| Saints to Celebrate
We're getting back to Ordinary time. It is a wonderful time to take
a breath, look fondly on the Christmas season, and enjoy the quiet
time.
- Sunday, January 7 use a white candle for the
U.S. Catholic Church's celebration of Epiphany - the arrival of
the Wise Men to the birthplace of the Baby Jesus.
- Monday, January 8 use a white candle for the
Baptism of the Lord by St. John the Baptist. We celebrate
this as the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus.
- Tuesday, January 9 through Saturday, January 13 use a
green candle for Ordinary Time.
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Start the Week off Right
(prepare for the Sunday Scriptures)
| Is 60:1-6 |
Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6 |
Mt 2:1-12 |
Our faith in God is well-placed. Every prophecy and promise of the
Old Testament has come to fulfillment in Christ. Now that it is Epiphany
we can stand in awe and inspiration at the fulfillment of God's plan.
The first reading from Isaiah is jubilant. Line after line we hear
beautiful poetry, with the writer glorifying in the light of the
faithful God. In the second reading Paul tells us that, not only is God
faithful, He is also universal. We celebrate being coheirs of the
promise of Jesus on Epiphany, a surprising thought t Paul's community!
The Gospel is quite clear that even those from afar could recognize the
saving power of the newborn King. The Gospel also starkly points out
that there continue to be people, like Herod, who are unwilling to
accept the heavenly kingdom.
Most of us regularly deal with people who are not (yet!) willing to
live a life of Christ. Unfortunately, most of us are, at some time or
another, one of those people. In what ways do we each need to open our
hearts a little bit more to accept God's promises? What can we do each
and every day to help good overcome evil, especially any evil within?
Will we recognize Christ when He comes again, as the shepherds and magi
did the first time? Do we recognize Him in every single person we meet?
We should. He is there.
| Daily Dose of Scripture (our
picks of the week) |
- Hebrews 4:1-5, 11
For the next month the first
readings are from the letter to the Hebrews. We heard parts of this
letter during the last few Sundays of Ordinary Time last autumn. Now
we are going to make it through the entire book.
This letter was probably addressed to Jewish Christians who were
becoming weary of the demands of Christian life. Those people were not
so different from us - society did not encourage them to remain people
of faith. Sometimes it was just easier to give in and go along with
the crowd. The author of the letter to the Hebrews urged them, and
still urges us, to bear trials patiently, forego material things, and
persevere in the faith.
This particular reading recommends taking time to reflect and
rest so that we can come back even stronger. After all, even God took
the seventh day as a day of rest! Whether it is a an organized retreat
or just 5-10 minutes a few times this week, it will be worth it.
- Mk 2:1-12
We're beginning the fast and furious Gospel of Mark. This week
we'll go through the first and the beginning of the second chapters.
Our pick of the week is the familiar story of the paralyzed man who
was lowered down to Jesus for healing. Jesus irritated the scribes
when He forgave the man's sins. Imagine how they felt when he cured
the man's paralysis!
We chose this reading because it, again, reminds us of the importance
of taking time for self-reflection. Disorders of the body often represent disorders
of the soul. Consider how you are feeling after the holidays. Are you
rested and relaxed? Are you stressed and sick? Is there something that
can be changed to bring good health to body, mind, and soul?
Open that Catechism!
There are three main types of prayer (meditation, contemplation, and
vocal) defined by the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. Read about them in paragraphs
#2700 - 2719. It may give you a few new ideas!
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