December 14, 2014 - Third Sunday of Advent

Lectionary: 8

Reading 1 IS 61:1-2A, 10-11

A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah.  This reading is in the context of the Babylonian exile.  The Jews were captured and taken away from their homes.  Now God has relented and is sending the Prophet Isaiah to proclaim liberty and salvation. Therefore, Isaiah says:

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.

This verse is a double entendre.  The Prophet Isaiah is being described as a type of Jesus Christ.  Foreshadowing the time when Jesus Christ, the anointed of God, will come to set the captives free.

"Proclaiming liberty to the captives and releasing the prisoners" especially draws me to Hebrews 11.  There it is described that the Elect of the Old Testament.  Those who had persevered in faith, had not received the promise of salvation.  But awaited the coming of Christ before they would "receive the promise."

I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;

Now, he is speaking for the Church and this verse reminds me of the Magnificat, "My soul rejoices in God my Saviour".

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.

Although the Church is usually represented as the Bride of Christ, in this case, the Church is represented both as bridegroom and as bride.  We are all, man or woman, united to God.  Again, this takes me back to another verse, Romans 7:4.

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.

Maranatha!  Come Lord Jesus, come!  We are anxiously awaiting your second coming!

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.

That is the beautiful Magnificat of our Lady.  I used to know it by heart.  I recommend it to all. 
I consider the Canticle of Zechariah, the perfect companion prayer.

Reading 2 1 THES 5:16-24

Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice always.

What do we rejoice about?  Why should we be happy?

We rejoice because God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to save us from our sins.

Pray without ceasing.

This is hard to do.  I found that the easiest way for me to do this, is to continually thank God.  Just repeat the words, "Thank you, God", all day.  Then you can move on to prayer ejaculations, and the Rosary, and then to the Presence of God.  Or you could pray the Liturgy of the hours.

In all circumstances give thanks, 

for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

 Eucharist, is the Greek word for "thanksgiving".  St. Paul may be using a euphemism to recommend the frequent reception of the Eucharist.

Or, maybe he just wants to recognize, that all things, whether we experience them as pleasurable or suffering, all things are for the good of those who love God.

Do not quench the Spirit.

Don't be a party pooper.  Do not take a man's confidence or peace which he has found in God.

Do not despise prophetic utterances.

If a man says he has received a special privilege from God, don't reject it out of hand.  Give the benefit of the doubt.  How many people have persecuted the Saints for their prophetic utterances.  Don't be one of them.  Let the Church study the question.  It is up to the Church to decide if it is legitimate.

Test everything; retain what is good.

Don't believe everything that people tell you.  Test them.  You shall know them by their fruits.  A good tree gives good fruit.  A thistle gives you thorns.

Refrain from every kind of evil.

Keep the Commandments.  Do unto others as you would have them to do for you.

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.

And God will give you the grace to receive the promise of eternal life in our Lord Jesus.

The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it.

Because it is God who works through us to accomplish His good pleasure.

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.

All of us, who have been baptized and receive the Sacraments, have been anointed to bring the good tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world.  Let us begin.  Let your light shine before the world that they may see it and give God the glory.

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.

You are John.

He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.

You have been sent to testify to all who come in contact with you.  How do you do this?  Well, when you talk about your children, say, "Thanks be to God! for my children."  And when your football team wins, say, "By the grace of God!  We won!"  And don't just say, "JESUS CHRIST!"  When you're angry.  Instead, say, "Help me, Jesus!  I need your help!"

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.”

St. John was so holy, that the people of Jerusalem mistook him for Christ.  Do the same.

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.”

St. John took no credit upon himself, but only pointed to Christ.  Do the same.

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.

St. John the Baptist, the Precursor, prepared the way of the Lord and is an apt symbol in this time of Advent.  Let us all do the same.  Prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts and in our lives.