John the Baptist is like Samson of the Old Testament.

We are all called and dedicated by virtue of our Baptism.

Through Baptism we have been grafted to the root (or stump) of Jesse!

The Nazarene, born in the city of David, Bethlehem, will become the king of Israel.

And so thus fulfill the promise of God to Jacob and Jesse.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a

 

Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

  

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊    

Luke 1:5-25 

In the days of Herod,

 In order to expound and describe this dark night, through which the soul passes in order to attain to the Divine light of the perfect union of the love of God, as far as is possible in this life, it would be necessary to have illumination of knowledge and experience other and far greater than mine; for this darkness and these trials, both spiritual and temporal, through which happy souls are wont to pass in order to be able to attain to this high estate of perfection, are so numerous and so profound that neither does human knowledge suffice for the understanding of them, nor experience for the description of them; for only he that passes this way can understand it, and even he cannot describe it

                                                                                                       ~~~~~ Prologue of Ascent to Mount Carmel, Saint John of the Cross   ~~~~~

 

Canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on December 27, 1726

Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1926

 

St. John of the Cross, priest & doctor

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 41:13-20

For I, Yahweh,

 Joseph, As a God-fearing Jew.

God assures Him in a dream. He is God's choice.

The Messiah, we were told yesterday is from the family tree of Jacob. Joseph was from the family tree of David.’

Joseph comes from the line of David who belongs to the tribe of Judah.

“Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

The reading closes with attention on Joseph (1:24-25). He takes Mary into his home as his wife,

and then, after the child is born, he names the child “Jesus”

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Jeremiah 23:5-8 

Yahweh further says,

Lucy was born in the year 283 AD.

Lucia, from the Latin word "lux" which means "light"

In paintings St. Lucy is frequently shown holding her eyes on a golden plate.

Lucy was represented in Gothic art holding a dish with two eyes on it.

Lucy is the patron saint of those with eye illnesses.

A Hungarian custom is to plant wheat in a small pot on St. Lucy's feast.

By Christmas green sprouts appear, signs of life coming from death.

The wheat is then carried to the manger scene as the symbol of Christ in the Eucharist.

 

 

St. Lucy, virgin & martyr

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 40: 25-31

To whom, then,

Today, we are celebrating the Gaudete Sunday meaning joy. A rose candle is lit, inviting us to rejoice because the Lord is near.

There is the command to strengthen the weak and assure with the presence of God those who are afraid.

There is also the prophecy that the blind will see, the deaf will hear and the ransomed will return to their land. He will bring life and joy in his coming.

              

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11

The spirit of the Lord Yahweh

 The primary meaning of each day of our lives is to say with her ,

"Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."

The promise of God in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament with the cooperation of Mary,

The true “Ark of the Covenant!”The first Temple of God is none other than Mary!

 

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

 ＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Zechariah 2:14-17

(or Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab) 

"Sing and rejoice,

In the Old Testament – the Prophet Elijah.

“why do the scribes says that Elijah has to come first?”

Jesus points out that Elijah did come already.

And the disciples putting the pieces together know that John is Elijah incarnate.

But the question is, did this make them believe

that Jesus has to undergo the passion and not be like the triumphant conquering messiah that they imagined?

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11

Then came the prophet Elijah,

Today the prophet Isaiah announces the coming of the Redeemer who will pass through the wilderness to build

“The Way of Holiness!” The Redeemer will indeed come to call sinners, not to punish them but to save them! Our God we await is a Savior!

The Way of Holiness that Isaiah prophesied is the way of mercy of Jesus revealed in today’s Gospel.

 

St. Damasus I, pope

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 35:1-10*

Let the wilderness

Israel is a stiff-necked people! Israel refused to be taught by the Lord.

The Jews of his own time failed to see the signs of God’s presence in their midst.

Because Israel could not be taught, Israel had to suffer so much, eventually will be exiled and Jerusalem would be destroyed.

Wisdom rests in the humble admission of one’s sinfulness on the one hand, and confessing and accepting God’s mercy on the other hand!

Wisdom is in living in the “fear of the Lord,” – awareness of unworthiness and gratefulness for God’s mercy.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 48:17-19

Thus says Yahweh,

Isaiah speaks of an end to the travails of the exiled people of God,

that God has “repented of his anger” is now about to reveal his mercy.

In the fullness of time the Savior will come.

We seek the mercy of God. truly, our God is full of compassion and mercy.

 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Be comforted,