“They were overjoyed at seeing the star.” – Matthew 2:10 What does it mean to be “overjoyed?” It strikes me that in the King James translation when the magi saw the start they were so filled with joy that St. Matthew emphasized it twice: “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (KJV). The Greek words used here are chairo (rejoice) and chara (joy). To rejoice means to feel or show great joy or delight. Interestingly, another…
“My soul rejoices in my God.” – Isaiah 61:10 Spotless Mary, conceived without sin, pray for me that I might have a heart like yours, one that seeks to magnify the Lord. Pray that I may have a joyful heart that rejoices in God and praises His name above all others, especially above my own name. May I always seek to glorify Him and not myself. Pray for me that my heart may be grateful…
Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope… (1 Peter 3:15) Easter is a season of joy and hope. During Lent I was focused on allowing God to bring me to healing in a couple of areas, but as Easter approached I felt Him moving me away from that work and toward joy and hope. I think He knew I needed a break from the…
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. -John 1:32 Christmas has passed, the parties have ended, and our Christmas lights and decorations have likely been put away. Epiphany and the Christmas star that shone over the manger have passed: “The star burned brightly over Him for awhile, though it then faded away” (St. John Henry Newman). Sometimes I experience a let-down at this time of the year.…
Happy Gaudete Sunday! Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin. We rejoice this week because Jesus is coming soon. We will celebrate that Jesus, the Life (John 14:6), came to us through the Blessed Virgin Mary. We rejoice and thank Mary for her “yes”–her fiat. We rejoice and give thanks to God the Father for giving us the gift of His Son (cf John 3:16). We rejoice in Christ, the Light (John 14:6) who is coming into…
Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more.- Psalm 72:7 During the first week of Advent we focused on the gift of hope, which is connected in a deep way to this week’s gift: peace–pax in Latin. St. Paul taught that God is the true source of our peace: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound…
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! – Psalm 126:5 Alleluia! The season of Easter joy has arrived! Jesus promised His disciples that although He would suffer and die and they would have to hide while mourning Him, their suffering would be replaced with joy. Jesus told His disciples: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your…
Third Sunday of Advent “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior” – Mary, the Magnificat, Luke 1:47 Our world is in desperate need of joy after a long year of uncertainties, societal unrest, political strife, sickness, quarantines, and death. Did you, like me, notice that folks started turning their Christmas lights on in early November? Yes, we all seem to “need a little Christmas, right this very minute!” as the song goes. How can we,…
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells His disciples that they are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5: 13-14). Part of the role of a disciple of Christ is to make the world better for everyone. The places where we live and work should be more peaceful and happy as a result of the salt and light that we bring to them. Salt is a seasoning that brings…
On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christmas season concludes. St. John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus in the Jordan, points us to Christ: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This is the same scripture that the priest says when he holds up Jesus in the newly consecrated Eucharist for us to adore before we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Christmas is a…