Monday 26 December
Saint Stephen, the first Martyr Gospel - Matthew 10:17-22 “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say;” Most of our worries are about how to perform in a certain situation. We don’t know how the situation will be and we don’t know what situation we will be when we want to face this situation. So, we have to really work in our faith places, where we can really find ourselves in midst our busy schedules. How to work on it? In the gospel we read, “what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.”. Let the Spirit of the Father speak in us. Let our voice be low so that the Spirit of the Father can really speak in us. In the midst our preoccupations, we have this assurance, that God loves us. Let’s reflect: Let the Spirit of the Father speak in us.
Sunday 25 December
Christmas Day Gospel - John 1:1-5,9-14 “He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him”. We see a tension between God and man. God who wants to stay in our midst and who is in our midst. And man, who does not recognize that presence. Because God in our midst is a serious reality which is a gift at the same time a big responsibility. God in our midst is not something to be afraid. Actually, it’s a liberation. God in our midst becomes a reality of fear when you want to close yourself, when you want to make your projects avoiding God, when you want to make your projects excluding others. God in our midst becomes a blessing when you want to open yourself up to God, when you want to be completely guided by God, when you want to make projects bigger than yourself. Let’s reflect: God in our midst, is a blessing, it is our liberation to become children of God.
Saturday 24 December
Gospel - Luke 1:67-79 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel for he has visited his people, he has come to their rescue, and he has raised up for us a power for salvation”. God visited us. He came to rescue us. He has given us a power for salvation. Zechariah clearly inspired by the Holy Spirt sees the relationship of God with us. The whole song of Zechariah is an explanation of who God is for us. Whatever we are, He will visit us! Wherever we are, He will rescue us! He will rescue us from all our enemies and from all who hate us. God is a saving God, God with tender mercy, who brings light to darkness. Advent is the time to experience God in His tender mercy.
Friday 23 December
23 December O Emmanuel! Gospel - Luke 1:57-66 “His name is John”. All others wanted to call him Zechariah after his father. But Elizabeth and Zechariah knew that it is not the name that should be given to the child. Because they received the grace of God, experienced the grace of God and lived the grace of God. So, for them, it is not the relatives that decide but it’s the grace that dictates their decision. It is not anymore, the traditions that lead them but it’s the faith. Elisabeth is speaking up. She has the courage to go against the current because she lived the grace. Zechariah is asking for a writing-tablet. He does not want to go wrong, because he internalized the grace. “His name is John”. Advent is the time to live the grace and make changes against all the pressures on us.