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five minutes with the
Word Advent 2016
8/15/16 10:
Five Minutes with the Word President: Jeff Smith Publisher: Joseph Difato, Ph.D. Editor: Leo Zanchettin Contributing Writers: Ann Bottenhorn, Jill Boughton, Christine Difato, Bob French, P.M. Graham, Theresa Keller, Joel Laton, Lynne May, Fr. Joseph A. Mindling, O.F.M. Cap., Hallie Riedel, Lisa Sharafinski, Fr. Joseph F. Wimmer, O.S.A., Patty Whelpley, Jonathan Wilson Art Direction: David Crosson Director of Operations: Jack Difato General Manager: John Roeder Production Manager: Nancy Clemens For sales or customer service, direct all mail to The Word Among Us, 7115 Guilford Dr., STE 100, Frederick, Maryland 21704. Telephone: 301-874-1700 Fax: 301-874-2190. Our Web address is www.wau.org. e-mail: theresa@wau.org. Made in the U.S.A. Five Minutes with the Word is published from 7115 Guilford Dr., STE 100, Frederick, Maryland 21704. Letters to the editor should be addressed to this location. Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40031176 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to The Word Among Us, c/o Metanoia Outreach Box 1107, Station F Toronto, Ontario M4Y 2T8 Copyright Š2016 The Word Among Us. The meditations in this booklet may be reproduced with prior approval of the publisher for use in Bible studies, discussion groups, religion classes, and the like. Excerpts from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Psalms Copyright Š1991, 1986, 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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Life in the Spirit
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hilosophers speak about the human person as “body and soul.” The body (soma in Greek) is the physical structure of a person—organs, muscles, bones, and marrow. Our bodies need sleep, food, and sometimes, medical attention. The soul (psyche) is usually linked to our minds. Within the soul, we find qualities of intellect, reason, emotions, will, conscience, intuition, memory, and imagination. But many Fathers of the Church spoke about another dimension of the human person. Some, like St. Paul, called it the “spirit” or the “inner self.” Others called it the “heart” or the “apex of the soul.” This term is used to describe our capacity to relate to God. It is with our spirits that we are most able to feel God’s presence and sense his guidance. Today, society tells us to take care of our bodies with exercise, sleep, and diet. We are urged to develop our minds. But not enough attention is focused on strengthening our human spirit. Consequently, many people know about Jesus in their minds, but they are lacking in their experience of his peace, love, and mercy in their hearts. This booklet, Five Minutes with the Word, contains meditations based on the Mass readings for each day of Advent. They will help your relationship with Jesus come to life. If you carve out a few minutes each day to read these meditations and contemplate the Scripture passage, you will feel God’s love more deeply. That’s because your spirit, your inner self, is being filled. May we all seek the Lord this Advent! Joe Difato Publisher
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Sunday, November 27
A meditation based on Matthew 24:37-44
Stay awake! . . . Be prepared. (Matthew 24:42, 44)
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oday marks the beginning of the Advent season. History tells us that Advent has been observed since around the fourth century AD. Initially, Advent was seen as a time of preparation, both for new believers to be baptized and for all believers to look forward to Jesus’ return in glory. As time went on, the emphasis on the Second Coming and baptism remained, and a new emphasis on Jesus’ first coming as a baby grew along with it. Today, it seems that Advent is much more about celebrating Jesus’ first coming rather than anticipating his Second Coming. Still, the Church reminds us to use this time to prepare for Christmas and to let it “renew [our] ardent desire for [Jesus’] second coming” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 524). So, with this double goal of celebration and anticipation in mind, Advent has become a season of hope—hope that the baby born in Bethlehem will return one day and usher in the kingdom of God. Hope is what helps us step out and believe in what we cannot see. Hope is God’s grace to accept that there is a certain amount of mystery to our faith and to still be confident that God can work in our lives.
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This is not a blind hope, and it’s not all an impossible mystery that we will never understand. In the midst of all the mysteries of our faith, we can still believe because of what we do understand: that God’s Son came to us on Christmas in order to save us from our sins and fill us with his Holy Spirit. For the next four weeks, let’s set our hearts on preparing—first, for Christmas and, second, for Jesus’ return in glory. And let’s do it filled with confidence and hope. Let’s tell Jesus, “This world is not my permanent home. I long for a heavenly home. I long to be with you forever. Come, Lord Jesus.” TODAY’S OTHER READINGS Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122:1-9 Romans 13:11-14
Pray. . . “O come, O come, Emmanuel!”
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Monday, November 28
A meditation based on Psalm 122:1-9
I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1-2)
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e’ve all felt it: that thrill of anticipation over an upcoming trip. We’ve counted the days till we can pack the car, board the plane, or hit the trail. Well, here we are in the first week of Advent, just starting our journey to the Christmas crib. Are you feeling the thrill? Can you say, in the spirit of today’s psalm, I rejoiced when the calendar told me, “We will go again to Bethlehem”? Whatever your answer, Psalm 122 suggests a way to help you find more joy during this Advent season. This is a pilgrimage psalm, one of fifteen labeled “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120–134). Most likely, they were sung by the people of Israel as they trekked to Jerusalem to celebrate the three great yearly festivals. Psalm 122 is sung by one of these pilgrims as he arrives, bursting with joy at finally reaching his destination. Picture him jubilant at the gates, singing Jerusalem’s praises. To him, the holy city means protection and community, justice and peace, because it centers on the Temple, “the house of the LORD.” He is awed and delighted to be approaching God’s pres-
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ence; he is eager to thank God for his blessings and to pray for peace. This pilgrim clearly thought about where he was going and why he was going there. What about us? What is our destination, and why are we taking this journey? Our destination is clear: Jesus. The journey leads to the One who can fill our hearts with joy and gladness. Why are we are taking this journey? Because like the psalmist, we too long for God’s rest and peace. We are journeying because we know, deep down inside, that only the Lord can give us our hearts’ desires. The marvelous thing about Advent is that we can find joy in the journey as well as in the destination. That’s because Jesus is with us every step of the way. He is speaking words of encouragement through the Scriptures; he is showering us with love through our friends and family; he is feeding us and refreshing us in Communion. He is the best traveling companion because he knows the way, and he is committed to bringing you home with him. TODAY’S OTHER READINGS Isaiah 4:2-6 Matthew 8:5-11
Pray. . . “Jesus, give me a spirit of joy as I
travel to you.”
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Tuesday, November 29
A meditation based on Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. (Isaiah 11:1)
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icture a tree stump. It’s graying, dry, maybe even crumbling away. It seems impossible that a shoot—or any sign of life—could sprout from something so barren. But if you think about it, this kind of image lies at the heart of many of our favorite biblical stories. For instance, you might think of the act of creation as the original sprouting stump. Out of a formless, shapeless chasm sprang an entire universe! Though they were elderly, Abraham and Sarah produced a bud that would eventually bloom into a whole nation. Mary wasn’t exactly lifeless, but new life came from her in an unexpected way. And then there’s Jesus. Think of how his life and ministry were cut down on the cross, only to shoot up from the grave three days later! This image of life miraculously springing up from old stumps is deeply embedded in our faith. It has also taken root in you. Take a few seconds to wander through the garden of your heart. Do you see any stumps poking out? We all
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have them. Maybe it’s a wounded relationship with a family member or lingering guilt over a sin you have already confessed. It could be anxiety over the future or a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that tells you God is displeased with you. Whatever it is, know that God can bring new life out of any situation, even something that seems as dead as an old tree stump. He can help you become more loving, more patient, and more compassionate. Don’t let these stumps intimidate you. Any time you stumble upon one, or stumble over one, pray, “Father, I believe that you can bring new life here.” Statements of faith like this can go a long way in helping you experience God’s touch. They can remind you that the Lord is good and patient and loving. They can help you to keep moving forward with the Lord and not get stuck in worry or guilt. There is so much more to your life than stumps! God has planted a forest full of seeds in you. Take a look around, and see how many of them are bearing wonderful fruit. TODAY’S OTHER READINGS Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 Luke 10:21-24
Pray. . .
“Here I am, Lord. Let every part of me teem with your life and joy.”
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Wednesday, November 30
ST. ANDREW
A meditation based on Matthew 4:18-22
They left their boat and their father and followed him. (Matthew 4:22)
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ace-to-face communication is becoming less common, isn’t it? We can spend a whole day e-mailing, texting, and talking on the phone. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter keep us in touch without ever touching. Some of us work from the comfort (and isolation) of home and rarely have the chance to interact. Even online shopping can keep us away from merchants who may be just around the corner. All of this technology certainly does make life more convenient. But what if Andrew and Simon Peter had met Jesus only online instead of face-to-face? Do you think they would have been as deeply affected as they are in today’s Gospel reading? Actually, this is not the first time they’ve seen him. John the Baptist had introduced Andrew to Jesus earlier, and Andrew spent the entire day with him. Andrew in turn introduced Simon to him—the one whom Jesus renamed Cephas, or Peter (John 1:35-42). Both brothers’ lives were changed because they spent time with Jesus.
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As we celebrate St. Andrew today, let’s remember that this kind of direct encounter is at the heart of evangelization. In an Advent speech three years ago, Pope Francis said, “The most important thing that can happen to a person is to encounter Jesus, who loves us, who has saved us, who gave his life for us.” We can’t simply hope that the people around us will absorb enough information about Christ to become his disciples. We need to introduce them to Jesus, just as Andrew introduced Peter to him. Bringing someone to Christ doesn’t have to be hard. Of course, we can pray for people and tell them about God’s love. But sometimes we make more progress with simple expressions of love that are reflections of the Lord. Listening can be just as effective as prayer. A warm embrace can speak more powerfully than a lecture on sin. An invitation to lunch can have a greater impact than a logical presentation of the truths of the gospel. Kindness, generosity, compassion—these are the keys that unlock the treasures of the gospel! TODAY’S OTHER READINGS Romans 10:9-18 Psalm 19:8-11
Pray. . .
“Lord, send me to someone who needs to encounter you today.”
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