“Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” Isaiah 55:3

Today’s scripture offers calming words for troubled souls.  So many of us are grieving losses and setbacks after a painful year that left no one unchallenged.  Yet we know that God is with us.

The invitation to life—eternal life—is the central core of our faith.  The best way I know to find God is to focus on all the blessings we have received, and to get reacquainted with our priorities.  What is most important in our lives?  What is God calling us to be?  Can we discern God’s presence even when times become difficult?

Prayer is a key part of the discernment process.  Being still—allowing for the presence of God in quiet moments of meditation—and being open to the work of the Holy Spirit can renew us.

For me, being still means expressing gratitude for so many things:  my family, my vocation, my fellow Maryknollers, my unforgettable years as a missioner in Peru, and for acts of kindness that have come my way… at times from the most unexpected of sources.  But to be honest, my priorities for this year are not my own.  I fully expected to return to mission in 2021 after serving in leadership for six years.  But the pandemic made it impossible for us to hold our General Chapter last fall to elect a new leadership team.  So here I am.  Not doing what I necessarily want to.  But fulfilling an unexpected role that God has given me.

What are you grateful for?  And what are your priorities for the New Year?  Taking a moment in prayer each day is a great way to “listen heedfully” and be renewed in God’s love.  New paths open up to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands.  Regardless of where I am, I know my role is to bring the joy of our faith to more people, and to be a better missioner.  That’s what I pray for every day.

Friend, it’s a sign of humility when we can admit that God’s priorities are always better than our own.  The “someone” that God is calling us to be is unique and special, and will be revealed no matter the circumstance as long as we let God in.  Even things that cause us difficulty can be pathways to glory.  So today, be hopeful because God is here, ever present and ever comforting.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 2^nd Sunday

Speak to me, Lord, in the silence

of my heart, that I might learn

to listen for Your voice

and heed Your word ever present

in the people, places, and events

around me.

Help me to quiet my mind

when worries and problems upset me

and in the stillness fill me with Your peace

mindful of the countless blessings

I have received from Your merciful hands.

Grant that I may be ever grateful

for all the gifts You have given me:

Life, family, friends, health, joy, and love.

And may I thank you too for all the trials

that come my way that teach me to rely

on Your Holy Will to make things right

Through Christ, our Lord

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory.” Isaiah 60:2

Our faith tells us, and Isaiah does, too:  No matter the circumstance of our lives, we are surrounded in God’s glory.

  May the light of the Lord shine upon you today on the feast of the Epiphany!

Please accept my blessings for the New Year, one that we pray brings us deep spiritual renewal and strength for the journey.

The new life we crave is born in our call to mission, a reaching out to the entire world in the name of Christ our Savior.  The Magi were the first to recognize the Messiah with precious gifts—and signs of humility.  Just imagine:  three kings honoring an infant born in a stable!  In our own way, we are called to acknowledge the blessing of salvation in the Christ Child, and make the Good News known to the ends of the earth.

An epiphany, we know, is an insight into the essential meaning of something.  An intuition that is undeniable.  The Epiphany of Our Lord is all that and more.  Today’s feast day acknowledges the divine nature of the Infant Jesus, a blessing from God that offers us the promise of salvation and eternal life.

This is the light Isaiah speaks of that pierces through the darkness. Today, we recommit ourselves to delivering the message of Christmas with joy in our hearts.  God’s love has been revealed.  Sharing the love and building God’s kingdom on earth is how the Christmas spirit will live on all year long.

The Epiphany reminds me how the light of Christ was offered to the world one day many years ago in another most remarkable way.  On the feast of the Epiphany in 1912, three laywomen arrived at Maryknoll to found the Maryknoll Sisters.  To this day, we call them the Three Wise Women!  God called them to leadership and service, and they led by example.  Their legacy of mission and healing continues to inspire women to Sisterhood all over the world.

Friend, the past year has challenged us mightily.  But we know that in Christ, we are never abandoned to darkness.  We have the blessing of faith—the light of Christ—and the promise that one day we will enjoy the gift of eternal life.  Our priorities are nothing more than reflecting God’s love each day, especially where it is needed most.  May this New Year bring you peace.  And may each day be a personal epiphany of faith that shines a light for others to follow.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 1^st Sunday

Epiphany

Shine Your light in our darkness, Lord Jesus,

that we may walk in Your ways and live

according to Your truth. Dispel the

shadow of doubt, sadness and fear

that fill our hearts and our world

and grant we might live in Your peace.

Lord, You guided the Magi with a star

help us, like them, to seek and find

You In the least likely and most unexpected places.

Surprise us with Your presence

as we make our way through life

that we might know Your love

and share Your Good News with all.

Remain with us, Lord, throughout our days

and keep us secure in Your loving embrace

that we might trust only in Your Will

and reflect Your glory to all who still live in darkness

and the shadow of death.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another.”  (Colossians 3:12)

The celebrations that surround Christmas have been wonderful—liturgies, caroling, being with family and friends.  But I still have to ask myself:  What exactly changed?  Am I a better person now?  Has the Christ Child shown me something I didn’t know before?

Today on the feast of the Holy Family we have a lot to contemplate about the role love plays within our families—and the role it plays beyond.  We are called to witness God’s love in many spaces:  communities, towns, our nation and the world.  A single act of courage or kindness is never wasted.  Neither is a single act of forgiveness.  They can change someone’s life forever—including lives we may never know personally.  The circle of love widens at each turn because that’s how love works.  That’s how God works.

Lessons of love start within our families.  When Mary gave birth to the Christ Child, we saw the model of a loving family.  Mary and Joseph welcomed Jesus completely even as events clouded their future together.  Soon after the arrival of the Magi, they fled home, traveling to Egypt to protect their infant son from imminent danger.  Mary and Joseph did everything they could to remain an intact family during and after their exile.

The ripple effect of their love is the central theme of every Gospel story we read about today—and Christmas is where it all began.  God’s love is inevitable.  It strengthens and grows each time we become Christ-like, too, in our families, in our communities, in our world.

Friend, to answer my own question:  What has changed for me is the belief that Christmas is not just a celebration; it’s an obligation to nurture loving relationships in honor of the Holy Family.  It’s an obligation to share God’s love at every turn within our nuclear families and beyond—even when things seem risky.  With prayer, I know you and I will be up for the task.  And with that… No more questions for 2020. 

May God bless you throughout the New Year with happiness and good health.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 4^th Sunday

Jesus, Mary and Joseph

show us the way to become a Holy family

where even in times of uncertainty

danger and difficulties we learn

to live by faith in Emanuel: God-With-Us.

Teach us how to be living temples

where the Spirit of God dwells

and strengthens the bond of love

between us and our family.

Draw us closer to one another

by drawing us closer to You.

Above all may we too be blest

by relying on Your mercy and grace

even when the road is uncertain

and the way forward unclear.

Consecrate my family to Your will

and abide with us now and forever.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.” (Luke 1:38)

Pausing at the words of Luke’s Gospel makes me ask the “What if” question of the day:  What indeed if Mary had said “no”?

Think about it:  Mary was afraid.  She didn’t fully understand what the Angel Gabriel was asking of her.  How could she?  But she accepted the message as the Word of God.  She placed her complete faith and trust in God and said, “May it be done to me according to your word.”

How often in our lives do we face a crossroads and have to make a difficult decision?  We pray, we seek counsel.  Then we place our trust in God and say “yes” to what we know is the only answer:  affirming all life.  Seeing Mary’s example of humility and grace can help us say “yes” when the Holy Spirit is inviting us to give witness to the power of God’s love.  She is our model.

As Christmas approaches, I have this thought:  God is incarnated in us each time we help someone through a crisis, lend a helping hand, or just say a reassuring word.  By saying “yes” to God, we have the ability to transform the world, too.  Mary’s example of trust is all we need to remember.  In time, God’s plan for us will be revealed just as it was for Mary. 

Friend, we are days away from the Nativity of Our Lord.  Accept the challenge of our faith by saying “yes;” then be hopeful.  For we are about to celebrate the promise of salvation in the Christ Child.  All because one day, many years ago, Mary said “yes.” 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 3^rd Sunday

Hail, O Blessed Virgin Mother of God

Daughter of Nazareth

and glory of Your people, Israel,

help us in times of uncertainty and trial.

Be our inspiration when doubt

makes us question God’s will.

Pray for us now and forever

that we, like You, might say Yes

to God in our lives.

May we too surrender to the Holy Spirit

treasure God’s Word in our heart

give flesh to God’s Word with our lives,

offer Christ to the world

by our actions of mercy

and words of comfort and peace.

O holy Mother of God’s Incarnate Word,

intercede for us who struggle here below

and give us Your courage and strength

to stand at the foot of the cross

when our loved ones suffer and die.

Be our consolation as we make our way

to God’s kingdom when you reveal

Your divine Son to us.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to announce a year of favor from the Lord.”

(Isaiah 61:1-2)

It’s already the third Sunday of Advent, and we are almost home.  Yet I like to think of December 25 as less of a fixed date than a “continuum of the spirit”—a gift that is meant to help us build the Kingdom of God on earth, every day, all of the time.

We know that God is constantly at work in our lives if we just let the spirit of the Christ Child in.  With the strength of his divine presence, we are called by God to do things as Isaiah says:  to heal the brokenhearted, to comfort the sick and dying, and to celebrate all that is good and life-giving in one another.  This is the heart and soul of mission:  sharing the joy of our faith through acts of kindness, and inviting others to join us in the celebration of our faith.

Is there someone you can reach out to now as you prepare for Christmas Day?  We have all had a difficult year.  Why not be the one to fulfill the promise of the prophet who brings good tidings.  I promise you that when you release someone’s pain or anxiety you will find peace, too.

Friend, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  As Christmas Day approaches, let’s remember that light always pierces the darkness. The third candle of Advent reminds us convincingly that we can overcome adversity and loss by placing our trust in God and our faith in one another.  Think of the light we share this day as a symbol of goodness, grace, and hope.  I don’t know of a better way to approach Christmas Day and the arrival of our Christ Child.  Be hopeful.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 2^nd Sunday

Come, Lord Jesus,

into our hearts purified by

Your grace and love.

Make straight the paths

of righteousness and peace

that You might enter our hearts,

our homes, and our world

with Your saving power.

May we share the joy of Your coming

by comforting those who mourn,

healing the broken hearted,

proclaiming Your Good News to the poor

by sharing our goods, our faith,

and our time.

Let Your light shine in our darkness

and lead all to Your manger bed

where God is found in human form,

in weakness, small, and humble.

Give all people hope

as our guiding light

that we might walk in truth

and peace all the days of our life.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“We await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.” (2 Peter 3:14)

There is a difference between waiting and being idle.  One act can have purpose; the other doesn’t.  That’s an important lesson to keep in mind during the weeks of Advent because our souls need attention, too—just as much as our social calendars. 

Right now we anticipate the arrival of the Christ Child, our Lord and Savior.  Preparations abound in our homes but there are things we can do each day to make the waiting an act of spiritual fulfillment.

As part of your Advent practice of “waiting with purpose,” think about the one thing you want to grow in—not just in the weeks before Christmas but all year long.  Maybe it’s patience or forgiveness.  Perhaps it’s seeing the good in someone or a circumstance before (or instead of) focusing on the negative.  Advent is a good time to make purposeful waiting an act of spiritual growth, realizing that God is already here to help.   

Accepting the presence of God in our lives means we can never really fail.  We just get better at reflecting the compassion of Our Lord.  Pope Francis often reminds us that even before we seek Christ, he is present lifting us back up after we fall, and helping us grow stronger in faith.  “Turn your heart to God,” is how our pontiff puts it, and be fulfilled. 

Friend, as you prepare for the Christ Child, know that in the second week of Advent the Lord is already here… never late… always on time… available to comfort and reassure anytime and every time you pray.  Knowing that will make waiting for Christmas Day truly a season of joy and fulfillment.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 1^st Sunday

How long must we wait, O Lord,

for our prayer to be answered,

our hope fulfilled and

our dreams realized?

We await Your coming again

in glory even as Your people

awaited Your birth 2,000 years ago.

We long for Your peace, justice,

love and forgiveness more than

sentinels wait for the dawn.

Yet even in our waiting

grace and holiness abound

as you teach us the virtue

of patience and perseverance.

Come, Lord, abide and be with us

as we await the fullness of Your kingdom

when every tear will be wiped away

and every wound sanctified and healed

through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:3

Today begins the season of expectant, joyful waiting, the season we call Advent.  As we do each year, we light the first of four candles this morning—one for each Sunday of Advent that will take us home on Christmas Day. 

We think of Advent as a time of anticipation—waiting for the Christ Child and preparing for his birth.  But Advent is a time of discovery as well.  Here’s what I mean…

God is already present in our lives and in our relationships all of the time.  Advent is an invitation to discover how and where to find the Lord.  Important clues are embedded in the rituals we follow.  We reach out to family… we give our children extra special attention… we decorate our homes to a fare-thee-well…  and we outdo ourselves in creating memories that we hope will become part of our family histories. 

Why do we do all this?  Because we’re never quite satisfied with earthly things.  Enough is not enough.  We long for more… for the eternal and the forever after.  We don’t want the joy of this moment to end.  As people of faith, we have the hope and expectation that God is working in us no matter the circumstance.  God always has the last word, and as we have said all year long, that word is life—eternal life, which is the promise of the Christ Child.

This has been a difficult year for all of us.  But as you begin Advent, be hopeful:  celebrate plenty not scarcity, celebrate the light not darkness.  And celebrate the abundance of God’s love, which comes to us in the form of a child, born in a manger.  Hope is how we discover God among us; it’s the gesture of welcome and the answer to our longing.  Hope is God coming to our rescue when we most need the healing.

Friend, during the four weeks of Advent, take a little extra time to reflect on the past year and tell God your hopes for the year ahead.  However you pray, know that God is present all of the time, working through you to make the promise of the Christ Child the greatest gift you will ever receive.  May you have a blessed Advent filled with hope.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 5^th Sunday

Advent

We wait for Your coming, Lord

not like the prophets of old

who longed to greet the Messiah

but for the fulfillment of Your kingdom

here on earth as in heaven.

Make each town and village

a new Bethlehem in which

the meek and lowly seek and find You

and wise sages follow their star

to worship at Your manger.

Come to us again in the poor and oppressed

the outcast and the forgotten.

May we never forget that in

serving others we serve You who

came to us two thousand years ago,

and come to us each day in each

Eucharist and whose coming

at the end of time we wait with joyful longing.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Yes, it has been a year of pain and sorrow.  More than we imagined.  But as people of faith we are schooled in gratitude.  We give thanks for the gift of life and the gift of salvation.  And we give thanks for each other. 

We mark Thanksgiving Day this week with gratitude for past gifts and for the blessings we know will follow.  In acts of courage, we saw the beginning of new life over these past many months.  In acts of generosity and selflessness, we saw examples of what it means to care for others who have so little—sometimes by people who have little themselves. 

Since March, I have received numerous messages from donors and prayer partners, reassuring me that they are OK but more concerned for our Fathers and Brothers in mission and expressing gratitude for their service.  “How are they faring?”  “Has the pandemic impacted their work?”  I am so grateful for these messages.  One in particular really touched me:  A woman said that she was able to give thanks for someone she lost this year and now misses—more thanks for a life well lived than the actual missing itself.  When we begin and end the day with gratitude, our blessings—however long or brief—become the focus of our lives.

Matthew’s gospel reminds us that a blessing shared with someone in need is the same as honoring Jesus himself.  I hope you will be able to share your blessings in some way with others this Thanksgiving.   Volunteering your time may be complicated this year.  But donations to a food pantry are always welcome.  And so are the easiest thing to give away:  a kind word or two.

Friend, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving in the presence of the Lord, surrounded by family and friends.  Share your blessings—and be blessed as well.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Payer for 4^th Sunday

Thanksgiving

It is right and just to give You thanks,

Lord God of heaven and earth in all

times and seasons but especially as harvest ends

when we usually gather with family and friends.

Though separated by time and place

we are all the more mindful

of Your many blessings:

health, peace, love, joy, and prosperity.

Fill us with gratitude for You and one another.

Make us ever mindful of those who hunger

for justice no less than food for friends

no less than faith.

We call down Your blessing upon our table

and those gathered with us.

May this food and Your grace

Give us strength sufficient

to do Your will now and forever.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief.  For all of you are children of the light and children of the day.”

1 Thessalonians 5:5

Paul reassures us, over and again.  We are children of the light, children of the day, walking with confidence and humility in the footsteps of Our Lord.

The light Paul is talking about is the knowledge that we live each day in anticipation of eternal life with God our Father.  Each time we embrace the Gospel message of self-giving and compassion, the light becomes brighter—and the desire to share the joy of our faith becomes stronger.  That is the spirit of mission:  always doing more to witness God’s love, always making the candle of salvation burn brighter for someone else to follow.

As children of the light, we know we can still stumble at times.  Our best intentions don’t always have the intended outcomes.  When I need comfort, I often turn to the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary because they reveal who Jesus is and our path to salvation.  Jesus understands that his public ministry is a mission of light, and that’s our calling, too.

• The Baptism of Jesus calls us to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

• The Wedding at Cana confirms that Mary is our intercessor before her Son.

• Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God is a reminder that our journey on earth is intended to create a world illuminated by compassion and justice.

• The Transfiguration announces Christ’s victory over death, light over darkness in an ultimate way that foretells our own salvation.

• The Eucharist shows us the permanence of Christ’s love and prepares us, body and soul, to share his goodness with the world.

Friend, don’t worry so much about the darkness.  Just light one candle every day… and pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary with me.  God has called you to light up the world.  Be comforted knowing that you have the ability to share that light in ways that only you can.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 3^rd Sunday

Send Your light into our world, O Lord,

to overcome the darkness of sin and death

illuminate our path, the way we should

walk that we might not stumble and fall.

By your baptism, you washed away our sin

at the wedding at Cana you restored

love and joy to our lives.

In proclaiming Your kingdom

of justice and peace

You call us to improve our world.

On Tabor You illuminated suffering

with the Eucharist You remain with us

empower us and become us.

May Your light shine brighter through us

that all shadows might disappear and the glory

of Your presence transform our world.

Amen

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

“Stay awake and be ready! For you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”  Matthew 24:42

“When you least expect it…”  Isn’t that what we’re often told?  Just relax.  When you least expect it, some great fortune will come your way. 

I look at this everyday wisdom a little differently:  Blessings are gifts from God.  But they don’t come when God is ready.  They come when we’re ready to being transformed in God’s grace.  You see, the divine is always present.  It’s just that sometimes we have a problem seeing God, especially when that unexpected thing is unsettling—and not what we want at all.

Many years ago at 23 years of age I was just starting out my missionary life in Peru.  I was thrilled to be among the people.  But I was also learning what it meant to accept a grace when disguised by tragedy. 

One day I was alone at the rectory when the doorbell rang.  A young couple had arrived, carrying their infant baby.  They pleaded with me to baptize the infant but I couldn’t.  The baby had already died.  I felt completely helpless and could only comfort them in their grief.  I didn’t have the answers they wanted, but I overcame my fear and inadequacy by remaining as present to them as I could.  As a result of that encounter, the couple and I formed a long-lasting friendship.  I accompanied them for years in prayer and counseling.  They considered me to be a member of their family.  The grace we gave each other helped us grow into more compassionate people:  me as a missioner and them as a couple.  Through our friendship and trust in God we deepened each other’s faith.

Friend, don’t be taken aback by Matthew’s scripture today.  Be comforted instead knowing that when we realize God is always present—already here among us—we can grow in grace, and enrich each other’s lives no matter the circumstance.  So are you ready?  Today is a good day to say, “Yes, here I am, Lord—and I know you are here, too.”

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

Prayer for 2^nd Sunday

Come, Lord Jesus, with Your grace

and transform my life and our world.

May I look for Your presence

among the people and I see Your

face and hear Your voice In those

whom I meet each day.

May I encounter You in the streets

no less than in the Sacraments

in the marketplace as in holy scripture.

above all, Lord, may I be ever open

to finding You among tears and sorrows,

failures and tragedies, no less than in

joys and victories.

You who consecrated our human nature

by living a human life help me consecrate

each day to Your kingdom and dedicate

every encounter to Your glory

asking only that You take whatever

good I do to the honor of Your most holy name.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso