For The Bulletin Of speaker in the text. This prophetic passage December 13, 2020 emerged, therefore, some five centuries before the birth of Christ. In it the speaker says, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.” In its original historical context and literal meaning, the author speaks of the conditions that the returning Babylonian exiles found, especially when he promises that those returning exiles “shall rebuild the THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ancient ruins, the former wastes they shall ADVENT raise up and restore the desolate cities, devastations of generation upon generation.” From Father Robert Christians read the Old Testament today, It also seems that the post-exilic prophet is understandably, in light of Christ’s speaking of his own role in the restorations fulfillment of the promises and prophecies of Jerusalem when he says, “The spirit of found there. It is a simple thing to do, since the Lord God is upon me.” the early church read the Old Testament in the context of Jesus’ incarnation and Yet there is also an eschatological edge to teaching and the experience of Easter, and the hopes imagined, especially in the then formalized these readings and proclamation of “a year of favor from the understandings in the texts of the New Lord,” an event still to come. Christians see Testament. the spiritual fulfillment of these proclamations in the person and ministry of But what if you were a Jew in the first Jesus, centuries after they were uttered. The century, eagerly hoping for the Messiah, a reason is simple: Jesus Himself read this successor to David? These hopes, shared passage, according to Luke 4, in the with the whole nation, had been growing synagogue in Nazareth. since the return from Babylonian exile. As you searched through the panoply of There Jesus says of the Isaian passage, prophecies, you began to wonder, when will “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in these hopes be fulfilled? Who do you look your hearing.” This we might identify with for and where do you start looking? It what Catholic biblical scholarship has called would be like reading a mystery novel, the sensus plenior, or “fuller sense,” since it knowing every clue, studying every sign, but does not obviate the original historical seeing only in retrospect how the whole meaning and context but points to a thing fits together. fulfillment of which the original human author was unaware. Isaiah 61, for instance, is most often dated to the period just after the return from This is why the questioning of John the Babylonian exile, and the author of the Baptist in today’s gospel reading by some passage is generally considered to be the representatives of the Pharisees makes 1 historical and theological sense. The In his letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul Pharisees, like most Jews of this period, writes “The one who calls you is faithful.” were awaiting the Messiah. Because of the When was a time in your life that you attractiveness of John’s prophetic message experienced deeply the faithfulness of God? of repentance to the people, and his popularity, he was someone who had to be In the gospel, John the Baptist is described examined. They asked, “Who are you?” In as one who came to “testify to the light.” response, John confesses that he is not the How does the way you live your life testify Messiah, not Elijah, not the prophet and to the light of Christ? cites Isaiah 40:3, a passage dated to the end of the Babylonian exile: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord.” John identifies himself not as the Messiah, but as the fulfillment of long-ago prophecies, as the one who prepares the way for the coming Messiah. But the questions still remained, even for John. Who ever thought that is would happen through a young unmarried woman, About Liturgy: A Joyful Paradox that God would look with favor “upon his Our attention this Advent, beginning last lowly servant,” Mary? God asks that as we week and continuing into this week, turns to wait for fulfillment, we be prepared for God John the Baptist. This Sunday is also called to do new things, unexpected things, and be “Gaudete Sunday” – or “Rejoice Sunday” – ready for unlikeliest of answers. acknowledging the prescribed entrance antiphon of the day, with its text from the Today marks the midpoint of our Advent Epistle to Philemon: “Rejoice in the Lord journey. How have you made use of these always, and again I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Advent days to prepare for the Christmas Lord is near.” The collect of the liturgy also feast? Do you feel some sense of joyfulness refers to “the joys of so great a salvation,” in knowing that the feast draws near? Have and the Old Testament, the Psalm, and the you made time for personal prayer, epistle readings each call us to rejoicing as quietness, listening? What questions does well. The Antique Rose Candle of our Great today’s liturgy and scripture raise for you? Wreath, lighter and perhaps cheerier than The prophet Isaiah proclaims, “I rejoice the Royal Purple ones, is lighted today, and heartily in the Lord.” How do you both Moses and myself are wearing the experience God as “the joy of your soul?” beautiful Antique Rose Chasuble and Pastoral Stole for vestments. Also, beautiful Isaiah prophesies that just as “the earth roses of the same color have been added to brings forth its plants,” God will “make our evergreen arrangements at both the Altar justice and praise spring up before all and Ambo. nations.” Where do you see justice and peace growing in the world? Yet, John the Baptist is not a figure one might describe, generally, as cheerful or joyful. There is a natural tension here: the precursor of the Messiah, a man who wore 2 burlap, ate insects, and with fiery language “The death of the Lord until He comes. The rebuked the Pharisees, is the dominant altar is “the center of thanksgiving that the figure on a weekend of joy and glad tidings. Eucharist accomplishes” and the point The gospel today, at first hearing, seems at around which the other rites are in some best to be a “mis-match.” manner arrayed” (BLS #56). On closer inspection though, our faith, and The altar, embodies the whole of the therefore our celebrations of it, are filled mystery and paradox that is the liturgical with paradox. Christian paradox is perhaps celebration of our faith: the Eucharist is best expressed in mystery – God’s truth both sacrifice and meal; the sacrificial altar beyond all human understanding. Said more is simultaneously a dinner table and, in the simply, it is the word “and.” In our celebration of Eucharist, is past, present, and Scriptures, these paradoxes abound: both future in a single moment. It is the place greatness and lowliness, strength and where we, though many are all one in Christ weakness, light and darkness, first and last, Jesus. humanity and divinity, life and death, one and many. One does not replace the other, Further, not only is the altar Christ’s cross nor does one become the other; both exist on Calvary, the church teaches us that it is side by side, in mystery – the paschal Christ Himself (BLS#56). This is why we mystery. take care to adorn the altar carefully and appropriately, and offer it reverence, In the liturgy, we’ve already explored how especially in the liturgy itself. patient and prayerful silence might be the most intensely active thing one can do this season. Today, John the Baptist, while decidedly unjoyful, calls us to a most joyful pursuit: following the One True Light in the darkness, which the darkness could not overcome. Beginning two weeks ago, The Giving Tree, with its white lights, was once again placed in the center of the narthex. In a Flocknote, sent out by Steve Rojek, you were invited to join us in this annual outreach for our adopted parochial school of St. Peter Martyr, with this year’s goal of a Gift Card for every child, a total of 300 Gift Cards, each in the amount of $25.00. About The Altar: Part I A Place of Unity Today is the last day that you may sign up Build of Living Stones tells us this about the on Flocknote for one or more Gift Cards to altar: “At the Eucharist, the liturgical be purchased and returned by today, assembly celebrates the ritual sacrificial December 13th, so that the Faculty of meal that recalls and makes present Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, proclaiming 3 St. Peter Martyr School may get the Gift Cards to the students in time for Christmas. Imprisoned in Advent Thank you for all you will do help us make Dec 7, 2020 this wonderful outreach successful. by Leo J. O'Donovan Spirituality Our Christmas Environment Even though we are not able to have in- person worship at this point, we are still going to create a beautiful environment for our Christmas liturgies that will be taped and then uploaded to our YouTube channel. We can’t let the Corona Virus take away our celebration of Christmas! The sense of imprisonment in our own pandemic So, once again, we invite you to be a part of time has led me to remember two great Jesuits a great tradition here at St.