Mass in the Morning
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| “The Birth of John the Baptist” by Tintoretto, c. 1554 |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
“Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!”
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?
“‘It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’”
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Commentary on 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Within the historical books of the Old Testament (1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 and 2 Maccabees), this passage is considered to have the most theological significance. Nathan’s oracle, the establishment of the dynasty of King David, marks the beginning of the understanding of royal messianism, our first hint of the Messiah to come.
In this passage, Nathan is told to tell David that, while he would not build the temple, his son (Solomon) would and that his (David’s) line would continue; “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.”
"The Davidic covenant is the latest and greatest of the Old Testament covenants. Following the steady buildup of covenants between God and his people over the centuries, beginning with Adam and continuing with Noah, Abraham, and Moses, the divine covenant with David brings the biblical story to a theological highpoint. Each of these ancient covenants helps to prepare the way for messianic times, but Jewish and Christian traditions agree that hopes for a coming Messiah are anchored most explicitly in the Lord's covenant with David." [4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
Though Psalm 89 is a lament, this first section is prophetic and reiterates the establishment of the Davidic dynasty. The intended support for 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 is clear. It is likely this hymn was sung entreating God, and reminding the people of the covenant between God and David to “establish your throne for all generations.”
CCC: Ps 89 709
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Gospel: Luke 1:67-79
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
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Commentary on Lk 1:67-79
St. John the Baptist had been born to Elizabeth. Now the seal the Lord had placed on the mouth of his father, Zechariah, has been lifted as he had named his son in accordance with the wishes of God. We are given the Canticle of Zechariah, the father’s song to his son, praising God and predicting the role his son would fulfill in God’s plan, as herald of the Messiah’s arrival. The whole Church sings this song each morning as part of the Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.
The canticle is broken into two themes. The first praises God for the salvation he sends through the line of King David. He uses imagery like that found in Isaiah's description of the messianic era (e.g. freedom for the captives, peace and freedom to worship God). The second theme addresses the mission and vocation of his newborn son, now named John (who will become the Baptist). In the strophes of that section, a loving father speaks of how John will play an important part in God's revelation, announcing the arrival of the Messiah ("to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins"), and bringing hope to those who are hopeless and peace to the world.
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Reflection:
The preparation for the Advent of our Lord is nearly complete with the exception of a few last minute details. We take a moment now to recall God’s plan and make ourselves ready to accept the gift long expected. For those of us who pray the prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Canticle of Zechariah is one familiar to us. Each morning we recall the words of one smitten by God and released from silence to sing of a promise fulfilled.
We can only guess at the mind of Zechariah as he sings his prophetic song. His first words are in praise of God the Father whose promise is fulfilled with the coming of the Messiah. We see in his expectation how easy it would be to get the wrong idea about the sort of entrance this Savior, predicted from the time of Abraham, would make. The Savior was to be born from the house of kings – of King David’s line – King David who was a mighty king and fierce warrior, securing the land through force of arms with God the Father sitting at his shoulder, scattering Israel’s foes like matchwood.
We see the truth of his great oracle in Jesus, but we also see how Zechariah’s infant son, John the Baptist to whom he now sings, could have misunderstood. Later, while he was in Herod’s prison, he would send his own disciples to ask the Lord if he was the one expected or if they should look for another. The song, however, sees the promise of God fulfilled, the promise made to all mankind throughout the history of his covenant.
We can almost see the eyes of Zechariah turn from their heavenward gaze to look at the infant in his arms. We hear his voice change from one of awe and praise to one of tenderness as he tells his son: “You, my child, shall be the prophet of the Most High.” We wonder how much God has shown this priest of the temple. Does he know this baby he now holds will shake the foundations of the temple he serves? Does he know that by preparing the way for the Savior to come, his son exposes the weakness of those in power to submit to God’s own Son?
Clearly, Zechariah sees the love of God embodied in the coming Savior of the world. He tells his son: “In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” All that this father, Zechariah, hopes for his son, our Father in heaven hopes for us. It is echoed there: his love, his compassion, his care for those who are lost. It is all there and in it we hear the parents' prayer for their children.
The one about whom Zechariah sang is almost at our doorstep and we pause and hope our hearts are prepared to accept the gift of a loving Father who will “guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Pax
[1] The picture is “The Birth of John the Baptist” by Tintoretto, c. 1554.
[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] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, The First and Second Books of Samuel, © 2016, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 80.
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