Be Quiet and Listen

4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Mark 1: 21-28     “Be quiet! Come out of that man!”

January 29, 2012:  

In today’s section of Mark’s Gospel, “the people were fascinated by the teaching of Jesus- a new teaching in spirit of authority.” The prophets, including the great Moses, used to say: “Thus says the Lord.” Jesus now says: “I tell you…” the exorcism accompanying Jesus’ teaching in Mark’s account emphasizes this authority. Where God’s word breaks through in human history, announcing the coming of his kingdom of justice, of love, and of peace, there evil must certainly cease!

Listen often and with faith to the Lord Jesus and to his teaching with authority, as we have it in Scripture. “Spellbound” by his words, you will keep balance in a society where so much cheap “wisdom” is for sale. We now ask ourselves: “Frankly speaking, how attentively do we listen to the word of God when we attend the Mass? Do we prepare to receive the message that God has for us?

In prayer, we now approach God the Father who has the power and the authority over all things especially over the burdens that weigh us down: “O COMPASSIONATE FATHER, WE REJOICE IN YOUR ABUNDANT LOVE FOR US. ESTABLISH YOUR AUTHORITY WITHIN US AND BE OUR COMPANION ON THE ROAD OF LIFE. THIS IS OUR PRAYER THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.

Fishers of Men

3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. 

January 22, 2011

Mark. 1: 14 - 20    “Come after me; I will make your fishers of men.”

In today’s Gospel, Mark deals with two calls. He first sets forth the call to repentance to all of us: “Reform your lives and believe in the good news.” Conversion is a truly lifetime job which requires daily perseverance! Secondly, Mark relates another call of the disciples referring to “call-vocation,” in particular, the call to total, lifetime dedication to Christ, including one’s sexuality, as an ongoing process. The disciples have just spent the entire day with the Lord and in today’s Gospel reading we witness a definitive decision on the part of the disciples. “They abandoned their father Zebedee who was in boat with the hired men and went off in the company of Jesus!”

            We now ask ourselves: Have we ever experienced the call to genuine conversion? As we have been living our life from day to day, have we encountered clear signs that the Lord is calling us to his service?

            We now turn in prayer to God: “O GOD, GRANT US THE GRACE TO TRULY CHANGE OUR LIVES AND TO FIRMLY BELIEVE IN CHRIST’S CALL TO REPENTANCE AND TO CONVERSION. THIS WE ASK OF YOU THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.

Let the Children Come to Me

Feast of Santo Niño 
January 15, 2012: 
Luke 18/16       “Let the children come to me…” 


When Jesus said the traits of the child make up the Kingdom of God, we then ask, what are the qualities of the child? 1) The child never loses the sense of wonder. One morning Tennyson went into the bedroom of his grandson and saw the child “worshipping the sunbeam playing on the bedpost.” 2) The child’s whole life is founded on trust. The child never doubts where the next meal will come from. 3.) The child is obedient. The child often disobeys his parent’s bidding, but his instinct is to obey. To keep the sense of wonder, to live in total trust, and to obey – these are the traits of the child, the passport the Kingdom of God. Stern is the warming of Jesus in becoming like a child: “Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

“ O LOVING FATHER, LET US NEVER FORGET THE TRAITS OF OUR OWN CHILDHOOD- SENSE OF WONDER, TRUST, & OBEDIENCE- THIS IS OUR PRAYER THROUGH JESUS YOUR SON OUR LORD. AMEN.”

Who is Your King?

Feast of the Epiphany B
January 8, 2012:            
Matthew 2: 1 - 12    “The wise men found the child with Mary, his Mother.”

            In today’s Gospel, we meet three kinds of people: 1) The Wise Men from the East who sought Jesus through hardships, 2) King Herod who wanted to kill Jesus, 3) the citizens of Bethlehem who were indifferent except the shepherds.

            We have these same attitudes today. A. People have abandoned family, friends, even personal gain to find Him. B. There are also the selfish ones like Herod who use religion only for personal gain. C. Finally, we have vast numbers of the unconcerned who don’t care about God, about religion, or about the church.

            What is your position? Is Jesus a threat to your style of living? Or are you on of the modern Wise Men, willing to sacrifice until you find your Lord?

            Aware of the Wise Men’s visit to Bethlehem, we now pray: “LORD GOD, YOU REVEALED YOUR ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON TO ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD TODAY. LEAD US FROM THE GUIDING STAR OF FAITH TO THE VISION OF YOUR GLORY. THIS IS OUR PRAYER THROUGH JESUS YOUR SON OUR LORD. AMEN.

And Mary Treasured All These Things in Her Heart

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (B) 
January 1, 2012:    
Luke 2: 16-21          “Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart.”

Catholics celebrate New Year’s Day by inviting people to church to honor the mother of Jesus with the newborn baby still in her arms. The silence of the Lord’s mother revealed a deep and determined sense of purpose. How clearly and how loudly this strong woman speaks through her Son! She gave birth to Him who in turn would give life to the world.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul states, “When the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman… “It is that delightful and faith- filled woman whom we honor on the first day of the new year. We find Jesus and Mary together and nothing can separate them. As we look into ourselves, how many genuine is our devotion to Mary, the mother of the Lord our Savior?

“Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart.” Mary is truly an example of all people who pray.

“O LOVING FATHER, MAY THE PRAYER OF MARY, THE GIFT OF A MOTHER’S LOVE, BE YOUR PEOPLE’S JOY THROUGH ALL AGES. MAY MARY’S RESPONSE,

BORN OF A HUMBLE HEART, DRAW YOUR SPIRIT TO REST ON YOUR PEOPLE. GRANT THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.