Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 12-05-04

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 12-05-04 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

December 5, 2004
Second Sunday of Advent

Reading I
Is 11:1-10

On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
but he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.
On that day, the root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
the Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

R. (cf. 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
he shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.


Reading II
Rom 15:4-9

Brothers and sisters:
Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction,
that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
May the God of endurance and encouragement
grant you to think in harmony with one another,
in keeping with Christ Jesus,
that with one accord you may with one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you,
for the glory of God.
For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised
to show God's truthfulness,
to confirm the promises to the patriarchs,
but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written:
Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles
and sing praises to your name.


Gospel
Mt 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel's hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
'We have Abraham as our father.'
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize 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 his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

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From: Romans 15:4-9

The Example of Christ (Continuation)

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[4] For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction,
that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might
have hope. [5] May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to
live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, [6] that
together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.

[7] Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the
glory of God. [8] For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the
circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises
given to the patriarchs, [9] and in order that the
Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I
will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name".

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Commentary:

4. The excellence of Scripture and its sacred character derive from the fact
that God is its author. This means that there is a consistency and unity
running right through Sacred Scripture, a coherence which integrates both
Testaments, Old and New: the Old Testament contains--prophetically and by
way of prefigurement--what happens in the New; and in the New the prophecy
and prefigurement of the Old are fulfilled. Since Scripture is the word of
God, it is of the highest order: "All scripture is inspired by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good
work" (2 Tim 3:16). This strength and authority of Scripture is useful not
only for instruction in the faith but also for enlivening our hope and
consoling us in every kind of trial, interior and exterior: the examples
which we find in Scripture encourage us to be patient and also spur us on to
fight. By reflecting on those examples we become convinced that if God asks
sacrifice of "his own", he does so because he has a greater reward in store
for them.

These truths led the Second Vatican Council to teach that in "the sacred
books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and
talks with them. And such is the force and power of the word of God that it
can serve the Church as her support and vigor, and the children of the
Church as strength for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and
lasting fount of spiritual life" ("Dei Verbum", 21).

8-13. "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you.
Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life,
behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us" (Acts
13:46-47): this is what Paul and Barnabas said to Jews who opposed their
preaching. Christ himself said that he had been sent only to seek out the
lost sheep of the house of Israel, and that was the scope of the Apostles'
first mission (cf. Mt 15:24; 10:5). However, God's plans never discriminated
in favor of the Jews: they, once converted, were to preach the Good News to
the Gentiles. After the Resurrection, Jesus sent his disciples to all
nations (cf. Mt 28:18ff). Those who proclaimed the Gospel were Jews who had
accepted Christ, and they addressed their preaching first to Jews and then
to Gentiles.

This present passage refers to the fulfillment of God's designs through
Christ. By becoming man God made good his promises to the Jews, kept faith
with them. By the entry of the Gentiles into the Church his mercy towards
all men is revealed, for his blessings are thereby extended to those who do
not belong to Israel according to the flesh. Our Lord explained this very
graphically in the parable of the two sons (Mt 21 :28- 32). He first calls
the older son (the Gentiles), who refuses to obey him and afterwards repents
and accepts his father's invitation and goes to work in the vineyard. The
younger son (most of the Jewish people), on the other hand, seems to be
ready to do his father's bidding but in fact does not. Many Jews were so
hard of heart that not even the repentance and conversion of the Gentiles
moved them to repent.

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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

From: Matthew 3:1-12

The Preaching of John the Baptist

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[1] ln those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of
Judea, [2] "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [3] For this is he
who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice ofone
crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight."

[4] Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle around his
waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. [5] Then went out to him
Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, [6] and they
were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism,
he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath
to come? [8] Bear fruit that befits repentance, [9] and do not presume to
say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father' ; for I tell you, God is
able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.' [10] Even now the
axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not
bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

[11] I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me
is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [12] His winnowing fork is in his
hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the
granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

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Commentary:

1. The expression "in those days" does not specify the exact time of the
event in question. It is someti mes used merely as an opening phrase to mark
the beginning of a new episode. In this case, in fact, it can be calculated
that some twenty-five years have elapsed since the Holy Family's return from
Egypt. This is only an estimate, because the exact date of their return has
not been established.

On the date of the start of John the Baptist's preaching, see Luke 3:1-3.
The word "wilderness" has a wider meaning here than we give it today. It
does not refer to a sandy or rocky desert, but rather to arid regions, low
in vegetation.

2. "Repent": Christ's redeeming work ushers in a new era in the Kingdom of
God. This brings such advance in salvation history, that what is required
from now on is a radical change in man's behavior towards God. The coming of
the Kingdom means that God has intervened in a special way to save mankind,
but it also implies that we must be open to God's grace and reform our ways.
Christ's life on earth compels peopl e to take a stand--either for God or
against him ("He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not
gather with me scatters": Lk 11:23). Given man's sinful state after original
sin, the newly-arrived Kingdom requires that all men repent of their past
life. To put it another way, they have to stop going away from God and
instead try to get closer to him. Since sin hinders this conversion, it is
impossible to turn back to God without performing acts of penance.
Conversion is not simply a question of making a good resolution to mend our
ways; we have to fulfill that resolution, even if we find it difficult.
Penance grows only where there is humility--and everyone should admit
sincerely that he is a sinner (cf. 1 Jn 1 :8-10). Obedience also goes hand
in hand with penance; everyone ought to obey God and keep his commandments
(cf. 1 Jn 2:3-6).

The literal translation of the Greek is "Repent". But precisely because the
very essence o f conversion consists in doing penance, as we have said, the
New Vulgate has "paenitentiam agite" ("do penance"). This translation
conveys the deeper meaning of the text.

Man's whole life, in fact, consists in constantly correcting his behavior,
and therefore implies a continual doing of penance. This turning back to God
was preached continually by the prophets in the Old Testament. Now, however,
with the coming of Christ, this penance and turning to God are absolutely
essential. That Christ took on our sins and suffered for us does not excuse
us from making a true conversion; on the contrary, it demands it of us (cf.
Col 1:24).

"Kingdom of heaven": this expression is identical to "Kingdom of God". The
former is the one most used by St Matthew, and is more in line with the
Jewish turn of phrase. Out of reverence, the Jews avoided pronouncing the
name of God and substituted other words for it, as in this case. "Kingdom of
God" o r "Kingdom of heaven" was a concept used already in the Old Testament
and in religious circles at the time of Christ. But it occurs particularly
frequently in Jesus' preaching.

The phrase "Kingdom of God" can refer in a general way to God's dominion
over creatures; but normally, as in this text, it refers to God's sovereign
and merciful involvement in the life of his people. Man's rebellion and sin
broke the order originally established in creation. To re-establish it,
God's intervention was needed again; this consisted in the redeeming work of
Christ, Messiah and Son of God. It was preceded by a series of preliminary
stages in salvation history throughout the Old Testament.

Consequently, the Kingdom of God, announced as imminent by John the Baptist,
is brought into being by Jesus. However, this is an entirely spiritual one
and does not have the nationalistic dimension expected by Jesus'
contemporaries. He comes to save his people and all mankind from the slavery
of sin, from death and from the devil, thereby opening up the way of
salvation.

In the period between the first and second comings of Christ, this Kingdom
of God (or Kingdom of heaven) is, in fact, the Church. The Church makes
Christ (and therefore also God) present among all peoples and calls them to
eternal salvation. The Kingdom of God will be brought to completion only at
the end of this world, that is, when our Lord comes to judge the living and
the dead at the end of time. Then God will reign over the blessed in a
perfect way.

In the passage we are considering, John the Baptist, the last of the Old
Testament prophets, preaches the imminence of the Kingdom of God, ushered in
by the coming of the Messiah.

3. By quoting Isaiah 40:3, St Matthew makes it clear that St John the
Baptist has a mission as a prophet. This mission has two purposes--first, to
prepare the people to receive the Kingdom of God; second, to testify before
the people that Jesus is the Messiah who is bringing that Kingdom.

4. The Gospel gives a brief outline of the extremely austere life of St John
the Baptist. His style of life is in line with that of certain Old Testament
prophets and is particularly reminiscent of Elijah (cf. 2 Kings 1:8;
2:8-13ff.). The kind of food and dress described are of the most rudimentary
for the region in question. The locust was a kind of grasshopper; the wild
honey probably refers
to substances excreted by certain local shrubs rather than to bees' honey.
In view of the imminent coming of the Messiah, John underlines, with his
example, the attitude of penance preceding great religious festivals
(similarly, in its Advent liturgy the Church puts John before us as a model
and invites us to practise mortification and penance). In this way, the
point made in the previous verse (concerning John's view of his mission as
precursor of Christ) is fulfilled. A Christian's entire life is a
preparation for his meeting with Christ. Consequently, mortification and
penance play a significant part in his life.

6. John's baptism did not have the power to cleanse the soul from sin as
Christian Baptism does. The latter is a sacrament, a sign, which produces
the grace it signifies. Concerning the value of John's baptism, see the note
on Mt 3:11.

7. St John reproaches the Pharisees and Sadducees for their attitude towards
him. His preaching and baptism are not simply one more purification rite.
Rather, they demand a true interior conversion of the soul, as a necessary
predisposition to reach the grace of faith in Jesus. In the light of this
explanation, we can understand why the prophetic words of St John the
Baptist were so hard-hitting; as it turned out, most of these people did not
accept Jesus as the Messiah.

"Pharisees": these constituted the most important religious group in Jesus''
time. They kept the Law of Moses rigorously and also the oral traditions
which had built up around it. They gave as much importance to these latter,
indeed, as to the Law itself. They strongly opposed the influence of Greek
paganism and totally rejected the homage paid to the Roman emperor. Among
them there were men of great spiritual eminence and sincere piety; but there
were many others who exaggerated pharisaical religiosity to the extreme of
fanaticism, pride and hypocrisy. It was this perversion of the true
Israelite religion that John the Baptist (and later our Lord) castigated.

"Sadducees": the Sadducees constituted a smaller religious group than the
Pharisees, but they included many influential people, most of them from the
main priestly families. They accepted the written Law, but, unlike the
Pharisees, they rejected oral tradition. They also rejected certain
important truths, such as the resurrection of the dead.
On the political front, they went along easily with the terms dictated by
the Romans, and they acquiesced in the introduction of pagan customs into
the country .Their opposition to Christ was even more pronounced than that
of the Pharisees.

9-10. St John the Baptist's listeners believe their salvation is assured
because they are descendants of Abraham according to the flesh. But St John
" warns them that to pass God's judgment it is not enough to belong to the
chosen people; they must also yield the good fruit of a holy life. If they
fail to do this, they will be thrown into the fire, that is, into hell, the
eternal punishment, because they did not do penance for their sins. See the
note on Mt 25:46.

11. St John the Baptist did not limit himself to preaching penance and
repentance; he encouraged people to receive his baptism. This baptism was a
way of interiorly preparing them and helping them to realize that the coming
of Chris t was imminent. By his words of encouragement and by their humble
recognition of their sins, they were prepared to receive Christ's grace
through Baptism with fire and the Holy Spirit. To put it another way, John's
baptism did not produce justification, whereas Christian Baptism is the
sacrament of initiation which forgives sin and bestows sanctifying grace.
The effectiveness of the sacrament of Christian Baptism is expressed in
Catholic teaching when it says that the sacrament gives grace "ex opere
operato". This means that grace is given by virtue of Christ who acts
through the sacrament, and not by virtue of the merits of either the
minister or the recipient of the sacrament. "When Peter baptizes, it is
Christ who baptizes [...]. When Judas baptizes, it is Christ who baptizes"
(St Augustine, "ln loann. Evang.", 6).

The word "fire" points in a metaphorical way to the effectiveness of the
Holy Spirit's action in totally wiping out sins. It also shows the
life-giving power of grace in the person baptized.

Foremost among the personal qualities of St John the Baptist is his
remarkable humility; he resolutely rejects the temptation of accepting the
dignity of Messiah which the crowds apparently wanted to bestow on him.
Carrying the sandals of one's master was a job for the lowest of servants.

12. Verses 10 and 12 refer to judgment by the Messiah. This judgment has two
parts: the first occurs throughout each man's life and ends in the
Particular Judgment immediately after death; the second occurs at the time
of the Last Judgment. Christ is the judge in both instances. Let us remember
the words of St Peter in Acts 10:42: "And he commanded us to preach to the
people, and to testify that he [Jesus] is the one ordained by God to be
judge of the living and the dead." The judgment will give to each person the
reward or punishment merited by his good or bad actions.

It is w orth noting that the word "chaff' does not refer only to bad deeds;
it refers also to useless ones, for example, lives lacking in service to God
and men. God will judge us, therefore, for our omissions and our lost
opportunities.

"Don't let your life be barren. Be useful. Make yourself felt. Shine forth
with the torch of your faith and your love. With your apostolic life, wipe
out the trail of filth and slime left by the unclean sowers of hatred. And
set aflame all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you bear
in your heart" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 1).

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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

Sunday, December 5, 2004
Second Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12 Unless you strive after virtues and practice them, you will never grow to be more than dwarfs.  -- St. Theresa of Avila

[Salvation]

Unless you strive after virtues and practice them, you will never grow to be more than dwarfs. -- St. Theresa of Avila

Good advice for all on the forum.

[Salvation]

Advent 2004: Symbols, Meanings, Facts, Calendar

Reflections for Advent and Christmas, [November 28, 2004 - January 9, 2005]

[Askel5]

December Monthly Check-Up

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On Confession

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Presence of God

Grace I Ask
To see clearly how I have been making my confessions, to rejoice over successes, to be sorry for failure, to do better in the future.

Check-Up

Have I made my examination of conscience faithfully each night? This practice will help me a lot in preparing for confession. How often have I gone to confession? … once a week? …. at least every two weeks? Do I go to a regular confessor, one who can get to know me and help me with my particular problems, encourage me to make progress?

Do I examine my conscience carefully, though not scrupulously, before going to confession? Do I always put special emphasis, besides, on being really sorry for my sins, striving for perfect contrition?

When making my confession, do I realize that I am telling my sins to Christ, whose place the priest takes? Do I always put the bigger or harder-to-confess sins first? Am I always completely open and honest (something that requires real courage at times) in the confessional? Do I answer any questions the priest may ask? Do I pay attention to the priest if he give me advice? … do my best to follow it? Do I always say my penance?

I Speak to Christ
O Lord, let me realize that you gave me confession to be a help in living my life for you. Give me the grace to use this wonderful sacrament correctly. Help me to avoid the same sins in the future and to make sure I stay away from my occasions of sins. Let my attitude toward confession be that it is the place where I meet you for forgiveness and grace.

Thought for Today
Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven."

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MENTAL PRAYER: Challenge to the Lay Apostle
Theologians Sodality Academy (St. Marys, KS; 1958)

[Askel5]

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CHRIST OUR KING

Who is He? The most important person who ever lived on this earth, Christ our Lord! He is our Leader – indeed, our King. What does he ask of us, His followers? Let us watch and listen ….

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December 5th

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THE CALL OF A LEADER

Presence of God

Grace I Ask
To know my own strength.

The Idea
Today's meditation is a test of character. I will look deeply inside myself and see honestly how I would respond to a certain imaginary situation.

First, I must imagine the situation. Suppose our country became a Communist Slave state. Impossible? That's what the people of Poland, Hungary, Romania once thought, too. So I try to imagine it, with all its accompanying horrors—especially horrible for people who try to remain faithful to God.


And now suppose that, just when things seemed at their very worst, God stepped in with a miracle. God raised up a great Catholic leader and commissioned him to lead a revolt, a coast-to-coast uprising for liberty; God called on every man, woman and child who loved his country to join in and help—there would be work for all.

And the miracle was this: though the fight would be hard and long, though there would be much work and suffering for all, still, by God's power, every single person who marched behind that leader would survive. All would, miraculously, be alive at the end and see their country free.

My Personal Application
How would I respond to such a call? Would I volunteer? Would I dare risk my job, my possessions, my reputation; face prison, suffering, dangers – if, in the end, I and the cause I fought for under such a leader were sure to win? Would I be mature enough to give up a few things now to gain a sure reward in the future? Would the good of my country, my church and the people I care for most mean enough to me?

I Speak to God
Please God, let me see myself as I am. Could I really measure up to a situation such as that? If not, what's wrong with me? Will you help me overcome whatever is wrong?

Thought for Today
Help me to know myself.

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[Askel5]

God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing;
that you may abound in hope.

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-----------------†JMJ†-----------------
Sunday, 2nd Week in the Season of Advent
---------------†AMDG†---------------

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We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will.(4) In every circumstance, each one of us should hope with the grace of God, to persevere 'to the end'(5) and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God's eternal reweard for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. (CCC, cf 1821)

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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON – See Is 30:19, 30
Pópulus Sion, ecce Dóminus véniet ad salvándas gentes;
et audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ in lætítia cordis vestri.
19 For the people of Sion shall dwell in Jerusalem:
weeping thou shalt not weep, he will surely have pity on thee:
at the voice of thy cry, as soon as he shell hear, he will answer thee.
30 And the Lord shall make the glory of his voice to be heard,
and shall shew the terror of his arm, in the threatening of wrath, and the dame of devouring fire: he shall crush to pieces with whirlwind, and hailstones.
(NAB: People of Zion, the Lord will come to save all nations,
and your hearts will exult ot hear his majestic voice.)

OPENING PRAYER
Father in heaven,
the day draws near when the glory of yoru Son
will make radiant the night of the waiting world
May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy
which moves the hearts of those who seek him.
May the darkness not blind us
to the vision of wisdom
which fills the minds of those who find him.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

FIRST READING -- Is 11:1-10
He shall judge the poor with justice.

And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse,
and a flower shall rise up out of his root.
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:
the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding,
the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude,
the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness.

And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes,
nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.

But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth:
land he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
And justice shall be the girdle of his loins:
and faith the girdle of his reins.

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb:
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid:
the calf and the lion, and the sheep shall abide together,
and a little child shall lead them.

The calf and the bear shall feed:
their young ones shall rest together:
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp:
and the weaned child shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk.

They shall not hurt,
nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain,
for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord,
as the covering waters of the sea.

In that day the root of Jesse,

who standeth for an ensign of the people,
him the Gentiles shall beseech,
and his sepulchre shall be glorious.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM – Ps 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Florébit in diébus eius iustítia,
et abundántia pacis in ætérnum.
In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace,
till the moon be taken sway.
(NAB: Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.)

A psalm on Solomon.
Give to the king thy judgment, O God:
and to the king's son thy justice:
To judge thy people with justice,
and thy poor with judgment.

In his days shall justice spring up,
and abundance of peace,
till the moon be taken sway.
And he shall rule from sea to sea,
and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty:
and the needy that had no helper.
He shall spare the poor and needy:
and he shall save the souls of the poor.

Let his name be blessed for evermore:
his name continueth before the sun.
And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed:
all nations shall magnify him.

SECOND READING -- Rom 15:4-9
Christ saves everyone.

1 Now we that are stronger, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of you please his neighbour unto good, to edification. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written: The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell upon me.

For what things soever were written,
were written for our learning:
that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures,
we might have hope.

Now the God of patience and of comfort
grant you to be of one mind one towards another,
according to Jesus Christ:

That with one mind, and with one mouth,
you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore receive one another,
as Christ also hath received you unto the honour of God.
For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision
for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.
But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy,
as it is written:
Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles,
and will sing to thy name.

10 And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify him, all ye people. 12 And again Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. 14 And I myself also, my brethren, am assured of you, that you also are full of love, replenished with all knowledge, so that you are able to admonish one another.
_____________________________________________________
8 "Minister of the circumcision"... That is, executed his office and ministry towards the Jews, the people of the circumcision.


ALLELUIA – Lk 3:4, 6
Paráte viam Dómini, rectas fácite sémitas eius;
vidébit omnis caro salutáre Dei.
R. Alleluia, alleluia
4 As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet:
A voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
5 Every valley shall be filled;
and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
and the crooked shall be made straight; and the rough ways plain;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia


GOSPEL – Mt 3:1-12
Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

And in those days cometh John the Baptist
preaching in the desert of Judea. And saying:

Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying:
A voice of one crying in the desert,
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
And the same John had his garment of camels' hair,
and a leathern girdle about his loins:
and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea,
and all the country about Jordan:

And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism,
he said to them:
Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.
And think not to say within yourselves,
We have Abraham for our father.
For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.
Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit,
shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.

I indeed baptize you in the water unto penance,
but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear;
he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.

Whose fan is in his hand,
and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor
and gather his wheat into the barn;
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
____________________________________________
2 "Do penance"... Paenitentiam agite. Which word, according to the use of the scriptures and the holy fathers, does not only signify repentance and amendment of life, but also punishing past sins by fasting, and such like penitential exercises.
7 "Pharisees and Sadducees"... These were two sects among the Jews: of which the former were for the most part notorious hypocrites; the latter, a kind of freethinkers in matters of religion.

---

PROFESSION OF FAITH

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father,

Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father,
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

---

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Lord,
we are nothing without you.
As you sustain us with your mercy,
receive our prayers and offerings.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.


Dóminus vobiscum.
Et cum spiritu tuo.
Sursum corda.
Habémus ad Dóminum.
Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro.
Dignum et iustum est.


PREFACE FOR ADVENT
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When he humbled himself to come among us as a man,
he fulfilled the plan you formed long ago
and opened for us the way to salvation.

Now we watch for the day,
hoping that the salvation promised us will be ours
when Christ our Lord will come again in his glory.

And so with all the choirs of angels in heaven
we proclaim your glory
and joing in their unending hymn of praise.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Dóminus Deus Sabbaoth
Pleni sunt cæli et terra glória tua.
Hosánna in excélsis.
Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Hosánna in excelsis.

Eucharistic Prayer I
We come to you, Father,
with praise and thanksgiving,
through Jesus Christ your Son.
††
Through Him we aks you accept and bless †
these gifts we offer you in sacrifice.

We offer them for your holy catholic Church,
watch over it, Lord, and guide it;
grant it peace and unity throughout the world,
We offer them for John Paul, our Pope,
for N., our bishop
and for all who hold and teach the catholi faith
that comes to us from the apostles.

Remember, Lord, your people
especially those for whom we now pray …

Remember all of us gathered here before you.
You know how firmly we believe in you
and dedicate ourselves to you.
We offer you this sacrifice of praise
for ourselves and those who are dear to us.
We pray to you, our living and true God,
for our well-being and redemption.

In union with the whole Church,
we honor Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ
our Lord and God.
† We honor Joesph, her husband,
the apostles and martyrs,
and all the saints.
May their merits and prayers
gain us your constant help and protection.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Bless and approve our offering;
make it acceptable to you,
an offering in spirit and in truth,
Let it become for us
the body and blood of Jesus Christ,
your only Son, our Lord.

The day before he suffered
he took bread in his sacred hands
and looking up to heaven,
to you, his almighty Father,
he gave you thanks and praise.
He broke the bread,
gave it to his disciples and said:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT IT:
THIS IS MY BODY
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
† † †

When supper was ended,
he took the cup.
Again he gave you thanks and praise,
gave the cup to his disciples and said:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT:
THIS IS THE CUP OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT
IT WILL BE SHED FOR YOU AND FOR ALL
SO THAT SINGS MAY BE FORGIVEN.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
† † †

Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Mortem tuam annuntiámus, Dómine,
et tuam resurrectiónem confitémur,
donec vénias.
(Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.)

Father,
we celebrate the memory of Christ, you Son.
We, your people and your ministers,
recall his passion,
his resurrection from the dead,
and his ascension into glory;
and from the many gifts you have given us
we offer to you, God of glory and majesty,
this holy and perfect sacrifice:
the bread of life
and the cup of eternal salvation.

Look with favor on these offerings
and accept them as once you accepted
the gifts of your servant Abel,
the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith,
and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchisedech.

Almighty God,
we pray that your angle may take this sacrifice
to your altar in heavan
Then, as we receive from this alter
that sacred body and blood of your Son
let us be filled with every grace and blessing.
Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Remember, Lord,
those who have died and have gone before us,
marked with the sign of faith,
especially those for whom we now pray …

May these, and all who sleepin Christ
find in your presence light, happiness and peace.

For ourselves,too, we ask
some share in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs,
with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas
and all the saints.

Though we are sinners,
we trust in your mercy and love.
Do not consider what we truly deserve,
but grant us your forgiveness

Through Christ our Lord.

Through him you give us all these gifts.
You fill them with life and goodness
you bless them and make them holy.

Through him
with him
in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours
almighty Father,
for ever and ever.
Amen


LORD'S PRAYER
Jesus taught us to callk God our Father
and so we have the courage to say:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
they kingdom come;
they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our treaspasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into tempation,
but deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us peace in our day.
In your mercy, keep us free from sin,
and protect us from all anxiety,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming our our Savior, Jesus Christ

For the kingdom, the power and the glory
are yours, now and forever.

Dominus vobiscum.
Et cum spiritu tuo.

Angus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis.
Angus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis.
Angus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: dona nobis pacem.

May this mingling o fthe body and blood
of our Lord, Jesus Christ
being eternal life to us who receive it.

This is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called to his supper.

Dómine, non sum dignus ut etres sub tectum meum,
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanábitur anima mea.
Dómine, non sum dignus ut etres sub tectum meum,
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanábitur anima mea.
Dómine, non sum dignus ut etres sub tectum meum,
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanábitur anima mea.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON – See Bar 5:5, 4:36
Ierúsalem, surge et sta in excélso, et vide iuncunditátem
quæ véniet tibi a Deo tuo.


PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Father,
you give us food from heaven.
By sharing in this mystery
teach us to judge wisely the things of earth
and to love the things of heaven.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Dóminus vobiscum.
Et cum spíritu tuo.

Benedícat vos omnípotens Deus,
† Pater, † et Fílius, † et Spíritus Sanctus.
Amen

Ite, missa est.
Deo gratias.

---

[annalex]

Mt 3:1-12
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	And in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea.	in diebus autem illis venit Iohannes Baptista praedicans in deserto Iudaeae
2	And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.	et dicens paenitentiam agite adpropinquavit enim regnum caelorum
3	For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.	hic est enim qui dictus est per Esaiam prophetam dicentem vox clamantis in deserto parate viam Domini rectas facite semitas eius
4	And the same John had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey.	ipse autem Iohannes habebat vestimentum de pilis camelorum et zonam pelliciam circa lumbos suos esca autem eius erat lucustae et mel silvestre
5	Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan:	tunc exiebat ad eum Hierosolyma et omnis Iudaea et omnis regio circa Iordanen
6	And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.	et baptizabantur in Iordane ab eo confitentes peccata sua
7	And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come?	videns autem multos Pharisaeorum et Sadducaeorum venientes ad baptismum suum dixit eis progenies viperarum quis demonstravit vobis fugere a futura ira
8	Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.	facite ergo fructum dignum paenitentiae
9	And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.	et ne velitis dicere intra vos patrem habemus Abraham dico enim vobis quoniam potest Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae
10	For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.	iam enim securis ad radicem arborum posita est omnis ergo arbor quae non facit fructum bonum exciditur et in ignem mittitur
11	I indeed baptize you in water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.	ego quidem vos baptizo in aqua in paenitentiam qui autem post me venturus est fortior me est cuius non sum dignus calciamenta portare ipse vos baptizabit in Spiritu Sancto et igni
12	Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.	cuius ventilabrum in manu sua et permundabit aream suam et congregabit triticum suum in horreum paleas autem conburet igni inextinguibili

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Will You Be Disappointed on the Day After Christmas?
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Sunday, December 5, 2004

Matthew 3:1-12

A feisty old lady was part of a group touring a modern art gallery. A particularly bizarre painting caught her eye, so she asked the tour guide, "What on earth is that supposed to be?!"

With utter disdain he responded haughtily, "That, my dear lady, is supposed to be a Madonna and Child."

"Well, then," snapped the old lady, "Why isn't it?"

+ + +

The right question can open doors we've never walked through before. I recall wondering in the seminary, "Is all this praying really doing any good?" It was a right question and it opened the door to a long road.

There's a similar question for us as Christmas draws near: Will all this shopping, cooking, celebrating, and gathering in church really do any good for anyone besides the merchants and the Salvation Army? The truth is: For some it'll be a huge waste of time and money, but for others it will be the opening of a new door into God's big family.

This season is about the big family. Jesus came as a brother to break down the walls that cut us off from our Father, from each other, and from what is best in us. He came to draw us together as we've never been together before, and to help us forge bonds that will be harder to break in the push and pull of everyday life.

By His every word and deed, Jesus showed us that the circle of our love has to be big enough to make room for every single one of God's people. No one can be left outside — not the poor, or the rich, or strangers, or the people who hurt us, or those who don't share our values or just aren't very interesting. Nobody can be left outside.

Widening the circle and strengthening its bonds is what all our Christmas parties and gift-giving and praying are supposed to be about. On the day after Christmas, we'll each have a stack of lovely gifts and a matching stack of not-so-lovely bills: No net gain there! On the day after Christmas, too many people will experience a let-down, a vague sadness that something important that was supposed to happen didn't happen. On the day after Christmas, we won't be in that disappointed group because that very important something did happen inside us: We remembered what all the parties and gifts were about, and because of that our circle grew bigger and our bonds got stronger.

Let a bigger circle and stronger bonds be your Christmas gift to the Lord and to His people. It will be the best gift you ever give yourself!

 

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Sunday, December 5, 2004 >>

Second Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 11:1-10
Romans 15:4-9

Psalm 72
Matthew 3:1-12

View Readings

ADVENT TO THE MAX

“...a herald’s voice in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.’ ” —Matthew 3:3

The purpose of Advent is to prepare the way of the Lord, Who is coming to us in a new personal way this Christmas season. But there are different kinds and degrees of preparation. The Church teaches with John the Baptist that our preparation for Christ’s coming this Christmas needs to be very extensive. We even need a baptism of repentance, that is, to be immersed in repentance (see Mt 3:11).

Our preparation for Christ this Christmas is comparable to a major excavation where mountains are made low and the fill dirt is used to fill in the valleys so as to make a rough road smooth and a crooked road straight (Lk 3:5). While the world gives us the picture of Santa Claus with a bag of presents, the Church presents the scene of the wild prophet, John the Baptist, driving a Komatsu super earth-mover to bury our sins.

Very few of us believe that Christmas is so great and we are so sinful as to require such an earthquake of preparation. However, the Church is right. We need a big Advent to have a true Christmas.

Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit so that I will not minimize but maximize Advent.

Promise: “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord.” —Is 11:2

Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who is right now preparing a place for us in His Father’s house (Jn 14:2).

[Salvation]

Peace: A Fruit of Victory

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Peace: A Fruit of Victory

12/04/04

Christmas cards speak about it. Christmas carols sing about it. Even the angels at Bethlehem proclaimed it. “Peace on earth.” “The lion shall lie down with the lamb” (Is 11). “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever” (Ps 72).

The coming of the Messiah obviously has something to do with the advent of peace.

But we need to examine the biblical notion of peace. For it is not quite the peace that some have in mind. It is not niceness or political correctness. It is not just the absence of armed conflict or “peaceful co-existence.” It is rather right relationship between people that flows from right relationship with God. Pope Paul VI said that “if you want peace, work for justice.” Justice, however, is not just fair laws and political rights, but the interior justice that the Bible calls righteousness.

The world is obviously not at peace, because human hearts are not at peace. We are all pulled in opposite directions by competing desires and torn apart by loyalties to different gods.

So before the Prince of Peace can usher in a season of tranquility and refreshment, the forerunner must come with his stern message of warfare. The enemies of peace will not just lie down of their own accord. They must be put down. Peace is a fruit of victory.

The warfare, of course, is not against flesh and blood, but against sin and idolatry, the terrorists that make peace impossible. Hans Urs von Balthasar said it quite well: We must take sides with the truth against ourselves. The Holy Spirit that the Messiah offers to us will empower us to live in perfect harmony (Rom 15:6). But He comes not only as light, but as cleansing fire. In the light of the spirit, we must honestly and fearlessly look at our lives and give Him permission to burn away the impurities. This may hurt a bit, but His is a refiner’s fire, and His aim is to make us pure gold.

This is why the joyous season of Christmas is preceded by a sober season of purple vestments, the color of repentance. The Greek word in the New Testament translated as “repentance” is “metanoia.” This literally means a change of mind or a transformation of thinking. Repentance starts with an act of the intellect whereby we allow our values to be more influenced by God’s truth than by the babble of the television.

But a change of mind must lead to a change of life. John the Baptist is adamant about the fact that repentance is incomplete without action. “Give some evidence that you mean to reform!” he says to the pious Pharisees and Sadducees who present themselves for baptism. It’s not a question of earning forgiveness by offering sacrifices or doing good works. It’s about accepting the gift of grace and letting that grace bear fruit in action. Every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Sterile fruit-trees are worthless. A “change of mind” without a change of change of life is no change at all.

The world will not take any time out of the shopping days before Christmas to attend to these things. The true Christian attitude towards holidays is first the fast, then the feast. The world’s approach is first the feast, then the hangover.

Let’s do it right. Let’s get everyone in the family to confession this Advent. Daily prayer is a must. Fasting from the din of radio, television and the Internet and greater time in God’s Word can go a long way towards driving out the darkness and burning off the dross in our lives. And try this little Advent custom. In our house, the crèche scene is set up early in Advent but the manger remains empty. We get some bagged straw from the craft shop. As often as anyone does a hidden work of penance or charity, he or she may place a piece of straw in the manger to prepare a comfortable place of rest for the infant King. The goal? To fill the manger by Christmas Eve.


Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He appears weekly on radio and TV reaching six continents and his books, tapes, videos, and CDs are internationally distributed. Information on his free resources, talks, CDs, videos and books is available on his website, www.dritaly.com.

For info on Dr. D'Ambrosio’s 2005 cruise to Italy, visit www.crossroadsinitiative.com or call 1.800.803.0118.

(This article originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor and is used by permission of the author.)

[Salvation]

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. Sabas was born not far from the city of Caesarea in the year 439.
Sabas' father was an officer in the military in Alexandria so his
parents were unable to continually provide for him. He was left in the
care of one of his uncles to receive his education but was harshly
treated. Another uncle heard of this and tried to help Sabas, but only
fighting between the two uncles followed. Sabas, wishing to trouble
no one, left and joined the monastery. He was well received, and the
monks helped to provide for his education. When the dispute
between his uncles was settled, Sabas was asked to return home
and claim his inheritance, but Sabas chose to stay in the monastery.

In the monastery, Sabas completely devoted himself to the practice
of virtue and worked to devote his whole life to God. At the age of 18,
after ten years in the monastery, Sabas requested permission to
make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. His request was granted and he set
out at once. While staying with some monks along the journey,
Sabas heard of the holiness of the monastic life practiced by St.
Euthymius and his followers, and set out to join them. Sabas was not
accepted because he was considered to young for such a rigorous
lifestyle, so he was sent to another monastery to prepare himself to
enter the acetic life. Sabas labored to apply his will more completely
to the will of God, and soon he gained renown in the community for
his practice of virtue.

Sabas was finally accepted to join St. Euthymius and soon became
one of his closest companions. After the death of Euthymius, the
discipline at the monastery became relaxed and Sabas retired to the
desert as a hermit. After several years, he began to attract followers
and a monastery was founded to house them. At the age of 53,
Sabas was ordained to the priesthood so he may better attend to the
needs of the community that formed around him. During his life,
Sabas was very successful in bringing people closer to God through
the practice of the acetic life and was renowned for his own holiness.
Sabas died in 532 and is commemorated both in the East and in the
West.

Yesterday's biography of St. John of Damascus mentioned that he
spent much of his life at the monastery of St. Sabas near Jerusalem.
This monastery was dedicated to the patronage of today's saint after
his death.


QUOTE OF THE DAY

To love God is something greater than to know Him. -St. Thomas Aquinas


TODAY IN HISTORY

1492 Columbus discovers the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean
1848 Death of Joseph Mohr, Austrian priest and author of Silent Night.


TODAY'S TIDBIT

The Advent Wreath is one of the more prominent symbols of the
Advent Season and it contains several major symbols. The wreath is
made up of evergreen to remind us of life that Jesus brings in the
dead season of winter. There are four candles in the wreath which
serve the dual purpose of showing the passing of time as the Nativity
approaches, and remind us that Jesus, who we are waiting for, is the
Light of the World. There are three violet, or purple candles, and one
rose candle, to show joyful expectation.


INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for the return of all people that have fallen away from their
faith.