Category: Bible Reading & Meditation
“He will purify the sons of Levi.” —Malachi 3:3 Two days before Christmas, the Church reads to us from Malachi the prophet. Malachi prophesied to priests, calling them to greater holiness and leadership in worship and instruction (Mal 1:6; 2:1, 6-7). Malachi foretells that priests, that is, “the sons of Levi,” will be refined in fire “like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord” (Mal 3:3). Zechariah was a priest (Lk 1:5). He was struck mute because of his disbelief in God’s Good News to him (Lk 1:20). When Zechariah the priest obeyed God’s...
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“When Joseph awoke he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him.” —Matthew 1:24 Many of you have Christmas planned. You’re going to go to certain parties, see certain family members and friends, and give specific presents. You expect to receive a few presents yourself along with some Christmas goodies. The Christmas you have planned is about the same as last year’s Christmas, with a few minor variations. What if Jesus decided to change your Christmas plans dramatically? Would you let Him be Lord of your Christmas? Ahaz had plans about how to avoid destruction by the Assyrians....
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“Hark! my lover — here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills.” —Song of Songs 2:8 At the very beginning of her pregnancy, Mary visited Elizabeth. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blest are you among women and blest is the Fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’ ” (Lk 1:41-43) Both Elizabeth and John responded to Jesus’ presence and Mary’s visitation with praise in the Holy...
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“Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you.” —Luke 1:28 Rejoice unto the Lord for the time is fulfilled, the time long awaited by King David when his throne would be established forever (2 Sm 7:16); the time awaited by St. Paul when God’s mystery, kept hidden for hundreds of years, would be revealed (Rm 16:25); the time awaited by God’s people and fulfilled in Mary when she conceived by the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). What joyous expectations have been fulfilled in the birth of Jesus! So often we seek joy, peace and comfort in unusual places —...
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“Do not be frightened, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.” —Luke 1:13 St. Luke’s gospel text gives us several clues to Zechariah’s background. Zechariah and Elizabeth were advancing in age. Elizabeth was past the age of bearing children (Lk 1:18, 36). Apparently, some years before, Zechariah had prayed for children; hence, the angel says: “Your prayer has been heard” (Lk 1:13). Zechariah’s startled and skeptical reaction indicates that he probably had forgotten about this prayer and perhaps hadn’t prayed for a child in quite a few years. Sometimes we Christians assume that prayer has a kind of spiritual statute of...
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