Second Sunday of Advent

December 6, 2009

It is easy to linger in the mood of this week’s readings as the enveloping darkness overshadows our daily activities. We are in the darkest moments of the year. Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere withdraw into quiet confines of our homes and scurry off to bed earlier than usual as we mirror the hibernating world around us. We prepare for the ferocity of winter’s snow and cold as we settle into long slumbering days.

We hear Baruch, a disciple of Jeremiah, address the Israelites who are in the midst of despair and desolation because they are a people who have been humiliated through a forced exile. He calls upon them to throw off the pervading depression that attacks their national consciousness; in a distant but sure-approaching time, they will return triumphantly to Jerusalem accompanied by God’s mercy and justice. God will set aright the fractured relationship with the chosen people; Israel will be restored; a new beginning can commence. Baruch exhorts the people to look for the kernel of hope that is difficult to discern in the midst of such national and spiritual suffering.

In the Gospel, the ears of the Israelites are assaulted with a list of despicable imperialists who have brought them great suffering. During this oppressive reign, their attention is focused on another seed of hope: John, the son of Zechariah, the great Advent figure, is introduced as one who is proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We are to prepare the way for God’s restoring action who will make straight the paths and lead the exiles back to their land with the due dignity and respect owed to them. They will walk with their heads held high because the Lord has taken mercy on them and has shown them compassion.

In both readings, the people suffer and their feelings of despair are not taken away, but they are asked to notice the signs that lead them back to real hope. Even then, the memory of their suffering remains, but it will not sting as badly because of the Lord’s graciousness to them. It is difficult, but good for us to remember that when we are in our darkest hour or in the throes of terrible suffering we have a God who will restore us. With that, we can endure the darkest day.

Quote for the Week

To honor Our Lady of Guadalupe and our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters, I post the Hail Mary and a prayer to Our Lady in Spanish.

Ave María

Dios te salve, María. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo.
Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres. Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre: Jesús.
Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores,
ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte. Amén.

Prayer

Oh Purisima Virgen de Guadalupe. Alcanzame de tu divino Hijo el perdon de mis pecados, bendicion para mi trabajo, remedio a mis enfermedades y necesidades y todo lo que Tu creas conveniente pedir para mi y mi familia. Oh Santa Madre de Dios! No desprecies las suplicas que te dirigimos en nuestras necesidades, antes bien, libranos de todos los peligros. Oh Virgen llena de gloria y de bendicion! Por Cristo Nuestro Senor Asi sea.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

Isaiah speaks of his people’s longing to return from exile and to be vindicated by their God. Zion will be restored and only the righteous ones of God will travel the holy road. God questions Isaiah asking, who else is like me? God declares, “For I am the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth.” God hears the cries of the afflicted and needy and will answer their calls. Therefore, God will teach you what is for your own good and will lead you where you need to go.

In the Gospels, Jesus reveals God’s kingdom by showing how God cares for the neediest, in this case, the man in a stretcher who was lowered from the roof into the crowded room where Jesus was teaching so that he could be healed. We also hear Jesus’ invitation to all who are burdened by cares and hard work to come and rest with him, giving over all our needs to him. Many, however, reject Jesus’ teachings and actions; Jesus describes them as a flip-flopping, fickle generation.

Saints of the Week

Monday: Ambrose, Doctor, was acclaimed as bishop of Milan by the people even before he was baptized a Christian. He baptized Augustine and is one of the four original doctors of the church. He wrote many doctrinal treatises and combated the Arian heresy. A particular liturgical rite in the church in celebrated in the Milan diocese and is name the Ambrosian rite.

Tuesday: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary commemorates the purity of Mary. Scripture depicts Mary as the new Eve, stainless and devoid of sin. The mother of the Son of God would have been kept free from sin to free her for the great task of becoming the mother of Jesus.

Wednesday: Juan Diego, hermit, was canonized in 2002. The Blessed Virgin Mary asked Juan Diego, a native commoner, in 1533 to build a church at Guadalupe near Mexico City where she appeared to him.

Friday: Damasus, pope, was a Spanish pope who advocated that Rome was to be the center of the church instead of Constantinople. Jerome, who translated scripture into Latin and Greek, was Damasus’ secretary; Damasus declared Latin to be the official language of the church in the late 4th century.

Saturday: Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared four times to Juan Diego, who we celebrated on Wednesday, shortly after Spanish colonists conquered the Aztec peoples. Mary brought much consolation to the people as she appeared as a Mexican princess to him. She has long been associated with the poor and the powerless.

This Week in Jesuit History

• Dec. 6, 1618: In Naples, the Jesuits were blamed for proposing to the Viceroy that a solemn feast should be held in honor of the Immaculate Conception and that priests should make a public pledge to defend the doctrine. This was regarded as a novelty not to be encouraged.
• Dec. 7, 1649: Charles Garnier was martyred in Etarita, Canada, as a missionary to the Petun Indians, among whom he died during an Iroquois attack.
• Dec. 8, 1984: Walter Ciszek, prisoner in Russia from 1939 to 1963, died.
• Dec. 9, 1741: At Paris, Fr. Charles Poree died. He was a famous master of rhetoric. Nineteen of his pupils were admitted into the French Academy, including Voltaire, who, in spite of his impiety, always felt an affectionate regard for his old master.
• Dec 10, 1548. The general of the Dominicans wrote in defense of the Society of Jesus upon seeing it attacked in Spain by Melchior Cano and others.
• Dec 11, 1686. At Rome, Fr Charles de Noyelle, a Belgian, died as the 12th general of the Society.
• Dec 12, 1661. In the College of Clermont, Paris, Fr James Caret publicly defended the doctrine of papal infallibility, causing great excitement among the Gallicans and Jansenists.

St. Paul’s Prayer

In the second reading, Paul writes to the Philippians to encourage them along on their way to holiness in Christ Jesus:

Brothers and sisters: I pray always with joy in my very prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now….And this is my prayer for you: 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 of praise of God.

May we pray for each other with the same joy this Advent, that together our love may increase and we may encourage each other to grow in a deeper prayer relationship with Jesus Christ.