Month: December 2024

Teach Us To Pray

Eternal Word 

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.  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 1:1–5

On this, the seventh day of the Octave of Christmas, we are given a mystery.  The mystery of the “Word.”  It’s a language that is veiled and yet revealing at the same time.  It presents Jesus to us as the “Word.”  He is the Word who takes on flesh and is eternal, from “the beginning with God.”  The passage goes on to say that the Word was God and that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Lord, Jesus, Eternal Word of the Father, I thank You for coming among us and for making Your eternal dwelling present to us.  Thank You for the great mystery of Christmas.  Help me to always celebrate this season with great joy and gratitude, and also with a sense of mystery.  May I always realize that the mystery of Christmas will never be fully understood.  May this mystery draw me closer each and every day so that I may fall more deeply in love with You, my eternal God.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Teach Us To Pray

The Prophetess Anna

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.  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

Today, the sixth day of the Octave of Christmas, we honor the prophetess Anna.  She, like Simeon whom we honored yesterday, spent her days in the temple worshipping God day and night.  She anticipated the coming Messiah and, by a personal and special revelation from God, recognized His presence as He was presented by Mary and Joseph.

Reflect, today, upon Anna the prophetess.  Try to imagine the joy in her heart as she spoke of this newborn King.  And pray that her joy and prophetic example will inspire you to continually proclaim the Lord to all whom God puts in your path.

Lord, may I always remember the reason for Christmas.  May I always keep the joy of Your coming among us at the center of my celebration.  You, dear Lord, are the greatest Gift ever given.  I thank You for Your life and I pray that You will help me to share the Gift of Yourself with others.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Teach Us To Pray

Simeon’s Prophecy 

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29–32

On this, the fifth day of the Octave of Christmas, we are given the witness of the prophet Simeon.  This holy man was promised by God by a personal revelation that he would actually see, with his own eyes, the Savior of the World.  Throughout his life he would have anticipated this moment.  He would have longed for it and hoped for it.  And then, one day the moment came.  Simeon would have woken up that day, going about his normal routine like any other day.  However, the moment that Mary and Joseph brought their newborn Child into the temple, Simeon knew in his heart that this Child was the promised Savior.

Lord, I thank You for the great witness of Simeon the Prophet.  Thank You for Your fidelity to Simeon in letting him see You as a little Child.  May I always imitate his great faith and seek You all my life, waiting for You to come to me in veiled ways so that my heart may rejoice in Your presence.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Teach Us To Pray

From Tragedy to Glory

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Fourth Day of the Octave of Christmas

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious.  He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.  Matthew 2:16

Today on the fourth day of the Octave of Christmas, we are given a similar witness to the one we received on December 26, the Feast of the Martyrdom of St. Stephen.  But today’s feast presents the same evil in a different and even more tragic light.  Here, out of envy and hatred, Herod had countless innocent children killed in an attempt to eliminate Jesus, the newborn King.  

Reflect, today, upon that which is most painful for you this Christmas season.  Whatever it may be, you are invited to unite your hurt and pain today with the sorrow of the families who lost these little ones.  Let God do for you what He ultimately did for all of them.  Let His Incarnation, death and Resurrection transform your hurt into a crown of martyrdom.  In the end, the Lord will be victorious in your life if you let Him.

Lord, I surrender all hurt, pain and confusion to You.  I unite myself, this day, with the sorrow of those who lost these little children and I trust that their lives, as they reign now in Heaven with You, are a sign for me of things to come.  Your birth into our world was the greatest sign that You are our Savior and that You can turn all things into good.  Jesus, I entrust my life to You and know that You will right every wrong.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Teach Us To Pray

Contemplating the Eternal Word

Smitten With Goodness

Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
Third Day of the Octave of Christmas

Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Beloved: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life—for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.  1 John 1:1–4

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Teach Us To Pray

Following Christ

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr, Second Day of the Octave of Christmas

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

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.

Teach Us To Pray

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Solemnity of Christmas Day

The angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:10–14

Glory to God in the highest!  The celebration of the glorious birth of Christ the Lord has begun…Merry Christmas!

Lord, I love You and adore You.  I thank You for the unfathomable gift of Your divine presence among us.  I thank You, especially, for the invitation You offer me to join the poor shepherds as they come to adore You.  May this Christmas celebration be one in which I understand, more deeply, the incredible love You have for all Your children.  May I know that You came for

Teach Us To Pray

Joyful Noise

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Season of thanksgiving in prayer

In Psalm 98, all of creation is called upon to make a joyful noise before God, for the Lord has come to “judge the earth,” and restore His Creation. We should not fail to see our own hand at work in the destruction of creation, in our sins of waste and decadence. This “judgment of the earth” is, in some part, a judgment of us as caretakers. But God is merciful and full of grace, and rather than leave everything in our hands, He gives us the Life-giver. This beautiful hymn makes the connection between the coming of Christ into this world and the beginning of that restoration. Christ brings “joy to the world,” a light where there is darkness, growth where there is decay. And we, along with all Creation, respond with a song of praise. Singing is praying twice so let our hearts sing!

Joy to the world the Lord is come

Let earth receive her king

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and Heaven and nature sing

We will sing, sing, sing

Joy to the world

We will sing, sing, sing

Joy to the world the savior reigns

Let men their songs employ

While fields and floods rocks hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

We will sing, sing, sing

Joy to the world

We will sing, sing, sing

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love

And wonders of His love

And wonders, wonders of His love

Joy to the world

We will sing, sing, sing

Joyful, joyful we adore Thee

God of glory, Lord of love

And hearts unfold like flowers before Thee

Opening to the sun above

Joyful, joyful we adore Thee

God of glory, Lord of love

And hearts unfold like flowers before Thee

Opening to the sun above

Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful)

Song by Phil Wickham ‧ 2019

Teach Us To Pray

Emmanuel, God With Us

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

O Emmanuel, King and Lawgiver, Desire of the Nations, Savior of all People, come and set us free, Lord our God. 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appears.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

Continue reading “Emmanuel, God With Us” →
Teach Us To Pray

King of All Nations

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from dust!

O King of us all.
I find myself standing before
your strength and splendor
watching, waiting
and filled with total joy.

You have lifted my mind in hope.
Now help me to open my life
the coming of the Spirit.

I want to be like Mary, your mother.
Her wonderful courage and strength
inspire me to do the same.
She simply said Yes
and the impossible was done.

Thank you for this Advent journey.
The anticipation has filled my life
and made me long for
a closer relationship with you.

My life gets so busy that I forget to focus.
Thank you for your guidance.
Thank you for the quiet moments
when I have felt your love.

Nothing will be impossible with God.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Jesus, King of all nations, shine your light on all my allegiances, and show me how they should be ordered. Help me serve your nation – the church – better than I have. Show me how and where to devote myself and my abilities.  Every day it becomes more and more important to celebrate anything that makes us think beyond what it means to be an American in order to become a wild, loving Christian let loose in the world to fill it with love.