December 15, 2012

Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

Lectionary: 186

Reading 1 from the Old Testament book of Sirach
Sir 48:1-4, 9-11

In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Their staff of bread he shattered,
in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord's word he shut up the heavens
and three times brought down fire.

How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!

How awesome is our forefather in the faith.  God moved the heavens and the earth in response to his prayers.  Read more about the Prophet of God known as Elijah (aka Elias).

Whose glory is equal to yours?You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,in a chariot with fiery horses.You were destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.Blessed is he who shall have seen youand who falls asleep in your friendship.

This ode and prayer to Elijah, found in the Old Testament Deuterocanonical book of Sirach is probably one of the reasons that Luther cast this book out of the Bible.  This shows that the Jews had a deep honor and respect for God's saints which foreshadowed the doctrine of the Communion of Saints which we hold in the Catholic Church today.  This deep love and honor for the Saints is completely in line with God's will.  As Scripture says in another place:

Genesis 12:1-3
King James Version (KJV)
12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

It is a great error in Protestant theology to claim to love God while setting aside His Saints.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2ac And 3b, 15-16, 18-19

R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew
Mt 17:9a, 10-13

As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

I wish that I could convey my feelings.  Jesus is here equating St. John the Baptist with the great Prophet Elijah.  If anyone had the faith of a mustard seed and could call a tree to be uprooted and put into the sea, it is Elijah.  And Jesus is saying that St. John is as great as Elijah.

Sincerely,

De Maria