Gospel of the Day (Luke 1:5-25)

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.

Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense.

Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of (the) Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord."

Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

And the angel said to him in reply, "I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.

But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time."

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute.

Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.

***

Reflections:

"You will be speechless... until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words"

In us voice and word are not the same thing since the voice can be heard without it conveying any meaning, without words, and the word can likewise be communicated to the spirit without a voice, as in the wandering of our thoughts. In the same way, since the Saviour is Word..., John differs from him in being voice by analogy with Christ, who is Word. This is what John himself answered to those who asked him who he was: «I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths'» (Lk 3,4).

Perhaps this is the reason - because he doubted the birth of the voice that would reveal the Word of God - why Zachariah lost his voice but recovered it again when that voice was born who is the Word's forerunner (Lk 1,64). Since, for the mind to be able to grasp the word intended by the voice, we must hear the voice. It is also why, according to the time of his birth, John is slightly older than Christ – for we perceive the voice before the word. Thus John points to Christ since it is with the voice that the Word is made known. Likewise, Christ was baptized by John, who admitted his need of being baptized by him (Mt 3,14)... Briefly, when John pointed to Christ it was as a man pointing to God, the incorporeal Saviour, as a voice pointing to the Word...

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 1:18-24)

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

***

Reflections:

Saint Joseph, a model of listening

The silence of Saint Joseph is a silence drawn from his contemplation of the mystery of God in an attitude of complete availability to the divine will. In other words, Saint Joseph's silence is not a sign of interior emptiness but, to the contrary, of the fullness of the faith he carries in his heart and that guides each of his thoughts and actions. It is a silence due to which Joseph, together with Mary, keeps the Word of God made known through the Holy Scriptures while confronting them all the time with the events of Jesus' life. It is a silence woven of constant prayer, of prayer blessing the Lord, of adoration of his holy will and of total trust in his providence.

Let us allow ourselves to be «infected» by Saint Joseph's silence! We have such need of it in a world that is often far too noisy, unsupportive of listening in recollection to the voice of God. At this time, as we prepare for Christmas, let us cultivate an interior recollection that we may welcome and keep Jesus in our lives.

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 11:16-19)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.

Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph.

Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah.

Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah.

Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim he father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

***

Reflections:

"In your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing" (Gn 28,14)

The genealogy of Jesus Christ from St. Matthew's Gospel is read to us. It is a custom handed down by holy Church with a beauty and mystery of its own. For behold how in truth this reading puts before us at dead of night that ladder which Jacob saw at night in his sleep (Gn 28,12). Supported on the topmost rung of the ladder where it reached heaven the Lord appeared to Jacob and promised him that his posterity would inherit the earth... Now, as we know, "all these things happened to them in figure" (1Cor 10,11). The ladder by which the Lord appeared to be supported prefigured the family-tree of Jesus Christ which the holy Gospel-writer so drew up as to come through Joseph. It is by Joseph that our Lord as a small child is supported. Through the gate of heaven (Gn 28,17)..., that is, through the Blessed Virgin, our Lord, a tiny child for our sake, comes crying... The words that Jacob in his sleep heard the Lord say, "And in thy posterity shall all the nations of the earth be blessed", are fulfilled by the birth of Christ.

The divine writer, bearing in mind this very point, put the names of Rahab the prostitute and Ruth the Moabite into his genealogy. For he saw that Christ was made flesh not for the Jews alone, but also for the Gentiles, inasmuch as he deigned to accept ancestors from among the Gentiles... Sprung therefore from two races, Jew and Gentile, as from two sides of the ladder, the ancestors from their different rungs support Christ our Lord emerging from heaven. The holy angels come up and go down and all the elect are first humbled to receive faith in his Incarnation that they may be afterward lifted up to see the glory of his divinity.

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 21:28-32)

What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'

He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.

The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.

Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

***

Reflections:

Repent and believe in the word of God

My brothers, this is the time for each one of us individually to leave the place of our sinfulness. Let us set out from our own Babylon to meet God our Saviour, as the prophet warns us: «Prepare to meet your God, O Israel, for he is coming» (Am 4,12 Vg). Let us leave the abyss of our sins and willingly set out towards the Lord who has assumed «the likeness of sinful flesh» (Rom 8,3). Let us leave our will to sin and set out to offer repentance for our sins. Then we will find Christ: in himself he atoned for the sin he had by no means committed. So he who saves the penitent will grant us salvation...: «He shows mercy to those who repent» (Sir 12,3 Vg).

You will say to me:... «But who can leave their sins on their own?» Ah yes, but truly the greatest of sins is the love of sin, the desire to sin. So leave this desire..., hate the sin and, behold!, you have left sin. If you hate sin then you have met Christ where he is to be found. Christ forgives the faults of those of us who hate sin while waiting to pull out by the roots our evil habits.

But you will say that even this is too much for you and that, without God's grace, it is impossible for a man to hate his sin, desire justice and want to repent. «Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness and his wondrous deeds to the children of men» (Ps 107[106],8)... Lord, save me from cowardliness and from the storm... O Lord, with mighty hand, Jesus all-powerful, you have freed my mind from the demon of ignorance and snatched my sick will from the plague of its covetousness. Now set free my capacity for action so that with your holy angels... I, too, may «do your bidding, obeying your spoken word» (Ps 103[102],20).

Jesus is the Son of God! As we celebrate Christmas this year, let us remember and honor Jesus Christ as the true and only Son of God.

The Bible says that Jesus was born of a virgin — that God Himself was the Father of Jesus Christ. This is a great mystery that our human minds may not be able to fully comprehend. God Himself became a man and lived among us. Jesus Christ was fully a man — He was a human being. But He was also fully God — the Son of God here on earth.

When Jesus was born, shepherd were out in the fields at night tending their sheep. Suddenly “an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord...” You can read the full story in the Bible in the gospel of Luke, chapters 1 and 2.

So Jesus is God’s Son. What does that mean to us? It means many things — among them, that

• God loves us
• God lived as a human among us so He understands us
• God was willing to come to earth and live and die for our sins so we could be forgiven

How great is God’s love for us! So this week, let us pray that

• God would bless your family this Christmas time with His peace and they would all follow Jesus

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers. You have no idea how much they mean to us. Your prayers can touch God’s heart and bring Him joy — and can bring much benefit here on earth.

“The angel answered (Mary, Jesus’ mother), “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God...For nothing is impossible with God.’” (Luke 1:35, 37)

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 21:23-27)

When he had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things?And who gave you this authority?"

Jesus said to them in reply, "I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.

Where was John's baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?" They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."

So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." He himself said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.

***

Reflections:

"All regard John as a prophet"

If we seek to know why John was baptising when his baptism was nevertheless unable to take away sins, the reason is clear: to be faithful to his ministry as forerunner it was necessary for him to baptise before the Lord did, just as he was born before he was, preached before he did and died before him. At the same time it was to prevent the jealous wrangling of the Pharisees and scribes from seizing upon the Lord's ministry supposing he had been the first to administer baptism. «Where was John's baptism from? Was it of heavenly or human origin?» As they would not dare to deny that it came from heaven they were obliged to acknowledge that the works of him whom John preached were also accomplished by means of a power coming from heaven. However, if John's baptism did not take away sins that does not mean to say that it bore no fruit for those who received it... It was a sign of faith and repentance, that is to say it called to mind that all must abstain from sin, practice almsgiving, believe in Christ, and make haste to his baptism as soon as it appeared, there to be washed for the remission of their sins.

Besides this, the desert where John dwelt represents the life of saints cut off from the pleasures of this world. Whether they live in solitude or in the midst of the crowd, they strain wholeheartedly to detach themselves from the desires of the present world. They find their joy in cleaving to God alone in the secret of their heart and in placing their hope only in him. This was the solitude of soul, so dear to God, to which the prophet was longing to go, with the Holy Spirit's help, when he said: «Had I but wings like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest» (Ps55[54],7).

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 11:16-19)

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."

***

Reflections:

John the Baptist calls us to salvation

Is it not strange, my friends, that God is constantly exhorting us to virtue while we hide ourselves away from this succour and postpone salvation? Doesn't John, too, invite us to salvation? Isn't he altogether a voice that exhorts us? Then let us ask him: «Who are you among men and where do you come from?» He will not tell us he is Elijah and will deny himself to be Messiah but will confess that he is a voice crying in the wilderness (Jn 1,20f.). So who is John? To take an image, allow me to say: a voice to the Word, a Voice to God's Utterance, who exhorts us by crying in the desert...: «Make straight the Lord's paths» (Mk 1,3 par.). John is a forerunner and his voice is forerunner to God's Word, a voice encouraging and predisposing to salvation, a voice exhorting us to seek our heavenly inheritance.

Thanks to this voice «the barren and deserted wife no longer lacks children» (cf. Is 54,1). The angel's voice has announced this childbearing to me; this voice was also precursor to the Lord, who brought the good news to the woman without a child (Lk 1,19) as it did to John in the solitude of the desert. Therefore it is by this voice of the Word that the barren woman bears a child in joy and the desert bears its fruit. These two voices, precursors of the Lord, that of the angel and that of John, communicate to me the salvation they conceal in such a way that, after the manifestation of the Word, we gather up the fruit of fecundity, life eternal.

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 11:11-15)

Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.

All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.

And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.

Whoever has ears ought to hear.

***

Reflections:

"He was a burning and shining light" (Jn 5,35)

Truly those words of Supreme Justice to Noah are no mean commendation of justice: "I have seen that you are just in my presence" (Gen 7,1). It is a mark of great merit that God declares to Abraham that on his account the promises that were made to him are to be fulfi1led... What a favor it was also that on Moses' account he strove with and confounded his rivals (Num 12,6)... And who among them all is like David, of whom the Lord rejoices that he has found a man according to his own heart (1Sam 13,14).

Yet however great these or any others may have been, neither among these nor among other men born of women, as he declares who was born of a virgin, has there arisen one greater than John the Baptist. For although star differs from star in brightness,(1Cor 15,41) and in the choir of the holy constellations which enlightened the night of this world before the rising of the true Sun some shone forth with a wonderful brightness, none was greater or more splendid than this Morning Star, the burning and shining Lamp which the Father prepared for his Christ (Ps 132[131],17). He is the Morning Star that anticipates the light, the Forerunner of the Sun, proclaiming to mortals that the day is at hand, crying out «to those who sleep in darkness and the shadow of death» (Lk 1,79): "Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Mt 3,2). As if to say: "The night has passed away, day is at hand; cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light» (Rom 13,12). «Rise up, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you» (Eph 5,14).

This is the season we celebrate Christmas — the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord! Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ came to this earth to be born.

The Bible describes how “God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary...The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the Name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High...His kingdom will never end.”

Even though Mary was a virgin and had never had relations with a man, God said she would give birth to a Son Jesus — and He would be called the Son of God. This was a great miracle — God became a man and lived among us.

How great is the love of God for us! God could have just judged us — He could have ignored us — but He did not. Instead, He came to earth to be born as a man and give His life for our sins. It is a privilege to serve such a wonderful God.

This week, let us join together and pray for

• The love of God to be poured out on everyone who comes to our web sites
• Jesus Christ would become known as Savior to all your famlly

Let us pray that, at this Christmas time of year, the hearts of people all over the world would turn to Jesus Christ the Savior. He alone can save people from their sins. He alone is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He alone will come again to rule the whole earth. He alone is worthy of all praise.

“‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be done to me according to your will.’” Luke 1:38

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 11:28-30)

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

***

Reflections:

"My yoke is easy"

God bears within himself a very great humility. He is able to stoop down to people like ourselves and become dependant on us for such activities as living, growing and bearing fruit. He could have done this instantaneously without our help. However, he stooped down to us, he has led each one of us here, to call us together and make up this community. If you had refused, he would not have been able to do it. And indeed, we could have refused; each one of us could have said «No». God would have waited patiently until someone had said «Yes».

What makes me understand this is when Jesus says: «Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart.» He truly wanted us to accept that the call of each one of us is truly a gift of God himself.

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 18:12-14)

What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?

And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.

***

Reflections:

"It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost"

If only men knew what the love of the Lord is like they would run as one mass to be near Christ and he would warm them all with his grace. His mercy is inexpressible. The Lord loves the repentant sinner and clasps him tenderly to his breast: «Where were you, my child? I have been waiting for you so long» (cf. Lk 15,20). The Lord calls all men to himself through the Gospel and his voice resounds through all the world:

«Come to me, all you who labor and I will give you rest (Mt 11,28). Come and drink living water (Jn 7,37). Come and learn that I love you. If I did not love you I would not have called you. I am unable to endure that a single one of my sheep should be lost. Even for one alone the shepherd goes into the mountains to seek for it everywhere. Come, then, to me, my sheep. I have created you and I love you. It was my love for you that caused me to come down to earth and I have endured everything for your salvation. I desire you to know my love and to say like the apostles on Mount Tabor: 'Lord, it is good that we are here with you'» (Mk 9,5)...

You have drawn the souls of the saints to yourself, Lord, and they flow towards you like rivers of silence. The spirit of the saints is inseparable from you, Lord, and reaches out towards you, our light and our joy. The heart of your saints is established in your love, Lord, and cannot forget for an instant, not even in sleep, how sweet is the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Gospel of the Day (Luke 1:26-38)

In the sixth month, 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, favored one! 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.

***

Reflections:

«You allowed no stain of Adam's sin to touch the Virgin Mary. Full of grace, she was to be a worthy mother of your Son» (Proper preface of the Mass)

Son of God, grant me your own admirable Gift that I may celebrate the wondrous beauty of your beloved Mother! The Virgin gave birth to a son while preserving her virginity; she suckled him who gives nourishment to the peoples; in her immaculate breast she bore him who carries the whole world in his hands. She is Virgin and Mother, what will she not be hereafter? Holy in body, all beautiful in soul, pure of mind, upright in intelligence, perfect in feeling, chaste and faithful, pure of heart and filled with virtue.

May the hearts of virgins rejoice in Mary since of her was born the one who set humankind free from dreadful slavery. May the old Adam, wounded by the serpent, rejoice in Mary; it is Mary who gives Adam a posterity that allows him to crush the accursed serpent and who cures him of his mortal wound (Gen 3,15). Let priests rejoice in the blessed Virgin; she has brought the High Priest into the world who gave himself as a victim, putting an end to the sacrifices of the Old Covenant... Let the prophets rejoice in Mary, since in her were fulfilled their visions, in her were realized their prophecies, in her were confirmed their oracles. Let all the patriarchs rejoice in Mary since she received the blessing promised to them, she who, in her son, has brought them to completion...

Mary is the new tree of life who, instead of the bitter fruit picked by Eve, gives to mankind that sweet fruit on which the whole world is fed.

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 9:27-31)

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed (him), crying out, "Son of David, have pity on us!"

When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said to him.

Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to your faith."

And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this."

But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.

***

Reflections:

"Of you my heart speaks:... your presence, Lord, I seek. Hide not your face from me" (Ps 27[26],8)

Now, my whole heart, say to God: «I seek your face; Lord, it is your face that I seek» (Ps 27[26],8). O Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here but absent, where shall I seek you? But you are everywhere, so you must be here; why then do I not seek you? Surely you dwell in light inaccessible – where is it? And how can I have access to light which is inaccessible? Who will lead me and take me into it so that I may see you there? By what signs, under what forms, shall I seek you? I have never seen you, O Lord my God, I have never seen your face. Most High Lord, what shall an exile do who is as far away from you as this? What shall your servant do, eager for your love, cast off far from your face? He longs to see you but your countenance is too far away. He wants to have access to you, but your dwelling is inaccessible. He longs to find you but he does not know where you are. He loves to seek you but he does not know your face.

Lord, you are my Lord and my God, and I have never seen you. You have created and recreated me; all the good I have comes from you, and still I do not know you. I was created to see you and I have not yet accomplished that for which I was made. How wretched is the fate of man when he has lost that for which he was created... Let me seek you by desiring you, and desire you by seeking you; let me find you by loving you and love you in finding you.

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 7:21.24-27)

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

***

Reflections:

Hear and put into practice

The Father spoke one Word, which was his Son, and this Word he always speaks in eternal silence, and in silence must it be heard by the soul.

Speak little and do not meddle in matters about which you are not asked.

Do not complain about anyone, nor ask for anything; and if it is necessary for you to ask, let it be with few words.

Do not contradict; in no manner speak words that are not pure.

Let your speech be such that no one may be offended, and let it concern things which would not cause you regret were all to know of them.

Keep spiritually tranquil in a loving attentiveness to God, and when it is necessary to speak, let it be with the same calm and peace.

Be silent concerning what God may have given you and recall that saying of the bride: «My secret for myself» (Is 24,16)...

To advance in virtue it is important that you be silent and act, since by talking we become distracted whereas in keeping silence and working we become recollected.

As soon as you have learnt from someone what is necessary to advance spiritually, you should not ask him to say anything further about it nor continue talking but set yourself to work earnestly and in silence, with zeal and humility, with charity and self-contempt.

Before anything else, it is necessary and fitting to serve God in the silence of one's disordered habits, as of the tongue, so that nothing may be heard but words of love.

“Give thanks to the Lord.” It is so important to give thanks to our wonderful God. In America at this time of year, there is a holiday Thanksgiving that is specially set aside to give thanks.

God is the source of every good thing in our lives. In heaven He will be with us forever and will give us every good gift. Here on earth, the greatest gift of all is His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all — how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”

So let us give thanks to God. You can give thanks for who He is — our Savior, our Lord, the creator of the universe. You can give thanks for His character — He is loving, and kind, and forgiving, and just, and patient. You can give thanks for the good things in your life — for life, and air to breathe, and food, and your family. And you can even give thanks in the middle of tough times, because God will see you through them and even in difficult circumstances He can bring good in your life.

So let us give thanks! This week, let us pray and

• Give thanks to God for who He is and His wonderful love to us
• Give thanks to God by faith for His financial provision this year and next year for us all
• Give thanks to God for one specific thing He has done for you this year.

THANK YOU so much for your love and prayers. We are brothers and sisters in Christ with all true believers all around the world. People from countries all over the world get this prayer email; someday we will meet in heaven!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalms 100:4

Gospel of the Day (Luke 10:21-24)

At that very moment he rejoiced (in) the holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

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Reflections:

"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see"

For centuries before He came on earth, prophet after prophet was upon his high tower, looking out for Him, through the thick night, and watching for the faintest glimmer of the dawn:... "O God, my God, to Thee do I watch at break of day. For Thee my soul hath thirsted in a desert land, where there is no way nor water" (Ps 63[62],2)... "O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens, and come down!—the mountains would melt away at Thy presence. They would melt, as at the burning of fire... From the beginning of the world the eye hath not seen, O God, besides Thee, what things Thou hast prepared for them that wait on Thee"(Is 63,19; 1Cor 2,9).

Now, if there were any men who had a right to be attached to this world, not detached from it, it was the ancient servants of God. This earth was given them as their portion and reward by the very word of the Most High. But our reward is future... And they, too, put aside God's good gift for His better promise; they sacrificed possession to hope. They would be content with nothing short of the fruition of their Creator; they would watch for nothing else than the face of their Deliverer. If earth must be broken up, if the heavens must be rent, if the elements must melt, if the order of nature must be undone, in order to His appearing, let the ruin be, rather than they should be without Him. Such was the intense longing of the Jewish worshipper, looking out for that which was to come... Their perseverance in looking out proves that there was something to look out for.

Nor were the Apostles, after our Lord had come and gone, behind the Prophets in the keenness of their apprehension, and the eagerness of their longing for Him. The miracle of patient waiting was continued.