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
PsalmPS 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.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
The day of the Lord is near;
Behold, he comes to save us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The day of the Lord is near;
Behold, he comes to save us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 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."
For the Optional
Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto, please go here.
Meditation:
God
carries us 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).
The
Good Shepherd feeds, protects, and provides the best care possible for his
flock
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!
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!
Jesus,
the Good Shepherd, watches over every step we take - do we follow him?
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).
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 brought back 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."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: A small seed produces a great tree,
by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)
"Do
you see in how many ways he leads us to care for our worthless brothers? Don’t
therefore say, 'The fellow's a smith, a cobbler, a farmer; he's stupid,' so
that you despise him. In case you suffer the same, see in how many ways the
Lord urges you to be moderate and enjoins you to care for these little ones. He
placed a little child in the midst and said, 'Become like children,, and,
'Whoever receives one such child, receives me.' But 'whoever causes one of
these to sin' will suffer the worst fate. And he was not even satisfied with
the example of the millstone, but he also added his curse and told us to cut
off such people, even though they are like a hand or eye to us. And again,
through the angels to whom these small brothers are handed over, he urges that
we value them, as he has valued them through his own will and passion. When
Jesus says, 'The Son of man came to save the lost (Luke 19:10),' he points to
the cross, just as Paul also says, writing about his brother for whom Christ
died (Romans 14:15). It does not please the Father that anyone is lost. The
shepherd leaves the ones that have been saved and seeks the one lost. And when
he finds the one that has gone astray, he rejoices greatly at its discovery and
at its safety." (excerpt from the THE GOSPEL OF
MATTHEW, HOMILY 59.4)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, MATTHEW 18:12-14
Weekday
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96)
Weekday
(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).
TO KNOW: In the 18th chapter of Matthew‘s gospel, he dealt with relationships among the members of the Christian community. The Christian leader was responsible for watching over 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 the sheep that were safe and secure and went in search of the one that wandered away. When the stray sheep 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.
TO LOVE: What can I do to guide the "little ones" under my care?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, thank you for watching over me and keeping me from spiritual harm.
Tuesday 10 December 2019
Isaiah 40:1-11. Psalm 95(96):1-3, 10-13. Matthew 18:12-14.
The Lord our God comes in strength – Psalm 95(96):1-3, 10-13
‘He is our only shepherd.’
The Lord our God comes in strength – Psalm 95(96):1-3, 10-13
‘He is our only shepherd.’
I must have wandered too far, or taken a wrong turn. I can’t see
my flock or my shepherd anywhere. Should I turn around and go back? The longer
I’m alone, the more danger I am in. When it gets dark, without my shepherd, who
will protect me?
We are all like the lost sheep. Unsure how we found ourselves
off God’s path. Wandering, searching for our way back to our flock and to the
safety of our shepherd. But if we know our shepherd, we are certain he is
looking for us. Even though we are one of many, he knows each of his sheep. If
we listen, we will hear his voice. When he comes, he will run to us as if we
are his only sheep. And we will feel a deep relief and joy because he is our
only shepherd.
Blessed Adolph Kolping
Saint of the Day for December 10
(December 8, 1813 – December 4, 1865)
 |
| Adolph Kolping | Den katolske kirke |
Blessed Adolph Kolping’s Story
The rise of the factory system in 19th-century Germany brought
many single men into cities where they faced new challenges to their faith.
Father Adolph Kolping began a ministry to them, hoping that they would not be
lost to the Catholic faith, as was happening to workers elsewhere in
industrialized Europe.
Born in the village of Kerpen, Adolph became a shoemaker at an
early age because of his family’s economic situation. Ordained in 1845, he
ministered to young workers in Cologne, establishing a choir, which by 1849 had
grown into the Young Workmen’s Society. A branch of this began in St. Louis,
Missouri, in 1856. Nine years later there were over 400 Gesellenvereine—workman’s
societies—around the world. Today this group has over 450,000 members in
54 countries across the globe.
More commonly called the Kolping Society, it emphasizes the
sanctification of family life and the dignity of labor. Father Kolping worked
to improve conditions for workers and greatly assisted those in need. He and
St. John Bosco in Turin had similar interests in working with young men in big
cities. He told his followers, “The needs of the times will teach you what to
do.” Father Kolping once said, “The first thing that a person finds in life and
the last to which he holds out his hand, and the most precious that he
possesses, even if he does not realize it, is family life.”
Blessed Adolph Kolping and Blessed John Duns Scotus are buried
in Cologne’s Minoritenkirche, originally served by the Conventual Franciscans.
The Kolping Society’s international headquarters are located across from this
church.
Kolping members journeyed to Rome from Europe, America, Africa,
Asia, and Oceania, for Father Kolping’s beatification in 1991, the 100th
anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s revolutionary encyclical “Rerum Novarum”—“On
the Social Order.” Father Kolping’s personal witness and apostolate helped
prepare for that encyclical.
Reflection
Some people thought that Father Kolping was wasting his time and
talents on young working men in industrialized cities. In some countries, the
Catholic Church was seen by many workers as the ally of owners and the enemy of
workers. Men like Adolph Kolping showed that was not true.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 18:12-14
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
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.
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.
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
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."
3) Reflection
• A parable is not a teaching to be received in a passive way or
just to be kept 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 about it!
• 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 what he did 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 great love for the little ones, for the poor, the excluded! Only a very great love is able 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!
• 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 about it!
• 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 what he did 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 great love for the little ones, for the poor, the excluded! Only a very great love is able 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 consider whether your love for the little ones is true.
• How can we be instruments in God’s effort to return the lost sheep? In this season of harvest celebrations, thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas, with family all around, do we leave to try to help and welcome those that are lost, poor, and without, as this shepherd would?
• Take the place of the shepherd and consider whether your love for the little ones is true.
• How can we be instruments in God’s effort to return the lost sheep? In this season of harvest celebrations, thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas, with family all around, do we leave to try to help and welcome those that are lost, poor, and without, as this shepherd would?
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)
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless His name;
announce His salvation, day after day. (Ps 96)
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