One another, Holy FamilyC

December 29, 2024

1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28; Psalm 84 (83); 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41-52

Let us now join our hearts and voices in prayer to our Father in heaven for the needs of every member of our human family:

-For our Church and parish community, that Christ's peace and a dedication to thankfulness may reign in our life together: let us pray to the Lord.

-For parents, guardians, and teachers, that they may always realize the preciousness of the young lives in their care: let us pray to the Lord.

-For children and young people, that they may learn and grow in wisdom and grace within the joy of a loving family: let us pray to the Lord.

-For children who are lost and abandoned and for children who have been abducted, that, through God's loving providence, they will return to their homes quickly and safely: let us pray to the Lord.

-For families in crisis, for families in mourning, for families estranged and separated, that Christ may be present to them in the loving support of neighbors and friends: let us pray to the Lord.

-For all our family members and friends who have died [especially that they may live in the presence of God forever: let us pray to the Lord.

-For the prayers we now make in the silence of our hearts [Pause. . .]: let us pray to the Lord.

Hear the prayers of your family gathered around your table, O Lord. As Jesus taught us to call you "Father," " may we learn to respect and love one another as brothers and sisters. We offer these prayers in the name of your Son, Jesus, the Christ.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024al, December 22). Fourth Sunday of Advent. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122224.cfm

-Cormier, J. (1995). Lord, Hear Our Prayer: Prayer of the Faithful for Sundays, Holy Days, and Ritual Masses.

The Word today, Holy FamilyC

December 30 - January 04, 2025

Monday 30 December

1 John 2:12-17 The write addresses different “constituencies” in the community, children, the young and parents. A little care is needed in understanding: the “world” is not creation as such but evil forces which take us away from God.

Luke 2:36-40 This story continues yesterday, balancing the genders. Calling Anna a “prophetess” can surprise, but there were indeed woman prophets in ancient Israel: Miriam, Deborah, the wife of Isaiah, Huldah and Noadiah. In very old age, the Anna is full of expectation and discernment.

Tuesday 31 December

St Sylvester 1, bishop of Rome

1 John 2:18-21 There is an edgy moment in this reading. Clearly some members have defected (and are dismissed), but the nal tone is afrmative: It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you but rather because you know it already.

John 1:1-18 This great reading was already proclaimed on Christmas Day. We are invited to listen again, with “the ears of the heart” as St Augustine puts it. As you listen, notice that we too are part of the proclamation, part of the Good News.

Wednesday 01 January

Mary, mother of God

Numbers 6:22-27 As a new year opens, we glance back over the previous year, looking not only to the outward events, but also to the inward journey. Have I grown in faith? What nourished me this year?

Galatians 4:4-7 All of us know from within that we are children of God and, in the Spirit, we can call out Abba, Father!

Luke 2:16-21 The portrait of Mary in Luke 1-2 is meant to illustrate discipleship and to inspire disciples. Clearly a woman of faith, she appropriates all that happens by treasuring and pondering. Cf. Luke 2:51.

Thursday 02 January

Sts Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors

1 John 2:22-28 The reading reects profound conict in the community of the Fourth Gospel over Jesus’ identity. It would seem that at least some did not accept the deep teaching about Jesus as the word made esh.

John 1:19-28 All the Gospels are anxious about the identity of John the Baptism and are keen to relativise his signicance. In this late Gospel, John the Baptist sharply denies the various categories used. For this Gospel, he is the voice in the desert where as Jesus is the Word made esh.

Friday 03 January

The Most Holy Name of Jesus St Munchin, bishop

1 John 2:29-3:6 Today we hear a justly famous passage, which goes simply and directly to the heart of the matter. The proclamation of the love of God is completed by presenting the consequences for us as believers.

John 1:29-34 What John says of Jesus reects the understanding of the Fourth Gospel, an understanding which is deep and challenging. Most likely, we are not really hearing the opinion of the historical John the Baptist but the theology of the evangelist.

Saturday 04 January

1 John 3:7-10 The test of good living is not introspection but inspection of how we actually live and what choices we make. As Archbishop Temple put it long ago: it is not the action matters and prayer helps but that prayer matters and action is its test.

John 1:35-42 The question at the centre of this Gospel is the key question for life as such. A slightly more accurate translation could be: what do you desire? The question comes up again in John 20 with a highly signicant adjustment: whom are you looking for?

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024an, December 29). Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122924.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/

The Word today, Christmas Week

December 26 - December 28, 2024

Thursday 26 December

St Stephen, the first martyr

Stephen, “stephanos” in Greek, means “crown” and in the hymns associated with the feast he is called the crown of martyrs.

Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59 The author of Acts devotes a great deal of space to the story of Stephen’s death, much too long to read at Mass. The ex- cerpted reading gives us the motivation for killing him and then moves immedi- ately to his death. The aware bible read- er will hear distinct echoes of the death of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. In this way, Luke reminds us that the disciple is not greater than the master. A disciple is not above the teacher, but every disciple who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. (Luke 6:40) Jesus was a prophet and suffered for his witness — his calling and his destiny are ours too.

Matthew 10:17-22 This remarkable passage — based on Mark but also in Luke — cannot really come from the historical Jesus but seems to be, instead, a reflection on the experi- ence of the early church. Given the way in which Stephen was inspired by the Spirit, this is a wholly suitable reading for the day.

Friday 27 December

St John, apostle and evangelist.

It is not at all probable that the apostle John was also the author of the Gospel, written under his name. As is well-recognised, that late Gospel is the fruit of long reflection and also stages of redaction, some of the latter at the hands of a later “Johannine School.” The further confla- tion of the apostle, evangelist and the Beloved Disciple is, likewise, to be resisted.

1 John 1:1-4 The first letter of John, written later in response to a new crisis, does not come from the evangelist but the later school, mentioned above. Our passage is an appeal to tradition (it echoes John 1:1-18) and experience (heard, seen, watched, touched). Given the critical context, the insistence upon joy is note- worthy.

John 20:2-8 We hear a part of a much longer scene in John 20, excerpted to profile the Beloved Disciple. This figure is partly historical (his deaths noted in chapter 21) and partly symbolic (he represents idealised, perfect discipleship and at- tachment to Jesus). He gets to the tomb first, not because he is fleet of foot but because of fire in his heart. Likewise, although primacy of honour is accorded to Peter, it is the charismatic which counts and therefore “he saw and he believed.” The institution takes you only so far!

Saturday 28 December

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

1 John 1:5-2:2 After the very beautiful first four verses, the letter engages with reality, especially the reality of deluding ourselves about sin. The journey is negative and positive: after darkness comes light; after sin for- giveness. We have our advocate with the Father — here the same word used of the Spirit in the Gospel is applied to Jesus in the letter. The advocacy of Jesus presumes an understanding of his death a little at variance with that in the Gospel proper — in the Gospel the lift- ing up of Jesus is an unveiling of God and his glory, whereas here it is inter- preted in light of Temple sacrifice.

Matthew 2:13-18 The story of the “innocents” is part of the Moses symbolism in the Gospel of Matthew — Moses was also threatened both at birth and later Moses also had to “relocate.” In Matthew’s worldview, the Messiah recapitulates the saving history of Israel, including the Exodus and en- try into the land. The note of tragedy (echoing the Babylonian Exile, already alluded to in the genealogy) underscores the tragedy of the human condition and the need for a savior.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024ak, December 22). Fourth Sunday of Advent. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122224.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/