DECEMBER 5 Mon Advent Weekday Is 35:1-10/Lk 5:17-26 

6 Tue Advent Weekday [St Nicholas, Bishop} Is 40:1-11/Mt 18:12-14 

7 Wed St Ambrose, Bishop Doctor Memorial Is 40:25-31/Mt 11:28-30 

8 Thu IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

(Patronal Feastday of the United States of America) Solemnity

Gn 3:9-15, 20/Eph 1:3-6, 11-12/Lk 1:26-38 

9 Fri Advent Weekday [St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin]

Is 48:17-19/Mt 11:16-19

10 Sat Advent Weekday [Our Lady of Loreto] Sir 48:1-4, 9-11/Mt 17:9a, 10-13

11 SUN THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Is 35:1-6a, 10/Jas 5:7-10/Mt 11:2-11 

The journey to God’s holy mountain will not be by way of the sea, the easiest road to Jerusalem from Babylon, Isaiah told Jewish exiles in Babylon. (Isaiah 40 ff)  God will bring you over mountains and through a wilderness, but the valleys will be filled, the mountains made low, the crooked ways straight. You’ll have guides and graces; God himself will shepherd you.

John the Baptist preached Isaiah’s message in the Jordan Valley where the winding road up to Jerusalem began. He is the messenger God sends to announce the coming of Jesus Christ.

This week’s Old Testament readings, mostly from Isaiah, recognize how hard the wilderness journey can be, but the desert will bloom and a highway will be there, a holy way. (Monday) God speaks tender, comforting words to his people on the way. (Tuesday)  Those who hope in him will renew their strength, soaring on eagle’s wings. (Wednesday) Though we’re as insignificant as a worm, God grasps our hand and says: “Fear not; I am with you.” (Thursday) God, our teacher, shows us the way to go. (Friday) Prophets like Elijah also accompany us. (Saturday)

The readings this week are for our encouragement, as Sunday’s reading from the Letter to the Romans reminds us. Jesus is with us on the way, the Gospel readings say. He forgave and healed a paralyzed man, symbol of a paralyzed humanity, who was lowered through the roof into the house in Capernaum. (Monday)  Like a good shepherd Jesus searches for and finds the stray sheep. (Tuesday)  “Come to me all who are weary…” he says. (Wednesday) He sends prophets and guides like John the Baptist and Elijah.   (Thursday) Though rejected like John the Baptist, Jesus still teaches. (Friday) He will save us, though he is unrecognized like John and Elijah. (Saturday)

Feasts

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, the patronal feast day of the United States of America, is celebrated on Wednesday of this week.

We have also feasts of St. Ambrose, St. Juan Diego and–how can we forget–St. Nicholas.

Readings Online: http://www.usccb.org

 Advent is a season of four weeks preparing for the feast of Christmas welcoming Jesus Christ, God with us. During the four weeks four figures prepare us for the coming of our Lord: the Prophet Isaiah, John the Baptist, Mary of Nazareth and Joseph of Nazareth. 

This first week in our Advent liturgy the Prophet Isaiah is the strong voice to listen to. The Book of Isaiah, some say, is our 5th Gospel.

Isaiah served as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem in the eighth century before Christ.While engaged in the daily worship in the temple Isaiah was also deeply engaged in what was happening in the world of his day. He was concerned with  every move the Jewish leaders were making, from the king on down.  He scolded them, encouraged them, and warned them. He was never afraid to speak what was on his mind, and what was on his mind was often far from theirs.

He lived in difficult times. Assyria, the great kingdom to the north was expanding its empire, and they were intent on absorbing Israel. 

But Israel wanted independence and from the king on down they were intent on resisting  the Assyrians. The king at this time was Ahaz, a consumate realist who was ready to take whatever political or military steps he could take to stop the Assyrians. That meant reinforcing the defenses of the city, establishing alliances with allies, like the Egyptians, assembling and training the best army to fight them. Ahaz was a realist who thought only of political, or military, or economic realities. 

The reality was a large Assyrian army was coming down from the north, destroying everything in its path. 

And so Isaiah speaks words we often hear this season:

In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: “Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction,and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

How foolish those words must have sounded to Ahaz and those like him.  How impractical.  More swords and spears were needed, more armies, more alliances had to be marshaled. Isaiah’s words were an impossible dream.  

Yet, Isaiah was not unaware of the real world. He wanted the king and those like him to hold on to the vision of God, a vision beyond politics and military and economic means. God’s vision is for a world that’s one, where all nations stream towards the Lord’s mountain. God’s vision is for a peaceable world, where swords are beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. God’s vision is for a just world where all are fed, especially the poor and the weak. God’s vision is for a world like a rock where all, even the natural world itself, is secure.

Impractical, the realists like Ahaz–and maybe us– say. But Isaiah’s message came, not from the “real” world–  but from God, Emmanuel, God with us. Your kingdom come.

In times like ours, we need to listen  to prophets like Isaiah speaking of God’s vision, lest we get trapped in the thinking of the “real” world. God’s vision is real, more real than we can imagine, greater than we can hope for.  We need to rely on more than what we see. In Advent, we need to keep company with prophets like Isaiah, asking to see what they saw. Emmanuel. God is with us.

NOVEMBER 27 SUN FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Is 2:1-5/Rom 13:11-14/Mt 24:37-44

28 Mon Advent Weekday Is 4:2-6/Mt 8:5-11

29 Tue Advent Weekday Is 11:1-10/Lk 10:21-24 

30 Wed Saint Andrew, Apostle Feast Rom 10:9-18/Mt 4:18-22 

DECEMBER 1 Thu Advent Weekday Is 26:1-6/Mt 7:21, 24-27

2 Fri Advent Weekday Is 29:17-24/Mt 9:27-31 

3 Sat St Francis Xavier, Priest Memorial Is 30:19-21, 23-26/Mt 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8 

4 SUN SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Is 11:1-10/Rom 15:4-9/Mt 3:1-

The daily readings at Mass for the first week of Advent are beautifully arranged.

The Prophet Isaiah speaks in the Old Testament readings as a fierce Assyrian army heads towards Jerusalem. Bad times ahead, but the prophet sees something else. All nations are streaming to God’s mountain.

The nations will come to God’s mountain, Jerusalem, where the temple stands, the prophet says.  They’ll be fed a rich banquet (Wednesday),  the poor will triumph (Thursday),  the blind will see (Friday). Safe on this rock, children play around the cobra’s den, and the lion and the lamb lie down together (Tuesday). The prophet  challenges us to see our world in another way.

In the gospels  Jesus Christ fulfills the Isaian prophecies. The Roman centurion, humbly approaching Jesus in Capernaum, represents all nations approaching him. (Monday)  Jesus praises the childlike;  they will enter the kingdom of heaven.(Tuesday)  He feeds a multitude on the mountain.(Wednesday) His kingdom is built on rock.(Thursday)  He gives sight to the blind to find their way.  (Friday)

Many Advent readings in these early weeks of Advent are from the gospel of Matthew, who portrays Jesus teaching on a mountain (Isaiah’s favorite symbol). His miracles affect all. Jesus is the new temple, the Presence of God, Emmanuel, God with us. He brings hope beyond human hope, beyond our hope.

Lord, help us see what you and the prophets see.

I’ll be publishing a calendar at the beginning of each month from now to next December. Our Catholic calendars combine the Roman calendar for the church throughout the world, the national calendar, in this case, for the USA, and any other calendar. This calendar includes the calendar for my religious community, the Passionists.

I like calendars. They remind you life is bigger than the immediate day before you . The scriptures and the feasts, the liturgical seasons open up a timeless world beyond this: “As it was in the beginning is now, and every shall be, world without end.” The calendar teaches us ” to number our days aright that we may gain wisdom of heart.”

We begin a new year in December with the season of Advent. Jesus Christ, the “long-expected Savior” came before, comes to us now, and will come again when calendars are no longer needed.

The Book of Revelation and the Gospel of Luke

The two scriptures brought together these last two weeks in our lectionary are an interesting combination. The Book of Revelation with its stark imagery of the destruction the end times brings is paired with the Gospel of Luke. 

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.
She has become a haunt for demons.
She is a cage for every unclean spirit,
a cage for every unclean bird,
a cage for every unclean and disgusting beast.                                                     A mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone
and threw it into the sea and said: ‘With such force will Babylon the great city be thrown down, and will never be found again.’ (Rev 18: 24-26)

Luke’s Gospel recalls Jesus and his disciples entering Jerusalem, the city sparkling with its almost completed temple. The disciples are dazzled by the massive new structure. There will not not one stone left on other, Jesus says, warning of the frail world we live in. Yet, Jesus is much more optimistic about life in this world than Revelation is. He speaks of the mercy of God. On his way to Jerusalem he keeps calling sinners. He does so even as he dies on the cross. He never looks at the world as unredeemable. He calls the tax collector, Zachaeus, but he never tells him to give up his job. He warns against burying your talent in the ground. Not matter how bad the times are, we have something to do. He also said not to search into the time and day the Son of Man will come. Our cross is a daily cross, Jesus says. He will help us bear it till he comes again.  

 The best commentators on scripture are the scriptures themselves, St. Augustine taught, and so we read the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of Luke together.

At our evening prayer we read from the Book of Revelation frequently but not its grim passages about the fall of Babylon. We read the beautiful promises of life beyond this. At the end of the day, we go into the night listening to the songs they are singing in heaven.  There’s going to be a great day. 

NOVEMBER 21 Mon Presentation of Mary Memorial Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5/Lk 21:1-4  22 Tue St Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr Memorial. Rv 14:14-19/Lk 21:5-11  23 Wed Weekday[St Clement I, Pope  Martyr; St Columban, Abbot; USA: Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, PriestMartyr] Rv 15:1-4/Lk 21:12-19  24 Thu St Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Priest, Companions, Martyrs Memorial [USA: Thanksgiving Day] Rv 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a/Lk 21:20-28  25 Fri Weekday [Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr] Rv 20:1-4, 11—21:2/Lk 21:29-33  26 Sat Weekday 26 [BVM] Rv 22:1-7/Lk 21:34-36  27 SUN FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Is 2:1-5/Rom 13:11-14/Mt 24:37-44

Thursday is ThanksgivingDay in the USA, a day at home with family and friends. The readings for most of this week, from the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of Luke, describe a world turned upside down. Hardly readings for enjoying a family feast in the security of your home. 

But faith embraces a world upset and a world secure.

Martyrs also are remembered this week. Cecilia, Clement, Andrew Dung-Lac and companions, Catherine of Alexandria.

Monday, Presentation of Mary in the Temple, is a special feast for the Passionists. Pray for them.

Next week Advent begins. Christ comes.

                                                                                                                                             By Orlando Hernandez

       Wow! Advent and Christmas are coming up so fast! The Feast of Christ the King is upon us. In Year C, the Gospel for this feast (LK 23: 35-46) presents us with the powerful story of Jesus and “the Good Thief” upon their crosses, side by side. Years ago my Pastor once preached that this Gospel displays the kingly power of Jesus, that of pardoning wrongdoers. This is no small thing. It is the very nature of our all-powerful, all-loving God.

       Upon reading this Gospel I cannot help but remember a Passionist prayer that I “fell into” two years ago. My patron saint, Paul of the Cross, recommends that we remember and meditate upon different scenes in the Passion of our Lord. In an Ignatian sort of way we are to plunge into, to get lost in a particular scene. It will not be pleasant at all, but Our Father in Heaven will reward us with the magnificent grace of experiencing the Divine Love of the Trinity.

       So I tried to pray as Paul of the Cross suggests. I tried to relax and quiet my mind and asked, “Father, what moment of His Passion means the most to me?” A flood of images came. I was ready to give up, when suddenly I imagined myself on a cross squirming in pain, suffocating, and begged my God to deliver me from this suffering. I felt a gentle force moving my head to the right. There I saw my Lord Jesus on His own Cross. Beneath Him people were mocking Him, laughing at Him, “dissing” Him (“King of the Jews, Hah!, King of Losers!”). Even my crucified accomplice  on the other side of Jesus was putting Him down. I tried to defend Him, admit our sinfulness,  His innocence, but it did no good. I asked Jesus for His mercy. His eyes turned to me and He promised me Eternal Life. I got lost in those eyes. He was beautiful; He was beauty itself. 

       I rested in that Beauty until a terrible storm and the unbearable pain in my body brought me back to the awful scene. They were breaking the legs of my screaming accomplice. I looked to Jesus for help, but He was gone, His head down. It seemed He could do nothing to console me. I was all alone. The executioner’s club struck my knees mercilessly. I screamed in pain as my body collapsed. I could not breathe!

       Suddenly I found myself attached to a respirator in an ICU unit. It wasn’t working. I was suffocating, alone, along with every other victim of COVID in the planet. I could not even scream. 

       My eyes opened, and they were full of tears. I was sitting comfortably in my “prayer armchair” wondering, “Was this just a daydream? It was so real. Why did you give me this vision? (If it was a vision), Lord? What are you telling me?” There was only silence. My mind, body and soul rested in this silence. What I perhaps felt the most was gratitude and awe before the love of this all-powerful God.

       “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 

        Because of this, God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

        that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,

        of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth 

        and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2: 8-11)