by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 7, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Thorfinn of Hamar
Psalter: Week II
White
Thorfinn of Hamar (died 1285) was the Bishop of the Ancient Diocese of Hamar in medieval Norway. Archival records depict him as a kind, patient, generous man, whose mild exterior covered a firm will against whatever he esteemed to be evil and ungodly.
Entrance Antiphon : Is 9:1
A people who walked in darkness has seen a great light; for those dwelling in a land of deep gloom, a light has shone.
Collect
O God, who bestow light on all the nations, grant your peoples the gladness of lasting peace and pour into our hearts that brilliant light by which you purified the minds of our fathers in faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 John 4:11-18
My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit. We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God. We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves. God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him. Love will come to its perfection in us when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71(72):1-2,10-13
R/ All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement.
The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts shall pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring him gifts. Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him.
For he shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless, He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the poor.
Gospel Acclamation : Lk 4:17
Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor to proclaim liberty to captives. Alleluia!
Gospel : Mark 6:45-52
After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : 1 Jn 1: 2
That life which was with the Father became visible, and has appeared to us.
Prayer after Communion
May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The disciples’ struggle against the wind and waves on Lake Galilee serves as a metaphor for our battles against life’s adversities, difficulties, and temptations. Life for a Christian often feels like rowing against the wind. We endure persecutions for our convictions. We are sometimes forced into conflicts with people when we stand against injustice and oppression. Amid these storms, Jesus comes to us and tells us, “Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid”. If we welcome Him into our lives and trust Him, He will calm the storms, providing the strength for us to move forward and overcome all our difficulties. In reality, a dream or epiphany can turn into a nightmare when seen through the lens of fear; a stepping-stone can become a stumbling block, becoming a barricade when seen through the prism of horror. Fear is the only reason Jesus appears to His followers as a ghost. However, for those who allow Jesus into their boat, even the approach of death becomes an assurance of salvation.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 6, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Raymond of Penyafort,
Priest
(1117 – 1275)
Psalter: Week II
White
Raymond of Pennafort was a Spanish Dominican friar in the 13th-century, who compiled a collection of canon laws that remained a major part of Church law until the 20th century. He is the patron saint of lawyers, especially canon lawyers.
Entrance Antiphon : Ps 117: 26-27
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: The Lord is God and has given us light.
Collect
O God, whose Only Begotten Son has appeared in our very flesh, grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 John 4:7-10
My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love. God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; this is the love I mean: not our love for God, but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71(72):1-4,7-8
R/ All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement.
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people and the hills, justice. May he defend the poor of the people and save the children of the needy.
In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt 4:23
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom and cured all kinds of diseases among the people. Alleluia!
Gospel : Mark 6:34-44
As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late. So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves have you?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive with favour, O Lord, we pray, the offerings of your people, that what they profess with devotion and faith may be theirs through these heavenly mysteries. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Eph 2: 4; Rm 8: 3
Because of that great love of his with which God loved us, he sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who touch us through our partaking of your Sacrament, work, we pray, the effects of its power in our hearts, that we may be made fit to receive your gift through this very gift itself. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
A mission that attends to both the spiritual and physical needs of the congregation is no longer common in our era. However, this is precisely the message Jesus conveys in today’s gospel reading. His teaching is the expression of the compassion He feels for the crowd. This passage resonates with echoes from the Old Testament. The fact that Jesus takes upon himself the role of shepherd of this flock echoes the Mosaic motive found in the book of Numbers 27:17. The nature of this ‘gift miracle’ is reminiscent of Elijah (cf. 1Kings 17:8-16; 2 Kings 4:1-7; 2 Kings 4:42-44), particularly evident in the correlation between Mark 6:34-44 and 2 Kings 4:42-44. Yet, in the case of Jesus, there is an eschatological significance; it prefigures the forthcoming eschatological feast in the kingdom of God. Notably, Jesus gives thanks to God for the little he has and which he shares with the multitude. In examining the Gospel of John 6:1-13, we discover the source of the materials for the miracle – a small boy presents the bread and the fish. This episode underscores the transformative power of the little we have when offered in an unselfish sacrifice.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 5, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint. André Bessette
(1845 – 1937)
Psalter: Week II
White
He was a lay brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross and a significant figure of the Roman Catholic Church among French-Canadians, credited with thousands of reported miraculous healings.
Entrance Antiphon
A holy day has dawned upon us: Come, you nations, and adore the Lord, for a great light has come down upon the earth.
Collect
O God, whose eternal Word adorns the face of the heavens yet accepted from the Virgin Mary the frailty of our flesh, grant, we pray, that he who appeared among us as the splendour of truth may go forth in the fullness of power for the redemption of the world. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : 1 John 3:22-4:6
Whatever we ask God, we shall receive, because we keep his commandments and live the kind of life that he wants. His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to. Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God and God lives in him. We know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us. It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust; test them, to see if they come from God, there are many false prophets, now, in the world. You can tell the spirits that come from God by this: every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh is from God; but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus is not from God, but is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you were warned about. Well, now he is here, in the world. Children, you have already overcome these false prophets, because you are from God and you have in you one who is greater than anyone in this world; as for them, they are of the world, and so they speak the language of the world and the world listens to them. But we are children of God, and those who know God listen to us; those who are not of God refuse to listen to us. This is how we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:7-8,10-11
R/ I will give you the nations for your heritage.
The Lord said to me: ‘You are my Son. It is I who have begotten you this day. Ask and I shall bequeath you the nations, put the ends of the earth in your possession.’
Now, O kings, understand, take warning, rulers of the earth; serve the Lord with awe and trembling, pay him your homage.
Gospel Acclamation : Mt 4:16
Alleluia, alleluia! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned. Alleluia!
Gospel : Mt 4:12-17,23-25
Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled: ‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’ From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive our oblation, O Lord, by which is brought about a glorious exchange, that, by offering what you have given, we may merit to receive your very self. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Jn 1: 14
We have seen his glory, the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with grace and truth.
Prayer after Communion
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, by the power of these holy mysteries, our life may be constantly sustained. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Jesus’ statement in Mt 4:17, «Repent, for the kingdom of God is near,» marks the commencement of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew underscores the significance of Jesus settling in this «pagan» region to highlight the relevance of Jesus’ message to those traditionally considered outsiders. Earlier, Matthew demonstrates how Jesus’ ancestry reflects the inclusion of Gentiles in our redemptive history. This reading also offers some historical context, pointing to the forceful exiling of the population of Galilee by the Assyrians in the late eighth century BC (cf. 2 Kings 17). Additionally, the forced cohabitation of pagan Assyrians with some non-exiled Israelites led the “pure Israelites” to the perceive Galilee as heathen territory. The light that Jesus brings to the Gentiles and those in the shadow of death is ancient and fresh in Jesus’ time. Matthew alludes to the prophet Isaiah (8:29ff), asserting that Jesus fulfills this prophecy. We too know how urgently we need Jesus’ light in the darkness of our contemporary world and lives. Maranatha, Lord Jesus, come.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 3, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
(1774 – 1821)
Psalter: Week I
White
She was born in New York into an Episcopalian family, who ostracized her and left her penniless when she became a Catholic in 1805. Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
Entrance Antiphon: Gal 4: 4-5
God sent his Son, born of a woman, so that we might receive adoption as children.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who were pleased to shine forth with new light through the coming of your Only Begotten Son, grant, we pray, that, just as he was pleased to share our bodily form through the child-bearing of the Virgin Mary, so we, too, may one day merit to become companions in his kingdom of grace. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 John 3:7-10
My children, do not let anyone lead you astray: to live a holy life is to be holy just as he is holy; to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning. It was to undo all that the devil has done that the Son of God appeared. No one who has been begotten by God sins; because God’s seed remains inside him, he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God. In this way we distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil: anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God’s.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97(98):1,7-9
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples. Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy
At the presence of the Lord: for he comes, he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn1:14,12
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. To all who received him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 1:35-42
As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 1: 16
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Prayer after Communion
May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Simon Peter first learns about Jesus from his brother Andrew « John 1:14 ». During Simon’s interaction with Jesus, the latter reveals Simon’s new identity as a «rock» « Petros ». Jesus then approaches Simon « now Peter » at the seaside and summons him to follow Him, extending His invitation Simon’s brother, Andrew, as well, calling them to become his disciples. At this initial stage, Peter and Andrew receive the mission of becoming fishermen, although they do not yet understand its significance. It is only later that Jesus informs Peter that he will be the « rock » on which the Church will be built. Peter also receives the mandate to strengthen his brethren and Jesus’ flock. In essence, this outlines Jesus’ disciple-making approach: establishing Peter’s identity in Jesus, and subsequently assigning him a mission to spread the Gospel. Andrew exemplifies the courageous one who brings his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. The mission of Jesus’ followers is to guide others to Christ. In another instance, Andrew will bring a little child with the five loaves of bread and two fish « Jn 6:8f », leading to the miracle of bread multiplication. This underscores Andrew’s missionary task, that of leading people to Christ.
by Norbert Doulanni | Jan 1, 2025 | Evangelium
Saint Basil the Great (330 – 379),
Saint Gregory Nazianzen (330 – 389)
Psalter: Week I
White
Basil became bishop of Caesarea in 370. He fought against the Arians and was generous to the poor. Nazianzen was elected Bishop of Constantinople in 381 where he died on 25 January 389. He is known as “Gregory the Theologian” in honour of his learning and eloquence.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Sir 44: 15, 14
Let the peoples recount the wisdom of the Saints, and let the Church proclaim their praise. Their names will live on and on.
Collect
O God, who were pleased to give light to your Church by the example and teaching of the Bishops Saints Basil and Gregory, grant, we pray, that in humility we may learn your truth and practice it faithfully in charity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 John 2:22-28
The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ – he is the liar, he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well. Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you, you will live in the Son and in the Father; and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life. This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray. But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything;
you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him. Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence, and not turn from him in shame at his coming.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97(98):1-4
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.
Gospel Acclamation: Jn1:14,12
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. To all who received him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 1:19-28
This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’ Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept this sacrifice from your people, we pray, O Lord, and make what is offered for your glory, in honour of Saints Basil and Gregory, a means to our eternal salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. 1 Cor 1: 23-24
We proclaim Christ crucified; Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Prayer after Communion
May partaking at the heavenly table, almighty God, confirm and increase strength from on high in all who celebrate the feast day of Saints Basil and Gregory, that we may preserve in integrity the gift of faith and walk in the path of salvation you trace for us. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
John the Baptist stands as a glaring example of humility. God assigns him a mission to bear witness through his life and preaching. John serves as the precursor or the forerunner, who announces the imminent arrival of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He directs attention to Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. He fearlessly proclaims Jesus even in the face of the Jewish authorities. When questioned by qualified individuals: priests, and Levites from Jerusalem, John, in all humility, asserts that he is not the Messiah, and that he is not even worthy to untie the laces of Jesus’ sandals. Saint Augustine emphasises that «John’s greatest merit is this act of humility.» Therefore, if we, too, aspire to approach Jesus, let us emulate the humility demonstrated by John the Baptist.
by Norbert Doulanni | Dec 31, 2024 | Evangelium
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
Solemnity
World Day Of Peace
Psalter: Proper
White
From antiquity, Mary has been called “God-Bearer”. The word in Greek is “Theotokos”. The term was used as part of the popular piety of the early first millennium church.
Entrance Antiphon
Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King, who rules heaven and earth forever.
Collect
O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
First Reading: Numbers 6:22-27
The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Say this to Aaron and his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.” This is how they are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.’
Psalm 66 (67):2-3,5,6,8
R/ O God, be gracious and bless us.
O God, be gracious and bless us, and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth, and all nations learn your saving help.
Let the nations be glad and exult, for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all peoples praise you. May God still give us his blessing, till the ends of the earth revere him.
Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7
When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father,’ and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave anymore; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.
Gospel Acclamation: Hebrews 1:1-2
Alleluia, alleluia! At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who in your kindness begin all good things and bring them to fulfilment, grant to us, who find joy in the Solemnity of the holy Mother of God, that, just as we glory in the beginnings of your grace, so one day we may rejoice in its completion. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Hebrew 13: 8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Prayer after Communion
We have received this heavenly Sacrament with joy, O Lord: grant, we pray, that it may lead us to eternal life, for we rejoice to proclaim the blessed ever-Virgin Mary Mother of your Son and Mother of the Church. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The mystery of Mary’s maternity implies God’s choice of her, described as “full of grace” (Lk 1:28), as well as her voluntary consent: “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). Mary teaches us how to carry Jesus by allowing him to live in us and by giving him to the world through words and actions inspired by his Word. Mary sets an example for us; she treasured all that was said about Jesus and pondered it in her heart. Similarly, we should daily reflect on the Word of God, meditate on it, and let it guide our thoughts, words, and deeds. In this way, Jesus will dwell in us, and people will know him through us. Today is also the World Day of Peace. It is a fitting occasion for renewed adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels, and for imploring from God, through the Queen of Peace, the supreme gift of peace. This message is very per
