Fourth Sunday of Advent

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 148, 495, 717, 2676: The Visitation
CCC 462, 606-607, 2568, 2824: The Son becomes incarnate to do the Father’s will

“Visitation”
by Juan del Castillo, 1630s

Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent  [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Micah 5:1-4a
 
Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.
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Commentary on Mi 5:1-4a
 
The prophet Micah, a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah, speaks in the voice of God (“Thus says the Lord…”) prophesying that the Messiah will come from the clan of Ephrathah.  At that time, this group was synonymous with the town of Bethlehem which was roughly 5 miles south of Jerusalem (see Joshua 15:59 and Ruth 4:11). The reference to the origin of the ruler as being “of old” is a reference to the ancient line of King David.
 
Eight centuries before Christ, Micah foresees that Israel’s domination by foreign powers will end only with the Messiah. The intervening years are seen by the prophet as analogous to the labor pains of childbirth. His prophecy is consistent with the Emmanuel oracle from Isaiah 7:15. The passage concludes with the attributes of the future monarch, that he will not only bring peace: but “he shall be peace” (even clearer in the Jerusalem translation “He himself will be peace”).
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
 
R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
 
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
 
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
 
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
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Commentary on Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
 
Here the psalmist implores the Lord to send the Messiah (“Rouse your power, and come to save us”). This will be the gift that fulfills all hopes (“Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name”).
 
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Reading II: Hebrews 10:5-10
 
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.’“
 
First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in.”
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
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Commentary on Heb 10:5-10
 
The words of Psalm 40:7 are attributed to Christ at his incarnation: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire.” St. Paul continues by referring to the four main types of Jewish sacrifices; peace offerings, cereal offerings, holocausts, and sin offerings. God is less interested in the prescribed time, place, or form of the offering as he is in the heart’s intent. Christ annuls the law requiring sacrifices of this type and becomes the sacrifice, the sin offering, that fulfills the requirement of the law for all time.
 
"The writer’s specific concern is with the purging of the conscience (cf. 9:9, 14). The sacrifices prescribed by the law were incapable of achieving decisive purgation; they could not remove the consciousness of sins (10:1–4). Their ineffectiveness in this regard exposed a fundamental weakness in the cultic provisions of the old covenant. The law was effectively precluded from becoming the organ of salvation." [5]
 
CCC: Heb 10:5-10 606; Heb 10:5-7 462, 516, 2568; Heb 10:5 488; Heb 10:7 2824; Heb 10:10 614, 2824
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Gospel: Luke 1:39-45
 
Mary set out
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,
“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.”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:39-45
 
St. Luke’s nativity story continues with Mary’s journey to visit Elizabeth. In this passage, we see the first meeting between John the Baptist (the child in Elizabeth’s womb) and Jesus (now growing in Mary’s womb). Here also is one of the foundational Scripture passages for the “Hail Mary” prayer: “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This greeting of Elizabeth’s sets the stage for the beautiful Canticle of Mary which follows immediately.
 
"St. John Chrysostom comments on this scene of the Gospel: ‘See how new and how wonderful this mystery is. He has not yet left the womb but he speaks by leaping; he is not yet allowed to cry out but he makes himself heard by his actions [...]; he has not yet seen the light but he points out the Sun; he has not yet been born and he is keen to act as Precursor. The Lord is present, so he cannot contain himself or wait for nature to run its course: he wants to break out of the prison of his Mother's womb and he makes sure he witnesses to the fact that the Savior is about to come’ (‘Sermo Apud Metaphr., Mense Julio’)." [6]
 
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? "In the Old Testament, the title 'my lord' is frequently used for the Davidic king (e.g., 1 Kings 1:31; 2:38; Psalm 110:1). In the Spirit, Elizabeth may thus recognize that Mary bears her king, the Messiah. Moreover, in the Old Testament, the Hebrew name of God, YHWH, was translated in the Septuagint as 'Lord' (kyrios). So far in Luke, that word has thus been used to refer to the Lord God, [Luke 1:6, 9, 11, 15-17, 25,28,32.] but now it is used for the first of many times for Jesus." [7]
 
CCC: Lk 1:41 523, 717, 2676; Lk 1:43 448, 495, 2677; Lk 1:45 148, 2676
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Reflection:
 
The final candle is lighted in the Advent Wreath, and we come together on this, the fourth Sunday of our Advent journey, to worship the one who came, who is, and who is to come.  Scripture recalls the prophecy of his first advent.  The prophet Micah sees the coming of the Messiah in his prophetic vision.  He sees the great shepherd being born to be peace for all mankind.  We hear his words and have a better understanding of the poor chief priests and scribes who heard the prophet’s words: “his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth.”  How could they know that the Messiah’s greatness was not wrapped in majestic purple robes but in swaddling clothes, in a manger?
 
How could they understand, those religious leaders who prided themselves on performing ritual sacrifices of all the prescribed types, that the Messiah they expected would come to be a sacrifice that would end the need for any other sacrifice, for all time?  The reality of what the Messiah was coming to bring was a salvific gift that they could not, in their most pious dreams, conceive. The author of the Book of Hebrews did his best to explain that “The sacrifices prescribed by the law were incapable of achieving decisive purgation; they could not remove the consciousness of sins (10:1–4). Their ineffectiveness in this regard exposed a fundamental weakness in the cultic provisions of the old covenant. The law was effectively precluded from becoming the organ of salvation." [8]
 
Our anticipation of the Nativity of Christ grows as the Gospel of St. Luke relays the story of how the Blessed Mother, after being told by the archangel Gabriel she was to be with child, travels to see for herself that the second part of the angel’s message to her was true.  Elizabeth, her cousin and the wife of Zechariah, was indeed with child.  This was surprising since she was thought to be barren and was now clearly pregnant.
 
The meeting of these holy women and the response of the fetal St. John the Baptist gives us a prelude to the joy that will be announced by the angels in Bethlehem at the birth of the Savior.  St. John leaps with joy in Elizabeth’s womb, giving us words we pray so frequently: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
 
For us this day is one to put aside the stress and commercialization the season causes and to join with St. John, leaping for joy at the coming of the sacrifice that makes us whole.  We will celebrate that nativity in a few short days.  Now we recall his purpose in coming, leading us home to the Father as was his intent.
 
Pax
 
In other years:  December 22nd
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Visitation” by Juan del Castillo, 1630s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] William L. Lane, Hebrews 9–13, vol. 47B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1991), 259.
[6] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp. 349-50.
[7] The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz © 2018, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p. 49.
[8] William L. Lane, Hebrews 9–13, vol. 47B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1991), 259.

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Optional Memorial for Saint Peter Canisius, Priest, Doctor of the Church

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Peter Canisius
 
Biographical Information about St. Peter Canisius

“Mary Visiting Elizabeth”
by Jan-Erasmus Quellinus 1651

 
Readings for December 21 [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1
 
First Option: Song of Songs 2:8-14
 
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.”
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Commentary on Sg 2:8-14
 
From the Song of Songs we are given a love song, in this instance the bride seeing her love approach. The time of their meeting draws near, and she begs for the time they can be together: “Let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely." This reading is a favorite at weddings for obvious reasons.  Placed here, on the verge of Christmastide, we see a more complete purpose as the Church rejoices in the coming of her bridegroom, Christ.
 
-------------------------------------------
OR
Second Option: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
 
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.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Zep 3:14-18a
 
The prophet Zephaniah begins this passage with an exaltation of praise to God. His invitation sounds in the present tense, but then he says: “On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem,” which places the event, the rejoicing over the Lord God being in their midst, in the future. In effect, this is a prediction of events to come. Zephaniah also includes the effects of God’s presence as he continues: “a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love.”
 
We hear the expectation of the Messiah: “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst.” In this case the effects of the Messiah on the people are the focus. The prophet proclaims a renewal of God's loving adoption and the joy felt by the Father at his favorite creation.
 
CCC: Zep 3:14 722, 2676; Zep 3:17a 2676; Zep 3:17b 2676
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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.
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Commentary on Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
 
This hymn of praise is an invitation for those who follow the Lord to rejoice in His grace. The theme of breathless anticipation is again expressed as the psalmist sings: “Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield.” The sense of renewed passion for the Lord is captured in the response which is taken from the first verse of this psalm.
 
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Gospel: Luke 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.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:39-45
 
St. Luke’s nativity story continues with Mary’s journey to visit Elizabeth. In this passage, we see the first meeting between John the Baptist (the child in Elizabeth’s womb) and Jesus (now growing in Mary’s womb). Here also is one of the foundational Scripture passages for the “Hail Mary” prayer: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This greeting of Elizabeth’s sets the stage for the beautiful Canticle of Mary which follows immediately.
 
"St. John Chrysostom comments on this scene of the Gospel: ‘See how new and how wonderful this mystery is. He has not yet left the womb, but he speaks by leaping; he is not yet allowed to cry out, but he makes himself heard by his actions [...]; he has not yet seen the light but he points out the Sun; he has not yet been born and he is keen to act as Precursor. The Lord is present, so he cannot contain himself or wait for nature to run its course: he wants to break out of the prison of his mother’s womb and he makes sure he witnesses to the fact that the Savior is about to come’ (‘Sermo Apud Metaphr., Mense Julio’)." [4]
 
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? "In the Old Testament, the title 'my lord' is frequently used for the Davidic king (e.g., 1 Kings 1:31; 2:38; Psalm 110:1). In the Spirit, Elizabeth may thus recognize that Mary bears her king, the Messiah. Moreover, in the Old Testament, the Hebrew name of God, YHWH, was translated in the Septuagint as 'Lord' (kyrios). So far in Luke, that word has thus been used to refer to the Lord God, [Luke 1:6, 9, 11, 15-17, 25,28,32.] but now it is used for the first of many times for Jesus." [5]
 
CCC: Lk 1:41 523, 717, 2676; Lk 1:43 448, 495, 2677; Lk 1:45 148, 2676
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Reflection:
 
Every evening, those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours join millions around the world in remembering the words of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. We recall her example of faith to which the whole Church aspires. When we pray the Canticle of Mary at each Evening Prayer, the first words, as we make the sign of the cross, seem to fill us up: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord."
 
We can feel her emotion as we say: "My spirit rejoices in God my savior." And the truth of: "He has looked with favor on his lowly servant." The song is so filed with quiet grace and confidence in God that it imparts that same feeling to those of us who have echoed its words down through the millennia.
 
And on this day, as we approach the Nativity of the Lord and the completion of Mother Mary’s first blessing for being the vessel of the Lord, we see in her attitude perfect obedience to God’s will.  If we could reach the faith of Mary our mother, we would find indwelling peace that the grace of Christ’s presence gives to us. We would also find glorious serenity that places all of the cares and sorrows of our world in the hands of God and would let our spirits soar.
 
Ah, but that is hard. Mary, who was graced with a character so pure of sin that even original sin never spoiled that exemplar of God’s love and fidelity, was given such a special place and grace that her cousin Elizabeth cried out: "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."
 
What can we do? All we have found that gets us close to her peace and serenity is the marvelous Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat. We look forward to it each day and find ourselves praying the first few lines during the day when we feel the work we have accomplished is indeed to the greater glory of God. And there is a reason the archangel Gabriel’s words begin the most common prayer of our faith: "Hail Mary, full of grace...” The words bring us comfort and remind us of the beauty, obedience and sincere worship expressed by the Mother of God, and our hope that we might emulate her faith by word, action, and thought.
 
The nativity of the Lord is nearly here, and we join Holy Mary in her expectation of the blessed event of the Lord’s birth, and his return in glory.
 
Pax
 
O Antiphon for this date [6]
 
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.
 
O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

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[1] The picture is “Mary Visiting Elizabeth” by Jan-Erasmus Quellinus 1651.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp. 349-50.
[5]  The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz © 2018, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p. 49.
[6] The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. (USCCB)

Friday of the Third Week of Advent

“The Nativity”
by Federico Fiori Barocci, 1597

 
Readings for December 20 [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 7:10-14
 
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.
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Commentary on Is 7:10-14
 
Jerusalem is being attacked by two neighboring kings when Isaiah is commanded by God to go and speak to the Jewish king, Ahaz, cautioning him to have faith that God will protect Jerusalem. Ahaz is hypocritical in both his faith and his response, which is interpreted as cynical when he says: “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!”
 
Isaiah follows with his prophetic vision. He does not realize the import of his prediction. Most scholars agree, he thinks he is merely speaking of the rescue of Judah. “The sign proposed by Isaiah was concerned with the preservation of Judah in the midst of distress (cf. Isaiah 7:15, 17), but more especially with the fulfillment of God's earlier promise to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16) in the coming of Immanuel (meaning, "With us is God") as the ideal king (cf. Isaiah 9:5-6; 11:1-5). The Church has always followed St. Matthew in seeing the transcendent fulfillment of this verse in Christ and his Virgin Mother.” [4]
 
"The child, the son, is the most significant part of the sign. If the prophecy refers to the son of Ahaz, the future King Hezekiah, it would be indicating that his birth will be a sign of divine protection, because it will mean that the dynasty will continue. If it refers to another child, not yet known, the prophet's words would mean that the child's birth could manifest hope that 'God was going to be with us,' and his reaching the age of discretion (v. 16) would indicate the advent of peace; the child's birth would, then, be the sign that 'God is with us.'" [5]
 
CCC: Is 7:14 497
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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.
 
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Commentary on Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
 
Psalm 24 is a processional song. It recalls that God is the great creator, and he calls his people to be faithful. It asks the question: "Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?" The psalmist answers, only those who are sinless (completely reconciled to God). They who achieve that beatified state will receive the reward of eternal life from the Savior. It focuses on the character of the one who worthily seeks God, and the one who is worthy to come into God’s kingdom and stand before him. We are answered: “He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.”
 
This is part of a hymn of entrance, sung as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple at Jerusalem, followed by the faithful. Once again in this song, we find a reference borrowed by St. John’s Revelation (Revelation 14:5), and an image created in the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10:22). Who are the ones allowed full access to God?
 
CCC: Ps 24:6 2582
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Gospel: Luke 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.
------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:26-38
 
This passage, from St. Luke’s Gospel, is the story of Mary being informed by the archangel Gabriel that she has been chosen for the great privilege of bearing the Savior of the world. St. Mary graciously accepts this honor, although with very human fear, indicating that her free will is at play. This response makes her obedience to God’s will more powerful. It is proposed that, with this acceptance, Mary entered into a vow of perpetual virginity because of the demands of Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel."
 
In St. Luke’s story of the Annunciation, the archangel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her she will bear a son and name him Jesus (the eternal implication of this statement is made clear in the greeting which presupposes knowledge of Mary’s entire existence). Mary confirms the title “Virgin” given by the author as she questions Gabriel saying: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Even though she does not understand, Mary accepts her role and is told that the Holy Spirit will be the agent of the life within her. She then utters those amazing words: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."
 
This announcement is parallel to Zechariah’s news about John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-23), which is also delivered by the archangel Gabriel. This passage clearly identifies Jesus as Son of David and Son of God, thus linking it with the messianic predictions from the Old Testament.
 
CCC: Lk 1:26-38 497, 706, 723, 2571; Lk 1:26-27 488; Lk 1:26 332; Lk 1:28-37 494; Lk 1:28 490, 491; Lk 1:31 430, 2812; Lk 1:32-33 709; Lk 1:32 559; Lk 1:34 484, 497, 505; Lk 1:35 437, 484, 486, 697; Lk 1:37-38 494; Lk 1:37 148, 269, 273, 276; Lk 1:38 64, 148, 510, 2617, 2677, 2827, 2856
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Reflection:
 
We near the end of our spiritual preparation for the great feast of the Lord’s Nativity.  We have heard the Baptist’s cry and have been called to look to our hearts to see the place we have made for the Lord.  As the starter of a race says, we have already been told: “On your mark.”  With the proclamation once more of St. Luke’s story of the Annunciation, we find ourselves poised as the second warning, “get set,” brings us to a barely contained state of expectation. (Hold steady, it will be four more days before we hear: “Go.”  No false starts now.)
 
Even as we hold ourselves at readiness, we take one last look at our preparations. 
 
Have we cleaned our old hurts and hates in the sacrament of reconciliation?
 
Have we established a prayer regimen that includes an attitudinal reflection? (By this we are referring to that portion of our prayer that not only gives thanks to God for all he has done, but also expresses our joy in those gifts.)
 
Have we aligned our actions and planned actions with our prayer, and our Lord’s commandments to us?
 
Have we adjusted our own desires to better conform ourselves to what God would want for us and from us?
 
We could not help but be very moved by the psalm this morning. Look at what it says. First it asks the rhetorical questions: “Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord, or who may stand in his holy place?” Then in the very next strophe we are given the answer: “He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.” That’s where the questions asked above came from.
 
We know that on our own, we cannot become worthy to stand in the physical presence of the Lord. But, we can make a real effort to so transform our lives that we minimize our period of purification following this life, so we can stand sinless before him for eternity. That is our object this Advent season, and we don’t have much time left, a few short days more.
 
Pax
 
O Antiphon for this date [6]
 
O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come,
break down the prison walls of death for those
who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom.
 
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.
 

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[1] The picture used today is “The Nativity” by Federico Fiori Barocci, 1597.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, except for the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on Isaiah 7:10ff.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.73.
[6] The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. (USCCB)

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

“The Holy Family with St. Elizabeth
and the Infant St. John the Baptist”
by Bartolomeo Passerotti, 1572.

Readings for December 19th [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Judges 13:2-7, 24-25ad
 
There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,
whose name was Manoah.
His wife was barren and had borne no children.
An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her,
“Though you are barren and have had no children,
yet you will conceive and bear a son.
Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink
and to eat nothing unclean.
As for the son you will conceive and bear,
no razor shall touch his head,
for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.
It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel
from the power of the Philistines.”
 
The woman went and told her husband,
“A man of God came to me;
he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed.
I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.
But he said to me,
‘You will be with child and will bear a son.
So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.
For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,
until the day of his death.’”
 
The woman bore a son and named him Samson.
The boy grew up and the Lord blessed him;
the Spirit of the Lord stirred him.
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Commentary on Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a
 
This story from Judges appears to parallel the Christ story in a number of ways. First the Israelites are under the rule of a foreign power at this time in history; the Philistines have conquered them. Next, there is divine intervention in the conception of a person who could be called a savior of the people, although the one conceived is not the Messiah. Samson, in a more conventional way, was dedicated from the womb to be God’s servant and under the ancient rite was placed under the Nazirite vow.  This vow obliged him to abstain from drinking wine or having his hair cut: cf. Numbers 6:2-8.
 
CCC: Jgs 13 332
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17
 
R. (see 8) My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
 
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
 
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
 
I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
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Commentary on Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17
 
Psalm 71 is the lament of an old person whose afflictions are considered to be divine judgment. The focus of this passage is on the dedication of this person to God from birth and it follows the theme established in Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a. Here we are told of the faithfulness of one so dedicated.
 
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Gospel: Luke 1:5-25
 
In the days of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechariah
of the priestly division of Abijah;
his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,
and her name was Elizabeth.
Both were righteous in the eyes of God,
observing all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
 
Once when he was serving as priest
in his division’s turn before God,
according to the practice of the priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
 
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”
 
Then Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
And the angel said to him in reply,
“I am Gabriel, who stand before God.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.
But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
 
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah
and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.
He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
 
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
 
After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,
and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit
to take away my disgrace before others.” 
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Commentary on Lk 1:5-25
 
This passage from St. Luke is the story of Zechariah receiving the news that he is to have a son with his wife Elizabeth. It can be contrasted with the story of the unnamed woman who bore Samson in Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a.
 
Like the mother of Samson, Elizabeth was also barren. Both conceptions were announced by angels, although in the case of Zechariah, the angel was one of the three named archangels, Gabriel. Both children were dedicated to God from the womb, but St. John the Baptist, whose tale this is, was given a specific task and labeled from the womb as a great prophet: “He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.”
 
In the final verses, Elizabeth goes into seclusion with praise to God for having given her the gift of her child. This statement reflects the societal view of that period. Women who could not have children were being punished by God and therefore had committed some hidden sin: “he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
 
CCC: Lk 1:11 332; Lk 1:15-19 724; Lk 1:15 717; Lk 1:17 523, 696, 716, 718, 2684; Lk 1:23 1070
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Reflection:
 
Sometimes the fingerprints of God are hard to distinguish and at other times they shine with unmistakable brilliance.  In Scripture today, we are shown two major points in history where God reached down and, using the flesh, gave the world evidence of his love.  In today’s examples more is revealed; we are given his modus operandi.
 
It seems that when God wants to really get involved in saving his people, he acts strategically.  He does not take a hand in real-time.  Rather he reaches down to the most improbable people and uses their issue as tools to create amazing and wondrous events.  We see it coming in the Old Testament and it culminates in the most spectacular event in all eternity with the birth of Jesus, God’s Only Begotten Son.
 
Today we see clearly the similarities between these touch points, and just as clearly the differences come into stark relief.  In the case first of Samson and then John the Baptist, the parents of these two salvific persons were told that they would give birth to children who would be dedicated to God from “the womb.”  In the case of Jesus however, Mary was a young virgin who had never known man and it was through the Holy Spirit she conceived, not through divine pronouncement of a human act.
 
In the cases of both Samson and John the Baptist (although John’s mission was much more clearly established by God), both men accomplished great things because they were supported by God.  In Jesus’ case, his self-predicted path, while going in scope and in depth beyond anything seen before, seems almost anti-climactic, an expected outcome in spite of its heroic proportions.  Perhaps it is because of his quiet passion and humility that we feel his great power.  There was nothing about him that would have otherwise called our attention to him (see Isaiah 53:1-2).
 
As we fly through this last week before we celebrate the Lord’s Nativity, we are given another insight into the God who saves us.  We can take that additional piece of understanding and bolster the faith that is the foundation of our strength and brace ourselves for the wondrous event that is fast approaching.
 
Pax
 
O Antiphon for the date [4]
 
O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up
as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your
presence; the nations bow down in worship before
you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our
aid.
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
 

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[1] The picture used today is “The Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and the Infant St. John the Baptist” by Bartolomeo Passerotti, 1572.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. (USCCB)