Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
Lectionary: 182
Lectionary: 182
Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
The rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
A voice says, "Cry out!"
I answer, "What shall I cry out?"
"All flesh is grass,
and all their glory like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower wilts,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it.
So then, the people is the grass.
Though the grass withers and the flower wilts,
the word of our God stands forever."
Go up onto a high mountain,
Zion, herald of glad tidings;
Cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by his strong arm;
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
The rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
A voice says, "Cry out!"
I answer, "What shall I cry out?"
"All flesh is grass,
and all their glory like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower wilts,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it.
So then, the people is the grass.
Though the grass withers and the flower wilts,
the word of our God stands forever."
Go up onto a high mountain,
Zion, herald of glad tidings;
Cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by his strong arm;
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2, 3 And 10ac, 11-12, 13
R. (see Isaiah 40:10ab) The Lord our God comes with power.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord our God comes with power.
Gospel Mt 18:12-14
Jesus said to his disciples:
"What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
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."
"What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
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."
www.usccb.org
Meditation:"Like
a shepherd he will carry them in his bosom"
Do you know
what it's like to lose your bearings and to be hopelessly adrift in a sea of
uncertainty? To be alone,
lost, and disoriented without a sense of direction is one of the worst fears we
can encounter. What we would give to have a guide who would show us the way to
safety and security, the way to home and family. Scripture comforts us with the
assurance that God will not rest until we find our way home to him. The
scriptures use the image of a shepherd who cares for his sheep to describe what
God is like. God promised that he would personally shepherd his people and lead
them to safety (Isaiah 40:11). That is why God sent his only begotten son as
the Messiah King who would not only restore peace and righteousness to the
land, but who would also shepherd and care for his people with love and
compassion. Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life
for his sheep (John 10:11).What can we learn from the lesson of Jesus' parable about a lost sheep? This parable gives us a glimpse of the heart of a true shepherd, and the joy of a community reunited with its lost members. Shepherds not only had to watch over their sheep by day and by night; they also had to protect them from wolves and lions who preyed upon them, and from dangerous terrain and storms. Shepherds often had large flocks, sometimes numbering in the hundreds or thousands. It was common to inspect and count the sheep at the end of the day. You can imagine the surprise and grief of the shepherd who discovers that one of his sheep is missing! Does he wait until the next day to go looking for it? Or does he ask a neighboring shepherd if he might have seen the stray sheep? No, he goes immediately in search of this lost sheep. Delay for even one night could mean disaster leading to death. Sheep by nature are very social creatures. An isolated sheep can quickly become bewildered, disoriented, and even neurotic. Easy prey for wolves and lions!
The shepherd's grief and anxiety is turned to joy when he finds the lost sheep and restores it to the fold. The shepherd searches until what he has lost is found. His persistence pays off. What was new in Jesus' teaching was the insistence that sinners must be sought out time and time again. How easy to forget and be distracted with other matters while the lost become prey for devouring wolves of the soul. The Apostle Peter reminds us that the "devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). God does not rejoice in the loss of anyone, but desires that we be saved and restored to friendship with him. That is why the whole community of heaven rejoices when one sinner is found and restored to fellowship with God. God is on a rescue mission today to save us from the destructive forces of sin and evil. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, watches over every step we take. Do you listen to his voice and heed his wise counsel? Do you follow the path he has set for you – a path that leads to life rather than death?
"Lord Jesus, nothing escapes your watchful gaze and care. May I always walk in the light of your truth and never stray from your loving presence."
www.dailyscripture.net
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11
Advent Weekday
MATTHEW 18:12-14
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96)
KEY VERSE: "It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost" (v 14).
READING: In the18th chapter of Matthew 's gospel, he dealt with relationships among the members of the Christian community. The Christian leader was responsible for watching over the members of the Church, especially those who were weak in faith. The elders were obliged to seek out those who strayed from the community, and bring them back into the fold. Jesus used the analogy of a shepherd who left sheep that were safe and secure and went in search of the one that wandered away. When the straysheep was found, the shepherd celebrated its safe return. In the same way, God rejoices when those who were lost are found. No matter how insignificant an individual may feel, each one is precious and valuable to God.
REFLECTING: What can I do to guide the "little ones" under my care?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, thank you for watching over me and keeping me from spiritual harm.
Advent Weekday
MATTHEW 18:12-14
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96)
KEY VERSE: "It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost" (v 14).
READING: In the18th chapter of Matthew 's gospel, he dealt with relationships among the members of the Christian community. The Christian leader was responsible for watching over the members of the Church, especially those who were weak in faith. The elders were obliged to seek out those who strayed from the community, and bring them back into the fold. Jesus used the analogy of a shepherd who left sheep that were safe and secure and went in search of the one that wandered away. When the straysheep was found, the shepherd celebrated its safe return. In the same way, God rejoices when those who were lost are found. No matter how insignificant an individual may feel, each one is precious and valuable to God.
REFLECTING: What can I do to guide the "little ones" under my care?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, thank you for watching over me and keeping me from spiritual harm.
Optional Memorial of Damasus I, pope
Damasus' pontificate suffered from the rise of Arianism (a heresy denying the Divinity of Jesus Christ), and from several schisms. However, it was during Damasus' reign that Christianity was declared the religion of the Roman state by the Emperor Constantine in A.D. 313. Pope Damasus commissioned his secretary, St. Jerome, to produce a Latin text of the Bible, which is known as the Vulgata editio (the current text), because he used the �the common" (vulgar) language in his writing. He also changed the liturgical language of the Church from Greek to Latin. Pope Damasus worked hard to preserve and restore the catacombs, the graves of the martyrs, and relics. He expressed the wish that he could be buried in the catacombs with the early martyrs, but he feared that the presence of one of his lowly status would profane such an august place. Instead, when he died in 384, he was buried with his mother and sister. Spend time today reading and meditating on Scripture. Try to make this a daily habit.
www.daily-word-of-life.com
The Lord
our God comes in strength
The good news: though all seems lost, you come to find us and bring us joy. The words of Isaiah were spoken in the worst times of the Babylonian captivity, with no temple, no memory of Jerusalem, no desire even to sing her songs. Lord, you make the most extraordinary promises. No wonder we find it hard sometimes to grasp your desire to nurse us as a shepherd nurses the smallest of his lambs.
Not only do you talk about looking for the lost sheep, you go and look after them. And that offers us a quiet, deep-down joy. For all our being lost and feeling alone, we know that you are very near and that you smile upon our wilfulness. Lord, your love remains forever. Keep me close to you.
www.churchresources.info
December 11
St. Damasus I
(305?-384)
St. Damasus I
(305?-384)
To his secretary St. Jerome, Damasus
was “an incomparable person, learned in the Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the
virgin Church, who loved chastity and heard its praises with pleasure.”
Damasus seldom
heard such unrestrained praise. Internal political struggles, doctrinal
heresies, uneasy relations with his fellow bishops and those of the Eastern
Church marred the peace of his pontificate.
The son of a
Roman priest, possibly of Spanish extraction, Damasus started as a deacon in
his father’s church, and served as a priest in what later became the basilica
of San Lorenzo in Rome. He served Pope Liberius (352-366) and followed him into
exile.
When Liberius
died, Damasus was elected bishop of Rome; but a minority elected and
consecrated another deacon, Ursinus, as pope. The controversy between Damasus
and the antipope resulted in violent battles in two basilicas, scandalizing the
bishops of Italy. At the synod Damasus called on the occasion of his birthday,
he asked them to approve his actions. The bishops’ reply was curt: “We
assembled for a birthday, not to condemn a man unheard.” Supporters of the
antipope even managed to get Damasus accused of a grave crime—probably
sexual—as late as A.D. 378. He had to clear himself before both a civil court
and a Church synod.
As pope his
lifestyle was simple in contrast to other ecclesiastics of Rome, and he was
fierce in his denunciation of Arianism and other heresies. A misunderstanding
of the Trinitarian terminology used by Rome threatened amicable relations with
the Eastern Church, and Damasus was only moderately successful in dealing with
the situation.
During his
pontificate Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman state
(380), and Latin became the principal liturgical language as part of the pope’s
reforms. His encouragement of St. Jerome’s biblical studies led to the Vulgate,
the Latin translation of Scripture which the Council of Trent (12 centuries
later) declared to be “authentic in public readings, disputations, preachings.”
Comment:
The history of the papacy and the Church is inextricably mixed with the personal biography of Damasus. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
The history of the papacy and the Church is inextricably mixed with the personal biography of Damasus. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
Damasus makes us aware of two qualities of good leadership:
alertness to the promptings of the Spirit and service. His struggles are a
reminder that Jesus never promised his Rock protection from hurricane winds nor
his followers immunity from difficulties. His only guarantee is final victory.
Quote:
"He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days' darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust" (epitaph Damasus wrote for himself).
"He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days' darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust" (epitaph Damasus wrote for himself).
www.americancatholic.org
ST. MARIA MARAVILLAS
OF JESUS, VIRGIN (M)
Liturgy: Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Maria
Maravillas Pidal y Chico de Guzman was born in Madrid on November 4, 1891 to
the Marquess and Marchioness of Pidal. Her father, at the time, was the Spanish
Ambassador to the Holy See and was well noted for his efforts to help the
Church and religious Orders.
She was baptized at the age of eight days old in the parish of St. Sebastian. Maria was attracted to virtue from early childhood and, in her own way, made a vow of chastity at the age of five. She received a privileged education from her maternal grandmother particularly in the study of languages and general culture, and devoted herself to charitable works with the poor and marginalized. Maria was confirmed in 1896 and made her first communion in 1902.
After coming into contact with the works of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, she entered the Carmelite novitiate at El Escorial, Madrid in 1920, and in 1924 together with three sisters founded the Carmel in Cerro de los Angeles (Madrid), where several years earlier a monument to the Sacred Heart had been erected and the Nation consecrated by King Alfonso XIII. Living nearby during the construction of the convent in a provisional house in the district of Getafe, Maria made her solemn profession on May 30th 1924. She became prioress of the community in June of 1926 and on October 31st of the same year, the new Carmel in Cerro de los Angeles was inaugurated. It quickly filled with vocations and Mother Maravillas took this as a sign from the Lord to multiply ‘Our Lady’s houses’ of Carmel. In 1933, a Carmelite Bishop invited her to found another house in Kottayam, India which eventually grew into numerous other foundations throughout India.
The Spanish Civil War erupted in July of 1936 and the sisters at Cerro de los Angeles were arrested and taken to Getafe where they lived for fourteen months in a small apartment under house arrest. The community was allowed to leave Madrid in September 1937 and settled in the ancient, abandoned ‘desert’ of las Batuecas (Salamanca) and there founded another Carmel at the request of Bishop of Coria-Caceres. In 1939 Mother Maravillas returned to Madrid and began the reconstruction of the then destroyed Carmel of Cerro de los Angeles.
Soon to follow were numerous new Carmels throughout Spain. She moved to the Carmel of La Aldehuela (Madrid) in 1961 and while there founded colleges for poor young people of the area. She built a suburb of prefabricated houses, church, community hall, recreation grounds, and bought a house in Madrid for Carmelite nuns needing medical attention. In 1972 Maria obtained approval from the Holy See for the Association of St. Teresa as a means of uniting the monasteries founded by her and others that had attached themselves.
She died in peace in the Carmel of La Aldehucla on December 11, 1974 at the age of 84. As she died she kept repeating “What happiness to die a Carmelite!” A perfume of spice emanated from her body. She was beatified on May 19, 1998 by Pope John Paul II and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in Madrid 2003.
She was baptized at the age of eight days old in the parish of St. Sebastian. Maria was attracted to virtue from early childhood and, in her own way, made a vow of chastity at the age of five. She received a privileged education from her maternal grandmother particularly in the study of languages and general culture, and devoted herself to charitable works with the poor and marginalized. Maria was confirmed in 1896 and made her first communion in 1902.
After coming into contact with the works of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, she entered the Carmelite novitiate at El Escorial, Madrid in 1920, and in 1924 together with three sisters founded the Carmel in Cerro de los Angeles (Madrid), where several years earlier a monument to the Sacred Heart had been erected and the Nation consecrated by King Alfonso XIII. Living nearby during the construction of the convent in a provisional house in the district of Getafe, Maria made her solemn profession on May 30th 1924. She became prioress of the community in June of 1926 and on October 31st of the same year, the new Carmel in Cerro de los Angeles was inaugurated. It quickly filled with vocations and Mother Maravillas took this as a sign from the Lord to multiply ‘Our Lady’s houses’ of Carmel. In 1933, a Carmelite Bishop invited her to found another house in Kottayam, India which eventually grew into numerous other foundations throughout India.
The Spanish Civil War erupted in July of 1936 and the sisters at Cerro de los Angeles were arrested and taken to Getafe where they lived for fourteen months in a small apartment under house arrest. The community was allowed to leave Madrid in September 1937 and settled in the ancient, abandoned ‘desert’ of las Batuecas (Salamanca) and there founded another Carmel at the request of Bishop of Coria-Caceres. In 1939 Mother Maravillas returned to Madrid and began the reconstruction of the then destroyed Carmel of Cerro de los Angeles.
Soon to follow were numerous new Carmels throughout Spain. She moved to the Carmel of La Aldehuela (Madrid) in 1961 and while there founded colleges for poor young people of the area. She built a suburb of prefabricated houses, church, community hall, recreation grounds, and bought a house in Madrid for Carmelite nuns needing medical attention. In 1972 Maria obtained approval from the Holy See for the Association of St. Teresa as a means of uniting the monasteries founded by her and others that had attached themselves.
She died in peace in the Carmel of La Aldehucla on December 11, 1974 at the age of 84. As she died she kept repeating “What happiness to die a Carmelite!” A perfume of spice emanated from her body. She was beatified on May 19, 1998 by Pope John Paul II and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in Madrid 2003.
LECTIO: MATTHEW
18,12-14
Lectio:
Tuesday,
December 11, 2012
2nd Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
you are near to us
in Jesus Christ your Son.
When we go astray,
you look for us until you find us.
Bring us back to you,
show us the way to you
and to one another
through him who is our way,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 18, 12-14
'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?
In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.
Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
3) Reflection
• A parable is not a teaching to be received in a passive way or just to keep in the memory, rather it is an invitation to participate in the discovery of truth. Jesus begins by asking: “What do you think?” A parable is a question with a response which is not defined. The response depends on the reaction and participation of the listeners. Let us then, seek, the answer to this parable of the lost sheep.
• Jesus tells a very brief story and in a very simple way: a shepherd had 100 sheep, he lost one, and leaves the 99 on the mountain and goes to look for the lost sheep. And Jesus asks: “What do you think?” That is: “Would you do the same?” Which would have been the response of the shepherds and of the other persons who were listening to Jesus tell this story? Would they do the same thing? Which is my answer to Jesus’ question? Let us think well before answering.
• If you had 100 sheep and you lost one, what would you do? We should not forget that mountains are places which are very difficult to climb, with deep precipices, where dangerous animals live and where robbers hide. And you cannot forget that you have lost only one sheep, and therefore, you still have 99! You have lost very little. Would you abandon the other 99 on those mountains? Perhaps, would not only a person with little common sense do what the shepherd of the parable of Jesus did? Think well!
• The shepherds who heard Jesus’ story, perhaps thought and commented: “Only a shepherd without judgment would act that way!” Surely, they would have asked Jesus: “Jesus, excuse us, but who is that shepherd whom you are speaking about? To do that which he has done, is foolish!”
• Jesus answers: “This Shepherd is God, our Father, and the lost sheep is you!” In other words, the one who does this action is God moved by the great love for the little ones, for the poor, the excluded! Only a very great love is capable to do something so foolish. The love with which God loves us exceeds prudence and good human sense. The love of God commits foolish things. Thank God! If it were not like this, we would be lost!
4) Personal questions
• Place yourself in the place of the little lost sheep and enliven your faith and your hope. You are that sheep!
• Take the place of the shepherd and verify, if your love for the little ones is true.
5) Concluding Prayer
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day. (Ps 96)
Lord our God,
you are near to us
in Jesus Christ your Son.
When we go astray,
you look for us until you find us.
Bring us back to you,
show us the way to you
and to one another
through him who is our way,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 18, 12-14
'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?
In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.
Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
3) Reflection
• A parable is not a teaching to be received in a passive way or just to keep in the memory, rather it is an invitation to participate in the discovery of truth. Jesus begins by asking: “What do you think?” A parable is a question with a response which is not defined. The response depends on the reaction and participation of the listeners. Let us then, seek, the answer to this parable of the lost sheep.
• Jesus tells a very brief story and in a very simple way: a shepherd had 100 sheep, he lost one, and leaves the 99 on the mountain and goes to look for the lost sheep. And Jesus asks: “What do you think?” That is: “Would you do the same?” Which would have been the response of the shepherds and of the other persons who were listening to Jesus tell this story? Would they do the same thing? Which is my answer to Jesus’ question? Let us think well before answering.
• If you had 100 sheep and you lost one, what would you do? We should not forget that mountains are places which are very difficult to climb, with deep precipices, where dangerous animals live and where robbers hide. And you cannot forget that you have lost only one sheep, and therefore, you still have 99! You have lost very little. Would you abandon the other 99 on those mountains? Perhaps, would not only a person with little common sense do what the shepherd of the parable of Jesus did? Think well!
• The shepherds who heard Jesus’ story, perhaps thought and commented: “Only a shepherd without judgment would act that way!” Surely, they would have asked Jesus: “Jesus, excuse us, but who is that shepherd whom you are speaking about? To do that which he has done, is foolish!”
• Jesus answers: “This Shepherd is God, our Father, and the lost sheep is you!” In other words, the one who does this action is God moved by the great love for the little ones, for the poor, the excluded! Only a very great love is capable to do something so foolish. The love with which God loves us exceeds prudence and good human sense. The love of God commits foolish things. Thank God! If it were not like this, we would be lost!
4) Personal questions
• Place yourself in the place of the little lost sheep and enliven your faith and your hope. You are that sheep!
• Take the place of the shepherd and verify, if your love for the little ones is true.
5) Concluding Prayer
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day. (Ps 96)
www.ocarm.org
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