THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL
Ø The books of Samuel deal with the period in which two significant elements came into prominence in Israel: one the figure of the prophet; the other, the institution of kingship.
Ø In the Hebrew Bible the books: 1 and 2 Samuel together with Joshua, Judges and, 1 & 2 Kings for what was called “the minor prophets”.
Ø Also in the Hebrew Bible the two books of Samuel formed a single scroll (book) they were divided when they were translated into Greek.
Ø As we read the books of Samuel we realize that there are many repetitions (the same events narrated to or three times) also some incoherences, that made the scholars think that these books had been written by different authors.
Ø However in spite of that, there is a common theme through both books, a theology which we find also in the books of Judges, Joshua, 1 &2 Kings. These books are called “Deuteronomistic History”. This theology and way of thinking is inspired on the book of Deuteronomy. Some themes are: nationalistic spirit, pride for the successes, a positive and optimistic vision of the monarchy.
Ø As for the time in which they were written, there are some indications that make us think that they began to be written in the beginning of the monarchy and continued until the postexilic period.
Ø Scholars think that in the process of the composition of these books many authors contributed to the work since we find repetitions (things narrated two and three times), incoherences.
Ø We also find in these books some official documents: the list of the sons of David, the list of the officials of David, the list of the heroes of David, the census of the people.
Ø In the VIII B.C. other materials were added and also new theological interpretations of what was already written.
Ø The chronology of the narrations:
o Around 1050 B.C. Victory of the Philistines in Afec.
o Around 1010 B.C. David, king.
o Around 970 B.C. The death of David.
Ø Theology of History
o History is not only interpreted according to human standards but also from divine standards.
o In the last instance God is the main protagonist of history.
o He moves, changes and leads history toward his Project, to make of our history a salvation history.
Ø Theology of the monarchy
o The monarchy was one of the most important institutions of all the peoples of Ancient Orient.
o According to the thinkers and theologians of these peoples, the kings were those who guaranteed:
§ The moral, material, social and political stability of the people.
§ Those who benefited the most from the saving and protective mission of the kings were the poor and marginalized (Sal. 72).
§ Israel could not worship their kings as if they were gods, but from Solomon on the King was called and considered as the adoptive son of God.
FIRST READING – 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8-11,16
« The two themes are the temple and the dynasty
« The author uses the word house with a multivalent meaning:
o House = house of God = temple
o House = royal house = dynasty
« David wants to build a temple (house of God) so the ark will have a house, like David had a house to live in.
« Nathan thinks that this idea of David is good, and encourages him to do as his heart was telling him.
« But God does not want a house, a temple to be confined. God wants to be in the midst of his people, as he had always been during the journey through the desert and also before and after.
« God is going to build a house= a royal house= a dynasty for David. The Messiah, the Son of God will be born in that family, that dynasty, David’s house.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM – 89:2-3,4-5,27.29
This psalm has the following parts:
Hymn vv. 6-19 Oracle vv.20-38 Lament vv. 39-52 V.53 is the benediction that closes Book III of the Psalter. o The psalms are organized in five books in the same way as the Pentateuch, the Law, has five books:
§ First book: psalms 1-41
§ Second book: psalms 42-72
§ Third book: psalms 73-89
§ Fourth book: psalms 90-106
§ Fifth book: psalms 107-150
At the end of the four first books we always find a doxology, some verses blessing God: BLESSED BE THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, FROM ALL ETERNITY AND FOREVER. AMEN. AMEN THE RESPONSORIAL PSALM is taken from the hymn and the oracle of psalm 89. SECOND READING Rm 16:25-27
ü These two verses are a doxology, Paul blesses God.
ü Doxology is a profession of faith, in which we praise God, in Christian worship is the praise to the Most Holy Trinity.
ü This doxology is the fruit of long and deep theological reflection done by the Christian Community over a long period of time. Probably a Christian who knew well the theology of Paul, tried to synthesize the theology of Paul in these two verses.
o Paul makes known the good news, the gospel, in his preaching of Jesus Christ.
o This gospel reveals the mystery that had been hidden during many centuries. The mystery that Christ has come to reveal to us: the love of the Father.
o And this mystery has been revealed to the gentiles by the will and command of God.
o The end of the letter is the climax of the doxology: “to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen.
o The glory to the Father is given always by and through Jesus.
GOSPEL LK 1:26-38
- The gospel of this fourth Sunday of Advent is the same one we read on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
- On the day of the Immaculate Conception the emphasis was on Mary full of grace, and chosen by the Father. Mary Immaculate, Mary the woman of Genesis who will always fight against evil.
- On the fourth Sunday of Advent our eyes are turned to Jesus, the Son of the Father, the Son of David who is became flesh in Mary’s womb.
- There are many themes in this gospel which we may reflect on.
- The difference between the annunciation of the birth of John and the annunciation of the birth of Jesus:
- The birth of John is announced in Jerusalem, within the sacred place of the Temple to Zachariah, a priest, who was about to begin the offering of the sacrifice to God.
- The birth of Jesus is announced in Nazareth, a little town of Galilee from where nothing good can come. It is announced to Mary, a young and simple woman; we are not told what was she doing when the Angel came to her.
- Jerusalem was the center of the religious and political life of Israel, the city cherished by every Jewish person. Nazareth is in a region which is not considered good because their religion is not as pure as that of Jerusalem, since the people in Galilee do business with the pagan peoples around them.
- And this is the way Jesus is going to appear among the people, as a simple man from that little town, a man who preaches the unconditional love of God for everyone.
- The theme of the Ark and of the Temple
- David wants to build a temple to put in it the Ark of the Covenant, to give it the due respect, this is what David thinks.
- But God does not want a temple to be confined, limited. God will come to us and will walk with his people, will share the simple life of the people, their difficulties, their sorrows and their joys. In the midst of the people is where the men and women of his time and or ours will find him.
- The temple will always be the place for the people to meet for the worship of God, to bless God for all the good things God gives us, for God’s unconditional love. We will thank God for being so close to us.
- Mary is the true Ark of the Covenant, who bears, not the Tables but the Law made flesh. She is also the true Temple where humanity and divinity are joined forever in Jesus, true God and true man.
- And we may also say that Mary, the true Ark of the New Covenant, enters into the true Temple of God-God himself, when she is overshadowed by the Spirit of God at the Incarnation.
- The theme of the House:
- House as we have already said means: house as the dwelling place of a family.
- But it also means the royal house or the dynasty.
- In the reflection of the first reading we have developed this idea.
CLARETIAN CORNER
I had much to fight with the Procurator in the purchase of this house. Let the reader of these simple notes not be scandalized by the different opinions of the Procurator and mine. There is nothing to wonder; rather it is very natural because he is of very noble spirit and everything seems to him to be little for God. And, as I am of low condition, I have a very stingy spirit with God and therefore, a little seems to me to be too much, especially considering the poverty. And I, an ignorant woman, understood only what have read in the Holy Gospel, but they, who are very learned, understand better the scriptures according to the times. But Holy Obedience has solved everything; I never stepped away from it, not even a point, by the grace of God. (María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 191).
During the first two years, despite the earthquakes and the cholera epidemic, we managed to visit all the parishes in the archdiocese. In every one of them a mission was led either by myself or my companions, and in rural parishes with a very large territory, several missions were given. Every two or three leagues we would hold a mission in one of the many large tobacco sheds. We would set up an altar, a pulpit, and a confessional with the help of some chairs and gratings we brought along for that purpose.
Throughout those first two years it rained a great deal. On one occasion it rained for nine months without skipping a day; and there were days when it rained through the night as well. This made traveling difficult, but I and my companions kept on going and the people kept on coming. We were all happy and in good spirits, although we sometimes lacked even the necessities of life. (Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 538-539 )Bibliography:
The Catholic Study Bible. New American Bible.
Gianfranco Ravasi, Segun las Escrituras: doble comentario a las lecturas del domingo, San Pablo 2005.
Pagola, José A. Following in the Footsteps of Jesus. Convivium Press 2011.
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. 1988.
Autobiography of the Venerable Maria Antonia Paris.
Autobiography of Saint Anthony Mary Claret
Autobiography of the Venerable Maria Antonia Paris.
Autobiography of Saint Anthony Mary Claret
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