Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Lectionary: 197
Lectionary: 197
Hark! my lover–here he comes
springing across the mountains,
leaping across the hills.
My lover is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.
My lover speaks; he says to me,
“Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!
“For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!
“O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely.”
springing across the mountains,
leaping across the hills.
My lover is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.
My lover speaks; he says to me,
“Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!
“For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!
“O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely.”
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial PsalmPS 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
R. (1a; 3a) Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a
new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 1:39-45
Mary set out in those days
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
Meditation: "God will give him David's
throne - and a kingdom without end"
Do you know the steadfast love of the Lord? God's love endures
forever because he is a covenant-making God who keeps his promises (Psalm
89:2-4). God showed special favor to David when he anointed him to be king of
Israel. After David had established peace in the land and wanted to build a
house for God, God reassured him that he would build David a house, not made of
stone but of flesh, that would last forever (2 Samuel 7:12,16). This royal
house would be no ordinary dynasty because God himself promised to raise up an
heir to David's house, another "man after God's own heart" - a Savior
and King who would bring healing, pardon, and lasting peace for his people.
A new era of grace and salvation begins with
the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus
We begin to see the fulfillment of this prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21).
We begin to see the fulfillment of this prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21).
This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all
God's promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most
High" and "King" and his name shall be called "Jesus"
(Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his
people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the
daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord
God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2
Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).
Mary believed God's word and gave her
unqualified "yes" to God's will
How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the “mother of God” because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. Jesus, whom the Father sent from heaven, is true God and true man.
How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the “mother of God” because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. Jesus, whom the Father sent from heaven, is true God and true man.
God gives us the grace to say "yes"
to his will and to his transforming work in our lives
When we pray the ancient Nicene Creed (325 AD) we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: "For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man." God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
When we pray the ancient Nicene Creed (325 AD) we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: "For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man." God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?
"Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and
forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a
grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you
my unqualified "yes" to your will and plan for my life."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Mary
marvels and trembles at the Lord's presence within her, by Peter
Chrysologous, 380-450 A.D.
"'The Lord is with you.' Why is the Lord with you? Because
he is coming to you not merely to pay a visit, but he is coming down into you
in a new mystery, that of being born. Fittingly did the angel add, 'You are
blessed among women.' Through the curse she incurred, Eve brought pains upon
the wombs of women in childbirth. Now, in this very matter of motherhood, Mary,
through the blessing she received, rejoices, is honored, is exalted. Now too
womankind has become truly the mother of those who live through grace, just as
previously by nature are subject to death...
"She soon realized that she was receiving within herself
the heavenly judge, there in that same place where with lingering gaze she had
just seen the harbinger from heaven. It was by a soothing motion and holy
affection that God transformed the virgin into a mother for himself and made
his handmaid into a parent. Nevertheless her bosom was disturbed, her mind
recoiled, and her whole state became one of trembling when God, whom the whole
of creation does not contain, placed his whole Self inside her bosom and made
himself a man." (excerpt from Sermon 140)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, LUKE 1:39-54
Advent Weekday
(Songs 2:8-14; Psalm 33)
Advent Weekday
(Songs 2:8-14; Psalm 33)
KEY VERSE: "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (v 45).
TO KNOW: Mary was God's obedient servant who willingly responded to the Divine call to bear the Savior of the world. When the angel Gabriel declared that Elizabeth, Mary's elderly kinswoman, was about to give birth, she quickly traveled the four day journey to Ain Karim in the hill country of Judah. Upon hearing Mary's greeting, the babe leaped for joy within Elizabeth's womb recalling David's dance when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem (2 Sm 6:14). Elizabeth expressed her unworthiness at being visited by the mother of her Lord. Her words echoed David's humility, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" (2 Sm 6:9). Mary was the Arc of the New Covenant bearing her divine son Jesus in her womb. Elizabeth proclaimed Mary to be blessed for believing that God's promises to her would be fulfilled.
TO LOVE: How can I imitate Mary's example of faithful service?
TO SERVE: Mary, my mother, help me to respond to God's call with faith and trust as you did.
O RADIANT DAWN
Today's O Antiphon is "O Oriens" (O Radiant Dawn). At Holy Mass in the ancient Church, Christians faced east so that they could greet the coming of the Savior, both in the consecration of the bread and wine and in the expectation of the glorious return of the King of Glory. They turned to the rising Son, who is Justice itself, who will lay bare the truth of our every word, thought and deed on the Final Day. O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, and sun of justice, come, and shine on those seated in darkness, and in the shadow of death.
Optional Memorial of Peter Canisius, priest
and doctor of the Church
Peter Canisius became a Jesuit after attending a retreat conducted by Blessed Peter Faber. He traveled and worked with St. Ignatius of Loyola. While at prayer he received a vision of the Sacred Heart, and ever after offered his work to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Peter Canisius led the Counter Reformation in German lands. His catechism went through 200 editions during his life, and was translated into 12 languages. Ordained in 1546, Peter Canisius founded colleges, and was a preacher, writer and teacher. He addressed the Council of Trent on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.
Monday 21 December 2015
St Peter
Canisius. Song of Songs 2:8-14 / Zephaniah 3:14-18. Cry out with joy in the
Lord, you holy ones; sing a new song to him—Ps 32(33):2-3, 11-12, 20-21. Luke
1:39-45.
Do you
truly believe that God rejoices over you, renews you, and dances with shouts of
joy for you?
Have you
glimpsed the depths of God’s love for you? Can you feel God’s overflowing joy and
exultation over you? How hard it can sometimes be to trust that God is with us,
on our side, barracking for us always. In the midst of our shame, our
smallness, our failings, our darkness, God is there. And God rejoices in us.
How wonderful is this God of ours who delights in all of creation, seeing its
goodness and shouting for joy at the sight of you! What lavish love, freely
bestowed on each person.
May we
never forget how much God loves us, and how God delights in us. May we hold on
to this image always, especially when we have moments of luke-warmness, of
busyness, of daily routines which cramp out God, of blindness to God walking
with us always. May we come to know how loveable we are, and let ourselves be
loved by this merciful God.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Divine Flesh and Blood
|
Oh Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, I believe in you; help
my faith to grow stronger. Help me to appreciate the importance of this
revelation, that your flesh is really my food and that your blood is really my
drink. In these last few days before Christmas, help me to appreciate more than
ever the fact of your presence near us.
December
21
St. Peter Canisius
(1521-1597)
St. Peter Canisius
(1521-1597)
The energetic life of Peter Canisius should demolish any
stereotypes we may have of the life of a saint as dull or routine. Peter lived
his 76 years at a pace which must be considered heroic, even in our time of
rapid change. A man blessed with many talents, Peter is an excellent example of
the scriptural man who develops his talents for the sake of the Lord’s work.
He was one of the most important figures in the Catholic
Reformation in Germany. His was such a key role that he has often been called
the “second apostle of Germany” in that his life parallels the earlier work of
Boniface (June 5).
Although Peter once accused himself of idleness in his youth, he
could not have been idle too long, for at the age of 19 he received a master’s
degree from the university at Cologne. Soon afterwards he met Peter Faber, the
first disciple of Ignatius Loyola (July 31), who influenced Peter so much that
he joined the recently formed Society of Jesus.
At this early age Peter had already taken up a practice he
continued throughout his life—a process of study, reflection, prayer and
writing. After his ordination in 1546, he became widely known for his editions
of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great. Besides this
reflective literary bent, Peter had a zeal for the apostolate. He could often
be found visiting the sick or prisoners, even when his assigned duties in other
areas were more than enough to keep most people fully occupied.
In 1547 Peter attended several sessions of the Council of Trent,
whose decrees he was later assigned to implement. After a brief teaching
assignment at the Jesuit college at Messina, Peter was entrusted with the
mission to Germany—from that point on his life’s work. He taught in several
universities and was instrumental in establishing many colleges and seminaries.
He wrote a catechism that explained the Catholic faith in a way which common
people could understand—a great need of that age.
Renowned as a popular preacher, Peter packed churches with those
eager to hear his eloquent proclamation of the gospel. He had great diplomatic
ability, often serving as a reconciler between disputing factions. In his
letters (filling eight volumes) one finds words of wisdom and counsel to people
in all walks of life. At times he wrote unprecedented letters of criticism to
leaders of the Church—yet always in the context of a loving, sympathetic
concern.
At 70 Peter suffered a paralytic seizure, but he continued to
preach and write with the aid of a secretary until his death in his hometown
(Nijmegen, Netherlands) on December 21, 1597.
Comment:
Peter’s untiring efforts are an apt example for those involved in the renewal of the Church or the growth of moral consciousness in business or government. He is regarded as one of the creators of the Catholic press, and can easily be a model for the Christian author or journalist. Teachers can see in his life a passion for the transmission of truth. Whether we have much to give, as Peter Canisius did, or whether we have only a little to give, as did the poor widow in the Gospel (see Luke 21:1–4), the important thing is to give our all. It is in this way that Peter is so exemplary for Christians in an age of rapid change when we are called to be in the world but not of the world.
Peter’s untiring efforts are an apt example for those involved in the renewal of the Church or the growth of moral consciousness in business or government. He is regarded as one of the creators of the Catholic press, and can easily be a model for the Christian author or journalist. Teachers can see in his life a passion for the transmission of truth. Whether we have much to give, as Peter Canisius did, or whether we have only a little to give, as did the poor widow in the Gospel (see Luke 21:1–4), the important thing is to give our all. It is in this way that Peter is so exemplary for Christians in an age of rapid change when we are called to be in the world but not of the world.
Quote:
When asked if he felt overworked, Peter replied, "If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all."
When asked if he felt overworked, Peter replied, "If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all."
Patron Saint of:
Germany
Germany
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 1:39-45
Lectio:
Monday, December
21, 2015
1)
Opening prayer
God, we
tend to lose ourselves
in the bustle and stir of the day,
in our work and our petty worries.
Give us the freshness of heart
to look for the things that matter,
those that make our lives deeply human
and at the same time open us
to your world and to your values.
Make us long to encounter you with joy,
that we may discover again the quality
of gratuitous giving, of respect,
and of carefree, self-forgetting love,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
in the bustle and stir of the day,
in our work and our petty worries.
Give us the freshness of heart
to look for the things that matter,
those that make our lives deeply human
and at the same time open us
to your world and to your values.
Make us long to encounter you with joy,
that we may discover again the quality
of gratuitous giving, of respect,
and of carefree, self-forgetting love,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
2)
Gospel Reading – Luke 1, 39-45
Mary
set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to
a town in Judah.
She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
3)
Reflection
• Luke
stresses the readiness of Mary in serving, in being ahandmaid. The Angel speaks about the
pregnancy of Elizabeth and immediately, Mary rises and sets out as quickly as
she could to go and help her. From Nazareth to the house of Elizabeth there
were more than 100 km, the minimum, four days of travelling!, There were no
buses, no trains. Mary begins to serve and fulfils her mission in behalf of
the people of God.
• Elizabeth represents the Old Testament which was about to end. Mary represents the New Testament. The Old Testament accepts the New one with gratitude and trust, recognizing in it God’s gratuitous gift which is going to be realized and is going to complete the expectation of people. In the encounter of the two women is manifested the gift of the Spirit. The child leapt with joy in Elizabeth’s womb. This is the reading of the faith which Elizabeth makes of the things of life.
• The Good News of God reveals his presence in the most common things of human life: two house wives who visit each other to mutually help one another. Visit, joy, pregnancy, children, mutual help, house, family: Luke wants us and the community to perceive precisely this and that we discover in this God’s presence.
• Elizabeth says to Mary: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Up until today, these words form part of the best known Psalm and most prayed in the whole world, “The Hail Mary”.
• “And blessed is she who has believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled”. This is the praise of Elizabeth to Mary and the message of Luke for the community: to believe in the Word of God, because the Word of God has the force to fulfil all that which it tells us. It is a creative Word. It generates new life in the womb of the Virgin, in the womb of people who accept it with faith.
• Mary and Elizabeth already knew one another. But in this encounter, they discover, one in one another, a mystery which they had not known as yet, and which fills them with great joy. Today also, we meet persons who surprise us because of the wisdom they possess and the witness of faith that they give. Has something similar happened to you already? Have you met persons who have surprised you? What prevents us from discovering and from living the joy of God’s presence in our life?
• The attitude of Mary before the Word expresses the ideal which Luke wants to communicate to the Community: do not close yourselves in self, but get out of self, be attentive to the concrete needs of persons and try to help others as far as possible according to their need.
• Elizabeth represents the Old Testament which was about to end. Mary represents the New Testament. The Old Testament accepts the New one with gratitude and trust, recognizing in it God’s gratuitous gift which is going to be realized and is going to complete the expectation of people. In the encounter of the two women is manifested the gift of the Spirit. The child leapt with joy in Elizabeth’s womb. This is the reading of the faith which Elizabeth makes of the things of life.
• The Good News of God reveals his presence in the most common things of human life: two house wives who visit each other to mutually help one another. Visit, joy, pregnancy, children, mutual help, house, family: Luke wants us and the community to perceive precisely this and that we discover in this God’s presence.
• Elizabeth says to Mary: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Up until today, these words form part of the best known Psalm and most prayed in the whole world, “The Hail Mary”.
• “And blessed is she who has believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled”. This is the praise of Elizabeth to Mary and the message of Luke for the community: to believe in the Word of God, because the Word of God has the force to fulfil all that which it tells us. It is a creative Word. It generates new life in the womb of the Virgin, in the womb of people who accept it with faith.
• Mary and Elizabeth already knew one another. But in this encounter, they discover, one in one another, a mystery which they had not known as yet, and which fills them with great joy. Today also, we meet persons who surprise us because of the wisdom they possess and the witness of faith that they give. Has something similar happened to you already? Have you met persons who have surprised you? What prevents us from discovering and from living the joy of God’s presence in our life?
• The attitude of Mary before the Word expresses the ideal which Luke wants to communicate to the Community: do not close yourselves in self, but get out of self, be attentive to the concrete needs of persons and try to help others as far as possible according to their need.
4)
Personal questions
•
Placing myself in the place of Mary and Elizabeth: am I capable to perceive and
experience the presence of God in the most simple and common things in the life
of every day?
• The praise of Elizabeth to Mary: “You have believed!” Her husband had difficulty to believe what the angel was telling him. And I?
• The praise of Elizabeth to Mary: “You have believed!” Her husband had difficulty to believe what the angel was telling him. And I?
5)
Concluding Prayer
We are
waiting for Yahweh;
he is our help and our shield,
for in him our heart rejoices,
in his holy name we trust. (Ps 33,20-21)
he is our help and our shield,
for in him our heart rejoices,
in his holy name we trust. (Ps 33,20-21)
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