«
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
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.
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