Monday, December 21, 2015

Elizabeth recognizes Virgin Mary as the Mother of God


December 21, 2015 

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Reading 1

8Hark! my lover–here He comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills.[1] 9My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Here He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices.

10My lover speaks; He says to me, “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! 11“For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. 12The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

13The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! 14“O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see you, let me hear your voice,  For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.”[2]


14Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15The LORD has removed the judgment against you, He has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear.

16On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! 17The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love, He will sing joyfully because of you, 18as one sings at festivals.

Responsorial Psalm

R. (1a, 3a) Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to Him a new song.

2Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant His praises. 3Sing to Him a new song; pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.

R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to Him a new song.

11But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of His heart, through all generations. 12Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.

R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to Him a new song.

20Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield, 21For in Him our hearts rejoice; in His holy name we trust. 

R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to Him a new song.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

39Mary set out in those days and travelled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

43And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?[3] 44For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.  

45Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”[4]




Notes on Readings:


[1] Song of Songs 2:8-13 - In this sudden change of scene, the bride pictures her lover hastening toward her dwelling until His voice is heard bidding her come to Him.

[2] Song of Songs 2:14 - The bride is addressed as though she were a dove in a mountain fastness out of sight and reach.

[3] Luke 1:43 - Even before his birth, Jesus is identified in Luke as the Lord.

[4] Luke 1:45 - Blessed are you who believed: Luke portrays Mary as a believer whose faith stands in contrast to the disbelief of Zechariah (Luke 1:20). Mary's role as believer in the infancy narrative should be seen in connection with the explicit mention of her presence among "those who believed" after the resurrection at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts:14).

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.