Bible Diary 2008 : Readings & Commentaries

BIBLE DIARY 2008
Readings and Commentaries

December 2008
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	1	2	3 Francis Xavier (M)	4 John of Damascus (OM)	5	6
7 2nd Sunday of Advent	8 Immaculate Conception	9	10	11 Pope Damasus I (OM)	12 Our Lady of Guadalupe (M)	13 Lucy (M)
14 3rd Sunday of Advent	15	16	17	18	19	20
21 4th Sunday of Advent	22	23	24	25 Christmas	26 Stephen, First Martyr	27 St. John
28 Feast of the Holy Family	29 Thomas Becket (OM)	30	31 Pope Sylvester (OM)			F - Feast M - Memorial OM - Optional Memorial

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December 1
Monday

1st Week of Advent

First Reading: Is 2:1-5

The vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the last days, the mountain of Yahweh's house shall be set over the highest mountains and shall tower over the hills.

All the nations shall stream to it, saying, "Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths. For the Teaching comes from Zion, and from Jerusalem the word of Yahweh.

"He will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword against nation; they will train for war no more.

"O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!"

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Gospel Reading: Mt 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum, an army captain approached him to ask his help, "Sir, my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly." Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

The captain answered, "I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one: 'Go,' he goes, and if I say to another: 'Come,' he comes, and to my servant: 'Do this,' he does it."

When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those who were following him, "I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven."

Commentary
The season of Advent is given to us as a means of preparing our hearts for the great celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. We turn to the Sacred Scriptures frequently during Advent so that our hearts might be open for Him to come into our lives.
The army captain's words are the very words that we say at every Mass before receiving the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion: "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…" The Lord who came at Bethlehem and who will come again in glory visits us with His substantial presence every time the Holy Mass is offered.

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December 2
Tuesday

1st Week of Advent

First Reading: Is 11:1-10

From the stump of Jesse a shoot will come forth;
from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him-
a Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
a Spirit of counsel and power,
a Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Not by appearances will he judge,
nor by what is said must he decide,
but with justice he will judge the poor
and with righteousness decide for the meek.
Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor,
and the breath of his lips slay the wicked.
Justice will be the girdle of his waist,
truth the girdle of his loins.
The wolf will dwell with the lamb,
the leopard will rest beside the kid,
the calf and the lion cub will feed together
and a little child will lead them.
Befriending each other, the cow and the bear
will see their young ones lie down together.
Like cattle, the lion will eat hay.
By the cobra's den the infant will play.
The child will put his hand into the viper's lair.
No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain,
for as water fills the sea
the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
On that day the "Root of Jesse" will be raised as a signal for the nations. The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Gospel Reading: Lk 10:21-24

Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and made them known to the little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. I have been given all things by my Father, so that no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said to them privately, "Fortunate are you to see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see but did not, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Commentary
The disciples of Jesus were fortunate to have seen Him face to face and to have dwelt in His holy presence. Still, we must never underestimate the incredible blessing that we receive in being able to hear His Word and receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Lord loves us so much that He never wants to be far from us. Though He reigns from heaven His presence still graces the earth through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. During this beautiful season of Advent may we recall how blessed we are to be called to His supper.

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December 3
Wednesday

1st Week of Advent
Francis Xavier

First Reading: Is 25:6-10a

On this mountain Yahweh Sabaoth will prepare for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, meat full of marrow, fine wine strained.

On this mountain he will destroy the pall cast over all peoples, this very shroud spread over all nations, and death will be no more. The Lord Yahweh will wipe away the tears from all cheeks and eyes; he will take away the humiliation of his people all over the world:
for Yahweh has spoken.

On that day you will say: This is our God. We have waited for him to save us, let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For on this mountain the hand of Yahweh rests.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Gospel Reading: Mt 15:29-37

Jesus went to the shore of Lake Galilee, and then went up into the hills where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the dumb, the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many with other infirmities. The people carried them to the feet of Jesus, and he healed them. All were astonished when they saw the dumb speaking, the lame walking, the crippled healed and the blind able to see; so they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "I am filled with compassion for these people; they have already followed me for three days and now have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they may faint on the way." His disciples said to him, "And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?" Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They answered, "Seven, and a few small fish."

So Jesus ordered the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the small fish and gave thanks to God. He broke them and gave them to his disciples, who distributed them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover broken pieces filled seven wicker baskets.

Commentary
Eucharistic images fill the daily readings during this first week of the Advent season. The bread and fish multiplied on the shore of Lake Galilee prefigure the even greater miracle of the Lord changing bread and wine into His Body and Blood.

Many were fed that day by the lake and many leftover fragments were gathered together. That great feast would foreshadow the sacrificial meal of the Holy Eucharist and the everlasting banquet that awaits us in heaven. May our hearts be filled with gratitude for the first and longing for the second, especially as we prepare spiritually for Christmas.

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December 4
Thursday

1st Week of Advent
John of Damascus

First Reading: Is 26:1-6

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city,
he himself has set up
walls and fortifications to protect us.
Open the gates!
Let the righteous nation enter,
she who is firm in faithfulness.
You keep in perfect peace
the one of steadfast mind,
the one who trusts in you.
Trust in Yahweh forever,
for Yahweh is an everlasting Rock.
He brought down those who dwell on high,
he laid low the lofty city,
he razed it to the ground,
leveled it to the dust,
Now it is trampled
the poor and the lowly tread upon it.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Gospel Reading: Mt 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples, "Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father.

"So, then, anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man, who built his house on rock. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house, but it did not collapse because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible fall that was!"

Commentary
When we base our lives upon the rock solid foundation of the Word of God we need not worry about what tomorrow will bring. Taking time to read the Bible every day and reflect on its meaning in our daily lives is a sure way of being formed by the Lord to face the challenges that this life brings.

Jesus is the Word of God, and we encounter Him in Scripture and in Sacrament. May our lives be centered around Him so that we might develop greater fortitude to face whatever difficulties might come our way.

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December 5
Friday

1st Week of Advent

First Reading: Is 29:17-24

In a very short time,
Lebanon will become a fruitful field
and the fruitful field will be as a forest.
On that day
the deaf will hear the words of the book,
and out of the dark and obscurity
the eyes of the blind will see.
The meek will find joy
and the poor among men will rejoice
in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant will be no more
and the scoffers gone forever,
and all who plan
to do evil will be cut down-
those who by a word make you guilty,
those who for a bribe can lay a snare
and send home the just empty-handed.
Therefore Yahweh, Abraham's redeemer,
speaks concerning the people of Jacob:
No longer will Jacob be ashamed;
no longer will his face grow pale.
When he sees the work of my hands,
his children again in his midst,
they will sanctify my name,
they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,
and stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who err in spirit will understand;
those who murmur will learn.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Gospel Reading: Mt 9:27-31

As Jesus moved on from Capernaum, two blind men followed him, shouting, "Son of David, help us!" When he was about to enter the house, the blind men caught up with him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do what you want?" They answered, "Yes, sir!"
Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "As you have believed, so let it be." And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus gave them a stern warning, "Be careful and let no one know about this." But as soon as they went away, they spread the news about him through the whole area.

Commentary
Faith in the Lord brings tremendous blessings, as the two men in the Gospel discovered. Like them, we have our blindness. We do not notice the good things the Lord has done for us. We do not recognize the presence of the Lord in our world. We do not perceive how God is acting in our lives.
The candles on the Advent wreath represent the light that is brought into the world through the coming of Jesus Christ, light that enables us to see our lives as being filled with the meaning, purpose and direction that only He can bring.

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December 6
Saturday

1st Week of Advent
Nicholas

First Reading: Is 30:19-21, 23-26

O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. When you cry, he will listen; when he hears, he will answer.

When the Lord has given you the bread of anguish and the water of distress, he, your teacher will hide no longer. Your own eyes will see him, and your ear will listen to his words behind you: "This is the way, walk in it."

He will then give rain for the seed you sow and make the harvest abundant from the crops you grow. On that day your cattle will graze in wide pastures. Your beasts of burden will eat silage tossed to them with pitchfork and shovel.

For on the day of the great slaughter, when fortresses fall, streams of water will flow on every mountain and lofty hill.

The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times greater, like the light of seven days, when Yahweh binds up the wounds of his people and heals the bruises inflicted by his blows.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

Gospel Reading: Mt 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest."

Then he called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: "Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.
"Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift."

Commentary
The coming into the world of the only begotten Son of God is the Father's magnanimous gift, motivated purely out of His abundant love for us. We are called to share with others this gift that we have received in faith, especially through our words of kindness and our deeds of mercy.

St. Francis told his followers, "Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words." By our words, but especially through our actions may we pass on to others the wonderful gift that we have received, the gift of faith in Jesus Christ.

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December 7
Sunday

2nd Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Is 40:1-5, 9-11

"Be comforted, my people,
be strengthened," says your God.
"Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, proclaim to her
that her time of bondage is at an end,
that her guilt has been paid for,
that from the hand of Yahweh
she has received double punishment
for all her iniquity."
A voice cries,
"In the wilderness prepare the way for Yahweh.
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley will be raised up;
every mountain and hill will be laid low.
The stumbling blocks shall become level
and the rugged places smooth.
The glory of Yahweh will be revealed,
and all mortals together will see it;
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."
Go up onto the high mountain, messenger of Zion,
lift up your voice with strength,
fear not to cry aloud when you tell Jerusalem
and announce to the cities of Judah:
"Here is your God!"
Here comes your God with might;
his strong arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and here before him is his booty.
Like a shepherd he tends his flock:
he gathers the lambs in his arms,
he carries them in his bosom,
gently leading those that are with young."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Second Reading: 2 P 3:8-14

Do not forget, brothers and sisters, that with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord does not delay in fulfilling his promise, though some speak of delay; rather he gives you time because he does not want anyone to perish, but that all may come to conversion. The Day of the Lord is to come like a thief. Then the heavens will dissolve with a great noise; the elements will melt away by fire, and the earth with all that is on it will be burned up.

Since all things are to vanish, how holy and religious your way of life must be, as you wait for the Day of God and long for its coming, when the heavens will dissolve in fire and the elements melt away in the heat. We wait for a new heaven and a new earth in which justice reigns, according to God's promise.

Therefore, beloved, as you wait in expectation of this, strive that God may find you rooted in peace, without blemish or fault.

Gospel Reading: Mk 1:1-8

This is the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in the book of Isaiah, the prophet, "I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way. Let the people hear the voice calling in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, level his paths."

So John began to baptize in the desert; he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. All Judea and all the people from the city of Jerusalem went out to John to confess their sins and be baptized by him in the river Jordan.

John was clothed in camel's hair and wore a leather garment around his waist. His food was locusts and honey. He preached to the people saying, "After me comes one who is more powerful than I am; I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit."

Commentary
St. Mark begins his Gospel with the figure of St. John the Baptist roaring like a lion in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
John's words are meant for us during this sacred season. Christmas is always at risk of being reduced to a secular holiday, a time for good will and cheer but little else. Being deliberate in our prayer and devotion during these weeks before the feast will open our hearts to experience the deeper meaning of Christmas. We will better sense how the Lord continues to enter our world, even in our day and age.

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December 8
Monday

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading: Gen 3:9-15, 20

Yahweh God called the man saying to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid." God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?" The man answered, "The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it." God said to the woman, "What have you done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me and I ate."

Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel."

The man called his wife by the name of Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

Second Reading: Eph 1:3-6, 11-12

Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord,
who in Christ has blessed us from heaven with every spiritual blessing.
God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world
to be holy and without sin in his presence.
From eternity he destined us in love
To be his sons and daughters through Christ Jesus,
thus fulfilling his free and generous will.
This goal suited him:
that his loving-kindness which he granted us in his Beloved
might finally receive all glory and praise.
By a decree of Him who disposes all things
according to his own plan and decision
we, the Jews, have been chosen and called
and we were awaiting the Messiah,
for the praise of his glory.

Gospel Reading: Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said, "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you." Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.

But the angel said, "Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever and his reign shall have no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be if I am a virgin?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child, and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible."

Then Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said." And the angel left her.

Commentary
Amidst the Advent season falls the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. We recall and celebrate how the Blessed Mother was, by a singular participation in the grace of her Son, kept free from original sin from the moment of her conception.

God's plan for our salvation was carefully constructed. Through the patriarchs and prophets, the exodus and the exile, God was acting in such a way as to ensure that humankind would be ready for so great a gift. By protecting the mother of our Lord from original sin, God would demonstrate the intricacy of His plan.

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December 9
Tuesday

2nd Week of Advent
Juan Diego

First Reading: Is 40:1-11

Be comforted, my people,
be strengthened, says your God.
Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, proclaim to her
that her time of bondage is at an end,
that her guilt has been paid for,
that from the hand of Yahweh
she has received double punishment
for all her iniquity.
A voice cries,
"In the wilderness prepare the way for Yahweh.
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley will be raised up;
every mountain and hill will be laid low.
The stumbling blocks shall become level
and the rugged places smooth.
The glory of Yahweh will be revealed,
and all mortals together will see it;
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry."
and I say, "What shall I cry?"
"All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty as the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower wilts,
when the breath of Yahweh blows upon it.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will forever stand."
Go up onto the high mountain, messenger of Zion,
lift up your voice with strength,
fear not to cry aloud when you tell Jerusalem
and announce to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes your God with might;
his strong arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and here before him is his booty.
Like a shepherd he tends his flock:
he gathers the lambs in his arms,
he carries them in his bosom,
gently leading those that are with young.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 96:1-2, 3, 10ac, 11-12, 13
The Lord our God comes with power.

Gospel Reading: Mt 18:12-14

Jesus said to his disciples, "What do you think of this? If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside, and go to look for the stray one? And I tell you: when he finally finds it, he is more pleased about it than about the ninety-nine that did not get lost. It is the same with your Father in heaven: there they don't want even one of these little ones to be lost."

Commentary
Jesus enters our world and our lives as the good and gentle shepherd who never gives up on His lost sheep. He comes to save the lost and to gather the dispersed into the one flock of God. He calls His sheep by name and leads us to the verdant pastures and restful waters.

The Good Shepherd also does battle with the enemy to protect His sheep from harm, so much does He love us. Without Him we are lost to the powers of sin and death. With the Lord we are brought into the safety of the Kingdom.

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December 10
Wednesday

2nd Week of Advent

First Reading: Is 40:25-31

To whom, then, will you liken me
or make me equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and see:
who has created all this?
He has ordered them as a starry host
and called them each by name.
So mighty is his power,
so great his strength,
that not one of them is missing.
How can you say, O Jacob,
how can you complain, O Israel,
that your destiny is hidden from me,
that your rights are ignored by Yahweh?
Have you not known, have you not heard
that Yahweh is an everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth?
He does not grow tired or weary,
his knowledge is without limit.
He gives strength to the enfeebled,
he gives vigor to the wearied.
Youth may grow tired and faint,
young men will stumble and fall,
but those who hope in Yahweh
will renew their strength.
They will soar as with eagle's wings;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and never tire.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10
O bless the Lord, my soul!

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:28-30

Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light."

Commentary
Abeast of burden can do a tremendous amount of work, provided that its yoke is carefully crafted to fit its frame. Without a good yoke, the animal will struggle and quickly tire.

The Lord equips us with the carefully tailored yoke of His Word. The clear, consistent direction He gives is designed to fit us perfectly so that we can carry out His will in loving and generous service. Following the Lord is neither a burden nor a chore, for to serve Him is what we were created to do, all through the infinite wisdom of our God.

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December 11
Thursday

2nd Week of Advent
Damasus I

First Reading: Is 41:13-20

For I, Yahweh, your God, take hold of your right hand and say to you: "Fear not, I am your assistance."
Fear not, Jacob, poor worm, and you, people of Israel, so frail.
I am your redeemer, says Yahweh,
the Holy One of Israel, your helper.
I will make you a thresher, new and with sharp double teeth: you will thresh hills and mountains, crushing them and reducing them to chaff.
You will winnow them, the wind will carry them off and the storm will scatter them. But you will rejoice in Yahweh and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
The poor and the afflicted seek water, and find none.
Their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I, Yahweh, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open up streams over the barren heights
and let the rivers flow through all the valleys;
I will turn the desert into lakes and brooks
and the thirsty earth
into a land of springs.
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar,
the acacia, the myrtle and the olive;
I will plant in the wasteland fir, cypress and pine-
that all may see and know,
consider and understand,
that the hand of Yahweh has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab
The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:11-15

Jesus said to the crowds, "No one greater than John the Baptist has come forward among the sons of women, and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered and the unyielding seize it.

"Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy: all the prophets and the Law; and if you believe me, John is this Elijah, whose coming was predicted. Let anyone with ears listen!"

Commentary
John the Baptist represents the last prophet of the Old Testament, for He echoes every prophecy that had ever been uttered about the coming of the Messiah, and he does so with a keen sense of urgency.
Jesus emphasizes the importance of John's words and deeds because they are a call to conversion of heart. John is great precisely because he recognizes the fallen state of man and the necessity of every person to seek the Lord's mercy and forgiveness. We who have ears must listen carefully to John's teaching, for doing so allows us to find refuge in the tender compassion of the Lord.

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December 12
Friday

2nd Week of Advent
Our Lady of Guadalupe / Jane Frances de Chantal

First Reading: Is 48:17-19

Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, Yahweh, your God, teach you what is best for you; I lead you in the way that you must go.
Had you paid attention to my commandments, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Your descendants would have been like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, their names never cut off nor blotted out from my presence.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:16-19

Jesus said to the crowds, "Now, to what can I compare the people of this day? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain: 'We played the flute for you but you would not dance. We sang a funeral song but you would not cry!'
"For John came fasting and people said: 'He is possessed.' Then the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and people said: 'Look at this man! A glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet the outcome will prove Wisdom to be right."

Commentary
Children can be very mean in mocking others. Old enough to speak, they are not mature enough to know the power of their words. Jesus accuses his contemporaries of acting childish in their outright rejection of His message. Sadly, if they only knew who He was, they would surely accept Him.
We must be on guard against similarly rejecting the message of the Gospel. God's Word is truly wise and full of implications for our daily living. When we claim that it does not apply to us we make a mockery of God's holy Word. Rather, let us accept God's word fully and unconditionally.

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December 13
Saturday

2nd Week of Advent
Lucy

First Reading: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11

Then came the prophet Elijah like a fire, his words a burning torch.
He brought a famine on the people and in his zealous love had them reduced in number.
Speaking in the name of the Lord he closed the heavens, and on three occasions called down fire.
How marvelous you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Who could ever boast of being your equal?
You were taken up by a whirlwind of flames in a chariot drawn by fiery horses.
It was written that you should be the one to calm God's anger in the future before it broke out in fury, to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Happy are those who will see you and those who die in love, for we too shall live.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19
Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Gospel Reading: Mt 17:9a, 10-13

As they were coming down the mountainside, the disciples then asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah must come first?" And Jesus answered, "So it is: first comes Elijah to set everything as it has to be. But I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him, but treated him as they pleased. And they will also make the Son of Man suffer."
Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

Commentary
John's martyrdom by King Herod pre-figures our Lord suffering and being condemned to death at the hand of Pontius Pilate. The powers of this world are threatened by the message of the Gospel and will go to great lengths to stop its spread.
Following the Lord is counter-cultural. It goes against the grain of our contemporary world. As the Lord suffered, so do His disciples. The season of Advent is a fitting time for us to be mindful of the consequences of following Jesus, and to take comfort in the fact that He is always at our side.

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December 14
Sunday

3rd Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Is 61:1-2a, 10-11

The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me,
because Yahweh has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up broken hearts,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
freedom to those languishing in prison;
to announce the year of Yahweh's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to give comfort to all who grieve.
I rejoice greatly in Yahweh,
my soul exults for joy in my God,
for he has clothed me in the garments of his salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of his righteousness,
like a bridegroom wearing a garland,
like a bride adorned with jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its growth,
and as a garden makes seeds spring up,
so will the Lord Yahweh make justice and praise
spring up in the sight of all nations.

Responsorial Psalm:
Lk 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54
My soul rejoices in my God.

Second Reading: 1 Thes 5:16-24

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks to God at every moment. This is the will of God, your vocation as Christians.
Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise the prophets' warnings. Put everything to the test and hold fast to what is good. Avoid evil, wherever it may be.
May the God of Peace make you holy and bring you to perfection. May you be completely blameless, in spirit, soul and body, till the coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord; he who called you is faithful and will do it.

Gospel Reading: Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

A man came, sent by God;
his name was John.
He came to bear witness,
as a witness to introduce the Light
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the Light
but a witness to introduce the Light.
This was the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?" John recognized the truth and did not deny it. He said, "I am not the Messiah."
And they asked him, "Then who are you? Elijah?" He answered, "I am not." They said, "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?" And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, "I am the voice crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord."
Those who had been sent were Pharisees; so they put a further question to John: "Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?" John answered, "I baptize you with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal."
This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Commentary
The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word that means Rejoice. We rejoice because the celebration of Christmas is near, and because the one foretold by John the Baptist has come into the world to save us from our sins.
John came to testify to the light. He pointed out the Messiah by his exclamation, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" John was the voice for the Eternal Word of God, announcing His coming through his message of repentance. As this beautiful season continues to unfold, may we open our hearts more and more to the Lord.

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December 15
Monday

3rd Week of Advent

First Reading: Num 24:2-7, 15-17a

He looked up and saw Israel camping, tribe by tribe;
and the spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his song:
"Word of Balaam, son of Beor, the seer, the one who hears the words of God,
and beholds the vision of the Almighty,
in ecstasy, with eyes unveiled.
How goodly are your tents, Jacob, your encampments, Israel!
Like valleys stretching far,
like gardens beside a stream,
like aloes planted by Yahweh,
like cedars beside the waters.
His buckets are overflowing and his seeds are always watered.
His king becomes stronger than Agag, and his kingdom grows."
Then Balaam pronounced his oracle:
"Word of Balaam, son of Beor, the seer,
the one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
and sees the vision of the Almighty,
in ecstasy, with eyes unveiled.
I see a figure, but not really.
I behold him but not near.
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
he rises with a staff in his hand;
he shatters the forehead of Moab
and tears down all the sons of Sheth."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9
Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Gospel Reading: Mt 21:23-27

Jesus had entered the Temple and was teaching when the chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the Jewish authorities came to him and asked, "What authority have you to act like this? Who gave you authority to do all this?"

Jesus answered them, "I will also ask you a question, only one. And if you give me an answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. When John began to baptize, was it a work of God, or was it merely something human?"

They reasoned out among themselves, "If we reply that it was a work of God, he will say: Why, then, did you not believe him? And if we say: The baptism of John was merely something human, beware of the people; since all hold John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know."

And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what right I do these things."