SECOND
SUNDAY OF ADVENT – CYCLE C – 2018
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On our journey of preparation for the
celebration of the Incarnation of the Son of God, and his birth in Bethlehem,
we encounter John the Baptist.
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He invites the people to be prepared for the
coming, the first coming of God to his people, in fulfillment of the promises.
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In the Second Reading Paul asks his community to
be prepared for the Second Coming of the Lord.
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The readings are an invitation to rejoice
because God walks with his people, he walks with us. This could be considered as the third one of
his comings, the way he comes to us during our life time.
THE BOOK OF BARUC
This book is
introduced as the work of the Scribe found in the book of Jeremiah (32:12-16)
We do not have the original in Hebrew, what we
have is the Greek translation. The Churches belonging to the Catholic and
Orthodox traditions consider this book a canonical book, while the those
belonging to the Protestant tradition and the Hebrew Bible consider this book
as deuteron-canonical or apocrypha.
Due to the diversity of literary styles and
forms (prose and poetry) we can consider the book as a compilation of texts,
which was very frequent by that time.
The scenario seems to be the Babylonian exile.
It is a
satire of the pagan cult, mixed with prophetic oracles.
FIRST READING , Baruc 5;1-9
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The text transpires optimism, light, joy and
peace.
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Jerusalem is invited to put on festal garments
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Because God will show to all the dwellers of the
earth the splendor of Jerusalem.
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Where peace, justice and the glory of the
adoration of God, reign.
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Jerusalem is invited to see how her children
come from the four corners of the earth.
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The vocabulary evokes the time of the
deportation when they left in tears and shame
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God himself prepares the way to Jerusalem for
the return of those who were deported
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There will be trees on both sides of the road.
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God himself will lead them in joy, light, mercy
and justice.
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This reading can be also, an invitation to the
Church community, that experiences times of darkness, as a consequence of her
sins; to raise our eyes and acknowledge the presence of Jesus journeying
with us and see the great things he does for us. This will fill us with joy and
peace.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Ps 126
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we
are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has
done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has
done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has
done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Ø
This is a psalm of thanksgiving and trust.
Ø
Psalm, which describes the joy of the return of
the captives to Jerusalem.
Ø
The vocabulary used to describe the return is
full of joy, trust, security because God himself leads them. God also continues to lead each one of us to
our homeland, the heavenly Jerusalem, we should also rejoice and trust like
those returning from the Babylonian exile.
Ø
Even the pagan nations praise and sing because God has done great things for them
The last verse evokes the
contrast between the tears of the departure to the exile and the joy of the
return.
SECOND READING:
PhilL 1:4-6. 8-11
ü
Paul shows his joy because of the way the
Philippians are cooperating in the proclamation of the Gospel.
ü
He tells them that he is confident that the One
who has begun the good work in them will lead it to completion until the day of
Christ (the Second Coming)
ü
Paul wishes to go personally to the community of Philippi, but meanwhile he
prays for them that
o
Their love may grow more and more
o
That their knowledge may grow as well
o
That they may discern what is worth according to
our faith.
o
That they may be pure and irreproachable for the
Day of Christ.
o
For the glory and praise of God the Father.
GOSPEL Lk 3:1-6
Luke after introducing his Gospel and after
describing some events of the childhood of Jesus, all of this considered by
Ravassi as the first scene of the Gospel, introduces us to the second scene.
In this scene we meet John the Baptist
performing his ministry, his mission of preparing the way.
Luke situates John and Jesus in a historical
time which he describes with abundance of details
Why? To let us know that Jesus is not a figment of our
imagination, an object of faith without any historical base, but he is a real
person who has lived in our midst.
All the characters he mentions may be found in
history books.
John preaches repentance, conversion and
penance.
Luke says that in this is fulfilled what the
prophet Isaiah wrote 40:3-5
Because the queen
likes me and thinks so much of me, I know that she would be pleased if I asked
any favors of her; but so far I haven't asked her for a single thing and I have
no desire to do so in the future. What's that I've just said? No, I didn't put
it quite right. There is one favor I have, indeed, asked of her many times and
with great insistence: to let me withdraw from Madrid and the court. And it is
just this favor, the only one I have ever asked for, that I have so far been
unable to obtain. The worst of it is that, although I have some hope of getting
it, I can see no way of getting it quickly. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder, Autobiography 625
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLARET, Antonio María. Autobiography.
PARIS, María Antonia. Autobiography en Escritos
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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