December 24, 2015

Dec. 24

December 24, 2015:  Thursday, 4th week, Advent / Christmas Eve

Can you find 17 connections with today?
Legend below
Listen

Psalm
Gospel
For Holy Family Sunday
Read

  • 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16  Lord to David via Nathan:  “Should you build me a house?  I chose you, have been with you, and will make you famous.  My people will dwell safely.  I'll establish a House for you, raise up your heir, make his Kingdom firm, be father to him.  Your throne shall stand forever.”
  • Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29  "For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord."  God's covenant with David will stand firm.
  • Lk 1:67-79  Zechariah prophesied:  “Blessed be God who came and freed his people, raising up a Savior from the House of David.  He promised to save, show mercy, remember his covenant, and free us to worship him.  You, John, will prepare the Lord's way, giving people knowledge of salvation by forgiveness.  In God's tender compassion, dawn shall shine on those in darkness and to guide us to the way of peace.”
Evening:  Christmas vigil

  • Is 62:1-5  Nations shall behold your vindication and kings your glory.  You'll be a crown in the Lord's hand.  People will no longer call you “Forsaken” but rather “My Delight”; God will marry you and rejoice in you.
  • Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29  "For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord."  I'll maintain my covenant, my kindness, and your throne forever.  Blessed those who walk in your light; they rejoice and are exalted.
  • Acts 13:16-17, 22-25  Paul:  “God chose our ancestors, led them out of Egypt, raised up David as king, and from his descendants brought a savior, Jesus.  John heralded his coming:  ‘One is coming after me; I'm not worthy to unfasten his sandals.’”
  • Mt 1:1-25  Genealogy of Jesus, son of David, son of Abraham:  14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the Babylonian exile, 14 from the exile to Christ.  Before Mary and Joseph lived together, Mary was found with child.  Joseph was about to divorce her, but angel appeared:  “Take Mary into your home; the child was conceived through the Spirit.  Name the child Jesus; he'll save his people.”  This fulfilled the prophecy, “The virgin shall bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, God-is-with-us.”  Joseph did as the angel commanded.
Reflect
Nativity Scene/ Alawi
    • Creighton:  The 1st reading is the prophecy to David promising a Messiah.  Re gospel:  imagine Zechariah holding his newborn son, John, as he proclaims the canticle.  Imagine this addressed to you:  “You, my child, shall be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.  In tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon you and shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide your feet into the way of peace.”  Receive the Light and bring the Light and Peace to the world.”  How am I being called to be the Light of Christ for others, to receive the Mercy of Christ and take it to those who dwell in darkness?  Where am I being called to be a voice crying out to the darkness?
    • One Bread, One Body:  "Your Biblical mission statement":  From the foot of the manger, the reason for your life becomes ever clearer.  We're called to build God a house, and work so that it may be full.  Stand in the presence of the Word-made-flesh, God Incarnate, and ask him to reveal and confirm the mission statement for your life.
    • Passionist:  "The dawning of our compassionate God":  At Christmas a new day of God’s passionate mercy lights up the world!  The original (Greek splagchnon) is stronger than our translation, 'compassion':  full of emotion and coming from our insides; it means visceral or intestinal, expressing what's deepest in us.  God with deep mercy is dawning on us at Jesus' birth!  The message is from God’s heart.   He's in love with us.  “'Jesus is the face of the Father’s mercy' sums up our faith.  Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus, reaching its culmination in him.” (Misericordiae Vultus)  Christ is often compared to the sun’s rays.  “Upon those sitting in the land and shadow of death, a Light dawned.”  Christ is the “light of the world.”  The Christ child is the most precious gift that can come to us; don't leave it unwrapped under the tree of the cross!
    • DailyScripture.net:  "Nothing is impossible with God":  John the Baptist was born shortly before Jesus.  When John was circumcised, his father Zechariah, filled with the Spirit and joy, prophesied and sang about the redemption God was to accomplish in Christ; he foresaw the fulfillment of God's promise that David's dynasty would endure through the coming of the Messiah. The peace the Messiah brings cancels the debt of sin and restores our broken relationship with God.  The Spirit gave Zechariah a vision of his son as prophet to prepare the Messiah's way.  The Spirit wants to give us vision, joy, and confidence in the knowledge of God's love, protection, and care offered through Christ.  We too are called to prepare the way that leads to Christ.  The Lord comes to visit us each day with his  Word and Spirit.  God will draw those who hunger for him to himself and show them his love and mercy.  At Christmas we celebrate God's gracious gift of his Son.  May the Spirit fill us with joy and boldness to proclaim the Lord's visitation and redemption.
    Dress legend
    • 'Crown' tie bar:  I'll raise up your heir and make his Kingdom firm (1st reading); God raised up David as king (vigil 2nd reading); you shall be a glorious crown... (vigil 1st reading)
    • 'Hand' tie pin:  ...in the hand of the Lord (vigil 1st reading); he swore to free us from the hand of our enemies (gospel)
    • 'Girl with heart' pin:  I have found David a man after my own heart (vigil 2nd reading)
    • 'Castle' pin:  House of David (1st reading), Joseph taking Mary into his home (gospel)
    • 'Angel' tie pin:  Angel appeared to Joseph in a dream (vigil gospel)
    •  'Holy Spirit' chain:  Zechariah, filled with the Spirit, prophesied (gospel); Mary was found with child through the Spirit (vigil gospel)
    •  'Abacus' tie pin:  14 × 3 generations (gospel)
    •  'Mary' pin:  Mary in genealogy and birth story (vigil gospel)
    •  'Peace sign' tie bar:  the dawn shall guide us to the way of peace (gospel); Jesus, Prince of Peace
    •  'Christmas lights' tie:  Jesus, Light of the World
    • 'Cross with purple robes' pin:  Last day of Advent (I'll take this off before playing at the Christmas vigil Mass.)
    • 'Christmas tree' suspenders, pin (legend):  Christmas!
    • Sandals (not shown):  John the Baptist:  ‘I'm not worthy to unfasten the sandals of the one coming after me.’ (vigil 2nd reading)
    • White socks (not shown):  the closest I'll come to a "white Christmas" this year
    Posted by at

    No comments:

    Post a Comment

    Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)