Saturday, December 14, 2024
Friday, December 13, 2024
ST JOHN OF THE CROSS. PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.
THE MEMORIAL OF ST JOHN OF THE CROSS, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.
“As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
"So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."
"Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist."
(Matthew 17: 19a, 10 - 13).
Saturday 14th December 2024 of the 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St John of the Cross. (1542 - 1591).
Spanish priest, mystic and Doctor of the Church. Called Doctor of Mystical theology because of the depth of his understanding and writings on mysticism. St John of the Cross was co-founder of the Discalced Carmelites with St Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church. St John of the Cross was the author of the classic: "The Dark Night of a Soul."
Elijah the great prophet came back in the person of John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight His paths and people did not recognize the hour or the opportunity. Although he appeared like a fire whose words were as a flaming furnace, yet people took little notice. The noise in the world was too loud and impenetrable for the message of salvation.
This is Advent, less than ten days to Christmas. Arise from your sleep. Do not allow Christmas shopping and any other frenzied activities to obscure the true meaning of the Season.
The Lord is surely coming in splendor to visit His people. Prepare to welcome Him.
"Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html
THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1
Thursday, December 12, 2024
THE MEMORIAL OF ST LUCY, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.
THE MEMORIAL OF ST LUCY, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.
You are like naughty children.
"Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in 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.” (Matthew 11: 16 - 19).
Friday 13th of December 2024 of the 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr.
Lucy was born circa 283 AD in a noble Roman family. She consecrated her virginity early to Jesus Christ. When she refused to marry Paschasius, he was enraged and reported her to the government as a Christian. When all efforts to make Lucy change her mind failed, she was condemned to death. She was tortured and her two eyes were gorged out.
Lucy died a martyr under Emperor Diocletian (+304). Lucy is the patron saint of the blind and all those who have eye trouble. Lucy had been venerated as a saint from antiquity. Her name is included in the Roman Canon.
Jesus called out to all of us in today's Gospel: Stop being like naughty children. We all pretend we know more than Wisdom and holier than the most holy. More powerful than Emperor Augustus Caesar.
Accept who you are. Little beloved children of a most loving Father. A God who desires most to be called Father.
Happy Advent!
"Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html
THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE.
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE.
"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
"And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
"But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
"Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
"But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
"And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
"Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
"Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her." (Luke 1: 25 - 38).
Thursday 12th December 2024 of the 2nd Week of Advent is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Church honors the Mother of the Redeemer with the title of Lady, Mother, Queen, Virgin, etc. Different titles to honor and show our love and devotion to the Holy Mother of God.
The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe started in 1531 long before the United States of America. Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a young Aztec man. She was dressed as a simple pregnant Mexican woman. She left an imprint of herself on the tilma of Juan Diego. This Tilma is intact and is venerated today by pilgrims from all over the world.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the preeminent titles of Mary because of the significance of the event in Guadalupe, Mexico in 1531 and its continued relevance to the faith of Christians in the Americas because Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the the Americas not just Mexico. The Blessed Virgin Mary's apparition to St Juan Diego on December 12, 1531 set off a series of events, conversions, miracles and the building of a great Church which has since become a Basilica. It is estimated that annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Guadalupe in Mexico is about 10 million.
In our key Scripture for today, the Archangel Gabriel gave Mary a testimony of God's marvelous miracle for Elizabeth in order to confirm Mary's faith. I love to hear stories of miracles. They build my faith. You too should cherish miracle stories. Better still, don't hide the wonderful things God is doing for you. Expect a miracle every day and share the story.
Mary said to Gabriel after she heard of Elizabeth big miracle, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
The words of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary to strengthen her faith in God is a great revelation to all of us:
"And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
"For nothing will be impossible for God." Not only is everything possible for God. Everything is also Easy for God.
God can remove all the things you believe are obstacles or impediments in your life to fulfilling your desires, for example: age, health, education, addictions, etc instantly. This is a very encouraging message from today's Gospel.
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html
THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
THE FEAST OF ST DAMASUS I, PONTIFF.
THE FEAST OF ST DAMASCUS I, POPE.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11 - 28 - 30).
Thursday 11th December 2024, 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St Damasus 1 (305 - 384). Pope. Born in Rome but of Spanish descent.
Damasus presided over the See of Peter when the Church was rocked by many heresies. Arian heresy had not yet been crushed. He defended the Church against schismatics.
Damasus is the Pope who commissioned St Jerome (Priest and Doctor of the Church) to translate the Bible into common Latin. This translation called the Vulgate became the official text of the Church for over one thousand years and made the Latin language the official language of the Church.
Gracious invitation from Christ Jesus in today's Gospel. (Matthew 11: 28 - 30).
But how do we respond to this invitation from Christ?
We come to Jesus in:
Prayer.
His word.
Eucharist.
Reconciliation.
When we encounter Him in the poor.
What are the labors and burdens that we bring to Christ the Doctor to heal?
First, we bring our burdens of sin.
We are overwhelmed with fears, worries and doubts about our:
Health.
Family.
Finances.
Job.
Tools and Possessions.
Food.
Future.
We bring all the above to Jesus in confident trust that He who promised to help us will not fail.
How does Christ give us the promised rest?
He cancels our debts of sins and relieves us once and for all from guilt.
Sometimes He heals our bodies and finances. At other times, He gives us a supernatural perspective from which to view our woes.
You may call this indepth perspective therapy. People go to the Shrines of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and Guadalupe in Mexico for physical healing. Many such people receive the indepth perspective therapy and decide to stay behind to minister to pilgrims sicker than themselves..
What yoke does Christ invite us to take upon ourselves?
The yoke of Christ is the Gospel of Christ.
The yoke of Christ is the Sermon on the Mount.
Christ Himself says that this yoke is both easy and light. John the Apostle says that to keep the commandments is not burdensome. (1 John 5:3). Paul writes of the weight of glory that awaits us after some light suffering. (Romans 8: 18; 2 Corinthians 4: 17).
"Learn from me," pleads Christ. Jesus is the Teacher and the Lesson. Learn to be with me. Learn to be like me.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11: 30)
What makes the yoke easy and the burden light is grace.
The grace of God makes easy what is most difficult and revolting to human nature. It makes light what is most burdensome. This is the secret of the saints.
Saints suffer imprisonment, persecution and even death because they have the grace of God to help them. Without this grace, it is impossible for human nature to embrace these crosses.
Jesus Christ has promised us His grace if we embrace Him and His teaching. With His grace on our side, all things become possible.
With our daily bread of this grace given at the beginning of each day, we are equipped to live fully for Christ in these areas of human struggle: health, family, finances, job, tools, food and future. Lord, give me this day my daily bread of your grace. Amen!
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html
THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1
Sunday, December 08, 2024
THE GREAT SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
THE SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
"And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
"But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
"Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
"But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
"And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
"Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1: 26-38).
Monday 9th December 2024 of the Second Week of Advent is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This is the patronal feast of the United States of America. It is a holy Day of Obligation. Honor our Divine Mother by attending Holy Mass on her very special Feast Day.
What is the Immaculate Conception and why does it matter?
In the first Reading today from Genesis, God said to the Serpent: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel." (Genesis 3: 15).
This is the promise of our Redemption after the fall of Adam and Eve. God chose Mary before the foundation of the world and prepared her to be the sinless Mother of His Son. God preserved the Blessed Virgin Mary from original sin by virtue of the Death of her Son, Jesus the Christ which God foresaw.
Only a pure Vessel can hold a pure God. Why does this matter? Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man. Although Mary is 100% human, it is absolute necessity that the Mother of the Redeemer be not tainted with the least sin.
Mary's generosity in giving her Yes made the Incarnation possible.
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38).
The total faith and surrender that Mary displayed here is rewarded by God's special revelation to Mary:
"For nothing will be impossible for God.” (Luke 1: 37).
Let this words nourish our faith today and always. When you are afraid, when you worry, when you are tempted to doubt God's power and promises, redouble your trust in God and remember that nothing will be impossible for God.
In his papal Magisterium, Pope St John Paul II, declared:
“The Immaculate Conception shines like a beacon of light for humanity in all the ages. At the beginning of the third millennium, it guides us to believe and hope in God, in his salvation and in eternal life. In particular, it lights the way of the Church, which is committed to the new evangelization.” (Pope John Paul II on Dec 8).
"Honour My Mother in the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. This is a mystery full of grace and of light for those who ponder it. It is the remedy for many of the ills that afflict My priests and poison their souls. Invoke My Mother conceived without sin and she will communicate to you something of the purity and brightness of her all-holy and immaculate Heart." (IN SINU JESU, November 29, 2008 After First Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent).
"Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You.
Honor Mary under her Immaculate Conception title every day this December.
THIS YEAR, THE SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION WILL BE CELEBRATED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH 2024. IT IS A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION.
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html
THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link is below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1
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