Jesus instead of claiming that He’s the Messiah responds that His role is rather to bring the blessings to the oppressed and neglected of society

December 16, 2015

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

Saint of the Day: Saint Eusebius, Bishop (c. 371)

Reading 1

6cI am the LORD, there is no other;[1] 7I form the light, and create the darkness,

I make well-being and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things. 8Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up!

I, the LORD, have created this.

18For thus says the LORD, the creator of the heavens, who is God, the designer and maker of the earth who established it, not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the LORD, and there is no other. Who announced this from the beginning and foretold it from of old? Was it not I, the LORD, besides whom there is no other God?

21cThere is no just and saving God but me. 22Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! 23By myself I swear, uttering my just decree and my unalterable word: To me every knee shall bend; by me every tongue shall swear, 24Saying, “Only in the LORD are just deeds and power. Before him in shame shall come all who vent their anger against him.

25In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory of all the descendants of Israel.”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (Isaiah 45:8) Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

9aI will hear what God proclaims; 9bthe LORD - for He proclaims peace to His people. 10Near indeed is His salvation to those who fear Him, glory dwelling in our land.

R. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

11Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 12Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

13The LORD Himself will give His benefits; our land shall yield its increase.

14Justice shall walk before Him, and salvation, along the way of his steps.

R. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

Alleluia see Isaiah 40:9-10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Raise your voice and tell the Good News: Behold, the Lord GOD comes with power.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 7:18b-23

18bAt that time, John summoned two of His disciples[2] 19and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

20When the men came to the Lord, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”

21At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; He also granted sight to many who were blind. 22And Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. 23And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”[3]

Notes on Readings:

[1] Isaiah 45:6 - The Gentiles will come to know the true God; compare also with 45:20-25.

[2] Isaiah 45:7 - Create woe: God permits evil for the sake of a greater good.

[3] Isaiah 45:8 - The Vulgate rendering gives a more precise messianic sense to this verse, using "just one" and "savior" in place of justice and salvation. The Advent liturgy uses the Vulgate form, Rorate coeli desuper . . ., to express the world's longing for the coming of Christ.

[4] Isaiah 45: 18 - Waste: an allusion to the beginning of creation, when the earth was waste and void (Genesis 1:2), the same Hebrew word, tohu, being used in both passages. The further reference here is to Palestine, which God wishes again to be inhabited by the returning exiles.

[5] Isaiah 45: 20 - Who bear wooden idols: in their religious processions. The gods of the pagans have feet but cannot walk; compare with Psalm 115:7; Baruch 6:25.

[6] Luke 7:18-23 - In answer to John's question, Are you the one who is to come? - a probable reference to the return of the fiery prophet of reform, Elijah, "before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day" (Malachi 3:23) - Jesus responds that His role is rather to bring the blessings spoken of in Isaiah 61:1 to the oppressed and neglected of society (Luke 7:22; compare with Luke 4:18.

[7] Luke 7:23 - Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me: this beatitude is pronounced on the person who recognizes Jesus' true identity in spite of previous expectations of what "the one who is to come" would be like.