Tag: prayer

O Antiphons 2025

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Advent, Catholic

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! 2025 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.

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

December 18
O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!

Reflection: The Lord God rescues us from our folly. We have this tendency to enslave others. The entire nation of Israel needed to be freed. Through His mighty power He freed them and gave Moses the Law on Mount Sinai.

The Law serves two purposes: to alert us to our negative tendencies (shall not) and to bring us to our highest perfection, to wit, Keep Holy this Day of the Lord. Mary’s keep (her womb and gift) and the fruit is her Son.

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!
Reflection: The Lord God has never forgotten. Wait on the Lord, He shall not delay. The Root of Jesse, long thought dead (400 years of no prophets speaking!). Yet now, through the earth or root of Mary comes Emmanuel.

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

December 20
O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

Reflection: The darkness of man is over. We are prisoners no longer to ignorance. Knowing God incarnate shall make us like Moses. We shall walk with God as one walks with a friend (Ex 33:11). Mary is the first to speak to Jesus. What did she say?

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

December 21
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Reflection: We live under the shadow of death. Each of us facing that final justice. May this Perpetual Light shine on us in this life and the life to come! May justice, the Justice Mary proclaims in her song, be ours in this Emmanuel!

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

December 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

Reflection: We are dust and to dust we shall return. But not just dust. Breath. Rûaħ. You, O God, have made this dust alive with your own breath. Save your breath so closely knitted and integrated within us as Emmanuel is knitted within Mary.

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

December 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

Reflection: Divine Love. Save us as only love can save. May the Law of Love guide us in all things. Let us learn to love as the way Mary beheld her son.

R/ My Soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….

Peace be with you!

Deacon Gerry

Embracing Divine Love: The Gift of Rain in Lent

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Lent

Greetings on this the Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Hosea 6:1-6; Psalm 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab; Luke 18:9-14

Summary

For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings (Hos 6:6).

There is a tight relationship between the need to say your sorry and the divine love rain.

“Love means never having to say you’re sorry,” a quote from 1970 film “Love Story”. Tomorrow is the Prodigal Son parable. Note the words are never said: I forgive you. Did he forgive him. Yes! Did the Son say a perfect act of contrition? No, not in words anyway. But as Father Brian said to me yesterday when I made a mistake at Mass, ‘God knows what you meant to do. Don’t give it another thought”.

Love is the most written about topic in all of human writings. I write with care as I do not possess the writing skills of the greats.

He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth. (Hos 6:3).

In our first reading today, the prophet Hosea reminds us of the prayer concept to “rain down‘. This figuratively expresses the nature of the divine love upon us. The rains for agriculture is a necessity (after all, another saying, All Sun makes a Desert) and the gentle rains make for the growth of food. The rains sustain us for drinking water as we need water to survive and thrive. Beyond the obvious physical needs for rain we need the divine love to rain upon us – to sustain our souls when we are good or not so good. Rain is broadcast – everyone benefits even if you get a little more than me, or I a little more than you – this moment in time.

When we seek rain in prayer, especially in the season of Lent, we desire the forgiving love of God to rain down on us, copiously and without reservation or condition.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn (PS 51:19). Our contrition and humility comes from the realization we squandered the love rain from the Lord either by dissipation or by acquisition. We wasted the rain and it soaked into the earth to be given again.

The rain of the love of God greatly surpasses the burning sensation of sin. A cooling balm!

Reflection

Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming, and his judgment shines forth like the light of day! He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth (Hos 6:3).

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else (LK 18:9). [contrasting the tax collector and the leadership] But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner’. (LK 18:13).

Personal Reflection

Lord, I know you rain blessings down upon me every day. Many times I just let it flow away. Sometimes I even use an umbrella. Even worse, sometimes I use it against others!
But Lord I desire to be right with you and let the rain have its effects intended. Every single drop.

Put away the umbrella!

Put away the umbrella when it comes to divine love rain!

Rain down your love on me!

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032925.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Finding Joy Through the Solar Plexus Connection

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Lent

Solar Plexus

Greetings on this the Thursday of the First Week in Lent
Readings: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8; Matthew 7:7-12

Summary

A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the joy of your salvation (Psalm 51:12a, 14a).
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you (Matt 7:7-8).

Reflection

Ultimately Joy is a state of being. Beyond mere feels and beyond intense emotion, joy is a type of equilibrium that requires no adjustment and no need beyond remaining in itself.

Our psalmist describes it as a clean heart. In ancient times and even today we say the heart is the center of the person. Today, we think of it as the heart muscle as the heart of a human and that is fine thinking. Actually, for the ancients, it is the area of the solar plexus as these two nerve bundles regulate the sensory stress response and the regulation of vital GI organ. When your solar plexus is calm you have no stress sensations and your GI system is running fine.

Our psalmist isn’t getting at anatomical and health truth but the essential truth. Our peace comes from the Divine One. Our solar plexus informs us of our State of Being. Salvation brings joy. You may think of salvation as forgiveness and establishing a right relation with one another and with the Divine.

What is your solar plexus telling you?

Personal Reflection

So Jesus advises us, we are loved. Let us then have the confidence to be bold is our outreach.

  • Ask Questions. Establish a dialog with the Divine (prayer) and also with those who you have offended (forgiveness – our daily bread).
  • Seek Reconciliation. How can I change the reality to be more just? (alms giving – our fish).
  • Knock on doors you’ve thought closed. Be the change. Knock on doors that seem closed. You’ll be happy to have the door opened to the good.

The Good Things

Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him (MT 7:9-11).

Solar Plexus video: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-the-solar-plexus-definition-function-location.html
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031325.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Lessons from Jonah: Repentance and Forgiveness

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Lent

Jonah at Nineveh

Greetings on this the Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Readings: Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Luke 11:29-32

Summary – Our need as person and society

Our Psalmist sets the stage for understanding the Old Testament and Gospel portions today.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

The great city of Nineveh – the capital of the Assyrian empire

Jonah (and his famous fish belly encounter) was in no mood to preach repentance to this city. The capitol city of the archenemy of the people. His attitude is due to a well documented defeat and occupation of a most brutal form. Nevertheless the Lord demands of his followers to teach and preach repentance. And more directly for today.

We each, person and society, need to be a forgiving people. It is not a trivial almost casual thought in our modern age. A slogan, at best. We are tempted to discount, disregard and dispute with the Lord any necessity to forgive. Even go so far as to demand a sign. Today more than ever the greatest resistance to holiness is our demand for a sign.

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
"This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Judgment is the penalty

It is most revealing that the words of Jesus show the depths of the need to repent, much like the people of Nineveh and only hinted at for Jonah’s response.

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here."

Understand the conversion wasn’t a conversion of one religion for another but one way of thinking and action to another. Honesty before God and right relation among men. This is at the level of person and society.

Personal Reflection

As we continue our Lent observance, may we repent. Repent in the (1) first case of doing wrong (Nineveh) and in the (2) second case of not forgiving (Jonah).

There is NO AVOIDING the requirement to forgive. The sign is self-evident. Without forgiveness we ARE the ultimate destructive force.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031225.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Understanding Divine Virtues Through Jesus’ Temptation

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Lent
Jesus Temptation

The Temptation of Jesus

Greetings on this the First Sunday of Lent
Readings: Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13

Summary

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil (LK 4:1-2a).

  1. It is written, One does not live on bread alone.
  2. It is written, You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.
  3. It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.

Reflection

It is remarkable that even Jesus had to face the Tempter even after being filled with the Holy Spirit. Somehow it is unsettling to me. Yet the fact is the Church is filled with the Holy Spirit after Pentecost and she surely has to deal with these same temptations.

These temptations have a centering theme of obedience to the Father as a mark of true sonship and rebellion being the option offered by the Tempter. Yet the temptations correlate perfectly to the Divine Virtues.

The Divine Virtues

  1. Faith the Lord will provide for body and soul as he revealed to Moses and through Jesus.
  2. Love in return to love.
  3. Hope in the course of our life without fail.

Faith, hope and love are the divine virtues.

Our Old Testament reading today puts the question of trust (faith) to the evidence.

When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us, we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; and bringing us into this country (Duet 26:6-9).

Trust in the revealed love for Moses and his people. And you.

Our second reading echos the same with: For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:13).
Our psalmist has us repeat as as to remember: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble (PS 91:15b).

Personal Reflection

On this the First Sunday of Lent, let us all remember the promises made to Moses and to all. The Lord is with you, good times and bad.

More Traditional Reflection

For a more traditional reflection click here: https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2022/03/06/what-faithful-looks-like/

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030925.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

The Healing Power of Jesus for Women

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
Synonyms for Healing

Greetings on this the Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hebrews 12:1-4; Psalm 22:26b-27, 28 and 30, 31-32; Mark 5:21-43

Introduction

In today’s gospel portion we encounter the Marcan writing style of intercalation – stories nested within stories. This style allows for deeper and immediate insights into the Divine Love. We encounter two females in distress (burdened), one a young girl (prepubescent) and the other an old woman (post menopausal). In the Greek world, the dominate culture, only a fertile woman has value (overstatement but instructive).

A young girl and an old woman are nearly invisible and not valued as persons in the modern world too. The healing Jesus provides is direct contact, i.e., If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured; and He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”. The invisible and ‘not valued’ are highly valued in the sight of God worthy of his blessing and his direct and personal intervention.

The other part of the intercalation is the story of the healing of the old woman is inside the story of the healing of the young girl. The healing of the old woman of hemorrhages (debilitating but not fatal) is inside the healing of the young girl who was at the point of death or actually dead – Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?. Whatever the burden the LORD wants to provide relief – long enduring pains and sharp sudden illness).

Jesus addresses the old woman as daughter and the girl as little girl which are both endearing and loving expressions of person-hood. YOU are my daughter. YOU are my little girl.

Finally, the reference to twelve years. The girl (12 y/o) the hemorrhage (12 years duration). AI summary: In Judaism, the number 12 is a symbol of perfection, wholeness, and divine order. It appears in many aspects of Jewish life, including the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 months of the year, and the 12 hours of the day. So we can conclude the perfect healing love of Jesus is for all women!!

The gospel story: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/5?21 (‘and following’ that is what ‘ff’ means when you see a reference like MK 5:21ff).

Rid Ourselves of the ‘Less than”

Brothers and sisters:
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us.

Burdens and sin are less than holy, less than divine and less than the life we are meant to live. Baptism, Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation are the Sacramental gifts of restoration.

Come Lord Jesus, heal me

One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
(She …) touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”

Personal Reflection

From the moment of conception to a natural death the Lord is with you.

Always and in All Ways.

  • Go in peace.
  • Be cured of your afflictions.
  • Arise!

Let the Divine Love -> love you.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020425.cfm

Special 33 DAYS OF AFFIRMATION prayers for women: https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2024/05/28/thirty-three-days-of-affirmation-for-women-journey-of-spirituality-and-empowerment/

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

The Meaning Behind Lifting the Lintel in Faith

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic

Pray for us (ora pro nobis)

Greetings on this the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Readings: Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40

The Lord Comes

Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Jesus’ parents bring Jesus to the Temple. Fulfilling the law of consecration, they present the Christ of the Lord.

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord.

Revelation of the Christ of the Lord

And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.

The Passive Heart

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!

In ancient times to lift up the gate means you must reconstruct the gate structure – the lintel (the horizontal beam of the gate itself and extend the posts). We let the Lord in in small ways but the Christ Event – the Presentation – requires a different opening. An opening of hearts to the wonder of the majesty of the Lord.

Receptive Heart

The faithful witness of Simeon and Anna are so very beautiful. These two lifted up their lintel to allow the Christ to enter their hearts and praise God for their salvation and hope.

Nijiriguchi (crawling-in entrance)

Japanese tea houses use a Nijiriguchi entrance. It is described to enforce a certain humility to crawl through to enter the tea house – both big/small, wealthy/poor all enter the same way. Humility is the goal. This lintel lifting is not that.

Instead the lifting up the lintel is to open the gates of our hearts full and wide that the abundant graces of the Christ may enter our hearts.

Advice from the Psalmist

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!

Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020225.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Remembering Our Loved Ones and God’s Will

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
Jesus claims his family – today is not a feast day but it’s a perfect illustration

Greetings on this the Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Readings: Hebrews 10:1-10; Psalm 40:2, 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11; Mark 3:31-35

Family

But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Consecrated

We have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Consecrated Life

The state of consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a “more intimate” consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God. In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come. Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church 916.

Family

Remembering

Lately I have been assigned to preside over many funerals. Four this week alone.

It is in these moments people express their initial or deepest reflection about the deceased depending on circumstances. Sometimes the remembrances are amazingly beautiful and sometimes that are shockingly stark. As is often the case, it takes a little time and prayer to bring forward the memories stunned into silence by the death of the loved one.

But the one thing in common is the message of family. He was/She was/They were family. From the deepest urges of the heart an attempt to remember the good the deceased has done. Using different language than today’s gospel, I always encourage people to remember the ways in which he/she/they did the will of the Father.

Jesus claims us as family. Jesus remembers the good we have done in fulfilling the Father’s will to love one another as we love ourselves. He remembers. He loves. He claims.

Going Forward

Let us in small and big ways, remember love, remember family and remember the good God has done.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012825.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Listening to God: Insights from Saint Paul’s Conversion

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic
It’s hard to listen to God when you already know what you want him to say.

Greetings on this the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Readings: Acts 22:3-16; Psalm 117:1bc, 2; Mark 16:15-18

Meeting Jesus

Today’s gospel portion is the Conversion of Saint Paul. Paul prayed and preyed (request, devour). Who was he listening to? What was guiding him?

Today is one month since Jesus was born. How has meeting Jesus at Christmas changed your life?

One month since Christmas. Did you hear the Lord’s voice?

In the name of God, Saul was a busy boy:

  1. persecuted this Way to death.
  2. binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
  3. bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.
  4. breathing murderous threats.
  5. he was there praying.

All the while he was most sure that he was zealous for and praying to God.

Bears repeating: At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

We might want to take a step back.

Holy Intercessors

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, that he may regain his sight.”

A holy man given an assignment filled with danger… But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.”

So Ananias obeyed the Lord and went to see this despicable man Saul. Even to call him brother.

Intercessors in Haiti

So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Because of the hope we have in Jesus.

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.

What is it we pray for?

Saul had one prayer. After conversion, Paul had a different prayer. The second prayer was superior. But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

It can be said we often tell God what we want, how God is to provide it and when we expect it. You know, like Saul. But once we decide to LISTEN instead, its a whole other story.

Instead, we are asked to give what will help others, provide what is missing and expect only the benefit of the divine love for us and our peoples. Maybe we have to stop telling God what we want and listen to what he offers.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012525.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Embracing Seclusion: Spiritual Reflections for Advent

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Advent, Catholic

Greetings on this the Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
Readings: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17; Lk 1:5-25

Summary

After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others.”

Reflection

It is good to have alone time with the Lord. Elizabeth wasn’t hiding in shame (actually the opposite -So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others). She could have ran around showing off her beautiful belly!

But no, she went into seclusion. To a sheltered or private place. In thanksgiving.

Similarly, Mary, And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

Personal Reflection

I must remember to carve out alone time with the Lord. In prayer, of course, but also in friendship. In a common recollection and reflection on his marvelous love. I put a screen shot of an Advent retreat that just passed. Maybe next year? But even now, carve out the time.

Prescription

Please carve out some seclusion. You and the Lord. Marveling the wonderful things he has done for you, me and everyone. So many examples.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121924.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry