Readings for Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Isaiah 40:25-31
To whom can you liken me as an equal?
says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high
and see who has created these things:
He leads out their army and numbers them,
calling them all by name.
By his great might and the strength of his power
not one of them is missing!
Why, O Jacob, do you say,
and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know
or have you not heard?
The LORD is the eternal God,
creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint nor grow weary,
and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.
He gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Is 40:25-31
In this passage from Isaiah, the Prophet is chastising the faithful for loosing hope; not understanding that God has not forgotten the children in exile (“Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’?”) He follows this critical challenge with a statement of the fidelity of God and hope that comes through faith, indicating the strength gained in faith in God is unbounded (“They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10
R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10
This hymn of praise focuses on God’s power and will to heal all ills and to support us in times of trouble. It is through his own will that he does this.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 11:28-30
The heart piercing tenderness of Jesus invitation is best expressed in these two verses found only in Matthew’s Gospel. The Lord invites us to be placed under the authority of his word (Take my yoke…) and there we will find rest. This saying of Jesus is addressed to all who are burdened by the requirements of the lives they live. He offers them the help of God who takes those burdens of pain, fear, and fatigue upon himself, replacing them with the yoke of God’s kingdom. Quoting Jeremiah 6:16, he calls the weary to follow his way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Candle of Love now joins the Candle of Hope giving light to the darkness!
How many people have been comforted by the short passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel? Within those two short verses, the Savior offers hope for those in trouble and the peace that flows from his love to those who are weary. Only one thing does he ask in return for the offer of his friendship, that we take up the easy burden of love – the lampstand of the heavenly kingdom from which that light of Christ brightens every corner.
As we all know, accepting that yoke requires a mindset not easily achieved. Loving others, however, relieves us of so many burdens. Think of it, if a person with whom you have serious issues is being constantly encountered in your life, is it not difficult? Are we not uncomfortable with the enmity between us? Would it not be much easier to simply forgive that person for the wrong they may have done you. Even if that feeling of love is not returned, the yoke is taken from your shoulders. Those who embrace the passion of hatred or mistrust ultimately destroy themselves. Those who cannot let go of hurts caused by others allow the very hurt they received to flow from themselves and affect others – even others close to them are harmed unintentionally by the spirit of hatred.
For those injured, especially by loved ones, this saying of Jesus is especially intended. The poor in this case are the poor in spirit, those damaged by a person they loved who betrayed that trust and ruined the affection they felt for each other. At this time of Advent, when family ties are most significantly felt, hearing this invitation is urgently necessary.
For all who have been injured, hear the Lord calling; “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest…”, rest from the pain, rest from the burdens of anger and hatred. Allow the love of Christ, blazing from that second candle to take away that awful sting. The Lord offers the most wonderful gift imaginable, love and forgiveness.
Today our prayer is easier said than done. Today we pray that we might be able to put down our burdens of enmity and hatred and take upon our shoulders the yoke of love so gently offered by the Savior of the world who is to come. May we, in taking up this yoke, become a light to others, especially those we love most dearly.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Isaiah 40:25-31
To whom can you liken me as an equal?
says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high
and see who has created these things:
He leads out their army and numbers them,
calling them all by name.
By his great might and the strength of his power
not one of them is missing!
Why, O Jacob, do you say,
and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know
or have you not heard?
The LORD is the eternal God,
creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint nor grow weary,
and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.
He gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Is 40:25-31
In this passage from Isaiah, the Prophet is chastising the faithful for loosing hope; not understanding that God has not forgotten the children in exile (“Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’?”) He follows this critical challenge with a statement of the fidelity of God and hope that comes through faith, indicating the strength gained in faith in God is unbounded (“They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10
R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10
This hymn of praise focuses on God’s power and will to heal all ills and to support us in times of trouble. It is through his own will that he does this.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 11:28-30
The heart piercing tenderness of Jesus invitation is best expressed in these two verses found only in Matthew’s Gospel. The Lord invites us to be placed under the authority of his word (Take my yoke…) and there we will find rest. This saying of Jesus is addressed to all who are burdened by the requirements of the lives they live. He offers them the help of God who takes those burdens of pain, fear, and fatigue upon himself, replacing them with the yoke of God’s kingdom. Quoting Jeremiah 6:16, he calls the weary to follow his way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Candle of Love now joins the Candle of Hope giving light to the darkness!
How many people have been comforted by the short passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel? Within those two short verses, the Savior offers hope for those in trouble and the peace that flows from his love to those who are weary. Only one thing does he ask in return for the offer of his friendship, that we take up the easy burden of love – the lampstand of the heavenly kingdom from which that light of Christ brightens every corner.
As we all know, accepting that yoke requires a mindset not easily achieved. Loving others, however, relieves us of so many burdens. Think of it, if a person with whom you have serious issues is being constantly encountered in your life, is it not difficult? Are we not uncomfortable with the enmity between us? Would it not be much easier to simply forgive that person for the wrong they may have done you. Even if that feeling of love is not returned, the yoke is taken from your shoulders. Those who embrace the passion of hatred or mistrust ultimately destroy themselves. Those who cannot let go of hurts caused by others allow the very hurt they received to flow from themselves and affect others – even others close to them are harmed unintentionally by the spirit of hatred.
For those injured, especially by loved ones, this saying of Jesus is especially intended. The poor in this case are the poor in spirit, those damaged by a person they loved who betrayed that trust and ruined the affection they felt for each other. At this time of Advent, when family ties are most significantly felt, hearing this invitation is urgently necessary.
For all who have been injured, hear the Lord calling; “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest…”, rest from the pain, rest from the burdens of anger and hatred. Allow the love of Christ, blazing from that second candle to take away that awful sting. The Lord offers the most wonderful gift imaginable, love and forgiveness.
Today our prayer is easier said than done. Today we pray that we might be able to put down our burdens of enmity and hatred and take upon our shoulders the yoke of love so gently offered by the Savior of the world who is to come. May we, in taking up this yoke, become a light to others, especially those we love most dearly.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “Triumph of Church over Fury, Discord, and Hate” by Pieter Pauwel Rubens, 1628
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment