Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Lectionary: 176
Lectionary: 176
On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.
On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.
On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R. (see 7) Justice
shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Gospel Lk 10:21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Meditation:"Blessed
are the eyes which see what you see!"
How does God bring his kingdom to
us? Jesus remarked that many prophets and kings before him longed to see and
understand God's plan for establishing his kingdom. When King David’s throne
was overthrown and vacant for centuries, God promised, nonetheless, to raise up
a new king from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. This messianic king
would rule forever because the Spirit of God would rest upon him and remain
with him (Isaiah 11:1). Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would
be equipped with the gifts of the Spirit – with wisdom, understanding, counsel,
might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2 – for an explanation of the gifts see
this helpful article). This king would establish the kingdom of
God, not by force of human will and military power, but by offering his life as
the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Through his death on the cross,
Jesus, the true Messiah King, would defeat Satan, overcome death, and win
pardon and reconcilliation for sinners. God's plan of redemption included not
only the Jewish people but all the nations of the earth as well. Through his
death and resurrection Jesus makes us citizens of heaven and friends of God.
The Lord Jesus wants us to live in joyful hope and confident expectation that
he will come again to fully establish his kingdom of righteousness and peace.What does Jesus' prayer (Luke 10:21-22) tell us about God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority, and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All fatherhood and motherhood are derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus' prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge of God. Pride closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. Jesus contrasts pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they see purely without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in God who is the source of all wisdom and strength. They seek one thing – the "summum bonum" or "greatest good" which is God himself. Simplicity of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility inclines the heart towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root of every sin and evil we can conceive, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and allows him as God to do all. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines us towards God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom, grace, and help. Nothing can give us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's beloved and that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Do you seek God's wisdom and grace with humility and trust?
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the perfect revelation of God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God – who he is and what he is like. We can know God personally and be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and friendship. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God – a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the cross. Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?
"Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from receiving your word with trust and humble submission."
www.dailyscripture.net
 God’s Ways |
|
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
|
|
Father Jon Budke, LC
Luke 10: 21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the
Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you
have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious
will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who
the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone
to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he
said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many
prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
Introductory Prayer: Christ, I believe
that you can put my talents to good use. I hope that you will allow me to
come to know you better each day. I love you and trust that you are guiding
me through life. Not only are you guiding me in my life; you are also letting
others be edified by my example.
Petition: Lord, help me to trust in you through every
circumstance of life.
1. God Reveals Himself to the Childlike: We long to know Christ
better. How we yearn to understand a little more about God and his infinite
love! Our small intellects can barely lay hold of any notion or attribute of
the Divine Persons. Even if we were to study long hours, we would come to the
conclusion that our learning is nothing. True knowledge of Christ and of God
doesn’t come by learning from books. True knowledge of Christ and of God is
revealed to those who learn to quiet their souls in prayer. We need to
imitate the resourceful little child who falls on the ground and then runs to
his mother to be scooped up in a loving embrace. If we can remember our
littleness on one hand and God’s pure, loving benevolence on the other, we’ll
permit—even delight in—his wiping away from our faces the blood and tears caused
by our sins. Only when we surrender ourselves into God’s forgiving, tender
hands can we say that we know him.
2. God Chooses the Childlike: Christ singles out
each one of us for a particular mission in life. We might think of the many
people around us––educated, wise, learned people––who would surely be better
suited for the calling at hand, who could do a far better job than we could.
However, Christ isn’t looking always for the cleverest person, the one with
the quickest wit, or the one with the best education. Many times he
scrutinizes the corners of the globe for the soul that is innocent, open to
his plan, and willing to carry it out. Simplicity and humility are the key
words when it comes to being chosen by God to participate more actively in
his plan of redemption.
3. The Childlike Can Entrust the Bigger Picture to God: How many prophets and
kings longed for the time of Christ, when the work of salvation would be
fulfilled! During their time of waiting they left us an example of constancy
and dedication to the things of God, despite never seeing many of the things
promised them. They played an active role in leading and guiding the people
of their time, but they didn’t see the fulfillment of all God’s entire
design. God asks us to be like them, planting the seeds of redemption that
may not sprout for years. We, like the prophets, aren’t always given the
grace to see the entire picture. That is part of being childlike: trusting
that God our Father knows what he is doing. Cardinal John Henry Newman prayed
in his famous poem, The Pillar of the Cloud:
“Keep thou my feet: I do not ask to see
the distant scene – one step enough for me”.
Do I entrust the big
picture of my life to God my Father, or do I try to yank the “video control”
from his loving hands?
Conversation with Christ: Christ, I don’t ask
for great understanding or knowledge. Help me to accept with the simplicity
and trust of a child all that you want to do in me. I don’t ask for great
insight into the depths of your divine attributes. I just want to grow in
friendship with you, and I know that means I need an unshakeable confidence
in your infinite love for me. I want to allow you to love me and direct me
according to your good will.
Resolution: I will open my heart more widely to God’s
plan for my life.
|
www.regnumchristi.com
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4
ADVENT WEEKDAY
LUKE 10:21-24
ADVENT WEEKDAY
LUKE 10:21-24
(ISAIAH 11:1-10; PSALM 72)
KEY VERSE: "BLESSED ARE THE EYES THAT SEE WHAT YOU SEE" (V 23).
READING: JESUS SENT OUT SEVENTY-TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL AND HEAL THE SICK. WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM THEIRMISSION, HE WAS OVERJOYED TO HEAR OF GOD'S POWER AT WORK IN THEM. THROUGH THEIR PROCLAMATION OF GOD'S KINGDOM, THEY WITNESSED THE COLLAPSE OF SATAN'S REIGN. THE UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TRINITY IS SEEN IN THIS PASSAGE: JESUS REJOICED IN THE SPIRIT AND GAVE PRAISE TO THE FATHER. JESUS THANKED THE FATHER FOR REVEALING THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM TO HIS DISCIPLES WHO FOLLOWED HIM LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN. THE "WISE AND LEARNED" HAD NO UNDERSTANDING OF THESE HEAVENLY THINGS. THE FATHER CONFERRED THIS KNOWLEDGE UPON THE SON, AND HE IN TURN REVEALED IT TO THOSE WHOM HE CHOSE. JESUS REMINDED HIS DISCIPLES OF THEIR GREAT PRIVILEGE IN WITNESSING THINGS THATPROPHETS AND KINGS LONGED TO SEE AND HEAR.
REFLECTING: IN WHAT WAYS DO I SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS?
PRAYING: LORD JESUS, HELP ME TO PROCLAIM YOUR KINGDOM BY WHAT I SAY AND WHAT I DO.
PTIONAL MEMORIAL OF JOHN
OF DAMASCUS, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
JOHN WAS BORN INTO A ARAB-CHRISTIAN FAMILY OF DAMASCUS. LIKE HIS FATHER, HE HELD A POSITION HIGH IN THE COURT OF THE CALIPH. ABOUT 725 HE RESIGNED HIS OFFICE AND BECAME A MONK AT MAR SABA NEAR BETHLEHEM, WHERE HE BECAME A PRIEST. IN THIS SECLUDED PLACE AT THE AGE OF 51, JOHN'S LASTING LEGACY BEGAN WHEN EMPEROR LEO III, IN 726 COMMANDED THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL RELIGIOUS LIKENESSES, WHETHER ICONS, MOSAICS, OR STATUES, AND ICONOCLASTS ("IMAGE SMASHERS" IN GREEK) WENT ON A SPREE, DEMOLISHING NEARLY ALL ICONS IN THE EMPIRE. FROM HIS DISTANT POST IN THE HOLY LAND, JOHN ARGUED THAT ICONS SHOULD NOT BE WORSHIPED, BUT THEY COULD BE VENERATED. (THE DISTINCTION IS CRUCIAL: A PARALLEL MIGHT BE THE WAY A FAVORITE BIBLE IS TREATED WITH HONOR�BUT CERTAINLY NOT WORSHIPED.) JOHN OF DAMASCUS WROTE "THE FOUNTAIN OF WISDOM," THE FIRST REAL COMPENDIUM OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. ALONG WITH OTHER WORKS DEFENDING THE ORTHODOX FAITH, JOHN WROTE COMMENTARIES ON ST. PAUL, POETRY, HYMNS, AND ADAPTEDCHORAL MUSIC FOR USE IN THE LITURGY. JOHN WAS SUCH AN EXCELLENT SPEAKER THAT HE WAS KNOWN AS CHRYSORRHOAS ("GOLDEN-STREAM"). JOHN OF DAMASCUS WAS THE LAST OF THE GREEK FATHERS OF THE CHURCH, AND THE FIRST OF THE CHRISTIAN ARISTOTLEANS. HE WAS PROCLAIMED A DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH IN 1890 BY POPE LEO XIII.
www.daily-word-of-life.com
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever
The root of
Jesse will stand as an ensign to the peoples.This is one of the most exciting prayers of the Old Testament. The first part speaks of the indestructible nature of goodness, referring to the oppressed, the meek and the poor. Isaiah could be speaking of the Australian community today. So many good people are reaching out inspired by that sense of right.
It goes on to speak of the mind-blowing possibilities of God’s love for us. In the face of God’s presence, situations of danger and ambiguity fade away. Gabriel’s words to Mary are prefigured: ‘With God nothing is impossible.’ And so, we can look ahead with confidence that our endeavours will be blessed as part of the ascent of God’s holy mountain.
www.churchresources.info
December 4
St. John Damascene
(676?-749)
John spent most of his life in the
monastery of St. Sabas, near Jerusalem, and all of his life under Muslim rule,
indeed, protected by it. He was born in Damascus, received a classical and
theological education, and followed his father in a government position under
the Arabs. After a few years he resigned and went to the monastery of St.
Sabas.
He is famous in
three areas. First, he is known for his writings against the iconoclasts, who
opposed the veneration of images. Paradoxically, it was the Eastern Christian
emperor Leo who forbade the practice, and it was because John lived in Muslim
territory that his enemies could not silence him. Second, he is famous for his
treatise, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, a summary of
the Greek Fathers (of which he became the last). It is said that this book
is for Eastern schools what the Summa of Aquinas became for the West. Thirdly, he is known as a
poet, one of the two greatest of the Eastern Church, the other being Romanus
the Melodist. His devotion to the Blessed Mother and his sermons on her feasts
are well known.
Comment:
John defended the Church’s understanding of the veneration of images and explained the faith of the Church in several other controversies. For over 30 years he combined a life of prayer with these defenses and his other writings. His holiness expressed itself in putting his literary and preaching talents at the service of the Lord.
John defended the Church’s understanding of the veneration of images and explained the faith of the Church in several other controversies. For over 30 years he combined a life of prayer with these defenses and his other writings. His holiness expressed itself in putting his literary and preaching talents at the service of the Lord.
Quote:
“The saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God, as John the theologian and evangelist says: ‘But as many as received him, he gave them the power to be made the sons of God....’ Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory” (Exposition of the Orthodox Faith).
“The saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God, as John the theologian and evangelist says: ‘But as many as received him, he gave them the power to be made the sons of God....’ Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory” (Exposition of the Orthodox Faith).
www.americancatholic,org
LECTIO: LUKE 10,21-24
Lectio:
Tuesday,
December 4, 2012
1st Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
you never give up on people.
Again and again you want to make
a new beginning with us.
You showed us in Jesus your Son
the kind of people you want us to be.
As your Spirit rested on him,
pour out on us the same Spirit,
that we may see our mission in life
with your wisdom and insight
and that we may have the strength
to live as we believe and hope.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord.
you never give up on people.
Again and again you want to make
a new beginning with us.
You showed us in Jesus your Son
the kind of people you want us to be.
As your Spirit rested on him,
pour out on us the same Spirit,
that we may see our mission in life
with your wisdom and insight
and that we may have the strength
to live as we believe and hope.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading -
Luke 10, 21-24
Just at this time, filled with joy by the Holy
Spirit, he said, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding
these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little
children. Yes, Father, for that is what it has pleased you to do. Everything
has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except
the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son
chooses to reveal him.'
Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them by themselves, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'
Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them by themselves, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'
3) Reflection
Today’s text reveals the depth of the Heart of
Jesus, the reason for his joy. The disciples had gone on the mission, and when
they return, they share with Jesus the joy of their missionary experience (Lk
10, 17, 21)
• The reason for the joy of Jesus is the joy of the friends. In listening to their experience and in perceiving their joy, Jesus also feels a profound joy. The reason for Jesus’ joy is the well-being of others.
• It is not a superficial joy. It comes from the Holy Spirit. The reason for the joy is that the disciples – men and women – have experienced something of Jesus during their missionary experience.
• Jesus calls them “ little children”. Who are the “little children”? They are the seventy-two disciples (Lk 10, 1) who return from the mission: father and mother of a family, boys and girls, married and single, old and young. They are not doctors. They are simple persons, without much science, much study, but they understand the things of God better than doctors.
• “Yes, Father, for that is what it has pleased you to do!” A very serious phrase. It pleases the Father that the doctors and the wise do not understand the things of the Kingdom and that, instead the little ones understand them. Therefore, if the great want to understand the things of the Kingdom, they should become the disciples of the little ones!
• Jesus looks at them and says: “Blessed are you!” And why are they happy? Because they are seeing things which the prophets would have liked to see, but did not see. And what will they see? They will be able to perceive the action of the Kingdom in the common things of life: to cure the sick, to console the afflicted, to expel the evil from life.
• The reason for the joy of Jesus is the joy of the friends. In listening to their experience and in perceiving their joy, Jesus also feels a profound joy. The reason for Jesus’ joy is the well-being of others.
• It is not a superficial joy. It comes from the Holy Spirit. The reason for the joy is that the disciples – men and women – have experienced something of Jesus during their missionary experience.
• Jesus calls them “ little children”. Who are the “little children”? They are the seventy-two disciples (Lk 10, 1) who return from the mission: father and mother of a family, boys and girls, married and single, old and young. They are not doctors. They are simple persons, without much science, much study, but they understand the things of God better than doctors.
• “Yes, Father, for that is what it has pleased you to do!” A very serious phrase. It pleases the Father that the doctors and the wise do not understand the things of the Kingdom and that, instead the little ones understand them. Therefore, if the great want to understand the things of the Kingdom, they should become the disciples of the little ones!
• Jesus looks at them and says: “Blessed are you!” And why are they happy? Because they are seeing things which the prophets would have liked to see, but did not see. And what will they see? They will be able to perceive the action of the Kingdom in the common things of life: to cure the sick, to console the afflicted, to expel the evil from life.
4) Personal
questions
• I take the place of the people: Do I
consider myself as belonging to the group of the little ones or to that of the
doctors?
• I take the place of Jesus: Which is the basis of my joy? Superficial or profound?
• I take the place of Jesus: Which is the basis of my joy? Superficial or profound?
5) Concluding Prayer
“I give you praise, Father,
for although you have hidden these things from the wise
you have revealed them to the childlike." (cf. Lc 10,21)
for although you have hidden these things from the wise
you have revealed them to the childlike." (cf. Lc 10,21)
www.ocarm.org
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét