Posted: 12/16/2009 7:17:49 AM EDT
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Sunday, December 20, 2009
Fourth Sunday of Advent Readings with commentary here. Reading 1 Mi 5:1-4a 1 Now you are walled about with a wall; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth; then the rest of his brethren shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. Reading II Heb 10:5-10 5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings thou hast not desired, but a body hast thou prepared for me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings thou hast taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, 'Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God,' as it is written of me in the roll of the book." 8 When he said above, "Thou hast neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, "Lo, I have come to do thy will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Gospel Lk 1:39-45 39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." Overview of the Gospel: * In this Sunday’s Gospel (which is also the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the Visitation), Mary, having just learned from the angel Gabriel that she is to be the mother of the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38), sets out to visit her kinswoman, Elizabeth, who is 6 months pregnant with John the Baptist (Luke 1:1-25). * Mary journeyed to what is now believed to be the village of Ain Karim, in the mountains of southern Judea. It was about a 120-mile journey from Nazareth where Mary lived, down the length of the Jordan Valley, and would have taken about four days of traveling. * Along with Luke 1:28, Elizabeth’s exclamation of verses 42 and 43 form the basis for our prayer, “the Hail Mary.” It also recalls similar songs of joy and honor found in Judges 5:24 and Judith 13:18, which celebrated the victory of Old Testament women over the enemies or their people. Mary, who gave her humble consent to God’s plan (Luke 1:38), was instrumental in winning the victory over the greatest enemy of all—that of sin, death, and the devil (Gen 3:15). * Whereas the last three weeks Gospel readings have emphasized the importance of John’s role as precursor to the Messiah, on this occasion we are able to see from the reactions of all involved (including the unborn John!) just who it is that “is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is of old” and whose “greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:1, 3, from the First Reading) Study resources and CCC references here. Questions: * What do we know about Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah (verse 40)? What kind of people were they (Luke 1:5-7)? How were their prayers answered (Luke 1:24-25)? What was their relation to Mary and Jesus (Luke 1:36-37)? Who would their child grow up to be (Luke 1:57-66, 80; 3:1-4)? * What reason (or reasons) did Mary “go in haste” to visit Elizabeth? Who else would “go in haste (Luke 2:16)? How long would Mary stay with Elizabeth (verse 56)? * The Church has long referred to Mary as “the Ark of the New Covenant.” Why? Compare this reading with 2 Samuel 6, where there are at least four parallels. How many can you find? * What is the essential reason Jesus took on human flesh (or became “incarnated”), becoming human “in all things but sin” ? (cf. Hebrews 4:15. See Second Reading) * What was the unborn John’s reaction to the approach of Mary as she brought Jesus into his presence (verses 41, 44)? What is our reaction? What should it be? * How have I “set out in haste” this past Advent to share the Good News of Jesus with others? How can I continue to do so this Christmas-time, and beyond? |
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* What reason (or reasons) did Mary “go in haste” to visit Elizabeth? Who else would “go in haste (Luke 2:16)? How long would Mary stay with Elizabeth (verse 56)?
I found a few reasons in my reading. One is that Mary in her humility wanted to congratulate Elizabeth in her miraculous conception in her old age. I think I also remember reading somewhere that Mary would have wanted to help Elizabeth. Since she was so aged and pregnancy can be quite draining on a woman in her prime, perhaps Mary was there to help her out (an example of charity). Finally, and probably most theologically important, she went so that the pre-born Jesus could bless John as his forerunner. Luke 2:15-16: When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. Mary stayed for 3 months. * The Church has long referred to Mary as “the Ark of the New Covenant.” Why? Compare this reading with 2 Samuel 6, where there are at least four parallels. How many can you find? No reason to reinvent the wheel: check this out. Pretty cool stuff. And just one more reason to love Mary! * What is the essential reason Jesus took on human flesh (or became “incarnated”), becoming human “in all things but sin” ? (cf. Hebrews 4:15. See Second Reading) Jesus became flesh to become the perfect, once-for-all, sacrifice. And in order to be that perfect sacrifice, he had to be unblemished - without sin. * What was the unborn John’s reaction to the approach of Mary as she brought Jesus into his presence (verses 41, 44)? What is our reaction? What should it be? He leapt for joy!! He should also be filled with "joyful hope" - enough to make us want to dance! |