The very image of God holding us tightly is certainly a comfort to us. We have this image of God, not giving up on us but continues to hold us and to embrace us. Such image must have been the very experience of the Hebrew people in the Old Testament. Prophet Isaiah who proclaimed God’s word to us today in the first reading, tells us of this, “I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you (Is 41:13).”
These comforting words in the Book of Prophet Isaiah do not only give us assurance but also empower us. God’s help empowers us because God becomes our strength, our confidence and our friend.
In a time when we are overwhelmed with trials, with difficulties and even in struggling because of our sins, God continues to grasp our right hand. Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew also tells us that the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent are taking it by force. However, even in the midst of violence God’s justice and mercy will prevail.
Again, this image of God not wanting to give up on us is revealed in the history of our salvation. God sent prophets to remind the people of His presence and mercy. God’s messengers and His blessings, and miracles done to the people were expressions of God grasping our hand.
John the Baptist who was sent ahead to announce the arrival of the Messiah, was another figure and expression of God grasping our hand. Through John, who in the words of Jesus, was Elijah, the one who is to come, brought the people to repentance. John prepared the hearts of the people and reminded them of God’s mercy coming into flesh. John gave us the assurance that God comes to dwell among us and become our very help.
God’s ultimate expression of help and presence is the person of Jesus, whose birth we shall celebrate in few weeks’ time. As we acknowledge God’s empowering presence, let us also recognize those friends and family members who in their own way held our hand and helped us to rise again and gain confidence. We have experienced their presence who refused to give up on us and continued to see hope in us. Let us be grateful to them by also giving hope and refusing to give up on anybody.
We may become God’s presence and help to others today. Hinaut pa.
The Aguinaldo Masses are in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to be celebrated nine (9) days before Christmas for the perseverance of the nation in faith. In the spirit of the season, one may lawfully use in these Masses the Weekday Lectionary. The GLORIA is sung in these Masses and white vestment is used even on Sunday. (-from the ORDO)
Below are prepared Liturgical guide that contains the readings and prayers proper for each day of the Misa de Aguinaldo. Feel free to download and share these resources. May our celebration of the Misa de Aguinaldo truly prepare us to celebrate the big feast on Christmas Day, the birth of our Savior, the Emmanuel, Jesus.
So that each day, may also have a focus, I have designed an over-all theme for the Misa de Aguinaldo and particular theme for each day. The theme of the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines, GIFTED TO GIVE, is the over-all theme. From this theme comes the inspiration for each day.
There is also a prepared short introduction for each reading that will be useful for further reflection and connection with the theme.
Each file is in PDF form. Click the link to download it.
December 16 : Recognizing our gift and the gifts around us
Is 56:1-3a,6-8 –Foreigners came to believe in God. Through their encounter with the people of God, they too have recognized God’s presence in them. God’s people became a gift to those foreigners leading them to worship God and give thanks to God.
Psalm 67:2-3,5,7-8 – The Psalm recognizes God’s authority over all the nations. In this, even those who did not belong to the chosen people of God, they too were blessed because God created everything. This is a confidence in God who gathers everyone, without exception.
John 5:33-36 – Jesus recognized the role of his cousin, John the Baptist. John’s life and his presence was a testimony to the truth. He was a burning and true shining lamp for people to see and recognize the true light. John led people to Jesus. John’s life was a gift to people around him. Moreover, more than John the Baptist, the works of Jesus, were the very gifts also of God to us that point us to Jesus, the greatest gift we have.
December 17 : The Gift of our Family and healing of our Family History
Genesis 49:2,8-10 – Jacob called his sons and bestowed the blessing to Judah. The blessing also contains the prophecy of the rise of a King, in the person of David, the very lineage of Jesus claimed in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 1:1-17 – The Gospel recounts the family tree of Jesus with 42 generations divided into three, that makes it 14. 14 is the equivalent of two 7. Seven is a perfect number in Jewish belief. And the repeated use of 7 means that God works in the human family of Jesus in an absolutely perfect way. The family tree though not perfect but with traces of sins and unfaithfulness, God works within human family to bring healing and life.
December 18 : The Gift of promise being fulfilled: A call to fulfill our commitment
Jeremiah 23:5-8 – God proclaims his promise to save his people and give them security.
Psalm 72 –God’s promise is fulfilled as the people lived in justice and peace. The faithfulness of God in the covenant is shown on how God rescues the poor and saves and afflicted.
Matthew 1:18-25 – The scandalous pregnancy of Mary must have brought Joseph to confusion. Yet, because of his commitment to Mary and to God, he fulfilled his promise to protect her and the baby. Joseph embraced the Lord’s will because of his confidence in God who is with us.
December 19 : To be surprised with God’s gifts to us
Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 – The birth of Samson was a gift filled with surprises to Manoah and his barren wife.
Psalm 71: 3-4, 5-6, 16-17 – It is a song that expresses the hope for strength from God. It also expresses the spirit that completely puts trust in God and recognizes God even before birth.
Luke 1:5-25 – The announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist caught Zechariah off guard. He was too surprised that he could not believe it. Thus, he argued with the angel and in consequence was made mute because of his unbelief to God’s surprising gift to him.
December 20 : The Gift of Salvation fulfilled through our participation
2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 –The Prophet proclaims the very hope and joyful expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promise. This covenant rests now in that relationship with God as a father.
Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 – The people at that time endured a great amount of suffering. In their anguish and fear, they recalled the covenant with God and recognized the “everlasting kindness of God.” God is faithful indeed, and God is our father.
Rom 16:25-27 – Paul reminds the Romans of God as the source of strength. And calls obedience to faith through Jesus.
Lk 1:26-38 – The words of Mary to the Angel Gabriel, “Let it be done to me according to your word,” was a statement of faith and also a statement of love. As God fulfills the promise, God also asks us to participate in the divine plan.
Song 2:8-14 – The Beloved has been visited by the lover. Such imagery portrays the excitement of being graced by the presence of the lover to the one being loved. This proclaims the hope of a new day as God comes, the lover, to his people, the beloved. The presence of the lover invites the beloved to arise from sadness and embrace life.
Psalm 33:2-3,11-12, 20-21 – This recalls the hope and the longing for God. The people waits for God’s coming whose presence is the strength of the people. In that anticipation, joy can be felt, thus, a calling to rejoice and sing praises to God.
Lk 1:39-45 – Knowing that Elizabeth needed help in her pregnancy, Mary came to visit her cousin. That visit revealed how a mere presence of a person brings joy to another. Moreover, what makes this visit more wonderful was the presence of God in the life of Mary. The baby in her womb was God’s presence being gifted to Elizabeth and to her child in the womb who leaped for joy.
1 Sam 1:24-28 – Hannah had been into humiliation and shame because of being infertile. She could not bear a son which gave her so much anguish. Being the second wife of Elkanah, Hannah was always humiliated by Peninnah, the first wife. Yet, through the prophet Eli, Hannah’s prayers were answered. She bore a son, Samuel. Because of her gratitude to God’s blessing and saving her for humiliation, she dedicated her son to God. In fact, because of this offering, Hannah had been blessed also to have 5 more children after Samuel.
1 Sam 2:1,4-5,6-7,8abc – This expressed the experiences of the people and particularly of Hannah in the first reading. God comes to rescue his people who were oppressed, humiliated and broken. The response, “My heart exults in the Lord my savior,” expressed that deep gratitude to God who is not indifferent to the suffering of the people.
Luke 1:46-56 – The song Mary, like the Psalm, expresses also that deep gratitude to the Lord. God is indeed great for he has done many great things even to the lowly ones. This recalls and recognizes the action of God where the powerful, the arrogant and the corrupt are brought to shame while the lowly, the poor and the hungry are raised and satisfied. Thus, Mary’s song as indeed a song of gratitude to God.
December 23 : God is gracious and fills us with gifts
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 – In the prophecy from the Book of Malachi, the herald shall lead and gather the people to see God. He will be like a refiner’s fire who will teach and correct the wrong of the people. In this way, this herald will lead the people to repentance to fully welcome the Lord. The birth of this person is not by accident but planned well by God. The life of this person is the message of God to make the people prepare themselves for God’s coming. This is God’s promise which is to be first fulfilled through the participation of humanity, through us.
Psalm 25:4-5ab,8-9,10-14 – The author of the Psalm expressed the desire to be taught by the Lord and to be led to the truth. This is the role of the herald in the first reading and the herald in the Gospel of Luke who teaches, leads and gathers the people to recognize God’s graciousness.
Luke 1:57-66 – The name John literally means, God is Gracious. The birth of John the Baptist is a testimony of God’s graciousness not just to the old couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth but to the whole humanity. The couple is an image of the people who longed to be taught and to be led to God. As John was a gift to his parents, John also points to God’s graciousness who is about to come in its fullness.
2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 – The Prophet proclaims the gift to be given to David. David who thought that he should build a house for God, was promised by the Lord to be given a house that will last forever. This is the covenant so dear to the people because God is a father.
Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29– Because of the suffering endured by the people of this time, they longed to that promise of God who shall show an everlasting kindness. What kept them hopeful was their confidence in God’s faithfulness because God is our Father.
Luke 1:67-79 – Zechariah recalls the covenant of God and the fulfillment of the promise of a mighty Savior. In his song, he also recounts how his eyes have seen clearly that promise being unfolded through the birth of his son John. John will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. John is, indeed, unboxing the gift.
Are you carrying some burdens now? Are you worried at the moment? Are you afraid of something? Recognizing these questions tell us about our dispositions and even tell us about what we are hoping for. We hope to be freed from our burdens, from worries and anxieties. Yet, we cannot do this alone. We need the company of others to help us.
Thus, we ask God to help us in our problems and concerns. However, sometimes we demand God to take them away immediately from us. But, there is a danger around here. There is a temptation in us to think of a God who does magic and can take away all those concerns that burden us at once.
God does not offer us magic what God offers us rather, is his gentle, empowering and understanding kind of friendship. The Book of Prophet Isaiah tells us of this friendship with God. God does not grow tired or weary. God even gives us strength and life. Isaiah proclaimed this to the Hebrew people when they became hopeless because of the suffering they endured while at their exile in a foreign land. They displayed weariness and boredom because of the long wait of the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah reminded them of God who never forgets for his knowledge is without limit.
This is what Matthew proclaimed in the Gospel. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened!” Jesus invites us to come to him and to welcome him in our life that we may be liberated from our burdens and sins, to be free from worries and anxieties.
Jesus tells us that God does not terrorize us with God’s might and power nor subjects us with his influence nor does magic to remove all our difficulties at once. Jesus gives us a humble invitation to come to him as our friend – a true friend who is gentle, humble and compassionate, willing to walk with us.
As our friend, Jesus offers us his yoke. A yoke was put on the necks of two animals to plow the field for planting. There were usually two cows so that the weight becomes lighter and the plowing easier and faster. The yoke that Jesus speaks about is from this image. That yoke symbolizes the Gospel that we receive today – and that Gospel is Jesus the Lord himself.
Jesus offers himself as our friend. He is not promising us to remove all troubles in life at once, as his life was also filled with pain and suffering. He tells us today that though life may be filled with worries and anxieties, fears, failures and insecurities, with shame and guilt, yet, we will never be alone in our struggle for he renews and strengthens us.
Jesus invites us to carry those troubles with him, to pull our burdens with him, to share our trials with him, to draw strength from him and to allow him to help us. Remember, the Lord does not do good things for us, but rather, he does great things with us. He does not do miracle for us but he does it with us.
With this experience with Jesus, we may also become willing and generous people – who will be ready to cheer up a friend filled with doubts, ready to give comfort to a friend suffering from grief and sorrow, ready to listen to a friend who needs someone to talk to, so that we too will become God’s instrument of brining freedom and inner peace to our overburdened brothers and sisters in this Season of Advent and Christmas. Hinaut pa.
“Where are you?” God’s voice must have been echoing in the garden looking for humanity. God’s voice also echoes today in every heart of man and woman, waiting to be heard. Though God knows where we are, but God waits until we show ourselves to Him in humility. This is the very scene that the Book of Genesis is depicting to us on this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the woman consecrated to God.
Now, let us see a bit how sin destroys our relationship with God and with one another, and on how grace also restores that relationship and brings new life through the person of Mary.
Sin leads us to fear. Fear is filled with guilt and shame. This is the reason why Adam and Eve were hiding. Their nakedness tells us of their guilt. Yet, their guilt never assumed the responsibility that they have sinned. As a result, what happened was the chain of blaming. Adam blamed Eve. And Eve blamed the Serpent.
Because of sin, the intimacy between man and woman was shattered. In the same way, they lost their closeness with God. It was them who distanced from God. Thus, sin makes us to hide yet, it leads to destruction and to death.
Moreover, in this occasion of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we are reminded of the original grace in each of us, of that grace given by God to us. In Mary, that grace was preserved. The Gospel of Luke that recounts the annunciation to Mary sheds the light of this mystery.
What we see in the life of Mary is this – that grace leads to confidence and faith. Such confidence and faith made Mary to conceive God in her womb. She became pregnant with God. Mary’s willingness and availability for God and for others allowed God to work wonderfully and beautifully in the life of Mary. This reminds us now that grace indeed, overflows and it creates and inspires life.
After all, God continues to find us not to condemn us and to destroy us but to renew us, to recreate us, to give us the fullness of God’s grace and presence.
Through the fullness of grace in Mary, God initiates to restore our relationship with Him. This has been fulfilled through the participation of Mary by expressing her freedom that she chose God, she chose grace not sin, and that she chose life and not death.
How is God calling us now through the Immaculate Conception of Mary?
First, as the Book of Genesis tells us, God calls and finds us when we try to hide because of shame and guilt. God does that, not to condemn us to death and to eternal misery but to restore and renew us. Allow God to find us.
Second, when we ty to separate and distance from God, God initiates to come to us to invite us to come closer to Him in humility. Thus, let not our fear, guilt and shame prevent us from seeking God’s mercy. Our sacraments are God’s initiative too to make us ever closer to Him. Allow God to forgive us.
Third, God desires that we too shall be filled with grace so that like Mary, God’s grace will also overflow in our life. The pregnancy of Mary and becoming the Mother of Jesus, was that overflowing grace of God to Mary. When we choose the Lord today and every day, God blesses us and fills us with grace. Grace makes us discerning and understanding, joyful and generous. Moreover, grace does not only renew us but also grace inspires and creates life through us. Thus, allow God today to fill us with grace. Hinaut pa.
This Advent Reflection invites us to dwell deeper on the importance of our presence and of God’s presence in our life and in the life of others. The excitement to hope again calls us to hold on to hope, to be hopeful and to be the hope for others.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 