'Tis the Second Sunday of Advent: Advent-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Second Sunday of Advent
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty, verses one thru five, nine, ten, & eleven;
Psalm Eighty-five (R/. eight), verses nine & ten, eleven & twelve, & thirteen & fourteen;
The Second Letter of Peter, chapter three, verses eight thru fourteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter one, verses one thru eight.
Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today we hear the opening line of Mark’s Gospel: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” This can sound anodyne and harmlessly pious to us, but in the first century, those were fighting words.euangelion, which we render as “good news,” was a word that was typically used to describe an imperial victory. When the emperor won a battle or quelled a rebellion, he sent evangelists ahead with the good news.
Mark’s Greek term,
Do you see now how subversive Mark’s words were? He was writing from Rome, from the belly of the beast, from the heart of the empire whose leaders had killed his friends Peter and Paul just a few years before, and he was declaring that the true victory didn’t have a thing to do with Caesar, but rather with someone whom Caesar had put to death and whom God raised up.
And just to rub it in, he refers to this resurrected Lord as “Son of God.” Ever since the time of Augustus, “Son of God” was a title claimed by the Roman emperor.
Not so, says Mark. The authentic Son of God is the one who is more powerful than Caesar. The opening line of the Gospel of Mark is a direct challenge to Rome: Jesus Christ, not Caesar nor any of his descendants, is Lord.
Reflect: How does believing that Jesus Christ is Lord affect your opinions about the leaders of this world?Video reflection by Father John Crossin, O.S.F.S (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.
Video reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire): Sunday Sermon.
Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-three (verses one thru nineteen).
Commentary: Vengeance on Enemies; God's Mercy Recounted & Sought (Isaiah, 63:1-19).
†
Saints of the Day
Otherwise, 6 December would be the festival of Saint Nicholas, Bishop (circa 270-346; of Myra, of Bari, A.K.A. the Wonderworker), Bishop of Myra: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Myra; & Wikipedia-link Saint Nicholas Day.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Asella of Rome, Virgin (circa 334-406; also spelt Osella, Ocella), abbess of a monastery at Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Iserninus, Bishop (died circa 456, also spelt Isernius), Bishop of Kilcullen (448): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Old Kilcullen.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Aemilianus, Martyr (died 484), martyred in the reign of the Arian Vandal king Huneric: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Abraham of Kratia, Bishop & Abbot (circa 474-558), Bishop of Kratia (512-525), abbot at a monastery at Kratia (500-510): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Peter Paschal, Bishop & Martyr, O. de M. (circa 1227-1300, A.K.A. Peter Pascual), Bishop of Jaén (1296-1300), martyred in the reign of the Nasrid king Muhammad II: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Jaén.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed János Scheffler, Bishop & Martyr (1887-1952), Bishop of Oradea Mare (1942-1952), martyred in the reign of the Romanian Communist dictator Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Oradea Mare.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"You do sports together or go shopping together. Why not read the Bible together as well—two, three, or four of you? In nature, in the woods, on the beach, at night in the glow of a few candles… you will have a great experience!"Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)
"In Jesus Christ, God took on a human face & became our friend & brother."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Pope Benedict XVI (b. 1927, r. 2005-2013)
"God dwells in us. It doesn't matter where you are as long as you are clean of heart. Clean of heart means openness, that complete freedom, that detachment that allows you to love God without hinderance, without obstacles. When sin comes into our lives that is a personal obstacle between us & God. Sinis nothing but slavery. "Catholic Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"In the same way that lies have gone out from people’s hearts, penetrating throughout the world & destroying it, so should—& so will—the truth begin its healing service within our hearts."
—Fr. Alfred Delp, S.J. (1907-1945)
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