12.31.12

Lectio: LK 2.16-21

Meditatio: "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." Lk 2.19

Oratio: "O God, You know how important mothers are to their children.

I remember You gave Mary as the mother for Your Son and Mary gave Him a mother’s love throughout His life.

Grant that I may be ever grateful to You for giving me my mother and for giving me a double blessing as Mary my mother by grace.
I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the

Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

 

Operatio: reflect on "reflecting"; pondering; Mary didn’t brag about the events in her life but simple pondered them to discern their meaning and to keep these events alive in the memory of the church for its edification. In prayer may I spend quality time periodically reflecting the great events in salvation history and imitate Mary’s role of doing the will of the Father.

Tomorrow's reading: Jn 1.19-28

1230.12

Lectio: 1 Jn 2.18-21
Meditatio: "But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy one, and you all have knowledge." 1 Jn 2.20

Oratio: "O God, You always looked after us and provided means for us to know You and love You.

I remember You sent Your prophets of old and then Your only Son so that we would have Your Spirit and come to know and love You.
Grant that I may be ever grateful for the anointing with Your Spirit at my baptism and always walk in His light.
I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the

Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

Operatio: reflect on "anointing"; a solemn blessing with oils; Chrism at Baptism, symbolizes the blessing with the Holy Spirit; in prayer ask for a faith that is enlivened with the Holy Spirit and live such a faith so that I may give honor and glory to my God.
Tomorrow's reading: LK 2.16-21

12.29.12
Lectio: 1 Sm 1.20-22, 24-28
Meditatio: "I [Hannah] prayed for this child [Samuel], and the Lord granted my request." 1 Sm 1.27

Oratio: "O God, You listen and answer our prayers.

I remember You answered the prayer of Hannah and she conceived and gave birth to a son.
Grant that I may imitate her gratitude and give Your gifts back to You in service.
I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the

Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

 

Operatio: reflect on "prayer"; lifting up of the mind and heart to God; formal or informal - both our effective; and ask for the grace to realize that I should pray with the attitude that all depend on You and work as though all depends on me and always give thanks for the gifts You bestow on me and for the grace to use my gifts in service.

12.28.12

Lectio:1 Jn 1.2.3-11

  Meditatio: "Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in darkness."
1 Jn 2.9

Oratio: "O God, You have given us the light to live rightly in this life and which lights up our path to You.

 

I remember You gave us Your Son and His message to live by which not only lights up the paths of this life but the path back to You.
Grant that I may live in accord with the light of Your Son.


I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the

Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

Operatio: reflect on "light...darkness"; truth...false; intellectual and moral light and darkness; in prayer thank God for giving us the light of His Son and to live in accordance with the great Law of Love that he proclaimed.

Tomorrow's reading: Sir 3.2-6

12.27.12

Lectio:1 Jn 1.5-2.2
Meditatio: "If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing." 1 Jn 1.9

Oratio: "O God, You created us for You but our sinfulness makes us unworthy to be in Your presence - but You provided a remedy!

I remember Your Son became one of us so that Him our sinare are not only forgiven but we are cleansed and granted fellowship with You - How kind and merciful!
Grant that I may be always mindful of Your great mercy and when I have the misfortune to sin, to immediately turn to Your Son and seek forgiveness.
I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the

Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

Operatio: reflect on "cleansed"; wiped clean; purified; our trespasses forgiven and forgotten; in prayer thank God for being so kind and merciful and for the grace to live in accordance with His will with joy and not in trembling - knowing my humanity has a redeemer,

Tomorrow's reading: 1 Jn 2.3-11

12.26.12

Lectio: 1 Jn 1-4
Meditatio: "What we have seen and heard, we proclaim now to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ."
1 Jn 1.3

Oratio: "O God, You know the importance of eye witnesses to that which is at the heart of our faith and You gave us them.

I remember first You sent Your Son to give witness to the new covenant and then He in turn gave us Apostles who were eyewitnesses to His public ministry and some of whom recorded what they witnessed for the benefit of posterity.
Grant that I may have the grace to accept their testimony so that I may have fellowship with them and with You.
I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the

Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.


Operatio: reflect on "fellowship"; a sharing in the life with the Father and the Son according to the commentary of this passage; in prayer thank God for the eyewitness accounts of His Son’s public ministry that He has provided to us so that we might more easily come to faith and in turn share in His life and the life of Jesus; and may this sharing lead to active life of faith in the here and the now.

Tomorrow's reading: 1 Jn 1.5-2.2

12.25.12

Lectio: Acts 6.8-10, 7.54-59

Meditatio: "As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’." Acts 10.59

Oratio: "O God, You are the great Giver and all You ask in return is our love.

I remember one of the first deacons, Stephen, showed his great love for You by accepting martyrdom out of love for Your Son’s word.

Grant that I may show my gratitude to You for all You do for me by being a person of love for others.
I ask these and all things through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

Operatio: reflect on "my spirit"; my soul, my life principle; in prayer ask for the grace for today and everyday for a heat full of love, for God, for others and for self and offer such a heart to God for all He does for me and for my loved ones.

Tomorrow's reading: 1 Jn 1-4

P,.S. May all have a very happy Christmas; and may the love of the Christ child be felt by you and all those who are near and dear to you, not only today, but everyday.

A very happy and holy Christmas!