Tagged: Daily Reflection

“He will sit refining and purifying [silver], and He will purify the sons of Levi.” –Malachi 3:3 Before Christ’s coming this Christmas, we must be purified. In fact, that’s putting it mildly. We need to be refined by fire and have our crimson-stained sins (Is 1:18) whitened by “the fuller’s lye” (Mal 3:2). We need to be purged, detoxified, and baptized in repentance (Mk 1:4). Most Christians don’t consider themselves so dirty as to require such extreme forms of purification. I’m sure Zechariah, being a just man and a blameless priest (Lk 1:6), didn’t think he needed nine months of...

“I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.” –1 Samuel 2:1 Hannah prophesied that the bows of the mighty would be broken (1 Sm 2:4) and that the Lord would lift up the poor to be seated with nobles (1 Sm 2:8). Hannah does not explicitly prophesy the downfall of the powerful but only the empowerment of the poor. Mary’s prophecy in today’s Gospel reading is much more revolutionary. She proclaimed that the proud would be confused and the mighty deposed from their thrones (Lk 1:51-52). In Mary’s prophecy, the lowly will not join the powerful but...

“Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel.” –Zephaniah 3:14 Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. Birthday parties often feature shouting and singing. The birthday boy or girl usually shouts when opening the presents. Then, of course, everybody sings “Happy Birthday.” If Jesus is going to have a real birthday party this Christmas, we must give Him presents that will get Him to shout and “sing joyfully…as one sings at festivals” (Zep 3:17-18). Pretty packages, a cake, and candles will not get Jesus to sing. In fact, it’s difficult to give Him a birthday or Christmas gift because He already...

“Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” –Luke 1:43 During the days of the prophets Micah and Isaiah, things were bad and getting worse. The poor were oppressed, the threat of war overshadowed life, and God’s people were not about to repent. In the midst of this darkness, the Lord gave His people hope by announcing through Micah that someday Someone would be born in Bethlehem Who would bring peace and be Peace (Mi 5:4). God’s people waited over seven-hundred years for the Ruler-Shepherd of Bethlehem. He was named “Jesus,” that is, “Savior,” and...

“O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.” –Psalm 71:4 The Lord rescues His people by creating new people. Samson (Jgs 13:24) and John the Baptizer (Lk 1:24) from today’s readings are examples of this. However, our Western society is a “culture of death.” It doesn’t want many new people. It is contraceptive and abortifacient rather than fruitful and pro-life. The Lord rescues His people by calling them to commitment. For example, Samson and John the Baptizer committed themselves to be lifelong Nazirites (Jgs 13:5; Lk 1:15). However, our society believes in avoiding commitment. The Lord rescues...