Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 01-01-08, Solemnity, Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 01-01-08 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

January 1, 2008

The Octave Day of Christmas                               Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,                             the Mother of God

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Reading 2 Gospel

Reading 1
Nm 6:22-27

The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8.

R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.

Reading II
Gal 4:4-7

Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.

Gospel
Lk 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and 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 amazed
by 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.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

[Salvation]

January 1, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Although New Year's Day is not celebrated by the Church, this day has been observed as a holy day of obligation since early times due to the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Each family and country has different traditional foods to eat on New Year's Day, with lentils being the main superstition: ill luck befalling those who do not eat lentils at the beginning of the year. New Year's is a day of traditional hospitality, visiting and good cheer, mostly with a secular view, but there is no reason that this day, too, could not be sanctified in Christ. Day Eight activity (New Year's Day Party) Day Eight recipe (New Year's Pretzel)

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

January 1, 2008

As 2007 Ends

Come thou, O Mary, reign in the world!
Let new impulses of filial devotion to thee come from the Chair of Peter.
that thy most radiant light may dispel errors.

In thee didst the fallen world find salvation
and the apostate world cannot find it apart from thee,
for thou art the Queen of grace and of mercy.

Frightening is our condition;
false prophets have deceived us
and iniquity has lied to itself.
Those who promised tranquility have gone by,
passing like cyclones of destruction,
and those who promised peace,
like whirlwinds in a storm.

Fallen are the idols raised high on the limits of our eternal aspirations;
they have burned us in the impure flames of their filthy holocausts.
The leaders of the new stupidities have been unmasked,
they have been scattered.
O Mary, O sweetest Queen, O Virgin Mother of God, save us!
The universe calleth upon Thee, O Mother of tender mercy,
and asketh for Thy help.

Come then, and rescue Thy servants, O Blessed One!
Come, and for the new mercy that Thou outpourest upon the world,
be endless glory to the Father,
equal glory to the Son,
and sovereign glory to God the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Don Dolindo Ruotolo, priest (1882–1970)

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Mary, Our Mother
January 1, 2008




The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God
Father Matthew Green, LC

Luke 2: 16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and 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 amazed by 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. When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, my Savior and friend, open my heart to hear your word and to discover all the riches you have prepared for me in the example of your Mother! I believe in your incarnation, I hope in its power to transform me, and I want to love you more and more in return for all you’ve done for me!

Petition: Help me, Lord, to appreciate and imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

1. The Handmaid of the Lord    Mary’s name appears only twice in this text. Only once is she described as doing anything. This is no accident. She is present throughout these scenes, but she does not want to be the center of attention. Any mother of a new-born child has all her love and attention focused on her infant; this is even truer of Mary. She knows her Son has come into the world to save the world, while she is only the “lowly handmaid of the Lord.” She knows her mission is to offer the Son to humanity and to guide us to him. That is what she does here: She lifts the baby Jesus to be kissed and adored by the shepherds, while she remains in the background. Her greatest fulfillment as a mother is to see her Son acknowledged and loved. If we want to understand Christ and Christmas, we have to go to Mary and contemplate them under her spiritual guidance.

2. Mary, the Contemplative    Mary did not merely do her duty and concern herself just with the practical aspects of caring for her child, the Son of God made man. She absorbed all the events surrounding his conception, birth, and life; she sought to discover the divine meaning and purpose behind every joy and sorrow, every word and gesture. She “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” from a perspective of faith. This is the attitude we need at Christmas — not live just the commercialism and festivities and then move on to the New Year as if nothing had happened. Rather, we should contemplate the mystery of Christ’s birth throughout the whole Christmas season, until the feast of the Epiphany. Mary is able to faithfully carry out God’s will because she ponders the mysteries of God in prayer.

3. Blessed Are Those Who Hear the Word of God and Observe It    Mary and Joseph were meticulously careful about responding to God’s will. When the angel told Mary she would conceive, she believed and accepted it. When an angel told Joseph to leave for Egypt, they went. They were also meticulously careful about keeping Jewish observance. They made pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the yearly feasts. They offered the prescribed sacrifices, etc. Here we see both aspects of Mary’s and Joseph’s carefulness combined: They have Jesus circumcised according to the law, and they give him the name prescribed by the angel Gabriel in the vision. Mary hears, believes, and observes God’s will in everything – the ordinary and the extraordinary. Thanks to her fidelity, Jesus was prepared for his mission. As both Elizabeth and Jesus himself (in his public life) say, she is truly blessed! We, too, will be blessed if we follow her example.

Conversation with Christ: Christ Jesus, thank you for giving us your mother Mary to be our mother as well! Her example teaches me how to follow you. Knowing I have her example and prayers to guide me gives me more confidence. Help me to live up to all you expect of me. Help me to be a true child of Mary!

Resolution: I will examine my life to see if, like Mary, I am seeking God’s will in all things and loving him — and other people because of him — more than myself.

[Salvation]

Mother of God

Mickey Addison	Email this article Discuss this article Other Articles by Mickey Addison Printer Friendly Version
Mother of God

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January 1, 2008

On New Year's Day, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. As with all Marian pieties and dogmas, it is a celebration that points to something about Christ.

Non-Catholics sometimes have the most difficult time with the Marian dogmas, perhaps because they take them at face value without looking at why these dogmas are part of Sacred Tradition in the first place. I have a friend, for example, who has no issues with the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but struggles mightily with Marian dogmas.

In a sense, acceptance of Marian dogmas makes belief in the Real Presence easier.

Our Blessed Lady has been addressed by the title "Mother of God" since at least A.D. 407. St John Chrysostom wrote a Eucharistic Prayer that included the title of Mother of God, presumably in congruence with the popular piety of the time. This title was not without controversy, however, even in the 5th century.

The Nestorian heresy, led by a man named Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople (A.D. 428-431), postulated that Our Lady only gave birth to Jesus' human nature, and therefore deserved only the title, "Mother of Jesus." Nestorius theorized that Jesus was "inhabited" by the Divine Word; essentially that the person of Jesus Christ was a sort of "possessed" body where the Word dwelt inside Jesus "as a temple."

Of course, this theory leads to all sorts of heretical ideas, not the least of which is that Jesus Christ was two people and that the flesh He sacrificed was not sanctified or elevated by union with the divine.

The Nestorian heresy was refuted initially by St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (d. 440): "It was not that an ordinary man was born first of the Holy Virgin, on whom afterwards the Word descended; what we say is that, being united with the flesh from the womb, (the Word) has undergone birth in the flesh, making the birth in the flesh His own..."

The Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431 finally settled the matter, declaring: "If anyone does not confess that the Emmanuel is truly God and therefore that the holy Virgin is the Mother of God (Theotokos) (since she begot according to the flesh the Word of God made flesh), let them be anathema [despised]."

The Council declared once and for all that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Divine Second Person of the Trinity, true God and true Man, united. The Blessed Virgin gave birth to a single Person with two natures...not two persons with two natures. As the Catechism succinctly teaches, "Mary is truly 'Mother of God' since she is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself" (#509).

The first day of the New Year is a splendid opportunity to reflect on the marvel of the Word Made Flesh, and the woman He took His flesh from when He came among us.

 

Mickey Addison is a career military officer, and has been a catechist at the parish level since 2000. He and his wife have been married for 19 years and they have two children. He can be reached at addisoncrew@gmail.com.

This article was previously published on the Rosary Army website and is used by permission.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day
Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph. D.	Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph. D. Printer Friendly Version
If You Want to Be Forgiven, Forgive!

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January 1, 2008

Nm 6:22-27 / Gal 4:4-7 / Lk 2:16-21

One of the characteristics of healthy children is a consciousness of the importance of having rules and playing by the rules. One of the most frequent refrains amidst their games is the outraged challenge, "That's not fair. You cheated." This focus on rules is an important stage in a child's development, and it provides children with crucial habits for the rest of life. Without it their lives and society as a whole would descend into chaos. But by itself it isn't enough to make a life.

St. Paul learned this through painful experience. In his early days as a devout and sincere Jew, he strove with all his might to observe the whole of the law of Moses with perfection. And constantly he failed — in two ways. On the one hand, the simple human weakness which is common to us all frustrated his very best efforts to be perfect. He just wasn't and he never would be, and it drove him crazy. On the other hand, his frustration with his own inner imperfections and failures hardened his heart as he judged both himself and others.  With ruthless vigor, he set out to catch and to punish everyone who was wandering away from the law as he understood it. And so he found himself killing Christians, presiding at the death of the very first martyr, St. Stephen.

In the end, he discovered that there was a way out of this terrible, bitter trap that he'd built for himself, and the way out was Jesus, the compassionate one, Jesus the forgiver. He is the only way out, the only salvation, for any of us fragile, fault-ridden human beings. His forgiveness and his compassion can be ours for the asking.  All we need do in return is to pass it on and share it with our brothers and sisters. 

 

[Salvation]

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 121 (122)

Jerusalem, the holy city

They filled me with joy when they said, “We will go to the house of the Lord”.
Now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, built as a city, whole and self-contained:
there the tribes have gone up, the tribes of the Lord –
the witness of Israel, to praise the Lord’s name.
For there are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “Safety for those who care for you,
peace inside your walls, security within your ramparts!”

For my brethren and those near to me I will say “Peace be upon you”.
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will call blessings upon you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

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Psalm 126 (127)

Without the Lord, we labour in vain

If the Lord does not build the house,
 its builders labour in vain.
If the Lord does not watch over a city,
 its workmen guard it in vain.

It is vain for you to rise before the dawn
 and go late to your rest,
 eating the bread of toil –
 to those he loves, the Lord gives sleep.

The Lord bestows sons as an heirloom,
 the fruit of the womb as a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior –
 so are the sons of one’s youth.
Happy the man who fills his quiver thus:
 when he disputes with his enemies at the gate,
 he will not be the loser.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

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Canticle	Ephesians 1
God the Saviour
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in heaven. In love, he chose us before the creation of the world, to be holy and spotless in his sight. He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ, simply because it pleased him to do so. This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace, of his free gift of us in his Beloved, in whose blood we have gained redemption, and the forgiveness of our sins. This he did according to the riches of his grace, which he gave us in abundance, with all wisdom and discernment, revealing to us the mysteries of his will, because it pleased him to do so. In this action he has planned, in the fulfilment of time, to bring all things together in Christ, from the heavens and from the earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

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Short reading	Galatians 4:4 - 5 ©
When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons.

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Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,  and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour –  me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed,  because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy,  his mercy lasts for generation after generation  for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength:  he has scattered the proud and conceited,  torn princes from their thrones;  but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things;  the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel,  he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,  to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

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Prayers and Intercessions

?

Blessings to Christ Emmanuel, conceived and born of the Virgin Mary. We address our prayers to him: - Son of the Virgin Mary, hear us. You granted to Mary the joy of motherhood: give all parents true joy in their children. King and peace-bringer, your reign is justice and peace: grant that we may work for peace. You came to consecrate the human race as God’s holy people: bring all peoples together in harmony. By being born you took on the bonds of family: let each family live in unity. You chose to be born into time with us: may the deceased be born into eternity with you.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
 hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
 thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
 and forgive us our trespasses
 as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

God, it was by means of blessed Mary, virgin and mother, that you gave the human race the gift of eternal salvation.
 Grant that we may feel the effects of her intercession for us,
 for it is through her that we have received your Son, the source of life.

He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

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May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Tuesday, January 01, 2008 Meditation Galatians 4:4-7 Mary, Mother of God Start exercising. . . Go on a diet. . . Spend less money. . . Does this list of New Year’s resolutions look familiar? How about adding another one: Grow in my relationship with God? Would it surprise you to know that God also makes plans and has his own resolutions? In fact, before time began he laid out a perfect plan that encompasses all of creation. For instance, St. Paul tells us that at just the right time, God sent his Son into the world, so that all of us might receive adoption as his children (Galatians 4:4-5). So what plans can we make this year that will help us link up with God’s great plan? Mary’s example can help us. She treasured everything God was doing in her, and kept pondering it in her heart. From the angel’s first visit to the shepherds’ story of their own angelic visitors, to Simeon’s words in the Temple to Jesus’ own words over the years, Mary reflected on everything she saw and heard. And her reflections helped her discern the next steps she should take. Believe it or not, you have a special role in God’s plan as well! It is a unique calling that only you can fulfill. You may think of yourself as just another housewife or just another worker on the job, but nothing can be further from the truth. God has given you some precise talents and personality traits that make you part of a beautiful, intricate mosaic that reveals his love and glory. So how can you discover your role in God’s plan? By imitating Mary. Listen. Ponder. Question. Trust. And above all, surrender. May this be a year of special grace for you! “Father, I dedicate this year to growing in my faith, so that you can use me in any way you please. Give me a heart like Mary’s, one that ponders what you have done for me and understands what you still need to do. Let it be done to me, Lord, according to your will!” Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67:2-3,5-6,8; Luke 2:16-21

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, January 1, 2008 >>

Mary, Mother of God

Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4:4-7

Psalm 67
Luke 2:16-21

View Readings  

"SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE"

"The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!" —Numbers 6:26

 

When the Jewish people came to the Temple, the priests blessed them with peace. At the birth of Jesus, the angels sang: "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth" (Lk 2:14, our translation). Before His death, Jesus bequeathed peace to the apostles (Jn 14:27). Paul claimed that Jesus is our Peace (Eph 2:14; Mi 5:4). At Fatima in 1917, Mary exhorted and prophesied that we must pray for peace. We hear of Mary at Medjugorje identifying herself as the Queen of Peace. Over thirty years ago, Pope Paul VI set aside this first day of the year as a special day of prayer for peace and justice.

For centuries, and now more than ever, the Lord has emphasized that we need the fruit of the Spirit, that is, peace (Gal 5:22). We can be racked with pain and close to death, but if we have peace, somehow life's still worth living. We can be rejected, divorced, and abused, but even in such a state, there can be an overshadowing peace "beyond all understanding" (Phil 4:7).

Without peace, however, even minor aches, pains, and problems seem insurmountable. If we have peace, 2008 will be a great year, no matter what. Without peace, this year will be an exercise in futility. Come, Holy Spirit of peace. Queen of peace, pray for us.

 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, cry out in my heart "Abba" (Gal 4:6). May I know I'm a beloved child of God. May I let go of all unforgiveness, resentment, jealousy, and bitterness.

Promise: "Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart." —Lk 2:19

Praise: The greeting the risen Jesus gave His disciples was "Peace be with you" (Jn 20:19). Alleluia to the Prince of Peace (Is 9:5).

[Salvation]

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

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This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

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Psalm 142 (143)

A prayer in time of trouble

Lord, I trust you: do not hide your face from me.

Lord, listen to my prayer:
 in your faithfulness turn your ear to my pleading;
 in your justice, hear me.
Do not judge your servant:
 nothing that lives can justify itself before you.

The enemy has hounded my spirit,
 he has crushed my life to the ground,
 he has shut me in darkness, like the dead of long ago.
So my spirit trembles within me,
 my heart turns to stone.
I remind myself of the days of old,
 I reflect on all your works,
 I meditate once more on the work of your hands.
I stretch out my arms to you,
 I stretch out my soul, like a land without water.

Come quickly and hear me, O Lord,
 for my spirit is weakening.
Do not hide your face from me,
 do not let me be like the dead,
 who go down to the underworld.
Show me your mercy at daybreak,
 because of my trust in you.
Tell me the way I should follow,
 for I lift up my soul towards you.
Rescue me from my enemies:
 Lord, I flee to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will,
 for you are my God.

Your good spirit will lead me to the land of justice;
 for your name’s sake, Lord, you will give me life.
In your righteousness you will lead my soul
 away from all tribulation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

Lord, I trust you: do not hide your face from me.

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Reading	1 Peter 5:8-9
Be calm and keep watch. The Devil, your enemy, is circling you like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, strong in faith.

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Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

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Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.  You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation,  which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;  the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

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Prayer
Let us pray. Of your kindness, Lord, dispel the darkness of this night, so that we your servants may go to sleep in peace and wake to the light of the new day, rejoicing in your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

[Salvation]

Book One -- Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul

Imitation of Christ -- Foreword [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1,1 - Imitating Jesus Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1,2, Having A Humble Opinion of Self [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 3, The Doctrine of Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 4, Prudence in Action [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1, 5, Reading the Holy Scripture [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 6, Unbridled Affections [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 1, 7, Avoiding False Hope and Pride [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 8, Shunning Over- Familiarity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 9, Obedience and Subjection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 10, Avoiding Idle Talk [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 11, Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 12, The Value of Adversity [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 1, 13, Resisting Temptation [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1. 14, Avoiding Rash Judgment [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 15, Works Done in Charity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 16, Bearing With the Faults of Others [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1. 17, Monastic Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 18, The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 1, 19, The Practices of a Good Religious [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 20, The Love of Solitude and Silence [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 21, Sorrow of Heart [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 22, Thoughts on the Misery of Man [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 23, Thoughts on Death [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 24, Judgment and the Punishment of Sin [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 1, 25, Zeal in Amending Our Lives [Devotional]

Book Two -- The Interior Life

Imitation of Christ: 2, 1, (26), Meditation [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 2, (27) Humility [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 3, (28) Goodness and Peace in Man [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 4, (29) Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 5, (30) Ourselves [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 2, 6, (31) The Joy of a Good Conscience [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 7. (32) Loving Jesus Above All Things [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 8, (33) The Intimate Friendship of Jesus [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 9, (34) Wanting No Share in Comfort [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 10, (35) Appreciating God's Grace [Devcotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 11, (36) Few Love the Cross of Jesus [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 12, (37) The Royal Road of the Holy Cross [Devotional]

[Salvation]

Book Three -- Internal Consolation - Conversations with Christ

Imitation of Christ: 3,1, (38) The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 2, (39) Truth Speaks Inwardly without the Sound of Words [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 3, (40) Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 4, (41) We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 5, (42) The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 6, (43) The Proving of a True Lover {Devotional}
Imitation of Christ: 3, 7, (44) Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 8, (45) Self-Abasement in the Sight of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 9, (46) All Things Should be Referred to God as their Last End [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 10 (47) To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 11 (48) The Longings of Our Hearts Must Be Examined & Moderated [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 12, (49) Acquiring Patience in the Fight against Concupiscence [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,13,(50) The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to...Jesus Christ [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,14(51)Consider...Judgments of God Lest You Become Proud...Deeds [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 15 (52) How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,16, (53) True Comfort is to be Sought in God Alone [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 17, (54) All Our Care is to be Placed in God [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ:3,18(55)Temporal Sufferings..be Borne Patiently,..Example of Christ [Devotional}
Imitation of Christ: 3, 19, (56) True Patience in Suffering [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 20, (57) Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 21 (58) Above All Goods and All Gifts We Must Rest in God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,22 (59) Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3 23, (60) Four Things Which Bring Great Peace [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 24, (61) Avoiding Curious Inquiry About the Lives of Others [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 25 (62) The Basis of Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,26,(63)The Excellence of a Free Mind, Gained Through Prayer ... [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 27, (64) Self-Love is the Greatest Hindrance to the Highest Good[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 28, (65) Strength Against Slander [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,29(66)How We Must Call Upon ... the Lord When Trouble Presses [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 30 (67) Quest of Divine Help and Confidence in Regaining Grace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 31 (68) To Find the Creator, Forsake All Creatures [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 32, (69) Self-Denial and the Renunciation of Evil Appetites [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,33,(70)Restlessness of Soul:Directing Final Intention Toward God[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 34, (71) God is ... in All Things to Those Who Love Him [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 35, (72) There is No Security from Temptation in This Life [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 36, (73) The Vain Judgments of Men [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 37 (74) Pure...Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,38,(75)...Right Ordering of External Affairs; Recourse to God... [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,39, (76) A Man Should Not be Unduly Solicitous about his Affairs[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 40 (77) Man Has No Good in Himself and Can Glory in Nothing [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 41, (78) Contempt for All Earthly Honor [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 42 (79) Peace is not to be Placed in Men [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 43 (80) Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 44 (81) Do Not be Concerned About Outward Things [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 45 (82) ...Men...Not To Be Believed, ...Easy To Err in Speech [Devotional]
Imitation of Chirst: 3, 46, (83) Trust in God Against Slander [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 47, (84) Every Trial Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 48 (85) The Day of Eternity and the Distresses of this Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,49(86)...Desire of Eternal Life;...Rewards...Those Who Struggle [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 50 (87) How a Desolate Person... Commit...into the Hands of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,51,(88)When We Cannot Attain...Highest,...Practice...Humble Works[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ:3,52(89)A Man Ought Not Consider Himself Worthy...Consolation, ...[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 53, (90) God's Grace Is Not Given to the Earthly Minded [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 3, 54 (91) The Different Motions of Nature and Grace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ:3,55 (92)The Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 56 (93) We...Deny Ourselves... Imitate Christ...Bearing Cross [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 57 (94) Man Should Not Be Too Downcast...Falls Into Defects [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 58 (95) High Matters...Hidden Judgments of God...Not...[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 59 (96) All Hope and Trust Are To Be Fixed in God Alone [Devotional]

[Salvation]

Book Four -- An Invitation to the Holy Communion

Imitation of Christ: 4, 1, (97) The Great Reverence With Which We Should Receive Christ [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ:4,2(98) God's Great Goodness and Love...Shown to Man in...Sacrament[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 4, 3 (99) It Is Profitable To Receive Communion Often [Devotional}
Imitation of Christ: 4, 4(100) Many Blessings Are Given...Receive Communion Worthily [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 4, 5 (101) The Dignity of the Sacrament and of the Priesthood [Devotional]

Imitation of Christ: 4, 6 (102) An Inquiry on the Proper Thing to do Before Communion [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 4,7 (103)...Examination of Conscience and the Resolution to Amend [Devotional]

[Ciexyz]

Here's wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year full of blessings.

[annalex]

Lk 2:16-21
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
16	And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.	et venerunt festinantes et invenerunt Mariam et Ioseph et infantem positum in praesepio
17	And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.	videntes autem cognoverunt de verbo quod dictum erat illis de puero hoc
18	And all that heard wondered: and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.	et omnes qui audierunt mirati sunt et de his quae dicta erant a pastoribus ad ipsos
19	But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.	Maria autem conservabat omnia verba haec conferens in corde suo
20	And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.	et reversi sunt pastores glorificantes et laudantes Deum in omnibus quae audierant et viderant sicut dictum est ad illos
21	And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.	et postquam consummati sunt dies octo ut circumcideretur vocatum est nomen eius Iesus quod vocatum est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur

[annalex]

15. And it came pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
16. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.

GREEK EX. The shepherds were filled with astonishment at the things that they saw and heard, and so they left their sheepfolds, and set out by night to Bethlehem, seeking for the light of the Savior; and therefore it is said, They spoke one to another, &c.

THEOPHYL; As men who were truly watching, they said not, Let us see (the child; but) the word which has come to pass, i.e. the Word which was from the beginning, let us see how it has been made flesh for us, since this very Word is the Lord. For it follows, Which the Lord has made, and has shown to us; i.e. Let us see how the Lord has made Himself, and has shown His flesh to us.

AMBROSE; How remarkably Scripture weighs the import of each word. For when we behold the flesh of the Lord, we behold the Word, which is the Son. Let not this seem to you a slight example of faith, because of the humble character of the shepherds. For simplicity is sought for, not pride. It follows, And they came in haste. For no one indolently seeks after Christ.

ORIGEN; But because they came in haste, and not with loitering steps, it follows, They found Mary, (i.e. her who had brought Jesus into the world,) and Joseph, (i.e. the guardian of our Lord's birth,) and the babe lying in the manger, (i.e. the Savior Himself.)

THEOPHYL; It seems to succeed in due order, that after having rightly celebrated the incarnation of the Word, we should at length come to behold the actual glory of that Word. Hence it follows: But when they saw it, they made known the word which had been spoken to them.

GREEK EX. Beholding with hidden faith indeed the happy events which had been told them, and not content with marveling at the reality of those things which at the very first they saw and embraced when the Angel told them, they began to relate them not only to Mary and Joseph, but to the others also (and what is more they impressed them on their minds,) as it follows, And all who heard it marveled. For how could it be otherwise, at the sight of one of the heavenly host upon earth, and earth in peace reconciled to heaven; and that ineffable Child binding together in one, by His divinity, heavenly things, by His humanity, earthly things, and by this conjunction of Himself ejecting a wonderful union!

GLOSS. Not only do they marvel at the mystery of the incarnation, but also at so wonderful an attestation of the shepherds, men who could not have devised these unheard of things, but were with simple eloquence proclaiming the truth.

AMBROSE; Esteem not the words of the shepherds as mean and despicable For from the shepherds Mary increases her faith, as it follows: Mary kept all these sayings, and pondered them in her heart. Let us learn the chastity of the sacred Virgin in all things, who no less chaste in her words than in her body, gathered up in her heart the materials of faith.

THEOPHYL; For keeping the laws of virgin modesty, she who had known the secrets of Christ would divulge them to no one, but comparing what she had read in prophecy with what she now acknowledged to have taken place, she did not utter them with the mouth, but preserved them shut up in her heart.

GREEK EX. Whatever the Angel had said to her, whatever she had heard from Zacharias, and Elisabeth, and the shepherds, she collected them all in her mind, and comparing them together, perceived in all one harmony. Truly, He was God who was born from her.

ATHANAS. But every one rejoiced in the nativity of Christ, not with human feelings, as men are wont to rejoice when a son is born, but at the presence of Christ and the luster of the Divine light. As it follows: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for every thing they had heard, &c.

THEOPHYL; That is to say, from the Angels, and had seen, i.e. in Bethlehem, as it was told them, i.e. they glory in this, that when they came they found it even as it was told them, or as it was told them they give praise and glory to God. For this they were told by the Angels to do, not in very word commanding them, but setting before them the form of devotion when they sung glory to God in the highest.

THEOPHYL; To speak in a mystery, let the shepherds of spiritual flocks, (nay, all the faithful,) after the example of, these shepherds, go in thought even to Bethlehem, and celebrate the incarnation of Christ with due honors. Let us go indeed casting aside all fleshly lusts, with the whole desire of the mind even to the heavenly Bethlehem, (i.e. the house of the living bread,) that He whom they saw crying in the manger we may deserve to see reigning on the throne of His Father. And such bliss as this is not to be sought for with sloth and idleness, but with eagerness must we follow the footsteps of Christ. When they saw Him they knew Him; and let us haste to embrace in the fullness of our love those things which were spoken of our Savior, that when the time shall come that we shall see with perfect knowledge we may be able to comprehend them.

THEOPHYL; Again, the shepherds of the Lord's flock by contemplating the life of the fathers who went before them, (which preserved the bread of life,) enter as it were the gates of Bethlehem, and find therein none other than the virgin beauty of the Church, that is, Mary; the manly company of spiritual doctors, that is, Joseph; and the lowly coming of Christ contained in the pages of Holy Scripture, that is, the infant child Christ, laid in the manger.

ORIGEN; That was the manger which Israel knew not, according to those words of Isaiah, The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib.

THEOPHYL; The shepherds did not hide in silence what they knew, because to this end have the Shepherds of the Church been ordained, that what they have learned in the Scriptures they might explain to their hearers.

THEOPHYL; The masters of the spiritual flocks also, while others sleep, at one time by contemplation enter into the heavenly places, at another time pass around them by seeking the examples of the faithful, at another time by teaching return to the public duties of the pastoral office.

THEOPHYL; Every one of us, even he who is supposed to live as a private person, exercises the office of shepherd, if, keeping together a multitude of good actions and pure thoughts, he strive to rule them with due moderation, to feed them with the food of the Scriptures, and to preserve them against the snares of the devil.

21. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

THEOPHYL; Having related our Lord's nativity, the Evangelist adds, And after that eight days were accomplished for the circumcision of the child.

AMBROSE; Who is this Child, but He of whom it was said, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given? For He was made under the law, that He might redeem them who were under the law.

EPIPH. Now the followers of Ebion and Cerinthus say, "It is enough for a disciple if he be as his Master. But Christ circumcised Himself. Be you therefore circumcised." But herein do they deceive themselves, destroying their own principles; for if Ebion should confess that Christ as God descended from heaven and was circumcised on the eighth day, it might then afford the ground of an argument for circumcision; but since he affirms Him to be mere man, surely as a boy he cannot be the cause of Himself being circumcised, as neither are infants the authors of their own circumcision. But we confess that it is God Himself who has descended from heaven, and that enclosed in a virgin's womb, He abode there the whole time necessary for her delivery, until He should perfectly form to Himself of the virgin's womb a human body; and that in this body He was not in appearance but truly circumcised on the eighth day, in order that the figures having come to this spiritual fulfillment, both by Himself and His disciples, might now be spread abroad no longer the figures but the reality.

ORIGEN; As we have died with Him at His death, and risen together with Him at His resurrection, so with Him have we been circumcised, and therefore need not now circumcision in the flesh.

EPIPHAN. Christ was circumcised for several reasons. First indeed to show the reality of His flesh, in opposition to Manichaus and those who say that He came forth in appearance only. Secondly, that He might prove that His body was not of the same substance with the Deity, according to Apollinaris, and that it descended not from heaven, as Valentinian said. Thirdly, to add a confirmation to circumcision which He had of old instituted to wait His coming. Lastly, to leave no excuse to the Jews. For had He not been circumcised, they might have objected that they could not receive Christ uncircumcised.

THEOPHYL; He was circumcised also that He might enjoin upon us by His example the virtue of obedience and might take compassion on them who being placed under the law, were unable to bear the burdens of the law, to the end that He who came in the likeness of sinful flesh might not reject the remedy with which sinful flesh was wont to be healed. For circumcision brought in the law the same assistance of a saving cure to the wound of original sin which Baptism does in the time of the grace of revelation, except that as yet the circumcised could not enter the gates of the heavenly kingdom, but comforted after death with a blessed rest in Abraham's bosom, they waited with a joyful hope for their entrance into eternal peace.

ATHAN. For circumcision expressed nothing else, but the stripping off of the old birth, seeing that part was circumcised which caused the birth of the body. And thus it was done at that time as a sign of the future baptism through Christ. Therefore as soon as that of which it was a sign came, the figure ceased. For since the whole of the old man Adam is taken away by baptism, there remains nothing which the cutting of a part prefigures.

CYRIL; It was the custom on the eighth day to perform the circumcision of the flesh. For on the eighth day Christ rose from the dead, and conveyed to us a spiritual circumcision, saying, Go and teach all nations, baptizing them.

THEOPHYL; Now in His resurrection was prefigured the resurrection of each of us both in the flesh and the Spirit, for Christ has taught us by being circumcised that our nature must both now in itself be purged from the stain of vice, and at the last day be restored from the plague of death. And as the Lord rose on the eighth day, i.e. the day after the seventh, (which is the Sabbath,) so we also after six ages of the world and after the seventh, which is the rest of souls, and is now carrying on in another life, shall rise as on the eighth day.

CYRIL; But according to the command of the law, on the same day He received the imposition of a name, as it follows, His name was called Jesus which is interpreted Savior. For He was brought forth for the salvation of the whole world, which by His circumcision He prefigured, as the Apostle says to the Colossians, "you are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the stripping off of the body of the flesh, to wit, the circumcision of Christ."

THEOPHYL; That upon the day of His circumcision He also received the imposition of the name was likewise done in imitation of the old observances. For Abraham, who received the first sacrament of circumcision, was on the day of his circumcision thought worthy to be. blessed by the increase of his name.

ORIGEN; But the name of Jesus, a glorious name and worthy of all honor, a name which is above every other, ought not first to be uttered by men, nor by them be brought into the world. Therefore significantly the Evangelist adds, which was called of the Angel, &c.

THEOPHYL; Of this name the elect also in their spiritual circumcision rejoice to be partakers, that as from Christ they are called Christians, so also from the Savior they may be called saved, which title was given them of God not only before they were conceived through faith in the womb of the Church, but even before the world began. Catena Aurea Luke 2

[annalex]

Adoration of the Shepherds

Michele Ciampanti

1490s
Panel, 79 x 52 cm
Collezione Vittorio Cini, Venice

[Salvation]

The Hidden Life of Mary

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur	Other Articles by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur Printer Friendly Version
The Hidden Life of Mary

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January 3, 2008

Mary is a prominent player in the Gospel narratives this week. From the feast of the Holy Family to the feast of Mary, Mother of God, to the Epiphany, she is there — racing to Egypt at the side of her husband and welcoming the shepherds and the magi. She doesn't speak, but rather "holds all these things in her heart."

For the most part, Mary lives a very hidden life. The Gospels tell us of certain crucial moments  e annunciation, the nativity, the presentation in the temple, the flight to Egypt, searching for Jesus in Jerusalem, the wedding at Cana, and her place at the foot of the cross. She is remembered for her relationship to her Son, which is as it should be. And yet, she was a person unto herself. She was a young woman, married with a son. She put her faith in God and trusted that He would hold them in his care. Between the events recorded in scripture, she lived her life in anonymity. Like all wives and mothers, she did housework and took care of her child. She had friends in Nazareth and watched her son play in the village. She swept and cleaned and cooked and sang songs to her baby. She took care of her husband and taught her son how to pray.

When I was a new mother, struggling to adjust to life with an infant, I took comfort in the fact that Jesus was once a baby, too, and that as a mother I could turn to Mary for support. I had always prayed to Mary, but as a mother I felt a much stronger connection. Mary was a mother, too. She would understand. Mary knew what it was like to be tired in the middle of the night, to comfort a child, to worry over a sick child, and to revel in a baby's development. I would eventually write "Letters to Mary from a Young Mother" to share my reflections in the hope that they might help other new mothers lean on Mary in their hour of need.

I have continued to talk to Mary daily in the intervening years and will continue to do so as I travel along this eventful journey known as motherhood. Yes, Jesus was a baby, but he was also a four, and five, and six-year-old boy! He played and got dirty. He probably broke a dish on occasion. Mary answered his questions and told him stories. She was also there to comfort Him when he was hurt and to rejoice with Him when He was happy. Mary continued to lean on God as she worked to bring Jesus up. 

Mary is a role model for all mothers, not only for what scripture tells us about her, but also for all the hidden things that scripture remains silent about. Mothers work behind the scenes, bringing up children and keeping house. Most of what we do will never be recorded in history, yet it is important and meaningful. Mary is our guide and our friend. She shares our hidden life and we can turn to her for support and understanding. She will ask her Son to help us. She loves us as only another mother can.

 

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur has a Master of Arts degree in Applied Theology from Elms College, and is editor of SpiritualWoman.net. She is also the author of Letters to Mary from a Young Mother (2004).

(This article is adapted from a weekly column Patrice writes for CatholicMom.com, and is used by permission.)

[Salvation]

From: Luke 2:16-21

The Adoration of the Shepherds (Continuation)

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[16] And they (the shepherds) went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph,
and the babe lying in a manger. [17] And when they saw it they made known
the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it
wondered at what the shepherds told them. [19] But Mary kept all these things,
pondering them in her heart. [20] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and
praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The Circumcision of Jesus

---

[21] And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called
Jesus, the name given by the angels before he was conceived in the womb.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

15-18. The birth of the Savior Messiah is the key event in the history of mankind,
but God wanted it to take place so quietly that the world went about its business
as if nothing had happened. The only people he tells about it are a few shepherds.
It was also to a shepherd, Abraham, that God gave his promise to save mankind.

The shepherds make their way to Bethlehem propelled by the sign they have
received. And when they verify it they tell what they heard from the angel and
about seeing the heavenly host. They are the first witnesses of the birth of the
Messiah. “The shepherds were not content with believing in the happy event
which the angel proclaimed to them and which, full of wonder, they saw for a fact;
they manifested their joy not only to Mary and Joseph but to everyone and, what
is more, they tried to engrave it on their memory. ‘And all who heard it wondered
at what the shepherds told them.’ And why would they not have wondered, seeing
on earth him who is in heaven, and earth and heaven reconciled; seeing that
ineffable Child who joined what was heavenly—divinity—and what was earthly —
humanity — creating a wonderful covenant through this union. Not only were they
in awe at the mystery of the Incarnation, but also at the great testimony born by
the shepherds, who could not have invented something they had not heard and
who publish the truth with a simple eloquence” (Photius, “Ad Amphilochium”,
155).

16. The shepherds hasten because they are full of joy and eager to see the Savior.
St Ambrose comments: “No one seeks Christ halfheartedly” (”Expositio Evangelii
Sec. Lucam., in loc.”). Earlier on, the evangelist observed that our Lady, after the
Annunciation, “went in haste” to see St Elizabeth (Lk 1:39). A soul who has given
God entry rejoices that God has visited him and his life acquires new energy.

19. In very few words this verse tells us a great deal about our Lady. We see the
serenity with which she contemplates the wonderful things that are coming true
with the birth of her divine Son. She studies them, ponders them and stores them
in the silence of her heart. She is a true teacher of prayer. If we imitate her, if we
guard and ponder in our hearts what Jesus says to us and what he does in us,
we are well on the way to Christian holiness and we shall never lack his doctrine
and his grace. Also, by meditating in this way on the teaching Jesus has given
us, we shall obtain a deeper understanding of the mystery of Christ, which is
how “the Tradition that comes from the Apostles makes progress in the Church,
with the help of the Holy Spirit. There is a growth in insight into the realities and
words that are being passed on. This comes about in various ways. It comes
through the contemplation and study of believers who ponder these things in
their hearts. It comes from the intimate sense of spiritual realities which they
experience. And it comes from the preaching of those who have received, along
with their right of succession in the episcopate, the sure charism of truth”
(Vatican II, “Dei Verbum”, 8).

21. On the meaning and rite of circumcision, see the note on Lk 1:59. “Jesus”
means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation”, that is, Savior. This name was
given the Child not as the result of any human decision but in keeping with the
commandment of God which the angel communicated to the Blessed Virgin and
to St Joseph (cf. Lk 1:31; Mk 1:21).

The Son of God became incarnate in order to redeem and save all men; so it is
very fitting that he be called Jesus, Savior. We confess this in the Creed: “For us
men and for our salvation he came down from heaven.” “There were indeed many
who were called by this name [...]. But how much more appropriate it is to call
by this name our Savior, who brought light, liberty and salvation, not to one people
only, but to all men, of all ages—to men oppressed, not by famine, or Egyptian or
Babylonian bondage, but sitting in the shadow of death and fettered by the galling
chains of sin and of the devil” (”St Pius V Catechism”, I, 36).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.