I will help you

December 10, 2015 6:00 am

“I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the LORD; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” (IS 41: 13-14)

Our Lord is the One: “Who grasps our right hand,” who is always with us, and “who says to us: Fear not, I will help you.” Our mighty God is helping us always. How often fears try to reach our hearts, bring distrust in our relationships and stop us from action. Our Lord is with us reminding us and assuring us: “I will help you. Fear not. I am with you.” Jesus I trust in You.

“Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.” (Gospel Acclamation)

His great might and the strength of His power

December 9, 2015 6:00 am

“Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars: He leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name. By his great might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing!” (IS 40: 26)

If the stars “on high,” created by Our God, Who “leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name” are so important to Him, then how importantare we? All His “might and the strength of his power” are used to assure us about His love for us, to protect us and to lead us to His merciful Heart;there is our rest, our redemption and our most secure place.

“Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.” (Gospel Acclamation)

You have found favor with God

December 8, 2015 5:54 am

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” (LK 1: 30-33)

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She reminds us about our dignity and of the unconditional love of God—“you have found favor with God.” Our Lady reminds us also that we are called to take responsibility to fulfill our role in God’s plan. Her role was the most important; ours are less, but still God’s salvation needs us to cooperate with Him.

“Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.”

To set him in His presence

December 7, 2015 6:00 am

“And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘As for you, your sins are forgiven.’” (LK 5: 18-20)

The “men” who “brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed” expected only (probably the paralyzed man too) that Our Lord would cure him. He received from Jesus forgiveness first—“your sins are forgiven.” Only after the reunion with God came the cure. Our Lord always wants a better life for us, a bigger perspective and a deeper relationship with Him. Our health, job, and many other different expectations are secondary and subordinate to the main one.

“Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth, and he himself will lift the yoke of our captivity.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Leading in joy

December 6, 2015 6:00 am

“For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company.” (BAR 5: 9)

There is nothing more important than love; there is nothing more important than taking care of relatives and friends, and this is what Our God is showing us every single day. He is not only showing but also leading us “in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company.” He is love and He rejoices when sharing His mercy and salvation with us.

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)

As soon as he hears he will answer

December 5, 2015 6:00 am

“O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you.” (IS 30: 19)

Our God is not separated from us, somewhere in Heaven, far away from us. He is closer then we can imagine andalways takes care of us. “When we cry out” — “He will be gracious to us,” When we pray and “as soon as He hears, He will answer us.” He is the One “who will save us.”

“The LORD is our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King; he it is who will save us.” (Gospel Acclamation)

The deaf shall hear the words of a book

December 4, 2015 6:00 am

“On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.” (IS 29: 18)

How often our ears and eyes are deaf and blindto anything that comes from outside. We are so busy with our inner dialog and our own visions for our daily lives and futures that we can’t hear and can’t see others. How helpful it is when we open “a book,” the Holy Bible, and we start to “hear the words of a book.” We can and should invite into our hearts Our Lord’s words and listen to Him, and with Him listen to others; we can and will start seeing the world as He sees.

“Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.” (Gospel Acclamation)

 

Eternal Rock

December 3, 2015 6:00 am

“Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock.” (IS 26: 4)

Every construction needs good ground. Our God, who is “eternal Rock,” can give us all kinds of support and stability, especially when our lives are a mess. He reminds us: “trust in the LORD forever!” There is no situation where He can’t help. He is always with us.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call him while he is near.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Jesus went up on the mountain, and sat down there

December 2, 2015 6:00 am

“Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.” (MT 15: 29-31)

Our Lord likes to be visible, even from a long distance: “went up on the mountain.” He came for us, who have all kinds of needs: “the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others,” to bring us closer to God the Father, and we have a place “at His feet.” And His answer is always the same: “He cured them.”

“Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Blessed eyes

December 1, 2015 6:00 am

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” (LK 10: 23-24)

We are luckierthan “many prophets and kings who desired to see what we see” but “did not see it.” During every Holy Mass, we can look at Our Lord, and when we do this our eyes change into “blessed eyes.” We can take our “blessed eyes” to our homes and look at our spouses, children and friends with a new glance because Our Lord “will enlighten the eyes of his servants” and will help us to see in a new way, a blessed way.

“Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.” (Gospel Acclamation)