Advent Daily Reflections Header

 

 




The Octave Day of Christmas

Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

Readings of the Day
[link removed]

Happy New Year! Let's begin today slowing down to read and
reflect. Breathing out 2021 and breathing in hope for 2022. May
"The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine
upon you and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!" Our Abba Father offers good to each of us, our
loved ones, and the most vulnerable throughout Catholic Charities.

Through these unyielding years of difficulty, "May God bless us
in his mercy. May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his
face shine upon us." Many of us have walked alongside those
suffering for years, decades, or even a lifetime. Current global
hardships have escaped no one. In this deepened solidarity, may we
know and trust the equity of God's love for all. May we see
Emmanuel in every life we encounter. May we humble ourselves, seek out
and learn from the least of these, the marginalized, the oppressed,
the silenced, the frail, the most vulnerable.

"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in
these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son." The
Gospel shares, "The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and
found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger." The
shepherds were considered the least of these, the informally or
uneducated. They were hard working caregivers of land and animals.
Yet, God chose them to be the first to witness and know the Child of
God, Emmanuel, who was born experiencing homelessness, amid unsanitary
conditions to young parents who would become refugees. Our Abba Father
chose the least of these for this holy encounter. They were amazed.
They chose to listen to the angel/God's invitation, to listen,
to go, to see, to believe, to share and to glorify and praise God.

May we receive God's invitations this 2022. May we have ears
that listen, eyes that see and hands that serve. Despite temptations
toward silence and indifference, may we bless and keep others. May our
faces shine upon those within our homes, workplaces, schools and
parishes. May we be gracious, kind and nurture peace. May we love
others because God first loved us. May we see the face of God in every
person we encounter. We are blessed to be invited into His mission
work. May 2022 be healing and renewing.

Malissa Geer Larson serves as the Sr. Director of Community and Faith
Engagement for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Phoenix with the
mission work to walk alongside and serve the community's most
vulnerable with solutions that permanently improve lives.




View this message in your browser. 
[link removed]

Forward this message.
Update your email preferences.
[link removed]
[link removed]