Friday, December 28, 2012
5TH DAY, OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 29, 2012
5TH DAY, OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
1 Jn 2:3-11 / Lk 2:22-35
1 JOHN 2:3-11
How can we know that we know him? If we fulfill his commands. If you say, "I know him," but do not fulfill his commands, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. But if you keep his word, God's love is made complete in you. This is how we know that we are in him: he who claims to live in him must live as he lived. My dear friends, I am not writing you a new commandment, but reminding you of an old one, one you had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard. But, in a way, I give it as a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines. If you claim to be in the light but hate your brother, you are still in darkness. If you love your brothers and sisters, you remain in the light and nothing in you will make you fall. But if you hate your brother you are in the dark and walk in darkness without knowing where you go, for the darkness has blinded you.
LUKE 2:22-35
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every first born male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, "Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel." His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Know this: your son is a sign, a sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed."
REFLECTION
There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword that pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.
Jesus promised his disciples, "no one will take your joy from you." The Lord gives us a supernatural joy that enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and that neither life nor death can take way. Those blessed by the Lord are sometimes destined to suffer. Each of us may try in our own way to do the will of God and yet we suffer. So did Jesus himself, if that is any consolation. There is still much mystery that we do not always understand. God is sometimes the God of paradox. And that's the way things are.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Mon Torres
- Fleur Torres
- Ditas dela Paz
- Alejandro Lecaros
- Renan Lacida
- Chief Sam Rose Anyaugo
… for the personal intentions of
- Pauline
- Dr Ugo Anyaugo; Mr Ogechi Anyaugo; Barr (Mrs) Barbara Ada Okoronkwo;Engr. Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo; Mr. Chuba Anyaugo and Mrs Cordelia Anyaugo
… In Memoriam: Rex Owen O. Lucena
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- In Memoriam (+): Juanita Limqueco+
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
--
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© 2012 Daily-Homily
5TH DAY, OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
1 Jn 2:3-11 / Lk 2:22-35
1 JOHN 2:3-11
How can we know that we know him? If we fulfill his commands. If you say, "I know him," but do not fulfill his commands, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. But if you keep his word, God's love is made complete in you. This is how we know that we are in him: he who claims to live in him must live as he lived. My dear friends, I am not writing you a new commandment, but reminding you of an old one, one you had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard. But, in a way, I give it as a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines. If you claim to be in the light but hate your brother, you are still in darkness. If you love your brothers and sisters, you remain in the light and nothing in you will make you fall. But if you hate your brother you are in the dark and walk in darkness without knowing where you go, for the darkness has blinded you.
LUKE 2:22-35
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every first born male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, "Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel." His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Know this: your son is a sign, a sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed."
REFLECTION
There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword that pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.
Jesus promised his disciples, "no one will take your joy from you." The Lord gives us a supernatural joy that enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and that neither life nor death can take way. Those blessed by the Lord are sometimes destined to suffer. Each of us may try in our own way to do the will of God and yet we suffer. So did Jesus himself, if that is any consolation. There is still much mystery that we do not always understand. God is sometimes the God of paradox. And that's the way things are.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Mon Torres
- Fleur Torres
- Ditas dela Paz
- Alejandro Lecaros
- Renan Lacida
- Chief Sam Rose Anyaugo
… for the personal intentions of
- Pauline
- Dr Ugo Anyaugo; Mr Ogechi Anyaugo; Barr (Mrs) Barbara Ada Okoronkwo;Engr. Ifeanyi Matt Anyaugo; Mr. Chuba Anyaugo and Mrs Cordelia Anyaugo
… In Memoriam: Rex Owen O. Lucena
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- In Memoriam (+): Juanita Limqueco+
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GoogleGroup Address: http://groups.google.com/group/daily_homily
To subscribe from this free mailing service, send email to: dailyhomily@earthlink.net
To unsubscribe: daily_homily-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
© 2012 Daily-Homily
