1st READING
The Apostle John sees a vision of heaven and there sees the Virgin Mary giving birth to Christ. He sees that Satan attempts to kill the child, as did King Herod who slaughtered all the infants in Bethlehem in a mad effort to kill the child Jesus. So it was through the simplicity and weakness of a woman that God thwarts the evil intentions of Satan and brings about His own reign and kingdom. In a similar way, when the Virgin appeared to Diego, she also destroyed the pagan religion there and established the reign of Christ among the people.
Revelation 11:19, 12:1-6, 10 (or Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17)
19 God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. 12: 1 A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. 4 Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. 6 The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.
P S A L M
Judith 13:18-19 (or Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9)
R: You are the highest honor of our race.
18 “Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth. (R) 19 Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God. (R)
G O S P E L
When Mary, pregnant with the child Jesus, greets Elizabeth, the child in her womb leaped for joy and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a wonderful image of the ministry of the Virgin Mary. Her presence in our lives enlarges the Word of God in our hearts and enlivens our faith and joy in receiving it. Let us journey each day in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is our spiritual mother.
ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Luke 1:39-47 (or Matthew 21:23-27)
39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
my reflections
t h i n k : The Virgin Mother’s presence in our lives enlarges the Word of God in our hearts and enlivens our faith and joy in receiving it.
God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Thessalonians 1-5
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