Fourth Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 10
Lectionary: 10
The LORD spoke to
Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.
R. (7c and
10b) Let the Lord enter; he is king
of glory.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
Paul, a slave of
Christ Jesus,
called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is how the
birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
Scripture Study
December 22, 2013 Fourth
Sunday of Advent
We have finally arrived at
the Fourth (and last) Sunday of Advent and the readings turn our attention
directly on the birth of Jesus. Isaiah prophesies His birth and Matthew tells
us his version of the Christmas story. Romans reminds us of the call to
holiness that is inherent in our Christianity. Together they invite us to ask:
What has been my response to the miracle of salvation that began so long ago
with the visit of an angel? As we live a life of waiting for the second great
coming of the Christ, how are we responding to His first Advent? How are we
responding to all of His little Advents in the people and circumstances that we
meet each day?
First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!12 But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!" 13 Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 7:10-17 Ahaz was king of Judah in the 8th century B.C. At that time the old kingdom had been split into a southern kingdom called Judah and a northern kingdom called Israel. The northern kingdom had entered an alliance with Aram (Syria) against Judah and Ahaz was trying to decide what he should do about it. The king was tempted to ask Assyria for help. The problem was that the price of Assyria's help was that Judah would become a vassal state of Assyria. Isaiah had advised King Ahaz to trust in God rather than in military alliances and here he tells him to ask God for any sign he chooses as a confirmation of his words. The king refuses but Isaiah announces the sign anyway.
* 7:12 In keeping with his devious character, Ahaz rather hypocritically expresses his preference for depending upon the strength of Assyria rather than trusting in God.
* 7:14 Isaiah may well have had in mind the birth of Hezekiah who would continue the Davidic line thus showing that God was indeed with the royal house of David and His people. The early church, following Matthew (1:22-23) and Luke (1:34-35), saw the more complete and ultimate fulfillment of this prophesy in the birth of Jesus. There has been a great deal of argument about the word "`almah" meaning young woman which appears in the Hebrew text rather than the word, "betula" which is the technical word for virgin. The early church followed the Septuagint (Greek Text) version of the text which uses the Greek word for virgin here. As usual, it is the Septuagint version that Matthew quotes in Mt 1:23 and that Luke uses as a backdrop in Lk 1:34-35.
Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7
1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, 4 but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, 6 among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; 7 to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 1:1-7 The greeting or praescriptio in Paul's letters follows a standard form, although there are variations. They are based upon the common Greco-Roman epistolary practice, but modified by the addition of Semitic and Christian elements. The three basic components which are always present are: name of sender; name of addressee; greeting. The greeting in Romans is the most solemn of the greetings in Paul's letters. Paul often adds phrases to describe his apostolic mission in the greeting. This element is more developed in Romans than in any other letter because Paul was writing to a community with which he was not personally acquainted. Whereas in other letters he associates coworker with himself in the greeting here Paul alone sends the letter. The standard secular greeting was the infinitive chairein, "greetings." Paul uses instead the similar-sounding charis, "grace," together with the Semitic greeting salom (Greek eirene), "peace." These gifts, foreshadowed in God's dealings with Israel (see Numbers 6:24-26), have been poured out abundantly in Christ, and Paul wishes them to his readers. Paul applies the term slave to himself to express his undivided allegiance to the Lord of the Church, the Master of all, including slaves and masters. It is the commitment of the slave to his master that Paul emphasizes when he discusses Christian commitment in terms of slavery.
* 1:3-4 Paul cites an early creedal statement that proclaims Jesus' sonship as Messianic descendant of David (see Matthew 22:42; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16) and as Son of God by the resurrection. Jesus Christ is able to communicate the Spirit to those who believe in him and so is called the "life-giving spirit" (1 Cor 15:45).
* 1:4 Here Paul is not thinking of "Son of God" in the inner-trinitarian sense of Father and Son. Rather he had in mind the unique relationship of Christ to God in the salvific process. For Paul and the entire early church the resurrection made a difference in that process. The resurrection was the event that made Jesus' relationship with God the pattern for the relationship with God that every Christian should have.
* 1:5 Paul's recollection of his apostolic office, implies that the Romans know something of his reputation even though they have never seen him personally. The greetings of Paul's letters often had summaries of the points that were made later in the main body of letter. Paul will address the obedience of faith at length in chapters 6-8 and 12-15. It is faith in God's justifying action in Jesus Christ that relates the believer to God's gift of the new life that is made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the activity of the Holy Spirit (see especially Romans 8:1-11).
* 1:7 Paul often refers to Christians as "the holy ones" or "the saints." The Israelite community was called a "holy assembly" because they had been separated for the worship and service of the Lord (see Lev 11:44; 23:1-44). Paul considers that each Christian is called to individual holiness. The Christian community regarded its members as sanctified by baptism (Romans 6:22; 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 5:26-27). The Christians' call to holiness (1 Cor 1:2; 1 Thes 4:7) then is a call to make their lives conform to the gift they have already received.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-24
18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
NOTES on Gospel Reading:
* 1:18-25 Most of us are used to hearing the Christmas story as told by Luke (Luke 2:1-20). This is Matthew's version. It spells out more fully what is summarily presented in Matthew 1:16 but still lacks many of the Christmas elements that we expect to hear. The virginal conception of Jesus is brought about by the Spirit of God. Joseph's decision to divorce Mary is overruled by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. Although the natural genealogical line is broken the promises to David are still fulfilled. Joseph's adoption of the child places Him in the family of David and thus gives Him a claim to David's throne. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
* 1:18 The word usually translated as "engaged or espoused or betrothed" is a relatively rare Greek word, "mnesteveim", that indicated a situation of a legal marriage contract where the principals don't yet live together. In Galilee it was the last stage of an engagement prior to moving in together. "Virgin" as used here is derived from the Septuagint (Greek text of the Old Testament often abbreviated as LXX) of Isa 7:14. The Hebrew text uses a word that could mean either a virgin or simply a young woman. The Church has always followed the interpretation of Matthew and of Luke (Luke 1:27) who use the LXX version and therefore call Mary a Virgin.
* 1:19 Joseph is described as a righteous man. This would mean that he was a devout observer of the Mosaic law and thus would have wished to break his union with someone who appeared to be guilty of gross violation of the law. It is commonly said that the law required him to break off his betrothal to Mary, but the texts (such as Deut 22:20-21) usually given in support of that view, do not clearly pertain to Joseph's situation. In any case he was unwilling to expose her to shame and to subject her to the penalty for proved adultery which was death by stoning (Deut 22:21-23). God's message delivered him from the dilemma.
* 1:20 In the Old Testament, "the angel of the Lord" is a common designation of God in communication with a human being. Messages in dreams also occur in Matthew 2:13,19,22. These dreams may be meant to recall the dreams of Joseph, son of Jacob the patriarch (Genesis 37:5-11:19). A closer parallel is the dream of Amram, father of Moses, which is related by Josephus (a first century Jewish historian who wrote "Antiquities").
* 1:21 For a first century Jewish man to name a child was an acknowledgement of the child's being legally accepted as his child. Thus the reference to Joseph naming the child is often taken to indicate that he is to adopt the child as his son. The boy would then have a legal claim to the throne through his adoptive father, Joseph, who was called "son of David" in verse 20. This was important enough for us to be told, in verse 25, that Joseph did actually name the baby as he was commanded by God.
The name, Jesus, is an Anglicized version of the name Joshua. In first century Judaism, the Hebrew name Joshua (Greek Iesous) which literally means "Yahweh helps" was interpreted as "Yahweh saves."
* 1:23 Matthew sees God's promise of deliverance to Judah in Isaiah's time as being fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, in whom God is with his people. The name Emmanuel is also alluded to at the end of the gospel where the risen Jesus assures his disciples of his continued presence, ". . . I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!12 But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!" 13 Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 7:10-17 Ahaz was king of Judah in the 8th century B.C. At that time the old kingdom had been split into a southern kingdom called Judah and a northern kingdom called Israel. The northern kingdom had entered an alliance with Aram (Syria) against Judah and Ahaz was trying to decide what he should do about it. The king was tempted to ask Assyria for help. The problem was that the price of Assyria's help was that Judah would become a vassal state of Assyria. Isaiah had advised King Ahaz to trust in God rather than in military alliances and here he tells him to ask God for any sign he chooses as a confirmation of his words. The king refuses but Isaiah announces the sign anyway.
* 7:12 In keeping with his devious character, Ahaz rather hypocritically expresses his preference for depending upon the strength of Assyria rather than trusting in God.
* 7:14 Isaiah may well have had in mind the birth of Hezekiah who would continue the Davidic line thus showing that God was indeed with the royal house of David and His people. The early church, following Matthew (1:22-23) and Luke (1:34-35), saw the more complete and ultimate fulfillment of this prophesy in the birth of Jesus. There has been a great deal of argument about the word "`almah" meaning young woman which appears in the Hebrew text rather than the word, "betula" which is the technical word for virgin. The early church followed the Septuagint (Greek Text) version of the text which uses the Greek word for virgin here. As usual, it is the Septuagint version that Matthew quotes in Mt 1:23 and that Luke uses as a backdrop in Lk 1:34-35.
Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7
1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, 4 but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, 6 among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; 7 to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 1:1-7 The greeting or praescriptio in Paul's letters follows a standard form, although there are variations. They are based upon the common Greco-Roman epistolary practice, but modified by the addition of Semitic and Christian elements. The three basic components which are always present are: name of sender; name of addressee; greeting. The greeting in Romans is the most solemn of the greetings in Paul's letters. Paul often adds phrases to describe his apostolic mission in the greeting. This element is more developed in Romans than in any other letter because Paul was writing to a community with which he was not personally acquainted. Whereas in other letters he associates coworker with himself in the greeting here Paul alone sends the letter. The standard secular greeting was the infinitive chairein, "greetings." Paul uses instead the similar-sounding charis, "grace," together with the Semitic greeting salom (Greek eirene), "peace." These gifts, foreshadowed in God's dealings with Israel (see Numbers 6:24-26), have been poured out abundantly in Christ, and Paul wishes them to his readers. Paul applies the term slave to himself to express his undivided allegiance to the Lord of the Church, the Master of all, including slaves and masters. It is the commitment of the slave to his master that Paul emphasizes when he discusses Christian commitment in terms of slavery.
* 1:3-4 Paul cites an early creedal statement that proclaims Jesus' sonship as Messianic descendant of David (see Matthew 22:42; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16) and as Son of God by the resurrection. Jesus Christ is able to communicate the Spirit to those who believe in him and so is called the "life-giving spirit" (1 Cor 15:45).
* 1:4 Here Paul is not thinking of "Son of God" in the inner-trinitarian sense of Father and Son. Rather he had in mind the unique relationship of Christ to God in the salvific process. For Paul and the entire early church the resurrection made a difference in that process. The resurrection was the event that made Jesus' relationship with God the pattern for the relationship with God that every Christian should have.
* 1:5 Paul's recollection of his apostolic office, implies that the Romans know something of his reputation even though they have never seen him personally. The greetings of Paul's letters often had summaries of the points that were made later in the main body of letter. Paul will address the obedience of faith at length in chapters 6-8 and 12-15. It is faith in God's justifying action in Jesus Christ that relates the believer to God's gift of the new life that is made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the activity of the Holy Spirit (see especially Romans 8:1-11).
* 1:7 Paul often refers to Christians as "the holy ones" or "the saints." The Israelite community was called a "holy assembly" because they had been separated for the worship and service of the Lord (see Lev 11:44; 23:1-44). Paul considers that each Christian is called to individual holiness. The Christian community regarded its members as sanctified by baptism (Romans 6:22; 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 5:26-27). The Christians' call to holiness (1 Cor 1:2; 1 Thes 4:7) then is a call to make their lives conform to the gift they have already received.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-24
18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
NOTES on Gospel Reading:
* 1:18-25 Most of us are used to hearing the Christmas story as told by Luke (Luke 2:1-20). This is Matthew's version. It spells out more fully what is summarily presented in Matthew 1:16 but still lacks many of the Christmas elements that we expect to hear. The virginal conception of Jesus is brought about by the Spirit of God. Joseph's decision to divorce Mary is overruled by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. Although the natural genealogical line is broken the promises to David are still fulfilled. Joseph's adoption of the child places Him in the family of David and thus gives Him a claim to David's throne. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
* 1:18 The word usually translated as "engaged or espoused or betrothed" is a relatively rare Greek word, "mnesteveim", that indicated a situation of a legal marriage contract where the principals don't yet live together. In Galilee it was the last stage of an engagement prior to moving in together. "Virgin" as used here is derived from the Septuagint (Greek text of the Old Testament often abbreviated as LXX) of Isa 7:14. The Hebrew text uses a word that could mean either a virgin or simply a young woman. The Church has always followed the interpretation of Matthew and of Luke (Luke 1:27) who use the LXX version and therefore call Mary a Virgin.
* 1:19 Joseph is described as a righteous man. This would mean that he was a devout observer of the Mosaic law and thus would have wished to break his union with someone who appeared to be guilty of gross violation of the law. It is commonly said that the law required him to break off his betrothal to Mary, but the texts (such as Deut 22:20-21) usually given in support of that view, do not clearly pertain to Joseph's situation. In any case he was unwilling to expose her to shame and to subject her to the penalty for proved adultery which was death by stoning (Deut 22:21-23). God's message delivered him from the dilemma.
* 1:20 In the Old Testament, "the angel of the Lord" is a common designation of God in communication with a human being. Messages in dreams also occur in Matthew 2:13,19,22. These dreams may be meant to recall the dreams of Joseph, son of Jacob the patriarch (Genesis 37:5-11:19). A closer parallel is the dream of Amram, father of Moses, which is related by Josephus (a first century Jewish historian who wrote "Antiquities").
* 1:21 For a first century Jewish man to name a child was an acknowledgement of the child's being legally accepted as his child. Thus the reference to Joseph naming the child is often taken to indicate that he is to adopt the child as his son. The boy would then have a legal claim to the throne through his adoptive father, Joseph, who was called "son of David" in verse 20. This was important enough for us to be told, in verse 25, that Joseph did actually name the baby as he was commanded by God.
The name, Jesus, is an Anglicized version of the name Joshua. In first century Judaism, the Hebrew name Joshua (Greek Iesous) which literally means "Yahweh helps" was interpreted as "Yahweh saves."
* 1:23 Matthew sees God's promise of deliverance to Judah in Isaiah's time as being fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, in whom God is with his people. The name Emmanuel is also alluded to at the end of the gospel where the risen Jesus assures his disciples of his continued presence, ". . . I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Meditation: "He will save
his people from their sins"
Do
you believe that God will fulfill every promise he has made to us? The prophet
Isaiah spoke words of hope in a hopeless situation for Israel. The Davidic
dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic King. Apostates like King Ahaz (2
Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of
David. When God offered King Ahaz a sign, the king refused. God, nonetheless,
gave Israel a sign to assure his people that he would indeed raise up a
righteous King who would rule forever over the house of David. We see the
fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption
in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah. The new
era of salvation begins with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the
power of the Holy Spirit. This child to be born is the fulfillment of all
God’s promises.
Mary
had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the
faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry. She was asked
to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of
before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to
accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and
trust in God and in his promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy
outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to
Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to
assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by
all her own people. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand
without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God's
promises.
Joseph,
a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass or punish his espoused
wife, Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant. To all appearances
she had broken their solemn pledge to be faithful and chaste to one another.
Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer. He was not
hasty to judge or to react with hurt and anger. God rewarded him not only
with guidance and consolation, but with the divine assurance that he had indeed
called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and to assume a mission that would
require the utmost faith, confidence, and trust in Almighty God. Joseph
believed in the divine message to take Mary as his wife and to accept the child
in her womb as the promised Messiah. Like Mary, Joseph is a model of faith for
us. He is a faithful witness and servant of God's unfolding plan of redemption.
Are you ready to believe in the promises of God, even when faced with
perplexing circumstances and what seems like insurmountable problems? God
has not left us alone, but has brought us his only begotten Son, our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate Christmas, the feast of the
Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and
in his redeeming work.
"Lord
Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May I always
rejoice in your salvation and trust in your plan for my life".
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, MATTHEW 1:18-24
(Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1-7)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, MATTHEW 1:18-24
(Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1-7)
KEY VERSE: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel" (v 23).
READING: Matthew’s gospel has the most distinctive Jewish characteristics. He began his gospel with a genealogy to show that Jesus shared ancestry with the people of Israel. Jesus was the long anticipated "Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Mt 1:1). Joseph was betrothed to Mary, which was a solemn commitment that lasted a full year, and could only be terminated by divorce. Before Mary and Joseph lived together as husband and wife, she was found to be with child. Joseph was a "righteous man" who followed the Mosaic law, but he decided to divorce her quietly as he was unwilling to "expose her to public disgrace" (Mt 1:19). Moreover, the charge of adultery carried the penalty of death by stoning (Dt 22:23-24). Just as the patriarch Joseph received divine communication through dreams (Gn 37:5-9), God's messenger appeared to Joseph in a dream. He was told not to fear taking Mary as his wife as the child had been conceived through God's Spirit. Joseph accepted guardianship of the child who would be named Jesus ("Yahweh saves"). Through Joseph, Jesus would bear the messianic title "Son of David" (Mt 1:20). Jesus is "Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us" (Mt 1:23; Is.7:14), the incarnate Son of God who dwells with his people to the end of the age (Mt 28:20).
REFLECTING: How can I follow Joseph's example of humble obedience to God's word?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into the world to save us from our sins.
O KING OF ALL NATIONS
O Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart.” Isaiah had prophesied, “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:4)
Let the Lord enter; he is king of
glory
The virgin will give birth to a son, and they will call him
Emmanuel, meaning ‘God-is-with-us ‘.Lord, as I come to prayer, I know that I must wait for you to come. Sometimes it seems that I have spent so long waiting for you to come. Prayer has been hard and dry. There have been times when I have grown weary of waiting. But then I know too there have been special moments when I have known your presence. In those times you come to me in such simple ways that it’s like a renewing, like Christmas to a child. Mary, my mother, in these times of waiting give me some of your faith, some of your patience, as you waited for him to be born.
December 22
Blessed Jacopone da Todi
(d. 1306)
Blessed Jacopone da Todi
(d. 1306)
Jacomo, or James, was born a noble member of the Benedetti family
in the northern Italian city of Todi. He became a successful lawyer and married
a pious, generous lady named Vanna.
His young
wife took it upon herself to do penance for the worldly excesses of her
husband. One day Vanna, at the insistence of Jacomo, attended a public
tournament. She was sitting in the stands with the other noble ladies when the
stands collapsed. Vanna was killed. Her shaken husband was even more disturbed
when he realized that the penitential girdle she wore was for his sinfulness.
On the spot, he vowed to radically change his life.
He
divided his possessions among the poor and entered the Secular Franciscan Order
(once known as the Third Order). Often dressed in penitential rags, he was
mocked as a fool and called Jacopone, or "Crazy Jim," by his former
associates. The name became dear to him.
After 10
years of such humiliation, Jacopone asked to be a member of the Order of Friars
Minor(First Order). Because of his reputation, his request was initially
refused. He composed a beautiful poem on the vanities of the world, an act that
eventually led to his admission into the Order in 1278. He continued to lead a
life of strict penance, declining to be ordained a priest. Meanwhile he was
writing popular hymns in the vernacular.
Jacopone
suddenly found himself a leader in a disturbing religious movement among the
Franciscans. The Spirituals, as they were called, wanted a return to the strict
poverty of Francis. They had on their side two cardinals of the Church and Pope
Celestine V. These two cardinals, though, opposed Celestine’s successor,
Boniface VIII. At the age of 68, Jacopone was excommunicated and imprisoned.
Although he acknowledged his mistake, Jacopone was not absolved and released
until Benedict XI became pope five years later. He had accepted his
imprisonment as penance. He spent the final three years of his life more
spiritual than ever, weeping "because Love is not loved." During this
time he wrote the famous Latin hymn, Stabat Mater.
On
Christmas Eve in 1306 Jacopone felt that his end was near. He was in a convent
of the Poor Clares with his friend, Blessed John of La Verna. Like Francis,
Jacopone welcomed "Sister Death" with one of his favorite songs. It
is said that he finished the song and died as the priest intoned the Gloria
from the midnight Mass at Christmas. From the time of his death, Brother
Jacopone has been venerated as a saint.
Comment:
“Crazy Jim,” his contemporaries called Jacopone. We might well echo their taunt, for what else can you say about a man who broke into song in the midst of all his troubles? We still sing Jacopone’s saddest song, the Stabat Mater, but we Christians claim another song as our own, even when the daily headlines resound with discordant notes. Jacopone’s whole life rang our song out: “Alleluia!” May he inspire us to keep singing.
“Crazy Jim,” his contemporaries called Jacopone. We might well echo their taunt, for what else can you say about a man who broke into song in the midst of all his troubles? We still sing Jacopone’s saddest song, the Stabat Mater, but we Christians claim another song as our own, even when the daily headlines resound with discordant notes. Jacopone’s whole life rang our song out: “Alleluia!” May he inspire us to keep singing.
LECTIO DIVINA:
4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, December 22, 2013
The justice of Joseph saved Mary’s life
Matthew 1, 18-24
Matthew 1, 18-24
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures
with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In
the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the
presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the
cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life
and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
) Key for reading:
The majority of the members of the Christian Communities in
Palestine and in Syria, for whom Matthew wrote his Gospel, were converted Jews.
They accepted Jesus as Messiah and believed in Him. They were persecuted
because of their faith. Their brother Jews said to them: “You Christians are
deceived! Jesus is not, nor can he be the Messiah!” In the text which we are
meditating on this Sunday, the concern of Matthew is evident, he wants to confirm
the faith of the communities. It is as if he wished to tell us: “You do not
live deceived! Jesus is truly the Messiah! “The intention of Matthew in
chapters one and two of his Gospel is to inform the readers concerning Jesus,
whose activity will be described beginning in chapter three. In the first two
chapters, Matthew presents the credentials of Jesus, the new Legislator, the
new Moses. In the genealogy (Mt 1, 1-17), he had already shown that Jesus
belongs to the race of David and of Abraham (Mt 1, 1). In these verses (Mt 1,
18-25) Matthew continues to present Jesus to us describing his birth. He says
how Joseph received the news that Mary was with child and, the prophecies which
will be realized with the birth of Jesus, showing that he is the expected
Messiah. During the reading, it is well to pay attention to what the text tells
us on the person of Jesus, especially in what concerns the significance of the
two names that he receives.
b) A division of the text to help the reading:
Matthew 1, 18: A legal irregularity in Mary
Matthew 1, 19: The justice of Joseph
Matthew 1, 20-21: The explanation or elucidation by the Angel
Matthew 1, 21-23: The melody in Matthew’s Gospel
Matthew 1, 24-25: The obedience of Joseph.
Matthew 1, 19: The justice of Joseph
Matthew 1, 20-21: The explanation or elucidation by the Angel
Matthew 1, 21-23: The melody in Matthew’s Gospel
Matthew 1, 24-25: The obedience of Joseph.
c) The text:
18 This is how Jesus
Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before
they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy
Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her
disgrace, decided to divorce her informally. 20 He had made up his mind to do
this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because
she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to
a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his
people from their sins.'
22 Now all this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: 23 Look! the virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means 'God-is-with-us'. 24 When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home; 25 he had not had intercourse with her when she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.
22 Now all this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: 23 Look! the virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means 'God-is-with-us'. 24 When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home; 25 he had not had intercourse with her when she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. Some questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
i) Which point of this text struck you the most? Why?
ii) According to the words of the Angel, who is the Son who will be born of Mary?
iii) According to the words of Matthew, which prophecy of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus?
iv) Which are the two names which the Child receives and which is God’s project hidden in these names?
v) How is Joseph’s attitude to be understood? What does this attitude teach us?
vi) In what exactly does Joseph’s “justice” consist?
vii) Which is our justice, compared with that of Joseph?
i) Which point of this text struck you the most? Why?
ii) According to the words of the Angel, who is the Son who will be born of Mary?
iii) According to the words of Matthew, which prophecy of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus?
iv) Which are the two names which the Child receives and which is God’s project hidden in these names?
v) How is Joseph’s attitude to be understood? What does this attitude teach us?
vi) In what exactly does Joseph’s “justice” consist?
vii) Which is our justice, compared with that of Joseph?
5. For those who desire to go deeper into the theme
a) Context of the evangelic text:
The genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1, 1-17) leaves us with a question.
Next to the names of the forty-two paternal ancestors of Jesus (Mt 1, 17),
Matthew gives the names of four maternal ancestors only: Tamar (Mt 1, 3),
Rahab, Ruth (Mt 1, 4) and the wife of Uriah (Mt 1, 6). The four women conceived
their sons outside the parameters of purity or of the legal justice of that
time. Therefore, the state of these four women is irregular before the Law. The
irregularity of these four ancestors is evident. It is sufficient to read the
texts of the Old Testament where their story is described. And thus, at the end
of the genealogy arises a question: “And Mary, the spouse of Joseph, from whom
Jesus is born (Mt 1, 16), does she also incur in some irregularity of a legal
type? The text on which we are meditating this Sunday speaks about this.
b) Commentary on the text:
Matthew 1, 18: A legal irregularity in Mary
Mary is with child before going to live with Joseph, her promised spouse. The one who looks at things from outside is aware of an irregularity and will say: “Mary, how horrible!” According to the law of Moses, these errors merited a death penalty (Dt 22, 20). To avoid this mistaken interpretation of facts, Matthew helps the reader to see the other aspect of Mary’s pregnancy: “She conceived by the Holy Spirit”. To human eyes this may seem a transgression of the Law, but in God’s eyes this was exactly the contrary!
Mary is with child before going to live with Joseph, her promised spouse. The one who looks at things from outside is aware of an irregularity and will say: “Mary, how horrible!” According to the law of Moses, these errors merited a death penalty (Dt 22, 20). To avoid this mistaken interpretation of facts, Matthew helps the reader to see the other aspect of Mary’s pregnancy: “She conceived by the Holy Spirit”. To human eyes this may seem a transgression of the Law, but in God’s eyes this was exactly the contrary!
Matthew 1, 19: The justice of Joseph
The pregnancy of Mary takes place before she went to live with Joseph, not because of a human deviation, but because of the divine will. God himself made fun of the law of legal purity in such a way as to make the Messiah be born among us! If Joseph had acted according to the requirements of the law of that time, he would have had to denounce Mary and possibly she would have been stoned. Pregnancy before marriage is irregular and according to the law of legal purity, she should be punished with the death penalty (Dt 22, 20). But Joseph, because he is just, does not obey the requirements of the law of purity. Hisjustice is greater. Instead of denouncing, he prefers to respect the mystery which he does not understand and decides to abandon Mary in secret. The greatest justice of Joseph saves both the life of Mary and that of Jesus.
Thus, Matthew sends an important message to the communities of Palestine and Syria. It is as if said: “Behold, what would happen if the rigorous observance would be followed, which certain Pharisees demand from you! They would put the Messiah to death!” Later Jesus will say: “If your justice is not greater than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5, 20).
The pregnancy of Mary takes place before she went to live with Joseph, not because of a human deviation, but because of the divine will. God himself made fun of the law of legal purity in such a way as to make the Messiah be born among us! If Joseph had acted according to the requirements of the law of that time, he would have had to denounce Mary and possibly she would have been stoned. Pregnancy before marriage is irregular and according to the law of legal purity, she should be punished with the death penalty (Dt 22, 20). But Joseph, because he is just, does not obey the requirements of the law of purity. Hisjustice is greater. Instead of denouncing, he prefers to respect the mystery which he does not understand and decides to abandon Mary in secret. The greatest justice of Joseph saves both the life of Mary and that of Jesus.
Thus, Matthew sends an important message to the communities of Palestine and Syria. It is as if said: “Behold, what would happen if the rigorous observance would be followed, which certain Pharisees demand from you! They would put the Messiah to death!” Later Jesus will say: “If your justice is not greater than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5, 20).
Matthew 1, 20-21: The explanation or elucidation of the
Angel and the two names of the Son of Mary: Jesus and Immanuel.
“The Angel of the Lord” helps to discover the deepest dimension of life and of events. He helps to make an X-Ray of events and to perceive God’s call which with our human eyes alone we cannot perceive. The Angel makes Joseph understand that Mary’s pregnancy is the fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit. God himself, the day of creation, blew over the waters and filled with force the creating Word of God (Gen 1, 2). The new creation takes place in Mary. It is the beginning of the new heaven and the new earth, announced by Isaiah (Is 65, 17). The Son of Mary receives two names: Jesus and Immanuel. Jesus means “Yahweh saves”. Salvation does not come from what we do but from God, rather from what God does for us. Immanuel means “God with us”. In the Exodus, when getting out of Egypt, God goes down to be with the oppressed people (Ex 3, 8) and tells Moses: “I will be with you” (Ex 3, 12) and from that moment on he never abandons his people. The two names, Jesus and Immanuel, render concrete, and even go beyond the hope of the people.
“The Angel of the Lord” helps to discover the deepest dimension of life and of events. He helps to make an X-Ray of events and to perceive God’s call which with our human eyes alone we cannot perceive. The Angel makes Joseph understand that Mary’s pregnancy is the fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit. God himself, the day of creation, blew over the waters and filled with force the creating Word of God (Gen 1, 2). The new creation takes place in Mary. It is the beginning of the new heaven and the new earth, announced by Isaiah (Is 65, 17). The Son of Mary receives two names: Jesus and Immanuel. Jesus means “Yahweh saves”. Salvation does not come from what we do but from God, rather from what God does for us. Immanuel means “God with us”. In the Exodus, when getting out of Egypt, God goes down to be with the oppressed people (Ex 3, 8) and tells Moses: “I will be with you” (Ex 3, 12) and from that moment on he never abandons his people. The two names, Jesus and Immanuel, render concrete, and even go beyond the hope of the people.
Matthew 1, 22-23: The melody of Matthew’s Gospel
“All this took place in order that what had been said of the Lord by the prophet could be fulfilled”. This phrase or other similar ones are like a melody, words which are repeated many times in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 1, 23; 2, 5.15.17.23; 4, 14; 8, 17; 12, 17; 13, 14.35; etc.). This reveals the purpose which the author had in mind: to confirm for his readers of Jewish origin the fact that Jesus is truly the promised Messiah. In him the promises of the prophets are fulfilled.
Here Matthew quotes the text of Isaiah: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, whom she will call Immanuel” (Is 7, 14). The title Immanuel more than a name reveals the meaning of Jesus for us. Jesus is the proof that God continues to be with us. The name itself of the Child is Jesus (Mt 1,25).
“All this took place in order that what had been said of the Lord by the prophet could be fulfilled”. This phrase or other similar ones are like a melody, words which are repeated many times in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 1, 23; 2, 5.15.17.23; 4, 14; 8, 17; 12, 17; 13, 14.35; etc.). This reveals the purpose which the author had in mind: to confirm for his readers of Jewish origin the fact that Jesus is truly the promised Messiah. In him the promises of the prophets are fulfilled.
Here Matthew quotes the text of Isaiah: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, whom she will call Immanuel” (Is 7, 14). The title Immanuel more than a name reveals the meaning of Jesus for us. Jesus is the proof that God continues to be with us. The name itself of the Child is Jesus (Mt 1,25).
Matthew 1, 24-25: The obedience of Joseph
Waking up from sleep, Joseph does what the Angel told him and took Mary to his house. And he continues to say that he had no relation with Mary, to confirm that Jesus is born from the Holy Spirit.
Waking up from sleep, Joseph does what the Angel told him and took Mary to his house. And he continues to say that he had no relation with Mary, to confirm that Jesus is born from the Holy Spirit.
c) Extending the information:
A key for the Gospel of Matthew - The Gospel of Matthew is addressed to a
community of converted Jews, who live a deep crisis of identity in relation to
their Jewish past. When in the year 65 AC the revolt broke out against Rome,
the Jewish-Christians did not participate and they abandoned Jerusalem. The
Pharisees did the same thing. After the destruction of Jerusalem in the year
70, the Pharisees reorganized the people who had remained and they lined up,
always in a more decisive way, against the Christians, who at the end were
excommunicated. This excommunication made the problem of identity even worse.
Now, officially excommunicated, they could no longer go to their Synagogue, to
their rabbi. And the question arose among them: To whom do the promises belong:
to the Synagogue or to the Church? Who is the true People of God, they or we?
Is Jesus truly the Messiah? Matthew writes his Gospel for this community. The
Gospel of Matthew can be defined by the three following words:
i) The Gospel of consolation for those excommunicated and persecuted by their brother Jews who do not accept Jesus as the Messiah (Christ); it helps to overcome the trauma or shock of the breaking.
ii) The Gospel of revelation: It shows Jesus as the true Messiah, the new Messiah, in whom is the summit of all the history of the Old Testament with its promises.
iii) The Gospel of the new practice: which describes the practice of Jesus, and shows how to attain a new justice, greater than that of the Pharisees.
i) The Gospel of consolation for those excommunicated and persecuted by their brother Jews who do not accept Jesus as the Messiah (Christ); it helps to overcome the trauma or shock of the breaking.
ii) The Gospel of revelation: It shows Jesus as the true Messiah, the new Messiah, in whom is the summit of all the history of the Old Testament with its promises.
iii) The Gospel of the new practice: which describes the practice of Jesus, and shows how to attain a new justice, greater than that of the Pharisees.
This happened in order that it could be realized - by means of this phrase repeated many times in
his Gospel, Matthew touches on the point of greatest tension between Christians
and Jews. Starting from the Bible, they said: “Jesus is not and cannot be the
Messiah!” Starting from the Bible itself, Matthew responds and affirms: “Jesus
is truly the Messiah!”
The pregnancy of Mary - Matthew as well as Luke quote the text of Isaiah “A virgin will
conceive and give birth to a son, whom she will call Immanuel” (Is 7, 14). But
there is a difference. Luke places Mary in the centre and gives more importance
to the sign of virginity (Lk 1, 31). Matthew places Joseph in the centre and
gives more importance to the significance of the name Immanuel.
Joseph’s dream - the Angel appeared to Joseph in his sleep and helps him to
understand. With the help of the Angel, Joseph succeeded in discovering God’s
action in this event, which according to the opinion of the time, seemed to be
only the fruit of deviation and of sin. Angel means messenger. He brings a
message and a help to perceive God’s action in life. Today there are many
Angels who guide us in life. Some times they act while we sleep, in our dreams,
other times in our meetings, in conversations and in Biblical encounters, in
facts, etc. So many Angels, so many Angels!.
6. Prayer: Psalm 72 (71)
His name endure for ever!
God, endow the king with your own fair judgement,
the son of the king with your own saving justice,
that he may rule your people with justice,
and your poor with fair judgement.
Mountains and hills,
bring peace to the people! With justice
he will judge the poor of the people,
he will save the children of the needy and crush their oppressors.
In the sight of the sun and the moon he will endure,
age after age.
He will come down like rain on mown grass,
like showers moistening the land.
In his days uprightness shall flourish,
and peace in plenty till the moon is no more.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the river to the limits of the earth.
The Beast will cower before him,
his enemies lick the dust;
the kings of Tarshish and the islands will pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Saba will offer gifts;
all kings will do him homage,
all nations become his servants.
For he rescues the needy who calls to him,
and the poor who has no one to help.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the needy from death.
From oppression and violence he redeems their lives,
their blood is precious in his sight.
Long may he live;
may the gold of Sheba be given him!
Prayer will be offered for him constantly,
and blessings invoked on him all day.
May wheat abound in the land,
waving on the heights of the hills,
like Lebanon with its fruits and flowers at their best,
like the grasses of the earth.
May his name be blessed for ever,
and endure in the sight of the sun.
In him shall be blessed every race in the world,
and all nations call him blessed.
Blessed be Yahweh,
the God of Israel,
who alone works wonders;
blessed for ever his glorious name.
May the whole world be filled with his glory!
Amen! Amen!
the son of the king with your own saving justice,
that he may rule your people with justice,
and your poor with fair judgement.
Mountains and hills,
bring peace to the people! With justice
he will judge the poor of the people,
he will save the children of the needy and crush their oppressors.
In the sight of the sun and the moon he will endure,
age after age.
He will come down like rain on mown grass,
like showers moistening the land.
In his days uprightness shall flourish,
and peace in plenty till the moon is no more.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the river to the limits of the earth.
The Beast will cower before him,
his enemies lick the dust;
the kings of Tarshish and the islands will pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Saba will offer gifts;
all kings will do him homage,
all nations become his servants.
For he rescues the needy who calls to him,
and the poor who has no one to help.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the needy from death.
From oppression and violence he redeems their lives,
their blood is precious in his sight.
Long may he live;
may the gold of Sheba be given him!
Prayer will be offered for him constantly,
and blessings invoked on him all day.
May wheat abound in the land,
waving on the heights of the hills,
like Lebanon with its fruits and flowers at their best,
like the grasses of the earth.
May his name be blessed for ever,
and endure in the sight of the sun.
In him shall be blessed every race in the world,
and all nations call him blessed.
Blessed be Yahweh,
the God of Israel,
who alone works wonders;
blessed for ever his glorious name.
May the whole world be filled with his glory!
Amen! Amen!
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us.
May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word.
You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever
and ever. Amen.
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