Tag: mary

Embracing the ‘You-Me’ Concept in Advent Reflections

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Advent, Catholic

AI Generated. Mary is too tall and Elizabeth is too young. AI – fizzle

Greetings on this the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Readings: Mi 5:1-4a; Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19.; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45

Summary

By way of the cycles and the calendar year the gospel reading for Saturday of the Third Week of Advent and for the Fourth Sunday of Advent are identical. The reading differences are in the First & second reading and Psalm responsorial.

Reflection

Yesterday I described the reflection as a call to love in the book Song of Songs. While the lovers in the Song are clearly human figures, both Jewish and Christian traditions across the centuries have adopted “allegorical” interpretations (NABRE Commentary).

Today the supporting theme to the Visitation is the power of God to make real the promises he has made to us and the method by which the promise is fulfilled (who and how). With an ending thoughts for “you-me”.

Regarding the Christ as the WHO promise:

He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.

And from the Letter to the Hebrews the HOW:

Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

So together Saturday and Sunday harmonize the reason, the person and the method of salvation.

Love, in Christ, by redemption.

In our gospel portion is the “me” point of the gospel. Yes, the direct persons are Mary and Elizabeth of course and we delight in praising them and praising the Lord for this marvelous dialog. But here is the part for the you-me. Yes, a new phrase, you-me. You are the Me of Elizabeth.

And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Well, she does. To you-me.

And from our Alleluia verse, you are the me (in your own way):

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.

YOU-me. Mary and Elizabeth invite you to experience the Lord as ‘me’.

Personal Reflection

From time to time I also get confused and can fall into the trap of the you is not me but someone else more worthy.

No, the you is me – you-me. Me and you. No carve out exceptions.

Come share Mary’s and Elizabeth’s JOY. You. I mean Me. All us Me-ees.

Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122224.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Celebrating Juan Diego and Divine Promises

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Advent, Catholic

Unlocking a blessing – Amen!

Greetings on this the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Readings: ZEC 2:14-17; JUDITH 13:18BCDE, 19; alt Lk 1:39-47

Summary

Amen on the trail of liberation

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice:
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

Reflection

A beautiful Franciscan Reflection on Our Lady and Juan Diego is here: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/our-lady-of-guadalupe/

Life is a pilgrimage into an unknown future. But not all things are unknown. We know the love of our families, the friendship of community and the certainty of the divine promises. We are given to act rationally, prudently and with wisdom. And we are to embrace the divine wisdom of unconditional love. Believe, Bless and Rejoice.

Cuauhtlatohuac meets Mary

Elizabeth and Juan Diego share a very important role. They are the Amen to the promise. A blessings (benediction) is sealed (made complete) by the Amen of the hearer (as the final witness to the benediction). Elizabeth unlocks the blessing of Mary by proclaiming in a loud voice. Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma where the roses had been appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac.

  • It is then that Mary proclaims the Magnificat.
  • It is then the bishop reorders the Church for the indigenous and The Virgin of Guadalupe.

Your Amen, all your Amen’s, in every prayer are the sealing effects of believing becomes blessing becomes rejoicing.

Personal Reflection

Never underestimate your importance in sealing – Amen-ing – the blessings of the Lord. Elizabeth, Juan Diego and you all have the capacity to believe, bless and rejoice!

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121224.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Understanding the Immaculate Conception of Mary

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Advent, Catholic

Mary consoles Eve and the rest of us too

Greetings on this the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings: Gn 3:9-15, 20; PS 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4; Eph 1:3-6, 11-12; Lk 1:26-38

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

What is it?

In 1854, Pius IX solemnly proclaimed: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” Thus Immaculate Conception.

How developed?

It took a long time for this doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and Doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless—either at her conception or throughout her life.

Franciscan Reflection

The logic of piety helped God’s people to believe that Mary was full of grace and free of sin from the first moment of her existence. Moreover, this great privilege of Mary is the highlight of all that God has done in Jesus. Rightly understood, the incomparable holiness of Mary shows forth the incomparable goodness of God.

Reference: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

Further Study

For an easy to read book on Mary. Mary through the centuries, Jaroslav Pelikan, Yale University Press, 1996.

Summary

Mary was chosen from before time itself. In her conception she was preserved from the effects of original sin because she was ‘conceived’ in the Father’s heart before imperfection of sin occurred. Her natural human conception, singularly graced, brought about the perfect temple from which the Lord came forth to live and share his life with us. We look to the the Greek named book of the generation (genesis) of the heavens and earth (Genesis) which is also known as Bereshit – In the Beginning. It is there we learn her offspring, Jesus, will strike the serpent a fatal blow.

This savior, saving also Mary from the effects of sin a priori, gives us all hope in the divine promise.

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.

Reflection

  1. The angel Gabriel was sent from God.
  2. And coming to [Mary], he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.

Personal Reflection

We celebrate everyone we love. As a general rule we can say, Who doesn’t love their Mom? Love seeks to know. Know where you came from, who your grandparents are, and what was your life’s course before I came to be. In Mary, the questions go so much deeper! Full of Grace before even the Angel approached her. Sharing herself with the Holy Spirit overshadowing her for the birth of Jesus, God and man. And what did she do in this amazing moment? Rush to the side of Elizabeth to help her in her hour of need. Love and service.

Greetings Mary! Full of Grace, help us your children love your Son and serve our human family.

Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120924.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry