Mass Reading: Sunday - 01st January 2023

 

First reading
Numbers 6:22-27
They are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Say this to Aaron and his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. 

May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. 

May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.”

This is how they are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5,6,8

O God, be gracious and bless us.

O God, be gracious and bless us
    and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
    and all nations learn your saving help.

O God, be gracious and bless us.

Let the nations be glad and exult
    for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
    you guide the nations on earth.

O God, be gracious and bless us.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing
    till the ends of the earth revere him.

O God, be gracious and bless us.

________

Second reading
Galatians 4:4-7
God sent his Son, born of a woman

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Heb1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia!

At various times in the past
and in various different ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
but in our own time, the last days,
he has spoken to us through his Son.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the baby lying in the manger

The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

    When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 01st January 2023

NM 6: 22-27; PS 67: 2-3, 5-6, 8; GAL 4: 4-7; LK 2: 16-21

Today is a double feast so to speak, but the two feasts are closely associated. This is the Octave Day of Christmas, or the eighth day of Christmas. It always falls exactly one week after Christmas Day; Christmas Day is of course the first day, and then when we count to eight, we have today. “Octaves” have been celebrated in the Church in relation to Holy days and feasts almost from the very beginnings of the Church.
            
However, today is also the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. In Jewish tradition a male child was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. On that same day the child was officially given his name. Thus, it was on this day that the Lord received the name Jesus. The third connection of these two liturgical celebrations is the addition of calling our Blessed Mother the Mother of God. Among Vatican II documents it is clearly stated, "Clearly from earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God."
            
This feast is naturally a celebration of Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. It stems from the Greek word theotokos that translates as “She who gave birth to God.” That title was adopted at the First Council of Ephesus, held in the summer of 431 AD. Ephesus is in present day Turkey, and this was a gathering of Bishops; the Nicene Creed is another product of that Council.
            
Our First Reading from the Book of Numbers is familiar to most of us because of its inclusion of the prayer of Aaron that we may have experienced often within our lives as Catholics and Christians. Stewardship helps us understand and appreciate that we are gifted by God. What greater gift can we have beyond “The Lord let His face shine upon you”? To be aware that God may look upon us and be pleased, not because of who we are or what we may have done, but because we are in Jesus Christ, might be the largest source of peace and power in our lives. However, we need to realize that, and we need to live our lives as that is the reality.
            
Three times within this blessing we hear “The Lord.” In the first it is God the Father who blesses His children; then it is God the Son whose face shines upon us and brings us grace; finally, it is God the Holy Spirit who communicates to us the feelings of God, and Who gives us peace as a result. There are no accidents in Scripture, and this threefold blessing from our three Gods in One is no accident either.
           
 In St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians, our Second Reading, Paul states “God sent His Son, born of a woman.” That simple statement ties together with today’s feasts as well as to the initial reading and the Gospel message. Jesus came not just as God’s Son, but also as one born to a woman. Being “born of a woman” is a somewhat veiled confirmation of our belief in a virgin birth represented by the Immaculate Conception. Although Jesus called Himself consistently the Son of Man, Paul never states that Christ was born of a man and a woman. He was born of a woman with God as the Father. Paul, too, seems to confirm that Mary is truly the Mother of God.
           
 Everything we celebrate today is brought to completion and to coordination by the Gospel Reading from St. Luke. As is often the case in these reflections, this reading is so rich in content and meaning there is no way we can truly do it justice in this short space. However, focusing on a specific statement within it often helps us explain it. It is the last few verses that put it all together: “When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by an angel before he was conceived in the womb.” There we find the Octave of Christmas (eight days) and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother of God. 
           
The next verse from Luke speaks to “When the days were completed for their purification”… What a strong reference to the Octave of Christmas as well as to the Motherhood of God by Mary. It does not say “his” purification, but “their” purification. Mary, the Mother of God, and Jesus, the Son of God, were both pure.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 25th December 2022

First reading
Isaiah 52:7-10
Rejoice, for the Lord is consoling his people

How beautiful on the mountains,
are the feet of one who brings good news,
who heralds peace, brings happiness,
proclaims salvation,
and tells Zion,
‘Your God is king!’

Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices,
they shout for joy together,
for they see the Lord face to face,
as he returns to Zion.

Break into shouts of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord is consoling his people,
redeeming Jerusalem.

The Lord bares his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 97(98):1-6

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord
    for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
    have brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The Lord has made known his salvation;
    has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
    for the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
    ring out your joy.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
    with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    acclaim the King, the Lord.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 1:1-6
God has spoken to us through his Son

    At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name.

    God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-Born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

A hallowed day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, worship the Lord,
for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 1:1-18
The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 25th December 2022

 

IS 52: 7-10; PS 98: 1-6; HEB 1: 1-6; JN 1: 1-18

“For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is the Messiah and Lord, and this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, and suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest’.”
 
We are all very familiar with the report of Jesus’ birth. We know about the multitude singing, and we are aware of how the shepherds came from the fields to see and worship the child. On this glorious day we are the heavenly host singing and we in a sense are the shepherds who kneel in admiration of this child. This child is like none other. We know that every child changes the world in his or her own way. But the birth of Jesus, the Son of God and the son of Mary does more than change the world. He changes our lives completely. He comes to save us. He comes to embrace us. And He invites each of us to embrace Him.
 
Most of us are aware that the first four Books of the New Testament — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — are called the Gospels. We also know in general that these Gospels tell the story of Jesus Christ — His birth, ministry, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection. What you may not know nonetheless is that the first three Gospels, which we call the Synoptic Gospels, are very different from the Gospel of John, from which our Gospel for today comes.
 
The Gospel of John is unique in many ways. For example, almost 90 percent of the material it contains about Jesus’ life is not found in the other three Gospels. Also, you might say that the Synoptic Gospels tend to be more historical while the Gospel of John is more theological. Today’s Gospel Reading, which is the opening statement of John’s Gospel, is an example of this difference. Note how John describes Jesus’ birth: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him. And without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was life; and this life was the light of the human race: the light shines in the darkness.”
 
On this magnificent Christmas Day we receive the life, and we receive His light. It is no wonder that all our readings reflect that life and that light and the joy that results. Just listen to the words and phrases we find in the First Reading from Isaiah. These are perfect descriptions of what we should feel on this day: “beautiful; glad tidings; peace; good news; salvation; shout for joy; break out in song.” What a summary of this day!
 
The Second Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews complements and affirms the feelings expressed in Isaiah. The writer makes it clear that Jesus is God and that today marks the beginning of salvation for us. This passage from Hebrews parallels our Gospel today in that it is the opening words of the letter to the Hebrews. The first word is “God” as that is where it all begins. God speaks to us in the birth of Jesus, and the author of the letter uses a word to describe Jesus that may be foreign to us: the author speaks of the “refulgence of his glory.” Refulgence means brightness or radiance. The original Greek word from which this is translated is apaugasma. That means brightness beyond our understanding. It is as if we cannot see or look upon the Lord — only through the light of Jesus His Son.
 
The Gospel, as explained previously, speaks of the Christ child in a way that is not found in the other Gospels. Jesus is the Word incarnate. If we review what we know about Jesus, we might say He was from Nazareth or He was born in Bethlehem, or He is descended from Abraham through David. However, John wants us to understand that Jesus has come to us directly from God as He is One with God. He is the Word. Toward the end of His Gospel John states of his Gospel: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” Today is day of life and light. It is truly a day on which we must proclaim “Glory to God in the highest.”

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 18th December 2022

IS 7:10-14, 10; PS 24:1-6;ROM 1:1-7; MT 1:18-24

As our Advent preparations draw to a close and Christmas fast approaches, it is fitting that today’s readings demonstrate the intensity of the Father’s perfect and passionate love for each of us, culminating in the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, on Christmas Day. As we reflect on the enormity of this gift, let us ask ourselves what we can offer in return.
 
In our first reading, from Isaiah, the Lord invites King Ahaz to “ask for a sign from the Lord, your God.” And not just any sign. The Lord says, “let it be deep as the nether-world, or high as the sky!” Ahaz, though, cannot arouse himself from his bleak and limited outlook, and actually refuses this invitation. Undeterred by his negativity, the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, that he himself will provide the sign: “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son” and his name will be Emmanuel which means, “God with us.” What great love and patience our heavenly Father has shown his people throughout all ages! 
 
In the second reading, from Paul’s letter to the Romans, St. Paul sends a blessing of “Grace…and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This — grace and peace —  is precisely the gift we celebrate on Christmas Day. Through his incarnation, Jesus brings the intimate love of God right into our midst; and through His death and resurrection, He saves us from our sins and restores us to right relationship with the Father. This is the peace that the world cannot offer. 
 
In response to such an overwhelming gift, what can we do except offer our lives as gift in return, embracing a stewardship way of life with all the love and strength we have to give?
 
In our Gospel passage from Matthew, we find an unparalleled example of one who embraced this way of life in St. Joseph, as he responds to God’s call to him through the message of an angel. St. Joseph immediately and humbly obeys the instruction from the angel: “Do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. ” Open to this extraordinary role, he did as the angel commanded and “takes Mary into his home.” 
 
We never hear St. Joseph speak, but the Scriptures tell us he was always listening, attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit for his family. It was Joseph who found the stable where the baby Jesus would be born. No doubt it was Joseph who cleaned it up and prepared it for Mary and Jesus since we know that Mary was about to give birth. Joseph protected the family, guarded them, and tended to their safety, their comfort, and their well-being at the expense of his own plans and preferences.  Though we do not hear any words from St. Joseph his actions clearly show that he offered himself, his whole life, as a gift to his family through his strong guidance, protection, and service.
 
Let us imitate St. Joseph, then, as good stewards, giving our very lives to those around us in love and gratitude to God who has given us everything we have, especially His own Son, Jesus Christ. We will no doubt find that the more we give ourselves away, the more our generous Father will fill us with His grace and peace — these are truly the best Christmas gifts we could receive.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 18th December 2022

First reading
Isaiah 7:10-14
The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’

    Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:
are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men
without trying the patience of my God, too?
The Lord himself, therefore,
will give you a sign.
It is this: the maiden is with child
and will soon give birth to a son
whom she will call Immanuel,
a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23(24):1-6

Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
    the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
    on the waters he made it firm.

Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
    Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
    who desires not worthless things.

Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord
    and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him,
    seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.

________

Second reading
Romans 1:1-7
Our apostolic mission is to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations

    From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.

    This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt1:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son
and they will call him Emmanuel,
a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 1:18-24
How Jesus Christ came to be born

    This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son 
and they will call him Emmanuel, 

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 11th December 2022

First reading
Isaiah 35:1-6,10
God himself is coming to save you

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,
let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,
let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,
let it rejoice and sing for joy.

The glory of  Lebanon is bestowed on it,
the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they shall see the glory of the Lord,
the splendour of our God.

Strengthen all weary hands,
steady all trembling knees
and say to all faint hearts,
‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

‘Look, your God is coming,
vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God;
he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy
for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.

They will come to Zion shouting for joy,
everlasting joy on their faces;
joy and gladness will go with them
and sorrow and lament be ended.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):6-10

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
    who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
    the Lord, who sets prisoners free,

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
    who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
    and upholds the widow and orphan.

Come, Lord, and save us.

It is the Lord who loves the just
    but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
    Zion’s God, from age to age.

Come, Lord, and save us.

________

Second reading
James 5:7-10
Do not lose heart; the Lord's coming will be soon

    Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Is61:1(Lk4:18)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 11:2-11
'A greater than John the Baptist has never been seen'

    John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

    As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:

‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;
he will prepare your way before you.

    ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 11th December 2022

IS 35:1-6A, 10; PS146:6-10; JAS 5:7-10; MT 11:2-11

Good news, Christian stewards — we are gaining ground on our Advent mountain climb and it is time to take a moment to rejoice in the Good News that our Savior will come again in triumph one day. Today’s readings on this Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday are filled with reminders of God’s final victory over suffering and injustice, and encouragement to remain steadfast in our mission to live as faith-filled disciples.

Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah seems to shout out good cheer as he paints a picture of what the long-awaited Savior will usher in: “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag…the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the Lord has ransomed [that’s us!] will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.” 

Such a day almost seems too good to be true, especially when we look around at the dire circumstances we face in our world at present. But by faith, we know this day is coming. Lest we grow weary as we await the glorious day of Christ’s return, St. James, in our second reading, offers wise counsel. “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord... Make your hearts firm… Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.”

This is excellent advice for us Christian stewards as we face the challenges of everyday life in our broken world, especially in the hectic days that precede Christmas when stress can make us and those around us less than our best selves. St. James reminds us that we can choose our response to both the great strains and the minor annoyances of life. 

In other words, we can be good stewards of our attitude, “making our hearts firm” by practicing patience with others and refusing to give in to the temptation to complain. We can choose to see and rejoice in God’s presence with us, no matter the circumstances surrounding us.

Our Gospel passage, from Matthew, connects the prophecy of Isaiah to the arrival of Jesus, almost word for word. In this passage we find the imprisoned John the Baptist sending his disciples to ask Jesus if he is indeed the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus’ re-ply is almost identical to  Isaiah’s prophetic words. He says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised…” The Savior really has arrived just as promised! Yet that arrival was 700 years after Isaiah’s prediction. God always fulfills his promises, but patience and firmness of heart are required as we await his perfect timing.

As John’s disciples go off to report this wonderful news, Jesus has high praise for John. “Among those born of women, there has been none greater.” Yet, Jesus adds, “The  least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”  Honorable as it was for John the Baptist to serve as the one who would announce the Savior’s arrival, it is a much greater privilege to attain membership in His kingdom. 

Let us rejoice in the knowledge that God has called us to enter this kingdom. Let us keep our hearts firmly fixed on this eternal goal and strive with all our might to give God and others the very best of ourselves in gratitude for such a privilege.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 04th December 2022

IS 11:1-10; PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; ROM 15:4-9; MT 3:1-12

As we begin the second week of Advent, let us recall our motto for this season: we are climbing God’s holy mountain. Our readings inspire us and help us focus for this journey toward holiness.

Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah continues the theme of a journey towards the holy mountain, the Kingdom of God. The prophet gives us a beautiful glimpse of this mountain, where Christ will reign forever. It will be a place of peace, justice, and harmony among all God’s creatures. “There shall be no harm or ruin in all my holy mountain… [This] dwelling shall be glorious.” 

Our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, encourages us to focus our preparation in this way: “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.” 

How has Christ welcomed us? By becoming one of us through His incarnation, one with us through the Eucharist, and freeing us from our sins through His death and resurrection so that we can finally live with him for all eternity in Heaven.

The idea of welcoming others as Christ welcomes us is the essence of Christian hospitality. This kind of hospitality involves seeing people as God sees them and being ready to invite others into our lives whenever and however God asks; it is an attitude we take with us wherever we go, whether at home, at the parish, or out and about at work, school, or in the community.

This kind of hospitality is a vital aspect of stewardship living. Fully embraced, it has the power to transform our lives and the lives of those who experience it through us.

The practice of Christian hospitality is also a way for us stewards to answer the call of John the Baptist in our Gospel passage from Matthew. John has the honor of preparing the people for the arrival of the Savior and the coming of the Kingdom of God. His words apply just as much to us in our own Advent preparations today. John says, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” And he recalls the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”

Though it may not seem obvious at first, there is a definite connection between repentance and effective hospitality. By recognizing and repenting of our sins, we become aware of our need for a Savior and his great mercy towards us. With this awareness and the gratitude to God that comes with it, we are freed to see the good in others and welcome them into our lives just as Christ has welcomed us.

How can we put all of this into action?  How can we make repentance a regular part of our everyday lives? We can make an “examination of conscience” a daily part of our prayers, thanking God for the times we said “yes” to Him, and asking forgiveness for the times we chose our own will. We can (and should!) go to Confession this Advent and then make it a regular part of our “Ordinary Time” too. We can reach out to a family member or friend where there is distance or discord and make peace.

As we “straighten the paths” of our own hearts and minds, we become more hospitable people, better stewards of God’s grace and mercy, and far more open and ready to invite others into our lives, homes, and parish. We climb farther up God’s holy mountain and attract others to join us on the path toward holiness. This is preparation fitting for our merciful Savior.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 04th December 2022

First reading
Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse

A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,
a scion thrusts from his roots:
on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight,
a spirit of counsel and power,
a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)
He does not judge by appearances,
he gives no verdict on hearsay,
but judges the wretched with integrity,
and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless,
his sentences bring death to the wicked.

Integrity is the loincloth round his waist,
faithfulness the belt about his hips.

The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion feed together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends,
their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra’s hole;
into the viper’s lair
the young child puts his hand.
They do no hurt, no harm,
on all my holy mountain,
for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters swell the sea.

That day, the root of Jesse
shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
It will be sought out by the nations
and its home will be glorious.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,12-13,17

In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.

O God, give your judgement to the king,
    to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
    and your poor in right judgement.

In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.

In his days justice shall flourish
    and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
    from the Great River to earth’s bounds.

In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.

For he shall save the poor when they cry
    and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
    and save the lives of the poor.

In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.

May his name be blessed for ever
    and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
    all nations bless his name.

In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till the moon fails.

________

Second reading
Romans 15:4-9
Christ is the saviour of all men

    Everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God. And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus, so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    It can only be to God’s glory, then, for you to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you. The reason Christ became the servant of circumcised Jews was not only so that God could faithfully carry out the promises made to the patriarchs, it was also to get the pagans to give glory to God for his mercy, as scripture says in one place: For this I shall praise you among the pagans and sing to your name.

The word of the Lord.


________


Gospel Acclamation
Lk3:4,6

Alleluia, alleluia!

Prepare a way for the Lord,
make his paths straight,
and all mankind shall see the salvation of God.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 3:1-12
The one who follows me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire

    In due course John the Baptist appeared; he preached in the wilderness of Judaea and this was his message: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said:

A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord,
make his paths straight.

    This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins. But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming? But if you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruit, and do not presume to tell yourselves, “We have Abraham for our father,” because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire. I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.’

The Gospel of the Lord.