Posted: 12/3/2008 4:10:45 PM EDT
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12/7/08 Second Sunday of Advent, Year B 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. Reading II 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. 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.” |
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What does Mark (and the Church) mean by “the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ” (verse 1)? How would you explain the basic message to someone who asked?
What do the contexts of the quotes in verses 2-3 (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Exodus 23:20) teach about the “coming one”? Why is John the Baptist’s message so popular with the crowds (verses 4-5)? What does the Church teach about John (CCC 717—720)? Given John’s message (verses 7-8) what type of person are the crowds anticipating (see Isaiah 32:15-20)? What from your life illustrates what it means to “repent”? What can you do (or not do) to prepare for the Lord’s coming and to make this a more fruitful Advent? John the Baptist prepared “the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3; Isaiah 40:3). Who prepared the way of the Lord in your life? Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 151, 422, 523, 575, 696, 717—720, 2447 |
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What does Mark (and the Church) mean by “the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ” (verse 1)? How would you explain the basic message to someone who asked? The good news is that Jesus came to earth and became man, He died for our sins on the Cross, He rose again on the 3rd day, and He provides salvation for all who believe. All this was written about Him the in OT and He came and fulfilled it 2000 years ago. What do the contexts of the quotes in verses 2-3 (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Exodus 23:20) teach about the “coming one”? John the Baptist prepared the way for the 1st coming of Jesus Christ. Why is John the Baptist’s message so popular with the crowds (verses 4-5)? John was believed to be a prophet and the Jews had not seen one in centuries, so many of them flocked to him. What from your life illustrates what it means to “repent”? What can you do (or not do) to prepare for the Lord’s coming and to make this a more fruitful Advent? Repentance has been a journey ever since I received Christ as my Lord. I had that pivot point in my life where I decided that I was going to follow God wherever He wants me, and as time goes on and the more I learn about God and His way the more I try to adjust my life to conform to His will, which means that I make adjustments in my life and will as time goes on. In other words I try to strive to grow and be a better Christian. John the Baptist prepared “the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3; Isaiah 40:3). Who prepared the way of the Lord in your life? There have been people along the way that has either planted the seed or watered it. |
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Given John’s message (verses 7-8) what type of person are the crowds anticipating (see Isaiah 32:15-20)? I think that they expected a King who would come down in a storm of violence and destroy all evil and rescue them. They certainly did NOT expect to see a humble man who would tell them that THEY had to repent. This may have been the main reason they killed him. All of a sudden, their actions have consequences. The Pharisees thought that by their pious works that they could go to Heaven. Now Jesus arrives and says (in a different gospel) "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." They had thought that they were fine because they were the Pharisees. The Messiah would come and they would be taken to heaven while everyone else goes to hell, right? Nope. This particular Gospel is, AFAIK, the first step that the people take towards crucifying Jesus. They completely misunderstood his entire purpose and once they started hearing his words, they didn't like it one bit. |
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What does Mark (and the Church) mean by “the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ” (verse 1)? How would you explain the basic message to someone who asked? The good news (εὐαγγελίου, euangeliou) is a victory over sin and death, won by the Savior, for us sinners who are enslaved. There would have been one meaning for the Hebrew readers of Mark's gospel which relates to the first reading from Isaiah: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! The Jews in exile in Babylon were expecting God to return them to their homeland. And the first century Jews were expecting the messiah to restore Jerusalem. Another meaning was Roman; it is believed that Mark wrote his gospel in Rome. When the emperor won a victory in war, the messengers (angels) were sent ahead with the "good news" (εὐαγγελίου, euangeliou) of the win. In effect, Mark was thumbing his nose at Caesar by announcing an imperial victory that had nothing to do with him, but with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. What do the contexts of the quotes in verses 2-3 (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Exodus 23:20) teach about the “coming one”? We are also told the messenger (angel) has been sent by God.Malachi 3:1: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. Exodus 23:20 "See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Why is John the Baptist’s message so popular with the crowds (verses 4-5)? What does the Church teach about John (CCC 717—720)? The first century Jews were just waiting for someone to tell them their savior was about to arrive. As already mentioned, there had not been a prophet in quite some time (I think I read 350 years?). They were feeling enslaved by their sins, and were being given a chance by John to repent and be baptized, and I think that would have been applealing to them. What from your life illustrates what I think there are many of us who slow down and think about Advent as a penitent time. It is so easy to get caught up in the shopping, gift exchanges, commercialism, etc of Christmas and lose the real meaning. I am preparing with prayer and reflections on the daily scripture. I am also trying to work on this daily with my 6 year old daughter by having her color a picture every day dealing with the birth of Jesus; each one has a verse from scripture that we read together, then we post them on the wall. it means to “repent”? What can you do (or not do) to prepare for the Lord’s coming and to make this a more fruitful Advent? We need to realize how much we need him, how much we are still slaves to our sins, fears and shortcomings, so that we can truly appreciate his coming. |