Tuesday of the Second Week in 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.”
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).
What can we learn from the lesson of Jesus' parable
about a lost sheep? This parable gives us a glimpse of the heart of a true
shepherd, and the joy of a community reunited with its lost members. Shepherds
not only had to watch over their sheep by day and by night; they also had to protect
them from wolves and lions who preyed upon them, and from dangerous terrain and
storms. Shepherds often had large flocks, sometimes numbering in the hundreds
or thousands. It was common to inspect and count the sheep at the end of the
day. You can imagine the surprise and grief of the shepherd who discovers that
one of his sheep is missing! Does he wait until the next day to go looking for
it? Or does he ask a neighboring shepherd if he might have seen the stray
sheep? No, he goes immediately in search of this lost sheep. Delay for even one
night could mean disaster leading to death. Sheep by nature are very social
creatures. An isolated sheep can quickly become bewildered, disoriented, and
even neurotic. Easy prey for wolves and lions!
The shepherd's grief and anxiety is turned to joy when
he finds the lost sheep and restores it to the fold. The shepherd
searches until what he has lost is found. His persistence pays off. What was
new in Jesus' teaching was the insistence that sinners must be sought out time
and time again. How easy to forget and be distracted with other matters
while the lost become prey for devouring wolves of the soul. The Apostle Peter
reminds us that the "devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some
one to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
God does not rejoice in the loss of anyone, but
desires that we be saved and restored to friendship with him. That is why the
whole community of heaven rejoices when one sinner is found and restored to
fellowship with God. God is on a rescue mission today to save us from the
destructive forces of sin and evil. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, watches over
every step we take. Do you listen to his voice and heed his wise counsel? Do
you follow the path he has set for you - a path that leads to life rather than
death?
"Lord Jesus, nothing escapes your watchful gaze
and care. May I always walk in the light of your truth and never stray from
your loving presence."
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 6, MATTHEW 18:12-14
Advent Weekday
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96)
Advent 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 his gospel, Matthew 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 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.
Optional Memorial of Saint
Nicholas, bishop
Nicholas was Bishop of Myra, Lycia (modern Turkey). He was generous to the poor, and a special protector of the innocent and wronged. Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of his life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered. One story tells of three young women who wished to marry, but their father was poor and they had no dowry. Hearing of their plight, Nicholas went to their house by night and threw three bags of gold through the open window, possibly saving the girls from a life of destitution. The bags of gold are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. These stories led to his patronage of children in general, and his becoming known as Santa Claus. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving in much of Europe.
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Tue 6th. St Nicholas.
Isaiah 40:1-11. The Lord our God comes in strength—Ps 95(96):1-3, 10-13. Matthew 18:12-14.
Recognising God's mercy.
The exiled Jews in Babylon saw their
captivity as a time of punishment for failing to live up to the covenant with
the Lord. The loss of their promised land inspired a long period of sorrow and
regret for their deeds, as reflected in much of the biblical literature written
at this time. Today Isaiah offers words of comfort, that Israel's 'time of
service is ended, that her sin is atoned for.'
The Gospel today speaks of the comfort of the Good Shepherd: 'it is not the will of your Father that one of these should be lost.' Yet often it is our own willfulness that can lead us astray, lost and far from God. It is only when we recognise our need for him that he can bring us back again. We must want to be found.
The Gospel today speaks of the comfort of the Good Shepherd: 'it is not the will of your Father that one of these should be lost.' Yet often it is our own willfulness that can lead us astray, lost and far from God. It is only when we recognise our need for him that he can bring us back again. We must want to be found.
ST. NICHOLAS OF
MYRA
On Dec. 6, the
faithful commemorate a bishop in the early church who was known for generosity
and love of children. Born in Lycia in Asia Minor around the late third or
fourth century, St. Nicholas of Myra is more than just the inspiration
for the modern day Santa.
As a young man he is
said to have made a pilgrimage to Palestine and Egypt in order to study in the
school of the Desert Fathers. On returning some years later he was almost
immediately ordained Bishop of Myra, which is now Demre, on the coast of modern
day Turkey.
The bishop was
imprisoned during the Diocletian persecution and only released when Constantine
the Great came to power and made Christianity the official religion of the
Roman Empire.
One of the most famous
stories of the generosity of St. Nicholas says that he threw bags of gold
through an open window in the house of a poor man to serve as dowry for the
man’s daughters, who otherwise would have been sold into slavery.
The gold is said to
have landed in the family’s shoes, which were drying near the fire. This is why
children leave their shoes out by the door, or hang their stockings by the
fireplace in the hopes of receiving a gift on the eve of his feast.
St. Nicholas is
associated with Christmas because of the tradition that he had the custom of
giving secret gifts to children. It is also conjectured that the saint, who was
known to wear red robes and have a long white beard, was culturally converted
into the large man with a reindeer-drawn sled full of toys because in German,
his name is “San Nikolaus” which almost sounds like “Santa Claus.”
In the East, he is
known as St. Nicholas of Myra for the town in which he was bishop. But in the
West he is called St. Nicholas of Bari because, during the Muslim conquest of
Turkey in 1087, his relics were taken to Bari by the Italians.
St Nicholas is the
patron of children and of sailors. His intercession is sought by the
shipwrecked, by those in difficult economic circumstances, and for those
affected by fires.
He died on December 6,
346.
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 18,12-14
Lectio
Divina:
Tuesday,
December 6, 2016
2nd Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
you are near to us
in Jesus Christ your Son.
When we go astray,
you look for us until you find us.
Bring us back to you,
show us the way to you
and to one another
through him who is our way,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 18, 12-14
'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?
In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.
Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
3) Reflection
• A parable is not a teaching to be received in a passive way or just to keep in the memory, rather it is an invitation to participate in the discovery of truth. Jesus begins by asking: “What do you think?” A parable is a question with a response which is not defined. The response depends on the reaction and participation of the listeners. Let us then, seek, the answer to this parable of the lost sheep.
• Jesus tells a very brief story and in a very simple way: a shepherd had 100 sheep, he lost one, and leaves the 99 on the mountain and goes to look for the lost sheep. And Jesus asks: “What do you think?” That is: “Would you do the same?” Which would have been the response of the shepherds and of the other persons who were listening to Jesus tell this story? Would they do the same thing? Which is my answer to Jesus’ question? Let us think well before answering.
• If you had 100 sheep and you lost one, what would you do? We should not forget that mountains are places which are very difficult to climb, with deep precipices, where dangerous animals live and where robbers hide. And you cannot forget that you have lost only one sheep, and therefore, you still have 99! You have lost very little. Would you abandon the other 99 on those mountains? Perhaps, would not only a person with little common sense do what the shepherd of the parable of Jesus did? Think well!
• The shepherds who heard Jesus’ story, perhaps thought and commented: “Only a shepherd without judgment would act that way!” Surely, they would have asked Jesus: “Jesus, excuse us, but who is that shepherd whom you are speaking about? To do that which he has done, is foolish!”
• Jesus answers: “This Shepherd is God, our Father, and the lost sheep is you!” In other words, the one who does this action is God moved by the great love for the little ones, for the poor, the excluded! Only a very great love is capable to do something so foolish. The love with which God loves us exceeds prudence and good human sense. The love of God commits foolish things. Thank God! If it were not like this, we would be lost!
4) Personal questions
• Place yourself in the place of the little lost sheep and enliven your faith and your hope. You are that sheep!
• Take the place of the shepherd and verify, if your love for the little ones is true.
5) Concluding Prayer
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day. (Ps 96)
Lord our God,
you are near to us
in Jesus Christ your Son.
When we go astray,
you look for us until you find us.
Bring us back to you,
show us the way to you
and to one another
through him who is our way,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 18, 12-14
'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?
In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.
Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
3) Reflection
• A parable is not a teaching to be received in a passive way or just to keep in the memory, rather it is an invitation to participate in the discovery of truth. Jesus begins by asking: “What do you think?” A parable is a question with a response which is not defined. The response depends on the reaction and participation of the listeners. Let us then, seek, the answer to this parable of the lost sheep.
• Jesus tells a very brief story and in a very simple way: a shepherd had 100 sheep, he lost one, and leaves the 99 on the mountain and goes to look for the lost sheep. And Jesus asks: “What do you think?” That is: “Would you do the same?” Which would have been the response of the shepherds and of the other persons who were listening to Jesus tell this story? Would they do the same thing? Which is my answer to Jesus’ question? Let us think well before answering.
• If you had 100 sheep and you lost one, what would you do? We should not forget that mountains are places which are very difficult to climb, with deep precipices, where dangerous animals live and where robbers hide. And you cannot forget that you have lost only one sheep, and therefore, you still have 99! You have lost very little. Would you abandon the other 99 on those mountains? Perhaps, would not only a person with little common sense do what the shepherd of the parable of Jesus did? Think well!
• The shepherds who heard Jesus’ story, perhaps thought and commented: “Only a shepherd without judgment would act that way!” Surely, they would have asked Jesus: “Jesus, excuse us, but who is that shepherd whom you are speaking about? To do that which he has done, is foolish!”
• Jesus answers: “This Shepherd is God, our Father, and the lost sheep is you!” In other words, the one who does this action is God moved by the great love for the little ones, for the poor, the excluded! Only a very great love is capable to do something so foolish. The love with which God loves us exceeds prudence and good human sense. The love of God commits foolish things. Thank God! If it were not like this, we would be lost!
4) Personal questions
• Place yourself in the place of the little lost sheep and enliven your faith and your hope. You are that sheep!
• Take the place of the shepherd and verify, if your love for the little ones is true.
5) Concluding Prayer
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day. (Ps 96)
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