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December 16, 2010Thursday of the Third Week of AdventReading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 54:1-10Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear,Break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor,For more numerous are the children of the deserted wifethan the children of her who has a husband,says the LORD.Enlarge the space for your tent,spread out your tent cloths unsparingly;lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes.For you shall spread abroad to the right and to the left;your descendants shall dispossess the nationsand shall people the desolate cities.Fear not, you shall not be put to shame;you need...

“O King of the Nations, Come” (Haggai 2:1-9, 20-23; Ephesians 2:11-22; Matthew 28:18-20)In our Advent series on the O Antiphons, today we continue with “King of the nations.” You’ll find it there in your hymnal or in the bulletin. Let us pray this antiphon together: “O King of the nations, the ruler they long for, the cornerstone uniting all people: Come and save us all, whom You formed out of clay.” Now this title for Christ, “King of the nations,” is sometimes also referred to as “Desire of nations,” not that the word “king” means “desire”--it doesn’t--but that this king...

December 15, 2010Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25I am the LORD, there is no other;I form the light, and create the darkness,I make well-being and create woe;I, the LORD, do all these things.Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;let justice also spring up!I, the LORD, have created this.For thus says the LORD,The creator of the heavens,who is God,The designer and maker of the earthwho established it,Not creating it to be a waste,but designing it be...

Patristic sources often link Mary, the mother of Jesus, to ark of the covenant imagery. Where did this tradition originate? At first glance, it might be suspected that such language is merely the result of reckless allegorization. After all, the New Testament never links Mary with the ark. . . right? Here I want to make the case that the imagery of Mary as ark can be found in LukeÂ’s Gospel. In particular, I want to look at a story relevant to the Christmas season: Luke's account of the Visitation, i.e., Mary's visit to Elizabeth. The story is rich in...

December 14, 2010Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Zep 3:1-2, 9-13Thus says the LORD:Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted,to the tyrannical city!She hears no voice,accepts no correction;In the LORD she has not trusted,to her God she has not drawn near.For then I will change and purifythe lips of the peoples,That they all may call upon the name of the LORD,to serve him with one accord;From beyond the rivers of Ethiopiaand as far as the recesses of the North,they shall bring me offerings.On that dayYou need not be ashamed of...

December 13, 2010Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Nm 24:2-7, 15-17aWhen Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe,the spirit of God came upon him,and he gave voice to his oracle:The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor,the utterance of a man whose eye is true,The utterance of one who hears what God says,and knows what the Most High knows,Of one who sees what the Almighty sees,enraptured, and with eyes unveiled:How goodly are your tents, O Jacob;your encampments, O Israel!They are like gardens beside a stream,like the cedars planted by the LORD.His wells shall...

December 12, 2010Third Sunday of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Is 35:1-6a, 10The desert and the parched land will exult;the steppe will rejoice and bloom.They will bloom with abundant flowers,and rejoice with joyful song.The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;they will see the glory of the LORD,the splendor of our God.Strengthen the hands that are feeble,make firm the knees that are weak,say to those whose hearts are frightened:Be strong, fear not!Here is your God,he comes with vindication;with divine recompensehe comes to save you.Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,the ears of...

“O Dayspring, Come” (Malachi 4:1-6; Luke 1:67-79; Revelation 22:16-20)The fifth of the seven O Antiphons is our theme for today, “O Dayspring, Come.” You see it there in your hymnal, as well as in your bulletin. Let’s begin by praying this antiphon together: “O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.” The term “Dayspring” is not a word you hear every day. But you are hearing it on this day. We just sang, “O come, Thou Dayspring from on high.” And it comes up in stanzas in two...

December 11, 2010Saturday of the Second Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Sir 48:1-4, 9-11In those days,like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijahwhose words were as a flaming furnace.Their staff of bread he shattered,in his zeal he reduced them to straits;By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavensand three times brought down fire.How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!Whose glory is equal to yours?You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,in a chariot with fiery horses.You were destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day of the...

December 10, 2010Friday of the Second Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 48:17-19Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,the Holy One of Israel:I, the LORD, your God,teach you what is for your good,and lead you on the way you should go.If you would hearken to my commandments,your prosperity would be like a river,and your vindication like the waves of the sea;Your descendants would be like the sand,and those born of your stock like its grains,Their name never cut offor blotted out from my presence.   Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6Responsorial Psalm R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you,...

December 9, 2010Thursday of the Second Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 41:13-20I am the LORD, your God,who grasp your right hand;It is I who say to you, “Fear not,I will help you.”Fear not, O worm Jacob,O maggot Israel;I will help you, says the LORD;your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.I will make of you a threshing sledge,sharp, new, and double-edged,To thresh the mountains and crush them,to make the hills like chaff.When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them offand the storm shall scatter them.But you shall rejoice in the LORD,and glory in the Holy One of...

“O Key of David, Come” (Isaiah 22:20-25; Revelation 1:12-13, 17-18; 3:7-13; Luke 1:26-33)O Wisdom, O Adonai, O Root of Jesse. And now today, O Key of David, the fourth of the seven great O Antiphons. You see it there opposite Hymn 357, and it’s also in your bulletin. So let’s begin by praying together the Key of David antiphon: “O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and in the shadow of death.” What...

December 7, 2010Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 40:1-11Comfort, give comfort to my people,says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to herthat her service is at an end,her guilt is expiated;Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORDdouble for all her sins.A voice cries out:In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!Every valley shall be filled in,every mountain and hill shall be made low;The rugged land shall be made a plain,the rough country, a broad valley.Then the glory of...

December 6, 2010Monday of the Second Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 35:1-10The desert and the parched land will exult;the steppe will rejoice and bloom.They will bloom with abundant flowers,and rejoice with joyful song.The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;They will see the glory of the LORD,the splendor of our God.Strengthen the hands that are feeble,make firm the knees that are weak,Say to those whose hearts are frightened:Be strong, fear not!Here is your God,he comes with vindication;With divine recompensehe comes to save you.Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,the ears...

December 5, 2010Second Sunday of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Is 11:1-10On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,and from his roots a bud shall blossom.The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,a spirit of counsel and of strength,a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.Not by appearance shall he judge,nor by hearsay shall he decide,but he shall judge the poor with justice,and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his...

“O Root of Jesse, Come” (Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 1:1-17)Today we continue with the third of the seven O Antiphons of Advent, these prayers addressing the coming Christ. This one begins, “O Root of Jesse.” You see it there on the page facing Hymn 357, as well as in your bulletin. Let us now pray this antiphon together: “O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage: Come quickly to deliver us.” “O Root of Jesse, Come.” The Scripture on which this antiphon is...

Father Cantalamessa's 1st Advent Sermon "The Christian Answer to Atheist Scientism" VATICAN CITY, DEC. 11, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is the Advent reflection delivered Friday by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household, for Benedict XVI and members of the Roman Curia. The talk was titled: "The Christian Answer to Atheist Scientistism." * * * "When I look at thy heavens, the moon and the stars, what is man?" (Psalm 8:4-5) The Christian Answer to Atheist Scientism The three meditations of this 2010 Advent are a small contribution to the need of the Church which led the Holy...

December 4, 2010Saturday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 30:19-21, 23-26Thus says the Lord GOD,the Holy One of Israel:O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,no more will you weep;He will be gracious to you when you cry out,as soon as he hears he will answer you.The Lord will give you the bread you needand the water for which you thirst.No longer will your Teacher hide himself,but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:“This is the way; walk in it,”when you would turn to the...

December 3, 2010Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 29:17-24Thus says the Lord GOD:But a very little while,and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,and the orchard be regarded as a forest!On that day the deaf shall hearthe words of a book;And out of gloom and darkness,the eyes of the blind shall see.The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.For the tyrant will be no moreand the arrogant will have gone;All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,those whose mere word condemns a man,Who...

December 2, 2010Thursday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 1Is 26:1-6On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:“A strong city have we;he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.Open up the gatesto let in a nation that is just,one that keeps faith.A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;in peace, for its trust in you.”Trust in the LORD forever!For the LORD is an eternal Rock.He humbles those in high places,and the lofty city he brings down;He tumbles it to the ground,levels it with the dust.It is trampled underfoot by the...