Reflection for the Week

God revealed to John the Baptist that the Holy Spirit would descend like a dove upon the One to come. Andrew heard John the Baptist proclaim Jesus as the Lamb of God and told his brother Simon Peter. Introduced to Jesus and realizing that the Lord already knew him, Nathanael acknowledged Him as the Son of God. When Mary told her Son that the wine had run out at a wedding, He asked how that problem concerned Him. Nevertheless, Mary told the servers to do whatever Jesus said. After they filled six huge jars with water, Jesus changed it to wine in

Angels appeared in glory with news of the newborn Savior cradled in a lowly manger. Upon finding the Christ Child, shepherds relayed the heavenly message and then returned to their labors while praising God for what they had seen and heard. Little could Mary and Joseph imagine that a devout man named Simeon would recognize the Infant Jesus as the Savior or that magi would arrive to present the Child with gifts worthy of a king. Time went on, and John the Baptist revealed Jesus as the Light who came into the world. In Christmas greetings, gifts,

Scripture doesn’t say how Joseph learned of Mary’s expected Child, but an angel appeared in a dream to reassure him. Joseph took Mary into their marital home and became a parent for Jesus. An angel also appeared to Zechariah, who doubted the message that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son. Zechariah lost the ability to speak until the day he named his son John, as the angel had directed. Faced with shocking news, how much convincing do we need to respond with faith that God will fulfill His promises?

John the Baptist paved the way for the awaited Messiah by preaching a baptism of repentance. When imprisoned by King Herod, John sent two messengers to ask Jesus if He was the One to come. Jesus advised the messengers to report the works they saw Him doing. John would understand. To religious leaders, Jesus told a parable about two sons. One said that he would work in the father’s vineyard, while the other refused. Both sons changed their minds. Chief priests and elders knew which son actually did the father’s will, yet they refused to foll

Mary believed the angel Gabriel’s message that she would give birth to the Son of God. On the other hand, Pharisees and scribes denied that Jesus could forgive sins when rewarding the faith of a small group who lowered a paralyzed man through the roof to ask for healing. Jesus then instructed the man to walk home with his stretcher, showing the power of His words. Like children who played flutes and expected people to dance to their tunes, people criticized both John the Baptist and Jesus. Advent invites the faithful to repent while looking f

Walking along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus invited Peter, Andrew, James, and John to become Apostles. The Lord later reminded the Disciples of the blessed privilege of perceiving things hidden from educated people, kings, and even prophets. Admittedly unworthy to have Jesus under his roof, a centurion (Roman military officer) asked the Lord to just say the word to cure a paralyzed servant from a distance. Jesus taught His followers to act on His words, like building a house on a solid foundation. After giving the Twelve authority to cure sickness

Jesus saw that a poor widow’s two small coins placed into the Temple treasury amounted to a huge sacrifice. While people admired the richly adorned Temple, the Lord foretold that it would become rubble. (In 70 A.D., Romans destroyed Jerusalem, including the Temple.) Jesus did not reveal when He will come again and warned against looking for signs. People should stay ready at all times to appear before the Lord. Calamities continue to occur, but daily anxieties can wear us down, too. How often do we drowsily miss the Holy Spirit’s wake-up ca