2nd WEEK OF ADVENT
 Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
St. John of the Cross priest & doctor

Ps 145:1 & 9, 10-11, 12-13ab
The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

1^st Reading: Is 41:13-20

For I, Yahweh, your God, take hold of your right hand and say to you: “Fear not, I am your assistance.“

Fear not, Jacob, poor worm, and you, people of Israel, so frail. I am your redeemer, says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, your helper.

I will make you a thresher, new and with sharp double teeth: you will thresh hills and mountains, crushing them and reducing them to chaff.

You will winnow them, the wind will carry them off and the storm will scatter them. But you will rejoice in Yahweh and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and the afflicted seek water, and find none. Their tongues are parched with thirst. But I, Yahweh, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will open up streams over the barren heights and let the rivers flow through all the valleys; I will turn the desert into lakes and brooks and the thirsty earth into a land of springs.

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle and the olive; I will plant in the wasteland fir, cypress and pine that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of Yahweh has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Gospel: Mt 11:11-15

I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has arisen from among the sons of women; and yet, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered; and violent men seize it.

Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy: all the prophets and the law. And if you believe me, John is indeed that Elijah, whose coming was predicted. Let anyone with ears listen!

REFLECTION:

John the Baptist is truly an Advent figure. He gives us a sometimes uncomfortable reminder that Christmas is much more than a time to make and spend money. Christmas has nothing to do with material gain; it is a challenge to renewal and repentance.

We are struck by the tremendous tribute which Jesus pays to John. There has been nobody greater than he. But this praise is followed by the startling phrase that, “the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he“. What can this mean? It is something I have often wondered about.

William Barclay gives the best answer. He says that something was lacking in John. He had never seen Christ on the Cross, the deepest expression of God‘s love was missed by John. The humblest Christian is greater than John simply in the chronology of events. John died ahead of Jesus. The Christians came after the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are indeed great. We reap the unmerited fruits of Christ‘s sacrifice.

We are blessed but not necessarily better than John. Our blessedness will be in vain, if we will not be moved to renewal of life and to love God alone in Jesus. John heroically fulfilled his role to prepare the people for Jesus‘ coming and proclaimed Jesus when He came. Ours is the call to follow Jesus‘ way and to give witness to his love to all people.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
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