Devotion for today: Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours for Christmas Eve

Saturday Morning Reading: Isaiah 11:1-5:  A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and His delight shall be the fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall He judge, nor by hearsay shall He decide, but He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around His waist, and faithfulness a belt upon His hips.

Saturday Morning Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay; give new courage to your people who trust in your love. By your coming, raise us to the joy of your kingdom, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Evening Prayer I (to be said Saturday evening)

Canticle: Philippians 2:6-11: Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. He was known to be of human estate, and it was thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross! Because of this, God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name above every other name, so that at Jesus’ name, every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

Reading: Galatians 4:3-7: In the same way, while we were not yet of age we were like slaves subordinated to the elements of the world; but when the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted sons. The proof that you are sons is the fact that God has sent forth into our hearts the spirit of his Son which cries out “Abba!” (“Father”) You are no longer a slave but a son! And the fact that you are a son makes you an heir, by God’s design.

Prayer: God our Father, every year we rejoice as we look forward to this feast of our salvation. May we welcome Christ as our Redeemer, and meet him with confidence when he comes to be our judge, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

For the last time, don't forget to say your Christmas Novena 15 times today for your special intention!

Christmas Novena
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires(mention request here). 
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/christmas.htm#ixzz1f7YZnI

Devotion for today: Our last gift this advent: forgiveness

The “O” Antiphon for today: “O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God. Isaiah 7:14, 33:22.

Scripture for meditation: Isaiah 9:1, 5

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.

Christ tells us: Luke 11: 2-4

He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins for we too forgive all who do us wrong; and subject us not to the trial.”

We learn in the Christopher News Notes for Dec. 5, 2011: Is there a “right time” to forgive someone? Well, there is no time like the present. Forgiveness is always in season. But right now, with Christmas just around the corner, righting old wrongs seems to be especially appropriate. Jesus came to us with a message, and at its heart was a simple instruction: forgive those who trespass against us. Of course, it’s easier said than done. And the difficulty seems to climb with the severity of the original offense. Still, the Lord made no exceptions. A trespasser is a trespasser, no matter the crime, and under all circumstances He calls for forgiveness. That concept was among the topics addressed at a recent southern California conference on the criminal justice system, a major subtext of which involved the forgiveness of offenders. Doris Benavides of The Tidings, the Los Angeles archdiocesan newspaper, effectively captured its mood in her report on the proceedings, which featured interviews with parents of…murdered sons. Helene Davis has forgiven her son Darrell Davis’ murderer, but still chokes up when describing how he was killed following a verbal confrontation with the offender. Dick Harris has also forgiven the gang members who killed his son Bryan and his girlfriend back in 1985, but becomes tearful when talking about it….And all can benefit from the story of Maria Boffa of New York, whose experience was chronicled earlier this year in the Daily News. Reporter Oren Yaniv told of the “heart-stirring moment of mercy” in a Brooklyn courtroom when the 78 year old woman told her son’s sobbing killer, “I forgive you.”…. “It just came out of me,” Boffa said of her remarkable act.  “I did it for my son’s sake.”  Some people can never forgive. Some are working at it. And some – like Maria Boffa – find that the words “just come out.” That’s clearly an ideal to strive for. The offense can be far less serious, of course, than the loss of life: an argument, an angry word, a slight. All call for forgiveness, and moving on. Any time, remember, can be the right time. But just about now seems perfect. http://www.christophers.org/.

My thoughts: We have finally arrived at the end of our Advent preparation. We have sought to learn God’s word, immersed ourselves in prayer, found God’s forgiveness in the confessional, and admitted our hindrances to a full and loving relationshipwith God. One last present remains for us to give to the newborn King, and that is the gift of forgiveness towards others. There is an old Chinese proverb which states, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” Isaiah reminds us that Christ came into the world to be its light, to show the way to the Father.Christ tells us that we must forgive others if we want to be forgiven ourselves, and we all know by now that our eternal salvation rests on our being forgiven of our sins. Today is the day to light the candle in our hearts, to dispel the darkness and create a warm and loving home for Christ. If the people in the above story could do it, so can we. First we must ask for Mary’s help, for as our Mother, she wants desperately to see all her children at peace. Secondly, we come before God and ask His forgiveness for our hard hearts which have kept us in anger and hurt for so long, and lastly, let us reach out to our offender, or the one we have offended, and offer a candle of mercy for their offense, or a candle of sorrow for our actions. Even if we are rejected in our efforts, we can rest assured that our hearts are now open for God to begin His saving work. This last gift, the gift of light to the world through us, is the one perfect gift we can give. May we all be blessed this Christmas season with loving and forgiving hearts, and may we all say, as Maria Boffa so magnificently taught us, “I did it for Your Son’s sake.” May all of you find peace and joy in the coming of our Savior.

Our prayer to God: The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, let me sow pardon. Where there is friction, let me sow union. Where there is error, let me sow truth. Where there is doubt, let me sow faith. Where there is despair, let me sow hope. Where there is darkness, let me sow light. Where there is sadness, let me sow joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Don't forget to say your Christmas Novena 15 times today for your special intention!

Christmas Novena
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires(mention request here). 
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/christmas.htm#ixzz1f7YZnI

Devotion for today: Come home for Christmas

The “O” Antiphon for today: O King of the Gentiles and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both one: Come, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth. Psalm2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20.

Scriptures for meditation: John 3:16-17 “Yes, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not die, but may have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

John 6: 37-40: “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; no one who comes will I ever reject, because it is not to do My own will that I have come down from heaven, but to do the will of Him who sent Me. It is the will of Him who sent Me that I should lose nothing of what He has given Me; rather, that I should raise it up on the last day. Indeed, this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day.”

Christ revealed to Saint Faustina: (1777) “My daughter, know that My Heart is mercy itself. From this sea of mercy, graces flow out upon the whole world. No soul that has approached Me has ever gone away unconsoled. All misery gets buried in the depths of My mercy, and every saving and sanctifying grace flows from this fountain.” (1784) “How very much I desire the salvation of souls! My dearest secretary, write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. The greatest sinners would achieve great sanctity, if only they would trust in My mercy. The very inner depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a human soul and to fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My kingdom on earth is My life in the human soul.”Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, Marion Press, 2007

My thoughts: Christmas is almost here. For four weeks we have been preparing our homes and our hearts for the birth of Christ the King. Now it is time to ask ourselves if there is anything standing between us and God. Are we hurt, angered, frustrated or disappointed over God’s will in our lives? Do we find ourselves half-heartedly dragging ourselves to Sunday Mass or saying only rote prayers to avoid an emotional, personal conversation with God. Do we feel we have hurt too many people, done too many awful things, or just plain walked away from God too many times to believe He can really love us? Christ answers all these questions so simply. He wants everyone in heaven with Him at the end of life. He has so much mercy to pour into everyone’s heart that He is sad when we don’t ask for it.  Christ loves us very, very much. There is no sin, no anger, no hurt and no disappointment that He hasn’t already faced. This Christmas, truly believe that God loves you very, very much, and come home to Him, with all your heart, mind and soul. Don’t spend another Christmas afraid or angry. Kneel before the baby Jesus, accept His smile and extended arms as His personal gift to you, and give Him your heart. If you do, I promise you, this will be your best Christmas ever. Here is your new song, “I’ll be home for Christmas,” in the arms of my loving Savior.

Don't forget to say your Christmas Novena 15 times today for your special intention!

Christmas Novena
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires(mention request here). 
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/christmas.htm#ixzz1f7YZnI