St John of Kanty, priest4th Week of Advent (A) : Friday 23rd December 2022Mal. 3:1-4,23-24; Ps. 24:4-5,8-9,10,14; Lk. 1:57-66 (Ps. Wk. IV) Malachi prophesied that God would send a special messenger. This messenger would arrive before the Lord’s return to Hs temple. But this would not be easy for the people, for there was refining…
Lord, may I rejoice in Your greatness daily4th Week of Advent (A) : Thursday 22nd December 20221 Sam. 1:24-28; (R. Ps.) 1 Sam. 2:1,4-5, 6-7,8; Lk. 1:46-56 (Ps. Wk. IV) When Hannah bears her son, she names him Samuel, which means “he who is from God”. When she brings him to the temple, it is…
They are happy, whose God is the Lord4th Week of Advent (A) : Wednesday 21st December 2022Songs 2:8-14 or Zeph. 3:14-18a; Ps. 32:2-3,1 1-12,20-21; Lk. 1:39-45 (Ps. Wk. IV) Zephaniah was a prophet (640-621 B.C.) to the people of Judah who had forsaken God, worshipped idols and lived sinfully. The book’s first two chapters warn…
Mother Mary, thank you. Help us to say YES to our God too4th Week of Advent (A) : Tuesday 20th December 2022Is. 7:10-14; Ps. 23:1-2,3-4,5-6; Lk. 1:26-38 (Ps. Wk. IV) Today, we are invited once again to recall and meditate on the moment when our Christmas joy began to enter our human history: the Annunciation…
Lord, help me to be a faithful believer in Your goodness4th Week of Advent (A) : Monday 19th December 2022Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps. 70:3-6,16-17; Lk 1:5-25 (Ps. Wk. IV) Today’s readings are about barren women who were given a son by the power of God. In Judges, there is an account of a barren woman…
All Glory be to Jesus. our Messiah and King4th Week of Advent (A) : Sunday 18th December 2022Is. 7:10–14; Ps. 23:1-6; Rom 1:1-7; Mt. 1:18–24 (Ps. Wk. IV) When we contemplate the ‘Annunciation’, we often pray with Mary, but today’s Gospel reading focuses on the role of Joseph. We see in Joseph one who submitted…
All Glory be to Jesus. our Messiah and King3rd Week of Advent (A) : Saturday 17th December 2022Gen. 49:2,8-10; Ps. 71:1-2,3-4,7-8,17; Mt. 1:1-17 (Ps. Wk. III) The first reading describes Jacob’s deathbed blessing of his sons and the characteristics and future destiny of the twelve tribes of Israel. What is clear is the allusion to…
Thank you, Father God, for sending Jesus your Son to us3rd Week of Advent (A) : Friday 16th December 2022Is. 56:1-3, 6-8; Ps. 66 (67):2-3, 5, 7-8; Jn 5:33-36 (Ps. Wk. III) Jesus says He is the truth and is doing the Father’s work because the Father has sent Him. Yes, understanding what is true…
Lord, help me to recognise my sinfulness 3rd Week of Advent (A) : Thursday 15th December 2022Is 54:1-10; Ps. 29:2,4-6,11-13; Lk 7:24-30 (Ps. Wk. III) The passage from Isaiah is full of images of promise and hope for the people of Israel. The Israelites were in exile, and times had been tough. Isaiah’s prophecy was…
St John of the Cross, priest & doctor3rd Week of Advent (A) : Wednesday 14th December 2022Is. 45:6-8,18,21-25; Ps. 84:8-13; Lk. 7:19-23 (Ps. Wk. III) The people of Israel have waited longingly for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist was thought to be the Messiah, but he was not. Now he wanted to…