December 30
The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
First Reading
1 John 2:12-17
I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.
I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the Evil One.
I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the Evil One.
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 96:7-8A, 8B-9, 10
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 2:36-40
There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Give a Mass Offering
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
“Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!”
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Readings & Reflection
How do you feel after going to Confession? I know for myself when I go to confession it is a weight lifted off my shoulders. There is a happiness that one feels when they know that your sins have been forgiven and your soul is clean again. This is not always the case for everyone. I know even in my own life when I was younger, I struggled knowing that God could forgive me of all my sins. The one thing that I had the most difficultly with was not that God would forgive me, but that I needed to forgive myself. Forgiveness is never an easy thing to give or to experience. In some contexts, it is easier to forgive others for something they have done, but other times it can be very hard to forgive ourselves and truly know that we are forgiven. The Letter of St John reminds us that we are children of God and he forgives us all of sins and transgressions. Take some time today and reflect on your past. Are you struggling with anything that you have already been forgiven for in the Sacrament of Confession? If so, Take some time and ask God to help guide you through the process of beginning to forgive yourself. This is the first step of being able to know the love of God and learning to allow yourself to forgive.
Fr Matt Rawson
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