Sunday Readings

Christmas, 2024 Meditation Summary: May we receive the Word made flesh and now lives in the words of Sacred Scripture: ....like Mary, the Mother of God, who receives completely and absolutely the Word of God through Gabriel the Archangel. His word becomes reality when she consents in love and brings forth the Christ and calls him Jesus which means, Savior. Mary responds so fully: “Behold the servant of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word. ....like Joseph, to hear in the hidden parts of consciousness, as in a dream, the voice of God's angel whispering again into our heart the silent words of trust and faith, and courage to do what we are commanded with the risk of faith. ....like the shepherds whose work is watching in quiet places; they are not paid to make speeches. They watch through the night. They ponder the stillness. Their music is the fine, simple melodies of the flute and reed; they are a poor class of people. But their response is not just words, but actions, simple and direct: *Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.* ....in some ways too, we, like the animals--no speech, just their being, their complete creature-state, their watching, the warmth of their breath, their service to humankind. And as we approach the scene, no one expects us therefore to make a speech. But our simple intention in prayer is to be there, with all that we are; To adore; To pass over into the mystery of God with us in Jesus, His Son; To be there like Mary to ponder all these things in our heart; and To be there and to say, yes, yes, yes. Let us be one with this mystery of salvation unfolding before us and within us. Full Meditation: It is beyond our power to put into words the living mystery that God of God, true God of true God, eternal Son of the Father, was born as a human being, as a helpless baby. The birth took place in the middle of the night, in silence, in the most ordinary of circumstances. Perhaps that is why the most profound and beautiful of all the Christmas carols is Silent Night: Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace. Words are always miles away from the real experience of the event. Words never capture completely the Reality of Christ's Mystery. Words serve the Mystery as a means of handing on the Mystery. Therefore, the words of Sacred Scripture and Tradition are essential and absolute in the life of the Church. The essence of the Mystery is meant for the heart, for the deep experience of the human soul open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, leading into the Presence of the Triune God. The Gospel of St. John in its prologue first brings us into the mystery of the eternal birth of the Word from the Father. Then it continues to capture the mystery of God becoming a man and living among us. It says that the Word was made flesh. The Word, the eternal Son of the Father, moves into the conditions of flesh and blood, into the experience of warmth and cold, of sights and smells, of relationships of love and kindness and of hatred and neglect, of joy and pain. The Word became flesh and dwelt, lived among us. A written meditation or sermon goes in the opposite direction. The words written or spoken take the flesh, take the living humanity of God among us and conveys that presence in symbols and concepts, easily removed from experience. And how can I take the Mystery of Jesus and put It into words, beyond the words of Sacred Scripture or the Liturgy of the Catholic Church? So I ask this grace from the eternal Father in the name of the infant Jesus, His only begotten Son, that the Holy Spirit guide us into the mystery of God born among us to save us. I pray that we may receive the Christ into our souls and into our lives as we enter this meditation. May we receive the Word made flesh and given in the words of God, inspired words of Sacred Scripture: ....like Mary, the Mother of God, who receives completely and absolutely the Word of God through Gabriel the Archangel. His word becomes reality when she consents in love and brings forth the Christ and calls him Jesus which means, Savior. Mary responds so fully: “Behold the servant of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word. ....like Joseph, to hear in the hidden parts of consciousness, as in a dream, the voice of God's angel whispering again into our heart the silent words of trust and faith, and courage to do what we are commanded with the risk of faith. ....like the shepherds whose work is watching in quiet places; they are not paid to make speeches. They watch through the night. They ponder the stillness. Their music is the fine, simple melodies of the flute and reed; they are a poor class of people. But their response is not words, but actions, simple and direct: Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us. ....in some ways too, we, like the animals--no speech, just their being, their complete creature-state, their watching, the warmth of their breath, their service to humankind. And as we approach the scene, no one expects us therefore to make a speech. But our simple intention in prayer is to be there, with all that we are; To adore; To pass over into the mystery of God with us in Jesus, His Son; To be there like Mary to ponder all these things in our heart; and To be there and to say, yes, yes, yes. Let us be one with this mystery of salvation unfolding before us and within us. In conclusion, St. John's First Letter focuses in its very first lines that demands heart-contact with the living reality of this mystery of the Word made flesh: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life--the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was make manifest o us --that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. This Mystery of Christ becomes real in the Holy Eucharist, in our Holy Communion, in this most intimate and complete sharing in the Word made flesh--Bethlehem, means the House of Bread--in the Bread of our Communion, we are one with Christ in God the Father. It is the Presence that draws our adoration and silent love in the Blessed Sacrament preserved in the tabernacle. Let that communion be our Amen, our Yes, in the deep silence of our hearts, love beyond words. Let the Communion of the Incarnation-Nativity of Jesus our Savior continue in our daily practice of contemplative prayer. --William Fredrickson, OblS, OSB; D.Min.

Christmas, 2024

Meditation Summary:

May we receive the Word made flesh and now lives in the words of Sacred Scripture:

        ....like Mary, the Mother of God, who receives completely and absolutely the Word of God through Gabriel the Archangel. His word becomes reality when she consents in love and brings forth the Christ and calls him Jesus which means, Savior. Mary responds so fully: “Behold the servant of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word.

        ....like Joseph, to hear in the hidden parts of consciousness, as in a dream, the voice of God's angel whispering again into our heart the silent words of trust and faith, and courage to do what we are commanded with the risk of faith.

        ....like the shepherds whose work is watching in quiet places; they are not paid to make speeches. They watch through the night. They ponder the stillness. Their music is the fine, simple melodies of the flute and reed; they are a poor class of people. But their response is not just words, but actions, simple and direct:

Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.

        ....in some ways too, we, like the animals--no speech, just their being, their complete creature-state, their watching, the warmth of their breath, their service to humankind.

And as we approach the scene, no one expects us therefore to make a speech. But our simple intention in prayer is to be there, with all that we are; To adore; To pass over into the mystery of God with us in Jesus, His Son; To be there like Mary to ponder all these things in our heart; and To be there and to say, yes, yes, yes. Let us be one with this mystery of salvation unfolding before us and within us.

Full Meditation:

It is beyond our power to put into words the living mystery that God of God, true God of true God, eternal Son of the Father, was born as a human being, as a helpless baby. The birth took place in the middle of the night, in silence, in the most ordinary of circumstances. Perhaps that is why the most profound and beautiful of all the Christmas carols is Silent Night:

        Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.

Words are always miles away from the real experience of the event. Words never capture completely the Reality of Christ's Mystery. Words serve the Mystery as a means of handing on the Mystery. Therefore, the words of Sacred Scripture and Tradition are essential and absolute in the life of the Church. The essence of the Mystery is meant for the heart, for the deep experience of the human soul open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, leading into the Presence of the Triune God.

The Gospel of St. John in its prologue first brings us into the mystery of the eternal birth of the Word from the Father. Then it continues to capture the mystery of God becoming a man and living among us. It says that the Word was made flesh. The Word, the eternal Son of the Father, moves into the conditions of flesh and blood, into the experience of warmth and cold, of sights and smells, of relationships of love and kindness and of hatred and neglect, of joy and pain. The Word became flesh and dwelt, lived among us.

A written meditation or sermon goes in the opposite direction. The words written or spoken take the flesh, take the living humanity of God among us and conveys that presence in symbols and concepts, easily removed from experience. And how can I take the Mystery of Jesus and put It into words, beyond the words of Sacred Scripture or the Liturgy of the Catholic Church?

So I ask this grace from the eternal Father in the name of the infant Jesus, His only begotten Son, that the Holy Spirit guide us into the mystery of God born among us to save us. I pray that we may receive the Christ into our souls and into our lives as we enter this meditation.

May we receive the Word made flesh and given in the words of God, inspired words of Sacred Scripture:

        ....like Mary, the Mother of God, who receives completely and absolutely the Word of God through Gabriel the Archangel. His word becomes reality when she consents in love and brings forth the Christ and calls him Jesus which means, Savior. Mary responds so fully: “Behold the servant of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word.

        ....like Joseph, to hear in the hidden parts of consciousness, as in a dream, the voice of God's angel whispering again into our heart the silent words of trust and faith, and courage to do what we are commanded with the risk of faith.

        ....like the shepherds whose work is watching in quiet places; they are not paid to make speeches. They watch through the night. They ponder the stillness. Their music is the fine, simple melodies of the flute and reed; they are a poor class of people. But their response is not words, but actions, simple and direct: Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.

        ....in some ways too, we, like the animals--no speech, just their being, their complete creature-state, their watching, the warmth of their breath, their service to humankind.

And as we approach the scene, no one expects us therefore to make a speech. But our simple intention in prayer is to be there, with all that we are; To adore; To pass over into the mystery of God with us in Jesus, His Son; To be there like Mary to ponder all these things in our heart; and To be there and to say, yes, yes, yes. Let us be one with this mystery of salvation unfolding before us and within us.

        In conclusion, St. John's First Letter focuses in its very first lines that demands heart-contact with the living reality of this mystery of the Word made flesh:

        That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life--the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was make manifest o us --that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

        This Mystery of Christ becomes real in the Holy Eucharist, in our Holy Communion, in this most intimate and complete sharing in the Word made flesh--Bethlehem, means the House of Bread--in the Bread of our Communion, we are one with Christ in God the Father. It is the Presence that draws our adoration and silent love in the Blessed Sacrament preserved in the tabernacle. Let that communion be our Amen, our Yes, in the deep silence of our hearts, love beyond words. Let the Communion of the Incarnation-Nativity of Jesus our Savior continue in our daily practice of contemplative prayer.

--William Fredrickson, OblS, OSB; D.Min.