Light Dispels Darkness

Thursday, December 31, 2020 Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today Saint Sylvester I, Pope—Optional Memorial

What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:3–5 What a great image for meditation: “...the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This line completes the unique approach taken by John’s Gospel to introduce Jesus, the Eternal “Word” Who existed from the beginning and through Whom all things came to be. Though there is much to meditate on in the first five lines of John’s Gospel, let’s consider that ending line about light and darkness. Within the material world, there is much we can learn about our Divine Lord from the physical phenomenon of light and darkness. If we briefly consider light and darkness from the perspective of physics, we know that the two are not two opposing forces fighting with each other. Rather, darkness is simply the absence of light. Where there is no light, there is darkness. Similarly, heat and cold are the same way. Cold is nothing other than the absence of heat. Introduce heat and the cold disappears. These basic laws of the physical world also teach us about the spiritual world. Darkness, or evil, is not some powerful force fighting against God; rather, it’s the absence of God. Satan and his demons do not try to impose a dark power of evil on us; rather, they seek to extinguish the presence of God in our lives by getting us to reject God through our choices, thus leaving us in spiritual darkness. This is a very significant spiritual truth to understand, because where there is spiritual Light, the Light of God’s grace, the darkness of evil is dispelled. This is clearly seen in the line “and the darkness has not overcome it.” Overcoming the evil one is as easy as inviting the Light of Christ into our lives and not allowing fear or sin to turn us from the Light. Reflect, today, upon the very real spiritual battle that takes place each and every day within your soul. But reflect upon it in the truth of this Gospel passage. The battle is easily won. Invite Christ the Light, and His Divine Presence will quickly and easily replace any darkness within. Lord, Jesus, You are the Light Who dispels all darkness. You are the Eternal Word Who answers every question in life. I invite You into my life this day so that Your Divine Presence may fill me, consume me and lead me down the path toward eternal joys. Jesus, I trust in You.

What are some psychological facts about attracting people?

Elizabeth Collins

·

Mon

B.S. in Human Biology & Psychology, University of California, Irvine (Graduated 2013)

What are some psychological facts about attracting people?

1. When you are always guessing whether others like you, you probably already fall in love with this person.
2. “I love you” has a more emotional effect on the brain when it’s whispered into the left ear.
3. Posture matters: If you stand up straight and make an eye contact while talking to the people you are attracted to, will make you more confident and attractive.
4. A strong sense of humor is thought to be a sign of intelligence. This is why, when assessing a potential partner, we tend to be more attracted to those who are funny.
5. Don't reveal everything about yourself to everyone. Better still, answer only when asked and as less as possible. Maintain an aura of mystery and people will be drawn to you more.
6. Take the first move: Women are automatically attracted to guys who start the conversation, take initiative, and make them laugh.
7. Deeper voice: Men with deeper voices are more likely to make a lasting impression on women than men with higher voices.
8. Create sexual tension without touching: It is done subtly and by flirting. It creates instant attraction if you do it correctly.
9. Don't keep a generic smiling face. Smile only when you make eye contact with someone, making them feel special.
10. Wear red: People subconsciously believe that women who wear red are more attractive and sexy, so people will sit closer to women who wear red dresses.
11. Ask questions about them: humans are naturally attracted to people who ask questions about them. Hence the expression “getting to know someone better.”
12. Your shoes are much important than you think, people draw many conclusions based on what shoes they are wearing.
13. Be happy and positive: People like happy people and positive people! After all, philosophy is all about “hope” and religion preaches nothing else but “faith.”
14. Have an air of indifference around you. This one can be a bit tricky. You need to get to that right balance of not caring what others think and also giving them enough respect and importance.

---

Now, you’ve learned how to attract people to you. It's time to put it into practice - check this out which literally makes finding a soulmate an easy thing. You can try out these tricks to gain her/his heart.

Please up-vote if found helpful. And check my profile to see more answers.Elizabeth Collins

Are the whole population able to understand and speak all those languages?

In countries like Belgium or Switzerland which have two or three official languages, are the whole population able to understand and speak all those languages?

Originally Answered: Countries like Belgium or Switzerland which have two or three official languages, are the whole population able to understand and speak all those languages?

I live in the southern end of the Netherlands near the borders of both Germany and Belgium. We sometimes cross the borders for sight seeing and shopping and one time we decided to go to Liege, which is the French speaking part of Belgium.

I can speak Dutch so I did there as I had assumed they could too, seeing that it is one of two of the country’s official languages. Nobody could and they couldn’t speak English either so it was a real struggle communicating with them. I would later relate our experience to some Flemish (Belgian Dutch speaking) friends and they said it was common. Apparently, the French part of Belgium doesn’t speak any Dutch, if they can help it but some, not all, of the Dutch speaking Belgians can and do speak French as well. The best English speakers were also from Flanders (the Dutch speakers) and if you go into that part of Belgium, you won’t have problems communicating with the locals. There is something about the Wallonia part which is a lot like France but they, like their other country partner, can’t stand the French. So they are united in their resentment and hatred of the French but at the same time, they aren’t united enough to like each other.

I also have a cousin living in Switzerland in the French speaking part. She migrated there from Asia and learned French as it was what her husband speaks in that particular part of country where they live in. Some of them can speak German there but few are fluent at it and she has also no plans to learn German as well as it is too difficult for her, especially since she had already learned French. Only few of the adults there can speak English, depending on their respective professions but the younger generation are catching up.

---

Edit: What I thought was just a simple answer based on my own observations has turned into a bigger discussion and I have enjoyed reading and informing myself further about it. I do hope further discussions can proceed civilly and no further chastising needs to be done. Otherwise, I will have to disable the comments which is a shame as I do sincerely like to read how and what other people have experienced with regards to this particular discussion. Thank you.

A Unique and Sacred Calling

Wednesday, December 30, 2020 Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today

There was a prophetess, Anna…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.  Luke 2:36–38 We all have a unique and sacred calling given to us from God. Each one of us is called to fulfill that calling with generosity and wholehearted commitment. As the famous prayer of Saint John Henry Newman puts it: God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons… Anna, the prophetess, was given a very unique, one-of-a-kind mission. When she was young, she was married for seven years. Then after losing her husband, she remained a widow until she was eighty-four. During those decades of her life, the Scripture reveals that “She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.” What an incredible calling from God! Anna’s unique calling was to be a prophetess. She fulfilled this calling by allowing her whole life to be a symbol of the Christian vocation. Her life was spent in prayer, fasting and, most especially, in anticipation. God called her to wait, year after year, decade after decade, for the one and definitive moment of her life: her encounter with the Christ Child in the Temple. Anna’s prophetic life tells us that we each must live our lives in such a way that our ultimate goal is to continually prepare for the moment when we meet our divine Lord in the Temple of Heaven. Unlike Anna, most are not called to literal fasting and prayer every day all day within the church buildings. But like Anna, we must all foster an interior life of ongoing prayer and penance, and we must direct all of our actions in life to the praise and glory of God and the salvation of our souls. Though the way this universal vocation is lived out will be unique to each and every person, Anna’s life is nonetheless a symbolic prophecy of every vocation. Reflect, today, upon how well you imitate this holy woman in your own life. Do you foster an interior life of prayer and penance and daily seek to devote yourself to the glory of God and the salvation of your soul? Evaluate your life this day in light of the wonderful prophetic life of Anna that we are given to ponder. Lord, I thank You for the powerful witness of the prophetess Anna. May her lifelong devotion to You, a life of continual prayer and sacrifice, be a model and inspiration for me and for all who follow You. I pray that You daily reveal to me the unique way in which I am called to live out my vocation to total dedication to You. Jesus, I trust in You.

What a European Adventure!

We are two Iranian girls bag packing around Europe alone. This means, our families are super open minded for Iranian standards to allow us to travel so freely. You need your fathers permission to exit the country.

To put it this way, our everyday life is a cultural shock. We are really enjoying traveling and it’s like completely another planet here compared to Iran, even though Iran is not that far from Europe.

1. People talk about sex openly out public ally as if it’s like drinking water. You hear girls saying “I had sex with 5 guys last night” over lunchtime and nobody seems to care, if any girl says that in Iran. It will be all over the Internet and people will talking about it for months to come.
2. A lot of things are sexualised from advertising to billboards and everything. I have a feeling people are having sex with everyone, everyday every single minute
3. At school, we learn a lot how European countries are developed but what we see is nothing but poor infrastructure, it looks like everything is falling apart and people are very happy with the way things are being managed. So many things are disorganised, expensive and outdated. Don’t let me start about how awful transportation system can be? Maybe we are confusing Europe with Germany??? The only real developed country we have seen so far and Netherlands. The rest are all very disappointing and our Persian princesses hearts are broken.
4. Traveling around Europe as two women, it’s like freedom unimagine-able. You could do whatever you want, be who you ever you want and it’s like utopia. I don’t think, I deserve this much freedom and I would probably go insane if I ever had it back home
5. People actually take their time to understand your feelings. It’s shocking how much they go further to understand how you feel even though, they may seem to be very cold at first
6. We haven’t seen anybody laughing, smiling or crying. One big difference, of how people show their emotions back home. You see people laughing, crying, fighting, shouting all in one day. Everyone seem either sad or neutral in Europe. I thought European people are the happiest in the world?
7. Food is blend and everyone is okay not eating fine food everyday. Apart from Italy, most European countries in our experience tend to not care much about quality of food and taste of it or how it’s prepared
8. We don’t wear hijab or headscarves outside Iran traveling but we wear modest clothing. Tops, skirts and leggings. What shocks us the most, how freely people dress coming out of their homes. We may show a lot less skin but matching your lipstick to the color of your outfit is very important, we may take care about appearance a lot more than Europeans
9. I feel kind of unsafe and the presence of no policing around is making me anxious. To anyone who visited Iran, the country is super safe, especially for women. We were robbed in Paris and my designer handbag was stolen in Barcelona. This would rarely happen in Tehran which is as big as London / Newyork and the police would find it less than 24 hours
10. Accidentally shopping and seeing rainbows everywhere, you realise it’s Gay pride. We didn’t even know, what it was and we realised we are middle of a gay festival. I have never been called “beautiful” so many times in my life. Seriously I need more gay friends
11. Surprisingly they are a lot of Muslims in Europe which was very shocking to both of us. We saw mosques next to a whore house, nightclub and a drug store. This would never happen back home. The Muslims seem to be okay about this as well.
12. How both genders are mixed so freely and inter tangibly. I had a hard time telling which are couples, friends and so relatives. Relationships are so casual and easy going. It’s so comforting to be honest
13. Customer service - sometimes I feel like, they are the buyers while I’m begging to buy some stuff. There are no smiles, no emotions, no compassion, no extra discounts, or loyalty towards the customers. It’s what you see, buy it or leave kind of attitude. Shopping hasn’t been very pleasant
14. They are so many sites, castles, museums, and historical places everywhere and it’s all for FREE. Apart from generic tourist sites, most places are free and empty. There’s so much culture, art, and creative things everywhere. It’s amazing really, so much to appreciate
15. You see so many big brands, stores and clothing boutiques but people don’t seem to care about fashion as much as it’s advertised. We found out, most people wear similar stuff and it’s hard to tell who’s rich, poor, or middle class. Everyone is kinda neutral. Most older ladies or gentlemen are dressed neatly and elegantly

Overall, I love Europe so far, I wish it was safer but everything else is amazing and people are shy but very friendly to. It’s a pleasant experience.

Our favourite country so far has been Italy, France and Netherlands

We are hoping to visit London as well. Where else should we visit?

After two months traveling, we have returned back to our home countries.

They are few comments I would like to make about our experiences. People have no clue where they are also dark sides to freedom as well and the freedom we experienced was definitely more like trap keeping citizens in a certain condition in the name of pleasure and anarchy. For instance, the people we met had very little financial freedom making purchases, they had to think about it multiple times buying something even as small as vegetables or fruits. With the little people earned income, the state take it as well as income tax and looking at the infrastructure, we were asking, where is the tax money going? Yes, we don’t have social freedom in my country, but we control our own finances not the state.

We both loved how much there was culture arts in Europe everywhere. The classical concert hall was half empty. The swan lake in Amsterdam was not fully booked. The museums in London were not packed. It gave us the understanding, people had very little interest for culture which is so sad, because European culture is so rich in all aspects.

People feel very sad all the time or at best times neutral. It’s so sad and heart breaking because we truly found beautiful kind people everywhere in all countries. Everyone feel so lonely everywhere confused walking around without direction.

Unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to visit Nordic countries but hopefully next trip. Apart from mistreatments at airports since we are Iranian passport holders, people were wonderful kind everywhere willing to help you getting out of their way helping strangers. We met so many great people young and old.

We would like to wish Europeans peace, happiness and kindness and most importantly peace from within. We are forever grateful.

Love and peace from Iran

Biggest culture shocks to international students studying in the UK

Anuporn Deb

1) Get readied for people to apologize for everything

This can be a paralyze to the structure in the event that you're from a tumultuous city or a serene town, anyway neighborliness is at the forefront of everything British people do.

From hustling past someone on the stairs to walking around a lamppost, British people essentially love to apologize. This can be completely confounding: you just unintentionally hit someone with your sack, so for what reason would they say they are stating 'sorry' to you?

It's an understood standard that the two social affairs should apologize over the most unimportant of things, paying little personality to who, or if anyone, is to be faulted. It will in general be hard to make sense of what the announcement of disappointment truly infers in these conditions … is the individual careful they've caused you load? Have you caused them trouble, and they're pulling in your respect for it? Is it precise to state that they are imparting authentic shock, in the most British way possible?

giphy Man, mollifying conclusion culture can be serious!

2) Tea and alcohol are the establishments of understudy open movement

In the UK, drinks address much something past your hydration. Honestly, most social conditions turn around either tea or alcohol.

"Tea?" is a request you're most likely going to hear at whatever point you visit someone's dimension. English Breakfast Tea goes about as an icebreaker in social conditions, with something like several minutes spent inspecting how you like your tea, what diverse sorts of tea you acknowledge, when you will all in all toast, etc, etc.

Despite whether you don't drink tea, this much of the time starts a discourse on why you couldn't care less for tea, what other hot refreshments you acknowledge, regardless of whether you like coffee, what sum do you rely upon caffeine, etc, etc.

giphy After sunsets, these talks as often as possible move to the bar where mates compensate for lost time over a blended refreshment (or something lighter if that isn't your thing). Bar culture is another social contraption to break the ice. Discourses frequently pivot around whether people slant toward bars or clubs, paying little heed to whether new in vogue bars or old customary bars are better, and what drinks people like at bars.

In the occasion that understudies aren't in the bar, they're most likely going to be "pre-drinking" in someone's dimension. Colleagues will meet before going clubbing to drink modestly and skirt the expensive sticker costs at the bars. Here, a put cover smooths out any social heaviness as everyone sings to pop gems and plays drinking preoccupations.

3) No one talks about their feelings

There is an innate awkwardness that goes with conveying sentiments in the UK. Nothing's extremely as mortifying to a British individual than significantly contemplating someone or something when those slants aren't reacted.

This prompts by far most downplaying their emotions, going about as they couldn't think less about conditions when you understand they do and ensuring themselves through absence of concern.

Inquiring as to why no one talks in your workshop? It's apparently in light of the fact that they're worried over looking "too much sharp". Dumbfounded concerning why that cutie giving you the eye never asks you out? This is because they're panicked they'll be rejected.

giphy This can be frustrating in case you begin from an open culture which unashamedly shares their sentiments. For what reason would you be mortified about how you truly feel?

It's something that British people themselves don't for the most part appreciate or acknowledge how to stop. In any case, – be advised – nothing will make someone from the UK raise their watch divider than a sudden flooding of sentiments.

4) Hook-up culture

This feeds off the UK's fear of imparting sentiments, anyway school can once in a while feel like one noteworthy session of Tinder. It's typical for two people to meet in a club, have one night of love and go separate ways in every case more the next morning.

It will in general be problematic investigating this erratic way of life when your lifestyle regards associations and marriage, yet review it's not up close and personal. There is just a mentality in the UK that associations should be set something aside for someone to a great degree phenomenal, so paying little heed to whether you do move past the essential date, you're presumably going to hold up some place in the scope of one and three months until the moment that things advance toward getting to be "official".

giphy Hook-up culture can be frustrating when all you require is to find someone you interface with anyway remember you don't have to undermine yourself and end up being a bit of this accommodating dating preoccupation in case you would favor not to. There will constantly be someone looking for unclear things from you … anyway it's probably not that individual crushing on you in the club.

5) Confusing use of tongue

Considering English is their nearby tongue, they obviously use it in a to a great degree bewildering way. Articulations and slang make up a broad bit of social correspondence, which can be befuddling in the occasion that you've never heard them.

You're most likely going to hear people saying odd things like: "the pot is calling the pot dim," "I will see a man about a pooch," or "having a butcher's," to give a few precedents. While it'd be hard to list all the odd things British people express, these articulations connote "reprimanding someone else for something they are", "I will do some riddle activity/business", and essentially "looking" independently,

English slang can be comparably dumbfounding, as they will in general coolly use words for their opposite hugeness, or even to mean something totally unimportant. For example: "weakened" connotes "incredible", "top" means "eager/troubling/terrible" and "revealed" implies "a ton" … puzzling, isn't that so?

It might take you a while to find the opportunity to understand with the British use of English, especially on the off chance that you're acclimated with sitting before the TV shows and films from the US, anyway don't pressure, you'll lift it up in a matter of minutes!

Wonder and Awe

Tuesday, December 29, 2020 Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial

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.”  Luke 2:33–35 When something truly supernatural takes place, the human mind that grasps that supernatural event is filled with wonder and awe. For Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, their minds were continually filled with a holy amazement at what they were witnessing. First there was the Annunciation to our Blessed Mother. Then the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. Then the miraculous birth took place. Shepherds came to adore their child and revealed that a multitude of angels had appeared to them. Shortly after this, the Magi from the East showed up to do homage to their child. And today we are given the story of Simeon in the Temple. He spoke of the supernatural revelation he had received about this Child. Time after time, the miracle of what was taking place was placed before Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, and each time they responded with wonder and awe. Though we are not blessed to encounter this supernatural event of the Incarnation in the same way that Mary and Joseph did, we are nonetheless able to share in their “amazement” and their “wonder and awe” by prayerfully pondering this supernatural event. The mystery of Christmas, which is a manifestation of God becoming man, is an event that transcends all time and space. It’s a spiritual reality of supernatural origin and is therefore an event that our minds of faith have full access to. Just like Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, we must hear the angel at the Annunciation, the angel in Joseph’s dream, we must witness the shepherds and Magi and, today, we must rejoice with Simeon as he gazed upon the newborn Messiah, the Savior of the World. Reflect, today, upon how fully you have allowed your mind to engage the incredible mystery that we celebrate this holy season. Have you taken time to prayerfully read the story once again? Are you able to sense the joy and fulfillment experienced by Simeon and Anna? Have you spent time considering the minds and hearts of Mother Mary and Saint Joseph as they experienced that first Christmas? Let this deep supernatural mystery of our faith touch you this Christmas season in such a way that you, too, are “amazed” at what we celebrate. Lord, I thank you for the gift of Your Incarnation. With Simeon, I rejoice and offer You praise and thanksgiving. Please renew within me a true sense of wonder and awe as I gaze with amazement at what You have done for me and for the whole world. May I never tire of pondering this supernatural gift of Your life. Jesus, I trust in You

Courage in the Face of Evil

Monday, December 28, 2020 Holy Innocents, Martyrs—Feast Fourth Day of the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Matthew 2:13 The most glorious event ever to take place in our world also filled some with hatred and rage. Herod, who was jealous of his own earthly power, felt greatly threatened by the message shared with him by the Magi. And when the Magi failed to return to Herod to tell him where the Newborn King was located, Herod did the unthinkable. He ordered the slaughter of every boy, two years old and younger, who was in Bethlehem and its vicinity. Such an act is hard to comprehend. How could the soldiers carry out such an evil plot. Imagine the deep mourning and devastation so many families encountered as a result. How could a civil ruler murder so many innocent children. Of course, in our day and age, so many civil leaders continue to support the barbaric practice of permitting the slaughter of the innocent within the womb. Thus, in many ways, Herod’s action is not that different from today. The passage above reveals to us the will of the Father regarding not only the protection of His divine Son but also His divine will for the protection and sanctity of all human life. It was satan who inspired Herod to kill those precious and innocent children so long ago, and it is satan who continues to promote a culture of death and destruction today. What should our response be? We, like Saint Joseph, must see it as our solemn duty to protect the most innocent and vulnerable with unwavering determination. Though this newborn Child was God, and though the Father in Heaven could have protected His Son with a myriad of angels, it was the Father’s will that a man, Saint Joseph, protect His Son. For that reason, we should also hear the Father calling each and every one of us to do all we can to protect the innocent and most vulnerable, especially the child within the womb. Reflect, today, upon the will of God for your life. In what ways is God calling you to be like Saint Joseph and protect the most innocent and most vulnerable? How are you being called to be a guardian of those entrusted to your care? Certainly on a civil level we must all work to protect the lives of those who are unborn. But every parent, grandparent and all those entrusted with responsibility for another must strive to protect those in their care in countless other ways. We must diligently work to preserve them from the evils in our world and the numerous attacks of the evil one on their lives. Ponder this question today and allow the Lord to speak to you of your duty to imitate the great protector, Saint Joseph. Lord, give me insight, wisdom and strength so that I can work in accord with Your will to protect the most innocent from the evils of this world. May I never cower in the face of evil, and may I always fulfill my duty to protect those entrusted to my care. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

The Family as a Communion of Love

Sunday, December 27, 2020 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—Feast Sunday in the Octave of Christmas Readings for Today

Watch video When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.  Luke 2:39–40 Today we honor family life in general by pausing to ponder the particular and beautiful hidden life within the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In many ways, their daily life together would have been very similar to other families at that time. But in other ways, their life together is entirely unique and provides us with a perfect model for all families. By God’s providence and design, the family life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph was spoken of in the Scripture very little. We read of the birth of Jesus, the presentation in the Temple, the flight into Egypt and the finding of Jesus in the Temple at age twelve. But other than these stories of their life together, we know very little. The line from today’s Gospel quoted above does, however, give us some insight worth pondering. First, we see that this family “fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord…” Though this is in reference to Jesus being presented in the Temple, it should also be understood to apply to all aspects of their life together. Family life, just like our individual lives, must be ordered by the laws of our Lord. The primary law of the Lord regarding family life is that it must share in the very unity and “communion of love” found in the life of the Most Holy Trinity. Each person of the Holy Trinity has perfect respect for the other, gives selflessly to each other without reserve, and receives each person in their totality. It is their love that makes them one and enables them to act together in perfect harmony as a communion of divine Persons. Though Saint Joseph was not immaculate in his nature, the perfection of love did live in his divine Son and in his immaculate wife. This overwhelming gift of their perfect love would have daily drawn him into the perfection of their lives. Ponder your own closest relationships today. If you are blessed with a close family, ponder them. If not, ponder the persons put into your life who you are called to love with familial love. Who are you to be there for in good times and in bad? Who are you to sacrifice your life for without reserve? Who are you to offer respect, compassion, time, energy, mercy, generosity and every other virtue? And how well do you fulfill this duty of love? Reflect, today, upon the fact that God wants you to share in a communion of life, not only with the Most Holy Trinity but also with those around you, especially your family. Try to ponder the hidden life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and seek to make their family relationship the model for how you love others. May their perfect communion of love be a model for us all. Lord, draw me into the life, love and communion that You lived with Your Immaculate Mother and Saint Joseph. I offer You myself, my family and all those to whom I am called to love with a special love. May I imitate Your family love and life in all my relationships. Help me to know how to change and grow so that I may more fully share in Your family life. Jesus, I trust in You.

Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Saint Stephen, the First Martyr—Feast
Second Day of the Octave of Christmas, December 26

Readings for Today

click for video

They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.  The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.   As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  Acts 7:58–59

What a shocking contrast!  Yesterday, our Church celebrated the joyous birth of the Savior of the world.  Today we honor the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen.  Yesterday, the world was fixated on a humble and precious infant lying in a manger.  Today, we stand by as witnesses to the blood that was shed by St. Stephen for professing his faith in this little child.

In a sense, this feast day adds some immediate drama to our Christmas celebration.  It’s a drama that should never have happened, but it’s a drama that was permitted by God as St. Stephen bore the greatest witness of faith to this newborn King.

Perhaps there are many reasons to include the feast of the first Christian Martyr in the Church’s calendar on the second day of the Octave of Christmas.  One such reason is to immediately remind us of the consequences of giving our lives to Him who was born an infant in Bethlehem.  The consequences?  We must give Him everything, holding nothing back, even if it means persecution and death.

At first, this could appear to strip away our Christmas joy.  It could appear to put a damper on this festive season.  But with the eyes of faith, this feast day only adds to the glorious solemnity of this Christmas celebration.

It reminds us that the birth of Christ requires everything from us.  We must be ready and willing to give our lives to Him completely and without reserve.  The birth of the Savior of the world means we must reprioritize our lives and commit to choosing Him above all else, even above our own lives.  It means we must be ready and willing to sacrifice everything for Jesus, living selflessly and faithfully to His most holy will.

“Jesus is the reason for the season,” we often hear.  This is true.  He is the reason for life and the reason to give our lives without reserve.

Reflect, today, upon the demand imposed upon you by the birth of the Savior of the world.  From an earthly perspective, this “demand” can appear overwhelming.  But from the perspective of faith, we recognize that His birth is nothing more than an opportunity for us to enter into new life.  We are called to enter into a new life of grace and total self-giving.  Let yourself embrace this Christmas celebration by looking at ways you are being called to give of yourself more completely.  Do not be afraid to give everything to God and others.  It’s a sacrifice worth giving and is made possible by this precious Child.

Lord, as we continue the glorious celebration of Your birth, help me to understand the effect that Your coming among us must have on my life.  Help me to clearly perceive Your invitation to give myself completely to Your glorious will.  May Your birth instill in me a willingness to be born anew into a life of selfless and sacrificial giving.  May I learn to imitate the love that St. Stephen had for You and to live that radical love in my life.  St. Stephen, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Pondering the Birth of Christ

Friday, December 25, 2020 The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Readings: At the Vigil Mass – Mass During the Night – Mass at Dawn – Mass During the Day

So they went in haste 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. Luke 2:16–19 Merry Christmas! Our Advent preparations have been completed, and we are now invited by our Lord to enter into the glorious celebration of His birth! How well do you understand the awe-inspiring mystery of Christmas? How fully do you comprehend the significance of God becoming a human, born of a virgin? Though many are quite familiar with the beautiful and humble story of the birth of the Savior of the World, that familiarity can have the surprising negative effect of keeping our intellect from deeply probing the depths of the meaning of what we celebrate. Notice the last line of the Gospel passage quoted above: “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” What a beautiful line to ponder this Christmas day. Mother Mary was the one person who would have understood the mystery of the birth of her Son, the Son of God, the Savior of the World, far more deeply than anyone else. It was to her that the Archangel Gabriel appeared, announcing her pregnancy and His birth. It was her who carried her Son, the Son of God, in her Immaculate womb for nine months. It was to her that Elizabeth, her cousin, cried out, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). It was Mary who was the Immaculate Conception, the one who was preserved from all sin throughout her life. And it was her who gave birth to this Child, carried Him in her arms and nursed Him at her breast. Our Blessed Mother, more than any other, understood the incredible event that had taken place in her life. But, again, the Gospel above says that “Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” One thing this tells us is that even Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of God, needed time to ponder, reflect and savor this most holy mystery. She never doubted, but her faith continually deepened, and her heart pondered the unfathomable and incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation. Another thing this tells us is that there is no end to the depth of the “pondering” to which we must commit ourselves if we want to enter more deeply into the mystery of the birth of the Son of God. Reading the story, setting up a nativity scene, sharing Christmas cards, attending Mass and the like are central to a holy celebration of Christmas. But “pondering” and “reflecting,” especially during prayer and especially at the Christmas Mass, will have the effect of drawing us ever deeper into this Mystery of our Faith. Reflect, today, with our Blessed Mother. Ponder the Incarnation. Place yourself into the scene that first Christmas. Hear the sounds of the town. Smell the smells of the stable. Watch as the shepherds come forth in adoration. And enter the mystery more fully, acknowledging that the more you know about the mystery of Christmas, the more you know how little you actually know and understand. But that humble realization is the first step to a deeper understanding of what we celebrate this day. Lord, I gaze at the wonder of Your birth. You Who are God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, God from God and Light from Light, became one of us, a humble child, born of a virgin and laid in a manger. Help me to ponder this glorious event, to reflect upon the mystery with awe and to more fully grasp the meaning of what You have done for us. I thank You, dear Lord, for this glorious celebration of Your birth into the world. Jesus, I trust in You.

Transformation by the Holy Spirit

Thursday, December 24, 2020 Advent Weekday – Mass in the Morning Readings for Morning Mass O Antiphons of Advent December 17–23

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free…” Luke 1:67–68 Our story of the birth of Saint John the Baptist concludes today with the song of praise spoken by Zechariah after his tongue had been loosened on account of his transformation in faith. He had moved from doubting what the Archangel Gabriel had spoken to him to believing and following the command of the Archangel to name his firstborn son “John.” As we saw in yesterday’s reflection, Zechariah is a model and example for those who have lacked faith, have suffered the consequences of their lack of faith, and have changed as a result. Today, we see an even fuller illustration of what happens when we change. No matter how deeply we have doubted in the past, no matter how far we have turned from God, when we turn back to Him with all our heart, we can hope to experience the same thing experienced by Zechariah. First, we see that Zechariah is “filled with the Holy Spirit.” And as a result of this gift of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah “prophesied.” These two revelations are very significant. As we prepare for the celebration of the Birth of Christ tomorrow on Christmas Day, we are also called to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” so that we also can act as a prophetic messenger of the Lord. Though Christmas is all about the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Christ Jesus our Lord, the Holy Spirit (the Third Person of the Holy Trinity) plays just as much of a significant role in the glorious event, both at that time and also today. Recall that it was by the Holy Spirit Who overshadowed Mother Mary that she conceived the Christ Child. In today’s Gospel, it was the Holy Spirit Who enabled Zechariah to proclaim the greatness of God’s act of sending John the Baptist ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Him. Today, it must be the Holy Spirit Who fills our lives so as to enable us to proclaim the Christmas Truth. In our day and age, Christmas has become very secular in many parts of the world. Few people take time on Christmas to truly pray and worship God for all that He has done. Few people continually proclaim that glorious message of the Incarnation to family and friends during this most solemn celebration. How about you? Are you able to be a true “prophet” of the Most High God this Christmas? Has the Holy Spirit overshadowed you and filled you with the grace needed to point others to this glorious reason for our celebration? Reflect, today, upon the role of the Holy Spirit in your life this day. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, inspire you, and strengthen you, and to give to you the wisdom you need to be a mouthpiece of the glorious gift of the birth of the Savior of the World this Christmas. No other gift could be more important to give to others than this message of truth and love. Holy Spirit, I give You my life and invite You to come to me, to overshadow me and to fill me with Your divine presence. As You fill me, give me the wisdom I need to speak of Your greatness and to be an instrument through which others are drawn into the glorious celebration of the birth of the Savior of the World. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me, consume me and use me for Your glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Zechariah's Victory

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 Advent Weekday Readings for Today Saint John of Kanty, Priest—Optional Memorial

Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.  Luke 1:64 This line reveals the happy conclusion to Zechariah’s initial failure to believe in what God revealed to him. Recall that nine months earlier, as Zechariah was fulfilling his priestly duty of offering sacrifice within the Holy of Holies in the Temple, he received a visit from the glorious Archangel Gabriel, who stands before God. Gabriel revealed to Zechariah the good news that his wife would conceive in her old age and that this child would be the one to prepare the people of Israel for the coming Messiah. What an incredible privilege that would have been! But Zechariah disbelieved. And as a result, the Archangel struck him mute for the nine months of his wife’s pregnancy. The punishments of the Lord are always gifts of His grace. Zechariah was not punished out of spite, or for punitive reasons. Instead, this punishment was more like a penance. He was given the humbling penance of losing his ability to speak for nine months for a good reason. It appears as if God knew that Zechariah needed nine months to silently reflect upon what the Archangel had said. He needed nine months to ponder his wife’s miraculous pregnancy. And he needed nine months to ponder who this child would be. And those nine months produced the desired effect of a full conversion of heart. After the child was born, it was expected that this firstborn son would be named after the father, Zechariah. But the Archangel had told Zechariah that the child was to be named John. Therefore, on the eighth day, the day of his son’s circumcision when he was presented to the Lord, Zechariah wrote on a tablet that the baby’s name was John. This was an act of faith and a sign that he had fully turned from disbelief to belief. And it was this act of faith that undid his prior doubt. Every one of our lives will be marked by failures to believe on the deepest level of faith. For that reason, Zechariah is a model for us of how we are to deal with our failures. We deal with them by allowing the consequences of past failures to change us for the good. We learn from our mistakes and move forward with new resolutions. This is what Zechariah did, and this is what we must do if we wish to learn from his good example. Reflect, today, upon any sin you have committed that has had painful consequences in your life. As you ponder that sin, the real question is where you go from here. Do you allow that past sin, or lack of faith, to dominate and control your life? Or do you use your past failures to make new resolutions and decisions for the future so as to learn from your mistakes? It takes courage, humility and strength to imitate the example of Zechariah. Seek to bring these virtues into your life this day. Lord, I know I lack faith in my life.  I fail to believe all that You speak to me.  As a result, I often fail to put Your words into action.  Dear Lord, when I suffer as a result of my weakness, help me to know that this and all suffering can result in giving glory to You if I renew my faith.  Help me, like Zechariah, to return to You always, and use me as an instrument of Your manifest glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Proclaim and Rejoice!

Tuesday, December 22, 2020 Advent Weekday Readings for Today O Antiphons of Advent December 17–24

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”  Luke 1:46–47 There is an age-old question that asks, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Well, perhaps it’s an age-old “question” because only God knows the answer to how He created the world and all the creatures within it. Today, this first line from the glorious song of praise of our Blessed Mother, the Magnificat, poses to us another question. “Which comes first, to praise God or to rejoice in Him?” Perhaps you’ve never asked yourself that question, but it’s worth pondering both the question and the answer. This first line of Mary’s song of praise identifies two actions taking place within her. She “proclaims” and she “rejoices.” Think about those two interior experiences. The question can be better phrased like this: Did Mary proclaim God’s greatness because she was first filled with joy? Or was she filled with joy because she first proclaimed the greatness of God? Perhaps the answer is a bit of both, but the ordering of this line in Sacred Scripture implies that she first proclaimed and as a result was filled with joy. This is not just a philosophical or theoretical reflection; rather, it is a very practical one that offers significant insight into our daily lives. Oftentimes in life we wait to be “inspired” by God before we thank and praise Him. We wait until God touches us, fills us with a joyful experience, answers our prayer and then we respond with gratitude. This is good. But why wait? Why wait to proclaim the greatness of God?  Should we proclaim the greatness of God when things are difficult in life? Yes. Should we proclaim the greatness of God when we do not feel His presence in our lives? Yes. Should we proclaim the greatness of God even when we encounter the heaviest of crosses in life? Most certainly yes. Proclaiming the greatness of God should not only be done after some powerful inspiration or answer to prayer. It should not only be done after we experience the closeness of God. Proclaiming God’s greatness is a duty of love and must always be done, every day, in every circumstance, no matter what. We proclaim God’s greatness primarily because of Who He is. He is God. And He is worthy of all our praise for that fact alone. Interestingly, however, the choice to proclaim the greatness of God, both in good times and in difficult times, often also leads to the experience of joy. It appears that Mary’s spirit rejoiced in God her Savior primarily because she first proclaimed His greatness. Joy comes from first serving God, loving Him and giving Him the honor due His name. Reflect, today, upon this two-fold process of proclaiming and rejoicing. Proclaiming must always come first, even if we feel as though there is nothing to rejoice about. But if you can commit yourself to the proclamation of the greatness of God, you will suddenly find that you have discovered the deepest cause of joy in life: God Himself. Dearest Mother, you chose to proclaim the greatness of God. You acknowledged His glorious action in your life and in the world, and your proclamation of these truths filled you with joy. Pray for me that I may also seek to glorify God each and every day, no matter what challenges or blessings I receive. May I imitate you, dear Mother, and share also in your perfect joy.  Mother Mary, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Bringing Christ to Others

Monday, December 21, 2020 Advent Weekday Readings for Today Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor—Optional Memorial

Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.   Luke 1:39–40 We are presented today with the glorious story of the Visitation. When Mary was about two months pregnant, she traveled to be with her cousin Elizabeth who was to give birth within a month. Though much could be said about this as an act of familial love given from Mary to Elizabeth, the central focus immediately becomes the precious Child within the womb of Mary. Imagine the scene. Mary had just traveled about 100 miles. She was most likely exhausted. As she finally arrived, she would have been relieved and joyful at the completion of her journey. But Elizabeth says something quite inspiring at that moment, which elevates the joy of all present, including the joy of Mother Mary. Elizabeth says, “For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy” (Luke 1:44). Again, imagine the scene. It was this tiny child within Elizabeth’s womb, John the Baptist, who immediately perceived the presence of the Lord and leaped for joy. And it was Elizabeth who immediately perceived the joy in her child living within her womb. As Elizabeth expressed this to Mary, who was already joyful at completing her journey, Mary was suddenly all the more overjoyed at the realization that she had brought to Elizabeth and John the Savior of the World living within her womb. This story should teach us much about what is most important in life. Yes, it’s important to reach out in love to others. It’s important to care for our relatives and friends when they need us the most. It’s important to be sacrificial with our time and energies for the good of others, because through these acts of humble service, we certainly share the love of God. But most importantly, we must bring Christ Jesus Himself to others. Elizabeth was not filled with joy first and foremost because Mary was there to help her in her pregnancy. Rather, she was overjoyed primarily because Mary brought her Jesus, her Lord, living within her womb. Though we do not bring Christ in the same way as our Blessed Mother did, we nonetheless must make this our central mission in life. First, we must foster a love and devotion to our Lord so deep that He truly dwells within us. Then, we must bring Him who dwells within us to others. This is unquestionably the greatest act of charity we will ever be able to offer to another. Reflect, today, not only upon your mission to invite your Lord to dwell within you as our Blessed Mother did, but also upon your Christian duty to then bring Him who dwells within you to others. Do others encounter Christ living within you with joy? Do they sense His presence in your life and respond with gratitude? Regardless of their response, commit yourself to this holy calling of bringing Christ to others as an act of the deepest love. Lord, please do dwell within me. Come and transform me by Your holy presence. As You do come to me, help me to then become a missionary of Your divine presence by bringing You to others so that they may encounter the joy of Your presence. Make me a pure instrument, dear Lord, and use me to inspire all whom I encounter every day. Jesus, I trust in You

True Servants of God

December 20, 2020 Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year B) Readings for Today O Antiphons of Advent December 17–24

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38a (Year B) What does it mean to be a “handmaid of the Lord?” The word “handmaid” means “servant.” And Mary identifies herself as a servant.  Specifically, a servant of the Lord. Throughout history, some “handmaids” were slaves without any rights whatsoever. They were property of their owners and were required to do what they were told. In other times and cultures, a handmaid was a servant more by choice, enjoying certain rights. However, all handmaids are inferiors serving a superior. Our Blessed Mother, however, is a brand new type of handmaid. Why? Because the one she was called to serve was the Most Holy Trinity. She was certainly an inferior serving one who is superior. But when the one you perfectly serve has perfect love for you, and directs you in ways that edify you, elevate your dignity, and transform you in holiness, then it is wise beyond description to not only serve this superior but to freely become a slave, lowering yourself as deeply as possible before such a superior. There should be no hesitation in this depth of servitude! Our Blessed Mother’s servitude, therefore, is new in that it is the most radical form of servitude, but it is also freely chosen. And the reciprocal effect upon her from the Most Holy Trinity was to direct all her thoughts and actions, all her passions and desires and every single part of her life to glory, fulfillment and holiness of life. We must learn from the wisdom and actions of our Blessed Mother. She submitted her life completely to the Most Holy Trinity, not only for her own good but also to set an example for each one of us. Our deepest and daily prayer must become that of hers: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Following her example will not only deeply unite us with our Triune God, but it will also have a similar effect upon us by making us instruments of the Savior of the World. We will become His “mother” in the sense that we will bring Jesus into our world for others. What a glorious calling we have been given to imitate this most holy Mother of God. Reflect, today, upon your call to pray this prayer of our Blessed Mother. Reflect upon the words, consider the meaning of this prayer, and strive to make it your own prayer today and every day. Imitate her, and you will begin to more fully share in her glorious life of grace. Dearest Mother Mary, pray for me that I may imitate your perfect “Yes” to the Most Holy Trinity. May your prayer become my prayer, and may the effects of your surrender as a handmaid of the Lord also affect my life profoundly. Lord, Jesus, may Your perfect will, in union with the will of the Father and the Holy Spirit, be done in my life today and always. Jesus, I trust in You.