Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
Lectionary: 196
Lectionary: 196
The LORD spoke to Ahaz:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, 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 men,
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 nether world, 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 men,
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.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 24:1-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
R. (see 7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is the 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 the king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the 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 the 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 the king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is the 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 the king of glory.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God's eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God's eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 1:26-38
In the sixth month,
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Meditation: "Hail,
O favored one, the Lord is with you!"
How does God reveal his favor to us? In the psalms we
pray, "Lord, show me a sign of your favor" (Psalm 86:17). In the Old
Testament God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and
mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the
miraculous crossing of the Red sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53). When Ahaz,
king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by
forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to
reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his
descendants. King Ahaz, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a
sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would
indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness (Isaiah
7:11ff).
The new era of salvation begins with the
conception and birth of Jesus
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 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).
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 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).
His kingdom will have no end
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).
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 is a true hearer of the Word of God
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.
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. When we pray the Nicene Creed we state our confession of faith
in this great mystery: "For us men 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".
If we say "yes" to God we can live a
grace-filled life
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?
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: Jesus is Son of God and Son of Mary, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"We should carefully note the order of the words
here, and the more firmly they are engrafted in our heart, the more evident it
will be that the sum total of our redemption consists in them. For they
proclaim with perfect clarity that the Lord Jesus, that is, our Savior, was
both the true Son of God the Father and the true Son of a mother who was a
human being. 'Behold,' he says, 'you will conceive in your womb and give birth
to a son' - acknowledge that this true human being assumed the true substance
of flesh from the flesh of the Virgin! 'He will be great and will be called the
Son of the Most High' - confess too that this same Son is true God of true God,
co-eternal Son forever of the eternal Father!" (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.3.22)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, LUKE 1:26-38
Advent Weekday
(Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24)
Advent Weekday
(Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24)
KEY VERSE: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (v 30).
TO KNOW: After centuries of longing for the Messiah, the Archangel Gabriel announced the good news to a young woman in the obscure village of Nazareth. The virgin's name was Mary (Hebrew, Miryam, "the exalted one"). The angel told Mary that she had found favor with God and would bear a son, whom she was to name Jesus (Hebrew, Yeshua, 'Yahweh saves'). Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, but she was told not to be afraid since God's Son had been conceived by the Holy Spirit. The "Son of the Most High" (v 32) would rule eternally over the "house of Jacob" (v 33) fulfilling the promise made to King David (2 Sm 7:16). Mary was given a sign to prove that "nothing was impossible with God" (Lk 1:37); Elizabeth, her kinswoman, had conceived a son in her old age. Mary responded with faithful submission to the will of God (fiat,"Let it be done"). Mary's dispositions of listening, waiting, fidelity and praise are necessary virtues for all Christians.
TO LOVE: Can I say with Mary: "Be it done unto me according to your will"?
TO SERVE: Mary of Nazareth, help me to obey God's will as you did.
O KEY OF DAVID,
December 20
Today's O Antiphon is "O Clavis David," (O Key of David). The Lord who came in history, will come again. While we await his return, he gave his Church the Apostle Peter and all of his successors to exercise his own authority, "to open and to shut, to bind and to loose" (Matt 16:19), to act with Christ's authority, and speak with Christ's voice when he teaches the Church.
O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Wednesday 20
December 2017
Advent Season of Creation.
Isaiah 7:10-14. Psalm 23(24):1-6. Luke 1:26-38.
Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory – Psalm 23(24):1-6.
‘I am the handmaid of the Lord.’
In today’s Gospel, I was struck by Mary’s response at the
annunciation; “she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of
greeting this might be” (Luke 1:29).
At the birth of Jesus Mary responds to all that had been seen
and heard. Luke describes her response; “But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). The journey of faith as depicted in
Mary is not one where blind obedience is either asked or expected. God’s word
must be pondered and tossed about in a dynamic and honest fashion. It also
seems evident from the scriptures that when these gifts are not “held together”
(an alternative translation of ‘pondered’ from Greek) or pondered (such as
later we hear of Herod’s response to the perplexing mystery – the beheading of
John) then one can turn away from revelation and the invitation to become
actively part of incarnating grace. Jesus lost and found in the Temple provides
more evidence of Mary’s faith journey. “His mother treasured all these things
in her heart” (Luke 2:51).
Throughout the infancy narrative Mary has been portrayed as one
who is engaged in dialogue and reflection on the meaning of God’s word as it is
encountered in her life. In contrast to yesterday’s Gospel where Zechariah does
not believe God’s word at first and becomes mute, Mary as the model disciple
shows us how to respond. I imagine “holding together or pondering” words and
meanings involves skills in listening, discerning and responding as individuals
and community and seems to be the way God works from the very beginning of
time. It reminds me of the word ‘Kanyirninpa’ an indigenous word from
Australia’s Western Desert people (not easily translated into English) that
combines physical, emotional and spiritual sustaining, loving and nurturing as
holding. Do I respond to what is life giving in my life? Do I follow the model
of Mary and take time to ‘hold together and ponder’? Listening deeply to my
Creator God, reflecting and pondering seems to be the first step in
discipleship. This is something I believe our Indigenous brothers and sisters
have refined over thousands of years.
ST. DOMINIC OF SILOS
Saint Dominic was born in 1000 in Cañas, Navarre, Spain. He was
born a peasant, and as a youth worked as a shepherd until he entered the
Benedictine monastery in Navarre. When Dominic refused to hand over the
monastery lands at the King of Navarre’s demands, he was forced to
leave the house with two other monks.
He fled to Old Castile and was welcomed by the king. He then entered the monastery of San Sebastian in Silos, an almost dilapidated abbey with a mediocre physical and spiritual regimen.
Within very little time, Dominic, who had been elected abbot, renewed the spirit of the monastery and rebuilt it’s structure, it’s finances, and it’s works of charity. Dominic was known for miracles of healing, which he obtained through prayer and for his work of ransoming Christian prisoners from the moors.
He fled to Old Castile and was welcomed by the king. He then entered the monastery of San Sebastian in Silos, an almost dilapidated abbey with a mediocre physical and spiritual regimen.
Within very little time, Dominic, who had been elected abbot, renewed the spirit of the monastery and rebuilt it’s structure, it’s finances, and it’s works of charity. Dominic was known for miracles of healing, which he obtained through prayer and for his work of ransoming Christian prisoners from the moors.
He
died on December 10, 1073 in Silos, Spain.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 1: 26-38
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
1) Opening
prayer
God
of the poor and the humble,
we thank You today for choosing Mary
as the Virgin Mother of Jesus, Your Son.
Her faith and willing service
opened the way to Your new world.
Dispose us to seek Your will
and to cooperate with Your plans
that we too, like Mary,
may give to the world its Savior
Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord.
we thank You today for choosing Mary
as the Virgin Mother of Jesus, Your Son.
Her faith and willing service
opened the way to Your new world.
Dispose us to seek Your will
and to cooperate with Your plans
that we too, like Mary,
may give to the world its Savior
Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading – Luke 1:26-38
In
the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary.
He went in and said to her, “Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favor! The Lord is with you.” She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favor. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David; He will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and His reign will have no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?”' The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.”
Mary said, “You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
He went in and said to her, “Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favor! The Lord is with you.” She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favor. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David; He will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and His reign will have no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?”' The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.”
Mary said, “You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
3) Reflection
•
The visit of the angel to Mary reminds us of the visit of God to different
women of the Old Testament: Sarah, mother of Isaac (Gen 18: 9-15), Anne, mother
of Samuel (1 Sam 1: 9-18), the mother of Samson (Judg 13: 2-5). All of them
announced the birth of a son with an important mission in God’s plan.
• The account begins with the expression “in the sixth month”. It is the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth. The need of Elizabeth, a woman advanced in age who is expecting her first son with the risk of delivery, is the background of this entire story. Elizabeth is mentioned at the beginning (Lk 1:26) and at the end of the visit of the angel (Lk 1:36,39).
• The angel says, “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favor, the Lord is with you!” Similar words were said also to Moses (Ex 3: 12), to Jeremiah (Jer 1: 8), to Gideon (Judg 6: 12) and to others with an important mission in God’s plan. Mary is surprised at the greeting and tries to understand the significance of these words. She is practical. She wants to understand. She does not accept just any invitattion.
• The angel answers: “Do not be afraid!” Just as it happened in the visit of the angel to Zechariah, the first greeting of God is always: “Do not be afraid!” Immediately the angel recalls the promises of the past which will be fulfilled thanks to the son who will be born and who is to receive the name of Jesus. He will be called the Son of the Most High and in Him the Kingdom of God will be realized. This is the explanation of the angel in such a way that Mary is not afraid.
• Mary is aware of the mission which she is about to receive, but she continues to be practical. She does not allow herself to be drawn by the greatness of the offer and knows her condition. She examines the offer through criteria which she has available. Humanly speaking, it was not possible: “But how can this come about? I have no knowledge of man.”
• The angel explains that the Holy Spirit, present in God’s Word since the creation (Gen 1: 2), is able to realize things which seem impossible. This is why the Holy One who will be born of Mary will be called Son of God. The miracle repeats itself right up to today. When the Word of God is accepted by us, something new happens, thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit! Something new and surprising such as a son born of a virgin or a son born to a woman of advanced age, like Elizabeth, whom all said was barren, that she could not have children! And the angel adds, “See, your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible with God”.
• The response of the angel clarifies everything for Mary, and she surrenders: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary uses for herself the title of a servant, Handmaid of the Lord. This title from Isaiah represents the mission of the people not as a privilege, but rather as a service to other people (Is 42:1-9; 49:3-6). Later Jesus will define His mission as a service: “I have not come to be served, but to serve!” (Mt 20:28). He learned from his Mother!
• The account begins with the expression “in the sixth month”. It is the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth. The need of Elizabeth, a woman advanced in age who is expecting her first son with the risk of delivery, is the background of this entire story. Elizabeth is mentioned at the beginning (Lk 1:26) and at the end of the visit of the angel (Lk 1:36,39).
• The angel says, “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favor, the Lord is with you!” Similar words were said also to Moses (Ex 3: 12), to Jeremiah (Jer 1: 8), to Gideon (Judg 6: 12) and to others with an important mission in God’s plan. Mary is surprised at the greeting and tries to understand the significance of these words. She is practical. She wants to understand. She does not accept just any invitattion.
• The angel answers: “Do not be afraid!” Just as it happened in the visit of the angel to Zechariah, the first greeting of God is always: “Do not be afraid!” Immediately the angel recalls the promises of the past which will be fulfilled thanks to the son who will be born and who is to receive the name of Jesus. He will be called the Son of the Most High and in Him the Kingdom of God will be realized. This is the explanation of the angel in such a way that Mary is not afraid.
• Mary is aware of the mission which she is about to receive, but she continues to be practical. She does not allow herself to be drawn by the greatness of the offer and knows her condition. She examines the offer through criteria which she has available. Humanly speaking, it was not possible: “But how can this come about? I have no knowledge of man.”
• The angel explains that the Holy Spirit, present in God’s Word since the creation (Gen 1: 2), is able to realize things which seem impossible. This is why the Holy One who will be born of Mary will be called Son of God. The miracle repeats itself right up to today. When the Word of God is accepted by us, something new happens, thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit! Something new and surprising such as a son born of a virgin or a son born to a woman of advanced age, like Elizabeth, whom all said was barren, that she could not have children! And the angel adds, “See, your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible with God”.
• The response of the angel clarifies everything for Mary, and she surrenders: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary uses for herself the title of a servant, Handmaid of the Lord. This title from Isaiah represents the mission of the people not as a privilege, but rather as a service to other people (Is 42:1-9; 49:3-6). Later Jesus will define His mission as a service: “I have not come to be served, but to serve!” (Mt 20:28). He learned from his Mother!
4) Reflection
•
What struck you the most in the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary?
• Jesus praises his Mother when He says: “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” (Lk 11:28). How does Mary relate to the Word of God during the visit of the angel?
• Jesus praises his Mother when He says: “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” (Lk 11:28). How does Mary relate to the Word of God during the visit of the angel?
5) Concluding Prayer
To
Yahweh belong the earth and all it contains,
the world and all who live there;
it is He who laid its foundations on the seas,
on the flowing waters fixed it firm. (Ps 24: 1-2)
the world and all who live there;
it is He who laid its foundations on the seas,
on the flowing waters fixed it firm. (Ps 24: 1-2)
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