December 29, 2014

Dec. 29

December 29, 2014:  5th day in Christmas Octave

  • 'Holy Spirit' chain:  Spirit was with Simeon (gospel)
  • 'Eyeball' pin: “I've seen the salvation you prepared in everyone's sight.” (gospel)
  • 'Sword' pin: Mary, a sword will pierce you (gospel)
  • 'State law' pin (a stretch):  keep Jesus' commandments (1st reading)
Listen

Read
    Animate
  • 1 Jn 2:3-11  If you say you know Jesus but don't keep his commandments, you're a liar, but if you keep his word, God's love is in you.  If you hate your brother, you're in darkness, but if you love him, you're in the light.
  • Ps 96:1-3, 5b-6  "Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!"  Sing to the Lord.  Announce his salvation, glory, and wondrous deeds.
  • Lk 2:22-35  Mary and Joseph presented Jesus to the Lord.  The Spirit revealed to Simeon he'd see the Christ.  He took Jesus in his arms:  “I've seen the salvation you prepared, a light for the nations and glory for Israel.”  Mary and Joseph were amazed.  Simeon to Mary:  “He's destined for the fall and rise of many, and to be a sign to be contradicted (and a sword will pierce you) so the thoughts of many may be revealed.”


Reflect
    • Creighton:  John speaks in absolutes to drive home his message, but for us it's not a clear choice between loving or hating God.  God lets us make daily choices vs. choosing once and for all.  John is calling us to actual and effective love, to reach out to the least.
    • One Bread One Body:  To grow in love requires God's grace, willingness to accept it, and a process of transformation.  We go through the process by taking steps in obedience.  By obedience, Mary conceived and loved Jesus, Joseph became his foster-father and grew in love, shepherds and magi saw baby Jesus and began a new life, and Simeon met Jesus in the Temple.  Obey Jesus, the Way, Love.
    • Passionist:  Our world challenges our ideas about how to treat others.  May I walk in compassion and so walk in the light.
    • DailyScripture.net:  God gives us opportunities to develop relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  Christianity is a relationship of trust, affection, commitment, faithfulness, kindness, compassion, mercy, support, strength, and other qualities that unite people in love.  God offers union with himself, author and source of love.  God will love us no matter what and wants our relationships to be rooted in his love.  Jesus offered his life for us so we could be forgiven and restored to unity and become God's adopted children, showing true kinship is not a matter of flesh and blood.  Our adoption transforms our relationships and requires loyalty to God and his kingdom first.

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