Commemoration of Saint John of Kenty, Priest
Biographical Information about St. John of Kenty
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1 Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Reading 1 Mal 3:1-4, 23-24
“My messenger . . . before me: in Malachi 3:23 this messenger is called Elijah. In Matthew 11:10 these words are quoted by Christ as referring to John the Baptizer, who prepared the way for the coming of the Savior;”[4] We believe this prediction from Malachi sees its fulfillment with the coming of St. John the Baptist.
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Responsorial Psalm:[5] Psalm 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
R. (see Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
The theme of guidance is continued in the psalm. This selection gives a clear sense of the Lord’s path announced by John the Baptist below and Malachi above.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel Luke 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:57-66
We follow Mary’s Magnificat of yesterday with the story of John the Baptist’s birth, circumcision and naming. The silence imposed on Zachariah by God is broken as he confers that name upon his son. The question is asked by those who are at hand; “"What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.’”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The candles of hope, love, and joy continue to shine and are finally joined by the candle of peace. With its lighting the flame shines brightly inviting the Price of Peace to rule our hearts and minds.
Our Advent journey is almost over, the long wait for the great blessing of the Feast of the Nativity. The spiritual journey has been as intense as our physical preparations for the great holiday and they now are heralded by the birth of St. John the Baptist. Although we celebrate a special feast to celebrate this day on June 24th each year, today we recall the event for a different reason. It is in conjunction with the Lord’s birth that we remember the blessing of new life of St. John the Baptist.
We see in this part of the story yet another miraculous sign of things to come. Zachariah, mute since that day almost a year earlier when he demonstrated his unbelief in God’s plan and power, is released from his affliction when he does as the Lord wished by naming his child John. This is especially surprising for the friends who had gathered since it was a long standing tradition to name the first son after the father (hence their statement in the Gospel “they were going to call him Zechariah after his father”). We see their surprise, not only did the family break with tradition, but immediately upon doing so, the punishment applied to Zachariah was lifted.
Something new was coming. Zachariah, priest of the temple, had named his child with a name not of their family. Elizabeth had born a child in her old age after being infertile her whole life. It is no wonder they asked “What, then, will this child be?” He was set on a different path and “The hand of God was upon him.”
Our wait is almost over. We see in the birth of St. John the Baptist the eminent arrival of the one he is to herald. It is one more proof of the identity of the Christ child we welcome in less than two days. Be at peace now, as the candles remind us, the Lord of Light is at hand, his reign will soon be established once more and our journey starts a new circle of faith, rising and dying once more.
Pax
Biographical Information about St. John of Kenty
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1 Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the LORD comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Reading 1 Mal 3:1-4, 23-24
“My messenger . . . before me: in Malachi 3:23 this messenger is called Elijah. In Matthew 11:10 these words are quoted by Christ as referring to John the Baptizer, who prepared the way for the coming of the Savior;”[4] We believe this prediction from Malachi sees its fulfillment with the coming of St. John the Baptist.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[5] Psalm 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
R. (see Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
The theme of guidance is continued in the psalm. This selection gives a clear sense of the Lord’s path announced by John the Baptist below and Malachi above.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel Luke 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:57-66
We follow Mary’s Magnificat of yesterday with the story of John the Baptist’s birth, circumcision and naming. The silence imposed on Zachariah by God is broken as he confers that name upon his son. The question is asked by those who are at hand; “"What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.’”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The candles of hope, love, and joy continue to shine and are finally joined by the candle of peace. With its lighting the flame shines brightly inviting the Price of Peace to rule our hearts and minds.
Our Advent journey is almost over, the long wait for the great blessing of the Feast of the Nativity. The spiritual journey has been as intense as our physical preparations for the great holiday and they now are heralded by the birth of St. John the Baptist. Although we celebrate a special feast to celebrate this day on June 24th each year, today we recall the event for a different reason. It is in conjunction with the Lord’s birth that we remember the blessing of new life of St. John the Baptist.
We see in this part of the story yet another miraculous sign of things to come. Zachariah, mute since that day almost a year earlier when he demonstrated his unbelief in God’s plan and power, is released from his affliction when he does as the Lord wished by naming his child John. This is especially surprising for the friends who had gathered since it was a long standing tradition to name the first son after the father (hence their statement in the Gospel “they were going to call him Zechariah after his father”). We see their surprise, not only did the family break with tradition, but immediately upon doing so, the punishment applied to Zachariah was lifted.
Something new was coming. Zachariah, priest of the temple, had named his child with a name not of their family. Elizabeth had born a child in her old age after being infertile her whole life. It is no wonder they asked “What, then, will this child be?” He was set on a different path and “The hand of God was upon him.”
Our wait is almost over. We see in the birth of St. John the Baptist the eminent arrival of the one he is to herald. It is one more proof of the identity of the Christ child we welcome in less than two days. Be at peace now, as the candles remind us, the Lord of Light is at hand, his reign will soon be established once more and our journey starts a new circle of faith, rising and dying once more.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “Birth of St. John the Baptist” (detail) by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1486-90
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] See NAB footnote on Mal:3:23
[5] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved
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