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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-08-06, Solemnity, Immaculate Conception, B. Virgin Mary
USCCB.org/New American Bible ^
| 12-08-06
| New American Bible
Posted on 12/08/2006 8:03:09 AM PST by Salvation
December 8, 2006
Psalm: Friday 48
Gn 3:9-15, 20
After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,
the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden;
but I was afraid, because I was naked,
so I hid myself.”
Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked?
You have eaten, then,
from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!”
The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me—
she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”
The LORD God then asked the woman,
“Why did you do such a thing?”
The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”
Then the LORD God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this, you shall be banned
from all the animals
and from all the wild creatures;
on your belly shall you crawl,
and dirt shall you eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike at your head,
while you strike at his heel.”
The man called his wife Eve,
because she became the mother of all the living.
Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
R. (1) Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Eph 1:3-6, 11-12
Brothers and sisters:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
Lk 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
TOPICS: Catholic; Charismatic Christian; Evangelical Christian; Judaism; Mainline Protestant; Other Christian; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: advent; catholiclist; conception; dailymassreadings; immaculate
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posted on
12/08/2006 8:03:16 AM PST
by
Salvation
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2
posted on
12/08/2006 8:06:01 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
The Immaculate Conception |
|
|
Feast Day: December 8 Roman Catholic dogma holding that from the first instant of its creation, the soul of the Virgin Mary was free from original sin; this doctrine is not to be confused with that of the Virgin Birth, which holds that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin mother. Despite divergent scholarly opinions, the Roman Catholic church has consistently favored belief in the Immaculate Conception; a festival of that name, the significance of which is now indefinite, was celebrated in the Eastern church as early as the 5th century and in the Western church from the 7th century. Opposition to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was conducted in the 12th century by the French monastic St. Bernard of Clairvaux and in the 13th century by the famous Italian philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas. Among those who supported the doctrine was the 13th-century Scottish theologian John Duns Scotus. The theological controversy over the Immaculate Conception gained momentum in the 19th century. Finally in 1854, Pope Pius IX issued a solemn decree declaring the Immaculate Conception to be a dogma essential for the belief of the universal church. Under the title Immaculate Conception, the Virgin Mary is invoked as the patron of the United States, Brazil, Portugal, and Corsica. If Jesus, the Son of God, could choose for His Mother her who pleased Him most, He would surely choose one acceptable to the Blessed Trinity and worthy of the great honour for which she was destined. Mary was, therefore, not only free from all actual sin, but she also remained exempt from original sin; otherwise, she would not have been a Mother suitable for Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God Himself has testified to Mary's Immaculate Conception by miracles. Who can number the wonders that have been wrought at Lourdes, where she appeared eighteen times and declared to Bernadette and to the world: "I am the Immaculate Conception," just four years after this doctrine was defined as a dogma of faith? Mary declared to the wholel world her approval of this doctrine and that she was not only immaculately conceived, but that she is the Immaculate Conception. THE WORD OF GOD
“You are the glory of Jerusalem, the surpassing joy of Israel; you are the splendid boast of our people….May you be blest by the Lord Almighty forever and ever.” (Jdt 15:9-10) “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for He has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,….like a bride bedecked with her jewels.” (Is 61:10) “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Rv 12:1) NOVENA PRAYERS
Novena Prayer
Immaculate Virgin Mary, you were pleasing in the sight of God from the first moment of your conception in the womb of your mother, St Anne. You were chosen to be the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I believe the teaching of Holy Mother the Church, that in the first instant of your conception, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race and your beloved Son, you were preserved from all stain of original sin. I thank God for this wonderful privilege and grace He bestowed upon you as I honour your Immaculate Conception Look graciously upon me as I implore this special favour: (Mention your request).  Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from your throne in heaven, turn your eyes of pity upon me. Filled with confidence in your goodness and power, I beg you to help me in this journey of life, which is so full of dangers of my soul. I entrust myself entirely to you, that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, but may always live a humble and pure life. I consecrate myself to you forever, for my only desire is to love your Divine Son Jesus. Mary, since none of your devout servants has ever perished, may I, too, be saved. Amen. Prayer to Mary Immaculate
Mary, Mother of God, your greatness began at the first instant of your existence with the privilege of your Immaculate Conception. After Almighty God and the Sacred Humanity of Jesus, there is no being so great as you. It is true, you are a creature, and, therefore, far beneath the Supreme Being. But you are a creature so holy and so perfect that you are superior to all other creatures. God alone could make you so holy and so beautiful, and He did so to make you worthy of the dignity of being the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God, the Divine Word. It was fitting that you, a virgin Mother, should conceive the Man who was also the Son of God. It was fitting that you should be adorned with the greatest purity ever possible to a creature. You are the Virgin to whom God the Father decreed to give His only Son – the Divine Word, equal to Himself in all things – that entering the natural order He might become your Son as well as His. You are the immaculate Virgin whom the Son Himself chose to make His mother. You are the immaculate Virgin whom the Holy Spirit willed to make his bride and in whom He would work the tremendous miracle of the Incarnation. The privilege of the Immaculate Conception was suitable to your dignity. Mary, my immaculate Mother, help me to imitate your sinlessness by keeping my soul free from every willful sin by the faithful observance of God’s commandments. Help me to imitate your fullness of grace by receiving Holy Communion frequently, where I shall obtain the sanctifying grace that will make my soul holy and pleasing to God, and the actual graces I need to practice virtue. Through prayer may grace fill my soul with the life of God and transform me into a living image of Jesus, just as you were. Prayer
Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy Mother of Your Son. You made it possible for her to share beforehand in the salvation Your Son, Jesus Christ, would bring by His death, and kept her without sin from the first moment of her conception. Give us the grace by her prayers ever to live in Your presence without sin. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. |
3
posted on
12/08/2006 8:14:39 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
4
posted on
12/08/2006 8:16:05 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
5
posted on
12/08/2006 8:16:58 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: Salvation
December Devotion: The Immaculate Conception
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of December is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first moment of her conception, by a singular privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, our Savior and hers, was preserved from all stain of original sin. This age-old belief of the Church was defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854 as an article of revealed truth. Mary was in need of redemption and she was indeed f redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The manner of Mary's redemption, however, was unique. Instead of being freed from original sin after having contracted it, she was preserved from contracting it. This was a most fitting favor for the Mother of the Redeemer.
INVOCATION
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
TO THE VIRGIN IMMACULATE
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from thy sublime height turn upon me thine eyes of pity. Filled with confidence in thy goodness and knowing full well thy power, I beseech thee to extend to. me thine assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. And in order that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, , but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to thee. I consecrate my heart to thee for ever, my only desire being to love thy divine Son Jesus. Mary, none of thy devout servants has ever perished; may I too be saved. Amen.
PRAYER OF PRAISE
O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, 0 holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever world without end. Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian
PRAYER OF POPE PIUS XII
This prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by the Pope for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953-December 8, 1954), which was proclaimed to mark the centenary of the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, 0 Immacuate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.
Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the Universe.
O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! 0 Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!
O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.
Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
6
posted on
12/08/2006 8:19:20 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
From: Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Temptation and the First Sin (Continuation)
[9] But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are
you?" [10] And he said, "I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and
I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." [11] He said,
"Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree which
I commanded you not to eat?" [12] The man said, "The woman whom
thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."
[13] Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have
done?" The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate." [14]
The Lord said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are
you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you
shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. [15] I will put
enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her
seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
[20] The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother
of all living.
Commentary:
3:7-13. This passage begins the description of the effects of the original
sin. Man and woman have come to know evil, and it shows, initially, in
a most direct way--in their own bodies. The inner harmony described in
Genesis 2:25 is broken, and concupiscence rears its head. Their friend-
ship with God is also broken, and they flee from his presence, to avoid
their nakedness being seen. As if his Creator could not see them! The
harmony between man and woman is also fractured: he puts the blame
on her, and she puts it on the serpent. But all three share in the respon-
sibility, and therefore all three are going to pay the penalty.
"The harmony in which they found themselves, thanks to original justice,
is now destroyed: the control of the soul's spiritual faculties over the body
is shattered: the union of man and woman becomes subject to tensions
(cf. Gen 3:7-16), their relations henceforth marked by lust and domination.
Harmony with creation is broken: visible creation has become alien and
hostile to man (cf. Gen 3:17, 19). Because of man, creation is now sub-
ject 'to its bondage to decay' (Rom 8:21). Finally, the consequence ex-
plicitly foretold for this disobedience will come true: man will 'return to
the ground' (Gen 3:19), for out of it he was taken. 'Death makes its en-
trance into human history' (cf. Roman 5:12)" ("Catechism of the Catholic
Church", 400).
3:14-15. The punishment God imposes on the serpent includes confron-
tation between woman and the serpent, between mankind and evil, with
the promise that man will come out on top. That is why this passage is
called the "Proto-gospel": it is the first announcement to mankind of the
good news of the Redeemer-Messiah. Clearly, a bruise to the head is
deadly, whereas a bruise to the heel is curable.
As the Second Vatican Council teaches, "God, who creates and con-
serves all things by his Word, (cf. In 1:3), provides men with constant
evidence of himself in created realities (cf. Rom 1:19-20). And further-
more, wishing to open up the way to heavenly salvation, by promising
redemption (cf. Gen 3:15); and he has never ceased to take care of
the human race. For he wishes to give eternal life to all those who
seek salvation by patience in well-doing (cf. Rom 2:6-7)" ("Dei Ver-
bum", 3).
Victory over the devil will be brought about by a descendant of the wo-
man, the Messiah. The Church has always read these verses as being
messianic, referring to Jesus Christ; and it was seen in the woman the
mother of the promised Savior; the Virgin Mary is the new Eve. "The
earliest documents, as they are read in the Church and are understood
in the light of a further and full revelation, bring the figure of a woman,
Mother of the Redeemer, into a gradually clearer light. Considered in
this light, she is already prophetically foreshadowed in the promise
of victory over the serpent which was given to our first parents after
their fall into sin (cf. Gen 3:15) [...]. Hence not a few of the early Fa-
thers gladly assert with Irenaeus in their preaching: 'the knot of Eve's
disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve
bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith' (St Irenaeus,
"Adv. haer." 3, 22, 4) Comparing Mary with Eve, they call her 'Mother
of the living' (St Epiphanius, "Adv. haer. Panarium" 78, 18) and fre-
quently claim: 'death through Eve, life through Mary' (St Jerome,
"Epistula" 22, 21; etc.)" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 55-56).
So, woman is going to have a key role in that victory over the devil.
In his Latin translation of the Bible, the "Vulgate", St Jerome in fact
reads the relevant passage as "she [the woman] shall bruise your
head". That woman is the Blessed Virgin, the new Eve and the mo-
ther of the Redeemer, who shares (by anticipation and pre-eminent-
ly) in the victory of her Son. Sin never left its mark on her, and the
Church proclaims her as the Immaculate Conception.
St Thomas explains that the reason why God did not prevent the first
man from sinning was because 'God allows evils to be done in order
to draw forth some greater good. Thus St Paul says, 'Where sin
increased, grace abounded all the more' (Rom 5:20); and the "Exultet"
sings, '0 happy fault,...which gained for us so great a Redeemer'"
("Summa Theologiae", 3, 1, 3 and 3; cf. "Catechism of the Catholic
Church", 412).
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.
7
posted on
12/08/2006 8:35:29 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
From: Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Hymn of Praise
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places, [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. [5] He des-
tined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the
purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace which he
freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
[11] In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all
things according to the counsel of his will, [12] we who first hoped
in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of
his glory.
Commentary:
3-14. Verses 3-14 are a hymn of praise to God for the plan of salvation
he has devised and brought to fulfillment in benefit of men and all
creation. It is written in a liturgical style of rhythmic prose, similar to
that in Colossians 1:15-20. In the Greek it is one long complex sen-
tence full of relative pronouns and clauses which give it a designed
unity; we can, however, distinguish two main sections.
The first (v. 3-10), divided into four stanzas, describes the blessings
contained in God's salvific plan; St Paul terms this plan the "mystery"
of God's will. The section begins by praising God for his eternal
design, a plan, pre-dating creation, to call us to the Church, to form
a community of saints (first stanza: vv. 3f) and receive the grace of
being children of God through Jesus Christ (second stanza: vv. 5f). It
then reflects on Christ's work of redemption which brings this eternal
plan of God to fulfillment (third stanza: vv. 7f). This section reaches
its climax in the fourth stanza (vv. 9f) which proclaims Christ as Lord
of all creation, thereby revealing the full development of God's
salvific plan.
The second section, which divides into two stanzas, deals with the
application of this plan--first to the Jews (fifth stanza: vv. 11f) and
then to the Gentiles, who are also called to share what God has
promised: Jews and Gentiles join to form a single people, the Church
(sixth stanza: vv. 13f).
Hymns in praise of God, or "eulogies", occur in many parts of Sacred
Scripture (cf. Ps 8; Ps 19; Dan 2:20-23; Lk 1:46-54, 68-78; etc.); they
praise the Lord for the wonders of creation or for spectacular
interventions on behalf of his people. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St
Paul here praises God the Father for all Christ's saving work, which
extends from God's original plan which he made before he created the
world, right up to the very end of time and the recapitulation of all
things in Christ.
We too should always have this same attitude of praise of the Lord.
"Our entire life on earth should take the form of praise of God, for
the never-ending joy of our future life consists in praising God, and
no one can become fit for that future life unless he train himself to
render that praise now" (St Augustine, "Enarrationes in Psalmos",
148).
Praise is in fact the most appropriate attitude for man to have towards
God: "How can you dare use that spark of divine intelligence--your
mind--in anything but in giving glory to your Lord?" ([St] J. Escriva,
"The Way", 782).
3. St Paul blesses God as Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because
it is through Christ that all God's blessings and gifts reach us. God's
actions in favor of man are actions of all three divine Persons; the
divine plan which the Apostle considers here has its origin in the
Blessed Trinity; it is eternal. "These three Persons are not to be
considered separable," the Eleventh Council of Toledo teaches,
"since we believe that not one of them existed or at any time effec-
ted anything before the other, after the other, or without the other
For in existence and operation they are found to be inseparable" ("De
Trinitate" Creed, "Dz-Sch", 531).
In the implementation of this divine plan of salvation, the work of Re-
demption is attributed to the Son and that of sanctification to the
Holy Spirit. "To help us grasp in some measure this unfathomable
mystery, we might imagine the Blessed Trinity taking counsel together
in their uninterrupted intimate relationship of infinite love. As a result
of their eternal decision, the only-begotten Son of God the Father
takes on our human condition and bears the burden of our wretched-
ness and sorrows, to end up sewn with nails to a piece of wood"
([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 95).
St Paul describes as "spiritual blessings" all the gifts which the
implementation of God's plan implies, gifts which are distributed by
the Holy Spirit. When he speaks of them as being "in the heavenly
places" and "in Christ", he is saying that through Christ who has risen
from the dead and ascended on high we too have been inserted into
the world of God (cf. 1:20; 2:6).
When man describes God as "blessed" it means he recognizes God's
greatness and goodness, and rejoices over the divine gifts he has re-
ceived (cf. Lk 1:46, 68). Here is what St Thomas Aquinas has to say
about the meaning of this passage: "The Apostle says, 'Benedictus'
[Blessed be the God ...], that is, may I, and you, and everyone bless
him, with our heart, our mouth, our actions--praising him as God and
as Father, for he is God because of his essence and Father because
of hispower to generate" ("Commentary on Eph.", 1, 6).
Sacred Scripture very often invites us to praise God our Lord (cf. Ps
8:19; 33; 46-48; etc.); this is not a matter only of verbal praise: our
actions should prove that we mean what we say: "He who does good
with his hands praises the Lord, and he who confesses the Lord with
his mouth praises the Lord. Praise him by your actions" (St Augustine,
"Enarrationes in Psalmos", 91, 2).
4. As the hymn develops, the Apostle details each of the blessings
contained in God's eternal plan. The first of these is his choice, before
the foundation of the world, of those who would become part of the
Church. The word he uses, translated here as "chose", is the same
one as used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to refer
to God's election of Israel. The Church, the new people of God, is
constituted by assembling in and around Christ those who have been
chosen and called to holiness. This implies that although the Church
was founded by Christ at a particular point in history, its origin goes
right back to the eternal divine plan. 'The eternal Father, in accor-
dance with the utterly gratuitous and mysterious design of his
wisdom and goodness,... 'predestined (the elect) to be conformed to
the image of his Son in order that he might be the first-born among
many brethren' (Rom 8:29). He determined to call together in a holy
Church those who believe in Christ. Already present in figure at the
beginning of the world, this Church was prepared in marvelous fashion
in the history of the people of Israel and in the Old Alliance. Estab-
lished in this last age of the world, and made manifest in the
outpouring of the Spirit, it will be brought to glorious completion at
the end of time" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 2).
God's choice seeks to have us become "holy and blameless before him".
In the same way as in the Old Testament a victim offered to God had to
be unblemished, blameless (cf. Gen 17:1), the blameless holiness to
which God has destined us admits of no imperfection. By the very fact
of being baptized we are made holy (cf. note on 1: 1), and during our
lifetime we try to grow holier with the help of God; however, complete
holiness is something we shall attain only in heaven.
The holiness with which we have been endowed is an undeserved gift
from God: it is not a reward for any merit on our part: even before we
were created God chose us to be his: "'He chose us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy.' I know that such
thoughts don't fill you with pride or lead you to think yourself better
than others. That choice, the root of your vocation, should be the
basis of your humility. Do we build monuments to an artist's paint-
brush? Granted the brush had a part in creating masterpieces, but
we give credit only to the painter. We Christians are nothing more
than instruments in the hands of the Creator of the world, the Re-
deemer of all men" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 1).
"He destined us in love": the loving initiative is God's. "If God has
honored us with countless gifts it is thanks to his love, not to our
merits. Our fervor, our strength, our faith and our unity are the
fruit of God's benevolence and our response to his goodness" (St
John Chrysostom, "Hom. on Eph, ad loc".).
God's election of Christians and their vocation to holiness, as also
the gift of divine filiation, reveals that God is Love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8); we
have become partakers of God's very nature (cf. 2 Pet 1:4), sharers,
that is, in the love of God.
"He destined us in love", therefore, also includes the Christian's love
of God and of others: charity is a sharing in God's own love; it is the
essence of holiness, the Christian's law; nothing has any value if it
is not inspired by charity (cf. 1 Cor 13:1-3).
5. The Apostle goes on to explore the further implications of God's
eternal plan: those chosen to form part of the Church have been given
a second blessing, as it were, by being predestined to be adoptive
children of God. 'The state of this people is that of the dignity and
freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells
as in a temple" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium, 9).
This predestination to which the Apostle refers means that God
determined from all eternity that the members of the new people of
God should attain holiness through his gift of adoptive sonship. It is
God's desire that all be saved (cf. 1 Tim 2:4) and he gives each per-
son the means necessary for obtaining eternal life. Therefore, no
one is predestined to damnation (cf. Third Council of Valence, "De
Praedestinatione", can. 3).
The source of the Christian's divine sonship is Jesus Christ. God's
only Son, one in substance with the Father, took on human nature in
order to make us sons and daughters of God by adoption (cf. Rom
8:15, 29; 9:4; Gal 4:5). This is why every member of the Church can
say: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called
children of God; and so we are" (1 Jn 3:1).
What is involved here is not simply formal adoption, which is some-
thing external and does not affect the very person of the child. Divine
adoption affects man's entire being, it inserts him into God's own
life; for Baptism makes us truly his children, partakers of the divine
nature (cf. 2 Pet 1:4). Divine sonship is therefore the greatest of
the gifts God bestows on man during his life on earth. It is indeed
right to exclaim "Blessed be God" (v. 3) when one reflects on this
great gift: it is right for children openly to acknowledge their father
and show their love for him.
Divine filiation has many rich effects as far as the spiritual life is
concerned. "A child of God treats the Lord as his Father. He is not
obsequious and servile; he is not merely formal and well-mannered:
he is completely sincere and trusting. God is not shocked by what
we do. Our infidelities do not wear him out. our Father in heaven par-
dons any offense when his child returns to him, when he repents and
asks for pardon. The Lord is such a good father that he anticipates
our desire to be pardoned and comes forward to us, opening his arms
laden with grace" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 64). See
the notes on Jn 1:12.
6. The gift of divine filiation is the greatest expression of the glory
of God (cf. note on 1:17 below), because it reveals the full extent of
God's love for man. St Paul stresses what the purpose of this eternal
divine plan is--to promote "the praise of his glorious grace". God's
glory has been made manifest through his merciful love, which has
led him to make us his children in accordance with the eternal pur-
pose of his will. This eternal design "flows from 'fountain-like love', the
love of God the Father [...]. God in his great and merciful kindness
freely creates us and, moreover, graciously calls us to share in his
life and glory. He generously pours out, and never ceases to pour out,
his divine goodness, so that he who is Creator of all things might at
last become 'everything to everyone' (1 Cor 15:28), thus simultaneous-
;y assuring his own glory and our happiness" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes",
2).
The grace which St Paul speaks of here and which manifests the glory
of God refers first to the fact that God's blessings are totally unmerited
by us and include the grace-conferring gifts of holiness and divine
filiation.
"In the Beloved": the Old Testament stresses again and again that
God loves his people and that Israel is that cherished people (cf. Deut
33:12; is 5:1, 7; 1 Mac 6:11; etc.). In the New Testament Christians
are called "beloved by God" (1 Thess 1:4; cf. Col 3:12). However, there
is only one "Beloved", strictly speaking, Jesus Christ our Lord--as God
revealed from the bright cloud at the Transfiguration: "This is my beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Mt 17:5). The Son of his love has
obtained man's redemption and brought forgiveness of sins (cf. Col
1:13ff), and it is through his grace that we become pleasing to God,
lovable by him with the same love with which he loves his Son. At the
Last Supper, Jesus asked his Father for this very thing--"so that the
world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as
hou hast loved me" (Jn 17:23). "Notice", St John Chrysostom points
out, "that Paul does not say that this grace has been given us for no
purpose but that it has been given us to make us pleasing and lovable
in his eyes, now that we are purified of our sins" ("Hom. on Eph, ad
loc.").
11-14. The Apostle now contemplates a further divine blessing--the
implementation of the "mystery" through the Redemption wrought by
Christ: God calls the Jews (vv. 11f) and the Gentiles (v. 13) together,
to form a single people (v. 14). Paul first refers to the Jewish people,
of which he himself is a member, which is why he uses the term
"we" (v. 12). He then speaks of the Gentile Christians and refers to
them as "you" (v. 13).
11-12. The Jewish people's expectations have been fulfilled in Christ:
he has brought the Kingdom of God and the messianic gifts, designed
in the first instance for Israel as its inheritance (cf. Mt 4:17; 12:28;
Lk 4:16-22). God's intention in selecting Israel was to form a people
of his own (cf. Ex 19:5) that would glorify him and proclaim to the
nations its hope in a coming Messiah. "God, with loving concern
contemplating, and making preparation for, the salvation of the whole
human race, in a singular undertaking chose for himself a people to
whom he would entrust his promises. By his covenant with Abraham
(cf. Gen 15:18) and, through Moses, with the race of Israel (cf. Ex
24:8), he did acquire a people for himself, and to them he revealed
himself in words and deeds as the one, true, living God, so that Israel
might experience the ways of God with men. Moreover, by listening
to the voice of God speaking to them through the prophets, they had
steadily to understand his ways more fully and more clearly, and make
them more widely known among the nations (cf. Ps 21:28-9; 95:1-3;
Is 2:1-4; Jer 3:17)" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 14).
St Paul emphasizes that even before the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the just of the Old Testament acted in line with their belief in
the promised Messiah (cf. Gal 3:11; Rom 1:17); not only did they look
forward to his coming but their hope was nourished by faith in Christ
as a result of their acceptance of God's promise. As later examples
of this same faith we might mention Zechariah and Elizabeth; Simeon
and Anna; and, above all, St Joseph. St Joseph's faith was "full, con-
fident, complete", Monsignor Escriva comments. "It expressed itself
in an effective dedication to the will of God and an intelligent obe-
dience. With faith went love. His faith nurtured his love of God, who
was fulfilling the promises made to Abraham, Jacob and Moses, and
his affection for Mary his wife and his fatherly affection for Jesus.
This faith, hope and love would further the great mission which God
was beginning in the world through, among others, a carpenter in
Galilee--the redemption of mankind" ("Christ Is Passing By", 42).
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.
8
posted on
12/08/2006 8:37:12 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
(and thank you for your help with my conversion)
9
posted on
12/08/2006 8:37:22 AM PST
by
Nihil Obstat
(viva il papa)
To: All
From: Luke 1:26-38
The Annunciation and Incarnation of the Son of God
[26] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city
of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose
name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was
Mary. [28] And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord
is with you!" [29] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and
considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. [30] And
the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found
favor with God. [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. [32] He will be great,
and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give
to Him the throne of His father David, [33] and He will reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there will be no end."
[34] And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no
husband?" [35] And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; there-
fore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. [36] And
behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a
son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37]
For with God nothing will be impossible." [38] And Mary said, "Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your
word." And the angel departed from her.
Commentary:
26-38. Here we contemplate our Lady who was "enriched from the first
instant of her conception with the splendor of an entirely unique holi-
ness; [...] the virgin of Nazareth is hailed by the heralding angel, by
divine command, as `full of grace' (cf. Luke 1:28), and to the heavenly
messenger she replies, `Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done
unto me according to thy word' (Luke 1:38). Thus the daughter of
Adam, Mary, consenting to the word of God, became the Mother of
Jesus. Committing herself wholeheartedly to God's saving will and
impeded by no sin, she devoted herself totally, as a handmaid of the
Lord, to the person and work of her Son, under and with Him, serving
the mystery of Redemption, by the grace of Almighty God. Rightly,
therefore, the Fathers (of the Church) see Mary not merely as
passively engaged by God, but as freely cooperating in the work of
man's salvation through faith and obedience" (Vatican II, "Lumen
Gentium", 56).
The annunciation to Mary and incarnation of the Word constitute the
deepest mystery of the relationship between God and men and the
most important event in the history of mankind: God becomes man,
and will remain so forever, such is the extent of His goodness and
mercy and love for all of us. And yet on the day when the Second
Person of the Blessed Trinity assumed frail human nature in the pure
womb of the Blessed Virgin, it all happened quietly, without fanfare of
any kind.
St. Luke tells the story in a very simple way. We should treasure
these words of the Gospel and use them often, for example, practising
the Christian custom of saying the Angelus every day and reflecting on
the five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.
27. God chose to be born of a virgin; centuries earlier He disclosed
this through the prophet Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23).
God, "before all ages made choice of, and set in her proper place, a
mother for His only-begotten Son from whom He, after being made
flesh, should be born in the blessed fullness of time: and He con-
tinued His persevering regard for her in preference to all other crea-
tures, to such a degree that for her alone He had singular regard"
(Pius IX, "Ineffabilis Deus," 2). This privilege granted to our Lady of
being a virgin and a mother at the same time is a unique gift of God.
This was the work of the Holy Spirit "who at the conception and the
birth of the Son so favored the Virgin Mother as to impart fruitfulness
to her while preserving inviolate her perpetual virginity" ("St. Pius V
Catechism," I, 4, 8). Paul VI reminds us of this truth of faith: "We
believe that the Blessed Mary, who ever enjoys the dignity of virginity,
was the Mother of the incarnate Word, of our God and Savior Jesus
Christ" ("Creed of the People of God", 14).
Although many suggestions have been made as to what the name
Mary means, most of the best scholars seem to agree that Mary
means "lady". However, no single meaning fully conveys the richness
of the name.
28. "Hail, full of grace": literally the Greek text reads "Rejoice!",
obviously referring to the unique joy over the news which the angel
is about to communicate.
"Full of grace": by this unusual form of greeting the archangel reveals
Mary's special dignity and honor. The Fathers and Doctors of the
Church "taught that this singular, solemn and unheard-of-greeting
showed that all the divine graces reposed in the Mother of God and
that she was adorned with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit", which meant
that she "was never subject to the curse", that is, was preserved from
all sin. These words of the archangel in this text constitute one of
the sources which reveal the dogma of Mary's Immaculate Conception
(cf. Pius IX, "Ineffabilis Deus"; Paul VI, "Creed of the People of God").
"The Lord is with you!": these words are not simply a greeting ("the
Lord be with you") but an affirmation ("the Lord is with you"), and they
are closely connected with the Incarnation. St. Augustine comments
by putting these words on the archangel's lips: "He is more with you
than He is with me: He is in your heart, He takes shape within you,
He fills your soul, He is in your womb" ("Sermo De Nativitate Domini",
4).
Some important Greek manuscripts and early translations add at the
end of the verse: "Blessed are you among women!", meaning that God
will exalt Mary over all women. She is more excellent than Sarah,
Hannah, Deborah, Rachel, Judith, etc., for only she has the supreme
honor of being chosen to be the Mother of God.
29-30. Our Lady is troubled by the presence of the archangel and by
the confusion truly humble people experience when they receive praise.
30. The Annunciation is the moment when our Lady is given to know
the vocation which God planned for her from eternity. When the arch-
angel sets her mind at ease by saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary," he is
helping her to overcome that initial fear which a person normally experi-
ences when God gives him or her a special calling. The fact that Mary
felt this fear does not imply the least trace of imperfection in her: hers
is a perfectly natural reaction in the face of the supernatural. Imperfec-
tion would arise if one did not overcome this fear or rejected the advice
of those in a position to help--as St. Gabriel helped Mary.
31-33. The archangel Gabriel tells the Blessed Virgin Mary that she is
to be the Mother of God by reminding her of the words of Isaiah which
announced that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, a prophecy which
will find its fulfillment in Mary (cf. Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 7:14).
He reveals that the Child will be "great": His greatness comes from His
being God, a greatness He does not lose when He takes on the lowli-
ness of human nature. He also reveals that Jesus will be the king of
the Davidic dynasty sent by God in keeping with His promise of sal-
vation; that His Kingdom will last forever, for His humanity will remain
forever joined to His divinity; that "He will be called Son of the Most
High", that is that He really will be the Son of the Most High and will
be publicly recognized as such, that is, the Child will be the Son of
God.
The archangel's announcement evokes the ancient prophecies which
foretold these prerogatives. Mary, who was well-versed in Sacred
Scripture, clearly realized that she was to be the Mother of God.
34-38. Commenting on this passage John Paul II said: "`Virgo fidelis',
the faithful Virgin. What does this faithfulness of Mary mean? What
are the dimensions of this faithfulness? The first dimension is called
search. Mary was faithful first of all when she began, lovingly, to seek
the deep sense of God's plan in her and for the world. `Quomodo fiet?'
How shall this be?, she asked the Angel of the Annunciation [...]."
"The second dimension of faithfulness is called reception, acceptance.
The `quomodo fiet?' is changed, on Mary's lips, to a `fiat': Let it be
done, I am ready, I accept. This is the crucial moment of faithfulness,
the moment in which man perceives that he will never completely
understand the `how': that there are in God's plan more areas of
mystery than of clarity; that is, however he may try, he will never
succeed in understanding it completely[...]."
"The third dimension of faithfulness is consistency to live in accordance
with what one believes; to adapt one's own life to the object of one's ad-
herence. To accept misunderstanding, persecutions, rather than a
break between what one practises and what one believes: this is consis-
tency[...]."
"But all faithfulness must pass the most exacting test, that of duration.
Therefore, the fourth dimension of faithfulness is constancy. It is
easy to be consistent for a day or two. It is difficult and important to
be consistent for one's whole life. It is easy to be consistent in the
hour of enthusiasm, it is difficult to be so in the hour of tribulation.
And only a consistency that lasts throughout the whole life can be
called faithfulness. Mary's `fiat' in the Annunciation finds its fullness
in the silent `fiat' that she repeats at the foot of the Cross" ("Homily
in Mexico City Cathedral", 26 January 1979).
34. Mary believed in the archangel's words absolutely; she did not
doubt as Zechariah had done (cf. 1:18). Her question, "How can this
be?", expresses her readiness to obey the will of God even though at
first sight it implied a contradiction: on the one hand, she was con-
vinced that God wished her to remain a virgin; on the other, here was
God also announcing that she would become a mother. The archangel
announces God's mysterious design, and what had seemed impossible,
according to the laws of nature, is explained by a unique intervention
on the part of God.
Mary's resolution to remain a virgin was certainly something very
unusual, not in line with the practice of righteous people under the
Old Covenant, for, as St. Augustine explains, "particularly attentive
to the propagation and growth of the people of God, through whom the
Prince and Savior of the world might be prophesied and be born, the
saints were obliged to make use of the good of matrimony" ("De
Bono Matrimonii", 9, 9). However, in the Old Testament, there were
some who, in keeping with God's plan, did remain celibate--for exam-
ple, Jeremiah, Elijah, Eliseus and John the Baptist. The Blessed
Virgin, who received a very special inspiration of the Holy Spirit to
practise virginity, is a first-fruit of the New Testament, which will
establish the excellence of virginity over marriage while not taking
from the holiness of the married state, which it raises to the level of
a sacrament (cf. "Gaudium Et Spes", 48).
35. The "shadow" is a symbol of the presence of God. When Israel
was journeying through the wilderness, the glory of God filled the
Tabernacle and a cloud covered the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus
40:34-36). And when God gave Moses the tablets of the Law, a cloud
covered Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15-16); and also, at the Transfiguration
of Jesus the voice of God the Father was heard coming out of a cloud
(Luke 9:35).
At the moment of the Incarnation the power of God envelops our Lady
-- an expression of God's omnipotence. The Spirit of God--which, accor-
ding to the account in Genesis (1:2), moved over the face of the waters,
bringing things to life--now comes down on Mary. And the fruit of her
womb will be the work of the Holy Spirit. The Virgin Mary, who herself
was conceived without any stain of sin (cf. Pius IX, "Ineffabilis Deus")
becomes, after the Incarnation, a new tabernacle of God. This is the
mystery we recall every day when saying the Angelus.
38. Once she learns of God's plan, our Lady yields to God's will with
prompt obedience, unreservedly. She realizes the disproportion be-
tween what she is going to become--the Mother of God--and what she
is--a woman. However, this is what God wants to happen and for Him
nothing is impossible; therefore no one should stand in His way. So
Mary, combining humility and obedience, responds perfectly to God's
call: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done according
to your word."
"At the enchantment of this virginal phrase, the Word became flesh"
([St] J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", first joyful mystery). From the pure
body of Mary, God shaped a new body, He created a soul out of
nothing, and the Son of God united Himself with this body and soul:
prior to this He was only God; now He is still God but also man.
Mary is now the Mother of God. This truth is a dogma of faith, first
defined by the Council of Ephesus (431). At this point she also begins
to be the spiritual Mother of all mankind. What Christ says when He is
dying--`Behold, your son..., behold, your mother" (John 19:26-27) --
simply promulgates what came about silently at Nazareth. "With her
generous `fiat' (Mary) became, through the working of the Spirit, the
Mother of God, but also the Mother of the living, and, by receiving into
her womb the one Mediator, she became the true Ark of the Covenant
and true Temple of God" (Paul VI, "Marialis Cultus", 6).
The Annunciation shows us the Blessed Virgin as perfect model of
"purity" (the RSV "I have no husband" is a euphemism); of "humility"
("Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord"); of "candor" and "simplicity"
("How can this be?"); of "obedience" and "lively faith" ("Let it be done
to me according to your word"). "Following her example of obedience
to God, we can learn to serve delicately without being slavish. In Mary,
we don't find the slightest trace of the attitude of the foolish virgins, who
obey, but thoughtlessly. Our Lady listens attentively to what God
wants, ponders what she doesn't fully understand and asks about what
she doesn't know. Then she gives herself completely to doing the di-
vine will: `Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me
according to your word'. Isn't that marvellous? The Blessed Virgin, our
teacher in all we do, shows us here that obedience to God is not servile,
does not bypass our conscience. We should be inwardly moved to
discover the `freedom of the children of God' (cf. Romans 8:21)" ([St]
J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 173).
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.
10
posted on
12/08/2006 8:38:48 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: Nihil Obstat
**(and thank you for your help with my conversion)**
I think the Blessed Virgin Mary is bringing many to the Catholic Church.
Blessings to you.
11
posted on
12/08/2006 8:40:12 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd
Mass Readings
| First reading |
Genesis 3:9 - 20 © |
The Lord God called to the man. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it’. Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate’.
Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,
‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,
all wild beasts.
You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust
every day of your life.
I will make you enemies of each other:
you and the woman,
your offspring and her offspring.
It will crush your head
and you will strike its heel.’
The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live. |
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 97 |
| Second reading |
© |
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.
Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,
to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,
determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ
for his own kind purposes,
to make us praise the glory of his grace,
his free gift to us in the Beloved.
And it is in him that we were claimed as God’s own,
chosen from the beginning,
under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things
as he decides by his own will;
chosen to be,
for his greater glory.
|
| Gospel |
Luke 1:26 - 38 © |
| In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her. |
12
posted on
12/08/2006 8:48:39 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Office of Readings -- Awakening Prayer
Office of Readings
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 94 (95) |
| A call to worship |
Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation.
Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs.
For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods.
For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his.
For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us;
for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand.
If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts
as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me –
they put me to the test, although they had seen my works”.
“For forty years they wearied me, that generation.
I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths.
I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest”.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Psalm 45 (46) |
| God, our refuge and our strength |
The Lord is our refuge and our strength, a true help in our troubles.
Therefore we do not fear, even when the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the depths of the sea,
the waves roar and foam and rise up to shake the mountains.
The streams of the river give joy to the city of God, the holy dwelling-place of the Most High.
God is within it, it will not be shaken; God will give help as the day dawns.
The nations are in turmoil and kingdoms totter: at the sound of his voice, the earth flows like water.
The Lord of strength is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come and see the works of the Lord, who has done wonders on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the world: he tramples the bow, shatters weapons, and burns the shields with fire.
Stop and see that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.
The Lord of strength is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Psalm 86 (87) |
| Jerusalem, mother of all nations |
Its foundations are set on the sacred mountains –
the Lord loves the gates of Sion
more than all the tents of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you, city of God!
I shall count Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.
The Philistines, Tyrians, Ethiopians –
all have their birthplace here.
Of Sion it will be said “Here is the birthplace of all people:
the Most High himself has set it firm”.
The Lord shall write in the book of the nations:
“Here is their birthplace”.
They will sing as in joyful processions:
“All my being springs from you”.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Reading |
Romans 5:12 - 21 © |
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.
Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man’s sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. When law came, it was to multiply the opportunities of failing, but however great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater; and so, just as sin reigned wherever there was death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. |
| Reading |
A sermon by St Anselm |
| O Virgin, by whose blessing all nature is blessed! |
Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night – everything that is subject to the power or use of man – rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendour by men who believe in God.
The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary’s womb.
Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new. Through the Son who was the glorious fruit of your virgin womb, just souls who died before his life-giving death rejoice as they are freed from captivity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered domain.
Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation receives new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation.
To Mary God gave his only-begotten Son, whom he loved as himself. Through Mary God made himself a Son, not different but the same, by nature Son of God and Son of Mary. The whole universe was created by God, and God was born of Mary. God created all things, and Mary gave birth to God. The God who made all things gave himself form through Mary, and thus he made his own creation. He who could create all things from nothing would not remake his ruined creation without Mary.
God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Saviour of the world. Without God’s Son, nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be redeemed.
Truly the Lord is with you, to whom the Lord granted that all nature should owe as much to you as to himself. |
| Canticle |
Te Deum |
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”
The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.
You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.
And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.
Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Concluding Prayer |
God, by her Immaculate Conception you made the Virgin a fit habitation for your Son.
You preserved her from the stain of the Fall by the merits of the Son’s future death:
through her intercession, make us pure and permit us to come to you at last.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen. |
13
posted on
12/08/2006 8:54:00 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
American Catholic’s Saint of the Day
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December 8, 2006
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
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A feast called the Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century. It came to the West in the eighth century. In the eleventh century it received its present name, the Immaculate Conception. In the eighteenth century it became a feast of the universal Church. In 1854 Pius IX gave the infallible statement: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” It took a long time for this doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and Doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless—either at her conception or throughout her life. This is one of the Church teachings that arose more from the piety of the faithful than from the insights of brilliant theologians. Even such champions of Mary as Bernard and Thomas Aquinas could not see theological justification for this teaching. Two Franciscans, William of Ware and Blessed John Duns Scotus, helped develop the theology. They point out that Mary’s Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus’ redemptive work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In Mary, Jesus’ work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset.
Comment:
In Luke 1:28 the angel Gabriel, speaking on God’s behalf, addresses Mary as “full of grace” (or “highly favored”). In that context this phrase means that Mary is receiving all the special divine help necessary for the task ahead. However, the Church grows in understanding with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led the Church, especially non-theologians, to the insight that Mary had to be the most perfect work of God next to the Incarnation. Or rather, Mary’s intimate association with the Incarnation called for the special involvement of God in Mary’s whole life. The logic of piety helped God’s people to believe that Mary was full of grace and free of sin from the first moment of her existence. Moreover, this great privilege of Mary is the highlight of all that God has done in Jesus. Rightly understood, the incomparable holiness of Mary shows forth the incomparable goodness of God. Quote:
“[Mary] gave to the world the Life that renews all things, and she was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role. “It is no wonder, then, that the usage prevailed among the holy Fathers whereby they called the mother of God entirely holy and free from all stain of sin, fashioned by the Holy Spirit into a kind of new substance and new creature. Adorned from the first instant of her conception with the splendors of an entirely unique holiness, the Virgin of Nazareth is, on God’s command, greeted by an angel messenger as ‘full of grace’ (cf. Luke 1:28). To the heavenly messenger she replies: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word’ (Luke 1:38)” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 56).
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14
posted on
12/08/2006 9:01:15 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
15
posted on
12/08/2006 9:08:41 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Friday, December 8, 2006
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity) |
First Reading:
Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
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Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Psalm 98:1-4
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Luke 1:26-38
Grace will not act without us, in order that we may will to do right. But when we will, it works along with us. Grace prevents him who is not willing, that he may will. It accompanies him who wills, lest he will in vain -- St. Augustine |
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16
posted on
12/08/2006 9:09:49 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Catholic Culture
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Collect:
Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy mother of your Son. You let her share beforehand in the salvation Christ would bring by His death, and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Help us by her prayers to live in your presence without sin. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. |
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December 08, 2006    Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the solemn dogma defined by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1854. As Our Lady Immaculately Conceived is the patroness of the United States of America, this is a holyday of obligation in the United States. Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed on December 8, 1854: "The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin." — Catechism of the Catholic Church Jesse Tree ~ Mary
Immaculate Conception of Mary
"Tota pulchra es! O Mary, thou art all fair, unstained by original sin" (1st Ant. at Vespers; All.). This cry of admiration, which the Church puts on our lips, expresses the feelings of fallen man before the spotless purity of our Lady. From all eternity God had chosen Mary to be the Mother of the Word Incarnate; He therefore decked her in holiness, preserving her from all stain and making her a worthy dwelling for His Son. The Blessed Virgin's perfect redemption which, from the moment of her conception, preserved her from original sin cannot, therefore, be dissociated from our redemption by Christ; and so, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, coming in the course of Advent, heralds the splendours of the Incarnation of the Redeemer. Pope Pius IX in his bull Ineffabilis Deus of December 8, 1854, declared the Immaculate Conception to be an infallible teaching of the Church as well as "a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful that the Blessed Virgin Mary in the first instant of her conception was, by a unique privilege and grace of Almighty God in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, preserved exempt from all stain of original sin." The stain of original sin was excluded from her soul, not removed from it. Many confuse the meaning of this dogma, thinking it refers to Mary's conception of the immaculate Jesus. That is the Incarnation, which we celebrate on the Solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25. This dogma of the Immaculate Conception, on the other hand, refers to St. Anne's conception of Our Immaculate Lady in her womb. Patron: United States. Symbols: crown and monogram; lily; enclosed garden; crown of stars; glass (symbol of purity) lily often placed in a vase of transparent glass; lily of the valley. Things to Do:
- The dogma of the Immaculate Conception lends itself to fruitful meditation and should be taught to children. The doctrine of original sin, the sin of Adam and its effects on the human race, is a good beginning for study. For the best explanation of the teachings of the Church on this, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, numbers 386-412. Also you might read Pope Piux IX's bull, Ubi Primum (On The Immaculate Conception) proclaiming the Immaculate Conception as a dogma of Faith. Other reading from the Catholic Culture Library:
- Mary as the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States. Visit or take a virtual tour of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, America's patronal church.
- This day would also be appropriate for parents to plan their approach on family sex education, as it is the privilege and duty of parents to teach their own children in this area.
- Make a Mary candle for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. See Celebrating for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception for details and other ideas.
- Prepare an all white meal for dinner and then discuss with your children the dogma of the Immaculate Conception with the visual aids of dinner showing the purity and the stainlessness of Mary's soul. Read Teaching the Immaculate Conception and Advent and the Immaculate Conception for discussion ideas.
Ideas for dinner: Appetizers: Rice crackers and white cheeses;
Soups: cream soups, such as clam chowder, pototo soup, cream of celery;
Main Course: chicken breasts, pasta with alfredo sauce;
Side Dishes: mashed potatoes, white rice, cauliflower with (or without) white cheese sauce, white bread (with crusts removed), white corn;
Dessert: White cake with white icing, meringue kisses, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, white chocolate. - The special treat for this feast is Moravian Spritz, or gingerbread cookies, loaded with fine, aromatic spices. These are mixed on the vigil, December 7. Or make your favorite gingerbread cookie. Perhaps for this solemnity the family could make a gingerbread house or Gingerbread Bowls.
- Today, plant an Immaculate Conception Rose Bush. During this winter season, it is also a good time to plan a Mary Garden. Flower Theology by John Stokes, the website Mary's Gardens and the book Mary's Flowers, Gardens, Legends and Meditations by Mary's Gardens Associate, Vincenzina Krymow, are good beginnings for planning your garden.
- No room for a garden? No time to nurture nature? Read Flowers for the Fairest by Daniel Foley to read about flowers appropriate for Our Lady, and purchase a small bouquet or a few flowers...real or silk to display for feasts of Mary.
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17
posted on
12/08/2006 9:15:55 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Regnum Christi
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Beauty Unveiled
December 8, 2004
"You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus."
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Matthew Reinhardt, Consecrated Member of Regnum Christi
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin´s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. Introductory Prayer: Hail Mary, full of grace! Mother, I praise you and congratulate you today as we celebrate your feast. Thank you for the example you gave us while you were on earth. You have taught me how to live so many virtues. Teach me how to pray today so that I may win the grace to live as you did. Petition:Let it be done to me according to your will. 1. Don’t Be Afraid. On the feast of the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate the moment when the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. From the first moment of life, Mary was sinless, just like Eve before the Fall. Though both were created sinless, only Mary persevered in her immaculate state by fighting to do God’s will. The fight to be faithful is what we can offer God today: “Do not be afraid” to show your love for God by doing his will. 2. God’s the Protagonist. “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Today we celebrate a feast honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the other great Marian feasts we celebrate how Mary generously collaborated with God’s action in her soul. In being immaculately conceived, Mary plays a passive role, while the protagonist is God. God is also the protagonist in our fight to be holy. Often times, the best thing we can do is let go and allow God to take over. He wants to be the protagonist in our striving for holiness today. 3. Getting to Yes. Just as you are doing your daily meditation now, one day Mary, a girl in a poor town of about 500 inhabitants, was doing hers. Suddenly, an angel appears, startles her and proposes to her the sublime mission of being the mother of the Messiah. All creation is pending on her answer as she ponders the message in her heart. One final push by the angel – “For nothing will be impossible for God” – and the young Mary answers, “Let it be done to me.” Though an angel probably won’t appear during your meditation, God’s grace asks you for a yes today just like Mary’s. Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I thank you for the gift of Mary. She gives me an example of a life perfectly united to your will. Help me today to live as she did, to give myself without thinking of myself, and to be open to what you want to do through me today. Resolution: I will invite one or more friends or family members to Mass with me today.
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18
posted on
12/08/2006 9:20:35 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Lauds -- Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer (Lauds)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 62 (63) |
| Thirsting for God |
O God, you are my God, I wait for you from the dawn.
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you.
I came to your sanctuary,
as one in a parched and waterless land,
so that I could see your might and your glory.
My lips will praise you, for your mercy is better than life itself.
Thus I will bless you throughout my life,
and raise my hands in prayer to your name;
my soul will be filled as if by rich food,
and my mouth will sing your praises and rejoice.
I will remember you as I lie in bed,
I will think of you in the morning,
for you have been my helper,
and I will take joy in the protection of your wings.
My soul clings to you; your right hand raises me up.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Canticle |
Daniel 3 |
| All creatures, bless the Lord |
Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever.
Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever.
Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever. |
| Psalm 149 |
| The saints rejoice |
Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker, and the sons of Sion delight in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing, sing to him with timbrel and lyre,
for the Lord’s favour is upon his people, and he will honour the humble with victory.
Let the faithful celebrate his glory, rejoice even in their beds,
the praise of God in their throats; and swords ready in their hands,
to exact vengeance upon the nations, impose punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings in fetters and their nobles in manacles of iron,
to carry out the sentence that has been passed: this is the glory prepared for all his faithful.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Short reading |
Isaiah 43:1 © |
| But now the Lord speaks, who created you, Jacob, who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.’ |
| Canticle |
Benedictus |
| The Messiah and his forerunner |
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. |
| Prayers and Intercessions |
? |
- Our Saviour permitted himself to be born of the Virgin Mary. Now, as we celebrate his coming, let us pray to him saying:
- May your mother intercede for us, O Lord.- You are the Sun of justice, and the immaculate Virgin is the dawn that heralded your rising:
- grant that we may always walk in the daylight of your coming.
- You are the saviour of the world, and by your redeeming power you kept your mother free from original sin:
- make us too free of the stain of sin.
- You are the redeemer of mankind, and you made the immaculate Virgin Mary into your dwelling-place and the treasury of the Holy Spirit:
- make us too into temples of your Spirit.
- You are the King of kings, and you raised up your mother, body and soul, into heaven:
- keep our minds always on the things that are above.
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Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. |
God, by her Immaculate Conception you made the Virgin a fit habitation for your Son.
You preserved her from the stain of the Fall by the merits of the Son’s future death:
through her intercession, make us pure and permit us to come to you at last.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
19
posted on
12/08/2006 9:22:45 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: All
Mary, Blessed Quarry
December 8, 2006
Matthew's Gospel contains a fascinating numerology (observance of God's providence). The genealogy at the start of his Gospel says "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Mt 1:1). After stuttering through all the names of Jesus' ancestors, we can then read his conclusion to the first verse: "Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations" (Mt 1:17).
Why does Matthew mark the importance of these moments as mathematically proportioned? As Matthew is the only Gospel writer who discusses the need to build one's house on rock (Mt 7:24-27) and follows this with naming the actual rock (Mt 16:18) upon which Jesus will build God's house, then we can safely deduce that Matthew is giving us the measurements of time that it took for God to construct Himself an everlasting "house." The exact number — repeated three times to form a perfect cube — is like the measurements used to create the inner sanctuary of Solomon's temple which was a perfect cube: "twenty cubits long, twenty high, and twenty wide" (1 Kgs 6:20). As we come to understand Jesus a little better as the true temple and inner sanctuary (cf. Heb 10:20-21), we understand Matthew's choice and the prerogatives of Mary, the Immaculate Conception.
Titles and Their Significance
The first line of Matthew's Gospel is actually more shocking than we often appreciate. We are so used to hearing the title "Son of David" and "Son of Abraham" we forget to whom these names were first applied. The "Son of Abraham" was first and foremost, Isaac, the child of promise through whom all the peoples of the world were to receive God's blessing (Gn 22:18). The title "Son of David" was first applied to Solomon, the son God promised would build a house for Him (2 Sm 7:13). The mystery is that both of these sons were not the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan. In the opening verse of Matthew's Gospel, we are being told that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of what God promised.
The promise of blessing through the descendants of Abraham was connected to a sacrifice on Mount Moriah of an only son. The sacrifice was never completed. God prevented the sacrifice of Isaac because God was preparing the world to see in this pre-figurement a far greater "Isaac" through whom the worldwide blessing would come. It was God's only Son (Jn 3:16) who would become the true sacrifice on Mount Moriah for the salvation of the world. Likewise, the promise of building God's house was only partially realized in Solomon. The Babylonians, fourteen generations later, burnt that one to the ground and plundered it. It was the true "Son of David," the one who said "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will rebuild it" (Mt 26:61 and 12:6, 42) who revealed that the true temple God spoke of was His own resurrected body. In Jesus we find the true sacrifice and the true temple; true "Son of Abraham" and true "Son of David." Through the Holy Spirit we are all united with the resurrected body and built into Him, as Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit.
The Last Adam: Formed from Blessed Earth
Saint Paul tells us: "‘The first man, Adam, became a living being,' the last Adam a life-giving spirit" (1 Cor 15:45). Because Jesus has resurrected His body by reuniting it with His human soul, there is now a new image which all humans can receive into their souls, the image and likeness of Jesus' soul in us. The Holy Spirit recreates this image in us which infuses us with the grace in Jesus' soul and makes us a new creation, participating in God's divine life (cf. CCC #460) while maintaining our unique identity. Because the "Word became flesh" (Jn 1:14) we can be reborn from above (Jn 3:7) and not have to suffer eternal death.
Calling Jesus the "last Adam" shows that He is the true fulfillment (cf. Mt 5:17) of what the "first Adam" (while still in innocence) only prefigured; much like Jesus is the true "Son of David" and true "Son of Abraham." What must be remembered is that the first Adam was taken from blessed earth. Adam had not yet sinned and the earth was not yet cursed for that sin. If there is a new and last Adam, then we must look from where He was taken. Was He taken from cursed earth or blessed earth?
We know that Jesus was taken from blessed earth. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" (Lk 1:28); "you have found favor with God" (Lk 1:30). Not only that, but when the Book of Revelation presents a war between a woman and a serpent, and her seed and the seed of the serpent, it is showing us the true war which was mentioned in Genesis, chapter three. Genesis 3:15 talks about a war between a woman and her seed and a serpent and his seed. Since Mary is the mother of Jesus in Revelation 12, and since Genesis 3 is addressed to Eve, then we see that Mary is presented to us as the new Eve just as Jesus is presented as the new Adam. The earliest Christians pointed to the new Adam being taken from the new Eve as God untying the knot in which the first Eve entangled us by her sin. They presented Mary as the blessed earth from which the new Adam was taken.
When we read Matthew's account of the genealogy of Jesus, we are reading about temple construction. All stones of a temple are taken from a quarry (1 Kgs 6:8). The stones of Solomon's temple were taken from the mount upon which it was built. We cannot help but think of Mary providing the flesh for our true God and temple, Jesus Christ, when we hear Matthew's repetition of the number fourteen. God preserved Mary from sin in preparation for His Incarnation. Upon Jesus' birth she gave the true temple to the world in human flesh. She is the mother of Jesus and she is the mother of Jesus in us. She is the New Eve, the new "Mother of the Living" and she is with us, "her offspring, those who keep God's commandments and bear witness to Jesus" (Rv 12:17). Through the Spirit in us, we have become living stones "built into a spiritual house" (1 Pet 2:5).
20
posted on
12/08/2006 9:30:26 AM PST
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
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