Xmas16

Since there are so many readings for a typical Christmas I will cherry pick thoughts and texts going from Christmas Vigil to the ‘Mass During the Day”.   Isaiah 62 declares that Zion’s victory will be “like a burning torch.”   For us that can be taken to be a reference to the King to be born who will be the Messiah.  The Acts of the  Apostles 13 declares that from the line of King David, according to God’s promise, a savior, Jesus, has been brought to Israel.  Matthew 1 begins, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David,  the son of Abraham.  God’s work was rooted in the past, grow into the future through the power of God working in his people.  Emmanuel, God is always with us.  Joseph took Mary, pregnant with the Messiah, into his home.  The people of God are to take Jesus into our earthly home.

Mass At Night:  “The people who walked in darkness (of sin) have seen a great light”.  “For a child is born to us, a son is given us.” “They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!”  Luke 2 declares, “For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.”  God sends his angels to the poorest of the poor, the shepherds, to make of them earthly angels, that is messengers of this awesome news, that God has come to dwell among his people, who have no room for him so that he has to be housed in a stable and lie in a manger (an animals’ feeding trough).  “And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  His favor rests on those who are open to receive him and not filled with themselves and their own preconceptions.  Paul’s letter to Titus declares that those who are ready to receive him have first accepted the grace of God that saves and trains us “to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly.”

In the “Mass at Dawn” the shepherds announce the message they had heard from the angels.  “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”  Paul writes to Titus that God our savior “saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” “so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope to eternal life.”

In ‘the Mass during the Day’ in John 1 Jesus is referred to as the ‘Word’, which I take to mean God the Father’s redeeming expression of love.  Then in another poetic way he is referred to as the light that shines in the darkness where the darkness is set in opposition to the light (evil against goodness).  “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God.”  Christmas only has its true meaning to those who choose to live with Jesus as their God.  From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God.  The only Son, God who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.”  In Jesus we see God.  In Hebrews 1, God says, “Let all the angels of God worship him” (Jesus).

Adv4A22.   Isaiah 7:10-14.   God is offering hope to his threatened people by promising them a sign that he is actively with them in their struggles.  Judah’s king Ahaz had not learned to live in a state of dependence upon the Lord and so he rejects the Lord’s offer of a sign of his active presence with his people.  Despite Ahaz’s negativity, the Prophet Isaiah responses, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” Matthew 1:18-24.   Joseph was chosen by God to be the earthly fatherly caretaker of Jesus, begotten of Mary by the Holy Spirit.  Matthew’s Gospel proclaims: “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.”  The angel or messenger of the Lord delivered the Lord’s command that Joseph take Mary into his home as his wife.  Joseph obeyed.  Jesus, God made man, is the fulfillment of “God is with us.”

Romans 1:1-7.  Paul enslaves himself to Jesus, which is to say, he gives himself over to belong totally to Jesus and Jesus’ will for him. Paul recognizes that Jesus called him to bring the Gentiles to “the obedience of faith” in Jesus.  Paul sees Jesus as an earthly descendant of David and also, as a person of heaven sent to call the people of this earth to heaven.  Through Jesus we are enabled or graced to belong to Jesus as was Paul.

Adv4A19.   Isaiah 7:10-14.  Through Isaiah God tells Ahaz to ask for a miraculous sign from the heavens but Ahaz refuses to obey God’s Will.  This upsets Isaiah who nonetheless promises a future sign from God.  “The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”

Matthew 1:18-24.  God chooses to become a creature of this earth without losing his divinity to one day redeem us from our sins.  The Creator creates the Redeemer to give us sinners a path to heaven.  In the Incarnation and Nativity God begins his act of salvation of humanity despite the great cost to him but because of his great love for us.  This is the plan of God the Father to whom Jesus is obedient.

Romans 1:1-7.   At the beginning of his letter to the Romans, Paul identifies himself by his relationship to Jesus.  Once again obedience to God’s love for us is central to the person Paul has chosen to be.  He passes on that same call to the gentiles who likewise “are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”  Salvation belongs to all who belong to and are obedient to the Will of God.

 

4advA   12/12/16

Isaiah 7:10-14.   God is so much in love with us that he came to be with us (Emmanuel) in the flesh.

Matthew 1:18-24.  This text relates to us how the Son of God became man without losing his divinity.  The Holy Spirit conceived the child Jesus (Savior) in Mary.  God is with us.  Joseph was obedient to God, as was Mary and as was Paul to his calling in the second reading

 

 

 

 

Romans 1:1-7.   “Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle” to the Gentiles.  In turn, the Gentiles “are called to belong to Jesus Christ;” “to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.”  The proper response to a calling is to be obedient.

Paul brings the good news of Jesus, the Messiah, to the Gentiles.  Jesus descended from David according to the flesh yet at the same time “established in power according to the Spirit of holiness” (divinity).  As the Spirit brought divinity into flesh, so also the Spirit daily brings humanity into holiness/divinity.

Adv3A22.  Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10.   Isaiah is reassuring those who were taken captive to Babylonia that God not only has not forgotten them but will take them from a horrid situation and make everything wondrous for them.  “Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.

Matthew 11:2-11.  Through his disciples, John the Baptist questions Jesus as to whether he is the Messiah or not?  Jesus replies that his miracles and his evangelizing words clearly proclaim who he is.  Jesus affirms the role of John as the precursor to the Messiah.  Despite his unique specialness here on earth, Jesus declares that John has not yet achieved the level of sanctity that those who are in heaven have attained.  The liturgy of this Sunday invites us to rejoice that without a doubt we have the Messiah, our Savior.

James 5:7-10.  It seems that it was common among the early Christians to expect that Jesus would be returning soon to collect his faithful followers.  James wrote, “Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Their impatience for that second coming led them to be impatient and judgmental toward one another.  James chides them to leave judging to the Judge Jesus.  Resting our lives in the hands of the Lord who loves us is the key to patience.

Adv3A19.  Isaiah 7:10-14.  The book of Isaiah describes the prediction of the Lord that, despite the present destruction and disaster that was enveloping Israel, God would make things well once again.  God will save all those who have sinned against him.  All will be joyful and give glory to God who will make all whole and holy in him.

Matthew 11:2-11.  John 4:12 states: “When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.”  John 4:17 goes on to say: “From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, ’Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Once John is no longer able to practice his ministry, Jesus takes it up but in much deeper way, since Jesus is the Messiah. John from prison questions Jesus if he is the Messiah or not.  Jesus responds that he doing the miraculous works of the Messiah.  Jesus concludes, “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me,” which I think means that blessed is the one who finds no short coming in me.  The footnote in the New American Bible for John 11:3 states, “The question probably expresses a doubt of the Baptist that Jesus is the one who is to come(cf. Mal 3,1) because his mission has not been one of fiery judgment as John had expected (3,2).”  Jesus goes on to say that John is more important than a prophet because he has the unique task in all of Bible history to prepare for the way of the Messiah.  Nevertheless, John, while he is on this earth and still himself a sinner, subject to the limitations that being a resident of this world puts on us, is not greater than any saint who is already in heaven.

Romans 1:1-7.  This is the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Romans.  He identifies himself as “a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle” to bring the Gospel and “the obedience of faith” to “all the Gentiles.”  He tells the Romans to whom he is writing this letter that they “are called to belong to Jesus Christ,” which is to say “called to be holy.” Jesus enters this world to bring all who accept him to live with him in heaven.

Adv2A22.    Isaiah 11:1-10.   The Assyrians had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel.   So ruthless was their conquest that all that was left was a stump and roots of Israel.  However, from it God would raise up the messianic king.  He would be so filled with the power of the Holy Spirit that he would turn the war-torn land into such an earthly paradise that “the Gentiles shall seek it out.”

Matthew 3:1-12.  John the Baptist came to prepare the way for the Lord in his work of making us people of God, rejecting our natural tendency to be people of this world.  John called the religious authorities of his day, the Pharisees and Sadducees, to a profound change in their lives; or else, they would suffer destruction.  John said, “Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”  Then John said of Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  Unless we submit to a total change in our lives, destroying what is not of God and embracing what is of God, we will be like chaff that is burnt up “with unquenchable fire.”

Romans 15:4-9.  Paul calls upon us to be a unified people who together “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Christ calls upon all people to belong to the God who is the God of and for all peoples.

Psalm 72.  “In him shall all tribes of the earth be blessed; all nations shall proclaim his happiness.”

Adv2A19.   Isaiah 11:1-10.  The chapter before this in Isaiah describes the destruction and conquest wrought by the Assyrian army over a substantial part of Israel.  God used Assyria to punish his sinful people.  Chapter 11 looks forward to a future time when God will restore his just rule by raising up a ruler from the line of Jesse, David’s father.  The new ruler shall have the spirit of Lord so to make of Israel a new creation, the sinful Israel having been annihilated by the invaders and even the new ruler himself.  Faithful to the Lord, he will be just and gracious as the Lord is just and gracious.  “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for all the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water cover the sea.” “For his dwelling shall be (so) glorious” that “the Gentiles shall seek (it) out.”

Matthew 3:1-12.   In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy, “A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths,” “John the Baptist appeared to make the people ready for Jesus.  John said of Jesus, “He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire; whereas “I am baptizing you with water” only.  John’s water cleanses whereas Jesus’ fire purifies and refines like gold in a furnace.  As “wheat is gathered into the barn”, he will gather those who are truly repentant of their sins in heaven.  Also as the chaff is burned, in his “coming wrath” so too “he will burn with an unquenchable fire” those who do not repent.  In effect he is telling us also, “Bear good fruit (or we) will be cut down and thrown into the fire” that gets rid of all who are worthless because of sin.

Romans 15:4-9.  Paul commends to his readers the strength and resolution of spirit to face the difficulties of bringing Christ to a world that is so self-centered, materialistic and in denial of eternal truth so to live just for the day and the moment. The Scriptures help us to build that endurance and courage that give us hope that the final victory belongs to those who belong to Christ. To give glory to Jesus and his salvific work requires his followers to think in harmony and be of one accord so to speak with one, unified voice.  What was promised to the patriarchs belongs to all, even the Gentiles.  Jews and Gentiles unite in the Messiah himself.

Adv2A  11/30/16

Isaiah 11:1-10   “On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom, it says in our first reading this Sunday.  The last line reads, “On that day, the root of Jesse set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” Jesse is David’s father and so represents the Davidic dynasty, which was decimated with the Babylonian Captivity.  However there still remained a stump from which came to be Jesus, the promise of an eternal peace and joy.

Matthew 3:1-12   “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” In other words, get ready to meet Maker and Judge.  You will be judged according to the “good fruit” of God working within you.  John makes it clear that they will not be judged righteous just because they were born Jewish (or us, Catholic).  “Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and throw into the fire.”

“The one who is coming is mightier than I.”  “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance.”  He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire,” the fire of an intensity of life in the Lord.

He “will gather wheat into his barn(heaven), but the chaff (those who do not repent) he will burn with unquenchable fire.”(hell)

Romans 15:4-9.   The Scriptures Paul speaks about here are the Old Testament readings which we can interpret to have references to the future Messiah, Jesus.  That is the way, I believe, the first reading is to be understood.  “Think in harmony with one another”   A church that operates harmoniously will be a wonderful symbol of Jesus presence on earth.  Paul writes “Christ became a minister of the circumcised (the Jews) to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the promises of the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.”  Jesus is Messiah/Savior of all peoples to the glory of God.

Adv1A22.    Isaiah 2:1-5.   For Isaiah the God of the universe made his home in this universe in Jerusalem.  “All nations shall stream toward it.”  “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples.”  Under the leadership of the God of all peoples he will turn the instruments of war that take life away into instruments of agriculture that give life.  “Let us walk in the light of the Lord” and no longer in the darkness of destruction.

Matthew 24:37-44.  Most people live as if life is just an ordinary everyday flow of activities that only deal with ‘the here and now’, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.”  Jesus requires us to live our ‘now’ as a preparation for the ‘then’, when we will be swept away into the endless forever world.  “So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”  Live each day as though we are already in an endless forever, because as a matter of fact, we are already in ‘the endless forever’.

Psalm 122: “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.”

Romans 13:11-14.    Paul uses the earthly imagery of being asleep in the darkness of the night to portray a spiritual state of being caught up in “the desires of the flesh.”  He contrasts it to the spiritual state of living awake in the daylight of conducting ourselves properly in Christ.  Life ought to be Christ and not this world and our body.