Saturday, December 6, 2008 (Feast of St. Nicholas)

Saturday, December 6 (Feast of St. Nicholas)

Is 30:19-21.23-26/Mt 9:35-10:1. 5a,6-8

“The Lord will be gracious to you when he hears your cry. When he hears he will answer.” –Is 19

Nicholas, a third century Bishop of Myra, must have been seen as pastoral by the people he served. Whether fact or fiction, the story of his providing of dowries to three young girls who otherwise would have been forced into prostitution suggests a deeply generous and caring man.

Sadly prostitution and other forms of slavery continue today. We see a global effort to curb by law the widespread trafficking of women, men and children--especially young girls. Let us pray to St. Nicholas for the safety of the young, especially those enslaved by the lust and greed of others.

St. Nicholas, protector of the young and oppressed, help us to restore to these victims of violence the precious gifts of freedom and hope through prayer, advocacy and other action.

Mantra: For victims, freedom and hope.

Margaret Hoffman SNDdeN

December 7, Second Sunday of Advent

December 7, Second Sunday of Advent

Is 40:1-5, 9-11/2 Pt 3:8-14/Mk 1:1-8

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.

Is 40.

In Advent Time

I walked

in Advent time,

walked the old fire road

up the canyon

where winter sycamores

made white lace

with their bare branches

and oaks and red toyons

glistened with fog.

At the lake

a gray shadow

lifted its wings,

powerful heron wings over reed-still water,

wings that whispered,

“Peace on earth.

It will be –

peace on earth.”

Mantra: It will be – peace on earth.

Kay McMullen, SNDdeN

Monday, December 8: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Monday, December 8: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Gn 3:9-15, 20/Eph 1:3-6, 11-12/Lk 1:26-38

“God chose us in Christ before the world was founded, to be without blemish, to be full of love.” Eph. 1

Some days I believe in Eden’s ancient curse. I turn from the headlines, unable to hope. Earthquakes, floods, the portents of global warming; human crimes as enormous as war, as random as road rage. It is not much comfort that Mary’s heart is immaculate. She seems above it all on her pedestal. There are so many of us, the soiled and rapacious.

But Mary is one of us. She is the source of Jesus’ humanity. Mary is what we were before the Fall. Her capacity is ours, too. She considers an unlikely invitation and say, Yes! Risking the long shot, longer odds, she agrees to cooperate in an outlandish scheme to redeem Creation.

Our human nature calls us to do the same. The risky, Yes! The unlikely plan, the random act of kindness. On a day of horrors, I need to get busy, however feeble my actions seem. Drop by drop, they may tip the balance. We are all chosen to be full of love and menders of the world.

Mantra: I am chosen to be full of love.

Ann Denham

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Tuesday, December 9

Is 40:1-11/Mt 18:12-14

Like a shepherd, he feeds his flock. In his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom and leading the ewes with care. Is. 40

The compassion and the tenderness of our God have not been celebrated enough in this day and in this age. The shepherd image of a loving, kind and gentle direction given through the voice of the shepherd and the nudging pushes of a shepherd dog blesses us with a most tender image of loving care. Why do we not accept these images in our daily lives? What are we neglecting? What are we afraid of?

These images speak of service and being servants equally to each other. Maybe it is because the prevailing norms treat these images as ones of weakness. Yet, to go out serving and, in return, be served, takes courage, stamina and strength. We are the people of the Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ.

St. Juan Diego, serving a sick father, is the chosen servant to announce the vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe as Mary pregnant with Jesus as the handmaid servant of the Lord.

Mantra: Serve with compassion.

Kathleen M. O'Connor

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Wednesday, December 10

Is 40:25-31/Mt 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.” Mt. 11

What if we do weary on the way? What if we begin to doubt that we can do what’s needed of us, in order that the new birth, forming itself in our depths inside the life we’re leading, will come forth?

These passages call attention to a relation between burden and strength, and between experience and wisdom. They call us to awareness of a source of strength that is beyond questioning. How to connect with it? Resting in the knowledge of its eternal presence, the weary one of faith willingly accepts this strength again and again, summoning it freshly in each unfolding moment, moving the process toward renewal in its fruition.

Mantra: Yoke of strength, carry to new life.

Gene Sandretto

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Thursday, December 11

Is 41:13-20/Mt 11:11-15

“It is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.”

Is. 41

Do not fear! I will help you. Even when you wake up feeling like a worm or an insect! Even when you are poor and needy I will answer you. I will open rivers on your bare heights! I will make your wilderness a pool of water! I will plant cedars, acacias, myrtles and olives in your wilderness! I will do this especially when you feel like a worm or an insect so that your own poverty can leave room for my gifts. I only ask you to do something to round out this circle of caring: turn and help your neighbor who is poor and needy. Then you shall rejoice and glory in me.

Mantra: Do not fear! I will help you!

Kay McMullen, SNDdeN

Friday, December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe

Friday, December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe

Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a/Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47

“A woman clothed with the sun.” Rev 12

Adonde vas, mi amor?

Where are you going my loved one?

Madrecita, voy donde me mandas.

Dearest mother, I go wherever you send me.

Santa Maria, Madre de Dios,

Holy Mary, Mother of God.

Let me bring hope and consolation to others. Morenita, little dark one, let me be your Juan Diego.

Santa Maria, Madre de Dios,

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Mother of the Creator, Dark Mother, brilliantly clothed with sun,

moon and stars.

Embrace me with your mantel

where roses ever bloom.

Santa Maria, ruega por nosotros pecadores,

Holy Mary, pray for us sinners.

Dearest virgin, we pray, crush the serpent’s head

of trafficking, racism, gangs, drugs,

hunger and unjust wars.

Mantra: Morenita, little dark one, let me be your Juan Diego.

Jacinta Martinez SNDdeN