WHEN YOU SHOW YOUR FACE (Mark 1:7-11): 11 January 2009 (Baptism of Our Lord)
Dearest Lord,
You know well that I lost a friend this week. After a long battle with his illness, Father Joey died. In his last days, all he wanted was to leave the hospital, go home, and die among his family and community. Thank you for granting him his last wish. That evening on the very same day he returned to his community, he took one last breath and was gone. Mercifully, no pain. Only peace.
THIS BUSINESS OF GIFT-GIVING (Matthew 2:1-12): 04 January 2009 (Epiphany of Our Lord)
Dearest Lord,
Today, the Feast of Your Epiphany, we remember the visit of the magi–those astrologers (how many they were, we don’t know) who read the stars and were among the first to lay their eyes on you. They were not exactly kings, but they were certainly wise men since they detected Herod’s schemes and followed the angel’s message to go home some other way. They are, of course, today credited for the the tradition of gift-giving that has in many ways defined the season of Christmas. And so today, perhaps it’s good to think about this business of gift-giving.
HOW DO YOU SAY “YES”? (Luke 1:26-38): 21 December 2008 (Fourth Sunday of Advent)
Dearest Mary,
How do you say “Yes”? Teach me, my Mother. Praying yet again over the Annunciation story, I can’t help but wonder again if you were able to say “Yes” because you were just generous or because you didn’t completely understand what you were getting into. I suspect that it was both.
REMEMBERING THE JOHN THE BAPTISTS IN MY LIFE (John 1:6-8, 19-28): 14 December 2008 (Third Sunday of Advent)
Dearest Lord,
Today I recall the John the Baptist’s in my life, people whom you sent to me to show me the way to you. They have been many–too many to name here: family members, religion teachers, college professors, retreat masters, Jesuits and other religious… Today I’d like to mention three.
Dearest Lord,
Hope you don’t mind, Lord, but your cousin isn’t exactly my favorite Christmas character. Don’t get me wrong: I think John the Baptist was pretty heroic, but I’m not sure if it’s right to read about him during Advent, as we did today in the Gospel, since we should be preparing for Christmas, shouldn’t we?
Today’s Readings