FAUSTI - Through Mary, having become obedient to the Word, God visits His people and His people recognize Him. This recognition is the aim of His plan, the aim of His hard work, the fulfilment of the history of salvation; the encounter between Israel and the Church, between God's people and His Messiah. The mystery of the Visitation is the anticipation of this eschatological event, in which Mercy will be used for all those who were locked up in disobedience. It is the final joy of the encounter, so obstructed and long-awaited, between Bride and Groom, of which the Canticle sings. The Lord's visit is the meaning of personal and universal history. But who knows how to discern it? Elizabeth is pregnant with two millennia of waiting, Mary of the Eternal One . Their encounter is the embrace between the Old and New Testaments, between promise and fulfilment. Two women are saluting each other. In their mutual acceptance is recognized the One who is Welcome. The encounter takes place through the initiative of She who is blessed because She believed in the fulfilment of the Word of the Lord: Mary goes to Elizabeth, sign that the One to whom "nothing is impossible" , has given (1:36). The N. Testament recognizes in the Old Testament the pre-contained gift as promise of the impossible. Only in this visit and frequenting of the A. T. the N. Testament understands the reality of which it is fulfilment. For this reason Luke carefully introduces his reader of pagan origin into the history of Israel, of which he offers in the first chapters as a summary. Outside of the promise of the A. T. it is impossible to recognize the gift of God who came to visit us. Only the Baptist is able to indicate this! Law and promise are like the hands that, through Israel, God created so that humanity can extend toward Him and welcome Him. A gift that cannot find hands to receive and sustain it, falls and is lost. Mary, by visiting Elizabeth, recognizes the truth of what happens in her; the Church, by referring to the A. Testament, understands what she conceived. And in Mary and in the Church Israel sees the Visit that the Lord has made to us. This recognition is a great mystery: it represents the passage from promise to fulfilment, the gift of the full knowledge of the Lord.
Fourth Sunday of Advent Lectionary: 12 Reading 1 MI 5:1-4A Thus says the LORD: You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, and the rest of his kindred shall return to the children of Israel. He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; and they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace. Responsorial Psalm PS 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19. R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. O shepherd of Israel, hearken, from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth. Rouse your power, and come to save us. R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. Once again, O LORD of hosts, look down from heaven, and see; take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted the son of man whom you yourself made strong. R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. May your help be with the man of your right hand, with the son of man whom you yourself made strong. Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name. R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. Reading 2 HEB 10:5-10 Brothers and sisters: When Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in." These are offered according to the law. Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will." He takes away the first to establish the second. By this "will," we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Alleluia LK 1:38 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 1:39-45 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
FAUSTI - Through Mary, having become obedient to the Word, God visits His people and His people recognize Him. This recognition is the aim of His plan, the aim of His hard work, the fulfilment of the history of salvation; the encounter between Israel and the Church, between God's people and His Messiah.
RispondiEliminaThe mystery of the Visitation is the anticipation of this eschatological event, in which Mercy will be used for all those who were locked up in disobedience.
It is the final joy of the encounter, so obstructed and long-awaited, between Bride and Groom, of which the Canticle sings. The Lord's visit is the meaning of personal and universal history. But who knows how to discern it?
Elizabeth is pregnant with two millennia of waiting, Mary of the Eternal One .
Their encounter is the embrace between the Old and New Testaments, between promise and fulfilment.
Two women are saluting each other. In their mutual acceptance is recognized the One who is Welcome.
The encounter takes place through the initiative of She who is blessed because She believed in the fulfilment of the Word of the Lord: Mary goes to Elizabeth, sign that the One to whom "nothing is impossible" , has given (1:36).
The N. Testament recognizes in the Old Testament the pre-contained gift as promise of the impossible. Only in this visit and frequenting of the A. T. the N. Testament understands the reality of which it is fulfilment.
For this reason Luke carefully introduces his reader of pagan origin into the history of Israel, of which he offers in the first chapters as a summary.
Outside of the promise of the A. T. it is impossible to recognize the gift of God who came to visit us.
Only the Baptist is able to indicate this!
Law and promise are like the hands that, through Israel, God created so that humanity can extend toward Him and welcome Him.
A gift that cannot find hands to receive and sustain it, falls and is lost.
Mary, by visiting Elizabeth, recognizes the truth of what happens in her; the Church, by referring to the A. Testament, understands what she conceived.
And in Mary and in the Church Israel sees the Visit that the Lord has made to us.
This recognition is a great mystery: it represents the passage from promise to fulfilment, the gift of the full knowledge of the Lord.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
RispondiEliminaLectionary: 12
Reading 1 MI 5:1-4A
Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
Responsorial Psalm PS 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19.
R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Reading 2 HEB 10:5-10
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Alleluia LK 1:38
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 1:39-45
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."