BIBLE STUDY#118
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
December 23, 2012
READING 1
MICAH 5:1-4A
Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
HEBREWS 10:5-10
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
LUKE 1:39-45
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s Gospel passage is known as the “Visitation” and comes right after the Gospel passage known as the “Annunciation” in which Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel and told that she is to conceive and bear a son by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that this son will be the Son of God. She is also told that her cousin Elizabeth has conceived a son in her old age.
Mary then sets out “in haste” to “a town of Judah” to visit Elizabeth. It seems to indicate that Mary went alone because no one else is mentioned escorting her. I suppose we can assume that some people did escort her, but Luke’s intent here is not historical but theological. He wants Mary to be with Elizabeth to make a statement.
The first point Luke makes is that John is to be the precursor of Jesus. Elizabeth has prophetic insight and knows that Mary has been chosen by God for a special task; she knows without being told that Mary is pregnant and that Mary’s child will have a greater significance than her own son.
Elizabeth calls Mary’s child “my Lord” which is first of all a title for God. This title for Jesus is a resurrection title, so the shadow of the cross is there even before Jesus is born and implies the nature of Jesus mission. While Elizabeth recognizes Jesus as ‘master,’ there is a deeper dimension implied here.
Elizabeth recognizes Mary as blessed, because God h as chosen her for a special mission but also because she said yes to God and tries her best to follow God’s will for her life.
John leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Why? Because he recognizes Jesus as being superior to himself, showing that he is the precursor and not the messiah. Notice that Jesus doesn’t leap for joy at being in john’s presence. Something terrific is about to happen, and John is glad to be a part of it.
The second point Luke makes is Mary’s Magnificat otherwise called The Canticle of Mary (not included in today’s gospel). She begins by giving all the praise, glory, and honor to God. Mary recognizes that whatever happens is not accomplished by her own power but that of God’s. She proclaims God’s mercy, and says that in days to come, the messiah will turn things around: rulers are thrown down and the lowly are lifted up; and the hungry are fed, but the rich are empty. God promises not to forget his people.
The first reading is from the prophet Micah who lives 700 years before Jesus. Micah is concerned about the threat of an Assyrian invasion. Preparing for this invasion is expensive and causes poverty among the people. Micah is outraged against social injustices and about the corruption and greed of the leaders. He trusts that God will send a new king like David. Since Bethlehem was David’s hometown, the new king would have roots in that city. The early Christian community saw Jesus as the new king reflected in this prophecy.
In the second reading from Hebrews, the author agrees with Luke that a Christian is a person of action. Jesus is the perfect Christian whom we should be imitating, the one who does God’s will.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #117
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
December 9, 2012
READING 1
BARUCH 5:1-9
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God's command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
PHILIPPIANS 1:4-6, 8-11
Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
LUKE 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Tiberius Caesar’s reign is usually dated beginning in 14 A.D., which makes this event around the year 29 A.D. According to the historian Josephus, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea from 26 -36 A.D., and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee until 39 A.D. The Herod referred to here is Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. Both Pilate and Herod play an important role later on in the gospel.
Annas and Caiaphas are both mentioned as high priest, but there was only one high priest at a time. Annas was high priest form 6-15 A.D. and was succeeded by Caiaphas, his son-in-law, who was high priest from 18-36 A.D. The gospels of Matthew and John list only Caiaphas as high priest, but John attests to the influence of Annas.
The “Word of God” is one of the themes of Luke and Acts. It is through the prophetic word that God addresses the people. In Acts, the word of God derives from the Holy Spirit and is accompanied by great signs and wonders. The mission of the church can be described as the word of God expanding and growing. In the parable of the sower in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus identifies the seed as the word of God, and the human response of faith is described hearing and obeying the word of God.
Luke is identifying the preaching of John as a call from God. Luke is therefore identifying John with the prophets whose ministries began with similar calls. In 7:26, John is referred to as “more than a prophet,” he is the precursor of Jesus, an important role in salvation history. In fact, he had his own ministry and following, as we see in Acts, where he had a following 20 years later.
By referring to John as the son of Zechariah, Luke connects John with the infancy narratives, and shows that everything prophesied about him is being fulfilled.
For Luke, John is the teacher of morals, a prophet who calls people to repent, to undergo a change of heart, a complete turning around of their lives. But he is primarily the precursor of Jesus, who turns people away from himself to one who is mightier than him; that is Jesus, the Messiah, whose baptism is in spirit and fire, which is fulfilled at Pentecost.
Luke quotes from Chapter 40 of Isaiah’s Book of Comfort. These words were directed to the Israelites in exile, and Isaiah was saying that God had not forgotten them, and will free them and bring them home, making the way smooth and easy to travel. Luke was reminding the people that god had not forgotten them and would send them a messiah. The hearers of John’s message were to prepare themselves for the coming of the messiah through repentance and reform.
Luke includes another line from Isaiah not in Mark’s gospel: “and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." For Luke, Jesus is not just the messiah of the Jews, but the messiah and savior of the whole human race. This universalism permeates Like’s gospel.
In the first reading from Baruch (a partner with Jeremiah who kept Jeremiah’s message alive), we hear a message and are given a choice. In the midst of human frailty and sin, we can wallow the evil of the world or we can entrust ourselves to God. If we trust God, we can, with God’s grace, work together to establish justice and peace, and be clothed with god’s grace and blessings. If we trust in God, he will lead us home, making smooth and level the road back to him.
In the second reading from Philippians, Paul is in jail as he writes these lines. He knows that even though he worked hard to plant the seed of faith in the Philippians, it is God who brought them to faith, so he gives God the credit. Paul is confident that what was begun in them will grow and that they will continue to grow in the love of Christ until He comes again. The faith that was planted in us, also, will continue to grow. It may not seem like it some days, we may feel weak in faith some times, but we continue on in the love of Christ and the good work begun is us will also be brought to completion.
Fr. Phil
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
December 9, 2012
READING 1
BARUCH 5:1-9
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God's command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
PHILIPPIANS 1:4-6, 8-11
Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
LUKE 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Tiberius Caesar’s reign is usually dated beginning in 14 A.D., which makes this event around the year 29 A.D. According to the historian Josephus, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea from 26 -36 A.D., and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee until 39 A.D. The Herod referred to here is Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. Both Pilate and Herod play an important role later on in the gospel.
Annas and Caiaphas are both mentioned as high priest, but there was only one high priest at a time. Annas was high priest form 6-15 A.D. and was succeeded by Caiaphas, his son-in-law, who was high priest from 18-36 A.D. The gospels of Matthew and John list only Caiaphas as high priest, but John attests to the influence of Annas.
The “Word of God” is one of the themes of Luke and Acts. It is through the prophetic word that God addresses the people. In Acts, the word of God derives from the Holy Spirit and is accompanied by great signs and wonders. The mission of the church can be described as the word of God expanding and growing. In the parable of the sower in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus identifies the seed as the word of God, and the human response of faith is described hearing and obeying the word of God.
Luke is identifying the preaching of John as a call from God. Luke is therefore identifying John with the prophets whose ministries began with similar calls. In 7:26, John is referred to as “more than a prophet,” he is the precursor of Jesus, an important role in salvation history. In fact, he had his own ministry and following, as we see in Acts, where he had a following 20 years later.
By referring to John as the son of Zechariah, Luke connects John with the infancy narratives, and shows that everything prophesied about him is being fulfilled.
For Luke, John is the teacher of morals, a prophet who calls people to repent, to undergo a change of heart, a complete turning around of their lives. But he is primarily the precursor of Jesus, who turns people away from himself to one who is mightier than him; that is Jesus, the Messiah, whose baptism is in spirit and fire, which is fulfilled at Pentecost.
Luke quotes from Chapter 40 of Isaiah’s Book of Comfort. These words were directed to the Israelites in exile, and Isaiah was saying that God had not forgotten them, and will free them and bring them home, making the way smooth and easy to travel. Luke was reminding the people that god had not forgotten them and would send them a messiah. The hearers of John’s message were to prepare themselves for the coming of the messiah through repentance and reform.
Luke includes another line from Isaiah not in Mark’s gospel: “and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." For Luke, Jesus is not just the messiah of the Jews, but the messiah and savior of the whole human race. This universalism permeates Like’s gospel.
In the first reading from Baruch (a partner with Jeremiah who kept Jeremiah’s message alive), we hear a message and are given a choice. In the midst of human frailty and sin, we can wallow the evil of the world or we can entrust ourselves to God. If we trust God, we can, with God’s grace, work together to establish justice and peace, and be clothed with god’s grace and blessings. If we trust in God, he will lead us home, making smooth and level the road back to him.
In the second reading from Philippians, Paul is in jail as he writes these lines. He knows that even though he worked hard to plant the seed of faith in the Philippians, it is God who brought them to faith, so he gives God the credit. Paul is confident that what was begun in them will grow and that they will continue to grow in the love of Christ until He comes again. The faith that was planted in us, also, will continue to grow. It may not seem like it some days, we may feel weak in faith some times, but we continue on in the love of Christ and the good work begun is us will also be brought to completion.
Fr. Phil
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