Sunday Sermon - 12.10.23
(Sorry for the delay in posting)
LATIN MASS: SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
EPISTLE: Romans 15:4 For what things soever were written, were written for our learning: that through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, we might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ: 6 That with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honour of God. 8 For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. 9 But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to Thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to Thy Name. 10 And again He saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people. 11 And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify Him, all ye people. 12 And again Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and He that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope. 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.
There’s an awful lot in this brief passage of Romans. The overarching theme is that God set apart the Israelites for many centuries to prepare them for the arrival of the Messiah. He wanted them to be ready for Him, so mankind needed to be prepared. The Scriptures testify to how the Israelites were given a Covenant with God and told how they must live. Yet over and over they refused to do so. God would then step in and chastise them for their unfaithfulness. But the Covenant prepared His people for what He would do. And in the New Covenant, God extends the covenant from one nation of people out to all mankind. Jews and Gentiles are welcome into the New Covenant. All we must do is accept His gift and obey/love Him.
GOSPEL: Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to Him: 3 Art Thou He that art to come, or look we for another? 4 And Jesus making answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. 5 The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in Me. 7 And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. 9 But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send My angel before Thy Face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.
Christ fulfills all the prophesies about the Messiah made in the OT. Specifically here He references Isaiah 40 (see below) about the miracles that would accompany the arrival of the Messiah. He also chastises those who were looking for the Messiah to be a conquering king who would set up a worldly kingdom here on earth. The Kingdom of God is the Catholic Church.
NOVUS ORDO: SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 See, the Lord God comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
Are you ready for the arrival of Christ? Have you cleaned out all the obstacles to Him in your soul and in your life? Have you given up sin and turned away from it? Have you gone to Confession to clean your soul? Christ is arriving in a couple of weeks. Make sure you prepare yourself in your finest attire by preparing your soul to be as pure as possible for Him.
NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 3:8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13 But, in accordance with His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by Him at peace, without spot or blemish;
Pay particular attention to verse 10. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, will be disclosed and exposed at the Final Judgment of Christ. Every single deed, thought, action and behavior we have ever made will be exposed to the light. All of it. Nothing will remain hidden.
So starting now, go to Confession and start leading a life of holiness as St Peter says in verse 11. Be ready for Him and be without spot or blemish.
GOSPEL: Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight,’”
4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The One who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John the Baptist lived his entire life devoted to God in a radical and extreme way. He lived an incredibly spartan life with no comforts and no ease. He was consecrated to God and filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb. He spent years preaching to the people to ready them for Christ to reveal Himself and begin His ministry. Some of the Apostles were listening to John and preparing themselves. It was not an accident that they were ready when Christ called them to be His Apostles. They lived their lives in anticipation of His arrival. So should we.
Well worth waiting for! Thank you for all you do for us. 🙏📿