Mass Readings and Meditations “The Word Among Us” Sunday, 29
December 2013
Meditation: Colossians 3: 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and
beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and
patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against
another, forgive each other; just as the Lord[a] has forgiven you, so you also
must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything
together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16
Let the word of Christ[b] dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another
in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs to God.[c] 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Rules for Christian Households
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the
Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your
acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they
may lose heart.
Footnotes:
a. Colossians 3:13 Other ancient authorities read just as Christ
b. Colossians 3:16 Other ancient authorities read of God, or of
the Lord
c. Colossians 3:16 Other ancient authorities read to the Lord
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones … love. (Colossians 3:12, 14)
You are about to head out the door for a family photo session
when you take a quick look around and groan. Your toddler’s face is dirty, and
her hair is tangled. Your teenage son is wearing a ragged T-shirt. Another
child is engrossed in a video game he can’t seem to leave. The clothes you are
wearing clash with what your spouse has on.
Of course, you do what you can to fix these problems, but don’t
forget the most important part of your wardrobe. Put on love! Remember, “Love
covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
You would never walk out the door naked, and you probably
wouldn’t walk around your home undressed either. But there are many instances
when we are not on our best behavior with the people we spend most of our time
with. How often we forget to put on the love that makes it possible to live
together in a family or a convent! How easy it is to ignore slips of the tongue
or selfish decisions, simply because we are so used to the people around us!
So put on love! Love knows it’s not perfect yet, so it makes
allowances for other people’s mistakes and forgives their wrongs. Love knows
its understanding is limited, so it looks upon other people with respect and
tries to learn from them. Love knows the world is full of hurtful words and
deeds, so it tries to make the home a haven of kindness and gentleness. Love
realizes that growth takes time, so it practices patience. Love gratefully
welcomes and treasures every family member, looking for the good in them,
however deeply it may be buried.
May this be our vision for our families! May we all learn how to
put on love day in and day out. Then our homes will begin to feel more and more
like the home of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the Holy Family and our models.
“Jesus, thank you for my family. Help us learn how to respect
and love each other even more.” Amen!
Sirach 3: 2 For the Lord honors a father above his children,
and he confirms a
mother’s right over her children.
3 Those who honor their father atone for sins,
4 and those who
respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.
5 Those who honor their father will have joy in their own
children,
and when they pray
they will be heard.
6 Those who respect their father will have long life,
and those who honor[a]
their mother obey the Lord;
Footnotes:
a. Sirach 3:6 Heb: Other ancient authorities read comfort
12 My child, help your father in his old age,
and do not grieve him
as long as he lives;
13 even if his mind fails, be patient with him;
because you have all
your faculties do not despise him.
14 For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
and will be credited
to you against your sins;
Psalm 128: The Happy Home of the Faithful
A Song of Ascents.
1 Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy,
and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion.
May you see the
prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your
life.
Matthew 2: The Escape to Egypt
13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to
Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the
child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Joseph[a] got up, took the child and his mother
by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This
was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of
Egypt I have called my son.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 2:14 Gk he The Return from Egypt
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are
dead.” 21 Then Joseph[a] got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the
land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in
place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in
a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in
a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might
be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 2:21 Gk he
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Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:
(Sirach 3: 2 For the Lord
honors a father above his children,
and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.
3 Those who honor their father atone for sins,
4 and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.
5 Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,
and when they pray they will be heard.
6 Those who respect their father will have long life,
and those who honor[a] their mother obey the Lord;
and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.
3 Those who honor their father atone for sins,
4 and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.
5 Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,
and when they pray they will be heard.
6 Those who respect their father will have long life,
and those who honor[a] their mother obey the Lord;
Footnotes:
a. Sirach 3:6 Heb: Other ancient authorities read comfort
12 My child, help your father in his old age,
and do not grieve him
as long as he lives;
13 even if his mind fails, be patient with him;
because you have all
your faculties do not despise him.
14 For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
and will be credited
to you against your sins;
Psalm 128: The Happy Home of the Faithful
A Song of Ascents.
1 Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy,
and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion.
May you see the
prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your
life.
Colossians 3: 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear
with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each
other; just as the Lord[a] has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above
all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect
harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed
you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ[b]
dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with
gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.[c] 17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Rules for Christian Households
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the
Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your
acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they
may lose heart.
Footnotes:
a. Colossians 3:13 Other ancient authorities read just as Christ
b. Colossians 3:16 Other ancient authorities read of God, or of
the Lord
c. Colossians 3:16 Other ancient authorities read to the Lord
Matthew 2: Matthew 2: The Escape to Egypt
13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to
Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the
child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Joseph[a] got up, took the child and his mother
by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This
was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of
Egypt I have called my son.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 2:14 Gk he The Return from Egypt
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are
dead.” 21 Then Joseph[a] got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the
land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in
place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in
a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in
a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might
be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 2:21 Gk he)
1. In the first reading, the book of Sirach teaches us of our
responsibilities to our parents, with special focus on our fathers, and the
rewards that go along with honoring and respecting them. How have you stacked
up against these responsibilities? If your father is still alive, what steps
can you take to honor him?
2. We know that no fathers are perfect. In what way has your
relationship with your earthly father helped or hindered your relationship with
your Heavenly Father, and your experience of His great love for you? If it has
hindered your relationship, what steps can you take to change this?
3. The responsorial psalm tells of the many blessings for those
who “fear” the Lord? What does “fear of the Lord” mean to you? What are the
positive aspects of the right understanding of this “fear”? What are the
negative sides of a wrong understanding of this fear?
4. The second reading presents how we should treat one another
in Christian love. This includes the authentic atmosphere of a Christian family
where kindness, love, mutual understanding, forgiveness, prayer, thanksgiving
and joy in the Holy Spirit should be present. How can you make the words of
this reading a greater reality in your life? Which of the characteristics
mentioned in the reading is the Lord asking you to bring more deeply into your
home environment?
5. St. Paul also reminds us that forgiveness is a gift we have
received from the Lord, and “that as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also
must forgive.” This means we must give this gift to others. To whom is the Lord
asking you to give the gift of forgiveness to?
6. In the Gospel Joseph is the model of a man of obedience; ever
ready to follow the Lord’s instructions wherever they might lead him. How open
are you to changing your plans if the Lord asks you to? How do you discern the
Lord’s will in your life?
7. The meditation presents us with these challenging words: “You
would never walk out the door naked, and you probably wouldn’t walk around your
home undressed either. But there are many instances when we are not on our best
behavior with the people we spend most of our time with. How often we forget to
put on the love that makes it possible to live together in a family or a
convent! How easy it is to ignore slips of the tongue or selfish decisions,
simply because we are so used to the people around us! So put on love!” What do
you think these words mean: “put on love”? How well are you at putting on love
with your family and others? What steps can you do take to restore
relationships that have been damaged over the years by a lack of love?
8. Take some time now to pray for the grace to bring the Lord’s
love into your family’s and other’s lives. Use the prayer at the end of the
meditation as a starting point.
“Jesus, thank you for my family. Help us learn how to respect
and love each other even more.” Amen!
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