Thursday, December 24, 2015

Prophetess Anna sees Baby Jesus at the temple brought by Mary and Joseph for the customary ceremony


December 30, 2015

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Reading 1

12I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.[1] 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the Evil One.

14I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the Evil One.

15Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.[2] 16For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.[3] 17Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Responsorial Psalm

R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

7Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; 8agive to the LORD the glory due His name!

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

8bBring gifts, and enter His courts; 9worship the LORD in holy attire. Tremble before Him, all the earth.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

10Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; He governs the peoples with equity.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

36There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, 37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

38And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

39When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40The Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.



Notes on Readings:


[1] 1 John 2:12 - For his name's sake: because of Christ our sins are forgiven.

[2] 1 John 2:15 - The world: all that is hostile toward God and alienated from Him. Love of the world and love of God are thus mutually exclusive; compare with James 4:4.

[3] 1 John 2:16 - Sensual lust: literally, "the lust of the flesh," inordinate desire for physical gratification. Enticement for the eyes: literally, "the lust of the eyes," avarice or covetousness; the eyes are regarded as the windows of the soul. Pretentious life: literally, "pride of life," arrogance or ostentation in one's earthly style of life that reflects a willful independence from God and others.

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.