December 30
The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
7:45 AM - Richard Griffin / Pat & Elaine Ryan
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
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!
Gospel Acclamation
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.
“Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!”
Reflection
In this rather unusual letter from Saint John, he writes to all of us (represented in his letter as fathers and young men because of the times in which Saint John wrote). His message is that we know what is right and good, and where our moral teachings come from. We should not love the things of this world, but instead, love the things of God.
What are the things of this world? John states them as sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life. What are the things of God you ask; well they are love and honesty, peace and tranquility, hopefulness and joy, forgiveness and fortitude! You may notice that the things of God are more difficult to see and experience than are the things of this world. Perhaps the reason for this is that the world promotes all those things it holds dear, and hides the others from our eyes. It is our responsibility as children of God, to be able to model those attributes that come from God. We model them not only for others, that they might see how to live, but also as a reinforcement for ourselves so that in times of weakness we might not turn toward sin but to God Himself!
Peace,
Fr. John
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