Anger

Praying for Leaders: Why, How & About What

If there was ever a time when we needed leadership it is now. Many of our elected and appointed leaders leave much to be desired, so what do we do about that? 

PRAY FOR THEM. Scripture makes that plain. It also makes plain some of the things we should be praying about when it comes to leaders. 

This is a collection of posts on the biblical bases for praying about leaders and scriptures that tell us what to pray about. Here they are; please read them, start—and keep—praying!

Praying for Leaders: Why, When & How

Praying for Leaders: That they be Fair, Honest, and Not Corrupt

Praying for Leaders: That they be Sensitive to the Weak and Vulnerable  

Praying for Leaders: That They Truly "Serve" and Do So Humbly

Praying for Leaders: That They be Able to Delegate/Rely On Subordinates and Pick Honest Ones

Praying for Leaders: That They Recognize the Importance of Wise Counsel

Praying for Leaders: That They Recognizes that All Success/Authority Comes from God and That They Must Fear God.

Seeking, Savoring, & Sharing God (Readings for Dec. 27, 2018, annotated)

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What the passages tell us to do

Commentary

Reading 1 1 JN 1:1-4

Beloved: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life—for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

We are offered fellowship with the eternally existing Word; God Himself.

We receive joy when we share/make that fellowship available to others.

Responsorial Psalm PS 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

R. (12) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are around him, justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

This describes the wonderful nature of the Word, as referred to in the first reading, and the proper response to the wonderful gift of fellowship with Him.

Alleluia See Te Deum

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel JN 20:1A AND 2-8

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.

When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 

This describes the intensity and details of the disciples' seeking after the Word:

Seeking after Jesus with intensity & alacrity.

Seeking counsel/community about how to find/serve Him.

Believing in the face of the difficult/unexpected/not fully understood. 

Peace Amidst Uncertainty (Dec. 25, 2018, dawn mass readings annotated)

Key:

What these verses tell us about God

What these verses tell us to do

Commentary

Citations to other scriptures are hyperlinks to those scriptures. 

Reading 1 IS 62:11-12

See, the LORD proclaims to the ends of the earth: say to daughter Zion, your savior comes!
Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. They shall be called the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD, andyou shall be called "Frequented," a city that is not forsaken.

God reaches out to all to deliver graces/results that exceed our understanding and expectations. The peace delivered through the shepherds’ faithful response to the angel’s message (described in today’s gospel), is an extreme example of that, but is only one example. It probably happens thousands/millions of times a day in more subtle ways as God comforts hurting folks in myriad ways. It can happen to you today. See Matthew 11:28,  Philippians 4:6-7, James 1:5; 1 Peter 5:6-7, 1 John 1:9.     

Responsorial Psalm PS 97:1, 6, 11-12.

R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.

Reading 2 TI 3:4-7

Beloved: When the kindness and generous love of God our saviorappeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy,He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his graceand become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Alleluia LK 2:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 2:15-20

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went in hasteand found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazedby what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 

This must have been very reassuring to Mary. And it came at a time when she was probably exhausted and confused about how things were unfolding. This is an example of the sort of rest her Son would later tell us about in Matthew 11:28. 

God sometimes uses us mortals as a means to deliver the peace He wants others to receive.  Here He used the shepherds. They modeled the precept laid out in James 1:25. In this case not only were they blessed, but so were the Holy Family and all who heard what they communicated.  Is God asking you to deliver His peace to someone? Don’t miss that blessing. 

Call and Response (readings for Dec. 21, 2018)

Today’s readings wonderfully describe interaction with God: His initiatives toward us and our response.  Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you, prayerfully dig into them, and see what He shows you. Compare that to the thoughts set out in blue below, communicated according to the key also set out below. 

What the Holy Spirit shows you may likely be different, and may be intended for folks in addition to you, so don’t be afraid to comment if that seems like where He’s leading you. See Malachi 3:16-17. 

Key:

What these verses tell us about God

What these verses tell us to do

What these verses tell us to avoid

Citations to other scripture are hyperlinks to muliple transaltions of those scriptures.

Reading 1 SG 2:8-14

Hark! my lover–here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices. My lover speaks; he says to me, "Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! "For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!

"O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see you, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely." 

Assuming that the lover is a metaphor for God, He actively, energetically, comes to us and calls us to join Him. We should listen for His call and join Him.

Or ZEP 3:14-18A

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love,He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. 

God is with us. We should be greatly comforted and encouraged by that reality—and it is reality.

Responsorial Psalm PS 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21

R. (1a; 3a) Exult, you just, in the Lord!Sing to him a new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.Sing to him a new song; pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations.Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield, for in him our hearts rejoice;in his holy name we trust.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.

Another exhortation to actively respond to, embrace, God’s goodness and faithfulness. This sounds a lot like what is described in Philippians 4:4-7.  

I am particularly struck by the direction to “pluck the strings skillfully.” God gives each of us some particular skill. We—and others—receive joy when we intentionally and diligently exercise it to the best of our ability for God’s purposes. Those purposes can seem secular, but are in fact divine if we do them to fulfill the role/duties God has assigned us.  That distracts us from worry and creates good things for us and others. That dynamic seems to underlie Colossians 3:23-24.  

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God! 

 R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We are to ask God for His help when we are troubled, in difficulty. See  Philippians 4:4-7, James 1:5.

Gospel LK 1:39-45

Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in hasteto a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." 

Powerfully good things happen when we actively embrace what God/the Holy spirit tells/assigns us, things that will reinforce our faith and bless others. This seems like an example of the dynamic described in James 1:25

What We Can Learn from Jairus: Collected

This past summer my daughter suffered from a difficult and persistent illness. During that time God lead me to the story of how Jesus healed Jairus’ daughter (Matthew 9:18-26;  Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56).  I drew great comfort, and some insights, from that.  Here are some of those insights, along with a post from much earlier that also dealt with Jairus. I hope they bless you as richly as God blessed me through my time in this part of His word. 

What We Can Learn from Jairus: Some Who’s, Why’s & Responses to Suffering 

What We Can Learn from Jairus: Healing Can Be Hard 

What We Can Learn from Jairus: Dealing with Fear  

Unexpected Fruit from Long Dormant Seeds

P.S., Praise be to God, my daughter is doing much better now.

God is in our midst, He loves being with us, He gives us peace (Readings for Dec. 16, 2018)

Today’s readings are full of good news: God is in our midst, He loves being with us, He gives us peace. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and then follow Him through these readings.  As you do so, look for two categories of instruction: what these readings tell us about God and what they tell us to do or to avoid. 

My commentary is in blue, with hyperlinks bolded, but ask the Spirit to show you what He wants you to see—and then act upon it.

Reading 1 ZEP 3:14-18A

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you he has turned away your enemies; the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! This sounds a lot like Psalm 91

 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. This sounds a lot like Luke 15

Responsorial Psalm IS 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.

R. (6) Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth. Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Reading 2 PHIL 4:4-7

Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This sounds a lot like what Pope Francis was talking about at ¶ 21 of GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE  when he discusses the peace we get through prayer. That is also one way God comes into our midst.

Alleluia IS 61:1 (Cited in Lk 4:18)

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Gospel LK 3:10-18

The crowds asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none.  And whoever has food should do likewise.”  This instruction seems like another way that God comes into our midst. He becomes manifest through our sharing: we have contact with Him in the form of the person we share with and that person experiences the tangible manifestation of His love working in us. That is indeed one form of His real presence.  See  Matthew 25:35-40

Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He answered them,  “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”

Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.