Tag: Deacon Steve

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Our Gospel passage today reminds us that to be a Christian we must tell people the good news of our redemption, as well as offer comfort and support to those who are suffering.

Such a fitting Gospel passage today as we celebrate the feast of Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton. Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton provided some of the first charities for the care of the poor in the United States. She also helped form some of the first free schools which allowed underprivileged children to have an education. As we enter into these first days of 2021, may Jesus and the Saints inspire us to bring comfort and reassurance to all in need.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Monday, January 4, 2021

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.

— Luke 2:36-40

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Today we celebrate the sixth day of Christmas with six geese a laying. The six eggs of the geese represent fertility — the maintenance of the created world and the life that is to come. Each of us, each day, receives a call from God that prompts us to do our part for the maintenance and health of the world. In our reading today, the prophetess Anna shows great conviction to her call and her ministry as does the family of Jesus.

As we approach the coming of the new year may our ability to hear and our resolve to carry out our part in the world be strengthened and filled with grace. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Wednesday, December 30, 2020

The peace of the Lord be with you.

To say our reading today from the Gospel is dark and disturbing is an understatement. Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. As I sit with the scripture this morning, it pains me to think about how we as adults ill effect the lives of children and those who are dependent upon us to keep them safe. God has a very special place in his heart for the vulnerable, and because they are our brothers and sisters, we are called to have that same sort of compassion for them as well.

As we contemplate this great sacrifice and the dark moments of human history, may we renew our commitment to protect those who are most vulnerable in our world. It is only when their protection is insured that we can really say that justice and freedom from fear is available for all people.

May God give us the strength and the foresight to make this a priority in our world. In the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Monday, December 28, 2020

Jesus said to his disciples:

Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.

— Matthew 10:17-22

The peace of the Lord be with you. Happy second day of Christmas.

The second day of Christmas in the 12 days of Christmas is symbolized by the two turtle doves, which is a symbol of love — particularly, sacramental marital love. This so fitting on this feast of Stephen who is the first Christian martyr who not only preached the love of God, but like Jesus asked forgiveness for his persecutors, as his life was coming to an end.

Today, let us ponder the importance the love of other and ask for the grace to always seek the betterment of others over ourselves.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Saturday, December 26, 2020

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.

— Luke 1:57-66

The peace of the Lord be with you.

I don’t very often stop to think about the cost associated with my moments of disbelief. As we see with Elizabeth giving birth at an advanced age, her husband’s disbelief does not stop God’s plan. God’s plan continues independent of his lack of belief or cooperation. What we do see is that it robs Zachariah of some of his power, some of his abilities, and his ability to communicate. Ultimately, because he sees God’s plan at work, his disbelief is transformed into understanding.

As we see in this Gospel passage today, that moment of understanding allows him once again to be freed to live more fully among his contemporaries and in harmony with God’s plan for he and Elizabeth. At the moment his gifts are restored perhaps with even a greater sense of appreciation. As we live out these final days of advent 2020 may we continue to examine our lives closely — examining the cost of our liabilities, and then ask God for his assistance, healing, and transformation.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Wednesday, December 23, 2020

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Today our Gospel gives us Mary’s Magnificat. Once again this is a reading that expresses joy. The joy that Mary proclaims today is one of a soul who knows precisely what God has called one to. Once again, this is not something that is available only to the chosen few, but we too can draw in the triumphant expression of this joy in our lives. It’s as simple as uttering the words what is your will for me today Lord?

In the days, weeks, and years to come, may we be glad to make this request, pray for the grace to carry it out, and be joy filled with what God wills for each of us.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Tuesday, December 22, 2020

The peace of the Lord be with you.

We’re a few days before the celebration of Christmas and already our readings are changing their tone. The focus of all the readings today speak of joy. This joy is because the coming of this king — this infant whose birth we celebrate — frees us from the weight of sin and returns us to the favor of God himself. Due to the goodness of God this favor is not for a few but for all people.

So as we complete our preparations for Christmas, may our hearts feel lighter and may we be filled with hope. For the one who is to come removes the weight of this life and invites us to eternity with Him.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Monday, December 21, 2020

The Peace of the Lord be with you.

Both the Old Testament and Gospel readings talk about how God makes the barren fertile and those disappointed filled with hope. It also appears that both of these children: Samson and John the Baptist were conceived for holy purposes. Both, in their own way, would be instruments of deliverance and redemption. Out of hopelessness through the goodness of God came renewal.

As we approach the darkest time of the year in our region in a few short days, we end our time of preparation and celebrate the return of the light through the birth of Jesus — the act that reminds us that God always walks with and among us. May we be filled anticipation, gratitude, and hope.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Saturday, December 19, 2020

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
As king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
“The LORD our justice.”

Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD,
when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives,
who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”;
but rather, “As the LORD lives,
who brought the descendants of the house of Israel
up from the land of the north”– 
and from all the lands to which I banished them;
they shall again live on their own land.

— Jeremiah 23:5-8

The peace of the Lord be with you.

We are exactly a week away from Christmas day. Our readings today remind us that God is a God of justice. Despite the things that we may do that are wrong or unjust, God makes all things right.

As his followers, we are called to also be people of justice to seek out wrongs and make them right and to make sure that those without a voice are heard. This time of the year often makes people think about those who are less fortunate so the hungry are fed, those who need clothing receive it, those that feel estranged are welcomed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see this type of love for our fellow human beings 365 days per year? With God all things are possible including attaining  that ideal.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Friday, December 18, 2020

I am the LORD, there is no other;
I form the light, and create the darkness,
I make well-being and create woe;
I, the LORD, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,
like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;
let justice also spring up!
I, the LORD, have created this.

For thus says the LORD,
The creator of the heavens,
who is God,
The designer and maker of the earth
who established it,
Not creating it to be a waste,
but designing it be lived in:
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Who announced this from the beginning
and foretold it from of old?
Was it not I, the LORD,
besides whom there is no other God?
There is no just and saving God but me.

Turn to me and be safe,
all you ends of the earth,
for I am God; there is no other!
By myself I swear,
uttering my just decree
and my unalterable word:
To me every knee shall bend;
by me every tongue shall swear,
Saying,

Only in the LORD
are just deeds and power.
Before him in shame shall come
all who vent their anger against him.
In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory
of all the descendants of Israel.

— Isaiah 45:6C-8, 18, 21C-25

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah God reminds us of all that he has done and all he hopes to do. Through the prophet, he reminds us that he is the creator of all things that he has designed the world to be a place where life can be lived. God reminds us that he is not a God among other gods; he is being itself. Lastly, good God reminds us of the great love he has for creation, wanting to be its teacher, friend, and protector.

Although it’s hard to fathom, this is the same God who put on the fabric of our humanity in the form of a child and later a man named Jesus who not only showed us how to live, but saved us that we might have life eternal with him.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings for Wednesday, December 16, 2020