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Morning Reflections
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord | February 3, 2025 This gospel reflection is based on Luke 2:22-40.
Joseph Listened Deacon Andy Cirmo
We have brought him to the temple As prescribed for male babies, every one For him to be purified before God Yet this day we are so very stunned
For this Simeon we do not know A man of deep faith who has come Now holds him and praises God Saying to all that he is the One
Yes the angel told us both That this Child would change it all That he would fulfill the promise And cause many to rise and fall
That a sword would pierce her heart Oh I pray that this would not be For to her there should be no harm As I will assure it to be
Now the prophetess Anna comes This holy woman very old and weak Giving thanks and praise to God At the fulfillment she says we all seek
Can this be the beginning of it all Of what in dreams we both were told That One would come, the Son As Israel was promised of old
As this happens our eyes meet His mother and my wife For we both know from our dream That this child is a special life
We both have been chosen To protect this Holy Child Of this we are both aware To raise him to be without guile
And so now his life mission is clear As the voice of the angel did proclaim That he would change everything And nothing would ever be the same
Dear Lord help us to believe And live as we are called to be To fulfill the promise of love Through the lives we are called to lead
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time | January 26, 2025 This gospel reflection is based on 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Joseph Listened Deacon Andy Cirmo
What have I just seen
What have we just heard
And what has he said
Many think it absurd
That this Jesua himself
Who I have followed for so long
Now in his hometown
Can he this time be wrong?
What he said was glorious
Of the prophecy of old
So clearly and with such passion
Yet a claim now so bold
Of wonderful things to be
As from ages ago prophesied
Here and now in this place
Fulfilled before our eyes?
Is now the time of miracle
Of new birth of strength and spirit
Of prophecy fulfilled this day
Yet why is it so difficult to hear it
As for so long we have waited
Yet here and now it is willed
Is he claiming it is he
Is it all in him now fulfilled?
No one believes this today
As from him these words came
For he is from this very town
Oh, nothing will ever be the same
For today in our ears he has claimed
That what we have long awaited
Has become truth here and now
Our amazement cannot be sated
Dear Jesus fulfillment of all
Help me to believe and trust
For in you only you is life
And believe in your word I must
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time | January 19, 2025 This gospel reflection is based on John 2:1-19 .
Intercessor Deacon Andy Cirmo
What joy to be invited
This wedding to us is so dear
For we have both known her
Thru all of her growing years
Her mother, a sister to me
Raised this child with love
And now on this Holy Day
Is full of joy from above
Together with all our family
All our friends are also here
In joy and celebration we dance
A blessing to live so near
We dance and we sing
Of things of joy and love
And as we eat and drink
We thank the God above
Yet now the steward comes
To bring bad news to me
For the wine is running low
And the party is all night to be
Why does she come to me
As she begins to softly cry
For as she knows me and my son
Yet to me comes, and I know why
Yet I wonder if at this time I can
But I have seen his wondrous gift
And know he alone can help
Our hearts today only he can lift
As he dances with friends
Enjoying this happy day
And I hold back for a while
But must call to him this day
My son, please come to me
I call across the room
And from his friends he comes
Is my question too soon
For I know his calling
And so clearly does he
And as I tell him of this
He hesitates, but he can see
He asks “what will you have me do
For my time has not yet come”
But I can feel his love for me
And know that it has begun
He still wonders if it is time
For his mission to begin
Yet I knew it would come
And all will change for him
And as he leaves me, he smiles
And knows what he is to do
As I tell the wine steward
“Do what he tells you to”
And soon the word is to all
The best vintage has begun
Until now we’ve enjoyed
Yet this! What he has done!
He and I know what has happened
For in this way his time has come
We will return to Capernaum
With family and friends among
With mixed emotions I ponder
Yet knowing it has all begun
From now on he will go out
Changing the world as God’s Son
Dear Mary, Mother of Jesus
You are our intercessor
Speak for us to your Son
As You did on that day
And ask that he help us all
His power of love is everything
And his love is for us all
For his power is of the almighty
The creator of us all
The Baptism of the Lord | January 12, 2025 This gospel reflection is based on Luke 3:15-16, 21-22.
Who Comes Deacon Andy Cirmo
We’ve followed John And listened to his word As he preaches penitence Pondering what we’ve heard
Wondering if he is the One Who is to come as King And so to him we come Our dreams and hope we bring
But now he speaks of baptism Of what cleansing it will bring But that there is so much more Of One to come he does sing
This One will also baptize But in a different way With the Holy Spirit and fire We don’t understand this today
One who is to come Before whom he will bow Humbling himself before him Is he here, is it now?
For the heavens have opened And all time has stood still As he enters the water Our hearts do now fill
Is it this One, he who bows Accepting John’s blessing As we hear voice and see dove Is he of whom we sing?
With powerful voice and dove We are stunned this day And as this One is baptized Is he here with us today
In powerful voice we all look up And hear of this Holy One Of whom God is pleased And hearts soar to be here
If this is the Holy One Of whom John has proclaimed We will joyfully follow As we all long to be saved
Dear Jesus I will follow And strive always to get closer To your light and your love To clearly see you in my life Help me to humbly hear you And follow your voice from above
The Epiphany of the Lord | January 5, 2025 This gospel reflection is based on Matthew .2:1-12.
Another Way Deacon Andy Cirmo
We’ve searched for so long
And so far in seeking the One
For we seek as it was foretold
That a king of all was to come
We’ve followed a star above
As it led us to the distant east
Trusting the words of prophecy
Not doubting all in the least
Over desert, plain and mountain
Joining together as it would seem
Together we’ve travelled so far
In search of that common dream
Although from different places
We’ve dreamed of a common goal
Knowing that until we find him
We will not again be whole
Yet this Herod now wants to know
When and where we find this king
And to tell him of place and time
That he too could of him sing
For there in us all a longing
We deeply share together
For fulfillment of a dream
Of a Loving King of all forever
And now the king of this place
Sends us to a little town in Judea
A town of David from long past
Of where prior, we had no idea
All their priests and king watch
As we are told then to proceed
To follow that star to Bethlehem
To find the child who is King indeed
Asked to return with direction
We again followed that star
To a small and poor place
Isolated and so very far
We were told to return
With word of this new king
That all would go and worship
All would visit and sing
But trust we do not this day
As an angel has told us not to
Yet that we go to pay homage
As we always planned to do
What is it about this child
That Herod fears and dreads
As we are warned of him
And not to turn our heads
All this diversion is so small
For we have travelled very far
To find a king of all we searched
Led again now by our star
Elated with joy OH! He’s here
This special child of God above
Our search is now completed
With finding this king of love
Finding him, a babe we fall
Giving homage and humble gifts
For indeed to Him the star has led
And our cloud of doubt he lifts
In homage to this Child King
We have been changed this day
Our gifts are so small it seems
Dream fulfilled, we return another way
Dear Jesus, we look to your star As we search for you in our lives And find you here with us With a love so amazing That we cannot ever understand The awesome depth of your love As the gift of our Father was your son My gift to you is myself And to you my heart, I hand
Fourth Sunday of Advent | December 22, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Luke 1:39-45.
Hail Holy One Deacon Andy Cirmo
Oh one full of grace you come
Bearing the incredible gift
One beyond my understanding
And your presence my spirits lift
For the One you bear is of God
And you come to my home
Bearing a life which changes all
That mankind will no longer roam
I am blest by your presence
Oh cousin so young and pure
Bearing a child of God from above
My heart leaps with joy for sure
For to my humble home you come
At a time of miracle in my life
Bringing blessing and joyful news
An end to the world’s trial and strife
For within your temple lives
A savior to be born to us all
A gift from the Father through you
An answer to love’s true call
And as the life within me moves
I feel the joy of arrival leap within
And the hand of God upon us
As the prophecy fulfilled begins
Oh Lord God Father above
Your love within us abounds
We are blest beyond our dreams
And now share truly Holy ground
To be with me as I bear my own
This bearer of the One now comes
And our joy together overflows
For she alone bears the One
Dear God above, thank you
For the Blessing of your only Son
Sent of love to lead us all home
Help us to also be filled
With the grace of your love
And know that we will never be alone
Third Sunday of Advent | December 15, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Luke 3:10-18.
What Should I Do Deacon Andy Cirmo
We’ve listened to this Baptist, John As he has called all of us out Calling us to honestly repent Of this his words leave no doubt
For us all to give and share To be honest to our brothers To collect only what is owed And to be fair to all others
To be satisfied and not to long Not to be greedy and always fair To be satisfied and resist greed For our neighbors to always care
But who is this John who calls us This desert hermit who baptizes Who has words which excite us Good rewarded and bad chastises
Is he the One we all wonder As he calls us forth from sin Is he for whom we have long awaited For our freedom to begin
He baptizes and gives us hope As we go down to the river to him His words humble and challenge As we face our life and sin
Yet he says there is One who comes With the power to forgive Whose sandals he’s unworthy to loose One who will free us that we may live That his baptism alone will truly heal With the Holy Spirit and fire That judgement will come upon his call That his word would forever inspire
Lord Jesus I long for you That I may be healed and saved Bring me this baptism of fire That which I have long for craved Help me to follow you close And live by your word and light That I might be forgiven And then be risen to new life
Second Sunday of Advent | December 8, 2024 This gospel reflection is based on Luke 3:1-6.
Prepare He Says! Deacon Andy Cirmo
This John, this son of our Zechariah They were so elderly yet bore a son By a miracle of God, his wife bore And this now is what he has done!?
How long John lived in the desert Alone eating bugs and plants we hear A hermit living on roots and weeds Who no one would ever come near
Yet now we hear of such trouble In the river he calls sinners to repent They enter and he baptizes to forgive New life to those who trustingly went
For now this John calls out so much That now salvation has come about Thru one of whom he knows much And of this man’s coming he cries out
Make straight the path he says As people come from miles around To go down to the river of crossing And rumors of this prophet abound
We know of this from Isaiah Who foretold One who would come But this man is a hermit who calls And some think he's the One
Yet he knows not of prophecy as we Who are learned and live the law How can he call out this knowledge Yet many come and we saw what we saw
Many come from near and far They kneel, and repent to become clean What message does he bear What special knowledge has he seen
He quotes Isaiah and calls on the One Telling all to make a path for him Of whom we the learned do not know Announcing the One who is to come
Dear Jesus, help me prepare For Your coming is right and near Oh that I might be ready To really see and to really hear And follow You then without fear