Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-15-17

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 12-15-17 | Revised New American Bible

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Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 11
16.	But whereunto shall I esteem this generation to be like? It is like to children sitting in the market place.	Cui autem similem æstimabo generationem istam ? Similis est pueris sedentibus in foro : qui clamantes coæqualibus	τινι δε ομοιωσω την γενεαν ταυτην ομοια εστιν παιδιοις εν αγοραις καθημενοις και προσφωνουσιν τοις εταιροις αυτων
17.	Who crying to their companions say: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have lamented, and you have not mourned.	dicunt : Cecinimus vobis, et non saltastis : lamentavimus, et non planxistis.	και λεγουσιν ηυλησαμεν υμιν και ουκ ωρχησασθε εθρηνησαμεν υμιν και ουκ εκοψασθε
18.	For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil.	Venit enim Joannes neque manducans, neque bibens, et dicunt : Dæmonium habet.	ηλθεν γαρ ιωαννης μητε εσθιων μητε πινων και λεγουσιν δαιμονιον εχει
19.	The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.	Venit Filius hominis manducans, et bibens, et dicunt : Ecce homo vorax, et potator vini, publicanorum et peccatorum amicus. Et justificata est sapientia a filiis suis.	ηλθεν ο υιος του ανθρωπου εσθιων και πινων και λεγουσιν ιδου ανθρωπος φαγος και οινοποτης τελωνων φιλος και αμαρτωλων και εδικαιωθη η σοφια απο των τεκνων αυτης

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16. But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like to children sitting in the markets, and calling to their fellows,
17. And saying, We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not lamented.
18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a devil.
19. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

HILARY; The whole of this speech is a reproach of unbelief, and arises out of the foregoing complaint; that the stiff-necked people had not learned by two different modes of teaching.

CHRYS; Whence He puts this question, showing that nothing had been omitted that ought to be done for their salvation, saying, To whom shall I liken this generation?

GLOSS: By this generation He means the Jews together with Himself and John. As though He had said; John is thus great; but you would believe neither him nor Me, and therefore to whom shall I liken you?

REMIG; And straightway He answers Himself, saying, It is like to children sitting in the market-place, crying to their fellows, and saying, We have played music to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned, and you have not lamented.

HILARY; By the children are meant the Prophets, who preached as children in singleness of meaning, and in the midst of the synagogue, that is in the market-place, reprove them, that when they played to those to whom they had devoted the service of their body, they had not obeyed their words, as the movement of the dancers are regulated by the measures of the music. For the Prophets invited them to make confession ;by song to God, as it is contained in the song of Moses, of Isaiah, or of David.

JEROME; They say therefore, We have played music to you, and you have not danced; i.e. We have called on you to work good works to our songs, and you would not. We have lamented and called you to repentance, and this you would not, rejecting both preaching, as well of exhortation to virtue, as of repentance for sin.

REMIG; What is that He says, To their fellows? Were the unbelieving Jews then fellows of the Prophets? He speaks thus only because they were sprung of one stock.

JEROME; The children are they of whom Isaiah speaks, Behold I, and the children whom the Lord has given me. These children then sit in the market-place, where are many things for sale, and say,

CHRYS; We have played music to you, and you have not danced; that is, I have showed you an unrestricted life, and you are not convinced; We have mourned to you and you have not lamented; that is, John lived a hard life, and you heeded him not. Yet does not he speak one thing, and I another, but both speak the same thing, because both have one and the same object. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon. The Son of man came &c.

AUG; I would that the Manichaeans would tell me what Christ ate and drank, who here speaks of Himself as eating and drinking in comparison of John, who did neither. Not indeed that John drank nothing at all, but that he drank neither wine nor strong drink - but water only. Not that he dispensed altogether with food, but that he ate only locusts and wild honey. Whence then is it said of him that he came neither eating nor drinking, except that he used not that food which the Jews used? Unless therefore the Lord had used this food, He would not have been said to have been, in comparison of John, eating and drinking. It would be strange that he who ate locusts and honey, should be said to come neither eating nor drinking, and that he who ate only bread and herbs, should be said to come eating and drinking.

CHRYS; He says therefore, Jesus came, as much as to say, I and John came opposite ways, to do the same thing; as two hunters chasing the same animal from opposite sides, so that it might fall into the hands of one of them But all mankind admire fasting and severity of life; and for this reason it was ordained from his infancy that John should be so brought up, that the things that he should say should receive credit. The Lord also walked in this way when He fasted forty days; but He had other means of teaching me to have confidence in Him; for it was a much greater thing that John who had walked in this way should bear witness to Him, than that He Himself should walk in that way. Again John had nothing to show besides his life, and his righteousness; whereas Christ had also the witness of His miracles Leaving therefore to John the representation of fasting, He Himself walked in a contrary way, entering to the table of the publicans, and eating and drinking with them.

JEROME; If then pleases you, why were you not satisfied with John? If fullness, why not with the Son of man? Yet one of these you said had a demon, the other you called a gluttonous man and drunkard.

CHRYS; What excuse then shall be given for them? Therefore He adds, And wisdom is justified of her children; that is, though you were not convinced, yet have you nothing whereof to accuse me, as also of the Father the Prophet speaks, That you might be justified in your sayings. For though nothing be effected in you by that goodness which is extended to you, yet He fulfills all His part that you may not have the shadow of excuse for your ungrateful doubt.

JEROME; Wisdom is justified of her children, i.e. The dispensation or doctrine of God, or Christ Himself who is the power and wisdom of God, is proved by the Apostles, who are His children, to have done righteously.

HILARY; He is wisdom itself not by His acts, but by His nature. Many indeed evade that saying of the Apostle's, Christ is the wisdom and power of God, by saying, that truly in creating Him of a Virgin the Wisdom and Power of God were shown mightily. Therefore that this might not be so explained, He calls Himself the Wisdom of God, showing that it was verily He, and not the deeds relating to Him, of whom this was meant. For the power itself, and the effect of that power, are not the same thing; the efficient is known from the act.

AUG; Or, Wisdom is justified of her children, because the holy Apostles understood that the kingdom of God was not in meat and drink, but in patient enduring; such persons neither does abundance lift up, nor want cast down, but as Paul spoke, I know how to abound, and to suffer want.

JEROME; Some copies read, Wisdom is justified of her works, for wisdom does not seek the witness of words, but of works.

CHRYS; You should not be surprised at His using trite instances, such as that respecting the children; for He spoke to the weakness of His hearers; as Ezekiel spoke many things adapted to the Jews, but unworthy of the greatness of God.

HILARY; Mystically; Neither did the preaching of John bend the Jews, to whom the law seemed burdensome in prescribing meats and drinks difficult and grievous, having in it sin which He calls having a demon - for from the difficulty of keeping it they must sin under the Law. Nor again did the preaching of the Gospel with freedom of life in Christ please them - by which the hardships and burdens of the Law were remitted, and publicans and sinners only believed in it. Thus, then, so many and so great warnings of all kinds having been offered them in vain, they are neither justified by the Law, and they are cast off from grace; Wisdom, therefore, is justified of her children, by those, that is, who seize the kingdom of heaven by the justification of faith, confessing the work of wisdom to be just, that it has transferred its gift from the rebellious to the faithful.

Catena Aurea Matthew 11

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Christ the Sophia the Divine Wisdom

St. Michael the Archangel Temple, Puschino, Russia

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Blessed Mary Frances Schervier

Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Image: Monument for Mary Frances Schervier | Aachen, Germany | photo by Berthold Werner

Blessed Mary Frances Schervier

Saint of the Day for December 15

(January 3, 1819 – December 14, 1876)

 

Blessed Mary Frances Schervier’s Story

This woman who once wanted to become a Trappistine nun was instead led by God to establish a community of sisters who care for the sick and aged in the United States and throughout the world.

Born into a distinguished family in Aachen—then ruled by Prussia, but formerly Aix-la-Chapelle, France—Frances ran the household after her mother’s death, and established a reputation for generosity to the poor. In 1844, she became a Secular Franciscan. The next year she and four companions established a religious community devoted to caring for the poor. In 1851, the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis were approved by the local bishop; the community soon spread. The first U.S. foundation was made in 1858.

Mother Frances visited the United States in 1863 and helped her sisters nurse soldiers wounded in the Civil War. She visited the United States again in 1868. She encouraged Philip Hoever as he was establishing the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis.

When Mother Frances died, there were 2,500 members of her community worldwide. They are still engaged in operating hospitals and homes for the aged. Mother Mary Frances was beatified in 1974.

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Reflection

The sick, the poor, and the aged are constantly in danger of being considered “useless” members of society and therefore ignored—or worse. Women and men motivated by the ideals of Mother Frances are needed if the God-given dignity and destiny of all people are to be respected.

[Salvation]

Information: St. Mary di Rosa

Feast Day: December 15

Born: November 6, 1813, Brescia, Italy

Died: 1855, Brescia, Italy

Canonized: 12 June 1954 by Pope Pius XII

[Salvation]

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Nino

Feast Day: December 15
Born:(around) 250 :: Died:(around) 320

Nino was a Christian girl who was captured and carried off to Iberia as a slave. The people of Iberia did not believe in God but the people there admired Nino's goodness and purity.

Noticing how much she prayed, they asked her about her religion. The simple answer she gave them was that she adored Jesus Christ as God. God chose this pure, pious slave-girl to bring Christianity to Iberia.

One day, a mother brought her sick child to Nino, asking her to suggest a cure. The saint wrapped the baby in her cloak. Then she told the mother that Jesus Christ can cure the worst cases of sickness. She handed the child back and the mother saw that her child was completely cured.

The queen of Iberia learned of this miracle. Since she herself was sick and nobody could cure her, she asked Nino to come to the palace. Nino politely refused saying that she was a slave girl who had no place in a palace.

So the queen went to Nino who prayed over her and when she, too, was healed, she tried to thank the Christian girl. But Nino said: "It is Christ's work, not mine. And he is the Son of God who made the world." The queen wanted to reward her so Nino asked her to become a follower of Jesus Christ.

The queen told King Mirian the whole story of her cure. She repeated to her husband what the slave-girl had said of Jesus Christ.

Soon after this, the king got lost in a fog while out hunting. Then he remembered what his wife had told him. He said that if Jesus Christ would lead him safely home, he would believe in him. At once, the fog lifted, and the king kept his promise.

St. Nino herself taught the king and queen the truths of Christianity. They gave her permission to teach the people. Meanwhile, the king began building a Christian church.

Then he sent messengers to the Christian emperor, Constantine, to tell him of his conversion. He asked the emperor to send bishops and priests to Iberia. So it was that a poor slave brought a whole country into the Church.

This good work begun, Nino went to live alone in prayer on a mountainside at Bodbe, Kakheti where she died around the year 320.

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CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Friday, December 15

Liturgical Color: Violet

St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli
died on this day in 1651.
Widowed with two children at
the age of 20, she dedicated her
life to helping the elderly, the
sick, and orphaned and
abandoned children.

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Catholic Culture

Advent: December 15th

Friday of the Second Week of Advent; St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli (Italy)

MASS READINGS

December 15, 2017 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant that your people, we pray, almighty God, may be ever watchful for the coming of your Only Begotten Son, that, as the author of our salvation himself has taught us, we may hasten, alert and with lighted lamps, to meet him when he comes. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

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Recipes (1)

• Luscious Coffee Ring

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Activities (5)

• Christmas Field Trip
• Gifts for Jesus, the Advent Manger
• Preparing the Christmas Gifts
• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: December
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: December

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Prayers (6)

• Advent Wreath Prayers I
• Advent Wreath Prayers II
• Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Advent (2nd Plan)
• December Devotion: The Immaculate Conception
• Christmas Anticipation Prayer
• Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Advent (1st Plan)

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Library (1)

• The Mystery of Man's Reconciliation with God | St. Leo the Great

Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:31-35).

Today the feast of St. Virginia Bracelli is celebrated in Italy. She was born in 1587 and entered into an arranged marriage in 1602. She bore two daughters and was widowed in 1607 aged 20. She refused another marriage and took up a vow of chastity. She devoted the rest of her life to helping the needy and the sick and died in 1651 aged 64. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 18, 2003.

Jesse Tree ~ King David

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The Three Feasts of the Nativity
When we celebrate Christmas we are commemorating the three nativities of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the reason for the three Masses celebrated on this day. The first is the eternal begetting of God the Son from all eternity within the mystery of the Blessed Trinity by the Father, “You are My Son. Today I have begotten You.” This first nativity was before the seven days of Creation, when everything was darkness. This is why the first Mass is at midnight to recall the darkness that prevailed during that first eternal birth of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

The second nativity, or birth, of the Second Person of the Trinity is commemorated on Christmas day when He became man, born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem. For the world, the darkness was beginning to be dispelled. This is why the second Mass is celebrated at dawn when the dawn is beginning to dispel the darkness.

The third nativity of Christ is when He is born in our souls, through His in-dwelling, when man, through grace, becomes enlightened. Thus the third Mass is celebrated during the day when the sun is bright. For man is truly enlightened when he has Christ in his soul.

The first nativity reminds us of the Spirit of poverty, the Spirit that tells us that all the things God created is His, to be used for His glory and not for man’s enjoyment. Even man was to use himself for the glory of God. This represents the six days of creation. If Adam, being the head of creation, had observed the spirit of poverty and used all of creation for the glory of God, then he would have entered into the Sabbath, God’s rest… i.e. eternal happiness. But Adam messed up everything. And the consequence: the whole of mankind could not enter God’s rest.

The second nativity reminds us of the Spirit of chastity. That Spirit reminds us to give up all physical comforts, pleasure and conveniences. And Christ in the manger is a clear example of this. It is a continuous reminder that true happiness can only be found in God and that we are on earth to seek God. All the rest will come with that find. True rest can only be found in God.

The third nativity reminds us of the Spirit of obedience. It is only when we can say, “Not my will but Your will be done,” can Christ be born in our souls. The apostolic commission at the end of St. Matthew’s Gospel reiterates this, reminding us of the role of the Church and the men of the Church: “… teach all My commands and how to observe them.”

Christmas reminds us of one lesson. Christ was born to die. For us the message is clear. We are born to die to oneself. And to die to oneself means reaching a point in our lives when we no longer do our own will but the will of the Father in heaven. This is to lose one’s life in order to find it. If we have learned the lessons of the first nativity, if we have learned the lesson of the second nativity, our reward is the third nativity, when Christ is born in our souls….indeed our eternal Christmas. This is truly a Merry Christmas.

— Excerpted from Fr. Odon de Castro, Bo. San Isidro, Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines

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St. Virginia Centurione Bracelli
Daughter of Giorgio Centurione, and imposing and controlling individual who became the Doge of Genoa, and Lelia Spinola. Raised in a pious family, she felt drawn to religious life as a child. However, due to family position she agree to an arranged marriage to Gasparo Grimaldi Bracelli on 10 December 1602. He was a drinker, a gambler, and though the couple had two daughters, Lelia and Isabella, he was little of a father or husband. Virginia was widowed on 13 June 1607 after five years of marriage, aged 20, and with two small children.

Virginia moved in with her in-laws, cared for her children, and dedicated her free time to prayer and charity. When her daughters were grown and married, Virginia devoted herself entirely to caring for the sick, aged, and abandoned children. In late 1624 and early 1625 war in the region led to many orphans, some whom Virginia took in and cared for, and she worked with refugees in the town. When her mother-in-law died in August 1625, Virginia poured herself into the work, turning her house into a refuge and founding the Cento Signore della Misericordia Protettrici dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo.

Her house was overrun with the needy during a plague and famine in 1629 – 1630. To house them all Virginia rented the vacant convent of Monte Calvario and moved her charges there in 1631. Due to crowding, extra housing was built in 1634, Virginia was soon caring for 300 patients, and in 1635 she received official government recognition for her hospital. Virginia worked closely with the young women in her houses, teaching them religion and ways to earn a living.

The expenses of Monte Calvario were excessive, so Virginia bought two villas and started construction of a church dedicated to Our Lady of Refuge. It became the mother church of the Institution, whose Rule was written between 1644 and 1650 and which was divided into two congregations: Suore di Nostra Signora del Rifugio di Monte Calvario (Sisters of Our Lady of Refuge in Mount Calvary) and Figlie di Nostra Signora al Monte Calvario (Daughters of Our Lady on Mount Calvary). When the group of Protectors, the superiors and governors of the Institute was selected in 1641, Virginia retired from administration, working as the humblest sister, doing chores on the grounds and begging for alms for the Institute.

Sadly, though the Institute was a success, healing the sick, educating children, training adults, and helping the dissolute return to productive lives, assistance, personal and financial, began to decline. Without the chance to work with Virginia, many of the middle and upper class did not participate, fearing the poor and rough residents. Though her health was failing, Virginia returned to active administrative duties. She worked for general spiritual development throughout the region, working for the choice of the Blessed Virgin Mary as patron of the republic of Genoa in 1637, for the institution of the Forty Hours’ Devotion in 1642, and the revival of home missions in 1643. She acted as peacemaker between noble houses, and aided in the reconciliation of Church and Republic authorities in 1647, ending a dispute caused by the government abandoning support of the Institute. Virginia continued working up to the end of her days, and in later years received the gifts of visions and interior locutions.

Excerpted from Saints.SQPN.com

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Psalm 1:1-4, 6

2nd Week of Advent

He is like a tree planted near running water. (Psalm 1:3)

It sounds peaceful: a big tree, planted “near running water,” its roots sunk down into the fertile soil (Psalm 1:3). That tree would be guaranteed constant refreshment and nourishment. Wouldn’t it be great to have a similar peaceful life? Being tapped into what nourishes us, we would always feel invigorated, cared for, sustained.

The good news is that we do have a constant, streaming source of nourishment: Jesus. How do we “tap into” his refreshing life? If we listen to the saints, one particular way stands out: Eucharistic adoration.

Here’s what St. Catherine Labouré has to say:

“Whenever I go to the chapel, I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him, ‘Lord, I am here. Tell me what you would have me to do.’ . . . And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart. I tell him about my pains and my joys, and then I listen. If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen. God always speaks to you when you approach him plainly and simply.”

St. Catherine describes spending time relaxed and comfortable in Jesus’ presence in the Blessed Sacrament. She brought him her concerns and needs. But she also sat and listened to him. She was a lot like the psalmist’s tree, quietly absorbing the constant flow of life. We can do it too. Eucharistic adoration provides a time set apart from our everyday responsibilities. It’s a time to listen, learn, and absorb. Beyond pouring out our concerns, we simply sit in his presence. We enjoy him.

Try this the next time you are able to go to adoration: sit with Jesus with no particular agenda. Enjoy his company. Soak in the peace of those moments set apart for him. If you find your mind wandering, you might want to try to imagine that tree near streams of water. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more comfortable you will become, and the easier you’ll find it to sense his presence and hear his voice.

So go! Rest by the river and absorb those nourishing, healthy waters.

“Lord, I thank you for the gift of Eucharistic adoration! I love your Presence.”

Isaiah 48:17-19
Matthew 11:16-19

[Salvation]

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for December 15, 2017:

“The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son.” (Lk 1:57) Elizabeth waited a long time to have a child. Do you know anyone hoping to have a child? Pray for them. God willing, their time will come. If not, may they be mothers and fathers in other […]

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

December 15, 2017 – A Lesson about the Heart

15 Dec 2017

Friday of the Second Week of Advent

Matthew 11: 16-19

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in the 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.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for this new day and all the graces you will bless me with. I believe in you and your love for me. I wish to show my love for you by staying focused on what is most important during this time of prayer: you and your most holy will.

Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to see your actions and the actions of others with the eyes of faith.

1. Eyes of Faith: God comes to us in many and various ways each day. Sometimes he reveals his goodness to us when he allows us to succeed in life. Other times he permits trials in our life so that we can cling more surely to him. The proper response to God’s constant action in our lives will only be possible if we are able to discern that it is indeed God who is acting –– that it is God who is “playing the flute for us” or “singing a dirge for us”. We need the eyes of faith. A habitual interior attitude of faith and trust in God allows us to live with great peace and purpose.

2. Worldly Standards of Judgment: Jesus complains when the crowds use worldly standards to size him up. They are caught up in their opinions and all too easily pass judgment on him. They accuse Jesus of being possessed by a demon, a drunkard, and so on. How easy is it for me to judge others by accepting or rejecting them for mere external things? What are my internal attitudes towards others? Lord, help me to be detached from all worldly standards of judging and to embrace each soul, loving them as you do, and to leave the judging to you.

3. But Wisdom is Vindicated by Her Works: Despite the rejection and harsh judgments of many, Jesus went about doing good. This is what he meant by saying that “wisdom is vindicated by her works”. In the same vein he also taught that you can recognize a tree by its fruits. Knowing how easy it is to misjudge others, I cannot permit myself to worry about what others may say or think of me. Rather I need to be busy like Jesus, going about doing good. Good actions speak for themselves, even if it may take a while for others to perceive or appreciate them. When we trustfully follow along to the flute or the dirge Our Lord is playing for us, and we do so for his sake and for the sake of spreading his message, we can rest in the certainty that God is blessing us and will bring his good works to fruition through us.

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity to spend time with you in prayer. Let it be my motivation for the day and bring me to live a greater spirit of faith in you and the mission you have entrusted me. How much it would help me to consider my actions, the actions of others and your actions under the light of your love and good will. I do believe that you permit everything that happens in my life for the sake of bringing about a greater good, but Lord, increase my faith.

Resolution: I will strive to interpret the actions of others in a positive way, excusing any defects I may perceive.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espa�ol

All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 1

<< Friday, December 15, 2017 >>

Isaiah 48:17-19
View Readings

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

Matthew 11:16-19
Similar Reflections

Please read: Donations appeal letter for 2017
 

LOOKING LIKE DAD

"What comparison can I use to describe this breed? They are like children..." �Matthew 11:16

We were created in the image and likeness of God (Gn 1:26-27). That image was marred when we sinned. The purpose of our lives is to be restored to the image of God by imitating Jesus, "the Image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15). However, we are so blinded and confused by sin that we are tempted to make everyone and everything (even God) conform to our deformed image.

We are tempted to pretend to be God and to get everyone to do our will rather than God's will. Yet we are not the Creator; we are the created (see Wis 13:5ff). We are not the perfect image of the Father but the imperfect image. We need to conform to God's will so that our deformity will be reformed and transformed.

This Advent, we began a new Church year. Let us be humble, docile children of the Father. Let us obey our Father as He teaches us what is for our good and leads us on the way we should go (Is 48:17). Let us rejoice in being conformed to the Father's image. When we give up our desire to make the world in our image, we will be restored into God's image and thereby find our true selves.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, cry out in my heart "Father" (Abba) (Gal 4:6).

Promise: "If you would hearken to My commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea." —Is 48:18

Praise: Putting on the mind of the Son has helped Robert relate to God the Father. He gazes at images of the Sacred Heart to keep his heart open to loving and forgiving others.

[Salvation]

Angel in the Waters