Gaudete Sunday Sunday, December 23, 2012 Homily

Gaudete Sunday Sunday, December 23, 2012 – Kids Day & they took over the Liturgy

FIRST READING

Micah 5:1–4a

Thus says the LORD:

You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, and the rest of his kindred shall return to the children of Israel. He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; and they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.

SECOND READING

Hebrews 10:5–10

Brothers and sisters:

When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’”

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

GOSPEL

Luke 1:39–45

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Children preaching today as part of the Archdiocesan 120th Anniversary Celebration. There were 3 Homilists. Great presentation, but it was so fast that I captured only these few points.

1. Christmas – is Christ Mass

2. It is a time for giving like God did for us in John 3:16

3. We should give from our best not from excess.

4. We as parent we should have time for our children.

5. What can we give & how do we give

6. Mary gave herself as a gift to Elizabeth – let’s visit our people, the aged, sick

7. It should not all be about giving money & material things, we should give our love & time at Christmas

8. We should not give according to our convenience but the convenience of the receiver

9. Mary gave Elizabeth what she needed when she needed it. Sharing is caring. If you really love someone you will want to see him smile

10. Have you given a gift to anyone this Christmas, think about it & ensure you give your widows mite.

11. Mat 2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

12. Gold significance that Christ was King

13. Frankincense that we worship Christ

14. We should be like the Magi believe & have faith

15. We should not be jealous of others like Herold

16. We should give Christ gifts of our hearts, our souls & our all

17. We should search Jesus always in the Bible. When we read the Bible & do not understand we should pray to God for understand

Mr. Logan gave a message on Giving.

1. Grace & favor is in giving

2. Giving is part with what you have from your best. Sow & you will reap.

3. Act 2:42-47 – “42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe[8] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being save”

4. Heb 4:7 “7again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,“Today, if you hear his voice,do not harden your hearts.” So God is calling us to give, & we should heed to His voice.

5. 2Cor 9:6 “6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[32] will also reap bountifully. 7Each”

6. Gen 36:12Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. 13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

7. So we are called to sow & God will multiply it a million fold.

8. The Church is calling us to understanding that there is more blessing in giving that receiving

9.Prov 11:24 “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”. The few that give in Church it is these few that are blessed, but most of us are losing out on these blessing, as Prov 11:24 tells us. You can see it around.

10. Giving is a sacrifice – Mother Teresa

11. Phip 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.[19”

12. Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,

and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven,

and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.