Sunday, 23 December 2012
Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year C
The Great O Antiphons: "O Emmanuel"
St. John of Kanty, Priest (1390-1473), St. Servulus († c. 590)
Commentary of the day
Blessed Guerric of Igny : «Behold, my beloved comes! He springs across the mountains, leaps across the hills» (Sg 2,8)
Reading
Lk 1:39-45.
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
2nd Sermon of Advent, §1-2 ; SC 166 (trans. ©Cistercian publications, 1970)
«Behold, my beloved comes! He springs across the mountains, leaps across the hills» (Sg 2,8)
"Behold the King is coming, let us hasten to meet our Savior" (Advent
liturgy) Solomon put it very well when he said: "As cold water to a thirsty
soul, so is good news from a far country" (Prv 25,25). He certainly brings
good news who announces the coming of the Savior, the reconciliation of the
world and the good things of the world to come. “How welcome the feet of
them that preach peace and bring good tidings!” (Is 52,7)... Such
messengers are waters of refreshment and a draught of saving wisdom to a
soul athirst for God. For such a soul, the herald of the coming and of the
other mysteries of the Savior, draws and proffers water “with joy from the
springs of the Savior” (Is 12,3). And so it seems to me that the soul is
heard to reply to the messenger... in the words of Elisabeth. It has drunk
of the same spirit as she has and says: "Whence is this that my Lord should
come to me? Behold, as soon as your salutation sounded in my ears, the
Spirit in my heart leapt for joy, earnestly desiring to hurry off to meet
God its Savior."And really, brethren, we should go to meet the coming
Christ with joy in our heart... “O my Savior and my God! (Ps 43[42],5) what
an honor that you should have saluted your servants. How much the greater
that you should have saved them?... You have given us salvation not only by
greeting with the kiss of peace in your Incarnation those you had
previously saluted with words of peace, but, more, by effecting their
salvation through your death on the Cross.” Let us therefore rise up with
joyful eagerness and hasten to welcome our Savior. Let us adore him and
salute him at a distance, crying out to him: "Deliverance, Lord,
deliverance! Lord, grant us the victory! Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord” (Ps 118[117],25-26).
Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year C
The Great O Antiphons: "O Emmanuel"
St. John of Kanty, Priest (1390-1473), St. Servulus († c. 590)
Commentary of the day
Blessed Guerric of Igny : «Behold, my beloved comes! He springs across the mountains, leaps across the hills» (Sg 2,8)
Reading
Lk 1:39-45.
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
2nd Sermon of Advent, §1-2 ; SC 166 (trans. ©Cistercian publications, 1970)
«Behold, my beloved comes! He springs across the mountains, leaps across the hills» (Sg 2,8)
"Behold the King is coming, let us hasten to meet our Savior" (Advent
liturgy) Solomon put it very well when he said: "As cold water to a thirsty
soul, so is good news from a far country" (Prv 25,25). He certainly brings
good news who announces the coming of the Savior, the reconciliation of the
world and the good things of the world to come. “How welcome the feet of
them that preach peace and bring good tidings!” (Is 52,7)... Such
messengers are waters of refreshment and a draught of saving wisdom to a
soul athirst for God. For such a soul, the herald of the coming and of the
other mysteries of the Savior, draws and proffers water “with joy from the
springs of the Savior” (Is 12,3). And so it seems to me that the soul is
heard to reply to the messenger... in the words of Elisabeth. It has drunk
of the same spirit as she has and says: "Whence is this that my Lord should
come to me? Behold, as soon as your salutation sounded in my ears, the
Spirit in my heart leapt for joy, earnestly desiring to hurry off to meet
God its Savior."And really, brethren, we should go to meet the coming
Christ with joy in our heart... “O my Savior and my God! (Ps 43[42],5) what
an honor that you should have saluted your servants. How much the greater
that you should have saved them?... You have given us salvation not only by
greeting with the kiss of peace in your Incarnation those you had
previously saluted with words of peace, but, more, by effecting their
salvation through your death on the Cross.” Let us therefore rise up with
joyful eagerness and hasten to welcome our Savior. Let us adore him and
salute him at a distance, crying out to him: "Deliverance, Lord,
deliverance! Lord, grant us the victory! Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord” (Ps 118[117],25-26).
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