Invitation
May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation wants to share with You the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, no one excepted,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideration
Side by side today are two great texts. On the one hand, Isaiah’s Emmanuel prophecy: a child will be born and his name will be ‘God-with-us’. On the other, the gospel of the fourth Sunday of Advent, with its message to Mary. It is the gospel we also read on 8 December. God makes himself known as a God for people. He is not just the unapproachable Saint, but the benevolent one who says ‘Fear not’. He does not come as a scorching fire but enters into dialogue with human beings. We must be open to the coming of that God: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; I will be done according to your word’.
FIRST READING Isa 7:10-14
Behold, the virgin shall receive.
From the Prophet Isaiah
In those days Isaiah spoke to Achaz :
“Ask the Lord your God for a sign ,
either high in heaven or deep in hell.”
But Achaz replied :
“I do not ask for a sign ;
i do not want to test the Lord.”
And Isaiah spoke :
“Listen then, house of David ,
is it not enough for thee to vex men,
that ye would be vexed also my God ?
“Therefore the Lord also gives you an unsolicited sign :
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son ,
and she shall name him ,Immanuel’: ,God-with-us’.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 40(39), 7-8, 9, 10, 11
Yes, I come, Lord, to do your will.
Gift and offering Thou hast never desired,
but thou hast opened my ears to thy voice.
Thou askest no burnt offering, no kissing offering from me ;
so I said : yea, I come, as it is written of me .
To do Thy will, my God, that is my joy ,
your law is engraved in my heart.
In the assemblies I have preached righteousness ,
my lips not closed, Lord, Thou knowest.
I did not keep Your benefits hidden in my heart,
your faithfulness, Your assistance I made known.
Thy favours I did not keep secret,
nor thy faithfulness, from those around me.
VERS FOR THE EVANGELY John 1, 14ab
(Alleluia.)
The Word became flesh
and has dwelt among us.
And we have beheld his glory.
(Alleluia.)
GOSPEL Lk. 1:26-38
Thou shalt conceive and bring a son into the world.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Luke
At that time
the angel Gabriel was sent from the presence of God
to a city in Galilee, Nazareth,
to a virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph,
from the house of David;
the virgin’s name was Mary.
He entered her and spoke :
“Rejoice, Gifted One, the Lord is with thee,
Thou art the blessed one among women.”
She was startled by that word
and wondered what that greeting could mean anyway.
But the angel said to her :
“Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
“Behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a son
and thou must give Him the name Jesus.
“He shall be great
and be called Son of the Most High.
“God the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David
and He shall be King over the house of Jacob for ever and ever
and His kingship will never come to an end.”
Mary, however, spoke to the angel :
“How shall this come about since I know no man?”
To this the angel answered her :
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you ;
therefore whatever is brought into the world
shall be called holy, Son of God.
“Know that even Elisabeth, thy kinswoman,
in her old age conceived a son
and, though she was called barren ,
she is now in her sixth month ;
for before God nothing is impossible.”
Now Mary said :
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord ;
unto me according to thy word.”
And the angel went from her.
________________________________________________________
Laudato Si
encyclical by
Pope Francis
On caring for the common home
220. This conversion implies several, interrelated,
basic attitudes that trigger a generous and loving commitment to the environment set in motion. In the first place, it implies gratitude and disinterestedness, that is, the recognition of the world as a, from the
love of the Father, a gift received. This recognition has as its consequence a disinterested commitment and generosity, even if no one
sees or acknowledges it: “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand is doing […] and your Father who sees in secret will repay it to you” (Mat 6:3-4). They
also implies the loving awareness that one is not separated from the other
creatures, but forms with the other beings of the universe a magnificent
universal community. A believer looks not from outside, but
from within to the world, recognising the ties with which the
Father has united us with all beings. Because ecological conversion
grows the special capacities God has given each believer,
also develops his creativity and enthusiasm to solve the problems of
the world, offering himself to God “as a living
holy sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1). He does not interpret his own superiority
as a reason for personal glory or irresponsible domination,
but as a capacity that imposes a heavy responsibility on him,
arising from his faith.
To be continued
Every day at 1 am
The Bible text in this edition is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Fratelli tutti Official English translation
_____________________________________________________________________________