Author: diocesan-joliet

Third Sunday of Advent

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Reading I Zep 3:14-18a

    Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
        Sing joyfully, O Israel!
    Be glad and exult with all your heart,
        O daughter Jerusalem!
    The LORD has removed the judgment against you
        he has turned away your enemies;
    the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
        you have no further misfortune to fear.
    On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
        Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
    The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
        a mighty savior;
    he will rejoice over you with gladness,
        and renew you in his love,
    he will sing joyfully because of you,
        as one sings at festivals.

Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.

R. (6)  Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
    I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
    and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
    at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
    among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
    let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
    for great in your midst
    is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Reading II Phil 4:4-7

Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again:  rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, 
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, 
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding 
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Alleluia Is 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 3:10-18

The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none. 
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them, 
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion, 
do not falsely accuse anyone, 
and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation, 
and all were asking in their hearts 
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying, 
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn, 
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways, 
he preached good news to the people.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli

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St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli

Feast date: Dec 15

Born in Genoa Italy on April 2, 1587, Virginia was raised in an aristocratic family which was nonetheless pious, and from a young age she longed to consecrate herself to God in the religious life. However, she was pressured into an arranged marriage at the age of 15 on account of her social status, and had two daughters.

Her husband, a drinker and gambler, died after only five years of marriage, and Virginia dedicated her time to raising her children, prayer and works of charity, which she devoted herself to entirely once her children had grown up, caring for the sick, elderly and abandoned.

She founded a refuge center in Genoa in 1625, which soon became overrun with the needy, and she rented an empty convent in 1631 where she cared for the sick with the help of other women, and she instructed the women in the faith in addition to their work.

She constructed a church dedicated to Our Lady of Refuge, and soon the women who worked with her in the hospital were formed into two congregations: the Sisters of Our Lady of Refuge in Mount Calvary, and the Daughters of Our Lady on Mount Calvary.

Victoria retired from the administration of the orders, and performed manual labour and begged for alms, but was called back to administrative duties soon after.

She began to receive visions and locutions in the later years of her life. She died in Genoa on December 15, 1651 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 18, 2003.

Daily Prayer for December 15

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A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.” Isaiah 40:3–4, RSV

Lord our God, open our ears and our hearts so that we hear you speaking and can follow the voice that cries out to us. May we be a people who prepare the way for you. Grant each of us strength to give up everything at the right moment and to realize, “The way to my heart should be leveled too. It should be straight and level all around me and in the whole world.” The light is now shining for us in Jesus Christ, and through him we want to find strength and help, to the glory of your name. Through hearing his voice we will find help. Help will be very near to us, and the mighty hand of the Lord Jesus will be over us in every need. For this he came. We can believe in his help, and we long for it. Hear the inmost longing of each one of us, and make us part of your people so that we may keep hope in our hearts and serve you on earth. Praise to your name, O Father in heaven, that you have put us on earth and that we can draw strength from the One who fights and is victorious, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

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Seeing and Believing / Ver y Creer

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Have you ever witnessed something and not quite believed your eyes?

That seems to be the case in today’s Gospel when the disciples ask Jesus what the scribes meant by saying Elijah had to come first. Many signs were being worked in their midst, yet the scribes refuse to believe that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. If they don’t believe John the Baptist’s call to conversion as the one preparing the way of the Lord (Lk. 3:4), why would they believe Jesus is the Messiah? 

While we don’t live in the days that Jesus walked the earth as a human being, we do get to see His hand and his glory in everything that surrounds us. A magnificent sunrise, the intricate design of flowers, a refreshing gentle breeze… all these things point to the glory of God. 

How often do we witness these gifts and not stop to acknowledge and embrace the signs that God has given us? Do we believe what we see? And do we live like we believe? Or are we witnesses of these things and don’t quite believe our eyes?

Today, as we journey ever closer to the coming of Christ at Christmas, let us pray for eyes that truly see the glory of God before us, ears that hear His word, and hearts that fully embrace the message of salvation. 

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¿Alguna vez has visto algo y no has creído lo que veías?

Ese parece ser el caso en el Evangelio de hoy cuando los discípulos le preguntan a Jesús qué querían decir los escribas cuando dijeron que Elías vendría primero. Se están realizando muchas señales en medio de ellos, pero los escribas se niegan a creer que Jesús es el Mesías tan esperado. Si no creen en el llamado de Juan el Bautista a la conversión como el que prepara el camino del Señor (Lc. 3:4), ¿por qué creerían que Jesús es el Mesías?

Si bien no vivimos en los días en que Jesús caminó por la tierra como ser humano, sí podemos ver Su mano y Su gloria en todo lo que nos rodea. Un magnífico amanecer, el intrincado diseño de las flores, una suave brisa refrescante… todas estas cosas apuntan a la gloria de Dios.

¿Con qué frecuencia presenciamos estos regalos y no nos detenemos a reconocer y aceptar las señales que Dios nos ha dado? ¿Creemos lo que vemos? ¿Y vivimos como creemos? ¿O somos testigos de estas cosas y no damos crédito a lo que vemos?

Hoy, mientras nos acercamos cada vez más a la venida de Cristo en la Navidad, oremos para que tengamos ojos que verdaderamente vean la gloria de Dios ante nosotros, oídos que escuchen su palabra y corazones que acepten plenamente el mensaje de la salvación.

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Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary on Instagram @waitingonmiracles. 

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Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

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Reading 1 Sir 48:1-4, 9-11

In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Their staff of bread he shattered,
in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens
and three times brought down fire.
How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses.
You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
and who falls asleep in your friendship.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19

R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Alleluia Lk 3:4, 6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
All flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 17:9a, 10-13

As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

St. John of the Cross

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St. John of the Cross

Feast date: Dec 14

Dec. 14 is the liturgical memorial of Saint John of the Cross, a 16th century Carmelite priest best known for reforming his order together with Saint Teresa of Avila, and for writing the classic spiritual treatise “The Dark Night of the Soul.”

Honored as a Doctor of the Church since 1926, he is sometimes called the “Mystical Doctor,” as a tribute to the depth of his teaching on the soul’s union with God.

The youngest child of parents in the silk-weaving trade, John de Yepes was born during 1542 in Fontiveros near the Spanish city of Avila. His father Gonzalo died at a relatively young age, and his mother Catalina struggled to provide for the family. John found academic success from his early years, but failed in his effort to learn a trade as an apprentice. Instead he spent several years working in a hospital for the poor, and continuing his studies at a Jesuit college in the town of Medina del Campo.

After discerning a calling to monastic life, John entered the Carmlite Order in 1563. He had been practicing severe physical asceticism even before joining the Carmelites, and got permission to live according to their original rule of life – which stressed solitude, silence, poverty, work, and contemplative prayer. John received ordination as a priest in 1567 after studying in Salamanca, but considered transferring to the more austere Carthusian order rather than remaining with the Carmelites.

Before he could take such a step, however, he met the Carmelite nun later canonized as Saint Teresa of Avila. Born in 1515, Teresa had joined the order in 1535, regarding consecrated religious life as the most secure road to salvation. Since that time she had made remarkable spiritual progress, and during the 1560s she began a movement to return the Carmelites to the strict observance of their original way of life. She convinced John not to leave the order, but to work for its reform.

Changing his religious name from “John of St. Matthias” to “John of the Cross,” the priest began this work in November of 1568, accompanied by two other men of the order with whom he shared a small and austere house. For a time, John was in charge of the new recruits to the “Discalced Carmelites” – the name adopted by the reformed group, since they wore sandals rather than ordinary shoes as sign of poverty. He also spent five years as the confessor at a monastery in Avila led by St. Teresa.

Their reforming movement grew quickly, but also met with severe opposition that jeopardized its future during the 1570s. Early in December of 1577, during a dispute over John’s assignment within the order, opponents of the strict observance seized and imprisoned him in a tiny cell. His ordeal lasted nine months and included regular public floggings along with other harsh punishments. Yet it was during this very period that he composed the poetry that would serve as the basis for his spiritual writings.

John managed to escape from prison in August of 1578, after which he resumed the work of founding and directing Discalced Carmelite communities. Over the course of a decade he set out his spiritual teachings in works such as “The Ascent of Mount Carmel,” “The Spiritual Canticle” and “The Living Flame of Love” as well as “The Dark Night of the Soul.” But intrigue within the order eventually cost him his leadership position, and his last years were marked by illness along with further mistreatment.

St. John of the Cross died in the early hours of Dec. 14, 1591, nine years after St. Teresa of Avila’s death in October 1582. Suspicion, mistreatment, and humiliation had characterized much of his time in religious life, but these trials are understood as having brought him closer to God by breaking his dependence on the things of this world. Accordingly, his writings stress the need to love God above all things – being held back by nothing, and likewise holding nothing back.

Only near the end of his life had St. John’s monastic superior recognized his wisdom and holiness. Though his reputation had suffered unjustly for years, this situation reversed soon after his death. He was beatified in 1675, canonized in 1726, and named a Doctor of the Church in the 20th century by Pope Pius XI. In a letter marking the 400th anniversary of St. John’s death, Pope John Paul II – who had written a doctoral thesis on the saint’s writings – recommended the study of the Spanish mystic, whom he called a “master in the faith and witness to the living God.”

Daily Prayer for December 14

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Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Hebrews 13:8, RSV

Thank you, Father in heaven, for gathering us together and opening a door which can be entered by all who are like children. You open the door for all who have the childlike hope that you are carrying out your purpose, that in the midst of the ruin and sin of world history, life remains, the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, life for all the world. No one can destroy this life, which will soon gather power until all people see him, Jesus Christ, who for the salvation of humankind is the same yesterday, today, and in all eternity. Amen.

 

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The Divine Teacher / El Maestro Divino

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What do you think of when you hear the word teacher? Do memories rush forward of some great role models in your life who propelled you on the path to success? Maybe you had a negative experience with a teacher at some point. For me, with my wife being a teacher, the word evokes emotions of joy, love, and thankfulness. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the reality is that no teacher can possibly compare to the Divine Teacher, Jesus Christ.

Whenever I am giving a talk on faith I try to remind those listening that whatever I say is all well and good, but the real work happens after they leave, and I have no control over that. This is to say, Jesus is the one who does the work of walking with us day in and day out, guiding us, loving us, and not just being there for a quick 45-minute discussion.

This is precisely why we can call Jesus the Divine Teacher, because He is teaching us at all times, not just during a specific moment of pontification. The first reading for today sums it up well by saying, “I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.” With this model of teaching it’s not just about conveying ideas, but it’s journeying with the student to make sure the ideas stick.

In the ancient world there were people known as pedagogues, who would be tasked with tutoring the children of a household, but beyond that they would make sure the teachings that were presented, were lived out in the family. Jesus is the Divine Pedagogue for us in that He is journeying with us to make sure His teachings are applied to his family.

How is your relationship with the Teacher? Sometimes it can be hard to apply human terms to God because we can have negative experiences with human beings, but how is your relationship with the Divine Teacher? Have you talked lately? Not just about your grades or how much you are able to memorize but have you recently sat down and just enjoyed the presence of Jesus, allowing Him into your very heart? If it’s been a while, Advent is the perfect time and if it has been recent, Advent is the perfect time to be present more. More than presents on Christmas we should be asking to be in the presence of Christ. 

From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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¿Qué piensas cuando escuchas la palabra maestro? ¿Te vienen a la mente recuerdos de grandes modelos a seguir en tu vida que te impulsaron por el camino del éxito? Quizás tuviste una experiencia negativa con un maestro en algún momento. Para mí, que tengo una esposa maestra, la palabra evoca emociones de alegría, amor y agradecimiento. No importa en qué punto del espectro te encuentres, la realidad es que ningún maestro puede compararse con el Divino Maestro, Jesucristo.

Siempre que doy una charla sobre la fe, trato de recordarles a quienes me escuchan que todo lo que digo está bien, pero el verdadero trabajo ocurre después de que se vayan y no tengo control sobre eso. Es decir, Jesús es quien hace el trabajo de caminar con nosotros día tras día, guiándonos, amándonos y no solo estando allí para una discusión breve de 45 minutos.

Es precisamente por eso que podemos llamar a Jesús el Divino Maestro, porque Él nos está enseñando en todo momento, no solo durante un momento específico de predicación. La primera lectura de hoy lo resume bien al decir: “Yo soy el Señor, tu Dios, el que te instruye en lo que es provechoso, el que te guía por el camino que debes seguir”. Con este modelo de enseñanza no se trata solo de transmitir ideas, sino de caminar con el estudiante para asegurarse de que las ideas quedan grabadas.

En el mundo antiguo había personas conocidas como pedagogos, que se encargaban de dar clases particulares a los niños de una casa, pero más allá de eso, se aseguraban de que las enseñanzas que se presentaban se vivieran en la familia. Jesús es el Pedagogo Divino para nosotros, ya que camina con nosotros para asegurarse de que Sus enseñanzas se apliquen a su familia.

¿Cómo es tu relación con el Maestro? A veces puede ser difícil aplicar términos humanos a Dios porque podemos tener experiencias negativas con los seres humanos, pero ¿cómo es tu relación con el Maestro Divino? ¿Le has hablado últimamente? No solo de tus calificaciones o de cuánto puedes memorizar, sino ¿te has sentado recientemente y simplemente disfrutado de la presencia de Jesús, permitiéndole entrar en tu corazón? Si ha sido un largo rato, el Adviento es el momento perfecto y si ha sido más reciente, el Adviento es el momento perfecto para estar más presente. Más que regalos en Navidad, deberíamos pedir estar en la presencia de Cristo.

De parte de todos nosotros aquí en Diocesan, ¡Dios los bendiga!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

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Reading 1 Is 48:17-19

Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel:
I, the LORD, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go.
If you would hearken to my commandments,
your prosperity would be like a river,
and your vindication like the waves of the sea;
Your descendants would be like the sand,
and those born of your stock like its grains,
Their name never cut off
or blotted out from my presence.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Alleluia <a href="https://bible.usccb.orgroute? “>

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord will come; go out to meet him!
He is the prince of peace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 11:16-19

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,
‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Daily Prayer for December 13

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I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. I will put my spirit in you and will see to it that you follow my laws and keep all the commands I have given you. Ezekiel 36:26–27, TEV

Lord our God, may our lives be awakened, for you send your Spirit to blow through heaven and earth and you stir everything to life. May we long for your Spirit’s prompting. Grant that we not be overpowered by evil and sin. May we be born anew to be fighters for the highest good on earth, which leads into heaven. Hear the prayers of all people far and near who are sighing for the Savior. We pray for them all as we pray for ourselves, and you will hear our prayer. You will send power to lift up their hearts and souls so that there may be a great throng of your joyful people on earth. In spite of all the misfortune, adversity, and danger in the world, there will be a people exulting from one end of the earth to the other, a people trusting in you and sure of victory through the great grace you give in answer to our prayers. Amen.

 

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