Letters From Home

Readings:
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:4-5,8-10,14
1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Every Advent, the Liturgy of the Word gives our sense of time a reorientation. There’s a deliberate tension in the next four weeks’ readings—between promise and fulfillment, expectation and deliverance, between looking forward and looking back.

In today’s First Reading, the prophet Jeremiah focuses our gaze on the promise God made to David, some 1,000 years before Christ. God says through the prophet that He will fulfill this promise by raising up a “just shoot,” a righteous offspring of David, who will rule Israel in justice (see 2 Samuel 7:16; Jeremiah 33:17; Psalm 89:4–5; 27–38).

Today’s Psalm, too, sounds the theme of Israel’s ancient expectation: “Guide me in your truth and teach me. For you are God my savior and for you I will wait all day.”

We look back on Israel’s desire and anticipation knowing that God has already made good on those promises by sending His only Son into the world. Jesus is the “just shoot,” the God and Savior for Whom Israel was waiting.

Knowing that He is a God who keeps His promises lends grave urgency to the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel.

Urging us to keep watch for His return in glory, He draws on Old Testament images of chaos and instability—turmoil in the heavens (see Isaiah 13:11, 13; Ezekiel 32:7–8; Joel 2:10); roaring seas (see Isaiah 5:30; 17:12); distress among the nations (see Isaiah 8:22; 14:25) and terrified people (see Isaiah 13:6–11).

He evokes the prophet Daniel’s image of the Son of Man coming on a cloud of glory to describe His return as a “theophany,” a manifestation of God (see Daniel 7:13–14).

Many will cower and be literally scared to death. But Jesus says we should greet the end-times with heads raised high, confident that God keeps His promises, that our “redemption is at hand,” that “the kingdom of God is near” (see Luke 21:31).

Lecturas:
Jeremías 33, 14-16
Salmo 25, 4-5; 8-10.14
1 Tesalonicenses 3, 12-4, 2
Lucas 21, 25-28; 34-36

Cada Adviento, la liturgia de la Palabra nos reorienta con respecto a nuestro sentido del tiempo. Con toda intención, en las lecturas de las próximas cuatro semanas, nos presentará tensión entre promesa y cumplimiento; expectación y liberación; futuro y pasado.

En la primera lectura de hoy, el profeta Jeremías guía nuestra atención hacia la promesa que Dios le hizo a David, unos 1000 años antes de Cristo. Dios dice a través del profeta que cumplirá esta promesa suscitando un vástago santo, un descendiente recto, que gobernará a Israel en justicia (cfr. 2Sam 7, 16; Jr 33, 17; Sal 89, 4-5; 27-38).

Así mismo, el salmo de este domingo trata el tema de la Antigua expectación de Israel: “Guíame en tu verdad y enséñame, porque tú eres Dios mi Salvador y por ti espero todo el día”.

Vemos el deseo y la expectación de Israel en el Antiguo Testamento y corroboramos también que Dios cumplió sus promesas enviando al mundo a su Hijo Único. Jesús es el vástago santo, el Dios y Salvador esperado.

El saber que Dios cumple sus promesas, le da aún más dramatismo a las palabras que Jesús pronuncia en el Evangelio de este Domingo.

Él nos urge a vigilar mientras esperamos su retorno glorioso, y para ello evoca imágenes de caos e inestabilidad del Antiguo Testamento: disturbios en los cielos (cfr. Is 13, 11.13; Ez 32.7-8; Jl 2,10) mares que braman (cfr. Is 5,30; 17,12); angustia en las naciones (cfr. Is 8, 22; 14, 25) y gente aterrorizada (cfr. Is 13, 6-11).

También usa la imagen profética de Daniel, referente al Hijo del Hombre que viene en una nube de gloria, para indicar que su regreso es “teofanía”, manifestación de Dios (cfr. Dn 7, 13.14).

Muchos se asustarán (algunos hasta, literalmente, morirse del miedo). Pero Jesús dice que debemos recibir el fin de los tiempos con la frente en alto, confiados en que Dios mantiene sus promesas, que “nuestra redención esta a la puerta” que “el reino de Dios está cerca” (cfr. Lc 21, 31).

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time by Mr. Clement Harrold.

Ordinary Weekday / Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: Daniel 7: 15-27
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
Alleluia: Luke 21: 36
Gospel: Luke 21: 34-36

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma.

Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Daniel 7: 2-14
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
Alleluia: Luke 21: 28
Gospel: Luke 21: 29-33

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac by Dr. John Bergsma.

Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, Martyr, & Companions, Martyrs Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Daniel 5: 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
Alleluia: Revelation 2: 10c
Gospel: Luke 21: 12-19

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Clement by Mr. Rob Corzine.

Ordinary Weekday / Clement I, Pope, Martyr / Columban, Abbot, Missionary / Blessed Miguel Augustín Pro, Priest, Religious,Martyr First Reading: Daniel 2: 31-45
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 57, 58, 59, 60, 61
Alleluia: Revelation 2: 10c
Gospel: Luke 21: 5-11

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Cecilia by Dr. Scott Hahn.

Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr Obligatory Memorial First Reading: Daniel 1: 1-6, 8-20
Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Alleluia: Matthew 24: 42a, 44
Gospel: Luke 21: 1-4

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Lecturas:
Daniel 7, 13-14
Salmo 93,1-2.5
Apocalipsis 1, 5-8
Juan 18, 33-37

¿Cuál es la verdad sobre la que Cristo da testimonio en este último Evangelio del año litúrgico?

La verdad de que, en Jesús, Dios cumple la promesa hecha a David acerca de un reino eterno y un heredero suyo, que a la vez sería Hijo de Dios, “el primogénito, el más alto de los reyes de la tierra” (cfr. 2S 7, 12-16; Sal 89, 27-38).

La segunda lectura de hoy, tomada del Apocalipsis, cita estas promesas y celebra a Jesús como “el testigo fiel.” Recuerda la profecía de Isaías, según la cual el Mesías testificaría ante las naciones que Dios mantiene su alianza eterna con David (Is 55, 3-5).

Sin embargo, como Jesús le dice a Pilatos, su reino es mucho más que la mera restauración de una monarquía temporal. En el Apocalipsis, Jesús dice ser “el Alfa y la Omega”; la primera y la última letras del alfabeto griego. Se atribuye a Sí mismo una descripción que en el Antiguo Testamento corresponde a Dios: el primero y el último, el que llama a todas las generaciones (cfr. Is 41,4; 44, 6; 48, 12).

“Tú mantienes el orbe”, aclama el salmo de este domingo. El dominio del Señor se extiende sobre toda la creación (cfr. Jn 1, 3; Col 1, 16-17).

Y en la primera lectura, contemplamos la visión de Daniel que describe un hijo de hombre viniendo “sobre las nubes del cielo”—otra señal de su divinidad—para recibir “la gloria y la soberanía” para siempre, sobre todas las naciones y pueblos.

Cristo es Rey y su reino, aunque no sea de este mundo, existe en este mundo por medio de la Iglesia. Somos un pueblo real. Sabemos que hemos sido amados por Él, liberados por su sangre y transformados en “un reino de sacerdotes” de su Dios y Padre (cfr. Ex 19, 6; 1 P 2, 9).

Como pueblo sacerdotal, compartimos su sacrificio y damos testimonio de la eterna alianza de Dios. Pertenecemos a su verdad y escuchamos su voz, esperando que venga de nuevo entre las nubes.

Daniel 7:13-14
Psalm 93:1-2,5
Revelation 1:5-8
John 18:33-37

What’s the truth Jesus comes to bear witness to in this last Gospel of the Church’s year?

It’s the truth that in Jesus God keeps the promise He made to David of an everlasting kingdom, of an heir who would be His Son, “the first born, highest of the kings of the earth” (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16; Psalm 89:27–38).

Today’s Second Reading, taken from the Book of Revelation, quotes these promises and celebrates Jesus as “the faithful witness.” The reading hearkens back to Isaiah’s prophecy that the Messiah would “witness to the peoples” that God is renewing His “everlasting covenant” with David (see Isaiah 55:3–5).

But as Jesus tells Pilate, there’s far more going on here than the restoration of a temporal monarchy. In the Revelation reading, Jesus calls Himself “the Alpha and the Omega,” the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. He’s applying to Himself a description that God uses to describe Himself in the Old Testament—the first and the last, the One who calls forth all generations (see Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12).

“He has made the world,” today’s Psalm cries, and His dominion is over all creation (see also John 1:3; Colossians 1:16–17). In the vision of Daniel we hear in today’s First Reading, He comes on “the clouds of heaven”—another sign of His divinity—to be given “glory and kingship” forever over all nations and peoples.

Christ is King and His kingdom, while not of this world, exists in this world in the Church. We are a royal people. We know we have been loved by Him and freed by His blood and transformed into “a kingdom, priests for his God and Father” (see also Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).

As a priestly people, we share in His sacrifice and in His witness to God’s everlasting covenant. We belong to His truth and listen to His voice, waiting for Him to come again amid the clouds.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Saturday of the Thirty-third Week of Ordinary Time by Mr. Clement Harrold.

Ordinary Weekday / Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: First Maccabees 6: 1-13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 9: 2-3, 4 and 6, 16 and 19
Alleluia: Second Timothy 1: 10
Gospel: Luke 20: 27-40

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com