Friday of the Second week of Advent

Commentary of the day
Saint Maximus of Turin (?-c.420), Bishop
Sermon CC 61a; PL 57, 233

Answering God’s call to repent from the depths of our hearts

Even without my needing to speak to you about it, my brethren, the season is enough to tell us that the anniversary of the Nativity of Christ our Lord draws near. Creation itself is expressing the imminence of an event that will restore everything for the better. It, too, looks forward to seeing its darkness illumined by a ray of sun even more bright than usual. This expectancy in creation of a renewal of its annual cycle invites us to wait for the birth of the new sun that is Christ, who lights up the darkness of our sins. The sun of justice (Mal 3,20), which is about to appear in all its strength, will cast out the darkness of our sins, already too long in continuance. He will not allow the course of our life to be stifled by the shadows of existence; he wants to expand it by his power.

So, just as creation sheds its light more widely during this time of solstice, let us also manifest our justice. Just as the light of this day is the common good of both rich and poor, let our gifts be extended to travellers and to the poor without reserve. At this time of the year the world holds back the duration of darkness; so let us, too, withdraw the shadows of our avarice… May all the ice in our hearts melt away; may the seeds of justice grow, warmed by the Saviour’s rays.

Therefore, brethren, let us prepare ourselves to welcome the day of the Lord’s birth by clothing ourselves in garments of shining whiteness. I am referring to those that clothe the soul, not the body. The garment that clothes our body is only a tunic of no value. But it is the body, that precious object, which clothes the soul. The former is woven by human hands; the latter is the work of the hands of God. This is why we must attend with the greatest care to preserving God’s work from any spot… Let us purify our consciences from all their stains before the Nativity of the Lord. Let us come before him, not clothed in silk, but rather in works of merit… Let us begin, then, by decorating our interior sanctuary.a

'Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.

Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.'

St. Ephraem of Syria

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 11
16.	But whereunto shall I esteem this generation to be like? It is like to children sitting in the market place.	Cui autem similem æstimabo generationem istam ? Similis est pueris sedentibus in foro : qui clamantes coæqualibus	τινι δε ομοιωσω την γενεαν ταυτην ομοια εστιν παιδιοις εν αγοραις καθημενοις και προσφωνουσιν τοις εταιροις αυτων
17.	Who crying to their companions say: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have lamented, and you have not mourned.	dicunt : Cecinimus vobis, et non saltastis : lamentavimus, et non planxistis.	και λεγουσιν ηυλησαμεν υμιν και ουκ ωρχησασθε εθρηνησαμεν υμιν και ουκ εκοψασθε
18.	For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil.	Venit enim Joannes neque manducans, neque bibens, et dicunt : Dæmonium habet.	ηλθεν γαρ ιωαννης μητε εσθιων μητε πινων και λεγουσιν δαιμονιον εχει
19.	The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.	Venit Filius hominis manducans, et bibens, et dicunt : Ecce homo vorax, et potator vini, publicanorum et peccatorum amicus. Et justificata est sapientia a filiis suis.	ηλθεν ο υιος του ανθρωπου εσθιων και πινων και λεγουσιν ιδου ανθρωπος φαγος και οινοποτης τελωνων φιλος και αμαρτωλων και εδικαιωθη η σοφια απο των τεκνων αυτης

(*) "a devil". δαιμονιον, I think, is more like "the devils"

16. But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like to children sitting in the markets, and calling to their fellows,
17. And saying, We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not lamented.
18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a devil.
19. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

HILARY; The whole of this speech is a reproach of unbelief, and arises out of the foregoing complaint; that the stiff-necked people had not learned by two different modes of teaching.

CHRYS; Whence He puts this question, showing that nothing had been omitted that ought to be done for their salvation, saying, To whom shall I liken this generation?

GLOSS: By this generation He means the Jews together with Himself and John. As though He had said; John is thus great; but you would believe neither him nor Me, and therefore to whom shall I liken you?

REMIG; And straightway He answers Himself, saying, It is like to children sitting in the market-place, crying to their fellows, and saying, We have played music to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned, and you have not lamented.

HILARY; By the children are meant the Prophets, who preached as children in singleness of meaning, and in the midst of the synagogue, that is in the market-place, reprove them, that when they played to those to whom they had devoted the service of their body, they had not obeyed their words, as the movement of the dancers are regulated by the measures of the music. For the Prophets invited them to make confession ;by song to God, as it is contained in the song of Moses, of Isaiah, or of David.

JEROME; They say therefore, We have played music to you, and you have not danced; i.e. We have called on you to work good works to our songs, and you would not. We have lamented and called you to repentance, and this you would not, rejecting both preaching, as well of exhortation to virtue, as of repentance for sin.

REMIG; What is that He says, To their fellows? Were the unbelieving Jews then fellows of the Prophets? He speaks thus only because they were sprung of one stock.

JEROME; The children are they of whom Isaiah speaks, Behold I, and the children whom the Lord has given me. These children then sit in the market-place, where are many things for sale, and say,

CHRYS; We have played music to you, and you have not danced; that is, I have showed you an unrestricted life, and you are not convinced; We have mourned to you and you have not lamented; that is, John lived a hard life, and you heeded him not. Yet does not he speak one thing, and I another, but both speak the same thing, because both have one and the same object. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon. The Son of man came &c.

AUG; I would that the Manichaeans would tell me what Christ ate and drank, who here speaks of Himself as eating and drinking in comparison of John, who did neither. Not indeed that John drank nothing at all, but that he drank neither wine nor strong drink - but water only. Not that he dispensed altogether with food, but that he ate only locusts and wild honey. Whence then is it said of him that he came neither eating nor drinking, except that he used not that food which the Jews used? Unless therefore the Lord had used this food, He would not have been said to have been, in comparison of John, eating and drinking. It would be strange that he who ate locusts and honey, should be said to come neither eating nor drinking, and that he who ate only bread and herbs, should be said to come eating and drinking.

CHRYS; He says therefore, Jesus came, as much as to say, I and John came opposite ways, to do the same thing; as two hunters chasing the same animal from opposite sides, so that it might fall into the hands of one of them But all mankind admire fasting and severity of life; and for this reason it was ordained from his infancy that John should be so brought up, that the things that he should say should receive credit. The Lord also walked in this way when He fasted forty days; but He had other means of teaching me to have confidence in Him; for it was a much greater thing that John who had walked in this way should bear witness to Him, than that He Himself should walk in that way. Again John had nothing to show besides his life, and his righteousness; whereas Christ had also the witness of His miracles Leaving therefore to John the representation of fasting, He Himself walked in a contrary way, entering to the table of the publicans, and eating and drinking with them.

JEROME; If then pleases you, why were you not satisfied with John? If fullness, why not with the Son of man? Yet one of these you said had a demon, the other you called a gluttonous man and drunkard.

CHRYS; What excuse then shall be given for them? Therefore He adds, And wisdom is justified of her children; that is, though you were not convinced, yet have you nothing whereof to accuse me, as also of the Father the Prophet speaks, That you might be justified in your sayings. For though nothing be effected in you by that goodness which is extended to you, yet He fulfills all His part that you may not have the shadow of excuse for your ungrateful doubt.

JEROME; Wisdom is justified of her children, i.e. The dispensation or doctrine of God, or Christ Himself who is the power and wisdom of God, is proved by the Apostles, who are His children, to have done righteously.

HILARY; He is wisdom itself not by His acts, but by His nature. Many indeed evade that saying of the Apostle's, Christ is the wisdom and power of God, by saying, that truly in creating Him of a Virgin the Wisdom and Power of God were shown mightily. Therefore that this might not be so explained, He calls Himself the Wisdom of God, showing that it was verily He, and not the deeds relating to Him, of whom this was meant. For the power itself, and the effect of that power, are not the same thing; the efficient is known from the act.

AUG; Or, Wisdom is justified of her children, because the holy Apostles understood that the kingdom of God was not in meat and drink, but in patient enduring; such persons neither does abundance lift up, nor want cast down, but as Paul spoke, I know how to abound, and to suffer want.

JEROME; Some copies read, Wisdom is justified of her works, for wisdom does not seek the witness of words, but of works.

CHRYS; You should not be surprised at His using trite instances, such as that respecting the children; for He spoke to the weakness of His hearers; as Ezekiel spoke many things adapted to the Jews, but unworthy of the greatness of God.

HILARY; Mystically; Neither did the preaching of John bend the Jews, to whom the law seemed burdensome in prescribing meats and drinks difficult and grievous, having in it sin which He calls having a demon - for from the difficulty of keeping it they must sin under the Law. Nor again did the preaching of the Gospel with freedom of life in Christ please them - by which the hardships and burdens of the Law were remitted, and publicans and sinners only believed in it. Thus, then, so many and so great warnings of all kinds having been offered them in vain, they are neither justified by the Law, and they are cast off from grace; Wisdom, therefore, is justified of her children, by those, that is, who seize the kingdom of heaven by the justification of faith, confessing the work of wisdom to be just, that it has transferred its gift from the rebellious to the faithful.

Catena Aurea Matthew 11

Christ the Sophia the Divine Wisdom

St. Michael the Archangel Temple, Puschino, Russia

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, Hermit

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, Hermit
Optional Memorial
December 9th

unknown artist

St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548). Little is known about the life of Juan Diego before his conversion, but tradition and archaelogical and iconographical sources, along with the most important and oldest indigenous document on the event of Guadalupe, "El Nican Mopohua" (written in Náhuatl with Latin characters, 1556, by the Indigenous writer Antonio Valeriano), give some information on the life of the saint and the apparitions.

Juan Diego was born in 1474 with the name "Cuauhtlatoatzin" ("the talking eagle") in Cuautlitlán, today part of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley.

When he was 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries. On December 9, 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She asked him to go to the Bishop and to request in her name that a shrine be built at Tepeyac, where she promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The Bishop, who did not believe Juan Diego, asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true. On 12 December, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac. Here, the Blessed Mother told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He obeyed, and although it was winter time, he found roses flowering. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his mantle and told him to take them to the Bishop as "proof". When he opened his mantle, the flowers fell on the ground and there remained impressed, in place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac.

With the Bishop's permission, Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus.

Much deeper than the "exterior grace" of having been "chosen" as Our Lady's "messenger", Juan Diego received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on May 6, 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City.

The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020731_juan-diego_en.html

Collect:
O God, who by means of Saint Juan Diego showed
the love of the most holy Virgin Mary for your people,
grant, through his intercession,
that, by following the counsels our Mother gave at Guadalupe,
we may be ever constant in fulfilling your will.
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. +Amen.

Readings from the Common of Holy Men and Women

[Saint] Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin [Catholic Caucus]
Miracle that Brought Gospel to Millions of Mexicans
St. Juan Diego's tilma: "completely outside" science
Science Sees What Mary Saw From Juan Diego’s Tilma
Saint Juan Diego and Our Lady
Why Juan Diego is an American Saint
Pope Canonizes American Indian Saint
Blessed Juan Diego: A Model of Humility
Canonization of Juan Diego drawing Texans to Mexico City
Pope to Visit Mexico in July to Canonize Juan Diego.

Information: St. Juan Diego

Feast Day: December 9

Born: 1474, Tlayacac, Cuauhtitlan, Mexico

Died: May 30, 1548, Tenochtitlan, Mexico City, Mexico

Canonized: July 31, 2002, Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico by Pope John Paul II

Major Shrine: Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

Blessed Juan Diego

Feast Day: December 09
Born: 1474 :: Died: 1548

Juan Diego was born in Mexico and lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer and laborer. Juan was a member of the Chichimeca people (an Indian tribe). They called him the talking eagle. His Christian name was Juan Diego.

On December 9, 1531, Juan rose before dawn to walk fifteen miles to Mexico City to attend daily Mass. As he passed Tepeyac Hill, he heard music and saw a glowing cloud encircled by a rainbow. A woman's voice called him to the top of the hill.

There he saw a beautiful young woman dressed like an Aztec princess. She said she was the Virgin Mary and Mother of the true God. She asked Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on that site, so she could be present to help and defend those were suffering and in pain.

After Juan's mission was completed, he became a hermit. He spent the rest of his life in prayer and penance.

His little hut was near the first chapel that was built on Tepeyac Hill. He was greatly respected and parents wished their children would grow up to be holy like Juan Diego.

Juan took care of the little church and met the pilgrims who began to come there to honor their Mother of Guadalupe. He would show them the miraculous tilma or cloak that preserves Mary's beautiful image.

The pope personally visited the magnificent church of Our Lady of Guadalupe and prayed there for all of the people of Mexico.

He prayed especially for those who were killed during the terrible persecution of the Church in the early part of this century. An he prayed for all the pilgrims who come to this beautiful church with such faith in the Mother of God.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Friday, December 9

Liturgical Color: Violet

Today is the optional memorial
of St. Juan Diego. On this day in
1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary
appeared to St. Juan Diego,
requesting a church be built at
the site where Our Lady
appeared.

Catholic Culture

Advent: December 9th

Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (USA)

MASS READINGS

December 09, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who by means of Saint Juan Diego showed the love of the most holy Virgin Mary for your people, grant, through his intercession, that, by following the counsels our Mother gave at Guadalupe, we may be ever constant in fulfilling your will. 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.

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Recipes (8)

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Activities (4)

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Library (1)

On The Canonization Of First Native American | Bishops' Commissions for Indigenous Peoples and for Social Welfare

Other Titles: St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin

Today the Church in the United States celebrates the optional memorial of St. Juan Diego, an Indian convert, to whom the Virgin Mary appeared as he was going to Mass in Tlatlelolco, Mexico. Our Lady asked him to tell the Bishop that she desired a shrine to be built on the spot to manifest her love for all mankind. She left a marvelous portrait of herself on the mantle of Juan Diego as a sign for the Bishop. This miraculous image has proved to be ageless, and is kept in the shrine built in her honor, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas.

Jesse Tree ~ King David

St. Juan Diego
Little is known about the life of Juan Diego before his conversion, but tradition and archaelogical and iconographical sources, along with the most important and oldest indigenous document on the event of Guadalupe, "El Nican Mopohua" (written in Náhuatl with Latin characters, 1556, by the Indigenous writer Antonio Valeriano), give some information on the life of the saint and the apparitions.

Juan Diego was born in 1474 with the name "Cuauhtlatoatzin" ("the talking eagle") in Cuautlitlán, today part of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley.

When he was 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr. Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries. On December 9, 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She asked him to go to the Bishop and to request in her name that a shrine be built at Tepeyac, where she promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The Bishop, who did not believe Juan Diego, asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true. On December 12, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac. Here, the Blessed Mother told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He obeyed, and although it was winter time, he found roses blooming. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his mantle and told him to take them to the Bishop as "proof". When he opened his mantle, the flowers fell on the ground and there remained impressed, in place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac.

With the Bishop's permission, Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus.

Much deeper than the exterior grace of having been chosen as Our Lady's messenger, Juan Diego received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on May 6, 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City.

The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.

Patron: Mexico.

Symbols: Pictured carrying a tilma full of roses.

Things to Do:

Read Pope John Paul II's homily at the canonization of St. Juan Diego.
Pray to St. Juan Diego for migrant Mexican workers who come to the USA trying to support their families.
If you know of a Mexican family who may need your help, surprise them with a food basket or offer them a ride if they don't have a car. If you speak Spanish, see if they need an interpreter for an important appointment.
Meditate on Our Lady's beautiful words to St. Juan Diego: "Hear and let it penetrate into your heart, my dear little son; let nothing discourage you, nothing depress you. Let nothing alter your heart or your countenance. Also, do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else that you need?"
Cook some Mexican dishes for dinner and bake a Rose Petal Pound Cake or other rose theme for dessert in honor of St. Juan Diego.
From the Catholic Culture Library:
Recommended Reading: For children: The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie dePaola. For adults: The Wonder of Guadalupe by Francis Johnston.
For music for Juan Diego's and Our Lady of Guadalupe's feast, see www.savae.org. The San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble have two cds of authentic music by Mexican medieval composers. Very beautiful!
Visit Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas for detailed accounts on the apparition to Juan Diego. You can also send online cards from this site. See also Patron Saints Index.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Isaiah 48:17-19

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Optional Memorial)

I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good. (Isaiah 48:17)

Imagine getting instruction from Bill Gates on computers, Serena Williams on tennis, or Gordon Ramsay on cooking. It would be spectacular, wouldn’t it? Well, you have something even better: almighty God, the One who is greater than all of the experts, has promised to teach you, not only about your hobbies, but about the best way to live. You have the One who is all-knowing and the source of all truth as your very own tutor!

If God is your teacher, then Scripture is the first and best textbook he uses. This book is a compendium of his wisdom, knowledge, and laws. It is a literary expression of faith lived out. And it is a testament of a restored relationship with him through the cross. In every aspect of faith and morals, it is never wrong. What’s more, because it’s inspired by the Holy Spirit, Scripture is a living word that God uses to speak directly and personally to our hearts.

So read it. Stop when you feel your heart stirring with hope or longing. Stop when a question forms in your mind, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you find the answer. Let the teachings of the Church guide you when you are confused. Pay attention to thoughts that form as you read; they may be coming from the Lord. When something seems too good to be true, reread it—hundreds of times, if necessary, until you are convinced of God’s goodness. Believe that God can spark understanding and direction for your life through a single verse.

Advent is the perfect time for going deeper, further, and maybe even further afield, with the Lord. It can be a time to learn, to experience the fruit that develops when you spend time meditating on the words of your Teacher. It can be a time to experience a little more of the life Jesus was born to give you.

God is ready and waiting to teach you. He is ready to clear away the guilt and fear that hinder you. So come to him, and receive his expert instruction!

“Father, help me to know your ways, and teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me today.”

Psalm 1:1-4, 6
Matthew 11:16-19

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for December 9, 2016:

It may seem unrealistic to “rejoice always” as St. Paul encourages us to do, but surely you can find one thing to be grateful for today or to rejoice over.

Regnum Christi

December 9, 2016 – A Lesson about the Heart

09 Dec 2016

Friday of the Second Week of Advent

Matthew 11: 16-19

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in the marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge, but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said. ‘Look he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for this new day and all the graces you will bless me with. I believe in you and your love for me. I wish to show my love for you by staying focused on what is most important during this time of prayer: you and your most holy will.

Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to see your actions and the actions of others with the eyes of faith.

1. Eyes of Faith: God comes to us in many and various ways each day. Sometimes he reveals his goodness to us when he allows us to succeed in life. Other times he permits trials in our life so that we can cling more surely to him. The proper response to God’s constant action in our lives will only be possible if we are able to discern that it is indeed God who is acting –– that it is God who is “playing the flute for us” or “singing a dirge for us”. We need the eyes of faith. A habitual interior attitude of faith and trust in God allows us to live with great peace and purpose.

2. Worldly Standards of Judgment: Jesus complains when the crowds use worldly standards to size him up. They are caught up in their opinions and all too easily pass judgment on him. They accuse Jesus of being possessed by a demon, a drunkard, and so on. How easy is it for me to judge others by accepting or rejecting them for mere external things? What are my internal attitudes towards others? Lord, help me to be detached from all worldly standards of judging and to embrace each soul, loving them as you do, and to leave the judging to you.

3. But Wisdom is Vindicated by Her Works: Despite the rejection and harsh judgments of many, Jesus went about doing good. This is what he meant by saying that “wisdom is vindicated by her works”. In the same vein he also taught that you can recognize a tree by its fruits. Knowing how easy it is to misjudge others, I cannot permit myself to worry about what others may say or think of me. Rather I need to be busy like Jesus, going about doing good. Good actions speak for themselves, even if it may take a while for others to perceive or appreciate them. When we trustfully follow along to the flute or the dirge Our Lord is playing for us, and we do so for his sake and for the sake of spreading his message, we can rest in the certainty that God is blessing us and will bring his good works to fruition through us.

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity to spend time with you in prayer. Let it be my motivation for the day and bring me to live a greater spirit of faith in you and the mission you have entrusted me. How much it would help me to consider my actions, the actions of others and your actions under the light of your love and good will. I do believe that you permit everything that happens in my life for the sake of bringing about a greater good, but Lord, increase my faith.

Resolution: I will strive to interpret the actions of others in a positive way, excusing any defects I may perceive.

Homily of the Day

December 9, 2016

In the first reading, with the Israelites now exiled to Babylon, God bemoaned the fact that if Israel had only followed his commandments, she would not be in her sad situation. God always wants the best things for us – happiness, integrity, stability, success, etc. But we must be ready to obey his commandments.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus reminds us to listen to his voice. In our lives, we often go astray because we follow the dictates of the world. For example, we have a chance at financial success but it would entail for us to be a little bit corrupt. What must we do? Ask God’s guidance and seek advice from fellow Christians who will help us to recognize the trappings of the devil. Then obey God’s will. You will discover that the path of the Lord is easy if we want to take it.

God is not always stern despite our shortcomings and wrongdoings. He is very encouraging when we fall and will give us another chance. But when we have been stubborn for a long time does he correct us more strongly for our own good. So whatever God’s message to us is at any given situation or period of our lives, let us obey what he wants, what he suggests.

Our guardian angels are also there to guide and to guard us. Let us be men and women of prayer and discernment for we will not stumble if we heed God’s voice.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 33, Issue 1

<< Friday, December 9, 2016 >>

St. Juan Diego

Isaiah 48:17-19
View Readings

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

Matthew 11:16-19
Similar Reflections

"MARY" CHRISTMAS

"I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go." —Isaiah 48:17

To have the Christmas God intends for us, we must simply obey God. Those who are like Mary will have a true Christmas. They hearken to God's commands (Is 48:18) and let Christmas be done unto them according to God's Word (see Lk 1:38).

The key to Christmas is not self-indulgence, but self-surrender in obedience to the Lord. We should not do our own thing but God's thing. We should not try to feel good but please the Lord. If we want to follow Jesus to Christmas, we must deny our very selves, take up the cross each day (Lk 9:23), and obey the Lord.

To prepare for Christ's Christmas coming, we should:

Repent of any disobedience and go to Confession.
Ask the Holy Spirit to alert us to opportunities to obey the Lord.
Pray for the strength to obey.
Obey.

The Lord has a wonderful Christmas planned for us. It is more than we can ask for or imagine (Eph 3:20). We just have to follow instructions. "Mary" Christmas!

Prayer: Jesus, may I love You as Mary loved You at the first Christmas.

Promise: "Time will prove where wisdom lies." —Mt 11:19

Praise: St. Juan Diego humbly took flowers to his bishop, obeying his mother Mary, and the world was changed. His persistent obedience to Our Lady of Guadalupe led to the conversion of eight million people in the next decade.

To My Unborn Child

To my unborn child,
what I wish to give you in times to come,
happiness, and wisdom,
a life filled with fun,
to explore all adventures of your curious mind,
to become knowledgeable of what you’ll find,
as I await your arrival and the presence of newborn cries,
I picture how you’ll look when I open up my eyes.
I feel your movements every time I wake each day,
letting mommy know that you’re okay,
obstacles I hope you’ll overcome,
education I know you’ll get done,
I stay up late reading to you,
talking to my stomach,
a feeling I never knew,
hungry all the time
‘No doubt you’re a son of mine’,
You make me feel happy even when I’m sad,
because the formation of another life makes me glad.
Proud of you I am,
I already know how you’ll be,
a smart ‘lil’ man for mommy to see,
no worries from me a mom to be,
to a special baby boy I can’t wait to see.

December 9, 2016

Friday of the Second Week in Advent

Reading 1 Is 48:17-19

Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Alleluia

Gospel Mt 11:16-19

Friday of the Second week of Advent

Blessed Juan Diego

Advent: December 9th

Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (USA)

MASS READINGS

COLLECT PRAYER

Recipes (8)

Activities (4)

Prayers (8)

Library (1)

Meditation: Isaiah 48:17-19

December 9, 2016 – A Lesson about the Heart

One Bread, One Body

"MARY" CHRISTMAS