'Tis the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Advent-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter seven, verses one thru five, eight(b) thru twelve, fourteen(a), & sixteen;
Psalm Eighty-nine (R/. two[a]), verses two & three, four & five, & twenty-seven & twenty-nine;
The Letter to the Romans, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-five, twenty-six, & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-eight.
Commentary: Advent Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel shows how Mary became the mother of all the members of the Body of Christ.Video reflection by Mrs. Lauri Przybysz (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.
At the Annunciation, the angel declared to the maiden of Nazareth: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." The two persons required for the Incarnation were, in other words, the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother.
Then we recall that, from the cross, Jesus pronounced this word to St. John: "Son, behold your mother." He was giving Mary not only to John, but through John to the whole Church. Mary would be the mother of all the beloved disciples of Jesus up and down the centuries.
Now we can make the connection: in becoming the mother of Christ, Mary, by extension, would become mother of all of those members of Christ’s Mystical Body across space and time. Just as the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother were required to bring about the Incarnation in history, so those same two agents are required to bring about the birth of Christ in our souls.
Reflect: How can you rely on the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother to bring about the birth of Christ more vividly in your own soul?
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 Gospel according Matthew, chapter eleven (verses one thru thirty);
Commentary: Rewards (cont'd; Matthew, 11:1), Messengers from John the Baptist (Matthew, 11:2-6), Jesus Praises John the Baptist (Matthew, 11:7-19), Jesus Upbraids the Unrepentant Cities (Matthew, 11:20-24), & Jesus Thanks His Father (Matthew, 11:25-30).
†
Saints of the Day
Otherwise, 20 December would be the festival of Saint Zephyrinus, Pope (died 217), fifteenth (XV) Bishop of Rome (199-217): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Ursicinus of Cahors, Bishop & Abbot (died circa 595), Bishop of Cahors (582-595): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Cahors.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne, Abbot (died circa 625; also spelt Hursannus, Ursitz, etc.), founding abbot of a monastery at Saint-Ursanne: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint-Ursanne.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Dominic of Silos, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (1000-1073), rebuilding abbot of the Abbey of Saint Sebastian (1041-1073, later renamed Santo Domingo de Silos), abbot of the Monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Santo Domingo & Wikipedia-link San Millán.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Thomas of Dover, Religious & Martyr, O.S.B. (died 1295; A.K.A. Thomas Hales, Thomas de Halys), martyred during the plundering of Priory of Saint Mary the Virgin & Saint Martin of the New Work (A.K.A. Dover Priory) by French pirates: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Dover.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Vincenzo Romano, Priest (1751-1831, the "Worker Priest"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Michał Piaszczyński, Priest & Martyr (1885-1940), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Faith & life. These are nothing less than the realities in which we are immersed, & they are the goals to which we would draw attention. Keep them particularly in mind during the coming happy occasion."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
"One thing I ask of you: Never be afraid of giving. There is a deep joy in giving, since what we receive is much more than what we give."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"He Who createdus without our help will not save us without our consent."Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast: 28 August)
"When our Lord comes, it will not be just to judge the one circumscribed area of the earth in which He labored & revealed Himself. It will be to reveal Himself & to judge all nations & all empires. When that time is, nobody knows. He refuses to tell us. He only says that it will be sudden, like a flash of lightning. He, the Savior, is the judge. What a beautiful way to have a judgment. Can you imagine any earthly judge saying to a criminal before him: you were guilty, I am going to take all of your sins & crimes upon myself. I will suffer for you. What a judge he would be? But our Blessed Lord took upon Himself all of our sin as we stood before the bar of divine justice, & He who suffered for us will come to judge us. What a judgment it will be when we will see One who loved us so much."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
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