Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

“Magnificat”
by Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet, c. 1675’s

 
Readings for December 22 in Advent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1 1 Samuel 1:24-28
 
In those days,
Hannah brought Samuel with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the Lord in Shiloh.
After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
“Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord.
I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.”
She left Samuel there.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Sm 1:24-28
 
In this passage from 1 Samuel, we see Samuel’s mother, Hannah, dedicating the boy to God. The reference she made to Eli: “I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord,” refers to her prayer that she would be allowed to bear a son for God (1 Samuel 1:9ff). Her prayer answered, she now dedicates him and leaves him to be trained in the faith.  Hannah leaves young Samuel at Shiloh.  Shiloh at that time was a sanctuary for the people of Israel and a tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 18:1; 22:9).  It was served by priests and was central to Jewish worship prior to the building of the temple at Jerusalem.
 
CCC: 1 Sm 1 489
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
 
R. (see 1a) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
 
“My heart exults in the Lord,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
 
“The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
 
“The Lord puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
 
“He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
 
This is a hymn attributed to Hannah, the mother of Samuel, as her thanksgiving to God because she has borne a son despite her previous sterility. She praises God as the helper of the weak (1 Samuel 2:1-2), who casts down the mighty and raises up the lowly (1 Samuel 2:3-5), and who alone is the source of true strength (1 Samuel 2:8-10); the hymn ends with a prayer for the king (1 Samuel 2:10). This canticle has several points of resemblance to Our Lady's Magnificat. [4]
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel Luke 1:46-56
 
Mary said:
 
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”
 
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:46-56
 
Following the parallel canticle of Hannah from 1 Samuel, we are given the Magnificat, the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of the Church. In her dedication to God’s service, she offers herself to him as the vessel of the Messiah. She sets the stage for the humble birth of Jesus.
 
"Three stanzas may be distinguished in the canticle: in the first (verses 46-50) Mary glorifies God for making her the Mother of the Savior, which is why future generations will call her blessed; she shows that the Incarnation is a mysterious expression of God's power and holiness and mercy. In the second (verses 51-53) she teaches us that the Lord has always had a preference for the humble, resisting the proud and boastful. In the third (verses 54-55) she proclaims that God, in keeping with His promise, has always taken care of His chosen people – and now does them the greatest honor of all by becoming a Jew (cf. Romans 1:3)." [5]
 
CCC: Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706; Lk 1:55 422
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
As Christians one of the most important tasks we undertake is to try to conform ourselves to the will and example of Christ.  We see him in terms of absolutes. He is the absolute pinnacle of love, love itself as Scripture says.  He is absolutely obedient to the will of the Father in all things.  His spirit is the Holy Spirit, completely free from any blemish of sin.  In short, he is perfection incarnate.
 
If one were to see his essence in stark relief against our own lives, we would despair at ever coming close to his example.  How could we even begin such a journey?  We therefore thank our God for providing us with examples we can see that remind us that ordinary human beings have approached the perfection for which we strive to varying degrees.  Our chief sources of these examples are the saints.  Their lives, venerated by the Church, give us hope that we too can approach holiness.  Their words stand like signposts pointing the way to spiritual betterment.  Sometimes miraculously and always heroically, they accept the invitation of the Lord to walk in his footsteps.
 
First and foremost, among these saints is Mary the Virgin Mother of God, whose song is proclaimed to the whole Church on this day (and surprisingly this is the only time the Roman Calendar uses this reading from St. Luke’s Gospel in the celebration of Mass).  In St. Mary’s song she is responding to her cousin Elizabeth’s abject humility and praise at her arrival from Nazareth.   The older woman, herself a vessel of new life, has echoed the words of the archangel Gabriel who had pronounced her “full of grace” at the Annunciation.  She praised Mary for her complete obedience to God’s invitation to accept the gift and responsibility of the Incarnate Word, now growing in her womb.
 
The Blessed Virgin’s answer to this praise is one of those seminal moments in the history of God’s revelation where we see the soul to which our souls aspire.  Her opening words describe the perfect balance of calm assurance and perfect humility.  Mother Mary can be completely subordinate to God while assuming, without pride, the role she now fulfills.  After she identifies herself as God’s servant, she goes on to praise God, recognizing all that he has done – magnifying his greatness – allowing her passion for God to swell in words that can barely grasp all the Father has done.
 
We hear and pray those words ourselves. We seek to use her example to mold our own response to God in grace and humility, as she did.  The Blessed Mother’s example is one to which we can relate completely.  Especially as the great Feast of the Nativity draws ever closer, we pray that our response to God’s call may come closer to Saint Mary’s, that in her perfect obedience and joy in the Lord we may also find hope for ourselves.
 
Pax
 
O Antiphon for this date: [6]
 
O King of all the nations, the only joy of every
human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of
man: Come and save the creature you fashioned
from the dust.
 
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.
 

---

[1] The picture used today is “Magnificat” by Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet, c. 1675’s.
[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] NAB footnote on 1 Sm 2:1.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 350.
[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)

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 496-507, 495: Mary’s virginal motherhood
CCC 437, 456, 484-486, 721-726: Mary the Mother of Christ by the Holy Spirit
CCC 1846: Jesus as Savior revealed to Joseph
CCC 445, 648, 695: Christ the Son of God in his Resurrection
CCC 143-149, 494, 2087: the “obedience of faith”

“The Nativity of Jesus”
by Caravaggio, 1609

 
Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 7:10-14
 
The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God;
let it be deep as the netherworld, 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 people,
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.
-------------------------------------------
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 Emmanuel (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.”[5]
 
"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.'" [6]
 
CCC: Is 7:14 497
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
 
R. (7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is 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 king of glory.
 
Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is 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 king of glory.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 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 an entrance hymn, 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
-------------------------------------------
Reading II: Romans 1:1-7
 
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rom 1:1-7
 
St. Paul introduces himself to the Christian churches in Rome with this opening message from his letter. We note that the apostle has seen clearly that all that was promised by the law of Moses and the Hebrew prophets was fulfilled in Christ, thus establishing continuity with the Jewish faith. In typical fashion, the introduction includes a statement of purpose (apostolate of the Gospel of Christ) and a profession of faith. Specifically, he directs his remarks to the Gentiles, also called to faith. It is implicit in this greeting that the profession of faith is shared by the church in Rome.
 
CCC: Rom 1:1 876; Rom 1:3-4 648; Rom 1:3 437, 496; Rom 1:4 445, 695; Rom 1:5 143, 494, 2087
 -------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24
 
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 1:18-24
 
Following the genealogy, St. Matthew provides the short story of Mary’s virginal conception through the Holy Spirit, and how God intervened to ensure that Joseph also heard his call. This section of the Nativity narrative from St. Matthew’s Gospel tells the story of Joseph’s dilemma. He is required by Mosaic Law to file a petition of divorce in front of witnesses. He has resigned himself to this course of action when he had a dream in which an angel came to him and told him of the origins of the child Mary bore. For his part, Joseph accepted the message and did as the Lord commanded.
 
“Joseph, the tsaddiq or pious Jew, finds himself before a God who seems to contradict himself, just as he did when he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the only son of the promise.  We are always compelled to read anew the deeds of God in our lives.  His justice and righteousness are inseparable from a hidden inventiveness whose logic cannot be codified once and for all. ‘To make an example by punishing publicly’ is the full connotation of the verb δειγματίσαι in the legal context in which it appears here, and it is the verb that describes the procedure prescribed by Jewish law for one convicted of adultery. But Joseph did not want to do with Mary in a literal obedience to Jewish law, God, in a sense, did with her, only in an unexpected way. The Gospel here proposes Mary as the example of how the God-fearing person ought to behave when approached by a God who always has unfathomable reasons for acting as he does.  The depth of Mary’s obedience, thus “exposed” by God, ought to convert our disobedience by the sheer force of its radiance! What Joseph did decide to do was λάθϱα άπολΰσαι to ‘dismiss’ or ‘divorce her secretly’.” [7]
 
CCC: Mt 1:16 437; Mt 1:18-25 497; Mt 1:20 333, 437, 486, 497; Mt 1:21 430, 437, 452, 1507, 1846, 2666, 2812
 -------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
All of the sacred texts used today have been used in our liturgy within the past twelve months.  They have occurred at different times and with different significance but each of the readings has been presented, some multiple times (the psalm and St. Matthew’s Gospel).  They come together today to tell a story of God’s plan being fulfilled.  It is remarkable that none of the individuals involved today had any relationship to each other, yet all were integral in causing God’s plan of salvation to come together.  Isaiah, probably thinking he was delivering a message to his king so the people would take heart that God was with them, predicted the birth of Jesus, born of a virgin, called Emmanuel, the Messiah.
 
Following Isaiah by hundreds of years come St. Joseph and Mother Mary, both being of the line of King David as was Ahaz. Both were selected by God to raise his Only Begotten Son, who was to be the salvation of the world.  Finally, we have St. Paul who comes as an apostle of the Son of God. He proclaims the arrival of the Messiah, predicted by Isaiah, and raised by St. Joseph and St. Mary, bringing the message of hope to the world.  We stand today in awe of God’s wondrous works and his plan of salvation.
 
The baton is passed to us as we gather ourselves for the final rush to the Nativity of the Lord. In this time of grave division in our communities it is urgent that we broadcast the message that was given to the shepherds at our Savior’s first coming. We take the message of peace and joy, which is encompassed by the Kingdom of God, into a world that prefers the darkness of greed, hate, and hedonism.  Like a scene from a vampire movie, we take the cross of Christ to dispel the evil of the world and bring hope to those without hope and love to the unloved.
 
Always it has been the same.  God called Isaiah to deliver a hard message; he called Joseph and Mary to take on a heavy burden based upon faith; and he hurled St. Paul into a hostile world.  We reach out for the hand of the infant Jesus, knowing where it leads, and pledge once more to walk with him to the Kingdom of God.
 
Pax
 
O Antiphon for December 21^st: [8]
 
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.
 

---

[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 today is “The Nativity of Jesus” by Caravaggio, 1609.
[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] NAB footnote on Isaiah 7: 10ff.
[6] The Navarre Bible, Major Prophets (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 73.
[7] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 65.
[8] 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).

Saturday 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.
-------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------
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.
 
-------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------
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),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)

Friday 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.
-------------------------------------------
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!
-------------------------------------------
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.” 
-------------------------------------------
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)