Tuesday - January 01, 2019
"During this new year I resolve to begin a new life. I do not know what will happen to me during this year. But I abandon myself entirely to you, my God. And my aspirations and all my affections will be for You. I feel so weak, dear Jesus, but with Your help I hope and resolve to live a different life, that is, a life closer to You."
-- -St Gemma Galgani
"During this new year I resolve to begin a new life. I do not know what will happen to me during this year. But I abandon myself entirely to you, my God. And my aspirations and all my affections will be for You. I feel so weak, dear Jesus, but with Your help I hope and resolve to live a different life, that is, a life closer to You."
January 1 2019
The Octave Day of Christmas
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Lectionary: 18
Reading 1NM 6:22-27
The LORD said to Moses:
"Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them."
"Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them."
Responsorial PsalmPS 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8.
R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
Reading 2GAL 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, "Abba, Father!"
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, "Abba, Father!"
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
AlleluiaHEB 1:1-2
R. Alleluia, alleluia.In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
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Consecrate the New Year to the Blessed Mother
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
On this holy day, which includes an obligation to celebrate Mass because it's as important as Sunday, I pray that you will have a very Jesus-centered year in which your faith increases your joy as you receive his healing love and the gift of his emboldening strength to enable you to succeed in every difficulty.
Today, let's consecrate the new year to the Mother of Christ, to her protection and help, asking God to make this a year of many blessings.
In the first reading, God teaches Moses how to pass blessings onto others. Today's responsorial Psalm includes a request for God to bless us. The second reading describes the greatest blessing we've received: our adoption by God the Father. As his children, we inherit all that belongs to him. He has made available to us eternal life and every blessing under the heavens and in heaven.
Blessings come to us all the time. Every breath and each heartbeat is a blessing of life. But would you like to be amazed by your blessings, like the people in today's Gospel reading who heard the testimony of the shepherds?
Such amazement is the awe we feel when we recognize the presence of Jesus and are truly conscious of what's happening. We are blessed whenever we see, do, hear, or feel something that is Jesus or comes from Jesus or reveals him to us. Thus, we're even blessed in situations that feel like curses, because he is there, guiding us through it!
To grow stronger in faith, we need to become more aware of our blessings. This requires keeping our eyes on Jesus. Admittedly, this is hard to do, but it's possible with decisive effort and the help of the Holy Spirit. Look past the problems: There is the victorious Jesus! Look past your emotional reactions to hardships: There is the peace of Christ! Look past the person who is sinning against you: There is Jesus comforting you!
Be awed by the fact that Jesus is always there and that everything good you do is a blessing from Jesus and also to Jesus. In hardships, we overcome evil by doing good to others with Jesus, which is also then a blessing to Jesus. In this, we become aware of the blessings of God's love, sympathy, and victory. And we'll find other blessings, too.
The next time someone fails to be good to you, stop expecting it from them and look for Jesus himself to give you what you need. As you improve at recognizing him, you'll become aware of his blessings even during the heat of the trial, and your faith will grow stronger.
In every situation, keep your eyes on Jesus to see his hand reaching toward you, blessing you.
Let us learn from Mary. She observed everything that happened and reflected on it to see what God would do. When Mary looked at the shepherds, did she see scruffy, stinky, unkempt strangers barging in? Of course not. Look at the scruffy people in your own life. How many blessings do you see?
May your New Year be filled with fully realized blessings!
Count your blessings. Make a list of everything that's good in your life, including past blessings that give you warm, happy memories. The Lord has done great things for you. How does this reassure you today?
What will you do this year to become more aware of God's blessings? In what ways has Mary revealed Jesus to you?
Today's Prayer
Lord, may my heart be humble enough to receive You in all Your divinity and may my life be a song of praise in honor of Your Name. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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