01.09.16

Lectio: Lk 3.15-16, 21-22                                                                      

Meditatio: “After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying; heaven was opened and he holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased’.”
 Lk 3.21-22

Oratio: O God, Jesus did not need to be baptized as He was sinless; nevertheless He did so to show His solidarity with us. Pray to be always grateful for our baptism through which we received the Holy Spirit and we were adopted as Jesus’ siblings.                                                   
                                                                        
Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “Jesus...baptized....Spirit descended..voice....beloved Son”; Jesus’ baptism revealed much about our baptism for as He was anointed by the Holy Spirit and endorsed by His Father so do we experience the same at our baptism. Seek the grace to live as God’s children and reflect it by a life of selfless love for in doing so, we will have captured the mysstery of divine love and the reason for Jesus’ coming.

Tomorrow's reading: Mk 1.14-20               

01.08.16

Lectio: Jn 3.22-30                                                           

Meditatio: “He must increase; I must decrease.” Jn 330                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Oratio: O God, John, the Baptist, knew his mission and he gave a final witness that Jesus was the one who was to come.  Pray for a humble heart and always be a person of integrity for that is the best way to give witness to the Lord.                                                              
                                                                        
Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “he...increase...I ..decrease”; John knew his role and he discharged it well, Seek the grace to know yourself and act accordingly for that is a very good way to witness to the Lord.                                                                                                                                                               Tomorrow's reading: Lk 3.15-16, 21-22        

01.05.16

Lectio:  Mk 6.45-52                                                           

Meditatio: “But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought he was a ghost and cried  out.” Mk 6.49                                                                                                                                                     
Oratio: O God, Your Son showed His divinity when He walked on the sea. Yet His disciples were confused and afraid at the moment thinking Him a ghost. Only later upon reflection did they make the connection. Pray to see in the moment the presence of the Lord and respond with love and action.
                                                                        
Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “walking....sea...ghost”; first impressions can and are often wrong. The disciples thought Jesus was a ghost when they saw Him walking on the sea. Seek the grace of an openess of a child so that I may see the many ways Jesus is present to me in my daily life for He is there whenever we see selfless love

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 4.14-22a  

01.04.16

Lectio: Mk 6.34-44                                                

Meditatio: “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all.” Mk 6.41


Oratio: O God, Your Son showed great compassion for the people following Him for He not only fed their souls -preaching to them at great length - but He also fed their bodies. And did so with superabundance. Seek the grace to show compassion to others and allow God to operate through us to them for that is Jesus’ way.
                                                                        
Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “five loaves....blessing, broke....gave” ; the actions Jesus displayed in the feeding of the five thousand mirrored the actions in His giving us the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Seek the grace to be generous with our time, talent and treasure for that is the Way of Jesus and it must be our way, too.

Tomorrow's reading: Mk 6.45-52    

P,S. today, is the feast day of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American born and citizen to be canonized. She was a convert, a wife, mother and foundress of a religious order and patron saint of the parish I last served as its pastor.          

01.03.16

Lectio: Mt 4.12-17, 23-25                              

Meditatio: “And he went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.” Mt 4.23                          
Oratio: O God, Your Son proclaimed the Gospel and showed His authority by working many miracles for the people. Pray that I may do my part in proclaiming the kingdom especially in the life I live.
                                                                        
Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “Galilee...proclaiming....gospel...curing”; the people of Jesus’ time ought to have put their faith in Him for not only was He a powerful preacher but backed up His words with His deeds.  Seek the grace to exemplify the Gospel in my life.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 6.34-44               

01.02.16

Lectio: Mt 2.1-12                    

Meditatio: “After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.” Mt 2.9

Oratio: O God, You inspired the Magi to follow the star to Your Son and they did. Pray that I may always follow Your promptings for You give to me for my good.                                                                                                               
Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “audience,,,,king....star...stopped...child”; a new star led the Wise Men to Jesus and they were privileged to see Him and pay Him homage. Seek the grace to follow the star You have given me - the Church - and abide by its teachings for they are for our good.                                                                                                                
Tomorrow's reading: Mt 4.12-17, 23-25

01.01.16

Lectio: Jn 1.19-28

Meditatio: “He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, Make straight the way of the lord’.” Jn 1.13

Oratio: O God, You sent John to prepare the way for Your Son and he did what You asked of him. Pray to always do Your will no matter how great or how little the task for doing so is my way back to You.                                                                        

Contemplatio: Spend some time with today's text and see how the Lord is speaking to you.

Operatio: reflect: “I....voice....Make...way....lord”; John was the voice; Jesus was the Lord; we, too, by virtue of our baptism are to prepare the way of the Lord for those whose lives we touch. Seek the grace to do so for therein lies our worth.        
                                                                                                                                      
Tomorrow's reading: Mt 2.1-12       

P.S. Happy New Year!