Then the angel departed from her. // Luke 1:38 During my sophomore year at college, I was invited by a friend to attend Mass on a Tuesday, to which I responded, “There’s Mass on a week day?” We barely went to church on Sundays growing up, so this was news to me, but very welcome news. A fire for my faith had been ignited with the introduction of Catholic Social Teaching combined with a vibrant Sunday Liturgy with a standing-room-only chapel filled with classmates who were at Mass because they chose to be. The flames burned brightly, and my thirst to learn more was paradoxically insatiable and more than satisfied by the love of God all at once. I joined a small group, went on my first retreat, and spent Friday nights sharing meals with friends experiencing homelessness. My friends and I frequented daily Mass, monthly Festival of Praises, and prayed night prayer regularly in the chapel we had 24/7 access to. My faith flourished in college. But college doesn’t last forever. Leaving the friends and ready-made opportunities that constantly encouraged the deepening of love of both God and neighbor was incredibly challenging. Having my rose-colored glasses removed and being exposed to the sin and destruction caused by clergy and other members of the Church and navigating those realities away from the community that I depended on was jarring and painful. But ultimately remaining faithful was a choice that could only be made on my own. It was hard, lonely, and confusing (and still can be at times), but God is steadfast, forgiving, and patient. I wonder if Mary felt similarly when the angel departed after her fiat. Could she have had a moment of loneliness when the only other created person aware of this miracle left her side? Surely it would have been easier to explain her pregnancy to Joseph with the angel there, encouraging and affirming her love of God. If not Mary, there are certainly other examples of Saints who have felt alone or even abandoned on their path to Heaven. Dear Jesus, please help me to remember their example in those moments the angel departs in my life. [bctt tweet="God is steadfast, forgiving, and patient. // Sarah Rose" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” // Luke 1:18-21 I could hear the sound of laughter coming from our family room. I walked over and saw my husband and daughter joking with each other and my boys at the table laughing at something. It was one of those moments when I’m struck by how blessed I am. Had I gone back in time and told that awkward teenager who didn’t fit in or that twenty-something who kept dating the wrong guys or that heartbroken newlywed who thought she couldn't have kids that one day this would be her life, I don’t think I would’ve believed it. Perhaps that’s why I always felt sorry for Zechariah from today’s Gospel. There he was in the midst of a paramount, miraculous event in his life, and he ends up struck dumb. It seems unfair. In the past, I would compare the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary with Zechariah’s. Mary was blessed, but Zechariah was punished. Why? Later, I came to understand that Mary believed the truth of Gabriel’s words and the miraculous power of God. Her questioning was in regards to how she would be fulfilling God’s word, not that she didn’t believe it. However, Zechariah doubted the Angel's words because he could only see the obstacles that made it humanly impossible. He was struck dumb, but God was faithful. Zechariah’s elderly wife became pregnant and bore the son who would proclaim the Messiah’s coming. Thankfully, Zechariah redeemed himself when he communicated to a skeptical crowd that his son would not bear his name, but be called John, as God had instructed. His speech returned, and he prophesied and praised the goodness of God (see Luke 1:63-64). How many times have we felt God's call, but lacked trust that He would provide? Or were inspired to do something good, but we let self-doubt stop us? During these last days of Advent, let’s spend some quiet time before God. What is He speaking to your heart? How can you better follow His will in your life? Lord, open my heart to hear Your word and to act upon it, trusting in You always. Amen. [bctt tweet="Follow His will. // @bobbi_rol" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. // Isaiah 7:14 “Oh man, that’s the end of the Old Testament,” my nine-year-old son lamented. He’d been reading a graphic-novel-style children’s Bible and had just finished the last pages of the Old Testament. He enjoys the action-packed stories in the history of God’s people best. I’m the opposite of my son. Aside from the Psalms, I’ve never been drawn much into the books of the Old Testament. At times I’ve wondered if I “need” to know the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled everything, so isn’t it good enough for me to know Him? I once also held the unspoken opinion that “I go to Mass, I don’t need to read the Bible too.” Yet by ignoring the Scriptures, I limit my understanding of God’s plan. In giving little to no attention to God’s Word, I limit myself to even hearing Him when I pray. How can I possibly hear the Lord if I haven’t paid attention to His Word and become acquainted with His actions throughout time? When I read the prophecy—clear as day—spoken to Ahaz in today’s First Reading, I thought of my son’s delight in the Old Testament. Followed by the Gospel when Saint Joseph received the message in his dreams (see Matthew 1:20-24), my eyes were opened to how beautifully the two testaments reveal the Lord’s heart to us. A faithful Jewish man after God’s heart, Joseph would have known of the prophecy. He knew the Lord’s voice and was prepared to follow, even immediately upon waking from a dream! What a gift to have both the Old and New Testament, to see how God has been working throughout all of history to reveal His plan of salvation, to prepare His people–like Saint Joseph–to receive and say yes to His plan. That’s how well I want to know the Lord’s voice so that without a doubt I know God is speaking to me. Will you join me in a renewed commitment to reading Scripture and listening to the Lord’s voice? Saint Joseph, pray for us as we learn to listen and follow in faith as you did. [bctt tweet="Say yes to His plan. // Gina Fensterer" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. // Matthew 1:10 The radiant, beautiful Sister was standing at the podium on a Blessed is She retreat with her heart wide open. She was giving one of the most beautiful talks I’ve ever heard on a retreat in which she shared about a few specific women in her family line who had said a very courageous yes to life. Each of those yeses were part of the reason she could stand there and give that talk to us on that day. She highlighted a few of the tremendous sacrifices they had made and the way they had laid down their dreams and lives for the good of their children. It was breathtaking. The genealogy of Jesus that we reflect upon today is a familiar Gospel—we may sit through it at Mass amazed at its length or fascinated by the unique male names. Wouldn’t it be incredibly moving if, even just once, we could hear the names of all the women? Certainly, not in the current cultural way that says “if we recognize one person, we have to recognize everybody,” but in a way that gives us pause to remember—there is another layer to this story that resounds with the yeses, the sacrifices, the laying down of the lives of dozens of women so a Savior could be born unto us. That is the beauty of genealogical lines: there are an untold number of women who poured out in the beauty of motherhood so that you could sit where you are in this very moment. It is not often, if ever, that we stop to think of them and say a prayer of thanksgiving for them. Today, I invite you to do just this. [bctt tweet="There is another layer to this story that resounds with the yeses, the sacrifices, the laying down of the lives of dozens of women so a Savior could be born unto us.. // @emwilss" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“But I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.” // John 5:36 I’ve been asking myself, a lot recently, why I am still Catholic. It’s a hard and scary question to ask. The priest abuse scandals and cover-ups sicken me. The alignment with politics and distancing from social justice actions infuriates me. The lack of fair wages, insurance coverage, and maternity/paternity leave for parish/Catholic school workers saddens me. The statistics of those who do not believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and who are disassociating—or never even associated to begin with—disheartens me. The list continues and is lengthy. This doesn’t mean that I’m a bad Catholic. Rather, I see that although Mother Church is meant to be perfect and will be perfected in eternity, her children, who are also meant to be perfect, need repentance, revival, and a resolution to live like Jesus. The list of why I’m still Catholic is short. Short, and yet it outweighs and outnumbers the former list. I have experienced times where I invited God into my life and times where I hid from Him or asked Him to leave, and I never want to relive the latter again. I have experienced the Living God through Scripture and the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, and I believe that Jesus is fully present in them. I have experienced the mercy of the Living God so profoundly that it has brought me to my knees in awe and gratitude. I have experienced suffering with the Living God and believe that, although it’s excruciating, He has redeemed it by His Cross and Resurrection. I have experienced mistreatment, misunderstandings, and ridicule in my own small way like the Living God, and I’m thankful that He’s accepted my anger and taught me how to direct it for good. I have experienced the tenderness of love from the Living God and want to be so hidden in His Sacred Heart that people see Him when looking at me. I’ve read the testimonies of the Saints, heard about miracles, and sat in on theological and philosophical discussions. All of those have helped develop my understanding of the Church. But it has been in responding to the Trinity’s personal invitation of friendship and communion that I know I am where I want to be. And you, sister? [bctt tweet="Why I'm Still Catholic // @chikasworld" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

But the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves. // Luke 7:30 I finished scrubbing the cast iron skillet, dried it, and hung it on my pot rack. Each dish had been stacked in the dishwasher, each child coaxed to least try the salmon and orzo I had spent hours on, and each foot was cramping from standing on the hardwood floors with no shoes for those hours on end. My quiet fingers found the last of the chocolate toffee wrapped up in the pocket of my apron, and while I changed over the laundry and finished up homework checks, I stuffed that delicious treat into my mouth. Had I finished my own dinner? Absolutely not. Had I tried two bites of orzo? Nope. Did I regret spoiling my appetite? Not in the least. While I prioritized healthy food for my children, a few years ago I went through a season of food fatigue. By the time I was done preparing, cooking, and serving dinner, my appetite had waned. But also, my stomach had been primed for a little treat instead. Like the Pharisees, I had rejected the plan of dinner for myself. Maybe for different reasons, but for the same principle: I wanted to do it my way. Are you also spoiling your appetite for God with inane screen time consumption or poor habits? Does prayer and discerning His will and surrendering and finding pockets of joy in the travails of life sound . . . like my over-seasoned orzo? The Lord had anointed Saint John the Baptist to make way for Him. Perhaps start getting back on track with God by listening to those in your life who are praying and living this Advent season to the hilt. God is calling you back to Him, but not just through a bullhorn from the sky. Pay attention to who He has placed in your life today. [bctt tweet="God is calling you back to Him. // Nell O'Leary " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

For thus says the Lord, The creator of the heavens, who is God, The designer and maker of the earth who established it, not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the Lord, and there is no other. // Isaiah 45:18 My inner child marveled at the vast ocean in front of me. The breeze lifting off of the waves gently tickled the hair in front of my face—a welcome greeting I had long awaited. The kids ran in front of my husband and me and began grabbing sand and letting it slip between their fingers. The toddler’s pigtails began to look like the wings of a bird as she jumped up and down, relishing in the moment of going to the beach for the very first time. There was no car seat to inhibit her freedom or joy. We were completely immersed in the beauty surrounding us and awestruck at the Creator’s hand. The street where we had just parked felt distant, and the sound of daily life faded as the waves roared and the seagulls soared above us. “For thus says the Lord, The creator of the heavens, who is God, The designer and maker of the earth who established it, not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:18). The sky lit up in His glory covered with pink cotton candy clouds swirled with hues of baby blues. The drudgery of city life separates me from the created world. I can’t swap neon lights and cacti for an ocean view, but I can be more receptive to what is available to me instead of letting it go to waste by spending time on my phone or choosing some other idle activity. Sister, there is so much beauty to behold around us. We don’t have to be in front of a majestic tree in a redwood forest to acknowledge that God created the world for us to live in and enjoy. His paternal heart is reflected in every created being, including you and me. We have a Father Who loves when we delight in what He has created for us. Today create space in your heart and thank God for His creation (your Christmas tree counts too). [bctt tweet="His paternal heart is reflected in every created being. // Mytae Carrasco Wallace" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

On that day you need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me. // Zephaniah 3:11 The sun peeked over the top of the trees as I walked wearily toward the Catholic church across campus. My heart was heavy with shame. I inched into the corner of the back pew, dropped onto my knees, my head falling into my hands. I was a failure. I’d messed up and was letting that failure become my identity. I readily listened to the voice of the enemy calling me a failure, a hypocrite, telling me I should be ashamed of my weakness. Drowning in a sea of self-condemnation, I could not imagine how God could ever love me after I rejected His love, chose my own will over His will, and turned away from true good for passing pleasures of this world. I sometimes still find myself in that place. Sometimes I am still weary of my sinfulness, overwhelmed by the manifold ways in which I choose to turn away from the Lord’s goodness, love, and mercy. But now, things are different. Now I know the lies the enemy delights in using against me when I get caught in a spiral of shame and, rejecting those lies, I can confidently embrace the truth of the Father’s love. Even if we turn away from His will, He does not reject us, but delights in waiting for His grace to stir our hearts. He invites us to conversion that we might change our minds after rejecting Him and go into His vineyard (see Matthew 21:29). Sister, as we journey through this season of Advent, listen to the voice of the Father Who calls lovingly to our rebellious hearts that we might be made humble and lowly, taking refuge in the name of the Lord. Look to the coming Messiah, becoming like us to save us, that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush with shame (Responsorial Psalm 34). As you wait for the One Who will save us, hear the delight in the voice of your Father Who is close to the brokenhearted (Responsorial Psalm 34). The evil one delights in shaming us. The Father just delights in us! [bctt tweet="The evil one delights in shaming us. The Father just delights in us! // Sister Maria Fatima " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. // Revelation 12:1 Sometimes motherhood is a lovingly gathered bouquet of flowers plucked too close to the stem. Sometimes it’s holding a raspy toddler upright in a steamy bathroom to better help him breathe. At times, it’s being the recipient of a shy wave from across the room when they see you’ve arrived. Or being a trusted ear when adolescent woes begin. Sometimes it’s channeling mama-bear rage into advocating effectively for your child. Or it’s modeling virtue by practice or by admitting lack thereof. It may start as being the one who fulfills everything a babe might want or need. And grow into standing still while encouraging them forward into greater independence to become who they were meant to be. But each of these is just a glance into the fierce love every mother is capable of. Today we honor Mary in her appearance at Guadalupe to a native man, Juan Diego. By all accounts, he was ordinary and not outstanding. But Mary saw him differently and loved him as only a mother can. Our readings today from Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a and Luke 1 depict different aspects of Our Heavenly Mama. On one hand, we have her courageous humility and profound trust in God’s plan in her fiat. And then in the reading from Revelation, Mary is crowned with stars and ready to do battle, her own mama-bear ferocity shining forth. The more I am able to ponder my relationship to my sons and also appreciate my own mother, I am struck with the gift of Mary’s motherhood to each of us. She’s here, loving you with a fierce love, and ready to be who you need in this moment. Take a moment today to ponder Mary’s words to Saint Juan Diego and consider how Mary has been and can be a mother to you also: “Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold?” [bctt tweet="Mary has been and can be a mother to you. // Sarah Ortiz" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. // Isaiah 35:1-2 I live in the desert. Well, that is not entirely accurate. I live in a city, which is in a desert. It is hot, dry, and brown. My kids wear shorts year-round, and we struggle to keep our lawns green and gardens sheltered from the unrelenting heat of the Arizona sun. When I was younger, I longed to live where it was green. I wanted to live where it rained and where flowers grew in abundance. I wanted to wear boots and sweaters for more than just a few weeks after Christmas. After graduating high school, I said goodbye to the desert and left for California. It was still sunny, but it was a lot prettier and certainly much greener. Every school break, I would drive home alone across that desert and gaze upon it in wonder. By the end of my four years, I loved the desert. You see, even in the parched land of the Sonoran there are blooms. They aren’t as plentiful, but they are striking. The century plant bloom is just as large as the base plant itself, and the stalk on which the bloom grows can be forty-feet tall. It is called the century plant because although it actually blooms about every twenty-five years, it seems to take a century! There are seasons in our lives when it seems like things just won't bloom. Seasons when we are waiting and our patience is being strengthened. Sister, God is there with us in the ugliness before the bloom. He is waiting in your desert, and He knows the perfect time for our lives to blossom. Advent is a time not just of waiting, but of preparation. As we sit in the desert of our own lives, we can choose to either sit idly by and complain or patiently prepare for our blooming. If you are in a period of waiting, spend some time today praying about how God may be preparing you for the next season. Ask the Lord to make His presence known and help you to intentionally prepare your heart for what is coming. [bctt tweet="He knows the perfect time for our lives to blossom. // @maryruthhackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. // Psalm 80:4 Through an unfruitful season of prayer, I sat at my desk each evening and opened up a livestream of virtual Eucharistic Adoration on my iPad. Jesus was present, however my heart and mind was numb to the truth of His mercy. Many of my evenings were spent fixating on my weaknesses and all the ways I’ve messed up, instead of shifting my focus toward the gaze of His eternal love. One evening in particular, I was mid-sentence when l felt a gentle tug on my heart. No words were audibly heard, but I gently heard in my heart, Look at Me. In today’s Responsorial Psalm, we read, “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved” (Psalm 80:4). There is nothing wrong with acknowledging where you fall short or areas that you would like to improve, however, there have been numerous times where I‘ve unknowingly made an obsession out of my wrong doings. Sister, I gently encourage you to go in person to Eucharistic Adoration or open it up on YouTube and just sit. Sit in the gaze of His love. Don’t worry about saying anything. Just look at Him. Even if it's just for five minutes. I know how easy it is to focus on our failures and sins. I still struggle, but how healing it is to turn our attention to His Sacred Heart that is adorned by His mercy and desire for you! Just sitting in silence and acknowledging His presence is enough to restore our hearts back to the Truth. Don’t be afraid to accept the gift of the Love you were created for. Jesus, we love You. We praise You. We thank You for the sacrifice of Your Love. Help us to open to accept the deep desire that You have for each of our hearts. Amen. [bctt tweet="Don’t be afraid to accept the gift of the Love you were created for. // Bella Rol" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me. // Psalm 131:2* Before I knew much about him, I found myself holding a prayer card of “Juan Dieguito” that I had stumbled upon. I decided to keep it safe in the little crevice of my dresser, and soon enough, I began to pray the prayer found on the back. I didn’t think he was very special until I was asked to take part in a play depicting the story of Saint Juan Diego and the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe. My heart became moved by the Mexican Saint I previously knew very little of. I began contemplating the conversation between Juan and the “Lady from Heaven” who appeared on Tepeyac Hill. She addressed him throughout their dialogue as the littlest of her sons and the most beloved. As I reflect on the readings for today’s memorial in his honor, especially Psalm 131, I cannot help but imagine Juan Diego as exactly that: a little son. I can envision him as a little child, “stilled and quieted”—at peace and undisturbed—on Our Lady’s lap. She holds him, caresses his face, and speaks to him in a whisper, reminding him that he has nothing to fear since she, who is his mother, is there with him. On this day, sister, close your eyes and imagine with me that Juan Dieguito gets up from that place of comfort and comes over to you with an extended hand, inviting you to now take your place. Will you go forward to her and rest your head upon her lap? Allow her to caress your hair, your tears absorbed into the beautiful turquoise blue of her mantle, and hear her whisper to you what she said to him: “Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need something more? Let nothing else worry you . . . .” (source). May Saint Juan Diego teach us to confide in our Heavenly Mother and place all of our worries and petitions in her care, allowing our souls to rest there in the arms of the one who carried Our Lord and God. * readings from the Memorial of Saint Juan Diego [bctt tweet="Rest in the arms of the one who carried Our Lord and God. // Rocio Hermes" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. // Luke 1:28-29 I agonized over the invite. I can’t add anything else to the schedule! I need to prioritize prayer and family, said the realist in me. But what if she feels rejected? Or she rejects me? The people-pleasing part of me wavered. Finally, I sent my regrets and received a surprising reply: “I admire your ability to say no to adding something else!” It was a powerful reminder that a small but impactful no can free us for a far greater yes. Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The term “Immaculate Conception” means that from the moment of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s conception, God in His grace preserved her from the stain of Original Sin, and gave her the grace to say no to sin in every circumstance thereafter. One definition of the word ‘immaculate' is “free from sin,” while another is “free from flaws or mistakes.” Often, we aim for this second definition rather than the first in response to our culture’s distorted ideal of perfectionism. The pressure to be flawless or never make a mistake leads us to constantly say no to our own needs or God’s will and yes to others’ flawed opinions. Mary, our immaculate role model, shows us another way. Her perfect sinlessness did not make her mistake-free in the eyes of the world, nor did it relieve her discomforts—far from it. She was “greatly troubled” at the Annunciation, and searched “with great anxiety” when she lost Jesus in the temple several years later (Luke 2:48). Immaculate Mary experienced very real turmoil and confusion—yet in all these imperfect circumstances, she did not sin. She said no to worldly perfectionism that claimed it could help her relieve discomfort, escape criticism, or avoid rejection. She said yes to the humility of sinlessness, even when it looked like foolishness to the world, in order to do God’s will and glorify Him. As a result, Mary now shares God’s glory forevermore—and she invites us into the same. Worldly imperfection does not negate your goodness. Today, say no to sin in order to say yes to God’s greater goodness, asking our Immaculate Mother’s intercession! [bctt tweet="Mary now shares God’s glory forevermore—and she invites us into the same. // Megan Hjelmstad" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Solemnidad la Inmaculada Concepción de la Santísima Virgen María Lectionary: 689 Lee las lecturas en el sitio de USCCB. Primera lectura Gn 3, 9-15. 20 Después de que el hombre y la mujer comieron del fruto del árbol prohibido, el Señor Dios llamó al hombre y le preguntó: “¿Dónde estás?” Éste le respondió: “Oí tus pasos en el jardín; tuve miedo, porque estoy desnudo, y me escondí”. Entonces le dijo Dios: “¿Y quién te ha dicho que estabas desnudo? ¿Has comido acaso del árbol del que te prohibí comer?” Respondió Adán: “La mujer que me diste por compañera me ofreció del fruto del árbol y comí”. El Señor Dios dijo a la mujer: “¿Por qué has hecho esto?” Repuso la mujer: “La serpiente me engañó y comí”. Entonces dijo el Señor Dios a la serpiente: “Porque has hecho esto, serás maldita entre todos los animales y entre todas las bestias salvajes. Te arrastrarás sobre tu vientre y comerás polvo todos los días de tu vida. Pondré enemistad entre ti y la mujer, entre tu descendencia y la suya; y su descendencia te aplastará la cabeza, mientras tú tratarás de morder su talón”. El hombre le puso a su mujer el nombre de “Eva”, porque ella fue la madre de todos los vivientes. Salmo Responsorial Sal 97, 1. 2-3ab. 3bc-4 R. (1a) Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas: Su diestra y su santo brazo le han dado la victoria. R. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. El Señor ha dado a conocer su victoria y ha revelado a las naciones su justicia. Una vez más ha demostrado Dios su amor y su lealtad hacia Israel. R. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. La tierra entera ha contemplado la victoria de nuestro Dios. Que todos los pueblos y naciones aclamen con júbilo al Señor. R. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. Segunda lectura Ef 1, 3-6. 11-12 Bendito sea Dios, Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, que nos ha bendecido en él con toda clase de bienes espirituales y celestiales. Él nos eligió en Cristo, antes de crear el mundo, para que fuéramos santos e irreprochables a sus ojos, por el amor, y determinó, porque así lo quiso, que, por medio de Jesucristo, fuéramos sus hijos, para que alabemos y glorifiquemos la gracia con que nos ha favorecido por medio de su Hijo amado. Con Cristo somos herederos también nosotros. Para esto estábamos destinados, por decisión del que lo hace todo según su voluntad: para que fuéramos una alabanza continua de su gloria, nosotros, los que ya antes esperábamos en Cristo. Aclamación Antes del Evangelio R. Aleluya, aleluya. Dios te salve, María, llena de gracia, el Señor está contigo, bendita tú entre las mujeres. R. Aleluya. Evangelio Lc 1,26-38 En aquel tiempo, el ángel Gabriel fue enviado por Dios a una ciudad de Galilea, llamada Nazaret, a una virgen desposada con un varón de la estirpe de David, llamado José. La virgen se llamaba María. Entró el ángel a donde ella estaba y le dijo: “Alégrate, llena de gracia, el Señor está contigo”. Al oír estas palabras, ella se preocupó mucho y se preguntaba qué querría decir semejante saludo. El ángel le dijo: “No temas, María, porque has hallado gracia ante Dios. Vas a concebir y a dar a luz un hijo y le pondrás por nombre Jesús. Él será grande y será llamado Hijo del Altísimo; el Señor Dios le dará el trono de David, su padre, y él reinará sobre la casa de Jacob por los siglos y su reinado no tendrá fin”. María le dijo entonces al ángel: “¿Cómo podrá ser esto, puesto que yo permanezco virgen?” El ángel le contestó: “El Espíritu Santo descenderá sobre ti y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra. Por eso, el Santo, que va a nacer de ti, será llamado Hijo de Dios. Ahí tienes a tu parienta Isabel, que a pesar de su vejez, ha concebido un hijo y ya va en el sexto mes la que llamaban estéril, porque no hay nada imposible para Dios”. María contestó: “Yo soy la esclava del Señor; cúmplase en mí lo que me has dicho”. Y el ángel se retiró de su presencia. Qué gran diferencia hay entre contestar con un «sí» o con un «no» a la llamada de Dios. Me duele recordar las veces que he sentido la llamada de Dios en mi alma pero la tentación de intentar mantener un control ha sido más fuerte que mi confianza en hacer lo que Dios me pedía. La verdad es que sin la gracia de Dios soy muy débil y mi deseo de quedarme en mi zona de confort se apodera de mí y gana. No siempre pude oír la llamada de Dios con la claridad que ahora tengo. Primero estaba mi trabajo, después mi lista de quehaceres, mis hijos, mi esposo, mi familia, mis amistades, mis intereses personales y por último quedaba mi vida espiritual, si es que sobraba tiempo. Así es, hermana, le daba mis sobras a Dios mientras Él me lo daba todo. Como se podrán imaginar, no es posible vivir una vida sólida, en paz y plena sin Dios. Al pasar el tiempo después de sufrir años de sequedad interior, poco a poco le fui diciendo que sí a la llamada de Dios. Me sentía cansada, llevaba mucho tiempo sufriendo en silencio una soledad que me causaba mucho sufrimiento. Venía de recoger a mi hijo mayor de la escuela cuando de repente me sentí llamada a ir a la iglesia. Ya llevaba unos meses en el área donde vivía pero aún no había hecho el esfuerzo por ir. Como mis hijos estaban conmigo pensé que sería mejor regresar directo a la casa y seguir con la rutina del día. Pero la llamada que sentí se hizo más fuerte que no pude ignorarla. Se me ocurrieron muchos motivos por lo cual no era un buen momento. Y aunque mi resistencia fue grande, cedí de mala gana a manejar hacía la iglesia. Al llegar, encontré la Iglesia vacía y no sabía qué esperar. Sintiéndome guida, encontré el camino hacía la rectoría. En la entrada estaba un señor y le pregunté si me podía ayudar a hacer una cita para hablar con un sacerdote. Me contestó que él era el pastor de la iglesia y que justo antes que yo entrara, le habían cancelado su cita de esa hora y estaba disponible para hablar conmigo. Hermana, mi conversación con el padre fue transformativa y gracias a ella empezó mi retorno a la iglesia, mi reconversión y mi sanación interior. Mi «sí» no fue bien dado, ni fue libre de duda ni confusión, pero ese «sí» le bastó a Dios para conducirme hacia Él. Desde ese momento, he tratado de estar más alerta a escuchar la llamada de Dios en mi alma. Cuando dejo que Él me conduzca, los frutos son vastos y cuando me resisto, sufro el aislamiento de separarme de Él. Aprovechemos esta Solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Santísima Virgen María para pedirle a nuestra madre celestial que interceda por nosotras. Que a través de su intercesión, Dios nos conceda un corazón más como el de ella y que nos dé la gracia que necesitamos para contestar con un «sí» a la llamada que nos está haciendo Dios en nuestra vida. ¿Cuál es la llamada que Dios te está haciendo? “Yo soy la esclava del Señor; cúmplase en mí lo que me has dicho”. (Lc 1,38) Brenda Pineda reside en el sur de California con sus 3 hijos y su esposo. Es una Health y Life coach certificada. Actualmente por obra del Espíritu Santo trabaja para su Iglesia Parroquial. Sus pasiones incluyen el desarrollo personal y espiritual, la salud holística, y ayudar a los demás a encontrarse con ellos mismos y con Dios. Aparte de pasar tiempo de calidad con su familia (su lenguaje de amor), su pasatiempo favorito es compartir lo que Dios está obrando en la vida con una buena amiga mientras disfrutan una tazita de té.

Do you not know or have you not heard? The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. // Isaiah 40:28 The rain splattered lightly on the windshield as the fall colors blazed out the side windows. I was venturing out into late afternoon traffic to pick up my middle school daughter from her after-school pro-life club. I had intentionally kept the radio off—I wanted to experience the silence of those few solitary minutes. The silence drew me within myself while the splendor of autumn raised my heart in praise of Our Creator. And during that drive, I found the Lord present within my heart reminding me that He is the Lord of All Creation. "Do you not know or have you not heard? The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 40:28). The weariness of the morning in which I had motivated my three elementary-aged children to do their lessons, the fatigue of a Monday after a full, busy weekend, all melted away as I recollected myself to the Lord’s presence. I felt His mind bend towards me as I lifted mine to His, recollecting that He always holds me in His mind as He holds me in existence. If He ever stopped thinking of me, I would cease to exist. But because He thinks of me, I can live forever with Him. Sister, the Lord always has you in mind. He Who created all things holds you especially close to Him. When you are weary, burdened, and full of cares, you only have to turn to His loving gaze. This time of Advent is often a busy one, but it does not prevent us from finding solitary, silent moments of our day to enter even, if just for a moment, into the Lord’s presence and meet Him in your heart. He is waiting for you there, as we are waiting for Him to come at Christmas. Enter into the silence of your heart and wait for Him. [bctt tweet="He Who created all things holds you especially close to Him. // Susanna Spencer" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." // Matthew 18:13-14 “Where are the girls?” All the adults immediately look at one another then jump into frantic action. We were wrapping up a vacation with some friends and loading up the luggage cart. We had propped open the door to our hotel room with the cart while the adults started dragging suitcases out and packing up to go. My daughter and our friends’ daughter were only two-and-a-half at the time when we realized we did not know where they were. We started looking in the hotel room–behind curtains where they had played hide-and-seek earlier and in all the other areas of the room–NOPE. Picture four frenzied parents spanning out in a large resort during the middle of winter trying to find two mischievous toddlers. I ran to the front of the hotel to alert security and the concierge. I may or may have not scared the staff by screaming to lock all the doors and not allow anyone in or out. The others looked down hallways, in stairwells, and by the elevator. We gave the description of the girls to the staff so everyone could keep an eye out. At one point, from across the entire long hallway, we saw them running to the elevator, get it, and press buttons–BEFORE we made it to them. Eventually, what felt like a zillion years later, but had frankly been only ten minutes, we found the girls sitting on a bench near an elevator, just chatting away in their sweet toddler voices. Trying not to scare them, I swept my daughter up in a huge hug and let out a gasp. I would have done anything to find her. My heart broke in those minutes I could not. Our Heavenly Father would do anything to find us again. And even as panicked as I was at the thought of my lost daughter, the Father is infinitely more in pursuit of us. He’ll go after your soul and your heart every minute of every day. He will find you. Sister, let your loving Father pursue your heart. You are wholly loved and desired by the Father. [bctt tweet="Let your loving Father pursue your heart. // @substance_soul" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. // Isaiah 35:1 Sometimes when I’m in the thick of it, I can’t see the fertile ground in which I’m walking. When the baby won’t sleep or my six year old is demanding or the laundry bombards my living room with piles, I often have to remind myself: I prayed for this. My feet were once so steeped in the desolate land of infertility, and sometimes it takes a moment of reminiscence in order to appreciate the abundance from which I now reside. I think we do this a lot. Despite the gifts God provides in our lives, we get stuck in different sorts of deserts. Maybe your paychecks are too meager or your job is tiresome or your health is rocky. Whatever it is, it is easy to look down and see only the depleted soil beneath our feet. I love the faith of the men in today’s Gospel, how they looked at the paralyzed man before them and saw the abundance of Christ. I’m sure they recognized the hopelessness as well. I’m sure that they saw the deserted wasteland we often also find ourselves in. Yet, they persisted in faith, and Christ met their need with abundance. So, to you, dear sister, who is stuck in the midst of the desert, “I say to you, rise” (Luke 5:24). And when that dry, dusty soil threatens to sink you, remember what God has already done, for “we have seen incredible things” (Luke 5:26). [bctt tweet="Christ meets our needs with abundance. // @iambritcal" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion