Category: Daily Reflections

“His wife was barren and had borne no children.” –Judges 13:2 Mass Readings: December 19 First: Judges 13:2-7,24-25; Resp: Psalm 71:3-6,16-17; Gospel: Luke 1:5-25 Listen to the Mass Readings Today the Church introduces us to the mother of Samson and to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer. Both of these women were barren, but the Lord miraculously made them fruitful. Are you barren, not physically, but spiritually? How many people have you helped lead to Christ this Advent? How many spiritual children have you begotten in the last couple of years? (see Phlm 10; 1 Cor 4:15) With how...

“When His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the power of the Holy Spirit.” –Matthew 1:18 Mass Readings: December 18 First: Jeremiah 23:5-8; Resp: Psalm 72:1-2,12-13,18-19; Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25 Listen to the Mass Readings Joseph knew His wife was pregnant by someone other than him. The only possibility seemed to be that Mary was an adulteress. Yet in a dream, an angel told Joseph that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20). Would you believe this miracle? Would you believe something that had never happened before? Would...

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.” –Isaiah 61:1 To meet Christ this Christmas, we need the Holy Spirit to guide us (see Jn 16:13). Most of us have the Holy Spirit because we have been baptized and confirmed. However, the central question is: “Does the Holy Spirit have us?” Do we relate to the Holy Spirit as a Person? (seeCatechism, 686) Does the Holy Spirit possess our lives to direct us as He wills? With Mary, have we said to the Holy Spirit: “Let it be done to me according to...

“How awesome are you, Elijah! Whose glory is equal to yours?” –Sirach 48:4 Mass Readings: December 16 First: Sirach 48:1-4,9-11; Resp: Psalm 80:2-3,15-16,18-19; Gospel: Matthew 17:10-13 Listen to the Mass Readings   The ministry of Elijah preceded the coming of Jesus at His Incarnation, is preceding Christ’s coming this Christmastime, and will precede His final coming at the end of the world. Elijah’s ministry is to re-establish God’s people (Sir 48:10) and to restore all things (Mt 17:11). Consequently, at this time before Christ’s Christmas coming, the following three prophecies of Isaiah are being fulfilled by new Elijahs: “Build up,...