Grief

No One goes missing – Sunday

November 2, 2025November 2, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, creation, Grief, Penitential, Pilgrimage

A colorful religious artwork depicting a procession of saints, showcasing a diverse group of figures adorned with halos, each representing different saints in various garments. — Saints come in all shapes and sizes

Greetings on this the The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
(All Souls)
Readings: Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40

This homily is given at the 10:30 AM Mass.

Facebook vid of Mass

Summary

The liturgy of All Saints (a Solemnity) and the liturgy of All Souls Days (a Commemoration) are in perfect harmony of the Order of Christian Funerals. All Saints, just a day ago, and Hallow Eve (the Vigil of All Saints) are the trifecta of memories!

After I was ordained, a priest friend counselled me on the most important things I can do to help the faithful in the course of their lives. He said, “For deacons, there are three times where you have the unique ability to aid people in their spiritual lives as a minister and they are:

Hatch
Match
and Dispatch

translating the Sacraments and Service of:

Baptism
Matirmony
Funeral Liturgy

I always listen closely to a holy priest.

All Saints and All Souls encompasses everyone.

In these special holy days of the Church at prayer, we keep a special place in our hearts for the Church Triumphant and the Church Suffering. Loosely translated again:

Those we ‘know‘ are in heaven either through declared Sainthood known or Saints unknown or in our hearts certainty.
Those who have died recently and/or can be presumed to be in Purgatory – the final preparation to see God face-to-face.

A portrait of Saint Catherine of Siena, depicted with a crown of thorns and holding a cross, conveying a sense of reverence and spirituality.

But the relationships are the same, only the prayer focus is different.

But most important our memory. I invite you now to take a moment to listen to your own heart. Remembering those who have gone before you. Mothers, Fathers, Aunt, Uncles, Friends, Kind Strangers, our beloved Saint Mark’s priests who have passed, teachers/mentors/neighbors, Difficult people who always caused us grief, that is to say, everyone that comes to mind right now during this Holy Mass. For the rest of this Mass, direct your prayers and thoughts about and to those who have gone before.

I will pause here for a moment. Remember is the Anamnesis is the technical Greek term meaning “to make present again” through remembrance. This is central rational to our faith.

(pause)

We pray for those in purgation – as like any life improvement we have already experienced is what we can call a good pain. Losing weight is a good pain, kicking an addiction is a good pain, mastering a skill is a good pain, and learning to love again, is a good pain. Seeing God face-to-face in stages is as like the lifting of a thick fog in the early morning, both painful and joyful, but always, finally, successful. We pray for their journey. We pray for their Exodus. IN a way, we are souls in Purgatory too (for some in this life, difficultly is constant), so we pray and ask them to pray for us, even as they continue their own prayer and sanctification.

We pray with the Saints, who have entered the Exodus of Jesus, that is, who have entered the passion of Jesus, and are moved and in constant motion of prayer for us. We thank them, we ask them to help in particular ways. Patron Saints are honored and moved by are particular concerns.

This Church and her doors should be likened to the Gates of Heaven. When you enter here, all the living and dead are here too! We call them dead because they are radically separated body and soul. Our interaction with them is spiritually bases. But they are very much alive as Jesus has conquered death!

Let us remember too, the center of a Funeral is the Holy Eucharist as the communion of the entirety of the Church, just like we are gather here today.

This is why we recommend very powerfully that a Funeral Mass be said for those who have died. In the Mass and in the funeral rite, the Christian community keeps watch with one another in prayer to the God of Mercy and to find strength in Christ’s presence. We celebrate Christ’s victory over sin and death, commend our brother/sister to God’s tender mercy and compassion, seeking strength in the paschal mystery (the Passion of Jesus). As one body in Christ in signs and symbols, word and gesture that each believer, through baptism, shares in Christ’s death and resurrection. And one day all the elect will be raised up and be united in the kingdom of light and peace.

Each of these will be remembered during this Mass several times through your remembering and through the liturgy, throughout the Church and through the month of November.

Right now in your participation in this homily. You aren’t just listening, you are directing prayer.
In the Prayers of the Faithful.
Our presider will read the names of the deceased perishoners of 2025 and remembered throughout the month of November.
In the Eucharistic prayer.

This is our one time per year, that no matter the reason someone was missed (or we missed their funeral) it cannot be we end the Liturgical year without remembering them. ALL.OF.THEM.

Reflection

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. [Because] I will dwell in the house of the LORD for endless days. [By the divine action] God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day. (Wis 3:1, P 23:6, Rom 5:8, Jn 6:40).

Personal Reflection

Before I conclude, again a pause, silently recall and move your lips remembering the names of those you lost.

(pause)

From the opening prayer for All the Dead

O God, who willed that your only Begotten Son, having conquered death, should pass over into the realm of heaven, grant we pray, to your departed servants, that with the mortality of this life overcome, they may gaze eternally on you their Creator and Redeemer. And let the people say: Amen!

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110225.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

No One goes missing

November 1, 2025November 1, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, creation, Grief, Penitential, Pilgrimage

Greetings on this the The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
(All Souls)
Readings: Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40

This homily is given at the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass.

Summary

The liturgy of All Saints (a Solemnity) and the liturgy of All Souls Days (a Commemoration) are in perfect harmony of the Order of Christian Funerals. Since we still have the aroma of this morning’s Solemnity Mass, we can hardly fail to mention it at the Vigil of the Commemoration.

All Saints and All Souls encompasses everyone.

The dividing line can be thought of in two ways.

Those we ‘know‘ are in heaven either through declared Sainthood known or Saints unknown or in our hearts certainty.
Those who have died recently and/or can be presumed to be in Purgatory – the final preparation to see God face-to-face.

But the relationships are the same, only the prayer focus is different.

I will pause here for a moment. Remember is the Anamnesis is the technical Greek term meaning “to make present again” through remembrance. This is central rational to our faith.

(pause)

We pray for those in purgation – as like any life improvement we have already experienced is what we can call a good pain. Losing weight is a good pain, kicking an addiction is a good pain, mastering a skill is a good pain, and learning to love again, is a good pain. Seeing God face-to-face in stages is as like the lifting of a thick fog in the early morning, both painful and joyful, but always, finally, successful. We pray for their journey. We pray for their Exodus. We are souls in Purgatory too (for some in this life, difficult), so we pray and ask them to pray for us, even as they continue their own prayer.

This Church and her doors should be likened to the Gates of Heaven. When you enter here, all the living and dead are here too! We call them dead because they are radically separated body and soul. OU rinteraction is spiritually alone. But they are very much alive as Jesus conquered death!

Let us remember too, the center of a Funeral is the Holy Eucharist as the communion of the entirety of the Church, just like we are gather here today.

Each of these will be remembered during this Mass several times through your remembering and through the liturgy, throughout the Church and through the month of November.

Right now in your participation in this homily. You aren’t just listening, you are directing prayer.
In the Prayers of the Faithful.
Our poster board of the deceased perishoners of 2025 displayed in the back of the Church (throughout the month of November).
In the Eucharistic prayer.

This is our one time per year, that no matter the reason someone was missed (or we missed their funeral) it cannot be we end the Liturgical year without remembering them. ALL.OF.THEM.

Reflection

Personal Reflection

Before I conclude, again a pause, silently recall and move your lips remembering the names of those you lost.

(pause)

From the opening prayer for All the Dead

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110225.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Psalm 24 Binds Us Together in Prayer

November 1, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, creation, Grief

A close-up of intricate stone sculptures depicting angels and figures at the entrance of a historic cathedral. — Photo by Julia Volk on Pexels.com

Greetings on this the Solemnity of All Saints
Readings: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a

Summary

The liturgy of All Saints (Solemnity) and the liturgy of All Souls Days (Commemoration) are in perfect harmony of the Order of Christian Funerals. With the exception of one psalm, which I will describe shortly, all the same sacred readings as available in the Funeral Liturgy. The funeral liturgy has many options for Old Testament, New Testament and Gospel readings but these stand out as central to our prayers:

The Prayer with the Dead alive in Heaven. Dedicated to all who have entered heaven, including the saints recognized by the Church and those not but who pray with and for us and work with the Lord to help us in our militant struggles.
The Prayer for the Dead alive but suffering. Dedicate to those who have recently died and need our prayerful aid to reach Heaven. They too are learning to pray for others and pray for us as we pray for them.
The Prayer by the Dead for the Militant Earthbound. Both those in Heaven and those in Purgatory pray for us. In the first case, it is their passion in the Lord and in the second case their purification.

When we are able to have a Christian burial these readings are used. If for whatever reason you are not able to make a funeral of a loved one, these Holy Days allows us to pray for them together in the same way we would or did in a Funeral with Mass or a Funeral without Mass liturgy we had for them or wished we had for them. Today is a perfect day to remember them.

A purple liturgical stole with gold embroidery and fringe, symbolizing solemnity and reverence in religious ceremonies.

So Saturday and Sunday are particularly helpful to us in our grief, in our hopes and in the expression of trust in the divine. He has overcome death for us and for our eternal joy.

All of this bound to the liturgy described by the 24th Psalm. Which, in summary, expresses the Liturgy of the Holy Mass.

Old Testament Readings

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
Wisdom 3:1-9, Wisdom 4:7-15, Isa 25:6-9

Psalmology

Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 – the stand out.

New Testament Readings

1 John 3:1-3
Romans 5:5-11 or Romans 6:3-9 (options) or 1 Cor 15:51-57, Phil 3:20-21, 2 COR 4:14-5:1

Gospel Readings

Matthew 5:1-12a
John 6:37-40, Jn 14:1-6, Jn 14:2:13-22

Psalm 24

Psalm 24 is considered a Liturgical Psalm. It parallels perfectly the purpose and flow of the Holy Mass. It has a specific flow:

It commemorates the entry of God and the people into the Temple (The Mountain – Entrance procession and song of praise in the Church).
The praise of creation – the works of the Lord – natural and salvific (Pentitential Rite, Gloria).
The people affirm their belief in God (Apostle’s Creed).
We bow low in supplication and awe (Prayers of the Faithful).
Lift High your gates – the elimination of barriers to salvation and the New Jerusalem (Liturgy of the Eucharistic Sacrifice).

The earth is the LORD’s and all it holds, the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it on the seas, established it over the rivers. Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place? “The clean of hand and pure of heart, who has not given his soul to useless things, what is vain. He will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from his saving God. Such is the generation that seeks him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.” Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. Who is this king of glory? the LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in war. Lift up your heads, O gates; rise up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the king of glory (PS 24).

Mass, in particularly Funeral Mass

Reflection

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.” Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. (Rev 7:10b, Jn 3:2, Matt 5:12a).

Personal Reflection

On this occasion remember your beloved dead. Come to Mass today and tomorrow. Pray for them, and pray with them. Pray with heaven and earth for the good of all creation.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110125.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Thrive!

October 5, 2025October 6, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Grief, Justice

A person standing with arms outstretched in a forest of tall trees, sunlight filtering through the foliage above. — Like a Lebanon Cedar

Greetings on this the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10

Summary

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you (LK 17:5-6).

Just to be clear, Jesus is not advocating destroying trees. A tree would not survive in the ocean, much less thrive, as it cannot place roots and the excess salt would be intolerable.

He is saying you must have faith. If you are in circumstances that seem as impossible as a tree growing in the sea, you can and must thrive anyway.

Broke your leg? – thrive.
Lost your job? – thrive.
Heartbroken? – thrive.
Mistreated? – thrive.

In our first reading today, the prophet Habakkuk is complaining to the Lord. The situation is less than ideal.

Violence.
Misery.
Destruction.
Strife.
Clamerous discord.
And, basically, all the wonders of the past (Exodus) I’m not sure I believe anymore.

He isn’t exzxaggerating, nor does the Lord make light of the circumstances Habakkuk described.

Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision; Make it plain upon tablets so that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is a witness for the appointed time, a testimony to the end; it will not disappoint. If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. See, the rash have no integrity; but the just one who is righteous because of faith shall live (Habakkuk 2:2-4).

The psalmist recalls even during the Exodus we sometimes faulter in our faith.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.” (PS 95:8-9).

Shift to Thriving

The psalmist offers this perspective.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him. (PS 95:1-2)

And, the second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy, reminds him the Gifts Timothy Has Received.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Tim 1:1-9).

Reflection

We see the realization of the Lord’s presence even in the most difficult circumstances. Saint Francis of Assisi, even with such physical distress, remained joyful. The Prophets Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Amos all came to the same conclusion. Life is difficult. Choose your difficult. The Lord is present and aiding us even in these dire circumstances.

Personal Reflection

Saint Paul has a thorn in the flesh. It was important enough to pray about and record the response. My Grace is sufficient.

For me, I have tried to make the transition from giving difficulty more power than it deserves. Name and recognize, sure. But deny power of your person to it, rather, submit and rest in the hands of a loving God.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100525.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

First Saturday Home

October 4, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Grief, Penitential

Pope Francis called us to encounter what we wish to avoid. Pope Leo XIV tells us do so as community – “as common one”.

10:30 AM

4:00 PM

Charlie Kirk

September 18, 2025September 18, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Grief, Justice, Uncategorized

Our first priority is the salvation of Souls. Our conjoined priority is the restoration of our humanity.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may the Perpetual Light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

As for Tyler Robinson, repentance and renewal. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing (1 Jn 1:9).

Amen.

Very sad. Nobody deserves death for political statements. May he rest in peace. His theology was basicaĺly sound. This is what makes him an enigma.

Enigma of Christian Nationalism

For me: his theology is sound. His poly-religion was terrible and divisive. He exhibited moral theology without the Theo, empathy being the pathos of God. His personal and public personas were in deep contradiction.

For others: he gave voice to the grievances of so many on so many topics. His conclusions were a mixed bag of spot-on and wacky as the wackos he reviled. But most substantially he used moral theology to justify his objectionable poly-religious views. And gives poor intellectual permission for others to do the same.

I wish he had lived and not suffered this fate. He was privately likable and publicly as to true theology, anathema. He had the potential to be great. Rest in peace. Divine aid for his family. And freedom from the frenzy.

It comes as no surprise the twin knee-jerk opposing reactions: 1) martyr of truth, and; 2) ‘serves him right’. Both equally vile, gutteral responses.

Christ’s sword is nothing like the rhetoric. I fear for the young associated and spiritually maimed by Turning Point. The Gospel of compassion is made an empty promise.

Critical thinking, once taught, is abandoned. Freedom FROM and Freedom TO are to be kept in a healthy tension not flopped over as if enough religious violence isn’t enough. Questioning citizenship, scholarship, speech, and morality into a narrow band of thought- unsustainable. The worst is abandoning public ethics as if the high moral standard declared is built on the absence of ethical conduct.

Peace be with you,

Deacon Gerry

Grief without Hope

September 1, 2025August 31, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Grief

A cluster of various padlocks attached to a metal structure, surrounded by green foliage. — Love as Locks to illustrate permanence

Greetings on this the Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Psalm 96:1 and 3, 4-5, 11-12, 13; Luke 4:16-30

Summary

The Christian vision of life and death transforms grief into hope, because faith anchors love in divine permanence.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep (1 Thes 4:13-14).

Thomas Hobbes Dour View

Life without faith is a grueling experience. In the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes’s 1651 work Leviathan, he described the “state of nature” as nasty, brutish, and short. It is a very pessimistic view of life in its origin, experience and the final end. Without faith, it colors everything we see, feel, and experience. The faithless life builds a pericopes of scripture as to make them moot (or so it would seem).

This is the core point of today’s gospel portion. In summary here is the outline.

The Rejection at Nazareth

The Anointed Bearer of Glad Tidings

Jesus returns to Nazareth.
Jesus attends synagogue.
He was asked to read.
He reads ISA 61:1-2a. The Spirit of the Lord is Upon me…
He sits down and He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing (LK 4:21).”

Response amazement and Disbelief

And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth (LK 4:22a).
[but] They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph (LK 4:22b)?”

Jesus Reveals their Deep Lack of Faith

Their point? Only miracles for me and mine are miracles and only by prophets otherwise they are mere fables these stories we hear about you in Capernaum.

He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” (LK 4:23)
And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place (Lk 4:24).

Foreigners and Widows

Jesus replies, in essence, isn’t it true the Lord heals foreigners and widows? Do you think this a fable, too?

It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon (LK 4:26).
Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” (LK 4:27).

Enraged

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away (Lk 4:28-30).

One could sum things up this way: If God doesn’t do it for me, it isn’t happening. Now, most theologians will talk about Jesus as a prophet (anointed, miracle feeding, miracle healing x-ref Elijah and Elisha) and how this confrontation is used to establish the Messianic role. All this is true. But our first reading today asks us to look from another angle, that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

Lack of Faith is being without hope

Lack of faith says: he isn’t anointed therefore he cannot bring good news.
Lack of faith says: if he cannot bring good news, he cannot do good things.
Lack of faith says: if he can’t do good things, throw him off the cliff as a useless pretender.

Faith and Hope

For Hobbes: Life ends in the abyss of nothingness. For Paul: Life ends in union with Christ—“Thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Songs of Zion

The responsorial psalm is a praise of Zion, the city in which God dwells among the people. Have faith that Jesus dwelt among us (and dwells even now).

Hope for the Christian Dead

Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words (1 Thes 4:17b-18).

Have faith ==> He is Risen! He is Ascended! He sits at the Right Hand of the Father.

Reflection

Our grief is in the separation and a need for expression but not the obliteration of those we love. Love is not a mere disembodied energy that lives of itself or dies when one dies!

Symbolic representation

A Loves B. Notation as A<===>B.

<===> does not exist of itself. Relation does not exist without relation.

It exists in A and B, both, forever. <===> is the evidence of the perpetual nature of love.

It can also be rendered as symbolic – AB.

Note: Love as Potential or Love as a State of Being (divine) is not in conflict with this view of Love as Relation (for the purist philosophers among us please relax). Saint Augustine would describe it as Bonds of Love.

Grief with Hope

Trust your grief to the hope of reunion. God does not disappoint. He does it for everyone. Love is not wasted. Love is not lost. Love is with its infinite power of the divine imprint. Because you are A. And He is B. Together, AB. Including foreigners and widows.

To grieve with faith is not to deny sorrow, but to anchor it in the promise that love endures, because God Himself is love.

Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090125.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Postscript: I asked for a writing assist from ChatGPT. I find the assistance extremely helpful. My process is as follows:

Write what you want to write with all the discipline and contemplation needed.\
Mark it up and fix the minor grammatical and structural kinks.
Ask ChatGPT to review. Then:
- Consider carefully any suggestions.
- Research any ideas.
- Implement any suggestions slowly
- Reassess each iteration.
This actually builds upon your strengths and deepens your thinking process.

When from the darkness

July 4, 2025July 4, 2025 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Grief

By Brendan McLaughlin

When from the darkness comes no light, when from the weeping comes no laughter; when in the day we hope for night nor any comfort coming after:

Grant us your peace.

When in our confidence our fears Clutch at the heart and make us tremble; When in our joy we weep cold tears, And in our frankness we disassemble:

Grant us your light.

When in our love there is no care, And in our yearning we are dullness; When what we know we cannot dare, And we are nothing that is fullness:

Grant us your truth.

O Antiphons 2024

December 17, 2024December 17, 2024 by Gerry Palermo, posted in Advent, Catholic, Grief

O Antiphones

Evening prayer for the 7 days leading up to Christmas Eve contains a special focus. The Antiphon for the evening Canticle of Mary starts with the mystery of Salvation History. It starts with creation and completes with Emmanuel – God is with us! 2024 Refresh.

The Canticle of Mary is given especially heightened emphasis as her great “Yes” to the Lord comes to fruition in the birth of the Son of God, Son of Man. This Magnificat prayer is directly from scripture Gospel of Luke (1:46-55). Stylized version below:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly farmer’s foot.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Below each O Antiphon and a mini reflection on each. Perhaps this can be your evening prayer leading up to Christmas Eve?

December 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!

Reflection: From the dawn of creation the Lord God had but one purpose, to share his infinite love. When we contemplate creation and even contemplate love itself, it is the Wisdom of God that informs us and makes intelligible his plan.

We desire to know. We desire to know him. Know him as like a Mother holds a baby. Mary held Emmanuel in her loving arms. Simeon did as well. So shall you, my friends.