SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT – CYCLE C – DECEMBER 9, 2012

«  In our journey preparing for the celebration of the Incarnation of the Son of God and his birth in Bethlehem, we meet John the Baptist. 

«  He invites the people to be prepared for the coming of God (first coming)in the midst of his people in fulfillment of the promises.   

«  Paul in the second reading asks his community to be prepared for the second coming of the Lord.   

«  The readings for this second Sunday of Advent are an invitation to rejoice because God walks with his people, with us. (third coming) 

THE BOOK OF BARUCH

      This book is presented as the work of the Scribe we find in the book of Jeremiah  (32:12-16)

      We do not have the original text in Hebrew, only the Greek text. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church accept this book as canonical, but the Protestant churches and the Jewish people do not accept it, they consider it to be a deutero-canonical book.  

      It seems to be a recompilation of different texts. 

      The place  is the Babylonian exile.   

FIRST READING  Baruch 5:1-9

«  The entire text transpires optimism, light, joy, peace.  

«  Jerusalem is invited to put on her festal dress.   

«  Because God will show to the entire earth, to all, the splendor of Jerusalem. 

«  The city where peace, justice and the glory of the adoration of God, rule.  

«  Jerusalem is invited to look and see her children coming from the East and the West. 

«  The words evoke the exile, when they left in tears and shame. 

«  God himself is preparing the way through which the exiles will come  back to Jerusalem. 

«  This road has trees on each side offering their shade to the people.   

«  God will lead them in joy, light, mercy and justice.    

RESPONSORIAL PSALM   Ps. 126  

THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US, WE ARE FILLED WITH JOY.    

Ø  Psalm 126 is a thanksgiving psalm and also a psalm of trust. 

Ø  This psalm describes for us the return of the exiles. 

Ø  The return is described with words that evoke an exuberant joy, security, gladness because God himself is leading them.   

Ø  Even the nations praise and sing because God has done great things for the exiles. 

The last verse shows the contrast between the tears when they left and the joy at their return. The psalmist uses images taken from the agricultural world: Sowing and harvesting.  

SECOND READING Letter to the Philippians 1:4-6. 8-11    

ü  Paul is glad because the members of the community have cooperated with him in the proclamation of the Gospel.   

ü  He is confident that He who has begun in them the good work will complete it. 

ü  Paul wishes to go and be with his community of Philippi, but until he will be able to go he prays :    

o   That their love may increase more and more   

o   That their knowledge may increase also     

o   That they may discern what is valuable according to their faith.  

o   So that they may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ (Second coming) 

o   For the glory and praise of God the Father.     

GOSPEL Luke  3:1-6

      In the introduction of his gospel Luke has described some events  of the childhood of Jesus.   

      Now in chapter 3 we meet the person of John the Baptist. He is performing his ministry, his mission of preparing the way.   

      Luke gives a lot of details about the leaders of that time, to help us understand that John as well as Jesus are real human beings who have lived in a real historical time.   

      We may find all of those leaders in any historical book of the time.   

      John proclaims a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins

      Luke tells us that the activity of John fulfils what Isaiah had prophesized  40,3-5

 

CLARETIAN CORNER

 

I was not contented at all with this response, rather I complained to my confessor for not having forced him to answer if I would profess or not because only with that, would I be tranquil since I was not eager to go or to remain, even though not to make my profession was tearing my soul because I had been ardently desiring it not only from my ten years of novitiate but since I had the use of reason. But, as soon as this saint would have said that to leave the convent could be for the glory of God (which was to divide my soul) I would have conformed myself to God’s will for, since God our Lord made me understand the holiness of that soul and the gifts of grace entrusted to him by his divine majesty, my confidence in him was so great that I seemed to hear God’s voice through his. But our Lord was not pleased to give this consolation: he preferred me to drink the chalice up to the last drop.  Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters,    Autobiography 97. 

God's grace has greatly helped me in practicing mortification. I now know that mortification has been an essential need for me in working effectively for souls and in praying as I ought.

I have received special encouragement in practicing mortification from considering the example set by Jesus, Mary, and the Saints. I have read their lives carefully, with an eye to how they practiced mortification, and I have taken many notes from some of them such as St. Bernard and St. Peter of Alcantara. I read of St. Philip Neri that after 30 years of hearing the confession of one of Rome's most famous beauties he had no idea what she looked like.. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters , Autobiography 392-93

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CLARET, Antonio María. Autobiography.

PARIS, María Antonia. Autobiography.   

RAVASI, Gianfranco. Según las Escrituras-Año B. San Pablo 2005.

SCHÖKEL , Luis Alonso, La Biblia de nuestro Pueblo.

SAGRADA BIBLIA, Versión Oficial de la Conferencia Episcopal Española.