Sunday, 16 December 2012
Third Sunday of Advent - Year C
St. Eusebius, Bishop († c. 371)
Commentary of the day
Blessed John-Paul II : « Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say: Rejoice! The Lord is near » (Phil 4,4-5)
Reading
Lk 3:10-18.
And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise."
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
He answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.
John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Angelus for the 14/12/2003 (trans. © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana rev.)
« Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say: Rejoice! The Lord is near » (Phil 4,4-5)
"Rejoice in the Lord always.... The Lord is near" (Phil 4: 4-5). With these
words of the Apostle Paul the liturgy invites us to be joyful. It is the
Third Sunday of Advent and is known as "Gaudete" Sunday for this very
reason...Advent is a season of rejoicing because it revives the expectation
of the most joyful event in history: the birth of the Son of God by the
Virgin Mary. To know that God is not distant but close, not indifferent but
compassionate, not aloof but a merciful Father who follows us lovingly with
respect for our freedom: all this is a cause of deep joy which the
alternating ups and downs of daily life cannot touch. An unmistakable
feature of Christian joy is that it can go hand in hand with suffering,
since it is based entirely on love. Indeed, the Lord who "is near", to the
point of becoming man, comes to fill us with his joy, the joy of loving.
Only in this way can we understand the serene joy of the martyrs even amid
trial, or the smile of saints, full of charity for those who are suffering:
a smile that does not offend but consoles. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord
is with you!" (Lk 1:28). The Angel's announcement to Mary is an invitation
to rejoice. Let us ask the Holy Virgin for the gift of Christian joy.
Third Sunday of Advent - Year C
St. Eusebius, Bishop († c. 371)
Commentary of the day
Blessed John-Paul II : « Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say: Rejoice! The Lord is near » (Phil 4,4-5)
Reading
Lk 3:10-18.
And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise."
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
He answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.
John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Angelus for the 14/12/2003 (trans. © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana rev.)
« Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say: Rejoice! The Lord is near » (Phil 4,4-5)
"Rejoice in the Lord always.... The Lord is near" (Phil 4: 4-5). With these
words of the Apostle Paul the liturgy invites us to be joyful. It is the
Third Sunday of Advent and is known as "Gaudete" Sunday for this very
reason...Advent is a season of rejoicing because it revives the expectation
of the most joyful event in history: the birth of the Son of God by the
Virgin Mary. To know that God is not distant but close, not indifferent but
compassionate, not aloof but a merciful Father who follows us lovingly with
respect for our freedom: all this is a cause of deep joy which the
alternating ups and downs of daily life cannot touch. An unmistakable
feature of Christian joy is that it can go hand in hand with suffering,
since it is based entirely on love. Indeed, the Lord who "is near", to the
point of becoming man, comes to fill us with his joy, the joy of loving.
Only in this way can we understand the serene joy of the martyrs even amid
trial, or the smile of saints, full of charity for those who are suffering:
a smile that does not offend but consoles. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord
is with you!" (Lk 1:28). The Angel's announcement to Mary is an invitation
to rejoice. Let us ask the Holy Virgin for the gift of Christian joy.
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