December 6, 2012

Thursday of the First Week of Advent
Lectionary: 178

Reading 1 from the Holy Book of Isaiah
Is 26:1-6

On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:
"A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just,
one that keeps faith.
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
in peace, for its trust in you."

Isaiah continues to talk about his vision of the salvation of Israel.  He is describing Jerusalem in an earthly way but which is only a metaphor about the heavenly Jerusalem.  Only those who are faithful and keep the commandments of God will enter in the New Jerusalem in heaven.

Revelation 21
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. ...

Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
It is trampled underfoot by the needy,
by the footsteps of the poor.

The earthly Jerusalem met such a fate.  It was destroyed by God and replaced by the Church which is the Kingdom of God:

Revelation 18
King James Version (KJV)
18 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Read more about the earthly Jerusalem.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:1 And 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a

R. (26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD's;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.

R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.

R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

In the reading from Isaiah, heaven was depicted as a fortified city where we can take refuge.  In the Psalm, God is He in whom we take refuge.  God is our defender.  But we must remember that we are called to suffer in this life.

1 Peter 2:21
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

God will defend those of us who persevere to the end by giving us the grace of fortitude to withstand the assaults of the devil.  Once we are in heaven, we are safe.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew
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 only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

This is a very strong condemnation of faith alone.   No matter how much one might say, "I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."  Unless they obey His Word, they will not be saved.

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

Ore et labore.  Put your faith to work.  If you have faith in Christ, this will result in a change of life and good works will flow from your heart.  And you can live in the hope that God will look upon you with mercy and save you, on the last day.

Sincerely,

De Maria