Epiphany (Español) (Vietnamese)
Christ in Our Neighborhood is a free on-line publication by Bishop John Dolan. The Christ in Our Neighborhood group Scripture sharing material is also available in PDF form at www.christ-ion.com
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Epiphany
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Holy Family
Holy Family (Español) (Vietnamese)
1st Reading: 3:2-6, 12-14
As parents are models for children, children can mold
Monday, December 21, 2020
Merry Christmas! Christmas Day Readings
Christmas Day (Español) (Vietnamese)
Thursday, December 10, 2020
4th Sunday of Advent
4th Sunday of Advent (Español) (Vietnamese)
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, as we prepare for the Season of Christmas,
open our hearts to welcome your Son in our lives. May we
celebrate his presence within us and rejoice that he is truly
Emmanuel - God with us. We ask this Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Commentary
1st Reading: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16
David loved the Lord so much that he could
not consider having the Ark of the Lord dwelling
in some tent while he himself lived in a
palace. Upon David’s command, the people
were to build a more suitable place for the Ark.
The Ark itself and the tent which contained it was designed
by the Lord Himself. But, the Lord was moved by David’s
desire to give Him honor. In return, God promised David
an even greater house - not of cedar - but of a kingship that
would last forever.
The Lord blesses David and says, “Your house and your
kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall
stand firm forever.”
This kingship would include a great heir who will be God’s
son. Of course, as Christians, we know that this heir is
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. He is the King
of kings and Lord of lords.
But, far from being the end of the line, Jesus is the beginning
for all who choose to dwell in His kingdom. For his
kingdom lasts forever.
How do you see yourself as a part of Christ’s kingdom?
2nd Reading: Romans 16:25-27
“Forever and ever.” These words from Romans are the way
we often end our prayers. Indeed! The Lord Jesus lives
forever and ever.
As we read in the 1st Reading, His kingdom has no end.
The great John Newton hymn, Amazing
Grace, reminds us of this eternal kingdom
of which we are a part:
“When we’ve been there ten thousand
years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.”
Forever and ever is a long time. But, this great gift of
everlasting life begins with Jesus who died so that we might
enjoy eternity with God. This Christmas, let us give thanks
to the Lord for such a wonderful gift!
Question
How will you thank the Lord this Christmas for all the good
He has done for you?
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
In our 1st Reading, we recall the beauty of the Ark which
bore the Law of God. The very essence of God was within
the ark.
Our Gospel today tells of another ark.
However, more than just a container
of God, this motherly ark gave to
Jesus her real human DNA. More than
the Ark of the Covenant made of
human hands in which was placed the
divine law, Mary is the new Ark in
which was conceived the God-man,
Jesus Christ.
Something radically new has begun.
This is news worth pondering and
proclaiming.
Yet, as we proclaim Christ born of a
Virgin, we should also proclaim his
very presence within us. For, we are
the temple of Christ dwelling within
us. As Church we reveal the presence
of God with us - Emmanuel.
To acknowledge Christ within us, we
must be ready to act as His servants. As Mary said, “I am
the handmaid of the Lord,” we should respond, “We are
servants of the Lord. Let it be done to us according to his
will.”
Question
How do you see the Lord abiding in you?
This Week's Task
There is a gift that you can give to others which does not
need to be wrapped.
Your gift of inviting friends or relatives to Christmas
Mass with you and/or inviting them to be a part of your
Christ in Our Neighborhood group may forever change
their lives.
Ask someone who has not been to Church in a while and
give the gift of an invitation to come back for Christmas!
Pray or sing this traditional Advent hymn:
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
The prayer continues with Psalm 89
Response: For ever I will sing the
goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD
I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall
proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said,
“My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your
faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Conclude with an Our Father
Merry Christmas!
For more information, visit Christ in Our Neighborhood at WWW.CHRIST-ION.COM
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Friday, December 4, 2020
3rd Sunday of Advent
3rd Sunday of Advent (Español) (Vietnamese)
Sunday, November 29, 2020
2nd Sunday of Advent
2nd Sunday of Advent (Español) (Vietnamese)
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, As we begin this new Season of Grace, fill
us with the joyful virtue of hope. Help us to long for your
Son Jesus with love in our hearts. Let us remain faithful
until he returns in glory. Amen.
Commentary
1st Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
What joyful news!
Though the people of Israel had sinned, the
Lord promises to eliminate (expiate) their
wrongs and give them a double dose of
comfort.
We can’t ever outdo God’s generosity. We wrong him, and
he pardons us. Moreover, he takes us back as a shepherd
gathers lambs in his bosom.
There is a wonderful statue at the priests’ house of prayer
in Los Angeles of Jesus holding a young lamb. Jesus is
laughing as the lamb is struggling to jump out of his grasp.
This is the image that we should consider as we celebrate
this Season of Advent. Jesus, our Lord and God, shepherds
us with generosity. The Lord wants us to be with him. He
also knows that we want to be with him. However, God is
very aware of our desire to go astray. Thankfully, his justice
is coupled with mercy. As our Responsorial Psalm
proclaims, “justice and peace shall kiss.”
Generously, our Lord takes us back and gives us double
the grace. He gives us himself.
Question
Is the Lord generous to you despite your sins? How?
2nd Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-14
Jeanne Calment, the oldest woman recorded to ever have
lived was 122 before she died in France. Reportedly, when
asked when she would expect to die, she responded, “I
don’t know. I think God forgot I was down here.”
It has been nearly two-thousand years
since the Lord ascended into heaven with
the promise that he would come again.
Patiently, Christians have been waiting.
However, patience has run thin for many
and they have just given up on the promise.
Some people get the sense that the Lord
forgot we were down here. “What’s the
delay?” they ask.
St. Peter reminds us that “the Lord does not delay his
promise, as some regard “delay,” for the Lord’s sense of
time is not our own.
We don’t know when the Lord will come, but we must
always be prepared. When the Lord said that he would
return in glory, he never gave a time stamp. For this reason,
we must wait with patience?
Question
Are you a patient person?
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the Gospel of Mark gives us an
introduction to an unusual person. We have become
accustomed to John the Baptist. But, imagine reading this
Sacred Book for the first time and
reading about this man in the desert,
wearing camel’s hair, a belt around his
waist, and eating things that you
would normally kill with a can of bug
spray.
Truly, John was an unusual prophet
for an unusual event in world history.
He was “preparing the way” (a
reference to the 1st Reading from
Isaiah) for God himself who would
make the paths straight.
It is Christ Jesus who would come to
fill in the valleys and lower the hills so
that all people would live on a level
playing field. In Christ, “kindness and
peace would meet and justice and
peace would kiss” (Responsorial
Psalm).
John the Baptist’s extraordinary
character is nothing compared to the person or the life
changing events that would follow.
Question
John pointed to something bigger in our lives. He showed
us the Lord. How do you point to the Lord in your life?
This Week's Task
Advent Season is a time to prepare ourselves spiritually.
The Season offers us a time to be reconciled to the Lord.
Consider visiting your parish for an Advent Penance
Service or going to confession on Saturday.
As you prepare for confession, consider reviewing the 10
Commandments or the two greatest Commandments
(Loving God and loving others as we love ourselves).
This would be a great way to prepare yourself for Christmas
and to make a New Year’s resolution to change your pattern
of behavior.
Group Prayer
Pray or sing this traditional Advent hymn:
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
The prayer continues with Psalm 85
Response: Lord, let us see your kindness,
and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his
people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who
fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your
salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your
salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your
salvation.
Conclude with an Our Father
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Blessed New Liturgical Year! 1st Sunday of Advent
1st Sunday of Advent (Español) (Vietnamese)
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, As we begin this new Season of Grace, fill
us with the joyful virtue of hope. Help us to long for your
Son Jesus with love in our hearts. Let us remain faithful
until he returns in glory. Amen.
Commentary
1st Reading: Isaiah 63:16-17, 19; 64:2-7
The Season of Advent marks the beginning
of a new Liturgical Year. As we begin this
year, we are reminded to have our eyes and
hearts set on the Lord who will come again in
glory.
Our First Reading reminds us that, in ages
past, people had called out to the Lord - as we do today - to
give them aid. Without God to heal them from their sinfulness,
they were wandering aimlessly. They called for the
Lord to come.
And, so the Lord did come.
Our Catholic faith professes that the Lord not only came to
us, but he died for us, he rose for us, and he would come
again to bring us to himself. Our Advent Season reminds us
to eagerly await his return with steadfast faith.
Advent is a Season of hope knowing that Christ will come
again. He has not disappointed us thus far, so our hope is not
in vain.
Hope is one of the three theological virtues. Faith and love
are the other two. In the end, these three remain. As we begin
this new year within this Season of Advent, let us put the
virtue of hope to work in our lives.
Question
In what way do you hope in the Lord?
2nd Reading: 1 Cor 1:3-9
Advent is not only a time to remember the virtue of hope. It
is also a time for us to rekindle our faith.
This faith begins with God who, as Saint Paul reminds us,
“is faithful” Himself.
Indeed, it would be difficult for Paul to
encourage the Corinthians as they await
the Lord’s return unless they had a sense
that God was faithful toward them.
Indeed, the whole Advent message is about
God’s fidelity toward us. God hears our
cry, he comes to our aid, he dies and rises
for us, and he remains with us (especially
in the Sacraments) until the final revelation of his glory.
Questions
Why else would we believe in God unless he was faithful to
us first?
Why else would we hope in God, unless he entrusted
himself to us first?
Why else would we love God unless he loved us first?
How has the Lord been faithful to you?
Gospel: Mark 13:33-37
As we begin a new Church Year, we begin a new Cycle of
Readings. Last year, we read from the Gospel of Luke.
Next year, we will read from the Gospel of Matthew. This
year, we will read from the Gospels of Mark and John.
Our Gospel today reminds us that the
Lord will return in glory. However,
we do not know when. Therefore, we
must always be watchful and alert!
Unfortunately, for many, being
watchful and alert means trying to
second guess the Lord as to when and
where he will arrive.
The verse before our Gospel passage
this Sunday (vs 32) has Jesus say,
“But about that day or hour no one
knows, not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father.”
True faith, hope, and love for God
does not depend on a future date.
Faithfulness, hope, and love for God
begins now!
Questions
Are you preparing to love God when the Lord comes, or
are you loving God now?
As you prepare for Christmas, what spiritual gift will you
offer a friend, family member, or neighbor?
This Weeks' Task
Consider giving them a gift of Christ in Our Neighborhood.
Invite them to join you this Season of Advent to break open
the Holy Scriptures and reflect on the Word of God who
came to set us free.
Consider one or both of the following:
1) Forward your friends the link to christ-ion.com via
facebook, instagram, or twitter.
2) Invite your friends to group with you for the four weeks
of Advent.
Pray or sing this traditional Advent hymn:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Response: 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,
and come to save us.
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.
Conclude with an Our Father
Monday, November 16, 2020
Christ the Kings Sunday
Feast of Christ the King (Español)
Prayer
Father, You understand the difficulties we face. We ask that you guide us as we take our final exam here on earth. Guide us with your Word. Assist us with your Sacraments. May we be pass the test of faith, hope, and love, until we find ourselves before your Son, our Lord and King. Amen
1st Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Everything has an end.
Our Church Year ends this Sunday with the Feast of Christ the King. However, just as the year ends, we are preparing for a new year with the Season of Advent. Next week is a new beginning. As we celebrate Christ the King Sunday, we are reminded that our life itself has an end. However, depending on how we live out our life here on earth, our new beginning will be one of eternal bliss or eternal torment. As we recall, this life we have here is our final exam. When we stand before the Lord at the gates of heaven, we will not be given another test. Instead, we will be given a final grade. Our First Reading and Gospel today give us an example of how we are to be graded. Jesus, the Shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats. In other words, our grades will be pass or fail. Fortunately, while Jesus is a just King, he is also a Good Shepherd who has us in his best interest. It is for this reason, the Lord provides us ample opportunities to pass the test while here on earth. Walking from sin, living in Christ, and tending to the needy are just a few ways in which we can stand confidently before our Good Shepherd and Just Judge.
Are you a sheep or a goat? Or, are you a little bit of both?
2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
There’s a lot packed in this reading. It seems those Corinthians to whom St. Paul addresses his letter were often confused. He found it necessary to explain the order of things; especially the things regarding the Lord’s resurrection. In the verse after our Second Reading today (1 Cor 15:29), Paul needs to remind the Corinthians that they are not to take their faith in vain: “Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them?” Paul is trying to set the Church straight on Jesus’ nature and our salvation. Jesus is raised first and those who follow him will rise with him when he returns in glory. As Christians, we know this. However, to have this knowledge in our minds but not in our heart can be very dangerous. To know Christ and the bright promise that awaits those of us who follow him is very promising. That is, if we follow him! Thankfully, we have Paul, our Scripture, our Tradition, our Church, our Sacraments, our priests and catechists to help us stay on track and follow the Lord until he comes again. Left alone, we will wander. We will forget what is important. We will cling to the things of this earth and fail to see the great and awesome opportunity that awaits us all when we see our Lord.
What does it mean to live forever with Christ?
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
A king has the power to judge.
The verse we should reflect on is “and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats”.
The kingdom is compared, not to a shepherd nor to the sheep and the goats, but to the act of separation. Jesus uses other parables related to separation: wheat and weeds, good and bad fish, good and bad stewards. These are all are parables about judgment.
We are all sent on mission. Just like the early disciples in the church, the mission is clear, feed the hungry, welcome tho stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned. We all know the mission.
On this solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the universe, let’s be mindful of his role. A king has the power to judge.
This is our final exam. How will he judge us in the end?
Do I think of Jesus as a king and a judge, or just my buddy?
This Week's Task
We are concluding the A-Cycle of Readings of a three-year cycle with this Sunday. Over this last year, we focused on the Gospel of Matthew.
Next week begins a new Church Year. The primary Gospel for the B-Cycle is Mark; although we will also reflect on passages from the Gospel of John.
This week, you are invited to read the entire Gospel of Mark. There are only 16 chapters in the entire Gospel, so you can do it in one setting. However, you are invited to make notes and find common themes throughout the Gospel.
Try to discover something new in your reading of Mark. If you have questions about the readings, consider visiting the following link: https://stpaulcenter.com/the-gospel-of-mark/
The group prays the following Prayer:
Almighty and merciful God,
you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe.
May all in heaven and earth
acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you.
We ask this through Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Continue with Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Conclude with an Our Father
Saturday, November 14, 2020
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Español)
Sunday, October 4, 2020
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Español)
Monday, September 28, 2020
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Español)