I Want To See Jesus!

The Holy Family

27 December 2020

 

First Reading 3:2-6, 12-14

 

God sets a father in honor over his children;

a mother's authority he confirms over her sons.

Whoever honors his father atones his sins,

and preserves himself from them.

When he prays, he is heard;

he stores up riches who reveres his mother.

Whoever honors his father will live a long life;

he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

 

My son, take care of your father when he is old;

grieve him not as long as he lives.

Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;

revile him not all the days of his life;

kindness to a father will not be forgotten,

firmly planted against the debt of your sins

--a house raised in justice to you.

 

Second Reading COL 3:12-21

 

Brothers and sisters:

Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,

heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

bearing with one another, and forgiving one another,

if one has a grievance against another;

as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

And over all these put on love,

that is, the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,

the peace into which you were also called in one body.

And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,

as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,

singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to the Father through him.

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,

as is proper in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives,

and avoid any bitterness toward them.

Children, obey your parents in everything,

for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,

so they may not become discouraged.

 

Gospel LK 2:22-40

 

When the days were completed for their purification

according to the law of Moses,

They took him up to Jerusalem

to present him to the Lord,

just as it is written in the law of the Lord,

Every male that  opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,

and to offer the sacrifice of

a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,

in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

 

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

This man was righteous and devout,

awaiting the consolation of Israel,

and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit

that he should not see death

before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple;

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus

to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,

He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace,

according to your word,

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and glory for your people Israel."

The child's father and mother were amazed

at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

"Behold, this child is destined

for the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be contradicted

--and you yourself a sword will pierce--

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

There was also 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 marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped  night and day with fasting and prayer.

And 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.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions

of the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee,

to their town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

 

Reflection

By: Anabelle Payod-Balla

 

Is this possible?

 

Would you like to see Jesus?

 

I was passing through the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel of St. Joseph Parish in Gagalangin, when I felt the tug to go inside and gaze upon the Eucharist.

I just came back from the Youth Encounter seminar at that time and I thought it would be nice to spend time with the Lord and thank Him for the opportunity given.

However, the moment I knelt down and closed my eyes, I immediately felt His strong presence that I burst into tears and sobbed openly. It felt like He was hugging me tight, embracing me close to Him. It felt good. It was at that time that I felt my connection with Him was real, that He is real, that He is physically present with me.

Every time I relive that encounter, I feel reconnected to God's embrace. I feel joy, I feel an overwhelming sense of lightness. I want to experience it again. I want to see God, I want to see Jesus.

 

I may not be able to fathom how Simeon and Ana felt when they saw Jesus but I am sure, they were overjoyed and filled with grace.

 

May you seek and see Jesus, and feel His loving embrace This Christmas season.

Merry Christmas!

   

Prayer

Father, thank You for allowing us to feel Your presence through Jesus. We want Your loving embrace. We want to see Jesus. Amen.

 

 

Nowhere But Here...In Christ's Embrace

First Reading: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges, and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people: "If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

But the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods. For it was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. He performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among the peoples through whom we passed. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21

Second Reading: Eph 5:21-32

Brothers and sisters:

Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Gospel: Jn 6:60-69

Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father."

As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

Reflection

By Fidji Rivera-Sarmiento

May I be honest and say that I’m at the lowest point in my life right now. I would not go into details, but I am trying to alleviate my depression through the Lord’s Words and through praying to our Mother Mary.

Inner emotional pain is much worse than any physical pain there is, for me. Mind you, I have 3 kids and this emotional ache, if I may call it such, does not compare to giving birth. There is a concoction of feelings of being neglected, of loneliness, of desperation, and even regret that makes you feel like your innards will bulge into your chest. It so palpable that my eyes just want to shut off, I wanted to sleep all the time. But being the mother of 3, all under 7, you know that I cannot just lock the door and nurse my spirit’s wounds, more so cry my eyes out. I have to be strong, to keep it together, and be the sun in the eyes of my kids.

And each time I feel like throwing myself to the floor, I remind myself of Jesus’ promises. I soak myself in the grace of the Lord though praying and reading the Bible. If at times I cannot stop crying, I immediately go to the Blessed Sacrament, and instantaneous relief and comfort fills me up. I have to stand firm and be the person the Lord ought me to be. I have to pick up myself and go to Jesus, for there is nowhere else to go. I can seek friends who I can party with; or maybe find a new sport that I can exhaust all my energy on; or go on a shopping spree to temporary lift me up. But I realized that I have to go through this phase and just completely trust the Lord’s will.

So for you out there, who may be undergoing the same phase as I am, know that you are not alone. I pray that the Lord touches your soul, as much as I felt His Hands on my head, giving me a pat, validating my efforts. I pray that you too may find comfort in His promises, and by seeking inspiration from His Mother who surrendered everything to God. May we always mouth, “Your will be done,” and to totally trust His plans. Complete and utter trust. No more worrying. No ifs and buts. This is what the Lord is asking of you, to believe in His mercy. No human embrace or words can surpass what the Lord has for you. He will give you the comfort you long for and the peace that passes all understanding. There is nowhere to go but to the Lord who’s always ready to welcome you into His arms.

Now ask yourself:

1. Have I sought band-aid remedies for my difficulties?

2. Have I replaced praying with partying and playing?

3. Have I forgotten how the Lord loves me so much?

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for always being available to embrace us when we need Your comfort and love. Thank You for giving us Your mother, Mama Mary, who also inspires us to surrender ourselves to the Father’s will. Amen.

*Tip from a wounded soul: Surround yourself with people who also believe in the goodness of the Lord. If you are the kind who needs to be in a company of friends, seek a community you can pray with. Should you rather want to be alone, like I am now, reading will help you a lot. Do away with your tablets in the meantime and smell the scent of real books, turning each page with a hopeful heart. Bring the Bible everywhere you go. Nothing compares to the comfort of knowing that God will fight the battle FOR you. In the end, try to write. Journaling, blogging, and laying your emotions out help a ton. May God bless you as His plans continue to unfold.