December 23
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intention
7:45 AM - Kristen Gerthoffer Woodmansee / Pat Garvey
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.
Readings
First Reading
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Thus says the Lord GOD: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, Before the day of the LORD comes, the great and terrible day, To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the land with doom.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
R. (see Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Gospel Acclamation
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church;
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
“Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.”
Reflection
St. Bede tells us that John’s name means “the grace of God” or “in whom there is grace.” The more I think of him, the more I understand why the angel, or the Lord through the angel, would ask for the child of Elizabeth to bear this name. John certainly bore the grace of God with him. He could not have accomplished nearly as much as he did throughout his missionary life if the grace of God had not been upon him. Actually, because so much grace was alive in him, many people thought he was the Christ, the anointed one who was to come. But likely because he was in such a relationship with God he always deflected the attention to the one for whom he was a forerunner. He never ceased pointing out the way to the true Lamb of God who would save us from our sins.
The Lord “showed great mercy” to Elizabeth with the birth of John (Luke 1:57ff). Like the story of Hannah yesterday, expect great things to happen when the Lord intervenes with the gift of life in a place (or womb) thought to be barren.
Are you experiencing spiritual “barrenness?” Have confidence that the Lord can bear life in you anew. Trust that when we do bear fruit, we too share a likeness with John, with Elizabeth, with Mary, and with the many saints who have gone before us. Whenever we bear spiritual fruit, we each become one “in whom there is grace.” Ask the Lord for the grace to recognize where his Spirit is alive and at work in and around you. The more we are aware of the Spirit’s constantly abiding presence, the more we will see the fruit and new life that God continues to create within us.
Peace,
Fr. Foley
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