Commentary – The Baptism of the Lord Year B
January 11, 2015
First Reading – Isaiah 42.1-4, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
Commentary
The difficulty of this text lies in its richness! Like much of prophetic writing, it is very dense: many things are said in a few sentences. I'll try to break down the text.
To begin with, obviously, it has two parts: it is God who speaks from one end to the other, but in the first part, God talks about the one God calls his "servant" ("Here is my servant whom I uphold ... "), while in the second, God speaks directly to his servant (" I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand").
I will begin by focusing on the first part. To begin with, the surprising repetition of the word "justice" which appears three times: "My servant shall bring forth justice to the nations;” “he will faithfully bring forth justice;” “He will not grow faint and be crushed until he establishes justice on the earth " There is nothing harsh about the establishment of this justice; it is full of gentleness and respect for all that is fragile: "bruised reed", "smoldering wick”, "not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street…a bruised reed he a shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench.”
Another feature of this justice is that it concerns the whole of humanity: two statements about the nations (i.e. the whole of humanity) frame all that is said here about justice. The first is: "he shall bring forth justice to the nations," and the second: "He will not grow faint and be crushed until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching.”
There is no better way to say that God's will is for salvation, for liberation, and that it concerns all humanity. This means that when this text was written two things were already understood: first, that God’s justice is not to be feared for it is a word of salvation, of liberation (God is the "judge from whom we have nothing to fear" as our funeral liturgy says); and secondly, that God’s will for salvation concerns all of humanity. A last but very important point in the context of the mission given to the servant - he is assured of God’s support: "Here is my servant, whom I uphold... upon whom I have put my spirit."
The second part of the text expands on these themes: it is God himself who explains to his servant the mission that he is given: “to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.” Here, not only is the mission not one of condemnation, it is a true release from prison, from the darkness of the dungeon: the prison cells of the time had no windows, so that when one came out of the darkness of the jail cell into the light of day, the experience was blinding.
The universal nature of the servant’s mission is also very clear. God says that the servant will be “a light to the nations." And there is a reminder of God’s support: "I, the Lord, have called you ... I grasped you by the hand. "
The question naturally arises: of whom is Isaiah speaking? The description given here - of a servant of God invested with a mission of salvation for God’s people and for all humanity, and upon whom rested God’s spirit – fit perfectly the definition of the Messiah that Israel was expecting. It was he who would build the kingdom of God on earth and bring happiness and freedom to all. However, Isaiah does not specify his identity. Who is the servant invested with such a mission? We find the answer in the translation that the Jews themselves made of this passage a few centuries after this text was written, when, around 250 BC they translated the Bible into Greek from Hebrew (we call this translation the Septuagint). Here is the beginning of our text in the Septuagint: "Thus says the Lord: Behold my servant, Jacob, whom I uphold, my chosen, Israel, in whom I put all my joy." From this we can better understand the intention of the prophet when he preached these words to his contemporaries: the author (called Second Isaiah) lived and preached at the time of the Babylonian Exile in the sixth century BC. It was a particularly dramatic period and the people of Israel believed that they were doomed to disappear and no longer have a role to play in history. Therefore the prophet Isaiah has devoted all of his energies to restoring courage in his contemporaries, so much so that his work is called "The Book of the Consolation of Israel." A good way to boost the morale of the troops is to say: do not despair, God is still counting on you; you may be a small group, but as such you are called to be a privileged servant in God’s work of salvation in the world. Already the prophet Micah, in the eighth century had the intuition that the Messiah was not an individual but a collective being; and with the words of Isaiah in today’s text, the idea of a collective Messiah asserts itself once more.
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Addendum
- In our liturgical reading the first sentence says: "Thus says the Lord", probably to compensate for the removal of verse 5 in the middle of the text.
- Here is verse 5: "Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it." The second part of the book of Isaiah (the one called "The Book of the Consolation of Israel”) is rich in beautiful images of creation: it was under times of duress that the theme of God’s creative power and love for his creatures was developed; it is the best argument for holding on to hope: God’s creative power and loving faithfulness are the best guarantee of our liberation.
Responsorial Psalm – 29.1-2, 3-4, 9-10
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Commentary
In order to hear this psalm in full force, one must imagine the violence of a storm: the raging winds sweeping all of Palestine, Lebanon and Mt. Hermon in the north all the way down to the desert of Kadesh in the south. We already hear an echo of this image in the words, "The God of glory thunders;" however, this theme is found mainly in the middle verses of this psalm, which are not included here: "The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox (Sirion is another name for Mt. Hermon)... The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire… The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.... The voice of the Lord causes the deer to calf, and strips the forests bare... " (verses 5-8).
Where has God’s voice resounded in such dramatic fashion? At Sinai, of course. Remember the description in the book of Exodus when God offers his Covenant to Moses: "On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. "(Ex 19: 16-19). As you may know, the Targum on Exodus compares the voice of God to flames of fire: each time God gave Moses one of the articles of the Commandments (Decalogue) it was like fire coming from the mouth of God. I will read a passage from the Targum: "The first commandment, when it left the mouth of the Saint - Blessed be His name! - it was like sparks, lightning and flaming torches, a lamp of fire on his right and a lamp of fire on his left. It flew and flew through the heavens ... Then it returned and was engraved on the tablets of the Covenant ... "
We note, in passing, the repeated use (I'm tempted to say "litany") of the name of God revealed at Sinai: the word "LORD" (the famous name made up of the four letters YHVH) appears in almost all the verses of this psalm (eighteen times in the entire psalm!)
Another parallel with Sinai in this psalm is the phrase "voice of the Lord"; here, it is repeated three times, but throughout the psalm, it is repeated seven times, which is not an insignificant number: we immediately think of the seven days of creation in the first chapter of Genesis with its seven-fold "God said ... and it was. " This is a way of saying that God’s Word is effective, and it alone; in other words, unlike God, idols are incapable of speaking or acting.
This brings us to another theme of this psalm: the kingdom of God. If I had to summarize this psalm, I would say that its main message is that God alone is king; all other kingships are usurped; God alone deserves homage and adoration. Soon all will recognize the One God and worship God alone: first God’s people, of course, but more importantly, so will the usurpers who dared to claim the glory that belongs to God alone." The anti-idolatrous message is clear: the image of the storm is often used in the Bible to describe the coming of the kingdom of God, the final judgment of God upon the world when the powers of evil will finally disappear and God’s universal dominion will finally be manifested, just as it was manifested over the raging waters of the Flood: "The voice of the LORD is over the waters, the Lord, over vast waters. The voice of the Lord is mighty…"
Where else, other than in the first Creation account and in the story of the Flood did God dominate bodies of water? During the Exodus from Egypt, of course, at the crossing of the Sea, when the people fled from Egypt, "the house of bondage." This is their greatest claim to fame; now, the chosen people, freely liberated by God, are a witness before other nations, calling them to join in giving glory to God. Notice the emphasis on the word "glory" which comes up four times in the entire psalm.
Last remark: in the temple, the gathered believers already sing the glory of God, but for the rest of humanity, this is not yet the case! When the psalm says: "the Lord is enthroned as king forever," it is still in anticipation. But there is no doubt that the day will come when God will finally be recognized as king by all of God’s children.
We can now better understand the choice of this psalm for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord: with Jesus, "the Reign of God has come near, it is already in our midst."
Second Reading – Acts 10.34-38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”
Commentary
It is unheard of: Peter is violating all decency, entering the home of the pagan Roman centurion, Cornelius. I must add that the Holy Spirit has forced Peter’s hand!
Let me remind you of the events that led up to the speech that Peter gives here: Imagine two houses 31 miles apart, one being the house of Cornelius in Caesarea, the other, that of Simon the tanner in Joppa (today, Jaffa or Tel Aviv). It is in Simon’s house that Peter, who has temporarily left Jerusalem for a missionary tour, is staying.
In both houses, strange and quite unexpected things are happening - it begins in Caesarea. Cornelius is an officer of the Roman Empire (today we would say that he is Italian) stationed at Caesarea Maritima, that is to say, on the Mediterranean coast of the country of the Jews. To the Jews, Cornelius is a worthy man - pious, one of the so-called "God-fearing". This means that he has almost converted to Judaism, or at least he is very sympathetic towards Judaism, but without having been circumcised. He is also known for his generosity and gives alms to the synagogue of Caesarea.
Cornelius is in his house. One day, about three o'clock in the afternoon, he has a vision. He sees an angel of God coming to him and saying, "Cornelius!" He answers, trembling, "What is it, Lord?" The angel says to him, " Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea" (Acts 10, 4-6). Barely had the angel left, that Cornelius chooses two trusted men and sends them to Joppa, a good day’s walk, escorted by a soldier.
The next day, shortly before they arrive at their destination, strange things happen in Joppa: around noon, Peter climbs up to the roof top terrace to pray. Being almost lunchtime he becomes hungry, and now he too has a vision: from the sky falls a kind of sheet filled with all kinds of animals, and a voice says, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat! " It is impossible for a good Jew to obey such a command! First, he would have to carefully distinguish which of these animals are pure and which are not; so Peter instinctively answers, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean." But the voice says to him again," What God has made clean, you must not call profane! " (see Acts 10, 9-16)
In other words, who is he to decide what is pure or impure? Later, Paul, in the letter to the Romans, says, "I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself" (Rom 14: 14).
Peter certainly has difficulty coming to that same conclusion, since Luke states that this same scene was repeated three times. And he adds that Peter still did not understand, even after the vision disappeared. As you might suspect, it is precisely at this moment that Cornelius’ messengers knock at the door, on the ground floor, while upstairs on the terrace, the Holy Spirit says to Peter, "Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them" (10, 19). You can guess the rest of the story: Peter comes down, meets Cornelius’s messengers, asks why they have come, and then offers them hospitality; the next day, he goes to Joppa. I note in passing that he does not go alone, he takes some Christians with him; he suspects that something important is at hand because the Holy Spirit is involved, and if there are decisions to be made, it is always wiser to consult with others. Another day’s journey takes place, this time in the opposite direction - to Caesarea where they arrive the next day.
The arrival at Cornelius’s house is splendid. Cornelius has called family and friends to join him, and when Peter arrives, Cornelius falls at his feet; but Peter responds with the wonderful words: "Arise, I too am only a man." Then, in front of everyone, he gives the meaning of the vision at Joppa, as he has now come to understand it: "God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean." In other words, I, Peter, a Jew, had believed until now that I was being faithful to God's covenant by avoiding all contact with Gentiles. But I now understand that, in the eyes of God, no one is to be avoided. And that is why, for the first time in my life, I authorize myself, a Jew, to cross the threshold of the house of a Gentile. Then Cornelius explains why he asked for Peter, following the command of the angel of God. It is at this time that Peter begins the speech that we read: "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”
Israel’s election is not in question: "You know the word that he (God) sent to the Israelites, " but now all have access to faith in Jesus Christ.
You know the rest: Peter was perhaps ready to make a long speech, as on the morning of Pentecost, but the Holy Spirit, once again, is ahead of him: "While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter (that is, the Jews who had become Christians) were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God" (10, 44-46). Then Peter draws the obvious conclusion and does what he would never have thought to do without the Holy Spirit’s many interventions - he baptizes them. "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (10, 47)
That which Jesus assigned to his apostles on the day of his Ascension is being fulfilled. He had told them: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1: 8).
Translated with permission by Simone Baryliuk, from: Commentaires de Marie Noëlle Thabut, dimanche 12 janvier, 2014
http://www.eglise.catholique.fr/foi-et-vie-chretienne/commentaires-de-marie-noelle-thabut.html
Gospel- Mark 1.7-11
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Commentary
THE SPIRIT DESCENDED LIKE A DOVE
Jesus’ baptism is his first public appearance, and it serves as the occasion for the revelation of his identity. It seems that John the Baptist is himself unsure of whom he is dealing with; when he speaks of the coming Messiah to the crowds, he uses language familiar to everyone but he is not yet aware that it applies to Jesus of Nazareth. He says: "I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit"; which means: "I have immersed you in water; he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit" (“to baptize" means "to immerse"). Everyone understood that he was speaking of the Messiah because everyone knew the promise of the prophet Joel: "In those days, (i.e. when the Messiah comes), I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh" (Joel 3.1). The prophet Isaiah had also spoken several times of the Messiah on whom the Spirit would rest: "The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD"(Is 11.2). Isaiah goes on to describe the Messiah’s vocation: "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners... "(Is 61.1).
The rest of the scene is familiar to us: "On coming up out of the water he (Jesus) saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” "You are my Son" is a messianic title; it was the title conferred on each new king in Jerusalem on the day of his coronation; Jesus is the Messiah-King; this means that his baptism is truly a royal investiture. However, the formula used for kings did not include the word "beloved" (“You are my beloved son”). Perhaps this is an allusion to Abraham’s dearly beloved son Isaac, freely offered ... As for the final formula, "with you I am well pleased", it is also taken from Isaiah in reference to the Messiah:" Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased. Upon him I have put my spirit"(Is 42.1).
JESUS’ SOLIDARITY WITH US
Much later, after Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection, this baptismal scene was contemplated and its depth better understood. For example, the question arose: "Why did Jesus ask for baptism although he was not a sinner?" The first possible answer was that he wanted to be part of his people’s journey and therefore chose to show solidarity with sinners. What is striking is that it is precisely at this moment that he is declared "Son"! A second possible answer is that it proves that the true focus of baptism is not sin ... it is a story of love; no wonder that baptism is an immersion in the Holy Spirit! It places the baptized person in a filial position vis-à-vis the Father and in solidarity with one’s sisters and brothers. We tend to see baptism in terms of purification, but it seems that for God it is about filial and fraternal love! When baptism immerses us in the Holy Spirit it immerses us in God’s love; when God says to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased," through him God is proposing this to all humankind; we simply need to accept that God’s love dwells in us.
THE HEAVENS ARE TORN OPEN
Now we understand why the heavens are torn open, as was Isaiah’s wish: "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking before you as when brushwood is set ablaze, or fire makes the water boil. Then your name would be made known... "(Isaiah 63.19). To rend the heavens open signifies that there is no more separation between heaven and earth: the universe is no longer the prison in which humanity has locked itself in hiding ever since it became afraid of God, ever since the suspicion that overcame it in Eden; communication between God and God’s children is finally restored; humanity can finally know God as God is and not according to the caricatures it has invented over time.
Jesus has taken the helm of this new humanity, the one that lives by the Spirit of God; as St Paul says, “Jesus is the firstborn amongst many brothers and sisters"(Rom 8.29). Now the image of the dove makes sense: "(Jesus) saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him." Just like the breath of God hovered over the waters at the first creation, so too God’s Spirit hovers over this man who is the first of the new creation. Jesus’ baptism is the first manifestation of the Trinity.
Note that this is happening at the Jordan, the same river that the chosen people had passed through on dry ground under the leadership of Joshua in order to enter the Promised Land; now, like Joshua, Jesus emerges from the Jordan, leading the new people of God towards the true Promised Land, the one where all will be brothers and sisters.
Translated with permission by Simone Baryliuk, from: Commentaires de Marie Noëlle Thabut, 11 janvier, 2015
http://www.eglise.catholique.fr/foi-et-vie-chretienne/commentaires-de-marie-noelle-thabut.html
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Thursday, December 18, 2014
RE: 12.18.14 ~Readings for the4th Sunday of Lent
December 21, 2014
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 11
Reading 1 2 sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
“Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!”
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?’
“It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.”
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
“Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!”
Nathan answered the king,
“Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you.”
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?’
“It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.”
Responsorial Psalm ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27-29
R/ (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
To him who can strengthen you,
according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R/ For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2 rom 16:25-27
Brothers and sisters:To him who can strengthen you,
according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia Lk 1:38
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel lk 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from Godto 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.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
RE: 12.11.14 _
December 14, 2014
Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 8
Reading 1 is 61:1-2a, 10-11
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.
I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations.
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.
I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations.
Responsorial Psalm lk 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54
R/ (Is 61:10b) My soul rejoices in my God.
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:
R/ My soul rejoices in my God.
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
R/ My soul rejoices in my God.
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 has remembered his promise of mercy,
R/ My soul rejoices in my God.
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil.
May the God of peace make you perfectly holy
and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,
be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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:
R/ My soul rejoices in my God.
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
R/ My soul rejoices in my God.
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 has remembered his promise of mercy,
R/ My soul rejoices in my God.
Reading 2 1 thes 5:16-24
Brothers and sisters:Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil.
May the God of peace make you perfectly holy
and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,
be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it.
Alleluia Is 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)
R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel jn 1:6-8, 19-28
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests
and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it,
but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests
and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it,
but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
RE: 12.04.14 ~ Readings for Sunday December 7th-2014
December 7, 2014
Second Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 5
Reading 1 is 40:1-5, 9-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
the rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Go up on to a high mountain,
Zion, herald of glad tidings;
cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by his strong arm;
here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
the rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Go up on to a high mountain,
Zion, herald of glad tidings;
cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by his strong arm;
here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.
Responsorial Psalm ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
R/ (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years
and a thousand years like one day.
The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,”
but he is patient with you,
not wishing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar
and the elements will be dissolved by fire,
and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.
Since everything is to be dissolved in this way,
what sort of persons ought you to be,
conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reading 2 2 pt 3:8-14
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved,that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years
and a thousand years like one day.
The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,”
but he is patient with you,
not wishing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar
and the elements will be dissolved by fire,
and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.
Since everything is to be dissolved in this way,
what sort of persons ought you to be,
conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
Alleluia Lk 3:4, 6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel mk 1:1-8
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Thursday, November 20, 2014
RE: 11.20.14 - Readings for Sunday, November 23rd-2014
November 23, 2014
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 160
Reading 1 ez 34:11-12, 15-17
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.
As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,
I will judge between one sheep and another,
between rams and goats.
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.
As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,
I will judge between one sheep and another,
between rams and goats.
Responsorial Psalm ps 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6
R/ (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
When everything is subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also be subjected
to the one who subjected everything to him,
so that God may be all in all.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reading 2 1 cor 15:20-26, 28
Brothers and sisters:Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
When everything is subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also be subjected
to the one who subjected everything to him,
so that God may be all in all.
Gospel mt 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."
Thursday, November 13, 2014
RE: 11.13.14 - Readings for Sunday November 16, 2014
November 16, 2014
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 157
Reading 1 prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life.
She obtains wool and flax
and works with loving hands.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers ply the spindle.
She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her a reward for her labors,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life.
She obtains wool and flax
and works with loving hands.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers ply the spindle.
She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her a reward for her labors,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Responsorial Psalm ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R/ (cf. 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.’
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.’
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Reading 2 1 thes 5:1-6
Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security, "
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security, "
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
Gospel mt 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.’
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.’
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"
or mt 25:14-15, 19-21
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'"
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'"
Thursday, November 6, 2014
RE: 11.06.14 - Readings for Sunday, November 9, 2014
November 9, 2014
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Lectionary: 671
Reading 1 ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
Responsorial Psalm ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R. (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
Reading 2 1 cor 3:9c-11, 16-17
Brothers and sisters:You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Gospel jn 2:13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
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