Farm Hope Portal

Liturgy

God's Word for your day to day!

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
In many ways God once spoke to us through the prophets; in these last times he spoke to us by his Son (Heb. ¹,¹s).

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke.
At that time, the shepherds ² ¹⁶ They went in great haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the boy lying in the manger.
¹⁷ When they saw him, they told what had been said about this boy.
¹⁸ All who heard them were astonished at the things the shepherds told them.
¹⁹ Mary kept all these words, meditating on them in her heart.
²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, and it was according to what they had been told.
²¹ When it was eight days before the boy was circumcised, he was named after Jesus, as the angel had called him, before he was conceived in the breast.
Word of salvation.

Gospel Commentary

GOD'S MYSTERY IN MARY

The figure of Mary was all enveloped in the mystery of God. By accepting to be the mother of the "Son of the Most High," she established a deep relationship with divinity. Slowly and gradually, Mary came to understand the real dimension of this experience, which required her commitment and discernment.
The visit of the poor shepherds to the baby Jesus in the cave of Bethlehem offered Mary elements for reflection. They spoke of what was revealed to them about the newborn, his identity, and his mission as Savior, the expected Messiah. His divine origin was evidenced by the presence of the Angel of the Lord. He was all enveloped in the divine mystery.
The story of the Child was radically linked to the existence of Mary. It was with her that the Father had counted on the physical gestation of his beloved son, who would also be her son. Mary's life, therefore, was defined by the relationship with the Father and the son Jesus, resulting in exclusive service to both.
Why did God choose that poor woman from Nazareth to fulfill her plan of love for humanity? Even Mary must not have been able to give a definitive answer to this question. Therefore she kept in her heart all the words of the shepherds, trying to discern the meaning and the demands of God's presence in her life.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, may the Father count on me, as He did on Mary, so that salvation may reach all mankind.

(Commentary from the Gospel is given by Fr. Jaldemir Vitório - Jesuit, Doctor of Biblical Exegesis, Professor of FAJE - and made available on this Portal each month).

Reading

6,22-27 Numbers

Reading the book of numbers.
6 22 The Lord said to Moses:
23 “Say unto Aaron and his sons, This is how to bless the children of Israel:
24 The Lord bless you and keep you!
25 The Lord show you his face and grant you his grace!
26 The Lord turn his face to you and give you peace! ´
27 And thus shall they call upon my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
Word of the Lord.

Psalm 66 / 67

May God give us his grace and his blessing.

May God give us his grace and his blessing,
and his face shine upon us!
May the earth know its way
and his salvation among the peoples.

Rejoice the whole earth with joy.
for you judge the universe with justice;
the ruling peoples rightly
and guide the nations throughout the earth.

May the nations glorify you, O Lord,
may all nations glorify you!
May the Lord and our God bless us,
And let the ends of the whole earth respect him!

Patrons

Meet the patrons of the units of the Farm of Hope!

Santa Bakhita

Holy brunette sister, as she was known, was born in Sudan, in 1869. Saint Josephine, like many at that time, lived through the harshness of slavery. Bakhita, which means "fortunate", was not the name given to her by her parents, but by one of the people who once bought her. Through an Italian consul who bought it, it was handed over to a family friend of his in Venice. There, she became a friend and also a nanny for their youngest daughter who was being born. Amid suffering and a memory all marked by pain and fears, she was visited by the love of God. Because this family in Venice had to return to Africa, for business purposes, both the small daughter and the nanny were handed over to the care of religious sisters from Santa Madalena de Canossa. There, Santa Bakhita knew the Gospel; knowing the person of Jesus, she became more and more in love with Him. At the age of 21, she received the grace of the sacrament of baptism. She freely welcomed Him and grew in her prayer life, experiencing the love of God and opening herself to the action of the Holy Spirit. When those friends returned to pick up Bakhita and the child, it was the moment when she expressed her desire to remain in the place, because she wanted to be religious. After the time of formation, she received the grace to be welcomed as a religious. This was a sign of God for the sisters and for the people that surrounded that region. Saint Josefina Bakhita, always with a smile on her lips, was a working woman. He carried out various activities in the congregation. As a gatekeeper and embroiderer, she served God through her brothers. Affectionately, she called God as her boss, "my Boss," she said. Known by many for the joy and peace she communicated, she has, over the years, suffered a serious illness. She suffered for a long time, but in her devotion to the Blessed Virgin, in her life of prayer, sacramental, of total surrender to the Lord, she was able to let herself work for God, her true deliverer. She went to glory and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.