Advent Prayer Reflections

December 22

Mary faced terrible uncertainty after her pregnancy; she had more than enough reason to be anxious, worried and unhappy. Yet her heart is so filled with joy that her lips break out in a song of joy, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” There is not even a shadow of unhappiness in her because she has Jesus within her. Like Mary most saints suffered a lot, either physically or mentally. Yet, it is said, there has never been a saint who was unhappy. Vocation to Christianity is a vocation to undiluted joy, both in heaven and on earth. Jesus said, “…that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” John 15:11. Mary shows the double way to achieve this goal. On the one hand she is the handmaid of the Lord submitting herself completely to his will and her ‘soul glorifies the Lord.” On the other hand she is one who runs to the assistance of others (Elizabeth) as soon as she hears that they are need of help. I need to ponder what blocks me from being a happy Christian.

Thomas Kuttiyanikal, SAC

 I Sam 28:28; I Sam 2:1, 2-8, Luke 1:46-56 

December 23

“Look, I am sending my messenger to prepare a way before me…He shall turn the hearts of fathers toward their children and the hearts of the children towards their fathers lest I come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 3:1, 23-24

When an important guest is about to come to our house for a visit, what we do?  Don’t we do our best to straighten things up?  Of course!  We clean rooms, make beds, prepare gourmet foods, don our finest clothes, shine our shoes and scrub the kids clean.  We want everything to be as perfect as we can possibly make it—for our special guest.
During Advent we are constantly reminded that Christ, our special guest, is coming.  The prophet Malachi tells us to be prepared.  John the Baptist proclaims the same message.  Yet neither is speaking about such insignificant things as shoes and food and houses.  For them preparation is not to be found in such external things, but in our inner spirit.  “ Turn your heart,” says Malachi.  “ Repent and be baptized,” speaks John the Baptist.  If we truly wish to prepare for Christ’s coming at Christmas, then we need to dig deep into our very souls, root out evil and hatred and become people who love and care about each other.

A Pallottine
Malachi 3:1-4,23-24, Psalm 25:4-5b, 8-9,10,14,
Luke 1:57-66

December 24

“O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of eternal light, Sun of Justice come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

One morning I was driving to the east just before dawn.  The lights of cars and trucks gradually gave way to the light of day.  With no clouds in the sky, it was easy to see where the sun would rise!  There it came.  The first rays of the sun had passed the horizon level.  The sun had come up!  It would be a good day.

The old day has ended.  It is more and more in the past and the possibilities of living the new day are more and more evident.  Plans to be carried out, people to see, unknown challenges yet to be uncovered.

The light of this day is only an imperfect comparison to the radiant splendor of the coming of the Sun of Justice — Jesus Christ.  No matter how bright a light we put into the night, it can’t take away the darkness that can only be dispelled by the radiant dawn Jesus.  By accepting his light and his justice, we can be guided this day.  Into what dark corner of my life has the light of Christ shone this Advent?

Leon Martin, SAC

2 Samuel 7:1-16, Psalm 89:2-29, Luke1: 67-79

Christmas Day

A People who walked in darkness have seen a great light! 
Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

We celebrate the beginning of our salvation!  The Hope of the world.  Perhaps if we experienced life in Alaska or somewhere at the top of the globe, this passage from Isaiah would really sink in.  Some of us joke about Wisconsin winters, but winters there must be extremely long without light.
 
The Liturgy relates the darkness to sin and Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, the Son or “Sun” of justice, the bearer of hope to a world sometimes engulfed in the darkness of death.  Unfortunately there is still much evil in the world, war, and man’s constant struggle for power.  The little lights that we place on our christmas trees don’t dispel darkness much but they do remind us that we have a real hope in Jesus who was sent by the Father to be the light of the world. If we learn from Him the unselfish lessons of giving of our selves, we can help usher in a spirit of Love and Peace beyond our imagining.  We rejoice today because God is indeed with us.  He is our Peace!

Greg Serwa, SAC

Isaiah 9:1-6,  Ps 96:1-13,  Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14

Feast of Holy Family

When his parents found him, they were amazed.  His mother said “ son why have you done this to us.”  (Luke 2:48)

Parents do worry about their children.  Joseph and Mary were no different.  Why would Jesus leave his parents and run off to the temple and not tell his parents.  I guess, Jesus felt that God was calling him to the temple.  Mary and Joseph were very concerned about their son.  When they found him in the temple they were amazed to see him there.  I am sure that they were very happy and filled with joy when they found him.

Nowadays if a child gets lost, the parents call the police and volunteers help to search for the missing child.  Wouldn’t it be nice, if the child was found in the local church praying?  It would be nice to see more children and young people coming to Mass on Sundays.  We all know that Mass attendance is down.  I always ask the question, “Why?”  There could be many reasons, but one of the main reasons is that the parents are not taking the responsibility to take their children to Sunday Mass.  I believe that everything begins at home.  I look at Jesus’ life and am sure that he had a great upbringing.  So parents should take every effort to bring their children to Mass on Sundays.

Jim Scarpace SAC

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14, Psalm 128:1-5, 1 John 3:1-2; 21-24,
Luke 2:41-52

Monday, 1st week of Advent
“ Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Matthew 8: 10.
 Can Jesus say this of us? 
The centurion in today’s gospel was a person who understood authority. He had soldiers under him and also was obedient to those above him. He recognized the power  Jesus  had over illness and was sure Jesus could heal his servant even without entering the house where the paralyzed servant was. “ Only say the word,” was his expression of faith in Jesus.
As we intercede for the health of a loved one, we have only to believe that Jesus can and will heal this person.
How often do we ask blessings and healing for those around us. As we tell them “ I will pray for you” and we must trust in the goodness of God. We, just as the centurion, admit our unworthiness. Yet God in His mercy knows the best way to answer our prayers.
Lord, increase my faith.

Rosemary O’Shea
Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-7, Matthew 8:5-11

 2nd Sunday of Advent
The Lord will come to save the nations
“ Thus it was that John the Baptizer appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."  Mark 1: 4.
The opening prayer for the second Sunday of Advent is a request to our Almighty Father to remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy… so that we may share His wisdom and become one with Him when He comes in glory.
The key word in John’s preaching would seem to be ‘ to repent' and so let us look deeper into the meaning of his plea.  The significance would seem to be not so much regret for the past or the performance of penance, but rather a change of mind and heart, a new outlook on life in keeping with the will of God.  We understand that John’s baptism was not a sacrament but a mere symbol giving external expression to the repentance of his converts and pointing to Christ’s baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Advent, thus offers us a great responsibility to ponder those earthly attachments which can chain us to ‘ this world’; to pray for the light which can help us remove them and make good use of the sacraments our Savior has given us.
Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Gordon F. Gantz UAC
Baruch 5:1-9, Ps 126:1-6, Philippians 1:4-11, Luke 3:1-6

Monday - the 2nd week of Advent

The events of September 11, 2001 were horrible enough.  It was not just a heinous crime of killing more than two thousand innocent people and destroying billions of dollars worth of properties, but it was a challenge thrown to the face of the civilized societies, questioning their very existence in the future.  As though the aftermath of the horrible events were not enough, the different government agencies started to blame each other for not stopping the terrorists from carrying out their devilish designs.
Passing the bucks.  The first man, Adam did it by blaming his God given companion Eve for compelling him to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve in turn was equally eloquent in denying her responsibility in the chain of events.  She blamed the serpent. Whereas the second Eve, Mary was ready to accept the responsibility to carry out God’s will.  She vowed to fulfill God’s wishes, though she knew very little of their real implications. Through her actions of being responsible to carry out God’s will, she changed the very course of human history.

Joseph Dominic SAC
Genesis 3:9-15,20, Psalm 98:1-4, Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12, Luke 1:26-38

Tuesday - the 2nd week of Advent

Offering the Comfort of God
“Comfort, Give comfort to my people” Is 40

After my husband passed away, a sister of St. Fransis took me under her wing.  I knew he for a very short time.  Sister Mary was the organizer of a 55plus club.  She asked me to join, which I did.
This human being stepped into my life with such compassion and love to comfort me.
She asked me to join them on a trip to the Holy Land.  I was happy to go.  Because of the comfort and compassion shown me, I became a volunteer in the bone marrow unit of Froedert Hospital.  I also worked in the intensive care unit for 6 years.
Comfort, oh Comfort my people says your God!

Frances Kurtz, UAC

Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 96:1-13,  Matthew 18:12-14

Wednesday 2nd Week of Advent
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits;" Psalm 103:2

My first thought in waking up each morning is that the Lord has blessed me with another day!  I beg His help in getting through it.  Although my vision is blurred and I am hesitant about driving, again I say, “ Dear Lord, I can’t do this alone, please help me.”
In reminiscing, I picture having my large family.  I didn’t have much time to “think”, I just did.  First my husband went off to work, then the children, one by one.  When the last one walked out of the door, I thought of each life, I was responsible for physically, morally and emotionally.  I then realized the grave responsibility of a mother’s role and the importance of sending seven youngsters into the world, to do the work of the Lord in return for all the blessings He has given to me.
Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, I am reminded of a story where Mary told Joseph that she had a dream about a big party that was being held and there were lots of children who received gifts except little boy Jesus.  She cried for her son and said, “ I am glad it was only a dream.”
May we all remember not the presents but the many blessings received and the true meaning of Christmas.

Dorothy Schweitzer, UAC
Isaiah 40:25-31, Psalm 103:1-4, 8-110, Matt 11:28-30

Thursday, 2nd week of Advent
“Do not be afraid; I will help you.”
Fear is one of the basic emotions of people.  For centuries, people lived in fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of natural forces, fear of diseases and fear of others etc.  One can say that fear is caused by many factors. One of the most important reasons for fear is the loss of relationships. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and lost the great friendship that God had established with them, they were frightened and terrified. One fears the loss of love and attention from one’s loved ones and others. Today, people live in constant fear of terrorism and acts of violence.
The Holy Bible speaks of fear 366 times and each time God assures people of help.  God told the people of Israel through Isaiah  “ do not be afraid; I will help you”.  (Is. 4:13)  At the time of Annunciation, Mary was told by the angel Gabriel, “ don’t be afraid Mary, God has been gracious to you."  (Luke 1:30).
This is the very essence of incarnation as well.  In spite of the sinfulness and arrogance of human race, God has been gracious to our race constantly.  So if God is for us who can be against us.  What we need is an attitude of profound faith and humility to accept God's plan for God and us will lead us through every event of life.

Joseph Dominic SAC
Isaiah 41:13-20, Psalm 145:1,9-13.  Matthew 11:11-15

Friday, 2nd week of Advent
“ Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."  Luke 1:45
One of the greatest disappointments in life that any person can experience is an unfulfilled promise.  We didn’t get the raise we were promised at work.  The family trip we looked forward to for so long was canceled.  Teacher said we were getting an “A”, but the report card had a “B+”.  None of us likes to be disappointed; yet we are, far too often in life.  Family and friends disappoint us.  We can even disappoint ourselves.
Sometimes I think we forget that Advent I s a time of promise, a looking forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise to His chosen people that He would send the Messiah.  It is good that we celebrate this season each year to remind ourselves that God has fulfilled that promise in Christ.  Mary believed what the angel had spoken to her and looked forward to the birth of her Son with great anticipation.  We, too, are called to be people who believe in Jesus and who live in the knowledge that we have been saved in Him.  May it always be said of us, “ Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled"?

WEL
 Zechariah 2:14-17, Psalm: Judith 13:18-29,
Luke 1:26-38 or 1:39-47

Saturday -  the 2nd week of Advent

We know the Lord is good to those who have a clean heart but we also see those who are rude and wicked, increasing their wealth in a carefree manner.  We wonder if we are doing right ourselves.  It is not until we come to our final destiny when we come before the Lord that we’ll see things in perspective.
Isiaiah speaks of the spiritual Kingdom of God, the poor will be judged with Justice and the wicked will be slayed with the words of his mouth and the breath of his lips.  The wild animals will live with the timid ones in harmony. 
A child will lead them and will not be harmed as the earth will be filled with truth and knowledge of God. We will rejoice and praise the Lord even if we don’t now understand his will and we believe that whatever happens the Father knows best.  We accept it in this way Knowing that God has His reasons.

Fran Rasmussen,UAC
Sirach 48:1-11, Psalm 80 2-19, Matthew 17:9-13

3rd Sunday of Advent

John told them, “ If you have two coats give one to someone who doesn’t have any.  If you have food, share it with someone else."  Luke 3:11
The key word here is to share.  John told them that sharing is important.  Even in John’s time, people did not share.  So John lets the people know that sharing is good whether you are rich or poor we will have something to share.  It could be food, money, clothing and our talents.  We all can help each other in so many ways.
During Advent season, let’s look at ourselves and see how we can share with others the gifts that God gave us.  As God’s people, John told us to share what we have.  Do we have to be told to share our gifts or material things that God has blessed us with?  I hope not!

Jim Scarpace SAC
Zephaniah 3:14-18, Psalm 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:10-18

December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe

You are the Highest Honor of our Race

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a little town of Nazareth to a humble virgin whose name was Mary.  She in turn was sent to a humble peasant Aztec Indian outside of what is presently Mexico City, whose name was Juan Diego. Dressed as an Aztec Princess she filled Diego’s poncho with roses and told him to go to the Bishop. When Juan released the roses in front of the Bishop he found imprinted on the cactus fiber poncho the image of our Lady of Guadalupe.  That image inspired the revolution for Mexico’s independence and has been an inspiration for justice in many protests on behalf of laborers in the fields.  Hail Mary! As the angel was sent to bring Good News, so Mary brings Good News and affirmation to a lowly servant, who in turn brings more Good News to a Bishop and to us! We are called to be such messengers too. St. Vincent uses the word Apostle because we were sent to bring glad tidings. Hail Mary (Juan, Beth, Paul…) You are full of grace, the Lord is with You!

Greg Serwa SAC
Zechariah 2:14-17, Judith 13:18-19, Luke 1:26-38