Archive for December 10, 2016

Third Sunday of Advent

Posted: December 10, 2016 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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​Here is Your God: 

Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday of Advent

Readings:

Isaiah 35:1-6,10
Psalm 146:6-10
James 5:7-10

Matthew 11:2-11
John questions Jesus from prison in today’s Gospel—for his disciples’ sake and for ours.
He knows that Jesus is doing “the works of the Messiah,” foretold in today’s First Reading and Psalm. But John wants his disciples—and us—to know that the Judge is at the gate, that in Jesus our God has come to save us.
The Liturgy of Advent takes us out into the desert to see and hear the marvelous works and words of God—the lame leaping like a stag, the dead raised, the good news preached to the poor (see Isaiah 29:18-20; 61:1-2).
The Liturgy does this to give us courage, to strengthen our feeble hands and make firm our weak knees. Our hearts can easily become frightened and weighed down by the hardships we face. We can lose patience in our sufferings as we await the coming of the Lord.
As James advises in today’s Epistle, we should take as our example the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Jesus also points us to a prophet—holding up John as a model. John knew that life was more than food, the body more than clothing. He sought the kingdom of God first, confident that God would provide (see Matthew 6:25-34). John did not complain. He did not lose faith. Even in chains in his prison cell, he was still sending his disciples—and us—to our Savior.
We come to Him again now in the Eucharist. Already He has caused the desert to bloom, the burning sands to become springs of living water. He has opened our ears to hear the words of the sacred book, freed our tongues to fill the air with songs of thanksgiving (see Isaiah 30:18).
Once bowed down, captives to sin and death, we have been ransomed and returned to His Kingdom, crowned with everlasting joy. Raised up we now stand before His altar to meet the One who is to come: “Here is your God.”

On Today’s Gospel 

Posted: December 10, 2016 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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How have we received the prophets amongst us today? Do we receive them with skepticism? Disdain? Do we reject their call for reconciliation? Or do we think ourselves better than them? We know better, are better or we can do much better; but do nothing! Heed the call for repentance and be prepared to receive the Lord our God.

Are we ourselves prophets for others? Are we already going out to prepare the way for our Lord Jesus Christ, so that He might enter the hearts of those who await Him. For we are called to do great things in His name, if only we have faith!

Send me Lord, I stand ready. Amen

First reading
Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12

The prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch. It was he who brought famine on the people,
and who decimated them in his zeal.
By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire.
How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have?
Taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses; designated in the prophecies of doom to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks, to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children,
and to restore the tribes of Jacob, Happy shall they be who see you, and those who have fallen asleep in love.

Gospel
Matthew 17:10-13

As they came down from the mountain the disciples put this question to Jesus, ‘Why do the scribes say then that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist.