Simple evidence of truth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to some simple situations where we are in contact with Jesus calling us to come and see.

Simple Love

The First Letter of John indicates that the presence of self sacrificing love indicates Jesus is near.

 * [3:11–18] Love, even to the point of self-sacrifice, is the point of the commandment. The story of Cain and Abel (1 Jn 3:12–15; Gn 4:1–16) presents the rivalry of two brothers, in a contrast of evil and righteousness, where envy led to murder. For Christians, proof of deliverance is love toward others, after the example of Christ. This includes concrete acts of charity, out of our material abundance 1

The Gospel from John identifies the quality of saying what you mean as you seek truth as being near to Jesus.

 * [1:47] A true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him: Jacob was the first to bear the name “Israel” (Gn 32:29), but Jacob was a man of duplicity (Gn 27:35–36).
* [1:48] Under the fig tree: a symbol of messianic peace (cf. Mi 4:4; Zec 3:10).2

When Julie Kalkowski thinks about Jesus and his path, the reading from 1st John comes to mind. As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to love and to love everyone. How is that even possible?

 I kept pondering why the nuns seemed to be so grounded, so full of love towards us and others.  After several hours, I remembered they gathered three times a day as a community to pray. Three times a day their attention was pulled back towards God. Three times a day, seven days a week, week in and week out.  No wonder the nuns seemed calmer, more at peace. When you are reminded three times a day about what is truly important, it can be easier to follow Jesus. That pattern must have been what made it easier to be as kind and gracious as the nuns were to Emma and me.3

Don Schwager asks what kind of proof did Philip offer to Nathanael in the passage from the Gospel of John?

 Rather than argue with his friend, Philip took the wiser strategy of inviting Nathanael  to "come and see" for himself who this Jesus claimed to be. Clever arguments rarely win people to the Gospel - but an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ can change one's life forever. When people are receptive to the word of Christ and when they see his love in action, the Lord Jesus himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit, touches their hearts and opens their minds to recognize that he truly is the Son of God who reveals the Father's love and truth to us.4

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:43-51 declares that Jesus sought them out—so that they could find him!

 This is the heart of the Christian life. It’s about coming out of hiding. It’s about staying still long enough for Jesus to find us and speak his word to us. Nathanael was resting, waiting, contemplating when Philip introduced him to Jesus—and that quiet disposition helped him open his heart.
Jesus is seeking you out right now. Don’t hide! Stay quiet enough to let him find you.5

Friar Jude Winkler urges us to delve deeper into Love beyond affection and attraction. Our faith life has two dimensions: horizontal and vertical. Friar Jude connects Nathanael to Jacob and Israel in the Hebrew Testament.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Quaker author and elder Parker Palmer who writes about his evolving perspective and priorities as he grows older.

 But the junk I really need to jettison in my old age is psychological junk—such as longtime convictions about what gives my life meaning that no longer serve me well. For example, who will I be when I can no longer do the work that has been a primary source of identity for me for the past half century?
I won’t know the answer until I get there. But on my way to that day, I’ve found a question that’s already brought me a new sense of meaning. I no longer ask, “What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to hang on to?” Instead I ask, “What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to give myself to?”
The desire to “hang on” comes from a sense of scarcity and fear. The desire to “give myself” comes from a sense of abundance and generosity. That’s the kind of truth I want to wither into.6

Jesus seeks us out constantly as our experience in life continues to offer changes and challenges.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 John, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/3
2	(n.d.). John, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/1
3	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(2019, January 5). Mass Readings and .... Retrieved January 5, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/01/05/
6	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved January 5, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01

What are we looking for?

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today explore some of the ways we are directed to find what we are looking for in our relationship with God.

A nudge to follow

The First Letter of John identifies a dualism between good and evil.

 * [3:9] A habitual sinner is a child of the devil, while a child of God, who by definition is in fellowship with God, cannot sin. Seed: Christ or the Spirit who shares the nature of God with the Christian.1

Psalm 98 expresses praise for the righteousness and equity in judgement of God.

In the Gospel from John, the testimony of John the Baptist presents Jesus to others.

* [1:36] John the Baptist’s testimony makes his disciples’ following of Jesus plausible.3

The Daily Virtue website urges us to “Become the Song You Would Sing”.

 St Augustine says “Listen to me: Sing a new song to the Lord. You tell me that you are already singing. Sing on, I say, sing on; I can hear you. But try to make sure that your life does not contradict the words that your tongue sings. Sing with your voice and with your heart, sing with your mouth and with your deeds […]. You ask what praises you ought to sing: His praise resounds in the assembly of the faithful. The praise of the song comes from the singer himself. If you wish to give praise to God, become the song that you would sing. You yourselves will give him praise if you lead holy lives.”

Angela Maynard comments how, in today’s gospel, Andrew and John, two of the disciples get to know Jesus.

 This is a pretty good example of the power of evangelization.  Andrew gets to know Jesus, introduces him to his brother, and Simon Peter not only becomes a follower, but eventually a leader in the church.5

Bishop Robert Barron comments that one reason that people today have such a difficult time appreciating Jesus is that we have become, effectively, Marcionites (the conviction that Jesus should be interpreted in abstraction from the Old Testament). To really understand the Christological language of John, we need to understand the great story of Israel.

 In John’s prologue, the passage before today’s reading, we read that the Word of God’s covenantal love, which was addressed to Abraham, Moses, and David, has become flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is the covenant in person. But throughout Israel’s history, the covenant between God and humanity is always accompanied by sacrifice.
That brings us to today’s reading, where John the Baptist offers one of the most important interpretive keys of the New Testament: Jesus will play the role of the sacrificial lambs offered in the temple, and through a sacrifice, take away the sins of the world.4

Cursillo is a movement of the Church, which aims to help those in the church understand their individual callings to be Christian leaders. The movement advocates that we bring a friend to Christ. A staff writer at the Nassau Guardian explains how the Anglican Diocesan Renewal Program involves Cursillo.

Don Schwager quotes both Saint Augustine of Hippo and John Chrysostom (349-407 AD) on the attraction we have to Jesus.

 "Come and see" is the Lord's invitation for each one of us to discover the joy of friendship and communion with the One who made us in love for love. Saint Augustine of Hippo reminds us that it is God, our Creator and Redeemer, who seeks us out, even when we are not looking for him: "If you hadn't been called by God, what could you have done to turn back? Didn’t the very One who called you when you were opposed to Him make it possible for you to turn back?" It is God who initiates and who draws us to himself. Without his mercy and help we could not find him on our own.6

The first disciples longing for the Messiah, by John Chrysostom (349-407 AD)
"Andrew, after having stayed with Jesus and after having learned what he did, did not keep the treasure to himself but hurries and races to his brother in order to let him know the good things Jesus has shared with him. But why hasn’t John mentioned what they talked about? How do we know this is why they 'stayed with him'?... Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the beginning. For this word, 'we have found,' is the expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly affection, natural friendship, is all about when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters. Also see how he adds the article, for he does not say 'Messiah' but 'the Messiah.' They were expecting the Christ who would have nothing in common with the others." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 19.1)6

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:35-42 notes the power of just a word, a suggestion, a nudge. That’s what John the Baptist gave Andrew and his friend. But it was all they needed to take the step to look for Jesus.

Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out some of the challenging dualism in the 1st Letter Of John. He explores the dual meaning in Aramaic of “lamb” and the possibility that John the Evangelist portrayed Peter as “hardheaded”. Friar Jude comments that the Fourth Gospel advocates Love triumph over law and rules.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, observes we expect people to show up at our church doors fully transformed and holy before they can be welcomed in. But metanoeite, or change of consciousness, can only come with time. Patience is the very shape of love. Without it, religion is merely about enforcing laws and requirements.

 Anything called “Good News” needs to reveal a universal pattern that can be relied upon, not just clannish or tribal patterns that might be true on occasion. This is probably why Christianity’s break with Judaism was inevitable, although never intended by either Jesus or Paul. Both Jesus and Paul were good Jews who thought they were reforming Judaism. By the early second century, Christians were already calling themselves “catholics” or “the universals.” At the front of their consciousness was a belief that God is leading all of history somewhere larger and broader and better for everyone. Christianity cannot be bound by ethnicity or nationality. This puts it in essential conflict with any group that wants to domesticate the message for its own “patriotic” purposes.7

We see righteousness, songs of praise, nudges from friends, and the testimony of Church leaders to be the invitation to “Come and See” what we are looking for.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 John chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/3
2	(n.d.). Daily Virtue – Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ – St Jerome. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from https://dailyvirtue.net/
3	(n.d.). John, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/1
4	(2018, January 14). Behold the Lamb of God Daily Virtue. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from https://dailyvirtue.net/behold-the-lamb-of-god-2/
5	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 4, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved January 4, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01

Attracted to conviction

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today touch on the qualities that attract us to follow Jesus.

Attractiveness

The First Letter of John presents a dualism contrasting the follower of Christ who avoids sin with the lawlessness of those who reject Christ.

 * [3:4] Lawlessness: a reference to the activity of the antichrist, so it is expressed as hostility toward God and a rejection of Christ. The author goes on to contrast the states of sin and righteousness. Christians do not escape sin but realize that when they sin they cease to have fellowship with God. Virtue and sin distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil.1

In the Gospel from John, the testimony of John the Baptist about Jesus uses symbols of the Lamb and Dove to convey the impact of the Holy Spirit on his encounter with Jesus.

 * [1:32] Like a dove: a symbol of the new creation (Gn 8:8) or the community of Israel (Hos 11:11). Remain: the first use of a favorite verb in John, emphasizing the permanency of the relationship between Father and Son (as here) and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.2

Fr. George Corrigan, OFM, comments that John may have been identifying Jesus as the apocalyptic warrior lamb referred to in Jewish writings (e.g. 1 Enoch 90:9–12; Testament of Joseph 19:8–9) as did the author of the book of Revelation (Rev. 5:5–10; 17:14), though the latter fused the idea of the powerful lamb/lion of Judah with the sacrificial lamb. By the time the Fourth Gospel was written Jesus had been recognized as the one whose death had atoned for human sins, and the evangelist probably hoped his readers might appreciate its double meaning.

 But there are perhaps even more levels of meaning in the phrase “lamb of God.”John’s teaching on Jesus’ substitutionary atonement builds on the evangelist’s earlier reflection on Jesus’ incarnation. For it is in the flesh that Christ suffered vicariously; his humanity was an indispensable prerequisite for his work on behalf of others. In fact, the atonement theme, far from being absent, is part of the fabric of John’s Gospel: Jesus is the Bread of Life, who will give his flesh for the life of the world (6:51; cf. 6:32–33, 53–58); he is the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep (10:15; cf. 10:17–18); and his sacrifice fulfills Passover symbolism (e.g., 19:14, 31).3

Mike Cherney sees himself as having a life that is blessed in spite of his stupidity and weaknesses.

 I do not feel that I have gotten what I deserve, instead I feel myself protected from the world and from my lesser self by God’s saving love. I also find myself drawn in empathy to those whose life might not have had similar blessings and having patience with those who might have erred.4

Don Schwager quotes “John points to Jesus' saving mission,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

 "No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father, one for all, that he might subject all to God." (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:29-34 notes John even confessed that he didn’t recognize Jesus at first; it was only after the Spirit opened his eyes that he was able to say, “Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God” (John 1:34).

 God is working everywhere. Jesus is always “coming toward” us with his grace and his blessing, inviting us to share that grace with the people around us (John 1:29). So ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes today so that you can see Jesus. You might be surprised by what he shows you. And don’t worry if you don’t see anything right away. Simply asking the Spirit for this grace is itself a sign that Jesus is at work in you.6

Friar Jude Winkler finds the ideas that we are children of God and we must live in that dignity in the passage from 1 John. John the Baptist witness to Jesus as Lamb of God in Aramaic can be interpreted as Lamb or Servant. Friar Jude explains the dove is the symbol of love in the Hebrew Testament.

Steve Caruso (MLIS) has translated Aramaic languages professionally for over 15 years with a focus upon the Galilean dialect looks at the meaning of lamb.

 I was looking through a rather old book on the subject of Aramaic Primacy (the late C. F. Burney’s “The Aramaic Origin of the Fourth Gospel”) and came across something that I had long since forgotten about the phrase טליא דאלהא (talyâ d’alâhâ) or “The Lamb of God.”
In Galilean Aramaic, not only does talyâ mean “lamb,” but also “child” and “servant.” Burney’s argument was that this choice of words in John was a deliberate pun, which I’m finding more convincing as I research it.7

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites Brian McLaren, who shares Fr. Richard’s concern and hope that Christianity can evolve as discussed in his book The Great Spiritual Migration.

 For centuries, Christianity has been presented as a system of beliefs. That system of beliefs has supported a wide range of unintended consequences, from colonialism to environmental destruction, subordination of women to stigmatization of LGBT people, anti-Semitism to Islamophobia, clergy pedophilia to white privilege. What would it mean for Christians to rediscover their faith not as a problematic system of beliefs, but as a just and generous way of life, rooted in contemplation and expressed in compassion, that makes amends for its mistakes and is dedicated to beloved community for all? Could Christians migrate from defining their faith as a system of beliefs to expressing it as a loving way of life?8

The qualities that attract us to Jesus are seen in dignified lives of compassion and service enlightened by a conviction of truth and beauty gifted from the Spirit in our invitation to the Love of the Trinity.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 John chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/3
2	(n.d.). John, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/1
3	(2014, January 16). Behold the Lamb of God commentary | friarmusings. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://friarmusings.com/2014/01/16/behold-the-lamb-of-god-commentary/
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 3, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(2019, January 3). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/01/03/
7	(2007, October 15). The Lamb of God | The Aramaic New Testament. Retrieved January 3, 2019, from http://aramaicnt.org/2007/10/15/the-lamb-of-god/
8	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved January 3, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01

What we heard in the beginning

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary have connections to the lives of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops who are celebrated in memorial today.

Return to Joy

The First Letter of John exhorts us to experience life and understanding from God’s Anointing.

 * [2:24] Continuity with the apostolic witness as proclaimed in the prologue is the safeguard of right belief.1

The Gospel from John presents John the Baptist’s testimony to himself.

 * [1:26] I baptize with water: the synoptics add “but he will baptize you with the holy Spirit” (Mk 1:8) or “…holy Spirit and fire” (Mt 3:11; Lk 3:16). John’s emphasis is on purification and preparation for a better baptism.2

The Gnostic (present to the author of 1 John) and the Arian ( present in the time of Basil and Gregory) heresies are positioned in an article on early Christian history.

 Emperor Constantine had been furious over the results of the Council he'd requested. His goal had been to unify, not divide, Christianity. Instead, three Christianities emerged: "Orthodox," Arian, and Gnostic. Thus, when Arius showed up looking for asylum, the Emperor was only too happy to oblige; he could think of no better way to display his chagrin over the proceedings at Nicaea.3

Mariana Miller notes that we have spent the past week or so rejoicing in the mystery of Emmanuel, God with us, manifested in a little infant born in a manger.

 During this time after the Christmas season let us reflect on who is the Christ who is among us and whom we don’t recognize. Perhaps it’s not that infant anymore, the one that was so easy to welcome, to embrace, to nourish. Who is Christ for me today? In what ways am I invited into his light and joy?4

Don Schwager quotes “John points to the Redeemer,” by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD).

 "John did not baptize with the Spirit but with water, since he was unable to take away the sins of those being baptized. He washed their bodies with water but not their hearts with pardon. Why did one whose baptism did not forgive sins baptize, except that he was observing his vocation as forerunner? He whose birth foreshadowed greater birth, by his baptizing foreshadowed the Lord who would truly baptize. He whose preaching made him the forerunner of Christ, by baptizing also became his forerunner, using a symbol of the future sacrament. With these other mysteries he makes known the mystery of our Redeemer, declaring that he has stood among people and not been known. The Lord appeared in a human body: he came as God in flesh, visible in his body, invisible in his majesty." (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 4)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 2:22-28 recognizes we fail to come to Jesus, and asks that He gently remind us that he is eagerly awaiting our return. Come, Jesus, and hide me in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 91.1-6) each day of this new year.

 Lord, help me to remain in your joy. I want to show the world the kind of trust and freedom that come from a relationship with you. I want my disposition to attract people to you. So give me your joy, not only in good times, but also when life becomes difficult.6

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the heretics mentioned in 1 John denied that Jesus was Divine. The future eschatology of 1 John is in contrast to the realized eschatology of the Gospel of John. Friar Jude explains one of the connection of levels of the witness of John the Baptist in the Gospel to the the Levirate marriage custom as Jesus is to be the bride of the widow Israel.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on “metanoeite”, the first public word out of Jesus mouth. It referred to a primal change of mind, worldview, or way of processing and perceiving—and only by corollary about a specific change in behavior. This common misunderstanding puts the cart before the horse; we think we can change a few externals while our underlying worldview often remains narcissistic and self-referential.

 Jesus thus stood in solidarity with individuals who were excluded, deemed unworthy, or demonized. Why? Because the excluded from any group always reveal the unquestioned idolatries of that group! He even partied with sinners and tax collectors, and the “pure” hated him for it (see Luke 15:2). The way Jesus tried to change people was by loving and healing them, accusing only their accusers. Why did we not notice that? His harshest words of judgment were reserved for those who perpetuated systems of inequality and oppression and who, through religion itself, thought they were sinless and untouchable. Jesus did not so much love people once they changed, but he loved people so that they could change.7

The mission of John the Baptist to herald the ministry of Jesus begins our contemplation of what change we are being called to seek in our lives that will resonate with our first encounters of joy in the Spirit.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 John chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 2, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/2
2	(n.d.). John, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 2, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/1
3	(n.d.). Early Christian History / Heresies: Arianism. Retrieved January 2, 2019, from http://www.earlychristianhistory.info/arius.html
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 2, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 2, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved January 2, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved January 2, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01

Blessing intimacy and peace

The texts from Roman Catholic Lectionary for today resonate with hope for a New Year of blessing, intimacy and peace.

His face shine upon you

In the Book of Numbers, the priestly blessing of Aaron invokes the face of God shining on us.

 [6:26] Peace: the Hebrew word Shalom includes the idea of happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship, and general well-being. To use this term as a greeting was to pray for all these things upon the one greeted.1

Psalm 67 is a petition for a bountiful harvest.

 * [Psalm 67] A petition for a bountiful harvest (Ps 67:7), made in the awareness that Israel’s prosperity will persuade the nations to worship its God.
* [67:2] May God be gracious to us: the people’s petition echoes the blessing pronounced upon them by the priests, cf. Nm 6:22–27.2

Paul declares to the Galatians that Jesus calls us to be free children in Christ.

 * [4:1–7] What Paul has argued in Gal 3:26–29 is now elaborated in terms of the Christian as the heir (Gal 4:1, 7; cf. Gal 3:18, 29) freed from control by others. Again, as in Gal 3:2–5, the proof that Christians are children of God is the gift of the Spirit of Christ relating them intimately to God.3

The account of the visit of the shepherds to the Holy Family in the Gospel of Luke contains a theme of the lowly singled out as recipients of blessings.

 * [2:8–20] The announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds is in keeping with Luke’s theme that the lowly are singled out as the recipients of God’s favors and blessings (see also Lk 1:48, 52).4

Larry Gillick, S.J. quotes Jesuit poet G. M. Hopkins as we kneel or stand at the threshold between the past and the future. Mary knelt there in her days. She gave flesh to her human son. It is our faith that through her we receive God’s life- giving grace.

 Is there really nothing we can do about our pasts? I was praying about this very question this morning. I am victimized by a gift-burden of the power of memory.  Various aspects of my personal history are as vivid and present to me as events of yesterday or last week. ”If only”, “Had I just,” “How stupid of me” and the like.  What came to me in prayer was the consolation of the right now and gratitude for who I am I because of the past. I actually did do something about my past during my prayer.  I accepted it, with all its goof-ups, as so many steps toward freedom for my future.5

Don Schwager quotes “By Christ's faith, hope, and love we are purified,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

  "The reason 'the child who was born to us, the son who was given to us ' (Isaiah 9:6), received the name Jesus (that is, 'Savior') does not need explanation in order to be understood by us, but we need eager and vigilant zeal so that we too may be saved by sharing in his name. Indeed, we read how the angel interprets the name of Jesus: 'He will save his people from their sins' (Matthew 1:21). And without a doubt we believe and hope that the one who saves us from sins is not failing to save us also from the corruptions which happen because of sins, and from death itself, as the psalmist testifies when he says, 'Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases' (Psalm 103:3). Indeed, with the pardoning of all of our iniquities, all our diseases will be completely healed when, with the appearance of the glory of the resurrection, our last enemy, death, will be destroyed... We read that circumcision was done with knives made of rock (Joshua 5:2), and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). And by Christ's faith, hope and love the hearts of the good are purified not only in baptism but furthermore in every devout action. This daily circumcision of ours (that is, the continual cleansing of our heart) does not cease from always celebrating the sacrament of the eighth day. (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.11)6

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:16-21 shares as Mother of God, Mary had the privilege of bearing Jesus, true God and true man, into the world. Together with Joseph, she also had the honor—and the challenge—of raising a child whose two natures, divine and human, were intimately united but did not overshadow one another.

 In today’s Gospel, St. Luke tells us the most important thing that Mary taught Jesus: prayerfully reflecting on God’s words and his works. Jesus must have seen his mother praying thousands of times—both by herself and with Joseph. Her prayerfulness helped set the tone in her home as she taught her young son to bring every question, every word of praise, and every need to his heavenly Father. And clearly, it worked. The Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus finding time to get away and talk—and listen—to God (Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21; 9:28-29; John 11:41-43; 17:1-26).7

Friar Jude Winkler expands on “Shalom” as an idyllic existence more than peace. We all become children through the Spirit. Listen to the Spirit. Friar Jude notes that Jesus name reveals His mission; “Yahweh saves”.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, asks let’s simply consider how the inner process of change and growth is fundamental to everything, even our bodies. Having undergone several surgeries, cancer, and a heart attack, he has been consoled by the way his body takes care of itself over time. The miracle of healing comes from the inside—but with help from doctors and nurses!

 God keeps creating things from the inside out, so they are forever yearning, developing, growing, and changing for the good. This is the generative force implanted in all living things, which grow both from within—because they are programmed for it—and from without—by taking in sun, food, and water. Picture YHWH breathing into the soil that became Adam (Genesis 2:7). That is the eternal pattern. God is still breathing into soil every moment!8

The octave of the Incarnation is a time to celebrate our intimate connection to God through the Spirit that invites us like Mary to ponder his Word as we are healed from inside.

References

1	(n.d.). Numbers, chapter 6 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 1, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/numbers/6
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 67 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 1, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/67
3	(n.d.). Galatians, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 1, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/galatians/4
4	(n.d.). Luke chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 1, 2019, from http://usccb.org/bible/luke/2
5	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 1, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 1, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved January 1, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/
8	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved January 1, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01