2012 lessons!

John 18:1-18

1 Jesus, having prayed, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it. 2 Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. 3 So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. 4 Jesus, knowing by now everything that was coming down on him, went out and met them. He said, "Who are you lookin for?" They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene." 5 6 He said, "I AM." The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb. 7 Jesus asked again, "Who are you looking for?" They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene." "I told you," said Jesus, "I AM. So if it's me you're after, let these others go." 9 (This validated the words in his prayer, "I didn't lose one of those you gave.") 10 Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant's name. 11 Jesus ordered Peter, "Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?" 12 Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. 13 They took him first to Annas, father- in- law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. 16 Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. 16 Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in. 17 The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I'm not." 18 The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.

Food for end of year thought!

It is neither Holy Week nor the Passion of Jesus. It is 31st of December.  Although this reading comes from Good Friday’s Liturgy, it is what the Church has given us for the last day of 2012, and for a reason. Indeed, it will help us to wind up 2012 and to prepare for 2013.

I hope, between end of 2012 and beginning of 2013, you will find some time to go to the garden, alone with Jesus. You will not go there like Judas and the Roman soldiers and police that went in that garden to seize Jesus. No, we will go in there not to seize Jesus, but to be seized by Jesus. 

“Who are you looking for?” This is the question Jesus made to his captors; the same question he makes to you and me: Who are you looking for, in your life? In 2012, who did you look for? In 2013, who will you look for? Are you looking for Jesus the Nazarene." He said, "I AM." 

I want you to notice that in good grammar the word would have been, WHOM, not WHO are you looking for, as Jesus put it. The reason for this apparently wrong grammar is in the answer I AM. In life we are looking for I AM; we are always looking for the I AM. Whatever we do in life, we are looking for the I AM. This I AM is not someone out there (that’s why it is not WHOM are you looking for?); it is someone in you.

Did you notice that when the young girl asked Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I'm not."? It is because this is not about Peter or Mary or You or Me; it is about Jesus. Life is about Jesus the Nazarene. He is the ultimate I AM. If you want to know your I AM know about Jesus; if you want to know yourself know Jesus. The road to your I AM goes through  Jesus’ I AM. You will never understand yourself without understanding Jesus.

If you want to understand the year 2012, look at it through Jesus; Jesus will enlighten all your  mysteries of 2012; he will make sense out of the nonsense of 2012. Write down the major life lessons you have learned in 2012 so you can share them with others. We should be grateful Solomon did this, because it gave us the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which are filled with practical lessons on living. 

Imagine how much needless frustration could be avoided if we learned from each other’s life lessons. Mature people develop the habit of extracting lessons from everyday experiences. I urge you to make a list of your life lessons in 2012. You haven’t really thought about them unless you have written them down. Here are a few questions to jog your memory and get you started:

In 2012,

What has God taught me from failure? 

What has God taught me from a lack of money? 

What has God taught me from pain or sorrow or depression? 

What has God taught me through waiting? 

What has God taught me through illness? 

What has God taught me from disappointment? 

What have I learned from my family, my church, my relationships, my small group, and my critics?

Mary's Food for thought!

Luke 2:41-52

41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Food for thought!

There are few gospel readings showing us the humanity of Jesus as this one. It shows us not only how human Jesus was but also how human his family was; Jesus grew up as a normal boy, in a normal family, just like the rest of us. His life expanded like other human lives. He learned as other boys; he obeyed as other children. The gospel  says of Jesus he “was obedient to them”; and that he “grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” As Jesus waited patiently for growth, so must each of us. 

And of Jesus’ parents the gospel says some revealing things. For instance, it says “Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival,” meaning by this that they were practicing faithful; Joseph and Mary practiced their faith; they were regular “church” goers. Regular attendance upon worship is likewise  enjoined upon us (Heb. 10:25). 

As we have said quite often, bad things do happen even to good people. After one of the celebrations, they left for home, and the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn't know it. Joseph and Mary were just like the rest of us; they missed out on some things like losing their child; they assumed he was among the other travelers.

Having lost Jesus, these very human parents “started looking for him among their relatives and friends.” Just like the rest of us, they looked for Jesus in the wrong places, for three full days. Like them, we often look for Jesus in places where he is not: relatives and friends! Did you notice Jesus’ question to Joseph and Mary? "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" It is as if he said: Where were you searching for me, when I was all the time in the Temple? This is what Jesus will ask us when, after our death, he will meet us: "But why did you need to search? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" 

Just as Joseph and Mary lost temporarily Christ, a divine gift to them, we too can and many times do lose him, though he be God’s gift to us.

When they couldn't find him among relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there, where they later finally discovered him, after 3 days, in the Temple, teaching. This is crucially important; it shows the importance of the temple and of the teachings of Jesus. The disciples  of Jesus also having lost him in the grave, found him after 3 days.

To all parents. It is not uncommon for parents to lose their children or even to misunderstand them. The gospel says that when Jesus said, "But why did you need to search? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" they “didn't understand what he meant.” Like the rest of us, Mary and Joseph were slow to understand Jesus. But even as his parents could not understand everything about him, Jesus obeyed them. What a lesson...!

By the way, the words "But why did you need to search? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" are Jesus’ first recorded words on earth. The last ones are "Father, I place my life in your hands!" (Lk 23:46). He began with Father and ended with Father!

Mary’s Food for Thought! “And his mother stored all these things in her heart.” The gospel mentions on different occasions that Mary treasured sayings of angels, shepherds, wise men and prophets (Simeon). She now began to add to these the sayings of Christ himself. Mary is the perfect model for our Food for Thought! 

Rise or Fall!

Luke 2:22-35

And when the time had come for purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him before the Lord there. It is written in God's law, that whatever male offspring opens the womb is to be reckoned sacred to the Lord; and so they must offer in sacrifice for him, as God's law commanded, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. At this time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem, an upright man of careful observance, who waited patiently for comfort to be brought to Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him; and by the Holy Spirit it had been revealed to him that he was not to meet death, until he had seen that Christ whom the Lord had anointed. He now came, led by the Spirit, into the temple; and when the child Jesus was brought in by his parents, to perform the custom which the law enjoined concerning him, Simeon too was able to take him in his arms. And he said, blessing God: Ruler of all, now do you let your servant go in peace, according to your word; for my own eyes have seen that saving power of yours which you have prepared in the sight of all nations. This is the light which shall give revelation to the Gentiles, this is the glory of your people Israel. The father and mother of the child were still wondering over all that was said of him, when Simeon blessed them, and said to his mother Mary, Behold, this child is destined to bring about the fall of many and the rise of many in Israel; to be a sign which men will refuse to acknowledge; and so the thoughts of many hearts shall be made manifest; as for your own soul, it shall have a sword to pierce it.

Food for thought!

This child is destined. These words were said by Simeon full of the Holy Spirit. He is saying that the child Jesus is destined for something; that Jesus is born for a purpose; he has come to accomplish a mission; he has come not only TO DO (bring about the fall of many and the rise of many) but also TO BE (be a sign which men will refuse to acknowledge).

Here’s the summary of the work and fate of Jesus.

(i) He will be the cause whereby many will fall. This is a strange and a hard saying but it is true. It is not so much God who judges a man; a man judges himself; and his judgment is his reaction to Jesus Christ. If, when he is confronted with that goodness and that loveliness, his heart runs out in answering love, he is within the Kingdom. If, when so confronted, he remains coldly unmoved or actively hostile, he is condemned. There is a great refusal just as there is a great acceptance.

(ii) He will be the cause whereby many will rise. Long ago Seneca said that what men needed above all was a hand let down to lift them up. It is the hand of Jesus which lifts a man out of the old life and into the new, out of the sin into the goodness, out of the shame into the glory.

(iii) He will meet with much opposition. Towards Jesus Christ there can be no neutrality. We either surrender to him or are at war with him. And it is the tragedy of life that our pride often keeps us from making that surrender which leads to victory.

The way life is!

Matthew 2:13-18

13 After the scholars were gone, God's angel showed up again in Joseph's dream and commanded, "Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him."14 Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. 15 They lived in Egypt until Herod's death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: "I called my son out of Egypt." 16 Herod, when he realized that the scholars had tricked him, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills. (He determined that age from information he'd gotten from the scholars.) 17 That's when Jeremiah's sermon was fulfilled: 18 A sound was heard in Ramah, weeping and much lament. Rachel weeping for her children, Rachel refusing all solace, Her children gone, dead and buried.

Food for thought!

Flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.

This statement is a real shock. The Son of the Almighty is on the run, because some human king wants to kill him. We would expect Jesus to have the best protection and security, especially from evil kings like Herod. But he didn’t. Right from his childhood, Jesus is not exempt from problems. And this is the lesson for us; Jesus has started to teach us about life and living, ABOUT THE WAY LIFE IS.

God, is the one who makes life the way it is, and there are things about "the way life is" that we cannot understand or change. We cannot have life on our own terms. We are finite beings. The very nature of being human is to be homeless in this world. And that is what Jesus is teaching in today’s Gospel. 

This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but a human being has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58). All this does not mean that God is not in charge. On the contrary, "God being in charge now" does not mean a suspension of "the way life is."  In other words, earth is not heaven, and heaven is not earth;  life on earth is just plain insecure.

God's care is not to be seen as rescue from "the way life is." God's care is to be seen as rescue in the midst of "the way life is." One is not to try to escape the limitations of "the way life is," but to embrace reality and live in it as God's creation. The eyes of Jesus saw that divine care comes as guidance amidst the treacherous difficulties of life.

Christ did not come to deliver humankind from "the way life is," but to transform and deliver us in the midst of "the way life is." For instance, a woman feels pains as she delivers a new baby. This cannot change, because this is “the way life is”. This said, the woman can and must pray to Jesus to sustain her through child bearing experience. 

Wherever we can, and only if we can, we have to run, like Jesus, not towards but away from our Herods who seek to kill the child, the new idea we got, the inspiration, the new life; we have to Flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.

St John the Apostle

1John 1:1-4

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Food for thought!

Today, 27 of December, is the Feast of St. John, the apostle. This man was special, very special. Of all of the apostles of Jesus, he is the only one referred to as “the beloved disciple” of Jesus. You remember that, of all the 12 apostles of Jesus, he was the only one that stayed with Jesus till the end; he was there at the cross of Jesus; he stayed faithful until the end; he loved until the end. Among the twelve apostles no one knew Jesus as much as John. And in today’s readings John shares with us what he knows of Jesus: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.”

When everybody sits down to write a letter or stands to preach a sermon, must have some object in view. He wishes to produce some effect in the minds and hearts and lives of those to whom his message is addressed. And here at the very beginning of his letter John sets down his objective in writing to his people.

(i) The objective is to produce fellowship with men and fellowship with God (1Jn. 1:3). Our aim must always be to bring others closer to one another and closer to God. Any message which brings about division is a false message. 

(ii) The objective is to bring his people joy (1Jn. 1:4), Joy is the essence of the Good news of Jesus. A message whose only effect is to depress and to discourage those who hear it has stopped halfway. The ultimate note of the Christian message is joy.

(iii) The objective is to set Jesus Christ before others. This is, by the way, the ultimate purpose of our "Food for thought"; to set Jesus before you, and you before Jesus. Once you are before Jesus, the rest is between you two. 

With eyes fixed on God!

Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59

8 Stephen, brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. 9 But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. 10 But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke. At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed-- he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. 56 He said, "Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God's side!" 57 Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede, 58 they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them. 59 As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, "Master Jesus, take my life." 60 Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, don't blame them for this sin"-- his last words. Then he died. Saul was right there, congratulating the killers.

Food for soul!

It is a rather strange that immediately after Christmas we should celebrate Stephen’s martyrdom. What is the connection, if any, between the two, Christmas and Martyrdom, between birth of Jesus and death of Stephen? The connection is obvious. One is the beginning, the other is the end; one is life’s beginning, the other is life’s end. Yes, the two are the two sides of the same coin. Jesus is born to die; and death is the birth to everlasting life.

Between the two, between birth and death, life is not easy. Life is a challenge full of ups and downs, full of trying moments. We do well to do like Stephen, in his suffering and agony and insults, he only had his eyes fixed on God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. 

What Stephen does is extremely important, especially when we are being misunderstood or misrepresented by people. The reading says that as the people were full of anger towards Stephen, while the people were furiously focusing on Stephen, Stephen was intently looking toward heaven, where he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 

"Look!" he said. "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But Stephen’s opponontes instead covered their ears, shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent: to stone him to death. And they did kill him. 

As the rocks rained down on Stephen, he prayed, "Master Jesus, take my life." Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master, don't blame them for this sin," his last words. What a great lesson for you and me!!!!

Power of the Word!

John 1:1-14

IN THE beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. 2He was present originally with God. 3All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.

Food for thought!

Today, we are going to do something we rarely do; we are going to make a journey into the beginning, our beginning. I want you to go into your beginning. And by beginning I mean your beginning as a person, beginning as a family, beginning as a professional. What do you find there? In the beginning of everything, there is a word. In other words, in the beginning of your relationship with your spouse, there was a I love you! At the beginning of most jobs there is a word in the form of interview. Even, at the heart of broken and destroyed families, there are always (bad) words. Words can save us or fail us; words can ruin families. Words can build or destroy lives, families and entire people.

Proverbs 16:24 says “Pleasant words are as an honey comb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.” This is true. For example when you are downhearted and discouraged and a friend gives you a word of encouragement or you hear good news, you immediately become revived and refreshed. Once the word enters your spirit, you receive a new urge and strength to go on and not to give up. In the same way a hurtful and bitter word released from a person, aimed directly at you or someone you love can break you down, wound your spirit and even cause you to have a bad day.

The same with God. 

In Genesis, God “speaks” the universe into existence: “Let there be light…. Let there be a firmament.” Each verse of the entire first chapter of Genesis begins with the notable exclamation, “Let there be….” With a similar potency begins the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the word.”

The Letter to the Hebrews (today’s Second Reading) says, In many separate revelations  and in different ways God spoke of old to our forefathers in and by the prophets, But in the last of these days He has spoken to us in the person of a Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].

And in the Gospel Reading to today, we read: In the beginning of everything there was a word; before anything there was a word. God made everything by his word ; without his word nothing came and comes to be.

At the beginning of anything, there is a word or words. Nothing get started except by words. Our words reveal who we truly are. Our words are us. The word-spirits we release may result in either life or death to us and our hearers. When we study the life of Jesus, there was no place where Jesus made a statement and said “Oh do not worry about what I just said. I was only joking”. No, every word that proceeded out from Jesus’ mouth was for a reason and purpose. When the Holy Spirit first descended on the disciples in the upper room, He first touched the disciples’ tongues; He gave them tongues of fire, and made them speak words (Acts 2).

We too have the power of words. There is a seven-word combination that has affected many people. You can try it too; it has power to erase failure, increase strength, eliminate fear, and overcome self-doubt.  That seven-word formula is this: I can do all things through God. Remember, if you tell yourself words like, I am nothing, I am poor, I can’t do this, I am miserable.... The chances are that you will be what you say; if you say to yourself words like these seven words,  I can do all things through God, there is hardly anything you can’t do.

Jesus said:

 If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. (Mt 18:19); If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. (Mt 6:14); If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven (Jn 20:23). All this means that our words works. I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for--believe that you have received them, and you will have them. (Mk 11:24).

Do not be afraid!

Luke 2:1-14

About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. 2 This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. 4 So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. 5 He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

8 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. 9 Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. 10 The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: 11 A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. 12 This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger." 13 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: 14 Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

Food for thought!

Life is not about Advent only; they is life beyond Advent. Life is not about waiting only; it is also about arriving. Life is not only giving; it is also getting. We have been waiting for Christmas, and now Christmas is finally here. As the First Reading puts it,

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined. ...For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Are you still in Advent? Are you always living in Advent, in waiting, in darkness? Are you sitting under some shadow  Do you have any reason to celebrate this Christmas? Is your life a constant night that knows no dawn; is your life lived under the shadow of death. It is to such people like you that the angel makes this announcement: “Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A SAVIOR has just been born in David's town, a SAVIOR who is Messiah and Master.”

Please, note the angel’s words. “I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide.” This everybody includes YOU and ME; it means all people. We are all included in the joy of Christmas. 

I want you to notice that Jesus is called Savior! The angel is not calling Jesus a mere example or a teacher, but a Savior! If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer. If our greatest need had been military, God would have sent a general. If our greatest need had been for justice, God would have sent a judge. But, our greatest need was forgiveness and redemption, and, therefore, God sent a Savior! Yes, Jesus has come to save you.

I know your next question is, saving me from what? FEAR. This is what the angel told the shepherds: Do not fear! Where does fear come from? What causes it? Well, in the Bible fear appears for the first time in Genesis, chapter 3, verse 10. It appears after Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit. They hid from God because they were afraid. A guilty person is always in fear, in fear of being found out, in fear of being punished. 

We all are born guilty; we are guilty people. All of us. And Jesus is Saviour because he comes to free us from guilt. From tonight don’t be afraid to ask forgiveness. Ask forgiveness from all whom you have harmed in thought, word or deed, extend forgiveness to others who ask it from you, and be willing also to forgive yourself. God will do the rest.

Adam and Eve brought fear upon themselves and felt shame and hid themselves from God.  We are chewing the same apple that brings us fear. But we can stop chewing on the apple that brings us fear. It’s never too late to realize that your answer to your own fearful inquiry is unsatisfactory. It’s never too late to turn to God and say: “God, my answer has filled my mind with fear. My answer has brought only pain and struggle into my life. It must be the wrong answer. Will you please help me find another one?”

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13).

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

The present of presence!

Luke 1:39-45

39 Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, 40 straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed!  43 And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? 44 The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. 45 Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!

Food for thought!

One thing that is associated with the celebration of Christmas everywhere is giving. Christmas is the feast of giving. Christmas is the one time in the year when everyone is sure to give and receive a present, even if be only a Christmas card. People spent a lot of time and money shopping for the perfect Christmas gift. We put up Christmas trees to surprise family members with our gifts and to be surprised with theirs. Santa Claus is the perfect symbol of Christmas because Santa is the one who gives and gives and never gets tired of giving. 

Christmas is a feast of giving even from God's point of view. For at Christmas we celebrate the mystery that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). God gives, and the people of God give, and that is Christmas. No matter how well or how poorly our lives seem to be going, we can give; there is nobody that is too poor as not to afford to give anything; no body is too rich the s/he cannot get anything from anyone. We all need to give and get from each other.

In today's Gospel we read the story of Mary visiting with Elizabeth. What gift did Mary bring to Elizabeth? We are not told. We are only told that “She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth.” In other words, Mary’s gift to Elizabeth was not money, a card but HERSELF. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence; THE PRESENT OF PRESENCE. And, I can tell you, this is the best gift of all. 

It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive at Christmas.  Following Mary's example in today's Gospel story, we can, in addition to the flowers and parcels, give of ourselves, our presence, our time. We must find the time to visit and be with people. This is the greatest gift because its value cannot be calculated in terms of money. And all of us can afford it.

Do you know one thing everybody needs these days? It is encouragement. You need encouragement; I need encouragement. Elizabeth too needed encouragement; she was six months pregnant and would no longer be able to go and draw water from the village well, to look after the crops in her garden and the animals in her farm, she would no longer be able to go to the market to do her shopping. So Mary went with haste and stayed with her for about three months, meaning, until she gave birth. Mary gave to Elizabeth what she needed when she needed it. That is the perfect gift.

Mary's visit was an inspiration to Elizabeth. Mary made her sing exuberantly. When we visit people this Christmas, let us try to bring some inspiration into their lives, let us seek to bring them closer to God, and let us try to share with them the Spirit of God in us, the Spirit of consolation, of courage, of peace and joy, just as Mary did.

Remember this: When we merely try to hold on to what is given or entrusted to us, life may seem to take away even that. But when we choose to give what life has given us, the return of abundance can include friendship, companionship, financial blessings, homes, transportation, and security in wonderful ways. The universe holds nothing back from the one who lovingly and sincerely gives.

The good news of Mary!

Luke 1:46-56

Mary said: 

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

Food for thought!

Mary’s gospel. Gospel means good news. In this text Mary tells the world her goodnews, which is: “his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.” This is Mary’s goodnews. You know, everyone of us was born with a message to bring to the this world; we have a message that we can tell the world before we die. It is our good news. We have to tell the world some good news.

Mary’s good news was to tell the us all that God’s mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. It means that God’s mercy is not limited to race, sex, religion, time or space. God’s mercy extends to all and everybody WHO FEAR GOD. The only condition is to fear God; the rest is secondary. This is what Paul tells the Galatians that, “There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28). 

In Christ and because of Christ, we are all equal before God. That is no man or woman, learned or illiterate; there are all loved by God. Before the world, we seem to be different; but before God we are not. God deals with all of us and each one of us as equally beloved. This is why, as Jesus told us, God leaves the 99 sheep to go after one that is lost. Why? Because for God all the sheep are equal; loosing one is loosing one too much. That is in the parable of the lost sheep, the Master leaves the 99 and goes after the one that is lost.

Mary’s good news says still that God’s mercy is never outdated; never out of fashion; it is up-to-date, on all and each one that fears God. And nothing can or should take us from the love of God, because according to Rom. 8:39 “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Believe in good beliefs!

Luke 1:39-45

39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.

Food for thought!

You are blessed because you believed! These words spoken by Elizabeth deserve our attention; what she tells Mary is true because she says it “filled with the Holy Spirit.” She is not saying it on her own; it is the Holy Spirit talking through her of the power of beliefs. What we believe matters, a lot.

Yes, if what we believe is good and holy, we are blessed. If what we believe is evil or bad, we are cursed. It means that WE ARE OUR BELIEFS! We make our beliefs and our beliefs make us. The best / worst example I can think of are the suicide bombers. What drives them to perform mass killings are their beliefs. The same with many others. Just these yesterday and today, we heard that in Pakstan, the Thalibans killed health workers that were immunizing children. Behind the Thalibans behaviour is due to their beliefs. Beliefs are dangerous, especially bad beliefs.

Good beliefs, on the other hand, are good. Good beliefs are a blessing. This is what Elizabeth is telling Mary: You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he promised. What makes Mary special, holy, mother of God is having believed in the word of God, as this was transmitted by the angel Gabriel. What would Mary be if she had rejected the word of the angel? Mary is Mary because she believed the word of God. And you are what you are because of your beliefs. To change yourself, you must change your beliefs. By the way, this is why Jesus begun his preaching saying, "Change your mind and believe (in) the good news" (Mk 1:15).

They say, one person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety nine who have only interests.  It means that you and me, are limited not by the place of our birth, not by the color of our skin, but by our beliefs. In anything we do, the outcome is determined by our beliefs. Once someone said, nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared to believe that something inside of them was superior to the circumstances. “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on (believe) what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Phil 4:8).

Do not be afraid to do it!

Luke 1:26-38

26 Now in the sixth month [after that], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 To a girl never having been married and a virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one [ endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women! 29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled and disturbed and confused at what he said and kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace ( free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving- kindness) with God. 31 And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great (eminent) and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David, 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and of His reign there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband? 35 Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God. 36 And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. 38 Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her.

Food for thought!

Have you been noticing, during this week, that there is so much fear in the gospel? let us begin with Joseph who, on Tuesday, was afraid to take Mary as his wife. The angel told him,  “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife”. Then came Zacharias, who also feared; the angel told him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard.” Today, it is Mary, who gets afraid. Again the angel has to strengthen her, “And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace.”

What does all this mean? It means that life is so often filled with fear — of ourself, of others, of unknown things, of what we regard as obstacles, of what we may feel as “being outside of God.” (As if we ever could be!) Fear thwarts happiness. Fear is the most destructive of emotions, surpassing even jealousy in its corrosiveness. And it’s totally unnecessary! “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

Fear is one of the greatest challenges we face today, as individuals and as a society. Fear holds us back from the fullest expression of ourselves; it prevents us from pursuing our God given destinies. How many times have you missed out on an opportunity because, you were afraid of making a mistake? How many times have you limited yourself because you were afraid you might appear foolish in the eyes of your peers? Self-imposed limitations based on fear can be very difficult to break. The sooner you learn to cope constructively with such fears, the better off you’ll be, for “those who seldom make mistakes, seldom make discoveries.”

Whether you fully realize it or not, you are like the men in the parable. You have been given many “talents” that can take you as far as you want to go in life. Don’t make the mistake of burying them for fear of making a mistake. You don’t want to look back over your life one day with regret that you did not pursue an opportunity because you were afraid of making a blunder. Instead, develop your talents wisely, confidently, to the best of your understanding and with self-trust, and you are likely to enjoy a profitable and exciting life! 

The less you speak, the more you are heard!

Luke 1:5-25

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. 8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” 19Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

23When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Food for thought!

Zachariah, a priest, had married a woman of priestly descent. The gospel says that the two “Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.” Two holy people, righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations, and yet, UNABLE TO HAVE A CHILD OF THEIR OWN.

This is says a lot. It means that even God fearing people like this couple, can have no child. Yes, sometimes bad things can happen to good people. Only God knows why this happens; only God knows when the right time for us to be blessed. It has nothing to do with sins; it is not that Zachariah and Elizabeth were sinners that they could not get a child. Indeed, the couple was God fearing and faithful in their living. 

Despite their situation, the couple served the Lord. Zachariah never stopped going to the Temple.  Sometimes we give up too soon, too easily. Just because we are not getting what we think we should get, or because we are being what we think we should be. One thing stands out: it was in God’s house that God’s message came to Zacharias. The gospel says that while Zecharias was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.

Yes, the message of the Lord comes to those who know how to listen; who know how to wait on the Lord. We do well to learn to listen in quite places; opportunity sometimes knock very softly (Mother Theresa). Our prayers are strong when we are silent; when there is peace of mind, there is inner strength which is unfailing. Remember that the less you speak about your problem to others, the more you are listened to by the Lord. Yes, like Zacharias, when quietness is maintained within us, our problems and challenges vanish like mist before the rising sun. It is in silence that we bring ourselves to a realization of the good for which we have long sought in vain.

Did you know that our mind is most efficient only when it is cool, not hot. In a heated state of mind, emotions take over, which may prove costly; power comes from quietness.

A wise old bird sat on an oak tree. The more he saw, the less he spoke; the less he spoke, the more he heard; Lord, make us like that that wise old bird; make us like Zacharias. Because he was quiet, he was able to hear the message from God.

From normal people to normal people!

Matthew 1;18-24

18 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) 19 Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. 20 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit- conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. 21 She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus-- 'God saves'-- because he will save his people from their sins." 22 This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: 23 Watch for this-- a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us"). 24 Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary.

Food for thought!

In the letter to the Galatians, we read, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman.” (4:4). What Paul is saying is that there was a right time when God acted; when the right time came...! Well, this right time came in today’s gospel reading, it was JUST AFTER AND JUST BEFORE! Just after Joseph and Mary had engaged and just before they came together as man and woman. That’s when God’s perfect time came to be.

Why did God wait for Mary and Joseph to engage? This is what was bothering Joseph. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. The answer is more than clear: Jesus could not have fallen from the cloud; he had to come through the normal channel, the family.

God does not want to use extraordinary ways to come to us; he uses the normal ordinary way. Jesus was born not of angels but of normal people like Joseph and Mary. Joseph was very normal guy just like the rest of us; he struggled with the idea of a pregnant Mary. The gospel  says that he did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

Mary was also a normal  woman like the rest of women. When the angel came to her to break the news, she got “Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.” (Lk 1:29). The angel had to assure her: "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end! Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen?” (Lk 1:31-34).

Yes, like we said from yesterday’s gospel reading, Jesus came FROM all kinds of people, and came FOR all kinds of people. Today, we are saying that Jesus came from ordinary and normal people like Joseph and Mary, people who were in LOVE and ROMANCE and set for MARRIAGE. 

"Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married...! Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary.”

No more barriers!

Matthew 1:1-17

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba),

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Azariah,

Azariah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah;

and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.

Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

After the deportation to Babylon:

Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob;

and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.

Food for thought!

There is so much food for thought in the gospel reading. We can only mention some. By far the most amazing thing is the names of the women who appear in Jesus' family tree.

It is not common to find the names of women in Jewish pedigrees at all. The woman had no legal rights; she was regarded, not as a person, but as a thing. She was merely the possession of her father or of her husband, who could dispose of her as he liked. The very existence of these names in any pedigree at all is not only surprising, it is a revolution.

When we look at who these women were, and look at what they did, the matter becomes even more amazing. Rachab, or as the Old Testament calls her, Rahab, was a harlot of Jericho (Josh.2:1-7). Ruth was not even a Jewess; she was a Moabitess (Ru.1:4), and does not the law itself lay it down, "No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none belonging to them shall enter the assembly of the Lord for ever"(Deut.23:3)? Ruth belonged to an alien and a hated people. Tamar was a deliberate seducer and an adulteress; she seduced her father-in-law and got herself empregnated by him (Gen.38). Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, was the woman whom David seduced from Uriah, her husband, with an unforgivable cruelty (2Sam.11-12). 

Be it as it may, there is something very lovely in all this. Here, with these women, the gospel shows us the essence of the good news of Jesus Christ, that there are no more barriers, between men and women, between Jews and non Jews. In Jesus there are no more discrimination due to race, sex and religion. 

(i) The barrier between Jew and Gentile is down. Rahab, the woman of Jericho, and Ruth, the woman of Moab, find their place within the pedigree of Jesus Christ. Already the great truth is there that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. Here, at the very beginning, there is the universalism of the gospel and of the love of God.

(ii) The barriers between male and female are down. In no ordinary pedigree would the name of any woman be found; but such names are found in Jesus' pedigree. The old contempt is gone; and men and women stand equally dear to God, and equally important to his purposes.

(iii) The barrier between saint and sinner is down. Somehow God can use for his purposes, and fit into his scheme of things, those who have sinned greatly. "I came" said Jesus, "not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matt. 9:13).

Here at the very beginning of the gospel we are given a hint of the all-embracing width of the love of God. God can find his servants amongst those from whom the respectable orthodox would shudder away in horror.

Be happy, He is near!

Phil 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! 5 Let everyone see your forbearance. The Lord is near! 6 Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds a in Christ Jesus.

Food for thought!

Many of us have heard of that famous song by Bobby McFerrin, BE HAPPY DON’T WORRY! 

This man says that the reasons why we should be happy is, as he says:

In every life we have some trouble/ When you worry you make it double/ Don't worry, be happy. Ain't got no place to lay your head/ Somebody came and took your bed/ Don't worry, be happy. The landlord say your rent is late/ He may have to litigate/ Don't worry, be happy. Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style/ Ain't got no gal to make you smile/ But don't worry, be happy.

What McFerrin says is true: In every life we have some trouble; also it is true that when you worry you make it double. However, we are not going to be happy just because every life has problems, or because when me worry we double our problems. There  has to be a far greater reason to make us happy. It is not enough to know that everybody has their own share of problems, it in important to know something more. There has to be another reason to make us happy despite our circumstances.

I want you to be happy not because everybody is struggling with some problem, which is true, but because of what Paul says. THE LORD IS NEAR!  This is the secret of living. It was Paul’s secret. When Paul wrote these words, he was in prison. When Paul penned these words, he was bound between two soldiers in a Roman prison; He himself was lying in prison with certain death awaiting him. Still, Paul knew that regardless of the circumstances of his life, God was near him; Paul knew that God never changes. That is why he told us to "rejoice in the Lord." People will change, circumstances will change and life constantly changes, but the Lord never changes! He is the same yesterday, today and always.

Some of us, whenever we happen to be going hardships, or suffering, we want all the world to know and stop to console us, sympasize with us. Paul is doing the opposite; in spite of being imprisoned, he urges us to be happy, to rejoice, to show our forbearance. It was during this imprisonment that Paul wrote his best letters, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. Yes, something good can and must come from from our suffering, our problems, our prison.

The reason for our happiness is the presence of the Lord; we are never left to ourselves; God is near. This is the same reason John the Baptist is telling the people in the gospel reading. Because the Lord is near, "If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food." 12 Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13 He told them, "No more extortion-- collect only what is required by law." 14 Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail-- and be content with your rations."

In other words, don’t cheat on your customers or your spouse because God is near and watching. Your customers or boss may not find out, your spouse may not know that you are cheating on her or on him, but the Lord sees and knows because He is near! 

It is one thing to know why one should not worry and another to know how not to worry. How could one keep from worrying when one is surrounded by apparently insurmountable problems and difficulties? Paul gives us an answer in the second part of the reading. "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (4:6) 

In every situation, in every difficulty or problem, in all circumstances, Paul knows one thing we should do rather than worry, and that is: take it to the Lord in prayer. Paul does not ask us to deny that we've got problems or to pretend as if they are not there. He urges us rather to face our problems squarely, not with worry but with prayer. Turn worries into prayers.

This is how we arrive at that inner peace which people around us cannot understand. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (4:7). It is the peace that God gives, the peace that nothing in the world can give, and all because we have learnt to trust God in everything and in every situation. All because we have learnt to bring everything to God in prayer. No matter the magnitude of the problems facing us at this time, we can with the prisoner Paul pray with joy and confidence, because the Lord is near, as Dan Schutte taught us to sing:

Yahweh, I know you are near,

standing always at my side.

You guard me from the foe,

and you lead me in ways everlasting.

Lord, you have searched my heart,

and you know when I sit and when I stand.

Your hand is upon me protecting me from death,

keeping me from harm.

Where can I run from Your love?

If I climb to the heavens You are there;

If I fly to the sunrise or sail beyond the sea,

still I'd find You there.

You know my heart and its ways,

you who formed me before I was born

in the secret of darkness before I saw the sun

in my mother's womb.

Marvelous to me are Your works;

how profound are Your thoughts, my Lord.

Even if I could count them, they number as the stars,

You would still be there.