Tuesday, January 1 – Theokotos

01 Jan – Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; World Day of Prayer for Peace

Mary, Through Whom The World Would Be Blessed

We too bless God for Mary, who bore for us the Child she named Jesus the Saviour.

- the Sunday Missal

The title “Mother of God” for Our Lady was first used by St. Elizabeth at the Visitation, “Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?” (Luke 1:43). The title is found in early liturgical prayers, according to St. Cyril (5th century), and this term Theotokos (bearing God) was perfectly familiar to the ancient fathers. It was employed by St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 90) and St. Anthanasius (c. 373), and finally sanctioned at the Council of Ephesus (431).

- Patron Saint Index
____________________

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.”
____________________

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 them 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.”
____________________

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 shepherd 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.
____________________

Moses was a man who was blessed with many opportunities to see God face-to-face. He frequently conversed with the Lord in His presence on Mt Sinai at a time when seeing God face-to-face meant death for those who saw Him. This golden opportunity to see the face of God and live was not to be kept to Moses alone, but to be shared among all of God’s people, which is why the Lord gave Moses the blessing to be given to His people.

Indeed God did uncover His face when He became Man. He was born of Mary and became Man. Mary was thus the representative of all humankind, to be the first human to receive the Lord and bring Him into the world, to be the first of God’s people to see God’s human face.

Today, on the first day of the new year 2008, we honour Mary, the Mother of God. The reason we celebrate this solemnity on the eighth day of Christmas is because the title “Mother of God” strikes at the very heart of Christmas – God-is-with-us. He is so with us that the divine Word cannot be divided from our humanity.

No Christian can deny that Mary is the Mother of God unless he also denies that Jesus is God, for Jesus is both man and God. To say that Mary is not the Mother of God is to say that Jesus is not God, and that Jesus never united Himself completely with our humanity. Since we are brothers and sisters with Jesus through our shared humanity, Mary is our Mother as well, though not in the “Theokotos” sense.

The term “Theokotos” which is usually translated to “Mother of God” does not mean that Mary is the Mother of God the Father. It explicitly refers to physical childbearing. The term “Mother of God” may mean a family relationship, but not one that is physical. The Greek term “Theokotos”, however, makes it clear that this relationship between Mary and Jesus is that Mary physically gave birth to Jesus, that is, she is Jesus’ biological mother.

It is a pity that many of us have a personal relationship with Jesus, but do not have one with Mary. Besides Jesus himself, there is no other human that is placed as high in esteem and power as Mary, for Jesus received her into Heaven at the moment of her death, and crowned her the Queen of Heaven, and the Queen of Angels. Just as the Lord has power over the angels who serve Him, so too does Mary command the angels. All through her life she did everything according to the Lord’s will, and now in Heaven, she continues to do so.

It would be most wonderful for us if we could establish a relationship with Mary, even though she is not our biological mother. The reason is not so much because Mary is the Queen of Heaven and the Queen of the Angels, but because Mary is so close to Jesus that their hearts and wills are one. If we could learn to become like Mary, who is fully human, we could be as close to Jesus as well so much so that we truly become another Christ in the world.

Let us pause a few moments and ponder on the significance of our understanding of Mary, the Mother of God and what this has to do with the message of Christmas.
___________________

Prayer:
Dear Mary, we pray that all Christians may come to accept you as truly the Mother of God, and that Jesus is true God and true Man. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: St. Cyril, who in 431 at the Council of Ephesus, met Nestorius’ claim that Mary is not the mother of God.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 02 Jan – 1 John 2:22-28; John 1:19-28; Memorial for Sts. Basil the Great and Nazianzen, bishops, doctors
Thu, 03 Jan – 1 John 2:29 – 3:6; John 1:29-34; Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus
Fri, 04 Jan – 1 John 3:7-10; John 1:35-42
Sat, 05 Jan – 1 John 3:11-21; John 1:43-51
Sun, 06 Jan – Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12; Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Monday, December 31 – “To Do” List

31 Dec – Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas; Memorial for St. Sylvester I, pope

Sylvester (d. 335) was pope in the reign of Emperor Constantine I, who built the Lateran and other churches. He sent legates to the First Council of Nicaea, and was involved in the controversy over Arianism. The spurious Donation of Constantine was supposedly given to St. Sylvester.

- Patron Saint Index
____________________

1 John 2:18-21

Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of your own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.
____________________

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.
A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.
The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
“This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me
ranks before me
because he existed before me.”

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received -
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.
____________________

Have you ever set out to do some work on the computer, but got distracted by something you came across on the Internet, or visited some link sent by a friend, and continued exploring the Internet. And at the end of the day when you look back, you realized that you wasted a lot of your time which could have been better used to do work? I have found that one way to avoid this kind of thing is to have a “To Do” list set in front of me, that I can frequently refer to and keep me focused on what I have to do.

When I read the first reading today, and came across the word ‘antichrist’, I found that I didn’t really read the rest of the reading, and was distracted by that word. But that is what the antichrist does – it distracts us from the Christ, who is the truth.

Today is the seventh day in the octave of Christmas. How many of us have already been distracted from the Christ? Some of us are enjoying the Christmas presents that we have received, and some of us are drawn to preparations for celebrating the New Year. Christ is born, that’s good and well, but life goes on for us, and Christ is left in the manger, forgotten.

My friends, we are living in the last days, and the antichrists are all around us, carrying out their mission of distracting us from the Christ. Today’s gospel reading is a timely reminder for us, as we prepare to welcome the new year. It is a reminder for us that Jesus has come into the world and is living among us. Jesus is a light among the darkness, and we who have been baptized into His Body are also lights among the darkness. Just as John was a witness to speak for the light, we too are witnesses to speak for the light.

On the practical side, one thing that we can do is to have a kind of spiritual “To Do” list as well, one that we refer to frequently, and one that we can look at and check off the things that we have done. While the spiritual life is not to be characterized by activity, it is also important to be able to look back and see how far we have come, because as humans, we are bound by time – we need to see change happening in our lives.

Let us spend some time today reflecting on how the past year has been for us, especially in terms of spiritual growth. Let us also spend some time preparing our “To Do” list for next year, listing out the growth and achievements we hope to achieve in 2008.
___________________

Prayer:
Dear Lord, we pray that as this year comes to a close, we might have the benefit of hindsight to see how we have grown and to give thanks to You for all that You’ve done for us this year. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: 2007.

Upcoming Readings:
Tue, 01 Jan – Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21; Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; World Day of Prayer for Peace
Wed, 02 Jan – 1 John 2:22-28; John 1:19-28; Memorial for Sts. Basil the Great and Nazianzen, bishops, doctors
Thu, 03 Jan – 1 John 2:29 – 3:6; John 1:29-34; Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus
Fri, 04 Jan – 1 John 3:7-10; John 1:35-42
Sat, 05 Jan – 1 John 3:11-21; John 1:43-51
Sun, 06 Jan – Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12; Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Sunday, December 30 – Holy Families

30 Dec – Feast of the Holy Family

The Holy Family

We celebrate that Holy Family of Nazareth which is the model for all who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

- the Sunday Missal
____________________

Letters To A Hospital

This is an extremely honest, off-the-cuff letter to the staff of a hospital.

To Each Staff Member of this Facility:

As you pick up that chart today and scan that green Medicaid card, I hope you will remember what I am about to say.

I spent yesterday with you. I was there with my mother and father. We didn’t know where we were supposed to go or what we were supposed to do, for we had never needed your services before. We have never before been labelled charity. I watched yesterday as my dad became a diagnosis, a chart, a case number, a charity case labelled “no sponsor” because he had no health insurance.

I saw a weak man stand in line, waiting for five hours to be shuffled through a system of impatient office workers, a burned-out nursing staff and a budget-scarce facility, being robbed of any dignity and pride he may have had left. I was amazed at how impersonal your staff was, huffing and blowing when the patient did not present the correct form, speaking carelessly of other patients’ cases in front of passersby, of lunch breaks that would be spent away from this “poor man’s hell”.

My dad is only a green card, a file number to clutter your desk on appointment day, a patient who will ask for directions twice after they have been mechanically given the first time. But, no, that’s not really my dad. That’s only what you see.

What you don’t see is a cabinet-maker since the age of 14, a self-employed man who has a wonderful wife, four grown kids (who visit too much), and five grandchildren (with two more on the way) – all of whom think their “pop” is the greatest. This man is everything a daddy should be – strong and firm, yet tender, rough around the edges, a country boy, yet respected by prominent business owners.

He’s my dad, the man who raised me through thick and thin, gave me away as a bride, held my children at their births, stuffed a $20 bill into my hand when times were tough and comforted me when I cried. now we are told that before long cancer will take this man away from us.

You may say these are the words of a grieving daughter lashing out in helplessness at the prospect of losing a loved one. I would not disagree. Yet I would urge you not to discount what I say. Never lose sight of the people behind your charts. Each chart represents a person – with feelings, a history, a life – whom you have the power to touch for one day by your words and actions. Tomorrow it may be your loved one – your relative or neighbour – who turns into a case number, a green card, a name to be marked off with a yellow marker as done for the day.

I pray that you will reward the next person you greet at your station with a kind word or smile because that person is someone’s dad, husband, wife, mother, son, or daughter – or simply because he or she is a human being, created and loved by God, just as you are.

- What thoughts, feelings, occurred to you while you went through the story?
- What do you think is the ‘moral’ of the story?

- taken from “Persons Are Gifts”, by Hedwig Lewis, SJ
____________________

Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14

The Lord honours the father in his children,
and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,
he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own,
he shall be heard on the day when he prays.
Long life comes to him who honours his father,
he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.
My son, support your father in his old age,
do not grieve him during his life.
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy,
do not despise him in your health and strength;
for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten
but will serve as reparation for your sins.
____________________

Colossians 3:12-21

You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these cloths, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, give way to your husbands, ad you should in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
____________________

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared in Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.” So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.” So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled:

He will be called a Nazarene.
____________________

Have you ever seen an icon of the Holy Family which shows a halo around Mary’s and Jesus’ heads, but no halo around Joseph’s? It reminds me of the saying that Joseph had a difficult time as a father, because every time he got into an argument with his wife or son, he would always be in the wrong, since the other two are without sin.

However, living with a person who is without sin is quite different from living from a person who is always right. Living with the latter can be quite stressful, because it always means that we are in the wrong. But when we live with a person without sin, it doesn’t mean that the sinless person can’t be in the wrong. This might be hard to grasp, because we have the understanding that a person who is sinless is never in the wrong. That is not what it means to be sinless.

The first and second readings give us an idea of what it means to live a sinless life as a husband or wife, a father or mother, a son or a daughter. To live a sinless life is to treat other family members with sincere compassion, with kindness and humility, with gentleness and patience. To bear with one another and to forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins.

Hence, when we reflect on the Holy Family, we understand that far from Joseph having a difficult time, he probably had an easier time with his family members, because Mary, as a holy wife, probably gave way a lot to her husband as he struggled to live a life that is in obedience to what God was calling him to. Jesus too, as a son, probably obeyed his father most, if not all, of the time. I cannot imagine either one of them insisting on doing something that Joseph believed was not good for them.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, the model for all families to live by. In the gospel reading, we see the angel appear to Joseph, the head of the family, and telling him to follow some instructions. Joseph does so, in obedience to the Lord, and he brings his family with him. Mary obeys Joseph too, as he is her husband, and she does so because she respects him as the head of the household.

We do not live in families where the members are very holy and sinless people. It is not so easy for us to live a life in obedience to one another, especially when we believe that our parents, or our spouses, are in the wrong. But as we see from today’s readings, whether we are wrong or right in a particular decision is not what makes a family holy. What makes a family holy is how we go about treat other members of the family.

Do we treat other family members with respect and compassion? Do we give way to them in kindness and humility, rather than grudgingly? Are we gentle and patient with them? Do we bear their faults with understanding and love? Do we forgive them as soon as a quarrel begins, or do we harbour a grudge for days or weeks?

If we do not treat our own family members in this way, how will we be able to treat others with love? If we truly desire peace in the world, then we have to start right where we are – in our own families. Let us work towards a more loving and peaceful world by first loving and making peace within our own families, by building holy families.
___________________

Prayer:
We offer a prayer today for our own family, and we ask the Lord to grant us the grace to follow the model of the Holy Family. We especially pray for all men who are heads of their families, that they may live a life of obedience to the Lord as Joseph did, and that they may be respected by their wives and children. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The model of the Holy Family.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 31 Dec – 1 John 2:18-21; John 1:1-18; Memorial for St. Sylvester I, pope
Tue, 01 Jan – Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21; Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; World Day of Prayer for Peace
Wed, 02 Jan – 1 John 2:22-28; John 1:19-28; Memorial for Sts. Basil the Great and Nazianzen, bishops, doctors
Thu, 03 Jan – 1 John 2:29 – 3:6; John 1:29-34; Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus
Fri, 04 Jan – 1 John 3:7-10; John 1:35-42
Sat, 05 Jan – 1 John 3:11-21; John 1:43-51
Sun, 06 Jan – Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12; Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Saturday, December 29 – The Word of God: A cause of division

29 Dec – Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

The Cardinal’s Sin

Here is a true story as told by Don Morales, as reported by a visiting priest from Canada who vouches that it came straight from the lips of Cardinal Jaime Sin of the Philippines.

There was a woman who claimed to have not only visions but even conversations with the Virgin Mary. Cardinal Sin did not pay much attention to her and usually pretended not to hear her. But one day she persistently kept on calling him on the phone, and after five unsuccessful calls, she went to his residence and asked for an audience. Cardinal Sin thought that he had better put an end to this foolishness and told her, “When you see the Virgin Mary again tonight, tell her to ask her Son Jesus what my gravest sin was.”

And so the woman left, happy that finally Cardinal Sin believed her. And Cardinal Sin was sure that now she would stop telling him about her visions. But the next day she came back and asked to see the Cardinal again. The Cardinal asked her, “Well, did you talk to the Virgin Mary last night?”

And she said, “Yes, but…”

“But what?” Cardinal Sin asked. “Did the Lady ask Jesus about my sin?”

“Yes, she did ask Him,” was the reply.

“What did Jesus tell her then?”

The woman reluctantly answered, “She said Jesus said that He had forgotten.”

“I don’t recall how the story ended, but I guess that is where the story should end,” concludes Morales.

- What thoughts, feelings, occurred to you while you went through the story?
- What do you think is the ‘moral’ of the story?

- taken from “Persons Are Gifts”, by Hedwig Lewis, SJ
____________________

1 John 2:3-11

We can be sure that we know God
only by keeping his commandments.
Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,
and does not keep his commandments,
is a liar,
refusing to admit the truth.
But when anyone does obey what he has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him.
We can be sure that we are in God
only when the one who claims to be living in him
is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.
My dear people,
this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you,
but an old commandment
that you were given from the beginning,
the original commandment which was the message brought to you.
Yet in another way, what I am writing to you,
and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his,
is a new commandment;
because the night is over
and the real light is already shining.
Anyone who claims to be in the light
but hates his brother
is still in the dark.
But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
and need not be afraid of stumbling;
unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness,
not knowing where he is going,
because it is too dark to see.
___________________

Luke 2:22-35

And when the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel’.

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare’.
___________________

Simeon’s prayer is known as the “Nunc Dimitis” and is always prayed at Compline (Night prayer). It reminds us that God will fulfil his promise of salvation to us in our lives by ensuring that every opportunity to receive the free gift of salvation has been made available to us. The decision now lies with us on whether we want to receive this gift of salvation and live the effects that flow from this great gift.

The gift of salvation comes with an instruction manual: the Word of God. This word challenges us to live an extraordinary life, one that is remarkably different from that of the world. The values that is demanded from its adherents are radical and has been the cause of division in many situations be it in the conscience of individuals, friendships and between families and relatives.

These may appear to be obstacles but the road on which they are laid on actually lead to the more perfect love that St. John mentions in today’s first reading. These obstacles are imposed by ourselves because we fail to obey the commandment of God; which is to love Him. Our obedience to this commandment is manifested by our love to the neighbours around us. Only by demonstrating this love to everyone can we be assured that we are living God’s commandment.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nick Chia)
___________________

Prayer:
Lord we pray that we always cherish the gift of salvation that you have freely given to us in our lives through the Sacrament of Baptism.

We give thanks for our enemies for allowing us to love them despite their failings.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Friday, December 28 – Slaughter of the Innocents

28 Dec – Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs; Fourth Day in the Octave of Christmas

The feast of the Holy Innocents is held in memorial for the children slaughtered by Herod when he tried to kill the infant Christ.

- Patron Saint Index
___________________

1 John 1:5 – 2:2

This is what we have heard from Jesus Christ,
and the message that we are announcing to you:
God is light; there is no darkness in him at all.
If we say that we are in union with God
while we are living in darkness,
we are lying because we are not living the truth.
But if we live our lives in the light,
as he is in the light,
we are in union with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
purifies us from all sin.
If we say we have no sin in us,
we are deceiving ourselves
and refusing to admit the truth;
but if we acknowledge our sins,
then God who is faithful and just
will forgive our sins and purify us
from everything that is wrong.
To say that we have never sinned
is to call God a liar
and to show that his word is not in us.
I am writing this, my children,
to stop you sinning;
but if anyone should sin,
we have our advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, who is just;
he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,
and not only ours,
but the whole world’s.
____________________

Matthew 2:13-18

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.” So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

Herod was furious when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or under, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loudly lamenting:
it was Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted
because they were no more.
____________________

Do you think Herod was cruel for having all those children two years old or under killed? I am sure that most, if not all, of us would agree that he was a cruel man indeed. If you had been his adviser or had some influence over him at that time, would you have spoken out against him or discouraged him from passing this order to his soldiers? Maybe, or maybe not, depending on the consequences that such a move would have on us, our families, and our careers, is that not so?

Now let me ask another question: do you think it is cruel to kill a child that has not yet been born? If it is cruel to kill a child two years or under, would it not be even more cruel to kill a child that has not yet been born? Yet this is what we are doing to the unborn children in our country. According to a United Nations report, the abortion rate in Singapore in 1996 was 15.9 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44. Consider how many women there are in Singapore, and you get a rough idea of how many babies we are killing every year.

That’s right – WE are killing them because we are simply standing by and not doing anything. This is one of the ways in which St. John talks about how we are sinning. We may not be actively involved in the slaughter of innocents taking place in our country today, but most of us are also not actively involved in preventing the slaughter. That makes us guilty of the sin of omission. Our silence makes us accomplices of the murders that are taking place. It makes us no different from the imaginary adviser of Herod’s who failed to speak out against his cruel act.

What can we do then? How can we right the wrong that we have helped take place? The first thing we need to do is to admit that we have sinned, for as St. John says, “If we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth.” We need to acknowledge our sins, and ask God for forgiveness, and that He will purify us from everything that is wrong.

Then we need to ask God to open our eyes and show us the evil that is taking place in our nation, and to show us the role in which He wants us to play in defending the innocent. For so long as we remain silent, unborn babies will continue to be sacrificed to preserve the physical and mental health of women, to ‘right’ foetal impairment, for economic or social reasons, or simply on request.

Brothers and sisters, let us stop sinning today!

The U.N. report may be found here:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/doc/singapore.doc 
___________________

Prayer:
Dear Lord, we ask You today to help us to acknowledge our sin of omission, particularly in defending the most innocent and defenseless people in our country. We ask you for forgiveness of this terrible sin on our part, and that You might show us the evil that is taking place in our nation. Reveal to us also the path and role which You want us to take to right the wrong that we are doing to the unborn. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Tears we weep for our sins and the loss of lives that is taking place in our land.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 29 Dec – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35; Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Thursday, December 27 – Christmas Miracles

27 Dec – Feast of St. John, apostle, evangelist

St. John, also known as the “beloved disciple” of Jesus’ was the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of St. James the Great, and was called one of the Sons of Thunder. Before becoming Jesus’ disciple, he was already a disciple of St. John the Baptist, and a friend of St. Peter the Apostle. He was called by Jesus during the first year of Christ’s ministry, and travelled everywhere with him. He took part in the Last Supper, and was the only one of the Twelve not to forsake the Saviour in the hour of his Passion, standing at the foot of the cross.

He was made guardian of Our Lady by Jesus, and he took her into his home. Upon hearing of the Resurrection, he was the first to reach the tomb; when he met the risen Lord at the Lake of Tiberius, he was the first to recognise him.

During the era of the new Church, he worked in Jerusalem and at Ephesus. During Jesus’ ministry, he tried to block a Samaritan from their group, but Jesus explained the open nature of the new Way, and he worked on that principle to found churches in Asia Minor and baptising converts in Samaria. He was imprisoned with Peter for preaching after Pentecost. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and possibly the Book of Revelation.

- Patron Saint Index
___________________

1 John 1:1-4

Something which has existed since the beginning,
that we have heard,
and we have seen with our own eyes;
that we have watched
and touched with our hands:
the Word, who is life -
this is our subject.
That life was made visible:
we saw it and we are giving our testimony,
telling you of the eternal life
which was with the Father and has been made visible to us.
What we have seen and heard
we are telling you
so that you too may be in union with us,
as we are in union with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing this to you to make our own joy complete.
___________________

John 20:2-8

On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.
____________________

My brothers and sisters, a blessed Christmas to you and your loved ones! May the Lord continue to walk with you and hey, DANCE with you too!

Christmas is a time of many things. It is a time of merrymaking, feasting and partying with our friends and family. It is a time of looking back at the previous year and forward to the new year. It is a time when the Gloria is sung again after the Advent period. Most importantly though, it is a time of miracles.

During the Christmas season we remember and celebrate the miraculous birth of Christ by a virgin. As we commemorate His coming among us, we also recognize the reason for which He was born. That reason is to die on the cross to save us from our sins.

As is depicted in today’s Gospel passage, following that death came His triumph and resurrection in which we have a share in. It is apt by the way that we celebrate the feast of St John. He was the only apostle to not be have been martyred and to have lived to old age. That is something miraculous in itself.

My friends and old readers of OXYGEN would know that since 2002, I have experienced personal miracles each Christmas season (to go into detail about each of them would take too much time). So as I was sitting at the pews in my parish waiting for midnight Mass to begin, I wondered what this year’s would be. I gave up speculating as the hour approached but another thought came to mind. It was how nice it would be for my friends and family if I sent them a Christmas blessing via SMS. I sent one after Mass to over 60 of my friends and relatives.

I realized afterwards that I had not done something like this for the past four years (mass SMSes are expensive as I’m sure you’ll agree). I also realized that some of the folks I SMSed were people I hardly contacted. As can be expected, not everyone replied but those who did sounded really joyful. Some even called back to return the greeting. Knowing that I sent them a heartfelt blessing and witnessing their happiness at receiving it filled me with joy likewise. There it was then, my Christmas miracle for 2007.

The crux of the matter is that all of us can experience personal miracles. That is how the Lord reaches out to each of us. He does so individually, in ways that best suit every person. We receive these miracles from Christ as gifts and some gifts are meant to be shared out. A gift of chocolate or wine given to one person can bring him/her joy. How much more can that joy be increased in that person and delivered to others when the gift is shared out among friends and/or family?

It is as John writes in the first reading. We share Christ so as to make our own joy complete. We share so that others, like John in the Gospel, may come “see and believe”. My sisters and brothers, as we continue in this joyous season, let us be the Christmas miracles to others in our lives.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Aloysius Ting)
____________________

Prayer:
That all will experience the hope, love, joy and peace of the Lord in this season and always!

Give thanks to the Lord For: Wonders

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 28 Dec – 1 John 1:5 – 2:2; Matthew 2:13-18; Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Sat, 29 Dec – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35; Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Wednesday, December 26 – Martyrdom Today

26 Dec – Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr

St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. A deacon and a preacher, all we know of him is related in the Acts of the Apostles. While preaching the gospel in the streets, angry Jews who believed his message to be blasphemy dragged him outside the city, and stoned him to death. In the crowd, on the side of the mob, was a man who would later be known as St. Paul.

- Patron Saint Index
__________________

Acts 6:8-10

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. Then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not stand up against him because of his wisdom, and the Spirit that prompted what he said.
___________________

Matthew 10:17-22

‘Be prepared for people to hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as evidence to them and to the gentiles. But when you are handed over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.

‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will come forward against their parents and have them put to death. You will be universally hated on account of my name; but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.’
____________________

The martyrs of our faith, including St. Stephen, remind us what Jesus was sent for. Jesus was sent to redeem us by making the sacrifice that would require Him to die by hanging on the cross.

It was a real sacrifice for a real purpose, testified in our faith. The birth and death of Jesus is made visible through each and every one of us. We may not have to die, but only follow the instructions of Jesus in the Gospel reading. Be prepared for strange looks and criticism. Know that you will be asked questions. Do not be afraid. Let the Spirit speak through you.

St. Stephen followed the instructions and became a martyr – today an example we can look to when we need the courage to live for Jesus. It was not Stephen’s own idea. Jesus first died for us! Can we live for Him?

(Today’s OXYGEN by Regina Xie)
____________________

Prayer:
Father, we are not fighting against people, but one who opposes You. Speak through us to make You known. Amen.

Give thanks to the Lord For: giving us courage.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 27 Dec – 1 John 1:1-4; John 20:2-8; Feast of St. John, apostle, evangelist
Fri, 28 Dec – 1 John 1:5 – 2:2; Matthew 2:13-18; Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Sat, 29 Dec – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35; Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Tuesday, December 25 – We Wish You A Merry Christmas… And A Happy New Year!

25 Dec – Mass During The Day

The Word Made Flesh

For us the Word of God is no longer the message spoken by prophets, but the messenger of God in person, the eternal Word begotten of the Father before time began.

- the Sunday Missal
____________________

Offering One’s Hand

The homilist at a Mass celebrating the profession of a group of women religious told the story of some pilgrims who travelled to a distant castle. As they approached it they could see it was surrounded by a high stone wall.

The first pilgrim, inching his way up the wall, finally got to the top. Drawn by the view of a lush garden on the other side of the wall, he jumped to the ground below, forgetting all about his fellow pilgrims waiting on the outside. The second and third pilgrims did exactly the same.

The next pilgrim struggled as hard to reach the top of the wall. He, too, was drawn by the beauty below. but he didn’t jump down into the garden because he realised that if he did, the rest of the pilgrims wouldn’t have anyone to help them scale the wall. So he gave the others a helping hand. Only after all the pilgrims had gone over the wall did he jump down into the garden.

That, the homilist said to the group of nuns, was their vocation – to stay on the top of the wall, to help others get over the wall, into the garden.

- What thoughts, feelings, occurred to you while you went through the story?
- What do you think is the ‘moral’ of the story?

- taken from “Persons Are Gifts”, by Hedwig Lewis, SJ
____________________

Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful on the mountains,
are the feet of one who brings good news,
who heralds peace, brings happiness,
proclaims salvation,
and tells Zion,
“Your God is king!”
Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices,
they shout for joy together,
for they see the Lord face to face,
as he returns to Zion.
Break into shouts of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord is consoling his people,
redeeming Jerusalem.
The Lord bares his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
____________________

Hebrew 1:1-6

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, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is not as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name.

God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father, or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.
____________________

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.
The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
“This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me
ranks before me
because he existed before me.”

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received
yes, grace in return for grace.
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the one Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.
____________________

On behalf of all the OXYGEN contributors: We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!

We always wish people a merry Christmas and a happy New Year because of the famous 16th century secular song “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”, and it is one of the few Christmas songs that mentions the new year celebration. Soon, we will be celebrating the arrival of the year 2008.

2008 years of what? The more accurate title for the year would be 2008 years since the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, as Dionysius Exiguus would say. Dionysius Exiguus is the name of the monk who devised the Anno Domini calendar system back in 525, and it was the Venerable Bede who began the process of bringing this AD system into general use in Western Europe. Bede was also the one who started using the term “Before Christ”, that is, “the time before the Lord’s true incarnation”.

In the past 100 years or so, some people have been trying to use the term “Common Era” and “Before Common Era” (C.E. and B.C.E.) to replace the AD/BC terminology, as it is more secular. But we must ask: what is the difference between the AD/BC system and the CE/BCE system? Absolutely nothing, save for the name. The CE/BCE has exactly the same calendar system as AD/BC system; it’s just supposed to sound less Christian. But if we ask ourselves: what world event is so significant that the Common Era starts from, and the Before Common Era ends at, we find that we have the answer has to come back to the same event that the AD/BC system is based on – the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So you see, my friend, no matter how much we try to secularize our holidays, the secular world is not going to be able to wipe out the reason for the season… unless we change the calendar system to something totally original. Then we won’t be celebrating New Year anymore, not at this time anyway. Think of all the businesses that stand to lose money!

So, my friends, do not worry about singing secular songs about the New Year or even the holidays this season, because remember that the reason we have these holidays and the reason we celebrate the New Year is because God became Man. The next time you write the year, be it 2007 or 2008, pause a second to remember why we have this year in the first place, and what event it marks.

Once more, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!
____________________

Prayer:
Dear Lord, we offer to You the remainder of this year, and the next year, to you, and ask You to help us to devote more of our time and energy making known to the world the world-changing event that took place that allows us to celebrate the new year. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Changing the world.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 26 Dec – Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22; Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr
Thu, 27 Dec – 1 John 1:1-4; John 20:2-8; Feast of St. John, apostle, evangelist
Fri, 28 Dec – 1 John 1:5 – 2:2; Matthew 2:13-18; Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Sat, 29 Dec – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35; Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Monday, December 24 – Prophets

24 Dec – Mass in the Morning

Stretching The Soul

R. Lee Sharpe reveals an inspiring incident that happened when he was a boy. On a fine spring day, his father asked Lee to accompany him to the blacksmith’s, where he had left a rake and a hoe to be repaired. When they arrived at the shop, they found that the instruments were ready and looking like new.

His father handed the old blacksmith, Mr Trussell, a silver dollar, but he refused to take it. “No,” said Mr Trussell. “There’s no charge for that little job.” His father insisted.

Mr Trussell’s reply made such a deep impression on Lee, that he has never forgotten it. “Sid,” said the blacksmith to his father, “Can’t you let a man do something – just to stretch his soul?”

- What thoughts, feelings, occurred to you while you went through the story?
- What do you think is the ‘moral’ of the story?

- taken from “Persons Are Gifts”, by Hedwig Lewis, SJ
____________________

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be a leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”
____________________

Luke 1:67-79

John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited his people, he has come to their rescue
and he has raised up for us a power for salvation
in the House of his servant David,
even as he proclaimed,
by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times,
that he would save us from our enemies
and from the hands of all who hate us.
Thus he shows mercy to our ancestors,
thus he remembers his holy covenant,
the oath he swore
to our father Abraham
that he would grant us, free from fear,
to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,
to serve him in holiness and virtue
in his presence, all our days.
And you, little child,
you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare the way for him.
To give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins;
this by the tender mercy of our God
who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,
to give light to those who live
in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet
into the way of peace.”
____________________

Today, we celebrate prophets. We celebrate the prophet Nathan, who was a voice for the Lord to King David. And we also celebrate the prophet John the Baptist, and his father who spoke the prophecy in the gospel reading.

Prophets are, essentially, those who speak for the Lord. We do not hear God’s voice thundering in the sky (that’s Santa Claus going, “Ho! Ho! Ho!”). We do not hear God speaking from our television sets. We don’t hear God speaking to us from the Eucharist. So where do we hear God’s voice?

We hear God’s voice in Christians, especially those who give others knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. This message, though prophesied by Zechariah over 2,000 years ago, remains true for us today. We still speak for the Lord when we share with them what has been revealed to us – that Christ came to save us from our sins and to reconcile us back to the Father. It is a message that is old, but not dead. It is the message that we are to speak, that we are to prophesy to the people who have not yet heard of it.

As we spend this final day before Christmas preparing, let us take a short break from worrying about food, or presents not bought or wrapped yet, insufficient drinks, ham, turkey, cake, or soup and just pause a moment. Remember whose birth we are about to celebrate. Remember why He came, and what He has done for us. Then put on a smile and share the joy that is in your heart – the joy of having a Saviour, a God-with-us, born as one of us, so that we can be like Him.
____________________

Prayer:
Dear Lord, we offer to you this entire Christmas celebration which we are about to have. May it be a joyous celebration for You and for us. Happy birthday Jesus!

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Happy Birthdays!

Upcoming Readings:
Tue, 25 Dec – Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18
Wed, 26 Dec – Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22; Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr
Thu, 27 Dec – 1 John 1:1-4; John 20:2-8; Feast of St. John, apostle, evangelist
Fri, 28 Dec – 1 John 1:5 – 2:2; Matthew 2:13-18; Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Sat, 29 Dec – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35; Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————

Sunday, December 23 – Free Gift

23 Dec – Fourth Sunday Of Advent

Mary’s Child: The Emmanuel

God’s choice rested on the House of David which was to bring forth the Emmanuel, the God with us. But Mary’s Child was to belong to all the nations. We are one of those nations who, by God’s call, belong to Jesus Christ.

- from the Sunday Missal
_____________________

I Am A Gift Too

I must accept the fact that just as others are gifts to me, I am a gift to others. I am therefore responsible for the way I present myself: so that I make myself acceptable. Since I know that the wrapper is not the gift, I must take care not to give a false appearance: an outer show without an inner glow. I must not deceive people into believing that there is more to me than meets the eye. In any case, they will find out the truth, sooner or later, once the wrapping comes off – as it must.

Person-centered-persons gift themselves to others spontaneously and generously. They do not wait for special occasions; they grab every little opportunity where they can give themselves. They so present themselves that they are easy to open and ready for use!

- taken from “Persons Are Gifts”, by Hedwig Lewis, SJ
______________________

Isaiah 7:10-14

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.” “No,” Ahaz answered. “I will not put the Lord to the test.”

Then Isaiah said:

“Listen now, House of David:
are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men
without trying the patience of my God, too?
The Lord himself, therefore,
will give you a sign.
It is this: the maiden is with child
and will soon give birth to a son
whom she will call Emmanuel,
a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’.”
____________________

Romans 1:1-7

From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.

This news is about the Son of God, who, according to the human nature he took, was a descendant of David: it is about the holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.
____________________

Matthew 1:18-24

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet.
____________________

We Singaporeans are known for queuing up for things. The cheaper the thing is, the longer the queue. Sometimes we find ourselves queuing up without knowing what we are queuing up for. Sometimes the queue for a free gift can stretch for long distances. And sometimes, after queuing up and receiving that free gift, we don’t really know what to do with it. Some of us keep the gift somewhere in the cupboard. Some of us recycle the gift by giving it to another person. What do you do with such gifts?

Christmas is almost upon us… as if you didn’t know that. Apart from this being the fourth Sunday of Advent, even if you weren’t a Christian, you would know that Christmas is almost round the corner, giving the feverish pace at which people are buying gifts. Even if you weren’t the kind to give gifts at Christmas, you cannot possibly miss the amount of Christmas atmosphere around you.

Yet amidst all this, is it possible that some Christians are saying that we are missing “the reason for the season”? Most definitely! Looking at today’s readings, we see that the message of the first Christmas, though revealed for all to see, not all saw. In fact, only a few saw it and recognized it for what it was. Up to today, the message of Christ is still being made known to everyone, but only a few recognize it for what it is – a free gift.

Ahaz was given the chance to receive a sign from the Lord, but he turned down that offer. Still the Lord gave a sign, whether or not it is received. In the second reading, Paul wrote that his “apostolic mission was to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name”. He writes nothing about what if the people he preached to didn’t want to receive the faith. Even if they didn’t, Paul’s (and ours) mission is still to preach, whether or not the gift is welcomed or received.

Lastly in the gospel reading, we see the subject of what is being preached – the sign promised by God is a gift of God Himself to us. God gives Himself to us because God loves us. Even if we do not love Him back or wish to receive His gift, God is still going to give Himself to us because it is in His nature to give, just as it is in His nature to love.

The question for us therefore is: What are we going to do with this free gift?
____________________

Prayer:
Dear Lord, make us ready to receive You this Christmas. Help us to receive You into our lives, and to share this gift of Yourself with others around us. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The free gifts He has given us.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 24 Dec – 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Luke 1:67-79
Tue, 25 Dec – Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18
Wed, 26 Dec – Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22; Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr
Thu, 27 Dec – 1 John 1:1-4; John 20:2-8; Feast of St. John, apostle, evangelist
Fri, 28 Dec – 1 John 1:5 – 2:2; Matthew 2:13-18; Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Sat, 29 Dec – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35; Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Sun, 30 Dec – Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
————————