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As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, let us also usher in a new year of the Lord. This year should be filled with His grace, love, peace, and mercy. We should share our Lord with the world because He is the one true light. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we had become children of God our Heavenly Father, and we have the grace to bring His light into the world. Let us prepare the way for the Lord to enter the body, mind, and hearts of all those who do not yet know Him. Amen.

Saint Silvester I, Pope pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 2:18-21 ·

You have been anointed by the Holy One


Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.


________

Gospel
John 1:1-18

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us


In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in Him 1and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world. He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh m or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

We do not focus on the things of this world, but on the One who has existed from the beginning. It is through Him alone that we can live free from the constraints of the world, from sin and temptation. We are liberated to fully live in His love. There is no one like Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. All goodness flows through Him.

Because we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, we shall proclaim from the highest mountaintops to the depths of the earth that He is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, and that salvation comes solely through Him. Just as we must fast and pray to know the will of God and to act upon it, we must also proclaim that the Lord, our Lord Jesus, in His love, has come to save us all. Therefore, we should rejoice with joy in our hearts.

Let our hearts be molded after that of Anna in today’s reading. She served the Lord faithfully all her years and still proclaimed the joy of the Gospel to all who would listen. Amen.



________

First reading
1 John 2:12-17

Observance of the will of God


I am writing to you, my own children, whose sins have already been forgiven through his name;
I am writing to you, fathers,
who have come to know the one
who has existed since the beginning;
I am writing to you, young men,
who have already overcome the Evil One; I have written to you, children, because you already know the Father; l I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning;
I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong and God’s word has made its home in you,
and you have overcome the Evil One.
You must not love this passing world or anything that is in the world.
The love of the Father cannot be
in any man who loves the world,
because nothing the world has to offer– the sensual body, the lustful eye, pride in possessions –
could ever come from the Father
but only from the world; and the world, with all it craves for, is coming to an end; but anyone who does the will of God remains for ever.




________

Gospel
Luke 2:36-40

Anna speaks of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem

There was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
    When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.

If we hold on to unforgiveness, we do not truly love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, mind, body, and soul. Holding onto unforgiveness plunges us into darkness, obscuring the light of love that transforms everything with peace, love, mercy, and joy.

We deceive ourselves by thinking we can still love while blinded by this darkness. True freedom and the ability to live life fully come only when we forgive and love as the Lord loves us.

Our Lord came into the world as light, and Simeon’s eyes were opened to see His glory and what He was to become. When we live in the light of Christ, everyone will see us as a guiding light into His embrace.

Let us remain steadfast and continue as children of light. Amen.

Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop, pray for us…



________

First reading
1 John 2:3-11 ·

Anyone who loves his brother is living in the light


We can be sure that we know God only by keeping his commandments.
Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,
and does not keep his commandments, is a liar,
refusing to admit the truth.
But when anyone does obey what he has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him.
We can be sure that we are in God only when the one who claims to be living in him is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.
My dear people, this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you, but an old commandment that you were given from the beginning, the original commandment which was the message brought to you.
Yet in another way, what I am writing to you, and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his, is a new commandment;
because the night is over and the real light is already shining.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother
is still in the dark. But anyone who loves his brother is living in the Light and need not be afraid of stumbling; unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness, not knowing where he is going, because it is too dark to see.


________

Gospel
Luke 2:22-35

‘You have prepared a light to enlighten the pagans’

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’

After falling in love with Jesus, the heart sometimes longs for what the early disciples experienced. They were able to touch him firsthand and be in his presence. Imagine how wonderful that must have been, as they recall from the first reading. Their testimony is truly awe-inspiring.

However, if you think about it, our experience is different. We can still gaze upon Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. We can receive him in our hands or on our tongues, and continue to walk in His presence.

We just celebrated Christmas. And now, the gospel propels us toward Easter.  Both Christmas and Easter remind us that they are unified in our salvation. From the cradle to the tomb, through the power of his resurrection, we have been set free. Glory to you, oh Lord. Amen.

Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist pray for us…


________

First reading
1 John 1:1-4 ·

The Word, who is life – this is our subject


Something which has existed since the beginning, that we have heard, and we have seen with our own eyes; that we have watched and touched with our hands: the Word, who is life – this is our subject.
That life was made visible: we saw it and we are giving our testimony, telling you of the eternal life which was with the Father and has been made visible to us.
What we have seen and heard
we are telling you so that you too may be in union with us, as we are in union with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing this to you to make our own joy complete.


________

Gospel
John 20:2-8

The other disciple saw, and he believed

On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’
    So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.

Can you imagine being given the greatest gift of a child from God, our Heavenly Father, and then completely surrendering him to the will and word of God? Both Samuel’s mother and our blessed mother did so without hesitation. We hear that beautiful, magnificat prayer praising the attributes of God for His patience, His mercy, His justice and more.

As we draw closer to Christmas, let us worship and praise the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, and souls. Let us do so in the way our blessed Mary has. Let us emulate her love for the Lord. Amen.


________

First reading
1 Samuel 1:24-28

This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord.

When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’
    There she left him, for the Lord.


________

Gospel
Luke 1:46-56

The Almighty has done great things for me

Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

God with us, who can be against us? Today, we are reminded once again that our Lord Jesus is with us. Emanuel has come to dwell in our hearts and in our homes. Do we still refuse to believe?

Believe the prophets of old and the prophets of today whom the Lord still sends our way. As He speaks to our hearts this Advent, let us draw closer to Him. Let us be guided by our blessed mother, whose yes brought salvation into the world.

It is by her obedience and her attentiveness to the word and will of God, our heavenly Father, that we should inspire us to do likewise.

Dearest Mother, help us, intercede for us so that we may be pure like you are, holy as you are, and always seeking to draw everyone closer to your son, Jesus.

Pray for us, Holy Mother of God. Amen.


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First reading
Isaiah 7:10-14

The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’
    Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:
are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too?
The Lord himself, therefore,
will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son
whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’



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Gospel
Luke 1:26-38

‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

We are all saints in the making. In today’s readings, we explore the contrast between two men of God, each chosen for unique missions. One was a rough, beast-like man, while the other was chosen to pave the way for Jesus. Both were miraculously born to barren women. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they fulfilled the will of God, our Heavenly Father.

Therefore, sisters and brothers, we too have been chosen to bring glory to the Lord, our God. We have been endowed with many varied gifts. However, we must remain steadfast and not be led astray. By obeying the will of God, we shall glorify Him through our lives.

Let us be receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


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First reading
Judges 13:2-7,24-25 ·

‘You will conceive and bear a son’

There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren, she had borne no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child. But from now on take great care. Take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb. It is he who will begin to rescue Israel from the power of the Philistines.’ Then the woman went and told her husband, ‘A man of God has just come to me; his presence was like the presence of the angel of God, he was so majestic. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not reveal his name to me. But he said to me, “You will conceive and bear a son. From now on, take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb to his dying day.”’
    The woman gave birth to a son and called him Samson. The child grew, and the Lord blessed him; and the spirit of the Lord began to move him.



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Gospel
Luke 1:5-25

‘Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son’

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years.
    Now it was the turn of Zechariah’s section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying.
    Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’
    Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had received a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb.
    When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. ‘The Lord has done this for me’ she said ‘now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.’

In our own genealogies, we find that our families are far from perfect. Today’s gospel teaches us that Jesus’ genealogy was also imperfect. He comes from the lineage of his father, Joseph, who adopted him as his own.

While on Earth, we have become sons and daughters of God, our heavenly Father. This is our true lineage. Jesus is our Lord and Savior, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, our brother, and our friend. He is our family.

We have become one with the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We aim to bring all men and women into the same loving relationship that we enjoy.

We thank you, Jesus. We thank you, Father. We thank you, Holy Spirit. Amen.

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First reading
Genesis 49:2,8-10

Until he comes, the sceptre will not pass from Judah

Jacob called his sons and said:

‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen;
listen to Israel your father.
Judah, your brothers shall praise you:
you grip your enemies by the neck,
your father’s sons shall do you homage,
Judah is a lion cub,
you climb back, my son, from your kill;
like a lion he crouches and lies down,
or a lioness: who dare rouse him?
The sceptre shall not pass from Judah,
nor the mace from between his feet,
until he come to whom it belongs,
to whom the peoples shall render obedience.’


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Gospel
Matthew 1:1-17

The ancestry of Jesus Christ, the son of David

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,
Perez was the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram was the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,
Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,
Obed was the father of Jesse;
and Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Azariah,
Azariah was the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah;
and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.
Then the deportation to Babylon took place.
After the deportation to Babylon:
Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor was the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud was the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob;
and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;
of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.

I urge you to listen to His voice and not harden your hearts. The Lord, our God, wants us to fully experience life in Him. We understand from our own experiences that sin weighs heavily on us, filling us with guilt and shame. Yet, the Lord remains patient and kind, His love for us unwavering.

Until our final days, we should continually strive to turn back to Him, seeking His mercy and forgiveness, which He freely offers. He desires what is good for us and longs to set us free. This freedom allows us to spread the joy of the Gospel to everyone we meet, sharing His love and joy, and living in peace and harmony.

Let us hasten to return to Him, who calls out to us, so that we may live as brothers and sisters, free men and women, true to the heart of our God. Amen.


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First reading
Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13

All peoples shall invoke the Lord’s name and serve him


Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled, the tyrannical city!
She would never listen to the call,
would never learn the lesson;
she has never trusted in the Lord,
never drawn near to her God.

Yes, I will then give the peoples lips that are clean, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord
and serve him under the same yoke.
From beyond the banks of the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants
will bring me offerings.

When that day comes you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds you have committed against me,
for I will remove your proud boasters from your midst; and you will cease to strut on my holy mountain.
In your midst I will leave
a humble and lowly people,
and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths.
But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.

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Gospel
Matthew 21:28-32

Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’

We have been given a gift when we commit ourselves to the Lord, our God. We receive the gifts of prophecy,amongst others which enable us to guide others toward God’s will. These gifts allow us to share in the wisdom and knowledge of God, benefiting the lives of our brothers and sisters.

It is only by obeying His will that we are empowered to serve as His priest, prophet, and king. We are called to minister to those He has placed in our care. We have been empowered and given the authority to expel demons, to bring peace and love to homes that have never known them, and to lead people to the love of God.

As we anticipate the second coming of Christ, let us prepare our hearts to receive Him this Christmas. Amen.


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First reading
Numbers 24:2-7,15-17

The oracles of Balaam

Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
How fair are your tents, O Jacob!
How fair your dwellings, Israel!
Like valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens by the banks of a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters!
A hero arises from their stock,
he reigns over countless peoples.
His king is greater than Agag,
his majesty is exalted.’

Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God,
of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
I see him – but not in the present,
I behold him – but not close at hand: a star from Jacob takes the leadership, a sceptre arises from Israel.’



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Gospel
Matthew 21:23-27

‘I will not tell you my authority for acting like this’

Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’

The love of the Lord, our God, for us is so great that He takes all the burdens of our sins upon His shoulders. When we turn back to Him, seeking reconciliation with remorse, He removes our guilt. We are set free, no longer weary and burdened.

We soar on wings like eagles. We will run and not grow weary. We shall walk and not be faint. For He renews our strength as we walk in His presence.

To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

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First reading
Isaiah 40:25-31

The Lord strengthens the powerless


‘To whom could you liken me
and who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look.
Who made these stars
if not he who drills them like an army, calling each one by name?
So mighty is his power, so great his strength, that not one fails to answer.

How can you say, Jacob,
how can you insist, Israel,
‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord, my rights are ignored by my God’?
Did you not know?
Had you not heard?

The Lord is an everlasting God,
he created the boundaries of the earth.
He does not grow tired or weary,
his understanding is beyond fathoming.
He gives strength to the wearied,
he strengthens the powerless.
Young men may grow tired and weary, youths may stumble,
but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles.
They run and do not grow weary,
walk and never tire.



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Gospel
Matthew 11:28-30

My yoke is easy and my burden light

Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

We are precious in the eyes of our Lord. He longs to hold us close to His bosom. That He may nurture us and lead us to life everlasting with Him.

Still in His great love for us He has given us free will to choose whether we want to remain steadfast in His love. Even when go astray He waits patiently to forgive us when we return to Him.

Let us cling tightly to Him this Advent as we not only draw closer to Him but lead others into that same loving relationship that we share with Him. Amen

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin pray for us…


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First reading
Isaiah 40:1-11

Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem


‘Console my people, console them’
says your God.
‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem
and call to her
that her time of service is ended,
that her sin is atoned for,
that she has received from the hand of the Lord
double punishment for all her crimes.’

A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness
a way for the Lord.
Make a straight highway for our God
across the desert.
Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill be laid low.
Let every cliff become a plain,
and the ridges a valley;
then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed
and all mankind shall see it;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

A voice commands, ‘Cry!’
and I answered, ‘What shall I cry?’”
– ‘All flesh is grass
and its beauty like the wild flower’s.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on them.
(The grass is without doubt the people.)
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God remains for ever.’

Go up on a high mountain,
joyful messenger to Zion.
Shout with a loud voice,
joyful messenger to Jerusalem.
Shout without fear,
say to the towns of Judah,
‘Here is your God.’

Here is the Lord coming with power,
his arm subduing all things to him.
The prize of his victory is with him,
his trophies all go before him.
He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
gathering lambs in his arms,
holding them against his breast
and leading to their rest the mother ewes.



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Gospel
Matthew 18:12-14

The one lost sheep gives him more joy than the ninety-nine that did not stray

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’

Indeed, the Lord is our light and our help. He will open the eyes of the blind and the deaf will hear. The crippled will walk once again. Prisoners will be set free, and the oppressed will be vindicated. Darkness stands no chance against the Lord’s light, which dispels all darkness.

This is the hope we have in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As long as we remain steadfast in His love, we shall prevail over all evil. With God on our side, who can be against us?

This Advent, let us draw closer to our Lord. Let us dwell in His goodness and His love. Amen.


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First reading
Isaiah 29:17-24 ·

In a very short time, the deaf will hear and the eyes of the blind will see

The Lord says this:

In a short time, a very short time,
shall not Lebanon become fertile land
and fertile land turn into forest?
The deaf, that day,
will hear the words of a book
and, after shadow and darkness,
the eyes of the blind will see.

But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more
and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel;
for tyrants shall be no more, and scoffers vanish,
and all be destroyed who are disposed to do evil:
those who gossip to incriminate others,
those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator
and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons.

Therefore the Lord speaks,
the God of the House of Jacob,
Abraham’s redeemer:
No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,
no more shall his face grow pale,
for he shall see what my hands have done in his midst,
he shall hold my name holy.
They will hallow the Holy One of Jacob,
stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Erring spirits will learn wisdom
and murmurers accept instruction.



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Gospel
Matthew 9:27-31

‘Take care that no-one learns about this’

As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.